Cyclopedia of Telephony and Telegraphy Volume Ii Part 2

There is another method of accomplishing the same general result by the employment of the so-called _plug-ended trunk_ or _plug-ended transfer line_. In this the trunk or transfer line terminates at one end, the answering end, in a jack as before, and the connection is made with it by the answering operator by means of the calling plug of the pair with which she answered the originating call. The other end of this trunk, instead of terminating in a jack, ends in a plug and the second operator involved in the connection, after being notified, picks up this plug and inserts it in the jack of the called subscriber, thus completing the connection without employing one of her regular cord pairs.

_Jack-Ended Trunk._ In Fig. 330 are shown the circuits of a commonly employed jack-ended trunk for transfer boards. The talking circuit, as usual, is shown in heavy lines and terminates in the tip and sleeve of the transfer jacks at each end. The auxiliary contacts in these jacks and the circuits connecting them are absolutely independent of the talking circuit and are for the purpose of signaling only, the arrangement of the jacks being such that when a plug is inserted, the spring _1_ will break from spring _2_ and make with spring _3_.

Obviously, the insertion of a plug in either of the jacks will establish such connections as to light both lamps, since the engagement of spring _1_ with spring _3_ in either of the jacks will connect both of the lamps in multiple across the battery, this connection including always the contacts _1_ and _2_ of the other jack. From this it follows that the insertion of a plug in the other end of the trunk will, by breaking contact between springs _1_ and _2_, put out both the lamps. One plug inserted will, therefore, light both lamps; two plugs inserted or two plugs withdrawn will extinguish both lamps.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 331. Jack-Ended Transfer Circuit]

If an operator located at one end of this trunk answers a call and finds that the called-for subscriber's line terminates within reach of the operator near the other end of this trunk, she will insert a calling plug, corresponding to the answering plug used in answering a call, into the jack of this trunk and thus light the lamp at both its ends. The operator at the other end upon seeing this transfer lamp illuminated inserts one of her answering plugs into the jack, and by means of her listening key ascertains the number of the subscriber desired, and immediately inserts her calling plug into the jack of the subscriber wanted and rings him in the usual manner. The act of this second operator in inserting her answering plug into the jack extinguishes the lamp at her own end and also at the end where the call originated, thus notifying the answering operator that the call has been attended to. As long as the lamps remain lighted, the operators know that there is an unattended connection on that transfer line. Such a transfer line is called a _two-way_ line or a _single-track_ line, because traffic over it may be in either direction. In Fig. 331 is shown a trunk that operates in a similar way except that the two lamps, instead of being arranged in multiple, are arranged in series.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 332. Jack- and Plug-Ended Transfer Circuit]

_Plug-Ended Trunk._ In Fig. 332 is shown a plug-ended trunk, this particular arrangement of circuits being employed by the Monarch Company in its transfer boards. This is essentially a one-way trunk, and traffic over it can pa.s.s only in the direction of the arrow. Traffic in the opposite direction between any two operators is handled by another trunk or group of trunks similar to this but "pointed" in the other direction.

For this reason such a system is referred to as a _double-track_ system.

The operation of signals is the same in this case as in Fig. 330, except that the switching device at the left-hand end of the trunk instead of being a.s.sociated with the jack is a.s.sociated with the plug seat, which is a switch closely a.s.sociated with the seat of a plug so as to be operated whenever the plug is withdrawn from or replaced in its seat.

The operation of this arrangement is as follows: Whenever an operator at the right-hand end of this trunk receives a call for a subscriber whose line terminates within the reach of the operator at the left-hand end of the trunk, she inserts the calling plug of the pair used in answering the calling subscriber into the jack of the trunk, and thus lights both of the trunk lamps. The operator at the other end of the trunk, seeing the trunk lamp lighted, raises the plug from its seat and, having learned the wishes of the calling subscriber, inserts this plug into the jack of the called subscriber without using one of her regular pairs.

When she raised the trunk plug from its seat, she permitted the long spring _1_ of the plug seat switch to rise, thus extinguishing both lamps and giving the signal to the originating operator that the trunk connection has received attention. On taking down the connection, the withdrawal of the plug from the right hand of the trunk lights both lamps, and the restoring of the trunk plug to its normal seat again extinguishes both lamps.

