Improvements in Telegraphing Graphic or other Matter Automatically, without Wires, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Telegraphing Graphic or other Matter Automatically,
without Wires, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, RUPERT GREVILLE-WILLIAMS, of Simpson Hill House, Heywood; Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare. the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in telegraphing graphic or other
matter, such as photographs, drawings or the like, automatically, without wires
and in apparatus therefor.
The advantages of wireless transmission of electrical actions or manifestations
are obvious. No wire to buy, lay and maintain, and consequently no incon-
venience through damage or severance of line-wires. It is applicable or prac-
ticable where wires would not be, etc.
It is now well known that electrical impulses, actions or manifestations can
be transmitted to a considerable distance across space, or through the earth,
or water, without the intervention of conducting wires, by propagating or
setting up electrical oscillations of high frequency in the said medium between
the transmitting and receiving stations, and that these actions or impulses are
made to serve as signals which may be read at the receiving instrument, and
thus constitute information called telegraphic messages.
Hitherto these electrical actions or manifestations have been utilized only
as a means of transmitting signals to be read or translated at the receiving
station.
According to my present invention, I propose to utilize these electrical actions
for transmitting automatically not merely signals but also graphic and other like
matter, such for instance as photographs, drawings, writings et cetera.
Broadly, my invention consists in employing any suitable existing means
(or modifications of them) of telegraphing graphic matter, in conjunction with
the means employed for transmitting messages or signals through the air, earth
or water in what is known as "wireless telegraphy," that is, without the use
of the usual line-wire or wires spanning between the transmitting and receiving
stations.
As an example of a suitable existing means of telegraphing graphic and
like matter, I will cite the automatic telegraphic instrument described in my
British Patents No. 14765 of 1894, and No. 0509 of 1895, wherein the trans-
mitting instrument consists essentially of a conducting surface upon which is
imposed the design or graphic matter executed in some non-conducting material
or substance, or Bice versa. There is also a contact finger, the said finger being
a tracing tool which is moved or passed by mechanical means in a right line
laterally across the entire design whilst the latter together with its base is
simultaneously moved beneath the tracing tool, usually in a direction at right-
angles to the motion of the tool, so that by this means every part of the design
(including the ground-work between its lines) is traversed by the tracer in due

page_text: course. These devices are contained in an electric line-circuit, (hereinafter
called the transmitter circuit) which latter has also within it an electro-magnetic
relay situated at or near the receiving station. One end of the said line-wire
is connected with the tracing tool of the transmitting instrument and the other
end to one of the terminals of the relay; the conducting surface of the trans-
mitting instrument and the other terminal of the relay being connected to
earth. For telegraphing long distances the transmitting circuit is only local
and governs another relay, which, in turn, transmits currents suitable for the
distance on the line. If currents of very high voltage were used direct from
the transmitter, the ink would not act as an insulator.
The receiving instrument consists of a suitable surface upon which to receive
the telegraphed reproduction of the design or other matter; a marking tool
and a local electric circuit, (hereinafter called the receiver circuit) said
circuit containing one or more electro-magnets and il closer or switch
which is connected with the relay already referred to. The armature of the
local-circuit magnets is connected with the marking tool for making the repro-
duction of the design. The marking tool and the receiving surface are moved
by mechanical or other suitable means, in unison with or relatively to each
other, in like manner to the corresponding parts of the transmitting instrument,
and also the motions of the transmitting and receiving instruments must be
synchronous.
The operation of the complete apparatus is as follows:-
Assuming that the design or other matter at the transmitting station is
executed in a non-conducting substance imposed upon a conducting surface,
then, the transmitter tracing tool will close the line or transmitter-circuit each
time the point of the tool comes in contact with the conducting ground-work
or surface between the lines of the design, and, in like manner, whenever
the tool is upon any portion of the design the circuit will be opened. This
automatic opening and closing of the line-circuit at intervals as the tracing
tool passes over in contact with the surface of the design, actuates the armature
of the relay at the receiving station accordingly, thus causing the said armature-
which is also the circuit-closer or switch of the local receiver-circuit,-to open
or close one or other of the paths of the said circuit, and thereby causing the
armature to move between the poles of its clectro-magnets, which motion is
transmitted to the marking tool and the tool thereby automatically reproduces
the design on to the receiving surface which is situated close by the point of
the tracer.
The above is a description in outline of my apparatus as constructed,
according to the patents cited, to operate with one or more line-wires spanning
between the transmitting and receiving stations. I will now describe my
apparatus forming the subject of the present invention which, as will be remem-
bered, is operated without a line wire or wires.
The transmitting tracing tool, design, and design surface, and also the corre
sponding parts of the receiving instrument are substantially similar to those
above described. The tracing tool and tracing surface are placed in the circuit
of an electro-magnetic relay which also has in circuit a key, switch, or similar
contrivance to make and break contact with the armature of the said relay
for interrupting the current as and when desired. Another electric circuit
connected with the armature of the relay and key or switch contains an induction
coil or transformer, the wire of the circuit being connected to the terminals of
the primary winding, whilst the terminals of its secondary winding are con-
nected to two insulated spheres or other suitable radiator surfaces or conductors.
All these devices are at the transmitting stationi.
At the receiving station, in addition to the marking tool and receiver surface,
a relay, a local battery circuit containing the receiving electro-magnets, and
a circuit-closer or switch for controlling the said circuit, there is a coherer,"
and also an automatic device for destroying the cohesion of the particles in

page_text: the coherer tube by shaking or tapping it, conducting radiator surfaces corre-
sponding to those of the transmitting instrument, for the purpose of receiving
the Hertzian rays emitted from the radiator surfaces of the transmitting
instrument.
The operation of the invention is as follows:-
The insulated or. non-conducting. ink or substance constituting the design
or other matter on the transmitting instrument, opens and closes the relay,
which in turn makes and breaks contact with the key or switch included in
the induction-coil circuit. Thus, whenever the insulated ink becomes inter-
posed between the point of the tracing tool and the conducting surface about
the design, the relay-circuit is thereby opened and the extension circuit con-
taining the induction-coil becomes closed through the medium of the contact-
key or switch, exciting the radiator conducting surfaces connected to the
secondary-winding of the coil. The electric. "rays thus produced affect or
excite the distant corresponding radiator conducting surfaces of the receiving
instrument, which, in turn, causes the closing, through the coberer and the
relay, of the local battery circuit which actuates the armature of the local
magnets, which, in turn, operates the marking tool.
29
"
Synchronisation of the mechanical movements of the transmitter tool and
surface with those of the receiving instrument is essential. It can be carried
on by means of chronometers or any other suitable methods.
It is advisable in some cases to cover the various instruments with a metallic
case or cover which is connected to earth by wire or other suitable means, so
that the instruments may not be affected by currents that may not be intended
for them to receive.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Telegraphing Graphic or other Matter Automatically
without Wires, and in Apparatus therefor.
I, RUPERT GREVILLE-WILLIAMS, of Simpson Hill House, Heywood, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare 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; -
This invention relates to improvements in telegraphing graphic or other
matter, such as photographs, drawings or the like, automatically, without wires
and in apparatus therefor.
The advantages of wireless transmission of electrical actions or manifestations
are obvious: (1) No wire to buy, lay and maintain, and consequently no incon-
venience through damage or severance of line-wires. (2) It is applicable or
practicable where wires would not be, etc.
It is now well known that electrical impulses, actions or manifestations can
be transmitted to a considerable distance across space, or through the earth,
or water, without the intervention of conducting wires, by propagating or
setting up electrical oscillations of high frequency in the medium existing between
the transmitting and receiving stations, and that these actions or impulses are
made to serve as signals which may be read at the receiving instrument, and
thus constitute information called telegraphic messages.
.

page_text: .
Hitherto these electrical actions or manifestations have been utilized only
as a means of transmitting signals to be read or translated at the receiving.
station.
According to my present invention, I propose to utilize these electrical actions
for transmitting automatically not merely signals but also graphic and other
matter, such for instance as photographs, drawings, writings,et cetera.
Broadly, my invention consists in employing any suitable already existing means
(or modification of them) of telegraphing graphic matter, in conjunction with
the means employed for transmitting messages or signals through the air, earth
or water in what is known as wireless telegraphy," that is, without the use
of the usual line wire or wires spanning between the transmitting and
-
receiving stations..
In order to elucidate the description I have appended diagrams of the entire
arrangement. In these diagrams:-
Figure 1 represents the set of apparatus which collectively constitutes the
sender or transmitting instrument.
Figure 2 represents the set of apparatus which collectively constitutes the
receiver or receiving instrument. it will be understood that the sending and
the receiving instruments may be separated by any distance even many miles
without any connection, and further, it is to be understood that these diagrams
only illustrate by way of example one modification of means now used for
wireless telegraphy and that other modifications may be adopted without in
any degree departing from the essential details of the invention. For example,
whereas two aerial conductor surfaces are shown to each instrument, it will be
obvious that one of each pair may be earthed when found more, desirable,
leaving the other elevated. These conductor bodies may be discs or plates,
spheres, or prisms, or of any other suitable plane or solid form which is or may
hereafter be known to answer the same purpose, and furthermore, I do not limit
myself to any particular number of such bodies which I may employ in con-
nection with either or both instruments, but I may say that two to each instru-
ment is found to be practical and sufficient for attaining the desired reproductions.
As an example of a suitable existing means of telegraphing graphic and
like matter, I will cite the automatic telegraphic instrument described in my
British Patents No. 14765 of 1894 and No. 6509 of 1895, and briefly describe
its essential parts with reference to the present drawings, wherein the trans-
mitting instrument (shown diagrammatically in Figure 1) consists essentially
of a conducting surface upon which is imposed or inlaid the design or graphic
matter executed in some non-conducting material or substance, or vice versa,
the design may be executed in conducting material imposed on a non-conducting
surface. There is also a contact finger b, the said finger being a tracing tool
which is moved or passed by mechanical means in a right line laterally across
the entire design, whilst the latter together with its base is simultaneously
moved (by means not shown) beneath the tracing tool, usually in à direction
at right angles to the motion of the tool, so that by this means every part of
the design (including the ground-work between the lines) is traversed by the
tracer in due course. These devices are contained in an electric line circuit c
(hereinafter called the transmitter circuit) which latter has also within it an
electro-magnetic-relay situated preferably at or near the receiving station,
but may be anywhere, and for convenience it is shown in the drawings at the
sending station. One end of the said line-wire is connected with the tracing
tool of the transmitting instrument at e and the other end at f to one of the
terminals of the relay the conducting surface a of the transmitting instrument
and the other terminal of the relay d being connected to earth as indicated by
the plates and h. For telegraphing long distances the transmitting circuit c
is only local and governs another relay, which, in turn, transmits currents
suitable for the distance on the line. If currents of very high voltage were
used direct from the transmitter, the-ink would not act as an insulator.

page_text: The receiving instrument (see Figure 2) consists of a suitable surface i upon
which to receive the telegraphed reproduction of the design or other matter
imposed on the transmitter surface a; a marking tool j and a local electric
circuit k, (hereinafter called the receiver circuit) said circuit containing one
or more electro-magnets and a closer or switch which is connected with the
relay already referred to. The armature m of the local circuit magnets is
connected with the marking tool j for making the reproduction of the design.
The marking tool j and the receiving surface are moved by mechanical or
other suitable means (not shown), in unison with or relatively to each other, in
like manner to the corresponding parts of the transmitting instrument, and
also in such manner that the motions of the transmitting and receiving instru-
ments are synchronous.
The operation of the complete apparatus is as follows:-
Assuming that the design or other matter at the transmitting station is executed
in a non-conducting substance imposed upon the conducting surface a, then, the
transmitter tracing tool b, will close the line or transmitter-circuit c each time
the point of the said tool comes in contact with the conducting ground-work
or surface a between the lines of the design, and, in like manner, whenever the
tool is upon any portion of the design, the circuit will be opened. This auto-
matic opening and closing of the line-circuit at intervals as the tracing toolb
passes over in contact with the surface of the design, actuates the armature m
of the relay at the receiving station accordingly, thus causing the said
armature--which is also the circuit-closer or switch of the local receiver-
circuit to open or close one or other of the paths of the said circuit; and
thereby causing the armature to move between the poles of its electro-magnets,
which motion is transmitted to the marking tool and the said tool thereby
automatically reproduces the design in close-dotted lines on the receiving
surface i, which is situated close by the point of the tracer.
