US2491790A - Automatic telephone calling system - Google Patents

Description

m 2%, 19% G. ZAHNER E AI A J AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE CALLING SYSTEM Filed on. a1, 1946 r 2 Shets-Sheet I INVENTURS @ILBEIVT' Zm/Ms f and @EclFGE-S Gl/E/fou VIP/ER ATTORNEY mm 2% RM ZAHNER ET AL AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE CALLING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 31, 1946 w r w a S n P T4, N N E w E N o .J HR T w w A c T mmv as W niw G Patented Dec. 20, 1949 'AUTOMATEC TELEPHONE CALLING SYSTEM Gilbert Zahner, Maisons Alfort, and Georges Ghrouvr-ier, Vesinet, France, assignors to S0- cietc DApplications Nouvelles DElectr-icite et de Mecanique (S. A. N. E. M.)., Paris, France,

a society of France Application October 31, 1946, Serial No. 706,854 In France July 12, 1946 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to devices for automatically performing all the dialling operations necessary for calling certain subscribers in an automatic telephone system, these devices being brought into operation by the displacement 'of a control member adapted to return by itself to its initial position once the necessary impulses have been sent through the line.

The object of our invention is to provide a device of this kind which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice than those used for this purpose up to this time and, in particular, such that the fact of keeping the control member in active .position longer than is necessary can introduce no perturbation into the working of the device.

For this purpose, according to my invention, a device for automatically performing the dialling operations for calling at least one subscriber in an automatic telephone system including a call line comprises, in combination, means for sending trains of current impulses in said line, a frame, means, including at least one rotary part journalled in said frame, for determining the time and duration of said impulse trains, a manual control member movable with respect to said frame, a piece movable in said frame, unidirectional transmission means between said piece and said rotary part to transmit movement of said piece in one direction to said rotary part,

a spring interposed between said piece and said control member to urge said piece in said direction in response to a displacement of said control member in a given direction of movement thereof, means movable in said frame transversely to the axis of said rotary part for locking it in a given position, spring means for urging said locking means toward active position, release means operatively connected with said control member for bringing said locking means into inoperative position in response to a displacement of given amplitude of said control member in the above mentioned given direction of movement thereof, means operative by said locking means for opposing return of said release means to their initial position as long as said locking means are in inoperative position, means operatively connected with said transmission means for automatically stopping said rotary part in the position where it is to be locked by said looking means, means for returning said control member and said transmission means into initial position in response to the return of said locking means into active position, and means operative in response to said return movement of said (Cl. Nil-#902) 2 transmission means for bringing said stopping means out of action.

A preferred embodiment of our invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, given :merely by way of example, and in which:

Fig. l is a plan view, with the lid removed, 'of

an embodiment of -'a device according to our inof the device. This device is thus set to perform all the dialling operations for calling oneof these subscribers :by bringing sliding member 3 into the position forwhich the number, letter or other mark corresponding to this subscriber is visible through window 5.

Member 3 slides along guiding rods 6 and '1. It has a bent edge fitted with an elastically mounted finger 8 adapted to engage between the teeth of a toothed portion 9 of rod 6, so as accurately to fix the position of sliding member 3 in the frame and to keep it in this position.

A central shaft l0, parallel to the movement of member 3 and .journalled in transverse plates II and 12 fixed to frame I, carries a drum 13 provided with transverse grooves or slots in each of which can be fitted a control 'disc It provided with notches "and projections I5on its periphery. Each of these discs 14 corresponds to one of the subscribers that can be called by means of the device.

These discs are "adapted to cooperate with a finger I 6 longitudinally slidable but angularly fixed on a shaft IFI parallel to shaft IE and journalled in end plates I! "and I2. The position of finger it along shaft H is controlled by sliding member 3. Shaft ll carries a cam 18, made of an insulating material and adapted to control a switch l9 which, every time finger is is lifted, in the course of the rotation of drum 13, by the passage thereunder-of a projection 15 of'the disc 14 in the plane of which said finger has been set, causes the flow of current fed by wires 28 to the call line through terminals 22I to be stopped, and this for :a time which depends upon the angular length of said projection l5. Current is supplied to the device, when the receiver is taken off, through terminals 22 connected by wires 23 with a generator of impulses constituted, as well known, by a switch 24 controlled by a cam 25, also made of an insulating material and rotated in a continuous manner by the driving mechanism of the device, which will be hereinafter described. A small speed governor 26, for instance of the centrifugal mass type, controls the movement of this cam. The means for producing and transmitting impulses in automatic telephone systems are well known, and it is unnecessary to describe their construction and operation in a detailed manner.

