Improvements in Multiple Printing Telegraph Apparatus.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1888
Specification Accepted, 14th Dec., 189;
Improvements in Multiple Printing Telegraph Apparatus.
I CLAUDE JOSEPH MUNIER, of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republic
of France Engineer 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:-
The object of this invention is to augment, in a considerable degree, the number of
despatches that can be sent through one and the same line wire. In carrying out my
invention, I use the "Hughes" telegraph instruments, with which my new apparatus
is combined.
The new apparatus consists of:-
(1st) A special keyboard intended to send into the line positive and negative
currents;
(2nd) A system of polarised relays;
(3rd) A mechanical arrangement constituting a series of electric keys ; and
(4th) A collector.
These four groups of special apparatus are applied to each Hughes instrument, the
first serving for the transmission of despatches, and the other three for their reception.
(5th) A distributor by the aid of which a number of Hughes instruments,
furnished with the apparatus referred to above, may be connected with one and the
same line wire.
In order that the principle of my invention may be better understood, I will now
give an example of the way in which it may be operated.
Let there be at the transmitting station, and also at the receiving station, four
Hughes instruments, each provided with the apparatus, and connected with the ends
of a single line wire through a distributor.
At the transmitting station, each operator manipulates the keyboard of the instru-
ment he has to operate, so as to send off the despatches that he should transmit,
without concerning himself with the other three operators who are doing the same
with the instruments under their charge.
The currents thus transmitted from the four instruments are received by the
transmitting distributor, which delivers them automatically, and in proper order, into
the line wire, however they may be sent by the operator. Thus, the line wire is
traversed by a succession of currents, intended (as I have supposed four telegraphic
instruments at work) for four different despatches. On reaching the end of the line,

page_text: the currents are received by the distributor of the receiving station, which travels
synchronously with that of the transmitting station. This distributor divides the
currents between the four receiving telegraph instruments in such a way that all the
currents sent by one operator are directed into the same receiving telegraph
instrument, so that each despatch is separated from the other three. The currents
distributed by the distributor act upon the four receiving Hughes instruments
provided with my special apparatus.
Besides this, my apparatus is so arranged that, on the one hand, the maximum
number of line currents necessary to the impression of a single character, is limited
to two, whatever may be the duration of these currents, on the other hand, there is
but one key to work for each character to be printed.
In Sheet of the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 represent
diagrammatically a complete installation.
In this diagram, the part to the left of the line aa represents one telegraph station,
and the part on the right another station. Four Hughes instruments are supposed to
be in operation together at each station, but at the station on the left, the keyboard of
but one of the four telegraph instruments connected to the distributor is indicated,
and one only of the four sectors of the distributor has been drawn. On the other
hand, at the station on the right, the keyboard is omitted, and the relays, the keys,
and the collector of but one of the four telegraph instruments, are represented. It
will be easy to complete, mentally, the representation of these two stations by
transferring the parts from one to the other.
In order to understand my invention, it will be necessary to commence the
description at the receiving end of the system, in order to give an account, without
describing the transmitting keyboard, of the object of the positive and negative
currents which should be sent into the line wire.
1st. The collector (Fig. 1). The purpose of the collector is to send into the printing
electro-magnet E of an ordinary "Hughes" instrument, the currents received from
the polarised relays of Fig. 2, by the aid of the keys of Fig. 3.
To this end. the collector is formed of a disc of insulating material, upon which are
placed two metallic rings A and B. The ring A is divided into as many parts,
insulated from each other, as there are divisions on the type wheel of the Hughes
instrument; each of these divisions is connected to the keys of Fig. 3, as will be
described hereinafter.
The ring B is undivided, and is connected to the printing apparatus E of a Hughes
instrument.
A brush holder P, which turns synchronously with the type wheel of the Hughes
instrument, serves to trail two brushes p and p¹, which electrically connect the rings
A and B. It follows, therefore, that during the rotation of the brushes p and p', the
divisions of the ring A will be successively connected with the printing electro-magnet
E, and that if one of these divisions is connected to one of the poles of a battery, a
current will be sent into the printing electro-magnet at the moment the brush passes
on to such division, and a character corresponding to this division will be printed, by
reason of the synchronism of the brush holder P' and the type wheel of the Hughes
instrument.
In order to print all the characters of a type wheel, it will suffice, therefore, to
connect the battery successively, and at each revolution of the type wheel, to one of
the divisions of the ring A. To print words, it is necessary to have the brush holder
and the type-wheel properly set, and to choose the divisions allotted to the desired
letters. This choice is made by the aid of the relays, the keys, and the keyboard.
Polarised Relays (Fig. 2). The polarised relays are formed of six electro-magnets,
and they serve to open and close the six primary circuits, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, issuing
from a battery Z, and connected to the collector of Fig. 1, through the keys of Fig. 3,
as will be seen hereinafter. The six relays are coupled together in pairs inversely
with respect to the direction of the current in each of them, so that they may be
influenced, the one by a positive current, the other by a negative current.
This arrangement permits of the six polarised relays being operated by means of

page_text: three electrical conductors only, connected to three divisions of the distributor, see
Fig. 4, as will be referred to hereinafter. In effect, a single conductor suffices to
operate two relays coupled together, by sending into the line currents of contrary
sign, according as it is desired to operate one or other of the relays.
The displacement of the armatures of these relays is effected under the influence of
positive and negative currents coming from the line, and the purpose of this
displacement is to send into one or other of the divisions of the ring A of the collector,
For this purpose, the
a current taken from one of the poles of a local battery Z.
terminals of the armatures are all connected to the same pole of the battery Z.
The armatmes of all these relays stand in the transmitting position, and can only
be returned to a position of rest, that is to say, in contact with a terminal screw V, by
a mechanical or electrical effect contrary to the first.
The return of the armatures is effected mechanically by the aid of an electro-
magnet E, acting upon a rod provided with fingers: these fingers project or engage
between the armatures at regulated distances, so that when the rod is attracted, the
fingers strike against every displaced armature, and it follows that if many
armatures have been displaced, they are all simultaneously returned to rest.
The return of the armatures takes place at the same instant as the impression of
the characters for which they have been displaced. For this purpose, the electro-
magnet E is connected to the supports of the printing electro-magnet E, and the
base of the apparatus to a local battery Y; it therefore follows that when the
armature K of the printing electro-magnet strikes against the escapement lever of the
Hughes instrument, the electro-magnet Es is connected with the local battery Y
through these two levers, the rod J is attracted, and the relay armatures returned to
rest against their respective electro-magnets.
In Sheet 11 of the accompanying drawings, I have shewn in end elevation at
Fig. 6, plan view at Fig. 7, and in partial section at Fig. 8. one of the polarised relays
illustrating the way in which I propose to construct them. The reference letters
correspond to those on Fig. 2 in Sheet I of the drawings.
As may be seen in these drawings, the polarised electro-magnets arranged opposite
each other are coupled together. Thus, the three conducting wires coming from the
divisions 3, 4, and 5 of the distributor of Fig. 4, arrive at the electro-magnets 1, 3
and respectively, surrounding them, and passing finally to the electro magnets 2,4
and 6, with introversion in the sense of ontry with respect to the electro-magnets 1, 3
and 5 and finally go to earth.
The armatures 11, 21, 31, 41, 5, and 6', corresponding to the six electro-magnets,
are each pivotted to a little standard, and are submitted to the action of a spring, the
tension of which may be regulated by a screw.
Two hollow columns fixed at the ends of the apparatus serve to support a frame
fitted with screws V, and connected with a local battery Z. The screws V are each
fitted in the frame above one of the armatures of the polarised relays, in such a way,
that if one of the said armatures is released by its polarised electro-magnet, at the
moment when this receives a current, in a suitable direction, from the distributor,
Fig. 4, a current from the local battery Z passes to the support of the armature,
In a word,
which is connected, as will be seen further on, with the keys in Fig. 5.
it will be understood that every time an armature comes thus into contact with a
screw, it will send a current into the keys.
