Improvements in Type Printing Telegraphic Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th July, 1892-Accepted, 6th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type Printing Telegraphic Apparatus.
I, FREDERICK HERBERT WILLIAM HIGGINS of 17 and 18 Cornhill in the City
of London, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
According to my invention I employ two type wheels upon a single axis which
is rotated as usual either by an escapement or propelment. I also provide a
movable shield which is operated by an electro-magnet or magnets in the same
circuit with but independent of those employed for the rotation of the type wheel
or for moving the impression lever and incapable of impeding the motion of either.
In this circuit currents alternately positive and negative pass.
The movement of the shield in one direction or the other is determined by the
direction of the currents but under the control of a slotted disc on the type wheel
axis which permits the transit of the shield only in one or other of two positions.
Or the disc may be dispensed with and the motion obtained by strengthening the
current when required.
In order that the interposition of the shield between the type-wheel not being
printed from and its impression pad may not interfere with the printing from the
other type-wheel I provide a separate impression pad for each type wheel and these
impression pads I mount upon a rocking lever supported in the middle. Thus the
impression pads are made self-adjusting and the displacement of one pad by the
thickness of the shield raises the other pad to the same extent thus ensuring a
perfect impression.
In order to insure a prompter action in the electro magnets above referred to and
in other electro magnets employed in telegraphic apparatus or in other words to
accelerate the magnetisation and demagnetisation of the electro magnets I wind two
helices or coils on each magnet coil one over the other; they are wound in opposite
directions and connected in the circuit in such a manner as to cause the inside and
outside of each magnet coil to be of the same polarity under the influence of the
current. The adjoining layers of the inner and outer helices in the middle of the
coil are also of the same polarity.
Dated this 5th day of October 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type Printing Telegraphic Apparatus.
I, FREDERICK HERBERT WILLIAM HIGGINS, of 17 and 18 Cornhill, in the
City of London, Electrician, 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 :-
According to my invention I employ two type wheels upon a single axis which
is rotated as usual either by an escapement or propelment. I also provide a
moveable shield which is operated by an electro-magnet or magnets in the same
circuit with but independent of those employed for the rotation of the type wheel
or for moving the impression lever and incapable of impeding the motion of either.
In this circuit currents alternately positive and negative pass.
The movement of the shield in one direction or the other is determined by the
direction of the currents but under the control of a slotted disc on the type wheel
axis which permits the transit of the shield only in one or other of two positions.

page_text: Or the disc may be dispensed with and the motion obtained by strengthening the
current when required.
In order that the interposition of the shield between the type-wheel not being
printed from and its impression pad may not interfere with the printing from the
other type-wheel I provide a separate impression pad for each type wheel and
these impression pads I mount upon a rocking lever supported in the middle.
Thus the impression pads are made self-adjusting and the displacement of one pad
by the thickness of the shield raises the other pad to the same extent thus ensuring
a perfect impression.
In order to insure a prompter action in the electro magnets above referred to
and in other electro magnets employed in telegraphic apparatus or in other words
to accelerate the magnetisation and demagnetisation of the electro magnets I wind
two helices or coils on each magnet coil one over the other; they are wound in
opposite directions and connected in the circuit in such a manner as to cause the
inside and outside of each magnet coil to be of the same polarity under the
influence of the current. The adjoining layers of the inner and outer helices in
the middle of the coil are also of the same polarity.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a type printing telegraph instrument in accordance
with my invention.
Figure 2 is an end view partly in section of the same but without the impression
lever and in these figures also many parts are omitted with which my invention is
not concerned.
Figure 3 is a plan of the impression lever with parts in connection therewith.
Figure 4 is a side view of the impression lever.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section, Figure 6 is an end elevation, and Figure 7 is
a transverse section of the impression lever.
Figure 8 is a plan, Figure 9 is an elevation, and Figure 10 is an end view of the
shield and parts in connection therewith.
Figures 11 and 12 are diagrams illustrating my improved method of winding
electro magnets used in printing telegraphs where rapid action is required.
a is the type wheel axis, it is rotated in the usual way under the control of the
telegraphic currents to bring the type into position for printing.
bare the two type wheels or rings which I employ; one has letters upon it'
and the other has figures; or if desired one of the type wheels might have capital
letters and the other small letters or there might be any other desired difference
between the characters upon the two wheels. c is the impression lever; it is upon
an axis c' which also carries an armature c. As is usual an electro magnet is
provided to attract the armature c³. The very rapid alternate currents which
control the rotation of the type wheel have not sufficient permanence to cause the
impression lever to move but when a current of sufficient duration passes in the
line wire the impression lever rises and then usually it brings the paper tape into
contact with the type. The paper tape is indicated by a dotted line marked dit
passes from a reel e under the guide on the impression lever, along the surface
of a plate under guides c cover impression pads ce which are between the
guides and through the nip of the paper feeder. This paper feeder, the parts
of which are marked f, is of the ordinary sort and a description of it is therefore
unnecessary, it draws the paper forward a short distance each time that the
impression lever rises. is a stop which operates in conjunction with the
feeder. is a spring which causes the rapid descent of the impression lever when
the armature is not attracted. The impression pads c c are carried by arms cc
which are jointed to the impression lever at c and the pads are further supported
by a rocking lever e pivoted to the impression lever at c". is a roller which
applies ink to the type. * h is the shield and Abisa hole in this shield through which
paper

page_text: the type are able to be brought into contact with the paper. When the impression
lever rises one of the pads will be impeded in its upward movement by the shield
but the other pad c being beneath the hole in the shield will not be so impeded and
will press the paper tape d against one or other of the type wheels. The shield
is jointed to a block and a spring his provided at the joint which allows the
shield to yield to the upward movement of the impression lever. The block h* is
fixed upon a rod * (see Figure 2) and it is furnished with a guide stem h. This
stem and the rod A pass through holes in the framing and the rod h* is jointed to a
lever which has its fulcrum on the frame at i'. k is a soft iron rod pivoted on the
frame at and at its lower end free to play between the pole pieces of the
permanent magnet l. The rod k is contained within a solenoid coil which is in
the line circuit and is traversed by the currents passing therein. The currents
which control the type wheels do not cause movement of the rod k but currents
of longer duration such as those which move the impression lever magnetise the
rod sufficiently to induce movement and movement of the lower end of the
rod from one pole piece to another takes place provided the rod k be free to
move and the attractions and repulsions are in suitable directions. The lower end
of the rod k is jointed to the upper end of the lever i; in this way the move-
ment of the rod k is transmitted to the shield h. The block has upon it a
projection and fast with the type wheels are two thin metal discs m m similar
in all respects the one to the other and with corresponding notches at m¹. It is
only when the notches m¹ are opposite to the projection he that any effective move-
ment of the shield can take place; at other times the projection comes against the
outer side of one or other of the discs m and so movement is prevented. The
notches m¹ are of such dimensions as to correspond to two steps of the type
wheel; hence the shield is left free twice in each revolution of the type. wheels
namely after a step brought about by a positive current in the line wire and after
another step brought about by a negative current in the line wire. In neither
case however does the shield move unless the current be prolonged as for
printing.
There are blanks upon the type wheels in the parts which are over the paper
when the shield is shifted as these parts are not required to print. The impression
lever also is prevented from rising when the projection A corresponds with the
notches m' by an adjustable finger n on the type wheel axis which then stands
over the stop c" upon the impression lever. o is a zeroising finger, its action is
well known and need not be described; it is controlled by a pin c" projecting up
from the impression lever. p is a stop lever, its lower end rests upon the paper
tape and when the paper passes away from beneath it, the end of the stop lever
drops through the hole e" in the plate. The stop lever then engages with the
guide and the impression lever is so held down.
In the use of the apparatus the person transmitting the message when he wishes
to make a change from letters to figures or vice versa proceeds as if to print with the
type wheels about in the position shewn in Figure 1 with the notches m¹ opposite
the projection A. No printing takes place but the shield moves in one direction or
the other according as the stoppage is made on one or other of the free positions;
so the type wheel which was before covered by the shield and out of use is
uncovered, and allowed to print whilst for the other type wheel the case is
reversed.
I may vary the arrangement by dispensing with the discs m m and sending a
current of extra strength to move the shield. In this case the movement of the
shield is mechanically resisted so that it remains at rest so long as currents of the
ordinary working strength alone are sent.
Figures 11 and 12 illustrate my method of winding electro-magnets which are
required for prompt action especially those which control the rotation of the type
wheels.
The inner coils are as here represented wound in one direction and the outer coils
in the other direction; then the coils are joined up so that the current flows ground

page_text: the core in the same direction in each coil. Assuming the two coils shown in
Figure 11 to be equal and that the total discharge at the moment of breaking
circuit to be equal to 20 units there will be a potential difference between the
points marked (1) and (2) of 10 units; (1) being positive and (2) being negative.
In like manner between the points marked (3) and (4) there will be a potential
difference of 10 units; (4) being positive and (3) negative. Thus the adjacent
layers (2) and (3) are of the same polarity. This condition facilitates rapid charge
and discharge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A type printing telegraph instrument having two type wheels or rings and
a shield which allows one only to print at a time; such shield being controlled
substantially as described by currents passing in the line circuit and by notched
discs rotating in unison with the type wheels.
2. A type printing telegraph instrument having two type wheels or rings and
a shield which allows one only to print at a time; such shield being controlled
substantially as described by currents of more than the ordinary working strength
passing in the line circuit.
3. In a type printing telegraph instrument the combination of parts as follows :-
the type wheel axis a, the type wheels or rings 616; the notched discs mm the
shield / with its projection and the magnet and coil k and 1 for moving the
shield.
4. In a type printing telegraph instrument the combination of parts as follows:-
the type wheel axis a; the type wheels or rings 6' 6; the shield h; the impression
lever c; and the two impression pads cc, these pads being so carried by the
impression lever that in the act of printing they move inversely, the pad which
comes against the shield yielding and the other pad rising as it carries the paper
into contact with the type.
5. The method herein described for winding electro-magnets with right and left
hand helices or coils in order to obtain greater rapidity in action.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1892.
F. H. W. HIGGINS.