US784588A - Party-line selective system. - Google Patents

Description

No. 784,588. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905. P. P. OGONOR & P. MONEILL.

PARTY LINE SELECTIVE SYSTEM.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 13.1904.

3 SHEBTSSHEBT l- No. 784,588. PATENTBD MAR. 14, 1905. P. P. OGONOR &'P. 'MQNEILL.

PARTY LINE SELECTIVE SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 13.1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET z.

No. 784,588. I PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

F. P. OCONOR & P. MONEILL. PARTY LINE SELECTIVE SYSTEM.

APPLIUATIOH FILED FEB. 13.1904.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 3.

NITED STATES Patented. March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

PARTY-LINE SELECTIVE SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,588, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed February 13, 1904- Serial No. 193,454.

To all whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that we, FRANK P. OCONOR and FREDERIC MONEILL, citizens of the United States, residing at Lasalle, in the county of Lasalle and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Party- Line Selective Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to telephone systems, and particularly to that class known as partyline systems wherein a plurality of substations are included in the same circuit.

The object of the invention is to provide new and improved means whereby any subscriber may be called or signaled from the central station to the exclusion of the other subscribers on the same circuit or line and also whereby any subscriber may communicate with any other subscriber on the same line or on any other line to the exclusion of all other subscribers on the party-line. The desired result is attained through the medium of a selective instrument or apparatus located at each substation and provided with suitable contacts arranged progressively at successive subscribers stations and adapted to close the signaling-circuit at any substation by a predetermined number of impulses sent over the line from the central station. The arrangement is such that when any substation is selected and connected with the line for signaling the talking-circuit at such station is also established, so that in order to carry on a conversation it is only necessary for the called subscriber to remove his receiver from the hook in the usual manner to communicate with the calling subscriber, all other subscribers on the line being cut off from communication with the line.

The invention has for a further object to provide a device under the control of the operator at the central station for actuating the selective instruments at the substations, so that the signaling apparatus at any station may be readily placed in circuit with the central station for signaling.

The invention will be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the selective instrument and connections of one substation and also shows the device located at the central station for sending impulses over the line to actuate the selective instrument. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the selective instrument located at each substation. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the selective instrument. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the system, showing three substations and illustrating particularly the manner of arranging the disk conductors atsuccessive stations. Fig. 7 shows the impulse device on a larger scale; and Fig. 8 is a detail, on an enlarged scale, of one of the rotating disks with its associated conductors and contacts.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 6, Z and Z indicate the line-wires of the circuit, Which terminate at a jack p, of the usual construction, located at the switchboard a at the central station. Connected across the line-wires! and Z are the substations No. 1, No. 2., and No. 3, it being understood that while three of such substations are shown the number may be increased as desired. cach station, comprising the wires (1, connected with the line l, and wires (0 a, connected with the line 1, are the usual receiver 1', transmitter z, and ringer v", bridged across the wires a and a. The lines a and o are provided with anvils a a, normally out of contact with the hook-switch it when the receiver is hung up, but which are adapted to close the circuit through the transmitter and-receiver when the hook is released upon the removal of the receiver. A connection is normally made between the wires (0 and a so that, as will be seen by reference to Fig. l, a subscriber may call up the central station in the usual manner by simply removing his receiver if the system is a central-energy system or by operating his magneto-generator if the latter is employed, the central station being provided with any suitable apparatus for indicating to the operator that the subscriber is calling. Except for the means for establishing connection between the wires a w and hereinafter more fully cxplalned, in order to Included in the circuit at make and break at will the circuit between the ringer and the lines Z and Z the connections heretofore described may be of the usual and ordinary character and need not be described with greater particularity. Locatedat each substation is an apparatus or instrument, substantially as shown inFigs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, which is provided with means controlled from the central station whereby any substation may be selected and its ringer operated to the exclusion of all other substations on the line. Such means comprise generally a moving conductor located at each substation and adapted to be moved so as to complete the circuit between the wires a" (Z2 when a predetermined number of impulses is sent over the line by the operator at the central station, and as the conductor at each station is moved to its operativeposition by an individual number of impulses the ringer at any station may be selected and rendered operative to the exclusion of all other stations.

The selective apparatus A, located at each substation, as shown in Fig. 6, comprises a suitable frame or casing mounted in any suit:

able manner at the station, consisting of a pair of plates 10 and 11, suitably spaced apart and secured together by bolts 12. Supported by the frame is an electromagnet 13. This electromagnet may be of any suitable character, but is shown as extending horizontally betweenthe plates 10 and 11 and provided with a pair of pole-pieces 14, extending inwardly from the ends of the magnet, Figs. 2 and 3. The armature 15, which is so located as to be attracted by the pole-pieces 14 of the magnet 13, is attached to an arm 16, pivoted on a rod 17, from which it is insulated by a collar, the rod being fixed at its ends to but insulated from the plates 10 and 11. When the armature 1 5 is released by the deenergization of the ele'c' 'tromagnet, it is retracted by a spring 18, attached at one end to the arm 16 and at the other to a pin 19, fixed to one of the frame-plates, as 11. is shown as depending, has pivoted to its free end a pawl 20, provided near its forward end with a pin 21, carried between a pair of depending ears 22 of the pawl 20, and the pawl by its pin 21 is normallyin engagement with the teeth of a ratchet-wheel 23, fixed on an arbor 24. journaled in the side plates, the ears 22 extending on opposite sides of the ratchet-wheel to guide the pawl and prevent the same slipping laterally. The pawl is held in engagement with the ratchetwheel 23 by means of a spring 25, one end of which is attached to a tailpiece 26 of the pawl 20, while the other end is attached to the arm 16. As the magnet 13 is alternately, energized and denergized the ratchet-wheel 23 will be turned intermittently or step by step, the movement of the armature 16 at each actuation being suflicient to move the ratchetwheel 23 only one tooth. As the electro- The arm 16, which,

magnet is deenergized the armature 15, and consequently the pawl 20, isretracted' by the spring 18. A dog 27, pivoted, as at 28, between the plates 10 and 11, engages the ratchetwheel 23 to prevent backward movement of the latter. Fixed on the arbor 24 is a disk 29, which is shown in the present instance as located on the end of the arbor 24 extending beyond the plate 10. This disk is made of non-conducting material, but is provided with a pair of conductors 30 and 31, which are in electrical connection with a conducting-collar 32, insulated from the arbor 24 by asleeve 33, fixed on the arbor, and the conductors extend radially of thedisk, so as to be movable into contact with a brush 34, which is in electrical extension of the line-Wire Z. A second brush or spring contact-point constantly bears against the conducting collar 32, and this brush is connected with the Wire a leading to the anvil a. The disks 29 are normally in such position that the brush 34 bears against the conductor 30, so as to place the wires c a in electrical connection. This is clearly shown in Fig. 1. It will be obvious, therefore, from this arrangement that when the receiver 1' is removed from the hook it the latter then rising in the usual manner the circuit is complete from lines Z Z through the telephone set by reason of the closing of the circuit through the hook and the anvils a a. This enables any subscriber to call up central by simply removing his receiver from the hook where central-energy system is employed or otherwise by merelyoperating his magneto-generator without other manipulation. In other words, the subscriber is enabled to call up central as with the ordinary telephone systems. The conductors of the several disks are spaced different distances apart, the conductors 31 being arranged progressively in successive order, so that by a predetermined number of impulses from the central station the conductor 31 of any station may be moved into engagement with the brush 34 thereat, it being understood that these conductors 31 are so spaced from the conductor 30 that at the first impulse sent over the line energizing the/ magnets 13 all of the disks will be moved one tooth of the ratchet-wheels 23 to throw the non-conducting portion of the disk against the brush 34, so as to cut oif from the lines all stations excepting the one having its receiver removed from the hook. The object of this will be more fully explained hereinafter. The spacing of the conductors of station 1, for example, is such that two impulses or two steps of the ratchet-wheels 23 will move the conductor 31 at station 1 against the brush 34 of such station, three impulses will carry the conductor 31 of station N o. 2 against its brush 34,.while four impulses will move the conductor of station No. 3 against the brush 34 of such station, and so on, depending on the number of stations on the line.

