Improvements in Printing Telegraphs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 18th Feb.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Telegraphs.
I, JOHANN KUSTERMANN, of Mindelheim, in the Empire of Germany, 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 a device for equalizing the travel and the current
supply in type printing telegraphs, which on the one hand allows of a suitable
number of type printing telegraph apparatuses being connected in series (as with
the Morse) and on the other hand produces an automatic regulation of the type
wheels thereof so that the co-regulating of the same by mechanical means by the
officials acting in concert is entirely dispensed with, which at the present has always
to be repeatedly undertaken during the working in Hughes' and other like
apparatuses.
The automatic regulating of the type wheels takes place from the transmitting
apparatus at each revolution of the said wheels in such a way that the type wheels
which may happen to be travelling in advance are arrested until current is sent
from the transmitting apparatus, so that the wheels always run equally together
up to the next change.
An arrangement is also adopted by which when the type wheel lags behind the
transmitting apparatus, the type wheels of the receiving apparatus are also auto-
matically arrested until that of the transmitter has caught up to them and is equal
to the others, or rice versa when the type wheel of the transmitter travels in advance
and the others remain behind.
This improved equalizing apparatus for type printing telegraphs is shown in the
accompanying drawings,
Figure being a diagrammatic elevation and Figure 1* a plan view, whilst
Figures 2, 3, 4, & 5 are diagrams of the course of the current, Figures 6 and 7
are diagrammatic representations showing the mutual working of ten stations
provided with the equalizing apparatus hereinafter described.
The arrangement is as follows:-
A is the spindle of the typewheel, on which in addition to the type wheel Ta
e is a spindle
correcting wheel a is loosely mounted. The latter carries a pin b.
mounted in the wall of the apparatus and made half round at its front end. On
this spindle e an elbow lever d f, Figure 1, is mounted, the arm f of which carries
a lateral pin engaging in the fork of a lever g whereby the arm f and therewith
the spindle c may be turned. The latter is mounted on the axis of rotation a¹
of an armature lever s2 and forms with the latter to a certain extent a two armed
lever. The half rounded spindle e is usually held by the armature in such a way
that it prevents the pin of the correction wheel from passing (Figure 1) when the
said pin reaches this spot on a rotation of the wheel. The type wheel T and the
correction wheel a are connected with one another by friction being pressed one
on the other by means of a dished spring disc a. This connection by means of
A bevel
the pressure spring aº is preferably the one shown in detail in Figure 8.

page_text: wheel e¹ is firmly connected with the wheel a, said wheel e¹ engaging a similar
wheel e on the shaft eo of the revolving lever h. The consequence of this is that
the type wheel T and lever he remain stationary when the correction wheel a is
arrested by the pin b on the half-rounded spindle c.
The half-rounded spindle c only allows the pin and with it the wheel a to
further travel when current again passes through the polarized electro-magnets M².
As soon as this takes place the core of the magnet M2 is demagnetized and the
armature drawn upwards by a draw-off spring whilst the lever f is moved into
the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. This causes a movement of the
spindle c to such an extent that the pin b can slip off the spindle c and the wheel
can make one revolution together with the parts T and h connected with it. On
slipping over the lever arm d the pin presses this lever arm back together with
the levers and g and also the armature into their initial position. As in the
meantime the current is again interrupted at M² the core of the magnet M² holds
the armature itself in the position shown in full lines until current afresh passes
through magnet M2 and thereby causes a drawing-off of the armature.
This process
is repeated at each revolution a T and h.
A current passing through electro-magnet M² not merely causes a releasing of
the parts a T h, but it disconnects itself automatically in such a way that the
printing mechanism is released by it. For this object the following arrangement
is adopted.-
A V-shaped lever o¹, i, is pivotally mounted at the side of the pin disc z,
Figure 1, which pin disc forms the upper part of the pin case one arm o¹ of said lever
projecting over the pin case. At this place the disc z is not provided with pins 70
for a distance corresponding to two pins. The lever arm i has a spring i¹ which
during the releasing of bis in communication with the terminal pin r, Figure 1.
