US776429A - Service-meter for telephone-lines. - Google Patents

Description

No. 776,429. PATENTED NOV. 29, 1904.

V G. E. SGRIBNER.

SERVICE METER FOR TELEPHONE LINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1900 N0 MODEL.

uZi'lorne y.

UNITED STATES Patented November 29, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. SCRIBNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SERVICE-METER FOR TELEPHONE-LINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,429, dated November 29, 1904.

Application filed April 9, 1900- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLEs E. SCRIBNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIlli-- by currents of different character than that for which the instrument is designed, particularly such as calling-currents 1n the line.

To this end the invent1on comprlses amaln actuating-magnet for the service-meter and means for applying a continuous or steady current for exciting it and an auxiliary locking-magnet constructed in any suitable way to be responsive to such currents only as are not designed to operate the register, such as the calling-currents in the line, and controlling a catch or other locking device for maintaining the position of the armature of the actuating-magnet unchanged during the presence of such current in the line.

The invention is illustrated in the attached drawing, which represents diagrammatically a telephone-line extending between a substation and a central office, a call-bell, telephones, and a service-meter or connection-register at the substation and means at the central ofiice for applying to the line either a current for ringing the bell or a current for operating the service-meter.

The appliances at the substation and at the central ofiice, with the exception of the service-meter, are of usual and well-known character. The line conductors 1 and 2 are provided at the substation with a circuit through a polarized call-bell a and a condenser 60. A telephone-supporting switch (0 controls a cir- Serial No. 12,107. (No model.)

cuit through the receiving-telephone a? and transmitting-telephone a to close a bridge of the line-circuit, including these instruments in shunt of the bell and condenser. At the central office the line conductors are connected with the poles of a battery Z) or other source of current, one of the line conductors leading through the magnet of a line-signal 0. The connection of the line conductors with the battery is controlled by a cut-off relay (Z. A spring-jack e is furnished for the line, with two line-springs which form normally open terminals of the line conductors and an insulated test-ring which constitutes the normally open terminal of a branch conductor 3, grounded at one terminal, which includes the magnet of the cut-off relay. Pairs of plugs f and f are provided for uniting lines by means of their spring-jacks, two of the three contacts of each of the two plugs forming the terminals of the plug-circuit45 6 7, which is connected with the battery 6 through the windings of a repeating-coil g. The remaining contactpieces of the two plugs constitute terminals of conductors 8 and 9, respectively, leading from the battery 5, which include supervisory signals h and h, referring to the plugs f and f. These signals are controlled by supervisory relays iand d, included in conductors 6 and 7 of the plug-circuit, each being in this position responsive to current which is determined by the telephone-switch of the line with which the plug is connected. These relays control the signals associated with the plugs by means of shunts about the signals. A calling-key 7c is interposed in the plug-circuit for breaking the circuit between the plugs f and f and applying the poles of a generator Z of alternating or pulsating current to the line-contacts of plug f.

The service-meter at the subscribers station consists of a main or actuating magnet m, a centrally-pivoted armature m, a permanent magnet on for constantly polarizing the armature, a locking-magnet a and an armaturen therefor, a catch controlled or carried by the armature 02/, arranged to engage a part carried by the armature m, and a train of counting mechanism with an escapement or verge connection with the armature m. The magnet on may be connected serially in the circuit with the telephones. The magnet 71 may be connected in multiple with the magnet m. The cores of magnet 172 should be surrounded by copper sheaths to prevent the quick response of the magnet to varying currents.

