IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHIC PRINTING PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Herring, of St. Mary's Road, Canon-
bury, in the County of Middlesex, Wholesale Stationer, and Robert
Alexander Novare, of Twickenham, in the same County, Gentleman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHIC PRINTING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Herring and
-
Robert Alexander Novare at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 28th October 1870.
We, RICHARD HERRING, of St. Mary's Road, Canonbury, in the
County of Middlesex, Wholesale Stationer, and ROBERT ALEXANDER
NOVARE, of Twickenham, in the same County, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHIC
APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to that class of telegraphic printing apparatus
in which the signals are effected by printing or marking dots and

page_text: dashes or short strokes on a piece of paper as it travels through the
apparatus.
The object of our improvements is to increase the rapidity of trans-
mission of the printed signals and to simplify and facilitate the
manipulation, and to render the signals easier to read and less liable
To this end, instead of making the dots and signals run in a
we arrange all the dashes or strokes in
to error.
line, thus.
"
By this means the signal can
a vertical position, thus
be read with great facility. It takes up less space and can be trans-
mitted with greater rapidity than the olk kind of signal. To effect this
object we make use of a style or instrument of peculiar construction.
It is composed of separate parts or styles, and one of these parts is made
in the form of a blunt round point, so as to make or print a dot. The
other part of the style is made with a long narrow edge, so as to form
or print a dash or stroke. Or, by means of any combination or con-
struction of the style or styles any other signs which may be deemed
preferable to adopt, may be made. Or two separate styles may be
used, the two parts being operated by separate currents of electricity or
distinct magnets.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Herring and Robert Alexander Novare
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, RICHARD
HERRING, of 27, St. Mary's Road, Canonbury, in the County of
Middlesex, Wholesale Stationer, and ROBERT ALEXANDER NOVARE, 1
of Twickenham, in the same County, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Richard Herring and Robert
Alexander Novare, Her special licence that we, the said Richard
Herring and Robert Alexander Novare, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Robert Herring and Robert

page_text: Alexander Novare, our 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 TELEGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Richard Herring and
Robert Alexander Novare, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, 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 performed, 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 Richard Herring, on behalf of
myself and of the said Robert Alexander Novare, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to that class of telegraphic printing apparatus in
which the signals are effected by printing or marking dots and dashes,
or short strokes on a band or strip of paper as it travels through the
apparatus.
The object of the improvements is to increase the rapidity of trans-
mission of the printed signals, and to simplify and facilitate the manipu̟-
lation and to render the signals easier to read and less liable.to error.
To this end instead of making the dots and signals run in a line as
shewn at Fig. 1 in the accompanying Drawing, all the dashes or strokes
are arranged in a vertical position, as shewn at Fig. 2. By this. means
the signal can be read with great facility. It takes up less space and
can be transmitted with greater rapidity than the old kind of signal.
To effect this object a style or instrument of peculiar construction is
employed. As it is composed of separate parts or styles. it may be
termed a compound style. One of these parts is made in the form of
a blunt round point, so as to make or print a dot. The other part of
the style is made with a long narrow edge so as to form or print a dash,

page_text: or styles any other signs which may be deemed preferable to adopt
may be made. Or two separate styles may be used. In any case the
two parts are operated by separate currents of electricity or by distinct
magnets.
up
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a tele-
graphic recording instrument constructed and arranged in such a manner
as to make the signals, consisting of dots and dashes arranged as shewn
at Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same, a, a, is a foundation stand
on which all the working parts of the mechanism are mounted. This
stand is provided with a drawer in which is placed the roll of paper on
which the signals are to be printed. The band of paper is fed from
the drawer in the usual manner and over a horizontal plate c, fixed on
the top of one of the magnets d. It passes through a clamp e here-
after more particularly described, and over the inking apparatus f to the
feeding roller g which is actuated by the clockwork indicated by the
dotted circles and enclosed within the box h. A pressing roller i mounted
in a fork is caused by means of a coiled spring to press the band of
paper down upon the feeding roller g, and thereby cause it to travel
through the machine. The compound style or instrument whereby the
dots and dashes are made, is composed of two levers j and ƒª, j¹, Fig. 4,
mounted on a centre pin k, k, common to both. The lever j at its
extremity is provided with a socket which carries a pin 3, whereby the
dot of the signal is made. This lever j is enclosed between the two
sides or arms j, j¹, which form the other lever, which at its end is also
provided with a socket in which the broad points 3, 3, to form the dash
are fixed. This construction will be more clearly understood by referring
to the detached view, Fig. 5, which represents a front view on an enlarged
scale of the ends of the levers j, j', with their styles 2 and 3 fixed
therein. The levers j and j¹ are provided with armatures j* and j³ which
are acted on by the electro-magnets d and d². The armature j being
carried by the lever j, and the armature j* by the lever j¹. It will now
be understood that on a current of electricity being sent through the
magnet d' it will act on the armature j³, and and draw down the lever j,
and thus make a dot on the band of paper which is travelling through
the machine. When however the electric current is passed through the
magnet d, it will act on the other armature j' and draw down the lever

