Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-09-26
The Writing Telegraph.

The ingenious writing telegraph in
vented by Mr.. +. A. Cowper, 9. f., II
to be exhibited at the COnUersdztone of
the British association at Sheffield. Be-
fore noticing the results of its working
it will be desirable to describe the ap-
paratus in general terms. We may
premise that the invention enables -
person to write at a distant station
many miles away, just as though he
were present there himself, without re-
quiring the use Of any special signals,
codes or signs Ito spell each letter, as
is now the practice), and without the
assistance of any person to translate
the signals as received. The appa-
ratus consists of a transmitting and a
recording instrument, placed in electric
communication, one being at one sta
tion and one at another. At least, this
is the arrangement at present under
trial, but in carrying 1t out practically.
which is now being done, there will be
a combined transmitting and receiving
instrument at each station, so that mes
sages can be transmitted in either di-
rection, which at present they cannot
be. The principle of the invention con-
sists in communicating at all times to a
writing-pen placed in the recording in
strument, the exact position of PEN
Gil used by the operator at the trans
mitting instrument through two line
wires. In other words, it means that
the latitude and longitude of the pencil
are continually given, the vertical posi-
ton of the pencil being communicated
bv one wire and its horizontal position
by the other The pencil has two light
contact rods Joined to it,nd one of a
these slides over the edges of series
of contact-plates, having various re-
sistances interposed between them and
| the line wire. The second rod slides
! over second set of similar plates
connected to the other wire, and at
the receiving instrument each of
these wires actuates its own nee
die. These two needles, which are
placed at right angles to each other, and
are provided with light springs, are so
arranged that they actuate a writing
pen, to which ink is constantly sup
piled. This pen moves up or down and
backward or forward in exact Obedi-
ence to the motions of the pencil which
is guided by the operator at the trans
hitting instrument. The message is
written by the sender on strip or rib
bon of paper, which passes under his
hand, being unwound by clock-wOrk.
The message-which is literally writ
ten by him at the receiving station-is
produced by the pen there on slightly
smaller scale than the pencil original,
and upon a similar ribbon paper, moved
under the pen, also by clock-work- The
message, when completed at the re-
ceiving station, is cut OFF and sent to its
destination. while that at the transmit
ting end can be preserved as record.
This apparatus, which is in every re-
! spect perfect writing telegraph, has
! lately been brought thoroughly under
the test of practical experience on the
Southwestern railway, and has been
working between the Waterloo and
Woking stations, a distance of twenty
six and a half miles. The receiving in
strument is placed at the former and
the transmitting at the latter station,
and messages have been transmitted
for practice us well as the regular line
messages, which were presented dur
ing the time the new apparatus was at
work. Various distances have been
worked through requiring only a few
cells more or less in the batteries to ac-
cOmmOudIe lh6 power W bhO WI n
Thus the simple distance Of twenty-six
and a half miles to WOking has always
been worked through. but on some
DAYS resistance coils of wire to make up
sixty-two aud half miles, and on 9TH
ers ninety-two and half miles have
been added to increase the work the
apparatus had TO do. In every case
the writing has been good and per-
fectly legible, and the working OF the
apparatus in every way satisfactory.
1t was found that the induction of the
other telegraph wires in no way inter
fered with the working of the writing
telegraph. 1t could not be perceived
when a message was being written, and
when the instrument was standing and
the pen drawing a straight line, induc-
ton was only feebly indicated by very
| slight unsteadiness in the line, which
varied in thickness at times about one
half. The invention is finding favor
with practical men, and the new double
instrument, we understand, viii short
| ly be at work.-LORdOn Net0s.
A NEW YORK chemist has sponge
eight feet in circumference. IL 1t only
i - auA stand collar IL