A NEW. ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH APPARATUS FOR WRITING
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas John, of the City of Pesth, in Hungary, in
the Empire of Austria, and now residing at Rue de la Bourse, 3, in
Paris, Empire of France, Mechanician, for the Invention of "A NEW.
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH APPARATUS FOR WRITING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas John at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
October 1856.
I, THOMAS JOHN, of the City of Pesth, in Hungary, in the Empire of
Austria, and now residing at Rue de la Bourse, 3, in Paris, Empiro of
France, Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "A NEW ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH APPARATUS FOR WRITING," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of a new arrangement of electric apparatus for
transmitting telegraphic despatches by writing, or producing on ordinary paper
colored signs, which never fail to be produced with the greatest exactness by
my arrangement, the principle of which will be readily understood by referenco
to the accompanying outline Drawing, in which Fig. 1 represents a side eleva-
tion, and Fig. 2 a front elevation of the same, the letters of reference applying
to the same parts in each Figure.
A represents the end of an electro-magnetic lever communicating with a

page_text: metal rod T, V, which can be shortened or lengthened at pleasure by the
joint G. m, n, d, represents an angular lever having its fulcrum at F; at
the end of the lever at d is a dise B. It will be evident that if the metal
rod T, V, be raised, the end of the lever m, n, d, will actuate the disc B, so
as bring it in contact with the paper used for receiving the impression, and
which is caused to pass over the sharp metallic corner x.
The electric disce B revolves in a trough or reservoir r filled with color, and
is made to revolve as the paper passes over the printing point or metallic
The progress of the paper (the direction of which is shewn by the
I dotted line and arrows O, passing out printed at N, M,) causes the cylinder H,
which is kept in contact with it by the spring R, to revolve on its axis, to
which is attached the pulley b', Fig. 2, communicating with the pulley a',
fixed on the shaft carrying the disc B, by means of the band or cord C, C¹,
thus causing the disc B-to-revolve. As the paper progresses, I so arrange, that
by the slight contact of the disc-B-with tho paper, I obtain a weak electric
fluid, and by the rotation of the disc am always certain of producing exactly
and perfectly any signs desired upon the paper arranged as described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas John in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th April 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
JOHN, of the City of Pesth, in Hungary, in the Empire of Austria, and now
residing at 3, Rue de la Bourse, in Paris, in the Empire of France, Mechanician,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas John, Fler special licence that I, the said Thomas John,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said
Thomas John, 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 tbo United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH
APPARATUS POR WRITING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said

page_text: Thomas John, my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Thomas John, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
(that is to say):-
This Invention consists of a new arrangement of electric apparatus for
transmitting telegraphic despatches by means of writing, or producing on
ordinary paper coloured signs, which can be readily decyphered, and the
apparatus combines the utmost simplicity in its construction with unfailing
efficiency and exactness in its operation. And in order that my said
Invention may be fully explained, I refer to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, and to two Figures, and the letters of reference marked thereon.
This disc is made
Fig. 1 represent a side elevation of my apparatus, and Fig. 2 a front eleva-
tion of the same; similar letters applying to similar parts in each Figure.
a represents the end of a magnetic lever, which is actuated in the ordinary
manner by a current of electricity, and is connected to the rod e, g, the length
of which may be adjusted at pleasure by means of the right and left hand
screw joint at f; i, j, d, represents an angular lever or beam, having its
fulcrum or centre of oscillation at k; the said rod e, g, is connected to the
lever or beam by a joint at i, and at the point the said lever is forked or
arranged so as to receive the spindle and disc shewn at n.
to revolve in a trough or reservoir filled with color, as shewn at l, which is
held in position by a bracket affixed to the standard, and in which the guide
roller r may revolve. Over this roller is the sharp metallic corner m, and
underneath is another bracket, which supports the roller q, which may be
adjusted as to elevation or depression by the screws o, o, or pressed against
the paper or the standard, and adjusted laterally by means of the screw p and
the spring v. On the spindle n (see Fig. 2) is also a grooved pulley u, and on
the spindle at q is also a grooved pulley w; these pullies work together by
means of the band or cord c, c. Under the roller q is another guide roller s,
revolving in brackets attached to the standard. The paper to be marked
may be seen in Fig. 1, from the point t, by the dotted lines past the rollers
8, 9, and r, round the corner m to g and h. Its direction is shewn by the
arrows, and it may be caused to traverse when a message is to be transmitted
22

page_text: by any of the well-known methods. The action of the apparatus is simply
thus: When the paper progresses, the roller q moves also, and consequently
the pullies w and v, and thus the disc n is made to revolve in the color
trough. It is evident if the magnetic lever a be raised, the lever i, j, b,
will be actuated, so as to bring the disc n in contact with the paper as it
passes over the corner at m, and a mark will be made on the paper of a
length proportionate to the duration of the elevation of the said lever a, so
that a series of rapid oscillations will produce corresponding dots or marks on
the paper, or if caused to dwell, a long mark will be the result, in either case,
with unfailing accuracy.
Having thus described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into practical effect, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine
myself to the exact details herein set forth, as the same may be varied without
departing from the principle of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention,
and which to the best of my knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used,
the new electric telegraph apparatus for writing, as herein-before described,
and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas John, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-sevon.
Witness,
C. POLD.
THOMAS JOHN. (L.B.)