AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL CURRENTS THROUGH CONDUCTORS OR CABLES, AND FOR FACILITATING THE ACTION OF INSTRUMENTS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL
CURRENTS THROUGH CONDUCTORS OR CABLES, AND FOR FACILITATING THE
ACTION OF INSTRUMENTS CONNECTED THEREWITH." A communication from
abroad by Louis Maiche, of Paris, France.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th October 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR
TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL CURRENTS THROUGH CONDUCTORS OR CABLES, AND
FOR FACILITATING THE ACTION OF INSTRUMENTS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
[A communication from abroad by Louis Maiche, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to an improved method of and means for transmitting and
receiving electric currents, and is chiefly designed for facilitating the transmission
and reception of telephonic or telegraphic messages or signals, whatever may be
the kind or description of instrument employed as a sending or receiving
apparatus.
My said Invention consists essentially in transforming at the starting point
quantity" currents of low tension (produced by the battery or other apparatus)
into induced currents of high tension capable of overcoming the resistance of the
line; also in the transformation of these induced high tension currents on their
arrival at the receiving station into "quantity" currents, which directly operate the
receiving apparatus, or a relay which actuates a local battery.
To this end I proceed as follows, that is to say :-
I place at each of the stations to be connected an ordinary induction coil (for
instance, a Ruhmkorff coil). The fine or induction wire of each of these coils is

page_text: connected with the wire of the other coil by the line wire arranged in the usual
manner with a single line wire and an earth wire, or with two wires.
The sending and receiving apparatus and the battery, if there be one, are at each
station placed in the circuit of the thick or induction wire of the coil. It will thus
be seen that the chief feature of my Invention consists in the fact that the electric
currents are received by an induction coil, which transforms the extremely feeble
currents of high tension which are sent through the line wire by the fine or
induction wire of the sending coil into currents of low tension but of greater
quantity, which are collected and utilized with much greater facility than is the
case with weak currents of high tension.
The said Invention is applicable to various purposes, and several of the applications
are by way of example hereinafter specified.
When this Invention is to be applied to telephonic stations the sending telephone
is placed in the circuit of the thick or coarse wire of an induction-coil. The fine
wire of the latter is on the one hand connected with earth, and on the other hand
with the line-wire which joins the thin wire of a receiving coil. The receiving
telephone is in the circuit of the thick or coarse wire of the last mentioned coil.
In this case it is unnecessary to utilize the vibrator of the coils, but it may never-
theless be retained and serve for the calling signals, and in this case a local battery
may be used.
In cases where the signals are sent by means of the improved apparatus or
electrophone described in the Provisional Specification filed August 7th A.D. 1880,
No. 3231, the said apparatus is not altered, but the receiving telephone is placed in
the circuit of the fine wire of the small induction coil of the aforesaid apparatus.
The thick or coarse wire of the said coil is connected with the thick or coarse wire
of the supplementary coil, which acts as above described.
"
The contact-carbons of the said electrophone are also in the circuit of this thick
or coarse wire, and if sounds are produced in front of the electrophone the variations
in the current influence the thick or coarse wire of the supplementary coil, and the
induced currents which will pass through the line originate in the last named
coil. If sounds are produced at the other station the induced currents arriving
through the line-wire cause quantity" currents in the thick or coarse wire of the
supplementary coil, then in that of the small coil of the electrophone, and the
currents in the latter produce induced currents in the wire of the small coil, which
currents actuate the telephone. This second transformation is necessary for the
telephone in this case for the reason that, especially when the line is a long one, the
supplementary coil must be of sufficient strength and does not correspond with
the telephone, whilst the small coil of the electrophone is especially adapted to the
construction of the telephone. In this case also it is unnecessary to work the
vibrator of the supplementary coil.
In applying my Invention to telegraphy I proceed as follows, that is to say :-
I provide suitable communicators and receivers or relays, which are placed in the
circuit of the thick or coarse wire of a supplementary coil, the wire of which acts
as hereinbefore indicated. If a "Morse" communicator is used, contact is made
when the handle is depressed, and the aforesaid coil acts, its vibrator is set in
motion, and a series of induced currents flow through the line in the closest
succession, and cause in the receiving coil a series of "quantity" currents in equally
close succession, which act upon the "Morse" receiver and produce upon the paper-
strip passing through the same points so close together that they in fact form a line
in the ordinary manner. In this case the line is acted upon when the circuit is
closed by means of the communicator, as stated, and the battery does not act
continuously. The battery might however be made to act without interruption,
and a continuous current may pass through the thick wire of the said coil; in that
case currents would be induced when contact is broken by the communicator, and
the vibrator of the coil would be arrested.
