Improvements in Telephonic or other Switchboard Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Telephonic or other Switchboard Apparatus.
I, FREDERIC WILLIAM FRANCIS, of 202, Brockley Road, Brockley, London, S.E.,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
This invention relates to improvements in connection with switching apparatus
for telephonic or other switchboards, and has for its object to provide means
whereby the plugs can be automatically disconnected from the jacks, (into which
they have been inserted for connecting subscribers,) either by the operator or
subscriber and for this purpose I construct the plug with a cylinder and piston
the latter having an extension rod or rods which can be forced by a suitable
arrangement against the body of the jack whereby on the application of com-
pressed air behind the piston the plug is ejected from the jack. To supply
the power to work the piston I arrange for it being conveyed to the plugs
through indiarubber or other suitable tubes which may or may not contain the
conductor or conductors. At one or more points of the tubes, a connection is
made through valves to a reservoir containing compressed air or to an air com-
pressor direct.
To allow for the operator or subscriber utilizing the power I provide keys
which when pressed by the operator open valves thus allowing the air to flow
through the tubes to the pistons or the same or other valves may be operated
by the subscriber by sending a current through electromagnetic mechanism or
the current may be sent by the action of the subscriber replacing the telephone
on the switch hook.
In place of compressed air the power may be supplied by any suitable gas or
liquid, and instead of using the pressure to act directly on a piston, I may pro-
vide a collapsible bag or ball which will expand on the application of pressure.
The power so conveyed may be employed to release a spring which will by its
recoil accomplish the same result.
Dated this 16th day of December 1898.
Improvements in Telephonic or other Switchboard Apparatus.
I, FREDERIC WILLIAM FRANCIS, of 262, Brockley Road, Brockley, London, S.E.,
Electrical 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in connection with switching apparatus
for telephonic or other switchboards, and has for its object to provide means

page_text: whereby the plugs can be automatically disconnected from the jacks, (into which
they have been inserted for connecting subscribers) either by the operator or
subscriber and for this purpose I construct the plug with a cylinder and piston
the latter having an extension rod or rods which can be forced by a suitable
arrangement against the body of the jack whereby upon the application of com-
pressed air behind the piston the plug is ejected from the jack.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I append drawing
whereon Figure 1, is an elevation of a plug constructed according to my inven-
tion.
Figure 2, is a section of the same on line Y-Y.
Referring to the drawing in detail A is the cylinder into which is fitted the
piston B, B is a leather cup, c c are the extension rods which are connected
at the one end to piston B and at the other end to the collar D. The extension
rods cc work in the grooves E E and the collar D is arranged to slide over the
sleeve H. F is a tube to convey the air into the cylinder A by means of the
inlet G. K is the insulating cover.
To supply the power to work the piston B, I arrange for it being conveyed to
the plug through india rubber or other suitable tubes which may or may not
contain the conductor or conductors.
At one or more points of the tube a connection is made through a valve to a
reservoir containing compressed air or to an air compressor. To allow for the
operator or subscriber utilizing the power I provide a key which when pressed
by the operator either electrically or mechanically opens the valve thus allow-
ing the air to flow through the tubes to the plug and into the cylinder A, the
air entering the cylinder forces the piston B forward and causes the collar D
to be pressed against the body of the jack (in which the plug has been inserted)
and thereby ejecting the plug, the same or other valves may be operated by
the subscriber sending a current through an electro-magnetic mechanism or
the current to produce the same result may be sent by action of the subscriber
replacing the telephone on the hook.
In place of the compressed air the power may be supplied by any suitable
gas or liquid and instead of using the power to act direct on the piston I may
use a collapsible bag or ball which will expand on the application of pressure
or the power conveyed may be employed to release a spring which will by its
recoil accomplish the same result.
Having now particularly described the nature of my invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
The herein described method and means whereby telephonic or other switch-
board plugs are automatically ejected from the jacks substantially as described.
Dated this 16th day of September 1800