A New or Improved Telegraph Relay suitable for Long Submarine Cables.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 24th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan., 1898
Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 24th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Telegraph Relay suitable for Long Submarine
Cables.
I, JOHN RYMER-JONES, of the Telegraph Works, Silvertown, in the County of
Essex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
My invention consists of a new or improved telegraph relay sufficiently sensitive
and responsive to minute variations of current to be specially adapted for use in
connection with long submarine cables.
In order that the nature of my invention may be readily understood, I shall
now proceed to briefly describe it with reference to the accompanying drawing
which illustrates one contemplated form of my invention. desire it to be
understood however that I do not limit myself to the precise constructional details
now to be set forth.
The said contemplated form of my relay consists of two coils 1 and 2 placed a
few inches apart, each coil freely suspended between the poles of a permanent
magnet not shown in the figure (preferably of the horse-shoe form) and each
carrying a long aluminium wire 3, 4, or other suitable means of increasing the
are through which the coils are deflected by a received signal. The coils are so
wound and connected together, that a signal moves both of them in the same direc-
tion. On the aluminium wires 3 and 4 and at equal distances from the coils 1
and 2 are silk fibres 5, 6, connecting the said wires 3 and 4 so that one cannot move
without the other. The motive force which only one coil would exercise when
deflected is thus doubled, instead of each coil pulling only one way, and being
slack for the reverse movement; as would be the case if fibre 6 did not exist.
Short fibres 7, 8 connect the extremities of the wires 3, 4 with the wires 9, 10
which hang loosely from the eye bolts 11, 12. To the extremities of these hanging
wires 9, 10, are attached the extremities of the stretched fibre 13 upon which rides
one end 14 of the relay tongue 15. The said hanging wires 9, 10 serve as
magnifiers so that a slight movement of the wires 3, 4 will produce a greater move-
ment of the fibre 13.
The fibre 13 is preferably of glass or quartz so that the end of the tongue cannot
easily wear it away by friction.
The other end 16 of the relay tongue hangs suspended by a silk thread 17 from
above, and is bent downwards so as to dip into a conducting liquid contained in
the cup 18. As the end 16 is fine and cylindrical, it can move round in the
liquid (with the silk suspension as a centre) with very little friction.
It will be apparent that when the coils 1, 2 are deffected by a current in either
direction the movement is communicated to fibre 13 in a corresponding direction,
and to a magnified extent. As the end 14 of the tongue 15 rests on fibre 13, the
latter moves the said end of the tongue towards one side or the other, as far as
the limiting contact plates, 19, 20 admit. To secure sufficient friction between
the fibre 13 and the tongue 15, the latter is sometimes flattened. This at the
same time prevents the platinum points 21, 22, turning round from the horizontal.

page_text: In case
position, so that they must come in contact with plates 19, 20 end on.
it is necessary to vary the friction between fibre 13 and tongue 15 a rider 23 is
placed on tongue 15 and is movable between the ends thereof as required.
The fibre 13 is free to continue its forward movement towards either side, and
the only effect it has on tongue 15 is to keep it steadily pressing against its
limiting contact plates 19, 20. The firmness of the contacts depends on the
weight of tongue 15 and the force with which it is moved over. In view of the
lightness of the movable tongue, the contacts must necessarily be also very light,
when the received signal is feeble and the deflection very small in consequence.
To ensure, however, that the contacts though light shall be sufficient I amalga-
mate the contact plates 19, 20 in a well known manner. These contact plates
are made readily removable, and are adapted to slide in grooves in the blocks 24, 25.
These blocks are carried by the rods 26, 27 which are hinged at 28, 29 so as to
enable them to be thrown back for manipulation or reamalgamation of the contact
plates when desired. Clamping screws 30, 31 serve to bind the rods 26, 27 in
position. The working distance between the contact plates 19 and 20 may be
varied by loosening the clamping screws 32, 33 and sliding the base blocks 34, 35
towards or from each other.
A mirror 36 may be attached when desired so that the Clerk in charge at the
station where the relay is placed may be able to read the signals received.
In a modification of the contemplated form of my invention hereinbefore
described, may dispense with the magnifiers.
Date : 044h L
100%
A New or Improved Telegraph Relay suitable for Long Submarine
Cables.
I, JOHN RYMER-JONES, of the Telegraph Works, Silvertown, in the County of
Essex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention consists of a new or improved telegraph relay sufficiently sensitive
and responsive to minute variations of current to be specially adapted for use in
connection with long submarine cables.
In order that my invention may be readily understood, I shall describe it with
reference to the drawing left. with my provisional specification and shall then
refer to a modified form.
Referring now to the drawing left with my provisional specification and
which drawing illustrates one form of my relay it will be seen that I employ
two coils 1 and 2 placed a few inches apart, each coil being suspended between
the poles of a separate permanent magnet not shown in the figure (preferably of
the horse-shoe form) and each carrying a long aluminium wire 3, 4, or other
suitable means of increasing the arc through which the coils are deflected by a
received signal. The coils are so wound and connected together, that a signal
moves both of them in the same direction. On the aluminium wires 3 and 4
and at equal distances from the coils 1 and 2 are silk fibres 5, 6, connecting the