- bear against the stationary shaft 43.

Means are provided at the central station for energizing the electromagnets 13, and such means may be of any character capable of attaining the desired end. Each impulse sent over the line energizes the magnets at the several substations on the line, and the armatures 15 are attracted, and through the medium of the pawls 20 the ratchet-wheels are moved one step or the distance of one tooth. A second impulse has the like efiect, and as the dials have their conducting-strips spaced in the manner described the operator at central can at will send a suitable number of impulses to connect in any desired station for signaling.

Any suitable connections may be provided for energizing the magnets 13. In the present embodiment of the invention connection is made at each station by a wire 36 from the line-wire Z to the winding of the electromagnet, and a wire 37 leads from the latter to the telephone-hook k, which is normally, or when down, in contact with an anvil 38, connected with ground by wire 39. The grounded circuit is completed at central station by a con nection 40, leading through a battery B to a plug 41, adapted to be inserted in the jack 1) on the switchboards at which the line l terminates. 1f the plug 41 be touched to the terminal of the wire Z, an impulse from the battery B will be sent over such line and the magnet 13 at each station energized, actuating the dial 29 in the manner heretofore described.

Preferably instead of using a switch or of simply touching the plug 41 to the terminal of the wire I to open and close the circuit to actuate the magnet we employ the device shown in Fig. 1 and on a larger scale in Fig. 7. This device consists of a ratchet-wheel 42, journaled on an insulated shaft 43, with which a connection 44, leading to the plug, is in electrical extension. Fixed to the ratchet-wheel 42 is a disk 45, made of non-conducting material, but provided with a series of equallyspaced radiating conducting-strips 46, which Pivoted on the shaft 43, but insulated therefrom, is a pointer 47, to which is pivoted a pawl 48, held in engagement with the teeth of the ratchetwheel by a spring 49. Aconnection 50, leading from the battery B, terminates at a springcontact or brush 51, which bears against the periphery of the disk, so as to complete the circuit from the battery to the plug 41 as the conducting-strips 46 move past the springcontact 51. Normally the brush 51 bears against the non-conducting disk 45 between adjacent strips 46, as shown in Fig. 7. The parts are preferably so arranged that the ratchet-wheel 42 is not turned as the pointer is moved away from its normal position, but on the return movement of the pointer,a spring 52 being provided to return the pointer when provided with characters running progressively from O to a number corresponding to the number of stations on the line and spaced apart to correspond with the spacing of the conducting-strips 46, is provided to enable the operator to send any number of impulses over the line by simply moving the pointer to the number on the plate corresponding to the desired number of impulses.

Associated with each selective instrument are means for restoring the same, and such means are so arranged and controlled that all the instruments on the line are restored simultaneously by the operator at the central station. To this end there is mounted and secured between the plates 10 and 11 of each instrument a pair of vertically-disposed solenoids 54, each of which is provided with an armature 55, such armatures being connected at their free ends'by a cross-piece 56, so that the armatures and the cross-piece form a yoke. Extending through the yoke is the dog 27, which engages the ratchet-wheel 23. One end of the winding of the solenoids is connected to the insulated rod 17,while the other end leads to the wire 36, extending from the line Z to the magnet 13. An anvil 57, electrically connected to the wire 37. leading from the winding to the armature 13, is so disposed as to make contact with a conducting-strip 57, carried by but insulated from the arm 16 and having a brush or contact 58 bearing against the rod 17 when the armature 15 is attracted by its magnet 13, thereby completing a local circuit in which the solenoids 54 are included. Coiled about the arbor 24 of each instrument is a spring 58, one end of which is attached to such arb'or, while the other end is anchored to the plate 10, as at 59. As the arbor is turned upon the energization of the armature 13 the spring 58 is wound up, so as to return the arbor, and consequently the disk 29, to its original position when the dog 27 is disengaged from the ratchet, a stop 60 on the plate 11 engaging a projection 61 on the arbor to arrest the arbor at the proper point at its normal or original position.

Extendingdownwardly from the cross-piece 56, connecting the armature of the solenoids 54, is a rod 62, to which is fixed a piston 63 of I 5 a dash-pot 64, the function of which is to retard the movement of the armatures under ordinary eireumstan cesthat is to say, when the circuit through the magnet 13 is momentarily closed to advance the disk 29 step by step. 120 Vhen, however, it is desired to reset the instruments, the operator closes the circuit for a longer period, thereby holding the armatures 15 attracted to the magnets 13. This by reason of the closing of the local circuit in 5 which the solenoids 54 are included permits sufficient current from the line to pass through the solenoids to energize the same,

it is released, the latter being arrested by a so that the armatures 55 are sucked up stop 50 at its initial position. A plate 54, against the resistance ot the dash-pot, caus- 3 'thereof the angular ends are provided with vertical slots 68, through which the securingbolts 69 pass. The yoke is normally so located with reference to the dog 27 that it is not moved into engagement with the dog 27 when the local circuit is momentarily closed up on the attraction of the armature 15 by the magnet 13 in the operation of the step-by-step mechanism, but requires that the local circuit be closed for a longer period when the piston of the dash-pot is drawn up to the relief-ports of the dash-pot and enables the armatures of the solenoid to move far enough to carry the cross-piece into engagement with the dog 27 to effect the disengagement of the'latter.

The operation of the various parts described is as follows: Assuming all the receivers to be on their hooks, central is signaled by a calling party removing his receiver from its hook in the usual manner. This permits the current supplied from any suitable source (not shown) employed with the circuit to operate the usual signal at central to notify the operator of the party calling. The operator then inserts the plug 41 in the jack 2), making contact with the line Z. The pointer 47 is then moved to 1 on the indicating-plate 54 and released. As the pointer is returned by the spring 52 the ratchet-wheel is turned one step, and as the disk 45 is fixed to the ratchet-wheel one of the conducting-strips 46 is moved across the brush 51. Current then flows from the battery B to the magnet 13 at each station, through such magnet to line 37, and to ground by way of the hook it and line 39, the other pole ofthe battery also being connected with ground. The magnets 13 are thereby energized, attracting-the armatures 15 thereof, which through the medium of the pawls 20 and ratchet-wheels 23 move the disks 29 one step and throw all of the conductors 30 away from the brushes 34, excepting at the station from which the call emanated. At this latter station the mechanism is not affected, owing to the opening of the ground-circuit at the anvil 38. The impulse-plug 41 is then withdrawn and the plug of the usual cord-circuit inserted in the jack. The operator at central having ascertained the number of party to be called, if it is a subscriber on another line simply connects up the calling subscriber with the party called in the usual manner. Inasmuch as the circuit at all the stations on the party-line has the connection with the linebroken at the brushes 34, it

will be obvious that the subscribers at such stations cannot listen in or call up central until the instruments are restored. If, however,

the called subscriber is a subscriber on the same line as the calling party, it is necessary to throw the former onto the line. Let it be assumed that in the present instance there are three stations on the line, as shown in Fig. 6,

and that the party calling is at station No. 1

and desires to communicate with station No.

3. After throwing all the stations otf the line with the exception of the calling party and having ascertained his wants in the manner previously described the cord-circuit plug is withdrawn and the plug41 again inserted in the jack and central moves the pointer 47 to 3 on the indicating-plate and releases the same.

Three impulses are thereby thrown over the ground-circuit, energizing the magnets of stations 2 and 3 intermittently three times. Station No. l is not afliected, because of its receiver being down. The disks at stations Nos.

