A NEW OR IMPROVED SYSTEM OF AND APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE TELEGRAPHY
Year: 1867

page_text: for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED SYSTEM OF AND APPARATUS FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE TELEGRAPHY."--A communication from abroad by Adolphe
Bergmuller, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria, Engineer.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, 'on the
2nd May 1867.
1, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings. Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED SYSTEM OF AND APPA-
RATUS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE TELEGRAPHY," to be as follows:-
The present invention has for its object to afford a ready and rapid means
of communicating to the administrative authority the occurence and nature
of the various descriptions of accidents that may take place from day to day
in towns, in order that the necessary assistance may be quickly forwarded to
the spot where any such accident has occurred.
The apparatus for this purpose is of a simple nature, and may be fixed in the
streets of the town in as many different focalities as the administrative authority
[Price 8d.]

page_text: may consider desirable. It is of such easy manipulation that any one totally
unacquainted with telegraphy can forward messages thereby.
For this pur-
pose the apparatus is provided with a face plate, upon which are arranged in
a row a number of finger keys, opposite each of which is written a certain
description of accident, so that in order to convey the intelligence of the occur
ence of a particular accident one has only to depress the particular key
situated opposite the place where such accident is set forth on the face plate.
The mechanism for communicating the correct signal corresponding with the
finger key that has been depressed consists of the following principal parts:-
Firstly, a galvanic battery, which by means of a line wire establishes an electric
circuit between the particular locality and the office of the administrative
authority when a key is depressed. Secondly, the finger keys in being depressed
establish a metallic contact by means of a spring so as to produce a current,
and at the same time they set in motion a clockwork mechanism by means
of a lever and spindle carrying a releasing catch. Thirdly, this clockwork
mechanism in its turn imparts motion to a revolving contact lever pressing
with small rollers upon a fixed signal plate, having a number of notches so
arranged in groups as to represent letters or other conventional signs, so that
the contact lever in passing over them makes and breaks contact in such a
manner as to convey currents corresponding with such letters or signs through
the line wire. The different finger keys are cach made to act in such a different
manner upon the contact lever that each one in being depressed causes a
different combination of the letters or signs to be transmitted, which different
combinations are interpreted at the receiving station as the various descrip-
tions of accidents enumerated upon the face plate of the dispatching appa-
ratus. Fourthly, the currents passing through the circuit during the sending
of a signal pass through the coils of an electro-magnet, which attracts an
armature, whereby this is made to effect the striking of an alarum situated in
the case of the apparatus, so as to make it known when a message is being
transmitted in order that no other message may be attempted to be trans-
mitted while the apparatus is at work. The armature is also so arranged in
combination with a current reverser that when it is attempted to send a second,
signal during the time that a signal is being conveyed through the line wire the
armature acts upon a catch which stops all motion of the clockwork of the
apparatus. In addition to the finger keys representing a certain code of
signals, a dial with pointer is provided in the apparatus, actuated by a separated
linger key, whereby messages of a different nature from the code of signals
may be transmitted. In combination with this system of telegraphy is employed
a portable instrument of the same construction as that above described, which

page_text: SPECIFICATION
in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Paieni, filed
by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. I. CHARLES
DENTON ABEL. of No. 20, Southampton Buildings. Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex. Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent. bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign.
did. for Herself: Iler heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Denton Abel. Her special licence that I. the said Charles Denton
Abel, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I. the said
Charles Denton Abel. my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others. from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed. should and lawfully might make, use.
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
SYSTEM OF AND APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE TELEGRAPHY," a communication
to me from abroad by Adolphe Bergmuller. of Vienna. in the Empire of
Austria, Engineer. upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the sail
Charles Denton Abel, my executors or. administrators. 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 Charles Denton Abel, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof. reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
The present Invention has for its object to afford a ready and rapid means
of communicating to the administrative authority the occurrence and nature
of the various descriptions of accidents that may take place from day to day

page_text: in towns, in order that the necessary assistance may be quickly forwarded 10
the spot wherein such accident has occurred.
The apparatus for this purpose is of a simple nature, and may be fixed in
the streets of the town in as many different localities as the administrative
authority may consider desirable. It is of such easy manipulation that any
one totally unacquainted with telegraphy can forward messages thereby. Any
required number of different kinds of accidents are for this purpose indicated
upon a face plate of the apparatus by a corresponding number of figures or
letters marked upon a series of finger keys, by depressing one of which not
only is the description of a particular accident conveyed to the administrative
office. but also the number of the telegraph station whence the message has
been sent, the entire operation taking at most fifteen seconds. The receiver
of the message can then immediately dispatch the required assistance. or even
police or military forces to the scene of the accident. In addition to the
above, ordinary telegraphic messages may be forwarded by the apparatns by
means of a separate finger key or contact lever situated behind the small door
thereof. The special service signals are indicated at the street telegraphs by
strokes on a bell.
The advantages of this system of telegraphy are as follows:-1. The ease
with which the apparatus is manipulated. 2. The rapidity with which
messages may be sent. 3. The necessity for only one single wire and battery
at each station. 4. The interception of the action of the battery at all times.
excepi when signals are transmitted. 5. The impossibility of mistaking one
message for another by the application of a simple mechanism, whereby the
simultaneous telegraphing from several stations is prevented.
The portable telegraph apparatus only serves for communicating with those
stations at which the apparatus is under repair, or where the communication
with the line wire is intercepted. By means of this portable telegraph
apparatus communication may be rapidly established, either with burning
houses or with any other locality where assistance is needed.
On the accompanying Drawings is shown the construction of apparatus for
carrying this Invention into practice.
Figure 1, Sheet I., shows a front Elevation of the apparatus: Figures 2
and 3 show respectively a plan and a sectional elevation of the clockwork
mechanism Figures 4 and 5 on Sheet II. show respectively a front elevation
of the apparatus with the cover, shown in Figure 1. removed, and a vertical
section on line X. X. Figure 4; Figure 6. Sheet. II., shows a back elevation
of the apparatus with the back plate removed: Figure 7 shows a plan of the
same; Figure 8, on Sheet I., shows a plan of the whole combined apparatus

