Improvements relating to Electric Signalling or the Transmission of Information. and Energy by Electricity, and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Electric Signalling or the Transmission
of Information. and Energy by Electricity, and to Apparatus
therefor.
I, CHARLES JOHN REED, of No. 1006 N. Sixth Street, in the City of
Philadelphia, County of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, United States
of America, 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 :-
.
This invention is directed particularly to a novel method of and apparatus for
transmitting intelligible signals electrically between two or more distant points
through the ageney of induced currents of electricity and also to a novel arrange-
ment of inductive circuits and to this end consists,
First In the novel method of and apparatus, hereinafter described, for utilizing
the combined effects of primary or direct currents of electricity with secondary or
induced currents in such manner as to render it possible to transmit the Morse or
any analogous code of signals in which there is a variation in length of the
characters, through the agency of secondary or induced currents of short or sub-
stantially equal duration which pass over the main or signalling line joining the
two distant stations.
Second In the novel system of inductive repeaters in the nature of converters,
hereinafter described, for inductively transferring signals through a line joining
two distant stations.
Third In the novel method of and apparatus for inductively conveying Morse or
analogous signals to a number of independent receivers located in independent
lines radiating from two or more main stations joined by a single or main line.
Fourth In the novel arrangement of inductive circuits shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of
the drawings, and
Fifth In the several details of construction in connection with the complete
system of electrical signalling hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in
the claims at the end of this Specification.
In order that the invention may be fully understood reference is had to the
accompanying drawings taken in connection with the following description.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form of my improved signalling
system.
Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of my novel form of electro-magnetic receiver.
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating my improved apparatus for duplicating
or repeating a message from a main station to a series of outlying receivers located
in independent lines and also to a distant main station and to corresponding outlying
independent receivers.
Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views illustrating one form of my improved cable or
conductor made up of successive converters, and circuits.
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating two operating stations and circuit
connections with my improved converter system, the cable joining the two stations
being shown in sectional view.
Figs. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views of modified arrangements of inductive
circuits adapted for use generally in the arts of telegraphy or telephony and in the
transmission of electrical energy.
In Fig. 1 are shown two main telegraphic stations X & Y joined together by an
intervening cable consisting of an internal conductor L' insulated from a surrounding
conducting tube or shield L, the two portions L & L constituting the direct

page_text: and return conductors and including in their circuits at the opposite stations the
secondary coils of two converters C & C and the like coils of an intermediate
converter C
B & B represent the signalling sources of electrical energy shown in Fig. 1 as
two direct current dynamos in Fig. 3 as batteries, and in Fig. 6 as alternating
current dynamos.
K & K represent the transmitting or signalling keys at the transmitting stations,
connected in local circuits with the generators B & B₁ through the primaries of the
converters C & C, rheostats R & R and conductors w* & *.
S & S are the signal receiving instruments connected through conductors w
and to with additional coils on the converters C & C. The armature levers A: & A¹
of the receiving instruments S & S¹ may be permanently magnetized, or they may
be energized by coils included in permanently closed local circuits wow, including
rheostats R, R¹³, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the arrangement being such that
the influence of the retractile springs will prevent the armatures A A from
being drawn forward under normal conditions. This adjustment is effected through
the agency of an adjusting screw T¹ sustained on an upright O carried by the
base D which supports the magnet, (see Fig. 2). Further adjustment is effected
through the agency of the adjusting screw s carried by an arm N at the top of the
standard O, and lying in the path of the armature lever T. The receiving
instruments S & S are illustrated as local sounders although they may be arranged
as relays with local circuit connections in a manner well understood.
The operation of this apparatus is as follows: The operator at station X is
supposed to be transmitting, and the instant that he closes the key K'an inductive
impulse will be set up in the local circuit w³ of the converter C, which impulse
sets up two individual secondary impulses, one in the main line L L² running to
the distant station Y and the other in the receiving instrument S, the magnetic
effect of which is such as to momentarily increase the pull on the armature A
sufficiently to enable the armature lever T to overcome the influence of the
spring t and draw it into the forward position shown. In like manner the impulse
sent to the distant station sets up in the secondary of the converter C an impulse
which, acting through the coils C, secondary circuit to and coils of S¹ causes the
armature A to be drawn into its lower position as shown. Both armatures will
therefore remain in their lower positions by virtue of their own magnetism after
these impulses caused them to be brought down until the key K is opened, at
which time like impulses in a reverse direction would cause both armatures to be
repelled; so that it is apparent that for simple inductive impulses signals may be
transmitted such as the Morse code in which the elements of the characters are of
varying length.
