Improved Means for Signalling by Electric Lamps.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1893-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1894
[Communicated from abroad by THE BOUGHTON TELEPHOTOS COMPANY, of
Hudson Street, Buffalo, New York, U.S.A., Manufacturers.]
Improved Means for Signalling by Electric Lamps.
I, HUGH DONALD FITZPATRICK of 70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Registered
Patent Agent, 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:-
-
This invention relates particularly to certain improvements in signal telegraphy
for which Letters Patent No. 16,794 were granted on the 20th day of September 1892.
That invention consisted essentially of number of electric lights arranged in a
continuous line and a number of keys arranged upon a board, each key being
marked with a letter of the alphabet and electrically connected with the necessary
lights to form the dots and dashes called for by the letter of the key in operation.
The present invention consists,
First. In the improved formation arrangement and operation of the keys upon
the board.
Second. In the improved connections of the keys with the lights so that absolute
accuracy is assured and repairs readily effected, and
Third. In other details of construction which will be more fully hereinafter
described and claimed.
In the drawings,
Figure one is a top plan view of the key-board and connections.
Figure two is a side elevation of the same.
Figure three is an enlarged top plan view of one half of the key board with the
cover of the casing removed.
Figure four is a side elevation in section taken through the key board.
Figures five and six are enlarged detached detail views of portions of the
operative parts.
Figure seven is an enlarged fragmentary portion of the bed-plate.
Figure eight is a detached detail view of one of the spring metallic strips in the
bed-plate.
Figure nine is a front view of the standard carrying the electric lights.
Figures ten and eleven are enlarged detail views of the same.
Figure twelve shows the sectional standard extended and
Figure thirteen represents the sectional standard collapsed as when not in use.
Referring to the drawings.
1 is the casing in which the operative parts are assembled, its side walls and base 2
constructed of wood and its top or cover 3 being of glass to give an unobstructed
view of the parts within, or the cover 3 might be of wood also if desired.
Upon the base 2 is secured a bed-plate 4 preferably of hard rubber.
This bed-plate is filled with a series of narrow transverse recesses 5, see
Figures 5, 6, and 8, the first recess at the front is open at the left end and closed
at the right end. The next recess is closed at the left end and open at the right
and so on to the further end of the bed-plate; every other recess opening to the left
and the alternating ones to the right. In each recess 5 is laid a bow-string 6 and
upon each spring is placed a thin brass strip 7 which loosely fits the recess in which
it is placed, a keeper 8 on each side of the bed-plate preventing the strips from
springing out of place.

page_text: The alternate projecting ends of these strips on both sides of the bed-plate 4 are
fitted with apertured posts 9 and binding screws 10. Between these projecting
ends and their posts 9 are strips 11 of hard rubber for insulation.
Inside of the curved rear wall of the casing 2 extends the curved strip 12 mounted
upon standards 13.
This strip has a top and bottom covering of hard rubber (see Figure 4) and a
double row of metallic rods 15 passing through and surrounded with hard rubber,
their ends projecting above and below the strip 12. Apertured posts 16 are secured
to these projecting ends and provided with binding screws 17 forming four rows two
above and two below the strip 12.
The projecting ends of the metal strips 7 upon the left side of the bed-plate 4 are
successively connected through their binding posts, by the series of wires 18 to the
rear top rows of binding posts upon the strip 12, as clearly seen in Figure 3 which
are numbered 2, 4, 6, &c. and the lower top row of binding posts upon the strip 12
are connected in a similar manner by the wires 19 with the-binding posts, upon the
projecting ends of the remaining metal strips on the right side of the bed plate. 4
and are numbered 1, 3, 5, &c. In this manner the upper binding posts on the
strip 12 are connected in regular order to the row of metal strips in the bed plate
each having a separate number, as in Figure 3. The two lower rows of binding
posts upon the strip 12 have wires 20 connected thereto which pass out through the
opening 21 in the casing in the form of a cable and are separately connected to a
series of electric lights as will be hereinafter explained.
22 are posts across which is secured a rod 23 upon which are pivoted a row of
levers 24, the short ends to the rear being connected to the base 4 by the
spring 25.
The long ends extend forward to the front of the casing each being provided with
an upright post 26 which extends up loosely through the cover and are provided
at their upper ends with buttons 27, the whole forming spring pressed keys above
the bed-plate. Suspended from each lever 24 is a contacting plate 28 having the
central pivoted link 29 connecting the two parts. 30, 30 are two adjusting devices
at either end for fixing and holding the plate 28 in a level position as shown, so that
the short projections 31 and long projection 32 will have uniform contact with the
spring strips 7 in the bed plate 4, with which they come in contact in the operation
of the apparatus.
One of the posts 22. is connected by the wire 33 with the electric lights the
source 34 of the electric current being interposed between the post and lights. In
this manner the operative parts just described are all electrically charged and the
circuit is completed by the contact of the projections upon the keys with the metal
strips in the bed-plate.
In Figures 9, 10 and 11 is shown a mast or standard 35 in which are secured in
conical recesses 36 a series of electric lights 37 sufficient in number for the purpose.
The inner surface of these recesses is covered with a polished metallic surface 38,
so that each light may be focussed to the maximum intensity. These lights are
properly connected as before stated to the electric circuit. and each light is
separately connected through individual wires to its separate and distinct spring
strip 7.
Each light, has a number corresponding to the post upon the strip 12, through
which its individual wire passes to its separate and independent spring strip 7 in
the bed plate. The signals produced upon the mast of lights are in what are known
asidots and dashes, in this instance two contiguous lights constituting a dot and
twelve contiguous lights a dash with spaces intervening of twelve blank lights as
shown in Figure 9, in which the letter A is represented viz., a dot and a dash.
"
Each key representing the letters of the alphabet has attached to it a contacting
plate. with long and short projections representing the proper dashes and dots, and
each projection when the key is depressed comes in contact with a sufficient number
of spring strips 7 to complete the various circuits and illuminate the lamps con-
nected with the several strips touched. When the pressure upon the key is

