IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, AND EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir Charles Tilston Bright, of Victoria Street, in the
City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, AND
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF."
Sealed the 22nd August 1862, and dated the 27th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir Charles Tilston Bright
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th February 1862.
I. Sir CHARLES TILSTON BRIGHT, of Victoria Street, in the City of
Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH. AND EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF," to bu
as follows:-
In the first part of my Invention, which has reference to the receiving
apparatus or relay, 1 employ conducting fluids in a state of motion into which
the movable part of the relay is inserted or removed, in order to make or break
local or secondary circuits, so that the conducting surface with which contact
is made or broken is constantly changed, and I prefer for this purpose a fine
stream or fountain of mercury, or acid and water; but I do not confine myself
to these fluids, as any other suitable conducting fluid may be used. I also

page_text: employ a series of streams or fountains of conducting fluid, the motion of the
movable part or parts of the receiving apparatus among them causing various
degrees of motion of such movable part or parts to be marked upon a suitable
recording apparatus included in a local circuit.
In the second part of my Invention, which has reference to registering or
recording the effects of electrical currents. I employ a band of paper drawn
on by a train of clockwork, or any other convenient motive power, and I cause
a coloring fluid or fluids in a state of motion to impinge upon the paper, and
thus to mark a line or a series of lines upon the paper; the line or series of
lines is broken from time to time through the colouring fluid being intercepted
by an arm or arms moved by the electric currents, and thus the duration of
the currents or their variation of force may be directly recorded upon paper,
and for registering the effects of earth currents I employ the clockwork train
carefully regulated as regards its speed of motion, so that the time of any
deflections may be noted upon the paper.
The third part of my Invention has reference to the sending apparatus,
whereby currents are communicated to the conducting wire. In passing cur-
rents into long lines of submarine or subterranean telegraph wire, the speed of
signalling in the usual manner is retarded, and the distinctness of the several
signals one from the other is impaired by the effects of induction, so that, for
instance, a short signal (or dash) is liable to be merged into the long signal
at the distant end, unless the sending key is operated with so
slowly as to allow a suflicient pause between the signals for the
line to become clear of the residual effects of the preceding signal before the
following current is sent. In the Specification of my Patent of 20th February
1860, No. 465, I have described methods invented by me for regulating by ineans
of a train of clockwork the duration or force of the currents employed, so as
to increase the rate of signalling; and in the Specification of Professor
Thomson's Patent of 20th February 1858, No. 329. and in that of E. B. Bright's,
of 13th January 1858, No. 54, are likewise shown other methods of employing
trains of clockwork in compensating for the variations of currents, so as to
reduce the time occupied in passing signals through long submarine or sub-
terranean conductors. My present improvement consists of a key. which is
similar in its manipulation to the lever keys commonly employed for sending
currents in working the recording telegraph. Upon the same base as the key
is fixed a small arm or lever pressed upwards by a spring, but restrained by the
greater force of the larger spring of the key when the latter is in its place
of rest.
The arm is centered loose upon the axle of a small toothed wheel,

