Year: 1885

page_text: I, ELLIS FREEDOM FROST, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to certain improvements in individual telephone-signals of
that class in which step-by-step devices are actuated by a current of given direction
to circuit the bell, which is then actuated by impulses of reverse direction; and it
consists in a novel combination of a transmitting apparatus with the signaling
devices in such manner that any office may signal another on the same circuit without
the aid of the exchange by means of a slight modification of the usual magneto-
generating machine; also, in an improved form of magneto-generator for operating
the signals; also, in a novel arrangement of the connections through the trans-
nitting and magneto-generating devices.
My invention is fully set forth in the following specification and the accom-
panying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a top view of the box containing my apparatus to show the arrange-
ment of the knobs and indicator-hand. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the apparatus as
it appears on opening the box shown in Fig. 1 downward on its hinges, there
shown. Fig. 3 is an elevation as viewed from the right of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is
a horizontal section on the line x x, Fig. 2, looking downward. Fig. 5 is an
under side view of plate A. and the attached parts, as viewed from beneath said
plate in Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7, and 10, are detached views of parts shown in the above
view. Fig. 8 is a top, and Fig. 9 is a detached, view of the magneto and the
switching devices thereon. Fig. 11 is a diagram of the connections.
In Figs. 2, and 3, an electro-magnet, B, has its armature inductively polarized by
a permanent magnet B¹, the free end of said permanent magnet curving around
and serving to polarize an armature C, pivoted at C¹, between the plates A, A¹,
and with its free end formed to vibrate between the polar extensions B' of
magnet B, being normally biased to the left of Fig. 2 by an adjustable coiled
spring C, as shown.
A curved arm D, Fig. 5, is secured to said armature and carries a spring-
pawl D', Figs. 5, 7, which engages the teeth of a ratchet-wheel E, mounted
ou shaft E, Figs. 2, 3, which latter is pivoted in plate A and bracket E'.

page_text: When armature C is vibrated by electrical impulses of a definite polarity, the
effect will be to advance wheel E, step by step in a well-known manner, a
retaining-pawl D³, preventing retrograde movement of said wheel. Shaft E¹,
passes through to the front M², of the box, as shown in Fig. 1, and the whole
arrangement is so far simply "Siemens' dial-telegraph," arranged to be operated by
currents of one given direction while irresponsive to currents of the other direction.
A disk of insulating material F, Fig. 7, is also secured to shaft E¹, and has in its
periphery, as shown, a notch F, while a spring F¹, secured to but insulated from
plate A, by an ebonite block F, is arranged to have its free bent end to rest on the
periphery of said disk and to drop into the said notch when said disk arrives at a
predetermined point in its revolution, and to thereby break its normal existing
contact with an insulated screw F³. By contact between spring F¹, and screw F³,
a short-circuit is formed around the magnet of a call-bell in a manner which will
be shown hereinafter.
It is obvious that by placing notch F', in a different angular relation in each of
a number of such apparatuses to a fixed starting-point common to all, and then
placing them on one circuit and actuating them simultaneously, the bells will be
successively included in circuit, but no two will be in contact at one time; also, if
the bells be sensitive to currents of the reverse polarity to those operating the
apparatus by stopping the same at the point where any desired bell is in circuit,
the bell will be rung by a reversal of current without operating said apparatus and
without ringing any of the other bells on the line.
As in a signal operated step by step in the manner described, there is liability of
skipping, I provide a unison device, (shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5,) which consists in an
armature G, pivoted in an opening of and polarized by a permanent magnet G¹.
Said armature is arranged to be attracted by one of the polar extensions B³ of
magnet B, on the passage of a current of the reverse polarity to that which
operates armature C, and is normally removed from said polar extension by the
action of a spring G³, secured to plate A, to an extent limited by a stop G³, secured
to said armature and engaging magnet G¹, as shown in Figs. 2, 7.
A bent arm G*, projecting downward from armature G, in a manner shown
in Figs. 2, 5, 7, 10, is tapered off at the end, as shown, and when armature G, is
not attracted is arranged to lie in the path of an elastic spring H³, secured to
an arm H, which latter is secured to shaft E. When armature G, is attracted said
arm G, is removed out of the path of spring H¹. By this device the motion
of arm H, and wheel F, is arrested at a definite point in their rotation, and held
until released by reversing the current, which operation will remove arm G* from
engagement with spring H', and as this spring has been slightly strained by being
forced against said arm by its actuating devices, it will, when released by said arm,
spring into the position dotted in Fig. 7, so that, although arm G will resume its
former position in the path of said spring on the application of the current-
operating armature C, yet it will now be on the other side of the spring H³, and
will not arrest its motion until it has performed another revolution. In practice a
few extra impulses will restore the lagging switch-arms to unison with the rest.
It now remains to describe the magneto and transmitting devices and the
connections thereof.
In every signal a series of four or more push-knobs J, are provided, projecting
through to the top of the box, as shown in Fig. 1, and normally controlled by
coiled springs J, which push the knobs outwardly. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) Suid
knobs are adapted to be pushed inwardly by the operator. The said knobs are
provided with flat springs L, extending inward toward shaft E¹, Figs. 6, 10, and
with their inner ends turned upward, as shown. If one of the knobs J, be pressed
the action will raise the attached spring L, into the path of a contact-spring H³,
secured to arm H, as shown in Fig. 10, in which the right-hand spring is shown as
raised and in engagement with said contact-spring, the dotted lines showing the
normal position of the same. The contact of said springs will arrest the notion of
said arm, and also of all the parts attached to shaft E¹, as it will short-circuit the

page_text: magneto-machine in a manner to be explained in connection with the diagram of
circuits, Fig. 11. This will also arrest the motion of all the apparatus upon the line.
The magneto-generator, Fig. 8, used in connection with my apparatus, is of the
usual form, employing a Siemens armature, but is modified, to meet the require-
ments of my system of signaling, in a manner to be next described.
One wire of
the armature-coil is connected to the frame of the magneto in the usual manner,
while the other end is connected to an insulated piece of the armature-shaft N¹,
which is cut away in such manner that it will at most only make contact with
spring N, during a half of every revolution of said armature, and is so adjusted
that all impulses thus produced are of the same polarity as they go to line-that is,
if the armature be always turned in the same direction.
Crank P, by which the inagneto is operated, is secured to a sleeve P¹, Figs. 8, 9,
which turns easily on shaft Q1, to which latter is secured a large friction-wheel O,
engaging a smaller friction-wheel O¹, on the armature-shaft in a manner common in
such generators.
Sleeve P¹, is slotted, as shown in Fig. 9, at R, R¹, and in said slots slides a pin Q,
which is secured in shaft Q¹ of wheel O. A coiled spring P³, placed, as shown, in
the enlarged portion of sleeve P¹, acts to force said sleeve to the right in said
figures or into the position shown in Figs. 8, 11. A flange Q³, also secured to
sleeve P¹, when said sleeve is forced to the right, as described, in that position
engages flat spring S, and forces it into contact with an insulated screw T¹, thereby
short-circuiting the generating-armature itself in a manner well understood, the
circuit being from N, spring N', line 1, line 6, screw T, flange Q³, through the
machine to N, as clearly seen in Fig. 11.
The two arms R, R¹, of the slot P¹, are not of the same length; and, referring to
Fig. 9, the dotted lines extending downward show the normal position of the
crank-sleeve and flange Q³, the full lines the position of the same when the crank
is turned to force the pin Q, into the shorter of the slots, and the dotted lines
extending upward show the positions when the crank is turned in the reverse
direction and said pin is forced into the longer slot.
As will be seen, when the crank is turned in the one direction, which is the
direction to operate the signaling devices, the pin Q1, entering the short slot, forces
sleeve P¹, toward wheel O, and flange Q' into the position shown in full lines
in Fig. 9, and spring S, will follow the flange so far without breaking contact with
the same, and will break its previously existing contact with screw T¹, while
another insulated flat spring S¹, also engaging said flange, is also arranged to follow
the motion of the same to the extent that spring S, does.
When the crank is turned in the reverse direction from the one just described, it
will force pin Q, into the longer slot R, and thus flange Q, will be forced nearer to
wheel O, and as springs S, S₁, will only follow it a limited distance they will break
contact with said flange, which will then make contact with another spring S³, and
at the same time reversal of the motion of the armature of the magneto, caused by
revorsing the motion of crank P, will reverse the current from said machine, and
this is the current used to ring the bell and for unlocking the arm H, from check-
armature G, as herein before described.
Having thus described the more strictly mechanical devices, I will now describe
the connections and working of the same, reference being had to diagram of
connections, Fig. 11.
Let us suppose the office to be calling another on the same circuit. He will first
press one of the knobs J, corresponding to the office to be called, and then actuate
the crank P, of the magneto in such direction that the pin Q, will enter the shorter
of the slots R¹. This will send a series of electrical impulses to line as follows:
Piece N, and spring N³, wire 1, which connects both with arm H, and magnet B,
thence the current will pass through said magnet and by wire 2, screw F³,
spring F, and to line out, the disk F, at this at this time being in such a position
that it holds spring F1, against the insulated stop F; returning through the
ground-wire 7, spring S¹, flange Q³, and thence to the body of the magneto, to

page_text: which the other end of the armature-coil is connected. All the switches on the
line starting from a unison-point will be actuated by the impulses so sent, step by
step, as hereinbefore described, until the arm H, in the calling-office has reached
the spring L, which is attached to the depressed knob J, as shown in Fig. 10,
when it will make contact with the same, with the effect of short-circuiting the
magneto-generator in the calling-office by taking the current from wire 1, through
arm H, spring L, wire 5, spring S, and flange Q', and, the magneto being thus
shunted on itself, the entire apparatus upon the line will stop, and this will occur
at the time that the spring F, in the called office has dropped into the notch in
cam F, and thus broken the short-circuit around the magneto-bell U, in said office.
The calling-operator will then reverse the motion of the crank P, thus forcing
pin Q, into the longer slot R, and at the same time of course reversing the current
given by the magneto. Flange Q2, will now be out of contact with springs S, S¹,
and in contact with spring S³, and a reversed current will go to line by the
following path: wire 1, to the line, as in the first-mentioned case, and returning by
the ground, wire 4, and spring S³, to flange Q3, thus avoiding the short-circuit.
The bells in the various offices upon the circuit are made insensitive to impulses
of the polarity used to operate the switches by being biased to one side by a spring,
as shown in Fig. 11, and the current being reversed, as just described, the bell in
the called office will be actuated, while the other bells are still shunted out of
circuit, and the switches will be at rest because the currents now passing are not
of proper polarity to operate them.
To restore to unison the operator will turn the crank P, in the proper direction
until, by the indicator-bands L, he sees that the apparatus has moved to the zero
or unison point, and then by giving a turn to in the reverse direction he will
actuate check-armature G, to release arms H, as herein before described.
Supposing the office to be called, the entering current will pass from the line by
wire 2, spring F¹, screw F³, nagnet B, wires 1, 6, screw T¹, and spring S to
flange Q, and thence by spring S¹, and wire 7 to ground or the next office, the
magneto being now short-circuited. The step-by-step devices will be operated
until spring F, drops into the notch in cam F, and thus breaks the contact of the
same with screw F, and the current will then be forced to pass by wire 3 through
bell U, and said bell will be actuated by a series of currents of reverse character to
those used in operating the ratchets, as before stated. It is therefore evident that
a current of one polarity in actuating the dials thus serves, in combination with the
dials, to individualize any one of a number of bells connected by the same circuit,
and the employment of magneto-currents of given direction in the way and for the
purpose herein stated I believe novel.
It will be of course understood that although I show but one instrument, a series
of such instruments are to be connected up in the same line-circuit together, and
that they are identical in every respect, with the exception of the position of the
notch on the periphery of the disk F.
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
1. In a system of individual electric signaling, a series of bells normally short-
circuited, means, as indicated, for breaking the short-circuit round the said bells
and for including the bell-magnets each at its own time in the main circuit, a
series of generators, one for each station, and electrical connections, substantially
as described, adapted to generate and transmit magneto-electric currents of one
direction to actuate the short-circuit-breaking mechanism and to include any
predetermined bell in the main circuit, and to transmit, when reversely operated,
currents of similar duration but opposite direction to ring the desired bell when so
included, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, in a system of electric signaling, of a series of magneto-
generators adapted to transmit at the will of the operator intermittent currents of

page_text: either direction, with a series of step-by-step mechanisms, each actuated by an
electro-magnet and the polarized armature thereof, and with an auxiliary polarized
armature for each mechanism of the series, said armature being adapted to engage
a projecting arm of the step-by-step mechanism and to arrest the same once in each
revolution when influenced by currents of similar direction to those required to
actuate the said mechanisms, but to release the said arm when currents of opposite
direction are transmitted.
