US1693663A - Signaling system and mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec, 4 31928.

L. E. ONEAL ET AL SIGNALING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM I Filed Nov. 13. 1923 Z055 ma 1053 1 05 a aei (142' mm 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 amvemtoz I Dec, 4 119286, Emsmg L. E. ONEAL, ET AL.

SIGNALING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM Filed Nov. 15 9 4 Sheets sheec 5 DEC. 41, 192%. L" ONEAL ET ma mas SIGNALING SYSTEM AND MECHANISM Filed N0v.15, 1923 v 4Sheets-Sheet 4 v eifectto request instructions, whereupon the v Patented lDeo 4, W28.

LLOYD- ONEAL, or EAST onanen, new JERSEY, A

BROOKLYN, 'NEW roan, nssrenons To on. NEW YORK, n. Y,,- A oonronerron or new HQEO n1) SAMUEL 1r. MEAD, JR, or s. CORY & son, moonroanrnn, or YORK.

srennrme. sYs rriM AND MECHANISIVLJ Application filed November 1 Our invention relatesto signaling systems and meehanis'm'es'pecially available for use ineleotrio power plants such as central stations, alt-houghvthe, invention is notlimited as t-ouses and be adapted for'v'arious installations. "For "the sake of bievity'the in- V'ention in one enemplifying embodirnent will be described 'as fadapted for or installed in a s central station, suchas 'a steam turbo-generating .station; and this explanation of one adaptation or use of the invention will enable I Y skilled persons to understand its adaptation tofother installations or for other purposes, 7 i with or Without changes or; modifications which are within the scope of the appended claims. I k V r The general object of the invention is to enable a switchboardoperator or person in charge of operations atamainor control stationl to give definite instructions or orders to enginemen or attendants atyarious places or operating stations? about the plant; for instance, at various engine room-and boiler room stations; to enable the attendant at each station to give afsllitable reply signalindicating .at the control station the properexecir tion of'the'order, and also toenablethe at tendant [at any. station to call or commnni cate with the control station and indicate conditions-Eat the operating station or else'in.

' controlstationoperator may giveajsuit-abh reply 01 order to the. operating station. i A'. further obj eat is to enable the 'personat the control station to indicate on a'general signal -1'io ar d3,-tl1e Particular station to which anorderlis being, oris about to be, given and the particular order given at that station, so that different station attendants may ob, serve the ,orders on the general signal board and for examplaif a particularattendant is, away from his station he may thus be in.- formed that his station is being called and will know, the nature of the order-before he reaches his station tocarry 'it'into effect.

operating Station, with- 1 Figure 0 ation apparatus." s s 3, 1923. Serial No. 674,490.

be made'within theprinciplesof the invention, and we 'contem any structures orarrangementsthat are prop erly within the scope of the appendedclaims. v gFigures 1 and l} taken together diagra1n-- niatically illustrate-a CO1 plete signaling sys tem or installation embodying the invention '6 in one form. Figure '1 more particularly represents the main orcontrol station and the general call or signal board, and Figure 1 shows two of any suitable plurality of op elating stations in or. about'a power station or other plant, to vwhich the invention may be pplicable. Figure 2 is front elevation of one ableform of apparatus for an individual certain parts, suoli as the dial and reply pointer, removed.

Figure 3 is a side'elevationvof 'th same with some parts broken away. I

Figure 4 is a front elevationof on form of signal apparatus for the main or com I trol station, which may bein general similar to the operating station apparatus with addi' tionalparts, as .fully explained hereafter.

is agperspectiue View, fromthe front of one suitable f nal or call board. Figure 6is a front elevation of adial and cooperating signali and reply pointers. suit.- able either for the .main" s tat-ion or operating esuitable Figure 7 i'san enlargedexplanatory diagram of one sui'table' signaling contact ar rangement of the type indicated in Figures 1 In Figure I,

desi

gnates mechanism or.

