US1556727A - Traffic recorder for telephone systems - Google Patents

Description

'Oct. 13,1925.

A. B. SMITH TRAFFIC RECORDER FOR TELEPHONE SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 1. 1921 Irmrc? v fiffhur'Bssss SW11 Z,

Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR BESSEY SMITH, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC ELEC- TRIC COMPANY. OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, A

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TRAFFIC RECORDER FOR TELEPHONE SYSTEMS.

Application filed September 1, 1921. Serial No. 497,773.

T 0 all 'u'lwm it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR Bnssnr SMITH, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Evanston, Cook County, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trafiic Recorders for Telephone Systems, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates in general to traffic recorders for telephone systcms. More Specifically, the invention is concerned with devices which record the traftic on trunks extending between automatic switches.

An object of the invention is to provide a metering device upon which the number of busy trunks in a certain group is registered automatically at periodic intervals, this metering device being adapted for use regardless of the kind of trunks over which the traflic is to be recorded.

The manner in which these and other ob j ects of the invention are carried out will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which there is diagrammatically shown sufficient t-runk apparatus and circuit arrangements for'enabling the invention to be readily understood.

Referring now to the drawing; the conductors 1012, inclusive, show a trunk line terminating in a selector switch E. This selector is a switch of the usual Strowger vertical and rotary type having access to lines leading in other selector switches, connector switches, or repeaters depending upon the size of the system and also upon whether the selector E has access to trunk lines extending to other oflices. The bank contacts associated with one of these trunk lines are shown in the drawing and are indicated by reference characters 100 102, inclusive.

At M is shown the traflic recorder proper. It consists of two rotary switches C and C of the same general mechanical construction as that of the well known rotary line switches. The rotary switch on the left of the figure has two wipers 68 and 64,

together with contact banks adapted to be engaged by them. To the bank contacts adapted to be engaged by the wiper 64 are connected conductors which lead to therelease trunk conductors of the several trunks n the group to be metered. Thus, in the drawing, the release trunk conductor 11 of the trunk comprising conductors 1012, inclusive, is connected in any convenient manner to the contact 60 ofthe contact bank adapted to be engaged by wiper 64. Similarly, the conductors from the other bank contacts engaged by wiper '64 are connecttiild to the other release trunk conductors in e contact bank adapted to be engaged by the wlper 64 has only ten contacts bu obviously, this may be increased if the traific of a larger group of trunks is desired to be recorded by providing a rotary switch havlng a greater number of bank contacts.

At T is indicated a constantly operat- 1ng timing mechanism of any well known construction which has the function of grounding the conductor 87 at periodic intervals. These intervals determine how often the trunks of the group are tested in order to'ascertain how many are busy. Thls may be every minute or at any other convenient. intervals.

The rotary switch at the right of the drawing serves to 1 control the recording meters, a number of the latter being shown at 110-113, inclusive. 1

Having briefly described the apparatus shown in the drawing, a detailed description of its operation will now be given. For this purpose it will be assumed that the trunk line comprising conductors 1012, inclusive, has been seized by another selector switch or line switch under the control of a calling subscriber. Immediately upon the calling snbscribers line being extended to the selector E, a circuit is completed over the calling line loop for the line relay 15. Relay 15, upon energizing, at armature 25 closes the circuit of the slow acting relay 16. The latter relay, upon operating, at armature 27 prepares the operating circuits of the selector E and at armature 26 places ground upon the release trunk conductor 11 thereby establishing a holding circuit for the preceding switch or switches in. the usual manne The callin subscriber may now. operate his calling twice in accordance with the neit digit'of his desired number. By this same group. In the drawing, the

operation a series of interruptions is produced in the circuit of the line relay 15, which retracts its armature a corresponding number of times. At each retraction of its armature 25 an impulse of current is sent over a circuit extending from ground,

by way of back contact and armature 38, armature 25 and its back contact, armature 27 and its front contact, through the winding of the slow acting relay 17, and thence through the winding of vertlcal magnet 42 to battery. Magnet 42, operates to raise the switch wipers 47-49, inclusive, step by step until they are placed opposite the level of bank contacts corresponding to the digit dialed. The slow acting relay 17 is energized in series with the vertlcal magnet and at its armature 30 prepares a circuit which is completed upon the first upward movement of the switch shaft by the engagement of oft-normal spring 33 with its'working contact. This circuit may be traced from ground on release trunk conductor 11, by way of armature 30 and its front contact, oil-normal spring 33 and its working contact, and through the winding of the stepping relay 18 to battery The relay 18 is energized over this circuit and, upon operating, establishes a locking circuit for itself at armature 31, which includes the interrupter contact of the rotary magnet, and at armature 32 prepares the circuit of the rotary magnet. Shortly after the termination of the vertical movement of the switch the slow acting relay 17 deenergizes and comletes the circuit of the rotary magnet 44.

agnet 44 operates to rotate the switch wipers into engagement with the first set of bank contacts in the selected level and at its armature 34 opens the locking circuit of the interrupter relay 18. The latter relay deenergizes opening the energizing circuit of the rotary magnet which deenergizes also. The further operation of the selector E depends upon whether or not the trunk line with which the switch wipers are now in engagement is busy. Assuming this trunk line is busy, there will be a ground potential placed upon the test contact engaged by the test wiper 48. A circuit is thereby completed extending from the said grounded test contact by way of test wiper 48 for the stepping relay 18. The relay 18 is immediately energized over this circuit and operates to establish a locking circuit for itself and to complete the circuit of the rotary magnet. Magnet 44 rotates the switch wipers into engagement with the next set of bank contacts in the selected level and, at armature 34, breaks the locking circuit of the stepping relay 18 which deenergizes opening the circuit of the rotary magnet which deenergizes also. The alternate operation of the stepping relay 18 and the rotary magnet 44 will continue until the switch wipers are rotated into engagement with the set of bank contacts associated with an idle trunk line which, we will assume, are the bank contacts 100102, inclusive.- When this occurs there will be no ground potential placed upon the testcontact 101 en aged by the test wiper 48 and no circuit willbe completed for the stepping relay 18. Switching relay 19, being no longer short circuited, is energized in series with the said interrupter relay. Upon operating, relay 19 at armature 38 opens the circuit of the slow acting relay 16, at armature 37 places ground upon the test contact 101 in order to prevent the selected trunk line being seized by another selector switch and at armatures 36 and 39 extends the incoming trunk conductors 10 and 12 by way of wipers 47 and 49, bank contacts 100 and 102 to the line relay of the selected switch.

The line relay of this switch is immediately energized and, upon operating, closes the circuit of the assoclated slow acting release relay. The latter relay, upon energizing, prepares certain operating circuits in the selected switchand places ground upon the release trunk conductor which terminates in the bank contact 101. When ground is placed upon the test contact 101 a holding circuit is established for the switching relay 19 of the selector E in order to maintain thls selector switch in its operated position. A branch of this holding circuit joins the previously traced holding circuit and serves to maintain the preceding operated switches in their operated position. The further extension of the connection to the desired called line will take place in the usual manner and, as this extension does not concern the present invention, it will not be described herein.

It will be noted that immediately upon the selector E being seized, ground is placed upon the release trunk conductor 11. By this operation the bank contact 60 in the contact bank engaged by wiper 64 of the rotary switch C is grounded.

