US2486712A

US2486712A - Relay distributing circuit

Info

Publication number: US2486712A
Application number: US730627A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry C Harrison
Original assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1947-02-24
Filing date: 1947-02-24
Publication date: 1949-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1966-11-01

Description

Nov. 1, 1949 c. HARRISON 2,486,712

RELAY DISTRIBUTING CIRCUIT Filed Feb. 24, 1947 9 a 7 5 \FIG./

FIG. 4

FIG. 5

INVENTOR H. C. MPH/SON A TTORNE Y A Patented Nov. 1, 1949 2,488,712 RELAY ms'rnmu'rme omcUrr Henry 0. Harrison, Port Washington, N. 2., asslgnor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y; a corporation of New York Application February 24, 1947, Serial No. 130.627

Claims. (01. 175-320) In accordance with the invention a reentrant chain of electromagnetic relays is provided wherein each relay has an energizing winding, an armature and contacting. members actuated by the armature when the latter is moved under control of its associated energizing winding. Magnetic means is provided for each relay which may be in the form of a pair of cooperating contact members, both of which are of magnetic material and at least one of which is a permanent magnet, for holding said members in contact closure after being so closed by said armature when said winding is energized and after said armature is released when the said winding is subsequently deenergized. Each armature is provided with a mechanical part which is adapted to engage and separate the members magnetically held closed on the immediately preceding relay when the said armature is actuated. The ener gizing circuit for any one winding is completed in part by closure of the members magnetically held closed on the preceding relay and is opened or broken by this separation such that a given winding can be energized only if the immediately preceding relay has been energized and deenergized as the prior operation i l the desired en ergization of the given winding. Each of the relays in the chain is provided with numerous other pairs of cooperating contact elements or members which of course may be employed to perform various operations when the associated winding is energized and which may be employed, if normally closed, to provide various circuit paths during the times when the associated winding is deenergized, as will be explained hereinafter.

Out of a chain of relays having a common source of energizing current and arranged according to the invention it is possible to employ the arrangement to select and energize a different relay each time the current is supplied to and cut-off from the chain, this current being controlled by any means desired and the length of time during which the current is supplied to or cut-off from the chain of relays being any amount desired. By means of this arrangement the chain of relays may be employed to distribute the load on several alternate transmission paths between two points or between one point and each of several other difierent points. The same means may be employed likewise to select distributively and repeatedly in a given order reentrant upon itself a number of mechanisms or circuits or metering devices multipled between two points of a transmission system but to be connected therebetween only one at a time. There are numerous other uses of the invention which will be suggested along the above lines as a result of this disclosure. One other such use is that of a counting relay chain.

The foregoing general statement of the invention is explained hereinafter in connection with an exemplary embodiment thereof illustrated in the drawings forming a part of the specification and for the various views of which drawings the following are general descriptions:

Fig. 1 shows a preferred mechanical layout arrangement of a relay chain embodying the invention and comprising ten relays;

Fig. 2 illustrates three of the relays of Fig. 1 set forth in a mechanical and electrical schematic presentation to facilitate description thereof;

Fig. 3 is a group of auxiliary relays controlled by the relay chain of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are block diagrams illustrating in a general way how the invention may be used as a distributor when either Fig. 4 or Fig. 5 is used with Figs. 2 and 3 as indicated by the dotted circuit interconnections.

In Fig. l are shown ten relays I through In to be adapted in accordance with the invention and arranged in a reentrant fashion inside of a housing or relay panel H which may in turn be mounted on a relay rack (not shown) or any suitable support (not shown).

In Fig. 2

relays

3, 4 and 5 and parts of

relays

2 and 6 have been illustrated in a manner adapted for ease of description rather than as any indication as to how such a chain of relays as Fig. 1 should be arranged for operation. The actual assembled layout may be adapted to fit circumstances. Each relay is provided with a winding 3|, 4| or 5| mounted on a core 32, 42 or 52 which core 32, 42 or 52 is adapted, when energized by the associated winding to attract the

respective armatures

33, 43 and 53 from their normal positions, as shown in Fig. 2. Each armature has attached thereto a contact

spring separator stud

34, 44 or 54 made of insulation in accordance with well-known usage. Similarly arranged on each relay is a group of contact springs such as free contact springs 35, 38, 300 and 3|l| and those attached to the spring separators such as 36, 31,39 and 302 on separator 34, all of relay 3. In addition to these groups of contact springs each relay is provided with 3 two additional contact springs such as 003 and 304 of relay 8. Both of these springs I and 304, and of course similarly for all relays in the chain, must be of magnetic material or have the contacts thereof of magnetic material, at least one of these springs or contacts being a permanent magnet. Only one side oi relays I, 4 and is shown in Fig. 2, but it is appreciated that there may be contact springs on the other side as well. In addition it is assumed that the contact springs are suitably assembled in a contact spring pileup assembly (not shown) as is well known. Each armature, such as 33 or 43 or 53 is provided with a hook-like extension such as 306 for relay 3 or 400 for

