US2045971A - Switching mechanism - Google Patents

Description

June 30, 1936- s. J. s'rocKFLETH SWITCHING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l June 30, 1936 s. J. sTocKFLETH SWITCHING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /A/l/ENTOR BVSQJ. STOCKF/ ETH ATTO NEV June 30, 1936. s. J. sTocKFLETH SWTCHING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 /NVE/VTOR BVSJ. STOCKFLETH AT ORA/EV June 30, 1936- s. J. sTocKFLETl-l y 2,045,971

swI'TcHING MECHANISM Patented June 30, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT F F ICE.

SWITCHING MECHANISM York Application September 6, 1935, SerialA No. 39,431

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvementsin switching mechanisms and particularly to switches of the cross-bar type for use in establishing connections in a telephone system.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved and simplified switch structure of this type particularly in regard to the contact making arrangements.

Cross-bar switches of the types on which the present invention is an improvement are well known in the art and consist essentially of a number of sets of Contact strips arranged in horizontal rows with corresponding intersecting setsarranged in vertical rows and with one set of each kind adjacent intersecting points of said rows and means including one. group of operating members intersecting another groupof such members controlled by magnets. Connections may be estab lished between two sets of contact strips at any intersecting point by the rotation of one correspendingA intersecting member of each group.

Cross-bar switches of this type have also been provided where the number of intersecting members of one group', for example, horizontally located bars, is half that of the intersecting members of the other group or vertically locatedV bars. In this case the rotation of a bar of the smaller group in either of two directions controlsthe selection of one or another horizontal row` of contact strips for operation by a single movement of a bar in the larger group. Cross-bar switches of these types have also been provided in which the sets of contact strips have been doubled atI the intersecting points to double the capacity of the switch, but for these switches outside means is provided for selecting one or the other of two sets of connections made at an intersecting point by the switch.

It is in connection with these types of switches in the prior art that the present inventionhas been disclosed although it should be understood that the improvements forming the subject-matter of the present invention are applicable to other types of switches without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A feature of the applicants inventionv isan arrangement of. contact strips and operating bars whereby the operation of a horizontal bar and either one of a pair of vertical bars, causes..v the establishing of any one ofA four different connections between horizontal and vertical strips at a common intersecting point of said: strips..

Another feature is the arrangement ofthe horizontal bars for rotation in opposite directionsland thearrangement. of the. vertical barsso thatv one (Cl.v 179-2754) bar of eachpair is rotatablein` one-direction and the other is rotatable in theK opposite direction for the establishing of any ofthe four different connectionsat the common intersecting point of a horizontal` bar and a pair of vertical bars.

The horizontal rows of Contact str-ips may represent linesand the vertical; strips-trunks. With this assumption the operation of a horizontal bar in one' direction andthe operation of either one of a pair of- Verticall bars. will establish connections between eithery a rst line and rst trunk or a second line-and a rst.trunk,.and, if the horizontal bar is rotated in the opposite direction and. either one of a pair of vertical.barsisrotated, connections will be established' between either the first line and the second. trunk or the.v second line and the secondi trunk.

Thus.it.ispossible with thisarrangementof bars and contact strips` to. concentrate' thev strips in morecompact unitsor common'. intersectingpioints containing contacts of two. lines and twol trunks andzyet by a single operation` of two intersecting bars secure the samechoices of' connections as in former. structures in the prior art4 in:v which the contacts of two lines" and two: trunks were combined at each intersecting point but in which: the aid of outside control. means was necessary to choose between either of two connections estab'- lished at the intersecting, point by the operation of a horizontal and a verticalbar.

The invention has beenfillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig L isa front View off a cross-barcswtch` embodying.y the features of this'invention'.

Fig. 2 is a left-hand. side view of the switch shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3v isa vertical cross-section of the switch taken on line 3-3 ofFg. I and: omitting the'horizontal bars.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top view ofthe switch shown in Fig. 1:.

Fig. 5- isa fragmentary cross-sect-ion of a vertical assembly unit taken on 1ine-5--5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective-view of the switchV showing portions of a horizontal and a Vertical bar, the operating magnets therefor and the arrangement of the contact strips controlled by saidy bars in accordance with this invention.

Fig. '7 shows inI diagrammatic from. the a-r.- rangement of the contact strips: at one crossconnecting point and indicatingv the directions of movement of these4 contactsA when operated.

Fig. Sis a diagrammatic representation'v ofik four lines and two trunks at two cross-connecting points and; the circuit connections therefor..

