US1247976A - Line-finder system. - Google Patents

Description

A. E. LUNDELL.

LINE FINDER SYSTEM.

APPLICATiON FILED JUNE 27. 1916.

Patented Nov. 2?, i917.

Hive/77hr:

A/ben i. L amafe/l.

. interval of time.

UNITED %TATES PATENT ALBEN E. LUNDELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 1'0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LINEFINDER SYSTEM.

mama/c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. as, rare.

Application filed June 27, 1916. Serial No. 106,125.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALBEN E. LUNDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line-Finder Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to electric switching systems, and especially to line finders capable of use in telephone systems.

The principal object of this invention is to effect movement of a line finder at high speed until its brushes are within a certain distance of the terminals of a desired line and then to change to slow speed to accurately select and associate the finder with the desired line.

In previous practice it has been found necessary to limit the number of contacts in a bank to a number such that the contact set could travel over them in a reasonably short Another object of this invention is, therefore, to attain such rapidity of movement that larger sized contact banks can be successfully utilized with consequent saving due to the reduction in the number of such banks, together with the apparatus individual thereto, necessary in a given installation. v

In operation, the calling party removes his receiver, whereupon an allotted line finder has its contact set moved upwardly at high speed until within a few terminals of the terminals of the calling line, at which time a relay is automatically operated to cut ofi the high speed movement and allow the contact set to be advanced at a slower speed. The contact set then moves slowly into association'with the terminals of the calling line, upon which it then stops and is held until conversation has been completed, at which time suitable means are automatically operated to return the contact set to normal.

- Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows diagrammatically one embodiment of the present invention as applied to a telephone system, only so much of the circuit as is necessary to extend the talking circuit through the line finder being shown.

In this arrangement, a certain number of line finders are assigned to a group of lines, which lines are multipled to terminals of all such line finders, and also to other terminals to allow connection as called lines.

The line finders assigned to such group of lines may be controlled by an allotter which operates so that but one of the line finders is ready at any one time to start on receipt of a call. The allotter feature, however, forms no part of the present invention and, accordingly, only a single line finder is shown.

In the drawing, a subscribers set 2, which belongs to one of a certain group of lines, is shown connected by conductors 3 and 4t to terminals 5 and 6 in a terminal bank 7 of a line finder switch allotted thereto. Conductors 8 and a will be multipled to terminals of other line finders. Each line has a set of four terminals individual thereto in contact bank 7. For example, the subscribers set 2 has the line terminals 5 and 6 and other terminals 8 and 9, the terminal 8 being associated with a cut-ofi relay 10 individual to that line by a conductor 11, while the terminal 9 has a conductor 12 extending to the front contact of the right-hand armature of a line relay 13. Upon the energization of the line relay 18, ground is put on the terminal 9. Terminals 9 belonging to other lines of the group are arranged in a vertical row and are all connected to the conductor 12 of the adjacent terminal 9 by resistances 14, in series. The operation of the line relay 13 will put ground on the line thus formed at the contact 9 of the line calling.

The line finder has a contact set 15 comprisin four contact brushes which move over the contacts of the bank 7. The contact set is mounted on a supporting rod 16 having a flat bar 17 secured to the lower end thereof. The rod 16 with its contact set is moved upwardly at high speed by a high speed rotary power drum 18 with which the bar 17 is engaged when a magnet 19 is energized, and pulls up its armature 20 to carry an idler pulley 21 thereon against the bar 17 to force it into engagement with the power drum 18. Another rotary power drum 22 is provided to move the rod up- I wardly at a slower rate of speed to secure accurate association of the contact set with the terminals of the calling line. Engagement of the bar 17 with the power drum 22 is controlled by a magnet 23 having an armature 24 carrying an idler pulley to engage with the bar 17 and force it into contact with said power drum. 22. A. holding pawl 26 permits the bar 17 to move upwardly and normally holds it against downward movement. Downward movement of the contact set 15 is accomplished by a downward drive rotary power drum 27 with which the bar 17 is engaged upon energization of a magnet 28 which pulls up its armature 29 and carries an idler pulley 30 into engagement with the bar 17 to force it into contact with the drum 27. The armature 29 has an extension 3] which engages the holding pawl 26 to withdraw the same from the bar 17 on actuation of the magnet 28, thus returning the contact set to normal. The rod 16 carries a brush 32 which is connected to ground and which moves with said rod to wipe over contacts on a commutator block 33. A contact 31 is provided on this block and the brush 32 engages therewith when the contact set and rod are in their normal position.

