Improvements in Electric Printing Telegraphic Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 19th May, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Printing Telegraphic Apparatus.
I, EUGENE MAGNIN, of Draguignan, in the Republic of France, Engineer, do
ereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
e performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
tatement and accompanying drawings, that is to say:
-
The complete apparatus which forms the subject of my present invention
ncludes a manipulator or transmitter, a receiver, commutators provided with pegs,
nd the ordinary batteries employed in telegraphing.
The messages are printed upon a band of paper in Roman letters, the letters of
each word being regularly spaced between one another, and the interval between
The average speed of
two consecutive words being indicated by a blank space.
transmission is about 12 words a minute.
From the arrangement of the commutators two different messages may be
transmitted and received simultaneously, and to operate the receiver it is not
apparatus,
necessary to disconnect the clockwork movement as in the "Morse
this operation being rendered unnecessary by the construction of the receiver in
which the paper band drawn forward by a special motor regulated by an escape-
ment, is only supplied as required for each letter and stops when the receiver no
longer receives current.
"
The instrument may therefore be left to itself, and if left during the night for
example in communication with one or more distant stations, it registers all the
messages transmitted from these stations, provided that they are not transmitted
simultaneously, to avoid which it is sufficient to arrange the times of transmission
from each station.
The apparatus works with or without relays.
The accompanying drawings are in illustration of my invention :-
The manipulator or transmitter (Figure 2) is composed of two plates, one of
which P is of wood and the other P₁ of metal. The edge of each plate is
divided into 28 equal parts, 14 recesses and 14 projections (Figures 3 and 4).
These plates are fitted against one another so that the projections of the metal
plate fit into the recesses in the wooden one so as to form a compound plate having
14 metallic divisions and 14 non-metallic divisions equal to each other and
alternating (Figure 7).
The plates can revolve round their common axis and during a revolution each
metallic part and each wooden part of the plates comes once in contact with two
springs FF (Figure 6) which press against the edge of the plates. The spring F
communicates with the line wire, the spring F¹ with earth. They are so arranged
that one is in the centre of a non-metallic division when the other is in the centre
of a metallic division and vice versa. The springs F and F are therefore always in
contact with divisions of a different kind, but they are also always in symmetrical
Dopposition in relation to the division of the plates.
During rotation the positive current from the station battery arriving by the
pivot (Figure 5), is alternately directed to the line by the spring F, and sent to
earth by the spring F'.
It therefore produces in the line, interruptions of current which serve to operate
5 the receiving instrument.
The movement is given to the
operator moves round a dial plate
alphabet, and the signs + and -.
plates by means of a handle M which the
upon which are engraved 25 letters of the
There is also a blank division on which

page_text: the handle remains after each word and at the end of each message. This is the
position of rest.
In order to transmit a message it is sufficient to turn the handle and to stop it
upon the required letter..
The sign + may be used to indicate the end of each message.
Figures are printed at the same time as the letters to which they are joined, and
this arrangement has the advantage of reducing considerably the number of
divisions on the dial, the escapement wheel, and the type wheel.
It would evidently be easy to add to the dial plate and the type wheel as many
other divisions as may seem useful or necessary.
The sign
-
will be used to separate the figures from the words, and the
-
DLT
figures 158 for example will be written 15 8
-
The letters which carry the figures being all consonants cannot in any case form
a word, so that there is no fear of error through this arrangement.
It will be noticed that in the transmitter the required effect of commutation for
each division of the dial is obtained so long as the handle is upon any part whatever
of the space corresponding to the required division.
Upon the right of the base plate are arranged two plates P and R by which,
by means of a metallic pin or plug, the negative current (-) of the battery from
the station can be passed to the automatic commutator O' G of the receiver, or
can be cut off if required.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:—
The receiver contains three principal parts. First the regulating movement,
second the printing movement, third the automatic commutator.
These three parts will be easily understood from the explanation which
follows:
The receiver is composed of two small clockwork movements distinct from one
another, one being the principal motor movement and the other the feeding
movement, (Figure 11). These two movements are enclosed in the case of the
apparatus and are wound up like clocks by means of keys.
