Improvements in and connected with Telegraph and other Signals.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left: 15th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 16th Feb.. 1897
Improvements in and connected with Telegraph and other Signals.
I, JAMES NICOLSON, Superintendent of the River Plata Telegraph Company
287, Calle San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentine Republic, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention relates to improvements in and connected with codes of numerical
and alphabetical conventional telegraph signs or signals for use with the Morse
recorder or sounder, Wheatstone automatic mirror, cable recorder, or other similar
telegraph or semaphore signalling apparatus by which signals are conveyed by means
of vertical, horizontal, short, prolonged, or intermittent movements, intermittent
sounds or flashes and the like, and its object is to reduce the liability to error.in
signalling, especially in connection with a telegraphic code formed of words of various
languages, or combination of letters, both consisting of alternate vowels and consonants,
giving as far as practicable the shortest sign to each letter of the alphabet, subject to
the following considerations :-
..f
The average recurrence of the respective letters of the alphabet in various modern
languages and the number of inhabitants using the same.
The possibility of the adoption of the above telegraphic code and the consequent
average occurrence of the respective letters in the same.
The most distinctive sign to each vowel and consonant respectively.
The present system of telegraphic and semaphoric signs.
1
In carrying my invention into practical effect, I modify or transpose the form or
position of various signs representing the letters of the alphabet and numerals as used
in connection with the cable recorder, semaphore and other instruments above referred
to, by giving as far as practicable, with the above objects and considerations in view,
to each vowel a sign as distinctive as possible from that of any other vowel, the
consonants being dealt with in a similar manner.
Signals representing arabic numerals may consist of consecutive vowels or
consonants preceded and followed by a preconcerted signal, say "ul," vowel signs
may be preferably so used.
Signals representing capital letters, or otherwise, may also be indicated by pre-
concerted signals preceding and following signals for other letters.
The signs at present in uso on telegraph lines representing numerals may represent.
signs for Roman numerals.
A telegraphic or semaphoric cipher code consisting of alphabetical letters, may bo
restricted with advantage, as to accuracy in transmission, to consonants only..
A telegraphic or semaphoric cipher code consisting of numerals or letters may be
restricted with advantage, as to accuracy, to groups of a definite number each in
which ciphers (o) when preceding a group of numbers or letters inay be treated as
neutrals. 1:
In order that my invention may be more fully understood I will now refer to the
accompanying tables.
.
Table 1 gives the authorized international alphabetical signs and corresponding
letters at present in use with the Morse, cable recorder, and other apparatus.
Table 2 shows the principle of my invention in which "" indicates the sign. for
vowels, semi-vowels, accented vowels and double and accented consonants, and"
those for consonants.
:
3

page_text: It may not be necessary to use the signs representing accented vowels and double
and accented consonants in all countries or in a telegraphic code consisting of words
or combinations of letters, but they may be retained in order to establish a distinctive
margin between signals representing consonants, which otherwise would be more
liable to error.
I do not restrict myself to any precise forin or allocation of the various signs or
signals.
I, JAMES NICOLSON, Superintendent of the River Plata Telegraph Company
287, Calle San Martin Buenos Aires Argentine Republic, 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 invention relates to telegraphy, and its object is to provide new and improved
telegraphic signals arranged to simplify the transmission of telegraphic messages,
especially in long distance submarine telegraphy and heliography; which render
mistakes next to impossible, and which, in connection with special code words, form a
simple international telegraphic vocabulary.
The invention consists principally of signals having an uneven number of
elementary motions (dots and dashes) for the vowels and accented vowels, and
signals having an even number of elementary motions (dots and dashes) for the
consonants of the alphabet.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which,-
Figure 1 shews a table containing the signals and the alphabetic and numerical
value thereof; and
Figure 2 shews a table containing a modified form of the improvement.
As shown in Figure 1, the vowels e, a, i, o, u, y, and the accented vowels ü, ü, ö
and é, are each represented by an uneven number of elementary telegraphic motions.
For instance: the vowel u is represented by two dots and a dash, and the accented
vowel ö is represented by a dashi, a dot, and a dash. As shewn, only one or three
The consonants of the
elementary motions are used for any one of the vowels.
alphabet are represented by an even number of elementary motions, and as shewn,
only two and four such notions are used; that is, the consonant r consists of a dot,
a dash, a dot, and a dash; that is, four motions, while the consonant n is composed of
but two motions, nainely, a dash and a dot.
In the table represented by Figure 2, the individual arrangement of the motions
for the several letters of the alphaliet is slightly different from the one shown in
Figure 1, but an uneven number of elementary motions reprosents the vowels, and an
even number the consonants, as above described.
The numerals as shewn in Figure 1, consist of five elementary motions, and as
indicated in Figure 2, one or three elementary motions are used, that is, in both cases
'an uneven number of motions is employed to represent the numerals.
The international Morse code representing numerals may be assigned, to Roman
numerals.

page_text: 'In order to render the system above described especially serviceable for cipher
codes, the latter have code words composed of alternately arranged vowels and
consonants, so that in transmitting a code word, even and uneven elementary motions
must necessarily alternate, and hence a mistake in the transmission of the word is not
liable to take place.
In carrying out the principle of allocating odd numbers of signalling motions to
vowels, and even numbers of motions to consonants it is evident that four accented
vowels necessarily receive comparatively shorter signals than appears to be warranted,.
especially in English communication; but this apparent disproportion will be
completely counterbalanced by the benefits which, in general, will accrue in
connection with ordinary and preconcerted language, and especially in connection
with the above-mentioned code words.
It is evident that instead of having uneven elementary motions for the vowels.
and even motions for the consonants, the order may be reversed; that is, even
elementary motions may 'be employed for all the vowels and uneven motions for the
consonants.
In connection with the present systems of telegraphic alphabets I am enabled, by
the selection of a few choice vowels and consonants corresponding to signals of
alternate odd and even motions, or signals differing alternately from each other
by two or three elementary motions to produce a telegraphic vocabulary which is
somewhat restricted, but yet sufficiently ample for all commercial and other purposes,.
and which will at once be orthographically and telegraphically simple, and which
will be equitable between the public and telegraphio administrations.
The signals shewn in Figure 1, I prefer to call "provisional” signals, and those-
shewn in Figure 2 " theoretical" siguals.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Telegraph signals, having an uneven number of elementary motions for the
vowels and accented vowels of the alphabot, and an even number of such motions for
the consonants of the alphabet, substantially as shewn and described.
2. Telegraph signals having one and three elementary motions (dots and dashes),
for the vowels and accented vowels, and two and four elementary motions (dots and
dashes) for the consonants of the alphabet, substantially as shewn and described.
3. Telegraph signals, having an uneven number of motions for numerals,..
substantially as shewn and described.
4. The combination with code words composed of alternate vowels and consonants,
of telegraphic signals having an uneven number of elementary notions for the
vowels and accented vowels, and an even number of elementary motions for the-
consonants of the alphabet, substantially as shown and described.
02
Feb1907
Dated 1
PULS
9th day
February 1907
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant..