US976184A - Service-meter system. - Google Patents

Description

G. An JY.

'SERVICE METER SYSTEM,

APPLIUATIQH HLBD A211. e, 190B.

www.

UNITED STATES g PATENT oFF-ton.

GUY A. JOY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KELLOGG SWITCHBOARD AND .SUPPLY COMPANY, OE CHICAGO, ILL

INOIS, A CORPORATION OF-1ILLINOIS SERVICE-METER SYSTEIVI.

1o all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GUY A. JOY, a citizenof the United States, residing in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Service-Meter Systems, of which the following is a specification.

Uy invention relates to service meter systems for two-wire multiple telephone systems.

The object of my invention is to provide a system which will be simple in its operation but one which can be operated without causing a noise in the calling subscribers telephone during the time that the telephone is held at the subscribers ear.

It has been customary in the past to register calls against calling subscribers as soon as the called subscriber answers his call. It is, of course, necessary in a two-wire multiple system to in some way change the current condition in the multiple jacks in order to operate the service meter, and itis the object of my invention to so arrange my sys- -tem that this current change in the conductors of the multiple jack cannot occur. until after the conversation has been terminated and the calling subscriber has replaced his receiver upon the switch hook. In this way the signal may be given without disturbing the conversation in any Way.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which shows all of the apparatus in its normal or un'actuated condition and which represents a complete system comlirising the calling and called telephone lines and the connecting` cord circuit.

The subscribers station No. 1 is illustrated as the calling station and is equipped with the amnniciator 2 and condenser 3 in a permanent bridge between the line eonduotors 4 and .3, and with the transmitter Gland receiver 7 in a bridge maintained normally open by contacts of the switch hook 8. The line conductor L,l is connected at the central office through contacts 9 and 10 of cut-oft" relay 1l and the coil of line relay 12 with the live pole oi battery and line conductor 5 is connected through contacts 1G and 17 of cut-ott' relay l1 with earth.

One terminal ot the cut-oil'l relay 11 is connected through the coil of the line service meter 18 .with ground and the other terminal of the coil of relay 11 is connected with Letters Patent.

Patente-d Nov.

Serial No. 425,301.

l its normally open Contact 19 and with the sleeve contacts 20 ofthe answering and multiple jacks. "the other normally open contact ot cut-oil' relay 11 is connected with the tip contacts of thc answering and multiple jacks. Line relay l2 controls the normally open contacts Q and 2-1 in the circuit of line lamp 25. The called telephone line is similarly equipped, the corresponding apparatus of this line being designated by like figures the Suliix The cord circuit to connect the lines for conversation is ot the so-called two-conduc tor type, rthat is, there are two contacts to the answering and two contacts to the calling plugs. The tip strand ot the cord circuit extends from the tip ot' the calling plug through conductor 3l, condenser 52, conductors 33 and 3l and the series contacts and Si of the opmatois ringing hey :3T to the t-ip contacts 538 ot the calling plug. 'l`he sleeve strand extends troin'tlhe sleeve contact t() of the answering plug through conductor atl, condenser 42, conductor til and the series contacts #l1 and f1.3 ot the operators ringing plug. The answering end of tht` cord circuit has the supervisory relays t8 and Ll-fl, relay 48 having its coil bridged between the tip strand 3l and the ground pole of battery 15, and relay ett) having its main coil bridged between the sleeve strand ll and the live pole ot' batter-$.15. Relay itil also has an auxiliary coil which is preferably ol lower resistance and connected between the sleeve strand 41 ot' the cord circuit and contact 5() of relay 48. Contact 50 is normally connected through contact 51 of relay 48 and conductor@ withlthe tip spring 53 ot' the vservice meter hey The actuation of-the with contactV 55, that contact heilig connected with the spring :Bti ot locking relay 57. rlherelay 5T which is preferably made slow acting by means` ot a copper shell, has the normally open contactlS adapted to be engaged by the spring 5G, this contact being connected through the coil of lthe position meter (30 with the live pole oi the direct current generator (S1, the other pole of this generator being connected with ground. This generator is preferably ol. a voltage somewhat higher than that ot the main battery 15, though by the proper adkey 3T to the' sleeve contact -lG ot' the calling service meter key 54 connects the spring .73`

` the other terminal of this signal bting connected with the live pole of battery 15. Relay 57 also has the normally open contact (i9 adapted to be engaged by the spring 6G when the relay is actuated. Contact G9 is connected with one terminal of the register signal 70, the other terminal of that signal being connected with the live pole of battety 15. v v

The calling end ofthe cord circuit has the supervisory relays 72 and 73, the relay. 72 having its' coil connected'be'tween the tip Strand 33 and the ground pole of battery 15, and the relay 73 having its coil connected between the ytip strand 43 and the live pole of battery 15. Relay 73 has normally open contacts 74 and-75, contact 74 being connected with earth, and the contact 75 being connected Vboth with the spring contact 7G of relay 57 and with the. spring contact 77 of relay 72. Spring contact 77 of relay 72 is normally connectedthrough thecontact 78' and the calling supervisoryesignal 7 9 with the live pole of battery 15. Relay 72` also has the normally disconnected contact 80 adapted to be engaged by contact 77 when the relay is actuated, this contact 80 being connected with the normally openl contact 81 of rela-y 57 and with one terminal of the coil of this relay is connected with the lower spring 82 of the service meter key 54 and through@ the normally closed contact 83 `of that key with the live pole oi battery 15. Relay 73 alsohas the normally open contacts 85 and 86 maintaining a normal sepak` ration between the portions 33 and 34 of the tip talking strand. v

The spring 8G of relay 73 is normally connected through contact 87 to the auxiliary contact 88 of the operators listening key 89. This auxiliary contact is adapted 'to connect with the contact 90 when the key is actuated,

this contact 90 being connected through the impedance coil 91 Awith earth and also with one terminal of the condenser 92, the other terminal of this condenser-being connected through the tertiary winding of the o|ierators induction coil with the live pole ot battery 15. The operators receiver 94 and t-he condenser 95 are adapted to be placed in abridge between the talking strands by the actuation of the listening key 89.

The operation of the system will now be traced as it occurs when the call arises at subscribers station'l 1, v rllhe receiver 7 being removed from the switchhook a path yfor current is completed from the live pole of battery 15. through the coil of line relay 12, contacts 10 and 9 of cut-ott relay 11., conductor 4, transmitter' 6, receiver 7, switch hook'S, line conductor 5 and contacts 16 and 17 of cut-oit1 relay 11 to ground. The. cur- .rent in this path actuates line relay 12 closing its contacts 23 and 24 and displaying the line signal 25. When the operator sees the line signal displayed she inserts her answer ing plug into the jack designated by -the signal and thus completes a circuit from the live pole of the battery 15 through the main coil of relay 49, sleeve contacts 40 and 20 of the plug and jack, the coil of cut-oil' relay 11 and the coil of the line service meter 18 to ground. The current in lthis path is Sullicient to actuate relays 11 and 49 but is not sutlicient for the actuation of the line service meter 18, this meter, having lconsiderable mechanical resistance. The actuation of cutoff relay .11 interrupts the circuit of the line relay 12, which now falls back and elaces the line lamp, and connects the line conductors 4 and 5 with the contacts y2O and 22 of the ack. The actuation of relay 49 closes its contacts 62 and 63 but does not complete the circuit of the lamp 68 because its circuit is immediately broken at contacts 64 and 65 by the actuation of relay 48, the relay 48 being actuated by current from the live pole of battery 15 through the main coil of' re lay 49, sleeve contacts -10 and 2O of the plug and jack, contacts 19 and 9 of cut-oifv'relay 11, line conductor 4, transmitter 6, receiver 7, switch-hook 8, line conductor 5, contacts `16 and' 21 of the cut-ott' relay 11, tipcontact-s 22 and 30 ofthe jack andlplug and the coil of supervisory relay 48 to ground. The

operator now throws her listening key 89 and inquires for the desired number. Finding this to be that of subscribers line 1 she touches the tip contact of her calling plugI to the sleeve contact 20. of one of the multiple jacks of the desired line. If the desired line is busy one of its sleeve contacts will be in connection with the sleeve contact of another cord circuit and, therefore,l all of the test contacts will be maintained at a potential higher than that of ground. Current will therefore {low from the test contacts over i turn causes a click in theoperatofs receiver. i It no click is heard however, the operator l knows that the line is idle and she therefore inserts her calling plugl completely intothe jack ot' the 'desired line and throws her ringing key 3T. spring 115 ot the key 3T is connected with battery.` and, therefore. current tlows over the sleeve contacts 46 and 20 through the coils ot the cut-ott relay and the servicei meter to ground.` The resistance .)T is made high and the current is not sutlicient' to actuate the line servicemetcr. but is sutil-lent to actuate the cnt-ott' relay 11. lYhen this relay is actuated its contacts 5)' and lt assume their abnormal position and current from the ringing generator 9S flows over the tip contacts 21S and Q2 ot' the plug and jack.

contacts Q1 and 1G of cut-ott relay 11. hue

conductor 5. condenser 3. annunciator 2.

line conductor 4, contacts 5) and 19 ot' cutott` relay l1 sleeve contacts Q0 and -tt ot the jack and plug. the lower contacts ot' the ringing key through the resistance 9T and through the battery 15 to ground. The current from the ringing generator 9S being alternating in form passes through the condenser 3 and Sounds the annunciator Q.

i The ringing` key 37 isnow released and a new path for current is completed from the live pole of battery l5 through the coil ot' super visory relay T3. the sleeve conductor 4?), series contacts 44 'and 45 ot ringing key $37. .sleeve contacts 4G and Q0 ot' the plug and jack and the coils of the cut-ottI relay 11 and the service meter 1S to ground. Current in this pat-h maintains the actuation ot the cut-ott' relay 11 and actuates the, supervisorv relay 73. The actuation of the latter rela)7` closes its contacts Tt and T5 which complete a path t'rom the. live pole of battery 15 through the lsupervisory signal TS). contacts 7S and T7 ot relay TQ and contacts T5 and 74 of relay T3 to ground. lhe c'tirrent in this path displays the xsupervisory signal TS) and indicates to the operator that the called subscriber has not yet answered his call. The actuation otl relay Til also separates its contacts 8G and 8T disconnecting the testing apparatus t'rom the tip ot the calling plug and conipleting the connection between its contacts H5 and Rt. thus closing the normal break between the portions itil and 34 ot' the tip talking strand.

\\'hen the called subscriber answers his calla new path `tor current is completed over the. path previously described trom the live pole ot. battery l5 to the contact 15) ot cutoti' relay 11. thence through the spring` 1). line conductor 't. transmitter (if. receiver 7. the now closed contactsI ot the switch hook S. line comluctor 5. contacts tti' and 2l otl cut-olli' relay t1. tip contacts "22 and 3S ot the jack and plug. series contacts 30 and 35 ot the ringing key Si', conductor 34. contacts SG and S5 ot relay T3. conductor 33 and the coil of relay to ground. The current lfpon doing this the sleeve.

contacts TT and TS and severing the circuit of the 'alling supervisory signal 79, so that, that signal is now etfaced. The actuation 0f l relay 'T2 also closes the contacts 77 and 80 which complete a path for current from the live pole ot' batteryl through contacts 83 tand 82 of the service meter key 54, the coil oit' lockingrelay 5T, contacts 8O and T7 of relay T2 and contacts T5 and of relay 7 T3 to ground. The current in this path actuates relay 5T and closes its contacts TG and S1 in parallel with the contacts T7 and St) ot relay T2 so that it' the relay T2 is again decnergi/.ed the circuit of relay 5T will be maintained through its own contacts 76 and S1. l`he actuation of relay 5T also disconnects the answering supervisory signal 68 from its connection with the spring G6 of g relay 5T and substitutes therefor the service meter signal 70, this signal being prete ably a signal ot' a diti'erent color to indicate to the ope lator that the service meter key must be thrown. The actuation ot relay 5T also closes the normally open contacts 5G and. 5S which complete the circuitl between the position meter (t0 and the contact 55 of the service meter key v5t.

It will now be seen that it' the operator actuates her service meter key 541 during the conversation the circuit will be completed from the generator 51 through the position meter (SO, contacts 5S and 5G of locking relay 57, 'contacts 55 and 53 of service meter key 54 to the contact 51 of relay 48, but the circuit will here be interrupted because the relay .8 is actuated during the entire conf versation. Therefore, the actuation of the key 54 during conversation will have no etl'ect kupon the service meter 18. Neither would the actuation of the key 54 have any ett'ect. upon the service meter 18 after theA relay 4S had been denergized by the calling subscriber hanging up his receiver if the called subscriber had notI answered his call because under those conditions the lockingv relay 5T reniaii ,s in its normal position, and the circuit t'or actuating the .servi-'1e meter would be interrupted at contacts 5G and 58 ot relay 57. llowerer. when both the calling and the called subscribers hang up their receivers at'ter the termination of their conversation'. or it' only the calling subscriber hangs up his receiver the service meter signal TO isy displayed. The circuit for displaying this signal is completed from the livecpoleot battery 1.3 through the signal. Tt). contacts (3S) and (36 o't the now actuated relay 57.' contacts (S5 and tilt ot relay 4S. and. contacts tif-3 and tr? ot' relay 4f) to ground.

il'lren the signal 7() is displayed the operator throws her service meter key 5l and l thus completes a path trom the live pole of l the generator (il through the coil of the pol ,sition lmeter (it), contacts 58 and 56 of lockin this path actuates relay T2 opening its l L v y ing relay o7, contacts o5 and o3 of service meter kev 5l, conductor 52, contacts 5l and 5() ot relay 4S, the auxiliary coil of relay 49, the sleeve conductor ll, sleeve contacts Ll() and 2O of the plug and jack, the coil oiE cutottI relay 1l and the coil of line service meter 1S to ground. The current in this path is preferably from a high voltage source and therefore is stiliicient to actuate the service meter 18 which. thus registers a call against the calling subscriber. ll'hen the service meter key et actuated its contacts 82 and S3 are severed and it' the called subscriber has also hung up his receiver' the locking circuit ot relay 5T will be broken at contacts 8l and'TG of that relay such that one impulse only will be given I.to the line service mete' and such that itis impossible for the operator by a number ot actuations of the key 83 to register more than one call against the calling subscriber. The service meter signal TO is now eifaced, its circuit having been interrupted at contacts 66 and G9 ot' relay 57 when the locking circuit for that relay was interrupted. lVhen that relay resumes its normal position, however, the circuit of the supervisory signal G8 is again completed at contacts 6G and 67 of relay 5T' and the signal is continuously displayed un'- til the operator removes lier answering plug from the jack at which time the circuit ot relay 49 is interrupted and its contacts fall to their ntirniial positions and interrupt the circuit ot the signal (S8. When the c; lling plug is removed from the jack the circuit otl relay Tl is interrupted and its contacts resume their normal position again interrupting the circuit ot" suiiervisory signal 79. 'l he signals are now all el'aced at the central ottico and the system is in condition for completing a second connection. ,y

Many details of the system shown and flescribed could be changed without materially altering the operation and it is to be understood that I do not wish to be too closely limited tothecircuit arrangement. Many other featiiifes'of the system are only conyentionally shown and form no part of my invention, and it is to be understood that l any well known torni of apparatus may be sul'istituted for these without `departing from the spirit or scope ot my invent-ion.

I claim: i f

l. In a` telephone system, a service meter foreach line atthe central otlice ot the system, 'a cord circuit to connect with said line, and means associated with said cord circuit ,pern'iitting the actuation of said service meter onlyat'ter aconversation hasl been terniinate dsubstantially as described.

