IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEPHONE SWITCHES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, THOMAS BALLARD, of 21 Cannon Street, Saint James's, Bristol, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEPHONE
SWITCHES to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the improvement of switches used in electric
circuits for telephones, and renders their automatic action independent of the
weight of the receiver. The method generally in use hitherto is to actuate the
switch by hanging the receiver on a hook at the end of a lever, the lever being
pulled down by the weight of the receiver. In my improved invention the
receiver is hung on a rigid bracket or projection: but in order to place it there
a lever in connection with the switch has to be raised, and remains in that position
as long as the receiver is hung up. When the receiver is removed the lever is
brought back by means of a spring or other equivalent mechanism thus regaining
its first position and actuating the switch.

page_text: Improvements in Telephone Switches.
I THOMAS BALLARD of 21 Cannon Street St Jame's Bristol Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEPHONE SWITCHES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This Invention has for its object the improvement of switches used in electric
circuits for Telephones and renders their automatic action independant of the
weight of the receiver The method generally in use hitherto is to actuate the
switch by hanging the receiver on a hook at the end of a lever, the lever being
pulled down by the weight of the receiver. In my improved Invention the receiver
is hung or placed on a rigid bracket or projection but in order to place it there a
lever in connection with the switch has to be raised and remains in that position
as long as the receiver is hung up. When the receiver is removed the lever is
brought back by means of a spring or other equivalent mechanism thus regaining
its first position and actuating the switch.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer
to the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of mechanism constructed or arranged according
to my Invention and Figure 2 is a section on the line X Y Figure 1, these Figures
shewing the position the parts assume when the receiver is removed-Figures 3
and 4 are corresponding views showing the position of the parts when the receiver
is hung upon its support.
A is the case of the instrument to the exterior of which is secured the rigid
bracket or projection B upon which the receiver is hung when not in use-A lever C.
is centered at c to a support D in such a position that when the receiver (the ring
of which is shewn at E figure 3) is hung upon the bracket B the said lever is raised
or moved so that it breaks the circuit which it previously made and which was
necessary to the working of the instrument when the receiver was in use and is
caused to make another contact to divert the current as is necessary when the
instrument is not in use-In the arrangement shewn the first named circuit is
completed through the springs F. F and pin c² mounted in and insulated from the
lever C. as shewn clearly in figure 2, and the second named contact is made by the
lever C. bearing against the spring G as shewn in Figure 3, but it will be obvious
that this precise arrangement of the contacts is not essential to the nature of my
Invention When the receiver is removed from the bracket, the spring H ensures
the descent of the lever C. to make contact between the springs F. F and when the
receiver is again placed on the bracket B its ring E forces up the lever C. to make
contact with the spring G.

page_text: 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
1st A telephone switch consisting of a rigid bracket or projection upon which
the receiver is hung and a lever or its equivalent in proximity thereto which is
raised or moved by the receiver when it is hung or placed on the said bracket or
projection in combination with contact makers so arranged that when the receiver
is removed from the bracket or projection for use the contacts necessary at that
time are made and when the receiver is hung or placed upon the said bracket or
projection the contacts necessary when the instrument is out of use are made
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2nd The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the telephone switch
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.