Patent GB-190303695-A (GB)
Title: Wireless and other Electric Apparatus Acting on Typewriters.
Inventor: MUSSO GIUSEPPE
Filed: 1903-02-17
Granted: 1903-05-14
Abstract: 3695. Musso, G. Feb. 17. Telegraphs.-Relates, more particularly, to wireless electrical apparatus for operating type-writers, applicable also for use with line wires or conductors. Fig. 1 shows a diagram of the whole apparatus at each station, and Fig. 3 a section through the keyboard and revolving disc. The character keys 2, 3, 4, &c., only four of which are shown in Fig. 1, are insulated, and carry contacts 7 which, when the keys are raised, electrically connect the plates 6 under the keyboard. One end-plate 6 is connected by conductors 10, 65 through the battery 13 to the relay 12, and the other end-plate 6 is connected by a conductor 11 to a metal ring 24 in a fixed insulating-disc 20. In this disc 20 are three other insulated metal rings 22, 23, 25. The ring 25 is connected by a conductor 65 with the relay 12. Above and concentric with the disc 20 is a disc 21 driven by gearing 29,30 from a clock mechanism, the discs at communicating-stations being driven synchronously. On the revolving disc 21 are two brushes 32, 33 running in contact with the rings 24,25 respectively, and these brushes are connected by wires 37, 38 with the coil of a polarized magnet 36 mounted on the disc 21. The magnet 36, when a current is passed through its coil, releases its armature 39, which is thereupon moved by a spring so that the plate 41 carried by it makes contact between two terminals 42, 43 in the circuit of one of a series of magnets which operate the keys of the type-writer. The rings 22, 23 are formed with perforations 26, 27 in pairs at intervals on radii of the disc 20. Under each pair of perforations 26, 27 is a pair of fingers 16, pivoted on the lever 14 of one of the keys 2, 3, 4, &c. When a key is depressed, the fingers 16 pass up through the corresponding pair of perforations 26, 27, and are drawn together by a spring 18 so that their upper enlarged and shouldered ends engage over the rings 22, 23. The circuit containing the rings 22, 23 is closed after the depression of a key, by a wedge-piece 31 on the revolving disc 21 coming into contact with the projecting ends of the fingers 16. The wedge also spreads the fingers apart, so that they and the key lever 14 may be returned to normal position by a spring 19. The circuit 50, 52, 54 containing the rings 22, 23 also includes a battery 51, the primary coil of the radiator 49, and an electromagnet 53. One ball of the oscillator is connected to earth by a wire 102, and the other ball is connected by wires 103,101 to an electrode of the coherer 55, the other electrode of the coherer being connected to earth by a wire 100. The coherer is connected with the double relay 12 by a circuit 60, 61 including a battery 62. The relay 12 is connected to the circuit 63 of a polarized electromagnet 59, the armature of which carries the coherer 55, the latter being pulled upwards by springs 57, so that the coherer is shaken or agitated after each excitation. The relay 12 is also connected by the conductors 65 to the ring 25, and through the battery 13, plates 6 of the keyboard, and conductor 11 to the ring 24. On the depression of a key 2, 3, &c., the circuit 50, 52 through the radiator 49 and magnet 53 is closed, when the wedge 31 engages the raised fingers 16, and the magnet 53 attracts a switch 105, pivoted at 106, which makes contact at 109 placing the rod 99 at the transmitting-station in circuit, through the arm 104, switch 105, and wire 103 with the oscillator. When the switch 105 is in the position shown, which is the receiving position, the rod 99 is connected through the arm 104, switch 105, and wire 101 with an electrode of the coherer. As the contacts 7 are removed from two of the plates 6 at the transmitting-station when a key is depressed, the circuit 65 &c. is broken, and no record is made at this station. If, however, a record is also desired at the transmitting-station, the plates 6 may be placed in continuous electric contact by a plate 8 above the keyboard. To protect the coherer from the oscillator, at the transmitting-station, the coherer and relay, together with the circuits 60, 61, 63, may be enclosed in a metal casing electrically connected to earth. A special call key 5 is provided for simultaneously starting and stopping the rotation of the discs 21 at both or all stations. This operates in a similar manner to the character keys, except that, instead of closing a circuit of a character magnet, it closes the circuit of a magnet which operates ratchet mechanism arranged to rotate a notched stopping and starting disc 66. The teeth and notches of the disc 66 are all equal, and one side of the disc is in the path of an arm 75 fixed on the disc 21. If, when the arm 75 is in engagement with a tooth of the disc 66, and the disc 21 held at rest thereby, the key 5 be depressed, the ratchet mechanism moves the disc 66 one step, and this moves the succeeding notch opposite the end of the arm 75 and frees the disc 21. At the next operation of the key 5 the disc 66 is moved on a step, bringing the next tooth opposite the arm 75 and again stopping the disc 21. A spring-pressed pin engages one of a series of holes in the disc each time it is stopped, to position the disc. The arm 75 is provided with a spring pin or plunger which engages the disc 66, for preventing shock. In order to permit the coherer at the transmitting station to come into action for the starting or arrest of the disc 21, an interrupter 110 is pivoted at 111 to the contact 108 of the switch 105. When the key 5 is depressed, the arrangement of linkwork shown raises the interrupter 110, and closes the circuit between the contacts 108, 109. Where more than two stations are in communication, means are provided for excluding all stations except the one or more it is desired to communicate with. Fig. 11 shows this arrangement. Part of the disc 21, with the magnet 36, is shown in plan view. The contact for the circuit of the starting-key is shown at 43. This circuit includes the conductor 121, the magnet 76 operating the ratchet mechanism of the disc 66, a conductor 122, contacts 123, 131 normally engaging a pivoted arm 129, a conductor 130, battery 48, and the contact-ring 42. When there are four stations all in communication, each station has four special keys or contacts 117, 118, 119, 120. Of these, 118 is for excluding the station shown in Fig. 11. The other three 117, 119, 120 are for excluding the other stations, and have special keys for operating them. From the contact 43 a conductor 124 leads to a magnet 125, and thence a conductor 126 to a contact-plate 127. Another contact-plate 133 is connected by a conductor 132, through the conductor 130 and the battery 48, to the contact-ring 42. Brushes 128, 134 on the arm 129 make contact with the plates 127, 133 when the arm is rocked over to the left, and the operation of the arm is so controlled by clockwork that its return movement to the right occupies a considerable time, say thirty seconds. The arm 129 is moved by gears 138, 139 and a rack 137 attached to the armature 135 of the magnet 125. The contact 118 may be closed by the operation of a special key at any of the three other stations. On depressing the calling-key 5 at one station, all the discs 121 are started. The excluding key or keys are then depressed, and this makes the contact at 118 and closes the circuit 118, 141, 125, 124,43, 121,76, 122, 123, 129, 131, 130, 48, 42, and the magnet 76 operates the ratchet gear to stop the rotation of the disc 21 at the excluded station. As this circuit includes the magnet 125, the arm 129 is moved to the left and makes contact with the plates 127, 133, breaking contact at 123, 131. A circuit 48, 132, 133, 129, 127, 126, 125, 124, 43, 42 is thus closed, and will be maintained by further impulses. In the excluded stations, the discs 21 remain in the position of rest, shown in Fig. 11, and each impulse maintains the attraction of the armature 135, excluding the magnet 76. This condition will be maintained if not more than thirty seconds elapses between two impulses; after that time the arm 129 returns and throws in the magnet 76. A selfacting signal repeater may be provided, to operate when suspensions in the correspondence are likely to occur, by maintaining the circuit through the magnet 125 after the thirty seconds has elapsed.