Improvements in Column Printing Telegraph Receivers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1890,
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Sept., 1891-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Column Printing Telegraph Receivers.
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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in column printing telegraph
receivers.
In instruments of this class it is necessary at the end of every line to bring the
type wheel back into position to commence another line and also it is necessary
to move the paper on over the space which separates the lines of the printed
matter.
This has heretofore been performed by the operation of the printing magnet
acting when the type wheel has been brought to a pre-arranged position; and
this is the method which I still employ.
My present invention is directed to the performance of this operation indepen-
dently of the driving train by which the type wheel is propelled. In my improved
machine the sole duty of the driving train is to rotate the type wheel axis and
consequently the machine can be worked at a higher speed than when the move-
ment of the train is retarded by the friction of other parts and meets with a
resistant which is all the more injurious because irregular and intermittent. I
provide an additional magnet in the printing circuit to do the work of which the
driving train is relieved. This magnet keep out of action preferably by
mechanical means except when the type wheel is in the one position in which the
action of the magnet is to be allowed. Connected with the armature of the
magnet I provide an arm and on the axis of the type wheel I have a notched disc.
Each time that the printing current passes this additional magnet attracts its
armature but usually the disc prevents its movement and that of the arm. But
when the notch in the disc comes round and at the same time a printing current
flows then the notch in the disc allows the arm to pass and it makes an effective
movement. There are two duties for the arm to perform, it causes retaining pawls
to be lifted and then a wound up spring brings the type wheel back to the
beginning of the line, and it causes the paper to be moved forward.
Neither of these movements however does the arm effect directly but it causes
them to be effected by the printing frame or lever.
The printing frame or lever carries a pendent link jointed to it at its upper end
and connected with the pawls which prevent the type wheel from being drawn
back.
In the ordinary movement of the printing frame or lever the link swings freely
and does not affect the pawls, but when the arm above mentioned drops into the
notch a hook with which it is furnished catches the link, opposes its free move-
ment and causes it to displace the pawls. The roller on which is the paper to be
printed is turned by a ratchet and pawl. A finger on the axis of the roller carries
the pawl and a projection is provided upon the printing frame or lever to operate
in conjunction with this finger and pawl. In the ordinary movement for printing
the projection does not come into contact with or influence the finger and pawl
but when the arm above referred to makes its movement it interposes a fitting
piece or block between the projection and the finger and then the advance of the
printing frame or lever causes the pawl to operate and a partial rotation of the
paper roller to take place. In order to facilitate the movement of the roller
paper
I provide a spring in connection with this roller. I so arrange that each current
passing in the printing circuit causes this spring to be partially wound until a

page_text: sufficient tension is obtained. This spring aids in turning the paper roller and so
the work which the printing magnet has to perform when the end of a line is
reached is considerably lightened; or the arrangement may be such that the
power of the spring alone is sufficient when liberated to turn the paper roller.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1890.
F. H. W. HIGGINS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Column Printing Telegraph Receivers.
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:—
This invention has for its object improvements in column printing telegraph
receivers.
In instruments of this class it is necessary at the end of every line to bring the
type wheel back into position to commence another line and also it is necessary to
move the paper on over the space which separates the lines of the printed matter.
This has heretofore been performed by the operation of the printing magnet
acting when the type wheel has been brought to a prearranged position, and this
is the method which I still employ.
My present invention is directed to the performance of this operation indepen-
dently of the driving train by which the type wheel is propelled. In my improved
machine the sole duty of the driving train is to rotate the type wheel axis and
consequently the machine can be worked at a higher speed than when the nove-
ment of the train is retarded by the friction of other parts and meets with a
resistance which is all the more injurious because irregular and intermittent. I
provide an additional magnet in the printing circuit to do the work of which the
driving train is relieved. This magnet I keep out of action preferably by
mechanical means except when the type wheel is in the one position in which the
action of the magnet is to be allowed. Connected with the armature of the magnet
I provide an arm and on the axis of the type wheel I have a notched disc. Each
time that the printing current passes this additional magnet attracts its armature,
but usually the disc prevents its movement and that of the arm. But when the
notch in the disc comes round and at the same time a printing current flows then
the notch in the disc allows the arm to pass and it makes an effective movement.
There are two duties for the arm to perform, it causes retaining pawls to be lifted
and then a wound up spring brings the type wheel back to the beginning of the
line, and it causes the paper to be moved forward.
Neither of these movements however does the arm effect directly but it causes
them to be effected by the printing frame or lever.
The printing frame or lever carries a pendent link jointed to it at its upper end
and connected with the pawls which prevent the type wheel from being drawn back.
