AN IMPROVED DUPLEX TELE- GRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gerrit Lolkes Jansma Vander Ploeg, of the Hague, in
the Kingdom of Holland, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED DUPLEX TELE-
GRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 29th December 1877, and dated the 8th October 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Gerrit Lolkes Jansma Vander
der Ploeg at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th October
1877.
GERRIT LOLKES JANSMA VANDER PLOEG, of the Hague, in the Kingdom of
Holland. "AN IMPROVED DUPLEX TELEGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS."
This Invention relates to an improved duplex telegraphic printing apparatus
working entirely by the force of magnetism as regards re-production.
The force furnished by the battery for the transmission (the line current) does
not enter as a factor into the working of the apparatus, which acts by forces of
local batteries fixed at the point of reception.
The accompanying Drawings illustrative of the Invention are drawn full size
with the exception of the table of currents (Figure 1), which is drawn one-half full
size.
The parts constituting the apparatus are, a manipulator, a speaker, a reinforcer,
a receiving apparatus, a printing apparatus, and pins to set the apparatus to
transinit or receive.
These parts will each be herein-after particularly referred to; they are all
essential as to the functions which they respectively fulfil, but their position,
dimensions, form, and arrangement, may be variously modified without departing
from the principles of the Invention.
The accompanying Drawings are necessarily colored to illustrate the different
materials of which the details are composed, and to render the Invention completely
intelligible without a too complicated description.
The colors used represent (simple lines, and Figure 2 being excepted) yellow
copper, or brass, blue iron or steel, sepia, cast iron, red isolated copper wire,
and black ebonite, or other suitable non-conducting substance.

page_text: Figure 2 is a representation of the functions of the manipulator, and is therefore
not a substantial part of the apparatus.
The manipulator (see Figures 3 to 7) is constructed with a handle 1, which in
several revolutions imparts by means of a pinion 5, and wheels 3, 4, one revolution
to an axis 2.
The handle has four optional points of rest 6, 7, 8, 9, placed in horizontal and
vertical lines shown on its dial (in Figure 5), and in turning it forwards or backwards
a needle 10 is turned in the same direction; the points 6, 7, 8, 9, correspond to
the spaces on one of which the needle 10 is placed.
The axis 2 gives motion to a wheel 11 which makes or interrupts the contact in
the line current at the points 12 and 13, and it carries by friction a bar 14, which
is pushed against 15. when the axis is turned from right to left, and which is
pushed against 16 when the axis is turned in the reverse direction. Whilst moving
between 15 and 16, the bar causes an oscillation of the reverser or commutator 17,
the two arms 18, 19, of which, separated from each other, sometimes put the part 20
in contact with 21, and 22 with 23, and sometimes 20 with 23, and 21 with 22,
see the two positions, Figures 7. Thus the current of the battery, which enters the
apparatus at 20, passes through it by the points of contact 12, 13, and leaves it at
21 to pass along the line and return by the earth at 23, will be reversed according
to the direction in which the handle 1 is turned; it will be p, e, positive in the
line on turning the handle from right to left, and negative on turning it from
left to right, or vice versa, but always inversed in a contrary direction.
The functions of the manipulator are illustrated in Figure 2, where the red color
indicates the duration of the contact, and the black the duration of the interruption.
During the interruption the reversing of the current (indicated by the yellow)
takes place at the instant when the direction of the handle 1 is changed. Supposing
that it has been turned in the direction 6, 7, 8, 9, and stopped at 8 in returning
to 7, the current between 8 and 7 is reversed, and remains so as long as the handle
is turned in the same direction. On changing the direction of p, c, at the point 6,
a reversion is made between 6 and 7. Thus the current can be reversed at any of
the spaces of the dial.
To clear the line at the point of departure of a possible overcharge of current,
there is a small spring 24 which brings the line into contact with the earth during
the interruption of the current, when the needle 10 passes over the space indicated
by the black color in Fig. 2.
The dial contains a double border divided into any required number of spaces for
the characters required in telegraphy; the number shown in Figure 5 is thirty-two.
