US2177609A - Selective remote control system - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 24, 1,939. H. B. l'aoosE snLEcTIvsREMoT CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Nov. 4,l 193s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I i mw m .2. NN w JL\ .Polk-ZOU KOPUMJNW a mme-Dls- 24, 1939. H. B. BoosE 4 SELECTIVE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Nov. 4, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y e LS mm. s w. no k E@ W 16% wo may l. m5. vf mm. Nw.. Q Ml a @me o o m@ Q mw ,H/ o R. ww Nw mw wm @V www Sm. ww .ww www m ww. ..V||.\. baoxuodw, www. wm N (EQ mwwwl zsld moroum. @z wuu SM mmlzorhvw 20 is transmitted. I also provide means for restorcated diagrammatically by a rectangle I2 and the 20 45 tion associated therewith, while the discs at the A Wiper 20 Carried 0n the Shaft 2| iS adapted t0 45 .50 The invention may readily be understood from The shaft 2| may conveniently be that of a 50 Patented Oct. 24, 1939 Y* I UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE SELECTIVE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM Harry B. Boose, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application November 4, 1936, Serial No. 109,117 20 Claims. (Cl. 178-23) This invention relates to a system for selecting circuit diagram, the elements of apparatus assoone of a plurality of remote devices and placing it ciated therewith being shown diagrammatically;

in condition for operation. The invention is par- Figure 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the ticularly applicable to and will be describedy with apparatus shown in Figure 1A taken along the 5 reference to tele-typewriter communication sysline II-II thereof; 5

tems, although it will be apparent that it has Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of the apnumerous other applications as well. paratus shown in Figure 1A.

It is frequently desirable to transmit communi- Referring now in detail to the drawings, Figure cations from a central or master station to one of 1A shows an impulse transmitter I0 associated l a number of distant stations when there is no with the sending station designated in general as l0 operator present at the latter. This invention Station A. One of these transmitters may be provides means for selecting the desired station located at each of the several stations indicated from a group and placing its tele-typewriter in in the drawings, B, C, D, E and F, dependent on condition for operation, without the presence of Whether or not it is desirable to be able to transl an attendant. The invention also provides a remit communications from all stations as well as 15 turn signal to the transmittingV station whereby receive them thereat. Generally this will be the the operator thereat is assured that the telecase. Figure 1B shows in detail a selector II typewriter at the distant station is in' condition which apparatus is duplicated at each of the sevfor receiving a communication, before the latter eral stations. The selector of station A is indiing the distant station to normal condition at the impulse transmitter at station B is similarly repcompletion of the message and returning a furresented by a rectangle I3. The apparatus at ther acknowledgment thereof to the sending sta- Stations C, D, E and Fis represented by a Single tion, and for preventing tele-typewriters at starectangle for each, as indicated by legends.

tions other than that selected from being placed A circuit I4 connects the several stations in 25 in operation during thetransmission of a comseries, the selector and impulse transmitter at munication, thus insuring secrecy. each station being connected as shown in Figures I am aware that remote control systems of var- 1A and 1B. The circuit I4 is normally closed and lous kinds have heretofore been provided with current flows therethrough from source I5 at any answer-back signals. My invention, however, convenient location. The circuit I4 is ,preferably 30 provides a system of this kind which is simpler established over existing telephone systems with and more positive than those used heretofore and which the tele-typewriters at the various stations is considerably easier to maintain. are associated. The connection and operation of In accordance with the invention, I provide the latter are well known and form no part of the means for transmitting timed impulses from the present invention so they are not shown, but it is 35' sending station. The initiation of the impulse to be understood that they are connected in series transmitting operation causes rotatable discs at in the circuit I4 in the usual manner: each of the stations on the circuit to turn. The discs of the several stations have differently ar- The "npulse transmitter ranged notches therein. The impulse transmit- Referring now particularly t0 Figure 1A, the ting device is constructed to transmit impulses impulse transmitter I0 comprises principally an timed according to the location of the notches annulu l5 0f insulating material provided With on the discs at the several stations. A given comtapped holes I1 for receiving contacts I8 and I9 at bination of impulses picks out the particular stavarious points about the circumference thereof.

