PROVEMENTS IN THE TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH DESPATCHES AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
"IM⭑
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
PROVEMENTS IN THE TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH DESPATCHES AND
IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."--A communication from abroad
by Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir, Engineer, of Paris, in the Empire of
France.
Sealed the 20th November 1866, and dated the 31st May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st May 1866.
I. Jons HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex. Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said. Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES,
AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication to me from
abroad by Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir. Engineer, of Paris, in the Empire of
France, to be as follows: -
This Invention relates to the transmission by the aid of electricity of written
messiges and to the reproduction of facsimiles of such written messages at
The essential
the receiving station by improved mechanical contrivances.
leale of this Invention consists in the substitution of a mechanical operation

page_text: for reproducing the written message for the chemical process hithert
adopted, for which purpose an ink or coloring matter is used which
reproduces the written message upon the paper by transposition after the
manner of a pen or pencil in lieu of by chemical decomposition.
In carrying out this Invention in practice two cylinders are employed, the
one at the sending and the other at the receiving station, rotated by means
of a weight or spring or any other suitable arrangement of clockwork, and
caused to rotate in concert or uniformly by the aid of a current of electricity
operating simultaneously upon each set of mechanism. The cylinder at the
sending station is covered with a sheet of silvered or metallised paper, upon
which paper is written in any non-conducting ink (such, for example, as gum
colors) the message to be reproduced at the receiving station. On the
surface of the metallised paper there rests one end of a metal conductor
which so long as it is in contact with the silvered portion of the paper estab-
lishes an electric circuit along the line to the receiving station, but on coming
in contact with the non-conducting writing on the paper the current is
thereby interrupted. This metal conductor is caused to traverse the entire
length of the revolving cylinder by being carried by a travelling nut which
moves along a revolving screw spindle rotating in concert with the cylinder
itself, and hence every portion of the writing is eventually passed over by or
brought in contact with the conductor. The second cylinder, namely, the
one at the receiving station, and which has a uniform motion with the first,
is covered with a sheet of white paper or with a sheet of paper of a decom-
posable color, and upon the paper on this cylinder there is caused to press
by the aid of a spring a metallic or other hard tracing point when not lifted
off by the action of an electro-magnet. When the conductor at the sending
station is in contact with the silvered portion of the paper the electric current
passes through the electro-magnet at the receiving station and raises the
tracing point from off the paper, but on the conductor coming in contact
with the non-conducting writing the break thereby produced in the circuit
causes the electro-magnet to cease to act, and the tracing point is then
brought in contact with the receiving paper by the action of the spring and
remains in contact till the conductor again comes in contact with the
metallised or conducting surface of the paper on the sending cylinder. 1
succession of dots or lines will thus be obtained which will form by their
combination letters and words corresponding in every particular with those
of the written message on the metallised paper of the sending cylinder. In
order to produce these marks permanently upon the receiving paper so that
they may be ondered perfectly legible it is proposed to place over the paper

page_text: and in contact therewith a sheet of paper which has been coated on its under
surface with any good transfer, ink or color mixed with glycerine by preference,
to insure its being always moist, so that each time the tracing point is brought
in contact with this coated paper it will cause a portion of the ink or
coloring matter to be transferred on to the sheet beneath, and thus the entire
message will be reproduced in ink or colors upon the sheet. In lieu of
applying the ink or color to a sheet of paper, and transferring such color to
the sheet below, the surface of the cylinder itself may be coated with ink or
color and the same will then be transferred to the receiving sheet. Litho-
graphic or typographic ink or a mixture of any colors with fatty matter may
be used in producing the writing on the receiving sheet. By placing the
paper containing the message received as above in a press in contact with
another sheet a duplicate copy of the same will be obtained which may be
kept as a record. In the transmission of secret despatches which are not
intended to be read by the attendant at the sending station a non-conducting
ink should be used by the writer which will be invisible on the metallised
paper; a mixture of talc and gum will be found to answer well for this
purpose. And in order that the attendant at the receiving station may be
also prevented from reading the despatch as it is received the inking or
colored sheet of paper may be cemented at its edges to the sheet upon which
the writing is reproduced and an adhesive seal attached to prevent the sheets
from being tampered with and to guarantee their reaching the receiver's hands
intact. On separating the two sheets the message will be found legibly
written on the inner face of the receiving sheet.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN HENRY
JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS ller most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six. in the twenty-ninth year of Her
eign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I. the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others

