US1172585A - Selector-switch. - Google Patents

Description

H. F. noeemf SELECTOR SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED men. 1915.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH $10.. WASHINGTON. D.

H. F. DOBBIN.

SELECTOR SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED AUG.23. 1915.

1,172,585, Patented 11.. 22, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2- Henry F D aka/r1.

m-%- Q I WNW/732 H. F. DOBBIN.

SELECTOR SWITCH.

APPLlCATION FILED AUG-23,1915.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' Henry f." Dobk/n.

W Q i clear, concise, and exact description.

ITED STATES PATENT oEE-Io.

HENRY E. DOBBIN, 0 NEW YORK, N. .Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, To wEsTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

v s LEoToR-swITcR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedFeb. 22,1916.

Application filed August 23, 1915." Serial No. 46,855.

I of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Selector- Switches, of which the following is a full,

This invention relates to automatic switches of the type employed'in telephone exchanges. v

The principal minal selecting switch of a structure wherein each brush set may be caused to traverse a selected one of a plurality of groups or series of terminals. 7 f

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention with parts broken away; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view diagrammatically illustrating a panel bank and the switches, one being mounted on each side of said bank; Fig. 5 is a side view of a portion of the bank; Fig. 6 is a side view of a portion of the bank on an enlarged scale; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention; and Fig.

9 is a plan view of this modified structure. The switch shown in Figs. l'to 7 of the drawings is especially designed for use in a two-wire multiple telephone, system such as that shown in an application of Charles L. Goodrum, Serial No. 35,326,'filed June 21, 1915, and is therefore shown as having only two contacts in each terminal set and only two brushes in each brush set. It is to be unprovidedfor each brush. These five brushes are spirally arranged about; the operating shaft, each being associated with a separate section of the panel.

In the modification shown in Fig. 80f the drawings, but two sets of brushes are profeature of the invention resides in the provision of a group and-ten a different section of the terminal bank.

These brushes are arranged one above the other, and project in diametrically opposite direction from each other. As seen'in Fig. 9 of the drawings, five groups or series of terminals are provided for each brush of this switch.

In the drawings, 1 (Fig. 1) represents the brush shaft upon which are fixed a plurality ofbrush sets 2. These sets, in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, are five in number and are spirally arranged about the shaft 1. Each set of brushes is arranged immediately below its own individual section of thep'anel bank, as indicated by the upper set of brushes in Fig. 1. Each section of the panel bank is provided with two series or groups 3 and l of terminal sets (Figs. 1 and 5), either of which may be traversed by the set of brushes associated therewith. Secured to the shaft 1 by means of the integral clamping members 5 are the arms or cross members 6, to the rearwardly extending ends of which are insulatively secured the two brushes of the brush sets 2. The opposite end of each member 6 carries an insulating I member 7 (Fig. 4), which serves to maintain the brushes spaced apart and in a certain relative angular position on the shaft. Each brush spring is provided at its rear extremityv with a soldering termi-- nal 8.

Mounted about the shaft, adjacent the up per end thereof, are a plurality of U-shaped contact members 9, the inner upwardly extending portions of which are arranged to be engaged by the brush 10, insulatively secured to the'upper end of the shaft. These contacts 9 are ten in number, one being provided for each rotary position of the switch, and are symmetrically arranged about the shaft. The outer extremities of these contact members 9 areformed as soldering terminals 11. Secured to the same frame member or support as that on which the contacts 9 are mounted, but 'uponthe opposite side thereof, are soldering terminals 12 for the multiple wiring of the several brush sets of the switch.

The operating-mechanism. for the brush shaft may be'of substantially the same 'construction as that shown in an application of O.- F. Forsberg, Serial No.- 6,302, filed February 5, 1915, and will therefore be only briefly described herein.

Secured to "the shaft 1 is a gear wheel 13, which, when the shaft is in itsnormal position, meshes witha gear wheel let fixed to the collar 32, which is rotatably mounted on the spindle 15 adjacent the lower end of the shaft 1. The collar 32 is provided with a ratchet wheel 16 arranged to be engaged by the pawl 17, mounted on the armature 18 of the rotary stepping magnet 19. The ratchet wheel 16 is also arranged to be engaged by the holding pawl 20 formed as a projecting finger or strip. on the plate 21, which is rotatably mounted upon the pin 22. The shaft 1 is also provided with a plurality of circular ratchet teeth 23. arranged to be engaged by the pawl 24:, pivotally secured to the armature 25 of the vertical stepping magnet 26.

