USRE13800E - Automatic signal-operator - Google Patents

Description

E. R. GILL.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL OPERATOR. I urmummn Hum JULY 22, 1913. Reissued Sept. 15, 1914. 1 3,800

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I 27 o O WITNESSES: 1'0) '102 Mum/2;

E. R. GILL. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL OPERATOR. APPLIOATION IILED JULY 22, 1913.

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E. E. GILL. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY. 22, 1913.

Reissued Sept. 15,1914.

WITNESSES I nwglvron, (5W

By I I W I WHORE s E. R. GILL. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1913.

Reissued Sept. 15,1914.

7 %.ATT0RNE WITNESSES:

E. R. GILL. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL OPERATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 22, 1913.

Reissued Sept. 15, 1914.

, INVENTOR) %WATTORN rs 4 E. R. GILL AUTOMATIC SIGNAL OPBEATO APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 19

Reissued Sept.15,1914=.

WITNESSES:

UNITED sTAtrnsj rggrnnir OFFICE.

R. GILL, OF YONKEBS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOBI, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

EDWIN THE HALL SWITCH &; SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

AUTOMATIC siGnAL-oPEnA'roii.

Specification of Rcissued Letters Patent. lhgissued Sgpt. 15 1911;,

Original No.'1,024,444, dated April 23, 1912, Serial Ho. 458.204.. Application for reissue filed July 22, 1913. Serial No. 780,584.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWIN 12. GILL, a citizen of the United States. residing in the city of Yonkers, county of e'stcliester. and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Signal-Operators, of which the following is a specifi't ation.

The present invention has particular rela tion to automatic means for operating high speed selective signals fortelephones, telegraphs and the like, and it may he used wherever a succession of long and short elecr trical impulses is to be produced under circumstances permitting permutation of the order of such impulses. 7

Many devices have been hitherto contrived whereby a number of signals at different points may be selectively operated over a single wire without interference among themselves, and among these an entire class is recognized wherein a movable contact piece is impelled forward rapidly step by step, the mechanism being so aranged that pauses may be produced after any one step forwarrhand so that each pause will cause a signal tooperate at only one station. By pausing after the appropriateforward step, the operator is able ti select which ever station he pleases and to call that station without disturbing any other upon the line. For convenience I shall refer herein to selective signaling means of this description as high speed signals.

My present invention is not concerned with the particular construction of any high speed selective signal and I have not 1ll1lS-' trated such asignal herein, but its object is to supply means whereb merely depressing appropriate keys and starting an automaticcircuit breaker will produce a succession oi electric impulses on a main line including pauses so ordered as to cause those stations corresponding to the keys depressed to be It is to be underto other than the above. uses without departing from the scope of my invention.

The device is shown in a preferred illustrative embodiment. in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a top View of the key-hoard and rotary switch; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on 2-2 in Fig. 1,; Fig. 3 is a perspectrve oi the escapement and arresting means: 1 lg. l is a partial sectional view on -l-l in high; Fig. 5 is a similar section on 5*; in Fig. l Fig. 6 is an end View of the keyboard removed from its casing: Fig. 7 shows atop View of the keyboard and selecting switch, showing the general circuit arrangement in diagram; Fig. 8 is a side view of the freeing device; Fig. 9 is an end view of the same; Fig. 10 is a partial side view taken opposite to Fig. 9; and Fig. 11 shows a detail of the freeing device ratchet wheel.

Referring first to Fig. 7, the main line upon which are connected all ofthe selective signals or other devices intended to receive the. impulses produced is shown at 10, and the local relay controlling the main circuit at 11. The preferred arrangementshown comprises four mechanisms which cooperate in producing the necessary vari able and controllable series of long and short impulses. These aij"e W l ii'st :-.'-tn automatic switch normally producing asuccession of impulses in rapid succession on the mainline. This I term an automatic sender.

Second:- \leans for producing a pause in the sender in any desired position corresponding to production of an electric impulse. This I term the automatic arrestcr.

Third :Means for selecting and determining the particular positions of the sender at which the arrester becomes operative. This is the pause controller.

Fourth :.\utoniatic meanswhereby, after an appropriately timed pause. the action is freed. This is the freeing device.

In addition to these. I prefer also to eniploy means associated with the keyboard for preventing operatio n of the arrcster, and this I term the line setting means or device. I may also use, as shown, a checking device in connection with the freeing device. whereby the action of the whole group may be watched during ope ation to make sure of its acting properly.

The automatic sender may hc-aiiy form of switch whereby the electrical condition of the main line may he changed a number of times in succession. and for this purpose I prefer to use a circuit closing device.

In the exemplifying form shown in the accompanying drawings, the circuit, closer of the arr-ester is discontinued and the 881M191 are so connected to the battery 14 and the described hereinafter.

relay 11 as to close the main line circuit whenever brought together.

The operating clockwork comprises a main spring 15, which tends always to turn the main shaft 16 in the direction indicated by the arrow on the gear wheel 17 (see Fig. 1). This wheel is fast on the shaft 16, and, through a train of gears shown in dotted lines, it impels a coarsely'toothed wheel 18.

The spring terminal 13 carries a finger 19, so placed with relation to the wheel 18 .that, as the latter turns with the arrow shown upon it in Fig. 1, said finger, and the terminal 13 with it, are-raised by each tooth of the wheel 18 in successionythus closing and opening the relay circuit at 12 at regular intervals. For the purposes of my complete system, the wheel 18 should have two more teeth than the total number of selective signals for which the complete apparatus is designed.

The motion of the clockwork isgcontrolled in a well known manner by an escapement 20 comprising an extension 21 for a purpose The main shaft 16 can be turned by a handle 22 and carries with it an arc-shaped stop arm 23 against which a stop pin 24 on the wheel 18 normally bears. In operating the device, the

' handle 22 is turned oppositely to the arrow in Fig. 1, until the stop arm strikes the pin 25. This frees the wheel 18, which turns with the arrow marked on it in Fig. 1, and

:the movements of the'various shafts arc sw related that, when the wheel 18 has made one revolution, the pin 24L again strikes the stop arm and stops the clockwork. The frame of the clockwork is fixed to a metal strip '26 which connects, by the flat terminal 27 and wire 28, withthe battery 14. The insulated terminal or contact piece 12 is connected by wires 29, 30 to one side of the relay 11.

The mechanism and connections thus far described suflice for producing a rapid succession of electrical impulses on the main line. In order to make these useful in selectively operating the type of signals heretofore mentioned, however, it is necessary to provide means whereby a long impulse is produced at the proper moment or moments for calling the desired station or stations. The automatic arrester is used for this purpose. In the form shown this element of my 7 invention takes the form shown in Figs. 1

and 3, wherein an electro-magnet31 is providedwhich controls a pivoted armature 32, normally kept away from the magnet pole by the springs 33. This armature carries energized, the tip of said finger catches the tip of the extension 21 of the escaper'nent and stops the clockwork. The means whereby the action of the arrester is appropriately timed is termed the pause controller.

In the preferred form shown the pause controller comprises a keyboard and a selecting switch shown in Figs; 1,2, 4,- 5, 6 and 7. The device illustrated is adapted for calling any one of eleven stations and in Fig. 1 are shown eleven keys, 35, marked from 1 to 11. The key marked Set is for another purpose hereinafter described. The calling keys are supported in two rows by appropriate frame-work 36, and to each key llle se springs lie immediately under the sides of the conical shoulders 38 and are shaped as to catch over said shoulders when these latter-are depressed. This is shown at the lower side of Fig. and the upper side ing down any one of the keys 35, its shoulder 38 will be caught by its spring 42. On the other hand, whenever the resetting plate 4-1 is moved upward in Figs. 41 and 5, its engagement with-all the springs -12 will cause all these latter to release any keys which aheylmay be holding down, so that all the keys resume their'normaLpositions under the influence of the spirafsprings 40. I prefer to accomplish this iunction by means of the resetting magnets 15 sup ported under the two sides of the key board and, when energized, acting upon a pivoted armature 46 to push tlie sliding resetting plate upward in Fig. 2. The united action'ofthe springs 42 returns the resetting plate to the IIOFTTIFPOSTWWH as soon as the magnet 15 is de'eTnergize The middle stem 37 in Fig. i is shownin normal position and it is here seen that normally wo electric spring terminals rest with their extremities in contact with the phin and the thick portions respectively of each cone 39. All the longer spring terminals l-7 are electrically connected by thin rods or wires 48 in a single group, while the shorter terminals 19 are connected by wires 50, india-iihmlly to their respective pins 51 in the selecting"switch..- (See Figs. 1 and 7 )Where (as is preferred) line setting means 'are employed, the wires =18 are connected of Fig. 4:. It will thus be seen that, on push-i finger 34, so placed that when the magnet is is fixed a vertical stem 37 carrying a shoal- I playin within an innormally through said means to the mov-Y able member of the-selecting switchpwhich forms part of the pause controller. This connection is hereinafter described.

The shaft 52 of the toothed wheel 18 preferably carries the movable member of the selecting device. This is a spring arm 53 arranged so that its tip sweeps over the tops of the pins 51 as the shaft 52 revolves, and this arm is so'placed that it makes contact with each pin 51 at the same timethat the corresponding tooth of the wheel 18 is acting to close the relay circuit at 12, 13. As shown, there is the same number of pins 51 as of teeth on the wheel 18, viz.two more than the number of stations intended to be. selectively called. In the form shown, this is thirteen pins.

In order that the action of the automatic arrest'er may be discontinued after a proper time interval, thus limiting the duration of pauses produced thereby. a freeing device must be employed, and for this purpose I prefer to use the apparatusshown in Figs. 8 to 11, and in diagram in 7. Here the casing 54: incloses a framework supporting a horizontal shaft 56 carrying a ratchet wheel 57 which is normally impelled in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 10, bythe spiral spring 58. The electro-magnet 59 acts through the armature 6G, bent spring 61 and wire ($2 to operate an impelling lever 63. An impelling pawl 64. is pivoted to the end of the lever 63 and is so placed that, whenever energization of the magnet 59 permits the lever 63 to move downward, said pawl will move the ratchet wheel 57 one tooth forward. When. the impelling pawl 64: rises, the retaining pawl (35 on the pivoted arm 66 acts on the teeth of the ratchet lo prevent return to normal under the influence of the spring 58.

For purposes described hereinafter. the lever 66 is carried on a shaft 67 capable of moving longitudinally upon the long journals shown in Fig. 9. thus permitting the pawl to be disengagedfrom the wheel 57 by lateral movement. The inclination of the shaft 7 facilitates return movement of the pawl over the wheel as hereinafter described and also tends to keep the pawl always over the wheel when it is intended to be there. i

For the purposes described hereinafter, it is desiral'ile that the action of the wheel 57 and its driving parts should be substantially as follows. \Vhen the wheel is at normal. and before any call is begun any rapid impulses should produce only a back and forth motion through the space of one tooth. When a call is'to be begun, a pause during an impulse (the magnet 55) being energized) should prepare the Wheel for action. 'lhereafter every impulse, whether inclu... e a pause or not, should cause the wheel to move forward one step without backward movemenh'and this should con tinue until as many steps have been taken as there are selective calls in the particular system tobe operated, after which the wheel should returnto original or' normal position, in readiness for a new complete oper ation.

- In Fig. 11 the relative positions of the 0perative teeth, the impelling pawl and the retaining pawl is one tooth farther advanced than the wheel can be made to move (in 'an eleven station system) without return to normal. This position is chosen.in order to expose all the teeth plainly to viewand make the following description more clear. At normal, the wheel 57 is so placed that the pawl 65 engages the square tooth (38, and the next succeeding tooth 69 is cut off shorter than the others, as shown. The next ten teeth are square all the way down and opposite the eleventh tooth I locate meam for automatically displacing the retaining pawl so as to permit the ratchet wheel to return to normal. This means may take a variety of forms, but I prefer to make the same adjustable in position and to use the construction shown in Fig. 11.

An adjustable displacing plate 70 is revolubly mounted upon the shaft close .to the wheel 57, and, as shown, this plate has a small lip which pro ects over a tooth of said wheel. The plate '70 is provided with a cam surface, taking" preferably the form of a recurred wing 71, and as the revolution of the wheel proceeds, this cam surface is containing any desired number of selectivevsignals less than the total number of teeth. The pawl-carrying lever 66 is provided with an offset 72 so arranged with respect to the gravity hook T3, pivoted on the shaft 74-, that. when the pawl (35 is raised above it position of engagement with the lower portionof any tooth. said hook drops under the offset 72 and prevents the pawl from falling back again to such lower position. An arm 75 (see Figs. 9 and 10) fixed to the end of the shaft 74 is employed as hereinafter described to withdraw the hook 73 from engagement with the olfset at the proper time. The lateral movement of the lever (36, caused by the sloping surface 71 throws the shoulder 76 of the offset 72 off of the hook pawl 65 engaging the tooth 68, it will be '*"seen that, when theimpelling pawl 68 moves the Wheel forward one tooth, the pawl 65, being held up above the low tooth 69. by the hook 73, can not keep the wheel in the new position. It will thus be seen that short impulses alone, however, numerous, will not carry the wheel 57 from normal position more than the distance of one tooth. In order to permit the wheel to progress beyond this distance, the hook 7 3' must be prevented from acting upon the pawl, thus permitting it to fall behind the short tooth 69 where it fingls a surface of engagement which allows it to hold the wheel 57 and prevent return to normal. In order that this result may be produced by a pause on the first electric impulse, I prefer the following mechanism. A transverse revoluble shaft 77 carries an arm 78 to the end of which is pivoted a light frame 79, at the lower end of which a small axle 80 is journaled; This axle is provided with inertia wheels 81, and it rolls upon an inclined rod or track 82. Normally this system of levers and wheels is held in the position shown in Fig. 10 by an arm 83, attached to the impelling-pawl lever 63 and whose end extends across the edges of the inertia wheels 81-. (See Fig. 9.) Each time the bent spring 61 raises the lever 63, the arm 83 moves toward the left in Fig. 10, thus sliding the shaft 80 quickly up the track 82 without causing the wheels 81 to turn. VVhenthe lever 63 is depressed in the act of impelling the ratchet wheel, the arm 83 frees the wheels 81 which, asthey turn and cause the axle 80 to roll slowly down the track 82, cause a slow downwardmovement of the arm 78 and a consequent revolution of the shaft 77.

The arm or lever above described extends across the path of the frame 79. (bee Fig. '9.) Thus, if the lever 63 is held depressed long enough, the frame 7 9 will move far enough to the right to strike the lever 75, and this will push the hook 7 3 away from the offset 72., thus freeing the retaining pawl 65.; It is thus evident that, while a quick electric impulse, producing a quick back and forth movementof the lever 63 and arm 83,

will not permit the frame to move far enough to strike the arm, 75 and free thepawl 65 a pause whereby the lever 63 is held down for a sufiicient time will have this effect, and will thus permit the pawl 65 to placed and bent that its extremity normally touches the terminal 86 and that it does not leave the until the end of the longest -movement permitted to the retarded mechanism as abovedescribed. This position is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10. The long terminal is carried on insulation 88 fixed to the shaft 77, and it is electrically connected by a fine flexible wire 89 to an insulated terminal 90 which is connected by the wire 91 with the binding post 92. Thus normally the terminals 86 and 87 are in contact, but, whenever a long impulse (including a pause) is transmitted through the magnet 59, these terminals are separated and circuit is broken.

Before describing the operation of the entire system it will be well to describe the two subsidiarydevices which I have mentioned above as described but not essential. These are the checking device and the line setting device.

In Figs. 8 and 9 the casing 54: is shown provided with a window,-93, through which may be seen a dial 94, graduated and numbered. On an extension of the main shaft 56 is a pointer 95 whereby the number of the tooth opposite which the retaining pawn is placed at any moment may be readioii. the dial. It will be noted that the firsfigrad nation on the dial is numbered zero, .This

corresponds to the position of the wheel in which th tooth 69 is opposite the pawl, and also to contact of the lever 53 Fig. 7), with the first of the pins 51. The person operating the call has this dial before him, and

he can tell, by noting the numbers opposite which the needle pauses in its progress, whether or not the desired stations are being called. 7 Also, when a so-called answerback is combined in .a well known manner In Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 7 it will be seen that the kc placed opposite the word Set on the keyboard, although provided with allthe elements described as associated with the other keys, and operated in the same manner, is provided with an inverted cone 96 of insulating material. As clearly shown in Fig. 4, the spring terminals 97, 98 associated with this inverted cone are normally held in contact by it, but when the cone is depressed. by pushing down the key, the spring 98, coming opposite the narrow end of the cone is permitted to leave the terminal 97 and break circuit. This break is utilized, as described below, for preventing action of'the magnet 31.