page_text: as I, the said John Henry Johnson. Iny executors, administrators, or assigns.
should at any time agree with. and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES
AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a communication to me from abroad
by Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir, Engineer, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to the transmission by the aid of electricity of
written messages and to the reproduction of facsimiles of such written
messages at the receiving station by improved mechanical contrivances. The
essential feature of this Invention consists in the substitution of a mechanical
operation for reproducing the written message for the chemical process
hitherto adopted, for which purpose an ink or coloring matter is used which
reproduces the written message upon the paper by transposition after the
manner of a pen or pencil in lien of by chemical decomposition.
In carrying out this Invention two cylinders are employed, the one at the
sending and the other at the receiving station. rotated by means of a weight or
spring or any other suitable arrangement of clockwork, and caused to rotate in
concert or uniformly by the aid of a current of electricity operating simultaneously
upon each set of mechanism. The cylinder at the sending station is covered
with a sheet of silvered or metallised paper, upon which paper is written
in any non-conducting ink (such, for example, as gum colors) the message to
be reproduced at the receiving station. On the surface of the metallised
paper there rests one end of a metal conductor which so long as it is in
contact with the silver portion of the paper establishes an electric circuit
along the line to the receiving station, but on coming in contact with the
non-conducting writing on the paper the current is thereby interrupted.

page_text: .
This metal conductor is caused to traverse the entire length of the revolving
cylinder by being carried by a travelling nut which moves along a revolving
screw spindle rotating in concert with the cylinder itself, and hence every
portion of the writing is eventually passed over by or brought in contact
with the conductor. The second cylinder. namely, the one at the receiving
station and which has a uniform motion with the first, is covered with a sheet
of white paper or with a sheet of paper of a decomposable color, and upon
the paper on this cylinder there is cansed to press by the aid of a spring or
metallic or other hard tracing point when not lifted off by the action of an
electro-magnet. When the conductor at the sending station is in contact
with the silvered portion of the paper the electric current passes through the
electro-magnet at the receiving station and raises the tracing point from off
the paper, but on the conductor coming in contact with the non-conducting
writing the break thereby produced in the circuit causes the electro-magnet
to cease to act and the tracing point is then brought in contact with the
receiving paper by the action of the spring and remains in contact till the
conductor again comes in contact with the metallised or conducting surface
of the paper on the sending cylinder. A succession of dots or lines will thus be
obtained which will form by their combination letters and word corresponding
in every particular with those of the written message on the metallised paper
of the sending cylinder. In order to produce these marks permanently upon
the receiving paper so that they may be rendered perfectly legible it is proposed
to place over the paper and in contact therewith a sheet of paper which has
been coated on its under surface with any good transfer ink or color. mixed
with glycerine by preferance, to insure its being always moist, so that each
time the tracing point is brought in contact with this coated paper it will
cause a portion of the ink or coloring matter to be transferred on to the
sheet beneath, and thus the entire message will be reproduced in ink or colors
upon the sheet. In lieu of applying the ink or color to a sheet of paper, and
transferring such color to the sheet below, the surface of the cylinder itself
may be coated with ink or color and the same will then be transferred to
the receiving sheet. Lithographic or typographic ink or a mixture of any
colors with fatty matter may be used in producing the writing on the receiving
sheet beneath, and thus the entire message will be reproduced in ink or colors
press in contact with another sheet a duplicate copy of the same will be obtained
which may be kept as a record. In the transmission of secret despatches
which are not intended to be read by the attendant at the sending station
a non-conducting ink should be used by the writer which will be invisible on
the metallised paper, a mixture of tale and gum will be found to answer

page_text: well for this purpose, and in order that the attendant at the receiving station
may be also prevented from reading the dispatch as it is received the inking
or colored sheet of paper may be cemented at its edges to the sheet upon
which the writing is reproduced and an adhesive seal attached to prevent the
sheets from being tampered with and to guarantee their reaching the receiver's
hands intact. On separating the two sheets the message will be found
legibly written on the inner face of the receiving sheet.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures in the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
Figures. As the sending and receiving instruments employed in carrying out
this Invention are alike in construction the description of one will apply
equally to the other.
Figure 1, on Sheet of the Drawings, represents a longitudinal or side
elevation of the improved apparatus or "electrograph"; Figure 2 is an end
elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken along
the line 1, 2, in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a plan corresponding diagram shewing
the arrangement of the sheets of paper on the cylinder of the receiving
instrument, and Figures 5 and 6 are plans of the receiving and sending
instruments respectively, all drawn the full size. Each of these instruments
contain a clock movement M driven by a weight or spring and destined to
impart a rotatory motion to the cylinder C, and to impart at the same time
a rotatory motion to the screw V, which is arranged parallel to the axis of
the cylinder. Upon the screw V slides a collar or nut which carries the
stem a of the contact point A, which should rest upon the cylinder C, the fore
part of this tracer carries a bar of soft iron d attracted by the electro-magnet
E, which is so mounted as to travel with the tracer A. The base of this
electro-magnet is provided with a roller 7 which runs along the straight edge
R secured to one side of the bed plate of the instrument. The cylinder (
is mounted on the spindle c which is rotated as described by the clockwork M.
but through the intervention of the coupling box which facilitates the
application and removal of the metallised paper upon which the dispatch is
written in non-conducting ink, this paper is wrapped round the cylinder and
secured by the wooden bar ; which is held by the hook J' acted upon by the
spring (Figure 2). The bar x is of metal in order to establish a communi-
cation with the paper which covers the cylinder of the sending instrument.
One of the arbours of the clock movement carries a disc provided with a pin g
which bears against the vertical end of one arm of a lever oscillating on

page_text: a centre, the horizontal arm of such lever terminating in a pallet attracted
by the electro-magnet B when the circuit is closed; the object of this arrange-
ment is to release the clock movement when a dispatch is to be forwarded."
Both the sending and receiving instrument is provided with a similar
arrangement, and both should operate precisely at the same moment in order
that the tracers may move exactly a uniform distance. The best result is
obtained, namely, perfect synchronism, by the employment of different
combinations. One of these consists of what the Inventor calls an "electric
gearing" which 1 shall herein-after describe. The cylinder C' which receives
the despatch is covered by a sheet of white paper h, Figure 4, which is itself
enveloped by a sheet of paper p coated with some transfer coloring matter,
the cylinder is also actuated through the coupling m. To facilitate the
placing of the paper on the cylinder C' or its removal when the despatch has
been received this part of the instrument is detached by pushing back the
hook which holds the spindle c', the same system of mounting is applied
to the sending cylinder C which carries the metallised paper on which tho
despatch is written. The sending of a message is effected in the following
manner: The sending and receiving instruments being so regulated as to
work in perfect accord with each other the despatch is written in non-
conducting ink on metallic or metallised paper which is wrapped round and
secured to the cylinder C, the cylinder C should also be provided with its
double thicknesses of paper and the tracers brought both to the same end
of their respective cylinders C and C'; the operator then establishes a circuit
through the electro-magnets B and B' which has the effect of attracting the
pallets band b, and consequently releases the mechanism M, M', which is
immediately set in motion so long as the tracer A of the sending instrument
is in contact with the metallic portion of the surface of the paper, it forms
a circuit through the electro-magnet E which then attracts the pallet D and
elevates the tracer A' which will not produce any mark, but so soon as the
electric current is interrupted by the passage of the tracer A over and in
contact with the non-conducting ink of the despatch the tracer A' falls upon
the inked or colored paper of the cylinder C and produces on the white
paper beneath a mark of greater or less length according to the time the
tracer has been in contact with the paper, the circuit or current becoming
re-established as soon as the tracer A comes in contact with the conducting
surface of the paper, the tracer A' is elevated and ceases to mark. These
successive risings and fallings of the tracer A' produce on the white paper
a series of dots or lines which correspond exactly with the writing, figures, or
signs of whatever description they may be on the metallic paper; in fact, the

page_text: same spaces and the same form of writing is produced on the paper of the
receiving cylinder. In order to obtain greater security in important dispatches
it is simply requisite to apply an adhesive stamp which is necessarily inked
by some special ink analogous to that used in writing the dispatch which is
to be forwarded. This dispatch bearing the stamp of the house or firm
sending the same is copied by means of pressure on to a sheet of paper which
may be retained as a copy. The simplicity of the regulator or governor
which maintains the synchronism of the movements of the two instruments
will be clearly seen on referring to Sheet 2 of the Drawings.
Figure represents an elevation of the apparatus for regulating or controlling
the receiving instrument; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same;
Figure 3 represents the disc or wheel which is placed on the regulator of the
sending instrument, and Figure 4 is a plan of the same. The disc D which is
keyed on to the axis b of the regulator is composed of metal, and has the
non-conducting blocks inserted into its periphery; F is a metal arm bearing
against and guided in a slot in the periphery of the disc, its object being to
establish a communication with the electro-magnet E of the regulator of the
receiving instrument, Figures 1 and 2. On the axis b' of the regulator of the
receiving instrument is keyed the wheel A composed of ten arms of soft
iron which in their revolution pass tangentially to the axes e of the electro-
magnet E, the actual regulator of each apparatus consists of plain blades
C, C, mounted in pairs on the upper part of the axes b, b, the helical spring
connects the double wing or blade C with the blade C, the tension of this
spring being adjusted or regulated by moving the slides c in the slots in the
wings. Figure 3 shows the position of the wings when the apparatus is
revolving at its normal rate, and Figure 1 represents the position the wings
assume when revolving too rapidly. Each time the arm F is in contact
with the metal of the disc D it establishes a circuit which excites the electro-
magnet E, and this excitement ceases so soon as the arm F encounters one
of the insulating blocks x, the disc is so regulated that each metallic portion
on its periphery corresponds exactly with the interval or space between two
branches or arms a of the wheel A of the receiving regulator. The result
of this arrangement is that when the sending instrument works quicker than
the receiver the metallic tooth or portion of the disc D having arrived before
the interval or space of the wheel A of the receiver has passed the electro-
magnet E (which is then excited) attracts the corresponding arm a and
compels the receiver to move faster; if, on the other hand. the sender operates
more slowly than the receiver the metallic tooth of the disc D not having
passed (and the electro-maguet being in the circuit) the projecting part of

page_text: the arm a of the wheel A of the receiver will be detained by the electro-
magnet E, which will compel the receiver to moderate its speed until it is
caught up by the sender. I may here observe that the number of teeth or
metal portions may vary according to the speed at which the apparatus is
to be worked. Magnetic steel bars may be substituted for the soft iron in
the construction of the "electric gearing" and for the electro-magnet of the
receiver, this modification dispensing with the use of two wires; moreover,
the "electric gearing," that is to say, the disc D and wheel A, may be placed
on any other part than the axis of the regulator of each instrument. In order
to avoid the spark which is produced at the point of contact between the arm
F and the disc D (Figures 3 and 4), which is keyed on to the axis of the
regulator of the sending instrument. A bottle, shewn in Figure 5, is employed
which is filled with water and a little quantity of carbonate of soda or other
salt, or with an acid; the cork or stopper which closes the bottle is provided
with two binding screws h, h', to which are connected the wires proceeding
from the apparatus, and which carry the platina wires i, i, immersed in the
solution; the extremity of each of these wires insulated by a cotton thread
is bent or curved, and it is between these two hooks that the spark is produced.
This apparatus, to which the Inventor gives the name of condenser." prevents
the burning of the wires near the distributing disc as well as the formation
of "coom resulting from the heating of the lubricating oil which would
impede the passage of the current. A perfect synchronism between the
sending and receiving instruments may be maintained by the use of a
regulator consisting of a conical pendulum, as shewn in Figures 6, 7, and 8,
Sheet 2 of the Drawings. The distributing disc D is keyed on one of the
axles of the clock movement enclosed in the case B and indicated by red
lines in Figure 8. The arm F transmits the current in a similar manner to
that described in reference to Figures and 3; the regulator consists simply
of a rod suspended after the fashion of a pendulum, and its lower end is
in contact with an arm A fast on the axis d of the clock movement; the
ball being put in motion forms an escapement, the regularity of which is
such as to insure perfect synchronism in the movements of the two apparatus,
the electricity being distributed by the disc D at regular mathematical
intervals; this synchronism may also be obtained without the aid of electricity,
and by dispensing also with the blades or wings; in this case it is simply
requisite to fix on each of the axes b (Figure 3) an arm A, upon which acts
directly one end of a rod t carrying a ball or weight X. as in Figures 6 and 8.
and suspended in the same manner. In this case the sending of a dispatch
is effected in the following manner: After having wrapped the metallic paper
"

page_text: upon which the message has been written round the cylinder of the receiving
instrument the attendant sets in motion the bell of the receiving instrument.
The attendant of the receiving station signifies in his turn that he is ready
by giving a similar signal to the attendant at the sending station; having
done this the attendant at each station starts the pendulum X of his instrument.
which by its rotation serves as an escapement to the clockwork which is
driven by a weight as before described. After three or four revolutions at the
most the two pendulums will beat exactly a second, then the synchronism
will be established between the two instruments without the intervention of
any accessories. I may observe in conclusion that the dispatch contained on
the cylinder of the sending instrument may be increased or diminished in
size on the cylinder of the receiving instrument. To obtain this result two
unequal sized cylinders should be employed, or the relative speeds of the
two instruments should be varied in proper proportion. In neither case
will the writing be distorted, and it may be reproduced two or more times
upon one cylinder according to the speed of rotation of the same.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention. and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect. I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel
and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the system or mode of transmitting words. messages, signs, or
symbols, and the mechanical reproduction of the same at the receiving station
by the aid of electricity, substantially in the manner and by the apparatus
herein-before described.
Second, the writing of words, messages, signs, or symbols in non-conducting
ink upon a conducting surface, and the reproduction of the same at the
receiving station upon a separate surface by the aid of a tracer point and
transfer color, substantially as herein-before described.
"
"
Third, the peculiar construction and arrangement of sending" and
receiving instruments, and the mode of operating the same for the trans-
mission of electric telegraphic dispatches as herein-before described and
illustrated by the Drawings.
Fourth, the herein-before described peculiar constructions and arrangements
of regulators or apparatus for ensuring synchronism in the movements of
the "sending " and "
receiving instruments employed in transmitting and
recording electric telegraphic dispatches according to this Invention.
Fifth, the combination of a travelling tracer point operated by an electro-
magnet with a revolving drum or cylinder rotated by clockwork or other

page_text: convenient mechanical contrivance, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (..s.)