relay

4 or 506 for relay 5. Upon the ends of these extensions are attached insulator knobs 301, 401 and 501, respectively and which are adapted to actuate

contact springs

204, 304 or 404 respectively as will be explained hereinafter. Insulated stop pins, such as 305 and 405 are provided to limit the permissible movement of such contact springs as 303 of relay 3 when armature 40 of relay 4 engages and pulls spring 304 away from springs 803 to break the magnetic attraction between these springs or the contacts thereof. A source of energizing current, such as battery I2, is provided for energizatlon of the windings of the relays under control of contacts I3 which may be operated manually or automatically by means of relay l4, which in turn may be controlled by any suitable means over wires it.

The relays l0, l1 and ll of Fig. 3 have been shown as controlled respectively by

chain relays

3, 4, 5 and 6, jointly or singly as will hereinafter be explained. Relays i5, ll and I0 may be used to select and connect circuits I0, 20 and 2|, respectively of Fig. 4 or 22, 23 and 24, respectively of Fig. 5 as will also be explained hereinafter.

Each of the windings 3|, 4| and 5| of the relays of Fig. 2 is connected on one side to the common battery i2. The other sides of the windings are connected to one of the magnetic springs of the immediately preceding relay, such as spring 204 for winding II of relay 3 and 304 for winding 4| of relay 4. The magnetic springs such as 204 and 304 and 404 are connected by wires to springs 39, 49 and 50, respectively of relays I, 4 and 5 which normally are out of engagement with their

mate springs

300, 400 and 500. For the condition when the magnetic springs are disconnected, such as 403 and 404 of relay 4, the circuit of winding 5| of relay 5 has no choice of a path except over contact springs 50 and 500 of relay 5, which are open. However, for the condition when the magnetic springs are in contact, such as 300 and 004 of relay 3, the circuit of winding 4| of relay 4 has a choice of two paths, one from spring 304 to open springs 40 and 400 of relay 4 or another from spring 004 to 000, through normally closed contact springs 302 and "I of relay 3 to ground through contacts II when same are closed by relay I 5 or by manual means. Thus only one winding or relay is able. to be energized or operated at any one time and when it operates it connects the magnetic pair of springs of its own relay, such as 405 and 404 01 relay 4, and simultaneously breaks the magnetic pair of the preceding relay, such as springs 300 and 304 of relay 3, by means of the armature extension and insulator knob, such as 400 and 4" respectively of relay 4. This will enable energization of relay 5 and relay 5 only, and so on along the chain, which as has been indicated is reentrant upon itself for continuous distribution in repeated cycles.

The operation of the chain is as follows assuming that the last relay to have been operated and released was relay 3 of Fig. 2, such that the connected condition of magnetic springs 80] and 304 will be a true condition of the chain as shown. Inspection of the energizing circuit of relay it of Fig. 3 will show that when relay 0 was operated the winding circuit of relay it was completed from ground through battery 25, winding of relay i5 and make contact springs 21 and 38 of relay 3 to ground. Thus relay it was operated and once operated it locked operated over a circuit from ground through battery 25, winding of relay i0, i'ront contact and armature of relay i6 and break contact springs 45 and 40 of relay 4 to ground. This locked condition of relay l5 completes circuit l0 of Fig. 4 between terminal points A and B of the transmission or control diagram of Fig. 4, the circuits 20 and II of Fig. 4 being open at relays l1 and II. In this condition of the chain of relays of Fig. 2 has been effected a selection of circuit or path it 0! Fig. 4 which will continue to exist as long as contacts ll of the current supply to the chain remain open as shown and as they would be after relay 0 had been deenergized.

By whatever means is desired contacts II are now closed for a suitable length of time. The energizing circuit of winding 4| of relay 4 is now completed over the previously traced circuit, whereupon relay 4 operates and attracts armature 45 to core 42. Knob 401 will break the connection of magnetic springs 300 and 004 of relay 3 but the energizing circuit for winding 4| of relay 4 will be remade at or before this time via magnetic spring 004 through make contacts 40 and 400 of operated relay 4to ground through the break contact springs 30| and 002 of relay 0 and contacts I! of the control device or relay M. The stud 44 of relay 4 will connect magnetic springs 40! and 404 of relay 4 which will thereafter remain in contact due to the magnetic attraction between them. The winding circuit for relay 5 is broken at

open springs

59 and 500 of relay 5 and opened contact springs 40| and 402 of relay 4 so that relay 5 will not operate. In addition the aforementioned locking circuit for relay it of Fig. 3 is opened and the energizing circuit of relay I! of Fig. 3 is closed. Relay II will release opening circuit or path it of Fig. 4 and relay I! will operate to enable circuit or path 20 between points A and C of Fig. 4. Upon opening of contacts I! relay 4 will release, relay II will lock operated over the contact springs 55 and 58 01' relay 5 and the whole chain is again in a position comparable to that shown except that relay i1 is operated instead of It of Fig. 3 and the connected magnetic springs have been switched from relay 3 to relay 4 in readiness for relay 5 to operate the next time instead of relay 4.

