Improvements in Perforators for use in connection with Automatic Telegraph Transmitters.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Dec., 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan., 1898
Improvements in Perforators for use in connection with Automatic
Telegraph Transmitters.
I, FRANCIS LAUDER MUIRHEAD, of Princes Street, in the City of Westminster,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to perforators employed to punch the paper strip that
is used in connection with automatic telegraph transmitters.
The objects of my invention are to simplify the mechanism; to provide means
whereby the punch-block is, for the purpose of sharpening the punches or other-
wise, rendered capable of removal, replacement, and adjustment, or another punch-
block substituted therefor without disturbance of the remainder of the mechanism;
to transfer parts of the mechanism to the under part of the apparatus whereby they
are protected from exposure and damage; and generally to effect the improvements
hereinafter indicated.
By means of this perforator the paper strip is usually punched with a central
line of equi-distant holes with which a spur-wheel afterwards engages to draw
the strip either through the perforator itself or the automatic transmitter.
Immediately above or below the centre perforations other holes are punched in
accordance with the signals to be automatically transmitted. There are three
finger-levers or tappets, the respective dopressions of which perforate the
paper as described, but the arrangement is such that, whichever signalling per-
foration is offected, the centre perforation is also made. The depression of either
tappet likewise operates the paper feed mechanism.
According to my invention the mechanism is mounted upon a hollow or arched-
shaped base-plate. The manipulation of any one of the three tappets operates a
lever-frame pivotally mounted in a suitable manner on the under side of the
base-plate. The lever-frame is normally held in its upward position by a suitable
spring which may likewise serve to return, or assist in returning, either tappet
after depression. Each tappet may be normally retained in its upward position
by an additional light spring. The bar that forms the fulcrum of the lever-frame
carries a crank to the free end of which a rod, forked at its distant end, is loosely
connected. Within the forked extremity of this rod is a pin that is attached
to a crosshead which passes upwards through a slot in the base-plate. The cross-
head is pulled or thrust forward under the influence of a suitable spring but its
forward movement is normally resisted by the pin attached to the crosshead
being at the base of the fork in the above mentioned rod. To the crosshead and
above the base-plate is pivoted a ratchet-lever, which each time one of the tappets
is depressed (moving the forked rod forwards and freeing the crosshead) pusses
one tooth of a ratchet wheel that is attached to the paper feed spur wheel herein-
before referred to. Up to this moment the punches have not been
operated, but 0.9 the depression of the tappet is continued the lappet

page_text: lever beneath the base-plate rocks about a rod which is the common fulcrum
to the three of them. On this rod aro three adjacent fingers which project above
the base-plate. These operate the puncher rods in the manner of the well-known
Wheatstone perforator or in any other suitable way. The return movement of the
tappot allows tho punches to clear the paper before the forked rod comes into
engagement with the pin in the crosshead herein before mentioned. Upon the
fork operating to return the crosshead, the ratchet lever engages with the
ratchet wheel and rotates it the distance of one space of the perforated
strip. The punch-block, or that part which carries the punches and
the cutting plates, is mounted on a separate base which in turn is clamped to
the main base-plate adjacent to the paper feeding device. The punch-block may
be adjustable forwards, backwards, or sideways by means of slots in the base-
plates or otherwise.
In order to equalize the pressure on the punches when operating the tappets,
the rods of the upper and lower punches are brought to the same distance from
the fulcrum of the tappet lovers.
As will be seen, the instrument as described is arranged for submarine cable
transmission where the signals depend on the polarity and not on the duration
of the battery contacts. The apparatus is, however, by obvious modifications
adaptable for signalling on the dot and dash Morse Code.
1004
A. F. SPOONER,
323, High Holborn, London, Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Perforators for use in connection with Automatic
Telegraph Transmitters.
I, FRANCIS LAUDER MUIRHEAD, of Princes Street, in the City of Westminster,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declaro the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement: —
My invention relates to perforators employed to punch the paper strip that
is used in conection with automatic telegraph transmitters.
The objects of my invention are to simplify the mechanism; to provide means
whereby the punch-block is, for the purpose of sharpening the punches or other-
wise, rendered capable of removal, replacement, and adjustment, or another punch-
block substituted therefor without disturbance of the remainder of the mechanism;
to transfer parts of the mechanism to the under part of the apparatus whereby they
are protected from exposure and damage; and generally to effect the improvements
hereinafter indicated.
By means of the perforator the paper strip is usually punched with a central
line of equi-distant holes with which a spur-wheel afterwards engages to draw
the strip either through the perforator itself or the automatic transmitter.
Immediately above or below the centre perforations other holes are punched in
accordance with the signals to be automatically transmitted. There are three
finger-levers, tappets, or keys, the respective depressions of which perforate the
paper as described, but the arrangement is such that, whichever signalling per-
foration is effected, the centre perforation is also made. Tho dopression of either
tappet likewise operates the paper feed mechanism.
In the accompanying drawing, I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.

page_text: Perforators for use in connection with Automatic Telegraph Tranɛmillera.
Figure 1 is a plan and
Figuro 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the Liner, Figure 1 showing
a perforator with my present improvements applied thereto.
Figure 3 is a detan view hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
a is a hollow or arched-shaped base-plate, and a is a hinged case or cover
for enclosing the mechanism. i, 6 are three finger-levers, tappets, or keys, each of
which is connected with a tappet lover which latter is pivoted to a suitable
rod or bar as indicated at 6 and is retained in its uppermost position by a flat
spring c. The manipulation of any one of the tappets operates, through the
corresponding tappet lever b', a lover-frame d pivotally mounted in a suitable
munner on the under side of the base-plate a on a rod or bar e as indicated at c'.
is the paper feed spur or pin wheel, and fi are the punches. The lever frame d
15 normally held in its upward position by a suitable spiral or other spring y
which likewise serves to return (or assist together with one or other of the ilut
or ribbon springs e in returning) either of the tappets b after depression. Each of
the tappels may, moreover, be normally retained in its upward position by an
additional light spring if found necessary or desirable. The bare that forms
the fulcrum of the lever-frame d carries a crank-arm h to which one end of the
above mentioned spring y is connected, and to the free end of which a rod s,
forked at its distant end as shown at 2, is pivotally or otherwise loosely connected.
Within the lorked extremity of the rod i is a pin that is attached to a cross-
head which passes upward through a slot in the base-plate a.
The cross-
head is thrust or pulled forwards under the influence of a suitable spiral or
other spring threaded upon a guide spindle in sliding freely in bearings m
attached to the base plate a, but the forward movement of the said crosshead k
is normally resisted by the pin j attached thereto being at the base of the fork
in the above mentioned rod i. To the crosshead and on the upper surface of the
base-plate a is pivoted a hooked ratchet-lever which, each time one of the
tappets is depressed and consequently the forked rod i moved forwards so as to
free the said crosshead k, passes one tooth of a ratchet wheel o that is formed in
one with, or is attached to, the vertical spindle fo carrying the paper feed spur
or pin wheelf hereinbefore referred to. Upon the further depression of the
said tappet the corresponding tappet-lever b beneath the base-plato a rocks about
the rod which as already mentioned is the common fulcrum to the three of
them.
Pare thren short levers, fingers, or projections which oxtend upwardly
through a slot in the buse-plate a, the lever or finger p being connected directly
with, or formed on, the pivoted end of the central tappet-lever b', whilst the
fingers paud pare connected to the outer tappet-levers through suitable
sleeves. The fingers or projections p, p, and operate the puncher rods fin
the manner of the well-known Wheatstone" perforator or in any other suitable
way. The return movement of either of the tappets allows of the punches
operated thereby clearing the paper before the fork of the rod conies into
engagement with the pin in the crosshead . Upon the fork operating to
return the said crosshead, the ratchet-lever n engages with the ratchet-wheel o
and rotates it the distance of one space of the perforated strip.
The punch-block (that is to say the part which carries the punches f' and
the cutting-plates f³) is mounted on a separate base f which in turn is clumped
or secured by screws f³ or otherwise to the main base-plate a adjacent to the
paper feeding device or spur wheelf and ratchet wheel and hooked ratchet lever o
and n.
The punch-block may be so arranged as to be adjustable forwards, back-
wards, or sideways by means of slots in its base-plate f* through which pass the
clamping screws 3, and by a lateral adjusting scrow, and spring stop f, or
the said adjustment may be effected in any other convenient manner. Besides
the adjustment provided for the punch block, the spur-wheel f may be made,
as clearly shown in Figure 3, adjustable relatively to the holes in the cutting-

page_text: plate 3. The said spur-wheel is barrel shaped and its upper end is provided
with two slots and a clamping plate fl. Two screws f pass through the
plate f and slots f and screw into the platform that carries the spindle f
Upon loosening the screws the wheel may be adjusted to the extent of the
slots.
9 is a guide roller for directing or supporting the paper strip or ribbon whilst
passing through the machine, and is a spring lever for retaining the said paper strip
or ribbon against the spur or pin wheel f. The guide roller 7 is rotatably
mounted upon the free end of a spring arm or lever q¹.
In order to equalize the pressure on the punches fl when operating the tappels b,
the rods of the upper and lower punches are brought to the same distance
from the fulcrum of the tappet-levers 6' as shown.
As will be seon, the instrument as described is arranged for submarine cable
transmission where the signals depend on the polarity and not on the duration
of the battery contacts. It will, however, be readily understood that by obvious
modifications the apparatus can be readily adapted for signalling, on the dot and
dash Morse Code.
j
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A perforator for use in connection with automatic telegraph transmitters
wherein the punches and cutting plates are mounted on a removable basc-plate
such as substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, in a perforator for use in connection with automatic
telegraph transmitters, of a removable punch block and means for adjusting the
same substantially as set forth.
3. In a perforator for use in connection with automatic telegraph transmitters,
the adjustable spur wheel substantially as described.
4. The combination, in a perforator for use in connection with automatic
telegraph transmitters, of an adjustable punch block and an adjustable spur wheel.
6. The construction, arrangement, and combination of parts constituting my
improved perforator substantially as set forth.
Doted this 2nd day of Nagamba 1007
A. F. SPOONER,
323 High Holborn, London, Agent for the Applicant.