A pawl actuated by means of a spring, which pawl engages in a notch in the
lever i, holds the latter and the spring in contact with the pin r.
On the other
side of the lever arm i there is a second terminal pin p. The pin conveys the
current passing from the line wire over the lever i, to the electro-magnet M2 and
the pin p conveys the same current from the lever i to the electro-magnet M¹ of
the printing mechanism. When as hereinbefore described, the armature has
turned the spindle a¹, a lever arm g¹ mounted thereon raises the pawl out of the
notch of the lever i so that the spring pressing on the lever arm o¹ can come into
action and press the lever on the pin p causing a simultaneous interruption of
the current at r. The current then passes to the electro-magnet M¹ which operates
the releasing of the printing mechanism.
The free end of the lever h (Fig. 1) is bevelled, and on passing over the lever o¹,
presses the latter back so far that the spring again comes to bear on the pin r,
and the pawl can again snap into the notch in the lever . The spring not
only causes the lever h to slightly slip over the lever o but also produces a sure
closing of the circuit at the pin r.
As the lever h slides over the lever o', the current is switched on to the magnet M
by the intermediary of these two parts and thereby the pin b when it bears on the
half round spindle c is disconnected and thus the parts a T h are prevented travelling
further. This operation is repeated at each rotation of the type wheel. If two or
more apparatuses connected in series be operated and no interruption of working or
irregularity in the going of the separate type wheels takes place, none of them
require the wheels to be arrested, but if one or other of the apparatuses goes too
fast or is intentionally arrested all the typewheels and carriages immediately remain
stationary until the apparatus which has lagged behind has come up to them and
is disconnected by means of the electro-magnet Ms.
This device for automatically equalizing the travel of the apparatus requires of
course a separate current supply, which enables the apparatus which is actually
transmitting to automatically regulate all the other apparatuses and renders
entirely superfluous any necessity of the attendants of these apparatuses regulating
the equal travel of the same.

page_text: m m².
In order to explain the circuits shown in Figures 2 and 3 it may be here first
remarked that a so-called hand switch is inserted at each apparatus in the current
supply, which hand apparatus consists of two coupled hand levers 7 and standing
parallel with one another, which levers may be adjusted by a left and right hand
movement at each time on two of the three terminal plates m m² m². These lever
switches must be adjusted each time on the apparatus which is transmitting, as
shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, that is to say they must be adjusted on the plates
At the receiving apparatus on the other hand the levers must be adjusted on the
two plates m m' as shown in Figures 14, 3 and 5. On the conclusion of the telegram
the transmitter has to adjust his switch to the plates m m³. The battery also of
this apparatus and also of the others is disconnected from the regulating current
supply and all the type wheels and carriages remain at the same moment stationary
at the same place. Disturbances or interruptions in the separate apparatus owing
to induction currents in the line wire or from so-called "stray currents are also
thereby excluded.
"
Tracing the course of the current in the case of the transmitter Figure 2, the
copper element k of the battery is taken as the starting point. The current passes
from here to the lever switch, thence over m and I to the electro-magnet M², from
there to the pin r and over the lever i to the line. In the receiving apparatus,
Figure 3, it passes over lever i, pin and magnet M2 to the lever switch 1, m³,
direct to the ground and thus back to the battery. Such is the course of the
current when the apparatu-es are running equal.
If for instance the receiving apparatus, Figure 3, be lagging behind the trans-
mitting apparatus, Figure 2 (that is to say still connected with the electro-
magnet ) the current cannot pass through the pin but must proceed over the
terminal to the electro-magnet M' and from there over 1 and 2 and the switch I'm
back to the copper of the battery. It cannot enter here however because copper
was the starting point at the transmitter and consequently the type wheel of the
transmitter must wait on the aforesaid half round spindle c until the carriage of the
receiver has brought the lever in contact with the pin and the current can
pass to the ground through ir M2 and the switch 1 m¹. Therefore during the
lagging of the receiver type wheels, written or printed marks cannot be impressed
by the same whether correct or incorrect.
The diagrams Figures 4 and 5 show the mode of working of the current supply
when for instance the receiving apparatus, Figure 5, has run in advance or too fast.
