IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGNETO-ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH SIGNALLING, INDICATING, AND PRINTING APPARATUS APPLICABLE FOR STEERING VESSELS, AND IN SIGNALLING FOR MINING, RAILWAY, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Geminiano Zanni at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st November 1875.
I, GEMINIANO ZANNI, of Highbury, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGNETO-ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH SIGNALLING, INDICATING, AND
PRINTING APPARATUS APPLICABLE FOR STEERING VESSELS, AND IN SIGNALLING FOR
MINING, RAILWAY, AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
:―
The first part of this Invention relates to improvements in magneto-
electric apparatus applicable for signalling between the captain of a
vessel and the engine room or steersman, and for railway, mining, and
other signalling purposes. For this purpose a maget is arranged in
combination with a crank and axis actuated by hand, or by the steam
engine of the vessel, or the locomotive of a train, or by other suitable
motive power in connection with keys for transmitting the proper signals
from one situation to another, as may be required.
The receiving apparatus consists of an electro-magnet combined and
arranged with one or two or more coils actuated in a similar manner to
a Morse instrument as is well understood. Attached to the vibrating

page_text: bar (which is retained by a spring) there is a verge which actuates a
star wheel mounted on an axle with pointer. The star wheel has half
or as many teeth or radial arms as are required for transmitting a given
number of messages. The whole apparatus is mounted in a frame or
case with a dial having signs, figures, letters, or orders, similar to the
dial of the key board for transmitting such signals.
In place of employing a magnetic current as previously described
thes improved signalling apparatus may be actuated by a voltaic current
by means of a suitable battery or batteries, the mechanism being slightly
modified for this purpose.
The improved signalling apparatus previously described may be
employed for telegraphic type printing purposes in accordance with part
of these improvements.
The improved magneto signalling apparatus in this latter arrangement
is actuated by means of a small crank in connection with a key board of
suitable form, having as many keys as there are figures or characters to
be transmitted.
By actuating the crank the armature of the magneto apparatus will
develope either a constant or intermittent current according to the
arrangement employed, and thereby cause a rotating disc to make and
break contact, the disc having as many conducting and non-conducting
surfaces as there are letters or characters in the type wheel and dial.
By pressing one of the keys the current is reversed, and a verge in-
connection with an electro-magnet as previously described will cause an
escapement in connection with a spring and tram of wheels to actuate a
hammer, and thus press the paper on to the type. When the key is
released the current is cut off and the indicating strip of paper or other
indicating material is caused to move the proper distance for receiving.
the next impression.
In order to bring a particular figure or character of the type wheel
under the hammer, an electro-magnet (or magnets) as before described
is employed having a star wheel, rotating disc, pointer, and type wheel-
mounted on the same axle, the transmission of the current actuating
the type wheel so that when a key of the transmitting apparatus is
depressed the current is reversed and causes the type wheel of the
receiving apparatus to stop and thus indicate a corresponding character,.
the reversing of the current causing the escapement to move one tooth,..

page_text: and thus cause the hammer to press on the strip of paper to print the
character.
By reversing the current of the indicating apparatus as before
described the escapement of the printing apparatus and clockwork
moves the paper into position to receive the next character in succession.
The same result as that previously described may be obtained in
accordance with my Invention by employing battery power to actuato
the improved signalling apparatus in place of magneto-electric apparatus,
suitable modifications being made in the apparatus for this purpose.
Another part of my improvements relates to magneto-electric tele-
raphic signalling apparatus known as the A. B. C. instrument.
In this apparatus a suitable transmitting key board is employed
arranged with a crank axis which gives motion to a disc for making
and breaking contact, having as many conducting and non-conducting
divisions as there are letters, signs, or characters on the receiving dial.
By pressing a key the current is cut off, thus causing the pointer of the
receiving apparatus to stop.
The receiving pointer is actuated by one or more electro-magnets in
combination with a verge star wheel rotating disc and pointer mounted
on an axle, the star having as many radial arms as there are figures or
characters on the dial. The verge is actuated by the magneto-electric
current, and as the crank is turned contact is made and broken, the
verge rotating step by step, the star wheel carrying the pointer to the
corresponding figure or character which is pressed down.
The last above described apparatus may also be actuated by battery
power in place of magneto-electric apparatus by suitable modifications
of the transmitting apparatus.
The apparatus previously described may be arranged so as to carry or
actuate a disc or other signal in place of a pointer, in order to exhibit
signals upon a line of railway for working the "block system" of
signalling in combination with the arrangements of apparatus described
in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me, dated 2nd
November 1872, No. 3262. -