Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-03-09
SETTING TYPE AT LONG RANGE
An Invention by Which Type Is Set
in Distant Places.


in Distant Places.
New Orleans Picayune: Donald Muir
ray, a newspaper man OF Sydney, New
South Wales, employed on the Sydney
Morning Herald, has invented and pat
ented in this and other countries de-
vice which bids fair to reyoluhonlze the
methods of newspapers all the world
over.
By this invention an operator in New
York, with a keyboard before him like
that of an ordinary typewriter, can not
only poduce typewriter copy i'll New
Orleans but, it is claimed, can operate
a typesetting machine here and deliver
his matter thus in lead ready for the
forms. Not only that, but the same
operator, by using a number OF tele-
graph lines, can set up the same copy
simultaneously in a dozen different
places In this operation only ordinary
Geographic currents are used, such as
are capable of being relayed, and are
subject to all conditions of ordinary
telegraphy. The work can be done with
the same speed as an ordinary type
writer is operated, and dispenses with
all clockwork mechanism, synchrOnOus-
ly moving type wheels, and other cum
brous devices. 1t is said to be capa'
BILE of manipulating some eighty diff
ferent characters.
The invention consists of two very
-, n1a iS q ne
and transmits a certain combination
of five short positive and negative
| currents. The other is an Interpreter,
| By the passage through which of a
certain combination Of positive and
negative currents a lever is released
and makes electrical contact, thus
energizing a particular electrom magnet
watch operates a type key. A given
combination of currents only unlocks a
certain corresponding key. The trans
mitter consists Of thirty-two elements
arranged like the keys of a typewriter
| together with shift-key arrangements
similar to those on the typewriter, and
the interpreter is equipped to CORES
/ pond.
! The Scientific American gives the fol
lowing description of the mechanism
and use of the invention: THE trans
mitter has a series of keys, each con
sisting of a rod operating peculiarly
constructed pole changer, and com
prises a commutator having on the side
parallel rows of stationary contacts
connected in parallel with the line, ant
having a portion of the connection
crossed, the commutatOr having its tol
surface inclined and its lower surfac
inclined at right angles to the inclina
ton Of the top surface, key Sidln;
. adjacent to the commutator, and con
2 tact block having spring connection
? with the ey-carrying contacts adapte'
2 to connect with surface of electricity
|, the contact block being arranged t
t move downward on one side of tn
j commutator, and to slide inward an
move upward SO as to make contac
with the contacts of the commutatol
The Interpreter comprises a series Q
: electro magnets adapted to conned
: with a line through mechanism fo
5 printing a character or operating
q key of the keyboard machine, eac
Y quadrant having a series of teeth i
e different combination from the teet
f of any other quadrant in the serie
81 Swinging detents adapted to be act
ated by the magnets engage the teet
of the quadrants, and electrically an
automatically rotated shafts adapte
to be set in motion by the closing {
:, the circuit in which the quadrants al
: arranged to carry mechanism to r
y turn the quadrants to locked position
q One of the ransmitter keys operat.
re the space key of the typewriter an
y three other transmitter keys opera
erl the shift-key mechanism, shifting Il
It capitals, lower case, or figures Wht
"a the paper carriage Of the typewrit
i'd comes to the end Of line 1t may