US772308A - El abbott - Google Patents

Description

No.77308. PATENTED 0CT.11,190L

' H.ABBOTT.

TELEPHUNE METER. APPLIQATION'PILED AUG.17.190L

10 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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No. 772,308. PATENTED DGT. 11, lQOLy l H. ABBOTT.

TELEPHONE METER. APPLIGTIGN FILED AUG. 17. 1901.

N0 MODEL. 10 SHEET-B--SHEET 2.

110.772.308. l PATBNTED 00T.11,19o4.

y H. ABBOTT.

TBLEPHUNE METER.

APPLIUATIoN 211.1111 AUG. 17. 1901.

N0 MODEL- 1o SHEETS-s112111' a.

Nmvvzo. PATENTBD 00T. 11, 1904. H. ABBOTT.

TELEPHONE METER.

Y APPLIGATION FILED man1?. 1901.

.No MODEL. Y 1o sums-SHEET 4.

PATENTED OCT. l1, 1904.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

N0 MODEL.

N() MODEL4 P ATENTED OCT. 11, 1904.

H. ABBOTT.

TELEPHONE METER.

APPLICATION FILBD AUG. 17. 1901.

10 SHEETS-SHEET "l.

. y PATENTED OCT. 11, 1904. H. ABBOTT. 'Y

TELEPHONE METER.

v n APPLICATION-FILED AUG. 17. 1901. No MoDEL.

10 SHEETS-SHEET E.

PATENTED UGT. l1, 1904.

H. ABBOTT.

TELEPHONE METER.

AIPLIGMION FILED AUG. 17. 1901.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

NO MODEL.

Il. m Q Q Q @f U f, w a j @GGO @@@Q @000 00C@ 0&0@ D .a ...6000 @000 @000 @Q00 @000 u; 4I@ e C @Q00 @@@OQOQOOQQQQQ/@Q l. j l An. Z vS S s e e @V No. 772,308. PATENTED OCT. l1, 1904.

H. ABBOTT.

TELEPHONE METER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1.7. 1901. N0 MODEL, 10 SHEETS-SHEET 10.

Patented October 11, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ABBOTT, OF NET YORK, N. Y.

TELEPHONE-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,308, dated October 11, 1904. Appui-.ation iefi August 17,1901.` serai No. 72,388. (Nominal.)

T0 all wil/0717, it puny cm1/cern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ABBOTT, of the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, in the county of New York, and in the State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone-Meters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichl Figure 1 is a perspective view of a group or multiple arrangement of telephone-meters constructed in accordance with my invention, -the casing being shown open and the platen or paper-support shown as swung down. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 8 is a vertical section, the platen being shown in position for printing. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line .fr of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a viewin rear elevation of a portion of said group of meters, the casing being omitted. Fig..6 is a detail view in perspective of one call-recording ,device or meter. Fig. 7 is a detail view in section of said call-recording device or meter, showing the driving mechanism thereof. Fig. 8 is a detail view, in vertical section, of a portion of said meter, showing the electromagnet and its armaturefor operating the i recording mechanism. Fig. 9 is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a meter and its printing mechanism. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of one form of presser or pressure-applying device which may be used to take the record or imprint from the meters. Fig. 11 is a vertical section of said pressure-applying device. Fig. 12 is a detail view in section of the platen, and Fig. 13'is a detail view of portion of a sheet containing a record printed from the group of meters. Figs. 14 and 15 are detail views of a presser or pressure-applying device for taking the record or imprint from the meters in which a roller is used. Fig. 16 is a diagram sho'wing one arrangement of circuit that may be employed. Fig. 17 is a diagram'showing another arrangement of circuit that maybe employed, which comprises a switch that momentarily closes the meter-circuit when the two subscribers are placed in communication. Figs. 18, 19, 20, and 21 are detail views, in

side elevation, of the switch shown in Fig. 17, said figures showing, respectively, the position of the switch to enable the operator to talk to the calling subscriber, the position of the switch to enable the operator to talk with the party called, the position of the switch when the parties are placed in communication, and the position of the switch to enable the operator to listen in without operating the meter. Fig. 22 is a detail view in section of said switch. Fig. 23 is a front elevation of a group of meters from which records are printed by the employment of a horizontallytravelingframe that contains guides for the pressure-applying device, said frame being movable from one row of meters to another. Fig. 24 is a vertical section thereof. Fig. 25 is a view showing a construction enabling the use of the same pressure-applying device for printing both the dials and the pointers. Fig. 26 is a detail view of a pressure-applying device having a cam for changing the tension of its spring to enable said device to be used with both the dials and the pointers; and Fig. 27 is a similar view of the same device, showing the parts in a different position from that shown in Fig. 26.

In telephone-exchanges where what is called the measured service is in use the practice in keeping a record of the number of calls of a subscriber having such a service has been for the operator to make out a ticketl with the number of the .telephone of the calling subsoriber, the number of the telephone of the subscriber wanted, and other data, a proceeding consuming' considerable time and reducing the number of connections which the operator would otherwise be able to make and objectionable because of the liability of theoccurrence of many errors in the records` Figures are erroneously written. In the hurry of business there is neglect to make a ticket, tickets are misplaced, and errors in counting the tickets occur.

Besides the-practice referred to meters or vcounters have been employed for registering by dials and pointers the number of calls of the subscriber, in the use of which it is necessary for the number shown by the register to be read oif at stated intervals, usually a IOO month, and to be written in a book provided the commission of error as far as possible in the keeping or 4making of the records in question by dispensing with the necessity for human agency except in the performance of Apurely mechanical work and to simplify and facilitate the work of making such records; and to this end said invention consists in means employed, constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed.

Generally stated, in the practice of my invention I employ for each telephone having a measured service a meter adapted to count each completed connection, from which meter a printed record can be made, and preferably at the central oiiice or exchange a number of rmeters will he grouped together or banked, so that the printed record can be taken from a number at a time.

As vI prefer .to construct each meter it comprises a series of four numerals bearing dials A and A, each having type-figures running consecutively from 0 to 9 and secured to one end of an arbor B, journaled in openings in a pair of plates C and C,which for the sake of distinction I shall term front and back, respectively, and which are joined together by posts and screws. Concentric with each dial in a cavity therein is-a disk D, having on its outer face an index in the form of an arrow nl, pointing to the zero-mark on the dial. The disk is connected to the dial by a pin c on the dial that enters a -hole in the disk, the disk being thereby made to rotate with the dial, although free to be vmoved in an axial direction independent of the dial. The numerals on the dial and the index on the disk lie in different planes, the plane of the index being' within that of the numerals, so that an imprint or impression can be taken from the latter without one from the index, and the latter can 'be moved suiciently beyond the i plane of the numerals to permit it to be printed without at the same time printing tlie-numerels. Thus taking first an imprint from the dial and then after the dialy and index have been rotated replacing the paper in the' same position zt-hd taking an imprint from the index the impression taken from the latter will point toward some other number or place on the dial than the zero.

rl`he disk D is secured to the end of a rod E, passing through the arbor B and reaching to a point in rear ofthe back plate C, and between two collars e and c, respectively on the endof the rod and engaging the end of the arbor a coiled spring F is placed on the rod that yieldingly holds the disk withinthe dial-cavity vraaoe with the index-arrow within the planeof the dial-numerals. Y