2 and 3 are turned three steps, the second impulse moving the conductor 31 into contact with the brush 34 at station No. 2, while the third impulse destroys the connection at station No.2 and establishes it at station No.3. The

impulse-plug4l is again removed and the plug of the cord-circuit inserted in the jack and station No. 3 signaled, the ringer at station No. 2

not being affected. Stations Nos. 1 and 3-are now enabled to communicate, and station No.

2 cannot listen in, for the reason just stated.

When the communicating parties have concluded their conversation, which is indicated at central by the hanging up of their receivers,the

impulse-plug 41 is again inserted in the jack and a long impulse sent over the line by central.

This may be accomplished by moving the pointer to a position between O anc 1 on the indicating-plate 54* and holding it there with one of the conducting-strips 46 against the brush 51. By this operation the armatures 15 are held attracted by the magnets 13 at sta tions 2 and 3, whereby, due to the longer closing of the local circuit thereat, the solenoids I 54' are energized, so as to move the crosspieces 36 into engagement with the dogs 27 to disengage the latter and the pawls 20 from the ratchet-wheels 23. The springs 58 then return the dials to their original positions, as heretofore explained.

As the cord-circuit and other apparatus at the central station may be of the usual and ordinary character, we have not deemed it necessary to illustrate the same.

It is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the details described. as they may be variously modified without departing fro the spirit of the invention.

Having described our invention, what we claim is l. The combination with a telephone-lin comprisingthe two limbs of ametallic circuit terminating at a jack at a central station, substations along the line and connections from the lines to such substations, each station be-. ing provided with a disk having a conductor normally inserted in one of the connections and a second conductor adapted to be inserted in the connection when the normal conductor is withdrawn, an arbor to which the disk is fixed, a ratchet-wheel on the arbor, a pawl for moving the ratchet-wheel, a magnet whose armature controls the pawl, means at the central station to intermittently energize the magnets, a dog holding the ratchet against backward movement, a spring tending to return the arbor to its original position, and a magnet whose armature is adapted to release the dog and pawl from the ratchet-wheel and included in a local, circuit closed upon the attraction of the armature of the magnet controlling the ratchet mechanism.

2. The combination with a telephone-line comprising the two limbs of a metallic circuit terminating at a jack at a central station, substations along the line and connections from the lines to such substations, each station being provided with a disk having a conductor normally inserted in one of the connections and a second conductor adapted to be inserted in the connection when the normal conductor is withdrawn, an arbor to which the disk is fixed, a ratchet-wheel on the arbor, a pawl for moving the ratchet-wheel, a magnet whose armature controls the pawl, means at the central station to intermittently energize the magnets, a dog holding the ratchet against backward movement, a spring tending to return the arbor to its original position, and a solenoid whose armature is adapted to engage the dog and release the same and its pawl from the ratchet-wheel and Which is included in a local circuit closed upon the attraction of the armature of the magnet.

3. The combination with a telephone-line comprising the two limbs of a metallic circuit terminating at a jack at a central station, substations along the line provided with telephone sets on normally open circuits, connections between the limbs of the line and the telephone sets, disks provided with conductors one of which is normally inserted in one 5 of the connections at each substation and the other of which is adapted to be inserted in such connection in lieu of the normal conductor, a ratchet-wheel for turning the disk,

a pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel, a magnet on a normally closed grounded circuit adapted to be intermittently closed at the central station and whose armature is adapted to oper ate the pawl, a dog for holding the ratchet against backward movement, a spring tending to return the disk to its normal position,

a pair of solenoids whose armatures provide a yoke through which the dog extends, and a dash-pot to retard the action of the solenoids, the said solenoids being included in alocal cir- 5 cuit adapted to be closed upon the attraction of the armature of the magnet upon the energization of the latter, and release the dog and pawl from engagement with the ratchetwheel.

In testimony whereof we atlix our signatu res each in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK P. OGONOR. FREDERIC MoNElLL.

WVitnesscs to the signature of Frank P. OConor:

EUGENE J. ORoURKn, STUART DUNCAN.

Witnesses to the signature of Frederic Mc- Neill.

ARTHUR B. SnIBoLD, R. K. GUsTAFsoN.

Images