US2342586A - Repeater system - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 22, 1944. e. KINER 2,342,586

' I REPEATER SYSTEM Filed May 5, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 22, 1944.

E PLUG 55/17 G. KINER REPEATER SYSTEM Filed May 5, 1941 REPEA TE? OP/P. SET

3 sheets-sheet 2 EZEZZZ'Z ngr.

Feb. 22, 1944. G, lNER 2,342,586

REPEATER SYSTEM Patented Feb. 22, 1944 REPEATER SYSTEM Glenn Kiner, Markham, BL,

Switchboard and Supply Ill., acorporation oi. Illinois assignor to Kellogg Company, Chicago,

Application May 5, 1941, Serial No. 391,822

This invention relates in general to telephone systems and more particularly to a voice current repeater system for th interconnection of long distance lines.

One object of this invention is to provide for the more efllcient and economical use of voice current repeaters. Specifically the object is to provide means whereby a voice current repeater which is common to a group of link circuits may. if idle, be automatically included in any one 01' the several link circuits incident to the normal use of the latter, which link circuits may be located at one or different operators positions; and the further provision of means operative while the said repeater is in use to render it temporarily individual to such link circuit. A further object is to provide a repeater available to several cords which while in use will provide secret service on the connection, but which when released from use, is automatically interposed into another corresponding busy cord connection. I

One feature of the invention is the provision of guard signals which are operated at the several positions where the cords are located when the repeater is cut into a toll connection by one operator, to warn the operators at other positions that the common repeater is already in use.

The foregoing features, and others not specifically pointed out, will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 illustrates a circuit arrangement of a repeater ton line circuit of this invention;

Fig. 2 shows a repeater cord circuit having two connecting cords;

Fig, 3 shows another repeater toll line circuit; and I Fig. 4 shows schematically the application of the invention to three positions, with most of the cord circuit omitted.

General operation between lines. The toll line circuit also includes a ringing relay RI which, when operated by the actuation of the ringing key RK, connects ringing current from a suitable ringing current source RC, to the lines of station A to call the latter. v

9 Claims. (01. 179-41 Whepf'station A is calling, a ring-up relay RR is operated by the ringing current and operates the line relay LR. The line relay, in turn, closes a circuit to actuate the line signal LL, and lock up. A supervisory relay SR controls the signal LL to give the operator a disconnect or recall signal. 'A connecting relay CR is provided which controls the efiacement of the line lamp signal LL, completes the continuity of the tip and ring con ductors T and R, and also connects the attenuation control pad GC, and the artificial line AL of the balance network BN into the circuit.

, In Fig. 2, a repeater cord circuit is illustrated having a common two-way voice curent repeater VCR, and at least two cords T0 and T0 at the same or different toll operators positions. The

SC. Guard lamps GL and GL' oi the cords give visual indication to the operators when the twoway vo'ice current repeater VCR having the terminals L, L', L and L L, L is being used in a connection between a calling and 9. called toll line. The voice current repeaters and the repeater line circuits, may be of any well-known type as, for example, those shown in U. S. Patent No, 2,050,292, issued to George R. Eaton. Listening keys LR and LK', associated with the respective cords, when actuated, connect the operators sets to the cord conductors, and remove ground from the circuit of the respective repeater connecting relays. v

In Fig. 3, is shown another repeater line circuit RL', for the called toll substation B, extending through repeating coil RC to a toll position at an exchange and terminates in a local jack LJ', and a repeater jack TJ'. This line circuit is similar to that in Fig. 1. Further description is not believed necessary. Like apparatus in the two'flgures are indicated by corresponding reference characters.

Detail operation Having described, in general, the apparatus of this invention, a more detailed description of operation will now be given by tracing the operation of the circuits in establishing a connection between a calling toll substation A and a called toll substation B.

The subscriber at the toll substation A, initiates a call by operating the hand generator MG and ringing current therefrom flows through the repeating coil RC of the line circuit to temporarily operate the ring-up relay RR. The

closing of the front contact by armature 2 of this relay completes an operating circuit for line relay LR. The line relay circuit extends from grounded battery through the winding of relay LR, back contact and armature 3 of connecting relay CR, conductor 4, to ground at front contact and armature 2 of relay RR. Upon the termination of ringing current, relay RR restores and opens the energizing circuit of the line relay. In restoring, its armature 2 completes a circuit for the line signal LL through armature I and front contact of the line relay LR, and over conductors 9 and 8. The line relay LR operates and looks through its front contact and armature over conductor 6, to ground through back contact and armature 1 of the relay CR.