3. In an individual signaling system, a series of polarized bells biased to respond
to intermittent currents of definite direction normally short-circuited, a series of
electrically-actuated step-by-step rotary devices, each adapted to break the short-
circuit round its own bell and to include the bell magnet in the main-line circuit,
a unison consisting of a rotating arm attached to each rotary device and of a
polarized armature engaging therewith at a like point in the revolution of all the
said rotary devices, and a magneto generator at each station adapted to transmit
pulsations of definite polarity to actuate the rotatory devices and to operate the
unison, and when reversely operated to transmit pulsations of opposite polarity to
release the unison and to ring the bell, substantially as described.
4. An individual electric signaling instrument comprising a magneto-electric
generator provided with circuit-changing devices whereby currents of either
polarity or direction may be transmitted to line as required, a polarized bell
normally shunted or short-circuited, and adjusted to respond to currents of one
given direction, an electro-magnetic step-by-step actuating mechanism adapted
when operated to break the said, short-circuit round the bell, an electro-magnet
and polarized armature controlling the said actuating mechanism, and adjusted to
operate only under the influence of currents of opposite direction to those which
ring the bell, an auxiliary polarized armature arranged to engage a rotating arm
attached to the actuating mechanism and to arrest the same at a constant point in
each revolution thereof, and a series of stop keys and levers adapted when operated
to stand in the path of said rotating arm and to make electric contact therewith
and short-circuit the generator at the moment when the required distant bell is
introduced into the circuit, substantially as and for the purposes described.
5. An individual electric signaling system comprising the following elements: a
main circuit, a series of magneto-electric generators included in a shunt of sail
main circuit and provided with circuit-changing devices whereby currents of
either direction may be emitted from said generator as required, an auxiliary and
normally-open shunt-circuit for each generator adapted to be automatically closed
when a suitable number of currents have been sent to line, a series of polarized
bells biased so as to respond to currents of given direction only, and normally
short-circuited, a series of step-by-step actuating mechanisms controlling the short-
circuit round the said bells and adapted to break the same and include the bell in
the main circuit after a definite number of currents of direction opposite to that
required to ring the bell have been sent to line, circuit-closing devices actuated by
the same mechanism for closing the auxiliary shunt-circuit of the home generator
after the requisite number of actuating-currents have been sent, and an auxiliary
polarized armature attached to each actuating mechanism to engage with a project-
ing arm thereof, whereby the several mechanisms may be brought to a common
starting-point, as set forth.
6. In an individual telephone signal, and in combination with rotating devices
operated step by step, an arm H, secured to said devices, and an armature actuated
by a current of one polarity and provided with an elastic tip H₁, arranged to be
engaged by a second polarized armature actuated by currents of a reverse polarity,
and to thereby arrest the motion of said step-by-step devices and to spring out of
engagement with said armature when the same is actuated in the manner set forth.
7. In an individual telephone signal, and in combination with electrically-rotated
step-by-step devices, and a magneto generator, operating the same, a contact-arm H,
carrying spring H³, secured to and rotated by said devices, a series of springs L

page_text: circumferentially arranged around the axis of said arm and arranged to be indi-
vidually brought into engagement with the same in the manner set forth, and
connections whereby contact between said arm and spring will shunt said magneto
upon itself.
8. In a telephone-signal, and in combination with signaling mechanism, a
magneto generator actuated by a crank, in the manner set forth, and a sleeve P¹,
and a contact-making flange Q³, thereon, and automatic means whereby when
crank P, is turned in the one direction said flange will make one series of contacts,
and when said crank is turned in the other direction said flange will make another
series of contacts, as and for the purposes specified.
9. In a telephone signal, and in combination with electrically-rotated step-by-
step devices, a magneto-generator actuating the same, switch devices actuated by
said magneto, and connections as set forth, whereby, when said magneto has been
cut out of circuit by the said step-by-step devices, a reversal of the rotation of the
crank of said magneto will operate said armature and switching devices thereon to
change the circuit as set forth.