US1427170A - Telephone-exchange system - Google Patents

Description

F. M SLOUGH.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5, 1917.

1 A27, 1 70, Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

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INVENTOR QME AZ K FRANK M. sriooen or nocrres'rnn, new roan, assrsnon 'ro THE srnomnna n cannson rnnnrnonn nannrscrunrns comment, or ROCHESTER, NE roan, n conronarron or new roan.

TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patg t d A gg 1922 Application filed December 5, 1917. Serial No. 205,599.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. SLoUcH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone Exchange Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and concise description.

It has been a common practice in operating telephone switchboards to divide the same up into sections at each of which is located a multiple jack for each of the telephone lines, and at'some of these sections multiply connected signal lamps have been used to indicate a call originating on the associated telephone line.

in such switchboards of the art, the lamps of the diiferent switchboard sections associated with the same telephone line operate simultaneously upon the initiation of a call by a subscriber on the line, and it often happens that several operators will attempt to answer the same call.

It is an object of this invention to prevent much of this confusion and to provide for more efficient team work between the operators. 1, therefore, provide for each opcrators position a number of answering jacks, and for each an associated line lamp. Line and cut-off relays are permanently as sociated with the answering lamp and answering jack to control the operation of this lamp. T he number of answering jacks with their associated lamps provided for a position may vary, and may be between 100 and 200 in number.

The telephone lines leading into the switchboard preferably a "c permanently associated with multiply connected switcl l board jacks located each on a different section of the switchboard, and at one or more of these switchboard jacks I provide multiple signal lamps. Now, by what is known in the art as cross-connecting, I may associate any line together with its connected multiple switchboard jacks and their associated signal lamps to an switchboard jack together with its answering signal lamp. What 1 term as the multiple jacks and their associated lamps of any line always therefore maintain a fixed position in the switchboard, but as the crossconnection may be varied to associate the said line with different answering jacks and answering" associated lamps variously located on the dnferent operators positions, such answerlng acks and lamps may not at all times be associated with the same telephone line; also,

conversely the said telephone line may not always have the same answering jack and lamp, and it follows that since the line and cut-01f relays are permanently associated with the answering jack and lamp, the multlple lamps controlled by a given line and cut-off relay at one time may be, by a different cross-connection, at another time controlled by a different line and cut-oil relay.

It has been a common practice in systems of the art operated under the above plan to-occasionally cross-connect some of the lines, whereby an over-loaded position may have relief obtained through transferring "the answering terminals and associated.

lamps of some of the busy lines to other positions. Although, this has been of considerable benefit it is not always possible to accurately gauge the number of calls originating on such a small group of lines as is associated with an operators posi tion, and much dependence is therefore had upon the operators at either side of an operator a temporarily over-loaded position reaching over and answering some of the calls on such a position.

.-t is an object of my invention to char-.

acterize the signal indication given byany of the switchboard lamps to indicate the measure of the loaded. condition of the op erators position wherein the lines with which these lamps are associated have their answering terminals. Thus, the operator observing calls on the positions to, either side :an give assistance to the operator most in need of such assistance, the character of the signal given by the lamps on each of these positions indicating the extent of the overloaded condition, if any.

It is a further object of my invention to extend this over-load signal characterization to the multiply connectedlainps associated with multiple jacks of a line which has its answering terminals in such an overloaded position, whereby the operators at the switchboard sections wherein these mul nals of lines having their answering terminals in relatively busy or over-loaded positions. The characterization of signal lamps above'referred to is variable, and the intensity of the signal depends, directly in the system of my invention, to the degree of over-load on the answering switchboard position.

v, I also provide means under the control of the operator at the dillerent positions to increase the intensity of the over-load characterization of the'signals, so that the operator when attendingthe answering of one call'will preferably, by the operation of her 'operators telephone set connecting mecha nism herein illustrated as operators listeningkeys, cause all or" the signals associated with calling telephone lines on her position to indicatean additional measure of overload. My invention, therefore, is capable of being exercised in'two forms, and each form maybe employed independent of orwith the other form. a