2.` ,In af telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, a cord circuit to conneet with said line, of a service meter therefor at the central otlice of the system under the control of the operator, and means'associated with said cord circuit to prevent the actuation of said service meter by the oper,- ator during conversation, substantially described.

3. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, a cord circuit to connect with said line, of a service meter therefor at the central oflice of the system actuated over a talking strand, and means associated with said cord circuit to prevent the actuation of said service meter by the operator duringl conversation, substantially as described.

'-t. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, of a service meter therefor at the central otlice of the system actuated over a portion of the talking circuit, and means permitting the actuation thereof by the central oflice operator onlyv after the conversation has been terminated, substantially as described.

5. In a telephone system, the combination with a 4telephonel line, of a service meter adapted to be actuated by a change of potential of one of the talking strands of the line, and means at the central oiiice of the system to prevent the operator from producing the proper change of potential on the line to operate the service meter during conversation whereby thev subscribers will not be disturbed by the actuation of the meter,'sub stantially as described.'

G.. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, ot a service meter therefor at the central office of the system, a cord circuit to connect with the line, and a signal for the cord circuit adapted to be displayedwlien the calling subscriber ren places his receiver upon 'the hook to indicate to the operator that the service meter has not been actuated, substantially as described.

7. In a telephone system', the combination with ay telephone line, of a service meter therefor, a cord circuit to connectwith the line, a service meter key associated with the cord circuit, a slow-acting relay, the actuation of said service meter key being adapted to open the circuit of the coil of said slow-acting relay, whereby the relav is de'energized, and to close a circuit throngthe contacts of said relay and the coil of the service meter, whereby the service meter will receive a single impulse to actuate the same, substantially as described. l

8. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone line, of a service meter therefor, a cord circuit to connect with the line, a relay for the cord circuit having a 'locking circuit, a key having normally closed contacts in the locking circuit of said relay, said key also having normally open contacts in the circuit of .the service meter and the contaetf,` otf said relay, whereby the actuawith said source for a short duration of time tiono't said key will give a single impuise ot current through the service meter, substantially as described.

t). ln a telephone systemj the combination with a telephone line terminal ing` at the central otliee in a two-point jack. oi a vServire meter l'or the line at the central otiice of the s vetem actuated by eurrent` over one otl the point oli l\aid jack. and means to prevent the operator trom disturbing: the potential ot' the limbs of the telephone. line by attempting` to operate the meter duringv conversation,

4substantially as described.

lt). In a telephone System. thel combination with a telephone line terminatingl at the central otlice in a twopoint jaeli, of a eerviee meter l'or the line actuated by current over one of the pointe` ot' said jack. and means to prevent the actuation of Said service meter by the operator during conversation, substantially as described.

l1. Yln a telephone System, the combination with a telephone line, of a line service meter therefor, a cord circuit to connect with the line. a position meter for the-cord cireuit` a source of current associated with the cord eireuit. a Service meter key, and means wherein the continued actuation ol said .aerviec meter key will connect the position meter and the line lservice meter in l@eries only. substantially as described.

l2. 1n a telephone system, the combination with a. telephone line, ot' a service meter g there't'or, a cord circuit to connect with the line, callingland answering supervisory signals t'or the eord circuit, and a'n additional yaignal adapted to be displayed only when the milling subscriber has replaced' lhis rc- -eeiver upon the hook to indicate that the service lneter has notY vet been actuated, sublstantially as described.

t8. In a telephone system, the eombination with a telephone line, ot a service meter 4 therefor-,.21 cord circuit to connect with the line, a serviceY meter hey, a locking relay for the cord circuit', the circuit. ot' said locking relay bein y initially under the control ot the called subscribe and thereafter under 5 .the control ot thc.operator, and contacts of said service meter key and contacts of said lockingr relay in the circuit of Said service meter, substantially as described.

Signed by me at Chicago, county of Cook, 5 and State of illinois, in the, presence of two witnesses.

G UY J )Y,

lt it tresses:

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