Referring now to the drawings, the invention has been illustrated in connection with a switch structure of the same general type as the one disclosed in the Patent 2,012,329 of November 19, 1935 to J. R. Reynolds. In general the switch comprises a frame consisting of two horizontal U-shaped upper and lower frame members I8 and II and two L-shaped Vertical frame members I2 and I3. Between the horizontal frame members Ill and II are mounted Vertical assembly units I8. Each of these units comprises two vertical left-hand and right-hand plates I'I and I8. Plate I'I is connected to frame member II by means of a lug I9 and a screw to the member II. The plate I8 is similarly attached to frame member I 8. Between plates I'I and I8 are mounted the Various contact strips to be operated upon at five diierent cross-connecting points in four different ways at each cross-point as will be hereinafter described. In Fig. l, two of the cross-points are exposed by the removal of portions at the second and third horizontal bars to show front views of the strips at these points.A Between the plates Il and I8 at the rear thereof are mounted ve rows of horizontal contact strips. Each row contains the horizontal strips of three conductors each of a pair of lines. The conductors of a pair of these lines have been designated in Figs. 3 to 8 with the num-eral LI and 2IL2. In the sam'e mounting at the rear is also located the vertical contact strips of one trunk marked in Figs. 3 to 8 22TI. All of these strips extend toward the front of the unit. The horizontal rows being individual lines, while the trunk is connected through from one row to another as shown in Fig. 3. At the front of the plates and attached to plate Il by means of bolts and insulated plates indicated by the numeral 25 are the spaced Vertical contact strips of a second trunk indicated in Figs. 3 to 8 by the numeral 25'12. These bolts and plates 25 are connected as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to plate Il at lugs 21. Thus the present switch shows a capacity of ten lines in five horizontal rows with two lines in each row and represented at Ve cross-points in the row, and a capacity of ten trunks in ive vertical rows with two trunks in each row.

On plate Il there is mounted an operating magnet 38 secured to an angular projection 3l on the plate I'I by means of a nut 32. On the plate Il is also mounted a vertical bar 33, of an L- shaped cross-section and integral therewith is an armature 34 in position to be attracted by the magnet 35 to rotate the bar I'I. The bar Il is mounted to rock on an edge of plate Il as shown in Fig. 5, and the bar 33 is held in place by means of a screw 35 secured to the plate Il and engaging the center portion of a straight wire spring 35, the ends of which are held by screws 3l in lugs on plate II. A spring member 38 is secured on the back of plate Il and engages through stud l on one side of the L-:shaped vertical bar 33 to hold it in normal or non-operated position. This spring 38 also serves as one of the off-normal springs to engage with other off-normal springs 42 and 43. These Springs operate when the bar 33 is rotated. On the plate i8 is mounted corresponding operating members such as the Vertical bar 45 with its armature 45 and operating coil 4l with a spring 48 engaging other off-normal springs E9 and 5I), the spring 58 serving to hold the Vertical bar 45 in normal position through the medium of a stud 5I. The Vertical bar 45 is held in the same manner as the Vertical bar 33 to the plate I8 by springs and screws corresponding to spring 35 and screws 35 and 3l.

The horizontal bars 52 are mounted in front of the vertical bars on bracket 53 secured to the vertical L-shaped side members I?. and I3 of the frame. Bearing screws 55 secured in the brackets 53 extend through bearing sleeves 55 secured to the ends of the horizontal bars 52 for the rotation of the bars. The upper horizontal bar 52, referring to Fig. l, has its butterfly armature 55 at its left-hand end, while the remaining bars have their armatures at alternately opposite ends, that is, the second bar from the top has its armature on the right hand, the third bar has its armature on the left hand, etc. The butterfly armature 56 extends upwardly and downwardly from the bar 52 in front of the cores of upper and lower magnets 5l and 53, respectively, to cause the horizontal bar to be rotated in a clockwise direction by the magnet 5l and in a counterclockwise direction by the magnet 55. Each bar 52 is therefore controlled by two magnets. These magnets are mounted in pairs on the inwardly projecting sides of the L-shaped vertical frame `members I2 and I3 by means of extensions of the cores entering holes in the sides of said members and nuts 58 screwed on to said extensions. The L-shaped frame members I2 and i3 therefore form suitable return pole-pieces for the magnets. The armature 55 has a projection or member 62 bent practically at right angles to the armature towards the rear of the structure outside of the frame members I2 and I3. To the member 52 is secured an outwardly projecting stud 53 which extends between the snubbing springs 55 for the purpose of quickly restoring the horizontal bar 62 to normal position. The off-normal spring pile-ups 55 mounted on the bracket 53 are located in two groups opposite the snubbing springs and are controlled by the rotation of the 'bar 52 to be operated through studs 5l to close various connections as the bar 52 is operated in one direction or the other.

