IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ELECTRICAL SIGNALLING AND APPARATUS TUEREFOR CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH TELEPHONIC SYSTEMS
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lako & C° Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ELECTRICAL
SIGNALLING AND APPARATUS TUEREFOR CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR USE IN
CONNECTION WITH TELEPHONIC SYSTEMS" and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This Invention relates to improvements in electrical communication and to
apparatus therefor whereby a person calling up a distant station or subscriber is
automatically notified whether any one is there present to receive his message, or
to put him into communication with another station or subscriber, or is notified of
the time when the said called station will be attended or ready to receive messages,
if the attendant be absent; thus saving considerablo tine to the operator making
the call, as he will refrain from continually making the call, as he now does, if he
is not immediately responded to, and will wait until the time indicated before he
again calls up' said station or subscriber.
To accomplish this desirable result I arrange in close proximity to the call
apparatus or bell an automatic responding instrument, operated by means of a
spring or other motor, and locked or prevented from acting by the armature or
other moving part of the call apparatus or bell, when the same is inoperative or
in its normal position. The call apparatus and responding instrument may be
contained in one case.
The automatic responding instrument is constructed to pass to line currents
induced from the action of an independent battery in certain predetermined
impulses, upon the call apparatus or bell being actuated from the calling station;
which actuation of this call apparatus or bell releases the responding instrument,
which is immediately operated by the motor, and so sends the predetermined
signal to the calling station.

page_text: Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line-y, y.
Figure 4, is a front view of the same drawn to a reduced scale, showing the
manner in which it is connected and applied to return signals over an electric
circuit; and
Figure 5 shows its application to a telephonic circuit.
The working parts of the responding instrument and the electro-magnetic devico
of the call apparatus, are shown enclosed in the case a, the front of which is
provided with a plate a¹, marked with the word "In," and Figures from one to
twelve arranged in a semicircle. At the centre of this semicircle projects the end
of the shaft b, having secured thereto the index or pointer b' and knob b², by
which the pointer may be set opposite any of the marks or figures on the plate a¹.
Secured to the inner end of the shaft b, is the shield plate or multilated disc C,
between which and the front of the case a, securely fastened to the front of tho
case is the metal disc d, having twelve equidistant teeth or notches d', formed in
the upper half of its periphery, and a number of much finer teeth or notches d²,
occupying a space equal to one of the teeth d', and adjacent to the first tooth of the
series. A block of insulating material e, is fixed in the lower central part of the
disc d.
frepresents a clock movement or spring motor, the last spindle f¹ of which is in
line with the axis of the shaft b, and carries on its end, in close proximity to the
shield plate c, the wheel or disc g provided with escapement teeth on its periphery
which actuate the retarding escapement g'. This escapement g' has a tail piece
and an adjustable weight g², by the adjustment of which the speed of the wheel g
may be regulated.

page_text: This wheel g has secured to it the contact brush h, which travels over the teeth d¹
and the shield plate c when the wheel revolves, but rests on the insulating block e
when the wheel g is in its normal position and at rest, in which position it is
retained by the pin h¹ coming in contact with the arm i secured to the shaft
which carries the armature i' of the electro-magnetic device of the call apparatus.
The call bell is attached to the outside of the case, and is struck by the haminer i³,
projecting from the armature i', when the armature is attracted by the electro-
magnet j, having its cores polarized by the permanent magnet j'.
1, represents the spring of the motor, and , the handle by which it is wound up.
The arrangement of this instrument in its simplest application is as follows,
reference being also had to Figure 4. The line wire m joins one end of the wire on
the magnet, the other end m' of the magnet wire going to earth and including in
it the secondary coil m² of an inductorium n. The primary coil n¹ of this
inductorium is in circuit with the battery n³ and the automatic responding
instrument, which is connected by the wire n³ from the battery being joined to the
frame of the spring motor f, so as to bring the contact brush h in the circuit; and
by the wire connecting the primary coil n¹ to the notched signal disc d. The
operation is as follows; upon a current being sent through the line wire m, to
actuate the call apparatus, the magnet j attracts the armature ¹, which draws the
armi away from the stop pin h', allowing the spring motor to work, and thereby
carrying the brush h, around the disc d; the battery current flows, upon the
brush leaving the insulated block c, and is broken cach time the brush passes
over the notches or teeth d¹, d² which are exposed, thoroby inducing corresponding
electrical impulses in the coil m³, which impulses are received by and actuate any
suitable receiving instrument, as a telephonic receiver m³, shown at Figure 5, at
the sending end of the line. As soon as the call current ceases, the spring it
moves the armature away from the magnet into the position shown, and the
wheel g is stopped, after making one full revolution, with the brush & resting on
the insulated block e, thereby breaking the battery circuit. Should the current
induced in the coil m³ actuate the armature , it will only causo the responding
signal to be also given by the call apparatus. Now suppose the attendant of any
given station has to leave his post, and will return thereto at any hour, say
six o'clock, he sets the pointer bi opposite the figure 6, which leaves six of the
teeth d' exposed, as shown at Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5, so that when this station is
called, six distinct electrical impulses are automatically returned to the calling
station, indicating the time when the said called station will be served. If the
attendant be present he sets the pointer to the In mark as shown at Figure 4;
this causes the shield plate c to cover the whole of the twelve teeth a', but exposes
the set of fine teeth d², the brush h, in passing over which, sends a few quick
impulses over the line, indicating that some ono is present,
These teeth d³ are
covered by the shield plate c when one of the teeth d¹ is exposed, and remain
covered during the exposure of any or all of the said teeth d².
It is evident that instead of time signals, the disc & may be made to give any
predetermined signal or set of signals according to the requirements of the case
and the class of electric-circuit the automatic responding instrument is applied to.
In the application of the automatic responding instrument to telephonic circuits,
the connections may be made, as shown at Figure 5, to cause the same to properly
operate with the other instruments or devices used in the system, but the said
instrument will operate in the manner described, as shown at Figure 4, and the
parts of the circuits in Figure 5 corresponding thereto, are similarly designated, so
that the functions performed thereby may be readily traced out and understood.
The inductorium n and the battery n³ usod in conjunction with the automatic
responding instrument, also form part of the telephonic transmission device, of
which o, represents a microphonic transmitter, connected by the wire o¹, to the
wire n³ and by the wires o³ o³, and spring contact switch of, to the coil n', which
completes the circuit of the microphone o, the primary wire n' of the inductorium,

page_text: and the battery n² when the switch o' is closed. The line wire m has included in
it the switch 7, which is closed by one end of the lever 8 when the telephonic
receiver is suspended from a hook on its other eud. This telephonic receiver t is
joined to the line wire through the wire t' and spring 2 which makes contact
with the lever 8, when the telephone is removed therefrom; the said telephone
being connected to the lever s by the wire and to earth through the wire m'
by means of the wire t. The spring is provided on its underside with the
insulated block 8¹ which closes the spring switch o* when the lever 8 is released.
u represents a magneto machine for calling up another station from this end of
the line, it is out of circuit except when the switch u¹ is moved on to the contact
point u².
.
v represents a magneto or other generator at the calling station, by means of
which the call apparatus ij is operated; and m³ a telephonic receiving instrument,
by means of which messages and the automatic responding signals are received at
the calling station.
The various parts occupying the positions shown in the Drawings, a current or
currents sent over the line m from the generator v actuates the call apparatus. i j
which allows the current from the battery n² to pass through the automatic
responding instrument, and send a return signal to the receiver m³ in the manner
before described; the telephonic receiver t and the microphonic transmitter o now
being out of circuit and inoperative. When a communication is to be sent from or
received at this station, the receiver t is removed from the lever s, which, being
actuated by the spring 83, cuts out the call apparatus i, j, throws the receiver t into
the circuit, and the microphone o into the circuit of the battery n² and primary
_coila! The responding instrument is also now out of circuit, by reason-of-its-
contact brush h resting on the insulated block e from which position it cannot
be disturbed until the call apparatus is again in circuit, and operated as before
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention-and-in what manner the same is to be perforined I declare that what
I claim is
First. Tho combination with an electric call apparatus or bell, of a responding
instrument constructed and operated to automatically send to the calling station,
certain definite signals, upon the call apparatus or bell-being actuated-from-said-
station, substantially as set forth.
Second. The improvement in electrical communication, which consists in
including in the circuit an instrument constructed and operated to automatically
send to the calling station certain definite signals in response to a call from said
station, substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination with a call apparatus and electric circuit, of an automatic
return signal transmitter and an independent battery in circuit therewith,
substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The improvement in electrical communication, consisting of the
application of an automatically operated instrument constructed to respond to
a call from the other end of the line, by causing induced currents in the said line
in definite impulses upon being released or set in motion by the current sent over
the line to operate the call instrument, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. A return signal instrument for facilitating electrical communication,
constructed and operated substantially as described, whereby any one of a set of
predetermined signals is sent to a calling station in response to a call therefrom, by
means of an electro-magnetic dovice operated by the current emanating from tho
calling station, which allows said instrument to be actuated by means of a connected
motor substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The combination with the primary coil of an inductorium, a battery and
an automatic responding instrument, of a call apparatus or bell, and the secondary
coil of the inductorium included in a circuit used for electrical communication,
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.

page_text: Seventh. In a telephonic system, a microphonic transmitter, a switch the primary
coil of an inductorium, and a battery in an independent circuit, in combination
with an automatic responding instrument, connected to the said circuit between
the microphonic transmitter and the battery, and between the switch and the
primary coil of the inductorium, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Eighth. In an automatic responding instrument, in combination, a fixed disc or
plate having a series of teeth or notches representing different signals, a contact
brush carried by a rotating shaft, a motor for imparting motion to said brush, and
a locking device for holding the brush stationary on an insulated block, and
actuated by an electric current to allow the brush to be rotated by the motor,
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Ninth. In an automatic responding instrument, in combination, a fixed disc or
plate having a series of notches or teeth, a shield plate connected to and operated
by an index pointer, a dial plate having marked thereon the signals the instrument
is adapted to give, and a contact brush and motor for causing the same to travel
around the fixed disc or plate, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Tenth. An automatic responding instrument, constructed and operated sub-
stantially as described to send to a calling station the number of distinct clectrical
impulses corresponding to any given hour at which the said instrument may be set,
in combination with a call apparatus actuated from the calling station, as, and for
the purpose, set forth.
Eleventh. In combination, an automatic responding instrument constructed and
operated by means of a motor, to induce in an electric circuit any of a set of
predetermined impulses, a receiving instrument at the other end of the line, a call
apparatus constructed to free the automatic responding instrument, and a current
generator at the calling end of the line at which the receiving instrument is placed,
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Twelfth. In combination, the responding instrument constructed and operated
substantially as described, the battery n³, the primary coil n' of the inductorium n,
the line wire m, the call apparatus i, j adapted to lock the responding instrument,
the line wire m', the secondary coil m³ of the inductorium n, and the receiving
instrument m³ and electric generator v, substantially as, and for the purpose,
set forth.
Thirteenth. In combination, the automatic responding instrument composed of
the disc d, the insulated block c, the contact brush h carried by and forming part
of the motorf, the battery n³, and the primary coil n¹ of the inductorium of a
telephonic transmitter, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fourteenth. In a telephonic system, the combination of the following instru-
mentalities, the call apparatus i, j, the spring switches r, t² and o', the lever 8, tho
receiver t, the inductorium n, the microphonic transmitter o, the battery n³, tho
automatic responding instrument d, e, h, f, and the connecting wires, substantially
as set forth.
Fifteenth. In an automatic responding instrument for electric circuits, in
combination, the spring motor f, the contact brush h, the fixed disc d provided with
the teeth d, the insulated block e, the circuit wire n³ connected to the motor f, and
the wire n connected to the disc d, substantially as sot forth.
Sixteenth. In an automatic responding instrument for electric circuits, in
combination, the fixed disc d provided with the teeth d', the shield plate c, the
shaft b, the pointer b¹, the dial plate a¹, and the rotating contact brush h,
substantially as set forth.
Seventeenth. In an automatic responding instrument for electric circuits, in
combination, the wheel g. of a motor, the contact brush h, the stop pin h¹, the
arm i of the armature of an electro-magnetic device, the fixed toothed disc d,
and the insulated block e, substantially as set forth.
Eighteenth. In an automatic responding instrument for electric circuits, in
combination, the fixed disc d provided with the series of teeth d' and the series of

page_text: small teeth d², the rotating brush h, the insulated block e, and the shield plate c
adapted to cover all the teeth d' and leave the teeth d exposed or to expose one
or more of the teeth d, and at the same time cover the teeth d³, substantially as,
and for the purpose, set forth.
BRAL
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