A flat bar J, of soft iron, provided with short arms formed at right angles to the
length of the bar, is mounted in the same axis of the relay apparatus. The short-
arms terminate in proximity to the points of the screws V, and consequently above.
the armatures of the electro-magnets. The bar is supported by brackets sliding in
the hollow columns, and resting upon spiral springs.
Below the bar are fixed two electro-magnets E³, which are connected to the
battery through the unlocking lever O, as may be seen in Fig. 2.
The action of this apparatus, Figs: 6, 7, and 8, is identically the same as has been
described with reference to Fig. 2; the arms J serving, under the influence of the
electro-magnets E', to draw down the armatures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6' into contact

page_text: with their respective electro-magnets, after they have touched the screws V, to send
currents to the keys of Fig. 3.
Keys (Fig. 3). The keys are fivo in number; they serve to give five different
directions to the six primary circuits, sent by the six polarised electro-magnets of
the relays. To effect this, they are formed of four electro-magnets E¹, E², E³, Eª,
of the system used in the "Hughes" telegraph; these four magnets are, like the
relays, coupled together in pairs, with introversion in the sense of the entrance of
the current in each of them, in order that they may be influenced by currents of
opposite signs, and be connected only to the two divisions, 1 and 2, of the distributor
(see Figs. 3 and 4).
It is the armatures of the key electro-magnets which serve to change mechanically
the direction of the primary circuits, and for this purpose each armaturo is formed
in two parts, a and b, which extend in the form of a cross from each side of the
armature pivot. The part a is terminated by the armature proper, held in contact
with the poles by the artificial or permanent magnet, upon which are fixed the cores
of the bobbins of the electro-magnet. A counteracting spring R tends to lift the
armature, detaching it from the poles.
The part carries a slip, S, of insulating material, which serves to maintain, at a
slight distance above the contact points C, the flexible spring blades L.
The blades L are insulated froin each other, and are connected to the divisions of
the collector in regular order, commencing by the key No. 1. These blades Lare
numbered from 1 up to 28. I have stopped at No. 28, because I propose to utilise
the Hughes" apparatus, in which the type wheel has 28 divisions; but it is obvious
that any number of divisions of the type wheel may be employed without changing
the principle of the invention, which consists in multiplying by an indefinite number
of keys, another indefinite number of elementary or primary circuits, such multipli-
cation being effected by a change in the direction imparted by the keys to the primary
circuits represented by the relays.
The contacts C are numbered by groups from 1 to 6, except the last group, which
is formed of four contacts only, because the four first having six each, there remains
only four for the last-(for 4 x 6 = 24, and 24 + 4 = = 28).
Each group represents a key.
In this way, the contacts of each group are connected in regular order
1st. To the six terminals V of the polarised relays of Fig. 2, so that the
contact C, No. 1, is connected to the relay No. 1, the contact C, No. 2, 10 the
relay No. 2, etc.
2nd. To the contacts of the other keys in symmetrical order, that is to say, that
all the contacts No. 1 of each key connect with one another; the same with all the
contacts No. 2; and so on up to the last. It results from this arrangement, that
every current sent by any polarised relay of Fig. 2, corresponds to all the con-
tacts C of the same number of the different keys; thus, for example, if the polarised
relay No. 2 of Fig. 2 is operated, it sends a current from the battery Z to all the
contacts No. 2 of all the keys, and that every current thus sent by a relay in the
different groups, can only pass if the contacts are connected to the blades L.
This connection is made by means of the slips S, at the moment when a current,
traversing the polarised key electro-magnets, E¹, E², E³, E, causes the lifting of
The armature. This lifting is intended to lower the slip S, and as it is followed,
in its movement, by all the blades that it supports, these latter rapidly touch the
contacts C, and the communication of the six armatures of the polarised relays is
at once established with six divisions of the collector corresponding to the six
contacts operated; this communication lasts until the armature a is again brought
into contact with the poles of the electro-magnet of the operated key, which occurs
at the moment of the impression of a character by the aid of the arm d³ of the
escapement lever 0 of the receiving apparatus, arranged so as to act upon a common
lver I, formed of a horizontal axle mounted upon pivots, and to which is adapted
six arms d, d¹, d², d³, d', d³, of which four, d', d², d³, d, reach over the four key
electro-magnets; the fifth, d, carries the slip S, which overlies the blades of the

page_text: first key, and the sixth, d³, is acted upon by the escapement lever through the
apparatus 0, 0¹.
