US1505089A - Telephone system - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 19 1924.

H. D. cuR lzR TELEPHONE SYSTEM Original Fi led men 20,

mvlamoa HIRAM n UR IE: BY

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 19, 1924 isosnss UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

HIRAM D. OURRIER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KELLOGG SWITCHBOARD AND SUPPLY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CO BEORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

Original application filed March 20, 1915, Serial No. 15,835.

Patent 1\To{1,4;39,07l. dated. December 19, 1922. Divided and this application filed September 27, 1922.

Serial No. 590,760.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HIRAM D. Guanine, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and 5 State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone Sys tems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to telephone systems in which link or cord circuits are employed,

and has to do more particularly with socalled multiple line lamp systems in which automatic ringing, meter service registairing means, secret service, instantaneous disconnect and recall are provided, and has for its object a new and improved system of the above character.

An object of my invention is the pro vision of automatic meter service means for registering the number of connections set up by the operator between calling subscribers lines and called subscribers lines but which meter service means will not operate to register the established connection should the called subscribers line be busy.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means for preventing the application of ringing current to the called subscribers line, should the said called subscribers line by busy, even though the op erator has operated the ringing key to apply ringing current to the said called line, but should the said called line be idle when connection is made therewith, and the ringing key is operated, ringing current will be connected to said called line and at the same time the automatic service means will operate to register the established connection between the calling subscribers line and the idle called subscribers line.

The above-mentioned objects of my invention, as well as others will be more particularly pointed out in the following speci fication and claims.

The present application is a divisional application of my co-pending application Serial No. 364,872, filed March 10, 1920, renewal of Serial No.15,835, field March 20, 191-53, now Patent Number 1,439,071, granted December 19, 1922.

For a better understanding of my inven tion, reference may be had to the accom- Renewed March 10, 1920, Serial No. 364,872.

panying drawing in which is shown the common battery substations A and B termihating in the central ofiice in line circuits multiple line lamps S and multiple jacks J The right hand winding of the line relay LR is of a comparatively high resistance while the left hand winding is of a comparatively low resistance, the reasons for having these windings of different resistances will hereinai'ter appear. The line circuit as illus trated is known. as a multiple lamp line circuit in which the lamps S and jacks J appear before a number of operators so that any one operator may answer a call to the exclusion of the other operators. The substation E and the line circuit L are simil ar in all respects to the substation A and line circuit L, except that the substation B is one of a plurality of like substations which are connected to the line conductors leading to the central oifice equipment.

The cord circuit C comprises the answering plug AP and calling plug CP, the two plugs being connected by the heavily marked conductors of the cord circuit and having the condensers K and K interposed. Associated with the answering end of the cord circuit is the answering sleeve supervisory relay AS and the answering tip supervisory relay AT for controlling the circuit of the answering supervisory lamp AL. I also provide a test relay TR for controlling the circuit of the answering sleeve supervisory relay AS, which relay controls the connection ofthe operators telephone set O to the strands of the cord circuit. The test relay TR comprises a pair of windings, one a comparatively high resistance winding Sand the other a comparatively low resistance winding 6. I also provide a link disconnect relay LD for making possible; instantaneous disconnect and recall, and a recall relay RR for segregating a recall to the particular operator that previously answered the original call. Asso ciateol with the calling end of the cord circuit I provide a calling tip supervisory relay CT and a calling sleeve supervisory relay OS for controlling the circuit of the calling supervisory lamp CL. The calling 'the strands'of the cord circuit.

sleeve supervisory relay SC also controls the disconnection of-the operators set 0 from A party line ringing key BK is provided for connecting one of a plurality of generators to the common ringing lead 2 and for controlling the ringing control relay EC. The ringing control relay RC controls the ringing interrupter relay RI, which through the medium of the interrupter I applies ringing current from the common lead 2 to the line of the called subscriber. Associated with the cord circuit C is a service registering device comprising a meter maget MM and ameter control relay MR.

Assuming that the subscriber at the substation A ishes to initiate a call, upon the removal of the receiver thereat, a circuit is closed through the line relay LR, the'line relay upon energizing closes a circuit through the multiple line lamps S. An operator upon noting the line lamp S glowing inserts the answering plug AP into the jack J of the calling line. Upon the insertion of the answering plug AP into the jack J, an energizing circuit is closed through cut-off relay CO and through the high resistance winding of the relay TR. This circuit extends from battery through the high winding of said test relay, normal contact 3 of the link disconnect relay LD, through the sleeve contacts of the plug AP and jack J and through the cut-oil relay CO to ground. 'The cutoff relay CO upon energizing disconnects thesubscri'bers line circuit from the line relay LR thereby causing the line lamps S to be eflaced. The test relay TR, upon energizing, closes the tip strand of the cord circuit at its contact sand thereby closes an energizing ClICUllI through the. answering tip supervisory relay AT. The answering III tip supervisory relay AT, upon energizing,

prevents the premature glowing of the answering supervisory lamp AL- by opening its normal contact :5 and also prevents the closing of an energizing circuit for link disconnect relay LD. A further result due to the energizationof the test relay TB is the closing of a multiple circuit, through its locking winding 6 and through the answering sleeve supervisory relay AS to the sleeve conductor of the answering plug AP. This circuit extends from battery through the windings of the answering sleeve super visory relay AS and the locking winding of the test'relay TR to the contact '7 of the said test relay TR, then throughthenormal contact 8 of the link disconnect relay LD. through the sleeve conductor of the answering plug AP and jack J, and through the cut-ofi' relay CO to ground. This low resistan'c e: 'ath, extending to the sleeve conductor ot multiple jack J, prevents the test relay TB of another cord circuit from'operatively energizing and connecting the operators set of the said second cord circuit to the line circuit of the calling subscriber. Answering sleeve supervisory relay AS, upon energizing, connects the operators set 0 to the cord circuit through its alternate contacts 9 and 10 and through the normal contacts 11 and 12 of the calling sleeve supervisory relay CS The operator now being in connection with the calling subscriber inquires the wants of the said calling subscriber. Assuming that it is the subscriber at the substation B that is wanted, the operator tests the line of the called subscriber and if it is idle she then inserts the calling plug G]? into the jack J connected to the line circuit of the called subscriber. If the line of the called subscriber is busy, the operator will receive the usual busy click in her receiver notifying her of the condition of the called line, and will thereupon notify the calling subscriber that the called line is busy. Upon the insertion of the calling plug Cl into the jack J an energizing circuit is closed through the calling slccvc' supervisory relay CS and the cutoff relay C0 of the called line. This circuit extends from battery through the winding of the said calling sleeve supervisory relay CS. sleeve conductor of the calling plug CP and jack J, and through the winding of the said cut-off CO to ground. The relay CO, upon energizing, disconnects the line relay LP. from the line circuit of the called subscriber. The calling sleeve supervisory relay, upon energizing, disconnects the operators set O from the strands of the cord cirsuit at its contacts 11 and 12 and closes a circuit through the calling supervisory lamp CL at its contact 13. The circuit for lamp CL extends from battery through the said calling lamp CL. end contact ll: oi ringing key RK, normal contact 16 of ringing control relay RC normal contact 17 of the link disconnect relay LD, normal contact 18 of calling tip relay CT and through the alternate contact 13 of relay CS to ground. The callinglamp {illisthe customary supervisory lamp for indicating to the operator when the called subscriber responds. The operator next depresses one of the ringing kcy plungers to connect one oi the generators to the common ringing lead 2, to initiate the operation 0-1? the automatic ringing equipment, and to close a circuit for the meter control relay MR. The circuit for the meter control relay MR, extends from battery through the winding of said relay MR, alternate contact 14 ct ringing key 12K normal contact 16 of ringing control relay RC, normal contact 17 of link disconnect relay LD, normal contact 18 of the tip supervisory relay CT and through the alternate contact 13 of the calling sleeve supervisory relay CS to ground. The meter relay Mlt. upon energizing, closes a circuit through the magnet MIVI which then operates to register a call upon the service meter, When the operator releases the pressure from the plunger of the ringing key RK, the end springs 14 and 15 return to their normal position. The closing of the alternate contact 15 of the end springs of the ringing key BK closes a circuit through the ringing control relay BC. This circuit extends from bat tery through the winding of said relay RC, alternate contact of the end springs 15, normal contact 18 of the calling tip supervisory relay CT and through the alternate contact 13 of the calling sleeve supervisory relay CS to ground. The ringing control relay RC, upon energizing, closes a locking circuit for itself at its alternate contact 16 independent of the end spring 15, closes a circuit through the interrupter relay RI and separates the talking strands of the calling end of the cord circuit from the strands of the answering end of the cord circuit. The said locking circuit for ringing control relay RC extends from battery through the winding of said relay, through its alternate contact 16, through normal contact 17 of link disconnect relay LD, normal contact 18 of calling tip supervisory relay CT and through alternate contact 13 of calling sleeve supervisory relay CS to ground. The circuit for the interrupter relay RI extends from battery through the interrupter I, through the winding of said relay RT, through alternate contact 20 of the ringing control relay BC to ground. The ringing relay RI, upon energizing, connects ringing current from common ringing lead 2 to the line of the called subscriber.

Upon the response of the called subscriber. a circuit is closed through the calling tip supervisory relay CT, this circuit extends from battery through the lower winding of said relay CT, normal contact 21 of interrupter relay RI, ring contact of the calling plug CP and jack J, through the substation B, tip contacts of the jack J and plug CP, normal contact 22 of ringing rclay RI, alternate contact 23 of relay CS, and through the upper winding of the calling tip supervisory relay CT to ground. The relay CT, upon energizing, opens the locking circuit for the ringing control relay PC and for the supervisory lamp CL at its contact 18. The ringing control relay, upon de-energizing, opens the circuit of the ringing interrupter relay RI at its contact 26 and connects the strands of the calling and called ends of the cord circuit, so that conversation may now take place between the calling and called subscriber over the heavily marked conductors. The eftacement oi. the calling lamp CL indicates to the operstar that the called party has responded.

Assuming now that the operator received a click in herear, when she tested the called line, due to its being busy, and that the era-tor did not pay any attention to the click but inserted the calling plug Cl? into the ack J and then operated the ringing key BK, to connect ringing current to the called subscribers line, ringing current will not be connected to the called line in this instant, for the calling tip relay CT will energize, since an energizing circuit will be closed for it through the closed switchhook contacts of i the busy substation on the called line, to

open the energizing circuit of the ringing control relay RC at normal contact 18 of said relay CT. The circuit of relay RC being open at normal contact 18 of relay CT,

said relay RC will not energize when the ringing key Rh. is operated, to apply ringing current to the called line. The meter relay MR will not energize to bring about the operation of the meter magnet MM due to its energizing circuit being opened at normal contact 18 of relay CT. Thus it will be obvious that no harm can be done by an operator plugging into a jack leading to a busy line even though she attempts to apply ringing current to the called line, nor will the connection be registered by the serv ice meter device.

Assuming now that converstation has been finished, the subscriber at the substation A,

upon replacing the receiver upon its switchhook, opens the energizing circuit of the answering tip supervisory relay AT at the switchhook contacts. The supervisory relay AT, upon de-energizing, closes an energizing circuit for the link disconnect relay LD at its contact 5 and closes a locking circuit for the test relay TR and for the sleeve supervisory relay AS at its contact 26. The locking circuit for the sleeve supervisory relay AS extends from battery through the Winding of said relay, its alternate contact 27, normal contact 26 of relay AT, alternate contact 28 of relay AS and alternate contact 13 of relay CS to ground. The locking cir' cuit for the test relay TR. extends from battery through the winding of said relay, alternate contact 27 of relay AS, normal contact 26 of relay AT, alternate contact 28 of relay AS and alternate contact 13 of relay CS to ground. A further result due to the de-energization of the answering tip supervisory relay AT is the closing of a circuit through the answering supervisory lamp AL. This circuit extends from battery through the said lamp AL, normal contact 29 of relay RR, normal contact 5 of relay AT, alternate contact 28 of relay AS and alternate contact 13 of relay CS to ground. The circuit for the link disconnect relay LD extends from battery through the winding of said relay, normal contact 5 of relay AT, alternate contact 28 of relay AS and alternate contact 13 of relay CS to ground. The link disconnect relay Ll), upon energizing,

- CT at the switchbook contacts.

disassociates the talking strands of the link circuit from the line circuit, opens the circuit of the cut-oil relay CO at its normal contactv 3 and connects the control relay CR to the sleeve of the answering plug AP. he called subscriber B, upon replacing his receiver upon the receiver hook, opens the circuit of the calling tip supervisory relay The superisory relay CT, upon deenergization, closes a circuittor the calling supervisory lamp CL. The circuit for the calling supervisory lamp extends from battery through the said lamp, alternate contact 17 of link discon- 'neet relay LD, normal contact 18 of relay 'CTand alternate contact 13 of relay CS to ground. The operator, upon noting the glowing of the answering supervisory lamp AL and the calling supervisory lamp CL, removes the answering plug AP and the calling plug CP from their respective acks J and J. The removal of the calling plug C'P from the jack J allows the cut-oil relay CO and the calling sleeve supervisory relay CS to de-energize. The relay CS upon deenergizing, opens the locking circuit for the link disconnect relay Ll), answering sleeve supervisory relay AS, test relay TR and for the supervisory lamps CL and AL. The relays, upon tie-energizing, permit the apparatus of the cord circuit to return to normal as soon as the answering plug AP is removed from the jack J.

Should the calling subscriber wish to recall before the answering plug AP is removed from the jacket the line circuit L, he

may-{do so. The subscriber, upon removing h s -16C1V6l for a recall, closes a circuit through the recall relay RR extending from 'battery through the left-hand winding of the line relay LR, normal contact 30 of cuton relay CC through the calling subscribers substation, tip contact of the jack J and plug AP, alternate contact 32 of relay LD through the lower winding of said recall relay RR and the normal contact 33 of control relay CR to ground. The subscriber upon removing his receiver also closes a cir cuitthrough the high resistance winding of the line relay 7 LR, this circuit extending from battery. through the lefthand winding of the relay LR, normal contact 30 of the r cut-off relay CC, through the calling subscribers substation, normal contact 31 of relay CO and through the high resistance right-hand winding of the relay LR to ground. The line relay 'LR does not energize at this time owing tothe low resistance pathextending through the recall relay RR and owing to the special adjustment of contact 34 ofre-lay RR. The relay RR is so adjusted that upon the first slight movement of its armature its contact at is closed before its other contacts are moved. The relay-RR, upon energizing, closes a lockconductor of the answering plug ing circuit for itself extending from battery through its upper winding, its alternate contact 34:, normal contact 26 of relay AT, alternate contact 28 of relay AS and alternate contact 13 of l'Cl1l CS to ground. The relay RR also closes an energizing circuit for the cut-oil relay CC ol the recalling subscribers line. This circuit extends from ground through the winding of said cut-oll' relay, sleeve conductor of jack J and plug AP, alternate contact 3 of relay LD, alternate contact 36 of recall relay RR and through the resistance 35 to battery. The cutoff relay, upon energizing, disconnects the line relay LR from the subscribefis line circuit L before it has had time to energize and cause the line signals S to be operated. A further result due to the ei'iergizing of the recall relay RR is to flash the su iiervisory lamp AL. The flash circuit for the supervisory lamp AL extends from battery through the said lamp AL, alternate contact 29 of the recall relay RR and through the interrupter I to ground. The operator, upon noting the flashing of the answering supervisory lamp AL, removes the calling plug CP' from the jack J thereby allowing the calling sleeve supervisory relay CS to dc energize. The relay CS, upon de-energizing, opens the locking circuits for answering sleeve supervisory relay AS, testing relay TR, recall relay RR and link disconnect rea-y LD. The link disconnect relay LD is made slightly slow-acting to allow relays .AS, TR and RR to de-encrgize. before it deenergizes. The recall relay RR, upon de-en ergizing, opens the circuit of the supervisory lamp AL at its alternate contact 29. Link disconnect relay Ll), upon de-energizing, immediately closes a circuit throu h the high resistance winding of he test reT-ay TR at its normal contact 3 before the cut-off rclay CO has had time to allow the line relay LR to energize and cause the line signals S to glow. The test relay TR, upon again energizing, closes a multiple circuit through its winding 6 and through the answering sleeve supervisory relay AS to the sleeve AP in the same manner as hereinbetore described. The link disconnect relay LD upon deenergizing, also connects the talking conductors of the answering plug AP to the strands of the link circuit C. The recall is then handled by the operator in the same manner as previously described for handling an original call.

Assuming now that the conversation has been terminated, that the calling subscriber A and the called subscriber B have replaced their receivers, and that a second operator has received a call for the calling subscriber A, the operator first tests the line of the subscriber A and finding it idle inserts the calling plug of a cord circuit into a jack J con lllS nected to the line circuit of subscriber A. Upon inserting the calling plug of the second operators link circuit into the jack J, an energizing circuit is closed through the control relay GB of the cord circuit C. This circuit extends from battery through the calling sleeve supervisory relay of the sec ond operators cord circuit, the sleeve 01": the calling plug, the sleeve of the jack J, sleeve of the answering plug AP of cord circuit C, alternate contact 3 of the link disconnect relay LD, normal contact 36 of recall relay and through the winding of control. relay CR to ground. The control relay OR energizes over this circuit and removes ground f om the lower winding of the recall relay RR so that when the second operator applies ringing current to the tip conductor of the calling plug GP, it will not cause the recall relay RR to be operated to cause the answering supervisory lamp AL to signal a false recall.

Assuming now that a connection has been established, if an operator should attempt to listen in upon a busy line by inserting the answering plug of an idle link circuit into a multiple jack of the busy line and then touch the tip of another answering or call ing plug to the sleeve of the busy line in an attempt to energize the answering sleeve supervisory relay AS to connect the operators set 0 with the strands of the cord circuit that she has connected to the busy line, she will find that she will be unable to energize the supervisory relay AS to connect her set 0, as ground is normally disconnected from the tip conductors of both the answering and calling plugs.

In working out my invention I have employed preferred circuit arrangements, all of which go to make an eflicient operating system, but it is to be understood thatl changes and modifications may be readily made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Therefore, I do not desire to be limited to the exact arrangement shown and described but aim to cover all such changes and modifications as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A telephone system, including a plurality of telephone lines, link circuits for interconnecting said lines as calling and called lines, automatic ringing means and a connection register for said link circuits, operator-controlled means for actuating said ringing means to apply ringing current to the called line and for actuating said con nection register when one of said link cir-. cuits is connected to an idle called line, and means to prevent the actuation of said ringing means and connection register by the operation of said 'key when connection is made with a busy called line.

2. In a telephone system, a plurality of telephone lines terminating in jack terminals, link circuits for connecting to said jack terminals, automatic ringing means and a connection register for said link circuits, a key operable to actuate said ringing means to apply ringing current to a called line and to actuate said connection register when a link circuit is connected to an idle called line, and means for preventing the application of ringing current to the called line and the actuation of said connection register when connection of a link circuit is made with a busy'jack terminal.

3. In a telephone system, a subscriber s telephone line terminating in multiple jack terminals, a link circuit for connecting to any one of said terminals, service meter means for registering a connection between said link circuit and one of said jack terminals, ringing means for applying ringing current to said subscrihers line, a manually operated key for actuating said ringing means and service meter means when said link circuit is connected to an idle jack terminal, and means for preventing the actuation of said ringing means and said service meter means when connection is made with a busy ack terminal.

l. In a telephone system, a calling subscribers line and a called subscribers line, a link circuit for interconnecting said subscribers lines, ringing means for applying ringing current to said called subscribers line. service meter means for registering the connection between said calling subscribers line and said called subscribers line it said called line is idle, and means for preventing the operation of said service meter means and said ringin means if said called line is busy.

5. In a telephone system, a calling subscribers line and a called subscribers line, a link circuit for interconnecting said lines, automatic ringing means for applying ringing current to said called line, connection register means for registering the number of connections between said subscribers lines, a key for controlling the actuation of said ringing means and said service meter means, and means for preventing the operation of both of said means when said called line is busy and a connection is made therewith and said key operated.

6. A telephone system including a subscribers line, a link circuit for connecting to said subscribers line, ringing means for applying ringing current to said subscribers line, connection registering means for registering the number of connections between said link circuit and said lines, a key for actuating said ringing means and said registering means, a relay controlled over said subscribers line, and

operable to disconnect ringing current from said. line when the subscriber thereon responds, and also operable to prevent the actuation of said ringing means and said registering means when said key is operated it the said called subscribers line is busy When connection is made therewith.

7. In a telephone system including telephone lines, link circuits for interconnecting saidlines, automatic ringing means for applying ringing current to said lines as called lines, service meter means for registering the number of connections between said lines and said link circuit, a key adapted' to be operated to actuate said service meter means and ringing mean when a link circuit is connected to an idle line and electromagnetic means for preventing the actuation of said service meter means and said ringing means when connection is made with a busy line.

8. In a telephone system, including a calling subscribers line and a called subscribers line, a link circuit for interconnecting said subscribers lines in conversational circuit,

7 connection registering means operable to register a connection between said link circu'it and said called line, ringing means operable to apply ringing current to said called line, manually operated means for etfecting the operation of said registering means and said ringing means when said link circuit is connected to said called l ne and said called line is idle, and electromagnetic means for preventing the open ation of said registering means and ringing means it said called line is busy.

9. In a telephone system including telephone lines, link circuits for interconnecting said lines, means "for registering thr number of connections between said link circuit and said lines, when said lines connected to are idle, ringing means for said link cir cuits for applying ringing current to said connected to idle lines, and electromagnetic means for preventing the registration of a connection and the application of ringing current when a connecti n is made with a busy line.

10. In a telephone system the combination with a plurality oi telephone lines, a linl; circuit for interconnecting a calling one with a called one of the said lines, a connez'tion register for the said link circuit, a ringing F5 key adapted when operated to continumistr apply a source of intermittent ringing current to the terminals oi the called line to which the link circuit has been connected. means to cause the actuation of said reg- .isterwhen the said ringing current has been applied to the called. line terminals, and means to prevent the actuation of: the said register and. the said ringing means by the operation'ot the said key, when connection is made with a terminal of a busy desired line.

Signed by me at Chicago, in the county ot Cook and State of Illinois, this 25th day of $epte1nber, 1922.

l-lIRAM D. CURRIER.

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