The line lamp LL is lighted at toll position C in the exchange, and the toll operator noting the display on indicator LL, inserts an answering plug of an ordinary cord (not shown) into the calling line local jack LJ. Upon being informed that the called party is located at the toll substation B, the operator withdraws the plug from the local jack LJ and inserts the answering plug AP of a repeater cord circuit TO into the repeater jack TJ. The insertion of the plug AP into the jack TJ closes the normally open contact ll of the latter which completes a circuit for the connect relay CR over conductors l2 and I3. The operation of relay CR moves its armature 3 to break the locking circuit of line relay LR, and prepares a circuit for relay SR. The line relay restores its armature l0 and eflaces the line signal LL.

The operator may now actuate the listening key LK to connect the operators set to the tip and ring conductors T and R of the cord TO and converse with the subscriber at A. The closure of front contact and armature l4 and the closure of front contact and armature l5 of relay CR completed the continuity of the tip and ring conductors T and R. Relay CR also connects the gain control pad GC and the balance network BN into the circuit. Assuming that the wanted party is the toll subscriber at the substation E (Fig. 3), the operator now releases listening key LK and inserts the calling plug CP of repeater cord circuit TO into the repeater jack TJ' of the called line.

The plug seat switch PS (associated with the calling plug CP) is operated by removal of the plug from its seat and permits the normally open spring contact Hi to close and establish a circuit for the repeater switching control relay SC, from battery through its own winding, conductor l'l, back contact and armature l8 of the repeater switching control relay SC (of the cord circuit T0 at position D), conductors l9 and I8, to ground at closed contact l6 of the plug switch. Relay SC operates and locks through its front contact and armature 20, over conductor Hi, to ground at the closed contact l6 of the plug switch PS. The circuits of the repeater connecting relays RP and RP are in parallel and traced from battery through their respective windings, conductors 22 and 23, front contact and armature 2| of the relay SC, conductor 24,

to ground at normally closed contact 28 of the operators listening key LK. The relays RP and RP operate. The closing by armatures 26, 21 and 28 of the front contacts of relay RP connects the tip, ring, and sleeve conductors T, R, and S of the answering end of the cord or link circuit TO by way of conductors 29, 30, 3|; and 32, 33, and 34 to the repeater terminals L, L, and L The closing by armatures 3T, 38, and 39 of the front contacts of relay RP, (associated with the calling end of the cord TO) connects the respective tip, ring, and sleeve conductors T, R, and S at the calling end of the cord TO over conductors 40, ll, 42; and 43, 44, and 45 to the terminals L L and L at the other side of the voice current repeater.

The insertion of the calling plug CP into the trunk jack TJ' of the repeater line circuit RL', (Fig. 3) closes an energizing circuit for the connect relay CR which operates from battery through its own winding, conductors l3 and I2, to ground at the now-closed contact H of the jack TJ'. The closing of front contacts on relay CR, by armatures I4, l5 and 54, connects the attenuation control pad GC' and the balance network BN' into the talking circuit of the repeater line of station B. The closing by armatures 3' of front contact on relay CR prepares a circuit for the supervisory relay SR which will be operated, when a disconnect or recall signal is received from the called toll line B.

The operator now signals the called station B by operating the ringing key RK associated with the line circuit RL'. The closing of its normally open contact completes a circuit for the ringing relay RI. Ringing current from ringing source RG' flows through front contact and armature 58 of relay RI, normal contact 59 of the local jack LJ', windings and Bi of the repeating 0011 RC, normal contact 62 of the local jack, to ground at front contact and armature 63 of the relay RI. Ringing current induced in the windings 64 and 65 of the repeating coil RC actuates the signal at the called substation B. The operator may monitor the call in the usual manner. The talking circuit, when the subscriber at B answers, is traced over the T and R conductors which include the connected voice current repeater.

Upon conclusion of conversation, the subscriber at the calling toll substation A restores the receiver and actuates the hand generator MG to again operate the ring-up relay RR of the line circuit RL. The closing of its front contact by armature 2 of relay RR completes a circuit for the supervisory relay SR through front contact.

and armature 3 of relay CR. The relay SR operates and locks from battery through its own winding, its front contact and armature B8, to ground at front contact and armature I of relay CR. At the conclusion of signal current, relay RR restores, closing at its back contact by armature 2 a circuit for the combined disconnect and line signal means LL, from battery through LL, conductor 8, front contact and armature 10 of relay SR, back contact andarmature H! of relay LR, to ground at back contact and armature 2 of relay RR. The signal LL indicates that conversation is terminated.

The party at the called toll substation B, upon completion of conversation, operates hand generator MG to actuate the ring-up relay RR of the repeater line circuit RL'. The closing of its front contact by armature 2 closes the circuit for the supervisory relay SR from battery through winding oi relay SR front contact and armature 3' of relay CR, conductor 4, to ground at front contact and armature 2 of relay RR. Relay SR operates. and locks through its front contact and armature 68, to ground, at front contact and armature 1 of relay CR. The cessation of ringing current from the toll substation B releases relay RR which restores, and again closes its back contact by armature 2'. It thereupon lights the disconnect signal LL of the line circuit RL, from battery through the lamp LL, conductors 8 and 9, front contact and armature 10 of relay SR, back contact and armature l of relay LR, to ground, at back contact and restored armature 2 of the relay RR.

The operator noting the disconnect signals LL and LL, removes the plugs AP and CP from the respective jacks TJ and TJ'. The restoration of the plug CP upon its plug switch PS again opens contact l6 to interrupt the locking circuit of the relay SC of the cord TO. Relay SC restores and releases armature 2| from its front contact which restores relays RP and RP. The opening of armatures 2'6, 21, and 28 from their front contacts, and armatures 31, 38, and 39 from the front contacts of the respective relays RP and RP, disconnects the two-way voice current repeater from the cord TO and permits its use for establishing other repeater connections.

Whenever the repeater is in use, suitable guard lamps GL and GL warn the operators that it is not available for use. The energization, as before described, of the repeater switching control relay SC of the toll operator's cord TO, closed its front contact by armature 50 and connected ground to the guard lamp circuit.

Assuming now, however, that the toll operator at the position D ignores the lighted lamp GL vat her position and attempts to establish a connection with the repeater, the removal of the calling plug CP from its plug seat brings about the closing of the normally open contact l6 of plug switch PS, but this ground does not complete an energizing circuit for the relay SC (of the cord T0 of the toll position D) because the initial energizing circuit of this relay is interrupted at the back contact and armature 8| of the relay SC (of the cord 'IO-at the position C). Relay SC does not operate and front contact and armature 2| remain open. Relays RP and Pt of the cord TC consequently cannot operate to close the circuits to the respective repeater terminals L, L, L, and L L L The cord, however, at this time may be used to complete a non-repeater type connection if traffic requires its use even though the repeater is not immediately available. In such a case, the connection is directly through the T, R, and S conductors of the cord. The operation of plug switch |6, however, prepared a circuit for the repeater switching relay SC so that if the repeater is released at position C, upon termination of a call thereat, it will be automatically connected into the cord circuit at position D to improve the conversational characteristics of the latter circuit, provided, of course, that the connection is continuing. As soon as armature 8| closes its back contact, the circuit of relay SC is completed. It then operates and in turn completes the circuits of relays RP and RP These relays au tomatically connect the repeater to the circuit at their front contacts by respective armatures 26', 21 and 28', and also arrna-tures 31, 38, and 39'.

Now, if the operator at the toll position D had established the first connection, i. e., between the calling toll substation A and the called toll substation B, then the energizing circuit of relay SC (of the cord TO) extended from battery through the winding of relay SC, conductor 82, back contact and armature 8| of relay SC (of cord CO at position C), conductors 83 and 84, to ground at the closed contact l6 of the actuated plug switch PS. Relay SC would operate and'lock to ground at closed plug switch contact l6, by armature 28 engaging its front contact. Relay SC also completes energizing circuits for the relays RP and RP from the ground at back contact and armature of the operators key LK, The closing by armatures 26, 21, and 28 of front contacts of relay RP and by armatures 31, 38", 38 of front contacts of relay RP connects the tip, ring. and sleeve conductors of the cord TO to the respective terminals L, L, L and L L L of the repeater via conductors 29', 30, 3|, 32, 33, 34 and conductors 40, 4|, 42, 43, 44, 45. The closing of front contact by armature 80 of relay SC completes the multiple circuit of the guard lamps GL and GL for the toll positions C and D.

Now, if the toll operator at position C, at-

I tempts to make a connection which would include the repeater, a non-repeater type toll cord connection may be established, but the repeater cannot beincluded in the circuit. The initial energizing circuit of relay SC of the cord T0) is held open at back contact l8 cf energized relay SC. Hence. relay SC cannot operate and its open front contact and armature 2| prevents the energizing of relays RP and RP. Relays RP and RP remain normal, thus a second toll operator cannot intrude on the established connection. It is, therefore, seen that although the common repeater is available to a group of at least two toll operators cords for connection in the toll cord circuits. when a connection has been made by the calling plug at one position, all other cords of the common group are precluded from either using the repeater or interfering with its use in an existing connection.

In Fig. 4, a schematic wiring diagram shows the adaptation of the invention to three cords having a repeater circuit common thereto. Of course, each of the positions may have additional cord circuits, having a common repeater avail able for connection. Although each repeater can only be used in only one cord connection at a time, it may automatically be placed in another busy cord. when released from a prior connection.

Where more than two cords are common to a repeater, additional contacts are needed on the SC relays, so that the energizing circuit of each relay is under the control of contacts on each of the others of the common group of cord circuits. For example, relay SC in Fig. 4 has its energizing circuit extending through back contact and armature 98 of relay SC"; back contact and armature of relay SC; and conductor I9; to ground through normally open contact I6 of plug switch E. Similarly. relay SC has its winding in series with back contact and armature 9| of relay SC; back contact and armature 9| of relay SC; conductor l9, normally open contact I5 of relay switch F, to ground. Relay SC has its winding in the circuit of back contact and armature 9| of relay SC; back contact and armature 90 of relay SC; conductor IE", to ground through normally open contact l6" of plug switch G. The operation of the cord circuit in other respects is the same as previously described.

at any one of the positions, or two of the re-' peaters could be employed with two cords at one position and the other repeater with a cord at either of the other positions. In other words, the repeaters may be used at whichever positions the varying traillc requirements dictate.

A system of the type herein described is useful for private telephone systems such as used by oil companies, railroads, etc, where the normal trafilc does not warrant the cost of many'ex pensive repeaters, but where occasional emergency traflic conditions may warrant conversational connections omitting a repeater; or at least temporarily omitting the repeater for a part of a conversation.

Although a preferred embodiment ofthis invention is illustrated and described, variations in the details are contemplated and the invention should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telephone system, a repeater circuit comprising a voice current repeater, two or more cords arranged to separately include said repeater serially in their respective circuits, and relay means actuated by setting up a connection with one of said cords to seize said repeater, if idle, and connect it into the used cord, and means to prevent disturbing the connection by the use of another of said cords.

2. In a telephone system, a plurality of connecting links, a two-way repeater, means for connecting said repeater, if idle, to any one of said links taken for use, means permitting the use of asecond one of said links in establishing a connection exclusive of said repeater, and means for automatically connecting said repeater to said second one of said links incident to disestablishing the connection through the first-mentioned link.

3. A telephone system including two or more cords, a voice current repeater common to said cords and adapted to be connected in any one of said cords one at a time, a switching control relay for each cord, a plug seat switch at the calling end of each cord, an energizing circuit for each control relay extending through the plug switch of its respective cord and through normal contacts on the control relays of all other of said cords, repeater connecting relays for each cord arranged to connect said repeater therein, the operation of each control relay being arranged to energize the repeater connecting relays 01 its cord, to lock itself through said plug switch, and to open the energizing circuit of the control relays of each of the other cords.

4. In a telephone system, a plurality of connectin links, a two-way repeater arranged for use individually with any of said links, means for automatically including said repeater in the first established link connection and to render said repeater individual to said connection during the continuance thereof, means whereby other links may be employed to establish connections, exclusive of said repeater, during the continuance of the connection first established, and

' 5 means whereby. upon the termination of a connection in which said repeater is included, said repeater will be automatically transferred into another one of said existing connections one at a time, so long as any of said links continue in use.

5. In a telephone system, a plurality of links, a two-way repeater common to said links, means for automatically including said repeater in a link connection and for rendering it individual 5 to said connection, means' for establishing nonrepeater type connections through any or all of the other links, and means to automatically transfer said repeater from a terminatedlink connection to another continuing link connection until all of the link connections have been terminated.

6. In a telephone system, links, switching means enabling talking connections to be set up through said links respectively, a voice current repeater common to said links, the terminal con- 5 ductors of said repeater being multipled to open contacts at each of said links, relaymeans in each link operable incidental to the setting up of a connection therethrough for splitting the link and for closing said open contacts to insert said repeater into the link, and interlocking circuit connections between the relay means of the links effective to prevent the insertion of said repeater into more than one link at a time.

7. In a telephone system, links, switching means enabling talking connections to be setup through said links respectively, a. voice current repeater common to said links, the terminal conductors of said repeater being multipled to open contacts at each of said links, and means in each 0 link operable incidental to the setting up of a connection therethrough for splitting the link and for closing said open contacts to insert said repeater into the link.

8. Ina telephone system, links, switching means enabling talking connections to be set up through said links respectively, a, voice current repeater common to said links, the terminal conductors of said repeater being multipled to open contacts at each of said links, and means in each link for splitting the link and for closing said Open contacts to insert said repeater into the link, whereby the repeater may be used in a connection set up through any one of said links.

9. In a telephone system, links, switching means GLENN KINER.

enabling talking connections to bet set up through

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