Patent GB-190629195-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Apparatus suitable for Recording Railway Signals and the like.
Inventor: PEARCE WILLIAM GEORGE
Filed: 1906-12-21
Granted: 1907-07-18
Abstract: 29,195. Pearce, Sir W. G., and Reeves, W. R. Dec. 21. Typewriters and like machines. -Relates to improvements in apparatus of the type described in Specification No. 3679, A.D. 1906, for recording electrically transmitted signals, such for example as those transmitted between the signal cabins of railways, and in which electromagnetically-operated printing- devices stamp recording characters upon a paper strip wound around an electro-magneticallyoperated drum, through an interposed printing-ribbon, the time of operation being simultaneously recorded. The paper roll g, Fig. 3, is freely mounted on the sbaft d of the recording- drum b, and the strip is drawn out through a slot h around the drum and under an arm j carried upon rods k, which slide within a pivoted door piece m, which finally closes the drum. The paper strip is clamped between the arm and a spring v, the arm and the door m being maintained in the closed position by springs p, and in the open position shown in dotted lines by means of the ends q of the rods k being gripped by springs s. The drum is removed for insertion of the roll, the bearings e, Fig. 1, of the drum shaft d being provided with detachable caps, while one end w of the drum slides upon the shaft after removal of a screw x. The drum is rotated to present afresh portion of the paper strip after each recording operation by a spring pawl 7, Fig. 3, actuating a ratchet-wheel 8 fixed on a shaft 3, which carries a pinion gearing with a toothed ring 1 attached to the drum. The pawl 7 is carried by the armature of an electro-magnet which is intermittently energized by an ordinary electric bell make-and-break device, and which is included in circuit with two contacts 10 bridged by a piece 11 carried upon an arm 12, which is mounted to rotate freely upon the shaft 3. The arm is normally raised by attachment to the spring- actuated armature 14 of an electro-magnet 16, which is energized at each recording operation. The piece 11 normally rests upon an insulating- block 19 until the magnet 16 is energized, and the circuit of the magnet 4 is closed so long as the piece 11 bridges the contacts 10, and the shaft 3 and the drum are therefore rotated. A ratchetwheel 18 fixed on the shaft 3 then allows the arm 12, which it controls by engagement with a pawl 17 thereon, to rise slowly as the wheel 18 rotates, and eventually the circuit of the magnet 4 is broken when the piece 11 leaves the contactstrips 10, and the rotation of the drum is thus stopped. A hand-crank 25, Fig. 1, is used to rotate the drum'into the position with the pivoted door, which is opened for withdrawal of a fresh strip portion, at the top. A fixed boss 27 marks this position when a depressible pin 26 in the hand-crank 25 is moved into a hole in the boss, and a corresponding position is marked in the external case of the apparatus by a groove in the woodwork, into which the pin 26 may be depressed until at the end of the groove the pin moves into the hole in the boss. The printing-mechanism is carried on a sliding carriage 31 moving upon a rod 30 by means of rollers 35, and traversed during rotation of the drum by engagement of a part nut 34 with the screw-threaded shaft 3, so that the record is a continuous spiral in general form. The sliding printing stamps 36 ... 41 are actuated against the action of restoring springs by electromagnets 36<a> ... 41<a> Fig. 7, arranged in two groups of three, each group being carried upon a plate 47, Fig. 2, fixed to the carriage. The timeprinting device is of the type described in Specification No. 3679, A.D. 1906, with printing-wheels 50, 51, 52, Fig. 1, actuated by ratchet-wheels 50<a> and a pawl 53 in a manner similar to that described in the above-mentioned Specification. The pawl 53 is actuated by a ratchet-wheel 57. Fig. 4, provided with a pin 56 which engages a slot 58 in a pivoted lever 54 carrying the pawl 53. The wheel 57 is rotated by a spring pawl 66, Fig. 2, attached to the armature 64 of a magnet 63 which is also provided with an electric bell type of make-and-break device 65. To effect a complete rotation of the ratchet-wheel 57 once a minute, a clock 70, Fig. 7, is connected to a supply conductor 72, and a hand 73 which rotates once a minute moves over a short contact 74 to connect the supply momentarily to a wire 76 and to energize the magnet 63. The wheel 57, Fig. 4, is thus rotated slightly, and although the circuit is quickly broken again a conducting- ring 82, Fig. 7, on an insulating-disk 79 fixed on the same axle as the ratchet-wheel 57 is rotated, so that the brushes 78, 80 both press upon the conducting ring. The hand 73 then moves on to the long contact 75 and closes a circuit from the source to the wire 77 through the disk arrangement 79 to the magnet 63, which causes further rotation of the wheel 57 until a complete rotation is effected, when the brush 78 presses upon a portion 83 of the disk 79, where the conducting-ring 82 is cut away and the circuit is broken. The time wheels are carried upon a pivoted frame 60, Figs. 1 and 2, of which one end forms the armature of a magnet 90, which moves the wheels against the drum for the printing operation. The arrangement.for ensuring only one time record per minute, no matter how many signals may be recorded during the minute, comprises switch contacts 95 included in the circuit of the magnet 90, and closed by a contact 96 carried on an arm 97 pivoted on the frame 60, and arranged so that the time-changing lever 54 will actuate the arm 97 during its movement and break the circuit of the magnet 90 at the contacts 95. When the contacts 95 are closed and a signal is recorded, the armature 14, Fig. 7, of the magnet 16 is attracted, closing contacts 103, 102 and energizing the magnet 90, which moves the printing-wheels against the drum. A pin on the sliding carriage then engages a spring tooth on the frame 60, Fig. 1, releasing the arm 97, which is actuated by a spring 100 to break the circuit of the magnet 90 at the contacts 95. The circuit remains broken until the lever 54 is again actuated, and moves the arm 97 into position to close the contacts 95. To prevent a printing operation while the time-wheels are being changed, a pin 111, Fig. 4, fixed to the carriage engages with a slot 110 in the lever 54 only when the lever 54 has completed a time-changing operation, but sufficient movement of the frame 60 is allowed during a time-changing operation to bring together a contact 112 on the frame 60 and a fixed contact 113, to complete the circuit of the magnet 90, which thus moves over the frame 60 at the completion of the time-changing operation. The inking-ribbon 32, Fig. 2, is unwound from a spool 120 and passes over guide-pulleys 122, 123, to be wound upon a spool 120, which is rotated by an endless cord 129, Fig. 1, passing over a pulley on the spindle of the spool 121 and over a pulley 131. The cord is knotted at intervals and is engaged by an arm on the carriage at the end of one complete movement, when the carriage is tilted ao disengage its part nut from the screw 3, and is then moved back upon the shaft 30 on which the carriage rolls. A new length of inking-ribbon is thus unwound and the arm upon the carriage is released from the knotted cord. The line of characters recorded by one instrument is on a different level from that recorded by the other instrument.