US1269903A - Means for connecting electric lines. - Google Patents

Description

L. C. BYGRAVE.

MEANS FOR CONNECTING ELECTRIC HNES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-22. I916.

Patented June 18, 19%

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. C. BYGRAVE.

MEANS FOR CONNECTING ELECTRIC LINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22,19I6.

Patented June 18, I91&

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LQNQ QUSQ L. C. BYGRAVE.

MEANS FOR CONNECTING ELECTRIC LINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22. 1916.

Patented June 18, 1918..

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- N L. C. BYGRAVE.

MEANS FOR CONNECTING ELECTRIC LINES.

APPucATmN FILED N0v.22, 1916.

lfifigmwgm Patented June 18, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

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apeciflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented dune lid, Thin" Application tiled ttovcmber Eta-wit. aerial 1t 0. Matted ft'o all whom it may concern."

Be it lrnown that l, linonano Guanine Bvenavn, a subject of the lting of Great Britain, and a resident or Marconi House, Strand, London, England, have invented a new and usetul lmprovement in Means for Connecting Electric Lines, of which the tollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to devices, tor establishing connection between two groups of lines, and more particularly to devices in which the connections are efiected by rela S.

The drawings illustrate the invention as applied to a relay telephone system.

vFigure 1 shows a group of lines X having access to a group of outgoing lines T.

Fig. 2 shows a group ot lines having access to a group of outgoing lines and a group of incoming lines.

Fig. 3 shows a group of lines having access to a larger group of outgoing lines and a larger group ol incoming lines.

Eig. A shows a modification.

Two wiresA and E are shown as connected up by each relay while a third wire R is used for retaining purposes. This is usual in telephone worlr, but it will be readily understood that any required number of wires can he connected up by each relay. The relays are brought into operation by the two wires A and B being connected together in accordance with standard telephone practice, but any other method I could be used.

The lines Y may be multipled to other relay groups.

Each set of wires A, E and lit oil the group i i Y have associated with them another wire till G, which is sometimes lrnown as the guarding wire, to prevent a calling line obtaining.

connection with an engaged line. This is brought about according to this invention by normally having this wire connected to battery and disconnecting it when the line becomes engaged. This method has several advantages over the one generally used, tor

it a fuse ll associated with any line be blown owing to a fault, or it the test wire be broken for any reason, then that line is rendered inaccessible.

The operation of the circuit shown will now be described in detail. Tt will be assumed that the line it) has to be connected to a tree line ot the group i the first line 0 being assumed engaged from another relay group and a relay T associated with it being therefore energized. @n the wires A and B (L being joined together by the caller lifting his receiver or the like, circuit 1 is completed and the line relay 1D- operates. Circuit 2 is completed and relay E operates. This connects the Gr wires of all the Y lines to which the group has access to the connection-determining relays M. The M relays therefore of disengaged lines will operate; those of busy lines will not since the negative potential will have been removed from their Gr wires by the operation of their T relay. M will therefore not be operative, but both M and M operate as U and U are both disengaged (circuits 3 and A). M v operating opens the circuits to the springs of M and thereby renders the operation of the latter inefltective, and only circuit 5 ofone connecting relay, via, C is completed. The latter extends the wires of A and B (L to the line and T operates (circuit' 6). Circuit 3 is now brolren,

- rendering the line U inaccessible to any fun ther calling lines, and the retaining circuit 7 is completed operating the cut-ofl" relay E This releases relays D and E. The connection between the line E and.@ is maintained so long as the wires A and B are connected together. I

lit the relay group is used in connection with an automatic telephone system in which the desired connection is built up by breaking the connection between the wires A and B a certain number of times, T is made slow to release and is operated indirectly from the wires A and E in a well known manner.

Fig. 2 shows one method oil applying the a invention to a relay arrangement in which intermediate lines are used to give access to two groups of lines, one of which may be used for outgoing and the other tor incomingb traflic.

he lines X are particular to the relay group, but the outgoing lines T and the incoming lines Z may be multipled to any number of relay groups.