apparatus at a main or control station,'G- ind cates essent al features of a general call or 7 signal board, and in' Figure 1, S and S represent mechanism or apparatus-at two dividual stations conveniently designated" 9 5v as operating stations in distinction from the, main or control-station. Thesystem as illustrated in. Figures l and, l fis arranged The objects; characteristics and advantages :'for eight operating station's, two of which are of the invention are further siiliiciently explained in connection withthe following de ftail description of the .accompanying'draw 0 ings, which show one exemplifying embodiment OftlIG-iHVGIItiOD After considering I this embodiment, personsskilled in the art will funderstan'd' thatmany Variations may shown. The number of operating stationsJOO may vary from one up to any practicable number; many features oft-he invention are adapted for a system vincluding at'least two, and usually a larger. plurality of operating stations. Y

The principal parts. of the central or conplate-the employment of 55 orm ofgene'ral, sig- -80 caliy indicated in Figure 1, are signaling con tacts or controlling mechanismv A, an ndica trolling station apparatus, as 'diagrannnatitor motor M, an operating station selector B,

a call buttonD, an instrument ordial lamp E, a bell F which may be conveniently designated as a. call bell, and broadly repre sents any suitable audiblesignal for the control station operation-and signal lamps H and H etc., corresponding to;the individual operating stations. These lamps are controlled by relays CR CR etc. There is also a reset button J, the function of which is later explained; A general signal T which may, in the broader aspect of the invention, be either audible or visual, is represented as a preferred example of a horn of the vibrator or motor-operated diaphragm type, such for instance, as a loud-toned automobile horn. This is represented in connection with the control apparatus, but may be placed at any convenient point about the plant, near the general call board G, or elsewhere.

eral signals onthe same circuit.

Theprincipal elements or devices at the general call or signal board G are an indicator motor GM and signal'lamps G G etc.

ure 1 are signaling contact mechanism SA All controlled by a relay R, an indicator motor SM, the circuits of which and certain other circuits are controlled by a relay R, a call button SD, a dial or instrument' lamp SE, a signal lamp SK, and a signal bell SF.

415 4 Figures 2 and '3 show arepresentative 'ing stations S physical embodiment of'one of the, operat- Tlie physical form of the apparatus may vary greatly, but in the present example it comprises a casing 11, mounted on a pedestal 2 and enclosing the contact mechanism SA, the indicator motor SM, the dial lamp SE and bell SF. .The call button SD is mounted in the front wall of the pedestal near casing 1. The outside signal lamp SK may be located in any convenient place near the station.

The mechanism at the central or control station C, Figure 4, may be substantially similar, including a similar casing andpedestal 1 and 2, with signaling contact mechanism A, indicator motor M, dial lamp E and bell F located in the casing, these parts being similar or identical with parts similarly identified with prefix letter S in the individual station apparatus. Uther-devices or appa- There may, if desired, be two or more of these gen 25 i reeaeae rat us peculiar to the control station are added. Theseadditional devices include the relays CR (1R etc., Which are conveniently mounted on apanel 3 in casing 1. The upper part of pedestal 2 may be formed into a housing having a removablefront cover- 5. The selector contacts, diagrammatically represented in Figure 1 in arcuate form or arrangement for illustrative convenience, are preferably actually arranged in'cir'cular form and en'- closed in easing 4. Contact arm 6, Figure 1, I

is connected to a hand wheel 7 exposed at the front of housing' l, Figure 4, and a pointer 8 is connected to move with the hand wheel over-a suitable dial 9 whichmay be identified as the selector dial, suitably marked with numbers to indicate the operating stationsand any other suitable indiciaincluding the wordOlf to indicate an olfor idle position. The lamps H H etc., of Figure 1 are arranged about the dial 9 in positions corresponding to the station numbers. Actually the lamps may be located within the casing behind glasses set in the cover plate 5. The call button D and the reset button J are conveniently located on plate 5. V

In the control station and operating station apparatus,'a dial 1O is'located in casing 1 near the front. 7 The dial may be of frosted glass to permit proper illumination by the interior or dial lamp E or SE, or otherwise the dial may be made of opaque material, such as metal, and may be spaced'away from the casing at one or more points aroundits periphery to permit egress of light suliicient to illuminate the face of the dial indirectly after the general fashion of copendingapplication of" Frank W. Wood, Serial No: 652,205, filed July 17, 1923. A front or cover glass 11 may be placed in front of the dial and spaced away from it to tightly close the. front of the casing. The indicator motor M -or SM has its armature shaft 12 provided with a pinion 13 engaging a pinion 14 on a pointer shaft 15' which passesthrough the dial and carries a pointer 16 in front of the vlll) dial. Figure 6. The dial, as is sufii'ciently eX- emphfied in Figure 6, may be provided with lQll named. that is, contact mechanism A at the control station Figure l, or mechanism SA at the operating station, Figure 2, has a shaft 17 connected by suitable gearing 18, Figure 3, to a shaft 19 extending through the back wall of casing 1. A lever 20 is secured on the outer end of shaft 19 and this lever is provided tvith handle 21 a forivard extension 22 bearing' a pointer. 23 which moves over the a outer portion of'dial 10.

:marked to agree withthecentral and operatover the dialQ-face'.

locatedjbehind these glasses. 7

Thepgeneral; sign-a1 board, Figure 5, consist of a suitable box or casing 24 having adial 25 on its wt'ront face, spaced oiiancl ingstationdiails'. -Anindicator motor which .may be in physical form like the motors M or SM, Figures 2 ore, is enclosed in thehousingand its'armature or a shaft 26 connected with the armature bears a pointer 27 movlng tions S ,'rotates the hand knob r7 Figure 4c;

Vnioving the pointer 8 from ofi' position to numeral' '1 "on .dial' 9, a By contacts and circuit; arrangements hereafter. described, Wheneyer the'pointer' is moved away from oii position 'and in line with any of the operating station nlfmbels on dial 9, the'contact-or indicator motol' control mechanism A iat the control station is energized or thrown into circnit, .theindicator motorM at the control station is similarly energized or' placed in circuit,

andthe contact mechanism SA and indicator I l pointer 8 are also-similarly energized or SM at. the particular station indicated by thrown into circuit; foii'nstance, in the present case, the contactmechanism SA and inotor SM at station S? are energized. Atthe same time, the dial lamp E at the. control station, the dial lamp SE at the operating station and the outside signal lamp SH atany convenient placenear the operating sta:

tion or 'on amachine such as thej'turbine or- (lynamo at'that station, are illuminated.

ilkhen a-general signal or signal board G rE guresl and 5, 15 provided, theact of positioning the selector pointer I 8 caus'esthe "illumination of appropriate lamp G 'and therefore the illumination of the appropriately 'numbered. aperture or window on the signal board visible throughout the engine roomor similar plantsection,-and the indiQ eator motor GM of the general signal is also 7 energized or thrown into circuit with contact rmech anism A atthecontrolstation.

The indicator motors are of such type-or "construction that theiraigniatures move in 'Aceordingly,' Whenthe'seleetor handle '7 was inoiiedto throw a particular operating station The front face of the responding 'to the momentary position of handle 21 and, its pointer 23 at the control station. To insure giving a correct signal at the operating station at the moment that it is thrown intocircuit, the handle 21 at the control stationmay be positioned to give the controlling device, to the same section of the dial. Contact mechanism SAat the operating. StiltlOIl' thereupon controls 1nd1cator,mo-

tor M at the control station in such a way "that pointer 16 at'the control station moves to the same dial positionin Which handle 21 rests at the control station, indicating a compliance with or completion of they order. While the selector remains inthe same position, any other order may be given by moving handle'21, at the control station. Con- 'tacts included in the contact mechanismiA are preferably provided of such nature that Whenever central station handle 21 is moved from onedial position to another, bell SF at the operating station rings, so that the attendants attention is forcibly called by ab.- dible signal to the'fact that a neworder is being given; The neworde'r may now be executed and reply made to the control station in the same fashion.

The control or central operator may at any time reposition the selector pointer to bring nn'yother operating station in circuitand transmit orders to it, and when through with operations for the time being r'n'ay re turn the pointer to off position, thus throwv ingithe entire system, except certain call" circuits, substantially out ofcircuit.

vided' as a general attention call, audit may be operated at any time, usually before an order is given, or especially an important order, by the central station operator press-- ing the'call button D, whereupon the horn 1S thrown in circuit and all hands look at the'ge'neral board to note the station and or-' der given, 'or else pay attention to their particular station indicator to seewhat is Wanteda' v The system also provides facility forany operating station attendant to communicate with 'the'-- controlstation. The attendant at 7 v any station, such as station-S Figure 1, in or i' a' ceo11dance' with theTpositionlng of the shaft of the -,-correspond1ngcontact mechanism.

der to call the central station operator, presses the call button SD. This, closes the circuit of hell F at the control station and also closes r .the circuit of the appropriate lamp H the central station 'operators attention is thus attracted both by audible and visual signals, and the visual signal informs him whichsta-' released and until its circuit is broken by the centgal station operator pressing the reset button J. To respond to the call the central station operator sets pointer 8 on number one of dial 9, this action being almost involuntary, since he has only to bring the pointer opposite the lighted lamp. This setting of the pointer establishes the circuits between the particular operating station and the control station, or in other words, energizes the respective contact devices and indicator motors. The station attendant may have previously set his pointer 23 bymovinghis handle 21, this now serving as the signaling element instead of a reply element, as in the previous instance, to bring the pointer on the proper dial space, or he may move handle 21 after calling? the central operator.

Appropriate indication is thereupon given at the'central station by pointer 16 and is answered by the central operator moving his handle 21 to the desired dial space which may be in agreement with the position of pointer 16 or may be some other space to give the desired instruction to the attendant at the opcrating station. At any time after the central operator Sets his pointer at the proper station mark on the dial 9, he may push the reset button J to extinguish the lamp, such- 35 as H or he may defer this action until his business withthe particularoperating station is completed. The circuits of hell F are so arranged preferably, that so long as connection is effective between .the central station and an operating station, any movement of handle 21 at the operating station from one position to another causes the bell 1 to ring and thus forcibly attracts the attention of the central operator to the fact that a new signal or inquiry is being made.

The particular electrical devices employed may vary greatly in the broader aspect of the invention. l/Ve have referred to contact mechanism A or SA to control the respective The invention is not lim ited to the employment of contact mechaiiism for this purpose since in some cases synchronous alternating electric machines might be employed at the respective stations. In the present embodiment 'of, the invention, however, which is more particularly designed for the use of direct current. the contact mechanism and corresponding indicator motors may be of the type setforth in United States Patent to Frank "W. Wood, No. 1,216,- 533, February 20, 1917. The nature of contact mechanism A or SA is sutiiciently ex"- plained in Figure 7. It includes suitably insulated stationary contact rings 30 and 31 which are connected to opposite sides of the line when the contact mechanism is in circuit. Adjacent to these rings '18 a circular series of spaced bell ringing'contacts 32 connected by conductors 33. The ring of con- 'tactsso formed has a connection to one side of the line. Adjacent tothe other contacts is.

36 and arranged to move in contact with in dicator-controlling segments 35, 35", etc.

The brush group 36, 37 and 38 is shown in one.

signaling position,and in all such positions brush 36 is located on an insulated segment or on a space between two adjacent bell ringing contacts 32, and the bell circuit controlled by the contact mechanism is therefore broken;

but when the brush system is moved to another signaling position, brush 36 sweeps over one or more of the contacts 32 and the bell is rung durin that movement for purposes previously escribed. Another brush system consists of moving-contacts or brushes 30,41 and 42, all electrically connectedand connected to move with shaft 17,"

the position of this brush system being diametrically opposite to the other brush system, and the brushes 41 and 42 being equally I spaced at opposite sides of the radial line of brush 40. Brush 40 moves always in contact with circular contact ring 30, and brushes 41 and 42 move over indicator- motoi controlling contacts 3, 3", etc.

The arrangement and spacing of brushes 37, 38, 41 and 42 in relation to the spacing of contacts 35, 35", etc., is such, as suiiiciently explained in .the above mentioned Patent No. 1,216,533, that in every position of the brushes oneor more certain coils of the corresponding llll indicator motor are properly energized to position the motor armature, and therefore to position the corresponding pointer 16, on a definite dial space, which for convenience, naturally corresponds exactly to the position of the signaling pointer23 connected to move with contact shaft 17.

