IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH APPARATUS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH APPARATUS."-A communication from abroad by
Silvanus Frederic Van Choate, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declara-
tion, on the 26th November 1867, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH APPARATUS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant
unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been communi-
cated to me from abroad by Silvanus Frederic Van Choate, of the City and
State of New York, United States of America.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings forming a part
of this Specification:-
Heretofore there has been no relay instrument produced which would work
with the delicacy or rather with the small amount of electricity necessary to
make it a practical working instrument on long submarine cable telegraphs,
consequently such cables could not be worked by the "sounding" system,
which is the most desirable of all others, owing to its simplicity and rapidity.
One system employed in operating submarine cables is that known as the
galvanometer reflector system, which indicates the letters or signs by rays
of reflected light made to move from one side to the other, one direction
representing the dots and the other the lines, while the centre or zero
represents the space which separates the dots and lines as well as the words.
This is a visual system only intelligible by means of the sight, and is from
three to ten times slower than the common sound system now generally used
on land lines. The working capacity of a cable with the galvanometer
reflector system is equal to one hundred letters per minute, which by the
dot and line alphabet would equal three hundred breaks and closings of the
cable circuit, or equal to about twenty words, but the operators cannot read
The reason of this lies in the fact
the signals at anything like that rate.
that by the "galvanometer reflector" system when the signals are made so
rapidly they become unintelligible. In order to utilize the full capacity of
the cable it is necessary to employ a system and instruments by which the
signals can be interpreted as rapidly as they can be transmitted through the
cable, and by my Invention this result can be obtained. There is also another
serious objection to the "galvanometer reflector" system for working tele-
graphic cables; it is too slow for working land lines, and therefore it would
not be judicious or 'profitable to connect the cable wire to a land line in
order to complete the distance to large cities or other stations in the interior,
consequently the despatches have to be "taken off" at the termini of the
cable, and re-transmitted over the land lines. By my Invention a sub-
marine cable can be worked by the same system as the land lines, and a
message need not be repeated at any intermediate station.
To prevent misunderstanding in the description of my Invention which
follows I will state that the part of my instrument which I call the vibrator
is intended to be the part which is moved under the magnetic influence and

page_text: which breaks and closes the "short circuit." It may
be called an armature
or galvanometer needle if desirable, according to its arrangement. What I
name the coil is the fine copper wire wound on a spool around the core; it is
sometimes denominated the helix or spool of the magnet. What I name
the core is that part of a magnet which is of metal, commonly iron or steel,
and which becomes magnetic by the inductive influence of a current of
electricity acting upon a coil of wire in its vicinity or otherwise, and it is the
part of a magnet which attracts or repels the vibrator. The main line or
circuit is the line wire which extends from one city or station to another.
The main battery is located in the main line or circuit, and furnishes the
current or electricity for such main line. The short circuit or local circuit is
formed at or in the vicinity of the operating office, and is supplied with its
current or electricity by a battery within its circuit called the local battery;
the current or electricity from this battery does not go out on the main line.
The relay is an instrument located in the main line circuit, its coils forming a
part of such circuit. Its vibrator forms a part of a local circuit, which by the
movement of the vibrator is broken and closed. The sounder is an instrument
for making the sounds which represents the letters of the alphabet; it is located
in the local circuit, its coils forming a part of such circuit, and its armature
is intended to move in unison or synchronously with the vibrator of the relay.
My Invention consists partly in a mode of and instruments for operating
and working long submarine cable lines of telegraph by the sound or printing
system instead of the "galvanometer reflector" system, and also in devices
for protecting such instruments and cables from any injurious effects of
lightning or atmospheric electricity.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents an elevation of a relay instrument constructed in
accordance with the principles of my Invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal
section of the said relay on the lines y, y, Figure 5; Figure 8 is a plan of the
same; Figure 4 is a transverse section of the said relay on line x, x,
Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line z, z, Figure 2;
Figure 6 is a Diagram showing the mode of arranging the coils, cores, main
circuits, grounds, main batteries, breaking keys, vibrators, local circuits, local
batteries, and sounding instruments.
By the foregoing Figures the mechanical proportions and component parts
of my Invention may be fully understood. The Diagram Figure 6 is not
drawn to any specified scale, and is not intended to show an instrument in

