Improvements in Automatic Telephonic Switches.
Year: 1899

page_text: · PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Telephonic Switches.
I, VICTOR VEYSY, of 10, Avenue Carnot, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements which I have devised in the auto-
matic telephonic switch, enabling the employees in exchange offices to be dis-
pensed with, described in the Specification of Moise Freudenberg filed
August 26th 1896 No. 18912.
In this system of telephonic intercommunication, each subscriber is provided
with a telephonic station connected with a switch situated at the exchange
office; the connection between the subscriber's station and the switch is effected
by means of two wires, it being assumed that the telephonic system is estab-
lished to operate with two wires, the return not taking place by the earth.
The exchange office switch corresponding to each subscriber, is divided into
a certain number of sectors, ten for example, and each of these sectors is con-
nected, it will be borne in mind, to a carriage forming part of a particular
group of carriages provided at the exchange office.
The exchange office, apart from the switches, thus comprises ten groups of
carriages, and each subscriber has, in one of these groups, a carriage connected
to one of the sectors of the subscriber's switch.
Under the influence of the currents sent from the subscriber's station, into
the desired sector of the switch belonging to the said subscriber, the carriage
connected to this sector is able to start, pass successively above beams arranged
beneath the path which it follows, stop upon coming into contact with one of
them, thereby placing in communication the subscriber whose carriage has been
so displaced with the subscriber whose line is connected to the beam in question.
At the exchange office there are as many beams as there are subscribers and
the line wires of each subscriber are connected to the corresponding beam
arranged at the exchange, in one of the groups of carriages.
If we assume, for a moment, that the system comprises 10,000 subscribers,
we will divide them into groups of 1,000 which give ten groups of subscribers,
and in each group of carriages to which reference will be made there will be
placed 1000 beams, each of them corresponding to one of the subscribers of the
group and connected to his station in the manner described.
If any subscriber wishes to communicate with another subscriber whose
number is in the third group, the subscriber 2846 for example, he will act in
such a manner as to place (by sending the necessary currents) his switch upon
the third sector, in order to place himself in communication by means of the
said switch, with the carriage of the third group which belongs to it.
carriage being started, under the influence of currents sent in a pre-determined
direction, stops at a given moment above the beam corresponding to the sub-
scriber 846 of the third group. Communication is then established between
the two subscribers who are thus able to converse.
This
From what has been stated, it follows that the principle upon which the auto-

page_text: switch, to which I have added certain improvements hereinafter described, is
based, consists in the division of the subscribers into distinct groups, each sub-
scriber having at the exchange office, a special switch, as many carriages as the
system comprises groups and a special part which has been termed a
arranged in a predetermined position, which is the group to which the sub-
scriber belongs.
beam,"
The improvements which I have introduced into this system relate exclu-
sively to the subscriber's station. I make no change whatever in the exchange
office, and in the following description Twilly not again refer to its operation,
confining myself merely to a detailed consideration of the subscriber's station.
In order that the following description of my invention may be readily and
clearly understood, I have represented in the accompanying drawing, by way
of example, a subscriber's station adapted for the auto-switch, the operation of
which I have just described.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the station.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view, upon a larger scale, shewing in detail the
communications between the different parts which constitute the station.
....
Figure 3 is a view of the central box containing the whole of the mechanism.
this box being shewn open in order to illustrate the parts which are arranged
behind the plate constituting the front cover.
Figure 4 is a cross-section through the box.
Figures 5 and 6 represent details of the counter.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 represent the interruptor switch enabling. the operating
mechanism which is contained in the box to be cut out of the line, or the tele-
phone itself to be cut out from this line.
It will be remembered that the operation of the auto-switch in question is
effected by successively sending currents in opposite directions into the line.
In order to render the description more clear, I will indicate these currents by
means of the designations "negative" and "positive." The negative currents
are those which, proceeding from the common terminal of the battery provided
at the station of each subscriber, is closed upon the negative, pole of this
battery. The positive currents are those which, proceeding from the positive
pole of the battery of the subscriber, are closed upon the common terminal of
this same battery.
When the apparatus is inoperative, that is to say before any subscriber has
endeavoured to establish communication, the arm of the switch, corresponding
to this subscriber and arranged at the exchange, is upon the "at rest" sector,
and it is necessary in order to cause it to move from this sector on to the first
sector corresponding to a group of carriages, to send two negative currents in
succession.
It will thus be seen that, whatever may be the sector upon which it is desired
to bring the arm of the switch, it is always necessary, before dispatching the
positive currents causing the passage of the arm from sector to sector, to send
two negative currents in order that it may pass from the at rest" sector to the
first sector connected to a group of carriages.
In the form of station adopted by Mr. Freudenberg, the dispatch of these two
negative currents was effected by a separate operation which was immediately
followed by the operation necessary for dispatching a number of positive cur-
rents corresponding to the number of the sector with which the subscriber
desired to become connected.
In the arrangement which formis the subject of this invention, I first of all
group together the parts necessary for dispatching not only the two initial
negative currents, but also the number of positive currents necessary for reach-
ing the sector in which is arranged the beam of the subscriber with whom it is
desired to communicate.
In order to effect this combination, I arrange upon an ebonite drum a
(Figures 3 and 4) two. copper washers b and c (Figure 3). The first of these

page_text: copper washers b, which serves (as is hereinafter explained), for the dispatch of
the two negative currents,. is provided, with two projecting parts 6 and 6
(Figure 2). Upon the washer 6 properly so called, a brush & passes, and the
two projecting parts 6' 6" are able to come into contact with a second brush e
owing to the rotation of the cylinder. The second washer or metal crown.c is
provided with fen projecting parts cele
(Figures 2 and 3)... Over
the crown c properly so called, passes the brush f, and owing to the rotation of
the ebonite cylinder a upon which the crown c is fixed, the projecting parts c
cll
c10 successively come into contact with a second brush 9. The
fixing of the two brushes upon the ebonite cylinder a is effected in such a
manner that the.brush e. owing to the rotation of the drum a, first of all touches
in succession the two projections 6161 before the brush g commences, to touch
the projecting parts c'c"..
€10
The drum a is mounted upon an axis h which is supported by the two plates i
fixed to the box of the apparatus. In the central portion of the drum a is
arranged a toothed wheel j. which is capable of bearing with a pinion k
mounted upon an axis provided, outside the box m, with a handle n enabling
a movement of rotation to be imparted to the axis l.. As it is essential that
the operator should only be able to cause the drum a to rotate in one direction,
this drum is provided with a ratchet wheel 2 which gears with a. pawl fixed
upon one of the plates i. The four brushes d e g and fare fixed to a support.g
which is also maintained by the two plates (Figure 3).
"
'
The brush d is connected by means of the wire l, to the negative pole of the
battery. The brush e and the brush f are connected, by means of the wires 2
and 3 to the contact 4, which is normally connected, as is hereinafter explained,
by means of a switch to the contact 8; this.contact is itself connected by means
of the wire 5 to one of the line wires 6. The brush g is connected, by means
of the wire 7, to the positive pole of the battery.
This being understood, we will examine the different currents which it is
necessary to send if it is desired to act upon the handle o in such a manner as to
cause the drum a to rotate.
. .i
As soon as the brush e comes into contact with the projection bit is, obvious that
the battery circuit is closed. In fact, if it is assumed that the contacts 4 and 8
are connected one with another and also the contacts 9. and. 10, the current pro-
ceeding from the common terminal of the battery reaches the division, 9 through
the wire 11, from which it passes into the division 10 and passing through the
wire 12 into the line wire 13 it proceeds to the exchange office, returns along
the wire 6, passes into the wire 5 and reaches the. terminal 8; from this terminal
the current passes to the terminal 4, with which we have assumed it to be con-
nected. From the terminal. 4, the current reaches the brush e through the
wire 14, passes into the contact and into the crown 6 which..is .rigidly con-
nected therewith. The current then reaches the brush d and returns to the
negative pole of the battery. through the wire.1.
نند
It is therefore apparent that, owing to the contact. of the brush e with the
projection 6, the circuit of the subscriber's battery is closed upon the exchange
and will give rise to a negative current. This is the first negative current
which is necessary for the operation of the switch at the exchange office. The
second negative current is obtained by the contact of the brush e.with the
projection when the operator continues to rotate the handle o..
When the two negative currents have thus been dispatched, it is obvious that
it is the brush g which, owing to the rotation of the drum a, comes into con-
tact with the first projecting. part of the crown c.
When this contact takes
pláce, the subscriber's battery is again closed upon the exchange, but it will
how cause the transmission of a positive current, as will be explained. The
current, proceeding from the positive pole of the battery, passes through the
wire 7 to the brush g, thence into the projecting part cl, into. the crown. c and
into the brush f; through the wire 14. the current reaches the contact: 4 from

page_text: which it passes. to the contact 8, then by the wire 5.it reaches the line wire .6
along which it passes to the exchange, returning along the line wire 13 and the
wire 12 to the terminal 10. From this terminal, the current reached the ter-
minal 9. and returns through the wire 11 to the common terminal of the battery.
It follows from this that each time the brush g comes into contact with one
of the projections c¹ cl
c10, the subscriber's battery, will dispatch
.D
a positive current to the exchange. office.
This mechanism, and also the whole of the parts of the apparatus,,is. arranged
in the box m which is provided with a cover. r. In this cover is. formed an
aperture s through which the operator, acting upon the handle is able to per
ceive the figures 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 inscribed upon the crown.
and
arranged in such a manner that, by merely reading the figure behind the aper-
tures, the operator is made aware of the number of positive currents which
he has dispatched..
If the subscriber in question desires to place himself, in communication with
a subscriber belonging to group 7, he should act upon the handle in such a
manner that the figure visible through the aperture s in the Figure 7.
Having done this, it is necessary to act upon the counter provided at the
station in such a manner as to cause it to indicate numerically the number
corresponding to the place which the subscriber with whom it is desired to
converse occupies in the group.
For greater clearness we will consider a concrete example and assume that
the subscriber with whom it is desired to communicate occupies the number 598
in group 7. After having acted upon the handle o until the number 7 becomes
visible through the window s, it is necessary to act upon the counter in such a
manner as to cause it to mark the number 598. This is the operation which
we will now consider.
In Mr. Freudenberg's system, the counter consisted of a series of wheels
dependent one upon the other, the rotation of which was effected by means of
an electro-magnet acting upon a suitable system of gear wheels. This method
presented the serious inconvenience of necessitating the use of considerable
force, and consequently a considerable number of batteries for each subscriber's
station.
I have obviated this defect by devising a counter operated by clockwork and
merely released by means of an electro-magnet. My counter consists of a
certain number of discs t, t¹, t¹.
Assuming the apparatus to be arranged for telephonic systems comprising
10,000 subscribers, the counter will consist of three discs only: hundreds, tens
and units, because, as there are ten sectors, each of them will have 999 sub-
scribers. The wheel is the hundreds wheel, the wheel t¹ corresponds to the
tens and the wheel t" corresponds to the units.
The units wheel " is mounted upon an axis all which passes through a sleeve
or hollow axis u¹ upon which is mounted the tens wheel 7. This hollow axis u¹
passes in turn through a second hollow axis upon which is mounted the
hundreds disc t. Each of these axes un carries, outside the box, a milled
disc which may be acted upon by hand in such a manner as to cause the discs
to rotate. In order to operate the counter these milled knobs are acted upon
by hand in such a manner as to cause the discs to rotate until the number corre-
sponding with that of the subscriber with whom it is desired to communicate
appears through the windows v formed in the lid.
In the present case, the number 598 being visible, it will be understood that,
in accordance with Mr. Freudenberg's system, it is only necessary to cause a
negative current to pass to the exchange office in order to start the carriage. I
dispatch the negative current in the following manner: Upon the front portion
of the lid of the box m is provided a handle the axis of which passes through
the lid and is connected with a wire 15 which is connected with the wire 3
. ending at the terminal 4. The axis of the handle is provided, behind the

