US1531134A - Automatic telephone switch - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1925.

. 1,531,134 c. D. RICHARD AUTOMATI C TELEPHONE SWI TCH 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 24, 1925.

' c. D. RICHARD AUTOMATIQ TELEPHONE SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES v I 1,531,134 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. RICHARD, OF NEW BRIGHTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A 'CoRPoRATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SWITCH.

Application filed June 15, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. RICHARD, a citizen of France, residing at New Brighton, in the county of Richmond, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Telephone Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to automatic telephone exchange switching apparatus, and more particularly to so-called selector and connector switches, the function of which is to extend connections between subscribers lines. The invention is especially directed to a multiple brush selector or connector. that is, one in which an individual set of contact brushes is provided for each group of bank terminals, as distinguished from that type in which a single set of brushes is employed, as in the well-known Strowger switch.

The object in view is the provision of a simple and mechanical multiple brush selector or connector, and in accordance with this object, the principal feature of the invention consists in a novel arrangement whereby a single step-bystep driving motor is rendered operative to effect both brush selection and terminal selection.

The switch comprises a terminal bank consisting usually of ten rowsof fixed contact terminals and an individual set of contact brushes for each of said rows of terminals. The brushes are normally held out of engageable relation to their respective rows of terminals and are adapted to be moved individually into engageable relation therewith.

When a calling subscriber operates his impulse sender, the first series of impulses corresponding with the first digit of the called subscribers number will operate the driving magnet to select a brush at the first selector corresponding with the first digit.

The particular brush thus selected is then automatically moved out of its normal position into engageable relation with its respective row of bank terminals. It is then driven automatically step-by-step by the same driving magnet as before mentioned to hunt for the terminals of an idle trunk. The second and third selectors, etc. operate in exactly the same way as the first selectors.

Connector switches differ fundamentally from selectors only in that terminal selecter line of the shaft of Fig. 1.

Serial No. 477,678.

Two specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and described hereinafter: Both embodiments are directed specifically to connector switches, the self-interrupting contacts having been omitted, but it will be understood that the invention applies equally as well to selector switches.

lVith reference to the drawings, Figures 1, 2, 8 and 4 show the preferred form, and Figures 5 and 6 show a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 1 is an end view of the preferred form of switch from which a portion has been broken away to more clearly illustrate certain parts. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the switch shown in. 1. Fig. 3 is an arbitrary cross sectional. view along. the cen- Fig. 4: is a detail of a brush carrier with a set of contact brushes mounted thereon. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation partly in cross section of the modified form of the invention and Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view along the -line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

described first.

Reference character 1 designates a cast frame to which the various parts of the switch are attached and by which the switch may be mounted on a suitable rack.

The terminal bank 2 comprises ten arcuate rowsof fixed contact terminals 3 superimposed and insulated from each other. Each row of bankterminals comprises ten sets, each of which in turn comprises in the present instance two terminals. Each set of terminals and the terminals of each set are insulated from each other. A layer of insulation 4 is placed between each succeeding row of terminals and an insulator separates the upper and lower terminals of each row. Since'there are ten rows of terminals, each comprising ten sets there are in all one hundred sets of terminals in the bank. Each setof'bank terminals is connected with a trunk or a subscribers line as the case may be, depending upon whether the switch is used as a selector or as a connector. If the switch is used as a selector, the bank terminals are connected to trunks leading to other switches and if used as a connector they are connected directly to subscribers lines. The bank is attached to the frame 1 by means of bolts 6.

The shaft 7 is journaled at its ends in frame 1. A. sleeve 8 is securelyattached to the shaft 7 near one end thereof by means of pin 9, and to this sleeve there is securely attached a circular disc 10 of insulating material. There is also securely attached to shaft-.17 a metal disc 11, which is integral with ratchet 12 and clutch 13. The'discs 10 and 11 taken together are referred to hereinafter as a carriage.

There are ten brush carriers such as that illustrated in Fig.4, each consisting of two rods 14 and 15, a lug 16, and insulators 17 and 18. Each of thecontact brushes 19 and 20 is secured to one of the rods, brush 19 being secured to rod and brush to rod 14:. The rods form conductors in circuit with the brushes. Attached to the upper side of disclO is a pair of arcuate brass strips 21 and 22 having apertures through which rods lt and 15 extend. The brass strips are provided merely as bearings for the rods and have no other function.

