US1817324A - Traffic recorder for telephone systems - Google Patents

Description

A -5, 1931. M. SCHWARTZ TRAFFIC RECORDER FOR TELEPHONE SYSTEMS "Original Filed July 12, 1922 g s t s t 1 1 w W %o W ,-IWP v MEZ'LEEZ SBh'EETTZ' Aug. 4, 1931. MscHwAR'rz 1,817,324

' nuns naconnrm ron TELEPHONE SYSTEMS. I

Original Filed July 12, .1922 2 Shuts-Sheet z Patented Aug. 4, 1931 fUNITED- STATES: PA'r-ENT mm MICHAEL SCHWARTZ, or CHICAGO, xnmnorspAssrcnon, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro

Auromnrrc'mnc'rmcgmc, or omcaco rnmno s, A oo ronA'rIoNor DELAWARE trunks m ma RECORDER. FOR TELErHoNE'sYsrEMs' Original application filed July 12, ieaase iai No.

Divided and this application filed The present invention relates ingeneral to traffic H recorders for telephone systems. More specifically, the invention is concerned with devices which record the trafiic on extending between automatic switches,

, An object of the invention is to provide a recording device for registering the number of times atrunk line is seized and then released within'a very short interval, together with means for registering the number of timesthe trunk'line is used for a. longer interval'as for asuccessfulcall to a called line.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide adevice for registeringthe total length of time the trunk line is in use.

Another object of the invention is to register the number of times all the trunks in a group become busy, and alsovto record the total length of time thatjthis all trunkjbusy period lasts. f '1 tillanotherobjectof theinvention is to provide means for at all timesshowing'the number of simultaneous connections over this group of trunks under observation.

. :A ifiurther object of the invention is to provide an improved timing device, whereby the recording mechanism may becontrolled at various speeds. I v 1 1 The various features above mentioned,except those relating to the timing device are claimedjin my application Serial No. 574,494,

filed July 12, 1922, patented May 1, 1928, Patent No. 1,668,541, of which this application is a division; 7 I

, Referring now to the drawings, comprising Figs. land 2, there is shownsufiicient apparatus involvingthe invention to enable the same to be readilydesc-ribed and understood. Fig. lshows the: trafiic recording apparatus, while I Fig; 2 .show-s the improved timingdevice. 1

"Referring now more particularly to Fig;

1, in the upper portion' of the drawing, designated by the reference. character IE, is an vautomatic selectori switch of the usual Strowger ty'pejthe construction and circuits ofwhich are we'llunfderstood." v

, AtAis indicated arecor-ding milli-ammeter for registering the'total' number of simul- 574-',494; Patent No. 1,668,541, dated May 1,4928;

April 2, 1925. Serial No. 29,04;

taneouscalls in the group of trunksunder observation; This milli-ammeter maybe of any well=known or desired-type The traflic recording device proper consists ofthe-equipment designated by" the reference characters M and M. The equipment shown at M consists merely of a group of meters 100, 101, and 102, which record the required data. The equipment shown at M consists of two meters 88 and'89, a group of relays, and a simplerotary minor switch S. This equipment controls the operation of the meters 100, 101, 102 and also the meters 88 and'89. The equipment shown at M may be used alone without the equipment M, if-it is de-' sired to merely register the total number of 'callsover'a trunk line, and the total length oiftimethe trunk is-held in use. In the pres-' ent instance, it will be assumed that it is desired to record the traffic on a group of ten trunks. Inthis case, each trunk line will have'individual to it apparatus such as M' "and M. Thus, theequipment M and M" is individualtothe trunk linecomprising conductors 10-12, inclusive,iwith the exception of the meters 89 and 102. The meter 89 is common to the ten trunk lines of the: group and serves to register when all trunks "become busy. The meter 102 is likewise common to-the ten trunk lines and registers cumulatiyely the total length of time all ten trunks are in use.

The recording apparatus including the equipment M and M may be usedto record the trafiic on a trunk line extendingfrom a 8 line switch to a first selector, a selector trunk line, or in fact, any kind of trunk over which it is desired to recordthe trafiiic. I

fIn Fig.2, there is shown the'tirning mec anism. This is common to all the trailic recording devices of the exchange, and com prises essentially aconstantly op eratingtiming device P and two rotary switches C and S. The rotary switch S is of very simple construction and comprises wipers l80'and l81,anoperatingmagnet 1'68jand a release magnet 169. The rotary switch C, whose wipers move ina forward direction only, 'is

of the same general mechanical construction as the well-known rotary line switches.

Having briefly described the apparatus shown in the drawings, a detailed description of its operation will now be given. F or this purpose it will be assumed that the trunk line comprising the conductors 10-12 inclusive, is seized by another selector switch or by a line switch under the control of a calling subscriber. Immediately upon the subscribers line being extended to the line relay 15 of the selector E, this relay is energized. Upon operating,- relay 15, at armature 20, closes the circuit of the slow acting relay 16. The latter relay, upon energizing, at armature 21 prepares the operating circuits of the selector E,-and at armature 22 places ground upon the release trunk conductor 11, thereby establishing a holding circuit for the preceding switch or switches.

The calling subscriber may now operate his calling device in accordance with the next digit in the desired number. By this operation a series of interruptions is produced in the circuit of the line relay 15 of the selector E, which deenergizes a plurality of times in response thereto. At each retraction of the armature 20 of the line relay 15, an impulse of current is sent to the vertical magnet 46 in series with the slow acting relay 17. The vertical magnet 46 operates to raise the shaft of the switch carrying the wipers 35-37, inelusive, step by step until the said wipers are brought opposite the proper level of bank contacts. The slow acting relay 17 is energized in series with the vertical magnet, and maintains its armature attracted throughout the vertical movement of the switch. Upon the first vertical step of the switch shaft, the relay 17 being now energized, a circuit is completed for the stepping relay 18. Upon operating, relay 18 establishes a locking circuit for itself at its upper armature, and at its lower armature prepares a circuit for the rotary magnet 44. Shortly after the end of the vertical movement, the slow acting relay 17 deenergizes to close the circuit of the rotary magnet 44. The magnet 44 operates to advance the switch wipers into engagement with the first set of bank contacts in the selected level, and also opens the locking circuit ofthe stepping relay which deenergizes, opening the circuit of the rotary magnet which deenergizes also. If the trunk line with which the switch wipers are now in engagement is busy, the stepping relay 18 will again be energized from ground upon the test contact of the associated trunk line. Helay 18, upon operating, completes a locking circuit for itself and also closes the rotary magnet circuit. The rotary magnet operates to advance the wipers of the switch into'engagement with the next set of bank contacts and opens the circuit of the stepping relay. The stepping relay deenergizes to open the circuit of the rotary magnet, which also deenergizes. The alternate operation of the re lay 18 and the rotary magnet 44 continues until the wipers of the selector E are rotated into engagement with a set of bank contacts associated with an idle trunk line, which, we will assume, are the bank contacts 3840, inelusive. lVhen the wipers 3537, inclusive, are brought into engagement'with'this set of bank contacts, the rotary movement of the selector E ceases, and the switching relay 19, which during the preceding operations of the switch has been short circuited, is energized in series with the stepping relay l8. Relay 19 operates to extend the calling line over the wipers 35 and 87, bank contacts 88 and 40, trunk conductors 41 and 43, to the windings of the line relay of the seized switch.

The line relay of the selected switch im mediately energizes to close the circuit of its associated slow acting release relay. The latter relay operates to prepare the circuits of the seized switch for operation, and to place ground upon the release trunk 42 to establish a holding circuit for the selector E and the preceding switch or switches.

The further extension of the connection in response to the remaining digits dialled by the calling subscriber 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 as soon as the selector E is seized, ground is placed upon the release trunk conductor 11, and a circuit is completed extending from this ground over conductor 13, terminal 50 of-the recording device M, through the resistance 60, and through the recording milli-a-mmeter A to battery. The current flowing through the resistance 60 and the winding of the milli-ammeter affects the marking pen in the usual manner, causing the line, of the chart to be raised a suitable distance to indicate another call. All the release trunks of the group of trunks are connected through a resistance similar to 60 to the recording milli-ammeter, so that the reading of the milli-ammeter is always proportionate to the number of simultaneous calls in the group. The resistances, such as 60, are sufliciently high so that there is no interference by a ground potential being extended through these resistances to the other releaseconductors of the trunks of the group when one or more become busy. There is also another circuit completed by the grounding of conductor 11, which extends from terminal 50 by way of terminal 51, working coniii win dings of the meter magnet 1.00 to battery. I Only the high resistance relay 7,0 is operated over the abovecircuit. Uponattracting its armatures, re-lay 70, at armature 76, closes a circuit which extends from ground :by way of the front contact of armature 76 and the said armature, terminals .57 and 54, working contact .ozfwspring 61 and the said; spring, through the winding of the meter magnet 101, conductor .112, to terminal 163 of the timing device. The terminall'63 of the timing device is being connected to battery once every second by the operation of the timing mechanism, .as will be described, and consequently, the meter, magnet .101 is operated to register every second, thus indicating by its cumulative registration for various calls the total length of time that the. trunk is held in use. Further results of the energization of relay 70 are that at armature .77 a circuit is prepared for the release magnet 74: of the minor switch -S- at armature 78 a oint .is

