Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1887
Complete Left, 22nd Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 4th May, 1888
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the automatic transmission of steno-
telegraphic signals, which apparatus consists of a perforator actuated by compressed
air and an automatic transmitter.
The perforator is intended to perforate the paper tapes employed in the automatic
transmitter, and is actuated by means of compressed air supplied by a pipe or from a
special air-holder or reservoir in which such air is accumulated under pressure by
means of a pump actuated by any suitable motive power. The apparatus consists of
a steno-graphic key-board exactly similar to that described in the specifications of,
patents already granted to Gilbert Alfred Cassagnes numbered 5151 of 1883 and to
me numbered 7081 and 7516 of 1884. The keys of this key-board are made to work
air-valves which admit compressed air to, and release it from cylinders the pistons of
which act on perforating punches.
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereto annexed is a transverse section of the key-board.
The keys K are raised, after they have been depressed, by means of spiral springs R.
The further extremities of the keys K carry levers L which, when the keys are
depressed, act on valves S. The compressed air pipe or main C is thereby put into
communication, by means of connection tubes, with the corresponding cylinders B of
the perforator (Figure 2), and the compressed air actuates the pistons of the aforesaid
cylinders. These pistons are connected to levers D the ends of which rest on the heads
of the perforating punches P. These punches, when operated by the levers, perforate
the
paper tape TT which passes between the feed rollers V V¹.
The depression of the keys (one or more at a time) causes the levers L (Figure 1)
to press against an oscillating frame M, the action of which is to open and close, each
time one or more keys are depressed, a special valve placed on the compressed air

page_text: main, and communicating with two special cylinders the pistons of which operate the
feed rollers V and V1 by means of a ratchet wheel, and at the same time perforate, all
along the paper tape, a double line of holes, like two racks, which serve to guide and
move the tape when placed in the automatic transmitter.
When the keys are released, the valves are returned to their original positions by
the levers L; they close at the same time the admission passages from the main C,
and the compressed air in the cylinders B escapes into the atmosphere. The action of
the above mentioned special valve is exactly similar.
The holes in the perforated paper tapes correspond in position with the keys of the
key-board. If electric contacts are established through these holes, a printed tape,
exactly similar to that described in the Specifications of the previous Patents above
referred to, can be obtained from a printing telegraph instrument placed at a distant
station. This tape is also exactly similar to what could be obtained by sending the
electric currents directly by the depression of the keys of the key-board upon 'contacts
placed beneath.
b
The apparatus for automatically transmitting currents to the line by means of the
perforated tape is represented in Figures 3, 4 and 5. of the Drawings. It consists of
twenty levers a a a--- one of the ends of each of which is bent and tapered as shown
in Figures 3 and 5 and enters the holes of the perforated tape when the latter, which
is carried forward by means of two toothed pinions 66 gearing into the double rack
on the sides of the paper tape, brings a hole opposite one of the lever heads. The
other end of each of the levers a a a--- makes a contact, according as the lever is
pressed down or forced through a hole, with two metallic plates cd. The plate c is
connected with the positive end of a battery and the plate d with the negative end.
The levers are kept slightly pressed against the paper tape by means of springs ee--.
They are thus always ready to enter the holes which pass opposite to them during the
forward motion of the paper tape. The springs ee -- are connected with the contact
pieces of a circular switch or distributor. The pinions bb are mounted on a vulcanite
cylinder provided with circular grooves situated opposite the heads of the levers.
This vulcanite cylinder is carried by a spindle g which is part of a clockwork motion.
At each turn of the contact brush on the distributor, and at the proper instant, a
special electro-magnet (not shown in the Drawing) releases the clockwork which
causes the pinions b b to rotate to the extent of one tooth, and the perforated tape
consequently advances through the distance of one line.
In order to facilitate the handling of the apparatus, the frame which carries the
levers and the contacts is free to oscillate slightly round an axis h. It is then easy to
introduce or remove the perforated tape. A tightening screw i keeps the frame in
position when it is raised and ready for work.
The contact c sends positive currents through the line, and these are received, at
the furthest station, in polarized relays. When the levers, on the other hand, touch
the upper plate d (that is when the lever heads do not come opposite perforations in
the paper and no signal is to be transmitted by them) the line receives negative
currents which help to discharge it, and facilitate the working.
For facility of construction, the levers are arranged in two groups of ten each
placed one group on each side of the axis g. The heads of the levers on the right
hand side are shaped as shown at a¹ (Figure 5) and the heads of the levers on the left
hand side are shaped as shown at a (Figure 5). When the paper moves forward it
can easily disengage itself from the lever heads which have entered the holes.
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of Mov 1887