The brushes 19 and 20 are situated at difilerentrelative positions along the length of their respective rods, each pair of brushes being positioned to line up with one of the rows of bank terminals I In Fig. 3 the brushes associated with the topmost row of bank terminals is shown and in this one case there is no insulator 17 provided, because the brushes are situated so near the'end of the rods that the reinforcement provided by insulator 17 is not needed. On all the other nine brush carriers, insulator 17 is provided as shown in Fig.

Lugs 16 are rectangular in cross section and fit in corresponding rectangular apertures in plate 11 in which they slide freely.

Mounted near the top of the shaft and insulated therefrom, as well as from each other, are two conducting members 23 and each of which is provided with ten spring fingers which bear on the upper ends ,of rods lt and 15 (see Fig. 3). Each conducting member is provided with an arcuate contact surface on one of which the stationbrush 25 bears and on the other of which the stationary brush 2 6 bears.

The incoming line or trunk leading to the switch is connected to the terminals of brushes and 2G and as will be evident, an

electrical connection is established from the incoming line to all the contact brushes 19 and 20 through the medium of brushes 25 and 26, conducting members 23 and 2 1 and rods let and 15.

Normally the brush carriers rest with their insulators is resting on disc 11 and are held in that position by the tension of spring fingers 23 and 2%. lVhen a brush carrier is in its normal position, the brushes 19 and 20 thereon aredisposed on a line between adjacent rows of bank terminals as shown in Fig. 2, that is to. say the brushes are normally out of the-path of their re spective rows of bankterminals.

Toselect a set of terminals a given row, the brush carrier corresponding to that row, must be lifted until its brushes are in alignment with the bank terminals as shown in Fig. 3, and then the shaft together with the carriage and brush carriers is rotated until the selected brushes are in engagement with the desired set of bank terminals. It will be noted that all the brush carriers. and brushes thereon are rotated simultaneously, but as only one brush carrier can be lifted out of its normal position at a time, only i the brushes on that carrier can engage bank terminals. y

The member 27 is slidably mounted on shaft 7. It is provided with clutch teeth 27' which are adapted to engage the teeth of clutch 13 when the memberis lifted out of its normal position as shown in Fig. 2. An arm 27 2 is provided on member 27 to which is secured a pin 28, the object of which will be presently shown. Member 27 is prevented from rotating vwhile in its normal position, by reason of its engagement with the stepped bearing 29. i

Electromagnet 30 is the driving magnet and is ln'ovided with an armature 31 to the end of which is pivotally secured a stepping pawl 32, which upon energization of magnet 30 engages ratchet 12 and rotates it together with shaft 7 and the carriage. The .armature 31 pulls up in response to each current impulse transmitted to magnet 30 from the calling subscribers dial and'moves all the brushes 19 and 20 around, a distance corresponding with the spacing of the bank 1 terminals.

, The end of armature 33 of electromagnet 34 is normally held in engagement with ratchet 12 by spring 35 and acts as a holding pawl to prevent restoration of the switch until such time as it should properly be restored to normal.

Electromagnet 36 is provided with an armature 37 which carries a'tail-piece 38 the end of which engages the member 27. It will be obvious that upon energization of electromagnet36 its armature 37 is pulled up and the tailpiece 3S lifts the member 27 out of its normal posit-ion as shown in Fig. 2 into the position shown in Fig. 3 whereupon the teeth 2'? of member 27 engage the teeth of clutch 13.

Pin 28 moves upwardly with member 27 and engages lug 16 of any brush carrier which happens to be in alignment therewith, and lifts the brush carrier to a. position wherein the brushes 19 and 20 thereon are in alignment with their bank terminals.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that when the switch is in its normal non-operated position all the brushes 19 and 20 are disposed in an arc of the bank circle which is angularly separated from thebank terminals.

