Two-stage multiplex switching system employing interlaced connections between highways and external circuit groups

Claim 1

IN A TIME-DIVISION MULTIPLEX SWITCHING NETWORK COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SUBSCRIBER GROUPS AND A PLURALITY OF HIGHWAY LINES EQUAL IN NUMBER TO SAID PLURALITY OF SUBSCRIBER GROUPS, A PLURALITY OF FIRST MULTIPLEX SWITCHING MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE SUBSCRIBERS OF EACH SUBSCRIBER GROUP TO A FIRST END OF THEIR ASSOCIATED HIGHWAYS ON A TIME SHARING BASIS; A PLURALITY OF SECOND MULTIPLEX SWITCHING MEANS FOR INTERCONNECING THE HIGHWAYS OF THE DIFFERENT SUBSCRIBERS GROUPS AT A LOCATION REMOVED FROM THE FIRST ENDS OF SAID HIGHWAYS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SELECTION OF A CALLED SUBSCRIBER BY A CALLING SUBSCRIBER; SAID SECOND MULTIPLEX SWITCHING MEANS BEING OPERATIVE ON A TIME SHARING BASIS; MEANS FOR CONNECTING PAIRS OF SAID SUBSCRIBER GROUPS TO A COMMON HIGHWAY THROUGH SELECTED ONES OF SAID FIRST MULTIPLEX SWITCH MEANS WHEREIN A DIFFERNT HIGHWAY IS CONNECTED TO EACH PAIR OF SUBSCRIBER GROUPS AND NO MORE THAN ONE HIGHWAY IS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH ANY ONE PAIR OF SUBSCRIBER GROUPS SAID SECOND MULTIPLEX SWITCHING MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY CONNECTING SAID HIGHWAYS ON A TIME-DIVISION BASIS; EACH OF SAID PLURALITY OF MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN NO MORE THAN TWO OF SAID PLURALITY OF HIGHWAYS.