With such a device, in order to call one of the subscribers for which the device is provided, sliding member 3 is set to the position corresponding to this subscriber, whereby finger I6 is brought into the transverse plane of the disc 54 corresponding to said subscriber. When this disc is rotated, together with drum I3, as it will be hereinafter described, finger i6 is lifted successively as many times as there are projections 55 on said disc and every time for a period corresponding to the size or" the projection that is passing under said finger, so as to send through the combined actions of cams 25 and I8, the desired number of impulses into the call line.

When the device is in its initial position or position of rest, the free end of elastic finger I6 is engaged in a radial notch 21 of the disc [4 opposite which said finger has been brought by sliding member 3. All of the discs 14 are provided with respective notches 2'! located all on the same line, so that sliding member 3 can be freely moved across the discs.

Drum I3, which carries control discs l4 and cam 25, may be driven through any suitable means (mechanical, electric, pneumatic, etc.). For instance, in the example shown by the drawings, the driving means include a torsional helical spring 28. One end of spring 28 bears against a lug 30 rigid with a longitudinal spindle 31 extending coaxially in spring 28 and journalled in walls ii and !2. The other end of 'spring 28 bears against a lug 29 carried by an arm rigid with a sleeve 32 freely engaged on spindle 3| and arranged to be coupled for one direction of rotation, by ratchet teeth 34 with a sleeve 33 also rotatable on said spindle. Sleeve 32 is rigid with a nut-shaped portion 35 through which it is possible, by means of a spanner engaged thereon to rotate said sleeve in such manner as to tension spring 28. Rotation of sleeve 32 in the opposite direction is prevented by two cooperating rows of ratchet teeth 34 respectively carried by parts 32 and 33 and urged toward each other by spring 34! so as to couple, for one direction of rotation, sleeve 32 with sleeve 33 which, in the position of rest, is prevented from rotating in this direction, as it will be hereinafter explained.

One end of spindle 3| projects from the righthand side of the apparatus. It carries a lever 35 fitted with a control member or key 31. On the other end of spindle 3i is keyed a sleeve 38 connected to one end of spring 34l, the other end of said spring being fixed to the frame of the device so that said spring 34! also acts as a torsional return spring for spindle 3|. Sleeve 38 carries an arm 53 fitted with a transverse finger This finger is intended to cooperate with an arm 41a of a piece 41 pivoted to the frame at 43 and urged in the anti-clockwise direction by a spring 49. Piece 41 includes another arm which carries a roller 44 adapted to engage in a notch 45 provided in the end part 46 of drum l3, so as to lock said drum in position of rest.

Sector 42 is provided with an arcuate passage 52 for finger 5| so as to permit free movement of said finger with respect to said sector.

Sleeve 33 carries, fixed thereon, a toothed sector 42 in mesh with a pinion 43 coaxial with the shaft H] of drum l3 and connected with said shaft through a ratchet wheel, so that the toothed sector can drive the drum only in one direction of rotation. The dimensions of toothed sector 42 are chosen in such manner that its cooperation with pinion 43 causes drum 13 to rotate through a whole revolution.

In the position of rest, the locking of drum 13 by roller 44 prevents any possibility of rotation of toothed sector 42 and sleeve 33 in the direction in which said sleeve is urged by spring 28.

When the operator depresses key 31, he causes arm 50 to rotate in the clockwise direction (referring to Fig. 2). At the same time, sleeve 33 is urged, through the intermediate of spring 28, to rotate in the same direction, but at this time,

- as above explained, the fact that drum IS, with which sleeve 33 is coupled through sector 42 and pinion 43, is locked by roller 44, prevents said sleeve 33 from moving. Therefore spring 28 undergoes a temporary increase of its tension.

As soon as finger 5| engages arm 41a and therefore disengages roller 44 from notch 45, drum I3 is released and the strength accumulated in spring 28 causes sector 42 to rotate in the clockwise direction. In this position of piece 41, a projection 53 of said piece engages finger 5| and temporarily prevents it from moving backward.

Therefore, from this time on, whether the operator keeps key 31 depressed or releases it, drum I3 is being rotated through the action of sector 42, actuated by spring 28.

Now, the right hand end plate 55 of drum I3 is provided with a rounded notch 59 adapted to acconnncdate a stopping member 58 of corresponding shape carried by an arm 51 pivoted to the frame of the device and subjected to the action of a spring 63 which urges stopping member 58 awayfrom drum i3 and normally keeps arm 51 applied against an abutment 5!. Arm 5! is fixed to a rod 55 parallel to shaft Hi and journalled in Walls I! and i2. To this arm is fixed an elastic plate 54 extending across the plane of sector 42 and so positioned that said sector comes into contact therewith when drum i3 has rotated through about three quarters of a circumference.

When the edge of sector 42 engages this plate '54, it transmits therethrough an anti-clockwise rotation to arm 5?, gradually bringing stopping member 58 into contact with the periphery of part 56 and applying it thereon with an increasing force. When drum 13 has made a full revolution, that is to say is back into its initial position, notch 53 has come opposite member 58, which is therefore tightly engaged therein. Drum I3 is therefore automatically stopped in this position (no matter whether key 3? is still being kept depressed by the calling subscriber).

Simultaneously with this, the notch 45 of part 43 has came opposite roller 45 and the latter has been engaged into said notch by piece 41 under the action of spring 43, this movement also releasing finger 54 from the retaining action of projection 53. Spindle 3! is then returned by spring 341 to its initial position, together with arm 50, the projecting finger 5! of which in turn brings back toothed sector 42 into its initial position,

determined by its engagement with an elastic abutment 63. Operating lever 36, carried by spindle 3!, is also returned in its initial position in the course of this movement.

The return of sector ll? into its initial position has released elastic plate 56 from the pressure exerted th reon by said sector, so that arm 5i has been brought back by spring as into contact with abutment 6|.

All the parts having thus been returned into their initial positions, the device is ready for a new operation. It is pointed out that this result is obtained without any risk of a mistake of the subscriber getting the device out of order and that the drum is automatica ly stopped after it has rotated through 360 even if, at this time, operating key 31 is still being depressed by the calling subscriber, because the stopping is performed by auxiliary stopping means 58 automatically brought into action by sector 42 once it has been started and wholly independent of the subscribers moves.

Cam 25, which is to produce, in a known manner, the current impulses to be sent into the calling line, is driven through a gear transmission 64 interposed between ratchet wheel 62, mounted on pinion 43, and the spindle of said cam, so that the latter is rotated only when drum 1% is being rotated.

In a general manner, while we have, in the above descri tion. disclosed what we deem to be practical and eflicient embodiments of the present invention it should be well understood that we do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement. disposition a and form of the parts without departing from the princi le of the present invention as comprehended within the sco e of the accompanying claims.

What we claim is:

1. A device for automatically performing the dialling operat ons for calling at least one subscriber in an automatic telephone system including a call line. which comprises, in comb nation, means for sending trains of current im ulses in said line, a frame, means, including at least one rotary part journalled in said frame, for determining the time and duration of said impulse trains a manual control member movable with respect to said frame, a piece movable in said frame, unidirectional transmission means between said piece and said rotary part to transmit movement of said piece in one direct on to said rotary part, a spring interposed between said piece and said control member to urge said piece in said direction in response to a displacement of said control member in a given direction of movement thereof, means movable in said frame transversely to the axis of said rotary part for looking it in a given position. sprin means for urging said locking means toward active position, release means operativel connected with said control member for bringing said locking means into inoperative position in response to a displacement of given amplitude of said control member in the above mentioned given direction of movement thereof, means operative by said locking means for opposing return of said release means to their initial position as long as said locking means are in inoperative position, means operatively connected with said transmission means for automatically stopping said rotary part in the position where it is to be locked by said locking means, means for returning said control member and said transmission means into initial position in response to the return of said locking means into active position, and means operative in response to said return movement of said transmission means for bringing said stopping means out of action.

2. A device for automatically performing the dialling operations for calling at least one subscriber in an automatic telephone system including a call line, which comprises, in combination, means for sending trains of current impulses in said line, a frame, means including at least one rotary drum journalled in said frame, for determining the time and duration of said impulse trains, a manual control member movable with respect to said frame, a piece movable in said frame, unidirectional transmission means between said piece and said drum to transmit movement of said piece in one direction to said drum, a spring interposed between said piece and said control member to urge said piece in said direction in response to a displacement of said control member in a given direction of movement thereof, means movable in said frame transversely to the axis of said drum for looking it in a given position, spring means for urging said looking means toward active position, release means operatively connected with said control member for bringing said locking means into inoperative position in response to a displacement of given amplitude of said control member in the above mentioned given direction of movement thereof, means operative by said locking means for opposing return of said release means to their initial position as long as said locking means are in inoperative position, an arm movable in a plane transverse to said drum, cooperating stopping means on said arm and said drum for stopping said drum in the position where it is to be locked by said locking means, elastic means for normally holding said arm out of contact with said drum, elastic means operatively connected with said transmission means for automatically urging said arm more and more toward said drum against the action of said first mentioned elastic means as said drum is bein driven by said transmission means, means for returning said control member and said transmission means into initial position in response to the return of said locking means into active position, and means operative in response to said return movement of the transmission means for bringing said second mentioned elastic means out of action.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which said drum is provided with a notch located in the plane in which said arm is moving and the cooperating stopping means on said arm and said drum consist of a projection carried by said arm, adapted to engage in said notch, and the notched portion of said drum.

GILBERT ZAHNER. GEORGES CHEROUVRIER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,075,536 Miller Mar. 30, 1937 2,100,390 Golf Nov. 30, 1937 2,209,615 Sengebusch July 30, 1940

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