Improvements in and relating to Electrical Exchange Systems.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 16th Mar., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Electrical Exchange Systems.
We, GEORGE WILLIAM HEY and ARTHUR EDWARD PARSONS, both of
Number 116 South Salina Street, in the City of Syracuse, County of Onondaga,
and State of New York, Lawyers, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in electrical exchange systems for
permitting communication between different metallic circuits as telephonic,
telegraphic, &c., and has for its object the production of a simple, practical,
and effective apparatus for accomplishing the desired result; and to this end
it consists in the arrangement and construction of its parts, as hereinafter more
fully described and pointed out in the claims.
In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing,
forming a part of this Specification, in which, like letters indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a diagramatic view, illustrating an apparatus embodying this
improved system.
Figure 2 is an enlarged diagramatic view of the main station.
Figure 3 is an elevation of one of the detached switching devices.
Figure 4 is a similar elevation, the movable support for the movable terminal
being removed, and shown by dotted lines.
Figure 5 is a top plan view of the switching device shown at Figure 3, the
support for the terminals connected to the separate wires being shown in section,
and
Figure 6 is a detail sectional view, taken on line 6-6, Figure 3.
The
AA20, B B, C C2, represent the wires or conductors of a series of separate
metallic circuits; a, b, c, automatic switching devices connected to the ends of the
conductors A A 20, B B20, C C20, and Ĕ a series of ground wires having
branches e e¹, es connected respectively to the switching devices a b c.
wires E and the switching devices a b c are preferably arranged at a main or
common station E', and the wires A A 30 B B20 C C20 extend from the main
station E to a series of subscribers' stations A¹ B' C¹.
As clearly seen at Figure 1 a number of the stations C' are illustrated as
arranged one after the other for forming sub-stations for the wires CC. The
extreme outer end of the wire C20 is connected by a branch C² to the ground,
and the inner ends of the wires A 20 BTU (20 are, as presently described, normally
connected to the ground wires E of the common or main station.
When this invention is used as a telephonic exchange system the stations A¹ B'C'¹
are provided with telephones A B C connected to loops A" B" C", which
are connected by switches A B C to the metallic circuits leading from said
stations, but it is unnecessary to illustrate or describe said telephones in detail, as
their construction forms no essential feature of this invention.
The stations A' B' C'E' are respectively provided with a series of
signals A B C E and with a series of current generators A* A', B' B³,
CC, E E, for effecting the operation of said signals, all of which parts may
be of any desirable form, size, and construction. The signals A B C³ consist of
magneto-electric bells, and the current generators A B C E for operating said
bells preferably consist of alternating current generators, the generator E* being

page_text: a dynamo electric machine for producing an alternating-current and the other
generators being magneto-electric machines.
The signals C preferably consist of automatic electric bells, and the
generators A³ B C E for effecting the action of said signals consist of direct
current generators, which are here indicated as batteries, although it is evident
that the generator E, and, if desired, any of the other generators may consist
of a dynamo-electric machine for producing a direct current. The signals A B³
are connected to the wires A 1320, and are connected by short wires A' B' to
the generators. A B; and the wires A B are connected to said generators,
and to the outer ends of ground wires A" B".
The generators A B are connected to the ground. by short wires A* B8
provided with suitable calls 10, and are connected by wires A' B' to the
wires AB. The calls 10 normally break the circuits from the generators
or batteries A B to the ground, and, when operating, permit the passage of
a series of consecutive current pulsations from said generators through the
wires A B to the ground, also through the wires A B20 to the switching
devices a b, and thence, as presently described, to the wire C⁰ and to the
ground through the ground wire C³.
The signals C of the sub-stations C³, which, as previously stated, preferably
consist of automatic electric bells, are each connected by positive and negative
wires C C7 to local generators or batteries C, and each pair of said wires C C7
is connected to a circuit closer C' for normally breaking the circuit through, sail
wires and preventing the operation of the corresponding signal C³.
The circuit closers C are each connected by wires C° C to the line wire C,
and are so constructed as to be automatically operated by the passage through
said line wire of predetermined current puleations from the generators or
batteries A B C E. These circuit closers may be of any desired construction,
providing they are so arranged as to be operated independently by predetermined
current pulsations in order that any one circuit closer may be operated to close the
local circuit from the battery C without effecting the similar operation of the
others. Consequently by the passage of a predetermined number of current
pulsations through the wire C any one of the circuit closers C³ is operated at
will to close a local circuit for actuating the signal C³ of the station provided with
Baid circuit closer, and the signals of no two of the stations C₁ are operated
simultaneously. It is not deemed necessary to herein further illustrate and
.describe said circuit closers, since their exact construction forms no part of this
invention.
