US1409737A - Automatic telephone system - Google Patents

Description

Patentd Mar. 14, 1922-. 2 SHEETS SHEET I.

T.v LENAG'HAN.

' AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION- FILED NOV. 2. 1920.

A rrm/v r T. LENRG'HAN.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

AFPLTCATION FILED NOV. 2, 1920..

1,409,737, Patehted Mar. 14,1922; v 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS LENAGI-IAN, OF CROYDON, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

I AppIication filed; November 2, 1920. Serial No. 421,382.

To (a?! 20/ 10772, 4/: may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS LENAGHAN. a subject of the King Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Croydon, in the county of Surrev. England, have nvented Improvements in Automatic Felephone Systems. (a continuation of my prior pplication filed April 28. 1920, Ser. l lo. 371288 as-to all matter common to both ipplications, "for which I have filed an application in England, April 23, 1919, No. 10202,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to terminal or con tact banks as used in automatic telephone *i ching systems, but more particularly in the system described in my co-pending application No. 377,288, but it is to be understood that the scope of its use is not coniined to the said system. The principal object o l this invention is the provision or a number oi contacts so shaped that switch members having access to the said contacts will as they sweepover the contacts encounter surfaces that are at all times in condition to ensure perfect contact.

This is secured by making the several contacts oi angular formation, that is to say with portions inclined outwardly and upwardly in relation to the bank as a whole.

A further object is, by the provision of stamped up projections or lugs in the contacts to provide an economical method of holding the contacts in their banks.

A further improvement due to the shape of the stamped contacts, and their assembly, is that the vertical distance the switch has to travel whilst disengaged from a contact is reduced to a minimum whilst still ensuring the necessary insulation between the con: tacts--a further improvement is thus also attained in that the distance of contact, whilst the switch is travelling in an upward direction, is increased to give almost the total separating distance between the contacts.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a bank as 'sembly; Fig. 2 an end elevation of same,

and Fig. 3 a section through the line 33 Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a plan of the connecting bars to which the contacts are riveted or interconnected by other means; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 Fig. 4. Fig. 6 a section on the line 5-6 Fig. 4:. Fig. 7 a view semi-diagrammatic showing the switch fintions, part for incoming connections and part for the connection of control recorders, as described in my application filed April 28. 1920, Ser. No. 377,288, the said contacts being available for connections by the switch members on both faces of the bank as shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 3 is shown the interconnection of the contacts (1 which are preferably punchings, Figs. a, 5 and 6 showing more clearly the details of the arrangement. The contacts Fig. 9 are held in the bank by horizontal separating strips (Z, leaving the centre of the bank hollow, these strips may be slotted on either their vertical or horizontal faces as desired to engage the contact, each projection e on which engages in the vertical slot if used, or on the face of the strip if the horizontal slot is used, thus preventing any movement of the contact. As an alternative to the foregoing the contact and bars may be held by a moulded insulation. Fig. 7 shows a view of the switch members S- making contact with the bank contacts C. Thesaid switch members do not form part of this specification and are fully described in my copending application No. 377,288 be ing only illustrated herein to show the functions of the bank contacts. The switches S travel in the direction shown by the arrows, the fingers F pivoted at the point P sweeping over the various contacts; as herein illustrated, the distance D in which the finger F is out of contact with a bank member is reduced to the minimum whilst the dis tance of contact D is at a maximum, being the total separating distance D less Di.

By reason of the shape of the contacts 0 it will be selfevident that the surfaces engaged by the fingers F so overhang that dust cannot accumulate thereon.

That I claim is 1. In a telephone contact bank, a plurality of contact members each of which is formed on both faces, each contact member being formed with an angular portion presenting an overhanging surface which is inclined outwardly and upwardly in relation to the bank as a whole. 7

8. In a telephone contact bank, a plurality of contact members each of which is formed with an angular portion presenting an overhanging surface which is inclined upwardly and outwardly in relation to the bank as a whole andwith punched up projections, and separating insulators for such contact members engaged by such projections whereby the contact members are ren dered self holding in the bank, substantially as described.

4. In a telephone system, a plurality of contact members each formed with a pair of angular portions presenting overhanging surfaces which are inclined upwardly from the horizontal and with punched up projections and insulating members engaged by said projections separating them in several horizontal levels so as to render them self holding in a bank capable of being swept over upwardly by movable switches on both faces, substantially as described.

5. In a telephone system, a plurality of contact members arranged in several horizontal levels constituting a vertical bank capable of being swept over by'switches, each contact member being formed with an angular portion presenting an overhanging surface which is inclined outwardly and upwardly in relation to the bank as a whole and a plurality of conductors interconnecting the. contact members on one horizontal level, the said contact members being rouped to accommodate one or more circuits on that level.

6. In a telephone system, a plurality of being subdivided in order that the several contact members may be available for the connection of the several component parts of a given circuit.

Signed at London, England, this 14th day of October, 1920.

THOMAS LENAGHAN.

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