Improvements in Telephone Systems.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Telephone Systems.
I, WALLACE AUGUSTUS HOUTS, Banker, of Parker, in the County of
Turner and State of South Dakota, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in telephone systems and more especially
to the manner of connecting the several subscribers of a system. The object of
my invention is to dispense as far as possible with the employees of a central
office and produce a simple and efficient call box and automatic switch, which
devices are constructed in such a way that by arranging the switch at the central
office and the call boxes at the telephones of the several subscribers to the system,
any call box may be operated so as to work the switch and connect one telephone
with any one of the series.
Another object of my invention is to provide mechanism of this kind, which is
constructed in such a way as to be sure to work without getting out of order and
also to construct and arrange the mechanism so that the apparatus will be
extremely compact.
To these ends my invention consists of a telephone system, the construction,
arrangement and organization of which will be hereinafter described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1. is a front elevation of the improved call box forming a part of my
system:
Figure 2. is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Figure 3, of the
call box;
Figure 3. is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4. is a detail view of the escapement of the circuit breaking device;
Figure 44 is a similar view of a modified construction of the same;
Figure 5 is a detail view of the circuit breaking wheel;
Figure 6. is a cross section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;
Figure 7. is a detail side elevation of the rack of binding posts used in
connection with the central switch;
Figure 7 is a diagram of the circuit between two instruments and the central
switch;
Figure 8. is an enlarged detail end view, partly in section, of the central
switch;
Figure 9. is a longitudinal section, on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, of the
switch; and
Figure 9 is a broken detail end view of the switch barrel, showing the
longitudinal grooves for holding the contact wires.
In connection with my system I use a call box 10 for each telephone subscriber,
this box having an in-turned outer flange 11 and preferably an extension 12 at one
side, in which the circuit breaking wheel and escapement are located, as herein-
after described. The call box and the switch barrel and wheels are, as illustrated;
adapted for sixty subscribers, but it will of course be understood that this number
Price Rd 1

page_text: may be increased or diminished without affecting the principle of the invention.
To correspond with this idea though, the flange 11 is provided with sixty holes 13,
which are each adapted to receive the pin 14 which is pressed by a spring 15, see
Figure 6, so as to normally engage the holes and is contained in the handle 16 of
the dial 17 which revolves on the face of the call box and which is provided with
a hub 18, see Figure 3, having a collar 19 which is journaled on the center post 20
arranged in the call box, as shown clearly in Figure 3.
The dial has on its face, next its periphery a series of radial spaces 21 in which
are placed the names of the subscribers, and arranged in regular sequence around
the dial and opposite these spaces are the numbers of the subscribers. On one
side of the dial is a pointer 23 which is adapted to extend opposite any desired
number and assist in fixing the position of the dial.
When the dial is to be moved the handle 16 is pulled out so as to remove the
pin 14 from one of the holes 13, and the dial is then turned the desired distance
to the right and the pin inserted in another hole for the purpose. described
presently, this movement of the dial serving to wind the spring 24 which is
coiled around the hub 18 of the dial and has one end secured, as shown at 25, to
the gear wheel 29 to be referred to below, and the other end secured as shown
at 26, see Figure 2, to the hub 18 of the dial. When the dial is moved, as
described, and fastened by the pin, the spring 24 turns the driving gear wheel 29
.until the stop 27 on the gear wheel strikes the stop 28 on the dial.
The gear wheel 29 is journaled on the center post 20, as shown in Figure 3, and
it meshes with and drives a pinion 30 which is secured to the shaft 31, this being
journaled in the box 10, and the shaft carries a circuit breaking wheel 32 composed,
of conducting segments 33 and insulating segments 34, as best shown in Figure 5.
Against the under side of the wheel 32 presses a contact spring 35 which is
fastened to the case back, as shown at 36, and the spring is provided with a
tension screw 37, see Figure 3, by which it may be adjusted so as to press snugly
against the circuit breaking wheel.
The spring and tension screw are insulated from the box and the spring is
connected with a contact button 38 which is adapted to contact with the switch
arm 39, see Figures 1 and 2, which has a handle 40 and is journaled on a binding
post 41 wbich is insulated on the box 10 and is adapted to receive one of the line
wires. The other wire is connected to a binding post 42 on the box, so that the
circuit passes from the binding post 41 through the switch 39, the gears 30, the
box 10 and out through the binding screw 42.
The segments 33 of the circuit-breaking wheel are provided with projecting
lugs 33 which are adapted to swing through and in contact with the split end of a
contact spring 35 which is pivoted at one end, as shown at 35, and is pulled by a
spring 35 against a limiting post 35, see Figure 2, and the contact spring 35°
connects by a wire 35' with a button 38" on the call box, so that in case the contact
spring 35 should be burned out er for any reason should not make good contact
with the circuit-breaking wheel the switch arm 39 may be turned into contact with
the button 38 and the current will then pass from the binding post 41 through
the button 38, the wire 35', the contact spring 35 and the circuit breaking
wheel 33. The spring arm 35 is only to be used in case something happens to
the spring 35, and when the arm 35 is not in use it may be held out of contact
with the circuit breaking wheel by a catch 358.
The shaft 31 is provided with an escapement wheel 43 which is engaged by the
ordinary forked escapement 44 which is secured to a shaft 45 journaled in bearings
on the box back and on the supporting arm 46, while secured to the shaft and to
the box is a spring 47 which presses one of the escapement teeth into engagement
with the escapement wheel. This escapement is to regulate the speed of the
circuit breaking wheel 32 and gear wheel 29.
Instead of the escapement just described, the device shown in Figure 4* may
be preferably employed, in which case the call box must be arranged vertically,
as the escapement is operated by a weight. As here shown the escapement

page_text: wheel 43 has the escapement 44 which is pivoted at 45 as already described,
but the escapement has a pendant shank or pendulum 46" which is provided with.
a weight 46 and this may be adjusted up and down so as to regulate the speed of
the escapement.
The gear wheel 29 is held from turning by a clutch plate 48 which engages the
teeth of the gear wheel, see Figure 2, and which is carried by a spring 49 secured
to the side of the box 10 the tension of the spring being regulated by a screw 50.
The clutch plate is secured to a button 51 extending out through the side of the
box 10 and by pulling out the button, the clutch plate is removed from the gear
wheel so as to permit the latter to turn.
The call box 10 is operated in connection with a switch to be presently described,
and is intended to give a number of impulses or makes and breaks to the switch
circuit, which number of impulses correspond with the number of steps subscribers'
switch wheel must make to place him in desired connection. These impulses cause
the switch wheel to advance a corresponding number of steps so as to put the two
subscribers in connection, all as will presently appear.
We will suppose that subscriber 1 wishes to call up subscriber 46;-the
handle 16 is pulled out so as to release the dial and the handle and dial turn
until the pointer 23 of the dial 17 comes opposite the number 46 on the call
box, when the handle is released, causing the pin 14 to engage 'the hole 13
opposite the number 46, thus fastening the dial. The above movement will have.
wound up the spring 24 and the operator then pulls out the button 51 so as to
release the clutch plate 48 from the gear wheel 29 and holds the button out until
the gear wheel stops. When the button is pulled out in this way the spring 24
causes the gear wheel 29 to turn to the right until the stop 27 engages the stop 28
and stops the gear wheel when the button 51 is released, and this movement of
the gear wheel will have turned the pinion 30 and circuit-breaking wheel 32
a sufficient number of times to have caused the requisite number of impulses in
the circuit, the circuit-breaking wheel, pinion, and gear wheel being accurately
speeded to this end.
The switch actuated by the said impulses is shown in detail in Figures 8 and 9.
The switch has a switch barrel 52 which is covered with insulating material and
is supported on arms 53 which are secured to a suitable base 54, and the barrel has
extending circumferentially around it a series of parallel grooves 55, this arrange-
ment being for the purpose of enabling a comparatively large number of longi-
tudinal contact wires 56 to be used, as each wire may be bent so as to follow the
course of one of the grooves and extend across the next, thus making it possible
for the two arms of a contact device to strike the wire in one groove and pass it
in the other. The switch barrel has also longitudinal grooves 55 shown in
Figure 94 to receive the wires 56. There is a contact wire 56 for each subscriber,
and these wires are arranged parallel with each other and are secured to one end
of the barrel 52 by screws 57, while at the opposite end they extend outward and
connect with binding posts 58 which are mounted on a rack or frame 58°, see
Figure 7, and there is a binding post for each wire.
Each subscriber has a ratchet wheel 59 which turns on a frame or collar 59* on
the spring barrel, these collars and ratchet wheels being arranged between the
grooves 55 and each collar 59 connects by a wedge 60 or equivalent contact with
the subscriber's wire 56. The ratchet wheel has a bushing 61 extending through
a transverse hole in the ratchet wheel, in which bushing is journaled a contact
arm 62 which has bent ends 64 adapted to enter the grooves 55 and contact with
the wires 56, the ends forming arms and being pressed downward hy springs 65 so
as to cause them to be in position to strike and ride over the wires 56. The ends
or arms 64 are long enough so that when one arm is released by passing a wire 56
the opposite arm strikes the next wire so that at all times one of the arms is in
contact with some wire, and as the ratchet wheel is constantly in connection with
the subscriber, it will be seen that the subscriber is therefore in direct circuit
with the wire of some other subscriber at all times.

page_text: The ratchet wheels are prevented from turning back by pawls 68 and they are
turned forward by insulated pawls 69 which have guide flanges 70 straddling the
ratchet wheels. The pawl 69 of each ratchet wheel is carried by an arm 71 which
is journaled, as shown at 72, on a post 73, this being pivoted at the lower end, as
shown at 74, and a spring 75 connects the arm 71 and post 73 so as to hold the
pawl 69 in close contact with its ratchet wheel.
The post 73 has secured to it an armature 76 which is arranged opposite a
magnet 77, and the post is pulled away from the magnet by a spring 78 into contact
with an abutment screw 79, which is carried by a rigid post 80 and the base of the.
magnet is provided with binding posts 81 and 82 adapted to connect with a source
of electricity and with the ground by a return circuit.
The connections can best be seen by reference to Figure 74. The subscriber's
call box 10 has the binding post 41 connected by a wire a with the ground and
serving also as a return wire to a battery A, the return wire being also connected
to the ground. The call box has its post 42 connected by a wire a' with the
magnet 77 of the central switch, while the magnet is also connected by a wire a'
with the battery A. Each telephone instrument is connected by a wire 6 with its
appropriate binding post 58, wire 56, contact 60, frame or collar 59 and ratchet
wheel 59 of the central switch.
We will suppose now that subscriber 1, see Figure 74, wishes to call up
subscriber 46; the call box 10 is worked in the manner already described, so as
to cause 45 impulses to be sent through the wire a' and magnet 77, and thus the
armature 76 will be 45 times pulled backward and forward by the magnet and by
the spring 78, and the ratchet wheel 59 will be turned until its contact arm 62, 64
strikes the contact wire 56 of the central switch 52, thus completing the circuit
which is from the instrument 1, through the wire b, a wire 56, contact wedge 60,
frame or collar 59, ratchet wheel 59, the contact arm 62, 64, the second wire 56,
and the second wire 6 to the instrument 46. In this way a subscriber may place
himself in communication with any other, for by turning his call box he can make
the necessary number of electrical impulses which will actuate his ratchet wheel
at the central switch so as to bring the desired wire into electrical connection with
his own. The return circuit is made through the ground, or a special return wire
may be used.
From the above description of my invention, it will be obvious that the device
is, susceptible of considerable modification without material departure from
the principles and spirit of my invention, and for this reason I do not wish
to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form of the parts herein set
forth.
Dated this 4th day of Fab 1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
I WALLACE AUGUSTUS HOUTS, Banker, of Parker, in the County of Turner
and State of South Dakota, United States of America do hereby declare the 4
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 improvements in telephone systems and more especially,
to the manner of connecting the several subscribers of a system. The object of
my, invention is to dispense as far as possible with the employees of a central office 5

page_text: and produce a simple and efficient call-box and automatic switch, which devices
are constructed in such a way that by arranging the switch at the central office
and the call boxes at the telephones of the several subscribers to the system, any
call box may be operated so as to work the switch and connect one telephone with
any one of the series.
Another object of my invention is to provide mechanism of this kind, which is
constructed in such a way as to be sure to work without getting out of order and
also to construct and arrange the mechanism so that the apparatus will be
extremely compact.
To these ends my invention consists of a telephone system, the construction,
arrangement and organization of which will be hereinafter described and
claimed.
Reference is to be had to the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specifi-
cation, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved call box forming a part of my
system;
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 of Figure 3, of the call box;
Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a detail view of the escapement of the circuit breaking device;
Figure 4 is a similar view of a modified construction of the same;
Figure 5 is a detail view of the circuit breaking wheel;
Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;
Figure 7 is a detail side elevation of the rack of binding posts used in connection
with the central switch;
Figure 7 is a diagram of the circuit between two instruments and the central
switch;
Figure 8 is an enlarged detail end view, partly in section, of the central
switch;
Figure 9 is a longitudinal section, on the line 9-9 of Figure 8, of the switch j
and
Figure 94 is a broken detail end view of the switch barrel, showing the longi-
tudinal grooves for holding the contact wires.
In connection with my system I use a call box 10 for each telephone subscriber,
this box having an in-turned outer flange 11 and preferably an extension 12 at one.
side, in which the circuit breaking wheel and escapement are located, as herein-
after described. The call box and the switch barrel and wheels are, as illustrated,
adapted for sixty subscribers, but it will of course be understood that this number
may be increased or diminished without affecting the principle of the invention.
To correspond with this idea though, the flange 11 is provided with sixty holes 13,
which are each adapted to receive the pin 14 which is pressed by a spring 15, see
Figure 6, so as to normally engage the holes and is contained in the handle 16 of
the dial 17 which revolves on the face of the call box and which is provided with.
a hub 18, see Figure 3, having a collar 19 which is journaled on the center post 20
arranged in the call box, as shown clearly in Figure 3.
The dial has on its face, next.its periphery a series of radial spaces 21 in which
are placed the names of the subscribers, and arranged in regular sequence around
the dial and opposite these spaces are the numbers of the subscribers. On one side
of the dial is a pointer 23 which is adapted to extend opposite any desired number
and assist in fixing the position of the dial.
When the dial is to be moved the handle 16 is pulled out so as to remove the
pin 14 from one of the holes 13, and the dial is then turned the desired distance
to the right and the pin inserted in another hole for the purpose described
presently, this movement of the dial serving to wind the spring 24 which is coiled
around the hub 18 of the dial and has one end secured, as shown at 25, to the
gear wheel 29 to be referred to below, and the other end secured as shown at 26,

page_text: see Figure 2, to the hub 18 of the dial. When the dial is moved, as described,
and fastened by the pin, the spring 24 turns the driving gear wheel 29 until the
stop 27 on the gear wheel strikes the stop 28 on the dial.
The gear wheel 29 is journaled on the center post 20, as shown in Figure 3, and
it meshes with and drives a pinion 30 which is secured to the shaft.31, this being
journaled in the box 10, and the shaft carries a circuit breaking wheel 32 composed
of conducting segments 33 and insulating segments 34, as best shown in Figure 5.
Against the under side of the wheel 32 presses a contact spring 35 which is
fastened to the case back, as shown at 36, and the spring is provided with a tension
screw 37, see Figure 3, by which it may be adjusted so as to press snugly against
the circuit breaking wheel.
The spring and tension screw are insulated from the box and the spring is
-connected with a contact button 38 which is adapted to contact with the switch
arm 39, see Figures 1 and 2, which has a handle 40 and is journaled on a binding
post 41 which is insulated on the box 10 and is adapted to receive one of the
line wires. The other wire is connected to a binding post 42 on the box, so that
the circuit passes from the binding post 41 through the switch 39, the gears 30,
the box 10 and out through the binding screw 42.
The segments 33 of the circuit-breaking wheel are provided with projecting
lugs 33 which are adapted to swing through and in contact with the split end of
a contact spring 35b which is pivoted at one end, as shown at 35°, and is pulled by
a spring 35 against a limiting post 35, see Figure 2, and the contact spring 35
connects by a wire 35' with a button 38 on the call box, so that in case the contact
spring 35 should be burned out or for any reason should not make good contact
with the circuit-breaking wheel the switch arm 39 may be turned into contact with
the button 38 and the current will then pass from the binding post 41 through
the button 38, the wire 35', the contact spring 35b and the circuit breaking
wheel 33. The spring arm 35b is only to be used in case something happens to
the spring 35, and when the arm 35 is not in use it may be held out of contact
with the circuit breaking wheel by a catch 35.
The shaft 31 is provided with an escapement wheel 43 which is engaged by the
ordinary forked escapement 44 which is secured to a shaft 45 journaled in bearings
on the box back and on the supporting arm 46, while secured to the shaft and to
the box is a spring 47 which presses one of the escapement teeth into engagement
with the escapement wheel. This escapement is to regulate the speed of the
circuit breaking wheel 32 and gear wheel 29.
. Instead of the escapement just described, the device shown in Figure 4 may
be preferably employed, in which case the call box must be arranged vertically,
as the escapement is operated by a weight. As here shown the escapement
wheel 43 has the escapement 44 which is pivoted at 45 as already described, but
the escapement has a pendant shank or pendulum 46 which is provided with a
weight 46' and this may be adjusted up and down so as to regulate the speed of the
escapement.
The gear wheel 29 is held from turning by a clutch plate 48 which engages the
teeth of the gear wheel, see Figure 2, and which is carried by a spring 49 secured
to the side of the box 10, the tension of the spring being regulated by a screw 50.
The clutch plate is secured to a button 51 extending out through the side of the
box 10 and by pulling out the button, the clutch plate is removed from the gear
wheel so as to permit the latter to turn.
The call box 10 is operated in connection with a switch to be presently described,
and is intended to give a number of impulses or makes and breaks to the switch
circuit, which number of impulses correspond with the number of steps subscriber's
switch wheel must make to place him in desired connection. These impulses
cause the switch wheel to advance a corresponding number of steps so as to put the
two subscribers in connection, all as will presently appear.
$
We will suppose that subscriber 1 wishes to call up subscriber 46;-the

page_text: handle 16 is pulled out so as to release the dial and the handle and dial turn until
the pointer 23 of the dial 17 comes opposite the number 46 on the call box, when
the handle is released, causing the pin 14 to engage the hole 13 opposite the
number 46, thus fastening the dial. The above movement will have wound up the
spring 24 and the operator then pulls out the button 51 so as to release the clutch
plate 48 from the gear wheel 29 and holds the button out until the gear wheel
stops. When the button is pulled out in this way the spring 24 causes the gear
wheel 29 to turn to the right until the stop 27 engages the stop 28 and stops the
gear wheel when the button 51 is released, and this movement of the gear wel
will have turned the pinion 30 and circuit-breaking wheel 32 a sufficient number
of times to have caused the requisite number of impulses in the circuit, t'ia
circuit-breaking wheel, pinion, and gear wheel being accurately speeded to
this end.
The switch actuated by the said impulses is shown in detail in Figures 8 and 9.
The switch has a switch barrel 52 which is covered with insulating material and
is supported on arms 53 which are secured to a suitable base 54, and the burrel
has extending circumferentially around it a series of parallel grooves 55, this
arrangement being for the purpose of enabling a comparatively large number of
longitudinal contact wires 56 to be used, as each wire may be bent so as to follow
the course of one of the grooves and extend across the next, thus making it.
possible for the two arms of a contact device to strike the wire in one groove and
pass it in the other. The switch barrel has also longitudinal grooves 55" shown
in Figure 94 to receive the wires 56. There is a contact wire 56 for each
subscriber, and these wires are arranged parallel with each other and are secured
to one end of the barrel 52 by screws 57, while at the opposite end they extend
outward and connect with binding posts 58 which are mounted on a rack or
frame 58, see Figure 7, and there is a binding post for each wire.
Each subscriber has a ratchet wheel 59 which turns on a frame or collar 59" on
the spring barrel, these collars and ratchet wheels being arranged between the
grooves 55 and each collar 59 connects by a wedge 60 or equivalent contact with
the subscriber's wire 56. The ratchet wheel has a bushing 61 extending through
a transverse hole in the ratchet wheel, in which bushing is journaled a contact
arm 62 which has bent euds 64 adapted to enter the grooves 55 and contact with
the wires 56, the ends forming arms and being pressed downward by springs 65 so
as to cause them to be in position to strike and ride over the wires 56. The ends
or arms 64 are long enough so that when one arm is released by passing a wire 56
the opposite arm strikes the next wire so that at all times one of the arms is in
contact with some wire, and as the ratchet wheel is constantly in connection with
the subscriber, it will be seen that the subscriber is therefore in direct circuit with
the wire of some other subscriber at all times.
