IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHING AND IN TELEGRAPHIC APPA- RATUS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHING AND IN TELEGRAPHIC APPA-
RATUS." A communication from abroad by Mr. A. Wilson, of New
York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 1st July 1859, and dated the 8th April 1859..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th April 1859.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHING AND IN TELEGRAPHIC
APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
Various plans have been devised for using electricity of high tension for.
telegraphing, such as frictional electricity in connection with the Leyden jar,
or the hydro-electric machine, and electricity induced by the action of a per-
manent magnet. But a serious difficulty in the way of using frictional
electricity is its liability to be variously affected by the changes of the atmo-
sphere, and the inconvenience of electricity induced by the permanent magnet
is, the difficulty of generating a sufficient amount to answer all the demands of
successful telegraphing.
The object of the present Invention is to overcome both of these classes of
difficulties by adopting an arrangement that shall not be susceptible to the

page_text: changes of the weather, and that shall generate an amount of inductive
electricity that shall answer all demands.
The apparatus consists of an ordinary galvanic battery using either one or
'more acids; a large inductive apparatus or coil, constructed on the principle
of Ritchie's or Ruhmkorff's inductive apparatus, and a simple arrangement
for recording the signals. This arrangement consists of two metallic points,
approaching but not meeting each other, on opposite sides of a strip of paper,
on which the signals are to be recorded; the paper is to be divided into equal
spaces by lines, and to be moved between the metallic points by clockwork, so
geared as to move the paper forwards the distance of one space at cach beat or
tick of the clock, and no more, and a single wire, either insulated or not, as
the case may require, to convey-the electricity.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The battery, when in
working order, is put in connection with the primary coil of the inductive
apparatus, which induces a very powerful current of electricity in the outer or
secondary coil of the inductive apparatus; this secondary coil terminates in
two poles or points, one of which is connected with the earth and. the other
with the line of telegraphic wire. When a signal is to be given the connection
is to be made or broken by pressing down a key when a current or discharge
of electricity is made along the telegraphic wire and across the two metal
points and through the strips of paper, making a small hole, which is a recorded
signal. As often as the key is pressed down and released, signals are passed and
recorded with great rapidity, accuracy, and distinctness. The strip of is
to be ruled with lines properly spaced, and the alphabet is to be represented
by the manner in which these holes or dots are spaced; and the spacing is to
be regulated by the beats or ticks of the clockwork. The points are carefully
insulated, and placed in connection with the telegraphic wire.
paper
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th October 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TELEGRAPHING AND IN TELEGRAPHIC APPARATUS," being a communication from
A. Wilson, of the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
Various plans have been devised for using electricity of high tension for
telegraphing, such as frictional electricity in connection with the Leyden jar or
the hydro-electric machine, and electricity induced by the action of a permanent
magnet. But a serious difficulty in the way of using frictional electricity is
its liability to be variously affected by the changes of the atmosphere; and the
inconvenience of using electricity induced by the permanent magnet is, the
difficulty of generating a sufficient amount to answer all the demands of
successful telegraphing.
The object of the present Invention is to overcome both of these classes of
difficulties by adopting an arrangement that shall not be susceptible to the
changes of the weather, and that shall generate an amount of inductive.
electricity that shall answer all demands.
The apparatus is shewn in the accompanying Drawing, and consists of an:
ordinary galvanic battery A, using either one or more acids. A large
inductive apparatus or coil B, constructed on the principle of Ritche's or.
Rubmkorff's inductive apparatus, and a simple arrangement C for recording:
the signals. This contrivance consists of two metallic points 8, 8, approaching
but not meeting each other on opposite sides of a strip of paper P, on which.

page_text: the signals are to be recorded. The paper is to be divided into equal spaces
by lines, and is to be moved forward between the metallic points 8, 8, by means
of clockwork D, which is to be geared in such a manner as at each beat or
tick of the clock to move the paper forwards the distance of one space, and
no more. There is also a single wire, either insulated or not, as the case may
require, to convey the electricity.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The battery A, when in
working order, is put in connection with the primary coil of the inductive
apparatus at b, b, which induces a very powerful current of electricity in the
outer or secondary coil of the inductive apparatus. This secondary coil
terminates in the two poles or points c', c', one of which is connected with
the earth as at H, and the other with the line of telegraphic wire W. When
a signal is to be given the connection is to be made or broken by pressing
down a key at K, when a current or discharge of electricity is made along
the telegraphic wire W, and across from point to point of the points s, s, and
through the strips of paper, thereby making a small hole, which will be a
recorded signal. As often as the key is pressed down and released, signals
are passed and recorded with great rapidity, accuracy, and distinctness. The
strip of paper is to be ruled with lines properly spaced, as shown in the
Drawing at Fig. 2, and the alphabet is to be represented by the manner in
which these holes or dots are spaced, and the spacing is to be regulated by the
beats or ticks of the clockwork. The points 8, 8, are carefully insulated and
placed in connection with the telegraphic wire W. The current of electricity
generated by this arrangement is of immense volume and intensity, often
sufficient to leap across a break in the circuit of twelve or fifteen inches in
the open air and record its signal, and if the ends of the broken wire come
in contact with moisture, the electricity will pass across a break of many feet,
and record its signal at the recording points. Indeed, at present it does not
seem possible to fix limits to the capabilities of this arrangement for tele-
graphing.
The alphabet and figures which it is proposed to employ is represented in
the accompanying Diagram at Fig. 2, and consists of the combination and
arrangement of dots and spaces for each letter and figure as therein shewn.
By using ruled paper, such as that represented in the Drawing, and which is
to be moved by the mechanism at proper intervals, the holes punctured
through the paper by the electric current and in the order represented with
the required space, each letter or figure can be readily produced and read.
While, therefore, I do not claim the exclusive right to apply electricity of
high tension, whether frictional or induced, to the art of telegraphing, 1 do

page_text: claim as new the arrangement or combination of parts which overcomes the
difficulties arising from change of atmosphere or weather, and the compara-
tively feeble volume to which all other plans of applying this kind of
electricity have been subject.
I also claim the exclusive right to use the induced current of electricity by
itself for recording signals in telegraphing; also the combination of the
several instruments and the application of them to the art of telegraphing.
I also claim the manner herein shewn and described of arranging dots and
spaces to form an alphabet, which can be recorded by mere punctures made
through paper.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (Ls.)