The wires C Co of each station Care provided with a switch C", and the
generators C are connected to the corresponding switches Cut by wires C" C".
Each of said switches C is so constructed as to normally pass the current through
the wires CC0 from the wire C to the corresponding circuit closer, or to pass
the current at will from the generators C through the wires C12 C1 to the line
wire C²º A suitable call C is connected to each of the wires C¹³ for normally
breaking the circuit through said wire and controlling the current pulsations
passed therethrough from the corresponding generator C to the line wire C.
The current generators C, as previously stated, preferably consist of magneto-
electric machines, and are each connected to the line wire C by branch wires Cis
having their upper ends provided with a switch C" for normally connecting said
upper ends and permitting the ready passage through the line wire C of current
pulsations from the generators A B C E, and preventing the retardment of the
transmission of sound by the generators C, and the signals, as magneto-electric
bells in circuit with said generators.
The signals E³ of the main station E' are in circuit with the wires E, and these
signals, although illustrated as magneto-electric bells, may consist of visual signals
in order that the attendant may readily and conveniently receive the signal. In
practice, as presently described, each of the line wires A B20 C20 is connected
normally to one of the wires of the main or common station E'.

page_text: The generators E E' of the main station are connected to separate branches of
a grounded wire E', and are also connected to wires E' E', which terminate at
switches E upon the wires E connected to the branch wires e e¹, e leading from
the switching devices a b c. These switches E10 are so constructed as to
normally permit the passage of the current from the generators A* B* C*, line
wires AB20 C20 and switching devices a b c through the branch wires e ele to
the signals of the wires E, and to also prevent the passage of a current through
said wires E when desired to pass the current from either of the wires E° E
through said branch wires to the signals A³ B³ C³ of the metallic circuits connected
therewith.
The main station E¹ is provided with one or more telephones E30 connected to
loops E having corresponding ends terminated at switches E" for connecting the
same to the branch wires e e¹ and having their opposite ends connected to the
wires A B C. The wires E of the main or common station are independently
grounded at the main station, as previously stated, and the line wires A 20 B 20 C20 are
provided with switches A B C arranged in proximity to the generators A* B* C*
connected thereto. These switches form normally a part of the metallic circuit
extending from the stations A' B₁ C', and normally permit the passage of the
current through the wires A A20, B B20, C C20, but said switches may be connected
to the adjacent ends of local ground wires A B C at the stations A B C¹ for
grounding the generators A B C at said stations.
When the subscriber at one of the stations A' B' C¹ desires to signal the main
station he connects to the aforesaid local ground wire of his station the generator
at said station adapted to actuate the corresponding sigual of the main station, and
connected thereto by one of the line wires. He then readily actuates the signal of
said main station by the operation of said generator, using the local ground wire,
said line wire, and the wire E as the circuit.
As soon as a signal of the main station is actuated, as previously described, by
any one of the current generators A B C₁, of the stations A'B'C' the person
at the subscriber's station breaks the local ground connection by means of the
switch therefor, as just described, and the attendant at the main station in charge
of said signal and the person at the subscriber's station immediately connect into
circuit the telephones at said stations.
On the contrary, if it is desired without the aid or even without the knowledge
of the central station to operate by the current generator of one of the
stations A B C¹ the signal at another of said stations, the switching device at the
main station connected to the wires forming the metallic circuit leading from said
station is operated, as presently described, to connect said circuit with the metallic
circuit leading from the station provided with the signal that it is desired to
operate, and said current generator is then in circuit with and free to actuate said
signal.
It will be understood, however, that, if it is desired to operate the signal of one
of the sub-stations C¹ by the subscriber at one of the statious A' B' that the direct
current producing generator of the subscriber's station is connected to the corre-
sponding line wire of the metallic circuit leading therefrom by the corresponding
switching device at the main station for effecting said result, and that, by means of
the call 10 connected to the ground wire of said generator, the necessary current
pulsations are passed through said line wire, and its corresponding switching
device to the line wire C20 and through the circuit closers C³, whereupon the
circuit closer connected to the signal, which it is desired to operate, is actuated to
permit the passage of the local current to said signal, and the desired local signal
is operated without bringing into action any of the signals of the other stations C.