In operating the system thus described any one or all of the stations on the'line may be called successively. Supposing it were desired to call stations 1 and 4., for instance, and to leave all other stations undisturbed. The operator will first depress the keys numbered 1 and 4 and no others, and will then turn. the handle 22 as far as it will go to the right in Fig. 1, and release it. The main spring 15 revolves the shaft 52, arm

and toothed wheel 18. The first operation takes place when the arm 53 touches the first pin 51 and the terminal 13" has been lifted. hen the first pin 51 is reached by the arm 53, current from battery 14 passes by wire 28, connections 27 and 2G, to the arm 53; thence from the pin 51 by wire 99 to springs 97, 98, wire 100, connections 101, magnet 31, connections 102, wire. 103, post 92, wire 91, across the normally contacting terminals 86, 87, wire 84, post 85, and wire 104 back to battery. At the same time a branch leaving the connections 26, 27, passes by terminals 12 and 13 and wire 29 to the magnet coils 59 in the freeing device and to the battery 1s. A branch of this branch passes by Wire 30 to the relay 11, whereby the main line circuit is closed to all of the selector devices at once. The result of these circuits is that, since the magnet 31 creates apause making a long impulse, all thev selector devices are prepared for action, and the freeing device acts to open the circuit of magnet 31 at 86, 87. The magnet 31 being thus made to free the automatic sender, all the selectors having been prepared by a single long impulse and the freeing device having opened its own circuit at 80, 87, the contacts 86, 87 are made to come together again by the action of the arm 83 upon the inertia wheels 81. At the same time the. automatic sender. starts up again. The arm 53 then touchesthe second pin 51 which is connected by a wire 50.4mm

the contact 49 under the key numbered 1. Inasmuch as this key has been pushed down, the springs 17 and 19 are. in contact, and, as closure of circuit at these springs has the same effect as closure at 97, 98, (traced above) the magnet 31 and freeing device will be successively operated as before, and every selcctor,device on the main line will receive a long impulse. It is only necessary,

tion number one should be adjusted, in a manner well known, to produce a signal when the pause occurs on the first impulse. The arm 53 next passes to pin number three, corresponding to station number 2. Since the particular wire 50 which leads from this pin to the spring 49 under key number two (not depressed) is not connected by contact between its springs 19, 47, the magnet 31, will not operate, and there will be no pause of the arm 53 on this third pin. There will be a quick impulse delivered through terminals 12-, 13, both to the freeing device and to all the selector devices, which will all move forward one step, but without a pause. This last operation will be at once repeated for station number three, as the arm 53 sweeps over the fourth pin 51.. lVhen the arm reaches the fifth pin however, its corresponding key (No. 4) having been depressed, the magnet 31 will act again, and the signal at station number four will be rung in the same way as above described for number one. The arm 53 will then sweep rapidly over the remaining pins, producing no operation of the arrester but carrying the freeing device and all the station selectors without pause to the end of their possible movement at which point they all return automatically to normal. The arm 53 finally touches the thirteenth and last pin 51. This closes a circuit from battery 1 1, by wire 28, arm 53, pin 51, wire 105, resetting magnets 45, wires 106, and 101 to battery thus energizing the magnets 45 and returning the depressed keys to the upper positions. This prepares. the keyboard for a new operation.

The line setting key is used where, for any reason the various selectors are believed or known to be out of correspondence. This might occur by one or more ratchet wheels in different selectors catching on their way back to normal or by some accident or interference. In such a case the key marked Set is depressed and the automatic sender is operated. Sincethe circuit of the arrester magnet 31 can only be closed'through wires 48 and springs 97,98, it follows that separation of these springs by depressing the set key prevents production of a pause at any point, whether or not any other of the keys has been depressed. Consequently, as the automatic sender moves, it will send out only quick impulses over the line, whereby all of the selectors are certainly brought to normal, preparatory'to proper operation of3jhe system. The line setting device can alsobemade useful sometimes for prevent- V key to make all calls inoperative and reset the keyboard after which he can correct the adjustment and proceed.

In the drawings I have shown a single battery used for all purposes, but of course my invention covers the use of separate batteries in the different circuits if desired, for which binding posts are shown on the left side of Fig. 1. Indeed many changes can be made in the arrangement of circuits and in the mechanical construction as will be well understood by those skilled in the art, without departing from my invention.

\Vhat I claim is -1. A device of the class described comprising in combination an automatic sender of electrical impulses, an automatic arrester therefor, a pause controller, circuits connecting the devices aforesaid, and line setting means adapted to prevent operation of said arrester at will, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising in combination an automatic sender of electrical impulses, an automatic arrester therefor, a pause controller, a freeing device, circuits connecting the devices aforesaid, and line setting means adapted to prevent operation of said arrester at will, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described comprising in combination an automatic sender of electrical impulses, an automatic arrester therefor, apause controller, circuits connecting the devices aforesaid, and means for altering said circuits at will for rendering the arrester inoperative, substantially as described.

4. A device of the class described comprising in combination an automatic sender of electrical impulses, an automatic electromagnetic arrester therefor, a pause controller comprising a number of switches, circuits connecting said switches with said arrester, and a line setting switch. for controlling all of said circuits, substantially as described.

5. A device of the class described comprising in combination an'automatic sender of electrical impulses, an automatic arrestertherefor, a pause controller, electro-magnctic resetting means for said pause controller and appropriate circuits for automatically operating said resetting device after each operation of the automatic sender, substantially as described.

6. A device of'the class described com prising in combination an automaticsender of electrical impulses,-an arrestcr therefor, an automatic circuit breaker in circuit with said arrester, an electro-magnct for controlling said circuit-breaker, an automatic switch actuated by said sender, circuits between said switch and said magnet, and means operating only on prolonged energizing of said InflgI1t\\l OI' actuating said circuit-breaker,

substantially as described.

7. A device'of the class described comprising in combination an automatic sender of electrical impulses, an arrester therefor, a freeing device for said arrester and a checking device for indicating the progress of said freeing device, substantially. as described.

8. A device of the classdescribed comprising in combination an automatic sender of electrical impulses, an arrester therefor, a freeing device for said arrester comprising a ratchet wheel and means for advancing the same step by step, and a checking device comprising a pointer actuated by said ratchet wheel a'nd a graduated dial behind said point r, substantially as described.

9. A device of the class described comprising in combination an automatic sender for normally producing electric 1mpulses' in rapid succession, clockwork including an escapement for actuating said sender, a device for engaging saidescapement to stop the clockwork, an electro'magnet for controlling said last named device, manually controlled circuit closers, a selecting switch moving with said clockwork, and circuits connecting said devices to permit said cir cuit closers and selecting switch to control the operation of saidmagnet, substantially as described.

10. In a system of the kind described, an automatic sender of electrical impulses, a clock-work for actuating said sender including an escapement having a reciprocating extension, an electro-Inagnet near said clockwork, a pivoted finger adapted to move into and out of the path of movement of said extension, an armature for said magnet arranged to actuate said finger, a circuit closer connected to the clock-work and circuits including said magnet and said circuit closer.

11. In a device of the class described, an automatic sender of electrical impulses comprising a circuit closer and a toothed wheel for controlling the same, a switch arm adapted to turn with said toothed wheel, a

series of terminals over which said arm is adapted to move. an arrester for the sender, a pause controller, and circuits including said arm and terminals for controlling action of said arrester, substantially do scribed.

19.. In combination with an automatic sender of electrical impulses and an arr-ester therefor, a pause controller comprising a serics of switches, operating keys therefor. a common resetting means for said keys. an elcctro-magnet for actuating said means. and an automatic switch operated by said sender in circuit with said magnet for controlling it, substantially as described.

13. In combination with an automatic sender of electrical impulses and an arrcster therefor, a pause controller comprising a series of switches, operating keys thenifor, a

sliding resetting plate under said keys adapted when pushed to return them to normal, an electro-magnet having its poles extending along the two sides of the pause controller keys, a pivoted armature con-" trolled by said magnet and adapted to push said sliding plate, and means for energizing said magnet at the end of each operation of said sender, substantially as described.

1 In combination with an automatic sender of electrical impulses and an arrester therefor, a pause controller comprising pairs of spring terminals, keys for controlling the same, a selecting switch operated by said sender and comprising a series of separate contacts, individual connections between one of each pair of spring terminals and a corresponding one of said separate contacts, and a common electric connection between a single one of said contacts and all the remaining spring terminals, substantially as described.

15. In a system of the class described, a pause controller comprising a row of pairs of spring terminals, an operating stem for each pair, each stem having a shoulder, a common resetting plate through holes in which all of said stems pass, springs normally tending to lift said stems, means on each stem for actuating the spring terminals sender, a ratchet wheel having one short' tooth and impelled bysaid magnet, a retaining pawl, a-movable support normally causing said pawl to engage only the upper part of the ratchet teeth, means adapted to act on prolonged energization of said magnet to release said pawl from said support, and means for returning said ratchet wheel to normal after a predetermined movement of the freeing device;

17. In combinatior with an automatic sender of electrical impulses, an arrester and a pause controller, a freeing device including an electro magnet in circuit with said sender, a ratchet wheel having one short tooth and impelled by said magnet, a spring tending. to returnsaid wheel to normal, a retaining pawl. normallyenga ging the tooth behind the short tooth on said wheel, a movable support normally hold'in said pawl just out of the range of move ent of said short tooth, retarded means ad pted to act on prolonged energization of said magnet to release said pawl from said support, and means actuated by said ratchet Wheel at the end of its prescribedmovement for forcing the retaining pawl laterally out of engagement with the ratchet wheel, substantially as described.

18. In combination with an automatic senderof electrical impulses, an arrester and a pause controller, a freeing device including an electro-magnet in circuit with said sender, a ratchet wheel having one short,

tooth and impelled 'by" said magnet, a spring tending to return said wheel to normal, a retaining pawl, a movable support normally causing said pawl to engage onlythe upper part of the ratchet teeth, slow-moving means released by energizing said magnet adapted to release said pawl from said support, a circuit-opening switch adapted to be operated by said slow-moving means at the end of its complete movement, and means for returning said ratchet wheel to normal after a predetermined movement of the freeing device, substantially as described.

19. In a system of the class described, a freeing device comprising an impelling magnet, a ratchet wheel actuated thereby and having one short tooth, a spring for returning said wheel to-normal, a retaining pawl, a movable support normally holding said pawl just out of the range of said short tooth, a retarded mechanism tending to move into position to free said pawl from said support and means actuated by said magnet for alternately releasing and restraining said retarded mechanism and permitting the same 'to act upon said support when the period of able for releasing the wheel, and means upon the side of the wheel adapted to impinge against said lever for moving it laterally, substantially as described.

21. In a system of the class described, a freeing device comprising an impelling magnet, a ratchet wheel actuated thereby, a spring for returning said wheel to normal,

a retaining pawl, a pivoted lever carrying said pawl and mounted so as to be movable laterally to free said wheel, and adjustable means secured to the wheel for causing lateral movement of said pawl, substantially as described,

22. In a. system of the class described, a freeing device comprising an impelling magnet, a ratchet wheel actuated thereby, a spring for returning said wheel to normal, a retaining pawl, a pivoted lever carrying said pawl and mounted so as to be movable laterally .to free said wheel and a plate pivoted close to said ratchet wheel upon its shaft and provided with an inclined portion adapted to cause lateral movement of said pawl by impinging against said lever, substantiallyas described.

23. In a. selective calling device, means for impressing a plurality of impulses on a line some of them being prolonged, means for determining which of said impulses are to be prolonged and automatic means terminating the prolonged impulses.

24. In a calling device, means for impressing a plurality of impulses on a selector circuit to operate signals at different points on said circuit in response to a prolonged impulse on said circuit, means for determining which and how many of said impulses are to be prolonged and automatic means terminating the prolonged impulses.

25. In a call device the combination of an impulse controll ng device, a plurality of individual operating devices, one for each call, means interposed between said operating devices and said impulse mechanism to selectively control the operation of said impulse mechanism.

26. In a selective call device a relay for impressing impulses on a line, circuits controlling said relay, keys for selecting some of said circuits and a common contact means for closing the controlling circuits.

27. In a selective call device, a relay for impressing impulses on a line, an operating circuit for said relay, controlling circuits for said relay, means for selecting said controlling circuits and means for closing said operating and controlling circuits.

28. In a selective call-device a relay for impressing a plurality of impulses on a circuit some of which impulses are prolonged, circuits for said relay, means in some of said relay circuits for determining which and how many of said impulses are to be prolonged and the length thereof, and means for closing said circuits whereby a plurality of calls may be made successively and automatically. I

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence or two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWIN R. GILL.

. Witnesses:

H. B. YOUNKIN, NEWTON A. BURGESS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.f

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