USRE13802E - binkley - Google Patents

Description

W. R. BINKLEY. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 1320.16, 1904.

Reissued Sept. 22, 1914. 13,802,

5 SHEETSSHEET 1Q Wflhan FL Errixleg W. R. BINKLEY. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC EXOHANGE SYSTEM.

APBLIUATION FILED DEO.16, 1994.

Reissued Sept. 22, 1914. 4 1 3,802.'

5 nnnrs snnn'r 24 W. R. BINK-LEY'. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED DEU.16,1904.

1 3,802. 5 8HEET8BEEET 3.

Reiss ued Sept. 22, 1914.

5 4 w m Q15 13 W .m vi 5 v m 7 .3 M F 55 m F w W D Tr m m v, THE TWP PE? TW 3 TW m W 8 )M M 0 l WiTne 5 5:5 60 WW 6W 3 W I An W. R. BINKLBY AUTOMATIG ELECTRIC EXCHANGE SYSTEM. APiLIOATION FILED 111:0. 16, 1904.

Reissued Sept. 22, 1914. 1 3,802.

5 BHEETSSHEET 4.

W. RLBINKLBY. AUTOMATIC BLEGTRIO momma SYSTEM.

7 APPLIQATION FILED DEC. 16 1904. Reissued Sept. 22, 1914.

13,802. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

W E5525: h 16 WEZM/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM RAG'AN BINKLEY, OF NEW BEDFORD, MA.SSACHUSEITS, ASSIGNOR, EY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, r0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC EXCHANGE SYSTEM.

Specification of Rejssued-Iiettrs iatent. Reissued Se t 22, 1914 Original No. 717,327, dated December 30, 1902, Serial No. 115,4:98. 1 Application for reissue filed December 16, 1904. Serial Not-237,188;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM RAGAN BINKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Electric Exchange Systems; and I do declare the following to be a tull,clear, -and exact description of the in-' tions, electrically operates exchange mechanism at a central oflice; and the present invention is designed for use in connection with the well-known Strowger system and is applicable to existing plants without change in the calling devices and without imposing any other labor,care or thought on the part of the operating subscriber than is now required. I do not-wish to limit the application of my system, however, to the Strowger system, but it may be applied with equal advantage to other automatic systems.

' The object of my invention is to provide means whereby any subscriber may selectively connect himself with any of the subscribers connected with a party line with-v out imposing any additional operations upon the subscriber" other than those here tofore used in the Strowger system, for instance. In this automatic system two banks of contacts are provided with which the subscribers line may be connected,

pairs of contacts being connected with the individual lines leading to substations, and upon. actuation of contact armsior wipers upon manipulation of'the subscribers apparatus, the particular line desired is automatically connected with the subscriber, and upon actuation of the calling key-the called subscriber is signaled. Any subscriber-can thus only connect himself with -theone sub scriber on any line.

Myinvention provides means for allowing each subscriber to selectively connect himself with-any of the party subscribers on asmgle'line, and the invention in. its broadest sense consists in supplyingeach party line w th a number of sets of contacts rather than with one setgor a number of paths rather than one path, by which any selective switch having; accesszto that line may make connection with the line, the arrangement bemg such that. the selection of the path for the set of contacts, through which connection-isto be established with the line, at

once determines the station at that line that is 110 be signaled, and upon actuation of the substationringing key, that Station desired will be signaled and no other, and to accomplish this no other bperations are necessary by the subscriber other than those used on Single subscriber line systems. IL conjunction with this improved arrangement of contacts, I provide an arrangement of controlling relays, in pairs connected with dissimilar points of the two banks of conconnected'in such manner as to produce the selective results above described. In the Strowger and-other systems the last number actuated on the selective mechanism determines the line to which the desired subsc-riber is connected, while with my improved arrangement and additions, the actuation of the last number of the selective mechanism besides connecting the calling subscriber with the line of the called subscriber also simultaneously selects the called subscriber from a number of party sub inventlon f showing one of the subscribers stations" connected up with the exchange jmechanismland another station; Inf-his tacts, with which the subscribers may be view the main shaft, banks 01' contacts, etc., are distorted from their natural positions to more clearly illustrate the operation. Fig. 2

is a similarview, .on anenla-rged scale, of

three. of the stations and-the switch or exchange mechanism, showing'the circuits and ringing-relays for a two-party line. 3 is a. similar view showing one of the ringingrelays actuated to'impress a ringing-current on the line. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the arrangement in a four-party line. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the wiper operating devices and the wipers with the cooperating banks of contacts. I

