Improvements in and relating to Telegraphic Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 28th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Telegraphic Apparatus.
I, BERNHARD EGGER, of the Telegraphic Works V Kleine Neungasse 23, Vienna,
in the Empire of Austria, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of the apparatus which forms the subject of the present invention is
to electrically connect two stations situated a considerable distance apart, one
station being designed for the transmission and the other for the reception of com-
munications. Both the said stations are alike in disposition and arrangement and
are connected by means of a cable making perfect contact with each and placing
them at the same time in communication with the poles of an electrical battery.
An index or pointer is arranged on a dial and is operated by means of a knob or
key arranged at the transmitting station which at the same time sets in motion a
corresponding pointer at the receiving station.
The same effect is produced by operating the knob or key at the receiving
station whereby both the index of that station and that of the transmitter are set
in rotary motion in the same direction as the hands of a clock.
The case of the receiver is provided with four binding screws, two of which are
provided for connecting the apparatus with the electrical battery, while the other
The inner mechanisms
two are intended for connecting up an electrical bell.
whereby the pointers are set in motion both in the transmitter and the receiver are
exactly alike and their operation is as follows.
When the key is depressed at the transmitter, the plate which is controlled by a
spring at one end and carries an armature at the other, and is constantly
pressed down by the flat spring, is brought into contact with the core of the
electro-magnets.
The use of these electro-magnets is so that should one of the keys be released,
the electric current will be retained until both the armatures have completed their
motion and until an interruption of the circuit takes place at the binding or contact
screws whereupon the plate retained by the cores of the electro-magnets is detached
therefrom by the flat spring.
The wires of the coils are connected both with the supports and with the electro
magnets while their opposite ends lead up to the electro-magnet of the receiver,
and complete the circuit to the battery through the contact breaker.
The same thing takes place when the key in the receiver is depressed. The
circuit is the same as before except that the conductor of the electro magnets joins
the connection between the electro-magnets of the transmitter whereupon it pursues
its course in the same manner as above described.
Over the electro-magnet is a weighted armature lever arranged to move between
two set-screws and to be constantly kept in a raised position by an adjustable spiral
spring. To the end of the armature lever reaching to about the centre of the
apparatus is attached an armature provided with two prismatic cheeks one of which
in its normal position constantly lies between two teeth of a crown-wheel which is
thereby prevented from rotating. The position of this crown wheel is such that one
of its teeth is at all times situated in front of the edge of the upper check whereby
as the armature descends the said wheel is set in rotary motion, the same thing
taking place when the armature moves upwards.
Upon the shaft with which the said crown wheel is connected and which has its
bearings in a bridge-piece is connected a toothed pinion and also a toothed wheel
with rounded notches. With these notches engages a roller retained in position
and resting upon the wheel, in such a manner that it comes to rest upon an edge of

page_text: one of the notches. The moment when either of the cheeks is withdrawn from its
engagement with the teeth of the crown wheel, the latter turns a short distance
thus preventing a wrong engagement between the cheeks and the crown wheel from
taking place. The above mentioned pinion gears with a wheel having as many
teeth as there are signals or signs and also journalled in the bridge piece the end of
its spindle being squared off for the reception of a pointer.
The contact breakers of the transmitter and receiver respectively, are employed
for imparting regular motion to the respective pointers or in other words to the
armatures.
Their operation is as follows.
In an insulating plate a metal disc is conveniently journalled and provided with
two stops. To the periphery of this disc is secured an insulated contact-spring the
upper end of which makes contact with a contact screw whenever the slotted end of
the armature lever engages with the stop of the metal disc, as it does when the
apparatus is in its normal condition.
To enable this part of the apparatus to be regulated the spring which is attached
to the insulating plate presses against the rounded end of the contact spring. A
certain amount of play also is left between the lever and the stop, in order to
permit the armature when attracted by the electro-magnets to execute a corre-
sponding movement, and slightly displace the metal disc by means of the pressure
of the lever upon the upper stop shortly before coming in contact with the screw
and by this means removes the contact springs from the binding or contact screws.
The result is that the current is interrupted and the armature raised by the spiral
spring, whereupon shortly before reaching the upper screw in consequence of the
pressure of the lever upon the lower stop the circuit is again closed.
The electro-magnet at the receiver is much more powerful than the one at the
transmitter, and the armature is consequently attracted much sooner, and the
current interrupted earlier, the armature however is kept down by the current
which passes by a shunt to the contact-breaker of the transmitter, until the
armature in the latter has completed its movement, when the current is interrupted,
and both armatures raised by the spiral-spring.
To draw attention to a given signal an electric bell is provided at the receiver,
the circuit in connection with which is closed by pressing the knob in the
transmitter, and which continues to ring until the signal is repeated at the receiver.
This arrangement is as follows:-
A disc is attached underneath the above mentioned disc in the transmitter and
is provided with a spring and attached to an armature which on pressing the knob
is pressed by means of the overhanging disc against the cores of the electro-
magnets. The current passes through the disc and through the cores of the
electro-magnets into their yokes to which is soldered one of the ends of the electro-
magnet-coils, and thence by way of the receiver contact-breaker to the binding-
screws of the coils and from thence to the battery. A shunt current passes
from the yoke of the electro-magnet to the switch and thence to the bell and the
battery.
When the knob in the receiver is pressed in order to repeat the signal received,
the result is to open the bridge near the contact-breaker, by this means the current
is interrupted, and in consequence the disc in the transmitter liberated from
the electro-magnet and the current passing to the electric-bell is interrupted also.
The whole of the mechanism is mounted upon the same plate and this plate
is fixed by screws to the bottom of the case. The letter sheet is attached to
three pieces of cloth connected with or attached to the case, and the index is
provided with a glass-disc held in position by putty to protect it from external
influences.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Telegraphic Apparatus.
I, BERNHARD EGGER, of the Telegraphic Works V Kleine Neungasse, 23 Vienna
in the Empire of Austria 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 the apparatus which forms the subject of the present invention is
to electrically connect two stations situated at a considerable distance apart; one
station being designed for the transmission and the other for the reception of
communications.
Both the above mentioned stations are similar in disposition and arrangement,
and are connected by means of a cable which makes perfect contact with each, and
at the same time places them in communication with the poles of an electric
battery. An index or pointer is arranged.
This invention relates to electric universal needle telegraphs and has for its object
to make provisions first for obtaining exactly corresponding movements of two or
more apparatus connected with each other, and secondly for enabling a signal once
commenced to be certainly terminated, no matter whether the key for giving
the signal is released or not during the formation of the same.
This invention is chiefly based upon the switching of certain parts of the
apparatus connected, which will hereinafter be described, and also upon the
arrangement and employment of certain new parts which will likewise be hereinafter
described.
The present universal needle telegraph apparatus comprises two or more apparatus
which are connected with each other by wires in a suitable manner and substantially
identical so that each apparatus may serve either as a transmitter or as a receiver
according to circumstances.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the receiver.
Figure 2 shows a front elevation of parts of the contact maker of the transmitter.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of Figure 1 some of the parts being removed.
Figures 5 to 10 show in diagram the position of the several parts of the two
apparatus connected with each other during various stages of the signalling and the
switching of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
The transmitter and receiver, which, as above stated, are substantially identical,
are constructed as follows:
In a casing of suitable shape is arranged an electro-magnet C, the armature a of
which is carried by a lever e which is under the action of a spring b.
This lever is connected with one pole of a battery M (Figures 6 to 10), and can
be so depressed by means of a knob that the armature a will bear against the cores
of an electro-magnet C. These cores are electrically connected with one end of
their bobbins.
By reason of this arrangement the circuit will be closed until the contact-maker
has completely interrupted, so that the armature a hereinafter more fully described
must invariably move the entire distance. The two springs I and P serve as
interrupters for the bell G, their use will hereinafter be explained.
In proximity to the electro-magnet C is arranged a second electro-magnet D
substantially as shown; the armature E of which is provided with an interrupter
and a spring 9 and carries at one end a switching armature; the aforesaid
interrupter consists of a disc w which embraces with its two prongs u, u a projection
on the rear end of the armature lever E, and carries an insulated contact spring v

page_text: which bears on the contact screw a when the armature E is not attracted by the
magnet D, so that the rear end of its lever bears upon the lower prong u of the
disc w.
A spring y slides upon a contact piece which is secured to the disc w and
insulated therefrom, but is electrically connected with the spring c.
At the front end of the armature lever E is arranged an escapement the lower
pallet of which engages with the teeth of a star wheel K, thereby holding the
latter in this position. When the armature lever E is attracted by its electro-
magnet D the lower pallet i of the escapement leaves the wheel K, and the upper
pallet i strikes somewhat in front of the top of the opposite tooth of the star-wheel K
upon the flank of the latter tooth, and as it slides down along the same it turns the
star-wheel K through a certain distance; the same thing happens but in the reverse
order if the armature lever E is withdrawn by its spring from the magnet D, and
thus the wheel K is turned through one tooth in every upward and downward
movement of the armature lever E. Now in order that the engagement of the
pallets, of the escapement h with the teeth of the star-wheel K shall always take
place with the greatest exactitude, upon the shaft of the wheel K is provided a so-
called lead-wheel with trough-shaped cavities on the periphery, into which engages
a roller P carried by an adjustable spring arm e, so that, as shown at Figure 1 it
lies between the cavities only when the wheel K is fixed by one of the pallets i, i.
When one of the said pallets i liberates the wheel K, and before the other pallet
engages with it, the wheel n, and therefore also the wheel K, is advanced a little
by reason of the pressure of the roller upon the wheel n, this pressure being
exerted at almost in a tangential direction, so that the pallets i, i can always
engage properly with the teeth of the wheel K.
Upon the shaft of the wheel K is moreover provided a pinion m which gears with
a wheels fixed upon the axis for the needle or pointer, the said needle moving over
a dial-plate arranged upon the casing of the apparatus.
The devices herein before described are mounted upon a bottom plate Z fixed
in a casing and which carries the various bearings and supports for the several
parts.
The several parts of the apparatus which require this may be provided with the
usual adjusting devices.
The connection in circuit of two such apparatus will now be described, with
reference to Figures 5 to 10 of the drawings which represent the position of the
several parts of the two apparatus in diagram; for the sake of greater distinction
the letters belonging to the transmitter are provided with an index-numeral.
In one apparatus (shown as the transmitter)-the free end of the coil of the
electro-magnet C' is connected with one end of the coil of the electro-magnet D¹,
and the other end of this latter coil is through the conductor 3 in connection with
the coil of the electro-magnet D of the receiver, the other end of which is in
connection with the contact spring y of the interrupter of the receiver and through
the conductor 2 with the contact standard a¹ of the transmitter. The conductor 1
connects the contact spring and the contact screw a with each other and with
the second pole of the battery M.
The coil of the electro-magnet D is moreover connected by a wire with the
contact-piece and armature lever/", which is connected by a conductor 4 with
the coil of the electro-magnet C in the receiver. The connection of the armature
levers C
e of the two apparatus with a pole of the battery M is effected by a
conductor 5 which is at one point connected with this battery.
One pole of the battery N of the ringing apparatus is in connection with a point
of the conductor 4. From the frame electrically connected with the core of the
electro-magnet L' extend two conductors 6, 7 of which the one 7, passes through
the coil of this electro-magnet, and the other directly to the receiver.
The conductor 7 leads to the interrupter P on the armature lever e of the receiver
and then to the other pole of the battery N, whilst the conductor 6 leads through
the ringing apparatus to the other pole of the battery N.
Figure 5 shows the parts of the two apparatus when no signals are given. In

page_text: Inis nas
Figure 6 the key knob O' of the transmitter is depressed for signalling.
the effect of placing the armature c¹ against the cores of the electro-magnets C¹,
and the battery M is thus closed by the interrupters y, x, through the conductor 5,
armature c', core and coil of C¹, furthermore through the coil of D', conductor 3,
the coil of D, as long as the armatures E E' are not quite attracted by their
respective magnets.
This state continues until both armatures E E' are attracted by their respective
magnets D D', and during this time also the magnet C' keeps its armature lever c¹
attracted even if the knob O¹ should be released. If, as shown in Figure 7, the
magnet D' has attracted its armature E', but the magnet D of the receiver has not
yet attracted its armature E, the loop y, 2, y', vl, a¹, 1, x, v closed in itself is merely
interrupted at the point y¹¹, (the armature E by acting upon the upper fork u of
the interrupter lever w of the transmitter, removing the spring from the contact
screw, as will be obvious from Fig. 1) but the contact yx is maintained in the
receiver so that nothing is changed in the above described connection in which the
magnets CD D' are excited. But when on the other hand the magnet D of
the receiver has attracted its armature E, but the magnet D' has not yet attracted
its armature E', the contact y, a is interrupted, but the circuit of the battery M
still remains closed through the conductor 5, the core and coil of the electro-
magnet C¹ and the coil of the electro-magnet D¹ of the transmitter, furthermore
through the conductor 3 of the electro-magnet D of the receiver and through the
conductor 2, the interrupter contact-piece y', x, x of the transmitter and the con-
ductor 1, accordingly the armature levers c and E are still retained by their
magnets C and D, as shown in Figure 10. Only when, as shown in Figure 6, both
armatures E and E' are attracted and both interrupter contact-pieces y, and y',
are interrupted is the circuit interrupted by the magnets C D D' and these release.
their armature. If the armature lever c¹, by means of the knob O¹ is still held
against the cores of its magnet C₁ the above described operation is repeated, that
is to say the magnet C¹ keeps the armature lever c¹ attracted until both magnets D
and D have attracted their armatures E and E' respectively, so that the circuit
has been interrupted at y, x and y¹ x', and so on.
On depressing the key knob O of the receiver, see Figure 9, so that the armature
lever c bears against the core of the electro-magnet C, the battery M is closed
through this armature lever, the core and coil of C, the conductor 4, the armature
lever, the contact piece a', the wire which connects the latter with the coil of
the electro-magnet D', and thence on the same way as when the knob O of the
transmitter is depressed. Therefore also in this case the coils of the electro-
magnets CD and D' remain switched in until both interrupter contact-pieces y, x
and, are interrupted, as above described.
By depressing the knob O of the transmitter the key lever f of the electro-
magnet L is also depressed-see Figure 8-and Fig. 2 so that its armature will
bear against the cores of this electro-magnet L'. By this means the battery N of
the ringing apparatus is closed, namely through the conductor 4, the lever/", the
cores of the electro-magnets L' and then on the one hand through the coil of this
electro-magnet, the conductor 7, the switch P¹ of the receiver and a wire extending
from one pole to the other of the battery N, and on the other hand through the
conductor 6 connected with the cores of the electro-magnet L, the ringing apparatus
and the wire leading from one pole to the other of the battery N. From this it
will be seen that when the knob O and therefore also the lever has been
depressed the latter is kept attracted by its magnet L' even when the knob O' has
been released, irrespective of the interruptions of the circuit in the ringing
apparatus, until by depressing the knob O in the receiver the contact P is inter-
rupted whereupon the current discontinues to flow through the coil of the electro-
magnet L, this releases its armature lever f¹, and the circuit of the battery N is
interrupted, Figure 9.
The operation and mode of action of the above described needle telegraph is as
follows

page_text: To give a signal from the transmitter, it is only necessary to depress the knob O¹.
By this means the magnets D D are switched in and attract their armatures E. E¹,
keeping them attracted as above stated until the two interrupter contact pieces y,
and y', have been interrupted, whereupon both armatures are pulled from their
magnets by their springs; the contacts y, and ya are thereby re-established,
and the two magnets D D', if the knob O¹ is still depressed, are switched in and
attract their armatures again, and so on. As seen the two armatures E and E¹
perform in a given time exactly the same number of oscillations, because when one
of the armatures E E' has been attracted it cannot be pulled off unless also the
other has been attracted, whereupon both armatures are then simultaneously
pulled off.
Now as the armatures E E¹, by similar switching armatures h, h¹ carried by
them, actuate the star-wheels K K' which are also alike, and which in their turn
by similar toothed wheels move the hands, it will be. observed that these hands
move in accord in such a manner that when one of them points to a definite point
of the dial plate it cannot move further as long as the other hand has not moved
to the same position on its dial plate.
Therefore, in order to give a definite signal it is only needful to keep the knob O
of the transmitter depressed until the hand of the transmitter has moved to this
signal on the dial-plate of the transmitter, and it is then certain that also the hand
of the receiver will pass to the same signal. Should the knob O have been
accidentally released, when the hand of the transmitter or the hand T¹ of the
receiver or both only commence their movement from one signal to that immediately
following, the two hands will nevertheless complete the step commenced because as
described, the magnet C keeps its armature lever c attracted, and they will come
to rest only after the interruption of the two contacts y x and y¹, a the
magnets CD D₁ are switched out, and the magnet C¹ consequently allows its
armature lever c¹ to fall.
By the depression of the knob, the electromagnet L¹ and the electric ringing
apparatus G, which serves as an acoustic signal, is switched into the circuit of the
battery N, as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 7.
The magnet L' now keeps its armature f1 attracted, and thereby the ringing
apparatus switched in, until the conductor 7 is interrupted at P, as above stated
even when the knob O¹ is released earlier; the ringing apparatus continues to ring
till the official at the receiver has noticed it and acknowledged the signal given by
depressing the knob O of his apparatus, thereby interrupting the conductor 7 at P
and causing the ringing apparatus to stop. The armature lever f¹ then removes
from its electromagnet L', and falls upon the contact-piece ¹, whereby, as above
described, the electromagnet C and the magnets D D₁ are switched into the circuit
of the battery M, and the knob O need only be kept depressed until both hands
have moved to a signal previously agreed upon, or, if this should be desired for
obtaining a better control, until the two hands have again moved to the same signal
which was given from the transmitter, that is to say until they have turned through
360 degrees. The transmitter and receiver are substantially identical except that
the receiver is provided with a ringing apparatus G put into operation by a
contact Llocated at the transmitter; this ringing apparatus has to indicate to
the receiving attendant the fact that a signal is being given or has been given.
The transmitter might also be provided with a tell tale if desirable, as for instance
in such cases where either of the two connected apparatus has to be used as
transmitter or receiver alternately.
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 :-
First. In telegraphic apparatus the shunting in of the electro-magnets C, C', in
connection with the contact making arrangements by means of which the current
from the electrical battery continues to flow until both armatures i.e. those of the

page_text: transmitting and receiving stations have accomplished a complete movement or have
moved so far as to cause the circuit to be broken, so as to effect a regular and
uninterrupted action of the apparatus.
Second. The notched wheels n arranged on the shaft of the escapement wheel
together with the roller running on the said wheels n for the purpose of bringing
the points of the crown-wheel into close and proper contact with the teeth of the
anchor in order to render a regular movement of the indices in both apparati more
certain.
Third. In telegraphic apparatus a system of connections as shown and described
with reference to Figures 6-11 of the drawings.
Dated this 19th day of September 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.