To sum up the preceding in respect to the keys, it will be seen :-
1st. That when the different keys are at rest, no current can be sent into the
collector by the relays except into the first six divisions by the first key,
since for this key only the contacts, and the spring blades L, are in contact
when at rest.
2nd. That the first key serves to couple the six elementary circuits to the first
six divisions of the collector, the second key to the six following divisions, and so
on up to the last key.
3rd. That when a key electro-magnet has been operated to connect the contacts C
to the blades L that this electro-magnet controls, it suffices to carry the armature of
a relay into contact with its terminal screw V, to send a current into one division
of the collector, and that this division depends on the relay and on the key
operated. For example:-the first key and the fourth relay would send a current
into the fourth division of the collector, whilst the third key and the same relay
would send a current into the sixteenth division, because the two first keys, which
together cover twelve divisions, would remain at rest.
It is because of this kind of repercussion of the elementary circuits across the
keys, that I say that the elementary circuits are multiplied by the number of keys.
It results also from the above described arrangements, that the alphabet is sup-
posed to be formed of but six letters represented by six relays operating under the
influence of six currents, of which three are positive and three negative.
Peculiarity of the first key.We have just seen that there are but four electro-
magnets for five keys; it therefore follows that one of the keys operates without an
electro-magnet. I avoid the use of a fifth electro-magnet, which would have
necessitated a division more per sector of the distributor, by so arranging the blades
of the first key, that, in a state of rest, they touch the contacts C, instead of being
held off, as in the case of the other keys, that is to say, in place of being carried by a
slip dependent from an electro-magnet, they are, on the contrary, in a position to be
insulated from the contacts by the slip S, adapted to a shalt I common to all the
keys. This shaft is rocked under the action of any one of the armatures of the key
electro-magnets E¹, E², E³, E¹.
This arrangement of the first key has also the advantage of requiring but one line
current to print each character corresponding to the different blades, whilst on the
contrary, the characters dependent upon the other keys, require two, one to operate
the key and the other the relay.
In Sheet 111 of the accompanying drawings, I have shewn in detail, and on a larger
scale, the arrangement of keys which I prefer to use, Fig. 9 being an end elevation,
and Fig. 10 a plan view.
As will be seen, the blades L are mounted upon blocks of insulating material carried
by standards r.
The contacts Care formed by poinis, also carried by the insulating blocks, and they
are connected to the armatures of the relays, Fig. 2 (Sheet I), as before stated.
The blades L of the first key, when in a state of rest, are always in contact with the
contact points C, placed above them the blades of the other four keys tend, by reason
of their elasticity, to come in contact with the contact points situated below them,
but they are, when in a state of rest, kept off by the armatures of the electro-
magnets E', E, E³, E'.
-the arm a
These armatures are formed by rock levers. a, b, pivotted to the supports 2,-1
being acted upon by the electro-magnet, and the arm being terininated by a slip S
of insulating material, which underlies all the blades L of one key. A flat spring R,
capable of adjustment by means of a screw, permits of the balance of the armature
being regulated.
The shaft I runs the whole length of the keys, and it is provided with arms d, d¹,
the
d², d
2, d³, d; the extremities of the arms d³, d, d³, d, are tapped to receive screws v,
points of which are adjusted so as to be a slight distance above the armatures a,b; the

page_text: other am dis terminated by a slip S of insulating material, which rests upon
the blades of the first key. The effect of this arrangement is, that as soon as one
of the armatures of the four electro-magnets E', E2, E3, E, is released by the passage
of a current, such armature acts upon the arm of the shaft. which is above it, thereby
rocking the shaft; and the slip S of the arm d lifts the blades L of the first key from
the contact points C. The result of this action is, that when any one of the four keys
on the right in the diagram,--Sheet 1, closes its circuits, that is to say, causes its
blades to come into contact with the points O, the key on the left of the diagram
(the circuits of which were closed), will open its circuits, and thus be cut off from the
collector, Fig. 1.