On the arbor of the units-dial A is a pinion Gr, with which meshes a gear-wheel H on an arbor I, journaled in holes in the two plates C and C. Also on said arbor I is a ratchetwheel K, which is given a step-by-step movement by a pawl L, carried by a lever M, which is pivoted to the inner `side of the back plate C. Supported by a bracket N, fastened tothe back plate C, isan electromagnet O, the armature P of which is pivoted at one end to said bracket and has a projection p on its opposite end that reaches through an opening c in said back plate and engages the pawl-lever M, so that when the magnet is energized and the armature is lmoved thereby the lever will he swung in the direction to cause the pawl to engage and partially rotate the ratchetwheel. A stud or pin c `on the back plate C, in position to engage the end of the pawl when it is moved by the armature, limits its movement by the latter.` The retraction of the pawl is effected by a spring Q, attached at one end to the pawl and at the other end to the back plate C. For preventing back rotation of the ratchet-wheel there is an ordinary detent R. Binding-posts S and S, mounted on the bracket N, are provided for placing the magnet in an electric circuit, that is hereinafter described.

On the ratchet-wheel arbor I is a pinion T,

that meshes with a gear-wheel U on the arbor of the tens-dial, and by a train of gears, not requiring description, power is transmitted from a pinion V on Said tens-dial arbor to the remaining dials.

On the front plate C is placed a printingdie W, containing a number that is the same as the number of the subscriber whose service is measured by the meter.

The meters are mounted in vertical and horizontal rows in a frame composed of parallel vertical bars X and X, that are connected at top and bottom by horizontal bars Y and Y, meters being placed in the spaces between the vertical bars and attached to the latter by screws Z and Z, that pass into said bars through portions of the front plates C and C, which overlap the bars X and X. The meter-supporting' frame is mounted on a bracket A', that is fastened to the bottom of a casing B, which incloses the mechanism, the casing having a hinged front for giving access to the mechanism.` The meter-frame is constructed in sections to permit addition of meters as the number of subscribers increase.

Iivoted to the lower bar Yby hinges yandg/ is a frame also composed of parallel vertical i bars C and C and two horizontal bars D and '13', to which they are joined at their upper and lower ends. Said frame constitutes a support or holder for a sheet or sheets of carbon-paper, and the sheet `or sheets of paper IDO IIO

upon which the record is to be printed and for confining said sheets to the paper-holding frame there are several elastic bands or ribbons E' and E', adapted to reach across the sheets from top to bottom on the sides thereof opposite the bars C' and C', which bands or ribbons are attached at one end to a bar F', hinged to the bottom bar D', and at the other end to a bar G' with vertical extensions g and g, having each a hole to detachably engage a screw-head or stud CZ' on the upper horizontal bar D'. The ribbons or bands are stretched when the bar G' is attached to the upper horizontal bar, and they therefore are held snug and smooth against the sheets of paper.

The paper-holding frame is turned down to a horizontal position when sheets are to be in' serted lor removed, and it is supported in such position by a folding or articulated support H', attached at one end to one side of the casing B' and at the other end to said` frame. For the convenient support of the paper-holding bands E' and E' and the bar G' in placing or removing sheets a light frame I' is pivoted to the sides of the easing B', so that it may be 'swung into and out of the same, to which when it is swung to its position out of the casing the bar G' is attached, its middle extension g having its hole caught over aheaded stud or screw z' on the frame I'. The latter is arrested and held by a suitable stop on the casing when swung out of the latter to the desired position.

Close to each of the bars D' and D' some pointed pins 02 and c2 are attached to the frame, which penetrate the sheets of paper, and so aid in holding the same in place and also serve, in connection with the holes they form, as gages for the replacing of sheets of paper in the operation of printing the record, to be described hereinafter. Said pins are so located that holes f and f in the bar F' and holes g' and g' in the bar G', respectively, aline with a pin, and said bars therefore when pressed upon the'paper force the latter upon the pins. The paper-holding frame is held in its vertical position over the group or series of meters by clamps K' and K', mounted, respectively, on brackets L' and L', secured to the top of the casing B', and to fix the position of said frame laterally and hold it from sidewise movement studs or pins Z2 and Z2 are placed on the upper horizontal bar I)',fhat enter openings in the meter-supporting frame. On the latter at the bottom is a spring-plate M', that engages the bar F' of the paper-confining device and presses said bar into paper-engaging position, from which the bands E' and E' tend to move it by their pull thereon.

Onthe paper-holding frame in each space between adjacent vertical bars C and C' is a strip N' of rubber or other flexible material of a length to extend over a vertical row or series of meters, over which strip, on the outside thereof, is passed a device by which pressure is applied to the sheets of paper to cause the same to be pressed with Aenough force against the dials, indexes, and numbers on the meters to take an imprint therefrom. Said pressure-applying device, as I prefer to construct it, comprises a lower plate O'-, slidably connected, by headed pins O'and 0 near each end, to a Hat plate P', between which and the lower plate a leaf-spring Q' is interposed, the spring engaging the lower plate at its ends and being engaged at mid-length by screws p and p, carried by the fiat plate P'. Projecting from the plate P' are two handles or knobs p' and p' for manipulating the device. The plate P' has such Width that when it is placed between a pair of the vertical bars C' and C' it will be overlapped on opposite sides by a flange or ledge 03, that projects laterally from each of said bars, the length of said flanges or ledges being equal or substantially equal to the extent of a vertical ro-w of meters. When the plate P' of the presser device is engaged by the ianges or ledges, the leaf-spring is bowed and placed under suiii# cient tension to cause it to press the sheets interposed between the strip N' and the type or printing-dies with the pressure requisite to make an imprint or impression as the device is moved along over said strip. It will be evident that by this mode of successively talring the imprints much less pressure is required than would be necessary should the impressions from an entire row of meters be taken at once. Less pressure being required to print from the indexes than from the dials, a weaker spring is employed in the device for printing from the indexes.

In Figs. 26 and 27 I show a pressure-applying device which may be used for printing from both the dials andindeXes by altering the tension of the spring Q', a cam or eccentric Q2 being provided to act upon the spring Q' for this purpose.

Other pressure-applying devices may be used in which a roller is employed to bear upon the backing-strip N', the requisite pres-l sure being produced either by making the roller of soft rubber, or if it is of wood, metal, vulcanized rubber, or other lunyielding or in elastic material by means of springs. A device in which a roller O? is employed is illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15, said roller being journaled in a frame O3, which has at each end a spring-actuated arm Oi with projections consisting of screws O5 at each side that engage the flanges or ledges c3, and it is possible to so construct the parts that a rigid or unf yielding pressure-applying device may be employed.

As has heretofore been explained, it is necessary for printing from the indexes to project them beyond the plane of the dials, and for this purpose the following-described mechanism may be employed: Adjacent to the inner ends of the rods vE and E and extending .rios

parallel with each vertical row of such rods is a bar R', thel opposite reduced ends of which respectively project into slotted posts S' and S', that are attached to the Lipper and lower meter-'frame bars Y and Y. Encircling each post S' between the bar to which it is fastened and the bar It' is a coiled spring T', that acts 1 to press the bar R' outward or from the rods E and E. Lying against the bar R' on the side opposite the spring T' is a bar U', the ends of which pass through the slots of the same posts S' and S', and in the edges of the portions that extend into the slots notches are cut having each an inclined side a, that engages a surface on the post, so that by moving the bar U' longitudinally it will be caused to move laterally and carrying' with it in its lateral movelinent the bar R' will effect through the latter the projection o'r` the indexes beyond the plane of the dials. Preferably the inclineengaging surface on the post S' is inthe form of a screw s in a threaded opening in the post to enable adjustment. Mounted in brackets V' and V', projecting from the meter-holding frame at its lower end, is a roclvshaft W', having' opposite the lower end of each bar l"V a cam zato engage the end of said bar and move it longitudinally to cause the outward `movement of the indexes, a lever or handle w' being provided on the shaft t'or turning' it. Opposite longitudinal movement of the bars U' is produced by means of a spring X' for each bar which is attached thereto at one end and to the shaft at its other end. M

To afford ready access to the rear side of the meter mechanism,the meter-holding trame is hinged at its bottom to the bracket or support A', which is fixed to the casing B', and at its top screws Y' and Y' connect it to the brackets L' and L'.