In the ordinary movement of the printing frame or lever the link swings freely
and does not affect the pawls but when the arm above mentioned drops into the
notch a hook with which it is furnished catches the link, opposes its free movement
and causes it to displace the pawls. The roller on which is the paper to be printed
is turned by driving pawls. A finger on the axis of the roller carries the pawl
and a projection is provided upon the printing frame or lever to operate in con-
junction with this finger and pawl. In the ordinary movement for printing the
projection does not come into contact with or influence the finger and pawl but
when the arm above referred to makes its movement it interposes a filling piece
or block between the projection and the finger and then the advance of the printing
frame or lever causes the pawl to operate and a partial rotation of the paper
roller to take place.

page_text: In order to facilitate the movement of the paper roller I provide a spring in
connection with this roller. I so arrange that each current passing in the printing
circuit causes this spring to be partially wound until a sufficient tension is obtained.
This spring aids in turning the paper roller and so the work which the printing
magnet has to perform when the end of a line is reached is considerably
lightened; or the arrangement may be such that the power of the spring alone is
sufficient when liberated to turn the paper roller.
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 a sectional elevation and Figure 2 is a plan of parts of a column
printing telegraph receiver constructed in accordance with my invention. These
figures illustrate the part of the invention which relates to bringing the type
wheel back to the commencement of the line and to advancing the paper without
interfering in any way with the uniformity of the frictional resistance to the
rotation of the type wheel.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation and Figure 4 is a plan shewing another
arrangement for effecting the same objects and illustrating also the part of the
invention which relates to rotating the paper roller by power obtained from
currents passing to the printing circuit, and storing up in a spring to produce each
movement a part of the energy of several successive printing currents.
In Figures
and 2 a is the type wheel axis and the dotted line a¹ indicates a
portion of the circumference of the type wheel. The axis a is caused to rotate to
bring the letters upon the wheel successively into position for printing, by clock-
work and an electro-magnetic escapement contained within the box 6; these
arrangements are well understood and require no illustration. In place of the
clockwork and escapement an electro-magnetic propelment may be employed.
The type wheel is able to slide along the axis a from end to end and it is caused
to do so by the rotation of the screw c which engages with the frame in which the
type wheel is carried. The screw e as it is turned to move the type wheel step by
step along the line of printing, winds up a spring, which causes the screw when
released to turn in the reverse direction and to bring back the type wheel to the
beginning of the line.
These arrangements are the same as are described in the Specification of my
former Patent No. 2128 in the year 1887.
d is the printing lever or frame, as is usual it is moveable about an axis d' under
the influence of an electro magnet which is not shewn; the magnet attracts an
armature attached to the lever or frame whenever a current is transmitted through
the printing circuit.
The dotted line e in Figure 1 represents the sheet of paper to be printed; it
passes upwards between guides on the printing frame and rests against a roller d
which this frame carries. The advance of the frame d caused by the attraction of
the printing magnet brings the paper lying on the roller d³ against the type upon
the wheel a
The paper after being printed ascends and comes against the paper roller f and
here two driving pawls g rest against the paper. The pawls 9 are carried by
fingers g¹ one at either end of the printing roller and fixed upon the axis on which
the roller f is able to turn freely. 92 is a spring which presses the driving pawl
against the paper. Above the driving pawls 9 there are retaining pawls h which
prevent the sheet of paper after it has been raised by the driving pawls from
returning or passing down with the driving pawls. An up and down movement is
imparted at intervals to the driving pawls g by the printing framed by means
hereinafter more fully described. The screw c has two ratchet wheels c¹ c² upon it,
with one of these a retaining pawl i engages and the teeth of the other are caught
by a driver d³ jointed to the frame d and pressed against the teeth of the ratchet
by a spring. At each forward movement of the frame d when printing takes place

page_text: the driver d³ advances over the teeth of the ratchet c² and when the frame dis
drawn back by its spring the ratchet is turned the space of a tooth.
The screw
then moves the type wheel along the line of printing the distance between letter
and letter, and at the same time the spring in connection with the screw c is
gradually wound.
The retaining pawli is furnished with an arm i¹ and this by a rod k is connected
with the pendent link which at its upper end is jointed to the printing frame d.
m is an electro magnet in the printing circuit and m' is its armature pivotted at m².
m³ is an arm fixed to the armature. mx is a hook piece at the end of the arm m³
projecting from it at right angles. a2 is a disc upon the axis a of the type wheel.
Each current passing in the printing circuit causes the hook mx to advance but
usually it is stopped by coming against the disc a². But if the type wheel axis be
placed as the drawing indicates so that a notch in the disc a² permits the hook m*
to pass, then the advance immediately following of the printing frame d brings the
projection on the arm against the hook mx and then the further advance of the
printing frame causes a pull upon the rod k and the retaining pawl i is lifted out of
gear. The boss or axis of the retaining pawl carries a finger the end of which is
immediately beneath a pin dx on the driver consequently at the same time that
the retaining pawl is lifted, the driver also is disengaged from the teeth of its
ratchet. The screw c then turns and the type wheel retires to the commencement
of a line.