In order that this invention may be more thoroughly understood let it be
supposed that the attendant at the station A' desires to actuate the signal B³, the
switching device a is operated, as presently described, to connect the wires A A 20,
B B, and upon the action of the magneto-electric machine or other current
generator A at said station A', the signal B³ normally in circuit with the

page_text: wires B B is immediately operated. The persons at said station then connect
the telephones AO BO into circuit by means of the switches A" B", and said
telephones are then connected together by a complete metallic circuit. Let it also
be supposed that the subscriber at station A' desires to operate the signal C³ at
one of the stations C¹, the wire A is connected to the wire C20 by the switching
device a, current pulsations from the generator A' are passed through the wire A20
by means of the call 10, and are then passed through the switching device a and
the wire C for operating the circuit closer C connected to said signal C³, and
immediately said signal is actuated by the local current generator C". The
telephones A0 C 30 are then connected by the switches A2 C2 to the metallic
circuits leading from said stations A¹ C¹.
As the wires A20 B 20 C20 are normally in circuit with the corresponding wire E,
as previously described, the attendants at the main station E¹ are able to call any
of the stations A' B'C' by operating the switches E to connect one of the current
generators E E' into circuit with the branch wires e ele extending to the switching
devices a b c connected to the circuits leading from said main station.
The switching device a, which is similar to the remaining switching devices 6 c,
and is only indicated in the Figures 1 and 2, is fully illustrated at Figures 3 to 6
inclusive. This switching device consists of a support a¹ preferably formed of
insulating material, a series of terminals 1, 2, 3, 4, mounted on said support, a
movable terminal a² for making contact with the terminals 1, 2, 3, 4, a movable
support a for actuating the terminal a³, and an armature lever a connected to
actuate the terminal support a³.
The terminals 1, 2, 3, 4, of the switching device a, are clearly indicated at
Figures 1 and 2, and, as seen therein, the terminal 1 is conuected by the branch
wire e to the corresponding wire E, and the terminals 3, 4, are respectively con-
Dected by comparatively short branch wires 31 4¹ at the main station to the
wires B20 C20. The armature lever a* of the switching device a is provided with a
suitable feeding dog a which engages a series of teeth in the edge of the movable
support a³, and said lever is provided with a stop dog as for engaging the teeth of
said support a and preventing the feeding of said support more than a tooth at a
time. A suitable stop dog as a prevents the retrograde movement of the
support a³.
The lever a is drawn forwardly by a magnet a³, presently described, and, as the
current is broken which energizes said magnet, a suitable retractor as a spring a
returns the armature lever to its normal position. It is desirable to provide an
adjuster ao for the spring a, and since this may be of any desirable form, size, and
construction, it is shown as consisting of a revoluble pin for supporting one end of
the spring a³.
The wire A is connected to the shaft a" of the movable support a³ of the
switching device a, and one end of the movable terminal a² of said switching device
is connected by the movable support a³ to said shaft a", and the opposite end of the
terminal a normally makes contact with or engages the terminal 1, thereby
normally connecting the wires A20 E.
As the support a³ is moved or rotated by the oscillatory movement of the
armature lever a occasioned by the action of the magnet a³, presently described,
the free end of the terminal a² makes contact successively with the terminals 3
and 4, and by means of the branch wires 3' 4' extending from said terminals - the
wire A is successively connected to the wires B20 C20. It will be readily
understood that the support a' may be provided with a greater number of
terminals than illustrated, and that the wire A20 may be connected successively
by the switching device a to all of the wires connected to the terminals of said
support a.
The switching devices a, b, c, are all of similar construction, and consequently it
is unnecessary to illustrate in detail the remaining switching devices b, c. At
Figures 1 and 2 the terminals 1, 2, 3, 4 of the switches b, c, are clearly shown, and,
the branch wires e' e² which connect the corresponding wires E to the terminals 1

page_text: of said switching devices. The terminals 2, 4 of the switching device bare
connected by the respective wires 2' 4' to the wires A20 C20, and the terminals 2, 3,
of the switching device c are connected by the brauch wires 21 3¹ to the
wires AB20. The armatures and shafts 6 c, 6c and the actuating magnets 6º c
of the switching devices bc are also clearly seen at Figures 1 and 2, and the
wires B C are shown as connected to said shafts. In order to facilitate
securement of the branch wires 2' 3' 4' of the switching devices a, b, c, to the
wires A20 B20 C20, said wires A 20 B20 C20 are provided at the station E' with
laterally extending branches, only one of which is connected to the corresponding
switching device.
