IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1852

page_text: Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th October 1852.
(Void by reason of notice to proceed not having been given within the
time prescribed by the Act.)
I, JOHN HUNTER, formerly of Boston, United States of America, now
of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Telegraphic Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPHS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
First, a peculiar distribution of the circuit wires used for telegraphic
purposes, being afferent or convergent from the circumference to a
central or other station, and efferent or divergent from such station to
the public, whereby by double or manifold circuits widely diverged
in their course, but at certain stations brought into close proximity or
contact, the widest extent of locality is embraced, and giving the power
of operating either with open or closed circuit. Secondly, an improve-
ment in the structure of insulators for electric telegraphs. Thirdly,
a peculiar mechanical arrangement for the transmission of signals.
Fourthly, a new adaptation of axial force to the recording of telegraphic
communications. Fifthly, the adaptation of axial force to signal bells
or other alarms. Sixthly, the application of a new composition for

page_text: insulating wires throughout their entire length; and, seventhly, im-
provements in the transmission by telegraph of fac-similies by a new
means of preparing the copy.
The nature of my said Invention is described & ascertained in the
description following, having reference to the figures & letters marked
on the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Fig. 1, diagram of district telegraph, the signal system being per-
formed with open circuit, showing A, B, the battery; p, positive, & n,
negative poles; a, a, a, a, conductors from each pole returning to point
of departure; S, S, S, signal stations; K, K, K, keys, the depres-
sion of any one of which completes the circuit. The red ink lines dis-
tinguish the alarm circuit connected with the battery A, B; k, alarm
key; b, b, b, b, double conductors, uniting in a single wire at A', A', A',
alarm stations, as required for municipal & other telegraphic purposes,
and may be extended similarly for any number of circuits radiating
from the central office, as designated by the dotted circles C, D.
Fig. 2, external view of the insulator, elevated on a pillar or post.
Fig. 3, a section of the same. A, A, cast iron cap & cup; B, iron
standard, carrying the cone C, of glass or porcelain, or other non-con-
ductor; D, pierced clay cup; a, porcelain rest; b, catch; d, insulating
ring; see Fig. 4.
Fig. 4, bracket form of insulator, without the cup, which may be
used or not.
Fig. 5, a front view of a signal closet, with the face removed to
show the internal mechanism. A, a crank with heavily weighted handle;
B, circuit wheel on axis of crank, with teeth corresponding in number
to the number of locality where situate; C, hand key to operate for
signalizing; D, electro-magnet and armature for receipt of communi-
cations from a central station; E, lightning escape; f, f, strips of brass
resting on varnished wood, with glass covering, and gutta-percha
interposed, the central strip having serrated edges, and communicating
with the ground; g, tube containing conductor. The apparatus is used
by turning the crank A, six times slowly, when the effect will be to
indicate by the register (hereafter described in Fig. 6,) a signal corre
sponding with the number of cams in the circuit wheel.

page_text: Fig. 6, perspective view of the signal register. A, a grooved roller
or bar with matrices on under surface; B, B, two dies, with a gate
stylets; C, C, vertical coils; D, a U shaped rod drawn up into the coils
C, C; E, a spring; and F, the frame work.
Fig. 7, perspective view of the signal call. A, A, vertical coils; B,
armature; C, break piece; D, hammer; E, copper disc or other alarum.
Fig. 8, perspective view of the transmitting apparatus. By this im-
proved adaptation of the key board the operator is enabled to time the
strokes or sounds of an alarum numerically and simultaneously on any
number of public or other bells or alarums, and by means of a series
of oblique springs sliding in contact with a revolving cylinder and key
to throw the current in quick succession into each circuit with economy
of battery power. A, B, C, the usual keys; D, a cylinder, differently.
graduated under each key, revolving on its axis E, and furnished at its
extremity F, with a toothed metallic disc, the teeth so arranged in group's
as to correspond with local signal numbers, and in connection with the
axis of the cylinder; a', b', c', extremity of metallic springs passing beneath
the keys and over the cylinder; other extremities of said springs attached
to metallic bars a, b, c; a, b, c, d, screw cups and wires in circuit.
Fig. 9, perspective view of the striking apparatus; an improvement
on the known mechanism for liberating and resetting, by means of
electro-magetism, a detent in connexion with clockwork, causing a
heavy hammer to strike upon a large bell. A, is a strong frame; c, an
electro-magnet, with armature attached to an upright lever; a, is a
falling arm, weighted at the top and supported in an upright position by.
a horizontal lever resting on the top of the armature lever at b; i, an
adjustible rest; j, smaller lever on same axis, which raises the detent.
d, by means of the pin e, which being attached to the axis of cam g, and
moved by clockwork, commences to revolve; g, swings forward the bar f,.
on axis of a, which is thus raised to its original position; the horizontal
lever catches again at b; if armature is released, the detent d, falls, and
the pin e, is arrested at the end of one revolution, the weight having
fallen in the meantime, say one inch, and one blow having been struck.
by the hammer, which is now ready to repeat the stroke; h, is a fly
wheel; k, the bell hammer; and I, section of a portion of a large bell.