To cooperate with contact mechanism such as described,,each indicator motor M. SM

and GM, includes an armature mounted on the corresponding armature shaft 12 previ-' ously mentioned, and provided with a winding 44. Equally spaced around the armature are field coils 45, 45 45., and 45 similar ends of all these coilsbeing connected to a common conductor 46 and the other similar ends, shown for convenience as outer ends, connected to individual conductors as fur- .2 1 andl ther particularly] described. The armature coil 44' is energized whcneverthe indicator motor-is i'n'cir'cuit and field. c'oils 45, 45",

\ etc-., are energized singly. or in different position of theb groups or. arrangements, depending on the rushes 0 the corresponding contact mechanism, Figin'e The particudiametral 'line 17%, h

center line of the contac' -mechanism, brush lair arrangement here shown is such, asfrirther" explained indetail in the-patent above mentioned, that the armature assumes an angular position corresponding to that ofthe Figure 7, which is the system" -Thcrefore, Whenever the shaft and. connected brushes of any'contact mechanism are stationary, the armature of the" corresponding indicator motor is stationary, holding its pointer in a position corresponding "to, the pointer which is connected to move vwhenever the contact shaft Withthe Contact controlling shaft '17," and is moved by mov-f ing its handle 21, tlie corresponding indicator motor pointer moves-accordingly.

:A suitable'circuit arrangement will nowfbe described indctail wlth reference to Figures Positive and negative systen'i main wires50 9 bell to allthe opera-tin '-'andat each station a fixed contact 61 adjacent to a contact/62 co- 0 st'ation. Negative main his branched at 65.

fromcoto all thest-ations and at each station fa branch wire 67 is able metallic contact 63 Just. mentioned When the call-button at thestation ispressed,

of the station selector. Moving contact arm? such as 120 volt s' di'rect, switclr54 and suitable fuses ton isheld down.

. and 51 areconnected to outside main wires 52 and 53, supplying current of suitable voltage, by a double-pole 55. Positiyemain Wife 50 is connected by branch wires 56' to similar ends of solenoids57 of relays-CB etc. 'An extension 58 of positive Wire 50 goes to one binding post of. hell F. A wire 59 goes from the other binding postof-the ranch 60 runs to a operating with a movable metallic "arm 63, Which is operated by the call button S D'at the Wire 51 of the system .One conductor 66' goes connect-ed with the movof call bell F at the con-j between contact: 61 and" rings aslong' as the but- Coop r'ating with the wires 67 at the respective stations, are Jv'ires a a at running to contact segments 0 c 0 trolstation is closed Wire 67 ,and the bell 6previously mentioned runs over the'contacts 2 0 etc.,-yvhich for convenience in Figure 1', are shoivn as an arouate development of the tion vari s e e rieal usual-circular arrangement in Whichone in sulated'or deadsegment c is provided, this being duplicated in the diagrammatic View, and" corresponding to the off po'sition at, which-pointer 8 is locat-edjn Figure 4."

Contact arm 6 is connected to positive wire 58'by a conductor 68. At each ope-rating stadevices are connected stations S S etc,

across wires 67, and a, a, SK and SE are connected between the'wires; solenoid'70 of relay R is connected by Wires 71f'and 7 2; armature coil 44; of indicator inotorSM is connected by Wires 73and 74; and solenoid 7532f relay R- .7 6 and 7 7 Af conductor'7 8 "also goes from each iwiredfl ai'etcl', to-contac-tring 30 of the corresponding contact mechanism SA and a conductor 79 goes from each Wire 67 to cont-act ring 31 of, the corresponding-mechan-isn-1.w