Relays 35 and 36 arranged in series are provided to control the magnets 19 and 23 of the updrive mechanism. Both relays are marginal and the relay 35 is so constructed that when in series with the relay 36 it will not pull up through more than three or four of the resistances 14 in series, while relay 36 when in series with relay 35 will not pull up so long as a single resistance 14 is in its circuit. Assuming that the magnet 19 is energized and the relay 35 pulls up, the circuit of magnet 19 will be broken, but at the same time a circuit would be closed for the magnet which would remain energized until the relay 36 pulled up, whereupon upward movement would cease.

The controlling circuits associated with the various parts of the system which must he established in a definite order at successive stages of the operation of the system to bring the various devices or parts into operation as required, are preferably established by an automatic sequence switch 40. The sequence switch shown has an operating magnet 41 to engage a clutch plate 12 with a power driven disk 13. Clutch plate 42 is rotated by a power drive disk 13 to rotate the contacts 1-1 to 19, inclusive, mounted on a shaft moving with the clutch plate 42. These contacts are closed in the positions indicated by the adjacent numbers. A con-. tact 50 is also provided for the sequence switch which is open only in the positions of the switch indicated above said contact.

In operation, the calling subscriber removes his receiver, whereupon the line relay 13 individual to that line is energized over a circuit from grounded battery, left-hand winding of relay 13, outer armature and back contact of relay 10, conductor 51, subscribers set 2, conductor 52, inner armature and back contact of relay 10, and right-hand winding of relay 13, to ground. Relay 13, in pulling up, operates through its grounded right-hand armature to put ground on all,

- the. bank 7,

the test contacts 9 and grounds the lines containing the resistances 14 at the conductor 12 individual to the calling line. At the lefthand armature of relay 13, a circuit is completed from ground, left-hand armature and front contact of relay 13, conductor 53 (which may extend through an allotter, not shown, to the allotted line finder), contact 49 (1), conductors 54, 55, power magnet 4-1, to grounded battery. (onductor 53 is conimon to all the lines in its group. In describing a circuit passing thrmigh a sequence switch contact. the number in brackets after the reference character of the contact represents the position of the sequence switch at that stage of operation. The actuation of the sequence switch on the energization of the power magnet 11, as above described, moves its contacts to second position, whereupon a circuit for the magnet 19 of the high speed updrive drum 18 is completed. This circuit extends from ground, contact 46 (2), armature and back contact of relay 36, armature and back contact of relay 35. conductor 56, magnet 19, conductors 57, 58, to grounded battery. Magnet 19, in pulling up the idler pulley 21, forces the bar 17 into engagement with the high speed drum 18 which moves the contact set 15 over the contactbank 7 at high speed. As soon as the brush set reaches the first set of terminals in a circuit is completed from grounded battery, relay 36, conductor 59, relay 35, conductor (30, contact 45 (2), conductor (i1. outer left-hand brush of the contact set 15, lowest contact 9 through resistances 14- in series to the conductor 12 of the calling line, thence over conductor 12, front contact and right-hand armature of relay 13, to ground. Relays 35 and 36 do not pull up, however, as the resistance of the circuit is too great. The brush set continues to move upward and for each set of terminals passed, one of the resistances 13 is cut out of the circuit previously traced. By the time the brush set comes within three or four terminals of the calling line, the resistance has been so reduced that the relay 35 pulls up, breaking the circuit traced for the magnet 19 and closing a circuit for the magnet 23. Magnet 23 pulls up to put the contact set under the control of the slow speed updrive drum 22. The circuit for the magnet 23 extends from ground, contact 413 (2), armature and back contact of relay 36, a rn'iature and front contact of relay 3?), conductor (33, magnet 23, conductor 58, to grounded battery. The contact moving slowly continues to cut out resistances 14 until it arrives on the terminals of the called line, when none of the resistances 14 are included in the circuit previously traced. Relay 36 thereupon pulls up, breaking the circuit for the magnet 23 and leaving the contact set on the terminals of the desired line where they are held by the holding pawl 26.