page_text: New or Improved Apparatus for the Automatic Transmission of
Steno-telegraphic Signals.
I, WILLIAM HENKY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
annexed to the provisional specification accompanying my application for a patent
for this invention, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to apparatus for the automatic transmission of steno-
telegraphic signals, which apparatus consists of a perforator actuated by compressed
air, and an automatic transmitter.
The perforator is intended to perforate the paper tapes employed in the automatic
transmitter, and is actuated by means of compressed air supplied by a pipe or from a
special air holder or reservoir in which such air is accumulated under pressure by
means of a pump actuated by any suitable motive power. The apparatus consists of a
stenographic key-board exactly similar to that described in the specifications of
patents already granted to Gilbert Alfred Cassagnes numbered 5151 of 1883, and to
me numbered 7081 and 7516 of 1884. The keys of this key-board are made to work
air-valves which admit compressed air to, and release it from cylinders the pistons of
which act on perforating punches.
Figure 1 of the Drawings above referred to is a transverse section of the key-board.
The keys K are raised, after they have been depressed, by means of spiral springs R.
The further extremities of the keys K carry levers L which, when the keys are
depressed, act on valves S. The compressed air pipe or main C is thereby put into
communication, by means of connection tubes, with the corresponding cylinders B of
the perforator (Figure 2) and the compressed air actuates the pistons of the aforesaid
cylinders. These pistons are connected to levers D the ends of which rest on the
heads of the perforating punches P. These punches, when operated by the levers
perforate the paper tape T T which passes between the feed rollers V V¹.
The depression of the keys (one or more at a time) causes the levers L (Figure 1)
to press against an oscillating frame M, the action of which is to open and close, each
time one or more keys are depressed, a special valve similar to the valves S, and like
them placed on the compressed air main C, and communicating with two special
cylinders similar to the cylinders B, and placed in any convenient position on the
perforating machine, Figure 2. The pistons of these cylinders operate the feed
rollers V and V1 by means of any suitable mechanism, such as levers, pawls, and

page_text: ratchet wheels, for example and perforate, all along the paper tape, by means of levers
and punches similar to those shewn in Figure 2 for example, a double line of holes,
like two racks which serve to guide and move the tape when placed in the automatic
transmitter. The mechanism for operating the feed rollers V and V₁ from the
aforesaid pistons must be so arranged that it actuates the said rollers after the punches
have been withdrawn from the tape T T or before they enter the same. When the
keys are released, the valves are returned to their original positions by the levers L;
they close at the same time the admission passages from the main C, and the
compressed air in the cylinders B escapes into the atmosphere. The action of the
abovementioned special valve is exactly similar.
The holes in the perforated paper tapes correspond in position with the keys of the
key-board. If electric contacts are established through these holes, a printed tape,
exactly similar to that described in the Specifications of the previous Patents above
referred to, can be obtained from a printing telegraph instrument placed at a distant
station. This tape is also exactly similar to what could be obtained by sending the
electric currents directly by the depression of the keys of the key-board upon contacts
placed beneath.
The apparatus for automatically transmitting currents to the line by means of the
perforated tape is represented in Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the Drawings. It consists of
twenty levers a a a--- one of the ends of each of which is bent and tapered as shown
in Figures 3 and 5 and enters the holes of the perforated tape when the latter, which
is carried forward by means of two toothed pinions b b gearing into the double rack
on the sides of the paper tape, brings a hole opposite one of the lever heads. The
other end of each of the levers a a a --- makes a contact, according as the lever is
pressed down or forced through a hole, with two metallic plates c d. The plate c is
connected with the positive end of a battery and the plate d with the negative end.
The levers are kept slightly pressed against the paper tape by means of springs e e - -.
They are thus always ready to enter the holes which pass opposite to them during the
forward motion of the paper tape. The springs e e -- are connected with the contact
pieces of a circular switch or distributor. The pinions bb are mounted on a vulcanite
cylinder provided with circular grooves situated opposite the heads of the levers.
This vulcanite cylinder is carried by a spindle g which is part of a clockwork motion.
At each turn of the contact brush on the distributor, and at the proper instant, a
special electro-magnet (not shown in the Drawing) releases the clockwork which
causes the pinions bb to rotate to the extent of one tooth, and the perforated tape
consequently advances through the distance of one line.
In order to facilitate the handling of the apparatus the frame which carries the
levers and the contacts is free to oscillate slightly round an axis h. It is then easy to
introduce or remove the perforated tape. A tightening screw i keeps the frame in
position when it is raised and ready for work.
The contact c sends positive currents through the line, and these are received, at
the furthest station in polarized relays. When the levers, on the other hand, touch
the upper plate d (that is when the lever heads do not come opposite perforations
in the paper and no signal is to be transmitted by them) the line receives negative
currents which help to discharge it, and facilitate the working.
For facility of construction, the levers are arranged in two groups of ten each
placed one group on each side of the axis g. The heads of the levers on the right
hand side are shaped as shown at a' (Figure 5) and the heads of the levers on the left
hand side are shaped as shown at a (Figure 5). When the paper moves forward it
can easily disengage itself from the lever heads which have entered the holes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
First The apparatus for applying compressed air, in connection with a steno-
graphic keyboard, for the purpose of producing perforated tapes by the action of the

page_text: keys of such keyboard, as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the Drawings
herein referred to.
Second-The automatic transmission to a distant station of steno-telegraphic
signals through a perforated tape by the processes of multiplex telegraphy, the trans-
mitting apparatus being so arranged and combined that when the line is not employed
in transmitting useful currents, the said transmitting apparatus sends through the
said line other currents of a contrary sign, so as to discharge the line and ensure the
efficient working of the apparatus, as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the
Drawings herein referred to.