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, A designates the main operating shaft, which carries the spring'wipers 1 and 2 and which is designed to be slidably and revolubly mounted in the usual way. This shaft may be operated by any ordinary type of feed.1nechanismsuch, for instance, as that employed in exchanges of the Strowger type or any other feed mechanism which may be found suitable for the purpose. I

- have merely shown the shaft and coiy'perating switch mechanism at the central office conventionally and have omitted the calling or translating devices at the subscribers stations by means of which the said switch mechanism, is operated, as these devices are all wellknown to those versed in the art and a The mode of operation of the wipers in conrequire no detailed illustration or description.

The wipers 1 and 2 are adapted to engage the contacts of the banks or series 3 and 4-,

which contacts are arranged in each bank in two diflerent lines or rows, the vertlcal rows in Fig. (3 representing .unlts and the horizontal rows tens. To these contacts are connect-- ed the normal wires leading to the individual or first selector-switch, which is the subscribers switch, 'thence to the linewires leading from and to the telephone-stations.

necting any one telephone-station with any other station in the system through the op eration of the shaft is well understood, by

those versed in' the art.

In the ordinary Strowger system but one pair of contacts in any connector is used to enable the talking circuit to be continued from a calling to a calledline, but in my arrangement I provide eachiconnector with a number of sets of contacts rather'than one set, or a number of paths rather than one path; by which any selecting switch having access to that line may make connection with the line to connect the substation therewith,

.and I modify the usual construction by uniting or bridging contact points or normals of one hankwith the dissimilar points or normals of corresponding ppsitions in the other bank, as will be more 11y explained here- 5 ,8 and S represent telephone-stations arranged in the system, and L L the line-wires. Each telephone station includes the ordinary devices embodied in telephone systems of the automatic exchange partyline type, the same consisting of a transmitter 5, receiver 6, induction coil 7 a hell 8, having the usual ground connection through a condenser when a party line, and a local battery 9, connected by suitable circuit wires,

together with switches 10 10 for throwing the ordinary manner with the line wires at the central office.

In carrying my invention into practice I connect or bridge the contact points of the two banks or rows 3 and 4, so that dissimilar points of these two banks when united and taken in pairs are connected to pairs of normal wires which lead to outgoing lines through the subscribers or first selectorsWi-tch, and I also connect said points to ringing relays E and F, E and F, it being observed that as a matter of illustration the point-s a Z) c d of bank 3v are respectively connected to the dissimilar contact points?) a d 0 of bank 4 by the wires 15, 16, 17 ,and

' 18, the pairs of contacts thus connected be- 1 ing in turn connected to the magnets of the relays by the wires 19' 20 and-19' 20'. As shown, the relays are operatefdin pairs, having only their external or ringing circuits inte'rconnected, so that each will open up the linesL' L and im ress the rin 'in currenton the outside line, which will be traced out hereinafter.

Located at the central office is a motor generator G which maybe capable of supplying currents'of different character, being herein shown as adapted forsupplying poshave and negative pulsating currents or an alternating current to the several controlling relays, one terminal of the generator G being grounded. In some cases, especially where pulsating current isused for selecting, it might be well to insert a condenser C in the ground lead from the generator G to prevent flow of direct current which might undesirably influence other appa-;

ratus. The two relays E and' F are con-- nected by a conductor 23, which is connected.

by a bridgewire '24c'with another conductor 25, having contacts 26 and 27. These conand 28- plays a switch 32, While between the two contacts. 27 and 29 plays a switch 33, which switches are respectively connected to the line wires L and L through conductors A and B, which lead respecengaging the correspondingswitches '32 33 of the relays E F, which switches 32 33 are in direct connection with said line wires L U. The magnets of the relays E and F have leading therefrom wires 34 and 35,.

which connect the same with the relays E E and from said wires lead branches 36 and 37,.which connect the relays with retard-coils R R which coils R 'R are connected with each other and with a battery 38 and ground-tap 39. The switches 32 and 33 are of spring metal and normally retained'in engagement with the contacts 28 and 29by their resiliency. They are pressed into engagementiwith the contacts 26 and 27 by the arms a, projecting from therelay armatures, when the relay magnets are energized and the free ends of the armatures are drawn down, as hereinafter.described.

; to those before described in connection with case remain the same.

the normalwires leadin may The relays E and F are connected up in the r nging clrc'uit 1n like manner, the parts cooperating therewith and corresponding relays E and F, being designated by similar primed reference numerals or characters. The system of wiring necessarily differs in detail in telephone systems in which the subscribers are difierently grouped or ar ranged; but; the principle of arranging the ringing relays in pairs and in series with from the connector switch to the subscribers switch will in each As an illustration of the operation of my invention, I have represented station S (2,521) as having been called from station S. Examination of Fig. 1 will show that four pairs of contacts on the connectormay be used to connect the substation S with the party line to which is connected the party substation S. In other words, the party line may bereached by moving the contacts or wipers 1 and 2 into engagement respectively with contacts a and (L or it also be reached by moving them into engagement with contacts 6 and b and so on throughout four pairs of contacts. This provision of a plurality of waiting or stationary contapts on the connector for each line is for thekpurpos'e of having the choice of waiting contacts, through which connection is made with the line, determineat once what party station on the line shall be signaled. To make this clear it will be noticed that th:: four stations on the called party line are 2521, 2522, 2523, 2524:. This means that the connector used must be one that is serving a group of subscribers whose numbers begin with 2500. After having accounted for the first three digits, that is 252, by actuation of the ordinary selective mechanism (not shown), it is evident that the same line will be engaged through the wipers and contacts whether the final digit actuated is 1, 2, 3, or 4. Therefore, as far. connecting with the line is concerned,

"no difference which of these four numbers is sent. For instance, if the contacts a and a are engaged by the wipers the talking circuit may be traced as follows: from the l through the relays B, C and D to conductorl, wiper 2, contact of, conductor 16, conductor 20, relay F, relay E conductor 31, contact 29, contact 33, conductor B, contact 29, contact 33, line limb L through .one of the party substations back to the line limb L, contact 32, contact 28, contact 32, contact 28, relay E conductor 3 1, relay E, conductor19, conductor 15, connector contact a, wiper '1, and through line limb Z back to receiver 6. If any of the other connector pairs Z), b 0, 0 or d, (P be used, the substation S will be connected with the party line substation over the same circuit just traced. The pair of contacts engaged, however, determines which of the party. line substations will be signaled. If the party line is reached through thefirst pair or con- 'tacts, a and a and the ringing key 12 at the calling substation relay E will be operated and the generator "G will be connected with theparty line in such manner as to ring the bell only at the substation desired, in this case, substation through any of the other contacts at the connector will determine the .action of a different ringing relay and therefore will determine the application of the ringing current to the line to ring only the corresponding bell. Thus the selection of any one of the four contacts on the connector determines the party dine that the calling substation is to be connected with, and the selection of the particular contact pair determines how the ringing mechanism shall be operated to select from the party stations connected with the party line the particular station desired.

Figs. 2 and in signaling S at S presses signal switch 12 against ground top 14? toestablis'h the following circuit:

thence to switches B, C and D, conductor 13, wiper 2, bank contact a, conductor 16, con- R, and battery 38 to ground. Belay E thus and completing the talking circuit, it makes receiver 6 at substation S through linelimb 2521. Similarly the reaching oftheline from ground by way of 14 ,to switch 12,

S be actuated, the

3 show a two party line, and i from S the calling subscriber ductor 19, relay E, conductor 34, retardcoil becomes energized, and as shown in Fig. 3,. its armature upon attraction is disconnected from the contact 21 -which' breaks the connection of the armature with the conductor 21 and with the generator G. Actuation of this armature also causes contact 32 to be disengaged from contact 28 and to be engaged with contact 26. Current from generator G can now flow only as follows: from the generator G through conductor 21 to contact 21 to the armature of relay F, through conductors 23 and 24, through contacts 26 and 32, to line limb L through the selected substation 2521 to ground thus signaling the subscriber S. Had station S or 2,522 been called, the wipers 1 and 2 would rest on bank contacts 6 b and by reason of the bridging of the dissimilar points I) with 0, and a with b a reversal of the circuit would have been eifected, so that l 'would be connected with conductor 20 and relay F, and the same operation of switch 12 would actuate relay F, impressing upon line L aringing current in precisely the same manner, except that the armature of said relay would break contact with 21 In like manner, referring to Figs. 1 and 4, which repre senta four-party line, and. tracing the cir- -cuits from c d and d 0 which corresponds to numbers2,523 and 2,524, (stations S and S), relays E and F are operated the same as E-and F, but send a ringing current of .opposite polarit "along lines L and L It will be un erstood that relays E and E are the line relays of the individual or subscribers switch, which in the present instance is the switch of the called subscriber. They perform no part in the selective ring-' ing system and are shown in the present specific illustration only because they are in the circuits at all times. Their function is to close the circuit of the local battery through the operating switch magnets in calling or making connectionwith a station. I

