Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 11th Jan., 1890
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to telegraph transmitters, and more particularly to that
general class of transmitters in which a single movement of the operator, as, for
instance, the depression of a single key or lever, will automatically cause any desired
number of variations or impulses of the electric current to be transmitted, by means of
a suitable conductor, to the receiving instrument and there record, or produce the
same; and it has for its object, to produce a simple, cheap and effective mechanism
whereby these objects may be attained, and to these ends my Invention consists in
an apparatus constructed and operating substantially as hereinafter more specifically
set forth.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a front view of the embodiment of my Invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof.
Fig.
of parts.
is a plan view of one key lever showing a slightly different arrangement
Fig. 4 is a detail showing one of the sectors of the machine, and
Fig. is a diagram showing the preferred construction of the sector.
It is well known that the constant use of the ordinary Morse key by telegraph
operators, in which a greater or less number of movements are necessary to produce
each letter, character or other signal, is not only extremely fatiguing and exhausting
work, but that the long, continued practice often produces serious physical. results.
It has also long been recognized as desirable, among those skilled in the art, that the
operations of transmitting a message by the usual Morse or other code should be
simplified, so that the labor and strain upon the operator would be greatly reduced.
while at the same time preserving by mechanical means,.his skill in uniformly and
accurately transmitting the respective signals; and many devices have been suggested
for attaining these results. It has further been recognized as a desirable end to be
attained to produce an instrument that shall always send the signals in their proper
and relative order at the same rate of speed, and with mechanical perfection, regardless
of the skill of the particular operator sending the same.
Furthermore, since it is now common for receiving, operators to utilize the type-
writer in recording their transcriptions of telegraphic signals, and since this method
basinot only greatly, lessened the labor of the receiving operator, but has largely
increased his ability to record, as well, it is clear that the capacity of the receiving
end of a telegraphic circuit is by this means largely in excess of tliat at the sending or
transmitting end where physical means alone are employed, and hence that the full :
capacity of such a telegraphic circuit can only be developed by supplanting physical
means with mechanism means at the transmitting end, also.
My present Invention is designed to overcome all these objections and meet these
wants, and to furnish a simple cheap and effective apparatus that can be used not only
to take the place of the ordinary transmitting key in the hands of the skilful operator
and relieve him to a great extent, of the strain and labor of sending the proper signals
or producing the necessary variations in the electric current to cause said signals to
be sent, but can as well be used by the unskilled, operator, enabling him to transmit
perfect signals, and to duplicate the work of those more skilled.
One of the first essentials to such an instrument is to provide means whereby the
operator..by a single movement will insure the sending of each and every following

page_text: signal desired at the same rate of speed, regardless of the variations in his work. In
order to accomplish this I have arranged a series of keys and key levers, each one of
which is designed to represent some particular character or symbol, which, on being
actuated by the operator, shall set in motion automatic mechanism to transmit the
particular signal desired; and in order that these varying signals may be properly
reproduced, I provide a constant force or motor which, in combination with other
devices, shall automatically operate to produce the variations in the current and the
impulse or combination of impulses corresponding to the particular key, and repre-
sented thereby, independent of the operator himself.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated one simple
embodiment of my Invention, A represents a suitable frame work mounted upon
supports or standards B, and provided with a series of key levers C, having keys (1
which may be arranged in any particular order or style desired, but in the present
instance are shown arranged as is usual in the ordinary type-writers, being pivoted
at and held in their normal position by a spring c¹, and arranged in a series of
banks or rows for convenience of fingering as indicated in the drawings. Connected
to each of the key levers C is a sector D, which in Figure 2 is shown as pivoted to
a strap E, passing around the key lever, and freely suspended therefrom. Mounted
upon the frame in suitable cross bars F, G, are a series of guide pins f, extending
between the various sectors for the purpose of preventing them interfering with each
other in their movements. In place of this arrangement, however, the key levers
may be mortised, as shown in Figure 3 and the sector D may extend through the
mortise and be pivoted therein; and it is evident that other arrangements of the
sectors and levers may be made by one skilled in the art which will accomplish sub-
stantially the same result.
Also mounted in the frame A, or suspended from arms projecting therefrom, is a
non-conducting roller H, which is connected to and driven by some suitable power,
as a motor I, which is provided with the usual regulators, so that the roller H will.be
given a constant and uniform speed in the same direction. This roller may be faced
with rubber cloth or any other suitable frictional surface which will ensure its opera-
tion when in engagement with the sectors as hereinafter described. Also mounted in
the frame, or in extensions thereof, is a bar or plate K, or a metal comb, having an
individual tooth or other spring conductor, for each sector, which is arranged to
extend in a juxta-position to the roller H and along its periphery, but not in contact
therewith, and this bar, plate or comb K, is connected to one of the terminals of the
electric circuit by means of.a binding screw k, or.otherwise.
Each of the sectors D is also connected in the electric circuit by any well known
means, either by a separate terminal to each lever or sector, as shown in Figure 2, or
through some portion of the frame, common to all of the levers, as, for instance, the
fulcrum point c. The sectors are preferably made of conducting material, and are
provided at their segmental surfaces with insulating blocks d, arranged in proper
relations to each other to leave certain portions of the surface of the sector exposed to
correspond to each and every character of signal to be transmitted. Each sector is
also provided with another insulating piece of material, as. at d' which occupies the
same relative position in all of the sectors, and that is preferably a position directly
over the roller comb or cylinder H.
While it is possible to have the segmental portion of the sector formed of a portion,
of a single circle, I have found it preferable to give it a form corresponding to
segments of two circles having different centres; as, for instance the portion from
1 to 2 is formed of a segment having the point 3 for a centre, while the portion
from 1 to 4 is formed of a segment having the point 5 for a centre and the insulating
blocks or pieces d' are arranged in the periphery of the sectors at the point of inter-
section of the two segments, and this point is preferably over the roller H.
It will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 that the sectors are normally held out of
contact with the roller, with the insulating piece d', over the roller, and the sectors
may be thus sustained by gravity, or, if preferred, a spring d² may be connected to
each sector to normally hold it in position against the bar or plate G, and the face of