is connected by Wires etc, Thus lamps l I) go to .thecontrol andfrorntheotherflfiXed Contact 183 a Wire 84 is'connected to a'wire' 85 common to the station-indicating-lamp system. This wire connects to a wire 86 branclied from the negative line Wire 51 at 65, and spacedcontacts '88 are interposed in Wire 85 and normally bridged by a metal contact reset-button J. a p 7 all positions eicept the oil? position, contact arm 6 bears. -o n "a continuous contact sector 90,-and a Wire 91 runs from this'sector to positive contact ring 30 of control station contact 'mechanisnijA. .Thewire 86 'previously mentioned, Whichis of opposite polarity, runs co-negative contact fing 31. The horn Ior equivalent general signalis connected across 89 controlled by the i 'Wires 58and '86 by Wires 92 and 93, and the contacts of general callfbutton D are interposed-inone of these wires, such as 92.- Instrument or dial lampE is connected across wires 86 and 91 by wire 95 and a branch from Wire 93; Armature 414:. of-motor M is con nected across and98f While relays R and R at the operating stations may be .ofany known or-suitable' type, they arerepre'sentd for x'mve'nience a's hav.' .ing'armatures lfQO'piyote'diat 1101 The armature "of each, relay TR carifsieg insulated contacts *coOperatingrvith fixed contacts 102 102 1.. 1-Q2- 'whi(}h arawiredtocontactse ments 35 35-,T.etc., oficontaotmechanism Si, the correspondehce' f f a'y contacts and contact s'egnnentsb'eing indicated similarity of the suffix. letters; ",The armature contacts are connected'to'Wires-165 ,1051 105Whioh run 'tlo the outer ends of. field ooilsi45 45", .45? of indicator motor M at the control station, so that-Ysimilarly located segme ts "of a l-t e c ntact mechanisms at the operating stations are'connected or may be connected when the appropriate relay contacts are closed, to similarly located field coils of indicator motor M, as clearly indicated by the similar lateral suflixes of the reference numerals. A branch 110- is taken from wire 59 previously mentioned, leading from bell F to a contact on the movable armature of each relay R, this contact corresponding to a fixed contact 111 which is wired to the annular se ries of hell ringing contact segments 32 of contact mechanism SA.

. The armature 100 of each operating station' relay R carries insulatedcontacts cooperating with fixed contacts 115", 115, 115" and 115 corresponding to field coils 45, 45,

4'5, and 45, respectively of indicator motor and run to contact segments 35 etc., of

contact mechanism A at the control station, so that each contact segment is connected to a similarly located field coil at any operating station, whenever the armature or rela R is moved to close the contacts115, 115", etc.,

. the actual circuit connections, of course, de-

. nism A,

pending on the momentary position of the brushes 36, 37, 38, 40, 41 and 42 as sufficiently explained in connection with Figure 7. The connection of field coils to similar contact segments, and the appropriate relay contacts, can be easily traced by similarity of the literal suflixes to the reference numerals.

The armature 100 of each relay R also carries an insulated contact. cooperating with a fixed'contact 125 which is the terminal of a Wire 126 connected to wire 74 previously mentioned, and, bell SF at the corresponding operating station is interposed in this wire 126. All of the armature contact-s corresponding to the fixed contacts 125 are connected to a common wire 130, which runs to the annular series of bellringing contact seg-I merits 32 of'control station contact mecha- The field coils of the indicator motor GM of the general signal G. are connected to appropriate wires 120, 120*, etc., the'connections being sufiiciently indicated by similarity ofthe literal sulfixesof the referencenumerals. One end of armature coil 44 of the motor GM is connected by a wire 135 to continuous contact sector 90 of the selector switch mechanism and the other end of the armature coil is connected to a common wire 140 leading from the negative main 51 at the point 65. Branches are taken off of wire-140 to all of the general indicator lamps G G etc., and from these lamps connections are made .to wires a a a etc., the appropriate connections being easily traced by sim- "il-arity of the numeral suffixes to the reference letters.

