US744735A - Telephone-exchange. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES Fatented November 24,

PATENT OFFIQE.

TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,735, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed August 20 1902. Serial No- 120,393. (No model.)

To all whom it na/y concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES S. EXLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the county of Clarke and State of Iowa, have invented a new and usefulTelephone-Exchange, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to telephone exchanges or switchboards and the object thereof is to provide apparatus of this character that is made up of a few simple elements which are not liable to become deranged, said apparatus being easily understood and readily operated, as will be seen upon a perusal I of the specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein the preferred form of construction is set forth.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the switchboard. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view throughthe same. diagrammatic viewjof the system, and Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view through one of the plugs.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment shown a base-plate 10 is employed, which is preferably rectangular in form and constitutes a support for the various elements. Independent line-wires 11 11 11 11 11 lead from the various subscribers instruments (one of which is indicated at 12 in Fig. 3)'to an intermediate portion of the plate 10, where they are connected with posts 13, passing through said plate.

To the outer ends of the posts 13 are attached switches comprising flexible cords 14, each having at its free end a plug 15, the construction of which is clearly shown in Fig. 4. A suitable non-conductive body 16 is employed,

having a longitudinal opening therethrough in which is fitted a metallic stem 17, that projects from one end of the body, said stem having at its unexposed endan eye 18, to-

which the cord 14 is attached. A fastening device preferably in the form of a screw 19 passes through the body 16 and the eye 18', thus securing the stem in place.

In this system there are employed suitable signals for the various subscribers, one of which is shown diagrammatically at 20 in Fig. 3. These signals are each connected, by

means of a suitable wire 21, with a contact Fig. 3 is ajacks 25 and the bodies 23, these openings being designed to receive the stems 17 of the plugs.

Arranged in suitable longitudinally-disposed seats 27, formed in the rear face of the base-plate 10, are exchange-contact devices- 28, the number of which, of course, depends on the number of subscribers. These devices each comprise metallic bars 29, secured at their ends to the base-plate and having a plurality of spring-jacks 30 fastened to them, these spring-jacks forming sockets 31, which are alined with openings 32,'constructed in the base-plate, which openings are also designed to receive the stems 17 of the plugs. In this apparatus the usual egcchange'instrument (indicated at 33) is also employed, this instrument being connected, by means of a line 34, with a switch-cord 35, that is fastened to the lower portion of the base-plate, said switch-cord being provided with a plug 36, constructed similarly to those already de scribed. The manner of operating this device may probably be best explained as follows: The various subscribers instruments are nor -mallyconnected with their respective signals by engaging the stem 17 in the contact delvices of said signals, while the switch exchange instrument is connected with an exchange-contact device by inserting the plug thereof into one of its sockets. vAssuming now that a call should come to the exchange from the subscriber on the line-wire 11, it

that wire will be actuated, as said signal is in circuit with the same. tor noticing this signal removes the plug from the contact device 22 of the operated signal and places it in one of the sockets of the exchange-contact device. This will place the subscriber in communication with the exchange operator; Upon ascertaining the The exchange operaico number the caller desires the plug for that number is also inserted in the remaining socket of the exchange-contact device, while the callers plug is removed. The exchange operator then calls up the number desired and replacing the plug of the caller in the exchange-contact device thereby places the two in communication. As the operator can also remain in communication, it may be readily ascertained when the subscribers are finished, and they can thus be out ch. Should another call come in, it will of course be seen that the other exchange-contact device may be employed and the arrangement may be duplicated to provide a sufficient number of exchange devices.

It will be apparent that this switchboard may be manufactured at comparatively small cost, while its simplicity not only resides in its construction, but in the manner of operation. The several parts are extremely simple and of such a character that they-are not liable to become deranged. Attention is especially directed to the construction of the plugs, which are very simple and yet thor- 'oughly efficient.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

I consider myself the first to construct a telephone-exchange in which there is provided a contact device in circuit with the exchange-circuit, in combination with a series of independent switches which are adapted to make and break connection with the said contact device, said switches being in circuit with the line-wires of the subscribers instruments, and having means for making and breaking connection with an individual exchange-signal for each subscribers instrument, and wish it to be understood that various mechanical equivalents may be substituted for the means herein shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of independent lines, of signals for the lines, an exchangecontact device, and a switch connected with each line and movable into and out of connection with both the signal and the contact device.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with-a plurality of independent lines, of a signal for each line, an exchangecontact device, a switch connected with each line and movable into and out of connection with both the signal and the contact device, an exchange instrument, and a switch connected with the exchange instrument and movable into and out of connection with the exchange-contact device.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of independent lines, of a common exchange-contact having a plurality of sockets, and separate switchcords connected with the lines and having plugs arranged to engage in the sockets of the exchange-contact.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of independent lines, of a common exchange-contact having a plurality of sockets, separate switch-cords connected with the lines and having plugs arranged to engage in the sockets of the exchange-contact, an exchange instrument,and a switch-cord connected with said instrument and havinga plug that is arranged to engage in one of the sockets of the exchange-contact.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of independent lines, of a common exchange-contact having a plurality of sockets, a signal for each line also having a socket, and separate switchcords connected with the lines and having plugs arranged to engage in the sockets of the exchange-contact and of the signals.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of independent lines, of a common exchange-contact comprising a bar having a plurality of springjacks secured thereto forming sockets, and separate switch cords connected with the lines and having plugs arranged to engage in the sockets of the exchange-contact.

7. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of independent lines, of a common exchange-contact comprising a bar having a plurality of springjacks secured thereto, signals for the lines provided with spring-jacks, and separate switch-cords connected to the lines and having plugs, said plugs being movable into engagement with the jacks of the cont-act device and those of the signals.

8. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a plurality of independent lines, of a common exchangecontact comprising a bar having a plurality of spring jacks secured thereto, signals for the lines provided with spring-jacks, separate switchcords connected to the lines and having plugs,

said plugs being movable into engagement cuit with theswitch, whereby the switch may be cut out from the exchange-signal and cut in with with the exchange-contact device, the latter constituting a connecting medium between the respective line-Wires.

- 10. In apparatus of the class described, the

- combination with the line-wires of a plurality of independent subscribers instruments, of an exchange-contact device in circuit with the exchange instrument, a switch connection between the exchange circuit and exchangecontact device, an individual switch for each line-wire permanently in circuit therewith, and an independent exchange-signal for each subscribers instrument in circuit with the switch, whereby the switch may be cut out from the exchange-signal and cut in with the exchange-contact device, the latter constituting a connecting medium between the respective line-wires.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES sfEXLEY.

Witnesses:

W. H. BAKER, JULIA A. BARGEB.

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