For those in the outer border the handle is turned to one side, and for those in the
inner border it is turned to the other side. At each character there is in the
apparatus a contact, and at each passage from one character to another there is an
interruption, and an inversion at each change of direction.
With respect to the speaker and to the re-inforcer, see Figures 1, 8, and 13, when
the balance is at rest, one of its arms 26 remains fixed against the point 25, and
then allows the current of the battery, Figure 13, to pass from 25 to 27, whilst there
is contact at the point 28 in the manipulator; the little battery between 29 and 30
is then out of function. When the rod 31 is pushed down, the arın 26 retires from
its point of contact 25; but before leaving it the opposite arm 32 touches its point of
contact 33, and at that moment the points 27, 25, 33, are in communication, so
that the poles of the little battery 29, 30, are closed, and the current passing
through the bobbins 34 attracts the armature 35 which thus makes a noise or
sound. On continuing to push the rod 31 down to the bottom, the arm 26 is made
to leave its point of contact 25, and thus there is a communication only between
the points 27 and 33, and at this moment the little battery 29, 30, is connected to
the large battery which now regularly encloses all the elements. In this position
the line current which passes through the manipulator will be considerably re-
inforced; however, there is between the depressing and releasing of the rod 31, an
alternative as to the current of the line, that is to say, either there is a current in the
.....

page_text: line, or there is none; if there is a current it continues to pass through the bobbins
34 (which are formed of thickish wire), but evidently with much less force, yet still
strong enough to keep the armature 35 attracted. On lifting the hand, the
spiral 36 causes the rod 31 to, resume its former position, and the armature 35 falls
back; in this case there is heard only one sound; if on the contrary there is no
current in the line, the armature 35 falls back immediately the connection of the
three points of contact 27, 25, 33, is broken, which is done twice, id est, once when
the rod 31 is pushed down to the bottom, and once when it is released and resumes
its former position; in this case the sound or noise of the attraction of the armature
is necessarily heard twice. From these movements it follows that the operator
will be enabled to be sure at each pressure of the rod whether the current has
passed through the line or not, for in case he hears the speaker sound twice when
pushing down the rod, in spite of the contact at the point 28 in the manipulator, he
is warned that the current is stopped either by accident or by the actions of the
telegraphist at the end of the line, and he stops telegraphing and puts his apparatus
in readiness to receive.
With reference to the functions of the re-inforcer, it suffices to say that it serves
to print the character to be transmitted at the receiving office, as will be herein-after
explained.
With respect to the receiving apparatus, see Figures 1, and 9 to 11, the current
coming by the line from the point of departure, and converting the electro 37 into
a magnet with two ends, is interrupted, reversed, and strengthened at will by the
action of the manipulator. Near the poles of this magnet 37 are placed at opposite
sides vertical electros 38, 39, oscillating in bobbins 40, 41, and provided with arms
42, 43.
At the extremities of these arms are placed pins 44, 45, the pressure of which
respectively against the rods 46 or 47, when its arm is in action, makes a contact at
the point 48 or 49.
The poles of the said vertical electros are inverse to one another, the effect of
which is that the large electro having a positive current attracts one of them whilst
the other remains stationary, and if it has a negative current it does exactly the
contrary. The attracted vertical electro pushing the pin 44 or 45 against the
point of contact 48 or 49, closes the chain of the current 50 or of 51 at the point
52 or 53, Figure 1, and so one or the other of the electros 54 or 55 is set in action.
As soon as the line current is interrupted, the electro 38 or 39 resumes its place by
the force of the spiral 50 or 57, and re-establishes at the point 52 or 53 the inter-
ruption of the local current.
When one of the vertical electros 38 or 39 has been already attracted by the
line current, whilst a reinforcement of the current is brought about by the action of
the rod 31 (Figure 8), the other vertical electro 39 or 38 will also come into action,
and thus make a contact at the point 58, circulating another local current in the
printing bobbins 59.