When selector contact arm 6 is in, off position central station contact mechanism A, instrument lamp E, and armature coil 44 of indicator motor M are disconnected, armature 44 of general indicator motor GM is disconnected, and lamps G G etc., are dead, their circuits being interrupted between contact sector 90 and the contact arm; but when arm 6 is on any contact segment 0 0 etc., the stated elements are in circuit, that is to say, contact rings 30 and 31 of the contact mechanism, and armature 44 of the motor are energized and ready to perform their operative functions, and lamp E is illuminated,

armature 44 of general indicator motor GM is energized and one of the lamps G G etc., of the general signal board is illuminated, this lamp corresponding to the particular contact segment 0 0 etc. When selector contactarm 6 is on any one of the segments 0 0 etc., say 0 lamps SK and SE, contact rings 30 and 31 of contact mechanism SA and armature coil 44 of motor SN at station S are connected orenergized, solenoid 70 of relay R is energized, moving the relay armature and closing all of the contacts 102 102 thus placing contact segments 35. 35 of contact mechanism SA in operative relation with corresponding field coils 45 l 45 of motor M at the control station through wires 105 105", and contacts 111 are closed, placing the bell-ringing contact segments 32 of contact mechanism SA in circuit with bell F at the control station through wire 59; solenoid 75 of relayR is energized, moving the relay armature to close all of the contacts 115 115, thus placing the field coils 45 45 of indicator motorSM at the particular operating stations in operative 'relation, withc'orresponding contact segments 35? 35 of contact mechanism A and in parallelrelation to the field coils of general indicator motor GM; contacts 125 are closed, placing bell SF at the operating station in circuit with bell-ringing contact segments 32 of contact'mechanism- A. When contact arm .6 is on any other of the contact segments all of thestated'de' i/ices at station S are deenergized ordis'connected, and when the contact arm is in off position the stated devices of all the operating stations are dead or disconnected.

Regardless of the position of the selector contact arm the circuit of thegeneral call or attention signal I is always complete except forthe break at the contacts controlled by the call button D; the circuit of signal bell F at the control station is always complete except for the interruption at contacts 61- and 63 controlled by the operating station,

callrbutton SD; and the'circuits of solenoids 57 of relays CR GR etc., are always complete except fol-the break between contacts 62 and 63 controlled bythe operating station callbuttons. 1 The central station operatorthere- .f or e maysound the general signal'I at any time by pressing call button D, and the attendants'at anylof the operating stations may sigtons SD, and at the same time bell F is rung as nal thecentral station by means oflamps H H etc., at any time by pressing-their call but--- long.as'the button ispush'ed, to 'audibly' attract the attention of the central station oper- ;at0r 'lVhen the-call-button at any opei'atmg station such as .-S is pushed the circuit f of hell F is closed. between contacts'61 and previous explanation.

' tive line 50 through the solenoid of relay CR I tofcont act 82," to'contact80, to contact 83,- to wire 85, through :t-hemovable contact '89 V is cleared by to wj b throughthe contacts 62 and 63 to we 6 to wire 66,'to negative line 51. "lhe solenoid attracts its armature and the circuit of the corresponding lampH -is closed, this.

circuit being from the positive line through the solenoid and apart of'wire 6 to the lampof the reset button t0 i Te 86,'to negative line 51. When the call button SDi's released,- bell F stops ringing, but the lamp remainslighted by reason of its. established circuit through "thesolenoid until the lamp circuit ,ingithe-reset-button, which breaks the lamp circuit between contacts 88. i

When the central station is called istated manner the operator moves selector contact arm 6-to cont-act 0 0', etc, corre- :"sponding to the-station calling, or to. one. of

' them if more than one station calls simultane jously; or .if the signaling operationorigi- 'na'tes with the. central operator in absence; ofan operatinggstation call, he niovescoritact arm 6 to any desired contact, such as 0 Thereupon the'centralstation devices or aparatus,-;the 'general'signal devices and the T': 1 *ev'ices or apparatus at the particular operat- 36 of contact least ingstation S are connected or energized as p1 'ev iously described. "I he signaling opera- .tlons are then conducted 1n a manner also descrlbed'above.

