IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL SIGNALS AT A DISTANCE
Year: 1883

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 15th day of April 1887, Amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1SS3.
LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel of N° 28 Southampton Buildings
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL SIGNALS AT A DISTANCE
""
communicated to him from Abroad by Bruno Abdank-Abakanowicz of Paris,
-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1883.
TRANSMITTING
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
the County of Middlesex
ELECTRICAL SIGNALS AT A DISTANCE [communicated to him from Abroad by
Bruno Abdank-Abakanowicz of Paris, France]
"3
This invention has for its object the construction of simple and strong apparatus
for transmitting electrical signals to a distance, either by means of bells or other
calling instruments, indicators and the like. The requisite current for this purposo
bobbins
is produced by electromagnetic induction by means of one or more coils or
having a to and fro motion imparted to it or them in a magnetic field by means
of a spring which is made to vibrate by the application of power. Manual power
will be found sufficient for this purpose for working the bells &c and even railway
signals at a distance, such power being stored up by the said spring, which carries
the coil or the magnet, and which transforms the power applied into electricity by
imparting the said to and fro motion to the coil or magnet.
According to one arrangement for this purpose a horseshoe magnet is fixed with
its poles vertically above one another on a stand and between the limbs thereof
is situated a blade spring attached at one end to the bracket carrying the magnet,
while the other end is free and carries a bobbin or coil having a soft iron core, the
end plates of the bobbin being extended and having a handle attached thereto.
The terminals of the wire bobbin are connected to pinching screws on the bracket
carrying the fixed end of the spring to which screws the terminals of the outer
circuit are also connected. Thus on pulling the spring blade with its bobbin to
one side out of its central position between the poles of the magnet, and then
letting it go, the spring and bobbin will vibrate rapidly to and fro between the

page_text: magnetic poles, thereby gonerating alternate reversed currents in the coil of the
bobbin, which may either be transmitted directly through the outer circuit to
operate the distant signals, or they may be converted into a continuous current
of the same direction by means of any suitable known commutator. A form of
commutator which is conveniently applicable for the purpose consists of two small
tubular chambers, formed of insulating material, attached to the vibrating spring
and containing mercury. The terminals of the coil are connected each to a contact
piece in one of the chambers while the terminals of the outer circuit have each two
branches. each pair being connected respectively to two contacts, one in each of
the chambers. The contacts of the coil are so arranged as always to make contact
with the mercury in both chambers, while the other contacts are so arranged that
as the spring vibrates to the right, the mercury in the one chamber, by the impetus
imparted to it, makes contact with the terminals of the outer circuit while the
mercury in the other vessel interrupts the contacts there situated. On the other
hand, when the spring moves to the left the mercury in the first mentioned
chamber interrupts the contacts while that in the other chamber makes contacts,
and thus the successive alternate currents of the coil will be commuted. In place
of mercury moveable pieces of conducting material can be employed.
It will be obvious that the arrangement of the magnet (which may be either
a permanent or an electro-magnet), the spring, and the hobbin or coil, may be
variously modified for the purposes of the invention. Thus the spring may either
be a straight blade spring or a helical, spiral, or otherwise shaped one, and instead
of fixing the magnet and vibrating the bobbin as described, the bobbin may be fixed
and the magnet be attached to the spring; also, instead of effecting the vibration
of the moving part as described a handle may be fixed to the other part so that
by swinging it like a bell, the moveable part will be caused to vibrate like the
tongue of the bell. The bobbin may be arranged either with its onds or with its
sides facing the poles of the magnet; in the latter case the two poles would have
to be of equal sign.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th September 1883.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRICAL SIGNALS AT A DISTANCE 33
Bruno Abdank-Abakanowicz of Paris France.
APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING
A Communication to me from Abroad by
This invention has for its object the construction of simple and strong apparatus
such as is hereinafter described for transmitting electrical signals to a distance, either
by means of bells or other calling instruments, indicators and the like. The requisite
current for this purpose is produced by electro-magnetic induction by means of one or
more coils or bobbins having a to and fro motion imparted to it or them in a magnetic
field by means of a spring which is made to vibrate by the application of manual
power. Manual as such power will be found sufficient for this purpose with the
apparatus in question for working the bells & and even railway signals at a distance,
such power being stored up by the said spring, which carries the coil or the magnet, and
which transforms the power applied into electricity by imparting the said to and fro
motion to the coil or magnet.
the
One arrangement of apparatus according to this invention is shewn in elevation
by Fig. 1, in plan by Fig. 2 and in transverse section by Fig. 3 of the accompanying
drawings. On a base P is fixed by brackets S S a magnet M. A coil b of insulated
wire wound on an elongated core f of soft iron forms a bobbin which is attached
to one end of a blade spring R, the other end of which spring is clamped to the
side of the magnet. The ends of the wire bare connected by wires to the
posts D D', to which are attached the conductors of an external circuit. The side
plates of the bobbin have fixed to them a knob C to which the hand is applied
pressing the bobbin to one side in opposition to the spring. On letting go
bobbin vibrates laterally between the poles of the magnet causing alternating
electrical currents to pass through the circuit. The magnet and coil may should be
arranged as shewn in Fig. 4, the two ends of the magnet being in this case of like
polarity. When it is desired to convert the alternating currents produced by the
apparatus into a current of one direction, an oscillating commutator of any suitable
known kind may be attached to the bobbin so as to vibrate with it. Fig. 5 chews
diagrammatically an arrangement of commutator for this purpose. To the spring R
is fixed a tube TT of insulating material divided into two compartments by an
insulating partition, and having each compartment charged but not filled with
mereury. The two wires of the bobbin are connected to conducting points one in
ench compartment of the tube at the bottom, and the two wires of the external
irenit are connected each by two branches to conducting points at the ends of the
wo-compartments of the tube. As the bobbin vibrates, the mercury in the two
compartments of the tabe is caused by inertia and momentum to rise at the
opposite ends of each part alternately and so to make alternating electrical
connection between each of the bobbin wires and each of the circuit-wiree.
Obviously the form and arrangement of the magnets and bobbins as well as the
prings may be varied, and, instead of permanent magnets, electro-magnets may be
imployed, and instead of having the bobbin moveable, it may be stationary whilst
he magnet oscillates.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of this invention and in what mannes
same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
I do not claim what is described in the Specification of Charles William Siemens
No 1919 of 25 June 1872 but what I claim in respect of apparatus for transmitting
electrical signals at a distance,-
First. The combination of a magnet with an electrical bobbin in its polar field,
the one stationary and the other mounted on a spring, so that when the latter
is pushed or drawn aside and let go, it vibrates producing alternating electrical
currents which can be transmitted through an external circuit for working electric
bells or other signals, substantially as herein described and illustrated in the Drawings
annered.
Second. In combination with apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding
elnim, a commutator to convert the alternating currents into currents of one
direction in the external circuit, substantially as described.
In Witness whereof I the said Charles Denton Abel have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twentyninth day of September in the year of our Lord One
eight hundred and eighty-three.
CITAS D AREL (L.S.)

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel of N° 28 Southampton Buildings
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING ELECTRICAL SIGNALS AT A DISTANCE' "
communicated to him from Abroad by Bruno Abdank-Abakanowicz of Paris,
France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1883.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING
ELECTRICAL SIGNALS AT A DISTANCE "
[communicated to him from Abroad by
Bruno Abdank-Abakanowicz of Paris, France]
This invention has for its object the construction of simple and strong apparatus.
for transmitting electrical signals to a distance, either by means of bells or other
calling instruments, indicators and the like. The requisite current for this purpose
is produced by electromagnetic induction by means of one or more coils or bobbins
having a to and fro motion imparted to it or them in a magnetic field by means
of a spring which is made to vibrate by the application of power.
Manual power
will be found sufficient for this purpose for working the bells &c and oven railway
signals at a distance, such power being stored up by the said spring, which carries
the coil or the magnet, and which transforms the power applied into electricity by
imparting the said to and fro motion to the coil or inagnet.
According to one arrangement for this purpose a horseshoe magnet is fixed with
its poles vertically above one another on a stand and between the limbs thereof
is situated a blade spring attached at one end to the bracket carrying the magnet,
while the other end is free and carries a bobbin or coil having a soft iron core, the
end plates of the bobbin being extended and having a handle attached thereto.
The terminals of the wire bobbin are connected to pinching screws on the bracket
carrying the fixed end of the spring to which screws the terminals of the outer
circuit are also connected. Thus on pulling the spring blade with its bobbin to
one side out of its central position between the poles of the magnet, and then
letting it go, the spring and bobbin will vibrate rapidly to and fro between the
Price Gd1