other stations return to starting position. Other engage the COIltaCS I3 and |9- A linger 22 fixed automatic operations at the selected station cause on the annulus I6 makes contact with the wiper the tele-typewriter thereat to be placed in re- 20 as best shown in Figure 2, Which also ShOWS ceiving condition. that the wiper 20 is insulated from the shaft 2|.

the following detailed description which is to be telephOne dialing device modied somewhat for read in connection with the accompanying drawthe particular service to be described. It is PrO- ings illustrating a present preferred embodiment vided with the usual return spring, governor, etc. thereof, 1n the drawings; Instead of using a finger' plate to turn the shaft 5s, Figures 1A and 1B taken together constitute a 2|. I employ a key-lever 23 bearing 0n a yoke 23. 55

'I'he yoke 23' has a cable 24 wound about a sheave 25 on the shaft 2 I. A key 23 is provided foreach station in the group, the keys being marked as j A detent 28 common to all the contacts 26, 26

etc., holds the contact' closed once it has been operated until the yoke 237 returns to theV illustrated position in\which a projection 29 .on the sheave 25 operates a link 3 8 to retract the detent 28 and release the contact 26.

The operation of any one` of the keys 23A, 23B etc., therefore shifts kthe wiper 29 to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 1A. It also closes the contact 26 which is associated with the particular key. The contact 26 connects to the line circuit the contacts I8 and |9 associated with the station corresponding to the key 23 which is depressed.

As shown in Figure lA. the line circuit I4 is connected to the finger 22 and a contact 3| engaged by the wiper 20 in its dotted line position. The finger 22 and the contact 3| are normally shunted by a transmitter shunting contact 32. The contact 32 is normally held in closed position by a ringer 33 on the shaft 2| and a detent 34. When the shaft 2| is operated by depressing one of the keys 23, the finger 33 moves to gythe dotted line position and trips the detentr 34 .be clear from the description given above.

to release the contact 32 and permit itfto open.

The construction of the parts-issuchethairthe" The selector The selector comprises a disc 35 having notches 36, 31 and 38 in its periphery. A motor 39 is provided for driving the disc at a predetermined speed. The notches in the disc cooperate witlrga detent 40 carried on a oating lever 4| controlled by a solenoid 42 connected in sexies with the circuit I4. The motor 39 is controlled by a mercury switch 43 actuated by a link 44 connected to the lever 4I. The end of the lever 4| remote from the solenoid 42 cooperates with a lock-out detent 45. Contacts 46 mounted adjacent the disc 35 are adapted to be closed when the upper 'is depressed by the detent 49 and when the lower one is simultaneously raised by one or the other of a pair of cam blocks 41` and 48 carried on the disc 35. The cam blocks are located on the disc in positions corresponding tok those of contacts I8 and I9 associated with the station in which it is installed.

'Ihe general plan of operation will doubtless In any event, the principle of the invention ,is to transmit timed impulses from the sending station, and simultaneously to set control discs into rotation at the several stations. The timing of the impulses will correspond to the successive elevations of the lower contact '46 at one of the stations. This will cause the automatic operation of apparatus at that station as will shortly be desenbedln MT r .other/stationiert! normalA condition locked Vout and a: after one rotation of the discs 39. The remainder -ofthe `apparatus cooperating with selector II at the called station will bexplained in the course of the following description ofacycleofppera;

tions. v l v The operationof the system .The drawings'. illustrate the positons of the parts underY idle or normal conditions. The circuit |4 is ,closed Vand 1current flows from the source ltgvthroug'h the contacts 32 and the solei noid 42 at'feach' station. The circuit for the latter is completed through a contact 49 which is closed until the selector is locked out. If it is desired tosend acommunication from station A to stationB`,.the operator at station A will t When the key 23 is released the wiper 20 moves toward the solid 'line position. Wiper 20 interrupts the circuit I4 as it leaves contact 3|, and deenergizes the solenoids 42 at the several stations permitting the levers 4I to be raised by their restoring springs. From this point, the description of operation will be confined to station B unless otherwise noted but it will be understood that similar operations occur simultaneously at the other stations. i

The deenergization of the solenoid 42 tilts the mercury switch 43 counter-clockwise to close the circuit'for the motor 39, extending to a local supply source indicated at 50. The switch 43 is locked in closed position by a detent 5I pivoted at 52.