Other objects of my invention and the in vention itself will be better understood from the description of the same which follows,

reference being had to the drawing accompanyingthis specification in which I show'at A and '13 two telephone stations comprising 'a hookswitch having contacts 0 and a telephone set 1", these being connected by line conductors leading to a mam telephone ex? change, the station A being connected on a line L, and the station B being connected on 'be made to the associated line when the said line is a called line, However, the multiple jacks CJB and CJA ofthe lines have associated with them multiple lamps SLR and CLA, one signal lamp for each jack. These last-named Jacks are located on switchboard sections variously known in the art as helping sections, concentration sections, or associated switchboard sections.

AtC, I show for the line L, what is known in the art as an intermediate cross-connecting rack on which the line may be crossconnected to different answering terminals.

The line L at C is cross-connected by means of conductors 37, 38, 39 and 40 extending between terminals 25, 26, 27 and 28, to terminals 13, 14, 15 and 16 to the. answering jackd having an answering signal lamp LB, and to the line and cut-oil relays asso ciated therewith 'LRB and COR.

Itis very desirable in the system of my invention that the line and cut-oil relays of the lines be permanently associated with the answering terminals has been described,

rather than in accordance with the more common practiceof permanently associating them with the multiple switchboard jacks and connected line conductors. The reason for this is to preserve the proper characterization or the lampsas will be described, regardless of the cross-connections which may be at the intermediate frame.

In this description it is assumed that the answering terminals of the line L and of the line L are located on the same operators position, and that other lines not shown also terminate in like manner in this operators position, also that the multiply connected lamps and their associated multiple jacks of the lines leading into the exchange are variously located on the multiple and concentration sections of the switchboard, with or without regard to the location of their answering terminals.

Inorder to better understand the invention I will now described the same, referring to the operation of the apparatus involved in greater detail.

Assume that a subscriber on the line L makes a call to the GXClllIlgQllQ will take his receiver from the hook closing the contacts c of the hookswitch, place. his telephone set 7* in conversational circuit across the line L which leads by its conductors and the cross connection wires 35 and 36, to the call answering apparatus at the exchange.

The line conductors are continued by conductors 62 and 63 through contacts 58 and 59 to the line relay LRA which will now be energized closing its contacts 2 whereupon the line lamps associated with the line will be lighted to give a signal. rill'o't the line lamps which are three in number as shown in the embodiment in the drawing, will be so operated over a circuit traced as follows: from the negative pole of the source of current S to several branches of 'a dividedcircuit, each leading to the conductor 54- one branch including the winding SR of a double wound relay common to the operators position and a conductor 50, and another branch including a conductor 52- and a circuit interrupter I which intermittently interrupts the circuit of the conductor 2, and thus intermittenly short circuits the winding SR of the double wound relay. A third branch includes the resistance R together with circuit conductors leading through contacts 71, 72 and 73 on the operators listoning keys of the position, whereby through the said key contacts the said resistance is placed in multiple with the winding SR, and when the interrupter I is not short circuiting the winding SR, the inclusion of thisresistance coil in multiple circuit with the circuit SR modifies the effect thereof in a man nor to be later described, this modification being controllable by the operation in manipulating the listening keys K K and K which contain the contacts 71, 72 and 73 in the circuit of the resistance coil R.

It will be noted that when these contacts are all closed indicating an idle condition of the operator, that the shunting of SR by R will reduce the resistance effect of SB, and that when all the contacts of the listening keys above mentioned are opened the removal of this shunt about the resistance winding SR will restore it to its full resistance effect.

In practice I may dispense witheither the resistance winding SR or the resistance coil B, together with its associated key contacts, entirely. But I may as illustrated in this embodiment of my invention, use the two together, the one modifying the efiect of the other; the particular arrangement used depending upon the conditions local to the exchange and the results vdesired to be secured.

