A NEW METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING WRITTEN MESSAGES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Page, of Stockwell, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "A NEW METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR
TRANSMITTING WRITTEN MESSAGES."
aled the 21st October 1876, and dated the 20th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Page at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th July 1870.
HENRY PAGE, of Stockwell, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman.
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING WRITTEN MESSAGES."
"A NEW
The object of this Invention is a method and apparatus whereby messages written
on one floor of a building are correctly transmitted and reproduced in any other
floor above or below in the said building.
In carrying out my Invention I proceed as follows:-To a suitably placed style,
pen, or pencil on one floor of a building I connect two elbow-jointed arms, the
other ends of such arms being connected to perpendicularly suspended rods extend-
ing from floor to floor, such rods being also connected to two other elbow-jointed
arms on the floor above or below, as the case may be, these latter arms being pro-
vided with a style, pen, or pencil corresponding with the one herein-before
described.
From this arrangement it will be evident that if a message be written by either
of the styles, pens, or pencils herein-before described a fac-simile of the said mes-
sage will be produced by the other style, pen, or pencil on any suitably placed
writing surface.
Instead of the rods herein-before described wires and pullies may be employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Page in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th January 1877.
HENRY PAGE, of Stockwell, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman.
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING WRITTEN MESSAGES."
"A NEW
This instrument was invented for the purpose of sending written messages from
a lower to a higher level, and vice versa.

page_text: It will be found very useful for sending messages from the basement of a build-
ing to the upper floor or any of the intermediate ones, and there is no time lost in
the communication, for when any one commences writing at one end the pencil,
pointer, or pen immediately commences at the other, so that during the sending of
a message both pencils, pointers, or pons keep going together.
The Invention is wholly new, the principle being taken from the human arm, and
may be illustrated thus:-If we take a pencil between the thumb and finger and
hold it stiffly, not moving either the joints of the fingers or the joint of the wrist,
but writing as it were with the whole arm, we shall find that if a row of pencils
are fixed up the whole of the arm from the wrist to the shoulder, and the arm so
placed that each of the pencils could mark, whatever figure we make with the
pencil between the thumb and finger would bo made by all the other pencils
below the elbow joint, of course getting less and less as it neared the joint, but
above the elbow joint those pencils would make curves, so that it may truthfully
be said whatever the language or character of the writing it is reduced to curves,
and the motion ends at last in a backward and forward motion round the centre of
the shoulder joint of about fifteen degrees. Now the instrument you write with
reduces that writing to this littlo motion of the shoulder, and that being sent to
the other instrument developes it into the original writing. The connection
between the two instruments is made by two suspending rods or tubes hung per-
pendicularly side by side against the wall or any other convenient place; the
instrument for writing lies horizontally and is attached firmly to the suspended
rods. Suppose now you wish to send a message, you take hold of the pencil,
pointer, or pen, and write; if you require an answer, and say so, when you let go
the pencil, pointer, or pen you will find it commence writing the answer, supposing
there is a person at the other end ready to give the reply.
These instruments fold up and occupy but little space. They can be made of
different sizes without interfering with its perfection. The writing may be done
on glass, slate, paper, or any other suitable material prepared for the purpose.
The annexed Drawing will shew the exceeding simplicity of the instrument for
sending these messages. Indeed a fair illustration may be made by stretching out
the arms and folding the hands together and holding a pencil stiffly between them,
and then writing with the arms in that position, for in the instrument we have
that portion of the arm from the shoulder to the elbow with the joint or hinge, and
then from the elbow to the folded hands, where there is another joint, and to which
the writing pencil or style is attached; these arms may be made of wood or light
metal tubing, with suitable hinges; there are three hinges to each machine; the
hinges should move freely, but there should be no play.
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 is an elevation of the instrument adapted to
two floors.
Figure 2, detached view of the rods and sockets; and
Figure 3 is a detached view, on a larger scale, shewing the writing part of tho
instrument with the handle.
a, a, are the rods with sockets b, b, for receiving the cuds of the arms c, c, such
arms c, c, being jointed at d, d, to the other arms e, e, jointed at f; y is the pencil
or style; h, weight or ball on top of same; i, the handle; j,j, the desks or tables;
and,, the slates or pieces of glass for writing on.
I do not confine myself to the suspended rods or tubes to connect the two instru-
ments, as it may be done with wire or wire cord and suitable pullies and springs.
Any connection which will ensure the exact motion at each end will do, that is to
say, that the arm at one end moving over so many degrees, the arm at the other
end doing precisely the same at the same time, it will be evident that I allude to
that portion of the arm from the shoulder to the elbow, that being the only part
that can produce curves.
Now what I claim as my Invention is an instrument so formed as to reduce all
writing in any language or character to curves, and then sending those curves in
the manner aforesaid to a similar instrument, which having received those curvos

page_text: developes them into the original writing, whatever that may be. These instru-
ments may lic horizontally or may be placed perpendicularly, as convenience may
suggest.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Page, have hereto set my hand and
seal, this Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
HENRY PAGE. (L.S.)