The ratchet wheels are prevented from turning back by pawls 68 and they are
turned forward by insulated pawls 69 which have guide flanges 70 straddling the
ratchet wheels. The pawl 69 of each ratchet wheel is carried by an arm 71 which
is journaled, as shown at 72, on a post 73, this being pivoted at the lower end, as
shown at 74, and a spring 75 connects the arm 71 and post 73 so as to hold the
pawl 69 in close contact with its ratchet wheel.
The post 73 has secured to it an armature 76 which is arranged opposite a
magnet 77, and the post is pulled away from the magnet by a spring 78 into
contact with an abutment screw 79, which is carried by a rigid post 80 and the
base of the magnet is provided with binding posts 81 and 82 adapted to connect
with a source of electricity and with the ground by a return circuit.
The connections can best be seen by reference to Figure 7. The subscriber's
call box 10 has the binding post 41 connected by a wire a with the ground and
serving also as a return wire to a battery A, the return wire being also connected
to the ground. The call box has its post 42 connected by a wire a' with the
magnet 77 of the central switch, while the magnet is also connected by a wire a

page_text: with the battery A. Each telephone instrument is connected by a wire b with its
appropriate binding post 58, wire 56, contact 60, frame or collar 59° and ratchet
wheel 59 of the central switch.
We will suppose now that subscriber 1, see Figure 74, wishes to call up
subscriber 46; the call box 10 is worked in the manner already described, so as
to cause 45 impulses to be sent through the wire a' and magnet 77, and thus the
armature 76 will be 45 times pulled backward and forward by the magnet and
by the spring 78, and the ratchet wheel 59 will be turned until its contact arm 62, 64
strikes the contact wire 56 of the central switch 52, thus completing the circuit
which is from the instrument 1, through the wire b, a wire 56, contact wedge 60,
frame or collar 59, ratchet wheel 59, the contact arm 62, 64, the second wire 56,
and the second wire b to the instrument 46. In this way a subscriber may place
himself in communication with any other, for by turning his call box he can make
the necessary number of electrical impulses which will actuate his ratchet wheel at
the central switch so as to bring the desired wire into electrical connection with
The return circuit is made through the ground, or a special return wire
From the above description of my invention, it will be obvious that the device is
susceptible of considerable modification without material departure from the
principles and spirit of my invention, and for this reason I do not wish to be
understood as limiting myself to the precise form of the parts herein set forth.
his own.
may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. A call box provided with a revoluble indicator, a revoluble wheel, a spring
having its ends secured to the wheel and the indicator, respectively, and arranged
to be wound up by the rotation of the indicator relatively to the wheel, and
circuit-breaking mechanism operated by the wheel, substantially as described.
2. A call box provided with a revoluble indicator, a fastening device to fix the
position of the indicator relatively to the box, a wheel journaled in the box, a
spring having its ends secured to the wheel and the indicator respectively, and
arranged to be wound up by the rotation of the indicator relatively to the wheel,
and a circuit breaker operated by the said wheel, substantially as described.
3. In a telephone system, the call box comprising a containing box, a revoluble
dial thereon, a fastening device to fix the position of the dial, a gear wheel journaled
beneath the dial, a driving spring connecting the gear wheel and dial, engaging.
stops on the gear wheel and dial, and a circuit-breaking wheel driven by the gear
wheel, substantially as described.
4. In a telephone system, the call box comprising a containing box, a revoluble
dial thereon, a gear wheel journaled opposite the dial, a driving spring connecting
the gear wheel and dial, a movable clutch plate engaging the
gear wheel, abutting
stops on the gear wheel and dial, and a circuit-breaking wheel driven by the gear
wheel, substantially as described.
5. In a telephone system, the call box comprising a containing box, a revoluble
dial thereon, a handle on the dial, a fastening device actuated by the handle to fix
the position of the dial, a gear wheel journaled in the box, a driving spring connecting
the gear wheel and dial, stops to limit the relative movements of the gear wheel and
dial, a lock for the gear wheel, and a circuit-breaking wheel driven by the gear
wheel, substantially as described.
6. In a telephone system, the call box comprising a containing box, a revoluble
dial thereon, a fastening device to fix the position of the dial, a gear wheel journaled
in the box, a driving spring connecting the gear wheel and dial, a fastening device
for the gear wheel, a circuit breaking wheel driven by the gear wheel and comprising
alternating conducting and insulating plates, and a contact spring engaging the
circuit-breaking wheel, substantially as described.

page_text: 7. In a telephone system, the switch comprising a barrel, a series of insulated
conducting parts thereon, a series of wheels, one for each subscriber, turning on
the barrel and connecting with each subscriber's wire, and contact making devices
carried by the wheels to engage the conducting parts on the barrel, substantially
as described.
8. In a telephone system, the switch comprising a barrel having circumferential
grooves, contact strips crossing the grooves and bent to enter portion of the
grooves, wheels turning on the barrel, and contact arms carried by the wheels to
engage the contact strips, substantially as described.
9. In a telephone system, the switch, comprising a barrel, a series of insulated
contact strips thereon, a series of collars or frames on the barrel, each being in
contact with one contact strip and insulated from the other contact strip, a
series of ratchet wheels turning on the aforesaid collars, contact arins carried by
the ratchet wheels to engage the contact strips, and magnet-actuated pawls to turn
the ratchet wheels, substantially as described.
10. In a telephone system, the switch comprising a barrel, a series of insulated
contact strips thereon, a series of revoluble ratchet wheels in their frames on the
barrel, each ratchet wheel being connected with its own telephone, contact arms
carried by the ratchet wheels to engage the other telephone contact strips, a
magnet-actuated post for each ratchet wheel, and a spring-pressed pawl carried by
the post to engage the ratchet wheel, substantially as described.
11. A telephone system, comprising a series of telephone instruments, a switch
having a barrel and a series of longitudinal insulated contact strips, each connected
with an independent telephone instrument, a series of ratchet wheels turning on the
barrel, each being in contact with one of the aforesaid strips, contact arms carried
by the ratchet wheels to engage the strips, oscillating posts, pawls carried by the
posts to engage the ratchet wheel, and a call box for each telephone instrument,
the call box being connected with the magnet of its appropriate ratchet wheel and
adapted to send electrical impulses through the magnet, substantially as described.
12. A telephone call box or the like, comprising a casing having a circular series
of numerals marked on its face, a dial having a circular series of name spaces
registering with said series of numerals and provided with an index, and circuit-
breaking devices arranged in said casing and actuated from said dial, substantially
as described.
13. In a telephone system or the like, a switch comprising a body having a series
of conducting parts each adapted to form one terminal of a subscriber's circuit, a
series of movable parts arranged to move over said body, and contact devices carried
on said movable parts and each adapted to form the other terminal of a subscriber's
circuit, said contact devices being each provided with two contact points adapted
alternately to contact with alternating members of the series of conducting parts,
substantially as described.
14. In a telephone system or the like, a switch comprising a cylindrical body
baving a parallel series of independent conducting parts each forming at all times
one terminal of a subscriber's circuit, a series of movable parts guided on the
outside of said body and arranged to contact successively with the respective
conducting parts forming the terminals of the respective subscriber's circuits, and
means for moving said movable parts independently of one another, substantially
as described.
15. A call box having a revoluble indicator, a revoluble wheel, stops on the
indicator and wheel arranged to engage one another, a circuit-breaking device
operated by said wheel, and a spring connected to said wheel and adapted, when
the wheel is released to drive the same forward to engage the stops with one
another and actuate said circuit-breaking device, substantially as described.
16. In a telephone system, a switch comprising a barrel, a series of insulated
contact strips thereon, a series of collars or frames on the barrel, each being in
contact with one contact strip and insulated from the other contact strips, a
series of wheels turning on the collars, contact devices on the said .wheels to
B

page_text: engage the contact strips, and means for actuating the said wheels, substantially
as described.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.