US2636932A - Relay counting chain using double-coil relays - Google Patents

Description

April 1953 R. M. M. OBERMAN ET'AL 2,636,932

RELAY COUNTING CHAIR USING nousmwon RELAYS Filed Aug. 4, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 3. PIE. 4.

IN VEN TOR.

55 N MARIE OBERMAP/ BY ANTONE SN'J'DERS April 28, 1953 R. M. M. OBERMAN ET-AL 2,536,932

RELAY COUNTING CHAIR USING DOUBLE-COIL RELAYS Filed Aug. 4, 1947 a Sheets-Sheet 2 AND SNITDERS April 1953 R. M; M. OBERMAN ETAL 2,636,932

RELAY COUNTING CHAIR USING DOUBLE-COIL RELAYS Filed Aug. 4, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ra AEG/Sf'E/P 52 414: L

a I I I P m INVENTOR. Roam; MAAR-IEN MAR/E DEER/WAN MD ANromE SHITDERS Patented Apr. 28, 1953 OFFICE RELAY COUNTING CHAIN USING DOUBLE-COIL RELAYS Roeloi M. M. Oberman and Antonie Snijders, The Hague, Netherlands Application August 4, 1947, Serial No. 768,028 In the Netherlands September 14, 1945 3 Claims. 1

The invention relates to a relay register, equipped by means of a principle resembling that of Fig. 2 of the Dutch Patent 52,592, in so far as this older circuit arrangement makes use of 4 pair of relays, each pair consisting in a counting relay and an auxiliary relay, which 4 pair can be energized in all the combinations, whereby till impulses can be counted with that arrangement. The application in question is, however, not restricted to any particular number relay groups or impulses to be counted. It is nevertheless a fact that just like the older arrangement it makes use of the principle that a counting relay is energized when the impulse contact makes and the appropriate auxiliary is energized when the contact breaks; this impulse contact may be a contact for registering into the register the impulses that have been sent into the register or it may be a contact of a so called out-stepping relay when the register must be used in a Bell system, in which case, as known, after the register has received a figure, when pulsing out the registered figure it must receive re-issue impulses from the automatic exchange till the total impulses amount to 11.

Instead of by impulses of th impulse contact the register according to the invention can be positioned by single contact closures, effected by keys or equivalent elements, which contact closures immediately result in the energization of the counting arrangement relay in a particular combination corresponding with the figure to be registered. These contact closures preferably take place according to the 1-2-4-8 system, i. e. that 4 conductors are connected to the counting arrangement, when the counting arrangement comprises 4 counting relays, in which 'case by right combination of the energizations effected via these conductors till 15 impulses can be transferred to the counting arrangement and the figure registered in it every time is equal to the sum of the digits of the four mentioned conductors, in so far as these conductors have been used for th single energization of counting relays. It will be evident that the four mentioned conductors can also be used in the reverse direction, i. e. for the registering at register-relays or condensers of a figure received by the counting arrangement under the control of an impulse contact.

The counting arrangement has with regard to the register relays a receiving function, while it fulfills a pulsing out function when in a later stadium of the building up of the connection the registered figure is retransmitted jrom the register relay to the selector, during which function the register relays relative to the counting arrangement fulfill a function, which has been attributed above to keys or suchlike.

It has already been described above in what manner a counting arrangement according to the invention will operate for pulsing out a received figure to a Bell selector; if the counting arrangement is to co-operate with an automatic exchange according to another system, c. g. a Siemens automatic exchange, it will be necessary for the counting arrangement to effect a stopping circuit for the impulse transmitter as soon as over the impulse contact a number of impulses has arrived on the counting arrangement, which number is equal to the received figure. The counting arrangement according to the invention provides in a simple manner for the required different function for these diiferen-t systems, as it is equipped of switch-over contacts, which in position make the counting arrangement work normally for adding arriving impulses, on the Whole in the same manner as before mentioned older application and which bring about in the other position. that each following arriving impulse diminishes the figure that has been received in th counting arrangement, by one; thus the counting arrangement is enabled to give a criterion to the relevant selector when it has been reduced again to zero.

For the last mentioned purpose each counting relay and each auxiliary relay has been equipped with two counteracting coils, which when being energized simultaneously make the relay release or prevent it from attracting, while the relay attracts when one of the windings is energized alone.

