Improvements in Column Printing Telegraphic Instruments.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1900-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1900
Improvements in Column Printing Telegraphic Instruments.
I, FREDERICK HERBERT WILLIAM HIGGINS, of 17 and 18, Cornhill, in the City
of London, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to telegraphic receiving instruments printing in column,
like a typewriter, and also to the transmitting instruments of the magneto
electric type.
In column printing instruments at present in use, a battery current is used,
which current makes the signals, and at the same time has to operate the
mechanism of the column printing receiving instrument. That is, in the present
instruments the type wheel is rotated, and moves along the column by the current
received. The printing frame is also moved by this current, and likewise the
paper feed.
In fact, all the mechanical operations involved in the action of
column printing are operated directly by the main current coming along the
line. This necessitates the use of heavy currents to perform all these operations.
My object is to render the instruments more sensitive by supplying power at the
instrument itself for operating the printing frame, the traversing mechanism,
and the paper feed by using a spring, a weight, or a local battery called into
operation by the signalling current from the main line. By this arrangement it
becomes unnecessary to pass such heavy currents as are at present used.
My object is to further send the currents signalling the instrument by a
magneto treadle operated machine, such as is used in other type printing
telegraphs, but not in column printing telegraphs.
In carrying my invention into effect according to one modification, I arrange
a transmitter of the well-known Wheatstone type, and I supply a current from a
magneto machine having powerful permanent magnets, within which rotate a
Siemens alternating armature, and I rotate this armature by means of a foot
treadle. To prevent Foucault currents I prefer to provide the armature with slit
iron lamina or plates. The currents SO sent from the transmitter
are alternating, and they operate a polarised armature placed between
two sets of electro magnetic coils, a double permanent magnet passing
round the outside of the coils to produce the polarised effect in the arinature.
This arrangement is used in a printer constructed in accordance with my Patent
No. 25644 of 1896, and is there fully described. The alternation of current
rapidly reverses the electro magnets, and so causes the armature placed between
them to make one oscillation for each change of polarity. A suitable escapement
at the end of the armature lever allows the type wheel to be rotated by a spring
or weight. The intermittent current passes also through a second electro magnet,
having an armature, however, which is not polarised, and is of some considerable
relative weight. This arrangement permits the current to be reversed, without
allowing the second armature to leave its magnet. Immediately the current is
interrupted by the arrival of the type wheel at the letter to be imprinted, the
second armature leaves its magnet, and in doing this it operates an escapement

page_text: of any convenient kind, which allows a spring or weight to press in the printing
frame, to impress the letter upon the paper. The return of the printing frame
operates a fast motion screw, which advances the type wheel along the column to
the next letter. This winds up the spring actuating the traversing mechanism,
and at the proper time the liberation of the traversing mechanism allows the
type wheel to return to the end of the line again. The paper feed is also actuated
on the return movement of the printing frame. Instead of bringing a spring or
weight into operation by the movement of the second armature herein before
referred to, I may bring into operation a local battery sufficiently powerful to
actuate the printing frame and the other mechanism. For this purpose I pro-
vide suitable electro magnets, as in existing column printing machines, and I
avoid the use of the strong currents necessary to operate the whole of tlie
mechanism.
Mechanism of any known type may be used for operating the traversing screw
with its ratchet wheels and pawls, but I prefer the type of instrument constructed
mainly as described in my Patent No. 2128 of 1897.
It is to be distinctly understood that in my new column printing instrument
the signalling current requires to be very small, as it has but little work to do.
The actual work of operating printing frame, traversing mechanism, paper
feed, and rotation of the type wheel, in my new instrument, is all managed by
power provided at the instrument.
1000
MARKS & CLERK,
'18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
18, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.
Improvements in Column Frinting Telegraphic instr
I, FREDERICK HERBERT WILLIAM HIGGINS, of 17 and 18, Cornhill, in the City
of London, Electrician, 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:-
My invention relates to telegraphic apparatus for printing in column, like a
typewriter, and principally to the receiving instrument of the apparatus.
