Improvements in Printing Telegraphs.
Year: 1893

page_text: No text detected.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Telegraphs.
I, DONALD MURRAY of The "Sydney Morning Herald "Office, corner of Pitt
and Hunter Streets, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Journalist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in printing telegraph apparatus and is
designed, by means of a transmitting device provided with an ordinary keyboard,
such as the Remington, to operate at a distant station any ordinary typewriter or
other keyboard machine, such as a type setting machine, the Rogers typograph,
or Mergenthaler's linotype.
The object of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and
herein described, is to transmit any one of the thirty-two positive combinations of
five short positive and negative currents corresponding in duration to the Morse
dot, to an interpreting instrument at a distant station consisting of thirty-two
elements one only of which is completely unlocked by any given combination of
currents and being unlocked makes electrical contact and operates a given electro-
magnet and corresponding key of a typewriter. The apparatus embodying my
invention may, however, be provided with a greater number of combinations and
of positive and negative currents, as hereinafter described.
The further object of the invention is to fulfil the following conditions; first, to
use only ordinary telegraph currents capable of being relayed and subject to all
the conditions of ordinary telegraphy; secondly, to operate at a distance any
ordinary typewriting machine or any type-setting or similar machine; thirdly, to
be able to transmit at least eighty different characters; fourthly, to work at the
utmost speed permitted by the manual dexterity of the operator working at a
transmitting keyboard in all respects like that of an ordinary typewriter keyboard;
and, fifthly, to dispense with all clockwork controlling mechanism, synchronously
moving type wheels, and other slow and cumbersome devices.
The invention consists, practically, of a duplication of two
very simple
elements-vi.: first, a transmitting element which, by the depression of a key,
transmits a certain combination of five short positive and negative currents; and,
secondly, an interpreting element, by the passage through which of a given com-
bination of positive and negative currents a spring or lever is released and makes
electrical contact, thus energizing a particular electro-magnet which operates a
certain type key. Thirty-two transmitting elements connected in parallel form
the transmitter, and thirty-two interpreting elements form the interpreter, and these
combined and with a shift key device, a typewriter, and a battery, all suitably
connected, comprise the essential features of the invention.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a diagram of the complete apparatus, shewing two connected
stations;
Figure 2 is a diagram of the transmitter ;
Figure 3 is a cross-section through the transmitter, on line 3-3 Figure 4;
Figure 4 is a broken plan of the transmitter ;
Figure 5 is a detail cross-section, on line 5-5 Figure 3, shewing the arrange-
ment of the transmitter, contact-button, and the commutator ;
Figure 6 is a diagram of the interpreting instrument ;
Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical section of the interpreting instrument, on
line 7-7 Figure 10;

page_text: Figure 8 is a detail front elevation of a modified means of moving the inter-
preting rack and quadrant ;
Figure 9 is a cross-section, on line 9-9 Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a broken plan view of the interpreter ;
Figure 11 is an enlarged detail plan of the switch which is arranged in the
main line and controls the connections with the entire apparatus ;
Figure 12 is a diagram of the shift key mechanism ;
Figure 13 is a broken detail plan of the shift key mechanism ;
Figure 14 is a broken detail section on line 14-14 Figure 13;
Figure 15 is a detail perspective view of one of the pawls which lock the
slide board or plate of the shift key mechanism ;
Figure 16 is a modified form of mechanism for operating the typewriter keys,
this construction being adapted for use in machines having a great number of
keys and in which considerable power is necessary to actuate the keys;
Figure 17 is a modified form of apparatus for controlling the shift keys of the
machine; and
Figure 18 is a detail elevation and diagram of the mechanism for automatically
returning the typewriter carriage after it has printed a line.
Similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the
views.
Referring to Figure 1, which shews two stations marked 1 and 2 respectively,
each station is provided with a transmitter 10, an interpreter 11, a shift key
mechanism 12, a type writer 13 or a keyboard machine used in lieu of a typewriter,
an automatic device 13" for shifting the typewriter carriage although the carriage
may be shifted by hand as hereinafter described, a main switch 14 controlling the
several circuits, a galvanometer 15 which indicates whether or not a current is
passing through the main line, and a signal bell 16. A battery A is arranged at
station 1 and a battery A' at station 2. The general operation of the apparatus
will be described, to make its principle thoroughly understood, after which the
details of the different mechanisms will be fully explained.
h
Upon depressing the key of the transmitter 10 at station 1 the circuit is
completed and a current passes from the battery A through the wire a, the wire b
the switch 14, the wire c, the transmitter 10, the wire d, the main line e, through
the switch 14 at station 2, the wire /, the interpreter 11 at station 2, the wires
and i, to the earth, from the earth, through the wire i at station 1, back through
the wire h, the transmitter 10, and the wires p' and p and the wire m to the
battery A. Along this circuit, by the internal construction of the transmitter,
which will be hereinafter described, a combination of five short positive and
negative currents are sent to the interpreter 11 at station No. 2. By the con-
struction of the interpreter, which will also be described later, this given combination
of five currents completes the circuit from the battery A¹ through the wine a, the
wine b, the switch 14 at station 2, the wire 1, the interpreter 11, the wire k, and the
wires m, back to the battery A¹. This local circuit, by the operation of
the interpreter, sends a current along one of the thirty-two pairs of wires n
connecting the interpreter with the shift key mechanism 12 so as to operate said
mechanism and from said shift key mechanism the current goes over one of the
eighty-four wires first to the typewriter 13 where it operates a type key
corresponding to the transmitter key which was depressed. This process is
repeated every time the key of the transmitter is depressed. One of the transmitter
keys operates the space key of the typewriter and three other transmitter keys
operate the shift key mechanism 12 shifting to capitals, lower case, or figures, as the
case may be. When the paper carriage of the typewriter comes to the end of a
line, it can either be returned by the attendant at the receiving station, or it may
be automatically returned by the mechanism 13ª as hereinafter described. The
galvanometer 15 on the main line at each station indicates when a current is
passing. The needles of each galvanometer may either indicate by sight whether
a current is passing, or by ear by means of a very small bell, the faint tinkling of

page_text: which will be a sufficient indication to the transmitting operator that currents are
passing while he operates the keys.
The next point to be described from the diagram is the method by which the
operators at stations 1 and 2 signal to one another to stop or prepare their
instruments for receiving. For this purpose it is necessary to describe first in detail
the construction of the switch 14. This construction is shewn on a large scale and
in detail in Figure 11. A triangular lever 17 is pivoted on the switchboard, as
shewn at 18, and provided at the end of one arm with a knob 19 by which it may
be turned and this knob or handle arm moves over a graduated scale 20 which
serves to indicate the different positions of the switch and the switch has another
arm arranged to make contacts with the points 21 and 21° which are connected
with the wires c and j of the transmitter and interpreter 10 and 11. The switch arm
has an insulated cross-bar 22 connected with the second switch arm 23 which is
also pivoted on the switchboard, as shewn at 24, and the free end of this arm 23
is adapted to make contact with the points 25 and 25 connecting respectively with
the wire of the interpreter and the wire d of the transmitter. The switch also
connects, as already described, with the wire b which connects with a battery and
with the line wire e. On the pivot 24 is also a switch 26 which normally swings
out of contact, but which may be pressed against a contact 27 so as to connect
through the wire i with the earth. The wire is also adapted to connect with the
wires
It will be
and consequently with the batteries A and A' by a switch 28.
seen that this arrangement causes the switches 23 and 17 to be moved together,
parallel movements being given to the two switch arms by the cross-bar 22.
To work the instrument for signalling, we will suppose that an operator is
sending a question from station 1 by the transmitter to station 2 and that the
attendant at station 2 wishes for some reason to stop it. The latter moves the
switch key at station 2 so as to break contact at 21, 21ª, 25, and 25%, and make
contact with the line at 25%. The result is that, until the switch 28 next the
bell 16 at station 2 is closed, the circuit is broken and the galvanometer 15 at
station 1 indicates that a current is no longer passing. The attendant at station 2
then closes the switch 28 and by this means the battery A' is put in direct
connection with the main line and the earth, the current passing through the
wires m and p, the switch 28, and the wire i. The operator at station 1, noticing
by the galvanometer that no current passes on pressing the transmitter key, presses
the switch button 26 of the switch 14 at station I which puts the main line to
earth and rings the bell at station 2 thus indicating that he has noticed the signal.
He then shifts the shift key in the switch 14 from the contact points 21* and 25*
to the contact points 21 and 25 thus throwing the interpreter into action. The
attendant at station 2 on hearing his bell 16 ring, shifts his switch 23 from the
contacts 21 and 25 to the contacts 21 and 25, thus throwing his transmitter into
action. Station 2 is thus converted into a transmitting station and station 1 into
a receiving station. The attendant at station 2 can now send the required message
through to the operator at station 1 by means of the transmitter, interpreter, and
typewriter, as previously described. This operation can be performed from either
end and though complicated in description is very simple and rapid in practice.
If desired, the switch 28 can be embodied in the switch 14.
When the instruments are not in use the bells are put in circuit as described.
The operator at either station can then call up the other station by pressing the
If
button 26, this operation ringing the bell by closing the circuit through it.
preferred, the interpreters at each station can be left in the circuit. An operator
at either station can then, by switching his transmitter into the circuit, send a
message to the other station where it will be recorded on the typewriter without an
attendant being present, the process being automatic and only the necessary
precaution being taken that a sufficient amount of paper is in the typewriter, to
receive the message.
It will be readily seen, too, that if desirable the message
transmitted, say, from station 1 to station 2 may be recorded on the typewriter at
station as well as at station 2, thus preserving a record. This can easily be

page_text: effected by passing the current combinations from the transmitter at station I
through the interpreter there as well as through the interpreter at station 2. It
will be seen that all the alteration necessary will be a slight change in the switch
boards and as this does not affect the invention it is not shewn in the drawings.
When the apparatus is used for operating a type setting or other similar machine,
such a machine takes the place of a typewriter and the mechanism 13* for shifting
the current is dispensed with. If the typewriter carriages at both stations are not
operated automatically when a message is transmitted, then a small register is
needed at each transmitter to count the number of keys depressed and ring the bell
when the carriage nears the end of a line. This warns the operator to cease
transmitting for a moment until the carriage is returned.
The internal mechanism of the different portions of the apparatus will now be
described. The transmitter (see Figures 3 to 5) is provided with a suitable
base 35 having a supporting framework 36 thereon and in this are vertically-sliding
hey rods 37 having finger pieces 38 at their upper ends, which finger pieces are
marked in the same way as the keys of a typewriter or other machine with which
the transmitter connects. These key rods are held to slide in guides 39 and 39*
(see Figure 3) and on the rods are collars 40 which engage the ends of springs 41
and the latter are curved outward and bent at a light angle and their lower
flat portions 42 carry insulating contact blocks 43 which blocks have bevelled upper
portions 44 adapted to fit against the bevelled lower portions 45 of the
commutators 46, which commutators have inclined upper ends 47 and pairs of
V-shaped grooves 48 arranged vertically and parallel with each other.
By reference to Figure 5, it will be seen that the contacts 29 and 29ª are
produced on the insulating blocks 43 and the several contacts 30, 30, 31, 31ª, 32,
32, 33, 33, and 34, 34ª, are produced in the grooves 48 of the commutator.
The contact points 29, 29, and the several stationary contacts are connected up
in substantially the manner already described, the contacts 29 and 29ª connecting
by the wires d' and ' with the wires d and h (see Figures 1 and 2) and the several
contacts 30, 30, to 34, 34, are connected in parallel by the wires c¹ and p³ with the
wires c and p¹, shewn in the diagram Figure 2.
By reference to the diagram Figure 2, it will be noticed that a portion of the
stationary contacts are crossed, as shewn at 34, 34, at the left hand of the diagram,
and that the combination of positive and negative currents will depend upon the
number of these connections that are crossed, consequently when the contacts 29
and 29 are moved across the contacts 30, 30° to 34, 34, a series of short vibrations
are sent over the line wire which are positive or negative according as the wire
connections of the stationary contacts are crossed or not. It will be seen that when
the connections are crossed, as shewn at 34, 34*, Figure 2, the current goes in the
reverse direction to that in which it does when the other contacts are made.
It may be remarked here that five positive and negative currents are the least
number that are of service, for four would only give sixteen combinations whereas
at least thirty are required. Five will give thirty-two combinations, allowing one
combination for operating the space key of a typewriter and one each for the
change to capitals, lower case, or figures, there are twenty-eight combinations
remaining for transmitting letters or figures. As there are three shift keys for
capitals, lower case, and figures, we can multiply these combinations by 3, giving 84
as the possible number of letters and figures capable of transmission by thirty-two
keys, including three shift keys. The machine is not necessarily limited to
combinations of five positive and negative currents, as it will be readily seen that
six or seven, or even more, may be used if necessary, but a greater number of
combinations makes the machine too cumbersome and complicated.
The action of the transmitter is as follows. When one of the finger pieces 38
is depressed, the corresponding key-rod 37 slides downward and the contact
block 43 slides down the inclined top surface 47 of the commutator 46, as best
shewn in Figure 5, until the block reaches the lower bevelled surface 45 of the
commutator, which surface it will be seen is arranged at right angles to the top

page_text: incline 47 and when the block reaches the inclined surface 45 it springs inward and
guided by said surface clicks beneath the commutator and against the guide 49
which prevents too-much vibration of the block. Upon releasing the key the
spring 41-42 raises it and causes the block to pass over the face of the com-
mutator, so that the contacts 29 and 29ª make successive contacts with the fixed
contacts 34, 34, to 30, 30%, and a series of positive and negative vibrations are
sent over the line. It is better that the sending contacts he made during the
up-stroke of the keys, as the spring causes a more even movement to be made
automatically than can be produced by hand.
The vibrations pass from the transmitter of one station to the interpreter of the
next, as already described, and the action of the interpreter may be understood in
a general way by referring to the diagram in Figure 6. A few elements only of
the interpreter are shewn as they are all alike and its action will be readily under-
stood. The interpreter is run on a local circuit supplied by a battery B and it is
provided with a series of interpreting electro-magnets 50 there being a magnet for
each letter or character represented. The main line current passes through these
magnets, the current entering through the wire f and passing successively through
the wires f, ff, and the several interpreting magnets and through the wire g
to the earth At each electro-magnet 50 1s a pair of oppositely-polarized
detents 51 which are centrally pivoted as shewn at 52 and which have at one end
hooks 53 to engage the interpreting quadrants 54, the opposite ends being held to
vibrate between the poles of the magnet. As the detents are oppositely polarized,
a positive current through the magnet will affect one without affecting the other,
and vice-versa. The interpreting quadrants 54 are provided with rows of teeth on
their upper surfaces and the teeth are dis-similarly spaced in each row and the
teeth are also dis-similarly arranged on each quadrant from the arrangement on any
other quadrant. The consequence is that when a current passes from the main line
through one of the magnets 50 one lever is attracted upward and the other
downward. Any particular quadrant will only be released by a combination of
positive and negative currents corresponding to the arrangement of the teeth on
the quadrant, that is supposing the quadrant to have the following combinations of
teeth, left, right, right, left, right. This quadrant will then only be completely
released by a corresponding combination of positive and negative currents
namely ++
+.
The action of the current on the levers will be better understood by reference to
Figures 7 and 10 and the construction of the interpreter will be hereinafter
described.
It will be seen that only a certain combination releases a quadrant and the same
combination of currents may pass through all the other electro-magnets without
affecting any other quadrant. The quadrants are supported upon springs 55 and
the tension of the springs such that when the quadrant is released it results in a
contact being made at 56 and the electric circuit is closed through the wires p², q,
the magnet 57 which is arranged beneath the corresponding key of a typewriter or
other keyboard machine, the wire q', the wire r, one leg of a magnet 58, the wire ¹,
the quadrant 54, the spring 55, and the wire ps, back to the battery B. The
closing of this circuit energizes the lower leg of the magnet 58 which then attracts
the spring armature 59. The armature 59 consists of a very light spring adjusted
as close as possible to the poles of the electro-magnet 58 without actual contact, in
order that it may when attracted make contact with the poles of the electro-magnet
as rapidly as possible. This armature 59 being attracted makes contact through
the poles of the electro-magnet and by so doing it closes the alternative circuit
through the wires s and s², one end of the wire s being secured to the upper leg of
the magnet.
Consequently when the armature 59 is attracted by the lower leg, it makes
electrical contact with the upper leg, and the current in addition to closing the
alternative circuit by attracting the armature has also begun to operate the type-
writer electro-magnet 57 and the electro-magnet 60. This latter magnet, as will

page_text: be subsequently explained, when energized throws back the interpreting quadrant
and allows it to be again caught and retained by the lever detents 51. The result
of this is that the line circuit shewn by the wires f and g is broken and the whole
current passes by the alternative path through the wire s, the armature 59, and
the wire s', the armature 59 being retained in contact by the upper leg of the 5
magnet 58. When the armature of the magnet 60, to be subsequently described,
makes contact with the poles of the magnet the current from the battery B is
short circuited the currents passing through the wires 2 and 3. The result is that
all the electro-magnets are de-energized and consequently all the circuits are broken
including that made by the armature 59 which being no longer attracted flies back
to its normal position. This action is repeated each time a combination of currents
passes through the main line. The success of the machine depends on the rapidity
with which this action can take place.
The object of the electro-magnets 58 is to enable the magnets 57 and 60 to make
a complete stroke. Without the magnets 58 and with the current going direct from
the wire q' (see Figure 6) to the contact 56 the only result of the quadrant 54
making contact at 56 is to set up a violent buzzing like the trembling of an electric
bell. This difficulty may be avoided in different ways, but the arrangement shewn
is the simplest and best.
Figure 7 shews a single element of the interpreter and Figure 10 shews several
elements in plan. Referring to Figure 7, the details of the connections may be
more readily seen. The construction of the interpreter is also shewn in this figure
and in Figure 10 and it will be noticed that the polarized detents 51 are pivoted
on a supporting base 61 which is fastened by a screw 62 to a supporting block
beneath. The action of the interpreting quadrant is also more clearly seen in
Figure 7 and it will be seen that when the combinations of currents tilt
the detents and release the quadrant, the spring 55 straightens up and
makes contacts with the spring 56 as already described. When the contact
is made at 56 (see Figure 7) the circuit is closed from the battery B,
through the wire p³, the wires q and q', including the magnet 57 of the type-
writer, the wire r, the spring 55, the wires, the lower leg of the magnet 58, the
wires, the magnet 60, the wire 85, and wire 52, back to the battery. This circuit
is like that already described and shewn in Figure 6, but the connections are
shewn more in detail. The consequence is that the spring armature 59 is attracted
and makes contact with the poles of the magnet 58 and completes the alternative
circuit through the upper coil of the magnet and through the magnet 60, as already
described. Owing, first, to the almost entire absence of inertia in the armature 59,
secondly, to the very short distances through which it has to travel before making
contact, and, thirdly, to the small size of the electro-magnet 58, consisting as to its
base of two or three coils of coarse wire on a core composed of a couple of inches of
No. 8 iron wire; this alternative circuit is established almost instantly, the moment
the quadrant makes contact with the spring 56. From the instant the quadrant
makes contact the electro-magnet 60 begins to be energized and to attract the
armature 63 which is secured by means of cranks 64 to a shaft 65 and the shaft is
rocked so as to tilt the rocking lever 60 and cause its upper insulated end 67 to
engage the spring 55 and push the quadrant 54 back into engagement with the
locking detents. The upper end of the lever 66 is insulated, as shewn at 67, to
prevent short circuiting. The current of the battery B thus short circuits as
follows; the wire s', the armature of the magnet 60, the weight 63, shaft 65,
wires, and the wires, to the battery. The electro-magnets, including the
magnets 57 which operate the typewriter keys during the period of the attraction
of the armature 63, are thus de-energized, the spring armature 59 flies back
breaking the circuit, and the spring 77 described below draws the armature 63
away from the magnet 60. The element is now ready to interpret a fresh
combination of currents through the main line. The action described above, takes
place in each of the thirty-two elements of the interpreter but it will be understood
from the previous description that but one quadrant will be released, which