The operation of the selector E has been described merely for the purpose of show? ing how ground is applied to release. trunk conductors of the various trunk lines and the operation of the trafiic recorder proper will now be gone into. From the above explanation of the operation of the selector E it will be apparent that for each trunk line busy in the group there will be a ground potential upon its associated contact in the bank of the rotary switch C. In order to start the traflic recorder M operating, the double pole switch S comprising the blades 85 and 86 is thrown into operated position. As soon as this occurs a circuit is completed which extends from ground by way of blade 85 of the switch S, conductor 115, resistance 83, back contact and armature 91, and

motor magnet is not operated over this circuit as it does not receive sufiicient current to operate in series with the resistance 83 though it partially energizes. This provision is made so as tosecure prompt operation of the magnet when its main circuit is closed. It will be noted that ground on conductor 115 is connected to the wiper 68 of the rotary switch C and extends by way of bank contact 116, armature 67 and its back contact to the multiply connected contacts of the bank in the rotary switch 0' adapted to be engaged by wiper 92.

When the timing mechanism T operates to momentarilyground the motor magnet 74, the magnet energizes, and when its circuit is broken advances the switch wipers 64 and 68' one step into engagement with the contacts 60 and 61. A circuit is completed extending from the grounded contact 60 associated with the release trunk of the selector E, by way of back contactand armature 76, andthrough the winding of the motor magnet 90 of the'rotary switch C to battery. Magnet 90 operates to rotate the switch wipers 92 and from their normal position and into engagement with bank contacts 93 and 96.

It will be noted that all the bank contacts except the one innormal position adapted to be engaged by wiper 68 are multiplied and are connected to the motor magnet 74 by way of the interrupter s ring 75. and to the slow acting relay 65. onsequently as soon as the wiper 68 engages the bank contact 61 the slow acting relay 65 is energized to prepare certain circuits as will appear later, and. the motor magnet 74 as it is supplied ground by way of the said wiper, will operate as a buzzer to advance the switch wipers 64 and 68 of the switch C step by step until they are placed in normal position. For each busy trunk line in the group there will be a ground potential present upon its associated contact in the bank ofthe rotary switch C engaged by the wiper 64 and the motor magnet 90 of the rotary switch C will be operated to advance the switch wipers 92 and 95 one step. Thus, assuming that there are eight busy trunks in the group, the wipers of the rotary switch C? will be rotated seven more steps'that is into engagement with contacts and 98. As the slow acting relay 65 is connected in multiple with the rotary magnet 74 to the bank contacts engaged by the wiper 68 it maintains its armature attracted throughout the rotation of the switch C. When the wiper 68 of the switch 0 rotates into normal position the circuit of the motor magnet 74 is opened and the rotation of the switch C ceases. The circuit of the slow acting relay 65 is also opened but before the deenergization of-this relay a circuit. is completed extending from ground on conductor 115, by way of wiper 68, bank contact 116,

armature 67 and its working contact, wiper 95 of the rotary switch C, contact 98, and thence through the winding of the meter 112 to battery. As was mentioned before, when the wiper 68 is rotated into normal position the circuit of the slow acting relay 65 is opened and after a short interval this relay deenergizes. A circuit is thereby completed extending from grounded conductor 115, wiper 68, bank contact 116, armature 67 and its back contact, conductor 94, multi-' ply connected bank contacts adapted to be engaged'by wiper 92, said wiper, back contact of armature 91 and said armature, and thence through the winding of the motor magnet 90 to battery. The motor magnet 90 now operates as a buzzer to advance the switch wipers 92 and 95 into their normal position as the bank contact in normal position is not connected in multiple with the other bank contacts adapted to be engaged by wiper 92 and is therefore ungrounded. In above manner the switches C and C are restored to normal.

The foregoing operations all occur in response to the first impulse of ground on the conductor 87 after the double pole switch S has been thrown and take but an exceedingly short .interval of time. When ground is again placed on conductor'87 by the timing mechanism T-the same operations again take place, that is, the rotary switch G is operated to test all the trunk lines in the group and the rotary switch C is operated first until the wiper 95 is associated with the proper meter which corresponds to the number of busy trunks in the group, and thereafter is restored to normal position. These operations continue to take place each time ground is placed on conductor 87 by the operation of the timing mechanism, and each time they take place the meter corresponding to the number of trunks busy at that time is actuated.

