IMPROVEMENTS IN STENO-TELEGRAPHY AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN to be as follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STENO-TELEGRAPHY AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to improvements on the invention for which Letters
Patent were granted to Gilbert Alfred Cassagnes bearing date the 30th day of
October A.D. 1883 and numbered 5151 and to which the inventor applied the term
"steno-telegraphy" and which he described in the specification of the said Patent
as consisting in a new process and apparatus by means of which he could apply
to the uses of telegraphy various systems of mechanical stenography, and more
especially the system known and patented under the name of "Michela's system."
The arrangement, described in the specification of the aforesaid Patent applies to
two sets of apparatus which, by means of certain commutators, switches or current
breakers are inutually reversible, that is to say, can at will be used either as
transmitters at the sending station or as receivers at the receiving station.
The working of these apparatuses as well as the method by which the two
extreme stations together with any intermediate stations are connected to one
another, having been clearly set forth in the said specification, it will only be
necessary in the present specification, to describe the nature of the invention'
forming the subject of the present application for a patent.
Although the specification of the aforesaid previous patent gives a complete and
correct solution of the aim sought in that invention, it might however, be found
advisable in some cases to change or modify its arrangeinent.
The complete
"
separation of the receiver and transmitter would effect a simplification in the
electrical connections which would then become similar to those actually in use in
C
i

page_text: the present systems of electrical telegraphy. This arrangement would also facilitate
the application to the apparatus, of the duplex and quadruplex methods of signalling.
This is a powerful recommendation for the new arrangement as it would increase
much more easily the capacity of a line to twice or four times its actual working
power. Lastly; the apparatus thus disposed, could be rendered much more sensitive
and much less liable to get out of order.
It is evident that in that case as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings
hereto annexed, the same keyboard as described in the previous patent is retained
as a transmitter but it is separated entirely from the printing apparatus to which
it is only electrically connected, that is to say, the two essential parts of the
machine are placed, one at the transmitting station T, and the other at the
receiving station R.
Each key K of the transmitting keyboard, closes when depressed, a circuit which
transmits through the cable or line V, a signal which is received and printed at the
receiving station by the style F corresponding to the depressed key. This letter
or sign is put in motion by an electro-magnet L acted upon either directly by the
line circuit or by means of a local circuit controlled by a relay S arranged according
to the well known dispositions of these apparatus.
The motion forward of the slip of paper to be printed upon can also be produced
by means of a special electro-magnet A placed in a local circuit which is closed by
the action of any one of the printing electro-magnets.
The transmitting keyboard consisting of 20 keys, the line or cable will also be
composed of 20 insulated wires or conductors with the current returning through
the earth, or of 21 insulated wires or conductors, making use of the 21st as a
return wire.
The number of wires or conductors may be decreased by means of proper
appliances such as are involved in the principles of multiplex telegraphy either
by means of isochronous arrangements, or by any other system bringing about
similar results. For it is clear that the transmitting keyboard may be compared
to a number of transmission keys which can, as in the present systems of multiplex
telegraphy, send almost simultaneous signals through the same wire. It may also
be here remarked that, as according to the code of signals which forms the alphabet,
a certain number of keys of the keyboard are never depressed at the same time;
this fact may be used in order to reduce in proportion the number of the conducting
wires otherwise needed for the line or cable connecting one station to another. For
by the use of polarised relays acted upon only by currents flowing in a definite
direction and by-a-proper-arrangement-of-the-connections-of-the-transmitting-
battery or batteries, positive currents can be sent through some of the keys, and
negative currents through the others. If therefore, two keys between which there
does not exist any possible combination, send the first positive currents and the
second negative currents, the same wire or conductor can be employed for the
purpose of transmitting signals thus formed, provided however that there are at
the receiving station polarised relays acted upon, the first by the positive current,
and the other by the. negative current. It is evident that these relays in their
turn, can be so arranged as to close the local circuit of the electro-magnet acting
upon the letter or sign corresponding to the key depressed at the sending station.
By means of such an arrangement and by using the Michela stenographic
alphabet the number of the wires or conductors of the line or cable can be reduced
to twelve instead of twenty. Thirteen wires would be necessary if it is required
to use one of them as a return wire.