The break or interruption of the current being instantaneous points only would

page_text: be produced on the paper-strip of the receiver; it would however be easy to come
to a suitable understanding so as to make them intelligible.
If the last described arrangement is adopted "multiplex" action can be produced,
and other apparatus, for instance, a telephone, may be placed in the circuit and
would act simultaneously with the telegraph; it would operate satisfactorily as the
breaks which are instantaneous would not perceptibly affect its action.
Instead of a "Morse" apparatus other telegraphic apparatus of any suitable
construction may be used.
If the line is sufficiently short I may place the sending apparatus directly in the
circuit of the fine wire of the supplementary coil.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
April 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR
TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL CURRENTS THROUGH CONDUCTORS OR CABLES, AND
FOR FACILITATING THE ACTION OF INSTRUMENTS CONNECTED THEREWITH.
A communication from abroad by Louis Maiche, of Paris, France.
33
This Invention relates to an improved method of and means for transmitting and
receiving electric currents, and is chiefly designed for facilitating the transmission
and reception of telephonic or telegraphic messages or signals, whatever may be the
kind or description of instrument employed as a sending or receiving apparatus,
and more especially for use in combination with the improved "clectrophone,"
described in the Specification of former Letters Patent, No. 3231, bearing date 7th
August 1880.
The said Invention consists chiefly in transforming at the starting point or
station quantity currents of low tension (produced by the battery or other
apparatus) into induced currents of high tension capable of overcoming the
resistance of the line, also in the transformation of these induced high tension
currents on their arrival at the receiving station into quantity currents, which
directly operate the receiving apparatus or a relay which actuates a local battery.
To this end I proceed as follows, that is to say :-
I place at each of the stations to be connected an ordinary induction coil
(a Ruhmkorff coil). The fine or induced-current wire of each of these coils is
connected with the wire of the other coil by the line wire, arranged in the usual
manner with a single line wire and the earth, or with two wires.
The sending and receiving apparatus and the battery (if a battery is used) are
at each station placed in the circuit of the coarse or inducing wire of the coil.
It will be observed that the chief characteristic of my Invention is the reception
of the electric currents by an induction coil, which transforms the extremely feeble
high tension currents passed into the line by the fine or induced-current wire of the
sending coil into currents of low tension, but of greater quantity, which it is much
easier to collect and utilize.
In order that the said Invention may be clearly understood I have illustrated in
the accompanying Drawing various examples of the application thereof. In the
said Drawing
Figure 1 is a diagram representing two stations provided with ordinary
telephones.
"
Figure 2 is a diagram representing a sending station furnished with the
electrophone described in the Specification of the aforesaid former Letters
Patent.
Figure 3 is a diagram shewing two ordinary telegraphic stations fitted with
Morse" apparatus.
Figure 4 shews a modification of this Invention, in which I use at each station
two separate coils, one for receiving, and the other for sending the currents.
As shewn in Figure 1, I place at the two telephonic stations a sending telephone a
in the circuit of the coarse wire of the induction-coil b. The fine wire of the latter
is on the one hand connected with the earth (as indicated by the part marked c in
the Drawing), and on the other hand with the line-wire d, which at the point
marked d joins the fine wire of the receiving coil b'; the receiving telephone a¹ is
in the circuit of the coarse wire of the latter coil. In this arrangement it is
unnecessary to use the vibrator of the coil, but it may nevertheless be retained
and serve for the calling signal by using a local battery.
In cases where the signals are sent by means of the aforesaid improved

page_text: electrophone (Figure 2), the latter is not altered, but the receiving telephone ƒ is
placed in the circuit of the fine wire of the small induction-coil e of the apparatus.
The coarse wire of this small coil e is connected with the coarse wire of the
supplementary coil b, which acts as hereinabove indicated; the contact-carbons of
the electrophone are also in the circuit of this coarse wire, and thus if sounds are
produced before or in front of the electrophone the variations in the current affect
the coarse wire of the supplementary coil b, and the induced currents which are to
pass through the line d originate in the last named coil.
If sounds are produced at the other station the induced currents arriving through
the line-wire d cause "quantity" currents in the coarse wire of the supplementary
coil b, then in that of the small coil e of the electrophone, and the currents in the
latter produce induced currents in the fine wire of the small coil, and these.induced
currents actuate the telephone. This second transformation is necessary for
working the telephone in this case, because, especially when the line is long, the
supplementary coil b mnst be of sufficient strength and does not correspond with
the telephone, whilst the small coile of the electrophone is especially adapted to
the construction of the telephone. In this case also it is unnecessary to employ
the vibrator of the supplementary coil.