With respect to the printing apparatus illustrated by the same Figures, each
armature of the respective electros 54, 55, has an arm 60, 61, moved by its
attraction when the chain is closed at the point 52 or 53, and a counter movement
caused by a spiral spring 62, 63. The alternating movement of these two arms is
communicated respectively to the arms 64, 65, and by means of the tangents 66 or
67 working alternately on the pin wheel 68 which runs backwards or forwards. A
slight stop beneath the wheel prevents involuntary vibration. The pin wheel turns
the axis 69 which is held by an arm 70, and is pushed by it towards one side or the
other. The axis 69 bears a double-margined type wheel 71 corresponding to the
characters on the dial of the manipulator.
The tangents are formed as shown in Figure 12, and work between two pins 72,
73. Supposing that the handle of the manipulator is at one of the four optional
points of rest 6, 7, 8, 9 (Figure 5), then one or other of the tangents 66 or 67 will
have entered between two pins of the pin wheel.
If it is required to print at the receiving office the character on which the

page_text: needle 10 is stopped, the rod 31 (Figure 8) is pushed down, and so reinforces the
line current as explained above. The second tangent 67 or 66, hitherto stationary,
then tries to move, stopped by the contact at the point 58 of the two extremities of
the arms 72, 73 (Figure 11). By. this contact the chain of the local electro 59 is
closed, and a lever 74 is attracted at its armature 75 which causes its opposite end
to push the paper band against the type wheel, which is inked by the rollers 76, 77,
and the impression of the type is made.
In allowing the rod 31 to resume its former position (Figure 8), the second
tangent 67 or 66 returns to its resting place and interrupts the local current at 58,
the lever 74 falls back, but in so doing it closes the chain of the local electro 80 by
means of a piece at its extremity, which puts the points 78, 79, into contact. This
electro pushes up the tangent 81 (Figures 9 and 10, and of similar form to that
shown in Figure 12), which working in a small pin wheel 82 moves the rollers 83,
on which the paper band is held by two springs 84 strong enough to make the
band pass and present a fresh blank space to the type wheel. Finally, the two
isolated arms 64, 65, (Figure 11), touching the isolated points 85, 86, close
respectively and alternately the local chains at the points 87, 88, (Figure 1), the
effect of which is manifested by means of the small bobbins 89, 90, in the oscillation
of the arın 70, which causes sometimes the one margin, and sometimes the other
margin of the type wheel to fall on to the paper.
There is a resisting bobbin (Figure 1) to regulate the force in the bobbins 40, 41.
Its several red points are ends taken at certain distances of the continuous wire
rolled on to a bobbin; there is, therefore, a certain number of different resistances,
which can be applied by pushing the needle 91 on to one or another end of the
wire.
And with respect to the pins by which the apparatus is set to transmit or receive,
these pins are represented by 92 and 93 (Figure 1). It follows from the dis-
tribution of the red lines that in case 02 and 93 be shut, both at the same time, the
line current touches the receiving apparatus belonging thereto, whilst passing by
the line to the other receiving apparatus.
In certain cases, this method of making both the apparatus work at once has its
advantages, but there are other cases when it is preferred to cause the current to
enter first the bobbins of the electro 37 before going into the line, as indicated (for
an example of transmission) by the red dotted lines. This new disposition of the
current necessitates the placing of the point of the conductor which can be closed or
opened at will, as 92, 93, at another place on the line; besides, the result is that
the operator is enabled to stop the working of the receiving apparatus by opening
92, and get ready his transmitting apparatus by opening 93 and closing 92.
This arrangement also allows of one or several receiving apparatus being inter-
posed on the line.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion that claim as my Invention, an improved
duplex telegraphic printing apparatus (working entirely by the force of magnetism
as regards re-production) constituted by the arrangement in combination of a
manipulator, a speaker, a reinforcer, a receiving apparatus, a printing apparatus
and pins to set the apparatus to transmit or receive, each such part having the
functions respectively above specified, and being substantially of the construction
or formation above described, and as illustrated on the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gerrit Lolkes Jansma Vander Ploeg, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of October, in the year of
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.