IMPROVEMENTS IN ATMOSPHERIC TELEGRAPH APPARATUS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETEERS PATENT to Augusto Guattari, of Euston Road, in the County
..
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ATMOSPHERIC
TELEGRAPH APPARATUS."
Sealed the 15th. September 1871, and dated the 20th June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Augusto Guattari at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th June 1871.
I, AUGUSTO GUATTARI, of Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ATMOSPHERIC TELEGRAPH APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in atmospheric telegraph
apparatus, similar to that for which I obtained Letters Patent bearing
date June 30th, 1870, No. 1855.
According to one arrangement the apparatus comprises a reservoir
for condensed air provided with a suitable pump and placed in com-
munication with the receiving instrument at another station by means
of an air conducting tube. The transmitting apparatus is provided with
4

page_text: a stop-cock on the said tube to regulate the passage of the air according
to the degree of power required, and also with a sliding plug or cylinder
operated by a lever handle or key, and having a port or passage which
when it coincides with the pipe allows the escape of a jet of air to give
the required indication on the receiving apparatus. So far the apparatus
is similar to that described in my said former Patent, but for the finger
key and Morse receiving and printing instrument therein referred to
I substitute the following arrangement of apparatus:-The transmitting
instrument consists of a lever handle operating a small ratchet wheel
keyed on the spindle of a spur wheel placed behind an alphabetical
dial, to the letters and signs upon which the teeth of the spur wheel
correspond. This wheel is rotated by means of the handle and carries
upon its spindle an index needle which moves over the dial, and as it
passes each letter or sign the corresponding teeth of the spur wheel
operate a pinion gearing therewith and connected by a crank pin ]
working in connection with the sliding plug before mentioned to give
passage to a jet of air. The impulse of each jet of air is conveyed
through the tube and acts on a valve, through which it escapes at
the receiving station. The receiving instrument is provided with an
alphabetical dial similar to that of the transmitting instrument, over
which an index needle is caused to move synchronally with the needle
of the transmitting instrument. To effect this the receiving instrument
is provided with a ratchet wheel, the teeth of which correspond to 'the
signs or letters on the dial, and to the spindle of which the index needle
is fixed. This wheel together with the needle is moved one tooth by each
jet of air through the medium of the air valve which acts on a lever
carrying a double pawl or anchor pivoted thereto and gearing with the
teeth of the ratchet wheel somewhat in the manner of an anchor escape-
ment, so that at each oscillation of the lever by the air valve the wheel
is moved by the anchor one tooth. The receiving instrument may also
be provided with a spring rod and handle acting on the said lever to
enable the recipient to bring the needle to the starting point, or otherwise
to make it correspond in position with the needle of the transmitting
instrument if necessary. The receiving instrument is also provided with
a bell operated by clockwork set in motion by the air. valve to call the 3
attention of the clerk or recipient.
.
For short distances the compressed air chamber and pump may be
dispensed with, the transmission of the signals being effected by a slight
impulsion or compression of the air at its ordinary density contained

page_text: within the conducting tube. For this purpose the ratchet wheel of the
transmitting instrument is caused to operate a piston contained within
a closed cylinder in communication with the conducting tube. The air
displaced by the piston expands a diaphragm used in lieu of the air
escape valve 'before mentioned, by which the receiving instrument is
operated as before. The air is thus caused to move to and fro in the
conducting tube, but does not escape therefrom as in the former case.
An elastic ball diaphragm or bellows apparatus may be substituted for
the piston of the transmitting apparatus if desired.
When used on board ship words of command may be substituted..for
the alphabetical letters and signs on the dials of the transmitting and
receiving instruments, the ratchet wheels of each being modified to
correspond to the number of orders or words of command, and instead
of an index hand to point to the order on the dial the latter may be
covered by a blank rotating disc having a segmental opening, through
which the required word of command is visible when brought opposite
thereto, so that one order only is seen at a time.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Augusto Guattari in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th December 1871,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTO
GUATTARI, of Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Augusto Guattari, Her special licence
that I, the said Augusto Guattari, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Augusto Guattari, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,. and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ATMOSPHERIC
TELEGRAPH APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the

