Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically Transmitting Orders, Signals, or Indications from One Place to Another.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically Transmitting Orders,
Signals, or Indications from One Place to Another.
I, ALFRED CPTON ALCOCK, formerly of 138, Swanston Street, Melbourne,
Victoria, but now of 11, Poultry, in the City of London Electrical Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in apparatus oi tue kind where, y
orders, signals or indications are transmitted from one place to another, as for
example from the bridge of a steam ship to the engine room, or from the conning
tower of a war-ship to the gun turrets, or vice versa, by causing the indicator of a
receiving instrument to move synchronously with and in a corresponding manner
to the indicator or other movable part of a transmitting instrument by means of
an electric motor the magnetic field of which is caused to rotate or change in a
rotary direction, by a circuit controller when the indicator of the transmitting
instrument is operated, the said circuit controller, which is mechanically con-
nected to the latter indicator or equivalent and electrically connected to the motor,
acting to set up a multiple phase current that produces the desired rotary field
in the motor.
In one arrangement of apparatus according to this invention, the field winding
of the electric motor is composed of three coils arranged at equal angular distances
apart and connected to three conductors that are connected to thiee fixed elec-
trodes arranged at equal angular distances apart in a cell charged with a suitable
liquid into which dip two movable electrodes connected to opposite poles of a
suitable source of electricity, the electrodes and liquid constituting a circuit
controller. The arrangement is such that by rotating the movable electrodes
relatively to the fixed ones, variations are set up in the resistances of the three
circuit in such a way that the field of each coil of the motor rises and falls in a
progressive manner, each field reaching its maximum strength in advance of that
of the next succeeding coil whereby a rotary field is produced. The indicator of
the transmitting instrument is arranged to move over a dial bearing the orders
or signals to be sent and is connected to a carrier from which the movable
electrodes are suspended so as to cause the latter to rotate about a common
centre. preferably around a cylindrical centre of non-conducting material in
equally spaced recesses in which the fixed electrodes are secured. The cell
containing the electrodes is charged with a suitable liquid, for example a dilute
solution of sulphuric acid, or ordinary or distilled water, according to the electro-
motive force of the current used. The electrodes are preferably of platinum.
The field coils of the motor may be wound after the manner of the coils of a
drum wound armature, or of those of a gramme ring, the three coils being
arranged 120° apart and in the former case, without an iron core.
The armature,
which is pivoted inside the coils, or inside the ring, as the case may be, may be a
single iron or steel needle secured to a spindle to which is secured, outside the

page_text: coils, the indicator of the receiving instrument which is aanged to move over a
diai bearing similar orders or signals to those on the dial or the transmitting
instrument. Means may be provided for damping the movements of the arma-
ture so as to render them dead beat.
Alternating or periodically varying electric currents, or a direct current, may
be used, preterably the former. When using direct currents, the motor armature
may be polarized.
Apparatus according to this invention may be used for various purposes other
than as a ship's telegraph or the like. Thus it may be used in connection with
or as a speed counter, the movable part of the transmitting instrument being
then arranged to be rotated by the body whose speed is to be indicated and the
armature of the motor of the receiving instrument being arranged to actuato
counting mechanism.
One transmitting instrument with circuit controller can be combined with a
number of receiving instruments so as to transmit orders, signals or indications
simultaneously to two or more places.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.
Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically Transmitting Orders,
Signals, or Indications from One Place to Another.
I, ALFRED UPTON ALCOCK, formerly of 138, Swanston Street, Melbourne,
Victoria, but now of 11, Poultry, in the City of London Electrical Engineer, 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 reference to improvements in apparatus of the kind for
transmitting orders, signals or indications from one place to another, as for
example from the bridge of a steam ship to the engine room, or from the conning
tower of a war-ship to the gun turrets, or rice versa, wherein the indicator of
a receiving instrument is caused to move synchronously with and in a correspond-
ing manner to the indicator or other movable part of a transmitting instrument by
means of an electric motor the magnetic field of which is caused to rotate or
change in a rotary direction, by a circuit controller when the indicator of the
transmitting instrument is operated, the said circuit controller, which is mechani-
cally connected to the latter indicator or equivalent and is electrically
connected to the motor, acting to produce the desired rotary field in the motor.