We will assume now that another subscriber on the line L such as the subscriber B initiates a call, and by closing the switchhook contacts 0 places his set r across the telephone line conductors which extend by the cross connecting wires 39 and 40 and the circuit conductors 60 and 61, through contacts 56 and 57 to the line relay LRB ofthe line and the source of current S included in circuit therewith energizes the line relay, closing its contacts 3 in the circuit of the answering lamp LB, and the concentration lamp CLB in multiple, the circuit being traced as follows: From the ground pole of the source of current S through the lamps CLB and circuit conductors 4:5 and 37 in multiple with the lamp LB, the terminal 13 of the cross connecting rack C, circuit conductor 48, contacts 3 of the line relay LRB, and common circuit conductor 55 leading through the low resistance winding of the double wound relay to the circuit conductor 54 and from thence through the winding SR, the interrupter I and the resistance coil it all in multiple, to the negative pole of the source of current S. i

It will be seen that under the assumption that the first call has not been answered, that there are now two calls on the operators position and SlX lamps associated with two calling lines are operated, the energizing circuit or all of the lamps including in common the resistance coil SR which is shunted by the resistance coil R and the intermittently short circuiting interrupter I. The drop in voltage across the resistance being expressed by the formula voltage equals current times resistance, is thus proportional to the current flow through the resistance, and therefore the drop of voltage across the shunting resistance SR is nearly double that caused by the lighting of lampsof one line; and the inclusion of this resistance in'cir- -will operate her listening key K, with the said connecting circuit breaking the contacts 72 therein contained andwhich are serially included with the resistance coil E in the shunting circuit about the terminals of the resistance winding Sit inthe lamp circuit. The elimination of this resistance coil from about the terminals of the" resistance SR is effective to increase the common resistance serially included with the lamps of the remaining unanswered calling line, the lamps of the answered line having been eX- tinguished in the ordinary way by the act of the operators making connection with the line and releasingthe line relay thereof.

Now, the resistance of the coil B may be roportioned to produce various -efiects. ut I prefer to inake it of aboutthe same resistance as the winding Slhso that when the operator is attending to a call the eiiect of "the resistance SR is double, that is, the resistance SR will be double that of the combined resistance of and R in mul tiple; therefore with one unanswered calling line and one call being answered the effect-on the lamps of the remaining unanswered line will be modified from the eliect which would prevail ii" the operator did not have a listeningkey thrown, the modification being in the direction of increased flashing, that is, increased variation in brilliancy. This variation may bea s has been above indicated modified to any suitable degree by the relative and quantative valucs chosen for the resistances It and Uther lines may also lead into the operators position and a portion of a third line is indicated by its cross-connecting Wires 29, 30, Sl-and 32, being shown as extending between the set oi terminals l7, 18, 19 and 20 on the line side, and theset 5, 6, 7 and Sonthe answering switchboard side of the crossconnecting rack, The common circuit conductor-55 in the signaling circuit divides to connect' with the line lamps of all of the lines in thegroup served by the same common apparatus, and which are preferably those belonging toa given operators position.

it is obvious from. the foregoing description that the system herein disclosed is not only capable of giving the lamps o'f "a -line ona busy positiona'n indication of the busy condition, but also is capable of indicating the measure of the busy condition of such a position. i v I p The concentration sections of the switchboard alsoh'ave operatorsanswering equipment placed "thereon, and it is the'duty of the operatorsat such positions'to answer the calls on lines which have their answering terminals in busy positions, preference in answering at such concentration sections being :given 'to the lines on the position which by the flashing of the lamps indicate the greatest degree of over-loading at the home :or answering positions. In this way these concentration operators or helping0perators are'enabled'toes'sist the home operators who are most'in needot'the help.

