Improvements in Electric Bells and Signals and in Appliances for Use therewith.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th July, 1889-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Bells and Signals and in Appliances for
Use therewith.
EDWARD COX-WALKER of Feethams Darlington Engineer and ALAN ARCHIBALD
CAMPBELL. SWINTON 75 Queen Victoria Street London E.C. Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in Electric Bells and Signals and in
appliances for use in connection therewith and has for its object greater simplicity in
construction and increased efficiency and ease in working.
According to our invention we employ for the receiving mechanism of an electric
bell or signal an armature which may be of H or similar section wound shuttle-wise
with insulated wire or may be of the other forms commonly used in dynamo machines
& motors and is pivoted on an axis so that it can partially rotate between the poles of
a permanent or electro-magnet or several such magnets, the said magnet or magnets
being preferably fitted with soft iron pole pieces suitably hollowed out so as to
leave a cylindrical chamber between them in which the armature moves.
•
We find it convenient in some cases to fashion the pole pieces each with a groove
or slot in which the poles of the simple or compound magnet may be held, the pole
pieces being of suitable form to admit the armature being placed with its axis parallel
to the legs of the magnet so that its axis if continued would pass through the yoke
of the said magnet. But we do not confine ourselves to this form and arrangement
of pole pieces and we may dispense with separate pole pieces entirely without
departing from our invention.
With an armature, and magnets arranged in this way, when an electric current of
suitable strength is caused to pass through the wire on the armature, the latter, if
properly placed will rotate through a small are in one direction or the other according
to the direction of the current through the aricature wire and a suitable hammer or
striker being attached say radially to the armature or to its spindle, this movement
may be utilised to strike a gong or by striking a sounding body or bodies of convenient
description to give signals by sound.
The arrangement can thus be used either for ringing a bell or for telegraphic
purposes.
In order to make the apparatus as frictionless and sensitive as possible, the armature
may conveniently be pivoted on the ends of steel pivot screws and one bearing of the
armature and one screw may be insulated, and being connected to one end of the
armature, wire will serve for leading the current to the latter, the other screw &
bearing serving for the return or opposite connection, being in electrical communi-
cation with the other end of the armature wire.
When permanent magnets are employed the current may be simply passed thro
the coil of wire on the armature but with electro magnets it may be taken either in
series or in parallel with the armature wire through wires coiled round the magnets
as well, so as to magnetise the latter, or the electro magnet may be excited by
current derived from a battery.
Where an alternating electric current is employed to work the apparatus the
armature will rotate backwards & forwards under the impulses of the currents, but
with a continuous current the armature may be weighted or, balanced so as to
return to its original position when the current is cut off, or a delicate spring may
be used for this purpose. The same result may also be obtained by suitably
arranging the position of the armature in relation to the pole pieces or by suitably
designing these so that the magnetic attractions tend always to make the armature

page_text: take up a definite position when no current is passing thro it and where alternating
currents are employed the same arrangements may be used with the object of causing
the armature to move more forcibly in one direction than the other as is required
for ringing single stroke bells and for similar purposes.
The transmitting apparatus for operating the above may consist either of a
suitable battery and key or of a magneto generator.
Where a battery is employed the armature of the receiving mechanism may be
furnished with a contact breaker operated by the vibrations of the said armature
to cause tremulous movements in the ordinary manner, a spring or weight being
employed to cause the armature to return to its original position after having been
moved as above mentioned or the spring or weight may be dispensed with and the
contact breaker so arranged that instead of merely interrupting the circuit it may
reverse the connections so that the continuous battery current will pass through the
armature alternately in opposite directions and thus cause it to vibrate backwards and
forwards, or the same result may be obtained without a contact breaker by means of
a suitable reversing key at the transmitting station.
Magneto generators of any suitable kind may be employed but we prefer those
described in Specification No. 6893, 1888 filed by one of the parties hereto and in
our joint specification No. 10929 1888.