The motor movement consists of the barrel A, the toothed wheels B, C, D, and
the pinions d, c, E, F. Upon the same axis as the wheel E' is fixed the type
wheel and the escapement wheel E, (Figure 8). The two latter are outside
and are attached together. The type wheel carries round its circumference,
in india rubber, the twenty five letters of the alphabet, the signs + and
and a neutral division corresponding to the blank division of the transmitter dial.
The escapement wheel E is provided with only 14 teeth, and as already
mentioned it is attached to the type wheel.
The characters carried by the type wheel present, in the same order as on the
dial, the letters or signs of even position B-D-F &c., corresponding each to
one tooth of the escapement wheel E, the letters or signs of uneven division
A-C-E-G-I &c. being carried on the prolongation of a radius of the
escapement wheel passing through the centre, of the space between two consecutive
teeth (Figure 9). The escapement wheel is regulated by an escapement IO J
turning round its axis O. The lower arm A J is provided with two stops
or pallets t, t', against which all the teeth of the escapement wheel engage in
succession.
The upper arm O I is provided with a soft iron armature adjusted in front of an
electro-magnet K through which all the currents arriving through the line wire
pass, a spring R' bringing back the arm O J. The end of the arm I O is
insulated, as well as the support for the lever. Finally the pivot O is provided at the
back with another arm Om (Figure 10) to which is fixed an elastic plate which in the
oscillation of the lever I OJ comes in contact with the screws v, v', alternately,
?.

page_text: both of which communicate by the metallic plate x, x, with the pivot O¹ of a
lever O' G moveable round O' and resting when the apparatus is not at work upon
a screw V which communicates with an electro-magnet E the coil of which
communicates directly with earth. It will be seen hereinafter in describing the
printing of the letters what the object of this arrangement is.
The escapement I O J with the wheel E constitutes the regulator which acts as
follows
When at rest the wheel E (Figure 9) is stopped by the arm of the
escapement IO J. This arm or pallet t' is adjusted above the horizontal axis of
the wheel by the interval of a semi-tooth, and whilst in this position the arm or
pallet t is situated exactly on the horizontal diameter opposite to the middle of the
space between the two nearest teeth. The type wheel is now presenting its neutral
division opposite to the screw V, which I call the "printing screw (Figure 8).
PRINTING THE LETTERS. (Figure. 9.)
"
-, for
If a current traverses the electro-magnet E the pallet t¹ leaves the escapement.
wheel but the pallet t immediately engages between the two opposite teeth and
again stops the wheel, and in this position the type wheel presents the sign
the escapement wheel has only turned half a space between two teeth, that is to
Bay has only made a 28th part of a revolution. At this moment the pallet t' is
opposite the centre of the space between two teeth, but if the current ceases the
spring R draws back the lever, the pallet t leaves the wheel which is again stopped
by the pallet t' after having again moved forward half the interval between two
teeth. The escapement wheel has therefore, for one backward and forward
movement of the lever I O J, revolved through the space of one tooth, and the
type wheel presents the letter A to be printed.
If the lever I OJ is attracted 14 times and withdrawn by the spring R 14 times,
the escapement wheel will then have made one complete revolution. All the signs
on the type wheel will necessarily have passed in front of the printing screw V
carried at the end of the elastic plate the upper end of which is fixed to AO B.
This arrangement has for its object to give more softness to the impression of
the letters. For every time therefore that the handle of the manipulator or
transmitter makes a complete revolution round the dial the current in the line wire
is made and broken 14 times, as well as in the electro-magnet K.
The type wheel will therefore revolve in accordance with the movement of the
handle of the transmitter, and the synchronism between the latter and the receiver
is therefore secured.
The impression from the letter presented by the type wheel in front of the
printing screw V, is effected as follows:-
The wheel which is seen on the back face of the receiver (Figure 10), has
projecting laterally from it 7 small pins at equal distances apart. This wheel S is
connected through a piuion F of seven teeth with the clockwork movement which
turns the type wheel and it makes exactly the same movements as the latter wheel,
that is to say it turns through the space of one pin every time that the type wheel
turns one division but as the pinion of the wheel S has only seven teeth it makes
four revolutions for each complete revolution of the type wheel.
