US1563740A - Automatic telephone switch - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 1, 1925. 1,563,740

H. W. GOFF AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SWITCH Filed April 8. 1922 Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD W. GOFF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO 'WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SWITCH.

Application filed April 8 1922.

fl '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I'TAROLD 1V. Gorr, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York, 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 descrip tion.

This invention relates to automatic telephone exchange switching apparatus, and more particularly to the so-called coordinate switch.

The invention is peculiarly adaptable to a switching system of the type disclosed in Patent No. 1,515,735 issued to C. L. Goodrum et al. on November 18, 192 1, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention may be applied equally well to perform the function of selector or connector switch.

The object of the invention is to provide an economical and improved form of coordinate switch which will be simple and reliable in operation, and readily accessible for repairs and replacementsof operating parts.

feature of this invention is the provision in a switch of the character above set forth, of individually removable rotatable grid elements on which the link conductors are insula-tedly mounted. The grid elements being rotatable, are adapted to effect a wiping engagement with their associated sets of flexed wire conductors.

Both sets of conductors are preferably in the form of bare wires. one set, the link conductors, being helically arranged in the notches of insulating strips mounted on rotatable bars. The other set comprising flexed wires extends through said notches and is normally held out of contact with the link conductors by means of a plurality of small cards of insulation one of which is individual to each set of flexed conductors or contact members. Selecting and operating mechanism is provided whereby any card may be moved independently of the others to bring its associated conductors into engagement with the adjacent set of link conductors.

Other features of invention will appear from the detailed description given below in connection with the accompanying draw- Serial No. 550,617.

ing, in which Fig. 1 is a partial front assembly view of the switch.

Fig. 2 is a partial side assembly view showing one set of contact members in operated position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective partial view of an assembly of a rotatable link bar, notched insulating strip and a set of conductors helically arranged thereon' The sets of link conductors 1, 1 1 and 1 are preferably helically arranged in the notches of insulating strips 2 which are mounted in channel shaped members 3 and held secure thereon by any suitable means. The members 3 are mounted on bars 4L rotatably mounted on the switch frame (not shown) and held secure thereon by means of bolts, screws or rivets 5. Magnets 23 having armatures 24 are provided for operating the bars 4:.

Upright supports 6 of insulating material also attached to the switch frame (not shown) are disposed at right angles to conductors 1, 1 1 and 1 and carry the flexible wire contact springs or conductors 7, 8, 9, 10 and 7 8 9 10 etc. The supports 6 may carry any desired number of sets of contact springs dependent upon the switch capacity desired. For simplicity of illustration, however, only two such sets are shown on support 6 in the partial view of Fig. 2, the supports being omitted in Fig. 1. The free ends of each set of conductors 7, 8, 9, 10, etc. extend through an aperture 11 of a plate member or card 12 of insulating material, into the notches of insulating strip 2. The card 12 is mounted on a resilient support 13 which is fixed at one end portion to the upright support 6, and has its free end l lnormally resting in the bottom of a V-shaped groove 15 of the downwardly extending lug 16 which is preferably made integral with the ehaimel-shaped member 3. The support 13 is flexed to normally hold the card 12 and the corresponding contact springs flexed up out of contact with the link conductors. I Individually associated with each support 6' is a bar 17 which is journalled at its end portions in the switch frame (not shown). Securely attached to each bar 17 is an armature 18 which is arranged to be attracted by electromagnet 19 whereby the bar 17 is operated through a small angular displacement. The bar 17 is provided with a flexible arm 21 adjacent each set of contact wires carried by the support 6.

Each horizontal bar or link bar, as it may be properly termed, is provided with a number of rigid arms 20. Each of these arms is individuallyassociated with a set of active contact wires and an arm 21, and has a vertically disposed portion engaging in a vertical slot 26 or the card 12, and serving as a guide for the lower portion or the card.

The cards 12 are each provided at their lower ends with a horizontal slot 22 in which the free end of an associated arm 21 is adapt ed to move into engageable relation with arm 20 of bar l, the arm 21 being normally out of the path of said arm 20.

hen the vertical bar 17 is rotated out 01' its normal position by electromagnet 19 the end portion of arm 21 is driven into engageable relation with arm 20 and, the subsequent rotation of bar l -through the energi zation of magnet 23 results in lowering the operating card 12;so as to permit the contact wires 7, S, 9, 10 to engage the link conductors 1, 1 1 and 1 respectively with a wiping movement, The operated; linkjbar together with arms 20 thereon remain in their oil normal position throughout the duration of the connection, but the vertical, bars 17 may be immediately restored to normal.

Following the engagement of the contact wires and; link conductors, the card 12 continues its downward movement and frees the wires/Z 8, 9,10 from contact with the card, so that subsequent movement of the bar 17' in the establishment of other coexisting connections. will not be transmitted through the card.12 to the wires todisturb their contact. with the wires 1,, 11 1 1 .v

What is claimed is 1 In a switching mechanism,v a plurality of notched insulating members, sets of conductors. helically arranged thereon, sets 01': flexible contacts arranged inv rows coordinate to said setsofconductors, and means for, se lectively establishing connection between said. sets of conductors and said sets ofcontacts.

2. In a switching mechanism, a plurality of sets'of rotatablemembers, sets of co-nduc-' tors helically arranged on, said members, a plurality of: sets-offiexible contact members arranged in. rows coordinate to, thefirst; 1nentioned-sets, a selecting bar for each; row of. contact members, a; plurality oflarms on each of said selecting bars, said,arms-associated individually with said. sets, of, contact members but; normally out of operable; relation therewith, andmeans;operable through e; "c jqin operation of, sa d: rotatable members; and: said; selecting. bars; toseffiect engagement between said "sets of contact members ndseiitsatssoi, conductors 3. In a switching mechanism, a plurality of notched insulating members, conductors helically arranged in the notches thereof, a plurality of sets of flexible conductors arranged at right angles to said first-mew tioned conductors and extending through the notches of said insulating members but normally out of contact with said conductors, a selecting bar individual to each row of flexible conductor sets, a rotatable operating bar for each of said insulating members, means for actuating said bars individually, and means whereby the conjoint actuation of one of said selecting bars and one of said operating bars establishes a connection between a conjoint actuation of one of said; selecting,

bars and one of said operating bars establishes a connection between'a set of flexible conductors and a set, of helically arranged conductors, at their intersectingpoi'nt.

5; In; a: switching, mechanism, a plurality of sets of flexible conductors, a plurality of notched members,conductors seated in said notches and: helically wound on said members, means for individually operating said members, a plurality of. bars associated with said rows of flexible conductors, and. means for "individually operating the said bars, the conjoint operation of: one of said members and one of saidibarsbeingeffective to movev aset, of said flexible conductorsand toy impart a rubbing action between said flexible conductors and.- their assooiatedrhelically' arranged conductorsat their intersect ingpoint,

6".v In a switching mechanism, a multiple contact bank; comprising. la plurality of? sets of, bare; wire conductors, and a notched insulating support. therefor, the wires of; one of said: sets being guidedJ-into engagement withlthe other set by'said notches,

7-. In a switching mechanism, movable memberssets of conducting elements helicallyarrangedv thereon, sets of iflexible contacts; arranged, in rows; coordinate to said sets of conducting elements, a-nd,meansfor selectively establishing connections between said} sets of: elements and; said sets of con} teats; through. the increment. of, aid; 1116111 1' hers, the movement of said members effecting a wiping contact between engaged elements and contacts.

8. In a switching mechanism, movable members, sets of conducting elements helically arranged thereon, sets of flexible contacts arranged in rows coordinate to said sets of conducting elements, means for selectively establishing connections between said sets of elements and said sets of contacts through the movement of said members, and means effective upon continued movement of said members to produce a Wiping contact between engaged elements and contacts.

9. In a switching mechanism, a plurality of sets of conductors arranged in parallel rows, aplurality of sets of flexible contacts arranged in rows coordinate to said rows of conductors, each of said contact sets being adjacent to one of said sets of conductors, an operating card for each of said sets of contacts, a bar associated with each of said first-mentioned rows, a plurality of arms on said bar each associated with one of said cards and serving as a guide therefor, a selecting bar individual to each row of oontact sets, and an arm on each of said selecting bars associated with each of said firstmentioned arms, the conjoint operation of one of the first-mentioned arms and one of the second-mentioned arms being effective to actuate an operating card to effect engagement between a set of conductors and a set of contacts.

10. In a switching mechanism, supporting members, a notched guide member secured to each of said supporting members, sets of conducting elements arranged thereon, a plu- 'ality of sets of flexible conductors extending through the notches of said guide members but normally out of contact with said conducting elements, and means for establishing connections between said sets of elements and said sets of conductors.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day of April A. D. 1922.

HAROLD IV. GOFF.

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