The operation of the switch and the arrangement of the contact strips will now be described. Connections may be established between the individual strips in either of the two sets QILI or 22112 in the rst horizontal row of contact strips and the individual strips of either of the two sets of corresponding Vertical contact strips ZZTI or 25T2 in the rst left-hand assembly unit looking at Fig. 1. Similarly connections may be made between either of the two lines in any horizontal row and either of the two trunks in any vertical assembly unit. These connections may be established by the operation of a corresponding horizontal bar in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction and either of the two corresponding vertical bars in a vertical assembly unit at the point where these horizontal and vertical bars cross. The general operations of the switch may best be described in connection with Figs. 6, 'Z and 8. Fig. 6 shows a portion of a horizontal bar 52, a portion of two associated Vertical bars and 45 and portions of the contact strips at the intersecting cross-point which is sufficient to clearly understand the method of operation, while the Figs. 7 and 8 aid in understanding the circuit connections. If, for example, a connection is desired between the strips of line 2811i and trunk spring 69 and across the U-shaped portion 'I0 75 `thereof. Then the vertical bar 33 is rotated in a clockwise direction by the energization of the vertical magnet 30. The rotation of the vertical bar 33 causes the member 1I attached thereto to press the selecting linger 68 against the spring 69.. As this spring is in line with the insulation member 12 which. is attached to all of the strips of line 20LI, it will move this member towards the rightv and thus cause the strips of line 20L! to make contact, respectively, with the corresponding stationary trunk strips 26T2. Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate how three conductors of line 20L| will be connected with the corresponding three conductors of trunk 26T2 by the movement of the line strips towards the right as indicated by the arrow A. If a connection is desired between line 2 IL2 and trunk 26T2 the horizontal bar 52 will be operated in a counter-clockwise direction as before by the energization of magnet 58, this will place the selecting linger 14 of bar 52 in position in front of the special spring 15 and across the U-shaped portion 1E thereof. Then the vertical bar 45 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by the energization of the vertical magnet 41. The rotation of the vertical bar causes the member 11 connected to the vertical bar to press the selecting finger 14 against the spring 15, thus in turn causes the insulation member 18, connected to the strips of line 2 IL2, to move towards the left l to make these strips of line 2IL2 make contact,

respectively, with the corresponding vertical stationary strips of trunk 26T2. This movement is illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8 by the arrow B. If a connection is desired between line 20L! and EZTI, the horizontal bar 52 is operated in a clockwise direction to cause finger 68 to be placed in position in front of a special spring (not shown) but identical with spring B9 and located below the spring 69 and across a U-shaped portion of this spring. Then the vertical bar 33 is rotated in a clockwise direction by the energization of the vertical magnet 30. The rotation of this vertical bar causes the member 1| to press the obstruction nger against the special spring (not shown) which then causes the insulation member 89, (shown in Figs. l, 4, and 5) connected to the vertical trips of trunk 22TI, to move towards the right to make contact respectively with corresponding horizontal strips of line 2|LI. This movement is illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8 by the arrow C. If a connection is desired between line 2lL2 and trunk 22Tl, the horizontal bar 52 will be operated in a clockwise direction by the horizontal magnet 51 to place the selecting linger 14 in front of the spring 82 and across the U-shaped portion 83 thereof. Then the vertical bar 45 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by the operation of the vertical magnet 41. The rotation of the vertical bar 45 causes the member 11 connected thereto to press the selecting linger 14 against spring 82. This in turn causes the insulation member 85 connected to the corresponding horizontal strips of trunk 22T! to make these strips contact with corresponding horizontal strips of line 22L2. This movement is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 by the arrow D. Thus it will be noted that by the rotation of the horizontal bar 52 in either of two directions and by the rotation of either of the two vertical bars 33 and 45, four different types of connections may be established at the common cross-point of said bars. After a vertical bar has been operated, it will maintain the corresponding selecting finger in the engaged position and the horizontal bar 52 may be returned to its normal position. The return oi' the horizontal bar will place the' remaining selecting iingers of this bar in a neutral position and this bar may now be used to initiate connections at other points. It is therefore evident that a concentration of contact strips may 3'.

be made at only five cross-connecting points for each set of two vertical bars of five assembly units in each of five horizontal rows, to wit, at a total of twenty-live cross-points in the switch. It should, of course, be understood that any other number of vertical bars and corresponding number of horizontal bars may be employed for large capacity switches without departing from the spirit of the invention and Without changing any of the features involved in this invention. To release an established connection at a crosspoint al1 that is required is. the release of the actuated magnet 3B or 41 to return the associated verticalbar 33 or 45 to normal position. Fig. 8 shows the circuit connections for lines 20Ll and 2lL2 at one cross-point to trunks 22T! and 25'12 and for lines 90LI and 9|L2 at another crosspoint to trunks 22T! and 26T2, the various arrows indicating the movements of the various strips to establish these connections.

