IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David McCallum, of 3, Victoria Place, Stonehouse,
in the County of Devon, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPHS."
Sealed the 20th March 1856, and dated the 26th December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David M'Callum at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
December 1855.
I, DAVID MCCALLUM, of 3, Victoria Place, Stonehouse, in the County of
Devon, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS" to be as follows:--
This Invention has for its object improvements in electric telegraphs, and
consists in employing mechanism acted on or governed by electric currents in
such manner that separate or detached symbols of different colors or otherwise
of different significations may be separated and accumulated in succession, and
according to settled or agreed-on codes, so as not only to telegraph by such
symbols, but also for a time to record the communications made. For this pur-
pose it is preferred to employ light and small spheres of different colors, though
other forms of separate and independent symbols may be used in place thereof.
The electric apparatus is arranged to work by electro-magnets, or by the
deflection of magnets, so that at each action of the keys or handles a sphere
or other separate and moveable symbol may be detached from a number of

page_text: like symbols, and, according as like or different symbols are detached
(according to a code), so will be the nature of the communication made; and
such communication may be kept composed in the receiving apparatus for any
desired length of time, and till the several symbols composing it are dis-
tributed for further use. When spheres of different colors are employed as the
symbols, then the most convenient receiver will be a series of zig-zag inclined
grooves, formed on an inclined board or surface glazed in front, or a spiral
groove around a cone, or cylinder surrounded with glass; but the form of the
receiving apparatus, as well as of the symbols, may be varied. Alphabets
may very readily be formed by the use of symbols of two different colors,
using a third colored symbol to separate, and for giving agreed-on signals.
Thus, supposing two sets of spheres of glass or other suitable material to be
employed, one white and the other blue, an alphabet may be composed by A
being represented by one white sphere, B by two white, C by three white,
and D by four white spheres; then E, F, G, H, may be in a similar manner
indicated by one, two, three, and four blue spheres; then I may be repre-
sented by one white and one blue sphere, and so on, forming the remainder of
the letters by using the two sets of spheres in different numbers and orders
of succession, and words will be separated by using a symbol of a different
color. Figures may also be similarly represented by the order in which the
different colored symbols are accumulated in a proper receiver.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David McCallum in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
MCCALLUM, of 3, Victoria Place, Stonehouse, in the County of Devon, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said David McCallum, Her special licence that I, the said David McCallum,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Dāvid
McCallum, 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 make, use,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
David McCallum, my executors or administrators; by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals; should par-
ticularly 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 David McCallum, 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:
This Invention has for its object improvements in electric telegraphs, and
consists in employing mechanism acted on or governed by electric currents in
such manner that separate or detached symbols of different colors or otherwise
of different significations may be separated and accumulated in succession,
and according to settled or agreed-on codes, so as not only to telegraph by
such symbols but also for a time to record the communications made. For
this purpose it is preferred to employ: light and small spheres of different
colors, though other forms of separate and independent symbols may be used
in place thereof. The electric apparatus: is arranged to work by electro-
magnets or by the deflection of magnets, so that at each action of the keys or
handles a sphere or other separate and moveable symbol may be detached
from a number of like symbols, and according as like or different symbols are
detached (according to a code), so will be the nature of the communication
made; and such communication may be kept composed in the receiving
apparatus for any desired length of time, and till the several symbols com-
posing it are distributed for further use. When, spheres of different colors are
employed as the symbols, then the most convenient receiver will be a series of
zig-zag inclined grooves formed on an incline board or surface glazed'in front,
or a spiral groove around a. cone or cylinder surrounded with glass; but the
form of the receiving apparatus as well as of the symbols may be varied.
Alphabets may very readily be formed by the use of symbols' of two 'different
colours, using a third coloured symbol to separate, and for giving agreed-on
signals. Thus, supposing two sets of spheres of glass or other suitable'mate-
rial to be employed, one white and the other blue, an alphabet may be
composed by A being represented by one white sphere, B by two white, C.by
three white, and D by. four white spheres; then E, F, G, H, may be in a

