IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOGRAPHIC OR COPYING-TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS, AND CIRCUITS
Year: 1885

page_text: "
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AUTOGRAPHIC OR COPYING-TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS, AND CIRCUITS (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Sylvester Percival Denison of New York City,
United States of America, Electrician) 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 a new principle and arrangement of mechanical forms
and details applied to the construction and use of Autograph or fac simile Telegraph
Instruments and Circuits, which by using a current into which constant changes of
polarity are introduced, writings or characters are duplicated at a distant point
without the need of the presence of any person at the receiving end, and in which
the instruments are run or actuated by electricity alone without the use of clock
work, springs, or weights.
The objects of the improvements are to render Autographic Telegraphy practical
for business and social purposes in Cities, and to make the sending of written
messages from one point to another so simple that any person of ordinary
intelligence can send them, and to decrease the cost of transmitting messages from
one city to another in ordinary telegraph business by the use of simple automatic
machines without skilled operators, at the same time securing all the advantages
resulting from the reproduction of the handwriting of the original message.
These objects are attained by the mechanism and arrangements illustrated in the
accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which
Figure 1 is a plan view showing the different parts of the machine to be seen
from the top-Figure 2 is a view of one side showing the parts to be seen on the
receiving side of the instrument-Figure 3 is a view of the other side showing the
parts to be seen on the transmitting side-Figure 4 is a view showing the parts to
be seen from the front-Figure 5 is a view showing the parts to be seen from the

page_text: back. Figure 6 is a view of one side of the interior of the box showing the
magnets and the several parts of the feed mechanism-Figure 7 is a view of the
other side of the interior of the box showing the several parts of the pole
changer.
Figures 8 and 9 are plan and side views of another form of that portion of the
machine which operates the arms carrying the electrodes.
Figure 10 is a view of the underside of the base of the machine showing the
operation of the switches, the contact brush and the friction rollers moved by a
single lever.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
In the form herein shown and described the machines are arranged for the use
of continuous strips or fillets of paper or its substitute for the transmission or
reception of the characters or messages, but the same general devices can be
applied to machines arranged for the use of wider and detached sheets of paper.
Also in the form shown the machines are arranged with one side for transmitting
and the other for receiving and the connections are so made that when one side is
in use the other is switched out of the circuit, hence in the following description
the similar parts of the two sides will be lettered the same but distinguished from
each other by the index 1 on the receiving side.
A is a frame or shelf, of wood or other suitable material, to the top and under-
side of which all the parts of the machine are attached. The outline of its shape,
which for convenience follows the general countour of the machine itself, is shown
in Figure 1. B is a bed plate of metal the shape of which is also shown in
Figure 1. It is securely fastened to the bed A. C, is a metal box which contains
the feed mechanism and pole changer; it is closed on the top. with a glass cover
and firmly secured to the plate B. D, D, D¹; D₁ are permanent magnets each pair
connected so as to form practically but one. They are similarly located as to their
poles and can be kept charged or reinforced by being wound with wire through
which a current passes as shown at X. They are also secured to the plate B.
Attached to the magnets D, D, D₁, D' by the screws F F are the electro-magnets E, El
which can be advanced or withdrawn by the screw F. F¹, and the front ends of
which are. held in place by the frames G. G. Projections on the frames G. G¹
form a pivot frame for the pivots a. a¹ the upper seats of which for the purpose of
adjustment, are in the ends of the screws b. b which have binding nuts c c.
Secured to the pivots a a¹ are the armatures H. H. Fastened to the armatures H. H¹,
are the rebounding springs d, d¹ which by the vibrations of the armatures are
brought alternately in contact with the screws e, c, e¹, e¹ which are set in the ends
of the permanent magnets D. D. D'. D¹.
The screws c, e, e¹, e' are adjustable so as to make the contact with the springs & cl
light or hard as may be required.
Another object of the springs d, d¹ is to assist in the vibrations of the
armatures H H¹ by helping them at the instant of starting from either side and
prevent sticking at the poles.
$
Fixed to one extremity of the armature H. H' and insulated from it by the
connecting pieces f f¹ which are of hard rubber or other suitable material, are the
contact springs J. J. which are provided with small platinum plates near the ends,
and vibrating with the armatures H. H act on the relay points g, g, g¹, g', which
are set in the posts K, K, K¹, K', and connected on the underside by wires to the
two feed magnets U. U in such a manner as, at each vibration, to bring the said
magnets alternately into the circuit of a local batteng..
!
Secured to the pivots a a¹, but insulated from them at an intermediate point, as
shown in Figures 2 and 3, are the arms L, L' having at their extremities the
electrodes or styluses M. M. suitably arranged with encased springs to maintain a
delicate contact with the paper as they vibrate over the surface.
The feed mechanism is mostly contained in the box C and consists of the
magnets U U¹ their connected armatures T. T¹. which as the magnets are alternately
energized impart a tilting or rocking motion to the shaft h to which they are fixed

page_text: by the connecting piece j the rocking lever S also fixed to the shaft h, the
pawls kk, the ratchel wheel R, and the escapement V. with its connecting
levers u, v. As the rocking motion is imparted to the lever S the pawls ki
engage alternately in the teeth of the wheel R and cause it and the shaft N to
which it is fixed to revolve step by step. The escapement V is so adjusted by the
levers u, v, by which it is connected to an intermediate point on the lever S., that
only one tooth of the ratchet is allowed to pass at each movement thus preventing
irregularity of the feed.
The shaft N extends through the sides of the box C. and on each end is secured
one of the feed rollers O O' which can be made of any substance but preferably,
of hard rubber. They are made about the width of the strip of paper to be used
in the machine and are adjusted so that their centre lines will be opposite the
electrodes M M when the latter are at rest. P P are friction rollers turning
freely on spindles set in the arms attached to the shafts m m¹ which near
their inner extremities have the arms 2 n¹ extending down through slots in the
base A. and so set that the cam lever o, as it is moved to the right or left, will
alternately bring one of the rollers P P¹ in sufficiently close contact with one of
the feed rollers O O¹ to firmly grip the strips of paper while the other is removed
a sufficient distance to leave the paper free.
Thus, while both the feed rollers 0 0₁ are always in motion, when either side
of the machine is being operated the paper of one side is made to feed and that,
of the other to remain still as desired by moving the lever o to the proper side.
wware pins or scrapers to separate the paper from the feed rollers which are
also set in the arms . QQ are guides for the strips of paper as they pass
under the electrodes M M¹ and are delivered to the feed rollers; they are of metal
fixed on studs set in the sides of the box C. The sides are raised to prevent any
lateral movement of the strips and at the upper ends the bottom forms a plate to
present a proper surface or bearing for the paper at the point when the electrode
vibrates upon it. On the transmitting side a wire brush p is fixed as shown in
Figures 1 and 3 which maintains a metallic connection continually on the trans-"
mitting strip. It is so arranged as to be thrown back when that side of the
instrument is not in use.
Placed also in the box C. on one of its inner sides as shown at q in Figures
1 and 7 is one form of a pole changer. It has three plates on the periphery of
a wheel and two contact rollers as shown with proper binding posts for connecting:
the wires and the different parts properly insulated by the use of material suitable
for the purpose.
A rocking motion sufficient to carry alternate plates under the
two contact rollers is imparted to the wheel by an arm attached to the rocking
shaft which by a slot near its upper end engages with a pin set in the side of
the wheel in such a manner that as the shaft rocks in one direction it turns the
wheel sufficiently to bring the centre plate under the contact roller that had
previously rested on one of the others which reverses the polarity of the line in
which the magnets E. or E¹. are placed and causes the armature H. or H. to vibrate.
one stroke and by the contact spring J or J¹ and of the relay points g or g¹ to:
actuate the opposite pair of the feed magnets U. U₁ which by attracting its
armature rocks the shaft h in the reverse direction and the arm r turns the wheel
so as to bring the plates back to their former position to again and again repeat
the operation just as fast as the energy of the current and arrangement of the
mechanism will allow.
On the underside of the bed A as shown in Figure 10 is arranged a double or
triple switch according as the machine is to be operated with one line or two
which are all moved at once by the arm z attached to the cam lever o. These
switches throw the currents of the several circuits used into either the transmitting
or receiving side of the instrument and the arm is so arranged that as the
lever o is moved to bring one of the friction rollers in contact with its feed roller.
the switch is set to pass the current through that side of the machine and cut out,
the other.

page_text: On the lever Z is fixed the army which engages with the brush p so that
when the transmitting side is cut out it throws back the brush and as the switch
is reversed it again brings it into the position desired for transmitting.
In figures 8 and 9 is shown another form of magnets and armatures for producing.
the vibrations of the arms L and the electrodes M. with the relay spring J.
In this case the armature His wound with wire in the form of a helix and
the current through which the changes, of polarity are sent pass through it instead
of through the magnets E. E', as in the other case and the armature is pivoted so
as to swing freely.
The electro magnets x¹ take the place of the permanent magnets already described
and are provided with field plates as shown, properly formed and placed to exert
their influence at the ends of the armature. The rebounding springs are shown
at d d and the contact spring and relay points at J" and g¹¹ g¹ performing the
same functions as the spring J and the points g g.
Still another form of magnets and armatures as an alternate means for pro-
ducing the vibrations of the arms L and the electrodes M may be used in place
of either of the forms above described. This is a hollow electro magnet having its
armatures playing within it which is so well known in the art as to need no
illustration by figure. The electrode is connected to the armature by an arm L
and the rebounding springs and relay spring are attached in any convenient
manner so as to serve the purposes for which they are designed as hereinbefore
described.
Each machine is provided with insulated wires leading to the switches from the
binding posts where the line and battery wires enter so arranged that the currents
will only be closed through the line and local circuits when the transmitting side
in one machine and the receiving side in the other are thrown in by their
respective switches or in other words that when the switches at the two machines
are so set as to throw in both receiving sides the line and local circuits will be
open. This is a familiar arrangement involving only the ordinary function of
switches so it is not shown in detail.
Having thus described the different parts of the machine its operation is as
follows And for the purpose of making this explanation more easily understood
the case of only two machines placed in circuit will be taken.
As the machine can be operated with either two line wires or one, the case of
two line wires will be explained first and afterwards that of one.
Two machines being constructed exactly similar to each other and with all the
parts as above described, care being taken to have the similar poles of the per-
manent or field magnets similarly located in each, are set up at distant points
and connected by two line wires.
On the receiving side the strip on which messages are to be received is prepared
by proporly moistening it with any solution easily decomposed by electrolysis and
placed on a reel in any other convenient form in such position that after the end
having been passed through its guide and around its feed rollers will be fed
continuously under its electrode when the friction roller is pressed down and that
side of the machine is actuated.
The characters or messages to be transmitted are written on the transmitting
strip previous to its being placed in the machine. On a non conductive strip the
ink must be conductive but if the surface be metallic or conductive insulating ink
is used After being so written it is placed in position in the guide on the
transmitting side of the machine from which it is to be sent and the margin left
for that purpose is passed under the electrode or stylus and around the feed roller
so that the friction roller will grasp it when brought down.
This having been done the handle of the cam lever o at the transmitting station
is moved over so as to bring the friction roller down on the transmitting strip and
close the circuits through that side of the machine and at the distant machine this
operation is reversed so that the circuits will be closed through the receiving side,

page_text: and the receiving strip be gripped by the friction roller-This closes all the circuits
through the two machines and on the line.
The battery for both the electrolysis and operating lines in the form herein
described where a polo changer is used in each machine is introduced at the
transmitting machine involving the use of a full set of batteries at each station but
they may be placed at an intermediate station or between the instruments if found.
more desirable and a reciprocating pole changer be there placed in the operating
line. On the electrolysis line the current from the battery enters the machine and
is carried through the switch to the insulated arm L; thence it passes through the
electrode or stylus to the transmitting strip, thence to the brush p and from thence
to the line wire. At the receiving machine it enters and is directed by the switch
to the arm L on the receiving side, thence it passes through the electrode and
receiving paper to the metal plate of the guide Q¹ and from thence to ground.
For the operating line both poles of the battery are brought into the transmitting
machine and carried to the plates on the wheel of the pole changer q, where one
leg is connected to the middle plate and the other to both the side plates.
If it is found desirable to wind the permanent magnets D, D, D³, D¹, with wire
for the purpose of keeping them charged or reinforced as described as shown in
Figures 2. 3. 4 and 5, or if the form shown in figures 8 and 9 is used, the current
from this battery may be passed through the helices of the permanent magnets
before it is carried to the plates of the pole changer-From the contact rollers one
wire is carried to ground and the other through the magnet E. or the wound
armature H and the switch to the line. At the receiving machine it enters and,
diverted by the switch from the pole changer, passes directly to the magnet E¹ and
from thence to ground. Each machine has a local battery to actuate the feed
magnets U. U. as has already been explained."