page_text: said wires 3 and 4 so that one cannot move without the other. The motive force
which only one coil would exercise when deflected is thus doubled, instead of each
coil pulling only one way, and being slack for the reverse movement; as would be
the case if fibre 6 did not exist. Short fibres 7, 8 connect the extremities of
the wires 3, 4 with the wires 9, 10 which hang loosely from the eye bolts 11, 12.
To the extremities of these hanging wires 9, 10, are attached the extremities of
the stretched fibre 13 upon which rides one end 14 of the relay tongue 15. The
said hanging wires 9, 10 serve as magnifiers so that a slight movement of the
wires 3, 4 will produce a greater movement of the fibre 13.
The fibre 13 is preferably of glass or quartz so that the end of the tongue cannot
easily wear it away by friction.
The other end 16 of the relay tongue hangs suspended by a silk thread 17 from
above, and is bent downwards so as to dip into a conducting liquid (preferably
acidualated water) contained in the cup 18. As the end 16 is fine and cylindrical
it can move round in the liquid (with the silk suspension as a centre) with very
little friction.
It will be apparent that when the coils 1, 2 are deflected by a current in either
direction the movement is communicated to fibre 13 in a corresponding direction,
and to a magnified extent. As the end 14 of the tongue 15 rests on fibre 13, the
latter moves the said end of the tongue towards one side or the other, as far as
the limiting contact plates, 19, 20 admit. To secure sufficient friction between
the fibre 13 and the tongue 15, the latter is sometimes flattened. This at the
same time prevents the platinum points 21, 22, turning round from the horizontal
position, so that they must come in contact with plates 19, 20 end on.
it is necessary to vary the friction between fibre 13 and tongue 15 a rider 23 is
placed on tongue 15 and is movable from place to place between the ends thereof
as required.
In case
The fibre 13 is free to continue its forward movement towards either side, and
the only effect it has on tongue 15 is to keep it steadily pressing against its
limiting contact plates 19, 20. The firmness of the contacts depends on the
weight of tongue 15 and the force with which it is moved. In view of the
lightness of the movable tongue, the contacts must necessarily be also very light
when the received signal is feeble and the deflection very small in consequence.
To ensure, however, that the contacts though light shall be sufficient I amalga-
mate the contact plates 19, 20 in a well known manner. These contact plates
are made readily replaceable or interchangeable and are adapted to slide in grooves
in the blocks 24, 25. These blocks are carried by the rods 26, 27 which are hinged
at 28, 29 so as to enable them to be thrown back for manipulation or reamalgama-
tion of the contact plates when desired. Clamping screws 30, 31 serve to bind
the rods 26, 27 in position. The working distance between the contact plates 19
and 20 may be varied by loosening the clamping screws 32, 33 and sliding the
base blocks 34, 35 towards or from each other.
A mirror 36 may be attached when desired so that the clerk in charge at the
station where the relay is placed may be able to read the signals received.
In a modification of the form of my invention herein before described, I may
dispense with the magnifiers. Such modification is shown in the accompanying
drawing, figure II. In this figure it will be seen that the fibre 13 instead of
extending between the two magnifiers extends between the two wires 3 and 4.
In figure III. I show the tongue in plan.
It will be seen that by employing two, separate coils as hereinbefore described
I obtain what I term a longitudinal parallel movement of the supporting fibre 13.
That is to say a movement by which the said fibre whilst moving longitudinally
from left to right or from right to left takes up positions which at all degrees of
leflection of the coils are parallel to one another.
It will also be seen that by means of the suspending thread 17 I take up most
of the weight of the tongue 15 so as not to cause too great a pressure of the said

page_text: tongue upon the supporting wire 13. This pressure can be regulated to a nicety
by alteration of the position of the rider 23.
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. In a submarine cable relay the employment of two separate coils for the
purpose of obtaining longitudinal parallel movement of the supporting fibre
substantially as set forth.
2. In a submarine cable relay the combination of relay tongue, suspending
thread and supporting wire substantially as set forth.
3. In a submarine cable relay, the employment of amalgamated contact surfaces
substantially as set forth..
4. In a submarine cable relay the employment of replaceable or interchangeable
amalgamated contact plates substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a submarine cable relay the arrangement and combination of parts
substantially as set forth.
6. The specific form of relay set forth with reference to figure I.
7. The specific form of relay set forth with reference to figure II.
Dated this 24th day of November 1091.
For the Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House, Victoria Embankment, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent