IMPROVEMENTS IN PNEUMATIC TELEGRAPHS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augusto Guattari, of Buckingham Palace Road;
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PNEUMATIC TELEGRAPHS."
Sealed the 22nd July 1873, and dated the 7th February 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Augusto Guattari at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th February 1873.
I, AUGUSTO GUATTARI, of Buckingham Palace Road, in the County.
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
“IMPROVEMENTS IN Pneumatic TELEGRAPHS," to be as follows :——
My Invention relates, 1st, to an improvement in the pneumatic
telegraph apparatus for which I obtained Letters Patent bearing date
the 19th October 1871, No. 2797, and consists in a modification of the
transmitting instrument shown in Figure 3 of the Drawings accom-

page_text: panying the Specification filed in pursuance of the conditions of the said
Letters Patent.
The improvement consists in the application to the air-conducting
tube of a regulator, consisting of a closed air chamber in connection with
the tube containing an adjustable piston by which the air contained in
the tube may be compressed more or less as required. By this means
the tension of the air may be regulated according to the distance to
which the signal is to be transmitted, instead of varying the movement
of the transmitting bellows or piston. The piston is attached to a push
rod provided with an index showing the degree of pressure on a suitable
scale, which also serves to fix the piston in any position by means of a
set screw.
This regulator may be applied to all my pneumatic telegraph
apparatus in which the signal is transmitted by a momentary com-
pression of the air in the tube.
My Invention relates, 2ndly, to an improved instrument which serves
either as transmitter or receiver, so that by two such instruments placed
at different stations and connected by a single air-conducting tube,
messages may be transmitted in either direction. In this instrument
but one dial is employed, which serves to indicate the signals received
or sent, whereby I am enabled to use one instrument instead of two,
and thereby greatly lessen the cost of the apparatus. The needle which
works over the said dial is operated by an anchor propelment.
The instrument comprises a compressible air bag or bellows for
transmitting, and when used as a transmitter the index needle may
either be worked by a spring push rod moved by the bellows and acting
on the anchor propelment, or by the pressure of the air in the line or
conducting tube, the same as when receiving.
When used as a receiving instrument it is actuated by the movements
of a rod connected to a flexible diaphragm on the end of a branch tube
connected with the main or line tube which is inflated or vibrated by
the impulse of the air in the tube. A branch tube also connects the
main or line tube with the bag or bellows, another branch closed at the
end by a similar diaphragm being provided for setting in motion suitable
bell-striking mechanism. A cock provided with several passages
controls the communication of these several branches with the main
tube. Valves may be substituted for the diaphragms above mentioned.

page_text: For very great distances the needle may be operated by clockwork
mechanism combined with the said instrument, or instead I may
combine therewith the regulator described under the first part of this
Invention.
My Invention relates, 3rdly, to an arrangement of the combined
transmitting and receiving instrument, specially adapted for use on
board ship as a means of communication between the captain, steersman,
chief engineer, or other officer.
Instruments are disposed in different parts of the ship, with any one
of which the captain's instrument may be made to communicate by
means of a commutator cock. The instrument is mounted on a suitable
column or support. A manipulator handle works over the dial, and is
keyed on a hollow spindle carrying a disc having a sinuous groove like
an ordinary Breguet instrument used in electro-telegraphy. This groove
oscillates a lever connected to the air pump, piston, or bellows which
impels the air through the tube. The index needle also moves over
the same dial, its arbor passing through the hollow spindle of the
manipulator, of which it is quite independent. It is actuated as above
described, and a cock with several passages is provided for controlling
the connection of the different parts of the instrument with the main
tube, as before described. The commutator cock above referred to has
a plug provided with an axial passage which always communicates
with the tube leading to the instrument in whatever position the cock
may be, a radial passage in communication therewith serving to establish
communication between the instrument and any one of the other instru-
ments. An index on the plug shows its position, and a pedal is provided
for the steersman to sound the captain's bell to advise. him of an order
given having been obeyed.