B-
The operation of the current on the magnets E. E¹ connected to one pole of a
permanent magnet is well known and needs no description. As the permanent
magnets are similarly placed in both machines the armatures H or H' in both will
be attracted to the same side and by the arms L L the electrodes will be carried to
the same side of their respective strips of paper, at the same time the spring J will
be brought in contact with one of the relay points gg which by the local battery
will energize the one of the magnets U. U₁ that by attracting its armature will
rock the wheel of the pole changer from its former position so as to reverse the
current on the operating line and the armatures H. or H¹ will be attracted to the
other side and the electrodes vibrated to the other side of their respective strips.
The operation of the armature of the feed magnet also causes the lever S to rock
in one direction and one of the pawls k k to rotate the wheel R.one tooth and by
the feed rollers to advance the paper one step-As soon as the armature has reached
that side the spring J. by contact with the other relay point will close the local
battery through the other of the magnets U. U which by the action of the other of
the pawls will feed the paper another step, and by again rocking the wheel of.
the pole changer again reverse the current on the operating line and being the
armature back to the previous position and again vibrate the electrodes over the
surface of the strips-This operation is reciprocating and will be continued as long
as the line is kept closed. The movement of the armature in both machines being
caused by the same impulse will be absolutely synchronous The motion is
extremely rapid and the feeding of the paper perfectly uniform. When the
transmitting slip has all passed through or so much of it as desired, the handle of
the cam lever is moved to the other side which sets the switches so as to connect
the other side of the machine and grips the receiving strip which places the
instrument in readiness to receive a message from the other end of the line.
each instrument the operation is the same-When the arm of the cam lever is over
to the receiving side both instruments are ready to receive, the lines are open, and
if a message to be transmitted is placed in position in either machine and the arm'
moved over to the transmitting side both instruments start at once.
At

page_text: The operation of the electrode or stylus in passing over the ink of the written'
message and the transmission of the impulses over the second line and recording
them on the receiving strip is so well known in the art of Autographic Telegraphy
that no explanation of that is needed.
The operation of the alternate device for vibrating the electrode over the strips is
also so well known as to need no extended description one being practically the
equivalent of the other-In one case a naked armature is used; and the constantly
reversed current is passed through the magnet in the field of which it is pivoted,
and in the other case the armature itself is wound and the constantly reversed
current sent through the helix of it, while the field magnets remain permanent.
In the case of only a single wire being used, the operation of the machine and
arrangement of the circuits is as follows:-The main line after leaving the pole
changer at the transmitting instrument, passes through the switch to the magnets E
or the helix of the wound armature H" and from thence to the electrode or stylus
on the transmitting side, and from thence through the brush to the line. At the
receiving instrument the current enters and by the switch is directed to the
receiving side where it passes through the magnets E¹ or the helix of the wound
armature, and from thence to the electrode or stylus and through the receiving
strip to the plate beneath it, and thence to ground.
As the changes of polarity introduced in the line all occur at the instant the
electrodes or styluses are at the edges of the strips, it will be observed that the
impulses created by the contact of the transmitting electrode with the ink, all occur
between such changes so that but very few are sent along the line before it is
cleared by the next vibration and owing to this, great perfection in the work is
attained. To secure good work at the recording instrument I prefer, instead of
carrying the line directly to the receiving electrode, to introduco a relay and use
for the purpose of recording another local battery adapted in strength and tension
to the solution used on the receiving paper. This can be done with excellent effect,
but as it is not necessary and the use of relays is common in telegraphy, it does not
need full description.
A relay and local circuit can also be used at the transmitting side if desired, and
by it the impulses caused by the ink of the written message be relayed into the
main line without its passing through the electrode or stylus. The object of such
an arrangement being, as in the other case, to secure the best results in the work,
as on account of the length or resistance of the line the battery necessary to be
used on it may not be adapted to the comparatively delicate contact between the
electrode and the transmitting strip.
As already stated, the operation of the machines at both ends of the line are the
same. By the movement of the cam lever either is converted into a transmitter or
receiver as desired, and messages can be sent in either direction.
In case more than two machines are placed in the same circuit, the line or lines,
instead of being carried to ground at the first receiving station as above described,
are carried from machine to machine and go to ground after passing through
the last.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what.