For operating the service-meter thus disposed to register calls from the substation which attain response at the central oflice the connections of the answering-plug f with the battery Z) are made in a reverse manner from those of the plug f with the same battery, so that when the answering-plug is inserted into a spring-jack of the line it applies to the line a current of the opposite polarity to that which is produced in the line by the insertion of the calling-plug f. Taking the telephone from its switch for use at the subscribers station permits the closure of the circuit of the line through the telephones and the magnets of the service-meter. The battery I) thereupon produces a current in the circuit which excites the line-signal c and indicates the call to the attendant. The flow of current from battery 6 through the actuating-magnet of the meter draws the armature 072/ into one position preliminary to actuating the wheel-train to register the use of the telephone. The force of the retractile spring acting upon the armature of magnet n is so adjusted that the current from the battery I) shall fail to operate it or shall at least hold it so feebly that the superior force of magnet m may move the armature m in spite of the slight tendency of magnet n to lock it. hen now the operator in answering the call inserts the answeringplug in the spring-jack of the calling-line, the polarity of the current in the line is reversed, the main magnet m draws its polarized armature m into its alternate position, and thus moves the counting-train to register the answered call. W'hen connection is made with the line shown in response to a call from a different line-that is, when the line provided with the service-meter is called for-the plug f applies to the line the same polarity of current as that which flows normally in the line at the mere taking of the telephone. Hence the establishment of connection with the line when it is called for leaves the service-meter in its normal position, in which it does not register the connection. If, however, on hearing the ringing of the bell at the station when a line is being called by the operator by means of the calling-key in applying a pulsating or alternating current to the line, the called subscriber should take his telephone for use, the calling-current will find circuit through the telephone-bridge and through the magnets on and a, connected therewith. My present invention aims particularly to prevent or avoid the operation of the service-meter under such circumstances. The ringing current is of greater electromotive force than that of battery b, besides being of rapidly intermittent or alternating character. This ringing-current acting on the magnet n throws the armature into vibration, whereby the catch carried by the armature is moved into the path of the armature m at each pulsation of current. Being of lower impedance, the magnet n receives a greater proportion of the impressed varying current than the magnet on, and the magnet on being by reason of the copper sheath'about its cores or other means for preventing the quick charging of its cores is magnetized to a smaller extent by equal current. These differences in characteristic action of the magnets m and a permit the magnet 72 to lock the armature m, and thus to prevent the movement of the countingtrain.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a service-meter and a circuit therefor, of means at the central station for applying currents of different character, an actuating-magnet responsive to all such currents, a counting mechanism associated therewith, and a blocking-magnet adapted to prevent the actuation of the counting mechanism, said blocking-magnet being responsive to current of one kind only, substantially as described.

2. In a service-meter the combination with a counting train, of an actuating magnet therefor constructed to respond sluggishly to varying current, and a locking-magnet adapted to lock the armature of said actuating-magnet in position capable of quick response to calling-currents through it, both of said magnets being connected with the circuit of a telephone-line, said locking-magnet being unresponsive to the normal steady currents of the line, as described.

3. The combination with a telephone-circuit, a call-bell in the circuit, telephones and a telephone-switch and a circuit through the telephones closed by the telephone-switch, and means for applying in the telephone-circuit either varying calling-current or steady current of either polarity, a service-meter having two magnets, both connected with the circuit through the telephones to be closed by the telephone-switch, one of said magnets being adapted for response to steady currents, and being adapted to actuate the counting mechanism, and the other of said magnets being constructed for quick response to callingcurrents and to remaininactive when traversed by the steady currents of the line, and a latch controlled by said quick-responding" magnet adapted to lock the armature of the other magnet in place, and means for imparting permanent polarity to the armature of the actuating-magnet, substantially as described.

* 4. The combination with a telephone-line extending from a substation to a central of-ice,

of a connection-register having a polarized actuating-magnet connected with the line-circuit, means at the central office for applying varying current and steady current to the line, 5 devices connected with the line at the substation adapted for operation by such currents, and an electromagnetic locking device at the substation responsive to the varying currents and arranged to block the mechanism of the I connection-register, to prevent the operation thereof, said locking device being constructed to remain inactive under the influence of the normal steady currents in the line.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of February, A. D. 1900. 5

CHARLES E. SCRIBNER.

Witnesses:

ELLA EDLER, DUNCAN E. WILLETT.

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