page_text: said Augusto Guattari, my executors or administrators, by an instrument.
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should.
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and.
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
•
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Augusto Guattari, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 two-Sheets of Drawings 1
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
My Invention relates to improvements in atmospheric telegraph appa..
ratus similar to that for which I obtained, Letters Patent; bearing date,
June 30th 1870, No. 1855;
]
According to one arrangement the apparatus comprises a reservoir for
condensed air provided with a suitable pump. and placed in com-
munication with the receiving instrument at another station by means
of an air conducting tube. The transmitting apparatus. is. provided.
with a stop-cock on the said tube to regulate the passage of the air 2
according to the degree of power required and also with a sliding plug
or piston operated by a lever handle or key and having a passage
which when it coincides with the pipe allows the escape of a jet of: air
to give the required indication on the receiving apparatus... So far,
the apparatus is similar to that described in my said former, Patent, 2
but for the finger key and "Morse" receiving and printing, instrument.
therein referred to I substitute the following arrangement of apparatus,in
-The transmitting instrument consists of a lever handle operating a
small ratchet wheel keyed on the spindle of a large wheel placed. behind
an alphabetical dial to the letters and signs, upon which the teeth;3
of the large wheel correspond. This wheel is rotated, by means of, the
handle and carries upon its spindle an index needle, which moves over.
the dial, and as it passes each letter or sign the corresponding teeth,,of..
the large wheel operate a lever working in, connection with the sliding.
plug before mentioned to give passage to a jet of air. The impulse-3
of each jet of air is conveyed through the tube and acts on a valve
through which it escapes at the receiving station. The receiving instru..

page_text: ment is provided with an alphabetical dial. similar to that of the
transmitting instrument over which an index needle is caused to move
synchronally with the needle of the transmitting instrument. To effect
this the receiving instrument is provided with a ratchet wheel having
teeth corresponding to the signs or letters on the dial and to the spindle
of which the index needle is fixed. This wheel together with the
needle is moved one tooth by each jet of air through the medium of
the air valve which acts on a lever carrying a double pawl or anchor
pivoted thereto and gearing with the teeth of the ratchet wheel somewhat
in the manner of an anchor escapement, so that at each oscillation of
the lever by the air valve the wheel is moved by the anchor one tooth.
The receiving instrument may also be provided with a spring rod and
handle acting on the said lever to enable the recipient to bring the
needle to the starting point or otherwise to make it correspond in
position with the needle of the transmitting instrument if necessary.
The receiving instrument is also provided with a bell operated by clock-
work set in motion by the air valve to call the attention of the clerk or
recipient.
For short distances the compressed air chamber and pump may he
dispensed with, the transmission of the signals being effected by a
slight impulsion or compression of the air at its ordinary density con-
tained within the conducting tube. For this purpose the ratchet wheel
of the transmitting instrument is caused to operate a piston contained
within a closed cylinder in communication with the conducting tube.
The air displaced by the piston expands a diaphragm used in lieu of
the air escape valve before mentioned by which the receiving instru-
ment is operated as before. The air is thus caused to move to and fro in
the conducting tube but does not escape therefrom as in the former
case. An elastic ball, diaphragm, or bellows apparatus may be sub-
stituted for the piston of the transmitting apparatus if desired.
.
When used on board ship, words of command may be substituted
for the alphabetical letters and signs on the dials of the transmitting and
receiving instruments the ratchet wheels of each being modified to
correspond to the number of orders or words of command, and instead
of an index hand to point to the order on the dial the latter may be
covered by a blank rotating disc having a segmental opening, through
which the required word of command is visible when brought opposite
thereto, so that one order only is scen at a time.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 show a sectional elevation and plan respectively of an
atmospheric telegraph apparatus operating instruments on an alpha-
betical system similar to that known as Breguet's. A is the reservoir
for compressed air, and B. the pump for changing the same, all arranged
and operated as described in reference to the apparatus specified in my
said former Patent. a is the air tube leading from reservoir A in the
direction of the arrow to the receiving instrument at a distant station,
and E is the manipulator for operating the said distant receiving instru-
ment; Fis the receiving instrument of this, apparatus, and it is set in
motion by the transmitting instrument at a distant station, with which
it communicates also by means of tube a, and a branch piece connected
to the main pipe a at 1 by means of a branch piece; b is the stop-cock
for controlling the pressure of the air, as before described..
The transmitting instrument is illustrated on an enlarged scale in part
sectional plan and edge view in Figures 3 and 4. It consists of a
cylinder i fitted on pipe a and communicating therewith. Within this
cylinder a piston or sliding plug works air-tight, so as to cut off the
passage through the air pipe a, except when the passage g' of the plug g
coincides with the pipe a when a jet of air is emitted; gis a spring
placed beneath the piston; ½ is the piston rod which slides in a fixed
guide h¹, and is operated from a lever G pivoted at G³ to the framework
of the apparatus, the other arm G³ of which lever is actuated, by the
teeth of a ratchet wheel H, by whose rotation the lever is oscillated..
This wheel H forms part of the manipulator, and as each of its teeth
passes the arm G³ of lever G it oscillates it and moves piston g, thereby
emitting a jet of air through tube a. Lever G may however be dis-
pensed with by causing the teeth of wheel H to act directly on the
end of piston rod h, as shown in red lines. On the spindle of wheel H
is keyed a handle H¹ working over a fixed alphabetical dial H³ (part of a
which is broken away to show wheel H), the said dial being divided
into segments, cach containing a letter, figure, or sign. By turning
handle E' from zero until it is over any given letter or sign (which is
scen through an opening in the handle) the wheel H is rotated, and as it
has as many teeth as there are divisions or segments of the disc as many
jets of air will be emitted by the piston g as will correspond to the
number of segments the handle H is moved over. The receiving instru-

page_text: ment is provided with a. similar dial and a needle which is moved one.
division by each jet of air, as herein-after described, the said needle.
working synchronously with the handle H².
Figure 5 is a top or face view, and Figure. 6 an. under side or back.
view of the receiving instrument which is actuated by the impulse of.
the air jets emitted by the manipulator. I. is the dial, which is fixed;
and has divisions, letters, and. signs corresponding to dial H³; It is the:
needle or index, on the spindle of which is keyed a toothed wheel I³;.
having as many teeth as there are: divisions in the circumference of the
dial; J is the anchor by which the wheel I' is rotated; it is pivoted. in. a.
suitable frame J¹, in which the wheel is also.mounted. a is the tube'by:
which the jets of air are conveyed to the receiving apparatus. This tube
terminates in a valve socket, and is closed by a valve k (seen in section
in Figure 7), the stem k¹ of which works in a guide ², and bears against.
the anchor J at one side of its fulcrum, so. that when the valve is lifted!.
by the escape of each jet of air. the anchor is oscillated, which rotates
the wheel Is one tooth; and moves the needle to a corresponding extent";
I³ is a spring to oscillate the anchor in the other. direction when the:
valve falls.
Figure 8 is a view of the bell striking mechanism actuated by a
similar valve operated by the air jets conveyed through a tube leading
from a branch pipe-2. This bell is placed at.K in Figure 2,.and serves
to call the attention of the clerk that a message is about to be sent from
a distant station from which the bell is sounded. A cock is provided at
its junction with branch pipe.q to enable the receiving clerk to throw-
the bell mechanism out of gear by cutting off the air communication.:
A chamber (Figure 9) may be provided in connection with the
transmitting and receiving instruments, from which radiate the tubes.
for communicating with several distant stations, as described. in my said:
former Patent...
I will now describe an alphabetical apparatus to be used for short,
distances, acting by the simple impulsion, or temporary compression of
the air in the conducting tube as before referred to, whereby the com->
pressed air chamber is dispensed with.
Figure 10 is a plan and Figure 11. an elevation of the operating parts:
of the transmitting instrument; Figures 12 and 13 are views of a trans-.
mitting apparatus somewhat similar to that shown in Figures 10 and 11,.
but differing therefrom.in the means provided for operating the same;:

page_text: H is the ratchet toothed wheel, the rotation of which oscillates the
lever G, and thereby actuates the rod h, which slides in a guide h¹ and
carries a spring h² to return it and lever G to position after the passage
of each tooth of the wheel. The wheel. H may also be applied to operate
the rod h direct as in Figure 3; H' is the fixed dial divided into segments
and bearing letters or signs, to each of which segments a tooth of
-wheel H corresponds as before; L is a lever handle pivoted or working:
loosely on the spindle of wheel H, and 3 is a smaller ratchet wheel
keyed on the spindle of said wheel H, and having teeth corresponding in
number to the teeth of wheel.H; 4.is. a spring pawl.attaclied to lever L
and gearing with wheel 3, whereby the said wheel. (and consequently
the wheel' H) is rotated to the extent of one tooth for each oscillation of
lever L, the oscillatory movement of which is limited to one tooth of
wheel 3 by suitable stops; 5 is an index needle keyed on the spindle
of wheel H to indicate its movements to the operator. The rod is. 1
attached to a piston working air-tight in cylinder s; a is a portion of
the conducting tube to the distant station, and q¹ is the branch pipe
leading from a pipe a to the receiving instrument (not shown in con-.
nection), and q² are cocks for opening communication in either direction
as before explained; 6,-Figure 11, is a suitable metal framework in which a
the different parts are mounted, but which is omitted in Figure 10.
In Figures 12 and 13 the piston is operated by the rotation of a winoh
handle 7, the lever L, ratchet wheels, and other parts in connection
being dispensed with. The handle 7 is fixed on a spindle 8, on which
is keyed an eccentric 9 which is connected to the rod of the piston; 11 is :
a shaft operated by bevel gearing from spindle 8 and actuating the
pointer 5, which is mounted on a spindle 12 by endless screw gearing;
13 is a ratchet wheel on spindle 8 with which a spring pawl engages to
prevent the handle 7 being turned in the reverse direction.
In either arrangement the movement of the piston whether this is a
effected as in Figures 10 and 11, or as in Figures 12 and 13, gives an
impulse to the air in the conducting tube by a temporary compression
of the air contained in the cylinder s.
The receiving instrument employed with either of the said trans-
mitting instruments is very similar to that before illustrated. It is a
represented on a larger scale in face view Figure 14, and side and top
view Figures 15 and 16. The parts indicated by the same letters are
similar or correspond to those in Figures 5 and 6, a flexible diaphragm w

page_text: being employed to receive the impulsion of the air and set index I'.in
motion by the aid of an anchor J and wheel I'; 14 is a lever pivoted
at 15 to the back of dial I, and which may be caused to act on a nib 16
on the anchor spindle, so as to oscillate the same to enable the
receiving clerk to adjust the index I', and make it correspond in position
with the needle of the transmitting instrument at a distant station when
necessary:
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1st. The combination with the valve or plug g of a toothed or ratchet
wheel H working in connection with an alphabetical dial H³ and
operating the valve g, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and
described in reference to Figures 3 and 4.
2ndly. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
receiving instrument operated by the impulse of a jet of air conveyed to
it through tube a, substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 5
and 6, and again with slight modifications in Figures 14, 15, and 16.
3rdly. Operating the piston of the transmitting instrument Figures 10
and 11 for the purpose described by the rotation of a ratchet wheel H
as set forth.
4thly. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
transmitting instrument Figures 10 and 11, operating substantially as
shown and described.
5thly. The means for simultaneously operating the piston and the
needle of the transmitting instrument, Figures 12 and 13, the piston
being worked by a crank or eccentric, and the needle by bevel and screw
gearing from one main spindle spindle worked by a winch handle as set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augusto Guattari, have hereunto
AUGº. GUATTARI. (L.S.)