From the above it will be seen that the various meters such as'110, 111, 112 and 113 show a complete record of the number of trunks that are busyin the group at the various intervals which are determined by I the operation of the timing mechanism and which may be set 'for any convenient periods. In the drawing only four meters have been shown and these are connected to the last contacts of'the set adapted to be engaged by wiper 95 as usually it is only desirable to find out the traflic when a group of trunks becomes overloaded or nearly so. It will be understood, of course, that the other contacts in the bank adapted to be engaged by wiper 95 may be connected to meters in the same manner as shown with the meters illustrated if it is desirable to record when there are a small number of trunks in the group busy.

The operation of the trafiic recorder has been described with reference to a trunk line terminating in a selector switch but it will be perfectly clear that the device will record equally well the traiiic on various other types of trunk lines.

The features of the invention having been described and ascertained, what is thought to be new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent, will be brought out in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a telephone system, a group of trunk lines, means for making any number of said trunk lines busy, and means operated and reoperated automatically for recording at intervals the exact number of busy trunk lines in said group regardless of the number of trunk lines busy.

2. In a telephone system, a group of trunk lines terminating in automatic switches, means for seizmg said trunk lines and for 'trunklines. means for making any trunk hne 1n sald group busy, a rotary SWlth,'

means for operating said switch to test all the trunk lines in said group whether they are all busy or not, means controlled by said switch for recording the number of busy trunk lines in said group, and means including a timing device for causing the testing and recording operations to be repeated at regular intervals.

5. In a telephone system. a group of trunk-lines, means for making said trunk lines busy when they are in use, a rotary switch, automatic means for operating said switch to test all of the trunk lines in said group at regular periodic intervals, and means controlled by said switch for recording thenumber of busy trunk lines in sa1d group every time the said trunk lines are tested.

6. In a telephone system, a. group of trunk lines, means for making any trunk line in said group busy, a rotary switch,

, automatic means for operating said switch to test all of the trunk lines in said group at periodic intervals, a plurality of meters, each of said meters corresponding to a ditferent number of busy trunk lines, and

bank contacts being connected to one of said release conductors, means for automatically operating and reoperating said switch to test said release conductors whether grounded or not by means of said wiper, and means controlled by said switch for recording the number of busy trunk lines in said group every time the switch is operated.

8. In a telephone system, a group of trunk lines terminating inautomatic switches, release conductors for the said trunk lines, means for making any trunk line in said group busy by placing ground upon its release conductor, a rotary switch, a wiper for said switch, bank contacts adapted to be engaged thereby, each of said bank contacts being connected to one of said release conductors, means for automatically operating said switch to test said release conductors by means of said wiper, a group of meters,

means controlled by said wiper for selecting the meter corresponding to the number of busytrunk lines in said group, and means for then actuating the selected meter.

9. In a telephone system, a group of trunk lines, means for making any of said trunk lines busy, a rotary switch, means operative for causing said switch to test said group of trunk lines, a second rotary switch, means for operating said second switch one step for each busy trunk encountered in said testing operation, and means associated with said switches operative after said group of trunks have been tested for recording the number of busy trunks in said group.

10. In a telephone system, a group of trunk lines, means for making any of said trunk lines busy, a rotary switch, means operative for causing said switch to test said group of trunk lines, a second rotary switch, means for operating said second switch one step for each busy trunk encountered in said testing operation, a wiper and bank contact set for said second switch, a meter connected to each bank contact of said set, and means operative after the testing is completed for actuating the meter connected to the bank contact engaged by said wiper.

11. In a telephone system, a group of trunk lines,'a group of meters, said meters meters to record the number group of trunk corresponding in number to the number of trunk lines in said group,) each meter representing' a diife'rent num er of busy trunk lines means for making anynumber of said trunk lines busy, said busy lines interspersed promiscuously amongst idle trunk lines, and means for. operating the correct one of said of busy trunk lines in said group.