page_text: y
lid r,
with a metallic arm which when the axis is caused to rotate, first of all
passes upon the contact piece and then comes into contact with the contact
piece w.
We will assume that, in acting upon the handle x, its movement is arrested
when the arm y is in contact with the contact piece z, and will consider what
takes place. A current proceeding from the common terminal passes through
the wire 11, the. terminal 9, the terminal 10, the wire 12, the line 13, reaches
the exchange, returns along the line wire 6 and reaches the terminal 8 by way
of the wire 5 whence it passes to the terminal 4; from the terminal 4 the cur-
rent reaches the army along the wires 3 and 15 and passes into the contact .
From this contact the current passes through the wires 16 and 17 to the wire 1
which ends, it will be remembered, at the negative terminal of the battery.
It is thus apparent that contact between the arm y and the contact z results
in the dispatch to the exchange office of a negative current; this is the negative
current which serves to start a carriage.
i
It will be understood that, in operating the handle a, the subscriber should
not cause the arm y to pass over the contact z without stopping by turning the
handle to the end of its travel, that is to say into the horizontal position
(Figure 1).
The carriage having been displaced at the exchange office, causes a series of
positive currents to pass to the station, as has already been explained. We
will now consider what is the effect of one of these currents and what is true
of one such current will obviously apply to the others.
The current proceeds along the line wire 6 and reaches the terminal 8 along
the wire 5; thence it passes to the terminal 4 and along the wires 3 and 15 to
the arm y. It then passes into the contact w, reaches the relay 19 by way of
the wire 18, leaves this relay by the wire 20 which is connected to the contact 9;
from this contact it passes into the contact 10 and along the wire 12 into the
line wire 13. As the relay 19 is traversed by a current, the pallet 21 comes
in contact with the fixed terminal 22 and in this position the local circuit of
the electro magnet 23 is closed upon the battery, as is hereinafter explained.
The current proceedings from the terminal 1" connected with the positive pole
of the battery enters the electro-magnet 23 by the wire 24, traverses this electro
magnet, which it leaves by the wire 25, reaches the fixed terminal of the relay
and passes into the pallet 21 which, at this moment is in contact with the ter-
minal; from the pallet 21 the current passes along the wire 26 to the contact P
which is connected with the negative terminal of the battery. The circuit of
the electro-magnet 23 being closed, this latter attracts the pallet 27 (Figure 3).
This pallet 27 is capable of oscillating around an axis 28 and each time it is
attracted its extremity 29 releases the escape wheel 30 fixed upon the pinion 31.
This pinion 31 constantly tends to rotate under the influence of the clock-
work 32 the last wheel 33 of which gears with the pinion 31. Each time this
pinion 31 advances one tooth it operates the units wheel t. This wheel t" is
formed with a recess 34 upon each side of which are provided projecting
parts. Against the wheel t is applied a pin wheel 35 the openings in which
exactly correspond as regards width with that of the recess 36. This pin wheel
is mounted loose upon the axis u upon which the disc t is rigidly fixed, but it
is arranged in such a manner as to be capable of driving the wheel t¹. In the
same manner, the wheel t¹ is formed with a recess 36 similarly provided with
two projecting parts which should correspond with the pins of a wheel 37
arranged against the disc t.. This wheel 37 is capable of driving the wheel t
in the same manner as the pin- wheel 35 is able to drive the wheel t¹. Upon
an axis 38 parallel with the axes uuu" are mounted two pinions 39 and 40
arranged directly above the pin wheels 35 and 37. When the notch or recess 34
comes opposite to one of the teeth of the pinion 40, it is obvious that, if the
disc continues to rotate, the pin wheel 35 will participate in the displace-
ment of the disc by the intermediary of the pinion 40. As this pin wheel 35

