USRE10508E - Ments - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet "1.

'E; B. HAMLIN. Asslg'nor by mesne assignments, to THE STANDARD ELECTRICAL WORKS.

TELEPHONE SWITCH BOARD.

Noi 10,508.

Reissued Aug. 12, 1884.

s sheets-shad 2. v13. B. HAMLIN.

Assignor, by mesne assignments to THE STANDARD ELECTRICAL WORKS.

TELEPHONE SWITCH BOARD.

No; 10,508. 'Reissued Aug. 12, 1884'.

' 22512! or I lit!!! a JM 4 Carl Spugkl 3 SheetsSheet 3.

E. B. HAMLIN. Assigrior, by mesne'assignments, to THE STANDARD ELECTRICAL WORKS.

TELEPHONE SWITCH BOARD.

No. 10,508. Reissued Aug. 12.1384,

117554 Carl 15 11 72:] I

HE mm mm m; Puma-UT UNITED STATES EVERLYN 1e. HAMLIN, on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE .xssrcn MENTS, TO THE STANDARD ELECTRICAL wonns.

TELEPHONE SWITCH-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Reissued Letters Patent-No. 10,508, dated August 12, 1884.

Original No. 279,747, dated June 19, 1883. Application for reissue filed March 31,.1884.

' full, clear, andf exact description of the same,

sufiicient to enable one skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompa;

nying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a perspective view of the switch-board. Fig. 2, Sheet I, is a per- 'spective view of one of the pins and its connecting-socket. Fig. 3', Sheet II, is a rear elevation of the board. Fig. 4, Sheet II, is-a perspective view of the spring-switches. Fig.5,

Slieet'III, is a plan view of a modification in the arrangement of the switches; and Fig. 6, Sheet III, is a diagram showingamethod of connccting the telephone-lines of several boards at a central office. 1 v

Similar letters of reference in the several figures of the drawings indicate the same parts.

. My invention has for its object to provide an improved system'of making telephonic connections at' the exchanges or central office of telephone-lines, and to simplify and improve the construction of the switch-boards and their connections.

' The usual. method of arranging separate telephone-lines at the centraloffice consists in attaching the ends of the line-wires to separate metallic sockets placed on or in a switchboard. To connect any two of these lines for the purpose of establishing communication between any two subscribers, two pins or plugs joined together by a wire cord are inserted in the; metal sockets forming the terminals of such lines. It frequently happens, however,

that in the course of business so many connections are made on a board that the crossing and interlacing'of the cords confuses the operator and causes him toverr in making the connections called for.

The fi'rstpart of my invention is designed to remedy this defect; and to that end it consists in joining each line-wire with'a metallic strip or wire connection on the board, so ar- 5 ranged with respect to separate metallic pinstrips that a connection shall be made between them by inserting a metal pin through the pin-strip, and one of said line-strips being joined toanother for connecting two lines by inserting a pin in the pin-strip of both lines. The line-strips are permanently attached to the board and take the place of the cords connecting the pins. The latter are therefore free to be separately shifted, and the face of 6c the board is prevented from being obstructed to confuse the operator. I

Another feature'of my invention consists in combining, with the several line-bars and with each set of connecting strips or bars, a disconnecting-drop in circuit with said connect ing strips and bars, arranged to be placed between any two connected lines, so as to be operated by any subscriber, whohas been using the line, to announce at the central oflice the 7o fact that he has ceased talking, and that, the two lines may be now disconnected.

The invention also consists in the means for throwing the telephone at the exchange into the circuit of two subscribers lines/for the purpose of ascertaining if they are properly connectcd'.

The invention further consists in connecting two or more telephone switch-hoards at the central office by joining their'correspond- 8o ing pin-strips to each other, so as to continue each set throughout all theboards of the group and in detaching the disconnecting-drops and telephones from all theboards but one,'whereby, when all the boards are not required for constant use, two or'more may be thrown together, so as to make one board, in effect, to be managed by one operator.

The invention also consistsin connecting the lines of one board with those of another board, while the independent operation of each is preserved, to connect any two of itslines.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a wooden switch-board of the ordinary or any 5 preferred size and form, provided upon its face; with parallel metal stripsb 1), arranged in sets of two, as shown at B, a suflicient number "of such sets being employed to acconnnodate the business of the board; They are perforated at regular intervals, to receive a plug or pin, 0, and hencel designate them as pin-strips. Similar perforated strips, D, are also arranged on the board above the sets B; but, instead of being local as to that board, they are employed to goinbine the lines of one board with those of other-boards at the central office, as I will presently describe in detail; and hence I term them combination pin-strips? is also provided witha single perforated strip, E, placed below all the others, and it is used in making the connections with the call and 5 telephone, and .is therefore termed the call and telephone strip. But one of these strips is needed for each board.

F F are the annunciatondrops, located at anyconvenient point on or off the board, and having their wires running to a common ground.

H H are parallel metal strips or wires arranged on the back of the board at right angles to the strips B D E on its face, but havin g no connection therewith or with each other, excepting as it is made by the pins, as I will presently describe. The strips H, which, for convenience of" description, I call linestrips, each connects at one end with alinewire, I, as shown in Fig. 3, forming, in effect, a continuation thereof, and therefore the line strips on each board are equal in number to the number of.lines. connection with an annunciator-strip, J, on the face of the board when a pin, 0, is inserted in an anuunciator-strip, and each annunciatorstrip is connected with an annunciator-drop by a wire, K, on the back of the board.

The pinconnections between the strips of the board are made by the metal pointed pins .0 and the metal tubes or-sockets G let into the b0ard. 1

The tubes are seated in recesses of the board, so that their screw-shanks 9 shall project throughit and through'theline-strips, to form ametallic connection-therewith. By applying nuts to 'theiends of the shanks, the tubes are locked'iu-the board and the line-strips fastened in place. 1

The open ends of the tubes terminate in the board a short distance from the strips on its face, so as to insulate them from the line strips. When the pins are insertedin the pin-strips, their points enter the tubes, and thus form metallic" connections between the pin and line strips. p

If desired, the tubes or pins, or both, may be slotted, to form elastic connections between them, and thereby insure a more perfeet contact. I

The magneto-engine employed in making the calls. is attached to" a binding-post, 'L, on the back of the board, and this, by awire, M, connects with an anvil, N, upon which rests the free end of a spring, 0, whose opposite '[Qend is joined to the call and telephone strip by a wire or other'conhection, I. I

Each board Each line-strip has a.

The spring- 0 is operated by a push-pin, 0

with the magneto engine and to throw the ground onto the telephone, for the purpose of talking.

Q on the board, one post being joined by a wire, R, to a bridge, S, placed over that end of spring 0 which bears upon the anvil, and

for the telephone through the wire T, breakspring U, and block \V, to which the groundwire is attached.

X X are disconnecting-drops placed on or off the board at any convenient POllllw-OIIQIOP each set of local connecting pinstrips B, and marked to correspond therewith. 3 from each of these drops is connected diother wire, 2, is connected with the other pinstrip of the same-set through the medium of a flat spring, A, and anvil 13, upon which the free end of the, spring bears. One spring and one anvil are used with each disconnectingdrop and each set B of pin-strips, and they are placed at any convenient point on or off the board.

O O are flat springs arranged on the back of the board, under the spring U, with the free ends beneath the free ends of the springs A, from which they are insulated by small rubber or other blocks, d, inserted into one or Each anvil B is "further joined by a wire, I,

to additional bridges, J, over .the springs C,

as shown in Fig. V

Push-pins K on the face of the board are arranged to be pressed against the springs C,

. for throwing the telephone into the circuit of any two lines, and for lifting the spri ng Uxoff the block W, to break the ground-connection. Instead ofusing a single'long spring, U, for the whole number of lines, I prefer to use a short spring for each line, as being the best and most practicablearrangement.

The operation of theswitch-board thus far described is as follows: The pins 0 normally occupy the position shown in Fig. 1', to connect the annunciatorgstrips J with their respective line strips. \Vhen, therefore, a. call is made upon any line, the magnet attracts an armature'of the annunciator and releases the drop connected with that line.' To answer such call, the operator at the switch-board on the face of the board, to break the connection The telephone is connected to binding-posts the other post forming a groundconnection One wire,

the other spring, and they are also insulated f rectly-with one pin-strip of a set, B, and the attachment, the series of said bridges being" joined together by a continuation of the wire.

shifts the pin on that line from the strip J to the call and'telephone strip E, thereby breaking the connectionwith the ann'unciator-drop ,and connecting the line-strip withthe call and telephone strip. He then operatesthe engine to produce the necessary current for answer- 5 ing the call. Having thus announced that the.

attention of the exchange is attracted, the operator throws the telephone into the line by pressing in the push-pin 0", to hold the spring 0 against the bridge S.. This-establishes a circuit from the ground through block I 'W, spring U, wire T, the telephone-wire B,

bridge S, and wire P to the 'calland telephone strip E, and from thence to the'line, as above described. If now the operator, being in telephonic communication with .the person who has made the call, receives his instructions to connect said persons line with the .line' of another subscriber, he releases the push-pin 0", shifts the pin 0 of the first line to one strip of any set-of pin-stripsfor the purpose of connecting it with the linestrip of said line. for from its annuncia'torstrip J to the .calland telephone strip, operates the engine to make the call, and pushes in the button O to con- 'nectsaid line with the telephone, so that he can advise the subscriber of such line that he .is wanted by the subscriber of the other line.

- Upon notification that the desired subscribers' cross the whole number of pin-strips, and that,

as the pin-stripsare arranged in sets of two,

any two lines can be 'connected by selectingthe proper sets or groups. For example, referring to Fig. 3, ifrthe left-hand line is to be connected with the right-hand line, the first pin is placed in the lower'pin-str'ip of 'thesecond set from the bottom of the board'to connect with the left-hand line-strip; The other pin is placed in the upper pin-strip of the sameset, to connect with theright-hand line-strip.

The telephone-circuit, taking this connection for illustration, is from the left-hand line and linestrip through the lower pin and pin-strip to the connnection with the wire 2; thence through said wire, the anvil B, spring A,and the remainder of the wire 2 to the disconnecting-drop. From the drop it passes through wire 1 to the upper pin-strip of the set, and from thence to the .third line-strip and. its line. The circuit is relatively the same in all the sets and lines connected.

For the purpose of enabling the operator to He then shifts the pin of the line called tell when two lines are properly connected and at work, he throws'his telephone into the circuit of the two lines by pressing in the appropriate 'push-buttomKC. This, by hearing against the spring 0, lifts U from the block W, to throw off the ground and forces said spring 0 against the bridge J. The same movement lifts the spring A from the anvil B,

and bears said spring against its bridge H; but there is no connection between the three springs, by reason of the insulators t e. The circuit is then from one'part of wire 'zsay the short part, as shown in Fig. 3to the, other or long part of said wire, through the block 13, wire 1, bridge J, spring 0, and wiref to the telephone; thence through the telephone, the wire G, bridge H, and spring A to the long part of wire 2, thetelephone being thus kept in the circuit as long as thepressure is applied to the push-button. Bythis means the operator isenablcd to determine whether or not the two lines are properly connected. YVhen two persons have ceased talking over the connected lines,one or the other, by calling back, causes the disconnecting-drop ofthe two lines to fall, and thereby'announces at the exchange that the lines are clear.

connections between the lines, cords for joining the pins are dispensed wlth, and the face of the board is kept clear and unobstructed,

so that the operator enabled to distinctly and rapidly trace all the connections without confusion or mistake. v

Fig. 5 of the drawings showsa modification in the means for breakingthe line-connections with theannunciatondrops, and connectinga line with the call and telephone. Inthis case the call and telephone strip E is not used; but in its stead the face of the board is provided with two metal plates, L L, for each linestrip, but disconnected therefrom. proximate edges are recessed, so that a pin, 0, inserted in an openingin the board between them, shalltouch their edges, toeffect. their connection. The upper plate of each set is connected by a wire, U, with the annunciator-drop of its line, and the lower plate has a metallic connection on the back of the board,

with a free end of .a flat snrin M. which is spanned by a bridge, N. A second spring, .0, is secured to the back of the board, and rests at one end upon the metal block by which the spring M is heldin place, thereby making a connection between the two springs. A bridge, I spans the -spring O, and each spring is providedwith a push-pil .on-the face of the board, as shownby dotted lines at Q- connected by a wire, R, to the fasteningblocks of the springs 0, while the bridges N connect with each other and the telephone through wires S. with eachother and the engine by means of wires T. The circuit from the 'l'incstrip. to

the annn-nciator-drop is through. the wire R, p ings 0 M, pin 0, plates-L, and wire t.

Their The bridges 1? connect.

By employring the line-strips and pin-strips to make the The lower ends of, the line-strips are each ator and connect two lines.

To use the engine, the spring Olis pushed in against the bridge P; and to use the telephone the spring M is pushed against the bridge a and" there held while the telephone is used.

I These are the temporary disconnections preparatory to connecting two lines; andwhen the 'two'lines to be joined have been indicated by the )arties desiring to communicate with each er, the pins 6 are removed from the "repeated shifting of pins from the annuncia plates Li L of snch-lines, and inserted in the pin-strips thereof. By this arrangement the tor-strips to the call and telephonestrips, and

thence to the pin-strips, is avoided, only one change being, necessary to cutoff the annunci- If the business of the exchange should at i any time be so dullthat all of the switchboards are not required for constant nse,-then two or more may be thrown together,to prac- =tically make one board under the management of, 'one operator. This is effected by the 1 following means: One end of each board. is provided on its back with wires VV, joined to the pin-strips, and the other: end with two sets, X X of short metal plates, to receive set screws or pins Z, inserted through the pin-strips from the front of the board. The

' set X of these plates is used for making and breaking the connections with the disconnecting-drops when the pins are applied, and the other set, .X", is used for connecting correspondingpin-strips of the boards. To make the connections, the wires W on one board are joined to the plates X of the board next adjoining, and the pins or set-screws Z of the disconnecting-plates X, on all the boards to he joined but one, are loosened or removed-,to break the connection with the pin-strips. and cut out the disconnecting-drops, together with the apparatus for throwing the telephone into the circuit with them. The set-screws or pins are thenforced into the connecting-plates X"- to connect them with the line-strips B. This places all the pin-strips under the control. of one board, which preserves its connections with its own disconnecting-drops. All the other boards have their local connectionswith their lines for making and answering calls.

- Any two or more boards, as well as the whole number, may be connected in this manner, and one operator can manage'them. I a call is made from one-board, he can connect the calling line with the called line of the same or any other board in the connected group;

but whicheverlincs are joined, the disconnecting-drops and telephone connected theie' with are operative from only one board of the group. For the purpose of connecting the lines ofone board with the lines of other boards, while each board preserves its inde-' pendent operation, there is placed on each heard one or more combination pin-strips D, connecting with one or more of the sets of lo cal pin strips B on'? the other boards, the

connections being made by wires. For exanr ple, supposing there are five boards at this central office, (marked, respectively, A B C D E, as shown in Fig.{6,)' and each board provided with four combination pin-strips D, and one'set 'of localpin-strips B. Every board has its combination pin-strips lettered.

to correspond withth e combined designating letters of the other boardsthat is, to say,

board A hasit's strips lettered B 0.1) E, and board B has its strips lettered A G D E,'and so on for each board. The local pin-strips B on each board are connected by wires with all the combinationstrips of the other boards, which are. lettered to correspond to the designatingletter of the board bearing said local pin-strips. For example, the set of local pin= strips on the A board is connected with the A strips on all the other boards, and the-set,

of local pin-strips 0n the B board is connected with the B strips .on all the other boards. Additional combination pin-stri'psof the same letter may be added to the boards, but each additional one must be connected with another of the sets 13 of local pin-strips added to-the boards that is to say, another combination pin-strip (marked A may be added to all the boards; but this would require an additional set-0f local pin-strips to be-placed on board A, and another combination pin-strip, B ,may be added to all the boards, which would require an additional set of local pin-strips on the B board, and so on, making as many additions to the boards as maybe required for the bu iness of the office. The independent operation of each board is preserved; but a',line on one board'may be connected to" a line on another board by. joiningtt he line-strips on one, by means of pins 0, with its appropriate set of local pinwstrips, and then, by like means, joining thecorrespondingly-marked combination strips with the line-strips of the board having. the line to be connected. I

I disclaim the combination of disconnectingdrops with pin-strips, line-strips, and lines of the switch-board.

Havingihus described my invention,what I claim is- 1. A telephone switch-board provided with a series of pin-strips grouped in pairs, for con-' necting two selected lines, and with a permanent linc-strip for each line, said pin and line strips being so arranged thatany two lines shall be connected by inserting a metal pin. in

each pin-strip of the pair indicating such lines,- so as to connect said strips withthe line-strips of the lines to be joined.

2. The combination, with the'independ'ent line-strips and each set of pin-strips, of a dis coi-niecting-drop and line connected with said pin-strips, and-so arranged that any two tele:

phone-lines can be joined outhe switch-boardthrough said drops,substantially as described,

for-the purpose specified. p

3. The combination, on a telephone switchboard, of the call and telephone strip E, with IIO the pin-strips B and the line-strips H, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

4. The spring-switches A O, and their connections with the lineand te1ephone,combined with the spring U, for taking off the ground of the telephone and throwing the latter into the circuit of two lines, for the purpose speci- 5. The combination of a series of telephone switch-boards and the described connecting devices, whereby the combined boards are operated as one board, as herein set forth, for

the'purpose Specified.

6. The combination, in a series of telephone switeh-boards, of the lines, the pins, and the combination pin-strips, whereby the lines 'of any one board of the series are joined to the "lines of any other board or boards, while" the independent operation of each board is pre served, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

7. In a telephone switchboard, the combination of several series of metallic plates, each in connection with an independent line, with independent bars across each series, each series of 'pl ates and bars forming one section,and switches to connect either line of one series with the bar or bars of its-own section and an intermediate switch to connect the-bars of one section with the corresponding bars of another section. l

S. In a telephone-exchange system, a series of connecting-strips and a; series of branch ci1 cuits connected each with a pair of said strips, in combination with line-circuits, and means for temporarily connecting any two line-circuit-swith a pair of connecting-strips.

9. In an electrical system having a number of line-circuits emanating from .a central office, a branch circuit, in combination with means for temporarily connecting it at oppo-- site ends with any-two ofthe line-circuits, as

required, and a switch for grounding said branch at an intermediate point.

10. The combination, with a series of'cir cuits 0r conductors, of means for temporarily connecting any two of said circuits or conductors with each other, as required, through a branch and switch mechanism for switching.

one or more central-oflice instruments int-0 and out of said branch.

11, The combination, with .a series of main 7 lines, of a central office switch for connecting EVERLYN- n. HAMLIN,

Witnesses:'

ISAIAH FLI'ICRAFT, J no. Banros PAYNE.

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