The impulse circuit has been connected over a normal contact to One of the windings of a counting relay, that, when being energized breaks this normal contact, but as it is a make-beforebreak contact to earth, supplies a holding circuit for the mentioned winding. At the end of the im ulse the appropriate auxiliary relay operates; parallel to the mentioned winding one of the windings of the auxiliary relays is namely energized; as simultaneously the counteracting windingis energizedflover the impulse contact, the relay cannot operate before the impulse contact is broken. So in this last mentioned function the arrangement according to the invention differs already from the one according to the above mentioned older application, where the auxiliary relay attracted in series with the counting relay when the impulse contact breaks. At

its being energized the auxiliary relay switches over the impulse circuit from its second winding to the second, counteracting winding of the counting relay and in parallel with it to the first winding of the following counting relay of the series, in such a manner that at the second impulse the first counting relay releases and the second attracts and at the end of the second impulse the first auxiliary relay releases and the second attracts.

The before indicated through-switching of the impulse circuit to the second counting relay takes place via a changeover contact that can be moved over with the before mentioned object of changing the arrangement for another automatic system; if this takes place, the throughswitching of the circuit to the following counting relays is no longer dependent on the being energized of the preceding auxiliary relay but on the being released of that relay. In consequence of the switching over noweach following. impulseonly causes the release oi? a counting relay at the beginning of the impulse and the release of the additional relay at the end of the impulse, while at the beginning not a following counting relay is energized and again, like before, at the end of the impulse the impulse circuit is through-switched to a following counting relay.-

Hereafter the invention will be explained nearer by means of the annexed drawing, which. by way of example represents some embodiments and shows:

Fig. 1 the principle of the co-operation of countingand auxiliary relays each with two windings;

Fig. 2 a simple arrangement for counting int-- pulses which makes use of three sets of counting. and auxiliary relays, each with two. windings, which sets can be energized in all possible combinations;

Fig. 3 the succession in which the relays of the arrangement of Fig. 2 function when impulses: arrive at it;

Fig. 4 the succession in which the relays of the arrangement of Fig. 2 operate, when the contacts se from the drawn position have been moved over and owing to that the arrangement from adding has become subtracting;

Fig. 5- a relay register for a decade system, which can be used for a Bell automaticexchange as well as for an automatic exchange. according to another system, c. g- Siemens;

Fig. 6 the functioning schematic belonging to Fig. 5, in case this arrangement has. an. adding function;

Fig. 7 a modification of the arrangement according to Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 asecond modification of the arrangement according to Fig. 5.

Fig. 1 is a diagram of a relay arrangement for counting rhythmical impulses which cornprises a normally open impulse contact shown in Fig. 1 as a contact I of a relay ISR which. is. energized by the impulses sent irom a dial as explained more fully in connection with Fig. 5. The impulse contact I of the relay ISR is connected on the one hand to themaker-before-breai; contact l of a counting relay EC; which has a first winding I and a second winding II which are wound in opposition to each other so. asv to counteract each other.. On the. otherhand the impulse contact l of the relay ISR is: connected to a change-over device l which is under con trol of an auxiliary relay T01 having a firstwinding I and a second winding II being wound in opposition to each other so as to counteract each other. One end of the first winding I of the counting relay E01 is connected to one end of the first winding I of the auxiliary relay TC1, and the make-before-break contact device l of the counting relay EC1 being under control of the counting relay EC: is connected to the junction of the first windings I of the counting relay EC; and the auxiliary relay T01 and has contacts connected, respectively, to ground and to the impulse contact I of the relay ISR, the makebefore-break contact device in the normal position thereof engaging the contacts connected to the impulse contact. The change-over contact device has an armature being under control of the auxiliary relay TCI and is connected to the contact of the make-before-breah contact device connected to the impulse contact, the changeover contact device having contacts being connected, respectively, to one end of the second windings II of the counting relay E01 and the auxiliary relay TCi, the change-over contact dcvice in the normal position thereof engaging the contact thereof: connected to the second winding II of the auxiliary relay T01. Furthermore, means; such as a battery are provided for supplying a current to the other ends of the windings I and II of both the counting relay E01 and the auxiliary relay TCr.

The operation of this; device is as follows:

When the impulse. contact I actuated by the relay ISR is closed the first time, the winding I of the counting relay EC]. is energized in the circuit ground. impulse contact l of relay ISR, make-before-break; contact I of the counting relay E61, first. winding I of the counting relay EC1, battery to ground. The counting relay ECr attracts. therefore the armature of the makebefore-break contact I and closes thereby a holding circuit for itself to: ground. It should be noted that the winding II of the counting relay EC1- does not carry any current during this stage of the operation since the circuit thereof is interrupted at the change-over contact device 1 of the auxiliary relay TC1.

At the same time the first winding- I and the second winding II of the auxiliary relay TC1 are energized. The current in the first winding of the auxiliary relay TC i flows in the circuit from ground over impulse contact I of relay ISR, makebefore-break contact device i of the counting relay ECr, first winding I. of auxiliary relay T01, battery to ground.. The ground of this circuit is replaced. by the ground connected to the makebei ore-break contact I of the counting relay E01 as: soon as the latter is energized. lhe current of the second winding II of the auxiliary relay TCr. flows from ground over impulse contact l of relay ISR, change-over contact device l of the auxiliary relay E01,, winding II of the auxiliary relay ECI. battery to ground. Thus it wul be understood that the two. windings of the auxiliary relay TC: opposing. each other prevent the auxiliary relay TCl from operating as long as the impulse contact I of the relay ISR remains in the closed position thereof.

However, when the impulse. contact I of the relay ISR; is released the auxiliary relay T01 a tracts the armature thereof. This happens ap proximately at the time when half. of the first impulse has passed. The counting. relayECi remains energizeduntil the second impulse is. given.

armature thereof and in consequence thereof the second winding II of the counting relay E01 is energized together with the first winding I thereof so that the counting relay E01 remains unenergized during the second impulse. When approximately half of the second impulse has passed, the impulse contact I of the relay ISR returns to the open position and then all the windings of the counting relay and the auxiliary relay are in open circuits so that arrangement returns to the initial position thereof.

This principle has been used in the arrangement according to Fig. 2 showing three counting relays E01, E02, E04 and three auxiliary relays T01, T02, T04, each relay having two windings acting in opposition to each other. One side of the second winding of the counting relay E01 is connected over the impulse circuit to the next counting and auxiliary relays E02 and T02 by means of a contact se I in the shown position. Owing to this following impulses according to the diagram of Fig. 3 are now registered as energizations of the relays E01T04 while the result of a second impulse is not only that the relays E01 and T01 release, but also that relays E02 and T02 operate.

Whenever a contact se is moved over to its off-normal position, the impulse circuit for the relays of the next stage is connected to the second winding of the auxiliary relay of the preceding stage. The beginning of the first impulse releases the first counting relay E01 and the end of the first impulse the first auxiliary relay T01, while the beginning of the following impulse releases the second counting relay E02, etc. Furthermore, at the second impulse the first counting relay E01 is energized again. Consequently it is to be understood that while during an adding process the energization of E02 is accompanied by the release of E01, as shown in Fig. 3, during a subtracting process the release of E02 is accompanied by the energization of E01 as shown in Fig. 4. Let it now be assumed that all the counting and auxiliary relays are energized and the contacts se I and se 2 are in the off-normal position. The operation of the arrangements is as follows and illustrated by the diagram shown in Fig. 4. When the impulse contact isr is now closed on the first incoming impulse the second winding of the first counting relay E01 will carry a current in a circuit from ground over the impulse contact isr, front contact to I, second winding of relay E01, battery to ground and counteracts the first winding of counting relay E 01 which is operated in a circuit from ground over contact e01 first winding of counting relay E 01, battery to ground so that the first counting relay E01 is released and the make-before-break contact 201 is switched over from the holding ground to the ground supplied by the impulse contact isr. The first winding of the first auxiliary relay T01 stays operated as long as the contact 601 supplies ground. When ground is removed by the impulse contact is? the first auxiliary relay T01 releases the armature thereof.

