An Improved Call Counter suitable for Telephone Exchanges.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1895-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Call Counter suitable for Telephone Exchanges.
I, FRANZ STOCK, of Zeughofstrasse 6/7, Berlin S.O. in the Empire of Germany,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
In order to count the number of calls asked for by a subscriber there have been
made hitherto arrangements in which by putting the plug into the spring jack a
local current circuit is closed and a counting apparatus is operated by electro-
nagnetic means.
The accuracy of such arrangement is only conditional, deficient contact
formation, inexact regulation of the electromagnets or any other defects in the
corresponding local current-circnit rendering the working of the counting apparatus
inexact.
By this new invention operated only by mechanical effect the want of certainty
with electromagnetic counters is avoided the construction is also simplified and
rendered cheaper and the counting apparatus is reduced to such a small space that
it can be placed on any spring jack.
The counter is represented in the annexed drawing.
Figs. 1 and 2 show two longitudinal sections.
Fig. 3 is a front view, the covering plate being taken off.*
Fig. 4 is a back view with partial cross section.
Fig. 5 is a plan view..
The dimensions of the counters to be provided on the subscribers number boards
of the telephone exchange are so small, that each spring jack can be connected
with such a counter, so that each each subscriber has his own counter.
Its construction is as follows:-
In the frame walls A B are the axles ab c. Upon the axle a are fixed the
ratchet wheel d and the toothed wheel e; the latter gears with the counting
wheel which is seated loosely upon the axle b and on the 10 teeth of which are
arranged the numbers 0-9:
With the ratchet wheel d gears the dog g which is pivoted to the front part of
the spring by means of the pin i.
The spring k keeps the dog g always securely in gear with the ratchet wheel d.
The plug has two indents 12. When it is placed in the spring jack the
spring rises and therewith also the dog g, whereby the ratchet wheel dis turned
for one tooth breadth in the direction of the arrow, as well as the toothed
wheel e, which is seated upon the same axle and the counting wheelf which gears
with it.
The ratchet wheel d, the toothed wheel e and the counting wheelf have each
10 teeth, consequently have the same period of revolution.
One tooth e' of the toothed wheel e is lengthened up to the nave of the latter, so
that this forms to a certain extent a wheel connected solidly with the wheel e and
provided with a catch. Upon the axle c is seated loosely a toothed wheel m equal
to the wheel e. This gears in a second counting wheel n, which equal to the
counting wheel is seated loosely upon the axle b'next to the counting wheel f.
As soon as the latter has turned for 1% of its circumference that is from 0 to 9, the
toothed wheel e is in such position that the tooth e' of its wave turns the toothed
wheel mone tooth further when the plug is again put in and the second counting
wheel n is then turned one tooth further.

page_text: When the counting wheel has thus made a whole revolution the counting
wheel n has turned only 1 of a revolution, the counting wheelf shows thus the
units and the counting wheel n shows the tens of the number of times the plug / has
been put into the spring jack.
In the same manner by means of the wheels o upon axle a and pupon axle c are
moved the counting wheels q r s, which being seated upon the axle 6 indicate the
hundreds, thousands and ten thousands, so that it is possible by means of the
apparatus represented in the drawing to count 99,999 calls.
It is understood that the number of the wheels can be augmented to any
amount.
In order to secure the single wheels when at rest there are provided the
springs t u v w aud z.
The front wall C has a convenient opening D covered with glass through which
the corresponding numbers of the counting wheels are to be easily seen.
The arrangement herein before described would indicate each communication
effected, even wheu a conversation has not taken place. In order to avoid such
counting to the detriment of the telephone subscriber the following arrangement is
made. The control lead is not placed on the plug socket but on the Spring a and
is thus in connection with the subscribers wire when the plug / provided with two
indents is put in completely up to the indent 12 (Fig. 1). If a conversation
does not take place the plug is pulled back so far that the spring h catches into
the first indent (Fig. 2); the dog g does not go so far down, that it catches into
the following tooth of the ratchet wheel d, and further counting is therefore
prevented. The spring remains away from the contact h' and the circuit is thus
not through the corresponding call annunciator, but through the closing annunciator.
The subscriber can therefore call again at any time. In this position of the plug
(shown in Fig. 2) the spring & and hereby also the control wire is insulated; the
subscribers line can therefore be used in other places.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A mechanical call counter for telephone exchanges characterized essentially by
a gearing of wheels which is operated on putting the plug into the spring jack by
means of the dog g and the ratchet wheel d, and which is kept in such small
dimensions that one of them can be arranged on each subscribers spring jack.
2. In the call counter as described in Claim 1, the arrangement of numbers upon
the teeth of the counting wheels fnqrs for the purpose of reducing the space
occupied.
3. In the call counter as described in Claim 1, the arrangement of two indents P
on the plug for the purpose, if no communication has been made, of enabling the
next call to be complied with without influencing the counter.
4. In the counter as described in Claim 1, the connection of the control line
with the spring & instead of through the plug for the purpose of insulating the
control line when communication has not been effected.
Dated this 30th day of June 1896.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents for Applicant.