page_text: quadrant has its teeth arranged to correspond with a particular combination of
currents which act through the magnet 50 on its polarized detents 51. The
shaft 65 is arranged at right angles to the series of magnets 50 (see Figure 10)
and it connects by means of a pitman 68 and crank 69 with a parallel shaft 65"
arranged adjacent to a second row of magnets 60, and it will be understood that
any necessary number of shafts may be connected in this way, the number of
magnets, pairs of detents, and quadrants, corresponding with the number of
characters and shift keys. The interpreter is provided with a suitable supporting
bed 70 on which all the apparatus comprising the interpreter is carried, the
shafts 65 and 65" turning in suitable bearings beneath the bed and the levers 66
moving in slots 66 in the bed. The several magnets are supported on blocks 71.
On the upper leg of each magnet 50 is an outwardly-extending lug 71 in the outer
end of which is a vertical screw 72 held threaded in the nut 73 which is held to
turn in the lug 71 and the screw has its lower end secured to a spring 74 attached
to the detent 51 and the tension of the spring pulls the detents up against
one of the magnetic blocks 62" on the under side of the upper leg of the magnet
(see Figure 7). These blocks may be made of lead, brass, or other suitable
material. In a flange of the bed 70, opposite the magnet 60, is a screw 75 on
which is a nut 76 and this nut is secured to the spring 77 the opposite end of which
is attached to the armature 63, and by means of the nut the tension of the spring
may be very nicely regulated. The pairs of coils forming the interpreting
magnets 50 do not need many turns of wire to perform the comparatively slight
work required of them, but, as there are thirty-two pairs of them, considerable
resistance is offered by them to the feeble currents coming over a long stretch of
the main line. The local battery does not come into use till the work of the main
line current is done and the quadrants are released, when it is at liberty to be used
for relaying the main line current to operate the interpreting magnets. When the
spring 55 is used to support the quadrant 54 it is provided with a turned up
flange 55 at the bottom, through which a fastening-screw 78 extends (see Figure 7)
and a second screw 79 extends up through the bed 70 and impinges on the flange of
the spring, so that by turning the screw the position of the spring may be adjusted
to enable it to have the correct tension.
In Figures 8 and 9 I have shewn means for supporting the interpreting
quadrants which is more reliable than the spring 55 but I do not confine my
invention to the use of either of the forms of mechanism shewn. In this case the
quadrant 54 is secured to an arm 80 which terminates at one end in a sleeve 81
held loosely on the shaft 65 or 65, as the case may be. The sleeve 81 has a
shoulder 82 on one side adapted to engage the free end of a spring 83 which is
secured to an adjacent support 84. A crauk 84 is secured to the shaft 65 and is
also bent to extend parallel with the shaft and opposite the arm 80. When the
detents 51 are released in the manner already described, the tension of the spring 83
throws the sleeve 81 around and swings the armı 80 in a manner to carry the
quadrant 54 into engagement with the contact 56. When the shaft 65 is returned
by means of a mechanism substantially like the armature 63 and magnet 60, the
crank 84° strikes the arm 80 and carries the quadrant back into engagement with
the detents.
The next thing to be described is the shift-key mechanism. In the case of type-
writers like the Hammond, which have shift keys for both capitals and figures, a
separate shift key device is not necessary. But what is needed is an electro-magnet
to operate the capital shift-key, another to operate the figure shift-key, and a third to
bring the machine back to lower case. In the case of bar-lock and other machines with
seventy or eighty keys, where seventy or eighty large electro-magnets would be a
heavy expense and there would be difficulty in finding room for them, the mechanism
shewn in Figure 16 is used. Here 85 represents a key of the typewriter and 86 a
lever which at one end terminates in a sleeve 87 held to rotate freely on the shaft 65.
The free end of the lever connects by links 88 and 89 with the key 85. A spring 90
is attached to the lever by a screw 91 and overlaps the sleeve 87, the spring having

page_text: a pin 92 upon it which enters slots 93 in the sleeve and shaft 65 and when the
two register, the pin locks the lever 86 to the shaft. When a signal has been
interpreted and the interpreter sends a current through the small magnet 94, the
armature 95 on the end of the spring 90 is pulled down and the pin is forced into
the recess 93 in the shaft and sleeve. The device is arranged so that by the
contact of the armature 95 with the magnet 94 a circuit is closed which energizes a
large magnet, such as the magnet 60 already described, which magnet is arranged
to rotate the shaft 65 in a similar manner and consequently motion will be
communicated to the typewriter key operated.
In the case of machines hike the Hammond with only thirty-two keys arranged
in a semi-circle, a small electro-magnet may be provided for each key and for this
purpose an electro-magnet of the iron-clad semi-solenoid type, such as shewn in
Figure 17, is especially applicable. Here the magnets 96, 96, and 96, are shewn
with plunger armatures 97, 97*, and 97". The plunger 97 is pivoted at the top, as
shewn at 98, to the capital shift-key 99 and the plunger 97b is pivoted in a similar
way to the figure shift key 100. The plunger 97" whose duty it is to bring the
machine back to lower case printing has at the top a post 101 with studs 102
thereon between which the free ends of the diverging levers 103 are held. These
levers are pivoted at points near the keys 99 and 100, as shewn at 104, and on the
same pivots are pawls 105 terminating at their upper ends in hooks 106. The
movements of the pawls are limited by shoulders 107 on the lower ends of
the pawls and studs 108 on the levers 103 and the pawls are pressed into engage-
ment with the keys by springs 105". The keys 99 and 100 are provided with
vertical transverse grooves 109 which thus form catches at the bottom to engage
the hooks of the pawls 105 and the pawls are also adapted to engage the top edges
of the keys. The plunger 97 is normally pressed upward by a spring 97°, and the
other plungers are raised by the ordinary springs of the keys 99 and 100. Suppose
that the key 100 is up like the key 99 and that the operator wishes to print some
figures. He depresses a key at the transmitting station which sends a combination
of currents which, by means of the interpreter sends a current through the electro-
magnet 96 and the latter sucks down the plunger 97b and key 100 and the
pawl 105 springs outward, so that its hook 106 engages the top of the key and
holds it down. The typewriting machine will thus be in position to print figures.
When the operator wishes to return to the lower case again, he presses the trans-
mitting key which energizes the electro-magnet 96, the plunger 97* is sucked
down, the levers 103 depressed, the stud 108 thrown into engagement with the
shoulder 107 of the pawl 105, and the latter is tilted out of engagement with the
key 100 so as to permit the key to rise. If capitals are to be printed, the magnet 96
is energized and the key 99 is drawn down and engaged in the manner just
described.
For instruments having more than thirty-two keys, such as bar-lock, caligraph,
and type-setting, machines, a different arrangement is necessary. Figure 12 is a
diagram shewing the arrangement of circuits for this purpose. 110 is a switch-
board which slides forward and back on a fixed board 111. One of the contact
points 112 and 112ª is adapted to make contact with the fixed contacts 113, 113,
114, 114, 115, 115. The contacts 112, 112ª, are connected with the wires n'
and n which are adapted to be arranged in the circuit, according to the diagram
(see Figure 12) and the other contacts connect with wires o' and o² leading to the
shift key magnet 57. The construction by which this arrangement is carried out
is shewn in Figures 13, 14, and 15. In Figure 13 I have shewn the magnets 116,
117, 118, which form the capital, lower case, and figure, shift keys. 119 (see
Figure 14) is a stationary board with four rows of contact buttons 120 arranged
in groups of three, making in all eighty-four contacts corresponding to eighty-
four keys of the typewriter. This grouping is not shewn in detail, but it will be
readily understood. Wires u lead from these contacts and are adapted to connect-
up according to the diagram already described, the wires being adapted to lead to
the electro-magnets of the typewriter keys. Beneath the board 119 is a sliding

page_text: When
switchboard 121 having contact springs 122 arranged preferably in four rows with
seven in a row, each corresponding to three of the contact buttons in the board 119.
These springs are attached to the board by screws 123 which project through the
board and are attached on their under sides to spiral springs 124 which are held
above another stationary board 125 and which connect with wires u¹ and are
adapted to connect with the interpréter in the manner already described.
the board 121 is in the normal position completing the circuits printing lower
case, the springs 122 make contact with one of the buttons 120, as shewn at x in
Figure 14, and when the board is moved to the left, contact is made with the
buttons shewn at x', thus shifting the capitals, and when moved to the right, contact
is made as shewn at , thus shifting four figures. The springs 124 allow the
necessary freedom of movement. The result of this arrangement is that the
twenty-eight wires in the stationary board 125 can be connected with three
different sets of wires in the stationary board 119 according to the position of the
board 121.
Referring again to Figure 13, the mechanism for shifting the board 121 may
be seen in detail. The board has, at opposite ends, iron armatures 126 with
bevelled ends 127 held to move in grooves in side supports 128. Extending
longitudinally across the board is a rod 129, in the centre of which is a stud 130,
and this is held to move between two springs 131 which are secured to a support
at the side of the board as shewn at 132, and the tension of the springs is such as
to act on the stud 130 and hold the board normally in position for lower case
printing, that is with the contact springs 122, on the buttons 120, as shewn at .,
in Figure 14.
When the
The switchboard 121 is held in position against the magnet 116 or 118 by one
of the pawls 133 or 134 which are arranged at one side of the switchboard and
which have near their free ends, shoulders 135 which engage a notch 136 in the
side edge of the switchboard. The pawls are pivoted on supports 137 adjacent
to the switchboard and are pressed into engagement with the latter by springs 138
which are secured to the supports 128. The pawls 133 and 134 are arranged
opposite the magnet 117 and act as armatures, so that when the magnet is
energized, the pawls are pulled out of contact with the switchboard.
typewriter or other keyboard machine is to be set for lower case work, the
magnet 117 is energized and the pawls 133 and 134 are pulled against the magnet
so that the springs 131 acting on the stud 130 centre the switchboard and bring
the springs 122 in contact with the buttons 120, as at æ, thus adapting the machine
for lower case. If the machine is to be set for capitals, the magnet 116 is
energized, which is done by depressing the proper shift key on the transmitter
at the opposite end of the line, as previously described, and the magnet acting on
the armature 126 pulls the switchboard 121 to the left until the tooth or
shoulder 135 on the pawl 134 euters the notch 136 in the switchboard and the
pawls thus serve to hold the switchboard in position for printing capitals, that is
it holds the contact springs 122 upon the buttons 120, as shewn at ¹, and the
capital shift key of the typewriting machine is acted upon in the manner already
described. It figures are to be printed, the magnet 118 is energized in the
manner above explained and the switchboard 121 is pulled to the right, thus
shifting the contact springs on to the buttons 120, as shewn at ³, and sending the
current through the figure shift key magnets, as 96, so that the typewriter is set
to print figures.
It will be seen then that the mechanism shewn in Figures 13 and 14 is adapted
to work by shifting the currents through the several magnets so as to switch the
circuit through either of the key-controlling magnets of the typewriter or other
keyboard machine, and the whole affair is controlled by the transmitter at the
opposite end of the line.
The typewriter paper returning mechanism, marked 13ª in the diagram, is shewn
clearly in Figure 18. This is not a very essential part of the invention as the
attendant at the receiving station can return the paper carriage, but, if it is
R

page_text: desired to have the action at the receiving station completely automatic, suitable
mechanism for the purpose can easily be arranged on some such principle as
the following: In the bar-lock capital typewriters, one motion of the lever both
turns the paper to a fresh line and returns the carriage ready to start at the
beginning of another line. In any of the typewriters, a cord or chain can be
arranged so that on being pulled through a certain distance it will perform the
main operation of turning a line and returning the carriage, acting similarly to the
cord and spring barrel on most typewriting machines, consequently the mechanism
required is simply such as will wind up a cord for, say, twelve inches and then
leave it free to unwind again until the twelve inches are paid out, when the device
must again automatically start to wind, and so on. In Figure 18 an arrangement
for doing this is clearly shewn. C is the battery for actuating the parts, and
139 is a ratchet wheel secured to a shaft 140 which is journaled in a suitable
supporting frame 140°. On the same axle is a winding drum 141, shewn by
dotted lines in Figure 18, and to this drum is secured the operating cord 142
which is adapted to be wound upon and unwound from the drum. Near the
ratchet wheel and on a lower plane is a magnet 143 which actuates an armature 144
above it and this armature is secured to a click lever 145 which is pivoted at
one end as shewn at 146 and is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet
wheel and turn it by a step-by-step movement.
The armature and click lever
are normally held up by a spring 147 which is secured to a stud 148 and held
beneath the stud 149 and the pressure of the springs throws the click lever
upward into contact with a contact-stud 147* so as to close a circuit which will
be described below. The ratchet wheel is held from turning in the wrong
direction by a pawl 150 which is pivoted near its centre as shewn at 151 and is
pressed into engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 152 and the pawl has
an outwardly-extending shank which is restricted in its movement beneath
studs 153 and 153, the latter serving also as a fastening for the spring 152.
On the same pivot 151 with the pawl is a lever 154 which at its upper end is
forked as shewn at 155 so as to receive the operating cord 142. The cord is
provided with buttons 156 which are spaced so as to strike the lever 154 first on
one side and then on the other, these buttons being the distance apart corresponding
to the movement of the cord, and in the drawings but one button is shewn as the
other is supposed to be wound upon the drum 141. Near the lever 154 are two
contacts 157 and 158 one of which is connected with the battery C, as described
below.
The operation of the winding device is as follows-When the typewriter
carriage approaches the end of a line and the cord 142 has been unwound from
the drum, one of the buttons 156 strikes the lever 154 and throws it over from
the insulated contact block 158 to the block 157. The click-lever 145 being in
contact with the stud 147* and the lever 154 on the block 158 the following
circuit is maintained: From the battery C, through the wire v, the click lever 145,
the contact 147, the wire v', the lower leg of a magnet 159 which is arranged in
connection with the apparatus, the wire v³, the wire v³ out to the transmitter or
line, and the wire, back to the battery. The current passing through one leg of
the magnet 159 draws the spring armature 160 of said magnet against the poles
of the magnet. When the lever 154 is carried by the button 156 from the
block 158 to the block 157 another circuit is established which is as follows: From
the battery C, through the wires v and w, the contact block 157, the lever 154, the
wire w', the upper leg of the magnet 159, the armature 160, the wire w³, the
magnet 143, and the wires v³ and, to the battery. Although the resistance of
this alternative or last circuit is considerably greater than on the other, still
sufficient electricity passes through the magnet 143 to just break contact of the
lever 145 with the stud 147*. The whole of the current then passes over the second
circuit and through the magnet 143, which powerfully attracts the armature 144
and the click lever 145 pulls round the ratchet wheel. When the armature makes
contact with the magnet 143 the current short circuits as follows: From the

page_text: battery C, through the wire v, the lever 145, the armature 144, the magnet 143, the
core of the magnet, the wire w³, and the wires and to the battery. If the wires
on this new circuit are short and stout practically the whole of the current will pass
over it and the electro-magnets 143 and 159 will be de-energized and their
armatures released. The spring armature 160 being released breaks the circuit
When
and allows the lever 145 to be raised again into contact with the stud 147".
the lever 145 comes in contact with the stud, a circuit is again established through
the lower leg of the magnet 159, the armature 160 is again attracted and the
operation above described takes place again, so that the ratchet wheel is pulled
around sufficiently to wind the cord 142 upon it.
From the foregoing description, and the description of the method of operation
given in the earlier part of the Specification, the invention will be clearly
understood.
Datca this son day or may 1000
D. MURRAY,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printing Telegraphs.
Office, corner of
I, DONALD MURRAY of The "Sydney Morning Herald "
Pitt and Hunter Streets, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Journalist, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in printing telegraph apparatus and is
desigued, by means of a transmitting device provided with an ordinary keyboard,
such as the Remington, to operate at a distant station any ordinary typewriter or
other keyboard machine, such as a type setting machine, the Rogers typograph, or
Mergenthaler's linotype.
The object of the invention, as illustrated in the drawings accompanying my
Provisional Specification and herein described, is to transmit any one of the thirty-
two positive combinations of five short positive and negative currents corresponding
in duration to the Morse dot, to an interpreting instrument at a distant station
consisting of thirty-two elements one only of which is completely unlocked by any
given combination of currents and being unlocked makes electrical contact and
operates a given electro-magnet and corresponding key of a typewriter. The
apparatus embodying my invention may, however, be provided with a greater
number of combinations and of positive and negative currents, as hereinafter
described.
The further object of the invention is to fulfil the following conditions; first, to
use only ordinary telegraph currents capable of being relayed and subject to all
the conditions of ordinary telegraphy; secondly, to operate at a distance any
ordinary typewriting machine or any type-setting or similar machine; thirdly, to
be able to transmit at least eighty different characters; fourthly, to work at the
utmost speed permitted by the manual dexterity of the operator working at a
transmitting keyboard in all respects like that of an ordinary typewriter keyboard;
and, fifthly, to dispense with all clockwork controlling mechanism, synchronously
moving type wheels, and other slow and cumbersome devices.
The invention consists, practically, of a duplication of two very simple elements-
riz.: first, a transmitting element which, by the depression of a key, transmits a
certain combination of five short positive and negative currents; and, secondly,
an interpreting element, by the passage through which of a given combination of
positive and negative currents a spring or lever is released and makes electrical

page_text: contact, thus energizing a particular electro-magnet which operates a certain
type key. Thirty-two transmitting elements connected in parallel form the
transmitter and thirty-two interpreting elements form the interpreter, and these
combined and with a shift key device, a typewriter, and a battery, all suitably
connected, comprise the essential features of the invention.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a diagram of the complete apparatus, shewing two connected
stations ;
Figure 2 is a diagram of the transmitter ;
Figure 3 is a cross-section through the transmitter, on line 3-3 Figure 4;
Figure 4 is a broken plan of the transmitter ;
Figure 5 is a detail cross-section, on line 5-5 Figure 3, shewing the arrangement
of the transmitter, contact-button, and the commutator;
Figure 6 is a diagram of the interpreting instrument;
Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical section of the interpreting instrument, on line 7-7
Figure 10;
Figure 8 is a detail front elevation of a modified means of moving the interpreting
rack and quadrant ;
Figure 9 is a cross-section, on line 9-9 Figure 8 ;
Figure 10 is a broken plan view of the interpreter;
Figure 11 is an enlarged detail plan of the switch which is arranged in the main
line and controls the connections with the entire apparatus ;
Figure 12 is a diagram of the shift key mechanism;
Figure 13 is a broken detail plan of the shift key mechanism ;
Figure 14 is a broken detail section on line 14-14 Figure 13;
Figure 15 is a detail perspective view of one of the pawls which lock the slide
board or plate of the shift key mechanism;
Figure 16 is a modified form of mechanism for operating the typewriter keys,
this construction being adapted for use in machines having a great number of keys
and in which considerable power is necessary to actuate the keys;
Figure 17 is a modified form of apparatus for controlling the shift keys of the
machine; and
Figure 18 is a detail elevation and diagram of the mechanism for automatically
returning the typewriter carriage after it has printed a line.
Similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the
views.
Referring to Figure 1, which shews two stations marked 1 and 2 respectively,
each station is provided with a transmitter 10, an interpreter 11, a shift key
mechanism 12, a typewriter 13 or a keyboard nachine used in lieu of a type-
writer, an automatic device 13" for shifting the typewriter carriage although the
carriage may be shifted by hand as hereinafter described, a main switch 14 con-
trolling the several circuits, a galvanometer 15 which indicates whether or not a
current is passing through the main line, and a signal bell 16. A battery A is
arranged at station 1 and a battery A' at station 2. The general operation of the
apparatus will be described, to make its principle thoroughly understood, after
which the details of the different mechanisms will be fully explained.
Upon depressing the key of the transmitter 10 at station 1 the circuit is com-
pleted and a current passes from the battery A through the wire a, the wire b, the
switch 14, the wire c, the transmitter 10, the wire d, the main line e, through the
switch 14 at station 2, the wire f, the interpreter 11 at station 2, the wires g h and i,
to the earth, from the earth, through the wire i at station 1, back through the
wire h, the transmitter 10, and the wires and and the wire m to the battery A.
Alongth is circuit, by the internal construction of the transmitter, which will be herein-
after described, a combination of five short positive and negative currents are sent to
the interpreter 11 at station No. 2. By the construction of the interpreter, which
will also be described later, this given combination of five currents completes the