page_text: of
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Augusto Guattari, Her special licence
that I, the said Augusto Guattari, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Augusto Guattari, my executors,
administrators, and 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 PNEUMATIC TELEGRAPHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Augusto Guattari, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 Augusto Guattari, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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
Sheets of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
My Invention relates, first, to an improvement in the pneumatic
telegraph apparatus, for which I obtained Letters Patent bearing date
the 19th October 1871, No. 2797, and consists in a modification of the
transmitting instrument shown in Figure 3 of the Drawing accom-
panying the Specification filed in pursuance of the conditions of the said
Letters Patent.
The improvement consists in the application to an air-conducting tube
of a regulator, consisting of a closed air chamber in connection with the
tube and containing an adjustable piston, by depressing which the air
contained in the tube may be compressed more or less as required. By

page_text: this means the tension of the air may be regulated according to the
distance to which the signal is to be transmitted, instead of varying the
movement of the transmitting bellows or piston.
This regulator, which may be applied to all my pneumatic telegraph
apparatus in which the signal is transmitted by a momentary com-
pression of the air in the tube, is illustrated in sectional elevation in
Figure 1, and in plan view, Figure 2, of the accompanying Drawings.
In this arrangement the hand lever described in the Specification of my
former Patent is replaced by a push rod a having a coiled spring b upon
it, and connected to a lever c by which the anchor propelment & and the
bellows e are operated. f is a worm gearing with a worm wheel on the
spindle of the index needle fr. The novelty in this arrangement consists
in the use of the said regulator or air-compressing cylinder g, or it may
be a flexible chamber or bellows. In either case it is not open to the
external atmosphere, but communicates, as shown, with the air tube h
by which the signals are transmitted. In the Drawing, a closed
cylinder g is shown containing a piston i fitting air-tight in the cylinder
and attached to a push rod j terminating in a knob and working through
a guide on the top of the cylinder. This rod j carries an arm j¹, which
serves as an index to show the degree of pressure on a scale marked on a
fixed standard, and also enables the piston to be fixed in any position
by means of a set screw . This regulator is placed in the transmitting
instrument as shown, and by depressing the piston the air in the cylinder
is forced out into the tube h, in which it is thus compressed and so
maintained at the required tension for signalling.
My Invention relates, secondly, to an improved instrument which
serves either as transmitter or receiver, so that by two such instruments
placed at different stations and connected by a single air-conducting tube,
messages may be transmitted in either direction. In this instrument
but one dial is employed, which serves to indicate the signals received or
sent, whereby I am enabled to use one instrument at each station instead
of two as hitherto, and thereby greatly lessen the cost of the apparatus.
This improved combined transmitting and receiving instrument is
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 3 shows a
top plan and Figure 4 an under side plan of the working parts removed
from the external case, some of the parts being shown in section for the

page_text: sake of clearness.
Figure 5 is a central vertical longitudinal section of
the instrument. Figure 6 is a part sectional underside plan (like
Figure 4) of a modified and greatly improved arrangement. In these
four figures only do the same letters of reference indicate the same parts.
The instrument comprises a compressible air bag c worked by handle c',
and communicating when the instrument is used as a transmitter by
one of several ways or passages in a cock A with the air-conducting
tube l, which I call the line tube, leading to a similar instrument at
another station. The cock A has three ways a, a¹, a³, and is operated by
handle by which it may be set in any one of the three positions
indicated in Figure 3, for the purpose (when the instrument is to be
used for transmitting) of establishing communication by means of the
passage a¹ between the bellows c and the line tube as above men-
tioned; or (when the instrument is used for receiving) for connecting by
means of the centre way a line tube 7 with branch tube m leading to the
mechanism by which the index needle is operated; or for connecting by
means of the passage a line tube with the branch tube p, which leads
to the alarum. In this latter position also the passage a¹ connects
bellows c with tube m, to enable the operator to bring the needle of the
instrument to the f or starting point on the dial before commencing to
receive or to send a message. The passages of cock A are so arranged and
the spaces between the tubes 1, p, and m are so proportioned thereto
that when handle k is in either of the extreme positions the centre
passage a will not be open to any one of the tubes. The several passages
of the cock are indicated in Figure 4; and to adapt the instrument to
send or receive messages or signals it is simply necessary to move the
handle to adjust cock A accordingly. The transmitting mechanism
consists, in addition to the compressible air chamber c before mentioned,
of a rod 6 fitted to slide to and fro in guides, and connected by a spring d
with the movable part of bellows c. The tension of spring d is counter-
acted by the pressure of a spring e at the other end of rod b, so as to
allow the latter to be moved freely to and fro at every motion of
handle c¹. f is a pin fixed on rod b, which pin is caused to abut against
the tail g of an anchor propelment which is thereby oscillated and
rotates a toothed wheel / keyed on the spindle of the index needle i,
which works over a dial marked with suitable letters, words, and signs,
as shown in Figure 3. o is a projection on the anchor against which
bears a spring o' to effect the return movement of the anchor. Thus,
с

