US1026183A - Circuit-controlling key. - Google Patents

Description

HfE. SHREEVE. CIRCUIT CONTROLLING KEY.

APPLICATION FILED 001212, 1911.

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Patented May 14, 1912..

H. E. SHREEVE:

CIRCUIT GONTROLLING KEY. APPLIOATION 1111111) 0013.12. 1911.

Patented May 14, 1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT E. SHREEVE, OF MILBURN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLING KEY.

This invention relates to circuit controlling apparatus and has for its object to pro vide a switching key for establishing or maintaining certain circuit conditions and for varying the current conditions in any particular circuit.

More specifically` this invention relates to a key structure embracing a plurality of sets of contact springs and a spring-actuating member therefor capable of being moved in two directions, its position in one direction of its movement determining the particular group of contact springs with which it will engage, while its movement in a direction at an angle to the first mentioned line of movement, while in a particular position brings it into engagement with the contact springs of the group corresponding to that particular position. For example, the sets of contact springs may be of different lengths and arranged in a horizontal row and the actuating member therefor adapted to be moved in a vertical direction to a position where it may be moved horizontally into engagement with the sets of springs of a particular length.

One of the features of this invention is the means provided for locking the springactuating member against movement in one direction except when it is in a particular position of its other movement with respect to the sets of contact springs.

Other features of this invention are the structural details and combinations of parts as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the drawings-Figure l is a view in side elevation with parts in section of a key embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l with parts of the key in operated position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the key shown in Figs. l and 2; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken upon line 4 4 of Fig. 2 showing the key and parts with the plunger in its upper posit-ion; Fig. 5 is the same as Fig. 4 with the plunger in its lower position; Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a part of the key structure;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 12, 1911.

Patented May 14, 1912.

Serial No. 654,279.

Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram illustrating the key of this invention in connection with a telephone repeater circuit.

As shown in the drawings, 5 designates a base or supporting member provided between its ends with raised or projecting members 6, 6 forming an upwardly opening channel 7 adapted to receive a longitudinally movable block 8. The lower face of the base 5 is provided with a slot 9 which opens into the channel 7 and has secured thereto an insulating plate l0 which has a corresponding slot ll in alinement with the slot 9 in said base. Located near the opposite ends of said block 3 are insulating strips 12, l2 which are secured thereto by means of studs 13, 13 projecting downwardly through the alined slots 9 and l1 of the base 5 and plate l0, and are provided with heads 14, 14 adapted to slide along the lower face of the plate l0. The strips l2, l2 rest upon the lower part of the channel 7 and provide an insulated sliding surface for the block 8.

Reciprocally supported in the block S is a plunger rod 20, the lower end of which projects downwardly through the alined slots 9 and l1 and the upper end of which projects upwardly through a slot 2l in an insulating plate 22 secured to the upper portion of said base 5. Secured to the lower end of the plunger rod 2O is a spring-actuating block 25. This block is formed of insulating material and is reciprocally mounted upon guide rods 26, 2G secured at their upper ends to the longitudinally movable block 8 andA have secured to their lower ends antifriction rollers 27, 27 which engage a groove 28 in a frame member 29. Surrounding said rods 26, 26 are coiled springs 30, 30, the lower endsof which rest upon collars or washers 31, 3l upon said rods and the upper ends of which are in engagement with the lower face of said spring-actuating block. The frame member 29 is secured to the base 5 by means of posts 32, 32. Mounted upon the upper end of the plunger rod 2O is a key cap 35.

