US985191A - Order-wire key. - Google Patents

Description

vI. R. MOBERTY. ORDER WIRE KEY. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1908*.

985,191. Patent-,ea Feb.28,f1911.

FRANK n. MCBRTY,

OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'lO WESTERN ELEC- TRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION OE ILLINOIS.

ORDER-WIRE KEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led September 5, 1908.

Fatented Feb. 28, 1911.. Serial No. 451,870.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that 1, FRANK R. MCBERTY, citizen of the United States, residing at New Rochelle, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Order-Wire Keys, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to keys for use in telephone switch-boards, and its object is to provide a key or strip of keys of compact form and simple structure.

My invent-ion consists of a plurality of parallel rows of contact springs provided with coperating keys adapted when manipulated to press the springs of the diiferent rows into contact with each other.

My invention is capable of being put to various uses, and is particularly adapted for controlling the connections of order-wire lines, and hence I will describe such embodiment thereof.

Order-wire keys in common use are operated in the same manner as push buttons, the plungers when depressed serving to press the two contact springs with which the terminals of the order-wire line are connected into contact with the two springs forming the terminals of the operators telephone set. Such keys are usually mounted in strips of ten, crosswise on the left hand portion of the key shelf of the multiple board. The push buttons or heads of the keys are thus arranged in a close row, and for sake of compactness are made small in size. There is thus a liability of the operator depressing the wrong button or of depressing two buttons simultaneously. My invention is designed to overcome these diiiiculties without sacrificing compactness of structure.

My invention, as embodied in a strip of order-wire keys, consists of a framework provided with a plurality of flat springs forming terminals of the operators telephone set, a plurality of opposed flat springs forming terminals for the order-wire lines, one pair for each order-wire circuit, and a separate pivoted key or lever corresponding to each order-wire circuit, adapted when operated to close the corresponding contact springs, and thus to connect the operators set in the order-wire circuit.

The several detailed features of my invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in Which- Figure 1 is a side view, wit-h parts broken away, of a strip of order-wire keys embodying. my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference numerals similar parts wherever shown.

The framework preferably consists at the rear of two clamping strips 1, 1, held together by clamping screws 2, and at the front of two parallel strips 8, 4, spaced apart by the connecting end strips 5, 5, of the framework. Said strips may be made of metal or other suitable material.

The contact springs, suitably insulated from each other, are held in assembled position by the clamping strips 1, the rear end 4of said springs being of the usual form for receiving the wires of the circuit to which they are connected, and the inner ends being provided with the usual contact points.

The terminals of the operators telephone set consists of a row of contact springs clamped between strips 8, 9, of insulating materials. The springs are arranged in pairs of alternate springs 6 and 7, connected to opposite terminals of the operators telephone set. Clamped between the insulating sheets 9 and 1() is a row of contact springs 11, each forming one terminal of an independent order-wire line, the other terminal of which consists of a similar contact spring 12. The springs 12 are likewise arranged in a row and are clamped between the insulating strips 10 and 13. The terminals of each order-wire line, it will thus be seen, consist of a pair of adjacent contact springs 11, 12.

Each pair of contact springs 11, 12, rests upon the inner end of a pivoted key 14, there being one key for each pair of springs 11, 12. The keys 14 are preferably in the form of -angular levers pivoted at the bends or vertices upon a common rod or pivot pin 15. The rod 15 has its ends mounted in the strips 5. The free ends of the keys 14 are preferably tapered to provide a space between the ends of the keys, as shown in Fig. 1, in order that the finger used to depress one key may not overlap and thereby depress an adjacent key at the same time. The keys 14 are made of hard rubber or other suitable indesignate 1 'lao Y 60 f springs mounted edge to edge in 'said frame.,

Y sulating materialiiEachkey 14 is provided.

Y ber'is reducedv to eleven.

vwitha shoulder 16 adapted to contact with the edge olith'evstrips and tlius to limit the extent (it-depression of the key. The inner endsV of the keys are normally pressed by the springs 11, 12, into rcontact with the inner face of the strip L1, as shown in Fig. 2.

V*As shown` iii Fig. VV1, each of the con-- tact springs Y6, 7 except the twosprings at the ends, are provided with heads 17 which` overlap. springs`11, 12, of dilervent order-V j'wire lines. YEach Vot the springs 6 and 7 thus '-'p'rovidedwith heads 17 is adapted to form a contact with aspring fortwo dilierent or- ',der-w'ire lines, thus reducing; approximately hy onehalt, thefnumber- Aof the 4terminal i springs `forthe.foperator`fs set necessary t serve a givennumber Fotorder-wil`e lines. Thus, in a strip ofY ten keys, instead of twenty contact" springs 6, 7, commonly Aused for terminals of the operators set, the numn Each of the springs 6, 7 has an fupturned lug 18 which ylies in a kerf or notch formed in the-strip of insulatingmaterial 8f Likewise the springs 411V and 12Ahave lugs 19 and 20,which"lie in notches formed in the insu- .'lating sheets-9 and 13, respectively. These` Y lugs '18', 19 and v20 thus 'serve to properly positionv the springs and to-prevent their displacement., 'f y f i I It wil thus appear that the strips ofkeys fembodying my invention havef the flat conv tact `springs arranged Vwith their flat surfaces B5V Vin parallel rows, thus reducing the thickness of the strips.y rllie free ends of' the contact l Y springskare so disposed with reference to Y each other that by manipulating a` keythe two terminals of the vcorresponding order# wire line are pressed into engagement with contactsprings forming terminals of the opposite sides of the operators set, and the number of springs requiredA asterminals for Y pressed.

bination with the frame, of a -row ot' contact springs mounted edge'toedge in said frame, additional rows of contact springs also mountedin said frame, and a key, mounted in'said frame andadaptedto cause the engagement of springs of said 'first 4mentioned row'with a spring of each of said additional rows. f ik Y 2. In an'order wire key structure, the combination with the frame, ot a row ot contact two additional rows of contact springs alsoV mounted in saidiframe in parallel relation to said irst named row of springs,and a plurality of keys ,mounted in the framev and each the wrong key being de-l adaptedito causeitlie engagement of springs of said iirst named row with a spring of each of said additional rows. A 3. In an order wire key structure, the combination with a frame, of a row of contact springs mounted edge to edge in said frame,

two additional rows of contact springs also mounted in said traine, and a key,niounted in said4 frame, ,cooperating with correspond- "ing springs in each of said additional rows adapted to force saidfsprings intocontact with springswot said vfirst named row.

4t. In an order wire key structure, the conibination with aoframe, of a rowofwcontact springs mounted edge to edge in vsaid frame, two additional rows of Contact springs also mounted in said frame, in parallel relation to said first mentioned row of springs, and a plurality of keys mounted in the frame and each adaptedvto press a' spring from each of said last named` rowsrinto contact with adjacent springs ot said `first named row.

5. I n an order wire key structure, the combination withtlie frame, of a row ofY contact springs mounted edge toedge in the traine, lof additional rows of contact springs also mounted in said trame in parallel relation to said first jnamed row, said additional rows being superposed one upon the other and a plurality of keyscoperating each with one of the corresponding contact springs iii each lof said additional rows adapted to orcesaid springs into contact with springs of said lirst named row.

` 6. A strip of contact-,closing keys comprising frame, a row of contact nsprings mounted edge to edge in said frame, two additional rows of contact springs mounted in said frame in parallel relation to said firstnained row of springs, and a plurality ot keys mounted in the frame in proximity to the free en dsof said contact springs, each key being arranged, when manipulated, to press a spring from each of said last named rowsinto engagement each with one of a pair of adjacent springs of said ist named row. v

7. In an order wire key structure, a Vrow of Vcontact springs mountededge to edge in a rectangular frame longitudinally thereof, the yfree ends of said springs having extensions approximately at right angles to the main body of the spring, a contact mounted on each of said extensions, veach alternate spring being adapted to be joined to one side of an operators telephone circuit and the remaining springs to the other side, of two rows of additional contact springs separated by insulation, one row being superposed' upon the other, the adjacent springs of alternate rows being adapted to'form the terminals of an independent order wire circuit, and a 'key adapted to press 'the springs forming the terminals of 'an order'wire circuit into engagement with two o'tsaid springs forni- Cfr ing the terminals of the operators telephone set.

S. In an order wire key structure, the combination with a frame, of a plurality of pairs of contact springs mounted in said frame, additional springs less in number than said irst named springs mounted in a row in close relation to said first named row, and a plurality of keys mounted in said frame and having operating` sections on one side of both rows of springs adapted upon the rocking of said keys to cause the engagement of said additional contact springs with said iirst named springs.

9. ln an order wire key structure, the combination with a fra1ne,o:t two rows of contact springs, one superposed upon t-he other in staggered relation and separated by insulation, the adjacent springs one in each of said rows, forming a pair of terminals for an order wire circuit, an additional row of fiat contact springs, less in number than said first named springs, mounted in said frame in parallel relation to said iirst named rows, each spring of said additional row overlapping a spring in two adjacent pairs of said pairs of springs, each alternate spring of said lastnamed row being connected with opposite sides of an operators telephone set, and a plurality of keys mounted in said frame and adapted to be actuated to cause the engagement of adjacent springs of said additional row with a pair ot' springs orming the terminals of an order wire circuit.

l0. In an order wire key struct-ure, the combination with the frame, of a plurality of pairs of flat contact springs mounted in said fram-e, additional contact springs less in number than said iirst named springs, and keys, one for each of said pairs of springs, adapted to press each member of a pair of contact springs into contact with a separate one of said additional springs.

ll. ln an order wire key structure, the combination with the frame, of a plurality of pairs orn flat contact springs mounted in said frame, additional contact springs less in number than said first mentioned springs, and a key adapted to engage with each of said pairs of springs and press said springs into contact each with adjacent springs of said additional springs.

12. In an order wire key structure, the combination with the traine, of a plurality of pairs oitl iiat contact springs mounted in said frame, additional cont-act springs less in number than said iirst mentioned springs, and a plurality of keys each adapted to engage with one of said pairs ot springs, the operation of the several keys being adapted to press corresponding members of said pairs of springs into contact with adjacent springs of said additional springs.

13. ln a strip ot Contact closing keys, the combination with a rectangular iframe, of a plurality of pairs of fiat contact springs clamped in said frame longitudinally thereof, a. plurality of keys, one for each pair of said springs, and an additional row of contact springs clamped in said frame, the inner springs of said row each overlapping a spring in each ot two adjacent pairs of said first named pairs of springs.

14. In an order wire key structure, the combination with a rectangular frame, or" two'rows of fiat contact springs clamped in said frame one row being superposed upon the other, each spring of one row forming one terminal and each spring of the other row forming the opposite terminal of inde-i pendent order wire circuits, a row of fiat contactsprings also clamped in said frame adj acent said rst named rows of springs, and parallel thereto, each overlapping a spring in two adjacent pairs of said first named springs, each alternate spring of said last named row being connected to opposite sides of an operators tel-ephone circuit, and a plurality of keys adapted to press said pairs of order wire springs into engagement with the springs forming terminals of the operators circuit.

In witness whereof, l hereunto subscribe my name this iirst day of September A.. D., 1908.

FRANK R. MOBERTY.

Witnesses:

D. C. TANNER, A. H. MOORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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