page_text: when used as a transmitting instrument, the movement of the handle c¹
serves both to actuate the needle of the instrument at the receiving
station and also that of the transmitting instrument to guide the
operator, the needles of the two instruments moving in unison.
The mechanism for receiving signals consists of the branch tube m,
terminating in an enlarged head, over which a very thin membrane or
diaphragm of sheet india-rubber is stretched. This membrane closes
the end of the tube m and becomes inflated as described in the Specifi-
cations of my former Patents, each time the air in tube / is compressed
(tubes and m being in communication) by the operator working the
bellows of the instrument at the distant station. The movements of the
diaphragm are transmitted by means of a rod n terminating at one end
in a disc bearing against the diaphragm a, and abutting at the other
extremity against the projection o of the anchor propelment, whereby
the latter is actuated and the needle i is rotated step by step over the
dial. q is a diaphragm closing the end of tube p; and i is a rod
similar to the diaphragm x and rod n above described, the rod & being
made to abut against a detent, controlling any suitable arrangement of
alarum or bell-striking mechanism, so that on said detent being raised
the mechanism is released and the alarm sounded. The detent is
operated (tubes and p being in communication through cock A.) by the
compression of the air in tube l, produced by the action of the instru-
ment at the other station.
The instruments are worked in the following manner:-When not in
use the handle k is kept over the word "alarum," so that either operator
can attract the attention of the other. To do this he moves the handle k
to the word "sending," and compresses the air bag or chamber c,
thereby releasing the clockwork of the other instrument and sounding
the alarum. The latter is so arranged as to cease sounding as soon as
the diaphragm q again collapses. The operator whose attention is thus
called immediately places the handle % of his instrument over the word
"receiving," in which position the instrument is adapted for receiving
the signals transmitted by the "sending" operator through the medium of
diaphragm x, actuating needle i as before described. To replace the
needle of his own instrument at the or starting point on the dial
before sending or receiving a message, the operator places handle k at
"alarum," and depresses knob t. This knob is attached to a bolt u which

page_text: is thus caused to retain rod 6 by passing in front of a projection thereon.
The operator now works handle c¹ to actuate the needle through the
medium of tube m and diaphragm x, the spring connection d allowing
of the movement of c¹ independently of rod 6 which is held back as
above mentioned.
The transmitting mechanism above described may be modified, and
the instrument considerably simplified in the following manner :—I
make a communication between the passages a and a¹ of the cock, as
shown in red lines in Figure 4, so that when used as a transmitter the
impulses conveyed to the air in the tubes by working the handle c¹ serve
to actuate the needles of both the transmitting and receiving instru-
ments. I may thus dispense with rod 6 and spring d.
The arrangement shown in Figure 6 is modified with a similar object.
In this, the most improved form of instrument the needle is actuated by
the movements of a supplementary diaphragm inflated like the other
diaphragms at each compression of the bellows c. This diaphragm
closes the end of a small tube y leading from the bellows c, and sets in
motion the anchor propelment through the agency of a small rod ¹
acting on a small arm on the anchor spindle. In this instrument the
rod 6 serves another purpose. On depressing knob t, its pin u, which is
pointed at the end, forces back the rod b against the pressure of a
spring 6, whereby the anchor is prevented from moving by the pin f.
This is done when the operator desires to sound the bell of the instru-
ment at the distant station without moving the needle of his own
instrument. With the above exception the method of working this
In all
modified instrument is precisely the same as in the former case.
these instruments valves may be substituted for the diaphragms by
employing pumps or bellows provided with valves, and capable of forcing
currents of air through the tubes instead of merely compressing it
therein.
For very great distances the needle may be operated by clockwork
mechanism combined with the said instrument, the clockwork being
merely released or set in motion by cach impulse of the air as described
said former Patent; or instead I may combine therewith the regu-
lator described under the first part of this Invention.
in my
My Invention relates, 3rdly, to an arrangement of the before described
combined transmitting and receiving instrument specially adapted for

page_text: use on board ship, as a means of communication between the captain,
steersman, chief engineer, or other officer.
Instruments are disposed in different parts of the ship, with any one
of which the captain's instrument may be made to communicate by
means of a commutator cock.
Figure 7 shows a front elevation of the apparatus, and Figure 8 a
central vertical section of same; while Figure 9 shows vertical and
horizontal sections of the commutator. A, hollow column supporting
the apparatus; B, dial used both for transmitting orders and receiving
signals; C, manipulator handle for sending messages or orders working
over dial B, and keyed on a hollow spindle C', carrying a disc F, having
a sinuous cam groove (like that of an ordinary Breguet instrument used
in electro-telegraphy), each curve of which corresponds to a letter or
sign on dial B. In said groove works a stud G on the end of a lever
H pivoted at I, and to the other end of which is jointed a piston
working air-tight in a cylinder J communicating with the line tube
through a cock a as hereafter described. The index needle K also
moves over the same dial B, its arbor being mounted and passing
through the hollow spindle C' as shown;.the two being quite independent
of one another. This needle serves to show the answer or signals
received. The arrangement of the receiving mechanism by which said
needle is actuated and the construction of the cock a for establishing
communication with the bell signal or other part of the apparatus being
the same as that above described in reference to the preceding Figures.
M, Figure 9, is a commutator cock whose plug N has an axial passage
which always communicates with the tube N' leading to the instrument
in whatever position the cock may be, a radial passage in connection
therewith serving to establish communication between the instrument
and any one of the pipes O, P, Q, R, S, T, leading to the other instru-
ments situated in different parts of the ship. An index handle N° on
the plug shows its position, and indicates the locality with which the
instrument is put in communication.
In applying the apparatus to a ship's binnacle, as illustrated in
Figure 10, a suitable dial 1 is provided, and a pedal 2 is arranged in a
convenient position to enable the steersman to press a bellows to sound
the captain's bell in acknowledgement of an order received

page_text: Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as the
Invention to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
1st. The application to that class of pneumatic telegraph apparatus
in which diaphragms are inflated as described, and the employment in
connection with the air conducting tube thereof, of a regulator con-
sisting of a cylinder and piston (or a compressible air chamber), whereby
the air in the tube may be maintained at the proper tension for
signalling, all substantially as herein described and shown in Figure 1:
and 2 of the Drawings.
2ndly. The combination with the piston i of the said regulator, of
spring rod j, index arm j¹, binding screw k¹, and gauge or standard k,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3rdly. The combination in the same instrument of an air compressing
apparatus or bellows, a single dial with index needle actuated by pro-
pelling mechanism or clockwork as herein described, and a suitable cock
by which the receiving or transmitting mechanism may be made to
communicate with the line tube, all substantially as herein described and
illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the Drawings, whereby the same
instrument is adapted both to transmit and to receive signals.
4thly. The combination of mechanism constituting the combined trans-
mitting and receiving instrument constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as herein described and illustrated in Figures 3, 4, and 5 of
the Drawings.
5thly. The modified arrangements of the combined transmitting and
receiving instrument, in which when used for transmitting the needle is
actuated by the same impulse of air which conveys the signal to the
distant station, either through the medium of an additional passage in
the cock A, or by a tube y, and auxiliary diaphragm z acting on the
needle propelling mechanism, substantially as herein shown and
described.
6thly. The adaptation of the said combined transmitting and receiving
instrument for signalling on board ship, constructed, arranged, and
operated substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 of
the Drawings.

page_text: 7thly. In combination with the instruments shown in Figures 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, and 8, the commutator cock constructed as described and shown in
Figure 9 for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augusto Guattari, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
A. GUATTARI. (L.S.)