In column printing instruments at present in use, a battery current is used,
which current makes the signals and at the same time has to operate the
mechanism of the column printing receiving instrument. That is, in the present
instruments the type wheel is rotated and moves along the column by the current
received. The printing frame is also moved by this current, and likewise the
paper feed. In fact all the mechanical operations involved in the action of
column printing are effected directly by the main current coming along the
line. This necessitates the use of heavy currents to perform all these operations.
My object is to render the instrument more sensitive by supplying power at
the instrument itself for operating the printing frame, the traversing mechanism
and the paper feed by using a spring, a weight or a local battery called into
operation by the signalling current from the main line. By this arrangement
it becomes unnecessary to pass such heavy currents as are at present used.
My object is further to send the currents signalling the instrument by a
magneto, treadle-operated machine, such as is used in other type printing
telegraphs but not in column printing telegraphs.

page_text: Referring now to the
mpanying drawings mustrating my
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved receiving instrument.
Figure 2 is a section on the line A, B, of Figure 1, looking towards the right.
Figure 3 is the same but looking towards the left.
Figure 4 is a part plan of my improved receiving instrument showing the
magnets and armatures.
Figure 5 is an elevation to a larger scale of part of my paper feed mechanism.
Figure 6 is a plan of the same.
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation to a larger scale of another detail of my paper
feed mechanism.
Figure 8 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the local electric circuit in a
modification of my invention.
Figure 9 is a part elevation of this modification of my invention.
Figure 10 is a part plan of the same.
My transmitting instrument is of the Wheatstone type. The transmitter
forms in itself no part of my invention but only of my combination. It is
therefore not described here.
Referring now to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 which illustrate one modification
of my receiving instrument, I arrange within a suitable frame two spring
barrels 4 and 27 each barrel operating a train of wheels and each barrel wound up
separately. The barrel 4 through its train of wheels drives the square shaft
on which the type wheel can freely slide longitudinally but is forced to rotate
with 5. The train of wheels is controlled by an escapement v (Figure 2) acting
This escapement vis
on an escapement wheel 6 upon the type wheel shaft 5.
operated by a lever 7 attached to the armature 8, 9, of an electro magnet 101.
This electro magnet I prefer to consist of two pairs of cores 10, 11, and 12, 13,
cach pair united at the back by a piece of steel as 14 and 15, the cores being
wound with the wire carrying the alternating current from the magneto machine
in the transmitter just described. I prefer that the inner coils should be wound
in one direction and the outer coils in the other direction and then the coils
ioined up so that the current flows round the core in the same direction in both
inner and outer coils. By this device I obtain an electro magnet in which the
winding facilities rapid charge and discharge and so causes rapid and sharp
clianges of polarity. Between the opposing poles of electro magnets so con-
structed I place the armature which is composed of two iron pieces 8, 9, separated
by a piece 16, of non-magnetic material such as brass. At the upper outside
corners of the pieces 8, 9. are pins 17 formed of iron continuous with the
pieces 8, 9. which pins work in circular holes in iron blocks 18 placed between
the poles of two opposing permanent magnets 19. 20 of the horse-shoe type which
encircle the upper part of the electro magnets. By this device I make each side 8
and 9 of the armature an extended pole piece of the permanent magnet. The
use of a keeper as 14 of steel instead of iron between the cores of each electro
magnet provides residual magnetism to cause a slight sticking after the current
is stopped. Each alternation of the current alters the polarity of the electro
The escanement v
magnets and causes a to or fro movement of the armature.
thus allows the escapement wheel 6 to move forward one tooth. There are
thirty-eight teeth on the escapement wheel and an equal number of letters or
each
that
alternation of the
wheel
signs
moves the type wheel forward one letter or sign. Now my transmitter has
thirty-eight keys and each alternation of the current corresponds to a motion of
the pointer of the transmitter from one key to the next. Therefore the move-
ment of the type wheel corresponds exactly with the motion of the pointer in
the type
on
the iransmitter.
SO
current
The same current which passes through the electro magnet 10 also passes
through a second electro magnet 21 having an armature 22 which is not polarised.
