US1238164A - Automatic switch. - Google Patents

Description

F. A. LUNDQUIST.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH- APPLICATION FILED Dec. 2. 1916.

1,238,164. Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

gl/ 0.2 E/OZ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. LUNDQUIS'I, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COM- PANY, INCORPORATED, 013 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

Application filed December 2, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. LUNDQUIST, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to automatic switches, and particularly to automatic telephone exchange switches of the panel type.

The object of this invention is to provide means in an automatic switch for mechanically selecting idle. trunks and thereby eliminating the step-by-step movement commonly employed for this purpose.

In the present embodiment of this inven tion several groups of terminals are placed one over the other and a brush carriage is suspended on a tape so that in response to a series of impulses the brushes descend to the desired group, whereupon an idle trunk in that group is seized by the brushes being stopped in their downward movement by engaging the terminals of the idle trunk. More specifically, the brushes, in response to the first impulse transmitted, are first displaced so that they will drop between the terminals of the bank, and then the brushes are allowed to drop a distance of one group for each impulse transmitted. After the last impulse, the brushes are stopped in their downward movement and are moved back into a position to engage the terminals of an idle trunk in the selected group. Then the brushes continue their downward move ment until they are stopped by coming into engagement with the terminals of an idle trunk. A circuit for a magnet is then closed to displace the brushes and the terminal strip of the selected trunk, which is slidably mounted in the terminal bank to prevent other brushes from engaging the multiple terminals of the selected trunk. Upon the release of the switch, the terminal strip is first moved back into its normal position and then the brushes are withdrawn from the terminals before they start upward to their normal positions so that they do not wipe over any of the terminals in their up ward movement.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

Serial No. 134,575.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the switch with a circuit for operating the same; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 8-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 1 is a partial view of a modification of the invention; and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 1 represents a frame to which a channel-shaped member 2 is pivotally mounted, this channel-shaped member 2 being normally held against a stop 1.7 by spring 16, one end of which is fastened to the armature 15 fastened to the channel 2, and the other end fastened to extension 97 of the frame 1. A brush carriage 3 is slidably mounted in the member 2. The brushes 4 and 5 are insulatively mounted on a rod 6', which is slidably mounted in the brush carriage 3. The lever 7 pivotally mounted on the brush carriage serves to move the brushes 4 and 5 out of engagement with the terminals of the terminal bank 18 in a man ner hereinafter described. The lever 9 is also pivotally mounted on the brush carriage 3 and serves to control the operation of the lever 7.

One end of the tape 10 is fastened to the lever 9, and the other end of the tape is fastened to a drum 19 which is loosely mounted on a constantly revolving shaft 20. The tape 10 is provided with suitable holes 12, with which the teeth 1% of a wheel 13 engage. A slotted member 99 is arranged to assure that the tape 10 will always engage with the teeth of the wheel 13. The wheel 13 and the brush carriage 8 are held in their normal positions by a dog 21 engaging the catch 22 on the wheel 13.

Brushes at and 5 are arranged to engage the terminals 90 and 91 of the bank 18. These terminals are divided into groups one above the other, each group containing terminals of trunks leading to equivalent switches.

Fig. 3 shows the construction of the bank. Each trunk is connected to two metal strips insulatively mounted in the bank 18. These strips have a plurality of terminals so that they may be seized by a plurality of switches which have access to this terminal bank. A magnet 67 becomes energized as soon as the and 33.

trunk is seized and by attracting its armature it moves the strips longitudinally, thereby movingthe terminals of the strips out of the path of the brushes of other switches.

t is believed that the invention will be best understood by describing the operation of the switch.

WVhen a subscriber removes his receiver from the hool: his line may be connected in any well-known manner to the conductors A circuit is then closed from ground, battery, relay 34, conductor 33, through the subscribers substation apparatus, conductor 32, relay 35, to ground. The relay 35 closes at its inner armature and front contact a circuit from ground, battery, inner armature and front contact of relay 35, conductor 37, magnet 36, to ground. The magnet 36 by attracting its armature, allows the holding pawl 38 pivoted at a to engage one of the upper teeth 49 of the rack 26.

\Vhen the subscriber transmits a set of impulses to operate the switch shown, relay 34 becomes deenergized each time the line circuit is opened, and closes the circuit for magnet 31. Slow relay 35 is arranged to keep its armatures attracted during the transmission of the impulses. The circuit of relay 31 is from ground, battery, armature and back contact of relay 34, conductor 39, outer armature and front contact of relay 35, conductor 40, spring 41 and its normal contact, conductor 42, magnet 31, to ground. Magnet 31 is energized each time the line circuit is opened, and by the attraction of its armature 30 the rack 26 is moved the distance of one tooth by the pawl 29.

Let us assume that two impulses are sent, the rack 26 will then move to the right a distance of two teeth and is held in this position by the pawl 38. Upon the first ener gization of magnet 31, the dog 21 is moved out of engagement with the catch 22; the wheel 13 is then rotated by the tape 10 being pulled downwardly by the brush carriage 3. The attraction of armature 30 closes the circuit for slow-release magnet 43 from ground, battery, contact 44, spring 45, conductor 46, spring 47 in its normal contact, conductor 48, slow-release magnet 43, to ground. The magnet 43 by attracting its armature closes a locking circuit for itself from grounded. battery, contact 44, spring 45, conductor 46, inner armature and front contact of magnet winding of magnet 43, to ground. Magnet 43, by attracting its middle armature holds the pawl 21 out of engagement with the catch 22 by means of the cord 64. Magnet 43 by attracting its armature 15 rotates the channel-shaped member 2 with the brush carriage 3 to displace the brushes 4 and 5 so that they may drop down between the terminals without engaging any of them.

gages an arm 23 to rotate the shaft 24.

Secured to the shaft 24 is a pinion 60, which meshes with the rack 25 to move it longitudinally along the pins 61 and 62. Each time an arm is engaged by the catch 22, the rack 25 is moved to the right a distance of one tooth 50 of the rack 26.

The circumference of the wheel 13 is equal to the distance between the top of one group of terminals to the top of the next group of terminals.

top. V hen the catch 22 engages an arm 23 for the second time, rack 25 will have been moved to the right far enough to engage theend of the rack 26 which is prevented from moving to the right by the pawl 51. Since the rack 25 cannot move any farther to the right, further rotation of the wheel 13 is prevented. The rack 25 is prevented from moving to the left by means of the friction wheel 69 and the spring 70.

The brushes 4 and 5 will now be at the top of the second group. A pin 66 is provided on the wheel 13 at a certain distance from the catch 22 so that when the catch 22 is in engagement with an arm 23, the pin 66 will be in engagement with the spring 53 and return the spring to its normal position. Therefore, when the wheel stops with the catch 22 in engagement with arm 23, the holding circuit for magnet 43 is opened at contact 55 and spring 54. Magnet 43 becomes deenergized and by releasing its armature 15, the channel member 2 is rotated back to its normal position against the stop 17, thereby positioning the brushes to engage terminals of the idle trunks in the second group. At its inner armature and back contact magnet 43 closes a circuit for magnet 31, from ground, battery, inner armature and back contact of the magnet 43, conductor 100, spring 53, conductor 101, spring 41 in its alternate position (which was closed as soon as the brush carriage 3 left its normal vertical position), conductor 42, magnet 31, to ground. Magnet 31 again attracts its armature 30 and moves the rack 26 a distance of another tooth to the right. The rack 25 is thereby also allowed to move to the right so that the brush carriage 3, tape 10 and wheel 13 are released. Since the magnet 43 is now deenergized the brushes 4 and 5 are in a position to engage the terminals of the idle trunk in the group. As soon as engagement is made to the terminals of an idle trunk the downward move- Therefore, in the case we have assumed, the brushes 4 and 5 are to engage an idle trunk in the second group from thement of the brushes is stopped. A circuit is then closed for the magnet 67 individual to the seized trunk, the circuit being as fol lows: from ground, battery, magnet 67, conductor 68, terminal 90, brush 4., conductor 33, through the substation apparatus, con ductor 32, relay 35, to ground. Magnet 67 becomes energized and moves the terminal strips 90 and 91 a distance suflicient to allow the brushes of other switches to pass by Without engaging the terminals of this selected trunk. The brush 5 has a clown- Wardly projecting portion which is engaged by the edge of the lug 90; thus the brushes 4, 5 are carried along with the strips 90, 91.