The release or disconnection of the 'call ing from the called subscriber is efiected in the Strowger system by grounding both ing the lines simultaneously on hanging up .the receiver of the calling station, which will operate both ringing relays simultaneously. This simultaneous action of the pair of relays cuts off the generator, which would ot erwise impress ringin current on both lines, sending false. signa s to thef'subscribers'. It is recognized that the relays may be designed in different forms to accomplish the same results; but in each case they must be dependent upon each other for supplyringing currents to the subscribers" lines. I Y r i In calling from station S or station S the circuits arethe same as when calling from station S, with the exception'of the introduction' of the spring contacts- '32"28,

and 33-29 in the line wires where they enter: i

the individual switch. Referring, for cirample, to Fig. 2, let it be supposed that station S desires to call some other station. The circuits from S will then be over Lto contact spring 32 to 28, thence by 30 to line relay E to 36, to retard coil R, and battery 38 to ground at 39, thus placin' it within the power of the person at S, t rough the usual calling device, to operate line relay E The circuit from L would be by spring 33 to 29, to wire 31, to line relay E to 37, to

retard coil R, and battery thus placing relay E under control of the operator through the usual calling device. The operation in this connection will thus be made clear. It is to be understood that relays E and F are not afi'ected by currents from stations S and S when these stations are calling or making a telephone connection with'any other station; otherwise the system would be rendered inoperative. Said relays are in the normal wires which terminate in the bank contact of the connector switch, and when not engaged by said connector switchthat is, when station S and S are not being called by some third stationthe said normals are on open circuit,

38 to ground,

and consequently cannot be afiected by curselected which will impress upon the party line a current of such strength and polarity as to ring the bell at the station only of the subscriber whose number has been called, and this is done automatically during the ordinary selective. procedure used onthe 'Strowger. or other'systems. Many arrangements also of relays may be employed with" the arrangement of contact banks/described,

so long as the relays are-actuated to allow the proper current flow from'the generator over but one line limb to signal the desired party line subscriber.. I do not therefore wish to be restricted to the exact form and arrangement shown, as many changes therein or variations therefrom might suggest themselves, all of which would be clearly included within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim'as new and. desire to secure as Letters Patent, is

1. In .anautomatic telephone exchange using two series relays ofsystem, a pair of telephone lines, a calling station on one line, a plurality of stations on another line to be called, a central station with automatic switching means thereat un der the control of the calling station for establishing conversational connections be-' tween said stations, said automatic switching means serving also to establish connections for selectively signaling any one of the stations on the desired line.

2. In an automatic telephone exchange system, the combination with a calling and a called telephone line each extending from a subscribcrs station to a central station, of connector mechanism associated with each line, a plurality of pairs of conductors leading from connector mechanism to the associated line, and means at the calling substation for controlling the actuation of the associated connector mechanism to establish connection between said lines over a predetermined pair of said conductors.

3. Inan automatic selective signaling sys tem, the combination with a plurality of lines leading from substations to a central station, of connector mechanism adapted upon actuation automatically to connect a calling line with a called line, means located at the calling substation for controlling the assooizaied connecting mechanism, a plurality of interconnecting signaling branches associated with each line, and means for estab lishing connection from a substation on a calling line to a called line through a desired one of the branches connected therewith. e

4. In a party line signaling-system, the combination with automatic exchange mechanism, of apluralityof line circuits leading to and from the exchange, a plurality of interconnecting signaling paths over which a circuit may be completed between two of said line circuits, and means actuated from a substation on one of such line circuits for completing such connection over a desired one of such paths.

In an automatic exchange system, the combination with a plurality of party lines each loading from a plurality of substations to a central station, of connector mechanism associated with each line at the central sta lion, means at each. of the substations for controlling the actuation of the connector mechanism of the line leading thereto and serving upongactuatio-n to connect a calling line with a called line, a plurality of interconnecting paths available to each connector mechanism for establishing connection be tween a calling line and a called line, a source of signaling current, selective mechanism controllingthe current flow from said source, and means for automatically connecting the source of signaling current through the selected path with the called line.

6. In an automatic telephone exchange system, the combination with a plurality of party lines extending from a central exchange and each terminatin in a plurality of party line substations, o a connector at the central exchange, means for automatically controlling the connector to connect electrically the calling line with the called line, mechanism located atuthe substationsfor controlling the operation of said means, a ringing circuit, ringing mechanism at the exchange, .a key at the calling substation for controlling the ringing circuit, and means serving to connect the calling line with the called line and simultaneously to cause the proper arrangement of the ringing mechanism whereby the actuation'of the controlling key causes the selective signaling of the desired station on the called line.

7. In an automatic telephone exchange system, the combination with a central exchange, of a calling line and a called line leading therefrom, connector mechanism at the central exchange, said connector mechanism having contacts connected through a plurality of paths with the calling line, switch arms for said, connector mechanism adapted upon actuation of suitable calling substation apparatus to engage said contacts to. select one of said paths through which the calling line is electrically connected with the called line, a plurality of selective signaling devices connected with the called line, a source of selective calling currents, and means controlled from the calling substation for operatively closing the circuit between the called line and the source of signaling currents over the selected path.

' 8. In an automatic telephone exchange system, the combination with a lurality of telephone lines, of a plurality of stations on each of said lines, each station being equipped with a selectively responsive signal receiving device, connector mechanism for each line, means located at each substation for controlling the operation of the associated connector mechanism at the central station, a plurality of paths associated with said connector mechanism through any one of which connection maybe established through a calling line and a called line, and means for automatically establishing connection between a calling line and a called line upon the actuation pf the connector mechanism of the calling 9 In an automatic exchange system for party-line telephones, exchange mechanism for connecting the stations, a in or generator, ringing relays connected ii pairs, circuit connections between the exchange mechanism, generator and relays, means for energi'ai g the magnet of one of the relays of a pair, a switch operated by the armature of the energized magnet to throw the generator into and out of circuit of the line station and through the armatures and circuit connections of the relays to throw the generator into and out of circuit of the line to transmit a current to operate the signal at a called statiom, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. i

11. In an automatic exchange system for party line telephone systems, exchange mechanism embodying banks of contacts having dissimilar points connected, a motor generator, ringing relays connected in pairs, circuit connections between the contactsand different sets of relays, circuit connections between the line, generator and relays, means for energizing the magnetof oneof the relays .of a pair, a switch operated by the armature of the energized magnet to throw the generator into and out of circuit of the line through the armature and circuit connections of the other magnet to transmit a current impulse to operate a signal at afcalled s tation, and means 'for restoring the parts to their normal positions, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. In a system of the ,character described, banks of contacts having dissimilar points connected, a motor generator a pair of connected ringing relays Whose armatures are normally in circuit with theigenerator but out of, circuit with the line, saij relays being electrically connected with saidi contacts, switch mechanism for connecting the relays with the line, and means for op era-ting one of the relays to close said switch mechanism and connect said rela'y with the line and disconnect it from the generator, whereby a circuit from the generator to the line'is established through the armatures and circuit connections of the connected relays, substantially as set forth. 13. In a telephone exchange system, the combination with a central station, a plurality of party lines, each leading from said central station to a series of substations, selective signaling apparatus at each substation, selective signaling'apparatus at the central station adapted to cooperate therewith, electromagnetic connector mechanism at the central station, switching apparatus plurality of telephone lines terminating by at each of the substations adapted to con; trol the operation of said-connector mecha nism. for connecting a calling linewith the called line, and a plurality of paths at. the central station through any one of which the connector mechanism may connect a calling line with the called line,

l4. Inv an automatic telephone exchange system, the combination with a central station, of a called telephone line leading therefrom to a plurality of substations, signaling apparatus at each of said substations, selective signaling apparatus at the central station for actuating said substation signaling apparatus selectively, automatic connector mechanism at the central station adapted upon actuation to connect acalling line with the called line, a calling-line leading from the central station to a substa tion, switching mechanism located at the substation on the calling line for actuating said automatic connector mechanism at the central station, and a plurality of paths at the central station through any one. of

which the" connector mechanism may connect a calling line with the called line.

15. In an automatic telephone system,,a plurality of telephone lines terminatingby their limbs at a central office, connecting mechanism atsuch central oflice adapted to 5 be operated from substations on such tele' phone lines to connect two of such lines for conversation, a plurality of signaling paths connected with one of such telephone lines, and means operated from a substation on a second line for including a predetermined one of such paths in circuit with such sec- 0nd line. i I

16. In an automatic telephone system, a

their limbs at a central ofiice, connecting mechanism at such central office adapted to be operated from substations on such telephone lines to connect two of such lines for conversation, a plurality of signaling paths monnected with each of such telephone lines,

and means operated from a substation on one of such telephone lines for including a predetermined one of such pad 5 in circuit with such telephone line.

. '17. In a telephone exchange system, in

combination, a calling line, a line to be called, a plurality of telephone stations connected with the line to be called, a central station, automatic connecting mechanism at thecentral station, a plurality of conducting aths leading from the calling line to the line to be called, means associated with the different conducting paths for individually signaling the different stations on the line to be called, and means at the calling station for operating such connecting mechanism to establish connection between the callin and thecalled lines over an elected one 0 such conducting paths, whereby an calling station, a central station and connector means thereat controlled by said mtervat the central oflice, control apparatus at the elected station on the called telephone line will be signaled.

18. In an automatic telephone exchange system, a party line, another line, a calling station thereon, a central station for connecting said lines for-conversation, and au-, tomatic means thereat for completing con nections betweenthe calling and the called lines and means under the control of the calling station for selectively signaling any party on the party line.

19. In an'automatic telephone exchange system, a party line, a second line, a calling station thereon, interrupter means at the rupter, and automatic means for connecting the calling station with the desired line and selecting the desired party on said line.

20. In a telephone exchange system, a calling and a called subscribers line, a plurality of telephones on the calledsubscribers line, a. signal at each station thereon, means at the central oflice for interconnecting said lines for conversation, automatic switching mechanism at, the central oflice and means at the calling subscribe'rs station to control said automatic switching mechanism over the telephone line for completing circuits for selectively sounding any signal on said called line.

21. In an automatic telephone exchange system, a calling station, a plurality of stations on a party line,'automatic apparatus calling station, said control apparatus being adapted to be actuated in a plurality of different ways to cause the automatic apparatus to connect said calling station and said party line, and selective signaling apparatus cor-.v responding with the different ways of operating said control a paratus adapted to selectively signal a di erent one of the parties on said party line.

22. In an automatic telephone exchange system, a calling line, a calling station thereon, a, calling device at the calling station, a party line, bells at the various stations thereon and means controlled over the line conductors from the calling station by the selective operation of said calling device for completing a connection for the selective operation of the bells on said party line.

23. In a telephone system the combination with a central station, of a distant calling subscribers station connected by line wires with the central station, a plurality of other distant stations connected by a pair of line wires with the central station, a linkrcircuit at the central office for connecting the line Wires of the calling station with the line wires of the other stations, and means under the control of a subscriber at the calling station for selectively signaling any one of the other stations.

24. In an automatic telephone exchange system, the combination with automatic switching mechanism, of a calling device, a

. party line to be called, a plurality of annunciators thereon, a plurality of paths between said device and the line to be called for completing the connection, any one of which paths may be elected and selected from the calling device, and apparatus associated with said paths adapted to connect signaling current with said line for selectively sounding said annunciators.

25. In an'automatic telephone exchange system, the combination with automatic switching mechanism, of a calling device, a

party line to be called, a plurality of annunciators thereon, a plurality of,paths between said device and the line to be called for completing the connection, any one of which paths may be elected and selected from the calling device, and apparatus associated withsaid paths adapted to connect signaling current with said line for sounding the annunciator atthe desired station and excluding the other annunciators on said line.

26. In an automatic telephone exchange system, the combination with automatic switching mechanism, of a calling device, a party line to be called, a plurality of signals for said line, a plurality of paths between said device and the line to be called for completing the connection, any one of which paths may be elected and selected from the calling device, and relays associated with said paths adapted to connect signaling cur.- rent with said line for selectively sounding the desired signal.

27. A telephone system comprising substation party lines,- automatic apparatus controlled at a calling substation for extending the circuit thereof to a called party line,

and means controlled from the calling substation for selectively signaling the desired substatioin of the called line.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit nesses this 9th day of December. A. D. 1904.

WILLIAM RAGAN' BINKLEY.

Witnesses:

ROBERT C. ALLEN, EDWARD M. SLocUM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained (or five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 6-

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