The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-09-04

yx,ppovraEETs IN TELEaRArHY. - The
.onrioy Times, Of the 30th Of January last,
described Geographic instrument invent
ed by Mr.. Herring, constructed TO pro9uee
the dot and the dash Of the Morse code III
such q manner that one could never DC
mistaken for the other. Ihis was enecteu
nv fhe use of two distinct levers-an ar
rangenent which also permitted the dash
IN he made vel tical instead of horizontal,
and to be produced instantaneously insteao
of by continued pressure, thus saving tpe
time of the operator and diminishing the
length of the message slip. The autnori-
ties Of the British post-office took eXcep'
ton TO Mr.. Herring's first instrument pc
cause it was intended to print. de then
arranged it to emboss, and 1t was next oD-
iected to because it would not PRINT. Inc
latter objection seemed to be the one n1osC
likely to be insisted upon; ana mr.. hei-
ring has now removed it by competing
printing instrument OF very supeiioi
character. 49,,
In This instrument the slip OF paper on
which the message is received is made 10
travel bv clock-work in the ordinary way
II masses directly over thin metallic dlsc,
nIaced transyersely to the course OF the SIP
revolving on an AXIS, and dipping lnIo an
ink we'll over the paper is q lever, teI y,
mating in broad style placed VeFt,ca,iy
above the disc. so that the descent OF Cue
lever congresses the slip OF paper between
the disc and the style. The leVer IS douole'
IN the sense that its central portlon, carry
ING the central portion OF the style, eau pe
acted upon either independently Of the
lateral nortions or together with them. In
the former case only the narrow centrai
portion of the style descends, and the sup
of paper is pressed upon the linking DISC
Mt only single point of contact, when
nroduces dot, In the latter case the style
descends as a whole, and, having concave
EDGE. il presses the paper into contact Win
the disc Dy more or less OF TINS cage, tnus
producing vertical dash.
There is an adjusting screw, by which
the linking disc may be raised or lowered 1T
pleasure, and by raising it the length OF the
contact surface, and hence the length OF tnc
dash, may be increased ut the pleasure OF
the operator. The pressure OF the style
stoDs for the moment the evolution OF the
inkinp disc. upon the immediate recon-
menccment of which the ink supply de-
peuds. Mr.. Herring has, therefore, placed
i1non the axle of the disc Il box containing
a sniral spring so arranged that when the
disc itself is checked the power Of the
clockwork coils the spring. The moment
the disc is released the coiled spring gives
the necessary impulse to produce lmmedl'
ale revolution.
The operator is furnished with two keys,
one of which commands the central or dot
norton OF the lever, the other the lever as
a whole. One, therefore, produces the DOT,
ana the other the dash, and no mistake can
occur between the two except by the use OF
The wrong key. The printing is remal kably
clear, distinct, and compact. The lnstru-
ment is worked with double current.
MIR. Herring has also made some suDSldl-
ary improvements of importance, especially
with regard to the relay, which promise to
add TO the usefulness Of his instrument.