US1097363A - Service-meter. - Google Patents

Description

J. N. REYNOLDS.

SERVICE METER.

- APPLICATION FILED JULY `27, 1910. 1 ,097,363.

J. N. REYNOLDS.

SERVICE METER.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZ?, .1910.

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UNITED srarEsrarEnr OEEIOE.

IJOHN N. REYNOLDS, or GEEENWIOH, CONNECTICUT, AssIGNoR To WESTERN ELECTRIC:

COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N', Y1, COBTOBATXON OE ILLINOIS.

SERVICE-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1914.

Application filed July 27, 1910. Serial No. 574,095.

To all 107mm- 'Zt muy concern Be it known that l, `3HN N. REYNOLDS, a citizen 'of the United States, residing at Greenwich. in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Service-hileters, ot which the following` is a tull, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to service meters for use in telephone exchange systems and is particularly adapted for operai ion in connection with subscribers station apparatus to enable the calls to be counted. Its object is to provide a service meter which shall be not easilyl liable to fraudulent manipulation and which shall be simple, cheap to manufacture, eilicient and compact.

In service meters of the class to which this invention particularly relates, the mode of operation is in general such that the subscriber, in initiating,` a call, aetuates a man ual key or push button by means of which a switch includ-ed in a ycall circuit is closed, and the Operators attention being thus directed to the call, the service meter is there al'ter under her direct control, an elect-romagnet being provided in association with the service meter whereby either the call may be counted and the mechanism including the switch restored to normal condition, or the mechanism includingthe switch be restortul without counting' the call.

ln accordance with the invention, the t'raud preventing means comprises a member adapted for ad "ance movement in sncf eessive stages and a switclractuated'during its moven'ient. This member is advanced in its Vinitial sta-ge by a manually Operable key or push button and is subsequently advanced b v means wholly independent oit the key, 'the switch beingactuated in the latter movement and restored by electrical means also wholly independent of said manual key. Preferably the switch is directly engaged by said movable l'member and maintained actuated thereby, sait. member having a third sta ge of movement during which the switch is restored. This member is referably in the torn: of a cani which, in t. 1e first stage oi its movement, is advancedby direct engagement with the key. A spring pressed lever may engage the surface ot' the camvin such a w' v as to oppose its advance movement during the lirst stage, but to cause the subsequent independent n'iovement thereof.

which a current of one polarity moves the armature in one direction and a-current of the Opposite polarity moves it in another direction, in either case the stop or 4stops being moved into and out of the path Ot a. projecting pin on the cam so that the cam is This electromagnet vmay be and preferably' is of the type in permitted to continue its travel and allow.

the. switch to bev restored. The spring pressed lever referred to may be equipped wit-h a pawl for engagement with the ratchet wheel of a registering device, preferably in the form of a counting train. .The operation of the registering device is preferably such that `the pawl is lifted. from the ratchet wheel upon the initial movement of the cam and engages said wheel only upon the retractive movement of the armature after it has been moved in one of its two alterna-tive directions, an interfering device or lever operating` to hold the pawl away from the ratchetunder all conditions except that Occurring when the armature is moved in the proper direction to register a call,

Another feature of the invention lies in thestructural arrangement of the stop controlled by the armature of the ele-ctromaqnet for holdingthe cam in the position in which the switch is actuated, this stop being arranged in the form of steps whereby upon energization of the electromagnet in either direction, the cam is permitted to move a short distance only and is not fully released until when th current in the line is interrupted the armature returns to its normal position. Then the cam is thus 4moved only a short distance to one of the supplementary stops orV steps, the switch remains in its actuated or closed position, the object of this arrangement being to avoid premature interruption `ot` the energizing current.

A further feature of the invention lies in .the compact arrangement Ot the apparatus and its accessibility for inspection and repairs. The operating parts of the mechanislnaremounted upon a trame piece secured at the free end ot the magnet structure, preferably to the projectini poley pieces of the electromagnet. The Haiti. is pivoted in the frame near the base or support of the mechanism and the register or counting train is pivotedin theframe aWay from the base where the numbers ony the wheels may be easily seen and read through a window in the covering or casing for-the mechanism, and the spring-pressedaetuating lever for the register is ivoted between the cam and the register so t atit engages the cam at one freeend andthe ratchet wheel f the register at the other end.