page_text: magnetic poles, thereby generating alternate reversed currents in the coil of the
bobbin, which may either be transmitted directly through the outer circuit to
operate the distant signals, or they may be converted into a continuous current
of the same direction by means of any suitable known commutator. A form of
commutator which is conveniently applicable for the purpose consists of two small
tubular chambers, formed of insulating material, attached to the vibrating spring
and containing mercury. The terminals of the coil are connected each to a contact
piece in one of the chambers while the terminals of the outer circuit have each two
branches, each pair being connected respectively to two contacts, one in each of
the chambers. The contacts of the coil are so arranged as always to make contact
with the mercury in both chambers, while the other contacts are so arranged that
as the spring vibrates to the right, the mercury in the one chamber, by the impetus
imparted to it, makes contact with the terminals of the outer circuit while the
mercury in the other vessel interrupts the contacts there situated. On the other
hand, when the spring moves to the left the mercury in the first mentioned
chamber interrupts the contacts while that in the other chamber makes contacts,
and thus the successive alternate currents of the coil will be commuted. In place
of mercury moveable pieces of conducting material can be employed.
It will be obvious that the arrangement of the magnet (which may be either
a permanent or an electro-magnet), the spring, and the bobbin or coil, may be
variously modified for the purposes of the invention. Thus the spring may either
be a straight blade spring or a helical, spiral, or otherwise shaped one, and instead
of fixing the magnet and vibrating the bobbin as described, the bobbin may be fixed
and the magnet be attached to the spring; also; instead of effecting the vibration
of the moving part as described a handle may be fixed to the other part so that
by swinging it like a bell, the moveable part will be caused to vibrate like the
tongue of the bell. The bobbin may be arranged either with its ends or with its
sides facing the poles of the magnet; in the latter case the two poles would have
to be of equal sign.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th September 1883.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING
ELECTRICAL SIGNALS AT A DISTANCE A Communication to mne from Abroad by
Bruno Abdank-Abakanowicz of Paris France.
"
-
This invention has for its object the construction of simple and strong apparatus
for transmitting electrical signals to a distance, either by means of bells or other
calling instruments, indicators and the like. The requisite current for this purpose
is produced by electro-magnetic induction by means of one or more coils or bobbins
having a to and fro motion imparted to it or them in a magnetic field by means of
a spring which is made to vibrate by the application of power. Manual power will
be found sufficient for this purpose for working the bells & and even railway
signals at a distance, such power being stored up by the said spring, which carries
the coil or the magnet, and which transforms the power applied into electricity by
imparting the said to and fro motion to the coil or magnet.
One arrangement of apparatus according to this invention is shewn in elevation
by Fig. 1, in plan by Fig. 2 and in transverse section by Fig. 3 of the accompanying
drawings. On a base P is fixed by brackets S S' a magnet M. A coil b of insulated
wire wound on an elongated core f of soft iron forms a bobbin which is attached
to one end of a blade spring R, the other end of which spring is clamped to the
side of the magnet. The ends of the wire b are connected by wires q q' to the
posts D D¹, to which are attached the conductors of an external circuit. The side
plates of the bobbin 6 have fixed to them a knob C to which the hand is applied
pressing the bobbin to one side in opposition to the spring. On letting go C the
bobbin vibrates laterally between the poles of the magnet causing alternating
electrical currents to pass through the circuit. The magnet and coil may be
arranged as shown in Fig. 4, the two ends of the magnet being in this case of liko
polarity: When it is desired to convert the alternating currents produced by the
apparatus into a current of one direction, an oscillating commutator of any suitable
known kind may be attached to the bobbin so as to vibrate with it. Fig. 5 shews
diagrammatically an arrangement of commutator for this purpose. To the spring R
is fixed a tube T T of insulating material divided into two compartments by an
insulating partition, and having each compartment charged but not filled with
mercury. The two wires of the bobbin are connected to conducting points one in
each compartment of the tube at the bottom, and the two wires of the external
circuit are connected each by two branches to conducting points at the ends of the
two compartments of the tube. As the bobbin vibrates, the mercury in the two
compartments of the tube is caused by inertia and momentum to rise at the
opposite ends of each part alternately and so to make alternating electrical
connection between each of the bobbin wires and each of the circuit wires.
Obviously the form and arrangement of the magnets and bobbins as well as the
springs may be varied, and, instead of permanent magnets, electro-magnets may be
employed, and instead of having the bobbin moveable, it may be stationary whilst
the magnet oscillates.
Having thus described the nature of this invention and in what manner the
sume is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
1 claim in respect of apparatus for transmitting electrical signals at a distance,-
First. The combination of a magnet with an electrical bobbin in its polar field,

page_text: the one stationary and the other mounted on a spring, so that when the latter
is pushed or drawn aside and let go, it vibrates producing alternating electrical
currents which can be transmitted through an external circuit for working electric
bells or other signals, substantially as herein described.
Second. In combination with apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding
claim, a commutator to convert the alternating currents into currents of one
direction in the external circuit, substantially as described.
In Witness whereof I the said Charles Denton Abel have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twentyninth day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
CHAS DABEL (L.S.)