The object of the invention is to improve the working and simplify the con-
struction of such apparatus and to enable a greater number of orders, signals or
indications to be transmitted with greater accuracy than has heretofore been
usual with one apparatus. For this purpose I employ apparatus such as I shall
now describe with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings wherein
Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating one arrangement of apparatus according to this
invention, and Figs. 2 and 3 show in plan and vertical section respectively, one
construction of the circuit controller or commutator used in such apparatus.
a and b are the transmitting and receiving stations respectively. The receiv-

page_text: 50
of
the
ing instrument lecated at station comprises a rotary current motor having a
ring shaped field magnet d provided with three separate windings e, f and y,
an amature that is mounted to rotate within the said field magnet and which
may conveniently consist of two diametrically arranged sector shaped pieces of
iron or steel spaced apart vertically and connected by a common spindle h', the
angle of cach sector being preferably about 60°, and a pointer or indicator i
connected to the armature spindle and arranged to move over a suitably marked
scale o dial. In the example shown each winding e.
f and is composed of
two coils aanged in series and diametrically opposite to each other on the field
magnet, the direction of winding of each pair of coils being so arranged as
to produce opposite poles in the field magnet ring d at ight angles
to the pair of coils, and the three pair of coils being arranged at
that the
equal angular distances apart
resultant poles
three pairs of coils will be angularly displaced 60° apart around the field magnet
ring. The three pairs of coils e, f and g are connected together at one end as
shown at f, and at their other ends are connected to three separate line wires k, l
and m respectively. These line wires k, and m are connected at the trans-
mitting station to three fixed electrodes n, o and arranged at equal angular
distances apart in a cell 1 charged with a suitable liquid into which dip two
diametrically arranged movable electrodes and which are respectively con-
nected by electric leads and y to the opposite poles of a suitable source of
electricity, the electrodes and liquid constituting a circuit controller or com-
mutator. The liquid used may be a dilute acid or alkali solution, or ordinary or
distilled water, according to the electromotive of the current used. The electrodes
which are preferably made of platinum, may conveniently be made of arc shape
segments, as shown, having an angular width of 600 each, the movable electrodes v
and rheing so arranged relatively to the fixed ones n, o, p that when one of
them is centrally opposite one of the fixed electrodes the other will be midway
between the two remaining fixed electrodes. The movable electrodes and wo
are suspended from a suitable carrier to which is connected an indicator airanged
to move over a dial bearing the orders, signals or indications to be transmitted,
the dial of the receiving instrument at 6 bearing similar orders, signals or
indications.
By means of a circuit controller or commutator constructed as described, great
sensitiveness is obtained, very small movements of the indicator of the trans-
mitting instrument producing corespondingly small movements of the indicator i
of the receiving instrument, so that the apparatus is adapted for transmitting
small indications such as degrees of a circle and fractions thereof.
Such a circuit controller or commutator can be constructed in various forms.
In Figs. 2 and 3, the fixed electrodes n, o andare supported in the cell 1 by
metal supports 2 that are fixed between top and bottom plates 3 and 4 of insulating
material and are each connected to a terminal screw 5. The two movable elec-
trodes and wr, which dip into the liquid in the cell and are arranged to rotate
in the space bounded by the fixed electrodes, are supported by a suitable carrier 6
of insulating material provided with a crank handle 7 or equivalent so that they
can be rotated as desired, the said electrodes being electrically connected to
centially aanged pivots 8 and 9 whereby they can be electrically connected
with the source of electric supply, the lower pivot 9 being supported by a fixed
Learing 9, which may be a screw, as shown. The handle 7 serves also as an
indicator and works over a suitably marked scale or dial on the top of plate 3.
The fixed electrodes may, if desired, be spaced equally apart around a central
insulating support and the movable electrodes rotate outside of them.
The electric generator to the opposite poles of which the electrodes and w
are connected may be an alternating or periodically varying electric current
generator, or a direct current generator. It is however preferred to use an
alternating curent generator in order to obviate any difficulty, due to polariza-
tion, that might arise if a direct current were used."

page_text: With apparatus constructed and arranged as described, assuming that the
electrodes n, o, p, and w to be in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1, that
the indicator of the transmitting instrument is in the position indicated by the
line AA and that an alternating current is supplied to the electrodes and w,
then the current will divide equally and pass by the line wires and to the two
pairs of coils e and f and to the point whence it will return through the pair
of coils g and line wire m to the other movable electrode w.
resultant magnet field produced by the three pairs of coils and consequently the
The position of the
position of the armature h and indicator of the receiving instrument will be
represented by the line A¹ A', and the order to which the indicator i points will
correspond to that to which the indicator of the transmitting instrument points.
