IMPROVEMENTS IN RECEIVING INSTRUMENTS AND RELAYS FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard William Henry Paget Higgs, of No. 12, Queen
Anne's Gate, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RECEIVING INSTRUMENTS AND RELAYS FOR ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPHS."
Sealed the 27th October 1877, and dated the 10th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard William Henry
Paget Higgs at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th August
1877.
RICHARD WILLIAM HENRY PAGET HIGGS, of No. 12, Queen Anne's Gate, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN RECEIVING INSTRUMENTS
"
AND RELAYS FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS."
It has been found that when an electric current is transmitted through a
conductor pressed against a moistened absorbent surface which is in motion the
friction of the conductor on the surface is very much diminished.
My Invention relates to means of utilising the phenomenon in the construction
and operation of receiving instruments and relays for electric telegraphs.
According to one method I provide a disc covered with paper, card, or other
suitable absorbent material, which I moisten with water, or with acidulated water,
or a saline solution, and I cause this disc to revolve continuously by means of clock-
work or other convenient motor. On the moistened disc I place a metallic disc,
which is kept by a torsion wire or spring from revolving. The two discs are con-
nected in the circuit of a telegraph line. While no electric current passes through
the circuit the friction of the two disc surfaces causes the metallic disc to be dragged
partly round in opposition to the torsive or elastic force, but when a current passes
through the circuit the friction is reduced, and the metallic disc is consequently
caused to spring back. An arm or tongue attached to the metallic disc is thus
moved to and fro or made to oscillate by intermissions of electric currents or by
changes of potential, and the oscillations of this arm are utilised in any known

page_text: manner for the purpose of producing audible or visible signals, or for operating as a
relay by shaking and breaking contact for a local circuit.
According to another construction I make the moving absorbent surface of
cylindrical form, or I pass a continuous strip or band of porous material over a
revolving roller, and I apply to this a metal rubber resisted by a weight or spring.
While no current passes the friction between the surfaces causes the rubber to be
carried partly round in opposition to the weight or spring, but when a current
passes the friction is diminished and the rubber is then drawn back, an arm or
tongue attached to it producing a signal, or operating as a relay. When I employ
a cylindrical surface in this manner I prefer to form it of a number of thin discs of 1
non-conducting material squeezed together on an axis, with thin discs of smaller
diameter interposed between them, so that the cylindrical surface presents a number
of narrow capillary grooves. I cause this cylinder to revolve in a trough of liquid,
so that the grooves become charged therewith before passing under the rubber.
-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard William Henry Paget Higgs in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th February 1878.
RICHARD WILLIAM HENRY. PAGET. HIGGS, of. No. 12; Queen Anne's_Gate, West-
minster, in the County-of-Middlesex: "IMPROVEMENTS:IN: RECEIVING: INSTRUMENTS.
AND RELAYS FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS."
It has been found that when an electric current is transmitted through a con-
ductor pressed against a moistened absorbent surface which is in motion the friction
of the conductor on the surface is very much diminished.
My Invention relates to means of utilising this phenomenon in the construction
and operation of receiving instruments and relays for electric telegraphs.
According to one method I provide a disc covered with paper, card, or other
suitable absorbent material, which I moisten with water, or with acidulated water,
or a saline, or electrolytic solution, and I cause this disc to revolve continuously by
means of clockwork or other convenient motor. On the moistened disc I place a
metallic disc, which is kept by a torsion wire or spring from revolving. The two
discs are connected in the circuit of a telegraph line. While no electric current
passes through the circuit the friction of the two disc surfaces causes the metallic
disc to be dragged partly round in opposition to the torsive or elastic force, but
when a current passes through the circuit the friction is reduced, and the metallic
disc is consequently caused to spring back. An arm or tongue attached to the
metallic disc is thus moved to and fro or made to oscillate by intermissions of electric
currents or by changes of potential, and the oscillations of this arm are utilised in
any known manner for the purpose of producing audible or visible signals, or for
operating as a relay by making and breaking contact for a local circuit.
According to another construction I make the moving absorbent surface of
cylindrical form, or I pass a continuous strip or band of porous material over a
revolving roller, and I apply to this a metal rubber resisted by a weight or spring.
While no current passes the friction between the surfaces causes the rubber to be

