Arrangement for automatic switching systems

Claim 1

AN AUTOMATIC SWITCHING NETWORK COMPRISING A FIRST GROUP OF TERMINALS, A SECOND GROUP OF TERMINALS, A PLURALITY OF SWITCHING STAGES, AND A PLURALITY OF CONDUCTORS INTERCONNECTING SAID TERMINALS AND SWITCHING STAGES TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF CHANNELS BETWEEN ANY TERMINAL OF SAID FIRST GROUP AND ANY TERMINAL OF SAID SECOND GROUP, EACH CHANNEL EXTENDING THROUGH EACH SWITCHING STAGE, EACH SWITCHING STAGE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CROSSPOINT SWITCH MEANS, EACH CROSSPOINT SWITCH MEANS COMPRISING DIODE MEANS AND A RELAY HAVING A WINDING AND A PAIR OF CONTACTS, EACH SAID STAGE HAVING MARKER CONDUCTOR MEANS, MEANS SERIALLY CONNECTING SAID DIODE MEANS AND WINDING BETWEEN SAID MARKET CONDUCTOR MEANS AND CONDUCTOR EXTENDING TOWARD SAID FIRST GROUP OF TERMINALS FROM THE RESPECTIVE STAGE, AND MEANS CONNECTING EACH PAIR OF RELAY CONTACTS BETWEEN THE JUNCTION OF THE DIODE AND WINDING OF THE RESPECTIVE RELAY AND A CONDUCTOR EXTENDING TOWARD SAID SECOND GROUP OF TERMINALS FROM THE RESPECTIVE STAGE, MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY APPLYING MARKING POTENTIALS BETWEEN ONE TERMINAL OF SAID FIRST GROUP AND A MARKING CONDUCTOR OF EACH STAGE, WHEREBY A RELAY OF EACH STAGE IS ENERGIZED BY WAY OF THE DIODE MEANS CONNECTED THERETO FOR CLOSING THE RESPECTIVE CONTACTS TO ESTABLISH A CONDUCTIVE PATH BETWEEN SAID ONE TERMINAL OF SAID FIRST GROUP AND ONE TERMINAL OF SAID SAECOND GROUP, AND MEANS FOR PROVIDING A HOLDING POTENTIAL BETWEN SAID ONE TERMINAL OF SAID FIRST GROUP AND SAID ONE TERMINAL OF SAID SECOND GROUP WHEREBY THE DIODE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ENERGIZED RELAYS ARE REVERSE BIASED UPON APPLICATION OF MARKING POTENTIALS BETWEEN ANOTHER TERMINAL OF SAID FIRST GROUP AND SAID MARKING CONDUCTORS OF EACH STAGE.