For the purpose of adapting this inductive impulse principle to the transmission
of signals of the character named to numerous outlying stations (see Fig. 3), I
utilize preferably ring converters C C at two or more stations X & Y, and join
them by a single main line or conductor L' earthed at E station X; and at E¹
station Y, the main line L' being connected to the coils of the converters CC & C
as shown, and the transmitting keys K K¹ being included in circuit with
batteries B B and the primary coils of the converters, while the receiving
instruments S S, S₁ S' located at various outlying stations are included in additional
secondary circuits wow, w¹ w', the circuit connections for the coils of the
armatures A & A' being made through local generators at those stations, or these
armatures are permanently magnetized and the adjustment effected in either instance
in the same manner as described in connection with Figs. 1 & 2. It will be
appreciated therefore, that on closing the key K at station X all the receiving
instruments situated in circuits wow running to distant radiating stations will
respond at the same time and in the saine manner as does the home receiver for
the main station and that in like manner the main receiver at station Y and all
receivers located at radiating stations and connected through circuits to will
respond to the same signal and that the duration of the response will depend upon

page_text: he length of time that the key K is held down.
When the number of main
tations X and Y is more than two, the primaries of the several converters will of
ourse be located directly in series with each other in the main line L' so that
essages may be sent to various intermediate points and to outlying individual
nstruments located in the secondary circuits thereof.
It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that there must be such
elation between the several converters used that there shall be produced induced
urrents of like phase in the receivers at all stations simultaneously. In other
words, the induced current phase in receiver S at station X due to an impulse from
battery B at that station must set up an induced current of like phase in receiver S¹
at station Y due to the action of intermediate coils.
In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a novel apparatus for use in cable telegraphy or on
long land lines, which apparatus consists of a series of converters C, C¹ located in
the body of a cable, the outer surface thereof being of metal constituting a common
return circuit for the primaries of all the converters C C¹ &c., the first primary
circuit L' being connected through one leg of the converter to the outer casing at d
while the secondary coil is similarly connected at d and constitutes the primary
conductor L and is connected to the next succeeding converter C¹, the primary coil
of which is connected as before to the casing L at d. The secondary coil of this
converter C¹ is connected to the casing at d³ and through the internal conductor L'
to the distant station, the station connections being as shown in Fig. 6, in which
K is the key at station X, and K₁ at station Y.
S & S³, Fig. 6, are switches for connecting the generators B & B₁ into the
sending circuit and throwing them out of the receiving circuit at will, and vice versa,
and R & R are current rectifiers of any preferred form which convey direct
currents to the receiving instruments S & S¹.
M & M are incandescent electric lamps connected in multiple circuit with the
rectifiers R R and the receivers S S₁ and designed for visual signalling.
In the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 6, I prefer to use the incandescent
lamps M M as the receiving apparatus although for more delicate signalling I
would use the receivers S S₁ with the current rectifiers R R', the necessary care in
adjustment of the apparatus having been effected for the synchronous rotation of the
generating dynamos and the current rectifiers and any of the well known methods
of effecting this having been utilized.
In Fig. 4, T' represents a test line embedded in the cable for ascertaining any
break in the cable. Should such a break occur the end of this test line would be
earthed through the water and the usual methods of locating the break could be
utilized. In the form of cable shown in Fig. 5 the primary and secondary circuits
are embedded entirely within the cable, the circuit L' constituting the primary of
the converter C and the secondary of each converter constituting the primary of the
next succeeding converter.
The relative number of ampere turns of the primary and secondary coils of the
several converters wherever used in connection with any of the modified forms of
my improved apparatus will of course be made in accordance with the necessities of
each case and in a manner well understood by skilled electricians.
I will now describe the second part of my invention which consists of a novel
arrangement of inductive circuits adapted for use generally in the art of transmitting
electrical energy as well as in the transmission of telegraphic and telephonic
signals. This part of my invention will be fully understood by referring to Fig. 7
which is a part sectional part elevational view of the apparatus connected to
converters or inductoriums of well known form at each end of the system and also
to Fig. 8 which is a similar view of a modified form thereof.