The pin 28 is so positioned that upon the completion of one rotary step of the shaft 7 the first brush carrier. will be in alignment therewith and upon. the completion of two rotary steps, the second brush carrier will be in alignment therewith, and so on for ten steps, when the last brush carrier would line up with pin 28. I

To select a set of terminals in a given row of the bank, the brush carrier associated therewith is first selected and this operation consists as will be apparent in rotating the carriage through a number of steps corresponding with the particular brush carrier desired. If for instance it is desired to connect with a set of terminals in the third row from the top of the bank, the third set of brushes 19 and 20 from the left in Fig. 1 would be selected as that is the particular set associated with the third row of bank terminals. 'Toselect the third set of brushes, three current impulses are transmitted to eleetromagnet and the carriage together with the brush carriers are rotated three steps in response thereto.

.The third brush carrier isthen in aligmnent with pin 28. Immediately following the cessation of the first series of impulses, that is the three impulses just mentioned, electromagnet 36 is energized and in response thereto, member 27 together with pin 28 is lifted as heretofore described. The third brush carrier is thereby lifted out of its normal position into a position wherein its brushes 19 and 20 are in the path of the third row of bank terminals.

Magnet 36 is maintained energized for a while, at least until the second series of impulses have started. The teeth 27 of member 27 engage the teeth of clutch 13 and upon further rotation of the carriage, member 27 rotates with it. Pin 28 is thereby kept in engagement with lug 16 and continues to hold the selected brush carrier in its upward position.

After the operations above described, the second series of current impulses is transmitted to electromagnet 30 and the carriage is thereupon rotated a number of steps cor:

responding with the number of impulses comprising the second series, and the selected brushes are brought into engagement with the desired set of bank terminals.

The spiral spring 39 is provided for restoring the switch to normal. The inner end of spring 39 is attached to shaft 7 and the outer end to a screw engaging frame 1. To restore the switch to normal. electromagnet 34 is energized and pulls its armature 33 out of engagement with the teeth of ratchet 12 whereupon the spring 39 rotates shaft 7 and the carriage in the opposite direction to that in which it was previously rotated. Upon being restored to its normal angular position, member 27 will drop into the position shown in Fig. 2 and the previously selected brush carrier will be restored by spring fingers 23 and 24.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figs. and 6 will now be described.

The terminal bank is the same as previously described, and there are a pair of contact brushes provided for each row of bank terminals.

All parts of the switch not shown are substantially the same as shown and described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. Shaft 41 is rotatably j ournaled at its lower end in a bearing in the frame of the switch (not shown), and at its upper end it is journaled in the member 43. The latter member is in turn journaled in frame 1 as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

A stepping ratchet 44, integral with a toothed clutch is securely attached to shaft 41. A stepping magnet with armature and pawl such as 30. 31 and 32 of Fig. 1 would be provided for operating ratchet 44.

The shaft 41 is provided with a key way 46 by means of which ten cams 42 are securely attached thereto. Each cam 42 has a riser 42' and these are equally spaced around the shaft. as shown in Fig. 6.

The member 43, it will be noted, is U shaped and has a long narrow strip 43 extending parallel to the shaft 41. This long narrow strip acts as a support for the springs 47 and 48, the conducting strips 47 and 48, the insulating strip therebetween and other parts forming the pile-up. The springs 47 and 48 are in pairs, one of each constituting a pair and there are ten pairs.

The springs 47 are integral with conducting strip 47' and also with the arcuate contact strip 47 Springs 48 are integral with conducting strip 48 and the arcuate contact strip 48 A pair of stationary contact springs 49 engage the arcuate contact strip 47 and another pair of contact springs (not shown) similar to springs 49 engage the contact strip 48 The ten sets of contact brushes consis each of brushes 50 and 51., Each pair of brushes 50 and 51 is securely attached to a lever arm 52 0f insulating material and they are all mounted on a long pin 53 about which they are rotatable. v The spring 47 and 48 engage the brushes 50 and 51 respectively and normally hold the latter in their back positions as shown in Fig. 6.

' Pin 53 passes through member 43 to which it is secured and projects downwardly therefrom and through an aperture in clutch member 54. The clutch member is normally prevented from rotating by reason of its engagement with the stepped bearing as J shown in Fig. 5. [Member 43 and the parts carried thereby are accordingly normally prevented from rotating about shaft 41.

The riser 42 on each cam 42 is adapted to engage one of the lever arms 52 and actuate the latter so as to rotate the brushes 50 and 51 about the pin 53 into the path of the terminal bank contacts.