The motors 39 drive the disc 3 5 through a fric- Y.tioxnclutch (not shown). 'I'he detent 40 releases the disc 3.5.,at the notch 36 simultaneously with the tilting ofjtheswitch 43 as the result of upward movement of the lever 4I. 'Ihe motor 39 thereforecauses the disc to start rotatingimmediately. -The motor is suitably geared to provide a speed yofl rotation of the shaft 35 about equalto the angular speed 'of the wiper 29. Forward movement `of the disc and wiper thus occur at about the'same speed, as soon as the selecting key is released.

'Ihe block 41 on the disc`35 approaches the lower` contact 46 and raises it slightly as shown by dotted lines and at the same time the wiper 20 engages contact I8. The latter engagement recloses the circuit I4 to energize the solenoids 42. The latter then pulls the lever 4I down. At station B, the detent 40 enters the notch 31 in the disc 35 and depresses the upper contact 46 in the engagement with the lower one. At all stations other than station B, the detent 40 Will engage the periphery of the disc 35 apart from any of the notches thereon. Energizing of the solenoid 42 at such stations will cause the righthand end of the levers 4| to rise, the detent 40 bearing on the disc 35 serving as fulcrum. The lock-out detents at stations other than station B immediately function to hold the right-hand end of the levers 4| in raised position. The raising of the right-hand end of the levers 4| opens the contacts 49 Aat the several stations and closes contacts 53.v The opening of the contacts 49 disconnects thesolenoids 42 from the line circult I4. The latter is re-established at the contacts 53. l

The link 44 has a hook connection with the lever 4I so that movement of the latter after the initial raising thereof does not affect the switch 43. Rotation of the discs 35 at all stations is thus maintained. Since the solenoid 42 at stations other than station B are out of circuit, nothing furtherhappens at said stations until a pin 54 on the discs 35 at each station trips the detent 45. This permits the righthand end of the levers 4I to drop far enough so that when thel solenoids 42 are again energized, the detents 40 enter the notches 31 to stop the discs35. Simultaneously, pins 55 trip the detents 5I, permitting the switches 43 to be restored to their open position by re-setting springs.. This deenergizes the motors 39 and restores all parts to their original positions.

As previously stated, the contacts 46 at station B are closed when the solenoid 42 is energized by the completionl of the circuit I4, resulting from engagement of the wiper 20 with the contact I8. The closing of the contacts 46 energizes a magnet 56, current being supplied to the circuit from a transformer 51, the primary of which is connected to the source 53. Instead of the transformer, I may employ a copper oxide rectifier toprovide a local direct current source. Energization of the magnet 56 operates a detent 58 to advance a notching lever 59 having a toothed segment. A pawl 66 holds the lever in the position to which if is advanced. v

As the'wiper 2D moves away from the contact f8, the circuit I4 is again opened, and the solenoid 42 deenergizedl The rotation of the disc 35 and the' wiper 2i) continues until the latter engages contact I9 and at the same time, the notch 38 has advanced into radial alinement with the detent 40 and the block 48 has again raised the lower contact 46. The engagement of the wiper with the contact I9 closes the circuit of the solenoid 42 which pulls the left-hand end of the lever 4I down so that the detent 40 enters the notch 48 and forces the upper contact 46 again into engagement with' the lower. This again energizes the magnet 56 and the detent 58 advances the lever 59 clockwise to cause instantaneous engagement of contacts 6I. When the magnet 56 is deenergized, the contacts 6I are open.

As the wiper 20 departs from the contact I9, the line circuit is again opened and the solenoid 42 deenergized. Rotation of the disc' 35 continues until the pin 55 trips the detent -5I to open the switch 43 and stop the motor 39. At that instant, the finger 33 returns to the solid line position and recloses the contact 32 at station A. Since the lock-out detents 45 at stations other than station B are tripped as the discs reach their starting position, the'line circuit I4 is restored by the opening of contacts 53 and the closing of contacts 49. This energizes solenoids 42 at all stations, opening switches 43 and causing detents 40 to enter notches 36. The operation of the detent 5I also restores the lever 59 to its original position, a link 62 being connected to the detent 5I and the pawl 60.

The instantaneous closing of contacts 6I energizes a magnet 63 at station B. The energization of the magnet 63 trips a contact 64 which closes 'a circuit from a secondary of the transformer 51 to a motor 65. The motor 65 drives a generator 66, and both serve in the known manner to oper' 4ate-the teletypewriter at station B, in response to operations of the teletypewriter at station A, the

two instruments being connected by the usual circuits (not shown) As the voltage of generator 66 builds up, it energizes a winding oi a relay 61 having normally closed contacts 61A and 61B which are adapted to be opened when contacts 61C and 61D are actuated to closed position by' energization oi the relay winding. The winding of a relay 68 is connected in parallel with relay 61 through contacts 61B. The windings of relays 61 and 66 are thus energized simultaneously but the energizing circuit of relay 68 is broken by the opening of contacts 61B` The relays 61 and 68 are slow release relays so that the contacts thereof remain in operated position for a predetermined timeafter deenergization of their windings. The energization of the winding of relay 68 causes closing of its contact 68A. This connects the winding of a relay 69 across the generator 66 through its own contacts 69A. Energization of the relay $9 breaks its own energizing circuit at the contacts 69A which are thereby reclosed so Vthat the relay 63 operates as a vibrator so long as the contacts 68A of the relay 6i! are closed. The relay 69 is also of the slow release type and is adjustable as to the time delay between deenergization and resetting of the contacts. Each time the relay 69 is energized it closes its contact 69B which completes a circuit including a normally closed switch 10A, from the generator 66 to a magnet 10 having an armature 1I fixed on a shaft 12. The shaft also has a crank arm 13 provided with a link 14 engaging the lever of the teletypewriter key at station B, which when depressed will cause the simultaneous printing of the letter B at stations A and B through the usual connecting circuits established in the usual manner. The time delay characteristic of relay 69 is adjusted in conformity with the usual tele-typewriter operating speed.

The relay 68 is adjusted to release its contacts after a time sulicient to permit the printing of the letter B twice by successive energizations of the magnet 16. The contacts 33A are then opened and the windings of the relays 68 and 69- remain deenergized. The winding of the relay 61 remains energized, as it is permanently connected to the generator 66.

The solenoids 42 at all stations are energized by the impulses which are set up in circuit I4 in the normal operation of the teletypewriters.

This merely restarts the discs 35 and they are stopped again in the manner described. The discs thus start and stop repeatedly during the transmission of 4a communication but have no effect until the selecting impulses are set up in the line circuit.

The operations described so far place the teletypewriterr at station B in condition to receive a communication, and give a positive indication to that eiect by the transmission of the station letter back to station A. The operator at the latter station then knows he can proceed to transmit his communication. When the message has been transmitted, the operator at station A again presses the key 23 corresponding to station B. The impulse transmitter I Il and the disc 35 at station B are again operated as before, the discs 35 at stations other than station B being locked out as described. As the result, the contacts 6I at station B are instantaneously closed again. This time, the closure of contact 6I completes a circuit through contacts 61C of' relay 61 and a magnet 15. By means o'f a pivoted armature 16, the energization of magnet 15 causes instantaneous closing of contacts 11 which again energizes the magnet to give an indication to station A that the shutting down operation has taken place at station B. The movement of the arm 16 opens contacts 6l which are thereupon locked out by a detent 11, stopping the motor 65 and generator 66. Relay 6l is thereupon deenergized and its contacts restored to normal.

