Improvements in Telegraphic Relays and. the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1896-Accepted, 6th June, 1896
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES G. BURKE, of 48 Broad Street, New
York City,, United States of America.]
Improvements in Telegraphic Relays and. the like.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to. be particularly described. and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The invention, which is the subject of my present application, is an improve-
ment in cable relays or instruments of like character which are required to be of
great sensitiveness, in responding to current changes and which involve a coil of
wire placed in a magnetic field, adapted, by the passage through it of an electric
current, to be moved or rotated in such field. The improvements which. I have
made are applicable to this class of instruments generally, and reside in a novel
and more effective disposition of magnets or magnetic poles for producing the
field or lines of force, and in a new and improved form of coil. I shall describe
and explain the nature of said improvements by reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 is an enlarged view of the coil in horizontal section, shown in its position
between the pole pieces.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the magnets.
Fig. 3 is a diagram for illustrating the method or plan of winding the coil.
I have shown only such portions of a relay instrument as are necessary to an
understanding of my invention, as in all respects not specifically noted herein its
construction is, or may be, similar to any that are well known or heretofore used.
The field of force is maintained by the four poles of two separate and distinct
compound permanent magnets M, N, having respectively their like poles presented
to one another in direct lines.
Between the like poles of the separate magnets pieces of soft iron C are fitted
which serve as pole-pieces common to both magnets and inductively localize in
themselves the energy of the magnetized steel bars which constitute the like poles
of the magnets.
By means of this disposition, the distinctive individual character of the magnets
is preserved, while their combination as a whole is relatively that of contiguous
opposite poles of a single magnet, and the intensity of the field is made proportionate
to the combined strength of all the magnetized bars or poles entering into the
combination on either side.
It will be noted also that the soft iron pole-pieces are so shaped as to-localize
the magnetic forces or lines in the center of the field, which. becomes the center
of a circle three-eighths of the circumference of which on opposite sides are
bounded by the faces of the said soft iron pole-pieces, the other two-eighths: being
embraced in the longitudinal spaces between the pole-pieces. The field is,
consequently, a circular one and may be considered: as divided into eight equal
parts, three of which constitute or are bounded by the circular face of one pole of
the field, and three the circular face of the other pole, while the other two are
comprised between the poles, the distance between which at their nearest

page_text: approximation being one-eighth of the circumference of the field. Within this
field the actuating coil D is suspended in the usual manner.
The coil as shown in the figures is circular in horizontal cross-section and
fills the central opening or field with just sufficient clearance to turn freely
therein.
The relations of the coil to the field or pole-pieces thereof is illustrated in
Fig. 1, in which A B designates any pole pieces whether of the special character
of those marked C in Fig. 2, or otherwise."
The coil is divided into eight equal parts or segments, in four of which segments
on one side, the path for the current is upwards, whilst in the four corresponding
segments on the other side the path is downwards, thus presenting opposition of
direction in each half of the coil in opposite sides of the field, and the wire is
applied in such manner that the winding itself is continuous.
The coil, moreover, is so wound. that no two adjacent convolutions or paths in
the same direction in their respective. segments are immediately successive with
each other, that is to say, the current passing through any given convolution
or path in one segment must pass through one convolution in each of the other
segments before it again traverses this particular segment, and the course of
the wire or path for the current from segment to segment is at- such angles
that it crosses itself four times at each: end of the coil in alternately opposite
directions for each complete round in the winding.
A coil of the kind described is capable of being rotated through one-half of
a circle by the passage. through it of an electric. current when it is. suspended
or supported properly in the field which I have. shown, and will move quickly
and efficiently in either direction from practically any position in response to
currents of opposite direction. The particulan advantage of the coil, however,
resides in the special winding described by means of which the self-induction
and consequent retarding effect of the coil is broken up and reduced to a
minimum:
In many respects the construction of the coil, the number of segments or
divisions and other unimportant features. may be varied without departing from
the spirit of my invention, but I have found by practical experience that. the
special form. herein described best meets the requirements of practical working:
To illustrate now in detail: the method or plan. which I have devised and
adopted for winding the coil I haver prepared the diagram,. Fig. 3. The bobbin
or core for the coil. which. is. cylindrical in form is: divided into eight equal
divisions in any convenients manner.. Abeach end of the spool or. core is a central
pivotal point P, P', adapted to such use as may be required. of it.
X represents. what we may consider the upper end. or top. of the spool or coil
and the opposite: end. To the: pivotal pin on point P: on the top of the spool
Isecure the end of what constitutes: the inside wire; and beginning the winding
carry it to any point as 2, on the side of the spool. The wire is. then laid or
wound along the side of the spool, and. parallel to the axis of the same, being
carried at. the opposite end of the spool from point. 3, across the lower end of
the core to 4, and thence up to 5, thue completing one convolution in. two opposite
and corresponding divisions:or coil sections.. In like maunen a convolution. is wound
in each of the six remaining divisions until the first round is completed, care being
observed to wind. the wire upward in four adjacent sections or divisions and
downward in the others. By following, the up and down. lines in, the diagram
and. the points which are successively numbered, this plan. of winding will be
readily followed..
When the end. of-the first round is reached by the wire being brought up, to
point 17, it is carried across the top of the spool to 18,, thence down. to 19, and
so on to wind or lay a second convolution in each: division, and this plan is
followed until the desired number of convolutions is applied.
The free ends of the wire are arranged for connection with a circuit in any
proper and well understood way.

page_text: I have used relay instruments provided with magnets and coils of the kind
described and found them capable of quicker, more positive and more reliable
operation than any others of which I am aware.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination in an instrument of the kind described, of two permanent
magnets presenting their respective poles to each other, one pole of one magnet
being joined to a like pole of the other magnet by a pole piece of soft iron common
to both and forming one side of the field, the other like poles of the magnets being
similarly joined together by a soft iron pole piece forming the other side of the
field, the conjoint poles of like polarity being in line with each other at one side
of the field and parallel with the conjoint poles of opposite polarity at the other
side of the field, and a coil supported in the space between the pole-pieces and
capable of limited movement at right angles to the lines of force therein.
2. A rotary coil for relay instruments adapted to be suspended or supported in
a magnetic field and consisting of a spool or core with a conductor wound thereon
in convolutions parallel with its axis, the direction of the winding being opposite
in opposite halves of the coil, and no two immediately successive convolutions or
paths in the same direction being contiguous to each other, as set forth.
3. The combination with magnetic poles and within a circular field of force
maintained thereby, of a suspended rotary coil, composed of an equal number of
sections or divisions, the direction of winding of the sections on one side of the
diameter of the coil being opposite to that of the remaining sections, successive
convolutions being laid or wound in order in the different sections or divisions, as
set forth.
4. A cylindrical coil wound longitudinally in sections, the course of the wire in
adjacent sections of one-half of the coil being in a direction opposite to that of
the course of the wire in adjacent sections of the other half of the coil, the
direction of the winding being downward in one section on one side of the coil
and upward in the corresponding section at the opposite side of the coil and
progressively from section to section.
Dated this 5th day of Mon 1904
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.