Patent GB-516409-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to automatic or semi-automatic telephone systems
IPC: H04Q3/42
Filed: 1938-06-14
Abstract: 516,409. Automatic exchange systems. POLLAK, J. E. (Associated Telephone & Telegraph Co.). June 14, 1938, Nos. 6096/39, 21312/38, 310/39, and 6098/39. Divided out of 516,348. [Class 40 (iv)] In a telephone system in which particulars of connections are recorded or printed, the particulars of a connection are stored in equipment which if the connection is effective controls recording or printing on release thereof. The circuits described, together with those described in Specifications 516,348, and 516,408, relate to the same system and identical Figures in these specifications have the same numbers. The recording equipment is at a central exchange at which a toll control circuit receives the called and calling subscribers' numbers, tariff rate, and a digit indicating whether the call requires recording from a register-translator at the originating exchange. The response of the calling party prepares circuits which on the release of the connection take into use a printercontroller to which the information stored in the toll control circuit, including now the duration of the call, is transferred. The printercontroller also comprises a device which calculates the charge based in any desired manner on the tariff rate and duration. The toll control circuit which is also described in Specification 516,348 is not abridged below, but it is to be noted that the effectiveness of a call is taken into account by switch IP thereat when recording the duration. The circuit of magnet 810 of switch CF which hunts for a printer-controller is completed only if relay 782 has been operated over wiper 953 of IP. Printer-controller, and printer unit, Figs. 52-67, arranged as shown in Fig. 71. Upon seizure of the printer-controller, relay 1305 energizes over wire 1445 and connects up 1306. The information transferred from the toll control circuit in the form of code impulses in the manner described in Specification 516,348 is recorded on relay registers which are connected up in turn by a switch IP2 stepped by pulses over wire 1446. In positions 2, 3 of IP2, relays 1335-1338 connect up further relay registers to receive impulses from the date and time unit described below. In position 4 of IP2, a selfinterrupting relay 1304 associated with a condenser advances the switch RS7 to a position corresponding to the tariff digit in response to a double marking from the relay register XXI which energizes 1307. According to the setting, one of five tariff relays 1314-1318 operates and connects up the magnets of one of three bidirectional switches TD5-7 and one set of wipers thereof. Relay 1304 now delivers impulses to the vertical magnet 1401 of TD6, for example, and to TS which is marked from the relay register XXII according to the tens digit of the duration. Relay 1308 responds to the marking and connects up 1303 which disconnects the magnet 1401. In position of 12 of TS, these relays fall back and impulses are delivered to the rotary magnet 1400 until TS reaches the marking from the relay register XXIII corresponding to the units digit of the duration, when 1308 again responds and connects up 1303. The switch TD6 is thus set in readiness for transferring the total charge to the printer. Meanwhile the calling and called numbers are stored in the registers I-V, VI-XII (not shown in detail) and 1300 operates if the calling party wishes to know the cost'. Finally, 1301 energizes and disconnects 1305, which releases the toll control circuit. The operation of 1303 grounds wire 1463 and connects relay 1302 to wire 1462, causing the finder PF to associate a printer unit with the printer-controller. Relay 1302 energizes and connects up 1309. The switches GT, OP2 now step in synchronism under the control of 1304 and transfer the various items of information to the printer-unit, which comprises two, printers, PT, PU, the former printing a ticket (Fig.'3) and the latter printing the items for each call along one line on a continuous strip, the items being separated by a star. The switch GT transfers the digits of the calling and called numbers and of the date, time and duration from the relay registers to relays 1310-1313, which translate from code to numerical form. The tariff digit registered by the switch RS7 is translated into a money value in francs and centimes. The cost is determined by the operative wipers of one of switches TD5-7, and this may comprise two, three or four digits. The switch OP2. controls spacing &c. and the printing.of invariable elements such as stars and zeros in the tariff and cost. The initial digit 0 which is dialled by the calling party and is absorbed in the register-translator is reinserted in the called number, and, if relay 1300 is up, an initial star is printed by the printer PU. When the switch OP2 reaches normal, 1309 falls back and disconnects 1306 to effect release. Allotter and printer-unit. Three printerunits are provided. Relay 1508 energizes when wire 1463 is grounded, and 1507 operates in the preselected unit, causing the nnder PF to hunt for the printer-controller marked by over wire 1462. Relays 1505, 1506 pull up and connect up 1501, 1502 which extend the control wires from the printer-controller. The. relapse of 1'507 advances the allotter AL to the next idle printer unit. When a star is first printed on the record strip, 1504 energizes over wire 1469 and operates an alarm. The battery for the digit printing magnets is derived over relay 1503, which locks when. energized and prevents any further operation of 1504. The printer unit is released when wire 1462 is opened. The operation of 1558 gives an alarm when there is no idle unit. Date and time unit, Figs, 48-51. The minutes, hours, days and months are recorded on switches MI, HO, DA, MO, the first switch being advanced by impulses from a master clock, and these switches apply markings to groups of wires T, U in accordance with the code indicated in Fig. 18 of Specification 516,348: The minute switch MI marks over its lowest pair of wipers for the units digit and over its remaining wipers in pairs for the tens digit, the pairs being connected up under control of 1201, 1202 during successive rotations. Since it is a 25-point switch, certain positions are skipped to make it effectively a 20-point switch. An impulse is delivered to the hour switch HO by 1203 after every third rotation. The hour switch HO has a pair of wipers for the tens marking and a pair for the units marking. The last position is skipped and an impulse is delivered to the day switch DA by means of 1205. The day switch DA has a pair of wipers for the units marking and two pairs of singleended wipers coming into action successively for the tens marking. The switch is effectively a 20-point switch. The month switch MO has two pairs of wipers for the tens and units marking, and a pair of single-ended wipers coming into action successively for marking periods of a month in a bank,of DA. When the latter encounters such a marking, e.g. after 28, 29, 30 or 31 days, 1206 pulls up, restores DA and delivers an impulse to MO. The control wipers of MO provide a four-year cycle. 'Keys 1234- 1238 permit manual adjustment of the switches. Relay 1200 which repeats the timed impulses is arranged to be locked by earth on wire 1265 if it is operated during association of the unit with the printer-controller, so that stepping is delayed. A wiper of the hour switch HO over wire 1267 controls the change of tariff in the toll control circuit during night service.