The operation will first be described when a line of group X, say T1 obtains connection with a tree line of group Y. When the wires A and E (E are connected together by the lilting oil a receiver or the lilre. circuit 1 is completed and D operates. E

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ltltl lhli lllll operates (circuit 2) and connects the G wires of the Y lines to the corresponding M relays, over one winding of the OC relays and break contacts of the IC relays. The latter contacts'prevent the M relays energizing if the corresponding intermediate line is engaged for an incoming connection. As the G wires of free lines only are connected to battery, an M relay can only energize when the intermediate and outgoing lines associated with it are both free. Instead of allowing all the M relays corresponding to disengaged intermediate and outgoing lines to operate and to render only the first one effective (as was shown in Fig. 1) only the first M relay is allowed to operate completely owing to each M relay breaking the circuit of all the M relays above it. By this means the number of contacts on the M relays is reduced. It will be seen therefore that only the M relay of the first level with both a free intermediate line and a free outgoing line will 05- erate. F or instance, if the outgoing line 1 be engaged, M will not be able to operate as battery will not be connected to the corresponding G wire. If the second outgoin line be free, but the correspon ing intermediate line he engaged incoming (in which case the relay 1C will be energized) the circuit for M will be broken b 16 If the third outgoing line 0 and t e corresponding intermediate line are both free, then M will operate over circuit 3, and prevent the operation of M by cutting ofi the common earth. Circuit a is completed and C operates. The lines A and B (L?) are extended to O and apparatus associated with the latter (similar to the T relays of Fig. 1) disconnects the negative battery from the G wire and completes the retaining circuit 5 and E operates releasing 1D and F.

For an incoming call a similar series of operations takes place. 7 In this case the aparatus is not brought into operation by an line calling, for the line is being called by a Z line. A numerical selector or other means, not shown, is used to determine the lineto'be called and operates the J relay of the group'to which the line belongs, and at the same time connects battery to the N wire of the required line. For instance, if L is to be called, J would be operated and N (L) connected to battery. ;.'l;he M relay, say M of the first level which has both a free intermediate line and a free incoming line, operates. The connecting relay C operates, and apparatus associated with the incoming line I disconnects negative battery from ,the'J wire and operates E J is released from the selecting apparatus or in any other suitable manner. The wire H, which is earthed bythe M relay, can be used to operate apparatus, for instance, a relay or DC relays.

associated with the corresponding incoming .line, to connect such line to the line from which the numerical selector has been operated.

()ne method of applying this invention to a relay arrangement is shown in Fig. 3. In this diagram only two lines of the X group and two intermediate lines are shown, though any suitable number maybe used. Two outgoing (Y) and two incoming (Z) lines are shown as associated with each intermediate line though the number need not be two. The connection of the line L to the first free outgoin line will now be described. On the lines and B being connected D operates over circuit 1 and F oven circuit 2. If both the intermediate line and the first outgoing line 0 are free 'M and .OC operate over circuit 3. If the intermediate line had been engaged incoming, this circuit would have been broken by 1C or 1C. The operation of 0C prevents the operation of OC and the operation of M prevents the operation of any other M Circuit 4 is completed and C operates. E operates as before described, and D and F release. Similar operations take place when connection between an incoming and a called line is required, as will be readily understood from the description of the operation of Fig. 1.

In the arrangements which have been described no means are provided to prevent double connection. For instance, if the two wires A and B of L are connected together at the same moment as the two wires A and B of L both these lines will be connected to the same outgoing line, To prevent this a suitable resistance can be inserted in each retaining wire at the point B (Fig. 1) This resistance would be such that in series with it one connecting relay can retain but not two or more relays in parallel. If two lines call concurrently therefore, both connecting relays will not be able to hold, and the one releasing first will release the cut-off E, and the line relay D will re-operate to cause the calling line to be connected to the next free outgoing line.

The resistance used for the arrangements shown in Figs. 2 and 3 would be such that the two connecting relays used for each connection could retain in series with it, but not two or more sets of connecting relays in parallel in series with it. 4

A similar arrangement could be used for incoming calls.

The invention has been described in connection with systems wherein separate wires are used for retaining and guarding purposes. It can be arranged to use one wire for both purposes, as shown in Fig. 4. The Wires R and G are connected in parallel at the point 4 and this common wire is e22 tended through the back contact of relay T naoonoa to negative of battery at 3; tor example, it the corresponding line is free. When relay T is energized, this common circuit is then connected to earth at 3"; for example, when t the retaining circuit is completed. The coils of the E relays are shown connected to negative battery.

The invention is not limited to the relay arrangements. oncircfiits shown, as many to modifications can be employed to fulfil other conditions. What T claim is l. The combination of a group of electrical lines, a second group of lines, a conto motion-determining device associated with each of the lines of the second group, means for rendering inoperative the connectiondetermining devices of bus lines and means for rendering operative t e connection-deao termining device of one idle line and one only when a connection is to be'made and then only.

