IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO- MAGNETIC TELEGRAPHS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir Charles Wheatstone, of 19, Park Crescent,
Regent's Park, Knight, and John Matthias Augustus Stroh, of
29, Tolmers Square, Hampstead Road, Mechanician, both in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRO-
MAGNETIC TELEGRAPHS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH, PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 9th April 1872, and dated the 15th February 1872.
sioners of Patents, with their Petition and Declaration, on the
15th February 1872, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852. .
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Sir
CHARLES WHEATSTONE, of 19, Park Crescent, Regent's Park, Knight,
and JOHN MATTHIAS AUGUSTUS STROH, of 29, Tolmers Square, Hamp-

page_text: stead Road, Mechanician, both in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS we are in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC TELEGRAPHS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH,
PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," and
have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto us, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have
made solemn declaration that we are the true and first Inventors
thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Sir Charles Wheatstone and John
Matthias Augustus Stroh, do hereby declare that the following Complete
Specification under our hands and seals fully describes and ascertains
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
The first part of our Invention relates to improvements in the con-
struction of step-by-step telegraphs, the object of which is to enable the
hand or indicator of a large dial, or in some cases the dial itself, to be
moved rapidly with the same certainty as the indicators of the small
dials usually employed.
To attain this object we transfer the propelment of the index or
pointer to the action of a maintaining power, limiting the work per-
formed by the transmitted currents to the controlling of the scape
wheel, and introducing a special arrangement obviating the retarding
effect due to the weight of the index hand, as will be clearly shown by
the following description of Figures I., II., III., and IV. of the accom-

page_text: the scape wheel free to move, the spiral spring in unwinding itself would
tend to propel the scape wheel forwards. To the centre of the scape
wheel A is fixed the piece f carrying at its extremity a stop n, which
when the scape wheel is at rest is met by the end of one of the arms e, e,
attached to the pinion d or to its axis, and thereby the revolution of the
axis a and consequently the pointer P prevented. The control of the
scape wheel is effected by the pallets B, B, to which an oscillatory
motion is communicated by any suitable electro-magnetic arrangement
(such as that shown at E, E,) in such a way as to allow the scape wheel
to advance with a step-by-step motion one-half tooth for every move-
ment of the pallets. It follows from this arrangement that with every
movement of the pallets B, B, the scape wheel A driven by the spiral
spring S will advance, and this forward movement of the scape wheel
will, by withdrawing the stop n, release the arm e and allow the
maintaining power gearing with the pinion x to propel the axis a, the
pointer P, and the arm Z, and thereby to wind up the spiral spring S.
The pinion d carrying the arms e, e, at the extremity of the arm Z and
gearing with the stationary wheel D, will thus be caused to rotate after
the manner of the sun and planet movement until the scape wheel
coming to rest locks the whole again by presenting the stop n to either
of the arms e, e. The number of teeth on the pinion d, the stationary
wheel D, and scape wheel A, are so arranged that for every half tooth
of the scape wheel liberated by the pallets B, B, the arms e, e, attached
to pinion d make one half revolution. It also follows that the
pointer P will be allowed to advance one space on the dial for every
half tooth of the scape wheel so liberated, and thus while the move-
ments of the pointer are independent of the step-by-step motions of the
scape wheel the latter completely controls its starting and stopping.
To prevent the recoil of the index hand when suddenly arrested by
one of the arms e impinging on the stop n, a small catch p (see
Figure II.) is mounted loosely on the axis a, its motion being limited by
the stop r and the stop n. The descent of the end of either of the
arms e, e, will force the bevilled head of the catch p back against the
spring y,
which after the descent of one of the arms e upon the stop n,
restores the catch to its former position, so that the end of the arm e is
held fast between the stop n and the catch p until the revolution of the
scape wheel, by carrying with it the piece f and the catch p, again
releases the arm e.

page_text: From the above arrangement it will be perceived that the starting and
stopping of the scape wheel is not affected by the inertia or momentum
of the heavy index hand, which is enabled to start and come to rest after
the scape wheel.
Another method of effecting this purpose is shewn in Figure III.
To the pointer P fitting loosely on the axis a is attached a counter-
balance H, provided at one extremity with a notch (not shown in the
Drawing), through which a pin K fixed to the circumference of the
scape wheel passes; the piece H carries a delicate spring J, so bent
that when at rest the pin K is held by this spring in the centre of the
notch.
For the purpose of restoring the index hand when out of adjustment to
the or zero point on the dial, the axis 6 of the pallet B, B, is centered
in the shorter arm of a bell-crank lever F, F, Figure III., which is centred
at C and held in normal position by a spring. Any pressure at I will
cause an upward movement of the shorter arm of F, F, thereby lifting
the pallets B, B, out of gear with the teeth of the scape wheel. Thus
freed the scape wheel, propelled by the maintaining power, will fly
round, carrying with it the pointer P and counterbalance H until the
pin or projection on the extremity of H meets the pin L projected
forward by the pressure at I. Or in the case of the arrangement shown
in Figure I. the scape wheel will revolve until either of the arms e, e,
impinges upon the stop n, and in both cases the index hand points to
The removal of the pressure at I allows the pallets to re-engage
zero.
with the teeth of the scape wheel.
In place of the index hand pointing to letters or signs engraved upon
a fixed dial a moving dial Q (Figure IV.) of any desired dimensions
passing beneath a fixed screen S (having a perforation permitting only
one letter engraved on the moving dial to appear at a time) may be
mounted upon the axis a, as is well understood.
This part of the Invention is equally adaptable to all applications of
that form of the electric telegraph in which the step-by-step principle
is employed, such as telegraph clocks, in which the regulating power
resides in a distant clock; telegraphic counters, which indicate the
recurrence of distant motions; signal apparatus for railways and for
other purposes in which signs or sentences may be substituted for
letters and figures.

page_text: The second part of our Invention relates to improvements in type
printing telegraphs, and is shown at Figures V., VI., VII., and VIII.
The first of these consists in the application of the means previously
described for moving a large hand with steadiness and rapidity, to
regulating the motion of the type wheel, the second to the means
employed by which the stamping of a letter on the paper strip is
effected automatically immediately after the cessation of the last of the
electric currents necessary to bring the type wheel to the requisite
position, and the third to the peculiar contrivance for regularly supply.
ing ink to the tyne wheel

page_text: on the arbor of the stamping wheel a maintaining power separate
and different from that imparting motion to the type wheel is in gear.
The fall of the arm L liberates the piece j, and this piece in making one
revolution before it again engages in the groove of the arbor of the
arm L permits the stamping wheel to be carried forward one tooth by
the maintaining power in gear with it. The tooth of the stamping
wheel coming into contact with the touch piece h, Figure VI., causes
the printing hammer x to be lifted against the rim of the type wheel T.
Consequently the letter immediately presented to the face of the
printing hammer is printed on the paper strip which intervenes between
the type wheel and the hammer. The action on the printing hammer
is direct, but in the case of the arm L a series of levers r, r, r,
Figure V., are brought into play.
After the printing of a letter the paper slip is carried forward as
heretofore by a milled wheel W fixed to the arbor of the stamping
wheel, and which bears on a roller G pressed against the milled wheel
by a spring, the paper slip passing between the milled wheel and the
roller.
The ink is supplied to the type wheel by means of a brush-inking
wheel I., Figure VI., which rests on and is caused to revolve by the
rim of the type wheel. The ink is supplied to the inking wheel by
means of the arm K, which is loosely attached to the arbor of a wheel
in gear with the train of the maintaining power moving the type wheel.
The arm is carried up by means of a pin i, and having at the lowest
point of its revolution dipped into a semicircular or other shaped ink
vessel, it falls in its revolution into contact with the inking wheel,
imparting to it its charge of ink.
The type wheel is adjusted to zero by the arrangement described for
adjusting the index hand or pointer of the first part of our Invention.
Figure VII. represents a front, and Figure VIII. a back, view of the
complete printing instrument. The former shows the type wheel T,
upon the upper right hand side of which rests the inking wheel I,
which is supplied with inking fluid by the arm K dipping in its
revolution in the semicircular or other shaped ink trough. Figure VIII.
shows the same mechanism as Figure V. to a smaller scale.
Our third improvement is shown at Figures XIII. and XIV., and
refers to a switch or current director to be used with telegraphic appa-

page_text: so disposed that on the pressure of any one key the current is directed
into a new channel, and at the same time diverted from the previous
one.
DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES XIII. AND XIV.
Figures XIII. represent a front and a side view of a four-keyed
switch constructed on this principle, and Figure XIV. represents a back
view thereof. A is a frame into which are fitted four studs S, S, S, S,
sliding in holes having lateral slits to admit the screws connecting the
moveable pulleys P, P, P, P, with the stems of the studs ; similar
pulleys P¹, P¹, P¹, are placed in the same line between the others, and a
chain or cord H fixed at each end passes alternately over and under the
pulleys with only sufficient slack to allow of one key being depressed at
the same time. R is a screw to which one pole of the magneto-electric
motor or voltaic battery is attached, its other pole being connected
with the return or earth wire. D, E, F, G, represent the ends of the
wires to which the currents from R can be communicated at will. They
are attached to the springs or pieces of metal C, C, C, C, Figure XIV.,
insulated from the rest of the instrument by some non-conducting
material B, B; upon the depression of a stud the end of it will touch a
spring and make a metallic contact therewith. The stud will remain
thus in contact until another stud is depressed, and it will be seen that
in this arrangement, which is capable of extension to any number of
keys or studs, only one can be depressed and one contact made at the
same time. The mechanism on which the peculiarity of this switch
depends resembles that employed in the magnetic communicator of an
alphabetic telegraph described as the sixth improvement in the Specifi-
cation of a Patent granted to one of us dated 2nd June 1858, No. 1241,
but we now claim it when applied to an instrument for a very different
purpose, namely, that of directing currents from one line to another.
Our fourth improvement is shown at Figures IX., X., XI., and XII.,
and consists in the construction of a magneto-electric apparatus suited
for the purpose of providing in an effective manner the currents
necessary to ring electro-magnetic bells at distant places.
By the following construction, represented in Figures IX. and X., the
magneto-electric machine and its accompanying mechanism occupies a