At the beginning of the second impulse ground is supplied over the impulse contact isr to the first winding of the first counting relay E01 and both windings of the first auxiliary relay T01, and also to the second winding of the second counting relay E102 in a circuit from ground over the impulse contact z'sr, back contact 1501 offnormal contact so .I, front contact i02 second winding of the second counting relay E02, battery to ground. As the second winding of the relay E02 counteracts the first winding of relay E02. relay E02 releases its armature ec2 Owing to the make-before-break contact e02 switching over from the holding ground to the ground at the impulse contact isr the first windings of relays E02 and T02 carry a current which is interrupted only at the end of the impulse. At the third impulse the first counting and auxiliary relays E01 and T01 are de-energized again as described hereinabove for the first impulse.

At the beginning of the fourth impulse the first and second counting relays E01 and E02 are energized again while the third counting relay E04 releases the armature thereof.

The first counting relay E01 is once more energized in the circuit described with reference to Fig. 1, whereas the second counting relay E02 is operated over the first winding thereof in a circuit from ground over the impulse contact z'sr, back contact tc1 off-normal contact se I, contact e01 first winding of second counting relay E02, battery to ground, While both winding of the first and second auxiliary relays T01 and T02 carry current. The second counting relay E02 switches over its make-before-break contact 202 to the holding ground. The second counteracting winding of the third counting relay E04 carries current in a circuit from ground over the impulse contact isr, back contact 1501 off-normal contact se I, back contact tc2 off-normal contact se 2, front contact i64 second winding of relay E04, battery, to ground. Contact (204 makes before breaking the holding ground, the contact supplying ground over the impulse contact z'sr. The third auxiliary relay T04 stays in energized condition as long as the impulse lasts. At the end of the fourth impulse the third counting relay E104 and the third auxiliary relay T04 are restored to normal, While the first and second auxiliary relays T01 and T02 are operated. At the fifth impulse the first counting relay E01 is again de-energized as described hereinafter for the first impulse. At the sixth impulse the second counting relay E02 is restored to normal as described hereinabove for the second impulse while the first counting relay E01 is operated again. At the seventh impulse the first counting relay E01 is restored to normal and so is the first auxiliary relay T01 at the end of the seventh impulse.

Whenever the contacts so I and se 2 are in the shown normal position the operation is as follows (Fig. 3):

The first impulse is recorded as described with reference to Fig. l. The second impulse is transferred to the second counting relay E02 over front contact 1501 in a circuit from ground over impulse contact isr, front contact tc1 normal contact so I, contact 602 first winding of relay E02, battery, to ground. Both the windings of the second auxiliary relay T02 are energized, the first winding parallel to the first winding of relay E02 over contacts 662 the second winding of relay T02 over the back contact 1502 The first counting relay E01 is de-energized on the second impulse as stated with reference to Fig. 1. At the end of the second impulse the first auxiliary relay T01 is restored to normal whereas the sec-- ond auxiliary relay T02 is operated over the first winding thereof parallel to the first winding of the second counting relay E02 over the contact e02 thereof to the holding ground. On the third impulse the first counting relay E01 is operated again, and at .the end of the impulse also the first auxiliary relay T01. On'the fourth impulse the third counting; relay 104 is operated over the first? winding thereof in. a. circuit from ground over impulse contact isr, front contact. i01 normal contacts tcz normal contact as 2, contact @04 first winding of relay EC4, battery, to ground. The first andv second counting relays ECi and E02, however, release the armatures thereof owing to currents in their second winding, respectively, from ground, impulse contact isr, front contact tol second winding of relay EC}, battery, to ground, and over front contact toi normal contact sc: ll, frontv contact tcz so that the makebefore-break contacts c01 and. coa thereof, respectively, are switched over to the impulse circuit which supplies ground as long as the impulse lasts. At the end of the fourth impulse the third counting relay E01 and the third auxiliary relay TCl are. operated in circuits, respectively, from ground over contact @04 first winding of relay E04,, battery to ground. and over e04 first winding of relay T04, battery, to ground. The first and second auxiliary relays TC]. and TCz are restored to normal at the end of the" fourth impulse, the ground'heing removed by-the impulse contact i'sr' from the first windings thereof.

On the fifth impulse the first counting relay E01 is. once more energized as described hereinabove, whereas at the end of the fifth impulse the first auxiliary relay TCi is operated. On the sixth impulse. the. second. counting relay EICZ is energized as described hereinabove for the second impulse, the first winding re'lay'ECi being de -energized. At the end of the sirth impulse the second auxiliary relay T02 is energized and the first auxiliary relay TCi de-energizcd as described hereinabove for the second impulse. On the seventh impulse the first counting relay E01 is again. energized and at the end of the seventh impulse also the first auxiliary relay TC1;

It will be clear that the last counting performance an arithmetical progression which is transformed by the counting relays to a logaritlnni'cal progression of 2, the first counting relay EC}. standing for" 2, the second counting relay E02 for 2 the third. counting relay E84 for 2 and if the system is extended, a fourth counting relay ECa stands for 2 a fifth counting relay for 2* etc. Furthermore this last counting performance is based on adding the impulses such that the total amount of the received impulses is indicated by the operated counting relays, e. g. when 6 impulses are received the second and fourth relays E02 and E04 are energized standing for a total of 2 +Z' =6 impulses.

When the contacts se i and se 2 are in their ofi-normal position the received impulses form a. negative arithmetical progression, so that this counting process may be called a subtraction.

lhis inverse operation in the two difference positions of se is used. in the register shown in the essential parts thereof in Fig. 5.

In the shown normal position of the contacts se l-se 3 the operation of the counting arrangement under the influence of closures of the impulse contact i'sr or of the contact car of an outstepping relay OSR is as indicated in the diagram shown in Fig. 6, whereby the arrangement is so designed that on the 11th impulse the relays E00, TCo are energized, owing to which the contact fco stops the relevant selector.

In the off-normal. position of the contacts cc l'se 3 the arrangement is subtracting and receives impulsesfrom. the contact z'sr until the relevant digit which has been recorded by the arrangement is reduced to zero, by the steps made by the relevant selector, after which a relay SQ stops the selector.

The. cams x1, :22, as and I of a sequence switch control the operation of the successive stages. of the operation of the arrangement; the ground for the holding circuits is suppliedover cam say, so that removal of ground by cam my results in the releases or the eight relays of the counting arrangement when they are energized; the cam :02 sup-plies ground potential to the relays ECO and T00 which are de-energi'zed by the removal of: the ground by said cam, whereas cam :03 is connected' in the circuit of the selector stopping relay; the set ECoTCa and for X3 relative to SQ.

The four conductors I, II, IV and VIII serve for the transmission of a digit from the counting arrangement to register relays orregistering condensers (not shown) or for energizing the relays of the counting arrangement from register relays or keys according to a particular digit,

when the counting arrangement has to operate as pulsing out arrangement positioning the selec. tors. The operation of the arrangement shown in. Fig. 5 has been described hereinabove for seven impulses with reference to Fig. 2 with the contacts se lsc 3 in normal position. Onthe eighth impulse the fourth counting relay 'ECs is energized over the first winding thereof in a circuit from ground over impulse contact z'sr, cam I of the sequence switch, front contact tcr normal contact se i, front contact tcz normal contact se. 2., front contact tornormal contact sc contact 603 first Winding of relay E68,. battery, to ground. In this circuit both windings of the fourth auxiliary relay TCs carry current, the first winding parallel to the first Winding of relay E68, and the second winding over the bacl; contact tea of the relay 'I'Cs, battery to ground.

Armature 608 is switched over owing to the energization of the first winding of relay E38, and completes a holding circuit from ground over cam m1 of the sequence switch before breaking. the ground supplied over the impulse circuit.