page_text: causes the disc to participate in its displacements, as already explained, this
dise will effect one tenth of a complete rotation if the pinwheeluis...provided
with ten teeth. It is thus apparent that for one revolution of the wheel; the
wheel will effect one-tenth of a revolution, and in the same manner, for one
revolution of the wheel the wheel will effect one tenth of a revolution.
By proceeding in the manner which has been described and when the, electro
magnet 23 has been traversed by 598 impulsions, the counter will have returned
to zero...!
لا
J
on the
It is in passing from the Figure 1 to the Figure 0 that, as is known, the
counter should automatically dispatch to the exchange office a negative current
serving to stop the carriage, which, at this moment, should be upon the beam:598
of the sector-7.
.4
-A
*
We will now consider the manner in which the dispatch of the negative
current is effected' automatically..
.4
کے مالین
The discs are each provided with a pin of insulating material which is
fixed upon their periphery. These pins 41 are fixed upon the wheels and t¹
(Figure 2) in such a manner that, when these wheels are at zero, the pins.41
bear upon springs 42 so as to place them, in contact with the stops.43. The
pin 41 upon the wheel t", on the other hand, is fixed in such a manner that the
corresponding spring 42 bears upon the corresponding stop 43 only during. the
passage of the wheel t¹ from 1 to 0.
J
We will consider what takes place during this passage, assuming for a
moment that this wheel t¹ is stopped during its passage from 1 to 0; the corre-
sponding pin 42 bears upon the corresponding stop 43, and, at the moment the
line is traversed by a negative current which proceeds from the subscriber's sta-
tion. In fact, a current proceeds from the common terminal, passes along the
wire 11 into the terminal 9, thence into the terminal 10 and along, the wire 12
to the line wire 13; it returns along the line wire 6, passes along the wire.5 to
the terminal 8, from which it proceeds to the terminal 4, and then ascends
along the wire 3 into the first spring 42, passing to the terminal 43.. Along
the wire 44 the current reaches the second spring 42 from which it. passes into
the second terminal 43; by the wire 45 the current reaches the third spring 42,
passes into the third terminal 43 and returns to the negative pole of the battery
by way of the wire 17 and the wire 1.
.
It is thus apparent that when the counter is again brought to zero it will
have dispatched during its last movement, that is to say during its
passage from 1
to 0, a negative current which, at the exchange. office,
will have brought the carriage to rest. The two subscribers are then
in communication one with the other, and in order that the conversa-
tion and bell currents may be without effect upon the parts contained in the
station, the subscriber then places in position the hook 50 which is rigidly
connected with the two line wires 51 and 52 of the telephonic station. Upon
placing this hook 50 in position, (seeing that this latter enters two ebonite
notches 53 rigidly attached to the metallic spring plates 54).; the subscriber
- breaks the communication which existed on, the one hand between the terminal 4
and the terminal 8 and on the other hand between the terminal 9 and the ter-
minal 10, in such a manner that the parts of the mechanism are absolutely
insulated from the line, whilst the two line wires 51 and 52 of the telephonic
station are connected with the terminals 8 and 10 of the line by means of the
hook 50.
"
The hook 50 having been placed in position the subscriber who has rung up
the exchange presses upon his station bell. He, thus rings up the subscriber
with whom he desires to converse, and the two subscribers are placed in com-
munication one with another.
This having been done and the conversation terminated, all the various parts
at the exchange office and at the station should be brought to zero. This opera-
tion is effected in the following manner:

page_text: The subscriber who has rung up the exchange immediately unhooks his
hook 50,-in such a manner as to again place the mechanism of his station in
communication with the line. Having done this he acts upon the handle so
as, to cause it to resume the vertical position or position of rest. As a result
of this operation, the arm y comes into contact with the contact z, which, as
above explained, results in dispatching a negative current to the exchange
office. This negative current causes the carriage to return to its point of
departure. There therefore remains only one operation to be effected; that is to
bring the arm of the switch at the exchange into its position of repose. In
order to effect this, the subscriber has only to act upon the handle o in such a
manner as to bring the drum.a to zero. When the operator sees the figure 0,
through the windows, the whole operation is terminated and the parts belong-
ing to him both at the exchange and at his own station have all returned to
zero. f
As regards the subscriber who has been rung up, it will be remembered that
the operations. which were effected in order to ring him up have resulted in
bringing the arm. of his switch at the exchange office upon the first contact of
the first sector. It is therefore necessary, in order to bring it to zero, that he
should cause 9 positive currents to proceed to the exchange office. He obtains
this result by acting upon the handle of his apparatus, taking care to first of all
turn this handle slightly before removing the hook 50, in such a manner that
the two projecting parts 16 have passed beyond the brush e whilst the hook was
in position. When the two contacts have passed beyond the brush, of which the
operator is informed by perceiving through the windows a red line which is
intended to give him this. information, he removes the hook 50, thereby placing
the, mechanism of his station in communication with the line. He then acts
upon the handle o in such a manner as to turn the drum a back to zero. In
this manner he dispatches all the positive currents necessary to bring his switch
at the exchange to zero.
".
In order to wind up the clockwork mechanism, a handle 60 is provided upon
one of the walls of the box, which handle acts either directly or by the inter-
mediary of gear wheels upon the tension spring.
Dated this 5th day of M……. 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Automatic Telephonic Switches.
r.
.T
I, VICTOR VEYSY, of 10, Avenue Carnot, Paris, in the Republic of France,
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 which I have devised in the auto-
matic telephonic switch, enabling the employees in exchange offices to be dis-
pensed with, described in the Specification of Moïse Freudenberg, filed
August 26th 1896 No. 18912.
In this system of telephonic intercommunication, each subscriber is provided
with a telephonic station connected with a switch. situated at the exchange
office; the connection between the subscriber's station and the switch is effected

page_text: by means of two wires, it being assumed that the telephonic system is estab-
lished to operate with two wires, the return not taking place by the earth.
The exchange office switch corresponding to each subscriber, is divided into
a certain number of sectors, ten for example, and each of these sectors is con-
nected, it will be-borne in mind, to a carriage forming part of a particular
group of carriages provided at the exchange office.
The exchange office, apart from the switches, thus comprises ten groups of
carriages, and each subscriber has, in one of these groups, a carriage connected.
to one of the sectors of the subscriber's switch.
Under the influence of the currents sent from the subscriber's station into
the desired sector of the switch belonging to the said subscriber, the carriage
connected to tliis sector is able to start, pass successively above beams beneath
the path which it follows, stop upon coming into contact with one of them,
thereby placing in communication the subscriber whose carriage has been so
displaced with the subscriber whose line is connected to the beam in question.
At the exchange office there are as many beams as there are subscribers and
the line wires of each subscriber are connected to the corresponding beam
arranged at the exchange, in one of the groups of carriages.
If we assume, for a moment, that the system comprises 10,000' subscribers,
we will divide them into groups of 1,000, which gives ten groups of subscribers,
and in each group of carriages before mentioned there will be placed 1,000 beams,
each of them corresponding to one of the subscribers of the group and con-
nected to his station in the manner described..
If any subscriber wishes to communicate with another subscriber whose
number is in the third group, the subscriber 2846 for example, he. will act in
such a manner as to place (by sending the necessary currents) his switch upon
the third sector, in order to place himself in communication by means of the
said switch, with the carriage of the third group which belongs to it. This
carriage being started, under the influence of currents sent in a pre-determined
direction, stops at a given moment above the beam corresponding to the sub-
scriber 846 of the third group. Communication is then established between
the two subscribers who are thus able to converse.
From what has been stated, it follows that the principle upon which the auto
switch, to which I have added certain improvements hereinafter described, is
based, consists in the division of the subscribers into distinct groups, each sub-
scriber having at the exchange office, a special switch, as many carriages as the
system comprises groups and a special part which has been termed a "beam,"
arranged in a predetermined position, which is the group to which the sub-
scriber belongs.
The improvements which I have introduced into this system relate exclu-
sively to the subscriber's station. I make no change whatever in the exchange
office, and in the following description I will not again refer to its operation,
confining myself merely to a detailed consideration of the subscriber's station.
In order that the following description of my invention may be readily and
clearly understood, I have represented by way of example in the drawings left
with my Provisional Specification, a subscriber's station adapted for the auto-
switch, the operation of which I have just described.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the station.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view, upon a larger scale, shewing in detail the
communications between the different parts which constitute the station.
Figure 3 is a view of the central box containing the whole of the mechanism.
this box being shown open in order to illustrate the parts which are arranged
behind the plate constituting the front cover.
Figure 4 is a cross-section through the box.
Figures 5 and 6 represent details of the counter,
Figures 7, 8, and 9 represent the interruptor switch enabling the operating

page_text: mechanism which is contained in the box to be cut out of the line, or the tele-.
phone itself to be cut out from this line.
It will be remembered that the operation of the auto-switch in question is
effected by successively sending currents in opposite directions into the line.
In order to render the descriptions more clear, I will indicate these currents by
means of the designations "negative" and "positive." The negative currents
are those which, proceeding from the common terminal of the battery provided
at the station of each subscriber, are closed upon the negative pole of this
battery. The positive currents are those which, proceeding from the positive
pole of the battery of the subscriber, are closed upon the common terminal of
this same battery.
sector,
When the apparatus is inoperative, that is to say before any subscriber has
endeavoured to establish communication, the arm of the switch corresponding
to this subscriber and arranged at the exchange, is upon the "at rest
and it is necessary in order to cause it to move from this sector on to the first
sector corresponding to a group of carriages, to send two negative currents in
succession.
It will thus be seen that, whatever may be the sector upon which it is desired
to bring the arm of the switch, it is always necessary, before dispatching the
positive currents causing the passage of the arm from sector to sector, to send
two negative currents in order that it may pass from the at rest sector to the
first sector connected to a group of carriages.
66
In the form of station adopted by Mr. Freudenberg, the dispatch of these two
negative currents was effected by a separate operation which was immediately
followed by the operation necessary for dispatching a number of positive cur-
rents corresponding to the number of the sector with which the subscriber
desired to become connected:
In the arrangement which forms the subject of this invention, I first of all
group together the parts necessary for dispatching not only the two initial
negative currents, but also the number of positive currents necessary for reach-
ing the sector in which is arranged the beam of the subscriber with whom it is
desired to comniunicate.
In order to effect this combination, I arrange upon an ebonite drum a
(Figures 23 and 4) two copper washers b and c (Figure 3). The first of these
copper washers b, which servés (as is hereinafter explained), for the dispatch of
the two negative currents, is provided. with, two projecting parts 61 and b
(Figure 2). Upon the washer. properly so called, a brush & passes, and the
two projecting parts are able to come into contact with a second brush
owing to the rotation. of the cylinder. The second washer or metal crown c is
provided with ten projecting parts c¹ cell
clo (Figs. 2 and 3). Over
the crown e properly so called, passes the brush f and owing to the rotation of
the ebonite cylinder a upon which the crown is fixed, the projecting parts c¹.
ell
c10 successively come into contact with a second brush g. Thi
fixing of the two brushes upon the ebonite cylinder a'is effected in such a
manner that the brush e owing to the rotation of the drum a, first of all touches
in succession the two projections 61611 before. the brush g commences to touch
the projecting parts cell
€10
The drum a is mounted upon an axis which is supported by the two plates
fixed to the hox of the apparatus. In the central portion of the drum is.
arranged a toothed wheel which is capable of gearing with a pinion k
mounted upon an axis provided, outside the box m, with a handle o enabling
a movement of rotation to be imparted to the axis . As it is essential that.
the operator should only be able to cause the drum a to rotate in one direction,
this drum is provided with a ratchet wheel p which gears with a pawl fixed-
upon one of the plates i. The four brushes d e g and fare fixed to a support q
which is also maintained by the two plates i (Figure 3).