Figures 1 and 2 represent in elevation and plan the general view of the trans-
mission and reception system, and Figures 3 and 4 show in elevation and plan the,
apparatus arranged for the purpose of receiving and printing according to what
has been said above.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the electro-magnets L L act
directly upon the printing styles or letters by means of a slit in which penetrates

page_text: .
the extremity of the armature a a of these electro-magnets. The current, after it.
has travelled through the electro-magnets whose corresponding keys have been
depressed, flows thence in the electro-magnet producing the forward motion of the
paper shown at A Figure 3. Its armature being then attracted acts upon a
ratchet wheel B which puts in motion the paper band N and causes it to advance.
through the required distance. This motion properly reduced in amplitude by.
means of a worm C and wheel D, also acts upon the inking ribbon M and pulls it
forward but through a much smaller distance than the paper. This inking ribbon
therefore slowly unrolls from the cylinder E between the paper roll H and the
printing electro-magnets L L passes just above the styles F, (which when they rise,
project it against the paper) and goes from thence to the pulling cylinder G which
acted upon as described, attracts it and rolls it up.
As the styles or letters, twenty in number, are put as near as possible to one
another so as to reduce the width of the paper, the electro-magnets which act
upon them are arranged on each side of their axis and these electro-magnets are
placed in layers one above the other, each one breaking. joint with those imme-
diately above or underneath so as to reduce as much as possible the bulk of the
apparatus.
The paper band N as it unrolls from the roll H first passes with gentle friction
through a guide I placed on the top of a blade or spring O as shown in Figure 3.
The object of this blade or spring is to soften the sharp motion of the armature b
of the electro-magnet A producing the motion of the paper. Such a sharp motion,
unless softened and spread as it were by the elasticity and vibration of the spring,
would in time communicate an impulse to the paper roll H whose inertia would
then cause a much greater length of paper to unroll than is wanted. Once such a
length unrolled the pressing cylinders c and d producing the motion forward.
having little or no work thrown upon them would be urged forward in their turn
by their moment of inertia and would pull or attract a much greater length of
paper than necessary. The spring, on the contrary, stores up the energy by its
elasticity and gives it back gradually thus playing the part of a true regulator or
governor in making the work nearly constant.
The electro-magnet A producing the advance of the paper which is double, iş
provided with a spring J the tension of which can be adjusted by means of a
regulating screw K in order to pull back the armature after the attraction.
The printing electro magnets L L on the contrary do not require any springs.
The weight of the armature a itself and that of the style or letter F it supports
being amply sufficient to pull it back when the current has ceased flowing through
the coils of the electro-magnets.
The electro-magnets L L employed belong, as shown in the drawings, to the type
of those in which the armature hinged on one of the poles, is attracted by the
other. The further extremity of that armature is thus polarised both by the action
of the pole on which it is hinged and by the influence of the attracting pole. This
arrangement allows a greater amplitude of motion with a rather greater force of
attraction and with a smaller size.
In the arrangement described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings the
electrical connections of the apparatus are made through the terminals shown on
the sides. The terminals corresponding to the even electro-magnets are placed on
one side of the apparatus and those of the odd electro-magnets on the other. The
return wire is connected to the terminal T (Figures 3 and 4).
In order to prevent as much as possible the sharp motion imparted by the
electro-magnets to the styles, the length of stroke of these latter is rather greater
than that of the armature of the electro-magnets. So that once the armature has
been fully attracted to its extreme position the style can, through its vis viva,
continue its stroke, push up the inking ribbon and print the letter or sign on the
paper band.
This arrangement has obvious advantages with respect to the
durability and the good working of the apparatus and also for producing a neat

page_text: printing on the paper. It is easily obtainable by means of the slit and lever
arrangement by giving to those slits a rather greater length than that corresponding
to the stroke of the armature lever acting upon them.
In the present description I have explained shortly one of the numerous practical
ways in which the invention can be realised and solved. But I do not confine
myself to this particular arrangement and it is given rather as an example to
facilitate the more complete understanding of the invention than as a definite
arrangement of the apparatus which may be varied to suit various circumstances
without departing from the nature of the said invention.

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of the
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STENO-TELEGRAPHY AND IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN 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 sheet of Drawings and. to the letters
and figures marked thereon:-
This invention relates to improvements on the invention for which Letters
Patent were granted to Gilbert Alfred Cassagnes bearing date the 30th day of
October A.D. 1883 and numbered 5151 and to which the inventor applied the
term "steno-telegraphy" and which he described in the specification of the said
Patent às consisting in a new process and apparatus by means of which he could
apply to the uses of telegraphy various systems of mechanical stenography, and
more especially the system known and patented under the name of "Michela's
system."
The arrangement described in the specification of the aforesaid Patent applies to
two sets of apparatus which, by means of certain commutators, switches or current
breakers are mutually reversible, that is to say, can at will be used either as
transmitters at the sending station or as receivers at the receiving station.
The working of these apparatuses as well as the method by which the two
extreme stations together with any intermediate stations are connected to one
another, having been clearly set forth in the said specification, it will only be
necessary in the present specification, to describe the nature of the invention
forming the subject of the present application for a patent.
Although the specification of the aforesaid previous patent gives a complete and
correct solution of the aim sought in that invention, it might however be found
advisable in some cases to change or modify its arrangement. The complete
separation of the receiver and transmitter would effect a simplification in the
electrical connections which would then become similar to those actually in use
in the present systems of electrical telegraphy. This arrangement would also
facilitate the application to the apparatus, of the duplex and quadruplex methods
of signalling. This is a powerful recommendation for the new arrangement as it
would increase much more easily the capacity of a line to twice or four times its
actual working power. Lastly, the apparatus thus disposed could be rendered
much more sensitive and much less liable to get out of order.
It is evident that in that case as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings
hereto annexed, the same keyboard as described in the previous patent is retained
as a transmitter but it is separated entirely from the printing apparatus to which
it is only electrically connected, that is to say, the two essential parts of the
machine are placed, one at the transmitting station T, and the other at the
receiving station R.
Each key K of the transmitting key board, closes when depressed, a circuit
which transmits through the cable or line V, a signal, which is received and

page_text: printed at the receiving station by the style F corresponding to the depressed
key. This letter or sign is put in motion by an electro magnet L acted upon
either directly by the line circuit or by means of a local circuit controlled by a
relay S arranged according to the well known dispositions of these apparatus.
The motion forward of the slip of paper to be, printed upon can also be produced
by means of a special electro-magnet A placed in a local circuit which is closed by
the action of any one of the printing electro-magnets.
The transmitting keyboard consisting of 20 keys, the line or cable will also be
composed of 20 insulated wires or conductors with the current returning through
the earth, or of 21 insulated wires or conductors, making use of the 21st as a
return wire.
The number of wires or conductors may be decreased by means of proper
appliances such as are involved in the principles of multiplex-telegraphy either
by means of isochronous arrangements, or by any other system bringing about
similar results. For it is clear that the transmitting keyboard may be compared to
a number of transmission keys which can, as in the present systems of multiplex
telegraphy, send almost simultaneous signals through the same wire. It may also
be here remarked that, as according to the code of signals which forms the alphabet, a
certain number of keys of the keyboard are never depressed at the same time; this
fact may be used in order to reduce in proportion the number of the conducting
wires otherwise needed for the line or cable connecting one station to another.
For by the use of polarised relays acted upon only by currents flowing in a definite
direction and by a proper arrangement of the connections of the transmitting
battery or batteries, positive currents can be sent through some of the keys, and
negative currents through the others. If therefore; two keys between which there
does not exist any possible combination, send, the first positive currents and the
second negative currents, the same wire or conductor can be employed for the
purpose of transmitting signals thus formed, provided however that there are at
the receiving station polarised relays acted upon, the first by the positive current,
and the other by the negative current. It is evident that these relays in their
turn, can be so arranged as to close the local circuit of the electro-magnet acting
upon the letter or sign corresponding to the key depressed at the sending station.
By means of such an arrangement and by using the Michela stenographic
alphabet the number of the wires or conductors of the line or cable can be reduced
to twelve instead of twenty. Thirteen wires would be necessary if it is required to
-use-one-of-them-as-a-return-wire.-
A single wire or line can also be used to connect the transmitting and receiving
stations by means of the following inethod and appliances.
