IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PRINTING TELEGRAPHS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Fisk, of 1, Seymour Chambers, York
Buildings, Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PRINTING TELEGRAPHS.”—A -
communication from abroad by Alois Bauer, and Ferdinand Kreb,
both of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Frank Fisk at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 2nd May 1873, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
FISK, of 1, Seymour Chambers, York Buildings, Charing Cross, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELECTRIC PRINTING TELEGRAPHS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to
grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal

page_text: Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration
that it has been communicated to me from abroad by Alois Bauer, and
Ferdinand Kreb, both of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frank Fisk, do hereby declare that
the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully 5
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement :-
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for transmitting the
same telegraphic communication from one particular place to any 1
number of places simultaneously without requiring any attendance at
the receiving instruments, and yet with absolute certainty as to
correctness. These improvements are therefore especially useful for
communicating the fluctuations in the money market to a number of
offices at the same time.

page_text: and at the other end to the bracket D, whilst those of the lever H³, Kª,
are fixed to the brackets D¹, D³, of the front part A¹.
The working distance of the levers H³, K³, is determined by means of
the set screws &¹, s³, s³, and s², of the stands T and T³ (Fig. 1, 2, and 3).
The armature levers H³, K¹, and H³, K³, carry the pawls g³, and 9³,
(Fig. 1, 2, and 3) at their ends, which pawls catch in the teeth of tho
ratchet wheels ¹, ², on the axle a, and are pressed against them by
means of the springs 6¹ and 6ª.
On the axle a the type wheel T is fixed, having on its circumference
twenty-five letters, ten numbers, one point, one stroke, one star, and two
blank spaces. The ratchet wheels r¹, 7³, have as many teeth as the type
wheel has type pieces. Therefore on each attraction of an armature k¹
or by the electro-magnets M², M³, one of the ratchet wheels ² or
is pushed the distance of one tooth, and therefore the type wheel for the
distance of one type space. On the returnal of the armature levers the
pawls g¹, 9³, slide over the teeth of the ratchet wheels ¹, 7ª, and fall into
the next lower notch. The electro-magnets M¹ and M² serve also for
operating the type wheel, and each of them is inserted in a special
circuit, that is to say, M¹ is interposed in the circuit I, and M³ in the
circuit II. There is a third circuit III, the use of which is explained
below. The circuits I and II are so arranged that they are never both
at the same time in the circuit, but always so that while the electro-
magnet M is in the circuit I, the electro-magnet M³ is out of the
circuit II, or the reverse. This alternate inserting the electro-magnets
M', M, into the circuits and breaking their connection again, as well as
the duration of the current passing through the electro-magnets, and
the direction it then has to take, is regulated automatically by the
apparatus by means of a special switch called "type wheel switch."
On the axle a of the type wheel two circuit closing wheels R¹ and R³,
insulated from the axle a are fixed, as shown in Fig. 1, 2, and 3, the
circumferences of which are divided into forty equal parts, of which
twenty are cut out. These circuit closing wheels are so placed on the
axle a that the position of the notches in the one wheel always corre-
sponds with the position of the projections of the other wheel. On this
circuit closing wheel the contact springs F², Fs, and F³, F4, slide which lie
alternately either on and in contact with one tooth, or in one of the
notches out of contact with the teeth. In consequence of the described.

page_text: position of the circuit closing wheels on the axle a, the diametrically
opposite springs F, F, and F³, F", have always the same position,
whilst the springs F¹, F, and F3, F4, situated on the same side have
always different positions. The contact springs are arranged on the.
insulated stands T, T, T', T'. The closing wheels R³, R³, are fixed on
the metallic sleeves d³, d³, Fig. 2, which are insulated from the axle a.
The contact springs F³, F, fixed on the insulated stands T, T', slide on
these sleeves. Supposing the circuit I to be connected with the
spring F, the circuit II with the spring Fe, that is to say, with the
closing wheels R³, R³, and the spring F" connected with the first end of
the electro-magnet M¹, and the spring F with the first end of the
electro-magnet M³, and the two second ends of the same with the earth,
then in each case only that electro-magnet is inserted in its current by
which the contact spring of its first end rests on a tooth of the closing
wheel, whilst the second electro-magnet, the contact spring of which
lies in a notch of the closing wheel, is out of its circuit. The current
transmitted along the circuits I and II for the purpose of pushing the
type wheel goes therefore only so long through. the corresponding
electro-magnet as the springs F¹ or Fs are in contact with the closing
wheels R², R³. This duration corresponds exactly to one movement of
the armature levers or to the displacement of the type wheel for the
space of one type. It is therefore evident that the type wheel is moved
by alternate transmission of currents along the circuits I and II.
Supposing the springs F and F to be connected with the earth, the
current from the circuits I and II would after displacing the type wheel
go over the springs direct into the earth, and to the transmitting station.
If these spring were not connected with the earth, but with continuations
of the circuits I and II leading to the next station, the current would
after displacing the type wheel at the first station go over these springs
to the next station, and there displace the type wheel for the distance of
one type, and then either pass into the earth or to another station, and
so on through any number of stations until it returns to the transmitting
station, where it has to work its own, instrument as the last in the

