ity. and
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 5th June, 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th July, 1888
writers, Type-setting Machines,
Electricity.
and
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I, EDWARD FITZGERALD LAW, of the Army and Navy Club, Pall Mall, in the
County of Middlesex, Major Reserve of Officers do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My present invention relates to various improvements which are chiefly designed
to facilitate the operation and increase the efficiency of the system described and
illustrated in the Specification of my former application for Letters Patent No. 16485
dated December 15th 1886.
According to the said former invention I employ commutators at the transmitting
and receiving stations, which commutators are provided with as many separate
insulated contact pieces or strips as there are letters, figures characters or signals to
be used, that is to say, for each letter or other character an entirely separate contact
strip is provided on each commutator. And by reason of the fact that an efficient
apparatus of this kind should be capable of transmitting a large number of distinct
characters the surface space available for each one is necessarily very limited, and the
arm and brush cannot be allowed to rotate at such a high rate of speed as would be
possible where the space more extended because the duration of the contact between
the brush and the respective strips would be too limited to ensure the proper
transmission of the electrical impulses.
But according to my present invention I provide means whereby each contact piece
or strip upon the commutator may be used for several, or a number, of different and
distinct letters or characters in such manner that the speed of the arm and brush can
be increased to a very considerable extent, thus rendering the operation of the system
much more rapid.
To accomplish this end I provide the commutator with a series of contact pieces or
strips each of which represents, for example, nine separate characters, and I also
provide the commutator with a corresponding number of contact strips which are used
for determining or controlling the particular character which is to be printed, and I

page_text: will hereinafter refer to the latter contacts as the controlling contact strips. The
whole of the contact pieces or strips are so connected that the sending of an electrical
current first through one of the controlling contact strips determines which of the
nine characters on the corresponding letter contact strip will be printed when the arm
and brush pass over the latter. I may use any suitable arrangement of electro
magnets or relays for causing the current transmitted through the controlling contact
strips to so break or close the circuits in which the letter contact strips are included
that the current through the last named contact strips may pass in the direction
required to cause the desired letter or other character to be printed. When it is
desired to cause each contact piece or strip to represent nine distinct characters they
may be arranged as follows viz., A, B, C a b c 1. 2. 3.; D. E. F. d e f 4. 5. 6. and so
on; but it is obvious that the characters may be arranged in any other relative
manner and that the number of characters may be varied at pleasure.
It is necessary that each contact strip should have a somewhat larger surface than
is the case in the apparatus in which each character is represented by a separate
contact strip, in order that the arm and brush (as they rotate at a largely increased
speed) may be in contact with the strips for a sufficient length of time to ensure the
proper transmission of the impulse, but this increase in the dimensions of the contacts
is very small in comparison with the increase in the number of characters represented
by each contact strip. Where nine characters are respresented by each contact strip
the commutator will carry (with ten controlling contact strips) a total of nineteen
contact pieces which will be equal to ninety strips in a commutator made according
to tho said prior invention, and it is obvious that I am thus enabled to increase the
speed of the arm and brush nearly five times.
Dated this 5th day of September 1887
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I EDWARD FITZGERALD LAW, of the Army and Navy Club, Pall Mall, in the
County of Middlesex, Major reserve of Officers, 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:-
My present invention relates to various improvements which are chiefly designed to
facilitate the operation and increase the efficiency of the invention described and
illustrated in the specification of my former application for Letters Patent No. 16485,
dated December 13th 1886.
According to the said former invention I employ commutators at the transmitting
and receiving stations, each of which commutators is provided with a rotating arm
and brush and with as many separate insulated contact pieces or strips as there are
letters, figures or other characters or signals to be used, that is to say, for each letter or
other character an entirely separate contact strip is provided on each commutator.
And, by reason of the fact that an efficient apparatus of this kind should be capable of
transmitting a large number of distinct characters, the surface space available for each
one is necessarily very limited, and the arm and brush cannot be allowed to rotate at
such a high rate of speed as would be possible were the space more extended, because
the duration of the contact between the brush and the respective strips would be too
limited to ensure the proper transmission of the electric impulses.
According to my present invention I provide means whereby each contact piece or
strip upon the commutator may be used for several different and distinct letters or
other characters in such manner that the speed of the arm and brush can be
increased to a very considerable extent, thus rendering the operation of the system
much more rapid than heretofore.
To accomplish this end I provide the commutator at the transmitting station and
that at the receiving station with a series of contact pieces or strips each of which
represents or is used for a considerable number of separate characters, and with
another series of contact strips which are used for determining the particular character
which is to be printed when an electric impulse is transmitted through a contact piece
or strip of the first named series. I will for convenience of description hereinafter
refer to the strips of the first series as the printing contact strips and to those of the
second series as the controlling contact strips.

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan, and
Figure 2 a front elevation of a transmitting apparatus hereinafter described.
Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the connections between the said transmitting
apparatus and the commutator, and
Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the apparatus employed at
the receiving station.
A is the commutator at the transmitting station. A¹ is a similar commutator at
the receiving station. a¹, a², a³, a are the controlling contact strips. 61, 63, 63, 4
indicate four of the printing contact strips. The contact strips of the commutator at
the receiving station are of greater length than those at the transmitting station, to
allow the line to discharge.
In the transmitting apparatus, Figures 1 and 2, c¹, c², c³, c² are ordinary keys for
making and breaking contact to complete and interrupt the circuit through one or
other of the controlling contact strips of the commutator A at the transmitting station.
d', d, d³, d are keys each of which is connected with one of a series of circuit-closing
devices e, (only two of which are shown in the drawing). These devices are,
preferably, similar to that described in the said former Specification with reference to
Figures 9 and 10 of the Drawings accompanying the said Specification; they may,
however, be of any other suitable construction. ff are the brushes.
At the receiving station g¹, g³, g³, g³ are relays, the tongues or armatures of which
are connected with one pole of a battery h by the wire h¹. The magnet-coils of these
relays are connected with the earth by means of the wire j and with the corresponding
printing contact strips 61, 62, 63, 64 by the wires k¹, k², k³, k*. The said relays are so
constructed that, when not energized, their tongues rest against the back stops.
,, 1, 1 are relays the tongues or armatures of which are connected by a wire h² with
the other pole of the battery. Each of these relays has two electro-magnets 5, 6.
The coils of the magnets 5 of the said relays are connected with the earth through
the wire and with the corresponding controlling contact strips a¹, a³, a³, a* by the
wires m², m³, m³, m². These relays are so constructed that their tongues are in
unstable equilibrium, that is to say, when attracted to the contacts or to the back stops
of the said relays, the said tongues will remain against the said contacts or stops until
attracted in the reverse direction.
,
08.
14 9³, g* is attracted, it
n, n are the electro-magnets for operating the keys of the type-composing or other
machine. The contact of each of the relays 1, 12, 13, 14 is connected with the coils of
all the magnets n of the corresponding series. The coils of the magnets n of the
different series are, moreover, connected with wires o¹, 0, 0, 0, which are so arranged
that, when the tongue of one of the relays of the series
will make contact with the corresponding four wires o¹,
p is an additional or supplementary contact piece or strip of the commutator A¹,
which I will hereinafter term the replacing strip. A piece q of insulating material
may be provided in the commutator at the transmitting station or a blank left in a
position corresponding to the said replacing strip. The strip p is connected by means
of a wire p¹ with the coils of the electro-magnets 6 of the relays 1, 1, 1, 1, which are
arranged in the circuit of a local battery r connected by a wire r with the brush f of
the commutator A¹.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows, that is to say :-If the key c¹ is
depressed, then as soon as the brushes in their rotation come in contact with the
strips a' of the commutators, an electric impulse will be transmitted through the line
to the magnet 5 of the relay and will draw the tongue of this relay against its
contact. If the key d¹ be depressed immediately after the depression of the key c',
the contact of the brushes with the strips of the commutators will cause the
transmission of an electric impulse through the line to the magnet of the relay g
which will draw its tongue into contact with the corresponding wires o¹, 03, 0³,
thus completing the circuit of the battery h through the wire h'. The tongue of the
said relay g', the wire o¹, the coil of the corresponding magnet n, the tongue of the
4
0%
'

page_text: relay and the wire 2. In this manner the key of the type-composing or other
machine corresponding to the numeral character 1 will be operated.
If, instead of the key d', the key d³ be depressed, then as soon as the brushes fcome
in contact with the strips 3 of the commutators, an electric impulse will be transmitted
through the line to the magnet of the relay and the circuit of the battery h will be
completed in such a manner as to operate the key of the type-composing or other
machine corresponding to the numeral character 3. If the key c be depressed and
then the key, electric impulses will be transmitted as above described so that first
the tongue of the relay will be drawn against its contact and then the tongue of
the relay g will be drawn into contact with the corresponding wires o¹, 03, 03, 0* and
the key of the type-composing or other machine corresponding to the letter W will be
operated.
As the tongues of the relays 1, 1, 13, 14 when attracted to their contacts, remain
against the same, it is necessary to remove such as have been attracted. This operation
is effected, in each rotation of the brush f of the commutator A¹ by the battery r the
circuit of which is completed by the contact of the said brush with the replacing strip p
and the current from which energizes the magnets 6 of the corresponding relays.
It will be seen that I arrange two or more contacts, that is to say, one contact for
each of the series of magnets n in combination with the tongue of each of the relays
gggg. By these means I avoid inconveniences arising from the passage of
shunted currents through the said magnets n.
Ι may use any other suitable arrangement of electro-magnets or relays for effecting
the making and breaking of the circuits in the manner, and for the purposes, above
specified.
It is obvious that the characters may be arranged in any other relative manner
than that shown, and that the number of characters may be varied if desired.
As it is desirable to be able to transmit a large number of impulses per minute, it is
advantageous to make each contact strip with as extensive a surface as practicable, in
order that the arm and brush may rotate at a high speed and may nevertheless be in
contact with the strips for a sufficient length of time to ensure the proper transmission
of the impulse. By utilizing each strip for several distinct letters or other characters
as above described, I can make the said strips with a much more extended surface than
is practicable when each character has a separate strip.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood that I
claim-
First. An apparatus for operating or controlling a type-writer, type-setting machine
or the like by the aid of electricity, wherein provision is made for printing two or
more different and distinct letters or other characters by electric impulses transmitted
through the same contact piece or strip of the commutator, for the purpose above
specified.
Second. The combination of a commutator provided with controlling contact strips
and with printing contact strips each of which serves for two or more different and
distinct letters or other characters, and a transmitting apparatus provided with keys
for completing the line-circuit through the said controlling contact strips and with
other keys for completing the said circuit through the printing contact strips,
substantially as, and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The employment of two sets or series of relays arranged in combination with
each other and with a battery, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. The employment of a transmitting apparatus having two series of keys and
n receiving apparatus having two corresponding series of relays, substantially as, and
for the purposes, set forth.
Fifth. The employment, in my improved apparatus, of a relay wherein two or more
contacts are arranged in combination with the tongue, substantially as, and for the
purpose, set forth.

page_text: Sixth. The employment of an additional or supplementary contact piece or strip in
the commutator, for the purpose above specified.
Seventh. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings and operating
as, and for the purposes, above specified.