IM- PROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS."-A communication from abroad
by Joseph de Susini, Gentleman, and Jean Marie Onésime Tamin,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners. of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th September 1866.
I, WILLIAM: CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS," to be as follows:-
This. Invention relates to an improved writing telegraph apparatus, the chief
features of which are,-
1st, the synchronous action of the transmitting and receiving apparatus
by means of the electricity of the line without the aid of chronometric
apparatus.

page_text: 2ndly, its simplicity, small cost, and easy manipulation.
Srdly, its electro-chemical action induced by the electro-magnetic decom-
position of the salts or other base.
4thly, the capability of working with one or more line wires, and of trans-
mitting twenty or more words in writing in two minutes.
5thly, the capability of transmitting authentic signatures and ink im-
pressions.
6thly, the one apparatus at the same time serves both as a receiver and
manipulator.
This improved telegraph apparatus is represented in the accompanying
Drawing, Figure 1 of which represents a sectional elevation on the line 1, 2,
Figure 2 and Figure 2 a side view of the apparatus on the line 3, 4,
Figure 1.
The essential parts of the apparatus consist of a cylinder a, over which
passes a paper or metal strip 6 held in contact with the cylinder by means of
the comb c composed of a number of metal points of platina, for example,
each being electrically insulated. The most essential part consists of the
commutator d, which contains as many breaks in the currents as there are
points in the comb c. This commutator may be constructed either of hard
india-rubber or any other isolating material; the breaks are of platina metal
and communicate with insulated wires corresponding to the points of the
comb. The commutator may be placed in any suitable position in the appa-
ratus, it being shown as fixed to a pendulum e which receives; to-and-fro
motion from two or more bobbins f, f, forming electro-magnets, and, fixed to
the framing, they being in communication with the local battery g. The
pendulum in its to-and-fro motion passes before a fixed stop h in connection
with the line wire or cable, and communicating with the positive pole of the line
battery. Every time that a tooth of the comb corresponding with a break of
the commutator touches the non-conducting ink, with which the message has
been written on the paper or metal strip the circuit will be broken at this
point, the current being directed to the wire, and passing by the point of the
receiver to the tooth of a corresponding comb will take effect on the receiving
paper, which is steeped in nitrate of manganese, iodide of potassium, or other
base or mixture decomposable by electricity. A catch fixed on the
oscillating pendulum axis advances thé paper strip at each movement. The
synchronous action is regulated by projections j, j, fixed to the pendulum,
these by dipping in a small trough-k of mercury form a circuit, the which by
electrifying the two or more bobbins 1, l, of the pendulum causes them to
separate from f.f. I reserve the right of employing natural or permanent

page_text: magnets instead of these bobbins according to the length of the line or the
electric power necessary for operating a current of sufficient strength to effect
an instantaneous repulsion.
This Invention therefore consists in the improved writing telegraph appa-
ratus described, which is new both in principle and arrangement, acting with
one or several line wires, the receiver and transmitter being rendered syn-
chronous in their action by the electricity of the line. I also reserve the right
of employing any modified arrangement of the apparatus on the same principle
as the foregoing, whereby one, two, or more messages may be received at a
time, and so to accelerate the reception and dispatch of messages, as for
example, a line wire or cable composed of two or more line wires may be
placed in communication with one, two, or more points h, either fixed or
movable and in contact with one, two, or more commutators, and thence by
means of insulated wires with one, two, or more combs placed at a suitable
distance or distances apart on the paper or other receiving and transmitting
strips in order to dispatch or receive at the same time one, two, or more
messages by operating simultaneously at one, two, or more points of the
paper or other strips according to their length and width, the whole being
regulated by one, two, or more pendulums dependent or independent the
One of the other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th March 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
inake, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS," a communication to me from abroad
by Joseph de Susini, Gentleman, and Jean Marie Onésime Tamin, Doctor of
Medicine, both of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly-describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, 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 fol-
Jowing statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to an improved writing telegraph apparatus, the
chief features of which are,-
1st, the synchronous action of the transmitting and receiving apparatus
by means of the electricity of the line without the aid of chronometric
apparatus.
2ndly, its simplicity, small cost, and easy manipulation.
3rdly, its electro-chemical action by the electro-magnetic decomposition of
the salts or other base.
4thly, the capability of working with one or more line wires, and of trans-
mitting twenty or more words in writing in two minutes.
5thly, the capability of transmitting authentic signatures and ink designs.
6thly, the one apparatus serves at the same time both as receiver and
manipulator or sending instrument.
This improved telegraph apparatus is represented in the accompanying
Drawing, Figure 1 of which represents a sectional elevation on the line 1, 2,
Figure 2, and Figure 2 a side view of the apparatus on the line 3, 4, Figure 1.
The essential parts of the apparatus consist of a cylinder a, over which passes
a paper or metal strip 6, held in contact with the cylinder by means of the
comb c, composed of a number of platina points for example, each being
electrically insulated. The most essential part consists of the commutator d,
which comprises as many breaks as there are points in the comb c. This
commutator may be constructed either of hard india-rubber or any other
insulating material; the breaks are of platina and communicate with insulated

page_text: wires corresponding to the points of the comb. The commutator may be
placed in any position in the apparatus, it being shown.as fixed to a pendulum é
which receives to-and-fro motion from two or more bobbins f,f, forming
electro-magnets, and fixed to the framing, they being in communication with
the local battery g. The pendulum in its to-and-fro motion passes before a
fixed stop h, in connection with the line wire or cable, and communicating
with the positive pole of the line battery. Every time that a tooth of the
comb, corresponding with a break of the commutator, touches the insulated ink
with which the message is written on the paper or metal strip the circuit
being broken at this point the current will be directed to the wire and pass by
means of the point of the receiver to the tooth of a corresponding comb, and
influence the receiving paper, which contains nitrate of manganese, iodide of
potassium, or other base or mixture decomposable by electricity. A catch i
fixed on the oscillating pendulum axis advances. the paper strip at each
movement. The synchronous action is regulated by a plunger j fixed to the
pendulum, which, by dipping in a small trough k of mercury forms a circuit,
the which, by electrifying the two or more bobbins 1, 1, of the pendulum will
cause them to separate from f, f. I reserve the right of applying natural
magnets instead of these bobbins according to the length of the line or the
electric power necessary for producing a current of sufficient strength to
effect an instantaneous repulsion.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that which I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved writing telegraph
apparatus herein described and represented in the Drawing, which is new
both in principle and arrangement, acting with one or several line wires, the
receiver and transmitter being rendered synchronous in their action by the
electricity of the line.
I also claim the right of employing any modified arrangement of the
apparatus on the same principle as the foregoing, whereby one, two, or more
messages may be received at a time, and the reception and dispatch of
messages accelerated; as for example a line wire or cable composed of two
or more line wires, may be placed in communication with one, two, or more
points h, either fixed or movable, and in contact with one, two, or more
commutators, and thence by means of insulated wires with one, two, or more
combs placed at a suitable distance or distances apart on the paper or other
receiving and transmitting strips, in order to dispatch or receive at the same
time one, two, or more messages, by operating simultaneously at one, two, or
more points of the paper or other strips, according to their length and width,

page_text: the whole being regulated by one, two, or more pendulums, dependent or
independent the one of the other.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (LS.)