page_text: which it drives by means of a click when it is rising, on being released by
the motion of the key. but not when it is being pressed down by the key
coming back to its place of rest. The toothed wheel gears into the pinion of
another small wheel, which drives a fan, the vanes of which are capable of
adjustment. The arm is thus controlled in its speed of upward motion by the
fan. An adjustable stud limits the amount of motion of the arm. On the key
being pressed down in sending a current the arm begins to rise. and according
to the length or nature of the line to be worked. so is the period at which it
comes in contact with the stud adjusted; when this takes place, or when the
key again comes into contact with the arm in returning to zero the battery is '
withdrawn from the line. circuits. By this means a longer interval takes place
after a long signal than after a short one, although the operator is manipulating
the key with the usual pauses, all' of equal length, irrespective of the signals
sent, and when once the rate of motion of the arm has been properly adjusted
to the requirements of the line which is being worked, the signals will come
out at the other end with equal spaces and at a higher speed than the systems
at present in operation admit of. A second arm, controlled by a fan, to regu-"
late the time of commencement of the currents after spaces of greater length
than the spaces between the separate signals of a letter, is used where
necessary. I prefer to use a fan to regulate the time. but I do not confine
myself to its use, as the flow of a fluid through an orifice or other regulators
may be used. The said key can be readily adapted to the keys now employed
to send currents upon the ordinary make and break system, or to the method
in use to some extent of sending two currents of opposite character for each
signal: but I prefer to place upon the axle of the key a wheel formed of two
plates of metal insulated from each other, and connected to the
two poles of the battery. The direction of the current is changed
by each upward motion of the key by means of a ratchet and click, and thus the
positive and negative currents are separately used to produce each a separate
signal. after the manner invented by E. B. Bright, and described in the Specifi-
cation of his Patent of 13th January 1858. No. 54, and improved upon in my
Patent of 20th February 1860. No. 465.
In the fourth part of my Invention I apply protecting or preservative sub-
stances in a warm or plastic state to the outside of submarine and other cables
or conducting wires, by means of a wheel. roller. or circular brush. one part
whereof runs in the substance' employed in coat the outside of the cable' or
wire. while the cable or wire 'run's upon the upper side. and is coated without"
passing through the substance, whereby all danger of the insulating material

page_text: being injured by heat (in case of the machinery requiring to
be stopped) is avoided, or the cable or wire may be passed between two brushes
or rollers.
F
'
In the fifth part of my Invention I pass submarine and other cables or
wires after the application of any protecting or preservative substance between
rollers having grooved surfaces adapted to the size of the cable, so that the
preservative substance or compound. and any yarn. canvas. gutta percha, or
india-rubber strips, or tape which may be used together with it, either warm
or in a cold state, are compressed together into a solid mass. filling up all
inequalities or interstices in the outside of the cable. and making the exterior
coating smooth and regular throughout its length. The rollers are provided
with adjustable springs, whereby any required degree of pressure may be given.
I am aware that rollers have been applied to the surfaces of cables covered.
with iron wires directly upon such outer wires, for the purpose of preventing
them from riding, but my Invention consists in compressing an outer pro-
tecting material into the spaces between and upon such wires in the manner
described, whereby a hard coating is laid over the cable.
The sixth part of my Invention has reference to cases where from the
surface of the cable to be covered being very irregular (as in the case of a
large cable covered with strands of wire). or when from other reasons it is
desirable to pass a cable directly through any protecting substance in a heated
state. I then cause the cable to be lifted out of the substance upon the
stoppage of the machinery by a sheave at the end of a lever, being lifted
through the convergence of a pair of heavy governor balls, whereby any
danger of the cable being heated by the machinery stopping is avoided.
The seventh part of my Invention consists in covering submarine and other
telegraphic cables or wires with such cements, mortars. or limes as set and
become solid under the influence of water, and also in surrounding such
substances when necessary with a serving of yarn, canvas, gutta percha, or
caoutchouc strips, or other material, to retain the substance upon the cables
or wires during and after the process of manufacture, with or without any
saturation of bitumenous or other preservative compounds.
In the eighth part of my Invention I combine as a preservative compound
to be applied in a warm state to submarine and other cables and wires sub-
stances of a resinous or gummy nature, which melt, or are rendered more fluid
by the application of heat, such as bitumen, pitch, tar, wax. caoutchouc, gutta
percha, resin, or shellac with Roman or Portland cement. or other hydraulic
mortar, or any other silicious, aluminous, or calcareous matter,

page_text: In the ninth part of my Invention I combine with the protecting concrete
last described, or with any other preservative substance applied to the outer
wires of a submarine cable a quantity of arsenic or other mineral poison, pro-
portioned to the amount of the substance with which the cable is covered.
In the tenth part of my Invention I coat the conducting wire with a
covering or coverings of gutta percha, and I surround this with a covering or
coverings of caoutchouc, and I coat the whole with gutta percha. I am aware
that wires covered with caoutchouc have been covered with gutta percha, but
my Invention consists in placing gutta percha next to the wire. and then
covering it first with caoutchouc. and then with gutta percha, as described.
whereby the injurious effects which commonly take place when the caoutchouc
is next to the metal are avoided, and the caoutchouc is protected by the outer
covering of gutta percha.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sir Charles Tilston Bright in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Sir
CHARLES TILSTON BRIGHT, of Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did. for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me. the said Sir Charles Tilston Bright. Her special licence that I, the said
Sir Charles Tilston Bright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Sir Charles Tilston Bright, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with. and no others. from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom.
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND IN APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH, AND EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Sir Charles Tilston Bright, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-

page_text: formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six .calendar months next and immediately after the date of the' said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I. the said Sir Charles Tilston Bright, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof. reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
In the first part of my Invention, which has reference to the receiving
apparatus, or relay. I employ conducting fluids in a state of motion, into which
the movable part of the relay is inserted or removed, in order to make or
break local or secondary circuits, so that the conducting surface with which
contact is made or broken is constantly changed; and I prefer for this purpose
a fine stream or fountain of mercury, or acid and water, but I do not confine
myself to these fluids, as any other suitable conducting fluid may be used.
At Figure 1 is shewn a relay with a reservoir for holding the mercury or
conducting fluid in which A. A', are a pair of coils of fine wire: b is the axle
of a magnetic needle contained within and actuated by the coils: the axle b
has fixed to it an arm c which is stopped on each side by two adjusting screws
in the usual manner, one of which is shown at d. The ends of the coils are
led to terminals e, e', which are connected to the line wire and to the
carth. The reservoirs F. F¹. are fixed to a tube g. g. fitting closely round the
arm or bracket h. The necks of the reservoirs are hollow, and their orifices i. i.
are opposite to two passages in the arm (shown by dotted lines), when the reser-
voirs are in a vertical position is a pipe fixed to the arm h. communicating
by the dotted passage with the upper reservoir through which the stream of
mercury or conducting fluid flows to a receiver 1. and thence through the
lower passage, marked also by dotted lines. to the lower reservoir. When the
upper reservoir is empty the position of the two reservoirs may be changed by
the crank handle m. which carries a pinion n gearing into a wheel o, which
is fixed to the end of the tube g. g. The upright P. which supports the
bracket h. h. and the reservoirs F. F¹. is connected to the terminal q. The
upright R which supports the coils A, A', and carries the axle b of the magnet
within the coil. is connected to the terminal s. The local or secondary circuit
being connected to the terminals q. s, on a current being sent through the
coils A, A, the arm c comes in contact with the fine conducting stream flowing
from the pipe to the receiver 1, and thus completes the local circuit.
By this means perfect contact may be made with the most delicate horizontal

page_text: needle and the power required to work long circuits is much reduced, signals
may be recorded by the arm resting in the stream of fluid or by passing
through it. If signals are required on each side of the relay the arm may
terminate in a fork and may be suspended together with a magnetic
needle by a fine thread of silk, the axle being prolonged below and dipping in
a cup of mercury so as to be in connection through the upright R with
terminals s.
I also employ a series of streams or fountains of conducting fluid, the motion
of the movable part or parts of the receiving apparatus among them causing
various degrees of motion of such movable part or parts to be marked upon
any suitable recording apparatus included in the local circuit, by which various
deflections and the time in which such deflections rise and fall may be recorded
on paper.
The application of other streams to the apparatus I have described, or the
employing fountains in place of falling streams is too obvious to require further
description. I do not confine myself to the method of maintaining a stream of
conducting fluid which have described, as the stream may be kept up by
clockwork driving a pump or other means, but I prefer the mode which I have
described as being simple and inexpensive.
I claim under this first part of my Invention, first, the employment in
receiving or relay apparatuses of conducting fluids in a state of motion into
which the movable part of the relay is inserted or removed in order to make or
break local or secondary circuits, substantially in manner and for the purpose
herein-before described; and, second, the construction of the particular relay
apparatus represented at Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
In the second part of my Invention, which has reference to registering or
recording the effects of electrical currents, I employ a band of paper drawn on
by a train of clockwork or any other convenient motive power, and I cause a
coloring fluid or fluids in a state of motion to impinge upon the paper and
mark a line or a series of lines thereon; the line or series of lines is
broken from time to time through the coloring fluid being intercepted by
an arm or arms moved by the electric currents, and thus the duration of the
currents or their variation of force may be directly recorded upon paper, and for
registering the effects of earth currents I employ the clockwork train carefully
regulated as regards its speed of motion, so that the time of any deflection
may be noted upon the paper.
I claim registering or recording the effects of electrical currents in manner
described under the second part of my Invention.