page_text: Fig. 10, sectional diagrams of apparatus for giving alarm by means
of hydrostatic and pneumatic pressure, for which purpose the air, whistles
are .recommended to be of greater diameter than usual, and also
increased length to bell cap, made of glass, steel, or other resonant
material. A, is as section of metallic cylinder; B, cylindrical float,
sliding on the rod B'; C, a three-way valve screwed with a cap to
the bottom, and operated upon by a handle and rod; a, tail-piece of
small lever, carrying a heavy ball. on an upright arm; D, air valve; E,
reservoir of condensed air; F, the air engine or cylinder; m', electro-
magnet; e, armature and catch; c, foot of falling arm; d, long arm
of falling lever; f, G, hammer and bell; H, air valve of air whistle,
operating by a rod attached to the armature lever of electro-magnet m ;
I, the air whistle..
Fig. 11, a perspective view of apparatus for registering alarums or
electric impulses, representing the striking movement adjusted, to
1000 strokes; a, a', cylinder and needle of hundreds; b, b', cylinder
and needle of tens; c, c, cylinder and needle of units; cach being
impelled by armature of electro-magnet carrying a ratchet. A, B, C,
the key board, described in Fig. 8.
Fig. 12, an elevation of the testing apparatus or testing clock for
proving the integrity of the circuits. A, A, an ordinary once-striking
clock, with hammer and bell removed; a, cylinder, with pins arranged
spirally, one for each circuit; b, testing key, deflected by each pin as
the cylinder revolves; d, anvil, held in sliding contact with key by a
spring, wire in connexion with zinc pole of battery i, and returning
through screw cup d, and axis of testing key b; f, electro-magnet in
connexion with platina pole of battery; h, bell struck (if the wire k, is
unbroken) by the hammer j, carried by the armiture and lever, g;
c, knob for hand use of test key. A similar apparatus being attached
for each circuit, the striking of the clock one stroke for each unbroken
circuit proves the integrity of all hour by hour.
The next part of my Invention relates to improvements in adapting
electric telegraphs generally to give alarm in case of fire by embracing
within the circuit any buildings intended to be so protected, and employ-
ing fusible or combustible conductors, which, in the event of fire, being

page_text: thereby broken, will, in consequence, indicate at the required station this
self-conveyed alarm. Also the combination and arrangement of a
signal wheel with two elastic circuits, so that when one is broken the
wheel may revolve and actuate a key in the circuit. The elastic circuit
I construct by breaking, tapping, and binding with a combustible or
fusible material readily affected by fire.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, what I claim is,-
First, the peculiar arrangement for the distribution of the circuit
wires, as described.
Second, the peculiar construction of insulators, as described.
Third, the peculiar mechanism of the signal apparatus or closet
described.
Fourth, the peculiar adaptation of axial force to the recording
purposes of electric telegraphs, as exemplified in the signal register
described.
Fifth, the peculiar adaptation of axial force to signal alarums, as
exemplified in the signal call described.
Sixth, the peculiar mechanism adopted to time the strokes or sounds
numerically and simultaneously on any number of alarums, as exem-
plified in the transmitting apparatus described.
Seventh, the peculiar mechanism for a striking apparatus actuated
by electric agency, as described.
Eighth, the peculiar mechanism for an hydro-pneumatic alarum
apparatus actuated by electric agency, as described.
Ninth, the peculiar arrangements of the electric registering apparatus
described.
Tenth, the peculiar arrangement of the testing apparatus described.
And, eleventh, the peculiar mode of applying fusible or combustible
conductors to render electric telegraphs self-communicating in cases
of fire.