page_text: any of its mechanical forms or proportions, but is intended to explain the
principles of my Invention, and in the description which follows I shall confine
myself almost exclusively to this Diagram for illustration.
In the said Diagram A represents a coil of fine copper wire wound on a
hard rubber spool hollow in the centre longitudinally, and B is a piece of
soft iron forming the core or part of the core of the coil A. The core B of
the coil A in its normal condition is not electrical. The main line or circuit C
commences at the ground plate D or F, as the case may be, and passes through
the main battery E, the sending or breaking key G entering the outside layer
of wire of coil A at a, and passing out of the inside layer at b. When the
circuit C is closed through the coil A the current from the battery E passing
through the coil A causes the core B to become magnetic and attract the
vibrator Hand move it in such a manner as to close or break as required
a local circuit marked I, which commences at c and passes through the cells
of the local battery J, sounding instrument K, and terminates at the head of
the vibrator at e. Another coil or a part of a coil L arranged in like manner
to coil A contains a core M or a part of a core, as the case may be. This
core is to be made of carbonized iron or steel or other suitable metal, and is
magnetized and arranged so that in its normal state or condition it will attract
the vibrator without a current of electricity acting upon or through the coil L.
The vibrator H is also made of steel or carbonized iron or other suitable
metal hardened and artificially charged or magnetized so that its vibrating end
shall attract the north pole of a compass needle. It is suspended or held at e,
and arranged so that its other extremity shall play or move between two
points d and c, one metallic and forming a part of the local circuit I the
other non-metallic or insulated from the said circuit. The vibrator H also
forms a part of the short circuit I, and when it rests against the metallic
point d or c, as the case may be, the local circuit I is closed, and when the
vibrator rests against the non-metallic point d or c, as the case may be, the
local circuit I is broken or open. The vibrator H may be made of soft iron
instead of carbonized iron or steel; in the latter case its normal condition would
not be magnetic, and its arrangement with regard to polarity would be un-
necessary. The main line wire C after its connection with the coil at a should
be connected with the coke, platiua, or copper connection or pole of the main
battery E, or to the opposite pole to the zinc, according to the kind of battery
used, so that when the current is passed through the coil A the coil B will
have its magnetic polarity such that the north will be next to the vibrator or
toward the vibrating end of the vibrator. The magnetic polarity of the

page_text: carbonized or steel core M must be formed so that its north pole will be
towards the vibrator or towards the vibrating end of the vibrator, which end
in the case of steel or carbonized iron, as before remarked, will represent its
south pole. The wire must be wound around the core M in such a manner
that a current of electricity acting through the former will induce a magnetic
polarity in the latter whose south will be towards the vibrator or towards the
vibrating end of the vibrator. This action will be the reverse of the normal
polarity of the core M. The magnetic condition of the core M may be termed
normal during the non-intervention of a current of electricity, and abnormal
during the action of a current. It will be observed that the arrangement of
the core M and vibrator H in regard to their normal or magnetic condition
and their polarity is such that they will attract each other or that the core M
will attract the vibrator without the aid of a current of electricity acting on or
through the coil L, and that when a current of electricity is acting on or
through the coil the core M by means of the reversing of its polarity will not
attract but if anything repels the vibrator, while the same current passing
through the coil A it will cause the core B to attract the vibrator, and on
cessation of the current the vibrator will be attracted the other way by the
It will be seen that the
core M regaining its normal or magnetic state.
action and non-action of a current of electricity and the changing of the
condition of the force or magnetic state of the cores as described causes the
vibrator to move from one side to the other and consequently to break or close
as the case may be the local circuit I.
The manner of forming the batteries, circuits, and operating or breaking
keys to work cables and telegraph lines by my Invention may be in the
ordinary way, but the following is preferable:-A ground plate D is formed as
a basis or commencement of the circuit. The battery E must be arranged in
this circuit with its coke, copper, or platina pole toward the ground D, thence
passing through the breaking or operating key G and coil or coils A and L,
and on to the next instrument, where it must enter the coils in the same
manner, and proceed to the operating key, battery, and ground. The magnets
or instruments must be placed "next to the line," so that when the circuit
is opened or broken at the sending or breaking key the battery at this point
is entirely cut off or disconnected from the instrument. The second ground
switch located at
plate F is formed and connected with the main line by
and connected with the operating key G for the purpose of closing the circuit
through the ground F and opening it through the ground D. When a
message is to be sent the circuit is completed through the battery E and