page_text: The brush d is connected by means of the wire 7, to the negative pole of the
battery. The brush e and the brush f are connected, by means of the wires 2
and 3 to the contact 4, which is normally connected, as is hereinafter explained,
by means of a switch to the contact 8; this contact is itself connected by means
of the wire 5 to one of the line wires 6. The brush is connected, by means
of the wire 7, to the positive pole of the battery.
This being understood, we will examine the different currents which it is
necessary to send if it is desired to act upon the handle o in such a manner as to
cause the drum to rotate.
As soon as the brush e comes into contact with the projection b' it is obvious that
the battery circuit is closed. In fact, if it is assumed that the contacts 4 and S
are connected one with another and also the contacts 9 and 10, the current pro-
ceeding from the common terminal of the battery reaches the division 9. through
the wire 11, from which it passes into the division 10 and passing through the
wire 12 into the line wire 13 it proceeds to the exchange office, returns along
the wire 6, passes into the wire 5 and reaches the terminal 8; from this terminal
current passes to the terminal 4, with which we have assumed it to be con-
nected. From the terminal 4, the current reaches the brush e through the
wire 14, passes into the contact band into the crown b which is rigidly con-
nected therewith. The current then reaches the brush d and returns to the
negative pole of the battery through the wire 1.
It is therefore apparent that, owing to the contact of the brush e with the
projection 61, the circuit of the subscriber's battery is closed upon the exchange
and will give rise to a negative current. This is the first negative current
which is necessary for the operation of the switch at the exchange office. The
second negative current is obtained by the contact of the brush e with the
projection 6 when the operator continues to rotate the handle o.
When the two negative currents have thus been dispatched, it is obvious that
it is the brush g which, owing to the rotation of the drum a, comes into con-
tact with the first projecting part c¹ of the crown c.
When this contact takes
place, the subscriber's battery is again closed upon the exchange, but it will
now cause the transmission of a positive current, as will be explained. The
current, proceeding from the positive pole of the battery, passes through the
wire to the brush g, thence into the projecting part el, into the crown c and
into the brush f; through the wire 14 the current reaches the contact 4 from
which it passes to the contact. 8, then by the wire 5 it reaches the line wire 6
along which it passes to the exchange, returning along the line wire 13 and the
wire 12 to the terminal 10. From this terminal, the current reaches the ter-
minal 9 and returns through the wire 11 to the common terminal of the battery.
It follows from this that each time the brush g comes into contact with one
of the projections cell .. c10, the subscriber's battery will dispatch
a positive current to the exchange office.
This mechanism, and also the whole of the parts of the apparatus, is arranged
in the box m which is provided with a cover . In this cover is formed an
apertures through which the operator, acting upon the handle o is able to per-
ceive the figures 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 inscribed upon the crown and
arranged in such a manner that, by merely reading the figure behind the aper-
ture S, the operator is made aware of the number of positive currents which
lie has dispatched.
If the subscriber in question desires to place himself in communication with
a subscriber belonging to group 7, he should act upon the handle o in such a
manner that the figure visible through the aperture s is the Figure 7.
•
Having done this, it is necessary to act upon the counter provided at the
station in such a manner as to cause it to indicate numerically the number
corresponding to the place which the subscriber with whom it is desired to
converse occupies in the group.
For greater clearness we will consider a concrete example and assume that

page_text: the subscriber with whom it is desired to communicate occupies the number 598
in group 7. After having acted upon the handle o until the number 7 becomes
visible through the window s, it is necessary to act upon the counter in such a
manner as to cause it to mark the number 598. This is the operation which
we will now consider.
In Mr. Freudenberg's system, the counter consisted of a series of wheels.
dependent one upon the other, the rotation of which was effected by means of
an electro-magnet acting upon a suitable system of gear wheels. This method
presented the serious inconvenience of necessitating the use of considerable
force, and consequently a considerable number of batteries for each subscriber's
station.
I have obviated this defect by devising a counter operated by clockwork and
merely released by means of an electro-magnet. My counter consists of a
certain number of discs t, t', t¹¹.
Assuming the apparatus to be arranged for telephonic systems comprising
10,000 subscribers, the counter will consist of three discs only; hundreds, tens
and units because as there are ten sectors, each of them will have 999 sub-
scribers. The wheel is the hundreds wheel, the wheel corresponds to the
tens and the wheel corresponds to the units.
The units wheel is mounted upon an axis which passes through a sleeve
or hollow axis u upon which is mounted the tens wheel ¹. This hollow axis
passes in turn through a second hollow axis upon which is mounted the
hundreds disc t. Each of these axes u¹¹¹ carries outside the box, a milled
disc which may be acted upon by hand in such a manner as to cause the disc
to rotate. In order to operate the counter these milled knobs are acted upon
by hand in such a manner as to cause the discs to rotate until the number corre-.
sponding with that of the subscriber with whom it is desired to communicate
appears through the windows formed in the lid.
In the present case, the number 598 being visible, it will be understood that,
in accordance with Mr. Freudenberg's system, it is only necessary to cause a
negative current to pass to the exchange office in order to start the carriage. I
dispatch this negative current in the following manner: Upon the front portion
of the lid of the box m is provided a handle the axis of which passes through
the lid and is connected with a wire 15 which is connected with the wire 3
ending at the terminal 4. The axis of the handle . is provided behind the
lid r, with a metallic arm y which when the axis is caused to rotate, first of all
passes upon the contact piece z and then comes into contact with the contact
piece w.
We will assume that, in acting upon the handler, its movement is arrested
when the army is in contact with the contact piece z, and will consider what
takes place. A current proceeding from the common terminal passes through
the wire 11, the terminal 9, the terminal 10, the wire 12, the line 13, reaches
the exchange, returns along the wire 6 and reaches the terminal 8 by way
of the wire 5 whence it passes to the terminal 4; from the terminal 4. the cur-
rent reaches the army along the wires 3 and 15 and passes into the contact z.
From this contact the current passes through the wire 16 and 17 to the wire [
which ends, it will be remembered, at the negative terminal of the battery.
It is thus apparent that contact between the army and the contact resulis
in the dispatch to the exchange office of a negative current; this is the negative
current which serves to start a carriage.
It will be understood that, in operating the handle r, the subscriber should
not cause the army to pass over the contact z without stopping. by turning the
handle to the end of its travel, that is to say into the horizontal position
(Figure 1).
The carriage having been displaced at the exchange office, causes a series of
positive currents to pass to the station. We will.now consider what is the effect