This electro magnet. like the other is made sharp in action. but the mass of the
soft iron armature 22 is so proportioned to the strength of the spring 23 tending

page_text: .
to pull it off the electro magnetic core that it does not leave the core between
the reversals, that is, this armature adheres to the core so long as the alternating
current is passing. The armature 22 is pivoted on the vertical axle 102 and is
controlled by the flat spring 23. This armature operates a forked escapement
lever 24 which acts on a pin 25 on a spindle 26 and thus controls the movement
of the other train of wheels actuated by the other spring barrel 27. This escape-
'ment is so contrived as to allow one revolution of the controlled spindle 26 for
cach complete to and fro oscillation of the armature 22. This revolution takes
place on the release of the armature i.e. when the circuit of the magnet is broken
and thus at the time when the type wheel is stopped. On the end of the
spindle 26 is a crank 28 which oscillates the lever 29 by means of the link 30.
The printing roller 31 is supported by the lever 29 and an opposite lever 33.
These levers 29, 33 with their connecting pieces are called the printing frame.
When the printing frame moves forward, the paper, shown in dotted lines, in
Figure 3 round the roller 31, is pressed against the type wheel and a letter is
printed. The type wheel has the rim with the type formed of india-rubber.
The rod 34, (Figure 2) is pivoted at one end to the lever 29 and at the other
end it has a pawl 35 which works with a ratchet wheel 36 fixed on the shaft 37.
The pawl is forced down on the ratchet wheel by means of a spring 38. The
pawl and ratchet wheel are so arranged that a forward movement of the printing
frame causes the pawl to slip over the teeth of the ratchet wheel; but, on the
return movement of the printing frame, the pawl catches a tooth of the ratchet
wheel and rotates the latter one tooth. The shaft 37 is screwed with a quick
thread and carries a nut 39 (Figures 1 and 3). Therefore the rotation of the
ratchet wheel 36 will give a traversing motion to the nut 39. The rotation of
the ratchet wheel through one tooth causes the type wheel to traverse a distance
equal to the lateral pitch of the letters in a word. The nut 39 carries an arm 70
which causes the type wheel u to traverse the machine with the nut but does not
interfere with the rotation of u. The nut 39 also carries the inking brush 40
which is adjusted so as to press lightly on the type wheel and it also carries the
pointer 41 which shows on the scale 42 the extent of traverse movement of the
type wheel. The shaft 37 carries at its end a pinion 43 which gears with a
wheel 44 pivotally suspended from the frame of the machine. The wheel 44,
on rotating by the action of the pawl 35 on the ratchet wheel 36, winds up a
spring on its axle, which spring will turn the wheel in the opposite direction on
the shaft 37 being freed. The wheel 44 carries on its face a cam 45 which acts
on a pin 46 carried by a spring hammer rod 47 so that the hammer is pushed
away from a bell 48 when the spring is being wound up. Before, however, the
spring is quite wound up, .e. when the pointer 41 is at 4 or 5 divisions from the
end of the scale, the pin 46 slips over the top of the cam 45 and the hammer
strikes the bell. By modifying the cam slightly the hammer may be made to
strike the bell also at the very end of the movement of the pointer. As the
operator of the transmitting instrument has a receiving instrument before him
while working, the index scale and bell inform him when he is approaching the
end of a line of printing. When he wishes to start a new line, he presses a
key on the transmitter which corresponds with a space on the type wheels
occupying the place of a letter. In line with this space there is on the shaft 5
a pin 49 which, on the forward oscillation of the printing frame, strikes a pre-
jection 50 on a lever 51 pivoted to a projection on the lever 29. This lever 51
is pivoted at its lower end to one extremity of the link 52 the other extremity
of which is supported by the arm 53 rigidly fixed to the short spindle 54. The
spindle 54 has also fixed to it another arm 55 and a pawl 56. The pawl 56 works
with a ratchet wheel 57 on the shaft 37 alongside the ratchet wheel 36. In
Figure 2 the pawl 56 and ratchet wheel 57 are hidden by the arm 55 and ratchet
wheel 36. When the pin 49 strikes the projection 50, the short spindle 54 is
rocked a little, the pawl 56 is lifted out of gear with the ratchet wheel 57 and
the arm 55 pushes against a pin 58 in the pawl 35 and lifts the latter out of gear

page_text: with the ratchet wheel 36. The shaft 37, being then free, rotates back by virtue
of the wound up spring attached to the wheel 44 and 'the type wheel and index
pointer traverse back to commence, and to indicate the commencement of, a
new line. The cam 45 travels back on the outside of the pin 46. To prevent
the backward movement of the arm 55 and pawl 56 occurring too quickly which
would prevent the full backward travel of the type wheel, I attach to the link 52
a pawl 59 which gears with a small ratchet wheel 60 so as to rotate the latter
several teeth for each downward movement of 55 and 56, and I control the rotation
of the ratchet wheel 60 by means of a pendulum escapement 61.