page_text: ground D, but when a message is being received the battery and circuit to D
is switched off, and the circuit completed through the ground F. In the
former arrangement the battery is employed, but in the latter it is not
When a
necessary, the same being only required at the sending instrument.
steel or carbonized vibrator is employed the polarity of the local circuit must
be so arranged that the zinc shall be connected at the vibrating end or south
pole of the vibrator. When a common soft iron vibrator is used the arrange-
ment of its polarity is comparatively unnecessary.
But I do not confine myself exclusively to the peculiar mechanical arrange-
ment of my relay as described or represented in the Drawings, because I can
arrange to work a telegraph line upon the same principles by a variety of
instrumentalities.
In the telegraphic dot and line alphabet the dots and lines representing the
letters are made by the closed circuit while the battery is in action on the
line, and the spaces indicating the separations between the letters and words
are made by the open circuit, that is, while the battery is not in action on the
line circuit.
The great desideratum is to accomplish a maximum transmission with a
minimum of electrical expenditure, that is, to produce the greatest number of
letters or words with the least amount of battery power or electricity. To do
this is one of the great objects of my Invention, and to accomplish it I arrange
the operating or breaking key so that the manner of breaking and closing
the circuit, or, in other words, throwing the battery on and off of the line, is
the reverse of the ordinary mode, and yet the operator in making the letters
manipulates the operating key precisely in the same manner as in the old
system to make the same letter, so that any sound or printing operator can
work my system as well as the old method. By the latter when the operator
desires to close the circuit he depresses the operating or breaking key, the
reverse movement producing the open circuit. By my plan when the breaking
key is depressed the circuit is broken or opened, that is, the battery is thrown
off the line, and the reverse movement gives the closed circuit, producing
precisely the same effects or forming the same letters as the same movements
of the operating key do in the old plan; but by my system the letters of the
alphabet are produced with about one-third of the amount of electricity or
closed circuit required by the old
other two-thirds of time required to
non-action of the battery on the line.
cable or line more time to free itself
plan or closed circuit system, giving the
produce the letters to the open circuit or
This is very important, as it gives the
from the inductive or abnormal effects