I make use of the well known principle that electrical impulses when transmitted
through a conductor will set up an inductive field about that conductor and induce
5 similar secondary impulses in any conductor or conductors located parallel thereto
and in the inductive field thereof. I construct a cable which when completed
consists of successive sets of converters in which the secondary conductor of each

page_text: constitutes the primary circuit of the next converter in advance reckoning from
either end of the completed cable. I connect the ends of the primary and secondary
conductors to a surrounding metallic or other conducting shield or casing and
provide an inductive field of magnetic material for each of such converters.
B B represent converters of well known form, and C a metallic conducting
casing.
Referring first to Fig. 7: w and w' are insulated conductors lying side by
side throughout the entire distance between two stations, the conductor w being
connected at each end of the line directly to the terminals of the converters B
and to the outer metallic coating C while the conductor w¹ is connected at both
ends directly to said metallic casing. w³ 10' are insulated branch conductors located
at stated distances apart, those on the lower side of the drawing connecting the
conductor w directly with the outer metallic casing C, while those on the upper
side and intermediate or between those just described connect the conductor w' with
said metallic casing. I is a metallic coating or sheathing preferably of iron wire
wound in layers (one or more as the necessities of the case may demand) around
the two parallel conductors to w¹ and constituting an inductive field around said
conductors.
The operation of this inductive apparatus is apparent, it being obvious that
when an impulse is set up from any source of current supply through the primary
of say the left hand converter B, a secondary or induced impulse will be set up
through the conductor w and the first one of the short conductors to returning
through the outer casing C thereby inducing in the first section of the conductor 10
parallel thereto an impulse which in turn induces in the next succeeding section a
corresponding induced impulse and so on through the series until the final impulse
is effected through the conductor w and its connections through the coil of the
right hand converter B which in turn induces the working impulse in the translating
device not shown.
It is apparent that with such an arrangement of primary and secondary circuits
and an inductive field of magnetic material I there will result large electro-magnetic
inductive effects and correspondingly small statical effects thereby enabling the
production at the distant or receiving end of the line of relatively large inductive
effects.
In the modified form shown in Fig. 8 I do away with the continuous conductors
shown in Fig. 7 as w and w' and supplant them with a series of short conductors ww,
the ends of which project past each other in alternating order and are connected
to the outer casing C, the parallel or inductive portions of said circuits being
surrounded with iron wire or other magnetic casings as shown at A while the
intermediate portions between these casings constitute the conducting portions, this
form of the apparatus being cheaper and easier to construct than that illustrated
in Fig. 7. The operation of this modified form is obvious on inspection of the
drawing.
I am
aware that a line converter or inductorium consisting of two parallel
insulated wires surrounded by a casing of inductive material and constituting an
inductive field therefor has heretofore been devised and I make no claim hereinafter
broad enough to include such a structure.
I believe it is new with me, however, to arrange a series of converters of this
type in such a manner that the secondary circuit of each converter constitutes the
primary circuit of the next line converter in the series and my claims are directed
broadly to this feature and this whether, the successive converters be provided
either with or without the surrounding inductive field or fields shown in the
drawings.
I am also aware that it is not broadly new with me to utilize induction coils or
converters for the transmission of intelligible signals by electricity but I am not
aware that any one has heretofore been enabled to transmit through the agency of
induction coils impulses of varying length such as are utilized with direct currents
in transmitting the Morse code, nor am I aware that anyone, has heretofore been

page_text: nabled to repeat or duplicate messages of the Morse type to a number of outlying
tations from a single station inductively and my claims are generic in this particular.
I believe it is also broadly new with me to use as a telegraphic conductor a cable
having the interior insulated wire and the external conducting casing permanently
electrically connected at a point or at numerous points between the sending and
the receiving stations.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The described method of transmitting Morse or analogous characters having
elements of varying length consisting in setting up two sets of secondary impulses
one at each station and in combining the effects of these secondary impulses with
local direct current effects at said stations.
2. The described method of signalling electrically consisting in setting up
simultaneously two secondary or induced impulses at a transmitting station and in
utilizing one induced impulse at the home station jointly with a direct current and
the other at a receiving station with a corresponding direct current.