Suppose two wheels or discs, placed at the two extreme stations and rotating
synchronously. This can be done with the phonic wheels of la Cour, or with any
other convenient system. These wheels have each of them a contact making finger
or brush which successively passes over each of 20 insulated contacts placed in a
circle. The two brushes are connected with the line wire and each one of the
contacts at the first station will thus be put into electrical connection with the
corresponding contact at the other station at a given time.
If the synchronism is perfect, which can be obtained by the above mentioned
arrangements the two same contact pieces will always be electrically connected at
both stations. The 20 keys of the keyboard being connected with the 20 contact
pieces of the wheel at the transmitting station, when one of those keys is depressed,
it will send a current through its contact on the wheel, the rotating brush, the line
wire, the rotating brush at the receiving station, the contact piece on which this
brush bears at this particular moment and lastly through a relay which makes a
local circuit by means of which the electro-magnet of the printing apparatus is
moved.
0
The rotating brush turns with a sufficient speed that it may not be necessary to
depress the key at the precise instant when the brush passes over the corresponding
contact. For it is easily understood that the depression of the key always lasting.

page_text: a sufficiently long time the rotation of the brush will have brought it in the
requisite position for the transmission of the signal before the key is released. It
becomes therefore unnecessary, as in the case of some telegraphic instruments.based
on the use of a synchronical motion, to depress the keys in time (keeping time) or
at any fixed instant.
In order to reduce the speed of the rotating brushes, it is possible, instead of
20 contact pieces to have 40, 60 etcetera (always a multiple of 20) placed round
the circumference in the case of 40 contacts, for instance, No 1 and No 21 are
electrically connected; so are No 2 and No 22; No 3 and No 23 and so forth.
Each rotation of the brush will therefore connect the key with the line twice.
Therefore the apparatus need only turn with half the speed to get a sufficient
number of contacts. Similarly in the case of 60 contacts, the brush need only turn
with one third the speed.
Figure 5 shows diagrammatically the arrangement of the circuits.
I is the transmitting station and II the receiving station.
At the transmitting station, the keys K, K, K of the keyboard have each a
contact piece which cau close the circuit of the line battery B when depressed.
Battery B is connected on one side with a metallic bar CD placed underneath the
contacts on the keys, and on the other side with the earth at T. Each key is
connected with one of the 20 contacts on the wheel R₁. For the sake of simplicity,
keys 18, 19 and 20 alone are shown connected on the drawing.
The brush F, is connected with the brush F, through the line wire L.
1
The figure shows F₁ on contact 18. If the synchronism is established, F2 will be
on contact 18 of station II at the same instant.
Therefore if the key 18 is depressed, it will send a current which will pass'
through contact 18 of wheel R₁, brush F₁, line wire L, brush F₂, contact 18 of
wheel R., the coils of relay r₁s and back to battery B through the earth...
This current will act on the tongue of the relay 719, which will close the circuit
of the local battery band will send a local current through the electro-magnet E19
of the printing apparatus and the signal will thus be registered.
Similarly for the other keys the depression of which will produce the printing
of the corresponding signal at station II.
Figures 1 and 2 represent in elevation and plan the general view of the trans-
mission and reception system,, and Figures 3 and 4 show in elevation and plan the
apparatus arranged for the purpose of receiving and printing according to what
has been said above.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the electro-magnets L L act
directly upon the printing styles or letters by means of a slit into which penetrates
the extremity of the armature a a of these electro magnets. The current after it
has travelled through the electro magnets whose corresponding keys have been
depressed, flows thence into the electro magnet producing the forward motion of
the paper shown at A Figure 3. Its armature b being then attracted acts upon a
ratchet wheel which puts in motion the paper band N and causes it to advance
through the required distance. This motion properly reduced in amplitude by
means of a worm C and wheel D, also acts upon the inking ribbon M and pulls it
forward but through a much smaller distance than the paper. This inking ribbon
therefore slowly unrolls from the cylinder E between the paper roll H and the
printing electro magnets L L passes just above the styles F, (which when they rise,
project it against the paper) and goes from thence to the pulling cylinder G which
acted upon as described, attracts it and rolls it up.
As the styles or letters, twenty in number, are put as near as possible to one
another so as to reduce the width of the paper, the electro magnets which act upon
them are arranged on each side of their axis and these electro-magnets are placed
in layers one above the other, each one breaking joint with those immediately
above or underneath so as to reduce as much as possible the bulk of the apparatus.
The paper band N as it unrolls from the roll H first passes with gentle friction
through a guide I placed on the top of spring O as shown in Figure 3. The object

page_text: of this spring is to soften the sharp motion of the armature b- of the electro-
maguet A producing the motion of the paper. Such a sharp motion, unless softened
and spread as it were by the elasticity and vibration of the spring, would in time
communicate an impulse to the paper roll H whose inertia would then cause a
much greater length of paper to unroll than is wanted. Once such a length
unrolled the pressing cylinders c and d producing the motion forward having little
or no work thrown upon them would be urged forward in their turn by their
moment of inertia and would pull or attract a much greater length of paper than
necessary. The spring, on the contrary, stores up the energy by its elasticity and
gives it back gradually thus playing the part of a true regulator or governor in
making the work nearly constant.
The electro magnet A producing the advance of the paper is provided with a
spring J the tension of which can be adjusted by means of a regulating screw K
in order to pull back the arinature after the attraction.
The printing electro magnets L L on the contrary do not require any springs.
The weight of the armature a itself and that of the style or letter F it supports
being amply sufficient to pull it back when the current has ceased flowing through
the coils of the electro-magnets.
The electro-magnets L L employed belong as shewn in the drawings, to the type
of those in which the armature hinged on one of the poles, is attracted by the
other. The further extremity of that armature is thus polarised both by the
action of the pole on which it is hinged and by the influence of the attracting
pole.
This arrangement allows a greater amplitude of motion with a rather greater
'force of attraction and with a smaller size.
In the arrangement described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings
the electrical connections of the apparatus are made through the terminals shown
on the sides. The terminals corresponding to the even electro magnets are placed
on one side of the apparatus and those of the odd electro magnets on the other.
The return wire is connected to the terminal T (Figures 3 and 4).
In order to prevent as much as possible the sharp motion imparted by the electro-
magnets to the styles, the length of stroke of these latter is rather greater than
that of the armature of the electro-magnets. So that once the armature of the
electro-magnet has been fully attracted to its extreme position the style can,
through its vis viva, continue its stroke, push up the inking ribbon and print the
-letter-or-sign-on-the-paper-band. This-arrangement-has-obvious-advantages-with-
respect to the durability and the good working of the apparatus and also for
producing a neat printing on the paper. It is easily obtainable by means of the
slit and lever arrangement by giving to those slits a rather greater length than
that corresponding to the stroke of the armature lever acting upon them.
In the present description I have explained shortly one of the numerous practical
ways in which the invention can be realized and. solved. But I do not confine
myself to this particular arrangement and it is given rather as an example to
facilitate the more complete understanding of the invention than as a definite
arrangement of the apparatus which may be varied to suit various circumstances
without departing from the nature of the said invention,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First The application to the uses of telegraphy of the mechanical reproduction
of signs indicating phonetic sounds by means of the apparatus herein before described
and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second The arrangement which consists in separating the two parts of the
stenographic apparatus, keeping the keyboard, or transmitter, at one station, and
placing the printer, or receiver, at the other. These two parts being dependent
upon one another by means of one or more wires or conductors, or cables, as herein-
before described and illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed.

page_text: Third The application to the stenographic system of the duplex, quadruplex
and multiplex methods of telegraphy.
Fourth The arrangements whereby the number of wires or conductors of the
line can be diminished either by making use of polarised relays and currents
flowing in both directions, or by applying the principles of multiplex telegraphy or
by a combination of .both these methods, the whole as hereinbefore set forth and
specified.
Fifth The method of transmitting steno-telegraphic signals through a single
wire, by connecting each key with the line and with the printing electro-magnet
at the receiving station for a given length of time and by means of known
synchronizing apparatus and devices as herein before described and illustrated in
the drawings hereto annexed.