12. In a telephone system, .a group of trunk lines, a group of meters,- each of said meters representing a different number of busy trunk lines, means for .makmg sald trunk lines busy, the busy trunk lines lking interspersed promiscuously amongst 'idle' trunk lines at any given instant, and auto-' matic means operated at periodic intervals for operating certain of said meters to suecessively record the number of busy trunk lines in said group. p

13. In a telephone system including a group of trunk lines in which busy and idle trunk lines are interspersed promiscuously amongst each other, a group of meters, each of said meters representing a different number of busy trunk lines, and means for operating the correct one of said meters to record the number of busy trunk lines in said group. ,4

14. In a telephone system including a group of trunklinesin which busy and idle trunk lines are interspersed promiscuously amongst each other, meters, each of said meters representing a difierent number of busy trunk lines, and automatiic means operated at periodic intervals for operating certain of said meters to successively record the number of bus trunk lines in said group. 7 15. In a telbphone system including a lines in which there are idle and busy trunk lines, a group of meters, said meters representing progressively greater pluralities of busy trunk lines, respectively, and means for operatin the correct one of said meters to record t e number of busy trunk lines in'said group.

16. The combination, in a trafiic recorder for telephone trunking systems, of means for repeatedly testing all the trunks in a group, and means for counting the number of times each of a number of different pluralities of said trunk lines are found busy.

17. The combination, in a trafiic recorder for telephone trunking systems, of means for repeatedly testing all the trunks in a group, and means inactive during testing but operated each time when the testing of the group is completed for recording the number of trunk lines found busy, whether all of said trunk lines are busy or not.

18. The combination, in a trafiic recorder for telephone trunking systems, of means 'for testing all the busy and idle trunks ina group, one at a time, means for automatically repeating the testing operation a plut'runk lines vof the succeeding meters representing a' trunk lines, means for making lines, means for making any trunk line in said group busy by placing ground upon the release conductor corresponding to said trunk line, a rotary switch, a wiper for said switch, bank contacts ada ted to be engaged thereby, each of said bank contacts being connected to one of said release conductors, means for automatically starting theoperation of said rotary switch, circuit arrangements the operation of said rotary switch to test said release conductors by means of said wiper, a second rotary switch under the 'oint control of said first rotary switch an the busy condition of said release conductors, said second rotary switch operated once for every busy trunk line, a plurality of meters associated with the bank contacts of said second rotary switch, each of said meters representing a different number of busy trunk lines, and circuit arrangements associated with said switches for operating the meter corresponding to the number of busy trunk lines.

20. In a telephone system including a group of trunk lines in which there are busy and idle trunk lines, a plurality of meters, one of said meters representing a certain plurality of busy trunk lines, the next meter representing a greater plurality of busy than said first meter, and each greater. plurality of busy trunk lines than the meter immediately preceding it, and meter operating means rendered effective at intervals, the meter operated each time being dependent upon the number of trunk lines busy. y

21. In a telephone system, a group of any of said trunk lines busy, a rotary switch having a normal position, means operative for causing said switch to advance from its normal position to test said group of trunk lines and to return to its normal position, a second rotary switch, means for operating said second switch one step for each busy trunk encountered in said testing operation, and means associated with said switches and operative after the first named switch has position for recording returned to its normal the number of busy trunks in said group.

22. In a telephone system, a group of trunk lines, means for making any of said trunk lines busy, a rotary switch having a normal position, means for operating said switch from its normal position to test said group oftrunk lines and for returning the said switch to its normal position, a second rotary switch also havin a normal position,

means for operating sai second swltch one I step for each busy trunk encountered in said testing operation, means associated with said I switches and operative after said first switch has returned to its normal position for recording the number of busy trunks in said group, and means for thereupon returning said second rotary switch to its normal position. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe," my name this 21st day of August, A/Dq ARTHUR BESSEY SMITH.

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