page_text: The third part of my Invention has reference to the sending 'apparatus,
whereby currents are communicated to the conducting wire. In passing
currents into long lines of submarine or subterranean telegraph wire the speed
of signalling in the usual manner is retarded, and the distinctness of the
several signals one from the other. is impaired by the effects of induction; so
that for instance a short signal (or dash) is liable to be merged into the long.
signal at the distant end unless the sending key is operated so slowly as to
allow a suflicient pause between the signals for the line to become clear of
the residual effects of the preceeding signals before the following current is
sent.
I
t..
..In the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me, and dated 20th
February 1860, No. 465, I have described methods invented by me for
regulating by means of a train of clockwork, the duration or force of the cur-
rents employed so as to. increase the rate of signalling, and in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to Professor, Thomson, dated 20th February 1858,
No. 329, and in that of Letters Patent granted to E. B. Bright, dated 13th
January. 1858, No 54, are likewise shewn other methods of employing trains
of clockwork in compensating for the variations of currents so as to reduce
the time occupied in passing signals through long submarine or subterranean
conductors..
My present improvement consists of a key which is operated in the same
manner as the lever keys generally used, but which regulates the duration or
the force of the currents sent into the line.
Figure 2 represents the key. as adapted for regulating the ordinary single
current alphabet of dots and dashes.
a, a, is a lever key working upon an axle b, and operated by the pressure
of the finger upon, the ivory button c. The key and the base d, d, upon
which it is fixed are connected with the terminal e, by the metallic strap f
and the,, terminal e is connected to the line wire when the instrument is in
use. The stud g, which stops the motion of the key, is connected to the
terminal h, which is connected to one pole of the battery, the other pole of
the battery is connected to carth. so that a current flows into the line when the
key is depressed. At the short end of the key is a screw i, the lower end of
which presses against a. small arm or lever k, and thus prevents it from coming
in contact with the screw I, against which it would otherwise be pressed by the
spring m. A click n attached to the arm k takes hold of the rough surface
of a wheel,o upon the axle of which is fixed a spur wheel p, which gears into
a train of wheels terminating in the fan q. When the key is depressed the

page_text: click takes hold of the wheel o, and the speed at which the arm rises is
regulated by the adjustment of the fan q; the screw is connected to the
terminal r, which is connected to the other pole of the battery (or to some
intermediate point in the battery). so that if the key is depressed for a longer
time (say for sending a stroke) than the time at which the arm arrives
against r, the battery is placed upon short circuit. and no current flows along
the line (or a part of the battery only may be cut off) if the connection
with r is made at an interinediate point. By this means a longer interval
takes place after a long signal than after a short one, although the operator
is manipulating the key with the usual pauses irrespective of the currents
actually sent into the line, and when once the rate of motion of the arm has
been properly adjusted to the requirements of the line operated upon the
signals will come out at the other end with equal spaces between them.
A second arm controlled by a fan to regulate the time of commencement of
the currents after spaces of greater length than the spaces between the
separate signals may be used on circuits of very great length.
I have described a fan as the regulator for time, because the periods under
control are so brief that such regulation is sufficiently precise, and it is casily
understood by operators of common intelligence, but I do not confine myself
to its use, as other regulators may obviously be applied to govern the speed
of the arm. This system of adapting the duration or force of the current
to the requirements of the line may be readily applied to the keys now
employed to send currents after the ordinary single current dot, and stroke
system, or to the method in use to some extent of sending two currents of
opposite names for each signal recorded, but the positive, and negative
currents may be separately utilized after the manner invented by E. B. Bright,
and described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to him dated
January 13th 1858, (No. 54,) and improved upon in the Specification of
my Patent of February 20th, 1860, (No. 465,) by placing upon the axle of
the key a wheel formed of two plates of metal insulated from each other.
and connected to the two poles of the battery, the direction of the current
being changed at each upward motion of the key by means of a ratchet
wheel fixed to the commutator, and worked by a click upon the key.
I claim under this third head of my Invention the method of and apparatus
for adapting the duration or force of the electric currents to the requirements
of the line herein-before described with reference to Figure 2 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in applying protecting or pre-

page_text: servative substances in a warm or plastic state' to the outside of submarine
and other electric telegraph cables. or' conducting wires by means of a wheel.
roller, or circular brush; one" part whereof runs in the substance' employed
to coat the outside of the cable' or 'wire, while the cable or wire runs upon
the upper side, and is coated without passing through the substance, whereby
all danger of the insulating material being injured by heat (in case of the
machinery requiring to be stopped.) is avoided, or the cable or wire may be
passed between two brushes or rollers. I claim coating the outside of
electric telegraph cables and conducting wires in manner described under this
fourth part of my Invention.
In the fifth part of my Invention I pass submarine and other cables or
wires after the application of any protecting or preservative substance between
rollers having grooved surfaces adapted to the size of the cable, so that the
preservative substance or compound, and any yarn, canvas, gutta percha, or
india-rubber strips, or tape, which may be used together with it, either warm
or in a cold state; are compressed together into a solid mass, filling up
all inequalities or interstices in the outside of the cable, and making the
exterior coating smooth and regular throughout its length. The rollers are
provided with adjustable springs, whereby any required degree of pressure
may be given. I am aware that rollers have been applied to the surfaces
of cables covered-with-iron wires directly upon such outer wires for the purpose
of preventing them from riding, but this part of my Invention consists in, and
I claim compressing an outer protecting material into the spaces between and
upon such wires in the manner described, whereby a hard coating is laid over
the cable.".
"
Hy
The sixth part of my Invention has reference to cases where: from the
surface of the 'cable to be covered being very irregular, (as in the case of a
large cable covered with strands of wire,) or when from other reasons it is
desirable to pass a cable directly through any protecting substance in a
heated state. I then cause the cable to be raised: and I claim raising it
out of the substance upon the stoppage of the machinery by a sheavent
the end of a lever being lifted through the conveyance of a pair of heavy
governor balls, whereby any danger of the cable being heated by, the machinery
stopping is avoided:....
;
The seventh part of my Invention consists in. and I claim covering sub-
marine and other telegraphic cables or wires, with such cements. mortars.
or limes as set and become solid under the influence of water and also
surrounding such substances when necessary with a serving of yarn, canvas,

page_text: gutta percha, or caoutchouc strips, or other material to retain the substance
upon the cables or wires during and after the process of manufacture with or
without any saturation of bitumenous or other preservative compounds.
In the eighth part of my Invention I coat the conducting wire with a
covering or coverings of gutta percha, and I surround this with a covering
or coverings of caoutchouc. and I coat the whole with gutta percha.
I am
aware that wires covered with caoutchouc have been covered with gutta percha,
but this part of my Invention consists in. and I claim placing gutta percha
next to the wire, and then covering it first with caoutchouc, and then
with gutta percha, as described, whereby the injurious effects which com-
monly take place when the caoutchouc is next to the metal are avoided,
and the caoutchouc is protected by the outer covering of gutta percha.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sir Charles Tilston Bright, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of August, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
CHARLES T. BRIGHT. (L.S.)