Should the called line have its terminals arranged within three or four terminals of the bottom of the bank, the contact set would not move at high speed, since in this case the marginal relay 35 would pull up before the contact set moved, so that only the slow speed magnet would be energized to move the contact set 15 directly to-the desired terminal 9 as previously described.

\Vhen the relay 36 pulls up, it completes a circuit to actuate the sequence switch 40, this circuit extending from ground, contact to (2), armature and front contact of relay 86, conductors 64, 55, magnet 41, to grounded battery. The sequence switch, upon moving out of the second position, but before reaching its third position, closes the contact 44 completing a circuit from grounded battery, resistance 65, contact 44 (29;), conductor 66, inner left'hand brush of the contact set 15, terminal 8, conductor 11, and cut-off relay 10, thereby causing this relay to pull up and defenergize the line relay 13 of the calling line and taking ground off the conductor 12 individual thereto.

Upon moving out of the second position, the circuit for the power magnet 41 of the sequence switch 40 is closed until the sequence switch reaches posit-ion I-t through a circuit extending from ground, contact 50, conductor magnet l1, to grounded battery. In passing position 3, the contacts 47 and 48 are closed and remain so until the sequence switch leaves the sixteenth position. The closing of these contacts extends the line of the calling subscriber through the line finder.

Battery may be supplied to the cord circuit shown through a repeating coil 69, and

relays 70 and 71 could be placed in the line on either side thereof and used to control supervisory signals. These features, however, form no part of the present invention and any suitable circuits may be used for controlling succeeding apparatus.

Talking would take place while the sequence switch 40 is in the'fourteenth position. Upon the termination of the conversation, any desired means may be used to bring about disconnection of the finder switch, a disconnect key 72 being shown for the sake of simplicity. In full automatic telephone systems, instead of a key 72 being used to close a circuit to the sequence switch in the fourteenth position, means actuated by the relays of the selectors or connectors would be provided to put ground on the conductor 73. As here shown, the key 72 is under the control of an operator and is actuated when the supervisory signals controlled by the relays and 71 indicate that disconnection is desired. Closing the key 72 completes a circuit for the power magnet 41 of the sequence switch tomove the-same, the circuit extending from ground, key 72, conductor 73, contact -t9 (let), conductors 54, 55, magnet 4.1, to grounded battery. Upon moving out of the fourteenth posi tion, contact 50 holds the circuit of the magnet 41 closed until the switch reaches the eighteenth position. .lu passing the sixteenth position, the contacts 44, 47 and 48 are opened, decnergizing the cut-off relay to and opening the talking circuit. The sequence switch would stop in the eighteenth position, in which position the down drive magnet 28 would be energized to disengage the holding pawl 26 from bar 17, and engage the bar with the down drive drum 27 to restore the brush set to normal. This circuit extends from ground, contact 46 (18), conductor 74, magnet 28, to grounded battery, The supporting rod 16 upon reaching normal would position the brush 32 carried thereby in engagement with the contact 34 of the commutator block '53, completing a circuit for the power magnet 41 of the sequence switch 40 to move the same to position 1. This circuit extends from ground, brush 32, contact 34, conductor 75, contact 49 (18), conductors 5 c, 55, n'iagnet 41, to grounded battery. Inv the first and normal position,'the line finder is idle and ready for association with a calling line of it s group.

