AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF RELAY APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the
nature of my Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT
OF RELAY APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS" to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement of electric
telegraph apparatus for transmission from line current to working current, and
vice versa. In order to render such a transmission possible the polarised relay at
present in use requires a different arrangement and construction from that which
is employed for the simple transmission of a working current. The accompanying
Drawing shews this improved construction and arrangement. The armature or
tongue of the polarised relay is extended and has its front end bent twice at right
angles so as to form a hook, and on its extremity is a projection k; this hook has
for its object to limit the motion of the steel spring i, and, at the same time, to
conduct the electric current, arriving from O through i to CC-W, and to effect,
together with the spring i, the opening and closing of the line current O-W.
On the right hand side of the armature is a small but very elastic adjustable
spring i, attached to the armature by means of two screws but insulated therefrom
by a plate of insulating material o. This spring, when at rest, lies against the
projection k, thus making contact.
On the insulating plate o, at the level of the contacts is a small stud j,
against which the spring i is pressed, so as not to be brought with its whole surface
in contact with the plate o. On the relay, to the right of the armature is a small
fine wire coil g, connected at one end to the spring i, and at the other end to the
contact screw h, which is insulated from the relay and is connected to the contact
screw c, also insulated from the relay. The coil g, lying almost parallel with the
armature of the relay, participates in the movement of the armature, without
materially affecting the same.
The operation of the polarised relay is sufficiently well known, and need
therefore not be further described.

page_text: It may, however, be stated that in regulating the same, the moveable polar
extensions n n¹ are not arranged equidistant from the central position of the
polarised armature or tongue CC, the extension n which corresponds to the rest
contact 1, being nearer the armature than the extension n¹. In this case, so long
as no current passes through m m¹, the attraction of the north pole n for the south
polarised armature C overbalances that of the north pole n¹, and consequently C¹ is
continually drawn towards n so as to make contact at l; the spring i then rests
upon the contact k and keeps the line circuit O-W closed at that point; on exciting
the relay by a line current the same end is attained if the polar extensions are
reversed and the battery poles are changed.
The key T has a divided working contact plater and r¹, as shewn. The small
part to the left is connected with the contact p of the relay R²; on the larger part
to the right is situated the working contact, and, in addition, a battery plate v.
The connections of the apparatus are effected as shewn on the Drawing.
The
R' is a polarised relay, R² a Morse relay: S1-S2 are writing apparatus, U₁ U²
the commutators, T¹ T the keys; G₁ G³ the galvanoscopes; B¹ the battery for
the working current, B2 that for the line current; W₁ a large artificial resistance,
which must be greater than the total resistance of the circuit N; O-W the line
circuit; N the working circuit. For transmitting a message from the circuit O-W
to the working circuit N, or the converse, the holes 1 are stoppered at U1 U2 and T'.
The course of the current in the line circuit from O to W is then as follows:
O G² S² B² U³ R2 ch gik C Ca U (over hole 1) T' W &c. &c., so that the
armature levers at S2 and R2 are attracted and lie against the rest contacts.
course of the current in the working circuit is as follows: N G₁ TU¹ (over hole 1)
f¹m m¹b K through W¹ to K¹ and to earth. If now, by the depression of a key,
the line current is broken in the circuit 0-W, then S2 and R2 are out of action,
the armature lever t at R2 moves against the contact p, the working current of the
battery B¹ is closed, and passes (the battery having one pole to earth) B¹ T¹
(bole 1, r) R2 (by contact p, armature lever t) R' (by contact screw b, wire coils m¹ m
contact screw f¹) U₁ (hole 1) T¹ (rest contact plate, body of key) G¹ to circuit
wire N, and actuates the writing apparatus at the distant station. This current
must be led through the coils m³ m of the relay R' in such a direction that a south
pole is produced at n¹ and a north pole at n, in order that the armature may be
held by n so as to lie against the contact ; the outgoing current will not take the
direction to earth through b W¹ (K2 K¹) because this offers too great a resistance,
but will pass through the line wire N having a less resistance. If now the distant
station of the line wire N sends a line current in such manner as to form at m¹ a
north pole and at m a south pole, then the residual north pole magnetism in n'
will be strengthened and the north magnetism in n will be neutralised, so that the
attraction for m¹ to C will be the greater and in consequence hereof the extension
of the armature C¹ C will be brought with the spring against the working
contact thus closing the local circuit of battery B2 (through d B2 U2 R2 chgi)
and causing the spring to be moved away from k, and thereby breaking the line
circuit -W. If the current in the line wire N ceases, the armature C¹ C moves
back again. The spring i remains so long against the contact until it is reached
by the projection k, thereby closing the line circuit O-W, and then moving away
from, whereby the local circuit will be opened at l¹i.
The armature lever of the relay R2 will remain against the rest contact, whereby
the entrance of a current into line wire N is prevented because the local circuit (-i)
is closed before the line circuit (O-W) is broken. By this means therefore the
difficulty is overcome which heretofore has rendered similar transmissions unsuitable
for practical use.
The connecting system of the circuit N with the circuit O-W, is separated as
follows: At T¹ and commutator U2 the stopper is moved from hole 1 to hole 2.
The current of the line circuit 0-W then passes through O G² S² B² U² (hole 2)
T2 W &c. &c. The armature levert of the relay R moves away because there is
no current in this part, and a permanent current would enter the circuit N if the
7