page_text: .similar manner indicated by one, two, three, and four blue spheres; then I
may be represented by one white and one blue sphere, and so on, forming the
remainder of the letters by using the two sets of spheres in different numbers
.and orders of succession, and words will be separated by using, two black
spheres or a symbol of a different color. Figures may also be, similarly
represented by the order in which, the different colored symbols are accumu-
lated in a proper receiver.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Plate: I. shows.a front elevation of: the apparatus taken in an. inclined
position, the covers being open. Plate II. shows a plan, with some of the
parts in section, of the upper part of.. the box, the lids, or covers, being open.
Plate III. shows a vertical section of the arrangement of mechanism, which
I believe to be most suitable, for carrying out my Invention. The apparatus,
however, for this purpose may be greatly varied so long as a series of symbols
is used, according to my. Invention, of like form one with the other, but
differing in color or otherwise. distinguishable one from another, and so that
by accumulating them in, succession (according to an agreed-on code) by
electricity, an electric recording: telegraph may be constructed, the symbols
employed being capable of being. again and again used. In each of these
Plates, I., II., III., the same letters are used to indicate like.parts.. A is an
inclined board on which are fixed three tubes B, by preference of glass. C
are three compartments or receivers in which a store of small spheres of glass
are contained, each compartment containing spheres of a different color to the
spheres in the other two compartiments C. I would here state, that although
apparatus might be arranged suitable for, employing other forms of symbols
than spheres, prefer to employ spheres. for the symbols, and although other
material than glass may be eniployed for making the symbols, I believe that
glass spheres will be found most advantageous.
Each compartment or
receiver C is divided in front, shown in. order that there should only be a few
of the symbols to each tube B beyond what fill the tubes. O is a lid or cover
to the compartment or receiver C, and there is a lid which when shut down
covers the top of tlie box or apparatus. To each of the tubes B there is a
slide, E, having an oblong opening through it in order that when the slide E
is 'down; the lowest one of the spheres .or symbols, in the tube B.
nay descend
into it, and also, in order that when the slide E is raised, that sphere may be
raised above the fixed stop.e, and thus be allowed to roll or descend over such

page_text: at
stop into the receiver F, which is in front of the ends of the tubes B, such
receiver being formed with two inclines f,f, which at their lower ends deliver
the spheres or symbols as they are allowed to descend into the tube G, which
communicates with the upper end of the zig-zag groove covered with glass, or
it may be a zig-zag glass tube. In this zig-zag the spheres are received,
composed according to a code employed, which may be such as is shown or
otherwise. The Drawing, Plate I., shows the zig-zag to have received a
quantity of spheres of different colors. The zig-zag may be of any desired
lengths, according to the number of words or signals it is desired to be recorded
therein at one time, and it is not necessary that the communication received
any time should be kept record in the zig-zag tube; but in cases whore it
is desired to retain the communication, the spheres may when desired be run
off into any length of glass tube applied at the lower end g of the zig-zag, or
there may be a plug or other stop used at g to let off the symbols from the
zig-zag as fast as the person attending the instrument has written them down.
The zig-zag shown in the Drawing, Plate I., contains a number of the symbols
or sphercs; they are not, however, composed according to the code shown
above. Each of the slides E is made suitably to descend to its lowest
position when unsupported by a lever M. The levers M are each acted on
when required by means of an electro-magnet, as is shown, there being a
keeper or armature of soft iron at the end of the lever over the electro-
magnet; and, to prevent absolute contact of the keeper or armature and the
magnet, a piece of ivory is interposed, as is well understood. The spheres or
symbols used are of glass, and are colored respectively white, blue, and black.
The white spheres and the blue spheres are employed in the code shown to
form an alphabet, as shown, and the first nine may, when desired, be used as
numerals. The black spheres are used for special indications, or may be
interposed between words, or otherwise employed. The key board N is
arranged in the order white, blue, and black, and the circuits are coupled up
accordingly. In the arrangement shown, the white spheres are in the com-
partment or receiver C, which is to the left hand, and those colored blue are
in the receiver to the right hand, the black spheres being in the central
compartment or receiver C. In sending a communication it is not necessary
that the sender sholud actually compose the spheres into the zig-zag of the in-
strument before him, and yet he may see that he is acting correctly by each of
the levers M having attached to its end a sphere corresponding in color with
that which, when receiving a communication, the same lever would release from
its tube B. In order that the spheres dropping from the eentral tube B may
not drop directly into the tube G, a double inclined surface is formed below such

page_text: central tube B, as shown in Plate V. It will readily, be understood that in
place of using a zig-zag groove or tube, a spiral may be employed, as is shown
at Plate VII., or a series of moveable inclined shelves, as is shown at
Plate VI., and in place of the tubes B being short, they may be of considerable
length, as is shown at Plate. IV., and other forms of detents or slides than
those shown at E, Plate, III., may be employed, as is shown at Plate VI.; in
fact, the details may be greatly varied without departing from Invention,
which consists of employing separate symbols of like form but of different
color, or otherwise distinguishable one from another, and causing them to be
accumulated according to any agreed-on code, such accumulation being caused
or governed by electric currents acting on suitable mechanism by electro-
magnets or otherwise.
my
In witness whereof, I, the said David McCallum, have hereunto set
my band and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
THOMAS BUDD,
26, Adelaide Street, Stonehouse.
DAVID M CALLUM. (L.B.)