IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHY
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1888
Specification Accepted, 29th Jan.. 1889
1, MARK WESLEY DEWEY, of the City of Syracuse, in the County of Onondaga
and State of New York, United States of America, inventor, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHY," and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This invention consists in a new telegraphic printing code specially adapted for the
transmission of messages by the combination of duplex or quadruplex lines, the
transmitting keys of which are arranged to be operated, two or more simultaneously
at one end of said lines, and a corresponding number of markers at the opposite end
of the lines arranged at right angles to the line of travel of the paper and operated
respectively by the aforesaid transmitting keys.
In the common transmission of signals through a telegraphic circuit it is well
known that with the exception of two letters, both with the Needle and Morse systems
it is necessary to depress the key several times in order to transmit a single letter,
or signs representing it; the signs being composed of dots or dashes or the inclinations
of a needle to the right and left, by making short and long contacts of the keys in the
Morse system, and depressions of right and left keys in the needle system.
This consumes a great deal of time and a small amount of business occupies a single
circuit continually and necessitates the employment of several wires or duplexing or
quadruplexing one wire. In both cases mentioned several operators are required
according to the number of communications carried on, and the speed of the operator
is not increased; i.e. it takes one as long to transmit a message on duplex or
quadruplex system as it does on single circuit, and the gain though great is simply
in arranging apparatus at the station so that several operators may be able to
communicate simultaneously over the same wire.
My invention carries it still farther, making it possible for one operator to do the
work of four in one direction in the same length of time, using two duplex lines, or
one can send a message in one-fourth or one-fifth the time occupied in sending a
message on the old plan.
In the Morse and International alphabets the letters that occur the oftenest in
...

page_text: transmitting are indicated by a fewer number of depressions of the key in order to get
as great speed as possible; the letters-e-and-t-occurring oftener than others are
represented by a dot and dash respectively, the two shortest signs used, the other
letters and marks are made in the time that would be occupied in making from two
to eight such simple signs.
In my invention the several marks required to represent a single letter are all made
simultaneously and consequently said letter is printed as quickly as a letter repre-
sented by a single mark. The aforesaid arrangement requiring an entirely new
telegraphic code, as hereinafter described.
Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows an exemplification of the use of my
improved code in printing the word "Telegraph" and illustrates a general plan of the
transmitting apparatus at one terminal station and recording apparatus at the other
terminal, of two diplex circuits.
It is obvious, however, that, in order to communicate in both directions at the same
time it is only necessary to combine this apparatus with any one of the several known
systems of simultaneous transmissions in opposite directions.
The only difference from the general plan, as will be seen by the drawings is in
the arrangement of the keys so that one operator may use all the keys in transmitting
a message, and, in the recording levers, so that the message may be recorded on one
strip of paper or other material provided for the purpose, by the movement of all the
levers. Fig. 2 is a diagram of a local circuit with two keys, Fig. 3 is a side elevation
of the receiving and recording instrument, Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modification of
the transmitting instrument adapted to be employed in connection with the diplex
circuits, and Fig. 5 represents a ribbon of paper -P-with my improved telegraphic
printing code imprinted thereon.
It will be observed that said code consists firstly in the employment of marks of
different lengths, secondly, in disposing in a row at right angles to the line of travel
of the paper, the plurality of marks designating a single letter or character. Thirdly,
in making the marks in each row of corresponding lengths.
And fourthly
distinguishing the different letters or characters from each other either by the
difference in the lengths of the marks, or by the distances of the marks from the
longitudinal edges of the paper as shown in the drawing hereto annexed.
In regard to the means for transmitting messages by this code it will be understood
that precisely the same effect is produced on the plurality of recording levers by the
manipulation of the corresponding keys as when a single key and a corresponding
recording lever is operated in the ordinary mode of transmission, so it will not be
necessary to explain the operation of the system, the mode of operation of which is so
well known, but will proceed directly to describe my improved arrangements in
connection with it.
The keys-k-k²-k³-k^-correspond in number and relative positions with
recording levers-L-L-L-L, and when one or more of the keys are depressed
the corresponding levers bring their pens or markers in contact with the paper-P.
The mark or marks made simultaneously on the paper strip to represent a letter are
either composed entirely of dots or short dashes made by very short depressions of the
keys and recording levers, or dashes made by longer depressions of the keys and
recording levers, so that a letter is composed either of a dot or combination of dots or
a dash or combination of dashes made simultaneously, arranged across a strip of paper
which moves in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing and between the
markers and a cylinder rotated by clock-work or some other means, said cylinder
supporting the paper to receive the impressions from the markers. The latter being
arranged side by side in a row at right angles to the travel of the paper and thus
when two or more markers make impressions simultaneously said impressions will be
likewise in a row at right angles to the travel of the paper.
The marks on the strip of paper-P-represent the word telegraph. The letters
are condensed as closely as letters printed on the type-writer whereby a great deal
comes under the eye at a glance, and the paper strip is thereby shortened to a more
convenient length.

page_text: It will be noticed that the letters-g-and-p-are made by dashes and the other
letters by dots.
The four keys, though they may be operated by both hands, are intended to be
operated by the thumb and first, second and third fingers of the right hand; now,
these keys may be duplicated, i.e. each local circuit may contain two keys as shown in
Fig. 2 of the drawing. The second set of keys may be arranged to be depressed by
fingers of the left hand, the keys for both thumbs being in one local circuit, control
one transmitter, the keys for the first finger of each hand being in another local.
circuit another transmitter &c.; in this way the speed may be increased for the sets
of keys may be used alternately, while one set of keys is being released by one hand
that has transmitted a letter, the other set of keys may be operated by the other hand
to transmit a letter.
With the four transmitters fifteen letters can be made by a dot or a combination of
dots and the remaining eleven letters, short and (&) period and comma are made with
a dash or combination of dashes; the remaining sign composed of four dashes may
serve to precede and follow the same signs when figures and other signs are intended
instead of letters.
It is obvious from the above that the operator's ability to manipulate the keys is
the only limit to the speed of the system and a message may be received in the absence
of the receiving operator.
An inked ribbon may be used instead of pen or pencil for markers, operating
similar to that of a type-writer or the markers may emboss or write with ink the same
as other telegraphic ink writers.
It will be understood that it is not necessary to use the apparatus in the precise
arrangement shown, as any form of duplex apparatus may be used for the same
purpose and it is also obvious that in order to operate contraplex it will only be
necessary to employ ordinary quadruplex apparatus in connection with each line.
The transmission of messages can be greatly facilitated and expedited by substituting
for the keys-k-k³-k³-kª—clastic fingers I-1-1-1-resting with their free
ends upon a suitable metallic support-a-which is connected with the local
circuits-c-c-c-as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. A ribbon-d-of paper or
other insulating material is made to pass by any suitable and well known means
between the support-u-and fingers-11-12-1-I,-which ribbon has per-
forations-b-b-of different lengths and arranged in different relative positions and
representing the telegraphic letters or characters to be transmitted. During the
passage of said ribbon over the support-a,-the solid portions of the ribbon which
becomes interposed between the fingers and support, break the circuits and the
perforations close the circuits and produce the electric impulses according to the
lengths and positions of the perforations.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1-The within described telegraphic printing code consisting firstly in marks of
different lengths, secondly in the arrangement in a row at right angles to the line of
travel of the paper of the plurality of marks designating a single letter or character,
thirdly in making the marks in each row of corresponding lengths, and fourthly
distinguishing the different letters or characters from each other, both by the
difference in the lengths of the marks, and by the distances of the marks from the
longitudinal edges of the paper, substantially as described and shown.
2-The improved system of electric telegraphy consisting essentially of multiplex
lines, transinitting keys arranged to be operated by one operator at one end of said
lines, and recording levers at the opposite end of the lines, and arranged with their
markers in a row at right angles to the line of travel of the paper to print
simultaneously side by side the several marks representing a letter or character, as set
forth.

page_text: 3-The combination of two duplex or quadruplex lines, manipulative keys arranged
to be operated by one operator at one end of said lines, and recording levers at the
opposite end of the lines and arranged with their markers in a row at right angles to
the line of travel of the paper, substantially as described and shown for the purpose
specified.