If an loperator at a station other than staftions A and B should place his teletypewriter in operative condition by starting his motor generator corresponding to that shown in 65, 65 by clcsing the manual switch customarily provided for that purpose, the relays 61, 68 and 69 at that station would be operated as described, and cause the transmission of an acknowledgment from that station which would interfere with the communication being transmitted from station A to station B. I provide means for preventing this occurrence, and also for making it impossible for fg@ an operator at a station other than the selected station to place his apparatus in operative condition so long as a communication is being transmitted.

The manual switch for starting the motor generator 65, 66 is shown at 80. This switch is normally open and is in parallel with the contact 64. The switch 80 is connected by a link 8| to the normally closed switch 10a. By this arrangement, if the operator at any stationattemptsto I the switch 80 at a non-selected station, so long as viously described occurs.

a communication is being transmitted. A magnet 83 is connected in series with a signal lamp 84 and a local current source 85, the circuit being controlled by the contact of a slow-release relay 86. The relay 86 is controlled by acontact 81 which is closed when the lockout operation pre- The relay 86 is set so that it will not release its contents in the interval between successive closures of the contact 81 resulting from the repeated locking-out operations occurring during the transmission of a communication.

The contacts 81 at all stations, therefore, remain closed throughout the transmission of a. communication, energizing the visual signal 8d and positively preventing the operators at nonselected stations from intercepting the message.

` To prevent tampering, the detent 82 and associated apparatus should be enclosed and may also be sealed.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that rthe invention provides means for selecting anyone of anumber of teletypewriter stations, and giving a definite signal indicating that the desired selection has been accomplished, before the transmission of the message to the desired station has commenced. The invention is also effective to shut down the apparatus at the selected station and give an acknowledgment signal showing that this has been done. The invention thus makes it possible forean operator to transmit communications to unattended stations with as much facility as if an operator were actually present at each station. It will be clear that while the invention has been described with reference to a teletypewriter system, other descope of the appended claims.

vices could be as readily controlled. The message transmitted will be received only by the station selected, as the teletypewritersv at the other stations will remain shut down.

Although I have illustrated and described herein but one preferred form of the invention, it will be recognized that changes in the specific embodiment disclosed may be made without. departing from the spirit of the invention or the I claim:

1. A selective control system including a plurality of stations, a connecting circuit therebetween, an impulse transmitter at one station connected to said circuit and selectors at the other stations, each selector .comprising a disc having peripheral notches therein, and a lever mounted for movement relative to the disc having a projection adapted to enter said notches, electromagnetic means connected in said-circuit for moving said lever relative to the disc in accordance with the impulses transmitted, a motor for driving said disc continuously., a control switch for the motor, and means whereby said electromagnetic means operates said switch and contacts adjacent said disc adapted to be closed by said lever when said projection enters one of said notches.

2 'hesselective control system dened 'by claim 1 characterized by lock-out means actuated by movement of one of said levers toward its disc at a time when the notches in the disc are spaced peripherally from said projection.

.3. The selective control system deiined by claim 1 characterized by lock-out means actuated by movement of one of said levers toward its disc at a time when the notches in the disc are spaced peripherally from said projection, and means for tripping the lock-out means when said disc has returned to starting position.

4. The selective control system defined by claim -l characterized by means responsive to the operation of said transmitter for starting said motors, and means actuated by saiddiscs returning to starting position for stopping said motors.

5. The selective control system defined by claim 1 characterized by means controlled by said contacts for causing operation of devices at said other stations.

6. A device for transmitting impulses over a line circuit comprising a wiper, a group of contacts adapted to be engaged successively thereby, a plurality of key levers, means whereby operation of any of said levers causes said wiper to traverse said contacts, and means, also controlled by operation of any one of said levers, to connect certain predetermined 'contacts of said group in series with said circuit.