page_text: , and as this lever lies across the armature j³ of the other lever, the
latter will be drawn down with j¹ and thereby form the vertical dash.
In order to render the marks (that is the dots and dashes) visible and
legible, the band of paper passes over an inking disc roller
mounted
in the inking box ƒ, and made to rotate at a suitable speed by means of
the bevil gear & actuated by the clockwork.
It is found preferable in practice to arrange the plane of the inking
disc at right angles to the paper, and also to so connect it with its
spindle that it may be momentarily stopped when the styles are brought
down on to the paper. This is effected by mounting the disc loosely on
its spindle, and connecting it thereto by means of a coiled spring, which
will be wound up slightly by the continued rotation of the spindle while
the disc is arrested.
It is also found desirable momentarily to check the progress of the
band of paper when the styles are brought down on to it to print the
signal. This is effected by means of the clamp e before referred to, and
the construction of which will be better understood by reference to the
detached sectional elevation Fig. 6. The lever j of the compound style
carries on its under side a small stamper m, beneath which the paper
passes. Under this stamper is a block or pad n of india-rubber, fixed on
a spring lever n¹, secured in a groove formed on the under side of the
plate c. The spring lever n¹ is capable of adjustment by means of the
thumbscrew at its outer end. The band of paper passes between
the stamper m of the lever j and the
is brought down to print a signal the
between them, and its progress will be momentarily arrested.
pad n, so that when the lever j
paper will be nipped or clamped
It will be obvious that in order to print the desired signal on the
paper it will be necessary to send the electric current through one or
other of the magnets d or d', according as a dot or dash may be required.
The mode of effecting this object will be understood by referring to the
diagram, Fig. 7, which represents the apparatus required at the sending
and receiving stations, together with the necessary wires for connecting
them. A is the double key instrument at the sending station; and B,
the recording instrument at the receiving station. The keys o and p
5 of the instrument A. at the sending station, serve to transmit a positive
or negative current from the batteries 9 and r, along the line wire s.
Either of these currents (whichever may be sent) will enter the double-

page_text: acting relay at the receiving station, and will cause it to close the
circuit of the local battery u with one of the electro-magnets d or d³,
'as the case may be, and thus by acting on one or other of the levers j
or jª¹ (Figures 2 and 3) to print either a dot or a dash as may be required.
Thus the pressing down of the key o of the instrument A will close the
circuit of the battery q, and will transmit a positive current along
the line wire s, and this current on passing round the coils of the
magnets of the relay t will cause the moveable armature v to swing over
and complete the circuit of the local battery with the magnet d', and
thus by acting on the lever j will print a dot on the band of paper.
On pressing down the key pa negative current will in like manner be
transmitted along the wire 8, and will cause the armature v of the
relay t to close the circuit of the local battery with the electro-magnet d,
and by thus acting on the lever will print a dash instead of a dot, so
that by depressing the keys o or p, dots or dashes in any desired com-
bination may be produced at pleasure. A plan view of the relay t
is seen at Fig. 4, and a side elevation of the relay detached is shewn
at Fig. 8. Fig. 9 is a vertical cross section shewing the moveable
armature v between the points of the light springs which serve to keep
it in equilibrium when there is no current of electricity passing
through the coils of the relay.
Instead of the local battery u a magneto-electrical machine may be
used, the currents from which may be transmitted by the double relay t,
through the coils of the magnets d and d. This arrangement is shewn
at w, and may be actuated by the clockwork h, as shewn in the 2
Drawing.
Although I have shewn my apparatus constructed and arranged to
print signals with ink, it will be evident that a very similar arrangement
of machinery may be used to emboss the signals on the paper, I
therefore reserve to myself the right of embossing the signals by means
of a compound style, such as that above described, instead of printing
them in ink as above described.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in Telegraphic
Printing Apparatus," and having explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, we claim as the Invention secured to us under the 3
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, the means herein set forth
of producing, arranging, and printing telegraphic signals, we claim

page_text: particularly the construction and arrangement of the apparatus herein
shewn and described for printing telegraphic signals at one operation,
in a more expeditious, compendious, and legible manner than heretofore.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Herring, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
RICHARD HERRING. (L.S.)