To select abrush set, shaft 41, together with cams 42, is first rotated one or more steps so that the riser 42 associated with the desired brush set is brought into engagement with the lever arm 52 thereof. In Fig. 6, shaft 41 and cams 42 are assumed to be "rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow and the riser 42 of the top cam is about to operate the lever arm 52 and thereby move brushes 50 and 51 associated therewithinto the path of its associated row of bank terminals. The clutch member 54 is then lifted and brought into engagement with clutch teeth 45 and out of engagement with the stepped portion of bearing 55. Then upon further operation of the stepping magnet the member 43 and all the parts carried thereon together with clutch member 54 are rotated together until the selected brush set is brought into engagement with the desired set of bank terminals.

Electrical connection with the brushes 50 and 51 is effected through the contact springs 49, arcuate contact strips 4'" and 48 conducting strips 47 and 48 and springs 47 and 48.

Restoration is accomplished in substantially the same manner as described in connection. with the switch shown in Figures 1, 3, 3 and 4. e

What is claimed is:'

1. In an automatic switch, a terminal bank comprising aplurality of parallel rows of fixed contacts, a plurality of contact brush sets, one for each row of fixed contacts,- said brush sets normally out of alignment with their respective rows of fixed contacts, stepby-step means operable to select said brush sets individually, and electromagnetic means for moving the selected brush sets into align m ent with their associated rowsof fixed contacts, said step-by-step means operable after the operation of said electromagnetiemeans to move the selected brush set into engagement with a fixed contact in its associated row. i

2. In an automatic switch, a terminal bank comprising a plurality of superposed parallel arcuate rows of fixed contacts, a rotatable shaft concentric with said arcu'ate rows, a carriage mounted on and rotatable with said shaft, a plurality of longitudinally movable brush carriers mounted on said carriage, a brush set on each of said carriers, each of said brush sets associated with one of said arcuate rows, but normally out of alignment therewith, a member operable to move said brush carriers longitudinally and to thereby put the brush sets thereon in alignment with their associatedarcuate rows, means for rotating said shaft to selectively align said brush carriers individually with said member, means for operating said member, and means for selectively driving the selected brush set into engagement with a desired fixed contact in its associated row.

3. In an automatic switch, a terminal bank comprising a plurality of rows of fixed contacts, a rotatable carriage, a plurality of contact brush sets on said carriage, each of said brush sets being associated with one of said rows of fixed contacts and normally out of alignment therewith, a clutch member rotatable with said carriagefa second clutch member normally disengaged from said first clutch member, means for moving said second clutch member into engagement with said first clutch member, means carried by said second clutch member operable when said second clutch member is moved into engagement with said first clutch memher to move any of said brush sets individually into alignment with their respectively associated rows of fixed contacts, and means for rotating said carriage.

4. An automatic switch comprising a plurality of parallel rows of fixed contacts, a plurality of contact brush sets associated therewith and normally movable in a path away from said contacts, a longitudinally movable bar for each of said brushes, a

movable carriage for said bars, anoperating member common to said bars, means for operating said carriage to selectively move one of said bars in juxtaposition with said member, and means for operating said member to move said selected brushes into the path defined by their'associated contacts.

5. In an automatic switch, a terminal bank comprising a plurality of rows of fixed contacts, a rotatable carriage, a plurality of operable bars arranged on said carriage, a brush set arranged on each of said bars, and a mechanism for imparting a three stage selecting movement to said brushes for en-' gaging said contacts selectively.

6. In an automatic switch, a terminal bank comprising a plurality of rows of contacts,

a brush associated with each of said rows but normally out of engagement therewith, a bar for each of said brushes, means for moving said bars collectively in a plurality of selective movements with reference to said contacts, and means for operating one of said bars after one of said movements to move said brushes in contacting relation with said fixed contacts.

7. In an automatic switch, rows of contacts, brushes associated with said rows but normally movable in a path away from said contacts, a sequentially revolving member for selectively positioning said brushes with reference to said contacts, and means for moving the selected brush when said memher is at rest into the path defined by its associated contacts, whereby another movement of said member is effective to interengage one of said brushes with said contacts selectively. y

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day of June A. D. 1921.

CHARLES D. RICHARD.

Images