As shown in this apparatus (Figure 5) the lever has already switched the lever i
from the pin p to the pin r, whilst this is not yet the case in the transmitter,
Figure 4, but on the other hand the lever h still slides here over a pin of a depressed
key which is ascertainable from the fact that the circuit closing spring operated
from the lever h still rests on terminal 3 (Figure 1 in dotted lines) of a circuit
closing fork mounted or arranged on each apparatus. A two armed lever u
mounted on the lever slides with its free end over the hook 70 of the depressed key
pin Figure 1 and thereby moves each time the circuit closing spring u (which
engages over an adjustable sleeve on the spindle of the lever ) from contact 2 its
ordinary resting point to the contact 3. If then the levers i of both apparatuses
stand as hereinbefore mentioned no current can pass through the line as the course
for the current does not lead through the battery. The whole circuit will in this
case run as shown in Figure 4. from the earth plate E to the contact 3 and then
over 1 to the electro-magnet M, then to the terminal and lever into the line,
and on to Figure 5 where it leads over lever i terminal r and electro-magnet M²,
switch m' to the earth. A current in this way cannot pass as the earth is con-
nected with the earth without any element producing electricity.
In order to allow of the whole action of the arrangement to be better understood
two examples will now be described.
Figure is a transmitter, Figure 3 a receiver. In the former the lever switch
is adjusted on the contact or terminal plates m m². In the latter it remains
stationary on m m¹. The type wheels of the two apparatuses travel at an

page_text: equal speed. The current passes from the battery, Figure 2, over the
switch m to the electro-magnet M²; the armature of this latter by
means of the lever gf moves the half round spindle c in such a way
that the pin 6 of the correcting wheel and therewith the typewheel can freely pass
without detention, as current from the battery passes away without interruption
over terminal into the wire.
It can also pass in the case of the receiver (Fig. 3)
simultaneously through ri to the magnet M2 and here effect a similar process.
Both type wheels thus travel with an equal speed. Simultaneously with the
releasing of the correcting wheels the pawls are raised by the levers g¹ out of
the notches of the levers and the latter are brought into communication with
the terminals and thereby the current is switched on to the electro-magnets M
of the printing mechanisms. The current then passes from the electro-magnet M
of the transmitter, Figure 2, on the one hand, over the contact 1 and the switch
spring adjusted by the depressed key to the contact 3 and from there to the
ground and on the other hand through the parts and into the line wire. At
the receiver the current then passes through the parts i p M' and the switch 1 and 2
through the switch I'm to the battery and from there to the ground. The current
takes this course at each depression of a key when the type wheels travel with equal
speed. Only at each revolution is lever i once adjusted by the lever h against
the terminal r and then immediately returned or set back again to p by the switch
current M² and the spring acting on the arm o¹.
2°
If an inequality in the movement of the two type wheels arises in such a way
that for instance the wheel of the receiving apparatus is too fast, the adjusting
arrangement works as follows:
The typewheel which has gained or gone too fast is arrested on the half round
spindle when the pin of the correction wheel belonging thereto has reached
the said spindle e until the lever h has pushed the arm on the pin by pushing
back the lever o¹. At this moment the pin of the transmitter reaches the said
spindle c and the type wheel releasing circuit is closed by the contact of the parts i
and simultaneously through the battery, Figure 4, switch m 1, magnet M
terminal and lever i to the wire and along the latter to the parts ir M2 switch /
to the ground at the receiver station, Figure 5. The previously arrested type
wheel of the latter is thus released and travels in sympathy with that of the
transmitting apparatus until it again goes fast or runs in advance of it.
The automatic regulating of the equal travel of two or more type wheels takes
place in a similar manner when that of the transmitting apparatus has gone fast.
From this and from the circamstances that during the time in which the receiving
apparatus is fast or slow of the transmitting apparatus no signs or types can be
printed on these apparatuses, it follows that the present current regulating device
is so complete that even the transmitting apparatus can forward no written message
when it does not fully correspond with the other apparatuses.
