Improvements in Telegraphic Transmitters.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1894--Accepted, 13th Apr., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Telegraphic Transmitters.
1, FRANK F. HOWE, of Marietta, in the County of Washington and State of
Ohio, United States of America, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improvement in telegraphic transmitters; and it
consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described, and
especially designated in the claims.
The object of my invention is to provide an improved transmitter which may be
operated by persons not versed in the art of telegraphy.
I have adopted the Morse code for my improved apparatus, and in practising
the same employ a plurality of movable disks, each carrying the necessary teeth
to transmit the dots and dashes of a single character. As the dots and dashes
required for the several characters vary in number, I constitute it a further object
of my invention to arrange in series the several character transmitting disks
requiring substantially the same number of dots and dashes and move each series
at a speed commensurate with the number of teeth carried thereby.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
--
Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved transmitter.
Figure 2 is an end view of the call mechanism.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a similar view on line 4-4 of the same figure.
Figure 5 is an end view of the modified form of contact transmitting mechanism.
Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a detail view of the shaft, sleeve and one of the disks; and
Figure 8 is a detail view to a larger scale of the magnet of the call mechanism.
A designates the base of the instrument carrying supports B in which is fixed
shaft C. Upon the shaft are revoluble sleeves D having splines D' which secure
transmitter disks E to the sleeve. Also secured to one end of each sleeve is a
friction gear F. Parallel with shaft C is drive shaft G carrying gears G¹ which
engage gears F as shown. This drive shaft is actuated by a spring motor H
arranged upon a base H', which is hinged at its rear side on bearing rod H".
The gears F, G' are so graded as to size so that the sleeve next the call
mechanism at the left hand end of the machine will be given the greatest speed,
while the next sleeve will be driven a little slower and so on to the end of the
series.
Each disk carries upon its periphery a plurality of teeth E' so arranged as to
transmit the dots and dashes of the character which the disk represents.
Beneath the disks are key levers J, which are pivoted on rod I, and carry the
characters J. There is a lever for each transmitting disk and they are held
normally raised by springs J".
Sleeves D are movable longitudinally on shaft C and are held normally out of
engagement with the driving gears by springs K confined in recesses K' of gears F,
the springs also serving to hold the indicating disks normally out of line with their
respective key levers. Beneath each set of levers is a depressable frame L held
raised by spring L' and which is adapted to be depressed by the levers. This
frame is connected with the lower arm of lever M, which is adapted to engage the
end disk of the series, so that when the key is depressed, frame L moving down-
ward with it operates said lever, and the latter moving longitudinally sleeve D

page_text: against spring K throws its gear in engagement with the driving gear, and at the
Frame L is only
same time positioning the disks over their key levers.
momentarily in a lowered position, for as soon as the key lever is released so as to
engage its locking mechanism presently to be described the frame resumes its
normal position, throwing said lever away from the disks.
Lever N extends parallel with the key levers and has a clutch connection with
sleeve D, and at its opposite end it plays in recess n in bar O. This bar is notched
at O beneath each key, and the sleeve D moving longitudinally swings lever N
and moves bar O over the depressed key and under all the other keys so that the
characters cannot be piled in sending.
When the disks have made a complete revolution recess P in the end disk
comes opposite stop P on support B and allows sleeve D to yield to the pressure
of spring K, throwing the mechanism out of gear automatically, and releasing the
depressed key. By means of this arrangement the disks are always in the same
position when started.
Supported over the levers is bar Q to which one pole of the circuit battery is
connected. Carried by each lever is a circuit closing spring R, having its upper
end turned outward at R', and carrying on its inner side the projection R". The
springs of the several keys are connected by fine wire S which leads from the
other pole of the battery. When a key is depressed the upper end of the spring
carried thereby is brought close to bar Q, and as the disks are set in motion at
the same time the projections carried thereby corresponding with the depressed key
will engage the projection R" of the spring, forcing the same against said bar
and closing the circuit during said engagement, and as the disk projections vary
in length the pulsations will indicate dots and dashes of the Morse telegraph code
The disks in this
as may be required to designate the character being sent.
arrangement of the transmitter mechanism are preferably formed of vulcanized
fibre, as there is no wear incident to their frictional contact with the brass springs.
Fig. 5 represents a modification in which the curved contact T carried by lever J
displaces upright contact R, the arrangement before described, thus dispensing
with bar Q. Figure 1 illustrates both forms of contact in use in same instrument,
and shows contacts T in the circuit through medium of fine wires S, the same as
described of contacts R. When the modified form is used the circuit is closed
through the discs E, and shaft C, the same then being necessarily of metal with
the shaft connected to one battery pole, the portion of the circuit thus formed
being a substitute for bar Q of the arrangement first described.
Each frame L carries a dog U which plays on ratchet V on shaft W so that at
each depression of the frame the shaft will be given a partial revolution, thereby
automatically winding the main spring of the motor.
When metallic
Each disk of the call mechanism at the left hand end of Figure 1 designates
one office. Each call key when depressed as far as possible is engaged by the
automatic latch a, and the hell crank lever M in this case serves to hold the
mechanism in gear, with the disks repeating the call until answered by the office
called. is a magnet from which lead circuit wires e to posts d.
frame L is raised it bears against both of said posts and cuts out the magnet, but
when the frame is depressed the current passes through the magnet coils, thus
holding down armaturef. The heavier front end of this armature is turned down
at to engage when depressed notch g in flange hon sleeve D. The armature is
held by the magnet as long as the current is closed, but as soon as the office
called answers, the same is opened thus releasing the armature and allowing it to
drop into engagement with said flange, thereby locking the call and the whole
transmitter mechanism.
Several strands of the coils of magnet bare looped at the loops being opposite
each other or in pairs and projecting from the cores are flanges j and movable
bark is provided. For a comparatively short local circuit where a low resistance
magnet is desired the cross-bar and circuit wires are adjusted well up toward the
upper coil ends, whereas if the circuit is long the bar and connections are lowered

page_text: in proportion to the length of the line. Notch 9 in flange h is so arranged that
it is engaged by the armature when either a dot or dash tooth is bearing against
one of the springs R, thus stopping the call mechanism on a closed circuit.
i is a dog on frame L having enlargement (Fig. 4). When the key lever is
released the armature will remain in engagement with the flange and this dog is
provided for the purpose of reaching up over the armature so as to draw its rear
end downward when one of the keys is again depressed, thus overcoming the
tendency of the armature to bind in the notch.
Call disks for the principal offices on the line are arranged in the call series,
but for local offices I provide an additional removable disk m for each office, which
may be readily adjusted on the end of sleeve D, and beneath the same is the
additional key lever as shown. These additional local call disks may be arranged
in a convenient position within easy reach of the operator.
The bar is preferably angular in form and may be turned and also moved
longitudinally in its supports, so that if a point where contact is had becomes
rough, a smooth surface may be secured by moving the bar in either of the
directions stated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. A transmitter comprising a plurality of transmitting devices arranged with
two or more of said devices in a series, an operating mechanism adapted to actuate
each series at a different speed, and a circuit which is opened and closed by said
devices, substantially as shown and described.
2nd. A transmitter comprising several series of character transmitting devices,
the devices representing characters requiring substantially a like number of
pulsations being assembled in the same series, an actuating mechanism common to
all the series and which actuates each series at a different speed, and a circuit
which is opened and closed by the said devices, substantially as shown and
described.
3rd. A transmitter comprising character transmitting devices arranged in series,
a gear for each series, a power shaft, gears of different sizes thereon which mesh
with the gears on the transmitting devices, and a circuit which is opened and
closed through the intervention of said devices, substantially as shown and
described.
4th. In a transmitter, a circuit, a circuit closer, a transmitting device movable
transversely with relation to the closer and which is normally out of line therewith,
a means for actuating the device, a key lever, a frame adapted to be depressed by
the lever, a bell-crank connecting the frame and transmitting device whereby when
the frame is depressed the said device will be moved in line with the closer,
substantially as shown and described.
5tb. A transmitter comprising a transmitting device, a rotating mechanism
normally out of engagement therewith, a circuit closer with which the transmitting
device is normally out of line, and a means for adjusting the transmitting device
to its propelling mechanism which also places it in line with the circuit closer which
it operates, substantially as shown and described.
6th. A transmitter comprising a movable transmitting device, a swinging frame
beneath the same, a key lever adapted to depress the frame during the latter
part of its downward stroke, a circuit, a circuit closer, a connection between the
frame and the transmitting device, and a lock for engaging the lever before bas
completed its return movement, but after the said frame has returned to its normal
position, for the purpose, substantially as shown and described.
7th. A transmitter comprising a transmitting device, a circuit, a circuit closer
normally out of line with the transmitting device, a key lever and a mechanism
arranged between the same and the transmitting device for moving the latter in
line with the circuit closer when the key is depressed, a locking bar for holding

page_text: the lever depressed, and a connection between the bar and the transmitting device,
for the purpose shown and described.
8th. A transmitter comprising a plurality of separately movable transmitting
devices, a key lever for each device, a mechanism arranged between the levers
and transmitting devices for moving the latter, a circuit, a circuit closer, a locking
bar which holds the active key lever depressed and all the others raised, and levers
fulcrummed between their ends and connected at their inner ends to the trans-
mitting devices and at their outer ends loosely connected to the said locking bar,
substantially as shown and described.
9th. In a transmitter, a transmitting device, an electric magnet, a circuit in which
the transmitting device and magnet are placed, a mechanism for setting the device
in motion, a dog carried thereby, and an armature for the magnet which acts as a
stop for the said device and which is engaged by the dog, for the purpose,
substantially as shown and described.
10th. The combination with a transmitting mechanism, a motor for propelling
the same and a winding shaft for the motor carrying ratchets, of a dog adapted
to be depressed when the transmitter is set in motion which engages said ratchet,
thus winding the shaft, substantially as shown and described.
11th. An improved magnet for telegraphic transmitters comprising separated
cores, coils therefor, and a movable cross bar for connecting the cores at different
points, substantially as shown and described.
12th. An improved magnet for telegraphic transmitters comprising separated
cores, coils therefor, projections from the cores to the exteriors of the coils, and
a movable cross bar for connecting the said projections, substantially as shown and
described.
Dated this 14th day of August 1894,
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.