It will thus be readily understood that the initial or zero terminal 1 of each of
the switching devices a b c is normally connected to one of the line wires of the
metallic circuit for the subscribers' station corresponding to said switching devices
and to the corresponding wire E at the main or common station, and that the
remaining terminals of each of said switching devices are connected respectively
to the corresponding line wires of the separate metallic circuits extending from the
main station.
The ends of the wires A B C at the main station E¹ are connected to the
actuating magnets a³ ³ ³ for controlling the operation of the switching devices,
and are also connected to a common wire E20 having one end extended to a
battery E grounded by wire E
In order that the action of said switching devices may be entirely under the
control of the persons at the stations of the branch wires, a call 5 is connected to
each of the ground wires A" B" previously mentioned, and to local ground
wires C at the stations C' connected to the wire. When said calls 5 are actuated,
a series of current pulsations are passed from the battery E21 through the
wires A B C to the ground, and serve to energize the magnets a lª eª and rotate
the movable terminals a b c of the switches a b c. It will be understood, however,
that each of these calls 5 operates independently, and that consequently each
magnet a8 b8 c8 is operated independently. These switching devices and calls are
so relatively constructed that the complete action of the call causes the movable
terminal of the switching device connected to said call to make a complete
revolution, and said calls are also so constructed that, after one has rotated the
movable terminal of the switching device connected thereto, into engagement with
the predetermined terminal of the switching device, the movable parts of said call
are temporarily restrained from movement by a suitable stop pin or other device
not necessary to herein illustrate or further describe. Said movable terminal then
remains in this position until the movable parts of said call are again permitted to
continue their movement and the movable terminal_then completes its revolution
and normally connects to the corresponding wire E, the line wire provided with
said call. It has not been deemed necessary, however, to more than indicate the
calls 5 at Figures 1 and 2, since their detail construction and arrangement forms no
part of this invention, and since it is well known to those skilled in the art that a
call may be operated to send through a line connected thereto any determined
number of pulsations, and may in its movement be temporarily restrained, and will
then continue its revolution or full movement at the termination of said restraint.
The construction of the various switches A" B¹¹ C", A³ B³ C³², C¹¹, C", E10
and E, CC, is evident to one skilled in the art, and, as the detail construction
thereof forms no part of this invention, it is unnecessary to further illustrate or
describe the same.
It will thus be readily understood that the subscriber upon any of the wires A B C
is normally connected with the corresponding wire E of the main station E', and
can either signal said station directly for any purpose whatever, as to secure
connection to an out of town line, or can at will by means of his automatic
switching device, automatically connect himself with any of the other lines
connected to his automatic switching device, and can call the attention of the
attendant at the subscribers' station of any of said wires by operating his magueto-

page_text: electric machine in the ordinary manner, and can effect this operation without the
a'd, or indeed without the knowledge of the attendants at the central station or the
knowledge or inconvenience of the subscribers of the other line wires. The normal
connection of the wires E of the main station to all of the line wires leading from
the main station enables the attendants at the main station to test the line wires in
the usual manner.
The feature of great advantage of this system is that when the subscribers on
any of the line wires are connected either to the central station or to the other line
wires for talking therewith, complete metallic circuits connect the telephones at said
station, and, in order that these circuits may be more readily apparent, they will
now be briefly described.
Let it be supposed that the subscriber at station A' has signalled one of the
attendants at the main station, and that said subscriber and the attendant have
placed the switches A" E so as to connect the telephone A to the wires A. A 20
and the telephone E to the branch wire e and the loop E"; the metallic circuit
connecting the telephones A80 E30 consists of the wire A, movable terminal a³,
normal terminal 1 of the switching device a, branch wire e, loop E", the wire A,
and the loop A³I.