When a generator such as is described in these specifications is operated by the
partial rotation of its armature, we find it advantageous to employ a spring which
may conveniently be coiled round the armature spindle or arranged to pull or push
an arm on the said spindle so that when the armature is rotated in one direction
by hand the spring causes it to fly back rapidly to its original position when
released.
The armature may be rotated by a handle as described in the above mentioned
specifications, or a radial arm may be attached to the spindle and fitted with a finger
piece for use as a tapper key, the pressure of the finger on the arm or key causing
the armature to rotate through a small are in one direction against the force of the
spring which causes it to fly back again when the pressure is removed.
A plunger may be conveniently used to operate the said arm the finger piece or
head of the plunger being arranged to project outside the box or case that contains
the generator.
We sometimes dispense with the spring and employ a double or cross arm pro-
jecting on each side of the spindle so as to form a double key. Pressure on one end
of the cross arm causes the armature to rotate in one direction and pressure on the
other end causes it to rotate back again in the other direction, so that by alternately
pressing on the two ends of the cross-arm, alternate currents are generated.
We sometimes arrange this cross arm to be operated by the plungers acting on the
two ends of the arm, or only one plunger may be used, this plunger being fitted
with a jointed or flexible end and a spring to cause its return clear of the double arm
which is in this case fitted with a triangular piece fastened to the arm just over the
centre of the armature spindle and which acts as a guide to the flexible or jointed
end of the plunger, so that owing to the displacement of the apex of the triangular
piece due to the rotation of the cross arm in one or other direction, repeated
depressions of the plunger cause the latter to descend on or other side of the
triangular piece alternately and so act alternately on the two ends of the cross arm
and thus rotate the armature first one way and then the other.
Or a plunger tapper key or pull may be used to rotate the armature against a
spring and by disengaging let the same go when it arrives at the bottom of its
stroke, the spring causing the armature to fly back rapidly. In this case the
tapper key pull or plunger may operate the armature through the medium of a
rack and pinion, a short lever attached to the armature spindle or a suitable length
of archemedian screw fashioned on the end of the armature spindles and engaging
in a nut moved backwards or forwards by the tapper key plunger or pull.
Or a rack and pinion arrangement may be employed to wholly or partially to

page_text: rotate the armature with a spring to bring same back without disengaging, or a
spring and quadrant may be used; the quadrant gearing with a pinion on the arma-
ture spindle either by friction or toothed gear, and being partially rotated either
directly by hand or through the medium of a lever, plunger, or pull.
a
Or, the armature spindle may be fitted with a pulley and actuated by pulling
cord wound on the latter, a coiled spring or other device being arranged to wind
the cord up again.
Or in order to ensure a sufficiently rapid movement of the armature the spindle
of the latter may be fitted with a cross arm one end of which engages loosely in a
fork formed on the end of a key or lever, a spiral or other spring being stretched
between the other end of the cross arm to the axis on which the key or lever turns.
The arrangement being such that when the lever is moved up or down the fork
causes the cross piece and armature to rotate through a small arc, and the spring
acting over the centre of the armature spindle accelerates the motion when once the
central position of lever and cross arm has been passed in either direction.
In this as in the other instances where a tapper key, lever pull or plunger is employed
to rotate the armature a spring may conveniently be used to make the same rise
again automatically after the pressure of the hand is removed.
Automatic cut out switches may be combined with the operating mechanism of
the generator to short-circuit the armature wire when the apparatus is at rest and
is not being operated, and where there is a bell or signal and a generator at both -
ends of the line, to cut out the home bell or signal when the distant one is being
worked.
'
For such purposes the generator may be arranged with a spring, a weight or other
device to cause the position of rest always to be the same, and contact pieces are
arranged so that in this position the armature is short circuited or cut out of the
circuit and in all other positions such as it passes through when being, operated, the
armature short circuit is interrupted and the home bell is short circuited or cut out
instead.
Where a bell or signal and generator are employed near together, say in cases
where there is one of each in the same box or case, so that signals can be given
in either direction and from either end of the same line the same magnets and arma-
ture may be used both as transmitting generator and as receiving mechanisın for
ringing the bell or giving the signal. For this purpose the striker or bell hammer may
be conveniently attached to one end of the armature spindle while the operating
handle, plunger or tapper key works in connection with the other end of the same
spindle.