When the escapement wheel is in contact with one of the pallets of the
lever OJ, all movement is stopped and the pin wheel occupies the position
shewn in Figure 10. A small lever OG, which I call the automatic commutator,
the axis of which O' is-like the screws -insulated from the plate, presscs
In this case the
against a screw V which communicates with the electro-magnet E.
negative current (-) of the battery passes through the whole metallic body of the
receiver from the terminal Y (Figure 10) and consequently to the lever I O J by
means of the escapement wheel, the current then passes through the elastic
plate m to one of the screws, to the pivot O', then to V, whence it passes
through the electro-magnet E before returning to earth, and the electro-magnet

page_text: attracts the armature of the lever A O B, which carries the printing screw V
(Figure 8) and which is provided at its lower end with an escapement similar to
that on the lever I O J, but which only allows the escapement wheel of the
cylinder C to turn by jumps at each movement of the plate.
When the electro-magnet E attracts the lever A O B the printing screw forces
the paper band against the type wheel and the letter presented by the latter is
printed.
The cylinder C upon which the toothed escapement wheel of 20 teeth is fixed, is
stopped by an arm of the escapement and the paper band cannot then unroll.
As soon as the type wheel is again set in motion, which takes place at the
moment when a line current passes into the electro-magnet K, the contact between
the escapement and the tooth of the escapement wheel is broken for a very short
time (until the following tooth touches the escapement) but sufficient for the
current through the electro magnet E to cease, the lever A O B immediately
moving back and disengaging the type wheel, and the escapement allowing the
escapement wheel to turn through half a tooth and the paper to advance through a
space equal to the interval between the letter which has been printed and the next
following letter.
During the continued movement of the wheels the escapement I OJ comes into
proper contact with each tooth of the escapement wheel, the circuit of the
negative (-) current of the station is properly completed at this point, but it is
broken at the automatic commutator (Figure 10). As soon as the escapement
wheel has commenced to revolve with the type wheel, and also the pin wheel S, it
bas raised the lever 01 G and has broken the contact which existed with the
screw V, and as long as the revolution of the wheel, S, continues, the lever O'G
cannot come again into contact with the screw V, for the length of the stoppage at
each contact of the escapement I O J with one of the teeth of the escapement
wheel is always of less duration than the time which the lever O¹ G takes to go
back, so that as the jumps of the wheel S rapidly succeed each other the lever O'G
remains raised and the lever A O B which is not attracted by the electro-magnet E
remains motionless as long as the movement continues. It is during this time that
the type wheel revolves until it is stopped for the next desired letter.
As soon as the type wheel stops for such fresh letter, the pause is sufficient for
the lever O G to touch the screw and the negative current from the battery
passes again from the escapement wheel to the lever I O J, to the screws v, v', and
comes to O¹ through the elastic plate and thence to V, finally reaching the
electro-magnet E which attracts the lever A O B a second time. The screw V
then presses the paper band against the type wheel and the second letter is printed
by the side of the first.'
.
When the current from the line is cut off from the electro-maguet K, the
disengagement of I OJ from the escapement wheel takes place, and the circuit of
the current will be sharply broken, but will however continue to exist between O'G'
and the screw V, but this current will also be almost immediately broken by the
wheel S which will raise the lever O' G. The lever A O B is then drawn back
again and releases the type wheel at the first movement of the wheel.
All the movements which are produced in order to print two consecutive letters
of a word have now been followed point by point, and in the order in which they
take place. The first impression was made when the line current passed through
the electro magnet K and the second when the current was broken. As it is very.
difficult to follow the action of the numerous parts acting simultaneously and of the
movement effected by them, it is advisable to sum up by. pointing out that the
currents sent into the line by the transmitter only serve to turn the type wheel
round until this wheel presents the letter which is to be printed. At this moment
only the negative current (-) of the receiver passes to the electro-magnet E and
prints the letter presented by the type wheel (Figure 12)..
So long as the handle of the transmitter passes from one letter to another, the
escapement IO J of the receiver operates well, but so long as this movement is

page_text: taking place the negative current cannot pass to the electro-magnet E, whilst the
opposite result takes place when a sufficiently long stoppage of the escapement
occurs.
To properly transmit a message therefore it is only necessary to turn the handle
of the transmitter as uniformly as possible and to stop it at each required
letter.
To monize the mossars it is onle necessary to adjust the required commutator.