page_text: this plate may be covered with some protecting surface g, to act as a cushion
for the sectors. The insulating piece d' also normally extends over the contact
bar, comb or plate K, and when the key lever is depressed the said insulating piece
comes in contact with the roller and conducting plate or comb, and then as
the movement of the roller is transmitted to the sector the segmental portion from
1 to 4 is drawn over the conducting plate at a uniform speed, and the circuit is
uniformly opened and closed in accordance with the number of insulating and
conducting portions on the sector. In view of the fact that the portion of the
sector from 1 to 4 is on a different circle from the portion 1 to 2, the operator
is enabled, while still holding one key down during the act of transmitting the
signal, to start a succeeding key on its way toward the roller H, for this latter key
presents to the roller, before absolute contact, the portion of the circle from 1 to 2,
while the key actually in contact and in operation presents that portion from 1 to 4,
or a different circle or arc. This is for the purpose of enabling the operator to
closely. join or group the several combinations of letters into words. Sometimes,
however, I have found it preferable to form the segment of the sector on a single
curve having a centre at its pivotal point, as represented in Fig. 4.
In order to overcome the necessity of holding the lever throughout the transmission
of the full signal some locking means may be provided that will secure the lever in
position until the signal is sent, and I have indicated in Fig. 4 a primitive arrange-
ment whereby this may be accomplished though other means of accomplishing the
same result may be employed. In this case M indicates a bar extending beneath the
series of key levers, and each lever is provided with a pendant pawl N which will
automatically engage with the bar M when the lever is depressed and hold the lever
in this position until it is released. In order that this pawl shall be released as soon
as the signal is completed, I provide the sector with an extension O, which as soon as
the signal is complete, shall impinge upon the upper portion of the pawl N and force
it from engagement with the rod M and allow the lever to assume its normal position.
In this arrangement it is only necessary that the operator shall strike the desired key
for an instant and cause it to be depressed, when it becomes locked and remains
so until it is automatically released at the conclusion of the signal, and then the next
successive key may be struck the same way and the same operation repeated.
From the above description of the construction and arrangement of the parts the
operation will be readily understood and need not be specifically set forth in detail,
and it will be observed that as the keys are depressed in succession each sector is
brought into engagement with the constantly rotating roller H and with the conducting
bar K, and the roller then propels the sector, so that its periphery passes over the
conducting plate or comb and produces the desired signal with its makes and breaks
or variations in the circuit properly spaced, and at a uniform speed, which will cause
the corresponding record at the receiving instrument to be accurate and clear,
regardless of the technical skill of the transmitting operator. Of course the speed
with which the signals may be transmitted will depend upon the electrical conditions
present and upon the ability of the transmitting operator to manipulate the keys and
the ability of the receiving operator to understand or interpret the signals and
transcribe the same. This speed can be controlled at the will of the transmitting
operator by suitable mechanism to regulate the speed of the roller H.
While I have thus described one embodiment of my invention it will be evident to
those skilled in the art that other constructions and arrangements of the parts
may be employed as the essential features of my invention may be varied and carried
out in many ways without departing from the spirit thereof.
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 1
clain is :-
1. In a telegraph transmitter, the combination with a non-conducting feed roller
rotating at a uniform rate of speed a conducting plate or comb arranged adjacent to
said roller, a series of sectors having conducting and non-conducting spaces, arranged

page_text: out of contact with the feed roller, and a series of key levers for bringing the sectors
into contact with the said roller, substantially as described.
2. In a telegraph transmitter, the combination of a non-conducting feed roller
rotating at a uniform rate of speed, a conducting plate or comb arranged adjacent
to said roller, a series of key levers and a series of sectors pivotally connected to
said levers and arranged to be brought in contact with said non-conducting feed roller
and conducting plate, substantially as described.
3. In a telegraph transmitter, the combination with a non-conducting feed roller
rotating at a constant speed, of a conducting plate or comb arranged adjacent to the
roller and connected with one terminal of the circuit, a series of key levers, and a
series of sectors pivotally connected to the key levers arranged out of contact
with the feed roller and connected to the other terminal of the circuit, substantially
as described.
4. In a telegraph transmitter, the combination with a roller rotating at a uniform
speed, a series of levers and a series of sectors connected to said levers, the periphery
of each sector being composed of two separate circles, substantially as described.
5. In a telegraph transmitter, a series of sectors, the peripheries of each sector
being composed of two separate circles and provided with insulated portions, one
portion, as d', of each sector being arranged in the same relative position to each
other upon the part of the periphery corresponding to one circle, and the other
portions, as d, arranged in accordance with the various signals to be transmitted upon
the part of the periphery corresponding to the other circle, substantially as
described.
6. In a telegraph transmitter, the combination with the roller rotating at a constant
rate of speed, of a series of key levers, a series of sectors connected thereto, and a
locking device connected to the levers and released by the sectors, substantially as
described.
7. In a telegraph transmitter, the combination with a roller rotating at a constant.
rate of speed, of a series of key levers. a series of sectors connected thereto, and a
conducting plate arranged adjacent to the roller, each sector being provided with an
insulating section in its periphery arranged to contact with the conducting plate
when the lever is depressed, substantially as described.
Dated the 11th day of December 1889
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Applicant's Agent.