3. The described method of transmitting a Morse or analogous code having
elements of varying lengths, consisting in setting up over a main line joining two
or more stations two secondary or induced impulses of different phase for each
element or signal transmitted and in maintaining the effect of the first impulse for
a length of time corresponding to the closure of the circuit at the transmitting
station.
4. The described method of transmitting Morse or analogous signals electrically
consisting in setting up induced or secondary impulses over a line; causing said
impulses to act in conjunction with local magnetic effects at the distant or receiving
station the durations of which are made dependent upon the subsequent transmission
of additional secondary impulses of a different phase.
5. The described method of repeating or duplicating Morse or analogous
characters telegraphically consisting in transmitting a single induced or secondary
electrical impulse to independent receivers located in independent circuits and in
maintaining the effects of the single impulse for a length of time corresponding to
the closure of the circuit at the transmitting station.
6. The described method of telegraphically transmitting Morse or analogous
characters, consisting in setting up in a main line joining several stations, a single
secondary or induced impulse and in combining the effects of this impulse with
local magnetic influences for a length of time corresponding to the closure of the
circuit at the transmitting station.
7. The described method of signalling electrically consisting in transmitting
induced currents over a main line and in combining the resultant effect thereof
with magnetic influences at a receiving station until additional secondary impulses
are transmitted of different phase.
8. The described method of operating a Morse receiver which consists in
combining induced and direct current effects to produce mechanical motion in one
direction and subsequently combining induced and direct current effects to produce
mechanical notion in the opposite direction.
9. In a system of telegraphy a main line joining two or more main line stations
and including in its circuit a secondary coil of a converter at each station; a
generator of electricity and a transmitter for each station included in circuit with
the primary or inducing coil of the converter at that station, one or more
additional secondary coils for each converter included in circuit with the coils of
corresponding electro-magnetic receivers; local coils included in circuit with
local generators at each station and adapted to magnetize the armatures of the
receivers and adjustable means for regulating the pull on the several armature
levers.
10. In a system of telegraphy an electro-magnetic receiver having its energizing

page_text: coils in circuit with the secondary coil of a converter and a second coil perman-
ently in circuit with a battery or generator of electricity operatively connected
through a key or transniitter with the primary coil of the converter with means
for varying the pull of the armature lever.
11. A cable or electrical conductor having two interior insulated wires or
conductors, an external metallic casing and a permanent metallic connection at
one or more points between the external casing and one of the interior wires, the
other wire being insulated throughout the cable.
12. An electrical inductive apparatus consisting of a series of converters
having their primary and secondary conductors arranged side by side in successive
pairs.
13. A series of converters consisting each of a pair of insulated primary and
secondary conductors located side by side and connected to a common return
circuit.
14. An electrical inductive apparatus' consisting of two or more insulated
primary and secondary conductors located side by side and connected at their
terminals to a common return circuit.
15. An electrical inductive apparatus consisting of two or more insulated
primary and secondary conductors located side by side and surrounded throughout
their entire length by a conducting shield which acts as a common return
circuit.
16. An electrical inductive apparatus consisting of two or more insulated
conductors located side by side a surrounding magnetic field of inductive material
and a common return circuit to which both ends of the conductors are attached.
17. An electrical inductive apparatus consisting of two or more insulated
conductors surrounded by a magnetic inducing shield and an outer casing of
conducting material to which the ends of the inner conductors are connected.
18. An electrical inductive apparatus consisting of pairs of insulated conductors
located side by side and surrounded by an inducing medium and an exterior
conducting shell or casing to which all of the inner conductors are connected.
19. An electrical inductive apparatus consisting of a series of pairs of parallel
insulated conductors, each pair being surrounded by an independent inducing
medium and all enclosed in a conducting shield to which the ends of all of the
conductors are secured.
20. An electrical inductive system consisting of two converters located one at
each end of an intermediate compound cable converter composed of pairs of
insulated parallel conductors connected to each other and the converters in the
order described.
21. A compound cable converter consisting of a series of pairs of parallel
conductors, each pair being surrounded by an inducing medium and all enclosed
in a conducting shield or casing to which all of the inner conductors
connected.
are
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.