A vertical holding pawl 27 is provided which is arranged to engage the circular ratchet teeth 23 and hold the shaft against downward motion. The pawl 27 is formed as an integral part of the plate 2,8 pivotally mounted on the pin 22. Plates 28 and 21 are formed with projecting portions 29 and 30 respectively, which overlap in such a manner that upon retraction of the pawl 20, pawl 27, is also moved out of engagement with its ratchet.

Mounted about the spindle 15,. is a coil spring 31. One end of this spring is secured to said spindle, and the other end is secured to. the sleeve 32 of which the ratchet wheel 16 and the gear wheel 15 are integral portions. The spring 81 tends, to return the gear 14: to its normal position, when the ratchet 16 is released by the pawl 20. The gear 13 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 1, and upon the beginning of the upward travel of the shaft it, passes out of engagement with the gear 14. The gear 141-, however, is maintained in its adjusted position by the pawl 20 until the return of the switch shaft to its normal position, when the pawl. 20 willbe retracted by means not herein shown.

The terminal bank employed with this switch is of somewhat unusual construction. The individual terminals are formed as projections of terminal strips in a manner similar to that shown in patent to A. F. Dixon, N 0. 1,127,741. The modification in the panel structure is necessitated by the fact that two series or groups of contacts are arranged to be traversed by the same set of brushes, and as the switch is always raised to the same height by a certain number of steps, the terminals of both sets at a corre-. sponding level or position must; be at the same height.

Referring to Fig. 6., it will be noted that all the contacts of the two terminal sets at the top of this figure are arranged on the same horizontal line, the projections forming the contacts of the set at the left being offset upwardly, while the projections forming the contact set at the right are offset downwardly. The mannerin which this offset is produced is clearly shown in Fig. 7.

Referring again to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the first terminal on the left is formed as an integral portion of the fourth terminal strip from the top. The other contact forming the other terminal of this set is offset from the third strip from the top, but to a. lesser degree. The left-hand contact of the right set is offset downwardly from the second plate from the top, while the righthand contact of the right set is, offset from the first plate and to a greater degree than the left contact. By this, means. the corresponding contacts of the sets in the two series are brought into the same plane by a simple punching operation of the contact terminal strips.

WVhile each series of contact sets is shown as, being ten in number, it is. understood that as many contacts as desired may be pro vided in each series. However, if only ten be used, the switch may be operated on a strictly decimal basis, as with five brushes. each brush having access to two series of contacts of ten each, a switch having a capacity of one hundred lines is provided.

It may be here noted that to facilitate the engagement of the brushes with the contacts in the terminal bank, the contacts of the lefthand series, looking at the bank, are inclined slightly toward the right, while those of the right-hand series incline slightly toward the left. The reason for this will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 4: of the drawings.

Referring now to the modifications shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, 33 represents the switch shaft, upon which are mounted the sets 34: of the brushes. These brush sets are insulatively supported on. the shaft in any desired manner. They project in diametrically opposite directions and are spaced apart vertically a distance equal. to ten contact sets. Five series of contacts. are provided for each brush, one brush being arranged to pass out of relation to the last series of contacts of its section of the contact bank at the instant the other passes. into operative relation to the first series of contacts in its section of the bank.

The contacts of the various sets are arranged in an arcuate panel in any desired manner, the form of the panel being immaterial, except that each section shall be provided with five vertical rows of terminals, which in the present embodiment of the invention comprise ten contacts for each row or series. This switch may be provided with the same operating mechanism as that shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It may also be provided with the same group testing terminal and brush structure as shown" at the top of Fig. 1. I

Referring to the modification shown n Figs. 1t0 7 of therdrawings, it may be noted.

that when in itsv-normalposition the fifth brush of the switch, which may be either the fifth from-the bottom or'the fifth from the top, willbein operative relation to its right series of contacts as series -I, Fig. 4c of'the drawings. Thus, if one impulse be sent through the rotary switch magnet 19, the

first brush of the switch will be brought into series of contacts; if three impulses be trans mitted, the second brush will be brought into 7 operative relation to its left series of contacts, and so on, each of the brushes from 1 to 5, PZLSSlDgSUCCGSSlVGlY first 1n operative relation to its right andthen in operative relation to its left series of contacts, and passing out of. operative relation to its right series of contacts as the next brush moves into operative relation to its left series of contacts. After the desired brush set and its series of contacts have been selected, the brushes in the selected set will be caused to traverse the terminals in the selected series in any desired manner; in the present disclosure, by the operation of the vertical stepping magnet 26. The manner of release is not shown in the present disclosure, as it forms no part of the present invention, the stepping and release mechanism being the same as that shown in the above mentioned application to O. F. Forsberg.

The operation of this structure as a line finder will be as follows: Upon the initiation of a call on a line, one of the contacts 9 at the top of Fig. 1 would be supplied with seeking potential; also interrupted current will be'caused to passthrough the rotary stepping magnet 19. ll hen the brush 10 at the top of the shaft 1 engages the contact 9 corresponding to the group of terminals in which the calling line terminates,

means will be operated to interrupt the flow of current through magnet'19 and cause interrupted current to pass through the magnet 26. The selected set of brushes will now be moved along the contacts in the selected series. When the brushes of the seto rest on the contacts of the calling line. This may be accomplished in a manner similar to that disclosed in the above mentioned Goodrum application.

. The switch shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings will operate in a manner identical with that shown in Figs. 1 .to 7, except that from the principle of the invention, the applicant desires it to be understood that the invention is to be limited merely by the scope of the claims.

"What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic switch, a brush support, a plurality of brushes on said support, a plurality of series of contacts arranged to betraversed by each brush, means for moving said support initially to select a brush and associate it with the desired one of its series of contacts, and means for moving said support secondarily to cause the select,- ed brush to traverse the contacts in the selected series of contacts.

2. In an automatic switch, a brush support, a plurality of brushes on said support,

a plurality of series of contacts arranged to be traversed byeach brush, means for moving said support in one directlon to select a brush and associate it with the desired one of its series of contacts, and means for moving said support in a different direction to cause the selected brush to traverse thecontacts in the selected series of contacts.

8. In an automatic switch, a brush shaft, a plurality of brushes fixed to said shaft, a plurality of series of contacts arranged to be traversed by each brush, means for rotating said shaft to select a brush and associate it with a desired one of its series of contacts, and means for moving said shaft longitudinally to cause the selected brush to traverse the contacts in the selected series of contacts. I

4t. In an automatic switch, a brush shaft,

a plurality of brushes fixed to said shaft and spirally arranged thereon, aplurality of series of contacts arranged to be traversed by each brush, means for rotating said shaft to select a brush and associate it with the desired one of its series of contacts, and means for moving said shaft longitudinally to cause the selected brush to traverse the contacts in the selected series of contacts.

5. In an automatic switch, a brush shaft, a plurality of brushes fixed to said shaft and spirally arranged thereon, a plurality of series of contacts arranged to be traversed by each brush, means for rotating said shaft step by step to select a brush and associate it with a desired one of its series of contacts, and means for inovlng said shaft longitudinally step by step to cause the selected, brush to traverse the contacts in the selected series of contacts.

6. In a contact bank, superposed strips of metal and insulation, and integral contact portions projecting from said metal strips, the contact portions of a plurality of said metal strips being offset so as to lie in the same plane.

'7. In a contact bank, superposed sets of terminal strips insulatively mounted in a bank, and contact portions projecting from each terminal strip, the contacts of the strips of a set being ofi set so as to lie in the same plane.

8. In a switch, superposed sets of terminal strips insulatively mounted in a bank, and integral portions forming switch contacts projecting from each strip, the contacts of alternate sets of strips being arranged in diiI-crent series or rows of contacts, and the contacts of the corresponding contact sets of said series being off set from their terminal strips so as to lie in the same plane.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 18th day of August, A. D.

HENRY F. DOBBIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the, Commissioner of Baten ts Washington, D. G.

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