This device for equalizing the travel may be employed also without alteration
of the current supply for Hughes' type-printing telegraphs. For this it is only
necessary to arrange or attach to the said type-printing telegraphs an extremely
simple correction wheel escapement and releasing mechanism shown in the accom-
panying drawings and also automatic current switches, which can take place
without difficulty and without altering anything in the releasing mechanism of
Hughes' printing device.
Figures 6 and 7 show diagrams of how 10 stations provided with the equalizing
device hereinbefore described, mutually work. An improved arrangement of the
battery is here adopted, which renders it possible to work with the working current
over small or any suitable large distances without it being necessary to insert
assistant batteries. Hitherto working currents were only employed at great dis-
tances whilst at shorter distances only a permanent current was employed, as with
a working curient the switching of the batteries is connected with more difficulty
than is the case with stationary current. In the case of a working current only
the batteries of the transmitter have hitherto worked and the currents transmitted

page_text: passed in the counter or receiving apparatus to the ground without being able to
bring the battery of the latter apparatus into co-action, consequently a very large
number of assistant batteries had to be arranged at all stations.
The diagram in Figures 6 and 7 shows a very simple arrangement for rendering
this unnecessary.
If a station be working with an adjacent one, the transmitter sends current
from its battery to the other station. The battery of the latter is thus also
brought into action like that of the transmitter so that at both stations only
half of the battery power is necessary as against what has been previously
the case. Or in the same line, several stations receive the same des-
patch and thus all the batteries which are connected work together.
This diagram shows 10 stations in the same line. For this object a double armed
lever (Figure 9 detail view) has a third arm 20 insulated from the lever arm i¿¹
in such a way that the current cannot pass from and it over the point of rotation
of the lever o' to and rice versa. The lever arm is connected with the plug
switch St (Figures 6 and 7) and lies between two terminals 6 and 7 in such a
way that on the lever being adjusted to bear on p (Figure 9) the said arm 20
presses on the terminal 6 and when lever i rests on the terminal r, the arm o
is pressed on terminal 7. The terminals 6 and 7 are on the one hand connected
with the local battery and on the other hand with the terminals and r respec-
tively. Station II for instance calls up station I by means of a Morse key.
Station III works with stations IV and V, Figure 6: station VI (Figure 7) works
with stations VIII, IX & X. In station IX the type wheel has gone too fast,
consequently the current is interrupted as will be more particularly explained
hereinafter.
The letters inserted on the drawings have the following meaning: St plug
switch for four switchings, E earth or current exit to the earth, B batteries,
Z zinc pole, K copper pole of same, W signal or key for calling up, automatic
switch (constructed as described with reference to Figure 9), 112 hand switches
for the transmitting apparatus, m m' m² plates for conveying current for the hand
switches.
Station I shows the plug switch in a non-working condition; the plug is in fact
removed from the line leading into the apparatus and inserted into that of the
signal or bell.
EXAMPLE I.
Station II calls up station I by means of a Morse key. The current then passes
from the battery proper over the key T to the electro-magnets of the signal W
and the plug switch to the line, from whence it passes to the plug switch of the
receiving station thence through W and key T and the battery to the hand
switch m passing over M2 through i to the earth. Short-circuiting from i to 7
or 6 is prevented by the construction of the switch as before described with
reference to Fig. 9. The course of the current from the earth to the battery of
the station II is easily followed without further explanation, but it must be
pointed out that the hand switch on receiving the despatch and also when
the apparatus is at rest must always be so adjusted as is shown in stations I II IV
& V.
EXAMPLE II.
Station III is the transmitter,
Station III works with stations IV and V.
stations IV and V are receivers. Station III as a transmitter has its hand
switch moved to the right and is connected with the earth, and the plug
from the wire of the apparatus is connected with the line of station IV, and a
plug is connected by the person calling with the wire of station IV, and then he
sets his own apparatus in operation and depresses the keys on the keyboard.
Station III shows how the carriages of the two circuit closing springs 1 and 2
are depressed that is to say are withdrawn from the contact when in a position
of repose and pressed on contact 5. Spring 2 is simultaneously pressed from 5 to 4

page_text: and the current then takes the following course; from the earth it passes over
terminal 6 to spring 2, over 4 to the battery, over contacts and 1 to the electro-
magnet M and from thence over and i (constructed as in Fig. 9) to the line.