closed in a, certain chain circuit, which will be described, and at armatnre79 the rotary magnet 73 ofthe rotary switch S is connect? ed over conductor 110 to the terminal 164 of the timing device- The terminal 1640f the timing device is being momentarilyhonnected to battery once every half secnd,*a's will .appear later, and consequently anotor magnet 73 operates to advance the wiper :95

W. me

one step every, half second. ,At the end of four seconds, the wiper 95 is advanced into engagement with the bank contact 96, whereupon the winding-of the relay 7 .0 isshort circuited. By this operation relay 71 and the meter magnet -100iareenergized. Upon opcrating, relay 71, at .armature 80, establishes a locking circuit for-itself exclusive'of the wiper 95, at armature 8l'cl'oses a new circuit for the meter 101, at this-same armature-closes the circuit of the slow acting relay :93,* a t armature 82 closes a circuit tor therelease magnet 74 of the minor switch "S at arma tu-re 84 closes a new point in the chain relay above mentioned to provide against the deenergization of relay 70. and at armature 85 transfers the circuit ozf-the'motor magnet73 of f-actthat it is short circu-ited, it will be made slow acting and maintain its armature attracted for a short interval after the short circuiting of its winding, long enough to :al-

low the minor switch S to be released. The

. operation of the meter 100 serves to register one call, The slow acting z re'lay 93, upon operating, at armature 87 opens a point in the circuit of relay 72, :and at the front contact of this armature prepares acircuit for the release magnet 74. As the motor'm agnet 7:3 .ofthe minor switch S is now connected to the. terminal 165 of the timing device, it will be operatedonceevery .50 seconds. Each time the magnet 7 3 operates it advances the Wiper 95 one step. At the end of 500 secon'ds, the wiper 95 will engage the bank con,-

tact '917, whereupon, if the connection is not terminated, the lamp L will :be lit. The operation of the lamp L 'serves to notify the attendant .at theexchange that the particular trunk having the equipment 'M has been in use for a prolonged period of time The at-. tendant may now examine this trunk to see if it is held duet-o some unnatural condition.

it will be remembered that the relay'7 1,

upon operating .closes a point in a certain chain circuit. This OlICllliZ' includes. contacts on other relays, such as relays '70 and 71, in other equipment such as M which are associated with the other trunks of the group. WVihen all the trunks otithe, group tee is caused to engage its working .contact.- .This armature and contact is included in engagement with the bank contact 196, the

meter magnet 100 would not be operated. However, whenathe connectionis released,- the relay :7 0 will be :deenerg-ized,*while the minor switch 5 will be on normal. The slow acting relay 7.2 is accordingly energized inseries with there'lease magnet '74, :and operatesv at its armature 86 to close the circuit of the -meter :88. Meter '88 operates once to register .that the trunk 'line has only been used doriashort period of time, less than-four seconds, while ma net 74 operates to restore the minor switch 1% to normal.

When the connectionis released, ground is removed 'from theltest .contacti39- with which the test'wviaper 3.6 :of the selector E is inengagemenhand these'lector E is released'in the usual :manner. i Whenground'is removed from the release trunk conductor 11, there lay 71 inthe metering equipment M" is deenergized. y the deenergli'zation' of relay 71, the circuit oi' the' slow aotingrelay 93 is opened. Atter the .deenergizationott relay 71 an'd'jbefore the deenergization' of relay 93, :a 'circuit is completed :for the release mag" net 74 over the path extending from ground by way of front contact and armature 87, armature 83 and its back contact, back contact and armature 77, off normal spring 75 and its working contact, and through the Winding of the release magnet 74 to battery. Accordingly, the minor switch S is released. Another result of the deenergization of relay 71 is that the circuit of the timing meter 101 is opened at armature 81. The operation of the other contacts on the relay 71 serve merely torestore certain circuits to normal.

Having described the operation of the metering device when the equipment M is used, its operation when only the equipment M is used will now be described. In this case, all the terminals 5054, inclusive, will be connected together. Now, when ground is placed upon the release trunk conductor 11 at the time the trunk is seized, the meter magnet 100 is immediately operated to register one connection, and the timing meter 101 immediately starts to operate. The current flowing through the resistance 60, of course, causes the milli-ammeter A to register another connection. lVhen the connection is released the selector E is restored to normal and the equipment M ceases functioning.

The operation of the timing device shown in Fig. 2 will now be described. The device P consists of a constantly operating pendulum 150, which is controlled by the relay 151. Its operation is as follows: l Vhen the pendulum swings to the left, it closes the springs 150 and 156', whereupon a circuit is completed for the relay 151. Upon energizing, relay 151 attracts its armature 155, as the tension is taken 011' spring 156, this spring operates and causes the pendulum spring 150 to be forced to the left, thereby moving the pendulum to the right. Vhen the pendulum swings to the right, it opens the circuit of the relay 151, which deenergizes, causing the spring 156 to assume its normal position. The same operation is then repeated. An additional result of the energization of the relay 151 is that at armature 152 battery is connected to the conductor 157, which extends through the stepping magnet 167 of the rotary switch C to ground. The weight on the pendulum 150 is so adjusted that the relay 151 is energized once every half second. The terminal 164 of the timing device thus has battery placed upon it once every half second. The stepping magnet 167 is operated once every half second and serves to advance the switch wipers 175-178, inclusive, one step every half second. In the contact banks adapted to be engaged by wipers 175 and 176, the contacts are tied together alternately. In the bank adapted to be engaged by wiper 17 5, the first, third, and other odd contacts are connected together and'to the terminal 163. In the contact bank adapted to be engaged by wiper 176, the second, fourth, and other even contacts are connected to the terminal 163. The wipers 175 and 176 are set opposite each other so that when the wiper 175 engages the first bank contact, the wiper 176 leaves the twentyfifth bank contact. By this arrangement the conductor leading to the terminal 163 is connected to battery once every two steps of the wipers 175 and 176. In the contact bank adapted to be engaged by wiper 177, every fifth contact is connected together and thence to the terminal 162. Thus, the terminal 162 is connected to battery once every two and one half seconds. Only one contact in the bank adapted to be engaged by wiper 178 is connected to the terminal 160. Another contact is connected to the terminal 161. Thus, the terminals 160 and 161 are connected to battery once every twenty-five seconds, that is, each fifty steps of the wiper 178. The

space between the battery impulses at the terminals 160 and 161 is determined by the space between the bank contacts to which these terminals are connected in the bank adapted to be engaged by wiper 178. In addition, the wiper 178 in engaging its twenty-fifth bank contact, closes the circuit of the stepping magnet 168 of the minor switch S. Magnet 168 operates to advance the wipers 180 and 181 one step every twentyfive seconds. As alternate contacts in the bank of wiper 180 are connected together and to the terminal 165, this terminal is connected to battery once every fifty seconds. When the wipers 180 and 181 reach their tenth position, the next time the wiper 178 engages its twentieth bank contact, the slow acting relay 170 is energized. Relay 170 operates to close the circuit of the release magnet 169. Magnet 169 operates to restore the minor switch S to normal, whereupon the same operation is repeated. In this manner battery is connected to the terminal 164 every one half second, to the terminal 163 every second, to the terminal 162 every two and one-half seconds, to the terminals 160 and 161 every twenty-five seconds, and to the terminal 165 every fifty seconds, whereby the traffic recording devices are controlled as has been described. Terminals 160, 161 and 162 are provided to make it possible to change the rate of operation of time controlled mechanisms of the recording equipment. These terminals may also be utilized in operating other apparatus at the exchange requiring a different rate of operation than could be obtained by connecting with any of'the terminals 163, 164, or 165.

What is claimed is: Y

1. In combination, an impulse conductor, a battery, a rotary switch having a plurality of wipers connected to said conductor, a set of bank contacts accessible to each wiper, means for connecting said conductor to said battery periodically, a plurality of terminals,

means controlled over said impulse conductor for operating said switch, and circuit connections between said bank contacts and terminals whereby each of said terminals is connected to battery at different periodic intervals.

2. In combination, an impulsing conductor, automatic means for sending timed impulses over said conductor, a rotary switch having a plurality of wipers and sets of bank contacts, a plurality of terminals wired to different contacts of said sets, and means controlled by said impulses for operating said switch to connect said conductor with each of said terminals at different periodic intervals.

3. In combination, an impulsing conductor, automatic means for sending periodic timed impulses over said conductor, a rotary switch having a plurality of wipers and sets of bank contacts, a plurality of terminals one of which is connected direct to said conductor while the others are each, connected to different contacts of said sets, and means con-j trolled over said conductor for operating said switch to connect said conductor with each of said other terminals at different periodic intervals.

4. In combination, an impulsing conductor, automatic means for sending periodic timed impulses over said conductor, a rotary switch having a plurality of wipers and sets of bank contacts, a plurality of timing conductors one of which is directly connected to said impulse conductor while the others are connected to said bank contacts, and means controlled by said impulses for operating said switch to connect said impuse conductor with said timing conductors at periocic intervals diflerent from the intervals on said impulse conductor and different from each other.

5. In combination, a battery, an impulsing conductor, a plurality of terminals one of which is directly connected to said conductor, a rotary switch with a plurality of wipers and corresponding sets of bank contacts, different contacts of the said sets being wired to the other of said terminals, respectively, means for periodically connecting said battery to said conductor, and means controlled over said conductor for operating said switch for connecting said conductor to each of the other of said terminals at different periodic intervals.

6. In combination, a conductor, means for connecting a source of current to said conductor periodically, a step by step switch controlled over said conductor, two ter minals, a wiper on said switch connected to said conductor, bank contacts associated with said wiper, multiple connections from certain of said bank contacts to one of said terminals, another wiper and associated bank contacts, said other wiper being also connected to said conductor, and multiple connections said terminals:

ifrom nonmorresponding contacts of the sec 'ond "se'ries jof-bank contacts to theother'of In combinatiomwa conductor, means for connecting a source of current to said conductor periodically, a step by-step switch controlled over said condu'ctor, a secondswitch controlled by'said first switch, two

I terminals,-;a circuitincluding a wiper of the first switch only for connecting said conductor with one of saidterminals, and a second circuit including wipersofboth switches for connecting said conductor with the other of said terminals. l a

' 8. In combination, a conductor, means for;

connecting a source of current to said conductor periodically, a step-by-step switch controlled over said conductor, a second switch controlled by said first switch,-two

terminals, a circuit including a wiper ofthe first switch only for connecting said conductor. with one of said terminals at-interval s, and v a second circuit including the wipers of bothswitche's for connecting-said conductor withthe other ofsaid terminals at longer intervals. p

9. In combination, a primary impulse conductor, automatic means for sending periodic timed impulses over said conductor,

a rotary switch having a plurality of wipers A and sets of bank contact s,=a plurality of secondary impulse conductors, one of said 1 secondary conductors being connected to said "impulseconductor" and said wipers, means con-trolled over saidprlmary impulses conductor for operating said switch, and-eonne'ctions between the otherof said secondary impulse conductors and said bank con-tacts, whereby the se ond or secondary impulse conductors receives periodic timed impulses which have twice the interval of time between impulses as said first secondary im pulse conductor and the remaining of said secondary impulse conductors receive periodic timed impulses which vary in accord-;

ance with the number of multiple connections in said sets of bank contacts.

10. In combination, a conductor, an impulse transmitting device for connecting a source of current to said conductor periodi-f cally, a step-by-step switch controlled over said conductor, a wiper on said switch connected to said conductor, bank contacts associated with said wiper, and two terminals, 7

one of said terminals being connected with said conductor and the other of said te r minals being connectedto certain ofsaid bank contacts, whereby said other terminal is connected to said. conductor at-certam intervals during the operation of said switch;

11. The combination, with a source of pulsating current of a particular frequency, of l a device for producing impulses of a different frequency, said device comprlsing an automatic sw tch, a stepping magnet for sa d switch connected to the source of pulsating current, a wiper for said switch also connected to said source of pulsating current, bank contacts engaged by said wiper, and a conductor over which the pulses of said different frequency are to be delivered which is connected to a plurality of said bank contacts, the number of bank contacts to which said conductor is connected depending on the i 10 'fiquency desired.

' 12. In an impulse generating device, a conductor, means for periodically connecting a source of current to said conductor, a step-by-step switch controlled over said conductor, two Wipers for the switch each connected to said conductor, sets of bank contacts accessible to said wipers, a terminal, multiple connections from alternate contacts of the first bank to said terminal, and multiple connections from non-corresponding alternate contacts of the second bankto said terminal.

13. In an impulse genera-ting device, a conductor, means for periodically connecting a source of current to said conductor, a stepby-step switch controlled over said conductor, four wipers for the switch, four sets of bank contacts accessible to said wipers, terminals, multiple connections from odd contacts of the first bank to the first terminal, multiple connections from the even contacts of the second bank to said first terminal, multiple connections from every fifth contact of the third bank to the second terminal, and 16 multiple connections from a single contact of the fourth bank to the third terminal.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 31st day of March, 1925.

MICHAEL SCHWARTZ.

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