Y It is obvious that many and extensive departures may bermade from the embodiqmen't illustrated and described herein without departing from the spirit :ofthe invention; This-invention-is in the natureofan improvement over the. invention disclosed in the co-pending application of William S. Paca,.Serial No. 202,748, filed Nov."19th, .1917, wherein marginal relays are employed to change the characterof the extended signal on the associated :switchboard whenever a predetermined load has been exceeded on the main switchboard. In the 4 ciated signal lamps, and common controlling means quantitatively responsive to the total number of signal lamps operated to correspondingly varythe quantitative character of the signal given by the said lamps. 2 In a telephone system, the combination of a telephoneswitchboard divided into nor- 'mal answering and abnormal helping sections, of a plurality of telephone lines terminating at each of the switchboards in multiple connection switches, vof individual signal lamps for each of the lines associated with the-said switches, and 'colnn'ion'controlling means quantitatively.responsive to the number of signal lamps operated, quantitatively controlling the said lamps. r

8. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone switchboard divided into normal answeringand associated helping 1 ,aav are sections, of a plurality of telephone lines terminating at thenormal answering section in terminals of connection switches, of: signal lamps for-each of the lines associated with the-said'terminals, of multiple terminals for each of the lines at the said helping switchboard section, a-resistaneeunit in=the-circuit of all the lamps o-fa group terminating in the said answering switchboard section and in the circuit of the associated lamps atthe helping switchboard section, and an intermittently operated shunt for the said frerSlSlIHiIlCG unit, said intermittently operated 'shuntbeing operated at such a rate as to flash thesa id lamps; a

4. In aitelephone system, the combination with a plurality of telephone lines and a plurality of multiply connected ,:'signal lamps, of a circuit for "said :multiply conwith a plurality of multiply connected switchboard lamps, of a resistance unit and a source (if-current in the connnon-circuit thereof, an intermittent shunt for the said resistance unit, and -a manual switch for varying thefquantitative value of the said resistance unit. v a

'6. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality of'telepho'ne lines and signal lamps, ot-a source of current and a resistance unit, an individual switch for each lamp to connect the samein operative circuit with-said source of current through'said resistance unit, ;mea-ns, cont-rolled over said telephone line for closing'said individual switch, and an'intermittently operated shunt for the said resistance unit, said shuntbein adapted to flashthe said lamps 7. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality of signal lamps, of a double wound pilot relay and a) source of current, an individual switch for each of the said lamps to connect the same in operative circuit with the said source of current through. both of the windings ot the said double wound relay, and an intermittently operated shunt forone ot the said windings,

" 8. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality'of'signal lamps, of'a double wound pilot relay and asource of current, an individual switch for each of the said lamps to connect the same in operative circuit with the saidsource of current through both of the windings of the'saiddouble wound relay, an intermittently operated shunt for one of the said windings, and a vpilot lamp controlled by an armature of the-saiddouble woundrela ios 9. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality of signal lamps, of a double wound pilot relay and a source of current, an individual switch for each of the said lamps to connect the same in operative circuit with the said source or" current through both of the windings of the said double wound relay, an intermittently operated shunt for one of the said windings, and a resistance unit normally connected in operative relation to the intermittently shunted winding of the double wound relay to change the quantitative resistance character thereof, and manual means for removing the said resistance unit from operative relation to the said winding.

10, In a telephone system, the combination of a plurality of signal lamps, a source of current and a resistance unit, an individual switch for each lamp to connect the same in operative circuit with the said source of current through the said resistance unit, an intermittently operated shunt for the said resistance unit, a second resistance unit operatively associated with the said first-named resistance unit. to vary the character thereof, and a manually operated switch to dissociate the said second-named resistance unit from said first-named resistance unit.

11. In a telephone signalling system, of a group of signal lamps, of a second group of signal lamps each of which is adapted to be interchangeably connected with the lamp of the first group, of a source of current and a resistance unit, an individual switch for each pair of the associated lamps to operatively associate the said pair of lamps with the said source of current through the said resistance unit, and an intermittently operated shunt for the said resistance unit, said shunt being operated at such a rate as to flash the associated lamps. 12. In a telephone system, the combination with a plurality of telephone lines and a plurality of multiply connected signal lamps, of a resistance unit, a circuit for said multiply connected lamps including said resistance unit, a source of current therein, means controlled over a telephone line for closing said circuit, an intermittentlyoperated shunt for the said resistance unit and switching means to vary the number of multiply connected lamps, said shunt being applied to the said resistance unit at such a rate as to operatively flash the said lamps.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my7name this 3rd day of December, A. D 191 FRANK M, sLoUeH.

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