When separate magnets and armatures are used for transmitting and receiving in
the same instrument, the receiving magnets may conveniently be placed above or
alongside of the others, so that one set of magnets will help to increase the magnetism
of the other set. Or the magnets may be arranged with their like poles in contact
with one another end to end with a like purpose.
Or the pole pieces and armatures of the receiving and transmitting mechanism
may be fixed in line at a suitable distance apart, and straight bar-magnets
employed so that one pole of each magnet is employed to magnetise the receiving
pole piece while the other pole of the same magnet serves a like purpose to one
of the transmitting pole pieces. One set of magnets serving for both transmitting
& receiving.
Generators arranged on this and the other plans described above may be used in
connection with other kinds of bells and signals than those hereinbefore described,
for instance they may be used in connection with those described in our joint
specification No. 9046, 1888.
1
E. COX-WALKER.
A. A. CAMPBELL SWINTON.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in. Electric Bells and Signals and in Appliances for
Use therewith.
EDWARD COX-WALKER of Feethams Darlington, Engineer, and ALAN ARCHIBALD
CAMPBELL SWINTON of 66 Victoria street Westminster Engineer 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 to improvements in Electric Bells & signals and in appliances
for use in connection therewith, and has for its object greater simplicity in con-
struction and increased efficiency and ease in working.
According to one part of our invention we employ for the receiving mechanism of
an electric bell or signal an armature which may be of H or similar section wound
shuttle-wise with insulated wire or may be of any one of the forms commonly used
in dynamo machines & motors and which is pivoted on an axis so that it can partially
rotate between the polar fields of a permanent or electro-magnet or several such
magnets, the said magnet or magnets being preferably fitted with soft iron pole
pieces suitably hollowed out so as to leave a cylindrical chamber between them
in which the armature moves.
Fig. 1 of the drawings shows in plan a receiving apparatus on this system
arranged as a call bell, the bell gong being shewn in lotted lines. Fig. 2 shows a
side elevation and fig. 4 a vertical section of the same.
The apparatus consists of a permanent magnet K. with soft iron pole pieces L L
and an armature M of H section with longitudinal coil N. and capable of rotating
with the axis O which in this case is mounted on lathe centres P P so as to offer the
least possible resistance to the motion of the armature, the screw centres P P₁ being
carried by the plates QQ. The one end of the coil N is connected to the axis O and
through the screw P which is insulated from plate Q to the contact screw R while
the other end is connected to a block for pin $ fixed in an insulated manner in a
recess in the other end of the axis, the screw centre P¹ being in electrical connection
with the centact screw R through plate Q and a wire lead.
-
To the armature core M. is attached an arm T which in this case serves as a striker
for striking the bell U. but which may be arranged to strike any other sounding
appliance or to serve as a visible signal or semaphore.
These
The armature is enclosed by curved plates W W₁ as in the case of the transmitting
instrument the one plate being formed with a slot through which the striker T passes.
According to another improvement, instead of using two bells for giving a sound at
each beat of the striker in both directions as was heretofore required with so called
tremulous bells, we provide on the bells two projections U U shown in dotted lines
between which the striker T is situated so as to strike in both directions.
projections may have screw adjustments for adjusting their position to the motion of
the striker, or the latter may be provided with screw adjustment. Or instead of this
arrangement we may provide the striker with a forked head, one or both parts of
which may also be adjustable and between which is a single projection on the bell
or a part of the rim of the latter.
When an electric current of suitable strength is caused to pass through the
armature coil, the armature is attracted to and caused to rotate through a small arc
in one direction or the other according to the direction of the electric current and
the bell hammer is thus operated.
When permanent magnets are employed the current may be simply passed through
the coil of wire on the armature but with electro magnets it may be taken either in
series or in parallel with the armature wire through wires coiled round the magnets
as well so as to magnetise the latter or the electro magnet may be excited by currents
derived from a local battery.
Where an alternating electric current is employed to work the apparatus the
armature will rotate backwards and forwards under the impulses of the currents but
with a continuous current the armature may be weighted or balanced so as to return

page_text: to its original position when the current is cut off or a delicate spring may be used
for this purpose. The same result may also be obtained by suitably arranging the
position of the armature in relation to the pole pieces, or by suitably designing these
so that the magnetic attractions tend always to make the armature take up a definite
position when no current is passing thro' it, and where alternating currents are
employed the same arrangements may be used with the object of causing the armature
to move more forcibly in one direction than in the other as is required for ringing
single stroke bells and for similar purposes.
The transmitting apparatus for operating the above may consist either of a suitable
battery and key or of a magneto generator.
Where a battery is employed the armature of the receiving mechanism may be
furnished with a contact breaker operated by the vibrations of the said armature to
cause tremulous movements in the ordinary manner a spring or weight being
employed to cause the armature to return to its original position after having been
moved as above mentioned or the spring or weight may be dispensed with & the
contact breaker so arranged that instead of merely interupting the circuit it may
reverse the connections so that the continuous battery current will pass through the
armature alternately in opposite directions and thus cause it to vibrate backwards
and forwards or the same result may be attained without a contact breaker by means
of a suitable reversing key at the transmitting station.
Magneto generators of any suitable kind may be employed but we prefer those
described in specification No. 6893 1888 filed by one of the parties hereto, and in our
joint specification No. 10929, 1888.
When a generator such as is described in these specifications is operated by the
partial rotation of its armature we find it advantageous to employ a spring which
may conveniently be coiled round the armature spindle or arranged to pull or push
an arm on the said spindle so that when the armature is rotated in one direction by
hand the spring causes it to fly back rapidly to its original position when released.
The armature may be rotated by a handle as described in the above mentioned
specifications or a radial arm may be attached to the spindle and fitted with a finger
piece for use as a tapper key, the pressure of the finger on the arm or key causing
the armature to rotate through a small are in one direction against the force of the
spring which causes it to fly back again when the pressure is removed.
It will be evident that both instruments may be made to act both as sending and
receiving instrument by providing both armatures with a lever or finger piece for
moving the same and with a striker and bell but as it is desirable that the armature
of the receiver should be mounted so as to offer the least possible resistance to its
motion while the armature of the sending instrument requires to be more substantially
mounted we prefer to provide in such cases where it is required to signal in both
directions both a sending instrument and a receiving instrument at each station and
in this case we prefer to arrange the connections in such a manner that when the
sending instrument is not in use it is cut out of the circuit so as not to offer
unnecessary resistance to the current, while when the sending instrument is in use
the receiving instrument at the same station is cut out of the circuit. Figure 5 of
the drawings shows a plan and Figure 6 an end view of an arrangement of the
apparatus for this purpose.
The construction of both instruments is the same as already described, the receiving
instrument being in this case arranged with the armature axis horizontal instead of
vertical and being made to act as a single-stroke bell. The two instruments are
connected with the circuit by a spring contact piece d as will he presently
described.
The one end of the armature coil of the sending instrument X is in connection with
the contact a and the corresponding end of the armature coil of the receiving
instrument is in connection with the contact b while the other ends of both coils
are in connection with earth at c¹.
Between the contacts a and b is a spring d the fixed end of which is connected to
the screw terminal at e in connection with the distant station, while its free end is, so

page_text: arranged as to come in contact with a when left free by the tail f¹ of the lever f fixed
on the armature spindle, but to be kept ordinarily in contact with 7 and out of contact
with a by the tail of the lever, which for this purpose is acted upon by the spring g
so as to cause it to depress the spring d as shewn, the tail having a stud fof
insulating material that presses upon the spring d. The spring g also serves to cause
the quick return of the lever and armature to the original position after it has been
pressed down and thereby to produce a reverse current.
Thus when in this position the receiving instrument Y is put in the circuit and the
sending instrument is cut out of it in which position the instrument is in condition for
receiving signals from the distant station. When it is desired to send a signal to the
distant station, the lever fis depressed, thereby firstly releasing the spring d so as to
make contact with a and break contact with and secondly producing a current by
the motion of the armature X which is consequently sent to the distant station without
passing through Y. On releasing the lever f the spring g brings it back to its
original position, and the resulting reverse current brings the striker of the receiving
instrument at the distant station back into its original position after having struck
the bell. The just described arrangement of lever and spring g for actuating the
armature may also be used in sending instruments without the contact breaking
device. The striker i operates in this case between two adjustable stops of
which j. is so adjusted that the striker must be slightly deflected to reach the bell, so
as to produce a clear sound.
The stops may also have pieces of caoutchouc or springs attached to their ends
for affording the required spring action to the striker and this arrangement may also
be applied to the double stroke or tremulous bells.
In the above mentioned arrangement the one end of the armature coil of the
sending instrument X is connected to the armature spindle which is in electrical
connection with the contact a through a blade spring k fixed to the base. As before
stated it is preferred to mount the armature axis of the receiver on lathe centres,
but it may also be mounted in a similar manner to that described with reference to
the sending instruments.
Figure 7 shows a side elevation and Figure 8 an end view of another arrangement
of receiving instrument in which the signalling bell is mounted upon the top plate
of the receiver itself; the apparatus is otherwise constructed in a similar manner to
those previously described with the exception that the current is taken from the
armature spindle by means of a spring k pressing against the end thereof in a similar
manner to the spring of the generator X at Figures 5 and 6, the said spring being
connected to the contact screw R.
The buffer screws jj for limiting the extent of motion of the striker T are carried
by lugs on the plate Q they may be provided with pieces of caoutchouc etc. as
described with reference to figures 5 and 6.
It will be evident that various other arrangements for imparting either a complete
or a reciprocating rotary motion to the armature might be employed, thus the
armature spindle might carry a toothed pinion, in gear with which is either a toothed
wheel rotated by hand or a toothed rack or quadrant of such length as to rotate the
armature several times when moved in one direction by means of a suitable pull or
push and also to rotate it several times in the contrary direction when the rack or
quadrant is moved back to its original position by a spring or weight. Or again the
armature spindle may carry a grooved pulley round which is wound a cord, so that
on pulling this the armature is rotated in opposition to the action of a coiled spring
connected to the spindle which rotates it back in the contrary direction, when the
pull is released thus winding up the cord on the pulley again.
Figures 10 and 11 shew respectively an elevation and a plan of such a construction
the armature being provided with a striker T which strikes against two stops Z, Z¹,
of different form so as to give two different sounds so that, the dot and dash of the
Morse alphabet can be sent.
Although we have shewn the magnets of all the instruments as permanent magnets
yet it will be evident that electro magnets excited by a battery may also be used i

page_text: CLAIMS.
1. In signalling apparatus, the combination of an electrical generator, consisting
of a permanent magnet or electro magnet between the polar fields of which is a
rotatable armature of any construction similar to that of the armature of dynamo
electric machines, actuated by hand directly or through gearing, and a receiver
consisting also of a permanent magnet or electro magnet between the polar fields of
which is a rotatable armature similar in construction to the armatures of dynamo
electric machines and carrying a striker or signalling arm or semaphore, the coils of
the two armatures being included in one and the same circuit so that on rotating or
reciprocating the armature of the generator, electric currents are generated which
produce a reciprocating motion of the receiver armature and consequently of the
striker or signalling arm attached thereto so as to give the required audible or visible
signal.
2. A receiver for signalling apparatus, consisting of a permanent or electro magnet
between the polar fields of which is a rotatable armature similar in construction to
the armatures of dynamo electric machines, and carrying a striker or signalling arm
or semaphore so that on passing alternating currents from a distance through the
coils of the armature, the resulting reciprocating motion of the latter causes the
striker or signalling armi to give corresponding signals.
3. A receiver for signalling apparatus consisting of a permanent magnet of horse
shoe or equivalent form, the limbs of which fit into grooves of soft iron polar fields
between which is a rotatable armature similar in construction to those used in dynamo.
electric machines, and whose axis is carried on lathe centres or bearings, a striker or
signalling arm being fixed on the armature, so that on a current being passed from
an electrical circuit, through the coil of the armature the resulting motion of the
latter causes the striker or signalling arm to give an audible or visible signal.
4. A receiver for signalling apparatus consisting of a permanent magnet of horse
shoe or equivalent form, the limbs of which fit into grooves of soft iron polar fields,
between which is a rotatable armature with core of H shaped cross section and whoso
axis is carried on lathe centres or bearings, a striker or signalling arm being fixed
on the armature, so that on a current being passed from an electrical circuit, through
the coil of the armature the resulting motion of the latter causes the striker or
signalling arm to give an audible or visible signal.
5. A receiver for electrical signalling apparatus consisting of a permanent magnet
of horse shoe form having soft iron pole pieces extending in the same direction as
the limbs of the magnet, between which is a rotatable armature, the axis of which is
also parallel to the limbs of the magnet and to the pole pieces.
6. In signalling apparatus for sending signals to and receiving them from a distant
station, the combination of an electrical generator consisting of a permanent magnet or
electrical magnet with a rotatable armature such as those used in dynamo electric machines
and a receiver for signalling apparatus consisting of a permanent magnet or electro magnet
with a rotatable armature, such as those used in dynamo electric machines, carrying
a striker or signalling arm, the coil of the generator armature and that of the receiver
armature being put in connection with the signalling circuit by means of a spring or
other contact acted upon by the lever of the generator armature in such a manner
that when the generator is inactive its armature lever moves the spring out of contact
with its coil and keeps it in contact with the coil of the receiver, so that currents
sent from a distant station will only pass through the last named coil, while when the
lever of the generator is moved so as to produce a current in the armature coil it
releases the said spring, causing this to break contact with the receiver armature coil
and to make contact with the generator armature coil.
7. In receiving instruments for electrical signalling apparatus having a rotatable
armature such as has been referred to in the preceding claims connecting the one
end of the arinature coil to the armature spindle which is in electrical connection
with the one terminal of the circuit, while the other end of the coil is connected to
an insulated block or pin on the said spindle which is in electrical connection with

page_text: the second terminal of the circuit by means of a screw or spring in contact with
the said block or pin.
8. In receiving instruments for electrical signalling apparatus having rotatable
armature, such as has been referred to in the preceding claims, connecting the one
end of the armature coil to the armature spindle which is in electrical connection
with the one terminal of the circuit and providing the other end with a flexible
insulated conductor which is connected to the insulated second terminal of the
circuit, so as to allow of the partial rotation of the armature in either direction.
9. The combination of a receiving instrument for electrical signalling apparatus
constructed as set forth in the preceding claims with a signalling bell having two
projections cast on its rim, between which projections the striker is situated so as to
give a sound at each beat.
10. The combination with a sending instrument of electrical signalling apparatus,
having an armature partially rotatable on its axis and provided with a longitudinally
..wound coil such as is referred to in the preceding claims, of a striker or signalling
arm, carried by the armature so that the instrument can serve both as a sending and
as a receiving instrument.
11. The combination of electrical generator and receiving instrument for signalling
purposes constructed and operating as herein described with reference to Figures 5
and 6 of the drawings.
12. The mode of actuating the armature of an electrical generator for signalling
purposes by the combined action of a lever, frictional or toothed gearing or equivalent
devices for rotating through a certain part of a revolution a number of complete
revolutions and a spring or weight for bringing it back to its original position.
13. The construction of receiving instruments for electrical signalling apparatus,
arranged and operating as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 10, & 11 of the drawings.
14. The construction of electrical generators for electrical signalling apparatus
arranged and operating as herein described with reference to figures 5 & 6 of the
drawings.
Dated this 17th
T1 1000
A. A. C. SWINTON.