=Plug-Seat Switch.= The plug-seat switch is a device that has received a good deal of attention not only for use with transfer systems, but also for use in a great variety of ways with other kinds of manual switching systems. The placing of a plug in its seat or withdrawing it therefrom offers a ready means of accomplishing some switching or signaling operation automatically. The plug-seat switch has, however, in spite of its possibilities, never come into wide use, and so far as we are aware the Monarch Telephone Manufacturing Company is the only company of prominence which incorporates it in its regular output. The Monarch plug-switch mechanism is shown in Fig. 333, and its operation is obvious. It may be stated at this point that one of the reasons why the plug-seat switch has not been more widely adopted for use, is the difficulty that has been experienced due to lint from the switchboard cords collecting on or about the contact points. In the construction given in the detailed cut, upper part, Fig. 333, is shown the means adopted by the Monarch Company for obviating this difficulty. The contact points are carried in the upper portion of an inverted cup mounted on the under side of the switchboard shelf, and are thus protected, in large measure, from the damaging influence of dust and lint.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 333. Plug-Seat Switch]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 334. Order-Wire Arrangement]

=Methods of Handling Transfers.= One way of giving the number of the called subscriber to the second operator in a transfer system is to have that operator listen in on the circuit after it is continued to her position and receive the number either from the first operator or from the subscriber. Receiving it from the first operator has the disadvantage of compelling the first operator to wait on the circuit until the second operator responds; receiving it from the subscriber has the disadvantage of sometimes being annoying to him. This, however, is to be preferred to the loss of time on the part of the originating operator that is entailed by the first method. A better way than either of these is to provide between the various operators working in a transfer system, a so-called _order-wire_ system. An order wire, as ordinarily arranged, is a circuit terminating at one end permanently in the head receiver of an operator, and terminating at the other end in a push b.u.t.ton which, when depressed, will connect the telephone set of the operator at that end with the order wire. The operator at the push-b.u.t.ton end of the order wire may, therefore, at will, communicate with the other operator in spite of anything that the other operator may do. An order-wire system suitable for transfer switchboards consists in an order wire leading from each operator's receiver to a push b.u.t.ton at each of the other operator's positions, so that every operator has it within her power to depress a key or b.u.t.ton and establish communication with a corresponding operator. When, therefore, an operator in a transfer system answers a call that must be completed through a transfer circuit, she establishes connection with that transfer circuit and then informs the operator at the other end of that circuit by order wire of the number of the trunk and the number of the subscriber with which that trunk is to be connected. Fig. 334 shows a system of order-wire b.u.t.tons by means of which each operator may connect her telephone set with that of every other operator in the room, the number in this case being confined to three. a.s.suming that each pair of wires leading from the lower portion of this figure terminates respectively in the operator's talking apparatus of the three respective operators, then it is obvious that operator No. 1, by depressing b.u.t.ton No. 2, will connect her telephone set with that of operator No. 2; likewise that any operator may communicate with any other operator by depressing the key bearing the corresponding number.

=Limitations of Transfer System.= It may be stated that the transfer system at present has a limited place in the art of telephony. The multiple switchboard has outstripped it in the race for popular approval and has demonstrated its superiority in practically all large manual exchange work. This is not because of lack of effort on the part of telephone engineers to make the transfer system a success in a broad way. A great variety of different schemes, all embodying the fundamental idea of having one operator answer the call and another operator complete it through a trunk line, have been tried. In San Francisco, the Sabin-Hampton system was in fairly successful service and served many thousands of lines for a number of years. It was, however, afterwards replaced by modern multiple switchboards.

_Examples of Obsolete Systems._ The Sabin-Hampton system was unique in many respects and involved three operators in each connection. It was one of the very first systems which employed automatic signaling throughout and did away with the subscribers' generators. It did not, however, dispense with the subscribers' local batteries.

Another large transfer system, used for years in an exchange serving at a time as many as 5,000, was employed at Grand Rapids, Michigan. This was later replaced by an automatic switchboard.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 335. Three-Position Transfer Switchboard]

=Field of Usefulness.= The real field of utility for the transfer system today is to provide for the growth of simple switchboards that have extended beyond their originally intended limits. By the adding of additional sections to the simple switchboard and the establishment of a comparatively cheap transfer system, the simple boards may be made to do continued service without wasting the investment in them by discarding them and establishing a completely new system. However, switchboards are sometimes manufactured in which the transfer system is included as a part of the original equipment. In Fig. 335 is shown a three-position transfer switchboard, manufactured by the Monarch Telephone Company. At first glance the switchboard appears to be exactly like those described in Chapter XXI, but on close observation, the transfer jacks and signals may be seen in the first and third positions, just below the line jacks and signals. There is no transfer equipment in the second position of this switchboard because the operator at that position is able to reach the jacks of all the lines and, therefore, is able to complete all calls originating on her position without the use of any transfer equipment.

Referring to Fig. 301, which ill.u.s.trates a two-position simple switchboard, it may readily be seen that if the demands for telephone service in the locality in which this switchboard is installed should increase so as to require the addition of more switchboard positions, this switchboard could readily be converted to a transfer switchboard by placing the necessary transfer jacks and signals in the vacant s.p.a.ce between the line jacks and clearing-out drops.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CABLE TURNING SECTIONS, BETWEEN A AND B BOARDS Cortlandt Office, New York Telephone Co.]

CHAPTER XXIV

PRINCIPLES OF THE MULTIPLE SWITCHBOARD

=Field of Utility.= The multiple switchboard, unlike the transfer board, provides means for each operator to complete, without a.s.sistance, a connection with any subscriber's line terminating in the switchboard no matter how great the number of lines may be. It is used only where the simple switchboard will not suffice; that is, where the number of lines and the consequent traffic is so great as to require so many operators and, therefore, so great a length of board as to make it impossible for any one operator to reach all over the face of the board without moving from her position.

=The Multiple Feature.= The fundamental feature of the multiple switchboard is the placing of a jack for every line served by the switchboard within the reach of every operator. This idea underlying the multiple switchboard may be best grasped by merely considering the mechanical arrangement and grouping of parts without regard to their details of operation. The idea is sometimes elusive, but it is really very simple. If the student at the outset will not be frightened by the very large number of parts that are sometimes involved in multiple switchboards, and by the great complexity which is apparent in the wiring and in the action of these parts; and will remember that this apparent complexity results from the great number of repet.i.tions of the same comparatively simple group of apparatus and circuits, much will be done toward a mastery of the subject.

The multiple switchboard is divided into sections, each section being about the width and height that will permit an ordinary operator to reach conveniently all over its face. The usual width of a section brought about by this limitation is from five and one-half to six feet.

Such a section affords room for three operators to sit side by side before it. Now each line, instead of having a single jack as in the simple switchboard, is provided with a number of jacks and one of these is placed on each of the sections, so that each one of the operators may have within her reach a jack for each line. It is from the fact that each line has a multiplicity of jacks, that the term multiple switchboard arises.

_Number of Sections._ Since there is a jack for each line on each section of the switchboard, it follows that on each section there are as many jacks as there are lines; that is, if the board were serving 5,000 lines there would be 5,000 jacks. Let us see now what it is that determines the number of sections in a multiple switchboard. In the final a.n.a.lysis, it is the amount of traffic that arises in the busiest period of the day. a.s.sume that in a particular office serving 5,000 lines, the subscribers call at such a very low rate that even at the busiest time of the day only enough calls are made to keep, say, three operators busy. In this case there would be no need for the multiple switchboard, for a single section would suffice. The three operators seated before that section would be able to answer and complete the connections for all of the calls that arose. But subscribers do not call at this exceedingly low rate. A great many more calls would arise on 5,000 lines during the busiest hour than could be handled by three operators and, therefore, a great many more operators would be required.

s.p.a.ce has to be provided for these operators to work in, and as each section accommodates three operators the total number of sections must be at least equal to the total number of required operators divided by three.