In using the machine for printing' a record the paper-holding frame is dropped to ahorizontal position and a sheet ot' paper suitably ruled is laid thereon. A sheet ot' carbon-pa per is next placed upon the ruled sheet and then both are secured in place by the elastic bands E' and E' and the bars F' and Gr', the ruled sheet being additionally held by the pins. c2 and c". rIhe frame is then swung up and secured in vertical position alongside the bank or group of meters, and then by means of the proper pressure-applying device used as hereinbefore described the dials andthe subscribers telephone-numbers are printed on the record-sheet. The record-sheet after being thus printed may either be left in the frame until the interval has elapsed tor the 4number of calls to be counted, usually a month, or taken out and replaced at the ex- -piration of such interval. In the latter case the replacing in lthe exact position formerly occupied being facilitated by the presence of the holes made in the sheet by the pins nc2 and c. At the end ot the period designated, the

record-sheet being in position, the indexes l l and Z are projected beyond the plane of the` dials` and by the appropriate pressure-applying device they alone are printed on the sheet `on which they' will appear pointing to the 'ord and carbon sheets.

` In practice on the first of January two ree'- ord-sheets will be printed with the dial and telephone numbers, one sheet being removed and not replaced until the expiration of a year, the other being used to make the monthly record as above described. The sheet notreplaced for a yearwill thus give the record of the total of all the twelve monthly records and will show the total number of messages for the year. f

The electrical connection of the meters with the switchboard may be by any preferred arrangement of circuit; but a circuit is used by which' the callingsubscribers meter is not actuated until he is connected with the party called, so that there will thus be no record of the socalled lost calls. A form of circuit to accomplish this is as follows: From the springjack Af' of each subscriber a wire runs to one of the binding-posts of the meter of the subscriber, from the other binding-post of said meter a wire connects with the battery B2, and i'rom the battery the circuit 4runs to a pair of cords C2 and C', a push-button being in the circuit between the battery and the cords or between the meter and the cords. The operator through her listening-key and headtelephone can converse with both the party calling and the party called without the circuit being closed through the meter, and therefore without operating the latter; but the telephones of the two parties are not placed in circuit until the push-button is operated, and this being done the circuit is closed through the calling-subscribe1"s meter.

Another arrangement, and one which I prefer because it necessitates the operation of the meter before the two subscribers can talk, is as follows: In place of the usual listening-key I employ what I term a four-way switch D2, comprising a pivoted block, of hard rubber or other insulating material, having asuitable handle d, and secured to one side of which is a segment-shaped metal conducting-strip KZ', between the extremities of which is a body Z2 of insulating material. Passing through the latter is a metal conducting-plug d3. Bearing against one side of the switch are three springs E2, F2, and G2, that respectively are terminals from the calling-plug C2, from the operators head-telephone, and from the answering-plug C2. On the opposite side of the switch is a spring H2, that is a terminal of the meter-circuit. Normally, as shown in Fig. 18, the switch is in such position that only IOO IIO

the terminal F2 from the operators telephone and the terminal from the answering-plug are in contact with the conducting-strip ci. To connect the operator with the party called, the switch is moved (see Fig. 19) to place the calling-plug terminal E2 and the terminal F2 of the operators telephone only on the conducting-strip CZ', the other two terminals then resting on the piece of insulating material d2. For placing the two parties in communication the movement of the switch is continued to the position shown in Fig. 20, in which the calling and answering plug terminals alone rest on the conducting-strip d'. In moving to the latter position, the answering-plug terminal and the meter-terminal rest momentarily on the opposite ends of the plug d3, and so close the circuit through the meter and cause it to register. listen in, this can be effected without again operating the meter by moving the switch to the position shown in Fig. 2l, in which the calling and answering plug terminals and the operators telephone-terminal are all in contact with the conducting-strip d. To avoid interrupting the conversation between the parties when the switch is moved to listen-in position, the calling-plug terminal is elongated, so thatit reaches beyond the body of insulating material cl2, and thus continues in contact with the conducting-strip CZ.

For` yieldingly holding the switch in each of the positions described the familiar expedient of a hub or collar-d4 on the switch and having a flattened side for each position is attached to the switch and a spring Z5 is emi ployed.

It will be evident that the switch construction above described may be employed with meters of other'construction than mine.

If desired, the meter could be placed in a circuit independent of the telephone-circuit, in which case it lwould be necessary to provide a separate circuit-closing device for each subscriber, and a circuit could be used by which a calling-subscribers meter would be automatically operated by the insertion of the plug in his spring-jack; but by such an arrangement the call would be recorded whether or not the party called should be secured. It will be apparent that the meters can be placed in circuit with the battery of the telephonecircuits or with a separate battery, as may be preferred.

Instead of grouping' the meters in a comparatively small case, as has been described,

a large number may be secured in a permanent framework reaching, say, from floor to ceiling and inclosed in a single protectingcabinet having doors or movable panels to give access to the inclosed mechanism.

Besides placing the meter in a group or groups at the central oce each subscribers meter can be placed at his station and the meter made to operate either by some act per- Should the operator desire to.

formed by the subscriber himself or by the operator at the central office through the talliing or ringing circuit. A meter constructed lto be so used forms the subject of a separate application for patent liled on an even date .herewith` Other changesthan those descrihed herein may be employed without departure from the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- I l. The combination of registering mechanism comprising a dial and index, means to actuate said mechanism in connection with a telephone, and means for taking separate imprints from said dial and index, substantially as and for the purpose described.

I 2. A registering mechanism, comprising two printing elements whose imprints coperate in making a record, the printing-surfaces of said elements lying, respectively, normally in different planes, whereby an imprint can be taken from one and not the other, one being shiftable relative to `the other to change its plane, and to place it in a different plane from the other for printing. l

3. The combination of registering mechanism comprising a dial and index, having printing-surfaces that respectively lie normally in different planes whereby an imprint can be taken from one and not the other, and means for shifting one relative to the other to cause the one not printed from to occupy a position whereby an imprint can be taken from it and not the one from which an imprint was previously taken, substantially as and for the purpose described. Y

4. The combination of registering mechanism, comprising a dial and index, having printing-surfaces that respectively lie normally in different planes, whereby an imprint can be taken from one and not the other, and means for shifting one relative to the other, whereby it may be placed in a plane different from the other to enable an imprint to be taken from it alone, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of registering mechanism, comprising a dial and index, the index being in a plane lower than the dial, and means for projecting the index to a plane above that of the dial, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination of a group of registering mechanisms, arranged in rows and comprising each a dial and an index from each of which an imprint may be taken, independently of the other, Vthe index being in a lower plane than the dial, and means for simultaneously moving all of the vindexes to a plane above the plane of the dial, substantially as and for the purpose described.

IOO

IZO

7. The combination of a group of registerof which an in'iprint may be taken independently of tlieother, the index being 1n lower planes than the dial, :md means for moving all of thevindexes of a row to a plane above the dials, eoiniiirising a bar having inolines, bearings for the latter, and means to move the bnr longitudinally, substantially as and for the purpose described. Y

8. The Combination o'l registering mechanism1 an eleetrornzignet, its armature, and means for transmitting motion of the arnmi ture to said registering mechanism comprising n pawl and ratchet and a part carried by the armature that engages the pave/l,r suljstantizilly as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 22d day of June, A. D. 1901.

HENRY ABBCTT. Witnesses:

EDWIN A. CURRIER, EMBURY VREELAND.

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