2. The combination cl a'group oi electrical lines, a second group of lines, a. number to of connection-determining devices arranged in a definite order of precedence and associated one with each of the lines of the second group, means for renderin inopera tive the connection-determining evi'ces of no lousy lines, meanstor rendering that one of A the connection-determining devices associated with idle lines. which is first in precedence operative when a connection is to be made and then only and means for prevent to ing the operation of such connection-determining devices olc idle lines as are lower in the order of precedence.

3. The combination of a group of electrical lines, a second group of lines, a number to of connection-determining devices arranged in a definite order of precedence and associated one with each of the lines of the sec ond group, means for controlling-each device both from its associated outgoing line: to and from such devices as have precedence over it, means for rendering inoperative the connection-determining devices of lousy lines and means for rendering that one of the connection-determining devices associated with to idle lines which is first inprecedence operative when? a connection is to be made and then only 4. The combination of a group of electrical lines, a group oi outgoing lines, a oup on of incoming lines a connection-determining device associated jointly with one ot the outgoing lines and with one oi the incoming lines, means for rendering the device inoperative when either its outgoing or its into coming line isengaged and means for rendering the device operative to connect one oi the first mentioned oup ol' lines either to its outgoing or to its incoming line when such outgoin and incog lines are idle.

to 5. The com ination ot a group of electrical lines, a group of outgoing lines, a group of incoming lines, a plurality-ct connectiondetermining devices arranged in a definite order of precedence and each associated jointly with one of the outgoing lines and to with one of the incoming llnes, means for rendering inoperative any device when either its outgoing or incoming line is engaged,

. means for rendering operative the first connection-determining device of which both to the outgoing and incoming lines are idle and means for preventing the operation or such devices as are lower in the order of precedence than such first device.

6. The combination of a group of lines, to a source oi current, a group of outgoing lines, a number of connecting relays each of which is associated both with a line of the first group and with an outgoing line, a current-connecting relay associated with at each line of the first mentioned group and adapted to connect to the source of current all the connecting relays associated with its line, a connection-determining relay associated with each outgoing line and adapted to to complete the circuit of any of the connecting relays associated with its line, means for rendering inoperative the connectiondetermining relays of busy outgoing lines and means for rendering operative the conto nection-determining relay of one idle outgoing line and one only.

7. The combination of a group of lines, a source oi current, a group of outgoing lines, of connecting relays each of which is associated with a line of the first group, with an outgoing line and with an incoming line, a current-connecting relay associated with each line ot'the first-mentioned group and lot adapted to connect to the source oi current all the connecting relays associated with its line, a number of connection-determining relays each associated both with an outgoing and with an incoming line and adapted to no complete the circuit oiany of the connecting relays associated with its lines, means for rendering inoperative the connectiondetermining relays of busy outgoing or in coming lines and means for rendering oplit erative the connection-determining relay oi opp idle outgoing or incoming line and one o y.

' 8. The combination of a group of lines, a source of current, a group of outgoing lines, are a number of connecting rela s each of which is associated both with a line oil the first group and with an outgoing line, a currentconnecting relay associated with each line of the first-mentioned oup and adapted to lat connect to the source of current all the connectin relays associated with its line, a number 0T connection-determining relays arranged in a definite order oi precedence, as sociated one with each ot the outgoing lines ran a group'ot incoming lines, a number ioo &

and adapted to complete the circuit of any of the connecting relays associated with its line, means for rendering inoperative the connection-determining relays of busy outgoing lines, means for rendering operative that one of the connection-determining relays associated with idle lines which is first in precedence and means for preventing the operation of such connection-determining relays of idle lines as are lower in the order of precedence.

9. The combination of a group of lines, a source of current, a group of outgoing lines, a group of incoming lines, a number of connecting relays each of which is associated with a line of the first group, with an outgoing line and with an incoming line, a current-connecting relay associated with each line of the first mentioned group and adapted to connect to the source of current all the connecting relays associated with its line, a number of connection-determining relays arranged in a definite order of precedence, associated one with each of the out- 7 Lacaeos going and with one of the incoming lines and adapted to complete the circuit of any of the connecting relays associated with its lines,'- means for rendering inoperative the connection-determining relay of any busy outgoing or incoming line, means for rendering operative that one of the connectiondeterminlng relays associated with idle lines which is first in precedence and means for preventing the operation of such connectiondetermining relays of idle lines as are lower in the order of precedence.

10. The combination of a group of electrical lines, a second group of lines, a connection-determining device associated with each of the lines of the second group, and means for momentarily rendering operative the connection-determining device of one idle line and one only to bring about a connection.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name this 8th day of December 1916.

LEONARD CHARLES BYGRAVE.

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