Connection is now completed from the calling subscriber to an idle trunk leading to another switch and the connection to the called party may now be completed in any well-known manner.

The restoring of the switch shown. is as follows: When the calling subscriber hangs up his receiver the circuit for magnet 67 and relay 35 is opened, causing this magnet to become deenergized. Magnet 67 releases the terminal strips which are then drawn back into their normal position by the spring 102. The relay 35 upon becoming deenergized opens'at its inner armature and front contact the circuit for magnet 36. The magnet 36 by releasing its armature withdraws the holding pawl 38. The racks 26 and 25 are thereby returned to their normal positions by the spring 52, which was placed under tension by the movement of the rack 26 to the right. The retraction of the armature of magnet 36 releases pin Z) of the lever 70 from engagement with said pawl. The spring 71 then is free to cause said lever to move the drum 19 into engagement with the clutch 72 on the revolving shaft 20. The tape 10 is then wound up on the drum which returns the wheel 13, the brush carriage 3 and the brushes 4 and 5 to their normal positions. As the tape starts upward the lever 9 is withdrawn from the pin 75 of the lever 7. Spring 8 then rotates the lever 7 until it engages the stop 76. This movement of the lever moves the brushes 4- and 5 out from the terminals so that as they are moved upward they will not engage any of the terminals during their return movement. When the tape 10 reaches its normal position a lug 77 fastened thereto engages the lever 70 and causes pin 0 to rengage with the shoulder on the lever (Z of the pawl of magnet36. Spring 78 is then free to move the drum 19 out of engagement with the clutch 7 2. The pin 11 fastened to the frame moves the lever 7 into a position whereby the lever 9 engages the pin 75 as soon as the normal position of the switch is reached.

Fig. 4 shows a modification of the switch for use in a three Wire system. The test brush 80 and two line brushes 81 and 82 are provided. The test brush 80 is insulatively connected to the brush carriage 3 and the line brushes 81 and 82 are insulatively connected to an auxiliary brush carriage 84,

which is fastened to the brush carriage 3 minal of an idle trunk, the test terminals thereof are moved out of the path of the brushes of other switches. The lugs of the strip 119 for this purpose have slots engaged by a tooth e in test brush 80, whereby, when the strip is slid endwise, it carries the carrier 3 and member 2 with it. This results in the brushes 81, 82 engaging the line terminals 120, 121.

hat is claimed is:

1. In an automatic switch, a plurality of groups of terminals arranged one above another, a set of gravity operated brushes normally held at the top of said plurality of groups of terminals, means for allowing said brushes to drop to a selected group of terminals, and means for displacing said brushes during said group selecting movement to allow said brushes to move downward without engaging any of said termi nals.

2. In an automatic switch, a plurality of groups of terminals arranged one above another, a set of gravity operated brushes normally held at the top of said plurality of groups of terminals and in a position to engage idle terminals of said groups when allowed to drop directly downward, means for allowing said brushes to drop to a selected group of terminals, means for displacing said brushes during said group selecting movement to allow said brushes to move downward without engaging any of said terminals, means operated when said brushes reach the selected group for releasing said second mentioned means so that said brushes are stopped in their downward movement by engaging the terminals of an idle trunk in the selected group.

3. In an automatic switch, a plurality of groups of terminals arranged one above an other, a set of gravity operated brushes normally held at the top of said plurality of groups of terminals and in a position to engage idle terminals of said groups when allowed to drop directly downward, means for allowing said brushes to drop to a selected group of terminals, means for displacing said brushes during said group selecting movement to allow said brushes to move downward without engaging any of said terminals, means operated when said brushes reach the selected group for releasing said second mentioned means to allow said brushes to engage the terminals of an idle trunk in the selected group, and mechanical means for stopping said downward movement of the brushes when said brushes engage the terminals of an idle trunk in the selected group.

4. In an automatic switch, a plurality of groups of terminals arranged one above another, a set of gravity operated brushes normally held at the top of said plurality of groups of terminals and in a positionto engage idle terminals of said groups when allowed to drop directly downward, means for allowing said brushes to drop to a selected group of terminals, means for displacing said brushes during said group selecting movement to allow said brushes to move downward without engaging any of said terminals, means operated when said brushes reach the selected group for releasing said second mentioned means so that said brushes are stopped in their downward movement by engaging the terminals of an idle trunk in the selected group, and electromagnetic means operated when said brushes engage the terminals of the selected trunk for longitudinally displacing said terminals out of the path of movement of subsequently operated brushes.

5. In an automatic switch, a plurality of groups of terminals arranged one above another, a set of gravity operated brushes normally held at the top of said plurality of groups of terminals and in a position to engage idle terminals of said groups when allowed to drop directly downward, means for allowing said brushes to drop to a selected group of terminals, means for displacing said brushes during said group selecting movement to allow said brushes to move downward without engaging any of said terminals, means operated when said brushes reach the selected group for releasing said second mentioned means so that said brushes are stopped in their downward movement by engaging the terminals of an idle trunk in the selected group, a magnet individual to the terminals of the selected trunk for displacing said terminals out of the path of movement of subsequently operated brushes, and a circuit for said magnet closed when the terminals of said trunk are engaged by said brushes.

6. In an automatic switch, a plurality of groups of terminals arranged one above another, a set of gravity operated brushes normally held at the top of said plurality of groups of terminals, means for allowing said brushes to drop to a selected group of terminals, a magnet for displacing said brushes during said group selecting movement to allow said brushes to move downward without engaging any of the terminals, a circuit for said magnet, and means for opening said circuit when said brushes reach the selected group.

7. In an automatic switch, a plurality of groups of terminals arranged one above another, a set of gravity operated brushes normally held at the top of said plurality of groups of terminals, means for allowing said brushes to drop to a selected group of terminals, means for displacing said brushes during said group selecting movement to allow said brushes to move downward without engaging any of said terminals, means for allowing said brushes to engage terminals of an idle trunk in the selected group, means for moving said brushes and the terminals of said selected trunk out of the path of movement of subsequently operated brushes, and means operated upon the release of said switch for withdrawing said brushes from said terminals to allow the brushes to be returned to their normal position without engaging any of the terminals.

8. In an automatic switch, a plurality of groups of terminals arranged one above another, a set of gravity operated brushes normally held at the top of said plurality of groups of terminals, means for allowing said brushes to drop to a selected group of terminals, means for displacing said brushes a certain amount in one direction during said group selecting movement to allow said brushes to move downward without engaging any of the terminals, means for allowing said brushes to engage terminals of an idle trunk in the selected group, means for again displacing said brushes and said terminals in said first mentioned direction, and means operated upon the release of said switch for displacing said brushes in a different direction to allow them to be returned to their normal position without engaging any of the terminals.

9. In an automatic switch, the combination with a plurality of metallic strips having projecting contact lugs, a frame wherein said strips are longitudinally movable and so arranged that the lugs of the various strips form vertical rows when in their normal positions, a brush for each row at the top thereof, means for releasing the same, a magnet actuated when said brush engages one of said lugs for moving the strip to which it belongs longitudinally, thus removing the remaining lugs thereon from the path of the other brushes, and means for maintaining the actuated brush in contact with said lug.

10. In an automatic switch, the combination with a plurality of endwise movable metallic strips having projecting lugs, means for mounting said strips so that the lugs of the various strips form vertical rows when in their normal position, a brush for each row, means for releasing the same, a magnet actuated When said brush engages one of said lugs for displacing the strip to which it belongs endWise, thus removing the remaining lugs thereon from the path of other brushes, and means carried by the displaced strip for carrying the actuated brush with it. 10

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day of November, A. D.,

FRANK A. LUNDQUIST.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

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