page_text: produced by the action of the battery upon the metallic armor, as well as the
metal in the conductor itself, and renders the reversing of the battery current
or the passing of two "waves" unnecessary to produce one movement of the
vibrator or galvanometer needle.
This advantage alone gives me by the use
of my instruments and open circuit system two letters to one over the ordinary
"galvanometer reflector" system, without taking into account the other great
advantages in time and rapidity, as well as simplicity of the sound system.
My system may be appropriately named an open circuit system, and I shall
bereafter designate it as such, though I do not confine myself exclusively to
an open circuit system, because my instruments will work well on the closed
circuit system, but the former is preferable for the reasons given.
In arranging the instruments to work on my open circuit system the
arrangement of the metallic points in connection with the relay vibrator is the
reverse of the arrangement in the closed circuit system, and also the change in
the breaking or operating key before described is necessary. The apparatus
necessary to supply an office and to operate a telegraphic line or cable with
facility by my plan and system would consist of the following instruments :-
A proper battery, a breaking or operating key arranged as described, a relay
magnet, a sounding instrument, a lightning arrester, and a galvanometer for
testing and regulating the circuits.
Having already described the above instruments and their arrangement,
except the lightning arrester and the galvanometer, and as a description of
the latter is unnecessary as no claim is made to it I will proceed to describe
my lightning arrester, which I design for use in protecting the cables and
apparatus from the injurious effects of atmospheric electricity. Lightning
has rarely been known to strike the flat surface of the ground in a meadow or
praire where there were no protruding or projecting points or objects. Flat
surfaces of metal do not attract this subtle element in a great degree. Sharp
points and prominent projections always attract atmospheric electricity with
powerful effect, hence the philosophy and efficacy of lightning rods in leading
the fluid harmlessly to the ground by means of their sharp points projecting
above the tops of houses and tall spires. Most of the ordinary lightning
arresters in common use are defective. The principles embodied in my
arrester are exactly the same as those of the lightning rod, except that my
arrester far exceeds the rod in that it presents a very large number of points
to deflect the lightning instead of a single one, and is otherwise so arranged as
to render it very difficult for the lightning to pass it without being deflected
and drawn off to the ground.

page_text: Figure 7 is a plan of my improved lightning arrester, and Figure 8 is a
section of the same.
In these Figures U indicates a central disc which is directly connected with
the ground by the continuation of a wire or rod from the screw coupling V,
Figure 8. On the periphery of the disk U are arranged deflecting points or
teeth in the manner shown; these are surrounded by a band W, which has
also a series of projections pointing inwardly between the points on the disc U,
while the projections on the central disc U project outwardly, and the projec-
tions on both the band W and centre U interlock in a zig-zag manner, and
have their surfaces arranged very near each other but not in actual contact.
The outer band W is made a part of the line circuit by connecting the wires
of the line at the screw couplings X and Y, Figure 7, there being no conuec-
tion electrically between the two screw couplings except around the rim W,
as there is a space cut through the metal between the screw couplings. The
natural tendency of a current of electricity is to endeavour to take the shortest
route frome one pole of the battery to the other; and in the case of atmospheric
electricity in order to reach the ground or to pass from point to point in the
shortest way it will sometimes jump from one point to another, when the points
approximate and when the resistance of the intermediate substance or space is
less than the resistance which would be met in following the metallic or other
conductor around to the opposite side. This principle is also exhibited in the
tendency of the current to the ground in order to complete the circuit short
of the distance of the whole length of the conductor, hence the efficacy of my
arrester. The circular band or rim W as arranged with its projecting points
tends to lead the current inward, while the centre U having a direct connection
with the ground, and its points being arranged concentrically with those on
the outer ring, tends to attract the current. The resultant action is equal to
the concentration of the points of a very large number of lightning rods to
draw off a current which is surrounding them, and which has met with a
resistance, causing the electricity to pass across the intermediate space or to
seek the ground at the nearest point. The location and arrangement of the
arresters with reference to the lines and cables, as well as the office apparatus,
must be such as to intercept the atmospheric current before it can reach the
instruments or cables.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that my Invention gives the
following results:-First, a current of electricity acting upon the magnets is
made alternately to change the state of the magnetic forces which move the
vibrator of the magnets, and that such changing causes the vibrator to move

page_text: from one side to the other and also to break and close a local circuit, which
has never before been accomplished in this manner. Secondly, by means of
the foregoing construction and arrangement of the cores of a magnet or
magnets I cause the vibrator to be moved or attracted one way by a current
of electricity acting upon the core or cores, and on the cessation of the same
current the vibrator is attracted in an opposite direction. Thirdly, by the
construction and arrangement of a magnet the core is caused to attract a
vibrator without the aid of a current of electricity acting through the coil, and
is caused to cease attracting or to repel the vibrator when a current acts upon
or through the coil. Fourthly, by the arrangement of the magnets they
attract and move the vibrator in one direction without the aid of a current of
electricity acting on or through the coils, and attract and move the vibrator in
the opposite direction by a current acting upon such coils. Fifthly, the
arrangement and construction of the magnets is such that a local circuit is
caused to be broken or closed by the vibrator without a current of electricity
acting upon the coils and to be opened or broken when a current does act
upon such coil. Sixthly, the herein-before described system and arrange-
ment of mechanisms, circuits, coils, cores, and vibrators perform the functions
of a relay to operate and work on long lines of ocean cables as well as other
lines of telegraph, and with the said relay in combination with an ordinary
"sounder" and a local battery long cable lines of telegraph can be operated
on what is commonly known as the "sound system," which has never heretofore
been accomplished on long cable lines. Seventhly, by the mechanism
represented in Figures 7 and 8 I protect telegraph lines and cables as well as
the instruments from the injurious effects of lightning.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be conveniently
and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
First. By means of proper mechanism and a current of electricity acting
upon magnets alternately changing in the manner described or equivalent
thereto the magnetic forces which shall move the magnet, vibrator, or a
galvanometer needle of said magnets when such changing shall cause either
the vibrator or needle to move from one side to the other and to break and
close another galvanic circle for telegraphic or other purposes.
Second. So constructing and arranging the core of a magnet that when a
current of electricity is caused to flow through the coil or helices a vibrator is
attracted one way, and on cessation of the current the said vibrator is attracted
the other way.

page_text: Third. So constructing and arranging the core of a magnet that it shall
attract a vibrator or galvanometer needle one way without the aid of a current
of electricity, and cease its attraction or repel the said vibrator or needle when
a current of electricity is made to flow through the coil or helices.
Fourth. So constructing and arranging magnets that they shall attract and
move a vibrator one way without the aid of a current of electricity, and shall
move the said vibrator the other way when a current of electricity is passed
through the coil or helices.
Fifth. So constructing and arranging magnets that a local circuit is caused
to be closed by the vibrator or galvanometer needle without the aid of a
current of electricity, and opened or broken by the vibrator or needle when a
circuit is passed through the coil or helices.
Sixth. By means of the foregoing described system arrangements, magnets
and other apparatus performing the functions of a relay in combination with a
common sounding instrument, a local circuit, and a local battery, to operate
and work long ocean cable telegraphs either by a printing instrument or by
the ordinary sound system now generally used on land lines.
Seventh. Operating submarine telegraphic cables on the sound or printing
system, and closing or breaking as may be desired the local circuit by artificial
magnetism contained in a carbonized iron or steel core of a magnet or its
equivalent located at the receiving instrument, such magnetism not being
produced by the influence of a current of electricity in action on the main or
any other circuit of such cables.
Eighth. Operating submarine telegraphic cables on the sound or printing
system by closing or breaking as may be desired the local circuit by a force
acting upon the vibrator of a relay or its equivalent and located at the
receiving instrument, such force not being produced by the battery located on
the main circuit, but when such battery is brought in action on the main
circuit also producing a change in the said force which controls the said
vibrator, which change shall cause said vibrator to reverse its position as
described and for the purposes set forth.
Ninth. In operating telegraphic cables producing the dots and lines which
indicate the letters of the alphabet by opening the circuit of the main line and
the spaces between the dots and lines which separate the letters and words by
closing the circuit of the main line.
Tenth. In operating telegraphic cables the employment of a breaking or
operating key which shall open the main circuit when depressed and close the
main circuit on a reverse movement of the said breaking key.

page_text: Eleventh. Lightning arresters constructed substantially as described and
operating upon the principles of the lightning rod for telegraphic and other
purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven
0
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THO. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings, W.C.