Every time a new line is started, the paper must be moved forward. This
is done in the following way. On the square shaft 5 and alongside the pin 49
is a similar pin 62. The lever 63 (Figure 2) is supported at one end 64 by the
vertical. rod 65 and at the other by a vertical pin attached to the lever 29 and
which cannot be seen in the drawing. The rod 65 is shown best in Figure 7.
It is supported on a bracket 66 attached to the wall of the machine and has a
universal joint at both top and bottom. At the same time as the pin 49 strikes
the pin 50 on the lever 51 to actuate the back traverse of the type wheel, the
other pin 62 strikes a bell crank projection (not shown) on the lever 63 so that
the end 64 is moved out from the wall of the machine. The end 64 is forked
and, between the prongs, is one end of a vertical lever 67 pivoted at 68, the
other end of which lever controls an escapement 69 Figures 2, 5 and 6) attached
to a small pinion 71 so that the pinion can make one revolution for every to
and fro movement of the lever 67. The pinion 71 gears with a toothed wheel 72
and 72 is fixed to the same axle as the feed roller 73. Pressed down on the
roller 73 by springs 74 are four discs 75 between which and the roller 73 the
paper is gripped. The wheel 72 gears with a wheel 76 (Figures 2, 5, and 6)
whose axis is coincident with that of another wheel 77. One end of a coil spring
is attached to 76 and the other end to 77; 77 gears with a pinion 78 fixed to the
same shaft as a ratchet wheel 79. A link 80 is pivoted to the top of the printing
lever 29 and carries a pawl 81 which is forced into gear with the ratchet wheel 79
by a spring 82. A retaining pawl 83 controlled by a spring 84 is also in gear
with the ratchet wheel 79. Therefore every time that the printing lever 29
moves forward, the wheel 77 is rotated through a small angle and the spring
wound up a little. The spring is prevented from unwinding, on the one hand
by the retaining pawl 83 and on the other hand by the before mentioned escape-
ment 69. When however the escapement is released by the action of the pin 62
on the lever 63, the force of the spring rotates the wheel 76 which rotates the
wheel 72 which feeds forward the paper. When the spring is wound up
sufficiently, the lever 85 pivoted at 86 (Figures 5 and 6) is pressed out by the
spring 87 so that its end 88 catches the end of the link 80 and holds the pawl S1
out of gear with the ratchet wheel 79. During the winding of the spring the
lever 85 is kept out of action by a pin 89 on a disc 90 which is actuated by a
cam not shown.
Instead of using the spring barrels 4 and 27, I may use weights attached to
cords to give the power necessary for operating the mechanism.
In another modification of my machine, I retain the spring barrel 4 but I sub-
stitute for the other spring barrel 27 a local battery. This modification is
illustrated in Figures 8, 9, and 10. Instead of the spring barrel 27 with its
train of wheels, escapement and mechanism for oscillating the printing frame. I
employ an electro magnet 91 which is energised by a local battery 92 and has
its circuit made and broken by the action of the electro magnet 21 which is
the same as that used with my first modification. The armature 22 in this case
is pressed by its supporting spring 93 into contact with the spring 94 attached
to the insulated block 95 which carries the terminal screw 96 for the connection
of one wire from the local battery. The spring 93. of the armature is attached
to the insulated block 97 carrying the terminal screw 98 which is connected.
through the coils of the electro magnet 91, with the other terminal of the local

page_text: battery. I do not confine myself to the exact method described of closing and
breaking the circuit of the local battery but I do this through suitable means
by the action of the magnet 21 on its armature 22. The electro magnet 91 has
an armature 99 rigidly attached to the printing frame. Thus when the local
battery circuit is closed, the armature 99 and printing frame are moved forward
and, when the local circuit is broken, the frame is pulled back by springs such
as 100. In all other respects this modification resembles my first."
I provide the instrument in all the modifications with any usual zeroising or
unison device, but I prefer an arrangement consisting of a fever engaging with
the type wheel spindle by means of a helix or screw thread carried on the spindle
and a pin on the lever dropping into this thread, which pin carries the lever
under a stop when the desired number of turns have been made and so stops the
type wheel at the required point until the release of the printing armature causes
the lever to fly back and liberate the rotating pin.
I provide an alternating current powerful enough to deal with great resistance
in the line and I adopt the most rapidly acting magnets possible and by these
devices I provide instruments which are not readily affected by change in
electrical conditions of the line. To set my instrument, I adjust them to a
standard resistance and I provide a small rheostat which can be at once altered
for any variations of the resistance of the line, and this renders it quite unnecessary
for me to alter the mechanism or spring adjustments of the instrument.
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 column printing telegraphic receiving instrument operated or controlled
by alternating current, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
2. A column printing telegraphic apparatus comprising in combination a
transmitting and a receiving instrument, the transmitting instrument consisting
of a horizontal key-board of the Wheatstone type and a magneto electric machine
sending alternating currents; and the receiving instrument consisting
of two spring-operated or weight-operated trains of wheels both controlled by
escapements, one train actuating the type wheel and the other the printing,
traversing and paper feeding mechanism, the type wheel escapement being con-
trolled by an electro magnet and a polarised armature, and the paper printing,
traversing, and feeding mechanism being controlled by an electro magnet and
an armature which is not polarised both electro magnets receiving alternating
current from the aforesaid magneto machine with a rheostat in the circuit; all
substantially as herein before described and as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
and 7.
3. A column printing telegraphic apparatus comprising in combination a trans-
mitting and a receiving instrument the transmitting instrument consisting of
a horizontal key-board of the Wheatstone type and a magneto electric machine
sending alternating currents; and the receiving instrument consisting of a
spring-operated or weight-operated train of wheels controlled by an escapement
and actuating the type wheel, and an electric magnet energised by current from
a local battery and actuating the paper printing, traversing and feeding mech-
anism; the escapement being controlled by an electro magnet with a polarised
armature and the local battery circuit being closed and broken by an electro
magnet with an armature which is not polarised, the last two electro magnets
receiving alternating current from the aforesaid magneto machine with a rheostat
in the circuit; all substantially as described and as illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
4. A column printing telegraphic receiving instrument the mechanism of which
is operated by springs or weights and controlled by escapements, the escape-
ments being controlled by electro magnets receiving alternating current, sub-
stantially as described and as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

page_text: 5. A column printing telegraphic receiving instrument, the type wheel rotat-
ing mechanism of which is operated by a spring or weight, and the paper
printing, traversing and feeding mechanism by a local battery, the spring or
weight being controlled by an escapement controlled by an electro magnet,
and the local battery circuit being closed and broken by another electro magnet,
both electro magnets being energised by alternating current, substantially as
described and as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
6. In a telegraphic receiving instrument such as that claimed in Claims 3
and 4, a scale such as 42 and an index pointer such as 41 worked from the type
wheel traversing shaft, substantially as described and as illustrated in Figures 1
and 3.
In a telegraphic receiving instrument such as that claimed in Claims 3
and 4, a warning bell operated by the type wheel traversing shaft, substantially
as described and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.
8. In a telegraphic receiving instrument such as that claimed in Claims 8
and 4, a paper feed mechanism, substantially as described and as illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7.
3. In a telegraphic receiving instrument such as that claimed in Claims 3
and 4 a pendulum escapement such as 59, 60, 61, for allowing the type wheel
sufficient time to traverse the machine substantially as and for the purpose
described and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
Dated this 4th day of December 1899
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buiklings, London, W.C., Agents.