US837894A - Telephone system. - Google Patents

Description

, PATENTED DEG1F105Q J. A.- AVE'N. TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.22, 1905.

UNITED. STATES.

PA ENT OFFICE.

JOHAN ANTON AVEN, OF STOGKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR TO DEUTSCHE TELEPHONWERKE' R. STOCK & CO. G. M. B. H., OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

Application filed August 22, 1905; Serial No 275.252.

' distributing system, and is materially distinguished from the usual systems of that kind y a third board being inserted between the annunciator and the multiple connectin board. The operator at the said third boar .which I will designate inquiring-board, has only to answer the calls of the subscribers and to communicate to the Operator at the multiple connecting-board the number of the calle subscriber and that of the trunk-line employed by the operator at the annunciatorboard, while the operator at the inquiringboard has not to deal with any lug connection at all. The operators at tile inquiringboard are indicated by suitable signals, as

. busy or free at some or all of the positions ofthe annunciator-board, whereas the operators at the connecting-board are indicated by signals at all positions of the inquiring-board. The signal indicating that an operator is free is preferably given by lighting a signal-lamp, and the signal indicating {hat an operator is busy by extinguishing the l of. the subscribers lines traverse the jack-field of the connecting-board and branch off in the latter for its different positions in a well-known manner to multiple jacks. Each subscribers line terminates at the annunciator-board, where it has a signal and in close proximity thereof an answering-j ack. Each position of the annunciator-board is provided with a certain number of answerlng- 1plugs, which are connected with the listeningeys at the in uiring-board and with jacks arrangedin mu tiple at the connecting-board. In order toconnect a subscriber after the appearance of its line-signal, merely the answeringplug is inserted at the annunciatorboard, t e operator at this board selecting such a plug, the trunk-line of which leadsto an operator at the inquiring-board who is indicated to be free. The inquirin operator receives a si al when the plug at t e annunciator-boar is raised, which signal causes her to connect her telephone set by means of a suitable key with the annunciator-board and to inquire of or answer the call of the calling subscriber. appearance of the signal at her board the inqulring operator concerned is automatically indicated as busy at all the positions at the annunciator-board from which -she is attainable. This signal preferably consists in Simultaneously with the lamps extinguishing while they generally are 1 lighted up.

When the inquirin operator has inquired of or answered the ca 1 of the subscriber, she releases her key, which automatically re turns into the position of rest, and resses an order-key, whlch places her direct y in connection with thetelephone set of one of the operators at the connecting-board and puts herself into connection with such a connecting operator as is indicated to. her as free at the time by the glowing of the lamp appertainin to said operator. Simultaneously with the pressing of the order-key a circuit for a relay controlling the signals of the connecting operator at the inquiring-board is closed, and this relay attracts its armature and interrupts the circuit of the said signals, so that the same indicate the connecting operator as busy. She now communicates to the latter the number of the trunk-lineem loyed by the annunciator operator. as. wel as the number of the deslred subscriber. If the connecting operator has understood both,

she inserts one of her two connecting-plugs the plug at the annunciator-board brings 5 about besides the connection of the calling subscriber with the connecting-plug pair the closure of the contact of a local circuit in which lies a relay controlling a signal at the annunciator-board and appertaining to the plug employed there. The relay attracts its armature, interrupts the circuit of the said signal, and closes a contact by means of which the falling back of the armature and the redisclosure of the signal during the continuance of the connection is avoided. The extinction of the signal indicates to the inquiring operator that the connecting operator has taken the correct trunk-line. The connecting operator now tests in the wellknown manner-the line ofthe desired subscriber .by means of the -.tip of her second lug. If said line is busy, she announces v this briefly to the calling subscriber andgives the clearing-out signal to the annunciator operator by-pressing a special key. .Thereupon the annunciator operator for her part breaks the connection and the connecting op erator removes the first plug from its jack.

If the line of the desired subscriber is free, the connecting operator inserts the second plug into the jack in question and brings her combined calling and listening key into the calling position, from which it automatically returns into the through-speaking position. In thelistening position an additional special contact is closed by the key, which contact closes the circuit of a relay which separates in a well-known manner the order-wires of the inquiring operator from the telephone set of the connecting operator and simultaneously opens another contact of the signal-cit cuit of the connecting operator at the inquirin -board. I

en the subscribers conversation is finished, both the connecting operator and also the annunciator operator automatically receive a clearing-out signal, and this signal re mains at the annunciator-board, even when the connecting operator has already put an end to the connection by withdrawing her plugs. The clearing-out signal at the annunciator-board does not become extinguished until the answering-plug is put back into its position of rest and until the result ing opening of a plugcontact has been effected.

In the accompanying drawing the subject-matter of the present invention is diagrammatically illustrated in one form.

' he telephone-oilice has three boards A, B, and O, the boundaries of which are indicated by broken lines, A being the annunciatorboard, B the inquirin board, 0 the multiple connecting-board. file subscribers lines a a "b b and also the local wires 0 c of the cutoff relaysare connected in multiple with the jacks at the connecting-board C and terminate at the annunciator-board A in an answering-jack 8 and the armature of a cut-ofi' relay 9. The back contacts of the relay 9 are connected with the line-relay 10 and a battery (1. The line-relay controls the an-- nunciator or line-lamp 11 in the usual way.

When a subscriber calls, the lamp 11 is lighted up 'atthe annunciat'or-board A. The A operator seeing from the signals 15 16 which B operator is free at the time, takes the answering-plug 1 of a free B operator and inserts it in the jack 8 wherewith her duty is discharged ad interim. On raising the plug 1 from its seat the plu contact 17 becomes closed. Current now ows from one pole of 'B board and there via the armature thereby connects her telephone set 23 the battery 12 via-the plug-contact 17 to the and back contact 19 of a relay 18, the si nal 20, the relay 2-1, and back to the other po eof the battery. The relay 21 attracts its armature and by 0 ening the contact 22 interrupts the circuit 0 the lamps 15 16, which are now extinguished, and thus indicate at the Aboard that the B operator is busy. On the B operator noticing the signal she presses t 1e listening-key 13 indicated by said signal, an?1 wit the wires 6 and 7 of the plug 1 or with the calling subscriber. When the subscriber has communicated the desired number to the B operator, the latter releases the listening-key 13, which automatically returns into its position of rest and presses the order-key 14, by means of which she connects her set 23 with the telephone set of a C operator at the conmeeting-board who is free at the time. This C operator is recognizable by the B operators by means of the signals 26. The latter are lighted up when the corresponding C operator is free, and are extinguished, as I will later explain, when the corresponding C operator is busy. The B operator now informs the C operator of the number of the trunkline 6. 7 employed and of the number of the subscriberto be called. By pressing on the order-key 14 a contact 24 is closed, the closure of which results in the working of a relay 27. This relay opens its back contact 28, and consequently the circuit of the signals 25 and 26, by means of which the C operator in uestion is immediately indicated asbusy at a 1 positions on the B board. If the C operavtor has understood the numbers communicated to her, she inserts the connecting-plug 3 in the nearest jack 4 of the trunk-lines 6 7 of the answering-plug 1, which lines are connected in multiple to the jacks 4 5, and tests with the tip of the second connecting-plu 2 the jack of the desired subscribers l1neor example, 29-in the well-known manner, so as to ascertain whether he is busy or not. By the insertion of the plug 3 in the jack 4 the contact 52 in the jack 4 is closed.' Now the 'relay'18 attracts its armature and extinguishes the lamp 20 by opening the contact 19. The extinction of the lamp 20 indicates to the B operator that theC operator has employed the correct trunk-line. The armature of the relay 21 returns against its back contact 22, and consequently the circuit of the lamps 15 16 is again closed, whereby the B operator is again indicated as free at the annunciator-board A.

During the test of the jack 29 the combined calling and listenin key is turned to the right, whereby the g operators set 42 is connected by way of the contacts 53 54 with the tip and sleeve strands of the cord connecting the plugs 2 3. If already a plug l or 2 is inserted in one of the jacks 8 or 29 of the line a bc', the wire c is sleeve of the pole of the battery 12;

if none of the connected tiirough the question with the free but, on the other hand jacks of a line is busy their testplug in rings are only connected over the line-relay as, for instance, 9-with the earthi. 6., with the grounded pole of the battery 12. latter case no current flows the wire to the tip of the plug 2, while the called subscribers line is busy a circuit In the during the test elf.

is closed from the free pole of the battery 12 over the sleeve of a plug, (inserte'l at an other position,) the test-ring ofjack 29, tip of plug 2, contact 53 ofthe key 35', one coil of the receiver-42 toground, whereby the wellknown click occurs in the receiver.

If the line appears to be busy,

the C operator informs of it the calling subscriber, the

receiver 42 being connected with the plug 1 by the contacts53 54 of the key 35, the plug 3, and the presses the key trunklines 6 7. She" further 30, whereby therelay 31 is 'excited and remains so even after the key has been released, a current passing fromone pole of the battery 12 to the closed plug-seat contact 17, the right-hand armature of relay 31, its front contact the otherpole of the battery same time a left-hand armature of 32, the relay 31, and to circuit is closed containing the relay 31, its front contact 33, and the signal 34. When the latter appears, the

A operator withdraws her plug 1 from the jack 8.

If the line appears to be free, the O operator inserts the plug 2 in the jack 29, and thereby connects the trunk-lines 6 7 with the line all bl, scribers may key 35 so that the conversation of the two subtake place. Now she turns the to the left and connects the lines a I) over the contacts 55 56 for a certain time with a source of alternating current 57,

whereby the desired subscriber is called. During the conversation the key 35 remains in the position shown.

When for turned to the right, a relay 37 is the contact 36 and from the back contacts 39 40 41. first the receiver 42 is 44 and other wires 59 60, which may wires 43 testing purposes the key 35 is excited over attracts its armature 38 Hereby disconnected from the be connected to other keys 14, so that the C operator cannot be disturbed during his work by a false call of one of the B operators; second, the armature 38 0 before the key 14 is thus the signals 25 ing the test and called is called.

ens the contact 39 re eased and prevents 26 from being excited durbefore the subscriber to be Therefore the signals 25 26 remain unexcited and indicate at the positions of the B board the C operator as busy as long as she has to. 7

When the conversation is finished, the subscrib ers hang the circuit w Its armature up their receivers and interrupt hereby the relay 46 is cut out. falls back and makes the super- 12. -At the" visory' lamp 45 glow. A circuit is further closed from the free pole of battery 12, wire 62, contact. 47, armature of relay 46, plug 3, test-ring of jack 4, wire 58, and relay 31 to the other pole of battery 12, so that the lamp 34 is lighted up, as already described. Now both the Aand Coperators pull the plugs 1 2; 3 out of the jacks 8 4 29. The plugs 50 5 position-jacks as long as the corres onding B or G operator is at her place. f. the said operators leave their places, they pull the plugs out, so that the lamps 15 16 or 25 26, respectively, extinguish, whereby the position in question is indicated as busy.

- It is to be understood that instead of providing thetrunk-line 6 7 at the connecting- 1 are inserted in so-called board with multiple jacks they also may terminate in multiple plugs. In this case the C operator wouldjhave to handle only one plug 2 in making a connection. a

Having now described my invention and in what'mannerlthesame is to be performed, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 'is' 1. In a call-distributing system comprising telephone-lines, each having a terminal jack and a signaling instrument in an annunciator-board, and a terminal socket in each of several sections in a multiple connect ing-board, a trunk-line extending from the annunciator-board to one section of an inuiring-board and to a plurality of sections of the multiple connecting-board, signalingcircuits extending between all the boards and an order-circuit extending between the inquiring-board and the multiple connectingboard; whereby several connecting operators have access to the same trunklines to equitably distribute the inquiries to the inquiring operators and from the latter the connections to be made to the connecting operators, substantially as described.

2. In a call-distributing system comprising telephone-lines, each having a terminal jack and a signaling instrument in an annunciatorboard, and a terminal socket in each of several sections in a multiple connecting-board, a trunk-line extending from the annunciatorboard to one section of an inquiring-board and to a plurality of sections of the multiple connecting-board, a plug-seat contact at the annunciator-board and a signal associated therewith at the in uiring-board, a relay at the latter and contro ling a plurality of lamps at the annunciator-board, signaling-circuits extending from the connecting-board to the annunciator-board and the inquiring-board, and an order-circuit extending between the inquiring-board and the connecting-board; whereby an inquiring operator is notified by an annunciator operator to inquire of the call and all annunciator operators are apprised of the readiness of an inquiring operator to inquire of the calls, substantially as described.

and to a'plurality of sections of the multiple connecting-board, signaling-circuits extending between the annunciator-board and the inquiring-board, an order-circuit extending from the inquiring-board to the connectingboard, a signaling-circuit extending from the connecting-board to the inquiring-board, said circuit being controlled by a relay at the inquiring-board and a relay at the connectingboard; whereby a connecting operator is notified by an inquiring operator to make a connection and all the inquiring operators are apprised of the readiness of .a connecting operator to make connections, substantially as described.

4. In a call-distributing system comprising telephone-lines, each having a .terminal jack and a signaling instrument in an annunciatorboard, and a terminal socket in each of several sections in a multiple connecting-board, a trunk-line extending from the annunciatorboard to one section of an inquiring-board and to a plurality of sections of the multiple conneoting-board, signaling-circuits extending between the annunciator-board and the inquiring-board and between the inquiringboard and the connecting-board, an ordercircuit extending between the inquiringboard and the connecting-board, a signalingcircuit extending from the connecting-board to the annunciator-bo-ard, said circuit including a signal at the annunc'iator-board and a key and a relay at the connecting-board; whereby an annunciator operator is notified by the connecting operator of a connection being not to be had and of a connection being to be broken, substantially as described.

5. In a call-distributing system comprising telephone-lines, each having a terminal jack and a signaling instrument in an annunciatorboard, and a terminal socket in each of several sections in a multi le connecting-board, a trunk-line extending om the annunciatorboard to one section of an inquiring-board and to a plurality of sections of the multiple connecting-board, signaling-circuits extending between all the boards and an order-circuit extending between the inquiring-board and the multiple connecting-board, switches in the signaling-circuits extending between the inquiring-b0 ard on the one hand to the annunciator-board and the connecting board on the other hand whereby a position at the inquiring-board and at the connecting-board can befnotified as engaged at the annunciatorboard and the inquiring-board respectively, if said position is not attended to by an operator, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOIIAN ANTON'AVEN.

Witnesses:

GEORG FAnns'rnn, M. SITTENMANN.

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