While the invention has been disclosed in connection with but a single form of switch, it should be understood that the various features thereof could readily be applied to other 'forms of switch structures without departing from the spirit thereof and that the present disclosure is illustrative of only a single embodiment of the invention. f

What is claimed is: y

' 1. In a cross-bar switch, horizontal and vertical rows of intersecting contact strips, horizontal and vertical bars, and means effective by the operation of a horizontal bar and either oi a pair of vertical bars for establishing either one of four different connections between horizontal and vertical strips at a common intersecting point of said strips.

2. In a cross-bar switch, horizontal and vertical rows of intersecting contact strips, horizontal and vertical bars, and means effective by the rotation of one horizontal bar in either direction and the rotation of either one of a pair of vertical bars in one direction only for establishing either one of four different connections between horizontal and vertical strips at a common intersecting point of said strips.

3. In a cross-bar switch, horizontal and vertical rows of intersecting contact strips, horizontal bars, means for rotating said bars in either direction, vertical bars arranged in pairs, means for rotating one bar in each pair in one direction and the other bar in the opposite direction, and means effective by the rotation of one horizontal bar in either direction and the rotation of either of the two bars of a vertical pair for establishing any one of four diierent connections between horizontal and vertical strips at a common intersecting point of said strips.

4. In a cross-bar switch, horizontal and vertical rows of intersecting contact strips, the horizontal strips representing terminals of lines and the vertical strips representing terminals of trunks, said strips being arranged at each intersecting point so that connections may be made at each intersecting point between a iirst line and a first or second trunk, or between a second line and a first or second trunk, horizontal and vertical intersecting bars, means for operatingv said bars, and means responsive to the operation of one horizontal and either one of the vertical adjacent, bars for' establishing any one of said four kinds of connections at the intersecting points of the operated bars. Y

5. In a cross-bar switch, horizontal and vertical operating bars, horizontal and vertical rows of intersecting contact Astrips arranged so that two adjacent rows of horizontal strips and two adjacent rows of vertical strips have their contacts arranged in a single group at each of the intersecting points of said four rows of strips, and means effective by the operation of .a horizontal bar and either of a pair'of Vertical bars for establishing connections between contacts of a single group in either of four different combination of contacts, each combination constituting contacts of a horizontal row of strips and contacts of a Vertical row of strips in said group.

6. In a cross-bar switch, horizontal and vertical rows of intersecting contact strips, the horizontal strips representing terminals of lines and the vertical strips representing terminals of trunks, said strips being arranged at each intersecting point in four groups, one group comprising strips of a rst line and a first trunk, a second group comprising a second line and a irst trunk, a third group comprising a first line and a second trunk, and a fourth group comprising a second line and a second trunk, horizontal and Vertical intersecting bars, and means effective by the operation of one horizontal bar and either of two adjacent vertical bars for establishing connections between contact strips representing a line and a trunk at the corresponding intersecting point of said bars at any one of the four groups.

7. In a cross-bar switch, horizontal and vertical rows of intersecting contact strips, the .horizontal strips representing terminals of lines, the Vertical strips representing terminals of trunks, said strips being arranged at each intersecting point in four groups, one groupcomprising strips of a first line and a rst trunk, a second group comprising a second line and first trunk, a third group comprising a rst line and a second trunk, and a fourth group comprising a second line and a second trunk, horizontal bars and means for rotating said bars in either direction, vertical bars arranged in pairs, and intersecting said horizontal bars, means for rotating one bar in each pair of vertical bars in one direction and the other bar in the opposite direction, and means for establishing connections at either a rst group between a first line and a iirst trunk by the rotation of a horizontal bar in one direction and the rotation of a Vertical bar 'of a pair or at a second group between a second line and a rst trunk by the rotation of the same horizontal bar in the same direction and the rotation lof the other vertical bar of the pair, or at a third group between a first line and a second trunk by the rotation of the horizontal bar in the opposite direction and the rotation of the iirst-mentioned vertical bar, or at a fourth group between a second line and a second trunk by the rotation of the horizontal bar in the last-mentioned direction and the rotation of the second-mentioned Vertical bar.

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