US698307A - Party-line telephone apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

v Patented A pr. 22, |902. G. MLLER. Y PARTY LINE TELEPHoNE APPARATUS.

, (Application :Bled Sept. 20, 1901.) v

' 2 Sheets-'Sheet I.

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'No.1 693,307/ f Patented Apu-22,1902.'

G *MLLEILYj PARTY L'IN'E'TEL'EPHUME APPARATUS.

(Application md '35pm-2o, 1901A.) (No Model.) j m m zsheets-sshaet2.l

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UNITEDg STATES 4nrnN'r OFFICE.

GEoRGjlvIL-LER, or ooPENHAeEN, DENMARK.'

PARTY-LINE TELEPHONE APPARATl-JS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 698,307, dated Apr122, 1902. Application filed September 2,0, 1901. Serial No. 75,677. (Nolmodel.)

To all whom 7115 may concern: l

Be it known that I, GEORG MLLER, a subject of the King of Denmark, residing at Nordre Frihavnsveg A, Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of Denmarlghave invented a new and Improved Party-Line Telephone Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in` party-line telephone apparatus, the objectY being to provide a simple arrangement Whereby several subscribers are enabled to employ a single line to the central office and Whereby such subscribers may be connected either with other subscribers on the same line or with such subscribers Whose lines lead to the same central office. The central office connects the calling With the called subscriber, no subscriber'being able to connect himself With another or to disturb the connection ofl a speaking subscriber Without the intervention of the central cnice.

The present arrangement differs from similar apparatus heretofore devised in so far as every subscriber is enabled to communicate directly with the central oce Without the intervention of a mediate station and in so far as the ordinary substation-battery 'of every subscriber is used for the purpose of cutting out all other lines, whereby the employment of a special battery is' dispensed with.

My improved'apparatus comprises ,broadl y, four relays-to wit, a connecting-relay, a disconnecting-relay, a blocking-relay, and an auxiliary blocking-relay.

Furthermore, my apparatus can be used in conjunction with the telephone devices at present in use Without necessitating any change Whatever in such devices.

The invention will be'more fully described hereinafter andv the novel features pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures.

Figure l is a ldiagram of the circuits for an ordinary telephone rapparatus and for my improvedy apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation Fig. Ltis said, essentially four relays, two of which (the blocking-relay ce and the auxiliary blockingrelay y) are connected by circuits 9 and 8, Fig. l, With the main line 72 and are energized by current supplied from the central station. For the purpose of energizing the blocking-relay either an alternating or a direct current can be employed. The blockingrelay is so constructed or proportioned thatv it will be operated by an alternating or direct current having a minimum strengthof one milliampere. The auxiliary blocking-relay, on the other hand, can be energized by direct current, having a minimum strength of one milliampere, regardless of the direction of the current; but vsaid relay cannot be operated by an alternating current of less than twenty milliamperes, because the tongue of the relay (to be hereinafter described) has not sufcient time for vibration. The connecting and disconnecting relays .z and/U are energized by direct current passing through a local circuit, said current being supplied by the usual substation-battery, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

To the right of Fig. l the circuits of the usual telephone apparatus are shown, and to the left of Fig. l the circuits and apparatus forming the subject of the present invention are represented.

For the purpose of explaining the arrangement and operation of the devices comprising the present invention, let it be assumed that a subscriber rings up the central station. Such ringing up is effected in the usual manner by turning the crank of the magneto 34 and by simultaneously pressing a push-button l, situated at some convenient place on the booth containing the auxiliary telephone apparatus. The corresponding annunciatordrop at the central station Will thereby be actuated in the usual manner. At the same time all other subscribers on the same lin'e will be 'cut out by means of the magneto-current flowing through `the blocking-relay x. Subscribers who have thus been cut out will be informed by visible signals that the line is busy. The blocking-relay of the calling subscriber is, however, not influenced by reason of the fact lthat the lower end ot' the button l glides over the upper portion of the indicator-arm 33 to prevent the blocking-relay from attractingits armature. From the magneto 34 the current passes to the bindingpostE K ofthe ordinary telephone apparatus, which binding-post is connected by an outer circuit 2 with the binding-postE K ot the auxiliary apparatus. From the binding-post EK the current passes through the circuit 3 to the contact-springe and through the contact 5, against which the spring 6 is pressed by depressing the button 1. Thence the current passes to the spring 6 and throughthe circuit 7 to the binding-post Ll ot' the auxiliary apparatus, with which the outer circuit is connected. The current returns to the central station by way of the said outer circuit through the annunciator-drop and to the binding-post L of the auxiliary apparatus through circuits S and 9 and contact 10 to circuit 11 through thebinding-post T L of the auxiliary apparatus and through the circuit 12 to the bindingpostLofthetelephoneapparatus. Thencethe current passes by way ofthe circuit 13 to the telephone-hook la and through the contact 15, spring 16, and circuit 17 to the other pole of the magneto. Thus the central station is rung up and the other subscribers simultaneously cut off.

The lnanner in which the subscribers are allcut oit will now be described.

The magneto-current generated by the calling subscriber passes through the bindingpost L of the auxiliary apparatus, the circuits S and 9, the contact 10, (the path formed by line 1l, binding-post T L', the., not constituting a circuit,) the circuit 18, and the blocking-relay to the circuit 10, thence through the contact 2O and circuits 2l and 37, the latter of which terminates at the binding-post L ot the auxiliary apparatus and from the said binding-post to the other outer circuit. The blocking-relay a: will thereby be caused to attract its armature, whereby contact at 22 will be made and simultaneously contact at 10 interrupted. When contacthas been made at the point 22, the current from the substation-battery flowing from the binding-post B of the auxiliary apparatus, (said binding-post being connected by circuit 23 with a positive pole of the substation-battery 73,)` will pass through circuit 2-1, contact 20, circuit 19, the blocking-relay, circuit 18, contact 22, and circuit 25 to the binding-post B of the auxiliary apparatus, said binding-post being electrically connected by circuit 2b' with the negative pole of the substation-battery. The current from the said battery is thereby caused to pass through the blocking-relay to energize the same and cause its armature to remain in attracted position.- Since contact at the point 10 is broken, it follows that the outercircuitis disconnected from the bindingpostT L', so that the entire telephone apparatus is cut out from the outer circuit. As the armature ot the blocking-relay is attracted the indicator will be moved into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, remaining in this position until the armature of the blocking-relaya; returns to its normal unattracted position. The calling subscriber has now connected himself with the central station, cut out all other subscribers on the same lino, and given a signal to show that the line is busy. None of the cut-out subscribers can now be connected with the calling subscriber, the upper portion ot' the indicator-arm 33, as indicated by dotted lines, being swung into the path of the button. The contact-point ofthe button cannot therefore be swung downward, i

and the spring 6, as a result, cannot be depressed. The central station now places the calling subscriber in communication with the subscriber called. Should the called subscriber be located upon some other line connected at the central station, the two lines are connected at the central station in the usual manner. When the conversation has ended, the subscribers ring off, as usual, and disconnection is then eii'ected at the central station, precisely in the same manner as in ringing up, by the depression of the button 1 and the turning of the magneto-crank. The button is automatically raised by the spring G after each depression. In order to reestablish connection with the cut-oft subscribers, the central station will now send a positive impulse from a central-station battery through the binding-post L/, circuit S, auxiliary blockingrelay y, (which is a polarized relay of high selt-induction,) and through the circuits 27, 24:, 21, and 37 to the binding-post L of Athe auxiliary apparatus. By reason of its peculiar construction the auxiliary blocking-relay will not be energized by the previously-passed magneto-current, but only by the impulse sent from the central station, its tongue being thereby swung out against the contact 2S. When contact has thus been made, the substation-battery Will influence the disconnecting-relay 'U in the manner now to be described. From the positive pole of the said battery the current passes through circuit 23, bindingpost B ot' the auxiliary apparatus, circuits 24 21 29, disconnecting-relay V, circuit30, contact 28, tongue 3l of the auxiliary blockingrelay y, circuit 25, binding-post B' of the said auxiliary apparatus, and finally through circuit 26 to the negative pole ofthe substationbattery to attract the armature ot the disconnecting-relay. The armature of `the disconconnecting-relay 'u having been attracted contact at the point 2O will be broken by means of the rod 32, connected with the said armature. The rod 32 carries a clamp 75, Figs. 2 and 4, for an arm 76, serving to press the contact 2O against the disk Pressure IOC) IIO

