US1533154A - Circuit-controlling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 14, 1925. 1,533,154

5.5. WILLIAMS, 4R 7 CIRCUIT CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 18. 1920 IIIIIIHII ./nven for: damue/ 15. M'l/Mm Jr.

Patented Apr. 14, 1925.

STATES SAMUEL iiwmnmias, .13., or BROOKLYN,

PATENT OFFICE.

NEW YORK, A SSIGNOR 'I'O WESTERN ELEC- "rnrc conran mconrona'rnn, or new YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or new CIRCUIT-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

- Application filed December 18, 1920. Serial No. 431,608.

To, all whom it may concern:

Be itknown thatI, SAMUEL B. WILLIAMS, Jr., a, citizen of; the United States, residing at Brooklyn, inthe county of Kings, State 6 of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This-invention relates to circuit control- 10 ling apparatus," and more particularly, to'

circuitcontrolling apparatus for governing the selection-of-circuits in automatic and semiautomatic telephone s stems.

The, objectDf-the invention is to provide an improved-zeircuit controlling apparatus in the form of a counting relay circuit ar-' rangement, the improvement consisting in thereduction in the number of relays requiredto select the-circuitcorresponding to the-number of impulses transmitted by an impulse sender 1 i To attain thejobj'ect of the invention, a se-' ries of counting relays, less in number than the number of circuits capable of selection thereby, are so arranged as to be successively energized a plurality of times. Cooperating with the counting relays .are a plurality of transfer relays which operate at certain stages of the selection to control in conjunction with the counting relays, the selection of the circuit corresponding to the number of impulses transmitted by the impulse sender.

Thev acompanying drawing diagrammat- .Z ically illustrates one embodiment of the invention. A calling station is shown with means indicated to connect it to a circuit in whichthe invention resides, and means are indicated for extending the circuit to, and establishing a connection with, one of a pluralityof succeeding. circuits. For a full explanation of the manner in whch the indi cated connecting means is operated reference may be had to the Patent No. 1,487,- 996, granted to S. B. Williams March 25,

.1924. Thesucceeding circuit to the one dis-' closed in this intention may be as shown in the application of Edward E. Hinrichsen, Serial No. 345,714, filed December 18, 1919, Patent No. 1,463,815, issued August 7, 1923. These references are cited for facilitating an understanding of this invention, but it is not tobe understood that the invention is limited to systems as disclosed in these references.

lVhen the subscriber at substation A removes his receiver from its hook, he causes a line relay (not shown) to become energized in the usual manner, which relay, in turn, causes the energization of the rela s 28 and 29. Relay 28 connects the line rom substation A to a circuit and the relay 29 connects the circuit 25 to a trunk circuit in which the various functions of a selector switch are performed. The trunk circuit will be referred to by its details, since it occupies practically the whole of the drawing. Upon the operation of the relays 28 and 29, the line of substation A is connected to the relay 10 which becomes ener 'zed through its two windings and the su station loop. Relay 10 in attracting its armature completes an obvious circuit for the energization of relay 11, which is preferably of the slow-to-release type, so as to maintain its armatures attracted during the sending of a series of impulses to relay 10. Relay 11in attracting its outer left-hand armature places a ground on conductor 21, which ground, in addition to locking the relays 28 and 29, operates cut-off relay 27. Relay 27 in operating serves the well-known pu of disconnecting the line relay (not shown) from the calling line.

The connection is now ready for the sending of impulses from the calling station A. \Ve will assume that a circuit having the number 4 is desired. The subscriber at station A now actuates the sender S to send four impulses. Each time an impulse is transmitted there will be an interruption of the circuit including relay 10, so that relay 10 retracts its armature momentarily four times.

