IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REPRODUCING AT A DISTANCE THE FACSIMILE OF WRITING CHARACTERS OR ANY DESIGNS BY ELECTRICITY
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENTito Arthur Thomas Collier of Wadebridge in the County of
Cornwall for an Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REPRODUCING AT
A DISTANCE THE FACSIMILE OF WRITING CHARACTERS OR ANY DESIGNS BY
ELECTRICITY
"
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Thomas, Collier at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on 'the 15th May 1883.
ARTHUR THOMAS COLLIER of Wadebridge in the County of Cornwall
'IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REPRODUCING AT A DISTANCE THE FACSIMILE OF
WRITING CHARACTERS OR ANY DESIGNS BY ELECTRICITY
"
,,
Hitherto attempts have been made to reproduce the facsimile of designs at a
distance by electricity but with little or no success owing to the complicated
nature of the apparatus employed and the very imperfect synchronism between the
transmitting and receiving apparatus.
According to my invention both the transmitter and receiver 'may be similar
and in each of these instruments I cause a pen to oscillate in perfect unison the pen
of the transmitter closing the electric current of the line wire whenever it passeя
over or along any portion of the writing or design to be copied (such writing or
design being produced as hereafter described) thereby causing a mark to be made
on the corresponding part of the paper of the receiver either by decomposition or
magnetic action with ink or other suitable substance. An important feature of
my said invention is the means whereby I am enabled to obtain perfect unison of
the two pens this I effect by the employment of a pendulum and a retaining catch.
By either shortening or lengthening the said pendulums I obtain approximate
synchronism the perfect synchronism being obtained by "releasing the pendulums
from the same relative position at each beat or less often as may be found sufficient.
The paper
of each instrument is moved under the pen with each oscillation of 'the
pendulum by means of magnetism froin a local battery or by other suitable means.
The pendulums are actuated by magnetism from a local battery or by other suitable

page_text: means. The retaining catch is actuated by magnetism induced by the line wire
current and its action must be such that neither pendulum is released until the
other has been retained by its catch.
The writing or design to be reproduced must be in relief or raised this may be
done by pressing with a stylus on paper or tin foil or by other suitable means
or I may form such design or writing by means of a metallic ink or stencil this
latter passing over a metallic plate.
F
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Arthur Thomas Collier in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th November 1883.
:
ARTHUR THOMAS COLLIER of Wadebridge in the County of Cornwall
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REPRODUCING AT A DISTANCE THE FACSIMILE OF
WRITING CHARACTER [sic] OR ANY DESIGNS BY ELECTRICITY
"
Hitherto attempts have been made to reproduce the facsimile of designs at a
distance by electricity but with little or no success owing to the complicated
nature of the apparatus employed and the very imperfect synchronism between
the transmitting and receiving apparatus.
According to my invention both the transmitter and receiver may be similar
and in each of these instruments I cause a pen to oscillate in perfect unison the
pen of the transmitter closing the electric current of the line wire whenever it
passes over or along any portion of the writing or design to be copied (such
writing or design being produced as hereafter described) thereby causing a mark
to be made on the corresponding part of the paper of the receiver either by
decomposition or magnetic action with ink or other suitable substance. An
important feature of my said Invention is the means whereby I am enabled to
obtain perfect unison of the two pens this I effect by the employment of a
pendulum and a retaining catch. By either shortening or lengthening the said
pendulums I obtain approximate synchronism the perfect synchronism being
obtained by releasing the pendulums from the same relative position at.each beat
or less often as may be found sufficient. The paper of each instrument is moved
under the pen with each oscillation of the pendulum by means of magnetism from
a local battery or by other suitable means. The pendulums are actuated by
magnetism from a local battery or by other suitable means. The retaining catch
is actuated by magnetism induced by the line wire current and its action must be
such that neither pendulum is released until the other has been retained by
its catch.
The writing or design to be reproduced must be in relief or raised this may be
done by pressing with a stylus on paper or tin foil or by other suitable means or I
may form such design or writing by means of a metallic ink or stencil this latter
passing over a metallic plate
.