page_text: with the receiving instrument and the conducting wires which connect them.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in each of the Figures.
The entire telegraphic communicating apparatus is fixed upon a strong
board, and is enclosed in a box or casing in such a manner that it may readily
be removed therefrom for the purpose of cleansing. The nature of the several
messages is written distinctly on the face plate, Figure 1. and a finger key is
situated opposite to each such message. Upon the face plate is also an indicating
needle covered by a strong glass plate, and a part of the door or face plate of
the apparatus can be opened for working a hand lever there situated for
sending ordinary telegraphic messages..
The communicating apparatus consists essentially of the following parts:-
Firstly, an inscription, plate E with a contact lever H. which revolves on the
plate. Secondly, a clockwork mechanism F with arrangements for starting and
stopping the same. Thirdly, a system of finger keys C, provided with contact
springs p. of which the number is determined by the number of different
messages to be transmitted. Fourthly, a striking apparatus G with the
interrupter K. which, situated above the inscription plate E. serves both for
receiving the signals and for interrupting the motion of the mechanism.
Fifthly, the hand lever J with a commutator. Sixthly. the indicating needle.
The finger keys C serve to forward the messages. As soon as one of them is
depressed the lever M is set in motion, and with it the vertical spindle O. the
rotation of which effects the raising of the catch or pawl which stops the
motion of the clockwork whereby such clockwork is put in motion: this also
causes the contact lever H to rotate, such motion continuing until the lever
has performed one revolution, after which the finger key C is pushed back
into its original position. It is impossible to depress several finger keys at
once, as when one key is in action all the others are held stationary by the
levers M connected to the lever M and spindle O. By this means the con-
fusion of signals is prevented which would take place if several finger keys
were depressed at the same time. To each finger key is attached an arm m.
which establishes the electric contact between the depressed key and the
respective contact springs p. and through these and the wire with the
signs a, b, c, d, on the inscription plate E (see Figure 8).
The clockwork mechanism, which may be actuated either by a spring or by
weights is wound up by means of a key, or an arrangement may be adapted
whereby it is wound up by opening or closing the door of the case.
The inscription
The stopping mechanism is clearly shown in Figure 6.
plate E is fixed on the casing of the clockwork mechanism; it is constructed
of a non-conducting material. on which are fixed the signs a, b. c. d. con-

page_text: stituting the messages, and constructed of conducting material. The contact
lever H has four small rollers of platinum.
connection with &, and B with y.
with the ring A. and the roller
B. y. 8. of which is in metallic
The roller a is always in metallic contact
with B. When the lever is stationary, the
As soon as the lever
two small rollers y and are on the metal piece h.
begins to move the interrupter K is iurned, and when the rollers y and 8 leave
the piece the interrupter returns to its first position.
The different combinations of the letters which are actuated by the finger
keys permit of the production of fifteen different messages. For a greater
number one or more additional letters would have to be employed. Thus the
key 12 will give the combination b. e. d (as indicated), which may, for instance.
be the signal conveying the information that a house is on fire. It may be
observed here that other conventional signs may be employed in place of
letters.
The striking apparatus G serves to apprize the attendant that the com-
municating apparatus is in action; it includes an arrangement for preventing
the simultaneous forwarding of two messages. The apparatus is composed of
the permanent magnet K with a soft iron armature L turning upon a vertical
axis, and of the double electro-magnet T. Upon the moveable armature is a
pin which stops the fly V of the clockwork mechanism as soon as the armature
rests on a particular side of the electro-magnet. When the armature is on
the opposite, side the fly is free to revolve: in its normal position the armature
does not intercept the fly. At one end of the armature is a hammer U, which
strikes upon the bell G. If during the time that a message is being conveyed
by the line wire the apparatus is put in motion by the depression of a finger
key the interrupter begins to turn, and the electric current passing in a certain
direction through the electro-magnet causes the armature to be attracted
that side on which it intercepts the fly, the consequence of which is that the
motion of the mechanism is immediately stopped. and remains so until the
attendant receives the current in the reverse direction. causing the armature
to be attracted to the reverse side, and thus allowing the apparatus to convey
the required signal. It is therefore necessary that the attendant at the station
as soon as he has completed a message shall cause a reversed current to pass
through the line wire for a few seconds. The hand lever J has three con-
necting screws. serving to connect the line wire thereto when a temporary
telegraph station has to be established with a portable telegraph. For this
purpose it is absolutely necessary that a commutator should be placed near
the lever.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, as communicated to me

page_text: by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner it is to be performed. I
claim, the improved telegraph apparatus with its mechanical combinations.
characterized by the five principle parts herein-before described.
In witness whereof. I. the said Charles Denton Abel. have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October. in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
CHARLES D. ABEL. (L..s.)