The commutators are grouped upon a special board (Figures 1 and 2).
The current from the battery is brought directly to the terminal P of the
transmitter and according to the position of the handle M it passes either to
the terminal T connected with earth, or to the terminal L connected with the
terminal M of the commutator board.
If a metal pin or plug is placed between the plates M and L the current will
pass to the line on the left, whilst if the plug is placed between the plates M' L'
the current will pass to the line on the right.
The plates S S¹ are connected with bells, and the plates 2 R & R' to the electro-
magnet K of the receiver, the return wire from this electro-magnet coming to the
terminal R
Three plugs are sufficient to effect the commutations upon the plate, and when
the instrument is not working they are placed in the holes 1, 2, 3. If a current
arrives from the line to the right the bell S' sounds, whilst if the current arrives
from the left the bell S. sounds.
In the first case the plug No. 3 is taken out and is placed between the plates L'
and R', and the current from the line then passes to the electro-magnet K of the
receiver, comes back to R¹, and by the plug No. 2 passes to earth by the plate T.
If the current comes from the line on the left, the plug No. 1 is placed between
the plates Land R, and the current follows the circuit which I have indicated.
After the message has been received the plugs are replaced in S and S¹.
If it is desired to transmit to the left, the plug No. 1 is placed between the
plates M and L and the current passes directly from the transmitter to the line on
the left. If it is desired to transmit to the right the plug No. 3 is placed between
the plates M' and L¹.
is between the
plates L and R; and if it is desired at the same time to transmit to the right,
the plug No. 3 is placed between the plates M¹ and L.
When a message is received from the left, the plug No.
If a message is being received from the right, the plug No. 3 is between the
plates L' and R', and to transmit to the left the plug No. 1 is placed between the
plates M and L.
If it is desired to print the message upon the operator's receiver, the plug No. 2
is placed between the plates R' and L¹ and then the plug No. 3 between the
plates M and 2 R. The current from the transmitter passes first to the adjoining
receiver (electro-magnet K), and returns to the plate R', whence it passes to the
line to the right. If it is desired to send the current on the line to the left, the
plug No. 3 is left untouched and the plug No. 1 is placed between the plates R¹
and L.
Every time that a message is transmitted or received the negative current of the
battery should reach the metallic body of the receiver at the terminal Y by means
of the plates R and P-. on the base of the transmitter.
It will be seen that all the commutations are easily and quickly made. The
plates carry the letters as shewn, so that it is almost impossible that mistakes
should occur.
When a message has been recorded by the receiver its last words are between
the feeding cylinders and the type wheel, and the printing screw V holds the paper
band against the wheel. In order to completely separate the message from the

page_text: band the first finger of the right hand is pressed upon the end P of the lever O P,
and the cylinder C' is thus separated from the cylinder C so that the band is free
at this point, and as the end A of the lever presses against the terminal B which is
insulated from the receiver and which is connected to earth through Z (Figure 10),
the negative current (-) reaching the receiver by the terminal Y, passes directly
to earth, and the lever A O B being no longer attracted by the electro-magnet E
goes back and the paper band is then entirely free so that sufficient of it can be
unrolled with the left hand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The transmitter provided with letters from A to Z and figures from 0 to 9,
signs and, and finally a blank for the spaces between the words and serving
also as a stopping place for the handle, the dial plate which carries these signs
being formed of two plates one upon the other and forming alternately conducting
and non-conducting intervals, substantially as described and illustrated.
2. The receiver divided into three parts, first the regulating movement, second
the printing movement, and third the automatic commutator, the first of these
movements consisting of a barrel driving toothed gear and an escapement wheel to
which is attached a wheel carrying types corresponding with those upon the
transmitter ; the printing movement being produced by the arrangement of parts
causing the approach of the paper band with light pressure against the type wheel;
and the automatic commutator consisting of a lever resting against a pin wheel and
effecting by means of contacts the movement of the paper against the type wheel;
the receiver being further provided with an electro-maguet effecting the afore
mentioned movements at the time of the passage or interruption of the currents,
substantially as described and illustrated.
3. The arrangement described and illustrated of commutators upon a board,
provided with plugs by which the currents to the different stations are adjusted
and regulated.
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 & 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.