On the other hand if the subscriber at station A¹ has signalled the subscriber at
one of the sub-stations C', and said subscribers have placed their switches A32 C32
so as to connect the telephones A20 CO to the wires A A20 and C C20, the metallic
circuit connecting said telephones cousists of the wire A, movable terminal a² of
the switching device a, fixed terminal 4 of said switching device, branch wire 4',
wire C, loop C", wire C, main station wire E20, wire A, and the loop A³¹.
It is thus apparent from the foregoing description that the telephones of this
exchange system are connected together by metallic circuits when in use; that
corresponding wires of each circuit are normally connected together by the main
station wire E20, and that the opposite wires of said circuits are normally connected
to grounded wires at the main station, and are automatically connected together by
the corresponding switching devices.
It is also apparent that each station upon the line wires is provided with a ground
wire adapted to be connected to one of the wires of the metallic circuit leading
therefrom for operating the signal at the main station, and is also provided with
an additional ground wire provided with a call and connected to the other wire of
said metallic circuit for operating the corresponding switching device at the main
station, which is controlled by a magnet connected to said wire.
This invention will be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing
description and the accompanying drawing, and it will be evident to one skilled in
the art that it is particularly simple, practical, and effective and possesses features
of great advantage and merit. The switching devices at the main station connected
to the various metallic circuits leading from said station, and the exact arrangement
of wiring at the main and subscribers' stations may be considerably changed or
varied without departing from the spirit of this invention, and hence it is not
herein specifically limited to the exact detail construction and arrangement of said
parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is-
1. An electrical exchange system, the same consisting of a series of metallic
circuits, and an automatic switching device suitably connected in said circuits and
provided with means operated by electric currents passed over one of the wires of
said circuits, whereby one of said circuits is connected to any of the others,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In an electrical exchange system, the combination of a series of metallic
rcuits each provided with transmitting, receiving and signalling devices, and an
automatic switching device connected to said circuits and provided with means

page_text: operated by electric currents and connected to one of said circuits whereby the
operations of said switching device and said devices of the circuits connected by
said switching device are effected by electric currents passed over said metallic
circuits, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. An automatic electrical exchange system comprising a series of metallic
circuits, each circuit being provided with an automatic switching device connected
in one conductor thereof and each switching device being provided with connections
to the corresponding conductors of the remaining circuits, a movable member con-
nected to said conductor of each metallic circuit, and means operated by electric
currents passed over one of the wires of the metallic circuit connected with
said switching device for connecting said movable member to said connections,
whereby one circuit is connected to any of the others, substantially as set forth.
4. An automatic electrical exchange, the same comprising a series of metallic
circuits, sub-stations for one of said circuits, an automatic switching device connecte l
in the circuit provided with the sub-stations and connected to the other circuits,
and provided with means operated by electric currents passed over the circuit
provided with the sub-stations, whereby said circuit is independently connected
to the other circuits, and means at each sub-station for controlling the action
of said automatic switching device, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. An electrical exchange system, the same comprising metallic circuits having
corresponding wires normally connected together and their opposite wires normally
disconnected, and an automatic switching device operated by electric currents
passed over one of said circuits for connecting the normally disconnected wires,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6. An electrical exchange system, the same comprising metallic circuits having
corresponding wires normally connected together and their opposite wires normally
disconnected, wires as E normally connected to the disconnected wires of the metallic
circuits, an automatic switching device connected to said metallic circuits and
operated by electric currents passed over one of said circuits for connecting and
disconnecting the normally disconnected wires, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
7. The combination in an automatic switching device connected to a metallic
circuit; of a series of fixed terminals and one movable terminal, an electro-magnet
connected to one of the wires of said metallic circuit, mechanism connected to the
movable terminal and operated by said magnet for connecting the movable terminal
with any one of the fixed terminals, and a series of wires of independent metallic
circuits connected to said fixed terminals whereby the metallic circuit connected
to said switching device is automatically connected by said switching device to said
series of metallic circuits, substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. In an automatic electrical exchange system, the combination of a main station
having one or more signals, a series of metallic circuits leading to the nain station,
one wire of each circuit being normally connected to a signal at the main station,
ground connections for the opposite ends of said wires, a series of switching devices
at the main station for connecting the former wires to each other at the main station,
magnets at the main station connected to the latter wires and to said switching
devices for operating the same, and mechanism at the opposite ends of the latter
wires for controlling the action of said magnets, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1895.
GEORGE WILLIAM HEY.
ARTHUR EDWARD PARSONS.
D. Young & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.