page_text: worked simultaneously. The second end of the magnets must then
always be connected with the continuation of the circuit instead of
with the earth, whilst the springs F³ and F' remain exactly as before
described, only the last electro-magnets of one group are then con-
nected with the earth, and only the springs F and F with the con-
tinuation of the circuit.
In order to secure the type wheel from being moved further than
the distance of one type at a time, the armature levers H', K¹, and
H³, K³, are provided with the projections c³, c³, with the inclined
) surfaces w³, w³, Fig. 3, reaching under the closing wheels. But when
the armature lever is moved for the purpose of pushing the type
wheel, the point of the inclined plane comes into a notch of the
closing wheel, and so prevents the type wheel from being thrown
further. When the type wheel has taken the position in which the
type to be printed occupies the lowest position, the type is printed off
by a third circuit III acting on the electro-magnet M (Fig. 1, 2).
The arm K³ of the armature lever H³, K³, acts upon the shorter
arm K³ of the printing lever H³, K³, by means of a set screw 85.
The longer arm H³ carries the roller W which is covered in the
O middle with gutta percha, and formed at the edges with serrated
surfaces against which the paper is pressed by the small rollers e¹
and e³. These small rollers are fixed on the spring h. On the roller
W rotating the paper is pushed along for a certain distance. For
rotating the roller the toothed wheel E fixed on the same axle is
used, into which the pawl q hanging on the side A¹ gears as far as
permitted by the pin i. On the roller going upwards the pawl slides
over the teeth of the wheel E. On the roller going back the wheel E
and the roller is displaced for the distance of one tooth. The roller
is therefore caused to strike upwards by transmitting a current through
the circuit III. The downward motion of the roller, as well as the
consequent displacement of the paper, and simultaneous returnal of
the armature k³ from the electro-magnet M³, take place by means
of the tension spring f¹. But such a position as shown in Fig. 6
can also be given to the pawl q, in which case the paper is pushed
along when the printing roller is struck upwards by the current, and
consequently the tension spring f¹ can be dispensed with as the
printing lever falls back by its own weight. The current passes

page_text: "
only so long through the electro-magnet M³ until its armature /*
has thrown the roller against the type wheel. At the same moment
the electro-magnet is put out of the circuit, and the passage to the
next station or to the next instrument opened for the current. For
this purpose the switch I is used, which is constructed as follows:-
On the easily movable axle d, Fig. 1, having its bearings at one
end in the back part A, and at the other end in the bracket D³ of
the front part A¹, an india-rubber projection G¹ is arranged next to
the back part A³, and in this piece G¹ two metallic plates m¹, m²,
are inserted. On the one part of the same the springs F and Fr
slide, which are fixed to the brackets D', D³, insulated from the
side A³. On the other part of the plates the sliding springs F', F10
are fastened, which slide with projections n', n³, on the contact pieces.
H, H, insulated from the side A². The arrangement is such that
on the axle a¹ revolving the projection 12 of the spring F touches
its contact H7 only when the projection n¹ of the spring F has
nearly left its contact H. When the projection n' has left the contact
Ho the axle a¹ is not pushed any further, so that on pushing back
the axle a¹ the projection »³ can at once again touch the contact H.
The first displacement of the axle a¹ takes place by means of the
lever H³, K³, and the electro-magnet M³. When a current passes
through the same the armature K³ is attracted, the lever arm K³
moves downward, and by means of its projection carries with it the
small bent lever J', which presses with its set screw 8ª on the arm p³
of the axle a¹, and pushes the latter for a certain distance. On the
lever arm K³ going back the axle a¹ with its switch remains in its
new position. The pushing back of the switch I into its first position
takes place only on the next displacement of the type wheel, that
is to say, on the armature * being attracted the arm B³ (Fig. 1
and 2) presses against the shorter lever arm C* of the lever O*, D*,
while the longer arm D* presses on the arm p³ of the axle and pushes
it back with the switch, which causes the bent lever J¹ to be brought
back to its former position to the lever arm K³ by means of the
arm p³. The same movement takes place when the armature k¹ is
attracted. Supposing therefore the springs F, F, to be connected a
with the circuit III, the contact H with the first end of the electro-
magnet M³, and the second end with the earth, whilst the contact H'
is in connection with the continuation of the circuit III, then a

page_text: current transmitted through the circuit III can pass through the
electro-magnet M³ only as long as the spring F10 touches the contact
piece H, but as soon as the switch is displaced so far that the spring Fº
touches the contact piece H7 the electro-magnet M³ will be put out
of the circuit III, and the current will pass on directly over the contact
piece H7.
The springs F, F, and Fº, F", form each only one contact, and are
arranged doubly in order to exert an even pressure on the axle a¹.
and
As the electro-magnet M³ is put out of the circuit after the type has
been printed one would have to let the type wheel rotate once entirely
round in order to print the same type again. In order to prevent this
and to enable the same type being printed several times successively if
required without loss of time a second switch II is employed. This
switch is also placed on the axlo a¹ near the front side A¹. On the
india-rubber piece G³ two metallic plates m³, m³, are fixed, on which the
slide springs F, F, slide, which are fixed to the brackets Dº, D',
insulated from the side A¹. On these metallic platos m³, m³, the contact
springs F, F, are fixed, which can slide with their projections n³, nª,
When the
on the insulated contact pieces H³, H³, and H³, H“ (Fig. 1).
armature lever H³, K³, rests, the spring F1s lies on the contact H³,
the spring F on the contact H"; but as soon as the axle a¹ is pushed
by the lever H³, K³, going down, the spring F¹s at once touches the
contact piece H, and the spring F" the contact piece H". This touching
of the contact pieces H, Hч, by the springs F, F, lasts during the
entire displacing of the axle a¹, by means of the lever H³, K³, and
continues until the axle a¹ has nearly attained its former position. By
means of this switch, and each time when a type has been printed by
the electro-magnet M³, one of the electro-magnets Mor M' is introduced
into that one of the two circuits I and II, in which the last displacement
of the type wheel took place, and with which therefore the electro-
magnet for the displacement of the type wheel has been put out of
communication.
Supposing the spring F³ of the type wheel switch to be connected
with the spring F" or Fs and the spring F with the spring F" or F1,
the contact piece H³ with the continuation of the circuit I, the contact
piece H10 with the continuation of the circuit II, the contact piece H'

page_text: with the first end of the electro-magnet M', and the contact piece H"
with the first end of the electro-magnet M³, and the other two ends with
the earth, then a current can pass through the electro-magnet M* or Mº,
only so long as the spring Fu or F¼ slides on the contact pieces H
and H. When they slide on the contact pieces H³, H, the electro-
magnets M*, M³, are out of the circuit. The armature lever H³, K*, of
the electro-magnets M*, M, acts upon the arm K of the printing
lever H, Ko, by means of the set screw s', and simultaneously by means
of the projection o¹ upon the lever J*, which reacts upon the arm p* of
the axle a¹ by means of the set screw &³, and brings it into its former 1
position, by which movement however the switch I. is brought again
into the circuit III, so that the same type can be printed again, and so
on alternately. When a whole group of instruments is to be inserted
in the circuit the second end of the electro-magnets M*, M³, is connected
with the contacts H³ and H. In this way any number of impressions 1
may be successively made by the same type without requiring to displace
the type wheel.
Instead of the sliding springs Fr.... F¼, arranged vertically, small
spiral springs may be used, which may be directly connected with the
horizontal springs F....F", thus rendering the metallic plates on 2
the india-rubber projections G unnecessary.
In order to be able to work with full security and to obtain certainty
as to all the receiving stations registering properly, and in order to be
able to correct at once any accidental error, a controlling apparatus is
employed.
2
This controlling apparatus has the following construction:-On the
axle a³, Fig. 1, two switches are fixed, called "controlling switches,"
and having the same construction as those previously described. The
switch I* is composed of the sliding springs F, F, fixed on the
brackets D³, Dº, insulated from the side A³ further of the contact 3
springs F, F, on the india-rubber piece G³, and of the contact
pieces H, H insulated from the side A². The switch II* is composed
of the sliding springs F", F18, on the brackets D", D", insulated from
the side A¹ of the contact springs F1, F2, on the india-rubber piece Gʻ,
and of the contact pieces H¼, H, insulated from the side A¹. The 3
switch A¹ belongs to the type wheel circuit I, the switch II° to the

page_text: printing circuit III. Between both switches the axle as carries an
inclined plane U. The ordinary position of these switches is such that
the contact springs F", F", lie on the contact pieces H", H", whilst
the springs F1, F20, give no contact. But when the axle as has been
somewhat displaced by a pressure on the inclined plane U the springs Fts
and F come to lie on the contact pieces H, H, whilst the
springs F, F, are insulated. The displacement of the axle a' takes
place by means of an arm p' of the type wheel axle a, and each time
after the next empty type space following the letter Z, at which moment.
the arm p³ touches the inclined plane U and pushes the axle a³ for a
certain distance. The consequent position of the controlling switch-
indicates the zero position of the instrument.
The returning motion of the axle a' takes place by means of the.
second next transmission of current along the circuit I, by which.
the type wheel is pushed on the distance of one type space, and.
simultaneously by means of the arm p of the type wheel, the double
lever N, O, (Fig. 1, 2,) is thrown upwards which presses on the arm pr
of the axle a³, and brings it into its first position. By the zero position
the electro-magnet M³ of the circuit II is put out as well as the electro-
magnet M³ of the circuit III, whilst a polarised relay R³ is inserted
into the circuit III. Therefore by transmitting a current along the
circuit III during the zero position the relays R³ are put into operation,
and this is a sign that all the instruments coincide in their positions.
If they were not all in the zero position and therefore not all corre-
sponding to one another, the circuit III would be interrupted and the
relays R³ could not be put to work. In this caso the operator can by.
transmitting currents through the circuits I and II bring those instru-
ments into the zero position which have not yet assumed that position,
and this can be done without disturbing the zero position of the other
instruments, because the displacement of the latter can take place only
by sending currents simultaneously through the circuits III and II as
would have to be done when the type wheel is to be pushed one type
space further from the zero position. By putting the relays R³ into
operation the zero position for the electro-magnet M is disturbed
without displacing the controlling switches. Should therefore the
relay R³ not be put to work on sending a current through the circuit II
then the instruments having a zero position cannot be disturbed, whilst

page_text: on the other hand those which are not in the zero position are brought
to that position.
The lever of the relay R³ consists of two parts insulated from one
another, as shown in the diagram Fig. 5. The first arm a, b, is provided
for the object of affording during the resting position of the relay lever a 5
direct passage for the current from the circuit II to the zinc. The
arm c, d, of the relay lever has when the latter is in contact the task of
supplying a passage for the circuit from the circuit II when in the zero
position through electro-magnet M³, and only then to the zinc. By this
mode of controlling certainty can be obtained at every revolution of the 1
type wheel, whether all the instruments are in accordance, and if one of
them should have remained behind the others it may be brought to the
zero position. Any slinging of the type wheel being prevented by the
mechanical construction, none of the instruments can possibly be ahead,
as under normal circumstances this could only take place by the type 1
wheel being forcibly and intentionally pushed by some person.
To provide for such a case the controlling apparatus may be arranged
as follows:-Should any of the instruments be in the zero position
while the rest are not, type printing on this instrument would not be
possible, as the printing magnet has been excluded from the circuit by 2
the zero position, however the printing current would pass through
the polarised relay in "the opposite direction to the controlling current,
whilst on the other instruments the types could be printed.
Now on the same polarised relay another magnetic armature may be
applied, as shown in the diagram Fig. 7, which would be moved only by 2
this opposing powerful printing current, and which is then made to act
on the axis a³ of the controlling switch in such a manner as to push the
latter back to its former resting position, that is to say, to get it out of
the zero position. If then the other instruments attain the blank
position the circuit III is broken by the controlling switch of this
instrument which is now no longer in the zero position, and it may be
again brought as formerly in accordance with the other instruments.
But the arrangement must be made to pass a current through the
circuit III by means of the key III before the instruments have
attained their zero position; but without allowing them to print a type
or to move the paper. In order that no type be printed in this case an

page_text: . empty space is provided on the type wheel just before the zero point,
and in order to provide against the paper being moved an arm a is
provided on the type wheel T (Fig. 6), which when this position occurs
lifts the pawl q out of the teeth of the cog wheel E of the printing
roller W, thus preventing a rotation of the roller.
The same result is obtained by making the insertion as shown in
Fig. 7 instead of making the armature of the second relay act upon the
axis a³ of the controlling switch. Should the instrument have
previously attained the zero position the printing current which actuates
the armature / would interrupt the circuit III, and consequently break
the current itself; the armature would however return automatically at
the same moment and close the current again, and so on, thus getting
in a vibratory motion, by which however as the currents are too short
no working of the printing magnets could be obtained, which would
prove to the controlling station that one of the instruments is too carly
in the zero position; in which case the types in consideration would
have to be repeated again after the position of the instrumeut has been
corrected.
The six keys, Fig. 4, serve for giving the signals. The keys I and II
serve for giving motion to the type wheel, and their axles communicate
with the circuits I and II, and have an index with those letters which
have to be worked thereon in order to bring the type wheel in the right
position. The key III serves for the ordinary printing of the letters,
and its axle communicates with the circuit III. The key IV serves for
transmitting the controlling current during the zero position of the
instrument in order to work the relays R³ and communicates with a
separate battery. The keys V and VI serve for successively printing
the same type and for displacing the type wheel when it has not the
same position as the others.
The receiving instrument of the transmitting station is provided with
a needle or hand Z on the axle a of the type wheel (Fig. 1), which
moves across the dial & bearing all the type signs, so that the position
of the type wheel can be readily and exactly observed. The hand Z is
insulated from the axle a and slides on the two insulated contact rings
y', y, each of which has twenty points of contact, but in a position
opposed to one another. The contact ring y¹ communicates with the

page_text: axle ¹ of the key I, and the contact ring y³ with the axle /* of the
key II, whilst the copper pole of the battery B* communicates with the
hand Z, as shown in the diagram Fig. 5. By this arrangement both the
the keys I and II can be pressed down simultaneously, and consequently
the type wheel very rapidly rotated.
In Fig. 5 the insertion of the transmitting station and of a receiving
station into the current is so arranged that the recording instrument of
the transmitting station is always the last to be worked; by which
arrangement each signal given is controlled.
In ordinary use when several hundred receiving instruments may
have to be inserted in the circuit the arrangement is made that only a
group of ten, twenty, or thirty instruments is simultaneously worked,
and that only the tenth, twentieth, or thirtieth is put into com-
munication with the earth. For this purpose the instruments receive
another kind of inner connection, as shown in the diagram Fig. 8.
Fig. 9 shows a mode of inserting into the circuit new apparatus
connected together in groups of three and three.
Fig. 10 shows a modified form of the type wheel switch, in which
arrangement the current does not pass over the circuit closing. wheels,
but from the contact levers h¹ and h³ over the screws n¹, n³, as soon as
these levers ¹ and h³ are pressed on by the circuit closing wheel R¹.
The screws n¹ and n² are insulated from the standards Tʊ and Tº.
Fig. 11 shows a modified form of switch, having the sliding springs
replaced by contact levers, which are moved alternately and conduct the
current differently accordingly.
I claim as the improvements in electric printing telegraphs,-
1. The method of working the instruments for the purpose of moving
the type wheels and printing the types, so that any number of receiving
instruments may be placed in the circuit, essentially as described and
illustrated.
2. The method of inserting the instruments in the circuit, essentially

page_text: 4. The method of giving from the transmitting station to any
instrument in the circuit not having its type wheel correctly set a
position corresponding with that of the other instruments, essentially
as described and illustrated.
5. The method of transmitting the currents by means of the keys,
essentially as described and illustrated.
İn witness whereof, I, the said Frank Fisk, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of May in the year of
our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
FRANK FISK. (L.S.)