These and other features fof the inven' tion, will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and the appended claims,

In the drawings-Figure l is a side elevation of a service meter Vembodying myinvention' with the plunger and a portion of its mounting plate broken away to 'show the arrangement of the actuating pawl and counting train, the mechanism being in normal position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation reverse to that of Fig. 1 with the train. of counting wheels removed; Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2'With the mechanism in an v operated condition, the plunger being depressed; Fig. 4 is a front elevation; Fig. 5 is a plan View with the indicator or target broken away; Fig. 6 isa similar view showing the target with its operating mechanism; and Figs. 7 Sandv 9 are fragmentary views showing the various positions the cam i v may assume, these views being taken from the same side as Fig. 2. 4

Likereference characters are used to desj ignate like parts throughout the drawings.

The electromagnet 1 is shown as -a polarized magnet and consist-s of two magnet.

spools 2, 3 connected at the rear'by a yoke of magnetic material 4, the' said magnet spools being mountedl in a vertical, plane upon. a base 5.0i" brass or other non-mag- .netic material by front and rear supports 6, 7, The rear support being secured to the yoke, is also preferably of brass. The usual permanent-magnet 71 is secured to the midset forth are `well Aknown and their combination as shown is merely a matter-of design, and may be modilied to suit different conditions. I will, however, now describe a structure having thefabove well known elements and in addition the mechanism by which I am enabledv to carry out my invention.

accordance'with the invention the support Q is in the' form .of a'at frame plate,-

` in this positlon,

and its integral armature supporting arm 9 is extende and carries at its outer end a lever 10 'pivoted below its center. This lever carries a pivoted pawl l1 at its upper extremity adapted to engage and advance a ratchet wheel 12 and thereby the train of counting wheels 12. The, lower extremity of the lever'lO carries a roller 13 pivoted thereto by a pivot pin 14.' The lever 10 has an arm 15 extending laterally from the pivotal point of saidlever to the extremity of whichis secured one end of a spiral spring 16, the other end of which is anchored to a' guideway 17 for the plunger 18, said guideway extending laterally from an integral forwardly extending arm 19 of the front support 6.

The mounting plate 6 has a forward extension 20 from which projectsan upright supporting arm 20 for a triangular cam 2l, pivoted at its center to the upper extremity of said arm. This cam enables power to be stored up in the coiled spring 16 through the agency of the lever 10,l simultaneously removing the control I`of its disposition to the operator, who will release it in one of twoways according to Whether the call has been successful orunsuccessful; To enable rotation of said cam by saidI plunger a series'of pins 22, 23, 24 project from the outer face of the cam, one for each cam face, situated equidistant from each other and upon the depression of the plunger, one of said pins is engaged thereby and the cam rotated. Upon the inner face of said cam 2-1 are also located threesimilar pins 25, 26, 27. The relation of these sets of pins to each other is such that upon the depression ofv the plunger and rotation of the cam, one of the inner stops or pins 25, 26, 27 rotates into engagement with a stop 28 controlled l by the armature (see Figs. 3. and 8), just as the roller 13 rides over onto a high point of the inclined plane formed by the suc.

ceeding cam face, the cam being then locked. The outward movement of the lower end of lever 10 by the cam surface upon which' the roller 13 may be. riding Vcauses the arm 15 to move downwardly and stretch the coiledspring 16, and since the camis locked lpowery is stored up in said coiled spring to 28 controlled thereby. The independent ad- Vance of the cam by the roller after it has reached a succeeding cam face, upon the depression of the plunger, enables the plunger to be given a depressive-movement just sufficient vto rotatethe cam untilthe succeeding cam face is reached,'when further. depression 1s prevented, 1t being remem` bered thatv soon after the succeeding bearing surface is reached 'one of the nn'er pins 25, 2 6 or 27 engages the stop 28 cont-rolled by the armatureV and further movement of ereleased upon the move-v ment of the arma-ture and removal of stop iso the cam is arrested. The cam is then maintained under tension due to the engagemenh titl of the springpressed roller with a. high point of the plane. y

A. pair of switch springs 3l is anchored to the base 5 in a suitable insulating mounting 32 with their free ends-directly under the cam 21 and adapted to be brought together upon the rotation of said cam 2l, to notify the operator that ,the subscriber Wishes a connection. It is preferable to so arrange these springs with respect to vthe said cam that they will remain open until t-he roller 13 has reached the succeeding cam face, when it Will be remembered the cam is locked, and since the subscriber must depress his plunger a Suliicient. distance to lock the cam, the closure of the switch. springs is insured and further manipulation, thereof prevented, the release of the cam and consequent opening ofthe switch being thereafter under sole control of the operator through the agency of the electromagnet which, by the movement of its armature, removes stop 28.

Having thus described the means for storing up energy and placing the disposal of the same entirely under control of the operator, the manner in which the electromagnetic alternative rel ase means operates and by virtue of which she is enabled to either dissipate this stored up energy or use the same to advance the counting train and record a call will now be described.

was previously stated, thev armature is pivotally mounted so as to be displacedv either way according to the character of current impressed upon the line by the opcrater, fili ile the cam stop 28 may be attached directly to the armature I prefer to leave the armature entirely free to have a limited movement either way before being called upon to do anyk work, since it has been found that in a structure wherein the armature is called upon to begin Work from a state of rest, it has a tendency to respond improperly, while if given a little play it invariably ,responds properly. Therefore, in the present case the cam Astop QSis a pincarried .upon a rectangular-shaped. support Q8 soldered to a U-slraped pla-te rflic plate supported by and movable about the pivots 36 and 37, lies before and Within the plane of the armature and serves to v transmit motion from the armature to one of a pair of shapetl plates 34, 35. rthere plates maintain the plate 33 centrally sup ported free of the armature. They are pir oted upon the common armature pivots and have openings 57, 5S on opposite sides of their pivotal points in which are fastened coiled springs 38, 39, respectively, anchored to suitable rearwardly-extending arms 40,41, These springs maintain adjustable stops 42, 43, carried by the respective plates, against the ends lof plate 33, and maintain end stops 44, 45 of the respective plates 35, 34, the former adjustable, against the cores 59, 60,

'the stops 42, 43 serving, to maintain the plate 33 yieldingly neutra-l fver the armature. To enable the operator to have a check on the operation of the mechanism, e', e., to determine Whether it has responded to the charging current, a pair of holdover stops or pins 46,47 area-lso carried by 'the support 28 and are adapted to engage and hold said cam in a position to maintain the contacts 31 closed as long as the operator holds her key depressed, which is usually long enough to allow a signal to light to indicate thatI the mechanismhas responded. This position of the parts is shown in Fig. 9.

The plate 35 is extended on the side next i' the lever 10 to form an upwardly extending arm 48, the upper extremity of which is inclined forwardly and normally engages the rear endof the pawl l1 pivotedat its middle point to the upper. extremity of the lever l0. A coiled spring 50 is attached at one end to said paivl forward of its pivot pointand at its other lend is attached to a retaining pawl `51 for the ratchet 12, although these pawls may just :s Nell have separate springs. The arm-48 either prevents the pawl 11 from advancing the ratchet 12 or permits the vsame to engage and advance the same as will presently be described.

' ln order to provide a ready means of inl forming the subscriber whether his call has been charged or not, a target GQ is provided' adapted to be controlled by the movement of the'armature and to display the Words Charged or Rebate before a windoW'GG. The arrangement such thatthe target remainsinthe position last-,moved and is only moved by ainovezrent of the armature oppositely to the way it VWas last operated. This may be accomplished in any ivcll known manner. As ishown the armature may have an arm extending through an or the other thereof according to the direction in which the spring 64 pulled the target when the armature was last rocked, said spring being secured to the pin 65, upon which the target is pivoted.

lt v-:ill be evident that when themechanisin in the position shown .in Figs. 3 and 3 and an impulse of current impressed upon the line of the proper character to cause the Yelectroniagnet to displace the armature so that thc upper portion thereof'is attracted tothe nolo 59 the stop 28 vvill be removed, permitting the cam to rotate for a limited distance nntil said pin 28 engages the holdover contact 47, said contact maintaining 'the switch 3l closed as long' as the operator maintains her ltcy closed and the-armature attracted, which will be until she gets the proper lsignal that the mechanism has re sponded. The attraction of the upper end of the armature 'has caused the lower end to move freely for a limitedspace and then to vengage and tilt plates 33 and 35 upon their pivots.. As before stated, the plate 33, serves the purpose of transmitting theV armature movementto either plate 34, 35 according as the armature is displaced. The displacement of plate 35 causes the arm 48 to move backwardly clear` of engagement with the rear of actuating pawl 11, whereupon the spring 50 becomes active to pull the forward portion or tooth of said pawl down into engagement with tooth 61 of ratchet 12.y This would be the vnext position t0 that shown in Fig. 3, the position of the cam being shown in Fig. 9. Upon the release of the key by the operator, `the holdover contact 47 is removed from engagement with stop 28 which permits the cam to rotate to normal, whereupon the lower end of the lever. carrying the roller 1'3 partakes Vofan inward movement under the influence of spring 16, and the upper endcarrying the pawl has a positive forward movement and, being in engagement with the/toothl, advances'the ratchet wheel l2 a-ild thereby the train of counting whcels on step. The target lthereupon displays the word Charged before ,the window G6. .If on the other hand., the connection had been unsuccessful, animpulse of current would be impressed on the line by the operator of the imper characterto cause the electromagnet 'of the roller 13 the upper end of the lever 10` outward movement as to swing its armature so that the lower portion thereof is attracted to the poleface 60. In such'event the upper portion of the armature after reaching the limit of its unob` structed movement, will lift plates 33 and 34 and tilt the same on their pivots. Theholdover stop 46 will now engage pin 27 and' 4,upon the release of the key by the operator the said holdover stop is lower end' of the lever moves inwardly as before, its roller 13 riding over 4the inclined cam surface until it reaches its-lowest point. Simultaneously with the inward movement 'and consequently the pawl. 11 then has an before,ibut the ratchet is not advanced,since the arm 48 carried by-(plate 35 is not moved, and consequently s ai arm remains in contact wthzthe rear ^of the pawl 11 during lts entire forward movement, said pawl sliding over tooth 61,

-was

notch 52. "The arm 63 moves-to the other side of the opening in the'target and causes the same to swing to the opposite position and display the word Rebate.

and at the limit of its movement resting in Referring now to the form of the indi.

vidual'bearing surfaces of the cam it has been found that the particular contour or configuration .shown has proven most 'eiliremoved and the cient in service. It will be noted that the I cam surfaces are not but are slightlyl tion beginning roller rests when locked is a comparatively great distance from the center or pivoted perfect inclined planes,

rounded and that the porwith the point where the 'point and the distance from that point'to f the lowest point on the plane Where the roller normally rests is comparatively very short. Therefore, the roller rides down a steep slant portion,

4so to speak, and since the pawl 11 is at this moment in engagement with toothl, ready to perform the work these series of operations were leading up to, it is given a positivev forward movement 1n the passing of the roller from a high point on the plane when the stop is removed, 7b

to the lowestl point, which has been found ini variably effective to advance the counting train.

I claim: l. Ina service meter the combination with a manually operable key, of a mei-aberv adapted foradvancemoveme 1n successive stage/sysad member being moved in the o first stage under cont-rol of said key, meansl for imparting a subsequent advance move ment to said member independent of 4said key, a switch actuated by' said member in said independent movement, and electromagnetic means controlling the restoration of said switch.

' 2. In a service meter, the combinationv with a manually operable key, of a cam 'i adapted to be advanced in successive stages, said cam in the first stage being under control of, said key, a spring-pressed lever opposing the movement of said cam during the rst stage and causing its movement during .the second stage, the movement of said cam in its second stage being independent of said key, a switch actuated insaid second stage, and electromagnetic means controlling the restorationof said switch.

3. A service meter having a movable cam, a manual key ,for initially actuating the same, a device opposing initial movement thereofI and thereafter causing further movement beyondthe rangel of said key, a switch adapted vto be closed in said further advance,

and electromagnetic means controlling the vopening of said switch.

LA telephone Service meter having an electromagnet with its armature, a cam adapted to move in three successivestages, a. manual key for moving` it in its first stage, a spring-pressed 'lever for moving -1t in its second stage 'independent of said key, a switch associated with said magnet'closed byfsaidcam in said second stage, a stop controlled by. said armature for locking sald cam in its second stage under the tension Qsaid spring-pressed arm,v with said switch closed, the energization ofsaid magnet causing said armature to remove said stop,

said lever, moving said "with a device adapted to rotate, a manual key for rotating theisame, energystoring I means actuated bysaid device in said rotary movement, meaips `for locking said energy storing means, 'a register, and 'electrically controlled means for releasing said energy storing means and permitting the same to actuate said register.

6. In a service. meter, the combination with a cam,V a manual key for initially ro tating the same, energy storing means actuated and locked by said cam, a register, and discriminative means controlled electrically for releasing said cam and thereby said energy storing means and permitting the same either to actuate said register, or preventing the same in its restoration to normal position from actuating the register.

7. A registering mechanism having a rotatable cam, a counting train, an actuating 'lever therefor,- a spring maintaining fsaid lever in engagemnet with said cam, manual means for rotating said camand detiecting said lever tostore up energy in said spring, a stop for locking said cam with said lever deflected and said spring under tension, and electromagnetic means for releasing said cam, whereupon said spring causes said lever to rotate said .cam and simultaneously advance said counting train.

8. A service meter having an electromagnet and its armature, said armature being mounted to rock in bearings, a counting train, an actuating paivl therefor, manually-operable means for moving said pawl to an off-normal position, means for maintaining said pawl in said position under tension, means controlled by said armature for releasing said pawl, and an arm controlled by said armature engaging said paivl to prevent the same from advancing said counting 'train upon the tilting of the armature in one direction and adapted Whenthe armature is rocked oppositely to move away'from said pawl topermit the same to advance said counting train.

9. In laservice meter, the combination with .in eleetromagnet, a tilting armature, a counting train, an actuating pawl therefor, a lever carrying said pawl, a pivoted cam, a spring for maintaining said lever in engagement With saidlcam, a manual key for rotating said cam, thereby dclecting pawl and storing up energy in said spring, said cam in its actuated position, said stop being withdrawn upon the displacement of the armature, and an arm controlled by said armature andlying normally in the path of movement of -said pawl to maintain the i same ineffective `to advance `said counting train upon. the displacement ofl the armaa stop for locking'- ture in one direction, the said arm being withdrawn to permit the pavvl to engage and advance said counting train upon the displacement of the armature in the opposite direction. y

1,0. In a service meter the combination with` a. manually operabley key` of energy storing means controlled thereby, a mem.

ber adapted to be advanced by said means 4independent of said key, a switch actuated by said member in said movement, a stop for limiting the, advance of said member, means for removing said stop to permit a further advance of said member, and a register, said register beingactuated by said energy storing means and said switch being restored during .said furtheradvance of said member. d A

ll. A service meter, the combination with a device adapted to be advanced in successivestages, a manual key fo advancing said device in its initial stage, energy storing means actuated in said stage, said energy7 storing means causing said device to ad-..

vance in its second stage, independent of said manual key, a switch actuated in said independent advance, a stop for arresting said device in the second stage of its advance movement, a register, and electrically controlled means for removing said stop and permitting said energy storing means to advance said devicein its third stage in which said register is actuated and said switch restored.

12. A service meter having an electromagnet an 'armature therefor, a switch, means for actuating and locking said switch, meansv governed by said armature adapted upon its initial movement to partiallyl release the locking means while maintaining said switch actuated, and means actuated upon a subsequent. movement of the armature for finally releasing said locking means and restoring said switch.

13. A service meter having an electromagnet an armature therefor, a pivoted cam, a manual key for initially moving -said for imparting a subsequent mcam, means dependent advance movementrto s aid cam, a switch actuated by said cam duril'ig. said subsequent advance movement, a stop controlled by said armature and adapted 'to arrest said independent advance movement,

said stop being removed upon the attraction' ofwsaid armature, a supplementary stol adapted 'to again arrest the cam whileI maintaining said r`switch closed, said supplementary stop being removed upon the retraction of the armature, cam continues its advance movement and said switch is restored. y

14. A service meter comprising an electromagnet, a base therefor, a frame secured at the free end of said magnet, a cammovable in said frame near the base, a register whereupon said l carried in said frame near its outer end,"

manual means for moving said cam, and an actuating lever for said register adapted upon the movement of said cam to become operati/ve to actuate said register. v

15. A service4 meter comprising an electromagnet, a base therefor, aframe secured at the free end of said magnet, a cam movable in said frame near the base, a register mounted in said -frame at its outer end, manual means carried by said frame for moving said cam, and an actuating lever pivoted to said frame and engaging said cam at one free end and said register at the other adapted upon the movement of said cam to become active to actuate said register.

16. A service meter comprising an electromagnet, a base therefor, a frame plate secured to the projecting poles of said magnet, a cam pivoted to said frame near the base, a register carried by said frame at the outer end, a manual key for moving said cam, and an actuating lever pivoted to said .frame and adapted to be rendered act-ive by the movement register.

V17. A service meter of said cam to Ia'ctuate said comprising. a ba se,

Van electromagnet mounted thereon, a frame plafte secured to said vbase and having openplate near the base, a counting train mounted upon said frame near its upper end, a

spring-pressed lever pivoted to said frame and Ahaving one free end bearing on said cam and carrying at its opposite end an actuating pawl for said counting train, and a plunger adapted to reciprocate in said frame plateand rotate said cam to deflect said lever and cause its pawl to advance said counting train.

18. In an electrically controlled meter, the combination with a counter, of an automatically returning, manually advanced actuator therefor, said counter being advanced on the return movement thereof, a movable armature for holding the actuator in advanced position, and an electromagnet under the control of' a distant station for operating' said armature and releasing said actuator.

In Witness whereof, I, hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of July A. D., 1910.

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