At the first retraction of the armature of relay 10, relays 12 and 13 operate over a path extending from ground, armature and back contact of relay 10, right-hand armature and front contact of relay 11 and thence in parallel, one path extending through the right-hand winding of relay 12 and resistance 14 to grounded battery, and the other path extending through the winding of reto-release relay 11. Relay 13 is preferably of the slow-to-release type so as to maintain its armature attracted during the sending of a series of impulses. Relay 13, in operating, extends the conductor 50, through its contacts 41 and the outer right-hand armature and back contact of relay 38, and over conductor 21 to ground at the left-hand contacts of relay 11. At the first retractlon of the armature of relay 10, a circuit is prepared for countingrelay 30 over a path extending from ground, through the outer left-hand armature and front contact of relay 11, conductor 21, back contact and outer right-hand armature of relay 38, 0on tacts 41 of relay 13, conductor 50, contacts I; of counting relay 31, winding of counting relays 30, coritacts a of counting relays 30, 31, 32 and 33, front contact and r1ght-hand armature of relay 12 and thence in parallel one path extending through the right-hand winding of relay 12 and resistance 14 to grounded battery, and the other path extending through the winding of relay 13 to grounded battery. Relay 30 does not opcrate as long as the normal contacts of relay 10 are closed due to said relay 30 being short-circuited by ground at the normal contacts of relay 10. lVhen relay 10 operates at the end of the lirst interruption in the line circuit, the short circuit for relay 30 is re moved and it operates over the path previously traced. Relay. 30 and all other counting relays are so adjusted that the inner right hand contacts make \before contacts a and I) break. Relay 30 in operating locks up over a path extending fron'u round, outer left-hand armature and front co tact of relay 11, conductor 21, back contact and outer right-hand armature of relay 38, contacts41 of relay 13, conductor 50, contacts I) of counting relay 31, winding, front contact and inner right-hand armature of counting relay 30 and resistance 14 to grounded battery. Relay 30 in operating also connects through its contact 0 the impulse conductor 51 to the next counting relay, namely counting relay 31.

The windings of relay 12 are so related that the reduction of the current flowing through the righthand Winding occurring during the operation of the counting relay 30, causes the release of said relay 12. The relay 12 is thus released in order to prevent the improper operation of the succeeding counting relay 31 before the next impulse is received.

At the second retraction of the armature of relay 10 in responseto the second impulse transmitted by the sender S, relay 12 again operates in the circuit traced through its right-hand winding and a circuit is prepared for counting relay 31 over a path extending from ground, outer left-hand armature and front contact of relay 11, conductor 21, back contact and outer righthand armature of, why 38,; contacts .41 of relay 13, conductor" 50, contacts b of relay 32, winding of counting re lay 31, contacts 0 of ,relay-. .,.30, contacts a of relays 31, 32 and 33, conductor 51, front contact and right-hand armature of relay 12 and thence inv parallel, one path extending throughthe right-hand winding of relay 12 and resistance 14 to grounded battery and the other path extending through the winding of slow-to-release *relay 13 to I grounded battery. Relay 31 does not operate as long as the normal contacts of relay 10 are closed due to relay 31 being shOrt-circuited by ground connected to the normal contacts of relay 10. 'When-relay lO'oper-ates at the end of the second interruption in the line circuit, the short circuit forrelay 31 is removed and said relay-"31' operates over the path previously traced." Relay- 31in operating locks up through its front contact and inner right hand armature under con trolof relay 32 and'in "opening its contacts 6 opens the holding circuit for counting relay 30, thereby causing the-release of said relay 30. As above described in connection with the sending of" the first-impulse, the relay 12 is released during the operation of the second counting relay 31fl'to prevent'the imprope operation of thexsucceeding count ing relay 32. It may be notedat this point that the relay 12 releases in this'nianner during the operation of each succeeding count ing relay to prevent the improper operation ofsaidrelays.

At the third retraction of tlie' armature of relay 10 in response to the third impulse transmitted by the sender S, relay'12'operates and a circuit is prepared for count-v ing relay 32 over a path extending. from ground, outer left-handarmature and front contact of relay 11, eonducton'-2l,-back con-' tact and outer right-hand armature of relay 38, contacts 11 of relay 13,"conduct0r 50, contacts I) of counting relay 33, winding ofrounting relay 32, contacts 0 of counting relay 31, contacts a of counting relays 32 and 33, conductor 51, front'contactand right-hand armature of relay 12 and thence in parallel, one path extending through the right-hand winding of relay 12' and resistance 14 to grounded battery, and the other path extending through thewinding of relay 13 to grounded battery. Relay 32 does not operate as long as'the normal contacts of relay 10 are closed-due to said relay 32 being short-circuited at the normal con- -tacts of relay' 10. VVhen relay' 10 attracts extending from ground, outer left-hand armature and front contact of relay 11, con- Hductor 21, back contact and outer righthand armature of relay 38, contacts 41 of relay 13, conductor 50, contacts bof counting relay 30, winding of counting relay 33, contacts 0 of counting relay 32, contacts a of counting relay 33, conductor 51, front contact and right-hand armature of relay 12 and thence in parallel, one path extend- --ing through the right-hand windin lay 12 and resistance 14 to groun ed battery, and the other path extending through the winding of relay 13 to grounded battery. Relay 33 in operating locks up over a path'including ground on conductor 50, contacts I; of relay 30, winding, front contact and inner right-hand armature of re: lay 33 and resistance 14 to grounded battery. Relay 33, in operating, opens at its contacts]; the holding circuit for counting relay 32, whereupon said relay 32 releases. Relay 33in operating also completes a circuit for transfer relay 35 over a path extending from grounded battery, winding of relay 35,'back contact and outer right-hand armature of transfer relay 34, front coirtact and outer left-hand armature of relay 33, conductor 50, contacts 41 of relay 13,

outer right-hand armature and back contact of relay 38 and front contact and outer left-hand armature of relay 11 to ground. Relay 33 also causes the release of relay 12.

After the fourth impulse has been transmitted by the impulse sender S, the circuit for relay 10 may remain closed, whereupon slow-to-release relay 13 will deener-' gize due to the circuit therefor being opened at the normal contacts of relay 10. The armature of relay 13 is so adjusted that contacts 40 make before contacts 41 break when relay 13 deenergizes so that relays 60 and 61 will be energized over a path extending from ground, outer left-hand armature and front contact of relay 11, conductor 21; back contact and outer right hand armat-ure of'r'elay 38, contacts 40 of relay 13, inner left-hand armature and front contacts of counting relay 33 and thence in parallel through the intermediate and outer right-hand contacts of transfer relays 35 and 37 and through the windings of relays 60 and 61 to grounded battery. Re-

of E. E. Hinrichsen Patent No. 1,463.815

hereinbcfore mentioned. Relays 60 and 61 in operating may control the energization of a line relay in the connector circuit, whereupon ground may be connected to the conductor 62 in the well known manner thereby causing the energization of cut-ofi' relay 38. Relay 38 in operating disconnects the relay l0 fromthe calling line and era tends ground from the conductor 62 through its right-hand armature and front contact to conductor 21 for the purpose of maintaining cut-off relay 27 and reiays 28 and 29 energized. Relay 10 releases when relay 38 operates, causing thereby the release of relay 11. Relay 11 in releasing opens the original circuit for relays'27, 28 and 29. As soon as relay 13 has fully retracted its ar- 7 its armature five times. Upon the fifth re traction, a circuit would have again been prepared for counting relay 30 over a path extending from ground, outer left-hand armature and front contact of relay 11, conductor'21, back contact and outer right-hand armature of relay 38, contacts 41 of relay 13, conductor 50, contacts 6 of counting relay 31, winding of counting relay 30, contacts a of counting relay 33 and thence over conductor 51 to grounded battery over the path previously traced. Relay 30 does not operate as longas the normal contacts of relay 10 are closed due to relay 30 being shortcircuited at the normal contacts of rela 10.

\Vhen relay-10 operates at thefend o the looks up under control-of relay 31 over the path previously traced.

At the end of the fifth interruption of the line circuit, and as soon as counting relay 33 releases, the shunt around relay 34 is opened and said relay operates in the, following circuit: grounded battery, winding, front contact and inner right-hand armature of transfer relay 35, winding of transfer relay 34, conductor 50, contacts 41 of relay 13 to ground on conductor 21. It will be noted that this circuit is prepared for relay 34 when relay 35 operates at the end of the fourth interruption in the line circuit, but relay 34 does not operate at this time due to its being short-circuited by the direct path to ground on conductor 50, through the outer right-hand contacts of relay. 34 and I relay 13 beingconnected to ground on conductor 21 when slow-to-release relay 13 releases.

If six impulses are transmitted by the sender S, relay 10 will retract its armatures six times. At the sixth retraction of the armature of relay 10, a circuit is prepared for counting relay 31 and when relay 10 attracts its armature at the end of the sixth interruption in the line circuit, counting relay 31 operates 'over the path previously tracedand in operating releases counting relay 30. Counting relay 31 in operating in conjunction with transfer relays 34 and 36 pre ares a circuit for the selection of relays m the circuit No. 6, corresponding to relays and 61 of circuit No. 4, which circuit will be closed if no further impulses are sent due to relay 13 releasing when the line circuit remains closed.

If seven impulses are transmitted by the impulse sender S, relay 10 will retract its armature seven times and upon the seventh retraction of the armature of relay 10, a circuit is prepared for counting relay 32. Counting relay 32 energizes as soon as relay '10 attracts its armature at the end of the seventh interruption in the line circuit and, in operating, locks up under the control of relay 33 and releases counting relay 31. Relay 32 in operating in conjunction with transfer relays 35 and 37 prepares a circuit for the operation of relays in circuit No. 7 similar to relays 60 and 61 in circuit No. 4.

Relay 13 in releasing after the seven impulses have been transmitted by the sender S, operates relays in circuit No. 7 corresponding to the relays 60 and 61 of circuit No. 4. i

If eight impulses are transmitted by the impulse sender S, relay 10 will retract its armature eight times and upon the eighth retraction thereof a circuit is prepared for counting relay 33 over the path previously traced. At the end of the eighth interruption in the line circuit, counting relay 33 operates, thereby releasing the counting relay 32 and completing a circuit for the diate and outer right-hand armatures prepares a circuit in conjunction with counting relay 33 for the operation of relays in cir cuit No. 8 similar to the relays 60 and 61 in circuit No. 4, which circuit is completed when relay 13 releases. It will be noted that when rela 37 operates a circuit for the energization'of transfer relay 36 is prepared over apath extending from grounded battery, winding, front contact and inner ri hthand armature of transfer relay 37, winding of-transfer rela 36 and conductor 50 and thence to groun on conductor 21. Relay 36 is short-circuited, however, due to a direct path to ground being present for relay 37 through the outer right-hand'contacts of relay 36, outer right-hand-alternate contacts of relay 34 and the front contact and. outer- =Ieft.-hand armature of counting relafy 33.

I nine impulses are transmitted by the transmitter S, line relay 10 will retract its a'rmatures nine times. At the ninth retrac tion of the armature of relay 10, a circuit is prepared for counting relay 30 over a path previously traced. As soon as relay 10 attracts its armature at the end of the ninth interruption of the line circuit, counting relay 30 operates and locks up under control of counting relay 31: ,Relay 30 in operating opens at its contacts I) the holding circuit for relay 33, whereupon said relay 33, re-

leases.' -Relay 33 in releasing removes the short-circuit for transfer relay 36, whereupon said relay 36 operates in series with relay 30, prepares a circuit for the energiza-- tion of relays in the circuit No. 9 similar to relays 60 and 61 in'the circuit No. 4, which relays will be energized as soon as relay 13 retracts its armature.

If ten impulses are transm tted by the sender S, relay 10 will retract its armatures ten times and the counting relay 31 'will again be energized over the path previously traced. Counting relay 31 in operating locks up under control of counting relay 32 and releases counting relay 30. Relay 31 in operating in conjunction with transfer relays. 34 and 36 prepares a circuit for the energization of relays in circuit No. 10 similar to relays 60 and 61 in circuit No. 4, which relays are operated as soon as relay 13' releases.

To release an established connection the calling station A replaces the receiver in the switchhook whereupon ground will be removed from conductor 62 thereby causing the release of all relays locked to this conductor.

- hat is claimed is:

1. In a telephone system, an impulse sender, a selector comprising a series of counting relays, a number of selectable lines, means for successively energizing the count ing relays a plurality of times, and a plurality of transfer relays cooperating with said counting relays for selecting the line corresponding to the number of impulses transmitted by said sender.

2. In a tele hone system, an impulse sender, a plura ity of link circuits, a series of counting relays less in number than the number of said link circuits, means for energizing one of said relays in response to each impulse transmitted by said sender, means for deenergizing one of said counting relays each time a succeeding relay of the series is energized, and a plurality of transfer relays cooperating with said counting relays for selecting link circuits correspond ing in number to the number of impulses transmitted by said sender.

3. A circuit controlling device comprising a series of counting relays, a number of selectable link circuits controlled by said relays, an impulse circuit for energizing the relays in succession a plurality of times, means whereby each relay after having been operated is deenergized in response to the impulse energizing the next relay of the series and a plurality of transfer relays, certain of said transfer relays cooperating with an operated counting relay at certain stages of the selection for selecting the link circuit corresponding to the number of impulses transmitted to said impulse circuit.

4. In a telephone system, an impulse sender, a selector comprising a set of counting relays, a number of selectable lines, means for successively energizing the relays of said set a plurality of times, a plurality of transfer relays, and means for actuating a different transfer relay after each operation of the counting relay set for selecting said lines.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of December, A. D., '1920.

SAMUEL B. WILLIAMS, J R.

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