25,826. Peticky, J., Cizek, I., and Suchanek, F. Dec. 12. Telephone systems.-Relates to improvements in the automatic exchange telephone system, described in Specification No. 28,036, A.D. 1904, for the purpose of reducing the number of contacts on the disks of the exchange call apparatus, and the number of contact-rods in each connecting apparatus. According to the present invention, the subscribers are divided into small groups of, say, one hundred subscribers each, and for each small group ten intermediate switch devices are provided, which are only accessible to the subscribers in the particular group. Ten of these small groups are combined to form a main group of one thousand subscribers, to which one hundred connecting-up apparatus are allotted, each of these being accessible to each of the thousand calling subscribers. Each connecting-up apparatus contains only ten contactrods, each for one hundred subscribers, thus serving one thousand called subscribers. Each main group is thus provided with a number of connecting-up apparatus for each thousand subscribers to the exchange, so that a calling subscriber selects in turn firstly a disengaged intermediate switch device, then that group of connecting up apparatus containing the thousands number of the required subscriber, and from this group a disengaged apparatus, which makes the final connexion as described in the prior Specification. Figs. 2 and 4 show two subscribers' call apparatus X and exchange apparatus Y, one intermediate switch device Z, and two connecting- up apparatus A, B, C, D, E. The two Figures are to be assembled side by side, the conductors H being repeated in each Figure. The subscriber's call apparatus X is provided with an additional set of contacts 253 between the contacts 9, 10, the use of which will appear later. The exchange call apparatus Y is similar to that in the prior Specification, but has only ten rows of contacts 48, 49, &c. connected to the intermediate switch device Z -each row to one switch device-which comprises a " thousands" contact-device B, lever mechanisms 54 , 71 , similar to lever mechanisms 54, 71 in the prior Specification, and a contact-device G. There are as many rows of five contacts 144 on the device B as there are thousands of subscribers, and each row of contacts is connected to a corresponding row of contact-segments 252 on the device G, each segment being associated with a number of individual contacts 250 equal in number to the number of connecting-up apparatus allotted to each contact row 144 of the device B. The contacts 250 are connected to the various connecting-up apparatus by way of the common conductors H. Bridgmgcontacts are adapted to connect the contacts 144 with the segments 144', and the contacts 250 with the segments 252 when the devices B, G, respectively, are rotated. The connecting-up apparatus is similar to that described in the prior Specification, except that the device A has only three contacts 87, 88, 89, to connect in the contact-devices C, D, E, and that the number of contact-rods 82 is only ten. When a subscriber is being called, the contact 4 moves over the contacts 8, closing the circuit of the magnet 44, so as to select a disengaged intermediate switch device Z as described in the previous Specification. The movement of the contact 4 over the " thousands " contacts 9 moves round the device B until the contacts 144' are connected by contacts 144 with the contact 252 of the desired " thousands " group of connecting-up apparatus. Contacts. 253 then rotate the movable contact-disk of the device G until it connects the contact 252 to a disengaged connecting-up apparatus in that group. The subscriber is then selected as in the prior case by the contacts 10 , 11 , 12 , actuating the device A which makes the necessary connexions for the devices C, D, E, to be rotated by the contacts 10, 11, 12, respectively. The first contact 13 rotates the device A one step farther to close the circuit of the selected magnet 104 so as to move the contact-rods 82 into position. The second contact 13 moves the device A to establish the calling circuit from earth at the subscriber's station, through the wire 501, calling generator z, switch hook, contacts 6, 14, contact 57 of the exchange mechanism, contacts 46, 49, contact 57 of the lever mechanism 54 , contacts 144 , 144 of the " thousands " device, contacts 252, 250 of the device G, -conductor H, contacts 109, 100 of the disengaged connecting up apparatus A, Fig. 4, the discovered contacts 138, 125 on the devices D, E, and the connexion in the contact-rod 82 to the called subscriber's line and apparatus. The apparatus is restored to its initial condition by means of the contacts 16, 16 , 17, 17 , 18, 18 , 19, as in the prior case.