page_text: circuit from the battery A' through the wire a, the wire b, the switch 14 at station 2,
the wire j, the interpreter 11, the wire k, and the wires 1 m, back to the battery A¹.
This local circuit, by the operation of the interpreter, sends a current along one of
the thirty-two pairs of wires n connecting the interpreter with the shift key
mechanism 12 so as to operate said mechanism and from said shift key mechanism
the current goes over one of the eighty-four wires first to the typewriter 13 where
it operates a type key corresponding to the transmitter key which was depressed.
This process
repeated every time the key of the transmitter is depressed. One
of the transmitter keys operates the space key of the typewriter and three other
transmitter keys operate the shift key mechanism 12 shifting to capitals, lower
case, or figures, as the case may be. When the paper carriage of the typewriter
comes to the end of a line, it can either be returned by the attendant at the
receiving station, or it may be automatically returned by the mechanism 13ª as
hereinafter described. The galvanometer 15 on the main line at each station
indicates when a current is passing. The needles of each galvanometer may
either indicate by sight whether a current is passing, or by ear by means of a very
small bell, the faint tinkling of which will be a sufficient indication to the trans-
mitting operator that currents are passing while he operates the keys.
The next point to be described from the diagram is the method by which the
operators at stations 1 and 2 signal to one another to stop or prepare their
instruments for receiving. For this purpose it is necessary to describe first in
detail the construction of the switch 14. This construction is shewn on a large
scale and in detail in Figure 11. A triangular lever 17 is pivoted on the switch-
board, as shewn at 18, and provided at the end of one arm with a knob 19 by which
it may be turned and this knob or handle arm moves over a graduated scale 20
which serves to indicate the different positions of the switch and the switch has
another arm arranged to make contacts with the points 21 and 21° which are con-
nected with the wires c and j of the transmitter and interpreter 10 and 11. The
switch arm has an insulated cross-bar 22 connected with the second switch arm 23
which is also pivoted on the switchboard, as shewn at 24, and the free end of this
arm 23 is adapted to make contact with the points 25 and 25ª connecting respectively
with the wire of the interpreter and the wire of the transmitter. The switch
also connects, as already described, with the wire which connects with a battery
and with the line wire e. On the pivot 24 is also a switch 26 which normally
swings out of contact, but which may be pressed against a contact 27 so as to
connect through the wire i with the earth. The wire i is also adapted to connect
with the wires p and consequently with the batteries A and A' by a switch 28.
It will be seen that this arrangement causes the switches 23 and 17 to be moved
together, parallel movements being given to the two switch arms by the cross-
bar 22.
To work the instrument for signalling, we will suppose that an operator is sending
a question from station 1 by the transmitter to station 2 and that the attendant at
station 2 wishes for some reason to stop it. The latter moves the switch key at
station 2 so as to break contact at 21, 21ª, 25, and 25", and make contact with the
line at 25. The result is that, until the switch 28 next the bell 16 at station 2 is
closed, the circuit is broken and the galvanometer 15 at station indicates that a
current is no longer passing. The attendant at station 2 then closes the switch 28
and by this means the battery A' is put in direct connection with the main line and
the earth, the current passing through the wires m and p, the switch 28, and the
wire . The operator at station 1, noticing by the galvanometer that no current
passes on pressing the transmitter key, presses the switch button 26 of the switch 14
at station 1 which puts the main line to earth and rings the bell at station 2 thus
indicating that he has noticed the signal. He then shifts the shift key in the
switch 14 from the contact points 21 and 25 to the contact points 21 and 25 thus
throwing the interpreter into action. The attendant at station 2 on hearing his
bell 16 ring, shifts his switch 23 from the contacts 21 and 25 to the contacts 21*

page_text: and 25, thus throwing his transmitter into action. Station 2 is thus converted
into a transmitting station and station 1 into a receiving station. The attendant at
station 2 can now send the required message through to the operator at station 1
by means of the transmitter, interpreter, and typewriter, as previously described.
This operation can be performed from either end and though complicated in
description is very simple and rapid in practice. If desired, the switch 28 can be
embodied in the switch 14.
When the instruments are not in use the bells are put in circuit as described.
The operator at either station can then call up the other station by pressing the
button 26, this operation ringing the bell by closing the circuit through it. If
preferred, the interpreters at each station can be left in the circuit. An operator
at either station can then, by switching his transmitter into the circuit, send a
message to the other station where it will be recorded on the typewriter without an
attendant being present, the process being automatic and only the necessary
precaution being taken that a sufficient amount of paper is in the typewriter, to
receive the message.
It will be readily seen, too, that if desirable the message
transmitted, say, from station 1 to station 2 may be recorded on the typewriter at
station 1 as well as at station 2, thus preserving a record. This can easily be
effected by passing the current combinations from the transmitter at station 1
through the interpreter there as well as through the interpreter at station 2. It
will be seen that all the alteration necessary will be a slight change in the switch
boards and as this does not affect the invention it is not shewn in the drawings.
When the apparatus is used for operating a type setting or other similar machine,
such a machine takes the place of a typewriter and the mechanism 13ª for shifting
the current is dispensed with. If the typewriter carriages at both stations are not
operated automatically when a message is transmitted, then a small register is
needed at each transmitter to count the number of keys depressed and ring the
bell when the carriage nears the end of a line. This warns the operator to cease
transmitting for a moment until the carriage is returned.
The internal mechanism of the different portions of the apparatus will now be
described. The transmitter (see Figures 3 to 5) is provided with a suitable base 35
having a supporting framework 36 thereon and in this are vertically-sliding key
rods 37 having finger pieces 38 at their upper ends, which finger pieces are marked
in the same way as the keys of a typewriter or other machine with which the
transmitter connects. These key rods are held to slide in guides 39 and 39 (see
Figure 3) and on the rods are collars 40 which engage the ends of springs 41 and
the latter are curved outward and bent at a right angle and their lower flat
portions 42 carry insulating contact blocks 43 which blocks have bevelled upper
portions 44 adapted to fit against the bevelled lower portions 45 of the com-
mutators 46, which commutators have inclined upper ends 47 and pairs of V-shaped
grooves 48 arranged vertically and parallel with each other.
By reference to Figure 5, it will be seen that the contacts 29 and 29* are
produced on the insulating blocks 43 and the several contacts 30, 30, 31, 31ª,
32, 32, 33, 33*, and 34, 34, are produced in the grooves 48 of the commutator.
The contact points 29, 29, and the several stationary contacts are connected up
in substantially the manner already described, the contacts 29 and 29 connecting
by the wires d' and with the wires d and (see Figures 1 and 2) and the
several contacts 30, 30°, to 34, 34, are connected in parallel by the wires c¹ and p³
with the wires c and p', shewn in the diagram Figure 2.
By reference to the diagram Figure 2, it will be noticed that a portion of the
stationary contacts are crossed, as shewn at 34, 34ª, at the left hand of the
diagram, and that the combination of positive and negative currents will depend
upon the number of these connections that are crossed, consequently when the
contacts 29 and 29 are moved across the contacts 30, 30* to 34, 34, a series of
short vibrations are sent over the line wire which are positive or negative
according as the wire connections of the stationary contacts are crossed or not.

page_text: It will be scen that when the connections are crossed, as shewn at 34, 34*, Figure 2
the current goes in the reverse direction to that in which it does when the other
contacts are made.
It may be remarked here that five positive and negative currents are the least
number that are of service, for four would only give sixteen combinations whereas
at least thirty are required. Five will give thirty-two combinations, allowing
one combination for operating the space key of a typewriter and one each for the
change to capitals, lower case, or figures, there are twenty-eight combinations
remaining for transmitting letters or figures. As there are three shift keys for
capitals, lower case, and figures, we can multiply these combinations by 3, giving 84
as the possible number of letters and figures capable of transmission by thirty-two
keys, including three shift keys. The machine is not necessarily limited to
combinations of five positive and negative currents, as it will be readily seen that
six or seven, or even more, may be used if necessary, but a greater number of
combinations makes the machine too cumbersome and complicated.
The action of the transmitter is as follows: When one of the finger pieces 38
is depressed, the corresponding key-rod 37 slides downward and the contact
block 43 slides down the inclined top surface 47 of the commutator 46, as best
shewn in Figure 5, until the block reaches the lower bevelled surface 45 of the
commutator, which surface it will be seen is arranged at right angles to the top
incline 47 and when the block reaches the inclined surface 45 it springs inward
and guided by said surface clicks beneath the commutator and against the
guide 49 which prevents too-much vibration of the block. Upon releasing the
key the spring 41-42 raises it and causes the block to pass over the face of
the commutator, so that the contacts 29 and 29 make successive contacts with
the fixed contacts 34, 34°, to 30, 30%, and a series of positive and negative
vibrations are sent over the line. It is better that the sending contacts be made
during the up-stroke of the keys, as the spring causes a more even movement to be
made automatically than can be produced by hand.
The vibrations pass from the transmitter of one station to the interpreter of the
next, as already described, and the action of the interpreter may be understood
in a general way by referring to the diagram in Figure 6 A few elements only
of the interpreter are shewn as they are all alike and its action will be readily
understood. The interpreter is run on a local circuit supplied by a battery B
and it is provided with a series of interpreting electro-magnets 50 there being a
magnet for each letter or character represented. The main line current passes
through these magnets, the current entering through the wire f and passing
successively through the wires f¹, f, f³, and the several interpreting magnets
and through the wire g to the earth. At each electro-magnet 50 is a pair of
oppositely-polarized detents 51 which are centrally pivoted as shewn at 52 and
which have at one end hooks 53 to engage the interpreting quadrants 54, the
opposite ends being held to vibrate between the poles of the magnet. As the
detents are oppositely polarized, a positive current through the magnet will affect
one without affecting the other, and vice-versa. The interpreting quadrants 54 are
provided with rows of teeth on their upper surfaces and the teeth are dis-similarly
spaced in each row and the teeth are also dis-similarly arranged on each quadrant
from the arrangement on any other quadrant. The consequence is that when a
current passes from the main line through one of the magnets 50 one lever is
attracted upward and the other downward. Any particular quadrant will only
be released by a combination of positive and negative currents corresponding to
the arrangement of the teeth on the quadrant, that is supposing the quadrant to
have the following combinations of teeth, left, right, right, left, right. This
quadrant will then only be completely released by a corresponding combination of
positive and negative currents namely
-
++
-
+.
The action of the current on the levers will be better understood by reference
to Figures 7 and 10 and the construction of the interpreter will be hereinafter
described.

page_text: It will be seen that only a certain combination releases a quadrant and the same
combination of currents may pass through all the other electro-magnets without
affecting any other quadrant. The quadrants are supported upon springs 55 and
the tension of the springs is such that when the quadrant is released it results in a
contact being made at 56 and the electric circuit is closed through the wires p², 9,
the magnet 57 which is arranged beneath the corresponding key of a typewriter or
other keyboard machine, the wire q', the wire r, one leg of a magnet 58, the wire r²,
the quadrant 54, the spring 55, and the wire p³, back to the battery B. The
closing of this circuit energizes the lower leg of the magnet 58 which then
attracts the spring armature 59. The armature 59 consists of a very light spring
adjusted as close as possible to the poles of the electro-magnet 58 without actual
contact, in order that it may when attracted make contact with the poles of the
electro-magnet as rapidly as possible. This armature 59 being attracted makes
contact through the poles of the electro-magnet and by so doing it closes the
alternative circuit through the wires s and s¹, one end of the wires being secured
to the upper leg of the magnet. Consequently when the arinature 59 is attracted
by the lower leg, it makes electrical contact with the upper leg, and the current
in addition to closing the alternative circuit by attracting the armature has also
begun to operate the typewriter electro-magnet 57 and the electro-magnet 60.
This latter magnet, as will be subsequently explained, when energized throws
back the interpreting quadrant and allows it to be again caught and retained
by the lever detents 51. The result of this is that the line circuit shewn by the
wires and g is broken and the whole current passes by the alternative path
through the wire s, the armature 59, and the wire s', the armature 59 being
retained in contact by the upper leg of the magnet 58. When the armature of
the magnet 60, to be subsequently described, makes contact with the poles of the
magnet the current from the battery B is short circuited the currents passing
through the wires and s³. The result is that all the electro-magnets are
de-energized and consequently all the circuits are broken including that made by
the armature 59 which being no longer attracted flies back to its normal position.
This action is repeated each time a combination of currents passes through the
main line. The success of the machine depends on the rapidity with which this
action can take place.
The object of the electro-magnets 58 is to enable the magnets 57 and 60 to
make a complete stroke. Without the magnets 58 and with the current going
direct from the wire q' (see Figure 6) to the contact 56 the only result of the
quadrant 54 making contact at 56 is to set up a violent buzzing like the trembling
of an electric bell. This difficulty may be avoided in different ways, but the
arrangement shewn is the simplest and best.
Figure 7 shews a single element of the interpreter and Figure 10 shews several
elements in plan. Referring to Figure 7, the details of the connections may be
more readily seen. The construction of the interpreter is also shewn in this
figure and in Figure 10 and it will be noticed that the polarized detents 51 are
pivoted on a supporting base 61 which is fastened by a screw 62 to a supporting
block beneath. The action of the interpreting quadrant is also more clearly
seen in Figure 7 and it will be seen that when the combinations of currents
tilt the detents and release the quadrant, the spring 55 straightens up
and makes contacts with the spring 56 as already described. When the contact
is made at 56 (see Figure 7) the circuit is closed from the battery B,
through the wire p², the wires 9 and q', including the magnet 57 of the type-
writer, the wire r, the spring 55, the wire, the lower leg of the magnet 58, the
wires, the magnet 60, the wire so, and wire s², back to the battery. This circuit
is like that already described and shewn in Figure 6, but the connections are shewn
more in detail. The consequence is that the spring armature 59 is attracted and
makes contact with the poles of the magnet 58 and completes the alternative
circuit through the upper coil of the magnet and through the magnet 60, as already
described. Owing, first, to the almost entire absence of inertia in the armature 59,

page_text: secondly, to the very short distances through which it has to travel before making
contact, and, thirdly, to the small size of the electro-magnet 58, consisting as to
its base of two or three coils of coarse wire on a core composed of a couple of inches
of No. 8 iron wire; this alternative circuit is establ.hed almost instantly, the
moment the quadrant makes contact with the spring 56. From the instant the
quadrant makes contact the electro-magnet 60 begins to be energized and to attract
the armature 63 which is secured by means of cranks 64 to a shaft 65 and the shaft
is rocked so as to tilt the rocking lever 60 and cause its upper insulated end 67 to
engage the spring 55 and push the quadrant 54 back into engagement with the
locking detents.
The upper end of the lever 66 is insulated, as shewn at 67, to
prevent short circuiting. The current of the battery B thus short circuits as
follows;
the wires, the armature of the magnet 60, the weight 63, shaft 65,
wires, and the wire 2, to the battery. The electro-magnets, including the
magnets 57 which operate the typewriter keys during the period of the attraction
of the armature 63, are thus de-energized, the spring armature 59 flies back
breaking the circuit, and the spring 77 described below draws the armature 63
away from the magnet 60. The element is now ready to interpret a fresh
combination of currents through the main line. The action described above, takes
place in each of the thirty-two elements of the interpreter but it will he understood
from the previous description that but one quadrant will be released, which
quadrant has its teeth arranged to correspond with a particular combination of
currents which act through the magnet 50 on its polarized detents 51. The shaft 65
is arranged at right angles to the series of magnets 50 (see Figure 10) and it
connects by means of a pitman 68 and crank 69 with a parallel shaft 65* arranged
adjacent to a second row of magnets 60, and it will be understood that any
necessary number of shafts may be connected in this way, the number of magnets,
pairs of detents, and quadrants, corresponding with the number of characters and
shift keys. The interpreter is provided with a suitable supporting bed 70 on which
all the apparatus comprising the interpreter is carried, the shafts 65 and 65°
turning in suitable bearings beneath the bed and the levers 66 moving in slots 66ª
in the bed. The several magnets are supported on blocks 71.
On the upper leg
of each magnet 50 is an outwardly-extending lug 71" in the outer end of which
is a vertical screw 72 held threaded in the nut 73 which is held to turn in the
lug 71 and the screw has its lower end secured to a spring 74 attached to the
detent 51 and the tension of the spring pulls the detents up against one of
the magnetic blocks 62 on the under side of the upper leg of the magnet (see
Figure 7). These blocks may be made of lead, brass, or other suitable material.
In a flange of the bed 70, opposite the magnet 60, is a screw 75 on which is a
nut 76 and this nut is secured to the spring 77 the opposite end of which is
attached to the armature 63, and by means of the nut the tension of the spring may
be very nicely regulated. The pairs of coils forming the interpreting magnets 50
do not need many turns of wire to perforin the comparatively slight work required
of them, but, as there are thirty-two pairs of them, considerable resistance is
offered by them to the feeble currents coming over a long stretch of the main line.
The local battery does not come into use till the work of the main line current is
done and the quadrants are released, when it is at liberty to be used for relaying
the main line current to operate the interpreting magnets. When the spring 55 is
used to support the quadrant 54 it is provided with a turned up flange 55° at the
bottom, through which a fastening-screw 78 extends (see Figure 7) and a second
screw 79 extends up through the bed 70 and impinges on the flange of the spring,
so that by turning the screw the position of the spring may be adjusted to enable
to have the correct tension.
In Figures 8 and 9 I have shewn means for supporting the interpreting quadrants
which is more reliable than the spring 55 but I do not confine my invention to the
use of either of the forms of mechanism shewn. In this case the quadrant 54 is
secured to an arm 80 which terminates at one end in a sleeve 81 held loosely on
the shaft 65 or 65%, as the case may be. The sleeve 81 has a shoulder 82 on one
C

page_text: side adapted to engage the free end of a spring 83 which is secured to an adjacent
support 84.
A crank 84 is secured to the shaft 65 and is also bent to extend
parallel with the shaft and opposite the arm 80. When the detents 51 are released
in the manner already described, the tension of the spring 83 throws the sleeve 81
around and swings the arm 80 in a manner to carry the quadrant 54 into engage-
ment with the contact 56. When the shaft 65 is returned by means of a mechanism
substantially like the armature 63 and magnet 60, the crank 84ª strikes the arm 80
and carries the quadrant back into engagement with the detents.
The next thing to be described is the shift-key mechanism.
In the case of
typewriters like the Hammond, which have shift keys for both capitals and figures,
a separate shift key device is not necessary. But what is needed is an electro-
magnet to operate the capital shift-key, another to operate the figure shift-key,
and a third to bring the machine back to lower case. In the case of bar-lock and
other machines with seventy or eighty keys, where seventy or eighty large electro-
magnets would be a heavy expense and there would be difficulty in finding room
for them, the mechanism shewn in Figure 16 is used. Here 85 represents a key
of the typewriter and 86 a lever which at one end terminates in a sleeve 87 held
to rotate freely on the shaft 65. The free end of the lever connects by links 88
and 89 with the key 85. A spring 90 is attached to the lever by a screw 91 and
overlaps the sleeve 87, the spring having a pin 92 upon it which enters slots 93 in
the sleeve and shaft 65 and when the two register, the pin locks the lever 86 to the
shaft. When a signal has been interpreted and the interpreter sends a current
through the small magnet 94, the armature 95 on the end of the spring 90 is pulled
down and the pin is forced into the recess 93 in the shaft and sleeve. The device
is arranged so that by the contact of the armature 95 with the magnet 94 a circuit
is closed which energizes a large magnet, such as the magnet 60 already described,
which magnet is arranged to rotate the shaft 65 in a similar manner and consequently
motion will be communicated to the typewriter key operated.
In the case of machines like the Hammond with only thirty-two keys arranged
in a semi-circle, a small electro-magnet may be provided for each key and for
this purpose an electro-magnet of the iron-clad semi-solenoid type, such as shewn
in Figure 17, is especially applicable. Here the magnets 96, 96", and 96b, are
shewn with plunger armatures 97, 97º, and 97%. The plunger 97 is pivoted at
the top, as shewn at 98, to the capital shift-key 99 and the plunger 97" is pivoted
in a similar way to the figure shift key 100. The plunger 97 whose duty it is
to bring the machine back to lower case printing has at the top a post 101
with studs 102 thereon between which the free ends of the diverging levers 103
are held. These levers are pivoted at points near the keys 99 and 100, as shewn
at 104, and on the same pivots are pawls 105 terminating at their upper ends in
hooks 106. The movements of the pawls are limited by shoulders 107 on the
lower ends of the pawls and studs 108 on the levers 103 and the pawls are pressed
into engagement with the keys by springs 105°. The keys 99 and 100 are
provided with vertical transverse grooves 109 which thus form catches at the
bottom to engage the hooks of the pawls 105 and the pawls are also adapted to
engage the top edges of the keys. The plunger 97 is normally pressed upward
by a spring 97, and the other plungers are raised by the ordinary springs of the
keys 99 and 100. Suppose that the key 100 is up like the key 99 and that the
operator wishes to print some figures. He depresses a key at the transmitting
station which sends a combination of currents which, by means of the interpreter
sends a current through the electro-magnet 96 and the latter sucks down the
plunger 97 and key 100 and the pawl 105 springs outward, so that its hook 106
engages the top of the key and holds it down. The typewriting machine will
thus be in position to print figures. When the operator wishes to return to the
lower case again, he presses the transmitting key which energizes the electro-
magnet 96", the plunger 97 is sucked down, the levers 103 depressed, the stud 108
thrown into engagement with the shoulder 107 of the pawl 105, and the latter is
tilted out of engagement with the key 100 so as to permit the key to rise. If

page_text: capitals are to be printed, the magnet 96 is energized and the key 99 is drawn down
and engaged in the manner just described.
For instruments having more than thirty-two keys, such as bar-lock, caligraph,
and type-setting, machines, a different arrangement is necessary. Figure 12 is a
diagram shewing the arrangement of circuits for this purpose. 110 is a switch-
board which slides forward and back on a fixed board 111. One of the contact
points 112 and 112" is adapted to make contact with the fixed contacts 113, 113,
114, 114, 115, 115º. The contacts 112, 112, are connected with the wires n¹
and n which are adapted to be arranged in the circuit, according to the diagram
(see Figure 12) and the other contacts connect with wires o' and o² leading to the
shift key inagnet 57. The construction by which this arrangement is carried out
is shewn in Figures 13, 14, and 15. In Figure 13 I have shewn the magnets 116,
117, 118, which form the capital, lower case, and figure, shift keys. 119 (see
Figure 14) is a stationary board with four rows of contact buttons 120 arranged in
groups of three, making in all eighty-four contacts corresponding to eighty-four
keys of the typewriter. This grouping is not shewn in detail, but it will be readily
understood. Wires lead from these contacts and are adapted to connect-up
according to the diagram already described, the wires being adapted to lead to the
electro-magnets of the typewriter keys. Beneath the board 119 is a sliding switch-
board 121 having contact springs 122 arranged preferably in four rows with seven
in a row, each corresponding to three of the contact buttons in the board 119.
These springs are attached to the board by screws 123 which project through the
board and are attached on their under sides to spiral springs 124 which are held
above another stationary board 125 and which connect with wires u¹ and are
When
adapted to connect with the interpreter in the manner already described.
the board 121 is in the normal position completing the circuits printing lower case,
the springs 122 make contact with one of the buttons 120, as shewn at
Figure 14, and when the board is moved to the left, contact is made with the
buttons shewn at ', thus shifting the capitals, and when moved to the right,
contact is made as shewn at 2, thus shifting four figures. The springs 124 allow
the necessary freedom of movement. The result of this arrangement is that the
twenty-eight wires in the stationary board 125 can be connected with three different
sets of wires in the stationary board 119 according to the position of the
board 121.
in
Referring again to Figure 13, the mechanism for shifting the board 121 may be
seen in detail. The board has, at opposite ends, iron armatures 126 with bevelled
ends 127 held to move in grooves in side supports 128. Extending longitudinally
across the board is a rod 129, in the centre of which is a stud 130, and this is held
to move between two springs 131 which are secured to a support at the side of the
board as shewn at 132, and the tension of the springs is such as to act on the
stud 130 and hold the board normally in position for lower case printing, that is
with the contact springs 122, on the buttons 120, as shewn at r, in Figure 14.
The switchboard 121 is held in position against the magnet 116 or 118 by one of
the pawls 133 or 134 which are arranged at one side of the switchboard and which
have near their free ends, shoulders 135 which engage a notch 136 in the side
edge of the switchboard. The pawls are pivoted on supports 137 adjacent to the
switchboard and are pressed into engagement with the latter by springs 138 which
are secured to the supports 128. The pawls 133 and 134 are arranged opposite the
magnet 117 and act as armatures, so that when the magnet is energized, the pawls
are pulled out of contact with the switchboard. When the typewriter or other
keyboard machine is to be set for lower case work, the magnet 117 is energized
and the pawls 133 and 134 are pulled against the magnet so that the springs 131
acting on the stud 130 centre the switchboard and bring the springs 122 in contact
with the buttons 120, as at x, thus adapting the machine for lower case.
machine is to be set for capitals, the magnet 116 is energized, which is done by
depressing the proper shift key on the transmitter at the opposite end of the line,
as previously described, and the magnet acting on the armature 126 pulls the
If the

page_text: switchboard 121 to the left until the tooth or shoulder 135 on the pawl 134 enters
the notch 136 in the switchboard and the pawls thus serve to hold the switchboard
in position for printing capitals, that is it holds the contact springs 122 upon the
buttons 120, as shewn at a', and the capital shift key of the typewriting machine
is acted upon in the manner already described. If figures are to be printed, the
magnet 118 is energized in the manner above explained and the switchboard 121 is
pulled to the right, thus shifting the contact springs on to the buttons 120, as
shewn at 2, and sending the current through the figure shift key magnets, as 96³,
so that the typewriter is set to print figures.
It will be seen then that the mechanism shewn in Figures 13 and 14 is adapted
to work by shifting the currents through the several magnets so as to switch the
circuit through either of the key-controlling magnets of the typewriter or other
keyboard machine, and the whole affair is controlled by the transmitter at the
opposite end of the line.
The typewriter paper returning mechanism, marked 13" in the diagram, is shewn
clearly in Figure 18. This is not a very essential part of the invention as the
attendant at the receiving station can return the paper carriage, but, if it is desired
to have the action at the receiving station completely automatic, suitable mechanism
for the purpose can easily be arranged on some such principle as the following:-
In the bar-lock capital typewriters, one motion of the lever both turns the paper
to a fresh line and returns the carriage ready to start at the beginning of another
line. In any of the typewriters, a cord or chain can be arranged so that on being
pulled through a certain distance it will perform the main operation of turning a
line and returning the carriage, acting similarly to the cord and spring barrel on
most typewriting machines, consequently the mechanism required is simply such as
will wind up a cord for, say, twelve inches and then leave it free to unwind again
until the twelve inches are paid out, when the device must again automatically
start to wind, and so on. In Figure 18 an arrangement for doing this is clearly
shewn. C is the battery for actuating the parts, and 139 is a ratchet wheel secured
to a shaft 140 which is journaled in a suitable supporting frame 140". On the same
axle is a winding drum 141, shewn by dotted lines in Figure 18, and to this drum
is secured the operating cord 142 which is adapted to be wound upon and unwound
from the drum. Near the ratchet wheel and on a lower plane is a magnet 143
which actuates an armature 144 above it and this armature is secured to a click
lever 145 which is pivoted at one end as shewn at 146 and is adapted to engage the
teeth of the ratchet wheel and turn it by a step-by-step movement. The armature
and click lever are normally held up by a spring 147 which is secured to a stud 148
and held beneath the stud 149 and the pressure of the springs throws the click
lever upward into contact with a contact-stud 147* so as to close a circuit which will
be described below. The ratchet wheel is held from turning in the wrong direction
by a pawl 150 which is pivoted near its centre as shewn at 151 and is pressed into
engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 152 and the pawl has an outwardly-
extending shank which is restricted in its movement beneath stud 153 and 153, the
latter serving also as a fastening for the spring 152. On the same pivot 151 with
the pawl is a lever 154 which at its upper end is forked as shewn at 155 so as to
receive the operating cord 142. The cord is provided with buttons 156 which are
spaced so as to strike the lever 154 first on one side and then on the other, these
buttons being the distance apart corresponding to the movement of the cord, and in
the drawings but one button is shewn as the other is supposed to be wound upon
the drum 141. Near the lever 154 are two contacts 157 and 158 one of which is
connected with the battery C, as described below.
The operation of the winding device is as follows-When the typewriter
carriage approaches the end of a line and the cord 142 has been unwound from
the drum, one of the buttons 156 strikes the lever 154 and throws it over from
the insulated contact block 158 to the block 157. The click-lever 145 being in
contact with the stud 147" and the lever 154 on the block 158 the following
circuit is maintained: From the battery C, through the wire v, the click

page_text: lever 145, the contact 147", the wire v¹, the lower leg of a magnet 159 which
is arranged in connection with the apparatus, the wire ², the wire v³ out to
the transmitter or line, and the wire v, back to the battery. The current
passing through one leg of the magnet 159 draws the spring armature 160 of
said magnet against the poles of the magnet. When the lever 154 is carried by
the button 156 from the block 158 to the block 157 another circuit is established
which is as follows: From the battery C, through the wires and w, the contact
block 157, the lever 154, the wire w¹, the upper leg of the magnet 159, the
armature 160, the wire c³, the magnet 143, and the wires 3 and 4, to the battery.
Although the resistance of this alternative or last circuit is considerably greater
than on the other, still sufficient electricity passes through the magnet 143 to just
break contact of the lever 145 with the stud 147º. The whole of the current then
passes over the second circuit and through the magnet 143, which powerfully attracts
When the
the armature 144 and the click lever 145 pulls round the ratchet wheel.
armature makes contact with the magnet 143 the current short circuits as follows:
From the battery C, through the wire v, the lever 145, the armature 144, the
magnet 143, the core of the magnet, the wire w³, and the wires 3 and 4 to the
battery. If the wires on this new circuit are short and stout practically the whole
of the current will pass over it and the electro-magnets 143 and 159 will be
de-energized and their armatures released. The spring armature 160 being released
breaks the circuit and allows the lever 145 to be raised again into contact with the
stud 147". When the lever 145 comes in contact with the stud, a circuit is again
established through the lower leg of the magnet 159, the armature 160 is again
attracted and the operation above described takes place again, so that the ratchet
wheel is pulled around sufficiently to wind the cord 142 upon it.
From the foregoing description, and the description of the method of operation
given in the carlier part of the Specification, the invention will be clearly
understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a keyboard machine such
as a typewriter or a type-setting machine, a transmitter adapted to send vibrations
over a wire and an interpreter connected with the transmitter and keyboard
machine, the interpreter comprising a series of electro magnets adapted to connect
with the transmitter, circuit closing swinging toothed quadrants arranged adjacent
to the magnets and adapted, when released, to close a circuit through the keys of a
keyboard machine and locking detents arranged to contact with the quadrants and
hold the same in locked position, the detents being operated by the electro magnets,
substantially as described.
2. An apparatus of the character described, comprising keyboard machines such
as typewriters or type setting machines arranged at opposite ends of a line, an
interpreting machine at each end of the line, electro-magnetic means for operating
the keys of the keyboard machines, an electrically operated switch or shift key
mechanism adapted to send the current through certain keys of the keyboard
machine, electrical connections between the shift key switch and the interpreter, a
transmitter arranged at each end of the line and connected with the interpreter at
the opposite end of the line, the transmitter being adapted to send or each
character represented a certain combination of positive and negative currents, and
automatic means arranged within the interpreter and actuated by the combination
of positive and negative currents whereby the shift key switch is operated so as
to actuate the corresponding key of the keyboard machines, substantially as
described.
3. In an apparatus of the character described, the transmitter comprising a
commutator or board having a series of contacts thereon, arranged in pairs and
with direct and crossed connections with the line, and a key-operated insulated

page_text: contact block carrying contact points adapted to move over the pairs of contacts
on the commutator and close the circuit through the same, substantially as
described.
4. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmitter, comprising a
commutator having rows of stationary contacts thereon arranged in pairs and
connected in parallel with certain of the connections crossed, and a sliding key-
operated contact block having contacts thereon to engage the stationary contacts
and close the circuit through the same, the contact block being adapted to move
over the commutator on the up-stroke of the key, substantially as described.
5. In an apparatus of the character described, the transmitter comprising a
commutator having on one side parallel rows of stationary contacts connected in
parallel with the line and having a portion of the connections crossed, the com-
mutator having its top surface inclined and its lower surface inclined at right
angles to the inclination of the top surface, a key held to slide adjacent to the
commutator, and a contact block having a spring connection with the key and
carrying contacts adapted to connect with a source of electricity, the contact block
being arranged to move downward on one side of the commutator and to slide
inward and move upward so as to make contact with the contacts of the commutator,
substantially as described.
6. In an apparatus of the character described, the interpreter, comprising a series
of electro-magnets corresponding with the number of keys in a keyboard machine
with which the interpreter is connected, the interpreter being also adapted to
connect with the line wire, a series of circuit closing quadrants having teeth
thereon, the teeth of each quadrant being arranged in a different combination from
those of any other quadrant, and locking detents pivoted adjacent to the poles of
the electro-magnets and held to normally engage and lock the quadrants, sub-
stantially as described.
7. In an apparatus of the character described, the interpreter, comprising a series
of electro-magnets adapted to connect with a line, circuit closing and swinging
quadrants arranged adjacent to the electro-magnets and adapted when released to
close the circuit through mechanism for operating a key of a keyboard machine
such as a typewriter, each quadrant having a series of teeth thereon arranged in a
different combination from the teeth of any other quadrant in the series, swinging
detents adapted to be actuated by the electro-magnets and held to engage the teeth
of the quadrants, and electrically and automatically rotated shafts adapted to be
set in motion by the closing of the circuit in which the quadrants are arranged and
carrying mechanism to return the quadrants to locked position, substantially as
described.
8. In an apparatus of the character described, the interpreter, comprising a series
of electro-magnets adapted to connect with a line, swinging quadrants arranged
adjacent to and opposite the magnets and adapted to swing and close the circuit
through key-operating mechanism of a keyboard machine such as a typewriter, the
quadrants having each row of teeth arranged in combinations dissimilar to the
combinations of teeth of any other quadrant, and polarized detents arranged in
pairs opposite each electro-magnet, the detents having hooks at one end to engage
the teeth of the quadrant and hold the same locked, and their opposite ends held to
swing between the poles of the magnets, substantially as described.
9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of the interpreter
magnets, the swinging quadrants held loosely on a shaft and arranged to swing
opposite the magnets, the quadrants being pressed by a spring and adapted to close
a circuit through key-operating mechanism of a key-board machine such as a type-
writer, rows of teeth produced upon each quadrant so that each quadrant has a
different combination of teeth from that of any other, polarized detents arranged in
pairs to engage the teeth of the quadrants, the detents being released by com-
binations of currents in the magnets, and returning cranks secured to the shafts and
adapted on a movement of the shaft to engage and swing back the quadrants into
engagement with the detents, substantially as described,

page_text: 10. In an apparatus of the character described, the interpreter, comprising a
series of electro-magnets adapted to connect with the line, swinging circuit closing
quadrants arranged opposite the magnets and adapted to close a circuit through
key-operating mechanism of a keyboard machine such as a typewriter, the
quadrants having rows of teeth thereon arranged in different combinations for each
quadrant, polarized detents arranged in pairs to hold the quadrants in locked
position, the detents being released by certain combinations of currents in the
electro-magnets, a second series of electro-magnets arranged in a shunt circuit and
adapted to hold the circuit closed through the released quadrant and the connected
key-operating mechanism until a character is printed, an electro-magnet arranged
in a local circuit and adapted to return the released quadrant to a locked position
and break the circuit through the key-operating mechanism, and automatic
mechanism for short circuiting the interpreter and cutting out the interpreting
mechanisin, substantially as described.
11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination, with the shift
keys of a keyboard machine such as a typewriter, of a series of magnets arranged
beneath the keys and in an electrical circuit, the armatures of the magnets being
pivotally connected with the upper case and figure shift keys of the machine, and
the lower case magnet being arranged between the upper case and figure magnets,
locking pawls arranged adjacent to the upper case and figure keys and adapted to
engage the keys when depressed, and levers operatively connected with the armature
of the lower case magnet and adapted by the depression of the magnet to release
the locking pawls, substantially as described.
12. In an apparatus of the character described, the shift key mechanism
comprising electro-magnets arranged to operate the keys of a keyboard machine
such as a typewriter, a series of stationary contacts connected electrically with the
magnets of the keyboard machine, a movable switchboard connected with a source
of electricity and having contact springs to touch the stationary contacts, electro-
magnets arranged to operate armatures at opposite ends of the switchboard so as to
move the latter, locking armature pawls held at one edge of the switchboard and
adapted to engage the same and hold it in engagement with either of the electro-
magnets at its ends, and a third electro-magnet arranged in an electric circuit
and adapted when energized to release the pawls, substantially as described.
13. In an apparatus of the character described, the shift key switching
mechanism, comprising a series of contact buttons arranged in groups and adapted
to connect electrically with magnets for operating the keys of a keyboard machine
such as a typewriter, a sliding switchboard having spring contacts connected with a
source of electricity and adapted to touch the stationary contact buttons, the board
having armatures at its opposite ends, magnets arranged opposite the armatures of
the board and adapted when energized to slide the board, springs arranged to
engage the stud on the board and hold it normally in a central position so as to
connect with the lower case operating mechanism of the keyboard machine, locking
armature pawls pivoted at one side of the switchboard and adapted to engage the
same and hold it against either of the end inagnets, and a third magnet arranged
opposite the armature pawls and adapted when energized to move the same and
release the board, substantially as described.
14. In an apparatus of the character described, the carriage returning mechanism,
comprising a revolvable shaft having a drum thereon, a cord secured to the drum
and adapted to connect with the carriage of a machine, spaced buttons secured to
the cord, a ratchet wheel secured to the same shaft with the winding drum, an
electro-magnet arranged adjacent to the ratchet wheel, a spring repressed armature
lever held opposite the magnet and adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet
wheel, contact blocks arranged adjacent to the cord, one being connected with a
source of electricity, and the swinging lever pivoted adjacent to the ratchet wheel
and having a forked end to embrace the cord and extend into the path of the
buttons thereon, the lever being also arranged to engage the contact blocks and

page_text: make and break the circuit with the ratchet-operating electro-magnet, substantially
as described.
Dated this 20th day of December 1893.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.