on the contact 20 is relieved immediately upon moving the rod 32, ytogether with the clamp and the arm. By this breaking of the contact the current passing from the substationbattery through the blocking-relay is cut off, 'whereby the armature of `the said relay will Acircuits 27 24 21 37, to the binding-post L,

and to the positive pole of the battery at the central station. The auxiliary blocking-relays are all energized, whereby contact is established at the point 36. The circuits through the substation-batteries will then be closed by the making of these contacts through the medium of the connecting-,relays, the current passing from the positive pole of the substation-battery through circuit 23, binding-post B, circuit 24, circuit 21, connecting relay c, circuit 38, contact 36, tongue 31, circuit 25, binding-post B', and circuit 26 to the negative pole of the substation-battery. lThe relay uwill not be energized unless the tongue 3l, under the influence of the current, moves to make contact at the point 28. The connecting-relays a' will now attract their armatures, the ratchetwheels 49 rotating through the distance of one tooth for each impulse sent from the central station.- Said disk 49 is rigidly connected with the disk 39, the position of which determines the numbers of the subscribers. In- Figs. 1 and 4 the telephone apparatus of subscriber No. 4 is represented. The stop 40 and the notch 41 in the periphery of the disk 39 will operate in the following manner after the ratchet 49 has been moved forward by four teeth: The stop 40 presses upon the stop 42, whereby the spring is pressed against the screw 77 in such a manner that contact 43 is closed, whereby the centrall station is enabled to energize the bell. The notch 41 will lie opposite the stop 40. By reason of the tension of the contact-spring the stop 44 will fall into the said notch, whereby contact 2O will be broken, the spring no longer engaging the contact-screw.

This arrangement is particularly shown in Figs. 2 to 5. The contact-disk 39 is mounted on the same shaft as a ratchet 49, located above the connecting-relay a'. The armature of said relay is provided at its upper portion with a fork 50, Fig. 5, mounted to turn on the armature. When the armature of the connecting-relay is influenced, the fork will move in the direction of the arrow 51, Fig. 5, so that the pallet 52 will engage the teeth of the ratchet-49 and will rotate the said v ratchet by the distance of one-halfa tooth,r

the oppositely-situated*pallet 53 being simultaneously disengagedfrom the ratchet.v By reason of the retrograde movement of the armature the pallet 53 is again causedto engage the ratchet, but this time above the-next tooth, so that the ratchet is again turned through the distance of one-half a tooth. For every impulse sent 'from the central-station battery the connecting-relay will be energized to a degree corresponding to a certain part of an entire revolution of the ratchet. Whenthe disconnecting-relay o attracts its armature, the rod 32, Figs. 2 and 4, will cause the fork to assume the position shown in dot-' ted lines, so that the pallet 53 will be disengaged from the ratchet 49. and so that the ratchet, together with the contact-disk,will be returned by the coiled spring 54 to its initial position. f