page_text: much smaller space than any hitherto contrived for a similar purpose, a
matter of importance when the apparatus is to be inserted in a wall or
partition.
Attached by iron connecting bars to the poles of the compound
permanent magnets M, M, Figure IX., are the soft iron cores of two
bobbins B, B¹, upon which is wound a quantity of insulated wire, the
two ends of the wire being in connection the one with the return wire
or earth, and the other with the wire attached to the coils of the distant
bell, by which means the bobbins B, B¹, are placed within the space
enclosed by the magnets M, M. The armature hinged on the brass
slope X, X, is raised from both the soft iron cores and the bobbins
simultaneously, when the pull is depressed by the cams C, C, C,
arranged in a circle and playing upon a friction roller R mounted in
the face of the armature. The cams work with the forward motion of
the arbor A of the pull or bell handle through the click and ratchet C¹
and D on the depression of the bell handle, therefore the cams raise the
armature and permit it to fall several times, but on the return of the
handle the click runs on the ratchet and the armature remains unmoved,
consequently several reversed currents are dispatched into the wire
connected with the distant bell.
a and b, Figures IX. and X., are two springs, one of which is in
metallic contact with a piece of brass insulated from the body of the
instrument. When the pull is in its position of rest, as shown in the
Drawings, the circuit is interrupted, but when the pull is depressed both
springs press on the insulated brass piece, and the currents generated
in the coils pass into line. By means of this temporary completion
of the circuit the currents are compelled to go into only the proper
channel, and thus avoid ringing other bells in the same system.
When the motions of the armature of the magnet are to be effected
by a direct instead of a circular pull we adopt the following arrangement,
as shown at Figures XI. and XII.
Attached to the poles of the permanent horse-shoe magnets M', M',
Figures XI. and XII., are the soft iron cores of two bobbins B, B',
upon which is wound a quantity of insulated wire, the two ends of the
wire being in connection the one with the spring d and the other with
the wire attached to the coils of the distant bell. The armature attached
to the hinged piece ¹ is raised from both the soft iron cores and bobbins

page_text: simultaneously when the pull is drawn out by the cams C, C, C, arranged
horizontally and playing upon a friction roller R mounted at the end
of the piece xt. The cams work with the horizontal motion of the cam
piece D, to which the handle H is attached, on the withdrawal of which
5 the cams raise the armature and permit it to fall several times, and
consequently several reversed currents are despatched into the wire
connected with the distant bell. When the pull is in its position of
rest, as shown in the Drawing, the circuit is interrupted, but when the
pull is withdrawn the spring d presses on the guide c, which keeps the
piece D in its proper position, and the currents generated pass into the
line.
Figure XV. represents the general disposition of a circuit including,
1st, a magneto-electric bell pull 1; 2nd, the finger-keyed switch 2
for the purpose of directing the electric currents into different lines in
3 order to act either on distinct bells or on different tell-tales connected
with a single bell; and 3rd, a bell 3 with its associate tell-tales.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the
mode in which we carry the same into effect, we would have it under-
stood that what we claim is,-
First. The means by which the motion of a hand dial or type wheel
of an electro-magnetic telegraph is rendered independent of the step-
by-step movement of the propelment actuated by the successive currents
transmitted through the line, so that the hand dial or type wheel started
by the first current moves continuously until it is arrested by a stop
brought to the resting position by a step-by-step movement, in manner
substantially as herein shown and described.
Second. The means by which the hammer. which strikes the paper
against the type wheel is caused to act immediately after the cessation
of the series of currents necessary to bring the type wheel to the
required position, in manner substantially as herein shown and
described.
Third. The method of inking the type wheel above described, by
which a revolving arm moving through a reservoir of fluid ink
periodically supplies the ink to a revolving brush pressing against
and moving with the type wheel, in manner substantially as herein
shown and described.

page_text: Fourth. The means described of transferring electric currents from
one line to another by means of finger keys, the elevation of the last-
used finger key being effected on pressing any other by its action on a
chain, in manner substantially as herein shown and described.
Fifth. The arrangement and construction of the two magneto-electric
machines for ringing electro-magnetic bells, in manner substantially as
above described and represented in Figures IX. and X., and XI. and
XII.
In witness whereof, we, the said Sir Charles Wheatstone and John
Matthias Augustus Stroh, have hereunto set our hands and seals,
this Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
B. J. B. MILLS,
Patent Agent,
35, Southampton Buildings,
London.
C. WHEATSTONE. (L.S.)
A. STROH.
(L.S.)