While the invention is shown as applied in a panel type switch system, it is obvious that it is applicable to other types of switches for example, to a rotary switch systeu'i. l lll'tlltlll'l0Y0, this system while shown as applied to a tinder switch is also capable of application in other situations, for example, in a selector switch. in which case an idle terminal ready to be seized might be represented by ground thereon. Such applications are. considered within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electric switching system, a plurality of terminals, a movable contact to engage any of said terminals, means to move said contact at different speeds to engage any desired terminal, and means responsive to the ap' iroacl'i to a desired terminal for automat' :ally changing the speed of said contact.

2. In an electric switching system, a plurality of tGI'lTllIltllS, a movable contact to engage any of said terminals, means to movesaid contact at different speeds to engage any desired terminal, and means to automatically change the speed of said contact when within a certain distance of and shortly prior to said contact reaching said desired terminal.

3. In an electric switching system, a plu' rality of terminals, a movable contact to engage any of said terminals, means to move said contact in one direction at different; speeds to engage any desired terminal, and means to automatically change the speed of said contact when within a certain distance of a desired terminal.

at. In an electric switch, a plu'ality of tern'iinals, a movable contact to engage any of said terminals, means to move said contact in the same direction toward engagement with any desired terminal at a high and at a lower speed, and means responsive to the approach to any desired terminal for automatically changing the speed of said contact to said lower speed.

5. In an electric switch, a plurality of terminals, a movable contact to engage any of said terminals. means to move said contact in the same direction toward engagement with any desired terminal at a high and at a lower speed, and means to automatically change the speed of said contact to said lower speed when said contact is within-a certain distance of a desired terminal.

(3. In an electric switch, a plurality of terminals,a movable contact to engage any of said terminals, means to move said contact in the same direction toward engagement with any desired terminal at a high and at a lower speed, and means to automatically change the speed of said contact to said lower speed when said contact is within four terminals of the desired terminal.

7. In an electric switching system, a plurality of terminals, a movable contact to engage any of said terminals, means to move said contact at different speeds to engage any desired terminal, and means to automatically provide movement at lon'ly one speed when a desired terminal is located within a certain distance of the normal position of said contact.

8. In an electric switching system, a plurality of terminals, a movable contact to engage any desired terminal, means to move said contact at high speed, means to move said contact at a lower speed, means to dis tinguish a desired terminal, said contact being moved at high speed as soon as the desired contact is distinguished, and means responsive to the approach of said contact to the desired terminal to dissociate said contact from said high speed means and associate it for movement with said lower speed means.

9. In an electric switching system, a plurality of terminals, a contact movable over said terminals to engage any desired terminal, resistance associated between adjacent terminals, a circuit normally including said resistance, means to ground said circuit at any desired terminal, means to move said contact at different speeds, and means included in said circuit operating under a certain resistance to change the speed of said contact, said contact reducing the resistance of said circuit in passing over said terminals.

10. In an electric switching system, a plurality of adjacent terminals, a contact movable over said terminals to engage any desired terminal, resistance associated with said terminals and between said adjacent terminals thereof, a circuit normally including said resistance, means to ground said circuit at any desired terminal, means to move said contact at different speeds, means included in said circuit operating under a certain resistance to change the speed of said contact, and means included in said circuit operating to stop said contact on a desired terminal, said contact reducing the resistance of said circuit in passing over said terminals.

11. In an electric switching device, a plurality of terminals, a contact movable over said terminals to engage any desired terminal, conductors extending from said terminals, a resistance between said conductors, a circuit including said resistance, means to ground any desired terminal directly through its conductor, means to move said contact at different speeds, means included in said circuit operating under a certain resistance to change the speed of said contact, and means included in said circuit operating when said circuit extends through a de sired terminal to stop said contact on said terminal.

'12. In an electric switching system, a plurality of terminals, a contact movable over said terminals to engage any desired terminal, conductors extending from said terminals, a resistance between said conductors, a circuit including said resistance, means to ground any desired terminal directly through its conductor, means to move said contact at high and low speeds, means included in said circuit operating under a certain resistance to associate said contact for movement at low speed, and means included in said circuit operating when said circuit extends through a desired terminal to stop said contact on said terminal.