n is a lever pivotted at n'. In Figure 2 the upper end of this lever is broken
away. The lever n passes up between the arm m³ and a light spring m² fixed to
the arm by one end. 2 is the head of the lever n, it rests against a pin or
projection d' on the printing frame. When the armature m' is attracted the head n²
is drawn forward into such a position that on the advance of the printing frame d
it strikes against the finger carrying the paper pawl g. In this way the paper
roller is turned and the paper fed forward. When the printing frame d retires the
fingers gl fall down to a stop where they remain ready to again operate. The
movement of the printing frame d with the pin or projection d does not affect the
finger g' except when the head n² has been brought forward by the electro magnet m
acting at a moment when the notch in the disc a² is in position to allow the hook m*
to pass at other times the head 2 advances with the printing frame but in such a
position that it passes alongside of the finger g¹ without striking it. The movement
of the armature m' should precede that of the lever d, there is no difficulty in so
arranging.
In Figures 3 and 4 the parts a a² b c d d e f m² m³ m* are substantially as
already described but in the instrument here shewn the work of rotating and
releasing the screw c is not performed by the printing frame but by an additional
lever D provided for the purpose and operated by an additional electro magnet D¹
introduced into the printing circuit, so that the frame d and lever D move in unison.
The lever D carries a driving pawl E engaging with a ratchet on the screw c and
in the return movement of the lever D (produced by a spring not shewn) the screw
is turned. F is a retaining pawl. G is a feeling rod connected with the pawl E
and advancing with it. When the projection m* passes through the notch in the
disc a² the feeling rod G comes against the end of the lever m³, the forward
movement of the rod is arrested and the driving pawl E is disengaged. El is
a tail upon the driving pawl arranged to come against a pin F¹ on the retaining
pawl; so that the latter is lifted out at the same time that the former is
disengaged.
The lever D also carries a driver H which as the lever advances comes against
the ratchet I and turns it the space of one tooth.
The retaining pawl K drops in and retains it. L is a pinion fast with the
ratchet I and engaging with the toothed wheel M. One end of a spiral spring is
attached to the wheel M and the other end to a wheel N loose upon the same axis.
The wheel N gears with the wheel upon the paper roller f.
P is a pinion engaged with the wheel O and having upon its axis six arms P¹ P

page_text: Qis a stem rising from the arm m³ and terminating in a short crosshead upon which
one or other of the arms P¹ rests.
Thus it will be seen that at each movement of the lever D the wheel M is turned
partly round and as the wheel N is unable to turn, the spring which connects the
two wheels M and N is gradually wound up. When however the projection m
passes through the notch in the disc a² one of the arms P¹ gets past the end of the
cross head on the stem Q and the pinion P turns until the other end of the cross
head stops the following arm P1, for the arms P1 are in different planes. Similarly
when the projection m* retires through the notch in the disc a² the pinion P moves
another step. The paper roller as will be seen moves with the pinion.
In order to prevent overwinding, a lever R is provided, it is pivotted at R' and
is pressed forward by a spring R². The lever R abuts against a disc S which is
upon the same axis with the wheels M and N and is compelled to rotate with the
wheel M. The winding continues until a projection S₁ on the disc drops into a
cavity N' prepared for it in the side of the wheel N.
When this takes place the end R³ of the lever R advances into such a position
that the driver H when it comes forward strikes upon the end R³ and so is kept off
from the teeth of the ratchet I. There is also a pin N2 on the side of the wheel,
it drops into a hole in the disc S at the same time that the projection S¹ enters the
cavity N. The purpose which the pin N³ serves is to prevent the spring unwinding
too far, this it does (when the case arises) by coming against the projection S¹ upon
the disc S, after passing around to the other side of it opposite to that in which it
is represented in the drawing.
In place of the arrangements described the paper roller may be turned by the
action of the printing lever and the spring may be employed as an auxiliary only,
its strength being then insufficient of itself to turn the paper roller. It is preferred
however to employ a spring of the full strength required to draw the paper forward
without assistance in the manner already indicated.
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 :-
1. A. column printing telegraph receiver so arranged substantially as described
that the return of the type wheel to the commencement of the line and the
advance of the paper are caused by instruments operated upon by the printing
current at every passage of that current but prevented from acting effectually
except when required by the interposition of the disc or screen a² which rotates
with the type wheel.
2. A column printing telegraph receiver in which the return of the type wheel
to the commencement of the line and the advance of the paper are caused sub-
stantially as described by the co-operation of two electro magnets in the printing
circuit; which co-operation is able to take place only when the type wheel axis is
in a pre-arranged position.
3. In a column printing telegraph receiver, apparatus substantially as described
in which a spring is wound by an electro-magnet, energized by impulses in the
printing circuit and is liberated when required to move the paper a step forward by
another electro-magnet in the printing circuit which attracts its armature each time
a current passes therein but is able to move it effectually only when the type wheel
axis is in a prearranged position.
4. In a column printing telegraph receiver, apparatus substantially as represented
by the annexed drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1891.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.