If the electrodes r and ware turned through 60° in the direction of the arrow
(Fig 1), so that the indicator ¹ corresponds to the position B B, the current will
divide between the electrodes o and and pass through the two pairs of coils f
and g and return through the other pair of coils e so that the resultant magnetic
ield will be thereby shifted round through 60° into the position indicated by
the line B B into which position the armature h and indicator i will be simul-
taneously shifted. By turning the movable electrodes forward through an-
other 60°, the resultant magnetic field of the motor together with the armature
and indicator of the receiving instrument, will be shifted round through an-
other 60°. By the use of a liquid commutator as described, a similar action will
take place even if the movable electrodes be only turned through a very small
angle. In this way by turning the electrodes and win either direction, the
resultant field of the motor of the receiving instrument will be caused to rotate
in a similar direction and to a similar extent, so that the indicator of the
receiving instrument will move synchronously with and to the same extent as the
indicator of the transmitting instrument, the two indicators consequently
always pointing to similar orders or indications on the two dials.
To ensure that the indicator i shall move in unison with the indicator i¹, even if
the latter be rotated rapidly, the motor armature his polarized. When using
direct currents the armature may be permanently polarized. When using alter-
nating or periodically varying electric currents, the armature may be polarized
by a coil 10 excited by alternating currents corresponding in phase to that of the
currents which at any moment excite the field magnet coils. In this case a
transformer may be used, as shown in Fig. 1, having two secondary windings 11
and 12, one of which, riz. 11, has its two ends connected to the two movable
electrodes and of the commutator, and the other, riz. 12. has one end con-
nected to earth and the other end connected by a line conductor 13 to one end of
the armature polarizing coil 10 the other end of which is connected to earth E.
Means such for example as a magnetic brake arranged to act upon the armature
spindle may be provided for damping the movements of the armature and
so rendering such aimature and the indicator attached thereto dead beat.
An electric motor having a rotary field produced by three coils or three sets
of coils can, as well understood, be constructed in various forms. Figs. 4 and 5
show respectively in vertical section and front elevation, a receiving instrument
in which the field magnet consists of three pairs of iron cores arranged
horizontally in a circular row with the axes of adjacent cores 60° apart. The
three pairs of cores are fixed to a non-magnetic dial plate and are provided with
three pairs of coils e, f and g that are carried by bobbins 15, held between plates 16
and 17, and are arranged and connected up in the manner herein before described 5
with reference to Fig. 1. The armature consists of two iron strips h fixed to an
iron spindle that extends through a boss 18 carrying the polarizing coil 10,
is carried by bearing plates 19 and 20, and carries the indicator moving over
the dial. The whole is enclosed in a box 21 having a glass top. To obtain the
best results each of the iron strips h should have a radial width such that when 5
the sector is directly opposite any one of the polar ends of the cores, the
distance y between such polar end and the periphery of the sector and the dis-

page_text: tances between the ends of the two cores on each side of the one core and the
two corners of the strip are equal or approximately so.
The three field coils of the motor may also be wound after the manner of the
coils of a drum wound armature, that is to say one over the other as shown
diagrammatically in Fig. 6, the coils being spaced equally apart and without an
iron core.
One transmitting instrument with circuit controller or commutator of the kind
described can be combined with a number of receiving instruments so as to
transmit orders, signals or indications simultaneously to two or more places.
For this purpose the field magnet coils e, f and g of the receiving instrument at
station instead of being connected together at t as shown, may be each con-
nected in series with the respective pairs of field magnet coils of similar indicating
instruments at the other places, the ends of the coils of the last instrument only
being connected together as described.
Apparatus according to this invention may be used for various purposes other
than as a military or ship's telegraph or the like. Thus it may be used in con-
nection with or as a speed counter, the movable part of the transmitting instru-
ment being then arranged to be rotated by the body whose speed is to be indicated
and the armature of the motor of the receiving instrument being arranged to
actuate counting mechanism. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing such an application,
the spindle S of the commutator being rotated for example by a worm 22 on a
shaft 23 driven by the engine 24 whose speed is to be indicated, and the armature
spindle of the receiving instrument being geared to a counter 25.
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 is:-
1. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to for electrically transmitting
orders, signals or indications from one place to another, the combination with a
rotary current motor for operating the indicator of the receiving instrument and
three line wires connected thereto as set forth, of a circuit controller or commu-
tator comprising three electrodes connected to the line wires and two electrodes
connected to an electric generator and a cell containing liquid in which the
electrodes are placed. and means for moving the one set of electrodes relatively
to the other, substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for electrically transmitting orders from one place to another.
a circuit controller or commutator comprising a cell charged with liquid and
having three electrodes connected to line wires extending to the receiving portion
of the said apparatus and two electrodes connected to a source of electricity, and
means for rotating the one set of electrodes relatively to the other substantially
as described.
3. Apparatus for electrically transmitting orders, signals or indications from
one place to another constructed arranged and operating substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Fig. 1 and to Fig. 7 of the drawings annexed.
ober 1899.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE.
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.