In the meantimethe relays E01, E62 and E04 have released their armatures e01 602 and coi respectively; owing to the energization of thesecond winding over the impulse circuit. At the end of the eighth impulse the fourth auxiliary relay 'ICs is operated over the first winding thereof in a circuit ground, cam $1 of the sequence switch, front contact 608 first winding of relay TCr, battery, to ground. The relays TC'1, TCZ and T04 are de-energized by the removal 5 ground. at the impulse contact is'r. On the ninth impulse the first counting relay TC1 is again operated and the first auxiliary relay T01 is operated at the end of the ninth impulse. On the tenth impulse the second counting relay ECQ is operated again and the first counting relay E61 is deenergized, while at the end of the. tenth impulse relay T02 is operated and relay T81 ole-energized as stated hereina'bove. On the eleventh impulse relay ECl and relay ECQ- are operated, the latter in the circuit from ground, impulse con.- tact isr, cam I of the sequence switch, front con tact r03 front contact i82 relay Efib, battery, to ground. Relay ECo closes a. holding circuit in which relay 'ICc is operated. from ground over cam .712 of the sequence switch, front contact ecu, relay TO), relay ECO, battery, to ground. Relay "I'Ca interrupts by means of contact tea-l the stepping circuit of. the relevant selector. In the Bell system a digits-number is recorded as a total equal to the. digit-number, so: that e. g. the digitnumber 6 is recorded as the energization of relays ECz and ECi- (2 2 =6), the selector is positioned by five steps being the complement of 11 so that on the eleventh impulse contact too interrupts the stepping circuit of the selector.

When cooperating with a Siemens exchange the contacts se I se 3 are in the off-normal position thereof. If e. g. the digit-number 8 is recorded relays ECl and E02 are energized when the relevant selector has to be positioned. On the first impulse from the selector relay ECi releases the armature thereof owing to the energization of the second winding thereof in the circuit ground over impulse contact isr, cam I or" the sequence switch, back contact tel The operation of the following impulses has been described with reference to Fig. 2.

At the third impulse of the series, which has been taken as an example, all the counting relays EC1EC8 are restored to normal so that the stopping relay SQ is now energized in the circuit from ground, cam ass, back contacts e01 e02 e04 and e08 relay SQ, battery, to ground. Consequently the selector is now stopped.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 7 is for the greater part thereof in accordance with the one shown in Fig. the main diiference is the manner in which the front contact of each auxiliary relay connects the impulse circuit to the second winding of the next counting relay or to the prolonged impulse circuit.

Thus when the to contact is released there is no connection between the prolonged impulse circuit and the winding of the counting relays,

which prevents the undesired energization of counting relays if there would be ground at one of the conductors I, II, IV, VIII for the positioning of the counting arrangement, which might occur in the arrangement shown in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 5 the input of a digit over the conductors I, II, IV and VIII results in the energization of two windings when the digit is applied in a corresponding energization of register relays. The arrangement according to Fig. 8 corresponding also for the greater part with the one shown in Fig. 5; the difierence consists in the manner in which the digit is positioned in the arrangement by keys, register relays or the like. Changeover contacts I, II of keys Or relays are provided and energize the counting relays in corresponding combinations, so that cross connections of different counting relays may occur.

While we have illustrated and described what we regard to be the preferred embodiment of our invention, nevertheless it will be understood that such is merely exemplary and that numerous modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention, we claim:

1. In a relay arrangement for counting electrical impulses, in combination, a normally open impusle contact connected to ground; means for control of said electrical impulses for closing said impulse contact; a counting relay and an auxiliary relay each having a first winding and a second winding being wound in opposition to each other so as to counteract each other, one end of said first winding of said counting relay being connected to one end of said first Winding of said auxiliary relay; a make-before-break contact device under control of said counting relay and connected to the junction of said first windings, said make-before-break contact device having contacts being, respectively, grounded and connected to said impulse contact, said make-beforebreak contact device in the normal position thereof engaging said contact connected to said 'im pulse contact; a change-over contact device having a first stationary contact, a second stationary contact, and an armature cooperating alternately with said stationary contacts, said armature being under control of said auxiliary relay and connected to said contact of said make-beforebreak contact device connected to said impulse contact, said stationary contacts of said changeover contact device being connected, respectively, to one end of said second windings of said counting relay and said auxiliary relay, said armature of said change-over contact device in the normal position thereof engaging said stationary contact connected to said second winding of said auxiliary relay; and means for supplying a current to the other ends of said windings, whereby when said impulse contact is closed a first time the impulse energizes said counting relay, said auxiliary relay remaining unenergized because said two opposing windings thereof carry current, whereas at the following opening of said impulse contact only one of said windings of said auxiliary relay is energized, thus energizing said auxiliary relay, while at the beginning of the next impulse said counting relay is released and at the end of the next impulse said auxiliary relay is released as well thereby returning the relay arrangement to the initial position thereof.

2. In a binary relay arrangement for counting electrical impulses, in combination, a normally open impulse contact connected to ground; means for control of said electrical impulses for closing said impulse contact; a plurality of cooperating with one another in a binary relation and stages each including a counting relay and an auxiliary relay each having a first winding and a second winding being wound in opposition to each other so as to counteract each other, one end of said first winding of said counting relay in each stage being connected to one end ofsaid first winding of said auxiliary relay in said stage; a make-before-break contact device in each stage under control of said counting relay in said stage and connected to the junction of said first windings in said stage; a first contact and a second contact for each of said make-before-break contact devices, said first contact in each stage being grounded and said second contact being connected in the first of said stages to said impulse contact and in the other stages, respectively, to the preceding stage; said make-before-break contact device in the normal position thereof engaging, respectively, in said first of said stages said contacts connected to said impulse contact and in said other stages said contacts connected to the preceding stage; a change-over contact device in each of said stages having a first stationary contact, a second stationary contact, and an armature cooperating alternately with said stationary contacts, said armature being under control of said auxiliary relay in said stage and connected to said second contact of said makebeiore-break contact device in said stage, said stationary contacts of each of said change-over contact devices being connected, respectively, to one end of said second windings of said counting relay and said auxiliary relay in said stage, said armature of said change-over contact devices in the normal position thereof engaging, respectively, said stationary contacts connected to said second windings of said auxiliary relays; and means for supplying a current to the other ends of said windings whereby said counting relay of said first stage :is energized during every :odd impulse, said counting relay of said second stage is energized :during every consecutive two impulses starting with the second, sixth, tenth, etc, impulses, :said :relay (if any.) of said third stage is energized during four consecutive impulses starting at the fourth and twelfth impulses, etc., and said auxiliary relays of each of said stages are energized, respectively, approximately a half impulse after said counting relays associated therewith.

3. In a binary relay arrangement .tor counting electrical impulses in a communication system, combination, a, normally open impulse contact connected to ground; means for control of said electrical impulses for closing said impulse contact; four stages cooperating with one another in :a binary relation and each including a counting relay and an auxiliary relay each having a first winding and a second winding being wound in opposition to each other so as to counteract each other, one end of said first winding of said counting relay in each stage being connected to one end of said first winding of said auxiliary relay in said stage; amake-loefore-break contact device in each stage under control of said counting relay said stage and connected to the junction of said first windings in said stage; a first contact and a second contact for each of said make-before-break contact devices, said first contact in each stage being grounded and said second contact :being connected in the first of said stages to said impulse contact and in the other stages, respectively, to said second winding of said counting relay of the preceding stage, said make-before-break contact devices in normal position engaging, respectively, in said first stage said contact connected to said impulse contact and .in said other stages said contacts connected to said second winding of said counting relay of 4 the preceding stage; a change-over contact de- 12. vice in each of said four stages, said change-over contact device having a first stationary contact, a second stationary contact, and :an armature cooperating alternately with said stationary contacts, said armature lceing under the control, of said auxiliary relay in said stage and connected to said second contact of said make-before-break contact device in said stage, said stationary contacts of each of said change-over contact devices being connected, respectively, to one end of said second winding of-said counting relayand said auxiliary relay in said stage, said armatures of said change-over contact devices .in :normal position engaging, respectively, said stationary contacts connected to said second winding of said auxiliary relays; and means for supplying a current to the other ends 'of said windings whereby said counting :relay of said first stage is energized during every odd impulse, said counting relay of said second stage is energized during every consecutive two impulses starting at the second, sixth, tenth, and fourteenth impulses, said counting relay of said third stage ;is energized during every :iour consecutive impulses starting at the iourth and twelfth impulses, and said counting rela of said fourth stage is :energized during eight consecutive impulses starting at the eighth impulse, said auxiliary relays 'of each :of said stages being energized, respectively, approximately a half impulse after said counting relays associated therewith.

ROELOF M. OBERIVIAN, ANTONIE SNIJDERS.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES "PATENTS Number Name Date 1,093,147 Reeves Apr. 14, 1914 1,105,492 Clement July 28, 1914 1,141,352 McBerty June 1, 1915

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