IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHIC INSTRUMENTS AND ELECTRIC CLOCKS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Meinrad Theiler, sen., Richard
Theiler, and Meinrad Theiler, jun., at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 23rd May 1867.
We, MEINRAD THEILER, sen., RICHARD THEILER, and MEINRAD THEILER,
jun., Telegraph & Scientific Instrument Makers, of 156, Barnsbury Road,
Islington, Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHIC INSTRUMENTS AND ELECTRIC CLOCKS," to be as
follows:-
Firstly, a mode of making electro-magnets and armatures, the latter either
of soft iron or of magnetised steel, by means of which a double motion can be
given to a bar or needle similar to that of an ordinary galvanometer or needle
instrument, the needle dropping into its original position from either side as
soon as the current ceases. For this purpose a magnetised steel bar either
straight or bent into a wide fork plays between one or two electro-magnets, and-
on passing a current through the coils thereof the bar is deflected to the one
or other side according to the direction of the current; one pole or pair of
poles attracting the others repelling the bar. When the current ceases the bar
is drawn back into its central position by iron tongues projecting from the
poles of the magnets and acting either on the edges or on the face of the bar.
These iron tongues we either screw on to the poles of the magnets in proper
shape, or when saving of space and getting the greatest power is desirable we
cut slots into the cheeks of the coils, and let those iron tongues in being in

page_text: contact with the iron cores, thereby avoiding any unnecessary length of the
magnets beyond the coils. By this arrangement the electro-magnets are
acting in three different ways; firstly, by direct attraction & repulsion of the
poles; secondly, by tangential action of the tongues; and, thirdly, on ceasing of
the current they draw the bar back into its central position by the tendency
of the latter to meet the largest mass of iron. As a means of increasing the
action and at same time holding the bar with greater firmness we split the
bar at its ends into a fork. We in some instances also effect the retiring
motion of the bar by a seperate piece of soft iron either straight or bent and
placed into proximity of the bar. We also make the bar out of soft iron, and
put it under the influence of a permanent magnet; this latter so arranged as
to be easily taken out for the purpose of being re-magnetised whenever
required. These magnets we apply to several instruments, as for relays,
galvanometers, & indicators, the first working either single by a bar
completing one circuit only, or double by its closing a circuit each way,
breaking any of them by retiring into its central position. We also apply
these magnets to electric clocks worked either single by make & break or
double by reversed currents; that make & break as well as the reversing of
the current we effect by a primary clock, this either driven by mechanical
means or worked by electricity itself.
.
Our Invention consists, secondly, in a peculiar kind of needle instrument,
the whole contained in a circular, oval, or square box, which can be made so
small & light as to be put in a pocket and to be used if desirable in any
position and without any fastening to a base. For this purpose we use the
above-described arrangement of magnets and armatures, the latter bearing on
its axle a pointing needle playing between pins on a dial marked with the
alphabet or any suitable chiffers, and the whole system exactly poised as to
neutralize the action of gravity. We also make these portable instruments
with common needles & multiplicators, the former being drawn back into
its central position after each current by a spiral spring similar to that applied
in watches. To work these indicators we apply two tappers. inserted into the
same box and projecting over the dial, where they are furnished with knobs;
these tappers are so connected with binding screws through the case or box as
to send when alternatively depressed reversed currents through the coils of
the sending instrument, as well as through those of any number of instruments
connected to a line and supplied with batteries or any other source of
electricity, We also work them if desirable by a single key moving round a
centre and sending reversed currents when pushed to the right or left, or up
and down in a vertical direction; we also make these instruments to serve

page_text: the double purpose of galvanometers and indicators or dials, in which case
the limiting pins on the dial are made moveable so that they by some knob
can be withdrawn to allow the needle free deflection. The indicating part of
these instruments we also make in such a shape as to replace the common
dial works of single & double needle instruments and of block instruments
in general use; and the tappers thereof we apply to any of these instruments,
mounting them to the bottom part of the cases, thereby avoiding the necessity
of their being fastened to a base.
The third part of our Invention consists in a mode of working a Morse's
instrument by reversed currents, each of them actuating a seperate magnet,
and thereby bringing two embossing needles or two inking dises up to the
paper, each printing a seperate line of marks. These magnets we actuate
either direct by currents from the distant station or by a double relay, as
described above, and we arrange the circuits of these magnets so as to work
both of them by one current, and only one of them by a reversed current; by
this means those marks representing the dashes of a Morse's alphabet are
printed in a double line, thus =, while the dots are printed single and on the
same line as the dashes. To avoid the inconvenience of getting one magnet
stronger magnetised when it is printing dots than when printing dashes (or
their substitutes =) we put in a resistance coil which is in circuit on printing
dots only, and the resistance of which is just so much as to make up for the
other magnet, then being out of circuit.
The fourth part of our Invention is an arrangement for facilitating the
release of the armature of an electro-magnet after the current has ceased, and
for preventing sparks at the breaking points of relays & keys. For this
purpose we establish an additional or extra circuit to the passing current,
which circuit is completed by the lever that holds the armature, touching its
limiting screw when actuated by a current; at this moment the power of the
magnet is decreased in proportion of conductivity of that extra circuit, thereby
sending a powerful induction current through the whole circuit, including the
breaking points of the relay or key; this current however can do no harm there
since the circuit is still complete. The conductivity of that extra circuit can
be made so great in proportion to that of the coils of the magnet that very
little power remains therein when the lever is touching the limit, and therefore
on breaking the current so little induction will take place as never to injure
the breaking points. Another advantage of this arrangement is that a very
feeble repelling spring is required to bring the armature back when the
current ceases, therefore almost the whole force of the magnet can be made
useful, thereby saving a good deal of electric power.

page_text: The fifth part of our Invention consists in a type priuting instrument to be
worked by two tappers or any other keys, the one representing the dots the
other the dashes of a Morse's alphabet, and these when properly worked
produce a message printed in types on a stripe of paper. A train of wheels
& pinions either driven by weight or spring acts upon a type wheel held
at any point by a catch, which can be released by the action of either of two
electro-magnets, according to the direction of a current sent through the coils;
but each action of these magnets by releasing that catch puts in a stop itself
that holds the type wheel at a certain position according to number &
direction of currents sent. When the keys remain at rest for an instant the
letter then presented to the paper is printed by a hammer actuated either by
an electro-magnet or by mechanical action of the clockwork. When the
letter has been printed we make the type wheel either driving round to its
zero point at once, or we let it remain at the printed letter and make it jump
at the next motion of the keys to that letter corresponding to that first current
sent; at the same time the paper is made to advance a step. The type
wheel is kept inked by a tube filled with ink, covered with a fibrous material,
and set into proper proximity to the type wheel.