Mounted upon the frame member 29 and insulated therefrom and from each other are a plurality of sets of spring contact members 40, 4l, 42, 43 and 44, the contact between each set of springs being closed by the engagement of the block 25 with one spring of the set. The set of springs 40 is shorter than the remaining sets and is adapted to.

be engaged by the block 25 only when said block is in its lower position or level as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. rl`he other sets of springs, however, will be actuated in either level, and the block 25 being of uniform width throughout its length will retain each set of springs actuated in its actuated position as it is moved from one set to the other. The block 25 may be provided near its advancing end with notched portions 45, 45 which, as they are brought into engagement with the succeeding springs will tend to retard the movement of said block and this retardation will be perceptible to the hand of the operator. An index may be provided upon the tace of the plate 22 to indicate which set of springs is in engagement with one of the notches.

In its application to certain circuits it is necessary that provision be made to prevent the actuating block moving from one vert-ical position or level to the other while the said block is in any position of its longitudinal movement, except its normal or starting position, where it is out of engagement with all of the springs. The structure by means ot which the key is made to meet this requirement is as follows: Secured to the plunger rod 20 are two collars 50 and 51 which are separated a distance slightly greater than the combined thickness ot' the lower member of the base 5 and the insulating plate 10. rlhe collar 50 is smaller in diameter than the collar 51 and there is provided in the base 5 and the plate 10 adjacent one end of the alined slots therein a circular opening 52 which is slightly smaller in diameter than the collar 51, but is of large enough diameter to permit the collar 50 to pass therethrough. r1`he said collar 50, however, is larger in diameter than the width ot the slots 9 and 11 and the plunger rod can therefore only be reciprocated to move the block 25 into its lower position or level when the collar 50 is opposite the opening 52. Thus it will be seen by reference to Figs. 4 and 5 that when the block 25 is to be moved longitudinally of the key and into engagement with the spring sets 41, 42, 43 and 44, the collar 50 will be within the channel 7, while the collar 51 will be in engagement with the lower tace of the plate 10. When, however, the block 25 is moved to its lower level to engage the spring set 40, the collar 50 will pass through the opening 52 and will engage the lower tace of the plate 10 as it is moved into engagement with the successive spring sets.

In Fig. 7 in which the key of this invention is illustrated as applied to a telephone repeater circuit 59 and 60 are the main wires of a telephone line and 61 and 62 the primary and secondary windings of an output repeating coil. rlhe winding 62 is included in the line wire 59 and from a central point in this winding and bridged across the line wires 59 and 60 is condenser 63 in series with one winding of an input repeating coil comprising the windings 64, 65. rFhe winding 65 is in a local circuit which includes condensers 66, 66 and is adapted to be connected through either back or front contacts 68, 68 or 69, 69 of a relay 70 with a receiver winding 71 of a repeater. The primary winding 61 ot the output repeating coil has one ot its terminals connected through resist- ance coils 72, 73, 74 controlled by the sets of springs 41, 42, 43 and 44 with a grounded battery 75, the other terminal of said primary being connected with the repeater transmitter button 76. A local circuit is also provided from the transmitter button 76 and a magnetizing winding 77 as follows: from the grounded battery 75 contact springs 41, 42, 43 and 44, primary winding 61, conductor 79, stationary electrode of carbon button 76, carbon granules 80, the vibratory electrode of said button, conductor 81, winding 77 through impedance coil 83 to ground. The portion of this circuit which includes winding 77 and the impedance coil 83 is shunted by means of a condenser 85. The function of the impedance coil 83 is to limit the flow of current in this circuit and. that of the condenser 85 to localize the microphonic currents in the transmitter button and exclude such currents from the magnetizing winding 77. The winding of the relay is connected with the grounded battery through the set of contact springs 40. Thus by operating the key with the block 25 in its upper position or level the amount of current admitted to the transmitter button circuit can be regulated while the movement of the block 25 in its lower position will reverse the polarity ot the receiver winding through the operation of the relay 70 and also regulate the amount ot current in the transmitter button.

l,What I claim is 1. In a switch key, the combination with a plurality of sets of contact springs, ot a spring-actuating member for said springs adapted to be moved .in two directions, said actuating member having a plurality of preliminary positions in one direction of its movement and being adapted to be brought into engagement with said switch springs when moved in a diiierent direction and while in any one of its preliminary positions.

2. 1n a switch key, the combination with a plurality of set-s of contact springs, of a spring-actuating member adapted to be moved in two directions, said member having a plurality of preliminary positions in one direction ot its movement and adapted to engage said switch springs when moved in a different direction and while in any of its preliminary positions, and means for locking said member against movement in the first mentioned direction while it is in engagement with said switch springs.

3. In a switch key structure, the combina tion with a key base, of a plurality of sets of Contact springs, a plunger therefor having a plurality of preliminary positions in a direction at right angles to said base, and adapted to be moved in a direction parallel to said base into engagement with said springs in any of its preliminary positions.

4L. In a switch key structure, the combination with a key base, of a sliding block carried thereby, a reciprocally mounted plunger rod carried by said block, a spring-actuating member carried by said plunger rod and having a plurality of preliminary positions controlled by said plunger rod and a plurality of sets of switch springs adapted to be engaged by said actuating member in the movement of said sliding block.

5. In a switch key, the combination with a base, of a longitudinal movable block mounted in said base, a reciprocally mounted plunger rod carried by said block, a spring-actuating member carried by said plunger rod and having a plurality of preliminary positions controlled by said rod, a plurality of sets of switch springs of different lengths adapted to be engaged by said actuating member, and means for locking said plunger rod against reciprocation when said actuating member is in engagement with any of said sets of springs.

6. In a switch key, the combination with a base having a longitudinally arranged channel and being provided with a slot having an enlarged opening adjacent one end thereof, of a rect-angular block adapted to slide in said channel, a reciprocally mounted plunger rod carried by said block and extending through said slot, a plurality of sets of contact springs, a spring-actuating member carried by said plunger rod and a collar on said plunger rod larger in diameter than said slot but adapted to pass through said enlarged opening.

7 In a switch key, the combination with a base, of a longitudinally movable block carried by said base, a reciprocally mounted plunger rod carried by said block, a frame member supported by said base, a plurality of sets of contact springs mounted upon said frame member, a spring-actuating member carried by said plunger, and guide rods for said spring-actuating member each attached at one end to said sliding block and having sliding engagement with said frame member at its other end. A

8. In a switch key, the combination `with a base, of a longitudinally movable block supported in said base, a reciprocally mounted plunger rod carried by said block, a spring-actuating member carried by said plunger rod, a trame member supported by said base and having a groove therein, guide rods for said spring-actuating block each attached at one end to said sliding block, antifriction rollers carried by the opposite ends of said guide rods and engaging the groove in said frame member, and springs surrounding said frame member and normally tending to force said spring-actuating member in one direction.

9. In a switch key, the combination with a base having a longitudinally arranged slot therein and provided adjacent one end of said slot with an enlarged opening, an insulating plate secured to the lower face ot said base and having a slot therein in alinen ment with the slot in said base and an enlarged opening in alinement with the opening in said base, a longitudinally movable block supported by said base, a reciprocally mounted plunger rod carried by said block, and extending through said alined slots, a spring-actuating member carried by said plunger rod, a plurality of sets of switch springs adapted to be actuated thereby, and two collars secured to said plunger rod, one of said collars adapted to engage the lower face of said plate in one position of said plunger rod and the other of said collars being adapted to engage the lower face of said insulating plate in another position of said plunger rod.

10. In a switch key, the combination with a key base, ot a plunger rod having both a reciprocal and a longitudinal movement with respect thereto, a plurality of sets of contact springs, a spring-actuating member carried by said plunger, said actuating member having a portion whereby said member is retarded by engagement with said springs, and an index on said tace for indicating the set of contact springs last actuated by said plunger.

In vvitness whereof, I, hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day of Sept A. D., 1911.

HERBERT E. sHnEEvE.

Witnesses IRVING MACDONALD, FRANK A. FLEISCHMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. a

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