For telegraphy I use the following arrangement:-The transmitters G, G¹, and
the receivers or relays K, K', are placed in the circuit of the coarse wire of the
supplementary coils b, b, the wire of which acts as hereinbefore indicated.
"
In the case where the "Morse " apparatus is used contact is made when the
handle is depressed, and the coil b then acts, its vibrator is set in motion, and a
series of induced currents flows through the line d, d', in exceedingly rapid
succession, and causes in the coarse wire of the receiving coil b' a series of
"quantity" currents in equally rapid succession; these currents act upon the
"Morse receiver K and produce upon the paper strip points lying so close
together that they appear to form a line in the ordinary manner.
In this case
the current is caused to pass through the line when the circuit is closed by means
of the transmitter, and the battery does not act continuously.
The battery might however be caused to act continuously, and a continuous
current might pass through the coarse wire of the coil 6; in this case currents
would be induced when contact is broken by the transmitter, and in such case the
vibrator of the coil would be arrested.
The interruption of the current being instantaneous, dots only would be
produced on the paper-strip of the receiver, it would however be easy to establish
a code, and by arranging the dots according to the same to render the said dots
intelligible.
"Multiplex" action can then be produced and a vocal apparatus, such, for
instance, as a telephone, may be placed in the circuit, and will act simultaneously
with the telegraph, and will act satisfactorily, as the interruptions in the current,
which are instantaneous, cannot perceptibly affect the action of such apparatus.
It is obvious that instead of using the "Morse" instrument, apparatus of other
construction may be employed. It is equally obvious that if the line is sufficiently
short to admit of such arrangement I can place the sending apparatus directly in
the circuit of the fine wire of the supplementary coil.
Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a sending station and a receiving station
arranged according to the modification of this Invention hereinabove referred to,
which modification has for its main object to neutralize the effects of induction
caused by the line-wires in proximity to the wire by which signals are sent or
received according to this Invention.
In this modification I entirely separate the devices for sending the currents from
those for receiving the same, or, in other words, I use separate coils for sending and
receiving the currents.
The transmitting apparatus and the battery (when a battery is employed) are
placed, as hereinabove indicated, in the circuit of the coarse or induction wire m of
the sending coil n, which is constructed in the usual manner. One end of the

page_text: induced current wire of the said coil is connected with the line-wire. The other
end p thereof is bifurcated or divided; one part q of the same is connected with a
condenser 7, and thereby with the earth (as indicated by the part marked 8); the
other part t is connected with one end of the induced current wire of the receiving
coil u, whose other end v goes to earth. The receiving apparatus is placed in the
circuit of the coarse wire W of the said coil.
As above set forth the "quantity" current coming from the transmitting appa-
ratus causes in the induced current wire of the transmitting coil n induced currents
of high tension which pass along the line o, 0¹. At the receiving station these
currents pass through the induced current wire of the coil n', which offers but
very slight additional resistance to these currents, which flow out by way of the
end p¹; they are not sufficiently strong to go directly to earth through the
condenser and pass through the wire t' into the induced current wire of
the receiving coil u¹, and lastly go to earth by its end v¹. These currents generate
in the induction or coarse wire W of the said receiving coil quantity currents,
whereby the telegraphic, telephonic, or other receiving instruments are actuated.
The induced current wire of the receiving coil must be of very high resistance
so as to retain the currents induced in the line-wire by other line-wires near the
same. If this wire is made of copper it will have to be extremely fine and very
long, thus rendering the coils very heavy and expensive; I therefore prefer to make
this wire from metals or alloys known to be capable of very great resistance, such,
for instance, as German silver.
The resistance of this coil and that of the condenser are however calculated
according to the conditions in which the transmission is to be effected.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,―
First. The system or method of effecting the transmission and reception of the
electric currents, as set forth and illustrated in the Drawing, and consisting
essentially in the transformation of the currents, in the manner and for the purposes
specified.
Second. The combination of the means for carrying into effect my method of
transmitting and receiving currents, and telegraphic or telephonic apparatus of any
suitable construction, with my electrophone or with any suitable apparatus for
transmitting electric signals, substantially as above set forth.
Third. The employment at each station of two separate coils for transforming
the currents, one of the said coils serving for sending or transmitting the currents
and the other for receiving the same, in the manner and for the purpose above set
forth.
Fourth. The bifurcation or division of the line wire into two parts at the
receiving end, one of which parts is connected with one end of the induced current
wire of the receiving coil, the other end whereof goes to earth, the other part of
the line wire going to earth through the medium of a condenser of suitable
construction, in the manner and for the purpose above set forth.
Fifth. The employment in the formation of the induced current wire of the
receiving coil of a metal or alloy of very great resistance, such, for instance, as
German silver, for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)