The above is a description in outline of my apparatus as constructed, according
to the patents cited, to operate with one or more line-wires spanning between
the transmitting and receiving stations. I will now describe my apparatus
forming the subject of the present invention which, as will be remembered, is
operated without a line wire or wires.
-
The transmitting tracing tool b, design surface a and design thereon, and
also the corresponding parts of the receiving instrument, are substantially
similar to those above, described. The tracing tool 6 and tracing surface a are
connected in the circuit c of an electro-magnetic relay which also has in
circuit a key o, switch, or similar contrivance to make and break contact with
the armature o¹ of the said relay for interrupting the current as and when
desired. Another electric circuit p connected with the armature o' of the said
relay and key or switch contains an induction coil or transformer q, the wire
of the said circuit being connected to the terminals at r,r, of the primary
winding, whilst the terminals, rl, of its secondary winding are electrically
connected with two insulated spheres or other suitable radiator surfaces or
conductors s, s¹.
:
All these devices are at the transmitting station.
"
At the receiving station, in addition to the marking tool j, receiver surface i,
relays and 12, a local battery circuit containing the receiving electro-
magnets, and a circuit-closer or switch for controlling the said circuit, there
is a coherer," indicated by and also an automatic device (not shewn) for
destroying the cohesion of the particles in the coherer tube by shaking or tap-
ping it, and conducting radiator surfaces $2 $3 corresponding to those of the
transmitting instrument, for the purpose of receiving the Hertzian rays emitted
from the radiator surfaces of the transmitting instrument.
In the diagrams the surface upon which the design is imposed is represented
as a cylinder a rotatably mounted in a pedestal-bearing ; and the tracing
tool b, which it is to be understood is kept gently pressed either by means of

page_text: a spring or by its own weight against the tracing surface a beneath it, is sup-
ported in a bracket which is mounted upon an elevated flat bed or table w
in such manner that the said bracket can be moved along the bed w and
thus cause the tracing tool 6 to traverse the surface in a right line length-
wise. The mechanism for driving or moving these two parts a and is not
shewn as it may be any suitable one which will simultaneously rotate. the
tracing surface cylinder a and impel the bracket along; such mechanisms
are well known in lathe and other machine tools.
The operation of the invention is as follows:-
The insulated or non-conducting ink or substance constituting the design or
other matter on the transmitting instrument, opens and closes the relay d;
which in turn makes and breaks contact with the key or switch o included in
the induction-coil circuit p. Thus, whenever the insulated ink becomes inter-
posed between the point of the tracing tool p and the conducting surface a
about the design, the relay-circuit is thereby opened and the extension
circuit containing the induction-coil becomes closed through the medium of
the contact-key or switch o, exciting the radiator conducting surfaces ss con
nected to the secondary-winding of the coil q. The electric "rays" thus produced
affect or excite the distant corresponding radiator conducting surfaces 2, 3 of
the receiving instrument, which, in turn, causes the closing, through the
coherer" and the relay, of the local battery circuit which actuates the
armature of the local magnets, which, in turn, operates the marking tool j.
Synchronisation of the mechanical movements of the transmitter tool and
surface with those of the receiving instrument is essential. It can be carried
on by means of chronometers or any other suitable known methods.
It is advisable in some cases to cover the various instruments with a metallic
case or cover which is connected to earth by wire or other suitable means, so
that the instruments may not be affected by currents that may not be intended
for them to receive.
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
The combination with any suitable existing apparatus for telegraphing
graphic matter, of the means for transmitting messages or signals through the
air, earth, water or other suitable medium without the use of a line or connecting
wire or wires between the two stations, consisting of an induction coil or trans-
former in circuit with a relay which is in circuit with the transmitting.
instrument, elevated conductor or radiating surfaces in connection with the
secondary of the transformer and corresponding conductor surfaces, a coherer,
means for agitating same, a local relay, switch and receiver circuits, all in con-
nection with the receiving instrument, substantially as and for the purpose
described and set forth.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.