'7. The device dened by claim 6 characterized by means actuated by return of any one of said levers to starting position for disconnecting said certain predetermined contacts from said circuit.

8. rIflie device defined by claim 6 characterized by contacts in said circuit normally shunting said transmitter, and means actuated by operation of any of said key levers for holding said contacts open until the operated key lever returns to normal.

9. The selective control system defined by claim l characterized by means at said other stations controlled by said contacts for starting a teletypewriter at each station and operating a key thereof. i

10. A system'for selectively operating one of a plurality of devices at a. distance comprising a disc associated with each device having a peripheral notch, a circuit extending from a control point to the location of said devices, means at the control station for opening and closing said circuit in a sequence identified with one of said devices, a motor forl driving each disc continuously at uniform speed, means responsive to the iirst occurrence in said sequence for starting each motor, contacts adjacent each disc, and means for closing the contacts adjacent the disc associated with the device with which the sequence is identified.

11. The apparatus defined by claim 10 characterized by means for locking out all said responsive means associated with said devices except that identied with said sequence.

12. The apparatus defined by claim 10 characterized by means at the control station whereby a desired sequence of opening and closing said circuit may be selected.

13. The apparatus defined by claim 10 characterized by means for stopping all said discs in starting position.

14. The apparatus dened by claim 10 characterized by said last mentioned means comprising a member movable to close said contacts only when said notch is in predetermined position.

15. The apparatus denedby claim 10 characterized by means for locking out all said responsive means associated with said devices eX- cept that identified with said sequence, including a lever movable toward the disc, and a lock-out detent for the lever operative when the lever moves toward the disc at a time when the notch therein is spaced from the lever.

16. The combination with a plurality of teletypewriters located at remote points, a selector at each of said points, and means including an impulse transmitter for actuating a particular selector, means adjacent each teletypewriter for placing it in operating condition, said means be-l ing controlled by the selector at the same point, manually operable means at each point for placing the teletypewriter thereat in operating condition, and means rendered eiectlve by the actuation of the selector at any point for locking out the manually operable means at said point.

17. The combination with a plurality of teletypewriters located at remote points, a selector at each of said points, andmeans including an impulse transmitter for actuating a particular selector, means adjacent each teletypewriter for placing it in operating condition, said means being controlled by the selector at the same point.

means operated when the teletypewriter has been placed in operating condition for depressing a key of the teletypewriter, thereby providing an indication of such condition, manually operable means at each point for placing the teletypewriter thereat in operating condition, and means actuated by said manually operable means for disabling said key-depressing means.

18. The combination with a plurality of printing telegraph devices adapted to be connected to a transmitting circuit, of means adjacent each device effective on transmission over said circuit of impulses identified with a particular device, to place said particular device in condition to ren ceive a message to be transmitted, an electromagnet and mechanism actuable thereby for depressing a key of the said particular device, and means for energizing said electromagnet when said particular device has been placed in condition to receive a message.

19. The combination with printing telegraph devices at two spaced stations connected by a circuit, of means at one station adapted to be controlled over said circuit from the other station, effective to place the device at the first mentioned station in condition to receive a message to be transmitted, means for causing the device at the first mentioned station to execute a transmitting operation when it has been placed in condition' for receiving, means at said rst mentioned station effective to shut down the device at the first mentioned station after causing it to transmit an acknowledgment signal, said last mentioned means being adapted to be controlled over said circuit when the device at the first mentioned station is in operating condition.

20. The combination with printing telegraph devices at two spaced stations connected by a circuit, of means at one station adapted to be controlled over said circuit from the other station, effective to place the device at the rst mentioned station in condition to receive a message to be transmitted, means for causing the device at the iirst mentioned station to transmit an acknowledgement signal when it has been placed in condition for receiving, means at said rst mentioned station effective to shut down the device at the iirst mentioned station after causing it to transmit said acknowledgement signal a plurality of times, said last mentioned means being adapted to be controlled over said circuit when the device at the iirst mentioned station is in operating condition.

HARRY B. BOOSE.

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