I claim is
1st An automatic, autographic, telegraph instrument having the operating stylus
or electrode vibrating over the surface of the substance on which the message
written or is to be recorded, attached to or connected with an armature so pivoted
or arranged in the field of an electro-magnet fixed to one pole of a permanent
magnet, that when the said electro-magnet is placed in a line and actuated by'
certain changes of polarity introduced into the current on such line, the said
armature will oscillate or move from side to side in obedience to the influence of
the said changes substantially as herein described.

page_text: is
2nd An automatic autographic telegraph instrument having the operating stylus
or electrode vibrating over the surface of the substance on which the message
written or is to be recorded, attached to or connected with an armature polarized
by a helix and so pivoted or arranged in the field of a permanent magnet or
magnets that when the said armature is placed in a line and actuated by certain
changes of polarity introduced into the current on the said line, it will oscillate
from side to side in obedience to the influence of the said changes, substantially as
herein described.
3rd An automatic autographic telegraph instrument having the electrode or
stylus which vibrates over the surface of the substance on which the message is
written or is to be recorded attached to or connected with the armature of a hollow
electro-magnet, so arranged that when the said electro-magnet is placed in a line
and actuated by certain changes of polarity introduced into the current on the said
line, the said armature will oscillate in obedience to the influence of the said
changes of polarity, substantially as herein described:
4th The combination of an operating stylus or electrode, a connecting arm, an
armature, either of a hollow electro-magnet or an electro-magnet fixed to one pole
of a permanent magnet, or an armature polarized by a helix pivoted, arranged to
oscillate in the field of a permanent magnet or magnets with a means for reversing
the polarity of the line in which the said electro-magnets or polarised armature are
placed, substantially as herein set forth and described.
5th The vibrating stylus or electrode attached to or connected with the armature
of a bollow electro-magnet or of an electro-magnet fixed to one pole of a permanent
magnet or an armature polarized by a helix and arranged to oscillate in the field of
a permanent inagnet or magnets, both the stylus and electro-magnet or polarized
armature being placed in the main line circuit, in combination with a means for
reversing the polarity of the current whereby the changes of polarity cause the
vibrations of the stylus and the circuit is preserved for the transmission of the
message impulses, substantially as set forth.
6th The combination of the following parts; means for reversing the polarity of
the current of the main line, an electro-magnet fixed to one pole of a permanent
magnet, or a hollow electro-magnet with an armature arranged in either case to
oscillate as the said electro-magnets are actuated by the said changes of polarity
or an armature polarized by a helix and pivoted in the field of a permanent magnet,
the contact spring J and the relay points g g by which the feed mechanism is
actuated and brought into exact unison with the changes of polarity on the
line and the vibrations of the operating stylus or electrode, substantially as
described.
7th The combination of the electro-magnets U U₁ with the relay points gg and
the contact spring J operated by the armature attached to the stylus by which the
said magnets are alternately energized and by the connected armatures T T¹
a rocking motion given to the shaft h, substantially as described.
8th The combination of the mechanism for feeding either of the two strips of
paper under the electrodes consisting of the electro-magnets U U₁ the tilting
connected armatures T T the shaft h, the rocking lever S, the pawls k k¹, the
connecting levers u v, the escapement V, the ratchet wheel R, the drums O O¹, the
friction rollers P P¹, and the cam lever o by which one of the said rollers is made
to engage with its drum while the other is withdrawn, substantially as herein
described.
9th The pole changer q consisting of three plates on the periphery of a rocking
wheel and two contact rollers, the motion necessary to operate it being imparted
by a force other than that of the current passing through it, substantially as herein
shown and described.
10th The combination of the feed mechanism operated by a local circuit, and the
pole changer q for reversing the current on the main line whereby the said current
is not taxed to reverse its own polarity, and at the same time the motions of the
various parts and the action of the main and local circuits is made reciprocal and

page_text: the operation of the entire machine automatic, substantially as herein set forth.and
described.
11th The combination in one machine of two electrodes or styluses with their
operating armatures and magnets with a single feed mechanism having two feed
drums and friction rollers, the several parts connected by a switch or circuit
controlling mechanism whereby either stylus or electrode may be operated at will
and the same machine be thus used for transmitting or receiving substantially as
herein set forth and described.