page_text: same with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawing.
.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Fig 1 shews a top plan of the mechanism of the transmitter
Fig 2 top plan of the mechanism of the receiver
Fig 3 shews an end elevation of the receiver and transmitter.
Fig 4 elevation of the pen or marking arrangement of the transmitter and
Fig 5 that of the receiver.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the figures. A shews the pendulum
pivoted at a. B is an electro-magnet which causes the oscillation of the pendulum A.
C is another electro-magnet connected with or forming part of pendulum A. D is
an armature forming the magnetic field with C as hereafter described e is the pen
or point. F is an automatic switch. G an electro magnet for moving the paper.
H roller to carry the paper. I is a table for supporting the paper Jis an
automatic current reverser for reversing the line current. K is an electro-magnet
to make and break the local current by means of the armature L as hereafter
described. M. shews an arrangement for making a line current at a given time
as hereafter set forth. o is a spring to actuate the pendulum. P P are terminals
for connecting the poles of the local battery. N is a ratchet wheel for working
the paper roller H.
In the receiver at Fig 2 R shews a circular armature attracted by electro-
magnet S. T is a polarised relay U and V are current breakers actuated by the
relay T. W Fig 3 is a spring roller to hold the paper against the roller H. The
action is as follows. The local current being connected with the terminals PP
the arm f of the switch being on the first section of F magnetises B and C. which
are in the circuit this causes the electro-magnets B and C to attract each other
(their poles being arranged accordingly) and thereby moving the arm f of the
switch F from 1 to 2 by the pendulum A. pushing the arm f by means of the pin g
thereby demagnetising B and C and magnetising G which is in circuit with
section 2 and causing its armature h (to which a suitable pawl is connected) to
move the roller H by means of the ratchet wheel N after which the pendulum
continuing its onward motion pushes the arm f of the switch to the insulated
portion i so as to break the current the pendulum then swings back and when its
arrives at the magnetic field D or nearly so it pulls the arm f of the switch F over
from to section 1 by means of the arm and pin k thus in its return again
moving the paper as before. Upon the pendulum arriving at the field D it is held
there by the magnetic force of C thus forming a catch and during its course
towards D comes in contact with the spring or piece M makes a contact in the
line wire and at the same time reverses the current by means of J which latter
returns to its normal position when C leaves D. The transmitter pendulum is
held in this latter position until the pendulum of the receiver arrives at its
magnetic field D when it in its turn makes a second contact by means of M in
the line wire thus completing the circuit and magnetising K and T which are in
circuit with the line current the effect of which is to demagnetise C thus allowing
pendulums to swing back and operate as before and thereby obtaining a perfect
synchronous movement of the pendulums. It will be seen that the current
reversed and the polarised relay are rendered necessary on account of the dual effect
the line current has to perform viz regulating the pendulums and also producing
the pulsations of the pen or point holder
The writing or marking is effected by the pens or points e connected to the
pendulums A that of the transmitter is shewn at Fig 4 which on passing over or
along the raised character on the paper causes a contact at m as will be clearly seen
on reference to this figure and upon making such contact magnetises the polarised
relay T and forms connection with a local battery (by preference) and magnetises s
which attracts R and causes the pen or point e of the receiver to mark the paper
by any known method

page_text: C
i
The raised characters I produce by means of a stylus used as a pen or pencil
with suitable pressure applied thereto the paper being placed on a soft pad.
Although I have shown the pendulums horizontal they may be vertical if
desired I would remark in/conclusion. that I do not wish to limit myself to the
precise details herein before referred to as the same may be varied, but what I claim
as my Invention is
T
First the means whereby perfect synchronism of the pendulums is obtained
in both, transmitter and' receiver substantially as and for the purpose set forth
Secondly the means of producing the raised characters or designs on paper or
other material employed substantially as and for the purpose set forth
Thirdly the apparatus for reproducing at a distance the facsimile of writing..
characters' or any design by electricity substantially as set forth.
"
In Witness, whereof I. the, Arthur Thomas Collier, have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fifteenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
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