It will be apparent at this point that by a series of operations and releases of contacts It the chain of relays will operate to select first path is of Fig. 4, then 20, then 2| and so forth until ten diil'erent paths have been selected in turn at which point the distribution function of the relay chain will begin at the beginning and perform the 0 same operations again.

7 paths, such as 22, 23 and 24, each containing a piece of apparatus or a circuit which is required to handle its share of the load between points E and F as distributed over several equipments or circuits such as 26, 21 and 28. The relay chain set forth herein in accordance with the invention will provide an equal distribution of load between points E and F among the several circuits or pieces of

apparatus

26, 21 or 28 under control of contacts 13 which as previously mentioned can be actuated by a relay II which in turn can be controlled over wires I from any desirable source, such as a signal from a point E that transmission to point F is desired. The distributor will regul'ate such transmission so that the mechanisms,

apparatus or circuits such as 26, 21 and 28 will all handle an equal number of transmissions or perform an equal number of operations during a given period of time when contacts i3 will be actuated at least ten times to be consistent with the number of relays in the distributing chain.

It is not intended that the invention be limited to the actual disclosure used as exemplary thereof or to the restricted use of relays such as are shown in Fig. 3 and controlled by the relay chain nor to the use therewith of such systems as shown by Figs. 4 and 5 since all of these disclosures are merely illustrative of the utility of the invention and specifically of one or two specific utilities it may have. For instance, as is well known in the relay art, such a chain of relays as shown by- ,Figs. 1 and 2 could be provided with a release magnet operating a draw bar or card adapted when actuated to intercept or engage all magnetic spring pairs on all relays to open all except those of any given relay and to close the latter, This would enable the relay chain to act as a counting chain which would be reverted to a normal condition at any time by operation of the release magnet. Since other such adaptations will be suggested for the invention, claims are appended hereinafter which alone define the scope of the invention. i

What is claimed is:

1. A plurality of relays arranged in a series, each relay having a winding, a source of energizing current for the winding of each relay, and means controlled by energization and subsequent deenergization of the winding of one of said relays to enable energization of the winding of the next relay in the said series, only one relay winding being so enabled at any one time.

2. A plurality of relays arranged in a series, each relay having a windin a source of energizing current for the winding of each relay, and contact members controlled by energization and subsequent deenergization of the winding of one of said relays to enable energization of the winding of the next relay in the said series, only one relay winding being so enabled at any one time. 3. A plurality of relays arranged in a series, each relay having a winding, a source of energizing current for the winding of each relay, and pairs of contacts serially included in the energizing circuit of each relay winding, said pairs of contacts controlled by energization and subsequent deenergization of the winding of one relay to enable energization of the winding of the next relay in the said series, only one relay winding being so enabled at any one time.

4. A plurality of relays arranged in a series,

each relay having a winding, a source of energizing current for the winding of each relay, and a first pair of normally open magnetic contacts and a second pair of normally closed contacts serially included in the energization circuit of each relay winding, said first pair of contacts controlled by energization and subsequent deenergization of the winding of one relay to make closure and remain closed by virtueof mutual magnetic attraction and said second pair opened upon energization and closed upon deenergization of the winding of said one relay to thereby enable energization of the winding of the next relay in the said series, only one relay winding being 50 enabled at any one time.

5. A plurality of relays arranged in a series, each relay having a winding, a source of energizing current for the winding of each relay, a first pair of normally open magnetic contacts, at least one of which contacts-of said first pair is a permanent magnet and both of which first pair are serially included in the energization circuit of a relay winding, and a second pair of normally closed contacts serially included in the energization circuit of said relay winding, said first pair of contacts controlled by energization and subsequent deenergization of the winding of one relay to make closure and remain closed by virtue of mutual magnetic attraction and said second pair opened upon energization and closed upon deenergization of the winding of said relay to thereby enable energization o the winding of the next relay in the said series, only one relay winding being so enabled at any one time.

HENRY C. HARRISON.

REFERENCES crrEn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 692,217 Sundh Jan. 28, 1902 761,848 Morse June '7, 1904 909,146 Buchanan et al. Jan. 12, 1909 922,540 Stratton May 25, 1909 1,438,944 Conway Dec. 19, 1922 1,971,199 Owens Aug. 21, 1934 1,978,065 Twombly Oct. 23, 1934 2,008,909 Hershey July 23, 1935 2,140,601 Serriere Dec. 20, 1938 OTHER REFERENCES Pamphlet (Catalogue) by Guardian Electric Mfg. 60., Chicago, Illinois, copyright 1944.