From here at station IV it passes over i and p to the electro-magnet M and over
contacts 1 and to the switch 12, and over plates m2 and m² to the battery, then
over contacts 5 and 2 to 6 and then through the line to station V. In the latter
the course of the current is the same as in station IV but the current in station V
merely passes over 6 to the ground.
EXAMPLE III.
Station VI works with stations VIII, IX and X. In this case the course of
the current is similar to what it was in stations III, IV and V, but the apparatus
at station IX has gone too fast or is in advance and is arrested by the aforesaid
spindle c. The automatic switch is shifted, instead of resting on and ter-
minal 6 it rests on pin r and terminal 7, whereby the electro-magnet M2 is connected
and M disconnected. The current must then follow the following course:-
At station VI from the ground over terminal 6 to contacts 2 and 4 and thence
to the zinc element of the battery passing out by the copper element and from
there to the terminal 5 over 1, electro-magnet M, terminals p and i to the line,
from this latter in station VII it passes over terminal 6 (in stationary apparatus
in fact the lever i rests on the terininals 6 and p) over 2, 5, to the copper of the
battery, out at the zinc element to the key T, over the signal W to the line, and
enters at station VIII, over p¹ contacts 1 and 3 to 2 thence over plates m² m
to the battery (zinc element) and passes out by the copper element to terminal 5
and then through 2 over 6 to the line. From the latter it passes at station IX
over switch to terminal r, electro-magnet M² and hand switch and through the
plate m to the copper of the battery, but as copper was the starting point in
the previous station the current on arriving at the last station cannot find passage
as it is arrested by an equivalent pole, consequently the line is interrupted until
the co-working type wheels are again synchronized. When this has taken place
the switch switches the current as hereinbefore explained on to the terminals r
and 7 and then the current takes the following course:
At station VI it passes from the earth over terminal 7 to 1, over plates m to the
copper of the battery, finds outlet through the zine over the plates m¹ and m² to 1',
thence through the electro-magnet M³ over r to the line to station VII; over i
6, 2, 5, copper of the battery B, then the zine element, key T and the call W to
the station VIII and thence through terminal, electro-magnet M2 to 1, plate m
and thence to the copper of the battery, passing out through the zine over the
plate m to and terminal 7 into the line to station IX. The procedure here is
the same as in station VIII. From station IX it passes over the line to station X,
takes a similar course as in station IX and thence to the ground. At the same
moment the armatures of the various electro-magnets M² oscillate, the type-wheels
are released and the automatic switch i moves over terminals and 6, the electro-
magnet M2 is again connected until the process is repeated. This repetition takes
place at each revolution of the type wheel and carriage. If all the apparatuses
are running equally, there is no delay, although at each movement the same
regulation takes place. The transmitter with this arrangement of current can
thus not transmit incorrect letters unless he depresses the wrong keys.
This arrangement of current supply affords as already mentioned a great advan-
tage, as by means of the same, even when operating with working current,
batteries are no longer necessary at each station as is the case when working with
stationary current.
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 device for equalizing the travel and the current supply in type-printing

page_text: telegraphs in which the equal travel of all the type wheels is regulated by the use
of a hand switch, from the transmitting apparatus, characterized on the one hand
by a half rounded spindle (c) adapted to be operated from the armature of an
electro-magnet (M²), and on the other hand by an elbow lever adapted to be engaged
by the lever (h) and to automatically adjust the spindle (c), and also by circuit
closing pieces (irp 6 and 7) which together when the apparatus is either working
or stationary (ie. when the keys are not manipulated) maintain the type wheels in
their travel and constantly regulate the flow of current so that even on the inten-
tional or accidental arrest of a type wheel no more impressions can be given or
printed by any of the apparatuses working in conjunction with it, substantially as
herein before set forth.
2. The general construction and combination of parts taken as a whole, forming
the improved device for equalizing the travel, and the current supply in type-
printing telegraphs, substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
Dated this 12th day of September 1898.
->
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.