page_text: removed the spring 25 raises it and the contact is broken extinguishing the
lights.
The contacting strip shown in Figure 4 is attached to the key marked X and
has one short, one long and two short projections which touch when depressed first
two strips, then twelve then two and again two, leaving twelve strips untouched
between each two projections, causing the lights connected with the touched strips
to flash producing upon the mast a dot a dash and two dots with the necessary
blank spaces between. The fact that the metal strips are each spring-pressed and
that the contacting strip with its projections has been carefully levelled always
insures a perfect and reliable contact. The improved system of connecting each
spring-strip with its separate lamp through individual marked posts and alternating
the connecting wires on the two sides of the bed-plate necessarily avoids a confusion
in the multiplicity of wires and enables the operator to quickly locate a faulty or
broken wire.
In Figure one is shown an adjustable, index frame.consisting of movable strips 39
upon which the letters of the alphabet are marked including also figures and a
period. As they are placed in the drawing the keys opposite the several characters
will produce upon the masts of lights the proper. dashes and dots called for by each
letter or figure, but if a cypher should be necessary it can quickly be effected by
sliding the frame one space to the right or left. If to the right the former key A
becomes a period, the former key B becomes A &c. through the alphabet and
numbers. The letter G at the right hand end of the top strip is thrown off, but an
extra G on the strip below comes in place, and so on through the several strips.
If to the left the letter A is thrown off at the top and its. key becomes B and so
on, the letter A being thrown on at the right hand end of the lower strip taking
the former position of the period, the intervening end letters being provided for as
before.
- !
These strips could be extended transversely so that each of the characters
could be shifted past two, three or more keys thus forming additional ciphers as.
desired.
The standard carrying the lights is of necessity quite high and when not in use
can he collapsed as shown in Figures 12 and 13.
The three separate parts 40 constituting the standard are joined together by the
two pairs of links 41 and 42, the upper end.of the top section being secured to the
rope 43, by which the top and intermediate section can be raised against the mast
or lowered as shown.
"
44 is a box or casing into which the upper sections pass and rest with the lower
stationary section a hinged door 45 in front closing and locking them within the
casing. The electric wires connecting the lights with the key board pass from the
cable into the lower end of the first section as at 46. the necessary wires 47 and 48
for the upper sections passing to the top of each of these sections and there entering
so that when the sections rest in the casing 44, the connecting wires will hang from
the staples 49 upon the mast 50.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A signal telegraph consisting essentially of a number of electric lamps
arranged in a continuous line, a bed-plate of non-conducting material, a series of
metal strips insulated from each other in such bed-plate and each electrically
connected with a separate lamp, and contacting plates each operated by a separate
key to complete the circuits, through different groups of the metal strips, to light
the lamps necessary to produce the character desired.
Second. A signal telegraph consisting essentially of a number of electric lamps
arranged in a continuous line, a bed-plate of non-conducting material, a series of
spring-pressed metal strips, insulated from each other in such bed-plate and each
elecarically connected with a separate lamp and spring-pressed contacting plates

page_text: -operated by separate keys to complete the circuits through different groups of the
spring-pressed metal strips to light the lamps necessary to produce the character
desired.
Third. A signal telegraph consisting essentially of a number of electric lamps
arranged in a continuous line, a bed-plate of non-conducting material, a series of
spring-pressed metal strips insulated from each other in such bed-plate and each
electrically connected with a separate lamp and spring-pressed levers carrying
adjustable contacting plates operated by separate keys to complete the circuits
through different groups of the spring pressed metal strips, to light the lamps
necessary to produce the character desired.
Fourth. In a signal telegraph substantially as described the combination with
contacting plates operated by separate keys of the metal strips insulated from each
other in a non-conducting bed-plate and projecting alternately from opposite sides
of the bed-plate the alternate projecting ends having wires secured thereto which
are separately connected to marked binding posts substantially as and for the
purpose stated.
Fifth. In a signal telegraph substantially as described, the combination with
contacting plates operated by separate keys of the spring-pressed metal strips
insulated from each other in a non-conducting bed-plate and projecting alternately
from opposite sides of the bed-plate the alternate projecting ends on each side being
separately connected to separate rows of marked binding posts substantially as and
for the purpose stated.
Sixth. In a signal telegraph the set of levers 24 pivoted upon a common rod 23
and the contacting plates 28 with projections and pivoted to each lever by the
link 29, and adjusted by the levelling devices 30, 30, the whole being operated by
the rods 26 and. keys 27 substantially as shown and described.
Seventh. In a signal telegraph the combination with contacting plates operated
by separate keys of the bed-plate 4 having the spring-pressed insulated metal
strips 7 projecting alternately from opposite sides of the bed plate the projecting
ends of the left side being connected by the wires 18 with the outer row of marked
binding posts on the plate 12 and the projecting ends of the right side being
connected by the wires 19 with the inner row of marked binding posts on the same
plate, corresponding rows of binding posts on the under side connecting each
metal strip 7 to a separate lamp in the standard substantially as shown and
.described.
Dated this 20th day of November 1893.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow