US1079156A - Telephone-exchange system. - Google Patents

Description

W. AITKBN.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1913.'

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

3 BHEBTS-SHEET 1.

H mm @5 $193531 TOR flTTO/P/VEYS W. AITKEN.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1013.

1,079,1 56. Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. AITKEN.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNIIZS, 1013.

1,079,156. Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT orrioa.

WILLIAM AITKEN, 0F LIIZERPOOL, ENGLAND.

TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Application filed June 25, 1913. Serial No. 775,706.

To all whom it may-concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Arman, residing at Liverpool, England, have invented certaln new, and useful Improvements in Telephone-Exchange Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to telephone exchange systems and more particularly to an improved method of registering calls According to my invention there is provided in a telephone system, a substation meter which can be set so as to automatically limit the number of calls, which can be "ing respectively. These methods involve a great amount of book-keeping and accounting by a large clerical stafl', rendering of accounts, forwarding receipts for inoneys paid and the provision of a staff for read ing meters and for like purposes.

In the preferred method of carrying out my invention, it is proposed to make the part ofthe meter which is set a removable unit or art of if removable unit as referred to a ove, and that these units should be made in a sealed form and sold at any telephone ofiice or otherhsuitable place. A party then desiring a telephone line would pay preferably an installing charge and purchasea registering unit capable of registering such a. number of calls as is convenient accordin to his requirements. When the unit is ex austed it would bereplaced by 'a fresh one or each subscriber might have tiivo units, one to replace the other, the one not in use being taken toa telephone ofiice and re-set fora fixed charge. The changing or fixing of'the units would be done in conjunction with an officer at the exchange to prevent fraud, preferably in a manner to be described.

My invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates, partly diagrammatically, a subscribers instrument and meter. Fig. 2 shown on an enlarged scale and in dctail the switch hook and a meter locking de vice. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate means for giving a warning when a unit is nearlv exhausted. Fig. 5 shows the essential parts" of the cord circuit at the exchange and all the lines running to a called substation with the battery reversing arrangements for automatic and manual exchange working, and Fig. 6 is a similar diagram to Fig. 5, the meter, however, being operated bydifferences in potential in a manual system.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the substation comprises the usual receiver 1,'transmitter 2, switch-hook 3, ringer 4: and condenser 5. The substation A also comprises a meter M. The general construction of the meter M is of a well-known type and comprises a core 6with an armature 7. The armature 7 has attached to it a pawl 8 which is adapted to engage the teeth of a ratchet wheel 9. This ratchet wheel is revented from reverse rotation by a paw 10. A spring 11 is connected at one end to the pawl 8 and at, the other end to a fixed part 12, and keeps the pawl 8 in engagement with the ratchet wheel 9. A pin 13 prevents the pawl 8 dropping too far. Mounted on the spindle of the ratchet wheel 9 are the number disks 14: of the counting device. The core 6 is provided with two windings as shown, one winding 15 being of a large number of turns and connected with the rods or terminals -16. The other winding 17 consists of a small number of turns and is connected at one end to one of the terminals 16 as shown and at the other end to contact 18. A spring 19 is connected to the lower of the two rods 16 as shown in the drawings and the-arrangement is such that on the armature 7 full amount ofcurrent to pass to the micro- To the armature7 is attached an extensibn' 21 having pivoted to it a hinged barbed en gaging arm 22. This arm 22 on the attraction of the armature 7 slips under the extension 23 (see Fig. 2) of the switch-hook 3 after the receiver is removed from the hook and holds it so as to prevent flickingofv the receiver hookat the called station from causing-registration on the meter. The plate 24 is the front plate of the casing in which the meter is arranged and an opening is left so that the portion of the meter inclosed Withinthe casing 25 and the front plate 2-1 can be removed. The casing of the meter is provided at the back witha door 79, which is hinged at the bottom as showmand has a lock with seal over at its upper end whereby access may be had to the interior of the casing. The door also contains a hole through which the pawl 9 passes. The removable part ofthe meter therefore, consists chiefly;- of the" number whe'elslt-and the ratchet Wheel 9, the part 12 to which spring 11 is attached, being attached to the nonremovable part. A window 26 fitted in the back of the casing is providedinfront of the number disks'so that these can be read.

The front plate of the removable portion of the meter is provided at its four corners with pins. In Fig. 1, two of these are shown namely the pin 27 and the pin 28. Two other pins 29 and 30 similar to 27 ar provided at the other corners of thewremovable part. These pins are indicated in Fig. 3 and their purpose will hereinafter be fully described as also that of the pin 28. Beneath the meter is arranged a locking magnet 31, consisting of a core having a winding 32 connected atone end to earth as shown and at the other end to a spring 33. Adjacent to the spring 33 are two springs 34 and 35. The locking magnet 31' is provided with an armature 36 pivoted at 37. and having an upward extension 38 which is adapted to engage the spring 34;. When the armature is attracted a pin 39 on the extension 38 .is

ed to engage the-pin 53 as described in conadapted to engage the plate 40 to limit the upward extent of the movement of the,extension 38. 1 I

Where the meter is operated by reversal of current in the line a permanent magnet 41 is provided which polarizes the core 6.

Means are provided for indicating to the subscriber and preferably to the operator the fact that no further calls can be made from the exchange owing to the meter having registered the number paid for and preferably also a signal should be given to the subscriber when the motor has registered a number of calls approaching the 'inaxinuun number. 1

-Were not employed.

In Fig.3 there is diagrammatically indicated a method of giving the signals just referred to, and in this figure there is also illustrated the use of the pins 27, 29 and 30 already referred to. The side of the line a is connected to the meter M, and through the pin 27 to the spring 52. The other side of the line b is connected through the microphone 2, receiver 1 tothe pin 29 which is connected to a spring 53 and to a spring 54:. I i

The pin 30 connects springs 55 and 56 to a buzzer 57. The number Wheel 14, shown'in Fig. 3, carries a pin 58. W'hen the "pin reaches a position where it engages the s ring 54 it closes this spring on to spring 55, thereby closing a circuit from the 5 side of the line, through the buzzer, thus giving an indication that the calls paid for are nearly exhausted. .On further rotation of the numeral wheel 14 the pin 58 engages the spring 53, moving this out of contact with the spring 52 and thereby opening the circuit of the line and preventing any further calls being made until the meter is re-set or a new unit substituted therefor.

In Fig. 4, the arrangement just described is shown in more elaboration. 59, 60, 61 and 62 are number wheels similar to the number wheels 14 already described. Contact pins 63 of insulating material are provided on each of these wheels and'these contact pins are adapted to force into contact four pairs of springs 64, 65, 66 and 67. The pins 63 may be so arranged that contacts are made between the respective pairs of springs 64, 65, 66 and 67when the meter indicates a number, for example, 9999f These springs are connected together as shown so that on the meter registering 9999, a circuit will be closed from the 1) line through the buzzer 57. The pairs of springs 64', 65,. 66 and 67 are placed within the incased removable portion of the meter and areconnected by suitable wires passing out of the casing to the pins 27, 29 and 30,'but for convenience in Fig. 1 the connections to these pins are not shown, but the circuits are shown as if these pins An additional wheel 68 may be provided carrying a pin 58 adaptnection with Fig. 3 to" open the circuit of the line while at the same time making contact with spring 56 and thereby closing a to check the additional registering for a trunk line call. The meter for the latter purpose should-preferably be of a type that returns automatically to normal after being disconnected from the circuit so that after the operator has asked the caller to move the switch hook as many times as there are pence in the fee to be charged, she throws the-meter 81 into circuit, when it would check the amountof. the fee, the calling meter, however, only adding this number to the previous total. The plugs of the cord circuit are indicated by dotted lines 82 and 83 being the tips, and 84 and 85 being the rings. The other details will .bec'onsidered when describing the circuit.

In Fig. 6 a cord circuit is shown divided.

by a repeater instead of by condensers as in Fig. 5. The tipsiof the plugs are indicated by dotted lines at 120 and 121, the rings being indicated by dotted lines at 122 and 123,

the sleeves or test-circuit being indicated at 124 and 125. The common battery is shown at B. Other details of the circuit will be described with the operating.

The operating of the system and the circuits are as follows: In an automatic system the calling dial indicated at 86 in Fig. 1 is provided with springs to short-circuit the meter if necessary, but as the callin current is not in the direction to operate t 1e meter this will not usually be necessary unless to reduce the resistance of the circuit. The receiver '1 will be lifted and the dial moved in the well-known manner. The circuit completed on lifting the receiver is from central battery B, lower winding of relay 87, contact 88,-contact 89, line .b, transmitter 2, receiver '1, switch hook springs 91 and 90, springs 34:

and 35, winding 15 line a, contacts 92 and 93, contacts 94 and 95, upper winding of relay 87, back to battery. The automatic func tions, that take place do notform part of my invention and the line is extended through to the called station. When the receiver 96 is lifted a circuit is completed from central battery '13 lower winding of relay 97,

microphone 98, substation A, receiver 96,"

switchfhooksprings99 and 100, upper winding of relay 97 to other side of battery B.

Relay 97 is energized andeompletes a circuit from earth, winding of relay 101,, contacts 102 and 103 of relay 97 to battery B. Relay 1.01 is energized and reverses the connections of battery B to the aand 6 wires, the circuit ,being from battery B, through lower winding of relay 87 contacts 101 and 94 of relay 101 to the a side of the line and then back over the 1) side of the line through contacts 89 and 105, upper winding of relay 87 to battery. The direction of current in the meter winding 15 is now of such a character as to strengthenthe magnetism induced in the core by the ermanent magnet 41, and the armature 7 is attracted to the core end. ,The receiver .1 is oil' the switch hook and when the pivoted barbed arm 22 strikes against the extension 23 of the switch hook it is deflected under it and the spring acting on the arm 22 causes the barbed head to engage with 23 so that the armature 7 cannot fall away when the winding 15 is short-circuited by winding 17 on the closure of the contacts 18 and 19 or when the battery is reversed by the called receiver being replaced. \Vhen the armature 7 is first attracted, it, by means of the pawl 8, causes the meter to register one call in a wellknown manner. \Vhen the receiver is re placed the extension 23 is lifted and the armature 7 with the upright 21 and barbed arm 22 are free to fall away when the circuit is opened at the springs 90 and 91 of the switch hook. The condenser 20 is only required when winding 17 is used as a parallel circuit to the winding 15.

TV hen the arrangement shown in Fig. 5

-is used on a switchboard which is manually local call, as for long junction'and trunk line connections. The call would be received on or be extended to an operators position, where the toll lines could be connected. The operator after making the desired connection would insert the meter 81 by means of the key 80 the circuit then being from battery B by lower windingof relay 87, contacts 101 and 94, winding of meter 81, contacts 106 and 92 to wire A. The meter 81 may either record the total value of the calls made or preferably only the value of the call about to be made and returnto zero when disconnected from the circuit. The operator asks the caller to move the switch hook a number of times corresponch ing to the scale of charges and she would check this by the reading on the meter. The

repeater winding 144 to the other *side of the battery. The checking is as before de- 6 are very similar to those shown and-described in connection with Fig. 5.

When-two lines have been connected together as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 6 the supervisory relays 126 and 127 are energized and the lamps 128 and 129 are shunted out by the resistances 130 and 131 which are brought into circuitby contacts 132 and 133, and 134'and 135 respectively. The lamp circuits are completed from battery B, resistances 136 and 137, lamps 128 and 129, sleeves of plugs 124 and 125, Winding of cut-ofl' relays 138 and 139 to earth respectively. When the operator desires to register a call she brings the meter 140 into circuit by ressing key 141. This completes a circuit rom battery B through battery B, meter 140, contacts 142 and 143 of key 141 to line I), through the instrument shown in Fig. 1 andback to the a line,

scribed, but the meter at the calling station A has no permanent magnet 41 and the meter is biased against the normal current from the battery B. As, however, this bat tery is now reinforced by battery B the meters are energized that at the calling station recording the increased total, and the operators meter indicating the value of the present call corresponding to the number of times the operator presses the key. 'In this case'the subscriber really checks the registering by the operator. The operators telephone and the,key for connecting it to the line are shown at 145 but form nopart of my invention. I

The subscriber utilizes the last number on the unit for obtaining the assistance of an oflicial at theexchange to replace the exhausted unit by a fresh one. The rold unit will be withdrawn and at the same time current at a suitable voltage'will be supplied to the 6 wire by the exchange ofiicial, the circuit being from the 6 wire, contacts 34 and of relay 3,1, 'inding 32 to earth.

Relay 31 is energized andarmature 36 attracted to the core end. Pin 38 is carried through the hole in the channel formed by the plate 40 and lifts sprih'g 34, the small projection39 on the pin 38 preventing the latter from'being raised sufiiciently to allow the spring 34 to break contact with the spring 33. The tip of the spring 34 is however lifted sufliciently to allow of the pin 28 of the new unit, which pin is of an insur lated beveled type engagingwith-the inside of pin 34 to cause it to break with contact 33 and make contact with spring 35. Should the old unit be withdrawn and the exchange be not advised, the spring 34 would fallinto the. channel formed; by the pl'ate 40 and the pin 28 ofa new unit inserted would pass over the tip of the spring 34 and the line circuit would remain open at springs 34 and 35.

Though it is preferred to provide areplaceable unit as described,-this need not be -provided as other methods of setting the meter might be employed.

It is obvious that various other modifications might be made in the methods of carrying this invention into efi'ect, those specifitalking circuit, a call register adapted to register a predetermined number of calls,

and means controlled by said register for rendering said talking circuit inoperative when all of said predetermined number of calls have been registered.

3. In a telephone system, a line, a call register adapted to register a predetermined number of calls, an electrically-operated sig- .nal, means for operating said signal a short time before all of said calls are registered,

and automatic means controlled by said register for rendering said line inoperative when all of said calls are registered.

4. In a telephone system, a subscribers talking circuit, a call register comprising an electromagnet and a readily removable registering unit controlled by said electromagnet, said unit being adapted to register only a predetermined number of calls, and means whereby when said unit is removed said talking circuit is rendered inoperative.

5. In a telephone system, a subscribers talking circuit, a call register comprising an electromagnet and a removable registering unit controlled by said magnet,- said unit being adapted to register only a predetermined number of calls, means for rendermg said talking circuit inoperative when all of said calls havenbeen registered, and means for rendering the talking circuit inoperative when said unit is removed.

6. In a telephone system, a subscriberis line, a call register including a removable registering unit, said unit being adapted to register only a predetermined number of calls, and means for preventing said unit from beingreplaced after it has been removed. I

7 In a telephone system, a subscribers line, a call register including a removable registering unit, said unit being adapted to register only a predetermined number of.

calls, an electromagnet connected with said last-mentioned electromagnet for preventing the unit, after it has been removed, from being replaced until said last-mentioned electromagnet has been energized.

8. In a telephone system, a subscribers talking circuit, a call register including an electromagnet and a registering unit controlled thereby and removable from the telephone system independently of the electromagnet, said unit being adapted to register only a predetermined number of calls, a subscribers talking circuit partly carried by the removable unit, part of the unit being connected to the remaining part of the cir- 15 cuit by separable terminals, whereby when the unit is removed said talking circuit will be broken.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, WILLIAM AITKEN.

Witnesses:

- WALTER'H. DERRIMAN,

ALBERT JONES.

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