page_text: stopper at T were not moved from hole 1 to hole 2, whereby the battery is
transferred from contact plate r to contact plate r¹. If now a station on circuit N
calls, the relay R¹ comes into action whereby the local current i will be closed,
the relay R2 comes into action, in this case with the property as working current.
The fact that stations in circuit N call stations in circuit 0-W can therefore-be
ascertained so as to effect the connections of the two circuits and to allow them to
communicate.
The circuit N is arranged for writing apparatus S¹ by the cutting out of the
two relays R¹ and R³.
Should it appear necessary for any reason to separate circuit N from circuit O-W
and the connecting system, and to connect it to a separate apparatus, the stopper
at the commutator U¹ is moved from hole 1 to hole 2. The connecting system is
now cut out and the writing apparatus S¹ put in circuit. The course of the current
in N is now as follows: N G₁ T¹ U₁ (hole 2) S' and to earth. The outgoing current
passes, if key T¹ be depressed; through B' T¹ (hole 2) G¹ to N & &c., the circuit
is in this case an independent one.
By the above described Invention a single wire branch circuit may be established
at any point of a main circuit capable of operating with the latter in the same
manner as this operates in itself.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.

page_text: *
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION AND
ARRANGEMENT OF RELAY APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS" and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :--
This Invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement of electric
telegraph apparatus for transmission from line current to working current and
vice versa.
In order to render such a transmission possible, the polarised relay at
present in use requires a different arrangement and construction from that which is
employed for the simple transmission of a working current. The accompanying
Drawing shews this improved construction and arrangement. The armature or
tongue of the polarised relay is extended and has its front end bent twice at right
angles so as to form a hook and on its extremity is a projection ; this hook has
for its object to limit the motion of the steel spring i, and at the same time to
conduct the electric current, arriving from O. through i to C' C-W, and to effect,
together with the spring i the opening and closing of the line current O-W.
On the right hand side of the armature is a small but very elastic adjustable
spring i, attached to the armature by means of two screws but insulated therefrom
by a plate of insulating material o. This spring when at rest lies against the
projection thus making contact.
On the insulating plate o at the level of the contacts is a small stud j,
against which the spring i is pressed, so as not to be brought with its whole surface
in contact with the plate o. On the relay, to the right of the armature is a small
fine wire coil g, connected at one end to the spring i, and at the other end to the
contact screw h, which is insulated from the relay and is connected to the contact
screw c, also insulated from the relay. The coil g lying almost parallel with the
armature of the relay, participates in the movement of the armature, without
materially affecting the same.
The operation of the polarised relay is sufficiently well known, and need therefore
not be further described.
'
It may, however, be stated that in regulating the same, the moveable polar
extensions n n¹ are not arranged equidistant from the central position of the
polarised armature or tongue C Č¹, the extension n which corresponds to the rest
contact 1, being nearer the armature than the extension n¹. In this case, so long as
no current passes through m m¹, the attraction of the north pole n for the south
polarised armature C overbalances that of the north pole n¹ and consequently C¹ is
continually drawn towards n so at to make contact at ; the spring i then rests
upon the contact k and keeps the line circuit O-W closed at that point; en exciting
the relay by a line current the same end is attained if the polar extensions are
reversed and the battery poles are changed. The key T¹ has a divided working
contact plater and r¹ as shewn. The small part to the left is connected with the
contact of the relay R²; on the larger part to the right is situated the working
contact and, in addition, a battery plate v. The connections of the apparatus are
effected as shewn in the Drawing.
R¹ is a polarised relay, R2 a Morse relay; S¹ S³ are writing apparatus, U¹ U³ the
two commutators T¹ T2 the keys; G1 G2 the galvanoscopes; B' the battery for the
working current, B2 that for the line current; W¹ à large artificial resistance,
which must be greater than the total resistance of the circuit N; O-W the line