page_text: of one of these currents and what is true of one such current will obviously
apply to the others.
The current proceeds along the line wire G and reaches the terminal 8 along
the wire 5; thence it passes to the terminal 4 and along the wires 3 and 15 to
the arm y.
It then passes into the contact w, reaches the relay 19 by way of
the wire 18, leaves this relay by the wire 20 which is connected to the contact 9;
from this contact it passés into the contact 10 and along the wire 12 into the
line wire 13. As the relay 19 is traversed by a current, the relay lever 21 comeś
in contact with the fixed terminal 22 and in this position the local circuit of
the electro-magnet 23 is closed upon the battery, as is hereinafter explained.
The current proceeding from the terminal P¹ connected with the positive pole
of the battery enters the electro-magnet 23 by the wire 24, traverses this electro
magnet, which it leaves by the wire 25, reaches the fixed terminal of the relay
and passes into the relay lever 21 which, at this moment is in contact with the ter-
minal from the pallet 21 the current passes along the wire 26 to the contact P
which is connected with the negative terminal of the battery. The circuit of
the electro-magnet 23 being closed, this latter attracts the pallet 27 (Figure 3).
This pallet 27 is capable of oscillating around an axis 28 and each time it is
attracted its extremity 29 releases the escape wheel 30 fixed upon the pinion 31.
This pinion 31 constantly tends to rotate under the influence of the clock-
work 32 the last wheel 33 of which gears with the pinion 31. Each time this
pinion 31 advances one tooth it operates the units wheel t¹. This wheel (" is
formed with a recess 34 upon each side of which are provided with projecting
parts. Against the wheel t" is applied a pin wheel 35 the openings in which
exactly correspond as regards width with that of the recess 36. This pin wheel
is mounted loosely upon the axis u' upon which the disc is rigidly fixed, but it
is arranged in such a manner as to be capable of driving the wheel t¹. In the
same manner, the wheel is formed with a recess 36 similarly provided with
two projecting parts which should correspond with the pins of a wheel 37
arranged against the disc t. This wheel 37 is capable of driving the wheel in
the same manner as to the pin wheel 35 is able to drive the wheel . Upon
an axis 38 parallel with the axes uu are mounted two pinions 39 and 40
arranged directly above the pin wheels 35 and 37. When the notch or recess 34
comes opposite to one of the teeth of the pinion 40, it is obvious that, if the
disc continues to rotate, the pin wheel 35 will participate in the displace-
ment of the disc t¹ by the intermediary of the pinion 40. As the pin wheel 35
causes the disc to participate in its displacement, as already explained, this
disc will effect one tenth of a complete rotation if the pin wheel is provided
with ten teeth. It is thus apparent that for one revolution of the wheel t", the
wheel will effect one tenth of a revolution, and in the same manner, for one
revolution of the wheel t¹ the wheel will effect one tenth of a revolution.
By proceeding in the manner which has been described and when the electro
magnet 23 has been traversed by 598 impulsions, the counter will have returned
to zero.
It is in passing from the Figure 1 to the Figure 0 that, as is known, the
counter should automatically dispatch to the exchange office a negative current
serving to stop the carriage, which, at this moment, should be upon the beam 598
of the sector 7.
We will now consider the manner in which the dispatch of the negative
current is effected automatically.
The discs are each provided with a pin of insulating material which is
fixed upon their periphery. These pins 41 are fixed upon the wheels t and
(Fig. 2) in such a manner that, when these wheels are at zero, the pins 41
bear upon springs 42 so as to place them in contact with the stops 43. The
pin 41 upon the wheel ", on the other hand, is fixed in such a manner that the
corresponding spring 42 bears upon the corresponding stop. 43 only during the
passage of the wheel " from 1 to 0.

page_text: We will now consider what takes place during this passage, assuming for a
moment that this wheel t¹¹ is stopped during its passage from 1 to 0; the corre-
sponding pin 42 bears upon the corresponding stop 43, and at this moment the
line is traversed by a negative current which proceeds from the subscribers sta-
tion. In fact, a current proceeds from the common terminal, passes along the
wire 11 into the terminal 9, thence into the terminal 10 and along the wire 12
to the line wire 13; it returns along the line wire 6, passes along the wire 5 to
the terminal 8, from which it proceeds to the terminal 4, and then ascends
along the wire 3 into the first spring 42, passing to the terminal 43. Along
the wire 44 the current reaches the second spring 42 from which it passes into
the second terminal 43; by the wire 45 the current reaches the third spring 42,
passes into the third terminal 43 and returns to the negative pole of the battery
by way of the wire 17 and the wire 1.
It is thus apparent that when the counter is again brought to zero it will
have dispatched during its last movement, that is to say during its
passage from . ]
to 0, a negative current which, at the exchange office,
will have brought the carriage to rest. The two subscribers are then
in communication one with the other, and in order that the conversa-
tion and bell currents may be without effect upon the parts contained in the
station, the subscriber then places in position the hook 50 which is rigidly
connected with the two line wires 51 and 52 of the telephonic station. Upon
placing this hook 50 in position, (seeing that this latter enters two ebonite
notches 53 rigidly attached to the metallic spring plates. 54) the subscriber
breaks the communication which existed on the one hand between the terminal 4
and the terminal 8 and on the other hand between the terminal 9 and the ter-
minal 10, in such a manner that the parts of the mechanism are absolutely
insulated from the line, whilst the two line wires- 51 and 52 of the telephonic
station are connected with the terminals 8 and 10 of the line by means of the
hook 50.
The hook 50 having been placed in position the subscriber who has rung up
the exchange presses upon his station bell. He thus rings up the subscriber
with whom he desires to converse, and the two subscribers are placed in com-
munication one with another."
f
This having been done and the conversation terminated, all the various parts
at the exchange office and at the station should be brought to zero.
This opera-
tion is affected in the following manner.
The subscriber who has rung up the exchange immediately unhooks his
hook 50, in such a manner as to again place the mechanism of his station in
communication with the line. Having done this he acts upon the handle a so
as to cause it to resume the vertical position or position of rest.. As a result
of this operation, the army comes into contact with the contact z, which, as.
above explained, results in dispatching a negative current to the exchange
office. This negative current causes the carriage to return to its point of
departure. There therefor remains only one operation to be effected, that is to
bring the arm of the switch at the exchange into its position of repose. In
order to effect this, the subscriber has only to act upon the handle o in such a
manner as to bring the drum a to zero. When the operator sees the figure 0
through the windows, the whole operation is terminated and the parts belong-
ing to him. both at the exchange and at his own station have all returned to
zero.
As regards the subscriber who has been rung up, it will be remembered that
the operations which were effected in order to ring him up have resulted. in
bringing the arm of his switch at the exchange office upon the first contact of
the first sector. It is therefore necessary, in order to bring it to zero, that .he
should cause 9 positive currents to proceed to the exchange office. He obtains
this result by acting. upon the handle of his apparatus, taking care to first of all
turn this handle slightly before removing the hook. 50, in such a manner that

page_text: the two projecting parts have passed beyond the brush e whilst the hook was
in position. When the two contacts have passed beyond the brush of which the
operator is informed by perceiving through the windows a red line which is
intended to give him this information, he removes the hook 50, thereby placing
the mechanism of his station in communication with the line. He then acts
upon the handle o in such a manner as to turn the drum a back to zero. In
this manner he dispatches all the positive currents necessary to bring his switch
at the exchange to zero.
In order to wind up the clockwork mechanism, a handle 60 is provided upon
one of the walls of the box, which handle acts either directly or by the inter-
mediary of gear wheels upon the tension spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The improvements above described and which I have adapted to the system
of automatic telephonic switches in which the subscribers are divided into
sectors or groups, each group comprising a certain number of subscribers; these
improvements consisting in the organs or parts arranged in the station of each
subscriber, and being especially characterised by:-
1. For dispatching negative and positive currents serving for the operation
of the switch corresponding to each subscriber and situated at the exchange
office, a drum of insulating material upon which are mounted two metallic
crowns one of which is provided with two projecting parts whilst the other is
provided with ten projections, these two crowns being rigidly fixed in such a
manner that the two projecting parts of the first successively come into contact
with a corresponding brush before the ten projecting parts of the second suc-
cessively comes into contact with a second brush corresponding with these pro-
jecting parts; the drum of insulating material being provided with a gear wheel
meshing with a pinion rigidly fixed upon an axis terminating in an operating
handle, the movement of the drum being possible in one direction only owing
to the provision of a ratchet wheel and pawl, as above specified.
2. A counter of electric impulsion constituted by a series of discs mounted
in such a manner that the second makes one tenth of a revolution when the
first has effected nine tenths of its rotation, and is effecting the last tenth, and
that the third makes one tenth of a revolution when the second has effected
nine tenths of its rotation and is effecting the last tenth; the said discs being
operated by means of a clock-work mechanism which is capable of being wound
up as desired and of being released by means of impulsions entering an electro-
magnet the armature of which, being movable around an axis of rotation, is
provided at one of its extremities with a disengaging rod which is adapted,
according to its position to either render immovable or not a locking wheel
rigidly fixed upon the last gear wheel or upon any one of the gear wheels of
the clockwork mechanism, as above specified.
"
3. In the counter above described and for the purpose of producing the suc-
cessive and predetermined displacements of the different discs which compose
the counter, the combination with the first and second disc of a notch with
projecting parts formed upon such discs, and the combination with the second
and third discs, of a pin wheel capable of driving these discs, the driving of the
discs by the said pin wheels taking place by means of pinions rigidly fixed upon
a shaft parallel with these discs, the driving taking place upon the coincidence
(with one of the teeth of the pin wheel, and one of the teeth of the corre-
sponding pinion) of the notch formed upon the disc adjacent to that to be
driven, as above specified.
4. In the counter described in Claim 2, the combination with the discs, of
projecting parts of insulating material fixed upon the periphery of these discs
and capable, at the desired moment, of pressing upon flat springs in such a

page_text: manner that these latter are applied against stops provided for the purpose that,
when the three flat springs touch the three discs, the circuit of the local battery
of the station may be closed upon the line proceeding to the exchange office; as
above specified.
:
5. A hook rigidly connected with the line wires of the telephonic station pro-
perly so called and capable of being hooked upon the two projecting parts of
insulating material mounted upon metallic springs, the fixing points of the
said springs constituting the arrival terminals of the line proceeding to the
exchange office and the flat springs touching, by means of their upper extremity,
when the hook is not in position, the arrival terminals of the circuits in the
apparatus, and this in order that, on the one hand, when the hook is in posi-
tion, the mechanism of the station may be insulated from the line and in the
line connected to the telephonic apparatus properly so called, and that on the
other hand, when the hook is not in place, the line may be directly connected
with the station appliances and insulated from the telephone properly so called,.
above specified.
Dated this 21st day of Anot 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.