It' the central station should, for example, call up subscriber No. 4, four direct-current impulses will be sent through the circuits previously designated. The contact43, Figs.' 1 and 4, will thereby be closed and contact 20` of the apparatus of subscriber No.4 will be broken, while the opposite effect will bel produced at the apparatus of the other subscribers wherever these two contacts are inV their initial positions, although the'ratchetapparatus will be blocked or cut oft `when the impulses are sent out bythe centralfstation. Said blocking or cutting off is eected precisely in the same manner as hereinbefore described. By closing the contact at the point 43 the bell 35 of subscriber No. 4 will be electrically connected with the outer circuit in such a manner that when an alternating current is sent through the circuitfrom the central station it flows through the following circuit and rings the bell: The alternating current flows through the outer circuit to the binding-post L', circuits .8 and 9, contact 10, (connected with circuit 9,) the armature of the relay circuit 11,bindingpost T L,-circuit 12, binding-post L of the telephone apparatus, circuit 13, telephone-receiver hook 14, contact 15, spring 16, contact 17, short-circuit contact 45 yof the magneto 34 and the bell 35, binding-post E K of the ordinary apparatus, circuit 46a resistance 47 of one thousand ohms, circuit 48, contact 43, cir

cuits 21, and the binding-post L" of the auxiliary apparatus, and thus back to the central station. Since the resistance of 4the bell is about three hundred ohms and the resistances of the relay :r and the relays y are respectively fifteen hundred and two thousand ohms, and since the bell is connected in parallel with the latter relay, the aforesaid resistance of one thousand ohms serves to produce an electrical balance. If, therefore, the bell resistance were greater, the resistance of one thousand ohms could be correspondingly dimin- IIO ished. It is evident that when the contact 2O of the apparatus of subscriber No. 4 is broken the blocking-relay :c cannot close the circuit from the substation-battery and that the contact l0 ot' the said apparatus cannot be broken.

It a. subscriber wishes to converse with a subscriber not on the same line, but on a line leading to the same central station, and for this purpose rings up the central station,he must hold the button l in depressed position until a current is sent through the circuit of the called subscriber in order to operate the proper apparatus in ringing up the called subscriber. When the called subscriber has been rung up, the calling subscriber is automatically notified thereof by the simultaneous ringing of his bell. Not until his bell has ceased to ring may the calling subscriber release the button l.

In Figs. 6, '7, and S the auxiliary blockingrelay hereinbei'ore mentioned is pictured in detail. Said relay is a polarized relay and, like the blocking-relay, is surrounded with a thick iron jacket in order to increase the seltinduction. The relay y is a horseshoe-magnet provided with a winding. The post 65 carries the armature G6 and serves as a support for the magnets 67 and 68. It is a peculiarity 'of this armature that in its construction two springs 69 70 are so balanced that the tongue 3l, secured to the armature 66, can be held between the contacts 28 and 36. It is evident that if a direct current is sent through these relays one ot` the contacts at the points 2S 36, depending upon direction of the current, will be made by means of the tongue 3l, while, on the other hand,

contact cannot be made through the influence of an alternating current. When the relays are not energized, no contact is made. In order to render this relay still less sensitive to an alternating current and in order still further to increase the self-induction, thc magnetic circuit is closed through the crosspiece 7l.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire .to secure by Letters Patentl. A party-line telephone apparatus, coinprising connecting relays for establishing talking-circuits between the stations, disconnectingrelays for disestablishing said circuits, blocking-relays for cutting out divers stations from said circuits, and auxiliary blocking-relays for cutting other stations into said circuits.

2. A party-line telephone apparatus, coinprising connecting relays for establishing talking-circuits between stations, disconnecting-relays for disestablishing said circuits, blocking-relays for cutting out divers other stations from said circuits, auxiliary blocking-relays for cutting said divers other stations into said circuits, and means controllable at will whereby a calling subscriber can simultaneously render his ownblocking-relay inactive and give warning to divers stations that the line is busy.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

GEORG MLLER.

W'itnesses z CHARLES IIUDE, MARCUS MLLER.

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