page_text: circuit; N the working circuit. For transmitting a message from the circuit O-W
to the working circuit N or the converse, the holes 1 are stoppered at U¹ U² and T¹.
The course of the current in the line circuit from O to W is then as follows:-
0¹ G² S² B² U³ R2 c h gik CC a U2 (over hole 1) T2 W &c. &c. so that the
armature levers at S3 and R2 are attracted and lie against the rest contacts. The
course of the current in the working circuit is as follows: N G T U₁ (over hole 1)
f¹ mm² b K2 through W¹ to K¹ and to earth. If now, by the depression of a key
the line current is broken in the circuit O-W, then S2 and R2 are out of action, the
armature levert at R2 moves against the contact p, the working current of the
battery B¹ is closed and passes (the battery having one pole to earth) B¹ T¹
(hole 7) R2 (by contact p, armature lever t) R¹ (by contact screw b, wire
coils m¹ m contact screw f¹) U¹ (hole 1) T¹ (rest contact plate, body of key) G¹ to
circuit wire N, and actuates the writing apparatus at the distant station. This
current must be led through the coils m¹ m of the relay R¹ in such a direction that
a south pole is produced at n¹ and a north pole at n, in order that the armature
may be held by n so as to lie against the contact 1; the outgoing current will not
take the direction to earth through b (K2 K³) because this offers too great a
resistance, but will pass through the line wire N having a less resistance. If now
the distant station of the line wire N sends a line current in such manner as to
form at m a north pole and at m a south pole then the residual north pole
magnetism in n' will be strengthened and the north magnetism in n will be
neutralised, so that the attraction for n¹ to C will be the greater, and in
consequence hereof, the extension of the armature CC will be brought with the
spring i against the working contact U, thus closing the local circuit of battery B²
(through dB² U* R² c h g i) and causing the spring to be moved away from K,
and thereby breaking the line circuit 0-W. If the current in the line wire N
ceases the armature C¹ C moves back again. The spring i remains so long against
the contact until it is reached by the projection k, thereby closing the line
circuit O-W and then moving away from whereby the local circuit will be
opened at . The armature lever of the relay R² will remain against the rest
contact, whereby the entrance of a current into line wire N is prevented because
the local circuit (-) is closed before the line circuit (O-W) is broken. By this
means therefore, the difficulty is overcome which heretofore has rendered similar
transmissions unsuitable for practical use. The connecting system of the circuit N
with the circuit 0-W is separated as follows:-At T¹ and commutator U³ the
stopper is moved from hole 1 to hole 2. The current of the line circuit 0-W then
passes through O G² S² B² U³ (hole 2) T W &c. &c. The armature lever t of the
relay R2 moves away because there is no current in this part, and a permanent
current would enter the circuit N if the stopper at T¹ were not moved from hole 1
to hole 2, whereby the battery is transferred from contact r to contact plate r¹. If
now a station on circuit N calls, the relay R¹ comes into action whereby the local
current i will be closed, the relay R2 comes into action, in this case with the
property as working current. The fact that stations in circuit N call stations in
circuit 0-W can therefore be ascertained so as to effect the connections of the two
circuits and to allow them to communicate.
The circuit N is arranged for writing apparatus S¹ by the cutting out of the two
relays R and R².
Should it appear necessary for any reason to separate circuit N from circuit O-W
and the connecting system, and to connect it to a separate apparatus, the stopper at
the commutator U¹ is moved from hole 1 to hole 2. The connecting system is now
cut out and the writing apparatus S¹ put in circuit. The course of the current
in N is now as follows: NG T¹ U¹ (hole 2) S₁ and to earth.
The outgoing current passes, if key T¹ be depressed, through B¹ T¹ (hole 2) G¹
to N &c. &c.; the circuit is in this case an independent one.
By the above described Invention a single wire branch circuit may be established
at any point of a main circuit circuit capable of operating with the latter in the
same manner as this operates in itself.
·

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim in respect of relay apparatus for electric telegraphs is :—
Ti "
1, The extension of the armature or tongue C C having a double bend so as to
form a hook which is provided with a small projection k and which has for its
object to limit the notion of the spring i to lead the electric current coming from O
through to C¹ C-W and 'to effect, together with the spring the opening and
closing of the line current O-W substantially as herein described.
2, The use, in combination with the armature or tongue C C of the adjustable
insulated spring i, which when at rest lies against the projection of the hook
thus forming a contact and closing the circuit O-W, substantially as herein.
described.
3, The arrangement c h g for leading the current to the spring i, substantially
as herein described.
4, The combined apparatus herein described and shewn on the Drawing, whereby
the closing of the local circuit and the subsequent opening of the line circuit, and
vice versa is effected by means of one and the same relay, the sending of a current
from a station on circuit N causing the armature C C with its spring to make
contact with ' whereby the local circuit -i of the relay R2 is first closed and then
the line circuit i-k is opened, while on the cessation of the current in circuit N, the
armature CC is brought against the rest contact 7 thereby first closing the line
circuit i k and then opening the local circuit l―i.