Let us a.s.sume, for instance, that each operator can handle 200 calls during the busy hour. a.s.sume further that during the busy hour the average number of calls made by each subscriber is two. One hundred subscribers would, therefore, originate 200 calls within this busy hour and this would be just sufficient to keep one operator busy. Since one operator can handle only the calls of one hundred subscribers during the busy hour, it follows that as many operators must be employed as there are hundreds of subscribers whose lines are served in a switchboard, and this means that in an exchange of 5,000 subscribers, 50 operators'

positions would be required, or 16-2/3 sections. Each of these sections would be equipped with the full 5,000 jacks, so that each operator could have a connection terminal for each line.

_The Multiple._ These groups of 5,000 jacks, repeated on each of the sections are termed multiple jacks, and the entire equipment of these multiple jacks and their wiring is referred to as the multiple. It will be shown presently that the multiple jacks are only used for enabling the operator to connect with the called subscriber. In other words these jacks are for the purpose of enabling each operator to have within her reach any line that may be called for regardless of what line originates the call. We will now consider what arrangements are provided for enabling the operator to receive the signal indicating a call and what provisions are made for her to answer the call in response to such a signal.

=Line Signals.= Obviously it is not necessary to have the line signals repeated on each section of the board as are the multiple jacks. If a line has one definite place on the switchboard where its signal may be received and its call may be answered, that suffices. Each line, therefore, in addition to having its multiple jacks distributed one on each section of the switchboard, has a line signal and an individual jack immediately a.s.sociated with it, located on one only of the sections. This signal usually is in the form of a lamp and is termed the line signal, and this jack is termed the answering jack since it is by means of it that the operator always answers a call in response to the line signal.

_Distribution of Line Signals._ It is evident that it would not do to have all of these line signals and answering jacks located at one section of the board for then they would not be available to all of the operators. They are, therefore, distributed along the board in such a way that one group of them will be available to one operator, another group to another operator, and so on; the number of answering jacks and signals in any one group being so proportioned with respect to the number of calls that come in over them during the busy hour that it will afford just about enough calls to keep the operator at that position busy.

We may summarize these conditions with respect to the jack and line-signal equipment of the multiple switchboard by saying that each line has a multiple jack on each section of the board and in addition to this has on one section of the board an answering jack and a line signal. These answering jacks and line signals are distributed in groups along the face of the board so that each operator will receive her proper quota of the originating calls which she will answer and, by virtue of the multiple jack, be able to complete the connections with the desired subscribers without moving from her position.

=Cord Circuits.= Each operator is also provided with a number of pairs of cords and plugs with proper supervisory or clearing-out signals and ringing and listening keys, the arrangement in this respect being similar to that already described in connection with the simple switchboard.

=Guarding against Double Connections.= From what has been said it is seen that a call originating on a given line may be answered at one place only, but an outgoing connection with that line may be made at any position. This fact that a line may be connected with when called for at any one of the sections of the switchboard makes necessary the provision that two or more connections will not be made with the same line at the same time. For instance, if a call came in over a line whose signal was located on the first position of the switchboard for a connection with line No. 1,000, the operator at the first position would connect this calling line with No. 1,000 through the multiple jack on the first section of the switchboard. a.s.sume now that some line, whose signal was located on the 39th position of the switchboard, should call also for line No. 1,000 while that line was still connected with the first calling subscriber. Obviously confusion would result if the operator at the 39th position, not knowing that line No. 1,000 was already busy, should connect this second line with it, thereby leaving both of the calling subscribers connected with line No. 1,000, and as a result all of these three subscribers connected together.

The provisions for suitable means for preventing the making of a connection with a line that is already switched at some other section of the switchboard, has offered one of the most fertile fields for invention in the whole telephone art. The ways that have been proposed for accomplishing this are legion. Fortunately common practice has settled on one general plan of action and that is to so arrange the circuits that whenever a line is switched at one section, such an electrical condition will be established on the forward contacts of all of its multiple jacks that any operator at any other section in attempting to make a connection with that line will be notified of the fact that it is already switched by an audible signal, which she will receive in her head receiver. On the other hand the arrangement is such that when a line is not busy, _i. e._, it is not switched at any of the positions of the switchboard, the operator on attempting to make a connection with such a line will receive no such guarding signal and will, therefore, proceed with the connection.

We may liken a line in a multiple switchboard to a lane having a number of gates giving access to it. One of these gates--the answering jack--is for the exclusive use of the proprietor of that lane. All of the other gates to the lane--the multiple jacks--are for affording means for the public to enter. But whenever any person enters one of these gates, a signal is automatically put up at all of the other gates forbidding any other person to enter the lane as long as the first person is still within.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 336. Principle of Multiple Switchboard]

=Diagram Showing Multiple Board Principle.= For those to whom the foregoing description of the multiple board is not altogether clear, the diagram of Fig. 336 may offer some a.s.sistance. Five subscribers' lines are shown running through four sections of a switchboard. Each of these lines is provided with a multiple jack on each section of the board.

Each line is also provided with an answering jack and a line signal on one of the sections of the board. Thus the answering jacks and the line signals of lines _1_ and _2_ are shown in Section I, that of line _4_ is shown in Section II, that of line _3_ in Section III, and that of line _5_ in Section IV. At Section I, line _1_ is shown in the condition of having made a call and having had this call answered by the operator inserting one of her plugs into its answering jack. In response to the instructions given by the subscriber, the operator has inserted the other plug of this same pair in the multiple jack of line _2_, thus connecting these two lines for conversation. At Section III, line _3_ is shown as having made a call, and the operator as having answered by inserting one of her plugs into the answering jack. It happens that the subscriber on line _3_ requests a connection with line _1_, and the condition at Section III is that where the operator is about to apply the tip of the calling plug to the jack of line _1_ to ascertain whether or not that line is busy. As before stated, when the contact is made between the tip of the calling plug and the forward contact of the multiple jack, the operator will receive a click in the ear (by means that will be more fully discussed in later chapters), this click indicating to her that line _1_ is not available for connection because it is already switched at some other section of the switchboard.

=Busy Test.= The busy signal, by which an operator in attempting to make a connection is informed that the line is already busy, has a.s.sumed a great variety of forms and has brought forth many inventions. It has been proposed by some that the insertion of a plug into any one of the jacks of a line would automatically close a little door in front of each of the other jacks of the line, therefore making it impossible for any other operator to insert a plug as long as the line is in use. It has been proposed by others to ring bells or to operate buzzers whenever the attempt was made by an operator to plug into a line that was already in use. Still others have proposed to so arrange the circuits that the operator would get an electric shock whenever she attempted to plug into a busy line. The scheme that has met with universal adoption, however, is that the operator shall, when the tip of her calling plug touches the forward contact of the jack of a line that is already switched, receive a click in her telephone which will forbid her to insert the plug. The absence of this click, or silence in her telephone, informs her that she may safely make the connection.

_Principle._ The means by which the operator receives or fails to receive this click, according to whether the line is busy or idle, vary widely, but so far as the writers are aware they all have one fundamental feature in common. The tip of the calling plug and the test contact of all of the multiple jacks of an idle line must be absolutely at the same potential before the test, so that no current will flow through the test circuit when the test is actually made. The test thimbles of all the jacks of a busy line must be at a different potential from the tip of the test plug so that a current will flow and a click result when the test is made.

_Potential of Test Thimbles._ It has been found an easy matter to so arrange the contacts in the jacks of a multiple switchboard that whenever the line is idle the test thimbles of that line will be a certain potential, the same as that of all the unused calling plug tips.

It has also been easy to so arrange these contacts that the insertion of a plug into any one of the jacks will, by virtue of the contacts established, change the potential of all the test thimbles of that line so that they will be at a different potential from that of the tips of the calling plugs. It has not been so easy, however, to provide that these conditions shall exist under all conditions of practice. A great many busy tests that looked well on paper have been found faulty in practice. As is always the case in such instances, this has been true because the people who considered the scheme on paper did not foresee all of the conditions that would arise in practice. Many busy-test systems will operate properly while everything connected with the switchboard and the lines served by it remains in proper order. But no such condition as this can be depended on in practice. Switchboards, no matter how perfectly made and no matter with how great care they may be installed and maintained, will get out of order. Telephone lines will become grounded or short-circuited or crossed or opened. Such conditions, in a faulty busy-test system, may result in a line that is really idle presenting a busy test, and thus barring the subscriber on that line from receiving calls from other lines just as completely as if his line were broken. On the other hand, faulty conditions either in the switchboard or in the line may make a line that is really busy, test idle, and thus result in the confusion of having two or more subscribers connected to the same line at the same time.

_Busy-Test Faults._ To show how elusive some of the faults of a busy test may be, when considered on paper, it has come within the observation of the writers that a new busy-test system was thought well enough of by a group of experienced engineers to warrant its installation in a group of very large multiple switchboards, the cost of which amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and yet when so installed it developed that a single short-circuited cord in a position would make the test inoperative on all the cords of that position--obviously an intolerable condition. Luckily the remedy was simple and easily applied.

In a well-designed busy-test system there should be complete silence when the test is made of an idle line, and always a well-defined click when the test is made of a busy line. The test on busy lines should result in a uniform click regardless of length of lines or the condition of the apparatus. It does not suffice to have a little click for an idle line and a big click for a busy line, as practice has shown that this results in frequent errors on the part of the operators.

Good operating requires that the tip of the calling plug be tapped against the test thimble several times in order to make sure of the state of the called line.

In some multiple switchboards the arrangement has been such that the jacks of a line would test busy as soon as the subscriber on that line removed his receiver from its hook to make a call, as well as while any plug was in any jack of that line. The advocates of this added feature, in connection with the busy test, have claimed that the receiver, when removed from its hook in making a call, should make the line test busy and that a line should not be connected with when the subscriber's receiver was off its hook any more than it should be when it was already connected with at some other section of the switchboard. While it is true that a line may be properly termed busy when the subscriber has removed his receiver in order to make a call, it is not true that there is any real necessity for guarding against a connection with it while he is waiting for the operator to answer. Leaving the line unguarded for this brief period may result in the subscriber, who intended to make the call, having to defer his call until he has conversed with the party who is trying to reach him. This cannot be said to be a detriment to the service, however, since the second party gets the connection he desires much sooner than he otherwise would, and the first party may still make his first intended call as soon as he has disposed of the party who reached him while he was waiting for his own operator to answer. It may be said, therefore, in connection with this matter of making the line test busy as soon as a subscriber has removed his receiver from the hook, that it is not considered an essential, and in case of those switchboard systems which naturally work out that way it is not considered a disadvantage.

=Field of Each Operator.= It was stated earlier in this chapter that as each section accommodated three operators, the total number of sections in a switchboard will be at least one-third the total number of required operators. This thought needs further development, for to stop at that statement is to arrive somewhat short of the truth. In order to do this it is necessary to consider the field in the multiple, reached by each operator. The section is of such size, or should be, that an operator seated in the center position of it may, without undue effort, reach all over the multiple. But the operator at the right-hand position cannot reach the extreme left portion of the multiple of that section, nor can the operator at the left reach the extreme right. How then may each operator reach a jack for every line? Remembering that the multiple jacks are arranged exactly the same in each section, each jack always occupying the same relative position, it is easy to see that while the operator at a right-hand position of a section cannot reach the left-hand third of the multiple in her own section, she may reach the left-hand third of the multiple in the section at her right, and this, together with the center and right-hand thirds of her own section, represents the entire number of lines. So it is with the left-hand operator at any section, she reaches two-thirds of all the lines in the multiple of her own section and one-third in that of the section at her left.

_End Positions._ This makes it necessary to inquire about the operators at the end positions of the entire board. To provide for these the multiple is extended one-third of a section beyond them, so as to supply at the ends of the switchboard jacks for those lines which the end operators cannot reach on their own sections. Sometimes instead of adding these end sections to the multiple for the end operators, the same result is accomplished by using only the full and regular sections of the multiple, and leaving the end positions without operators'

equipment, as well as without answering jacks, line signals, and cords and plugs, so that in reality the end operator is at the middle position of the end section. This, in our opinion, is the better practice, since it leaves the sections standard, and makes it easier to extend the switchboard in length, as it grows, by the mere addition of new sections without disturbing any of the old multiple.