page_text: carried partly round in opposition to the weight or spring but when a current passes
the friction is diminished and the rubber is then drawn back, an arm or tongue
attached to it producing a signal or operating as a relay. When I employ a
cylindrical surface in this manner I prefer to form it of a number of thin discs of
non-conducting material squeezed together on an axis, with their discs of smaller
diameter interposed between them, so that the cylindrical surface presents a number
of narrow capillary grooves. I cause this cylinder to revolve in a trough of liquid
so that the grooves become charged therewith before passing under the rubber.
the friction is diminished and the rubber is then drawn back, an arm or tongue
attached to it producing a signal or operating as a relay. When I employ a
cylindrical surface in this manner I prefer to form it of a number of thin discs of
non-conducting material squeezed together on an axis, with their discs of smaller
diameter interposed between them, so that the cylindrical surface presents a number
of narrow capillary grooves. I cause this cylinder to revolve in a trough of liquid
so that the grooves become charged therewith before passing under the rubber.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section and Fig. 2 a plan of one arrangement of a
relay according to my Invention. A is a metal disc, preferably faced with platinum,
and having a piece of any absorbent material, such as felt, linen, paper, or the like,
stretched over its surface, and held by a ring a. The disc A is caused to revolve
by means of clockwork or any other suitable motor, in the direction shown by the
arrow. B is another disc, suspended by a torsion wire W, and kept in a central
position by passing its axis through a slot s in an arm C. This disc B carries an
insulated contact lever L, the outer end of which plays between two contact points
p and p', in connection with a local circuit to operate as a relay in the usual
manner. The disc A being at rest torsion is given to the wire W by turning the
wheel w, so that the lever L is brought to bear against the contact point pl. The
disc A is then set in motion, whereupon the upper disc being partly turned by the
friction moves the lever L from p' to bear against p. T, T₁, are terminals to which
the conductors from line and to earth are connected, so that electrical currents from
line have to pass through the two discs B and A. When a current does so pass, the
friction between the discs is diminished, and the torsion wire thereupon brings the
lever L to .contact p³.
Fig. 3 is a section and Fig. 4 a plan of an arrangement in which a rubbing pin B
is substituted for the upper disc, the said pin being preferably pointed with
platinum, and bearing on the lower disc A. The pin B is kept stationary in a
vertical attitude by two sets of springs S, S', attached to it at different heights
respectively, these springs being fixed to adjusting pins N in a ring R. L is the
insulated contact lever pivotted at 1, embracing by its one end the pin B, and
having its other end playing between the contacts p and p'.
The
Fig. 5 represents a vertical section and Fig. 6 a front view of an arrangement in
which the rotating disc A is vertical, and the friction on it of two or more bearing
points B is counterbalanced by a weight W on the insulated contact lever L.
frictional pressure is adjusted by means of a setting screw and spring S which
move the hinged arm M, on which is mounted the one end of the axis of the contact
lever L and pressing points B, the other end of the said axis being free to slide in an
insulated bearing at the centre of the disc A. For keeping the disc A moist it may
revolve partly immersed in a trough of liquid X.
Fig. 7 represents a transverse section and Fig. 8 a longitudinal section of an
arrangement in which a friction cylinder A is employed instead of a disc, the said
cylinder being embraced within a sleeve B, to which is attached the insulated
contact lever L. In this case the friction is counterbalanced by a weight W, for
which a spring might be substituted. The friction cylinder A is hollow, and has its
interior supplied with liquid through its tubular axis. Its periphery is perforated
with numerous holes, and covered by absorbent fabric F.
Fig. 9 is a side view, Fig. 10 an end view, and Fig. 11 a plan of a modified
arrangement, in which a friction roller A is pressed on by a piece of fabric or porous
material, or a tube B, by which moisture is conducted to the surface of the roller
from a trough G. This trough is on an arm H, attached to the insulated contact
spring L, and held down by a spring S. A continuous strip or band of paper,
or fabric, may be made to pass over the surface of the roller A, in which case
the bearing piece B may be of metal, being either a tube or several wires placed

page_text: side by side so as to permit liquid to flow from the trough G through their
interstices.
Although in the accompanying Drawings I have shewn apparatus, according to
my Invention, applied to work as a relay, it may be readily understood that the
lever L instead of making and breaking contact for a local circuit might be directly
applied to produce visible or audible signals, in which case the apparatus would
become a receiving instrument.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim,-
First. Working electric telegraph receiving instruments and relays by the varia-
tions of the friction of a rubber on a moving moistened surface, subjected to the
passage and interruption or variation of electrical currents, substantially as herein
described.
Second. The use for electric telegraph receiving instruments or relays of a moistened
travelling surface, having in contact with it a rubber acted on by a weight or
spring, so that on the passage of electric currents through the rubbing surfaces and
the interruption or variation of such currents, motion is imparted to the rubber,
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard William Henry Paget Higgs, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of February, in the year of 1
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight..