Patent GB-670759-A (GB)
Title: Multiplex telegraph apparatus
IPC: H04L5/24
Filed: 1949-09-30
Abstract: 670,759. Multiplex telegraphy; thermionic distributers. TELETYPE CORPORATION. Sept. 30, 1949 [Oct. 15, 1948], No. 25187/49. Class 40 (iii). Thermionic distributers operating respectively at impulse and channel speed are used for multiplex transmission and reception of five- (or six-) unit code messages, as in Specification 670,758, but the channel distributer, instead of being controlled independently from an oscillator over a frequency divider, is controlled by the impulse distributer. Switching arrangements are provided for using at will five- or six-unit code and two, three or four channels. Transmitter arrangements, Figs. 3-10. The impulse distributer comprises six gas-filled tubes 308, 309, 401, 402, 403, 501 connected in a ring circuit, each tube when fired priming the next over a conductor such as 312 and extinguishing the previous one owing to the common anode connection 311. Six-unit code is used with the switches 404, 407 in the positions shown, and five-unit code with the switches in their alternative positions in which tube 501 is cut out and tube 403 primes the first tube 308 and controls the channel distributer. Firing pulses at the impulse frequency, varying according as two, three or four channels are used, are supplied to the control grids from lead 602 through a relay valve 301. The pulses are supplied to lead 602 from a generator and frequency-divider circuit, Figs. 1, 2 (not shown), in which two divider outputs with frequencies in the ratio of 4: 3 are connected to a 3-position manual switch which, in the position for 2-channel operation, connects in an additional 2: 1 divider. The impulse distributer is automatically started by the normally-energized left-hand section of a valve 503 which primes the first tube 308 and then becomes non-conducting as long as any of the tubes 308 ... 501 is conducting. The channel distributer comprises a similar ring of four gasfilled tubes 509, 511, 801, 802 associated with a 3-position switch 816 which appropriately modifies the circuit for 2- or 3-channel operation, cutting out the last two or last one of these tubes accordingly. At the end of each cycle of the impulse distributer, the cathode output of tube 501 (or 403), over leads 506, 519 and relay valve 803, causes the production, when tube 308 is next fired, of a firing pulse on lead 808 connected to the control grids of tubes 509 ... 802. These tubes are thus fixed in succession according to which is primed, the operation being automatically started, at the end of the first cycle of the impulse distributer, with the operation of tube 511 which is primed by the normally-energized right-hand section of valve 503. Each of the tubes 308... 501, when fired, supplies a conditioning potential to the grids of both sections of each of a pair of double-triode valves 313, 603, &c. Each of the tubes 509 ... 802 when fired renders inoperative one of the four normally-conducting sections of two double-triode valves 527,829, thereby increasing the anode potential on the corresponding left or right sections of the valve set 313 ... 524 or 603 ... 828. Signal sources such as tape transmitters are connected by plug connectors 606 &c. to the grids or cathodes (the point of connection being arbitrarily selected for a reason referred to below) of the left and right sections of valves 313 ... 524 and 603 ... 828, respectively. At each signal instant, one section of one of the valves 313 ... 828, said section being conditioned by the impulse distributer and having operating anode potential applied by the channel distributer, will operate or not, according as a mark or a space is being sent and according as the connection to the valve section is to the grid or cathode. When the five or six elements of one channel have been sent, the operation of the next channel tube, e.g. 511, sends a signal back over a lead (609) to the plug (606) of the previous channel to initiate the storing of the next code combination. When any section of tubes 313 ... 828 conducts, the fall of potential on one of conductors 532, 533, 833 or 834 blocks the normally-conducting left-hand section of valve 330 and causes the right-hand section to conduct. The anodes of these sections are connected respectively to the grids of the two sections of a further double-triode valve 613 and the cathode output from one or other section on lead 614 or 616, according to the position of a switch 901, Fig. 9, is passed through amplifiers 904, 1001, 1002 to the line. Switch 901 also has positions for the transmission of Morse and for continuous current reversals as referred to below, and a further (gauged) switch 909 controls lamps indicating the circuit conditions. Lead 602 is connected over leads 617, 921 to a circuit, Fig. 11 (not shown) for determining the frequency of the control impulses. Receiving arrangements. Incoming signals are applied to the winding 1502, Fig. 15, of a magnetically-controlled diode 1503 which conducts on a space but not on a mark. The diode output circuit is connected through relay tubes 1507, 1509 to a tube 1511 which gives an output over lead 1512 or 1513 according as a mark or space is received. The distributer circuits, Figs. 17-22 (not shown), are generally similar to those in Figs. 3-8 and comprise similarlyarranged and controlled impulse and channel distributers. Double-triode valves correspond-' ing to valves 313 ... 828, have conditioning potential applied to their control grids by the channel distributer and operating potential applied to the same grids by the impulse distributer. Anode potential is supplied to these valves from leads 1512, 1513 over a reversing switch 1601, Fig. 16, a further switch 1604, and leads 1608, 1614, the selective connection of these leads to the anodes corresponding to and compensating for the arbitrary connections to the grid or cathode of the valves 313 ... 828 referred to above. The cathode outputs from the double triodes are taken through plug connectors similar to 606 &c. to type-selection magnets and control impulses are sent back to the previous channel over leads such as 609. Means as described in Specification 670,760, [Group XXXV], are provided for synchronizing the transmitting and receiving impulse generators. Morse signalling. With switch 901, Fig. 9, in its fourth position, leads 614, 616 and the distributer circuits are disconnected and the anode of the normally-operative left-hand section of a valve 914 is connected to the line. Morse signals may be transmitted by a key 919 which cuts off the valve. At the receiver, switch 1604, Fig. 16, is moved to its upper position and the incoming signals on line 1512 or 1513 (according to the position of a switch 1615) are applied through a triode 1621 to the normally-operative left-hand section of a double-triode 1623. The right-hand section operates in opposite relationship to the left-hand section and has pulses from the controlgenerator applied to its grid so that, when conducting, an audible note is produced in a loudspeaker 1627. Monitoring and circuit-checking arrangements. (1) A neon tube 531, Fig. 5, indicates when the first channel-distributer tube 509 is conducting. (2) An oscillograph arranged to show the output pulses of the distributer tubes, the first at double amplitude and the sixth at zero amplitude, monitors the operation of the receiving impulse distributer. (3) With the switch 901, Fig. 9, in its third position, pulses from lead 602 are passed over leads 617, 913 to a flip-flop circuit 1006 producing continuous current reversals in the line for radio-adjustment purposes. At the receiver, with the switch 1604 in its upper position, these signals pass to the Morse-reception circuit and operate loud-speaker 1627. (4) Keys are provided in the receiving impulse and channel distributers to step these into phase with the corresponding transmitting distributers. (5) The arbitrary connections in the transmitter and the compensating connections in the receiver referred to above enable any transmission over a wrong channel to be detected; (6) To check the continuity of the line, the cathode circuit of the left-hand section of valve 524 is connected over lead 534 normally to positive battery. A signal is thus sent to line at the appropriate instant, and at the receiver positive potential is applied over lead 1929 to a detector tube 1629. This does not operate, relay 1632 remains deenergized, and negative battery is fed over lead 1638 to the local transmitter. This holds a valve (corresponding to the right-hand section of valve 914, Fig. 9) inoperative and a relay (corresponding to relay 1008, Fig. 10) deenergized so that a similar signal is then sent back to the first station. If the line circuit fails, relays 1632, 1008 at both stations are energized to operate signal lamps and loudspeaker 1627. The same effect is produced at a receiving station by the operation of a " break " switch 1013. Specifications 670,761 and 670,762 also are referred to.