13. In an electric switching device, a plurality of terminals, movable contacts to engage any desired terminal, means to move the contact at different speeds, resistance associated with said terminals, a circuit ineluding said resistance, means to change the resistance of said circuit, means to change the speed of said contact controlled by the resistance of said circuit, said last named means operating to change the speed of said contact when it approaches a desired terminal.

14:. In an electric switching system, a plurality of terminals, a movable contact to engage any desired terminal, means to move the contact at different speeds, a resistance associated with said terminals, a circuit inaaaaeve eluding said resistance, means to change the resistance of said circuit, and means controlled by the resistance of said circuit to change the speed of said contact, said last named means operating to move the contact at a lower speed when it approaches a desired terminal.

15. In an electric switching system, a plurality of terminals, a contact movable over said terminals to'engage any desired terminal, resistance between adjacent terminals, a circuit including said resistance, means controlled by said circuit to control the speed of said contact, means to cut out part of said resistance as the contact moves toward a desired contact, said means controlled by said circuit being operated to change the speed of said contact when the circuit has less than a certain resistance.

16. In an electric switching system, a. plurality of terminals, a contact movable to engage any desired terminal, means to move said contact at high speed, a circuit to operate said means, means to move said contact at a lower speed, a circuit to operate said last named means, a relay controlling said circuits, and means to operate said relay to eiiect change of speed of said contact when it is within a certain distance of a desired terminal and before said terminal is reached.

17. In an electric switching system, a plurality of terminals, a contact movable to engage any desired terminal, means to move said contact at high speed, a circuit to oper ate said means, means to move said contact at a lower speed, a circuit to operate said last named means, a relay to control said circuits, said relay operating when said contact approaches a desired terminal to change the speed of said contact, and another relay controlling said high speed and said low speed means, said last named relay operating to stop further movement of said contact when said contact engages a desired terminal.

18. In an electric switching system, a plurality of adjacent terminals, a contact movable over said terminals to engage any desired terminal, resistance associated with said terminals and between adjacent terminals thereof, a circuit normally including said resistance, means to ground said circuit at any desired terminal, means to move said contact at different speeds, said contact reducing the resistance of said circuit in moving over said terminals, a relay included in said circuit operable to change the speed of said contact when the resistance of the circuit is reduced to a certain amount, and another relay in said circuit to stop further movement of said contact when the resistance of said circuit is reduced to an even smaller amount.

19. In an electric switching system, a plurality of terminals, a contact movable to engage any desired terminal, means to move said contact at different speeds, circuits to control said means, a relay controlling said circuits to eitect change of speed, and a relay in series with said first named relay to control said circuits to stop movement of said contact.

20. In an electric switching system, a plurality of terminals, a contact movable over said terminals to engage any desired termi nal, resistance associated between adjacent terminals, a circuit normally including said resistance and said movable contact, means to ground said circuit at any desired terminal, means to move said contact at difierent speeds, said contact reducing the resistance of said circuit in moving over said terminals, a marginal relay in said circuit operable to change the speed of said contact under a certain resistance condition of said circuit, and another marginal relay in said circuit operable to stop further movement of said contact under another resistance condition of said circuit.

21. In a telephone system, a. plurality of calling subscribers lines, a plurality of sets of terminals individual to each of said lines, means operated by the initiation of a call to distinguish the desired terminals, a movable contact set to engage any desired set of terminals, means to move said contact set at different speeds to engage said terminals, means associated with said contact set to extend said desired line, and means to change the speed of said contact set when within a certain distance oi a desired set of terminals.

22. In a telephone system, a plurality of calling subsmibers lines, a plurality Of sets of terminals individual to said lines, means operating upon the initiation of a call to change the condition of a terminal individual to said line, a movable contact set to engage any desired set of terminals, means to move said contact set at different speeds, means associated with said cont-act set to extend any desired line, and means to change the speed of said contact set when within a certain distance of a terminal individual to a calling line to move said contact set at lower speed and associate it with said desired terminal.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 23rd day of June, it. D., 1916.

ALBEN E. LUNDELL.

Images