It 'will be sufficicnt to describe the circuits for one signaling operation, j When the central operator moves his handle 21 fromany 'dial position to another, brush mechanism A moi-es'over at one bell-ringing contact segment 32-,

- and hell SF at the operating station rings to attract the attendants attention, the bell circuitbeing from positive-line 50 to wire 58, to wire 68, to contact arm 6, to contact 0 to .wire a, to wire 73 through armature coil 44,

to wire 74, to the bell, to wire 126,to contact 125', wire 130, to the bell r'inging contacts the central station operator push 32, to'brush 36. tonega-tive ring 31in; wire 86, 'to negativeline v51. lVhcn handle 21 is brought to rest wlth pointer 23 in a signalmg position, for" instance, the one indicated The armature coil is al which in this instance both rest on contact segment 35, to.wire-l20 ,,to contact 115. to ,licld'coil 45 of indicator motor SM, to conductor 46, and-from negative ring 31 of con-- tact mechanism A to brush'36, to brushes 87 and 38, to contact segments 35 and 35", to-

wires 12() and 120", to wire 121, through coil .45 of the indicator motor tothc'co-mmon conductor 46 and from Wire 120 to contact 115 through coil45 to the co mnion-conductor 46. Field coils 45 45 and 45 are thus energized,.and the energized armature coil is so-attracted that pointer 16 at station 8 is, to the same position on-the operating station dialthat the pointer 23 rests on at the control station. In any other position of contact mechanismA, one or more diiierent field coils of the indicator motor SM are. energized as sufficiently explained in the above mentioned Patent No. 1,216,533, and. thus the pointer 16 at the operating station may be moved to any ofthe dial positions.

After the order is ez zecuted the attendant at-the operating stationmoves his handle 21 to the dial space corresponding to the posi tion of pointer 16. The brush system of contact mechanism SA at station S is thus biiou-ght to a positionidentical with that of contact mechanism A, asshown in Figure 7 and field coils 45?, 45 and 45 of the indicator 'motoi' M at the control station "are energized, the circuits being from positive ring 30 of Contact mechanism -40,-'to;brushes 41 and 42, to segment 35, to Contact 102 .to wire to coil 45,- to common coil conductor 46 of motor M, and from negativecontact ring '31: to brush 36, to brush 37,to cont-act'segment 1-35 to contact. 102?, to'wire105, to, coil 45 of motor M, to common-conductor 46, and from brush 36 to brush 38, to segment 35*, to contact 1Q2", to Wire 105", to coil 45, to common coil conductor 46. The pointer 16 at the control station is thus broughtto the same position as the signaling pointer 23, indicating to the attendant there the completion of the order at the operating station.

The armature of motor GM at the general moves to the position sho-wnin Figure 6, that signal board of course moves in synchronism w th the armaturev of motor SM at any operating station which is in circuit, or is in other words, controlled by the contact mechanism A; and the appropriate lamp Gt, G

at the general board is also illuminated, so

that attendants throughout a large part of the plant or factory may by looking at the general board know which station is being signaled and What the order is at that station. I

What We claim is: 1. A signaling system comprising a control station, a plurality of'operating stations, means at the control station for selectively connecting the operating stations with the control station, means for selectively trans- .mitting different definite visual signals to and fro between the control station and the selected operating station, a general signal station, means thereat for indicating the selected operating station to which a signal is being transmitted from the control station, and means "whereby the indicating means is selectively operated in res'ponse'to the selecting operation of the central sta-j tion selective connecting means.

2. A signaling system comprising a control station, a plurality of operating stations, means for selectively connecting the operating stations With the control station, means for selectively transmitting different defi -nite usual signals to and fro between" the control station, and the selected operating station, ageneral signal station, means thereat for indicating a particular signal transmitted from the control station to any operating station, means also at the general station for indicating theselected operating station to which a signal is being transmitted from the control station, means vhereby the signal indicating means is selectively operated in response to the operation of the selective transn'iitting means, and means whereby the station indicating means is selectively operated in response to the operation of the selective connecting means.

3. A signaling system comprising a control station and thercat an operating station .call indicator, including individual indicator lamps-corresponding to individual operating stations, a plurality of operating stations, 7

New York and State of New York this 26th clay of October, A. D. 1923.

'LLOYD E. ONEAL. SAMUEL NzMEAD, JR.

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