Attendant to trunk coupler

Claim 2

In a common control telephone system including connections with groups of trunk circuits, a common control circuit and a plurality of attendants facilities, each facility including a turret, having a plurality of individual trunk keys associated therewith, and its associated register, and selectively connectable transmission and logic control leads provided between each register and each one of a plurality of trunks which are capable of being accessed thereby and connected thereto, an attendant-to-trunk coupler for establishing exclusive connections between one attendant and one trunk comprising: first means including a semiconductor breakdown diode circuit responsive to a signal generated as a result of the depression of one of said keys on one of said attendant''s turrets for connecting said transmission and logic control leads between the register associated with said one of said attendant''s turrets and the trunk associated with said key so as to establish a connection between one attendant''s facility and a single trunk; and second means responsive to the connection of said one attendant''s facility with said single trunk for preventing the connection of any other attendant''s facility with said trunk, whereby only one attendant may be connected with one trunk at a time.

Claim 3

In a common control telephone system including connections with groups of trunk circuits, a common control circuit and a plurality of attendants facilities, each facility including a turret, having a plurality of individual trunk keys associated therewith, and its associated register, and selectively connectable transmission and logic control leads provided between each register and each one of a plurality of trunks which are capable of being accessed thereby and connected thereto, an attendant-to-trunk coupler for establishing exclusive connections between one attendant and one trunk comprising: first means including a semiconductor breakdown diode circuit responsive to a signal generated as a result of the depression of one of said keys on one of said attendant''s turrets for connecting said transmission and logic control leads between the register associated with said one of said attendant''s turrets and the trunk associated with said key so as to establish a connection between one attendant''s facility and a single trunk; and second means responsive to the connection of said one attendant''s facility with said single trunk for preventing the connection of any other attendant''s facility with said trunk, whereby only one attendant may be connected with one trunk at a time.

Claim 4

In a common control telephone system including connections with groups of trunk circuits, a common control circuit and a plurality of attendants facilities, each facility including a turret, having a plurality of individual trunk keys associated therewith, and its associated register, and selectively connectable transmission and logic control leads provided between each register and each one of a plurality of trunks which are capable of being accessed thereby and connected thereto, an attendant-to-trunk coupler for establishing exclusive connections between one attendant and one trunk comprising: first means including a semiconductor breakdown diode circuit responsive to a signal generated as a result of the depression of one of said keys on one of said attendant''s turrets for connecting said transmission and logic control leads between the register associated with said one of said attendant''s turrets and the trunk associated with said key so as to establish a connection between one attendant''s facility and a single trunk; and second means responsive to the connection of said one attendant''s facility with said single trunk for preventing the connection of any other attendant''s facility with said trunk, whereby only one attendant may be connected with one trunk at a time.

Claim 5

An attendant-to-trunk coupler according to claim 1, wherein said first means includes a fiRst switching circuit responsive to a trunk association signal from said turret delivered upon the depression of a trunk key for directly enabling the connection of said transmission leads to said trunk.

Claim 6

In a common control telephone system including connections with groups of trunk circuits, a common control circuit and a plurality of attendants facilities, each facility including a turret, having a plurality of individual trunk keys associated therewith, and its associated register, and selectively connectable transmission and logic control leads provided between each register and each one of a plurality of trunks which are capable of being accessed thereby and connected thereto, an attendant-to-trunk coupler for establishing exclusive connections between one attendant and one trunk comprising: first means responsive to the depression of one of said keys on one of said attendant''s turrets for connecting said transmission and logic control leads between the register associated with said one of said attendant''s turrets and the trunk associated with said key so as to establish a connection between one attendant''s facility and a single trunk; and second means responsive to the connection of said one attendant''s facility with said single trunk for preventing the connection of any other attendant''s facility with said trunk, whereby only one attendant may be connected with one trunk at a time, wherein said first means includes a first switching circuit responsive to a trunk association signal from said turret delivered upon the depression of a trunk key for directly enabling the connection of said transmission leads to said trunk, and wherein said first means further includes a second switching circuit responsive to the activation of said first switching circuit and a holding signal from the register associated with said one turret for directly enabling the connection of said logic control leads to said trunk.

Claim 7

In a common control telephone system including connections with groups of trunk circuits, a common control circuit and a plurality of attendants facilities, each facility including a turret, having a plurality of individual trunk keys associated therewith, and its associated register, and selectively connectable transmission and logic control leads provided between each register and each one of a plurality of trunks which are capable of being accessed thereby and connected thereto, an attendant-to-trunk coupler for establishing exclusive connections between one attendant and one trunk comprising: first means responsive to the depression of one of said keys on one of said attendant''s turrets for connecting said transmission and logic control leads between the register associated with said one of said attendant''s turrets and the trunk associated with said key so as to establish a connection between one attendant''s facility and a single trunk; and second means responsive to the connection of said one attendant''s facility with said single trunk for preventing the connection of any other attendant''s facility with said trunk, whereby only one attendant may be connected with one trunk at a time, wherein said first means includes a first switching circuit responsive to a trunk association signal from said turret delivered upon the depression of a trunk key for directly enabling the connection of said transmission leads to said trunk, and wherein said first means further includes a second switching circuit responsive to the activation of said first switching circuit and a holding signal from the register associated with said one turret for directly enabling the connection of said logic control leads to said trunk.

Claim 8

An attendant-to-trunk coupler according to claim 3, wherein said first switching circuit includes a four-layer diode and a first relay switch connected between said turret and a source of voltage sufficient to cause break down of said four layer diode, whereby, in response to said trunk association signal being delivered from said turret, said four layer diode will conduct so that said first relay switch will be energized to enable said transmission leads connections.

Claim 9

An attendant-to-trunk coupler according to claim 4, wherein said first switching circuit further includes relay contacts of said first relay switch connected between said attendant''s register and said relay winding for holding said first relay switch closed in response to said holding signal and wherein said transmission leads include relay contacts of said first relay, so as to maintain said transmission lead connections.

Claim 10

An attendant-to-trunk coupler according to claim 5, further including a first transistor circuit responsive to said holding signal for delivering an enabling signal to said second switching circuit.

Claim 11

An attendant-to-trunk coupler according to claim 6, wherein said second switching circuit comprises a second relay switch connected to the output of said first transistor circuit, said second relay switch having its relay contacts connected in the path of said control logic leads from said attendant''s register to said trunk, whereby said control logic leads will be connected between said register and said trunk as long as said second relay switch is energized.

Claim 12

An attendant-to-trunk coupler according to claim 6, wherein said first transistor circuit comprises a first transistor having its input connected to the relay contacts of said first relay switch, so as to receive said holding signal, and its output connected to a first diode switch for providing resistance ground to said trunk circuit so as to indicate to said trunk circuit that an attendant''s facility is associated therewith.

Claim 13

An attendant-to-trunk coupler according to claim 5, whErein said second means includes a second diode switch connected between said first transistor circuit and a third switching circuit, identical to said first switching circuit but being associated with another attendant''s facility for preventing the activation of said third switching circuit in response to a trunk association signal from said other attendant''s facility as long as said one attendant''s facility has energized the first switching circuit in the coupler associated therewith.

Claim 14

An attendant-to-trunk coupler according to claim 9, wherein said first transistor circuit comprises a first transistor, having its output connected to the relay contact of said first relay switch, so as to receive said holding signal and its output connected to a first diode switch for providing resistance ground to said trunk circuit, so as to indicate to said trunk circuit that an attendant''s facility is associated therewith.

Claim 15

An attendant-to-trunk coupler according to claim 4, wherein said second means includes a voltage divider connected between the first switching circuit of each attendant-to-trunk coupler, the number of said switching circuits being equal to the number of attendant''s facilities having access to the same plurality of trunks by way of the same trunk coupler, the common junction of each portion of said voltage divider being selectively connected to said common control circuit through each respective trunk circuit in said plurality of trunks.