Key-board (Fig. 5). It has been seen by what arrangements the relays and the keys
are connected to only five divisions of the distributor (three for the relays and two for
the keys); the keyboard is arranged analogously, so as to be similarly connected to
but five divisions of the distributor. But when the relays or the keys are connected
to the divisions of the ring D of the distributor, Fig. 4, the keyboard is connected to
five divisions of the ring E. (It will be seen hereinafter, that the distributor is
provided with two rings D, E, divided into sections.)
Besides this, the keyboard is arranged as to send, in the desired order, currents of
the same, or of contrary sign necessary to operate the relays and the keys.
For this purpose, I may employ a keyboard provided with ten touches only, four
for the keys, and six for the relays, but in such case the operator would be obliged to
use two touches to print a character, one to select a key, and the other to choose the
relay which corresponds to the letter he desires to transmit. This inconvenience may
be obviated by so arranging the keyboard, that whichever touch is manipulated, the
desired current or currents would be sent in their proper order, without requiring the
consideration of the operator.
For this purpose, I employ a number of touches equal to the number of divisions
on the typewheel. Under each of these touches are arranged two spring blades
(except under the first six, where there is but one), which they press down simul-
taneously, so as to bring them into contact with the positive and negative poles of
two batteries arranged in a previously determined order upon two slips N, N',
which extend under the whole width of the keyboard, and are connected the one with
the positive pole of one of the two line batteries, and the other with the negative
pole of the other battery; the other two poles of these two batteries being connected
to earth.
The springs indicated in the annexed drawings in thick full lines l, or in thick
broken lines, convey the negative currents, and the springs indicated in fine double
lines, or in fine broken lines 2, convey positive currents. The springs 1 and 12
serve, as will hereinafter be seen, to convey positive or negative currents to the key
electro-magnets, and the springs and serve to convey the positive and negative
currents to the relay electro-magnets; for this reason, I have but one spring below
each of the first six touches, since they have no keys to supply.
The springs and 1, which supply the keys, form four
groups, indicated upon
drawing by dotted lines of different thicknesses. The first group, from the division 7
the
to division 13, is composed of six blades 1, indicated by fine dotted lines, and
sending positive currents; the second group, from division 13 to division 19, is
composed of six blades indicated in thick dotted lines, and sending negative
currents the third group of divisions, 19 to 25, resembles the first group; and the
fourth group is formed of four springs 1.
These four groups are alike in pairs. The two first groups (positive and negative)
are connected together, and to the division No. 1 of one sector of the ring E of the
transmitting distributor, the corresponding division of the ring D in the receiving
distributor being connected to the two first key electro-magnets E', E². The two
last groups are similarly connected together to go to the division, No. 2, of the same
sector, to which is connected the two last key electro-magnets E³, E¹.
The springs and , which supply the relays alternately in a uniform way from
the first touch to the last (that is to say, if the first faces a positive contact, the second

page_text: faces a negative, the third a positive, and so on) are regularly connected in pairs, the
first to the second, the third to the fourth, the fifth to the sixth, and so on, so that
each principal group of six touches is divided into three groups of two touches, as the
six polarised relays are divided into three groups of two relays; then the two first
touches of all the groups are connected together to go to the division, No. 3, of the
distributor sector, to which are connected the first two polarised relays 1 and 2; the
next two touches are similarly connected together and to the division, No. 4, of
the same sector, to which are connected the relays and 4, and the same with respect
to the other groups of two touches connected together to go to the division No. 5 of
the same sector, to which are connected the relays 5 and 6.
From the above arrangement it follows, that whichever touch is operated in the
first group, a single positive or negative current will be sent into the line, and which-
ever touch is operated in the other groups, two currents of the same or of contrary
signs will be sent to the line.
This being so, it is only necessary to maintain the synchronism between the trans-
mitting distributor and the receiving distributor of Fig. 4, Sheet I, to ensure the
currents sent by the keyboard to any one or two of the divisions of the transmitting
distributor, for example, going to the relays and to the keys for which they are
intended, the currents passing by the corresponding division of the receiving
distributor, as will be explained hereinafter in the description of the mode of operating
the apparatus.
Distributor. The number of sections on a distributor, and consequently the number
of keyboards that it is possible to employ with one line wire, is indefinite, for it does
not depend upon any question of principle; it is only limited by the minimum duration
given to the emission of the current it is intended to make use of, or to put it other-
wise, to the value desired to reserve to the angle formed by each division of the
distributing circumference; the number can therefore be varied according to the
condition of the line, or the requirements of the service.
Whatever the number of keyboards, that is to say, sectors of the distributor, may
be, the receiving apparatus remains the same, and the speed of rotation depends only
on the length and the electrical condition of the line.
The contacts T that are intercalated between the divisions corresponding to the keys,
and the divisions corresponding to the relays, and also the contacts T on each side of
the sector of correction, serve to aid in the discharge of the line; this end would also
be effectively attained by making the contacts serve to send a current of contrary sign
to the current of transmission.
The regulating and correcting apparatus being the same as those of the "Hughes "
telegraph, need not be described.
Operation. In order that the operation of my new system of multiple printing
telegraph may be better understood, I will now explain how a character or sign of
any kind may be sent from one station to another for this purpose, we will follow
the electric current through its entire course.
Suppose we wish to send the character No. 20; for this purpose, it is essential that
on pressing down the touch 20, an electrical current should go to the division 20 of the
collector, Fig. 1 (Sheet 1), which current will unlock the printing mechanism of a
Hughes telegraphic instrument by the aid of the Hughes electro-magnet E, as usually
the case in all Hughes instruments.
On pressing down the touch 20, we compress two springs, the one, 7, indicated by a
thick full line, the other, , in thin dotted line. As has been already stated in the
preceding description, the spring comes in contact with the slip N, and consequently
receives a negative current, and the spring 1, encountering the slip N', will be
traversed by a positive current. By following the conductors to Figs. 4 and 5, it will
be seen that, on the one hand, the spring communicates with the division 3 of the
sector of the distributor corresponding to this keyboard, which sector only is shewn in
Fig. 4, in order to simplify the drawing; it will also be seen that, on the other
hand, the spring is in electrical connection with the division 2 of the same
sector.

page_text: The brushesh,,, of the distributor, travelling round in the direction of the
hands of a watch, first encounter the division 2 of the sector, and pass the positive
current they have just received into the ring F, and from thence into the line wire;
the brushes then, in passing over the division 3, send, in the same way, to the line
wire. the negative current coming from the spring of the touch 20.
The line wire has thus received two successive currents, the first positive and the
second negative. Besides this, in the interval of time between the two passages,
the line wire has been discharged by the passage of the brush over the division T
connected to earth.
We will now see how these two successive currents are enabled to send an electric
current to the division 20 of the collector Fig. 1.
The two brush holders of the transmitting and the receiving stations travel
synchronously, in such a way, however, that the receiving station is a little behind the
transmitting station, the amount of retardation varying with the length of the line
wire, and consequently with the length of time taken by the currents to traverse tho
line. Under these conditions, the synchronism is so established that the brush holder
of the receiving instrument passes over the divisions 2 and 3 at the precise moment
when the currents sent by the divisions 1 and 3 of the transmitting instrument reach
the ring F of the receiving distributor. The first positive current is now taken up by
the division 2, from whence it goes to the electro-magnets E3 and E₁ of the
keys (Fig. 3), and the negative current which follows passes from the division 3 to the
relay electro-magnets 1 and 2.
In consequence of the special mode of winding the wire in the two polarised electro-
magnets E and E, the positive current sent to the division 2 demagnetizes the
electro-magnet. E³ only, and the armature of that magnet only will be released, thereby
allowing all the blades L of that key, by their elasticity, to make contact with the
contact points C.
The rocking of the key armature E³, produces, through the mediation of the shaft I
and its arms d³ and d, the separation of the blades Land contacts C of the first key
on the right, which are normally in contact.
Whilst, on the one hand, the blades L and the contact points C of the third key
are in communication, and, on the other the blades and the contacts of the first key
are separated, the negative current received by the division 3 of the distributor goes
to the polarised electro-magnets of the relays 1 and 2 of Fig. 2. By reason of the
direction of the current through the two magnets 1 and 2, the negative current will
demagnetise the core of the relay magnet No. 2 only; its armature will therefore be
released, and will come in contact with the screw V, and thus complete the circuit of
the local battery Z, and a current from this battery will now pass into the wire 2
through the armature. By following the course of the wire 2, it will be seen that
owing to the separation of the blades and the contacts of the first key, the current
from the local battery Z can only pass to the contact 20 of the key E³, and
from thence, by the blade 20 and contact point 20, direct to the division 20
of the collector, Fig. 1. This is what we proposed to demonstrate.
It will be seen from the above that a current has been sent to the division 20 of
the collector Fig. 1, by the depression of a single touch of the transmitting keyboard.
This depressing has produced two currents sent in succession into the line wire, one
intended to actuate the key E³, and to separate at the same time the six contacts of
the first key; the other to operate the relay 2 which sends a current from the local
battery Z into the apparatus.
A single current suffices for sending any one of the first six characters; this
current would operate one or other of the six relays. The keys in this case would
not be operated, as in the normal condition the first Key has already opened a passage
for the current from the battery Z to the collector.
Having now explained the operation of one of the apparatuses which can send
dispatches simultaneously by a single line wire, it remains to show how other similar
apparatus connected with other sectors on the distributor Fig. 4 may be operated
without mutual interference.

page_text: If we suppose the distributor to be provided with four sectors, it may receive
currents from four keyboards. But these currents cannot neutralize each other, since
they are only sent successively upon the line at the moment when the brush holder
passes over the corresponding soctor of the distributor. On the other hand, owing to
the divisions T being connected to earth, the line is discharged between the different
passages of the currents.
The transmitting distributor therefore always sends currents in the order of the
passage of the brush holder over the divisions. On the other hand, the receiving
distributor, by its synchronism with the transmitting distributor, always picks
up the various currents at the moment when its brush holder passes over the
sectors, and the divisions corresponding to the apparatuses for which they are
intended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1st. The new multiple printing telegraphic apparatus herein shewn and described.
2nd. The collector turning synchronously with the type wheel of a Hughes
printing telegraph instrument, and composed of two insulated rings, the one continuous,
and the other divided into as many sections, insulated from each other, as there are
characters upon the type wheel, and two brushes p p² carried by one brush holder, all
arranged and operating as herein shown and described.
3rd. The distributor provided with three insulated rings, one of which is
continuous, and the other two divided into a number of sections equal to the number
of keyboards it is desired to employ simultaneously upon the same line wire between
two stations. The continuous ring is connected to the line wire, the two others being
cach provided with seven divisions for each sector, the divisions 1 & 2 of the outside
ring communicating with the key electro magnets, the divisions 3, 4 and 5 with the
relay electro magnets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and the divisions T with the earth, as and
for the purpose herein shewn and described.
4th. The armature return bar for acting upon the armatures of the relays by means
of an electro magnet which receives a current from a local battery Y after each
impression of a letter by the type wheel.
5th. The system of keys herein shown and described, composed of four electro
magnets coupled in pairs, the direction of the current being in a reverse sense in
each of the two electro magnets so coupled together. Each of these electro magnets
controls an armature of which one extremity carries a slip upon which rest six blades
for the armatures corresponding to three electro magnets and four blades for the
armature of the fourth magnet, such blades being each respectively connected to a
division of the collector, as and for the purpose described.
6th. The spring touches arranged under a keyboard, such touches being placed
over two electrical conductors, the one conductor being connected to the negative pole
of one battery, and the other conductor to the positive pole of a second battery. The
touches being connected as shewn and described to the divisions of the distributor ;-
the whole constructed and operating as above described, and shewn in the accompanying
drawings.
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