CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATING INTELLIGENCE FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER
Year: 1846

page_text: NOTT, of the City of Cork, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twentieth day of January, in the ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Nott, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said John Nott, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said John Nott, my executors, admi-
nistrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS OF COMMUNICATING INTELLIGENCE FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said
John Nott, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly
to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled
in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months

page_text: next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, referénce being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Nott, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which is to be performed, is particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):
These Improvements in the Means of Communicating Intelligence from
One Place to Another, consist in certain novel arrangements of apparatus, by
which audible and visible signals can be given, through the agency of electro-
magnetism, from any place (as a railroad station) to another place (as another
railroad station) situate at any distance therefrom.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents the external
appearance of the apparatus, as seen in front; Fig. 2 is a vertical section,
taken transversely through the apparatus nearly in its centre; Fig. 3 repre-
sents the internal construction and arrangement of the working parts of the
apparatus as they would appear if the dial plate and front part of the case were
removed; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the apparatus taken below the
magnets, shewing the mechanism by which the course of the electric fluid may
be changed from the electric telegraph to the signal bell. In all these Figures
similar letters of reference indicate the same parts. In the front of the box or
case enclosing the machinery a circular dial plate is fixed, on which is marked
four series of the letters of the alphabet, which letters are pointed out by
the long arm of the hand or index, and also two concentric circles of
numerals, which latter are indicated by the short arm of the index, as shewn
at Fig. 1. This plate is graduated on its face into ninety-six equal divisions
formed in a circle, and to each of these divisions one of the letters of
the alphabet or one of the numerals refers. Upon the outer end of an
arbor a, passing through the centre of the dial plate, a hand or index b is fixed,
which is carried round upon the face of the dial plate by successive actions of
the mechanism, produced by means of the electric fluid, each successive action
moving the index over one space of the graduated circle, so as to enable the
operator, when he pleases, to leave the point of the index in a state of rest,
opposite to any letter or numeral as the case may be; and by repititions of the
like movements and rests to point to such letters as will spell, or numbers
that will indicate, the word required to be communicated. These actions of
the mechanism are effected by currents of electricity through the. agency
of a

page_text: key or lever, rising or falling by the touch of the operator, as in a pianoforte.
The electric fluid is derived from a galvanic battery or magneto-electric
machine, situate near the apparatus, as at A, B, Fig. 4, and passes by wires
coiled round electro-magnets from one pole to the other pole of the battery.
Two electro-magnets C, C, D, D, are attached to the vertical back board c, c,
of the apparatus, as shewn in Fig. 2 and 3; and in the same plan, nearly con-
centric with these magnets, in a ratchet wheel d fixed upon the arbora, which
latter passes through the centre of the dial plate and carries the hand or
index b. Two lever armatures e, e, are supported by fulcrum axles turning in
the brackets,f, which armatures cross each other, and their movements are
rendered simultaneously a connecting link g, immediately over the axis of the
ratchet wheel d. To the extremities of the inner arms of these lever armatures
two pallets h, h, are connected by joints, which pallets are pressed against the
periphery of the ratchet wheel by delicate springs, causing the pallets to take
into the teeth of the ratchet wheel; and by the rising and falling of the
armatures these pallets move the ratchet wheel round, the extent of action of
the pallets being limited by two latch stops i, j, which give rise to a dead-
beat movement of the index as it is carried round the dial plate. The outer
extremities of the armatures bearupon slight springs k,,fixed to the back board
of the instrument. A third electro-magnet E, E, is affixed to the back board,
as shewn in Figs. 2 and 3, which is designed to give motion to the machinery
of the signal bell attached to the telegraph. The armature of this magnet is
shewn at 1, and is a T-formed lever, supported at the extremities of the edge
of its longitudinal bar by pivots bearing in the brackets m, m, projecting from
the back boards. The arm of this lever passes through an opening in the
back board and lies inclined, as shewn in Fig. 2. When this armature is
attracted by the magnet it will be drawn up into a horizontal position, as
shewn by dots in Fig.2, and in rising the extremity of the arm will take into
the fork at the end of the lever n, and cause the hammer p* to strike upon the
bell or gong
F.
I will now proceed to explain the means by which the electric fluid is con-
ducted from the battery through the wires of the electro-magnets to the corre
sponding apparatus at the distant station. Two wooden cylinders G, H, are
supported on horizontal axles bystandards fixed to the longitudinal support I,I.
Two separate strips ofmetal, as conductors,are passed nearly round the circum-
ferenceof each of these cylinders,leaving unoccupied a non-conducting portion
on each cylinder between the ends of the strips. Upon the support I, I, eight
erect springs a, b,c,d e,f,g, h, are fixed, which springs severally press against
the peripheries of the cylinders G and H. The springs b and c are connected

page_text: by a conducting strip of metal (see Fig. 4), and the springs fan 17 are also
connected in like manner, the latter being perfectly detached or insulated from
the former. A wire i, connected with the pole A of the battery, leads to the
stud K, where it is held fast by a binding screw, and to this stud K the end
of another wire; is soldered, which passes under and is attached to the
operating finger key J, and bonding down terminates immediately over a cup
of mercury K, best seen in Fig. 2. The end of a wire I is soldered to the
erect spring, and is brought round into communication with the mercury in
the cup K. On the key J being depressed by the finger of the operator the
pendant end of the wirej will be brought into contact with the mercury in the
cup K, when the electric fluid from the battery A will be instantly conducted
from the pole A of the battery through the wires i,j, l, to the spring f, and
from the spring f through its connection (see Fig. 4) to the spring 9, and
thence over the band on the cylinder H to the spring h, and from the spring h
by a wire m to one pole of the electro-maguet C, as shewn in Fig. 3. The
electric fluid will then pass through the coils of this magnet Cand thence by
a wire to one pole of the magnet D, and proceeding through the coils of this
magnet D will then descend from its other pole by the wire n to the stud L
(see Fig. 4), to the under part of which stud it is soldered. Another wire o
is attached to this stud L by a binding screw, from which it proceeds to the
telegraph at the distant station, and the current of electricity is by that means
conducted through the electro-magnets of such distant telegraph, which is
precisely similar in construction to the apparatus above described and shewn
in the Drawings. The electric fluid having passed through this course returns
from the distant telegraph by the wire p to the stud M (see Fig. 4), which
wire is secured thereto by a binding screw. Another wire g, soldered to the
under part of this stud M, conducts the electric fluid to the erect spring d,
from whence it proceeds over the band on the cylinder H to the erect spring
c, and from that spring by a wire r to the stud N, from the binding screw of
which another wire s, soldered or connected to the under part of this stud N,
leads the current of electricity to the other pole B of the battery, and thus the
electric circuit is completed. It will now be seen that on the finger of the
operator depressing the key J the pendant end of the wire ; being brought.
of mercury k, will cause the electric fluid from the
battery to pass through the circuit as described. The electric fluid, in pro-
ceeding through the coils of the electro-magnets C and D, develops an
attractive force, which acting upon the lever armatures e, e, attracts the arms
of those levers towards the poles of the magnets, and in so doing raises the
pallets h, h, one of which then moves the ratchet wheel d, and with it the
into contact with the
cup
j

page_text: arbor a and index hand b, through a space equal to one division of the circum-
ference of the dial plate. On raising the finger from the key J the wire is
withdrawn from the mercury cup k, and the circuit of electricity becoming
thereby broken, all the parts will fall into their original position, as shewn in
Fig. 3, and the other pallet will move the ratchet, and thereby cause the
index hand to pass over another space or division of the dial. A repetition of
the touch upon the key J produces the same effect as described, and moves the
index through another space or division of the dial plate, and so on, the
operator resting when the index arrives at any letter or number upon the dial
which he wishes to have noted, and by a succession of these movements and
rests, the letters or symbols of any desired word or words may be indicated at
the distant station. In commencing the telegraphic communication, it is
desirable in the first place to indicate whence it proceeds; this I do by giving
one, two, three, or any other conventional number of strokes on the signal bell.
In order to effect this at the remote station I conduct a current of electricity
in the way above described, but by some slight change in the positions of the
cylinders G, H, of the apparatus, which I will now explain. It has been
already stated that the wooden cylinders G & H have metallic conducting
bands placed partially round them, which bands leave non-conducting portions.
on the periphery of the woolen cylinders. It is by means of these that I am
enabled to change the current of the electric fluid from the telegraph to the
bell, and vice versa, by a simple movement. It will be seen in Figs. 3 and 4,
which represent the conducting wires in connection with the telegraph, that
the crect springs a and e bear against those parts of the cylinder G over
which the metallic bands do not extend, consequently those springsareat this
time insulated; but if the cylinders G, H, were turned round simultaneously
about a quarter of a revolution, the metallic bands of the cylinder G would be
brought into connection with the springsaande, and at the same time the springs
d and would become insulated by having the non-conducting parts of the
cylinder H brought into contact with them. This is effected by the movement
ofa sliding bar Pin front of the apparatus shewn at Fig. 1, which bar is attached
to parallel levers p, p, fixed upon the outer ends of the axles of the cylinders
G, H, the centre of the bar carrying an erect index q. If the bar is slidden
toward the left, as shewn in the Figure, its index q will point to the mark T
above, referring to "telegraph," and the cylinders will be situate as shewnat
Fig. 3, the apparatus being then in a position to communicate with the tele-
graph; but if the bar P be slidden to the right, so that the index 7 points to
the mark B, referring to the "bell," then the cylinders G, H, will be turned
round about a quaiter of a rotation, by which means the conducting bands of

page_text: the cylinder G will be brought into contact with the springs a, e, and the
bands of the cylinder H withdrawn or insulated from the springs d and h.
When the cylinders G,H,have been thus turned round, the electric fluid will
be conducted through the magnet E, E, instead of following the course pre-
viously described. The finger of the operator being now applied to the key J
they clectric fluid will pass from the pole A of the battery by the wires i,j,
and 7, to the spring f, and thence, passing over the band of the cylinder G, will
proceed through the conducting spring e and wire t up to one pole of the
magnet E, E. The electric current will now pass through the coils of the
maguet E, E, and descend by a wire u, leading from the opposite pole of
the magnet, which wire is connected to the wire n, which is soldered to the
stud L, as previously mentioned and shewn at Fig. 4. This causes the electric
fluid to pass from the stud L through the wire o to the distant telegraph, and
return again by the wire p to the stud M, as before explained. This position
of the cylinders G and H being such as to carry the electric fluid through the
coils of the electric magnet E, the lever armature will be drawn up into a
horizontal position, and in doing so cause the hammer p* to be raised and
made to strike the gong or bell F, as shewn by dots in Fig. 2, before explained.
. In Sheet II. of the Drawings I have shewn Figures of certain appendages -
which I propose to adapt to an electric telegraph. These appendages consist,
firstly, of a commutator or pole changer, for reversing the direction of motion
of the electric current; and, secondly, of a rheopeter,for changing the direction
simply of the electric current, these being for the purpose of separating any
number of intermediate stations from the telegraphic circuit, or of connecting
any of those stations with the circuit when desired. Fig. 5 is a front elevation
of the commutator, and Fig. 6 a top view of the same. A is a block of
wood; B, a wooden cylinder turning upon an axle, mounted in standards.
Upon the periphery of this cylinder seven strips of copper are arranged, as
shewn in Fig. 7, which represents the periphery of the cylinder B extended
in a plane. One of these strips of copper a is imbedded transversely in the
periphery of the cylinder; the other six strips b, c, d, and c are also imbedded,
and extend partially round the periphery of the cylinder, these latter strips
being intended to reverse the direction of motion of the electric current.. The
strips and e¹ are directly connected by two wires with b and c, and the
strips d and e are alternately connected with b and c by two wires crossing
each other, one of which forms a communication between 6 and e, and the
other wire g between cand d. These wires and g are insulated from each
other, and deeply imbedded into the cylinder, and they are covered by a
transverse piece of ivory h. Four erect springs i, k, l, and m, are affixed to

page_text: the base block A, their upper parts pressing against the periphery of the
cylinder. A handle n is affixed to the axle for the purpose of turning the
cylinder round, an elongation of the handle forming an index pointing above
to indicate the extent to which the cylinder is to be moved. A wire is attached
to each of the springs for the purpose of connecting this instrument with the
electric current, and by turning the-cylinder to the right or left the direction
of the electric current may be changed, or, in other words, the poles of the
battery may be reversed. Therheopeter is shewn in horizontal view at Fig. 8,
and in vertical section at Fig. 9. A is a circular block of wood, in which
two permanent magnets are imbedded, their poles extending upwards, as at
N, S, N, S°. x, y, z, are three glass cups containing mercury; a, a, is a bar
of soft iron, supported in a horizontal position by the vertical pin b. Round this
bar an insulated copper wire c, c, is coiled, the ends of which extend at right
angles to the bar, and are bent down so as to touch the surface of the mercury.
in the cups. A wire d being supposed to communicate a current of electricity,
say, from London to the mercury in the cup x, that electric current will be
conducted by the wire c to the mercury in the cup y, and from thence pass on
by the wire e to the place of its destination, say Rugby, and thence through.
the remainder of the telegraphic circuit back again to its starting point. As
the electric fluid thus passes the bar a becomes magnetised, and its ends are
attracted by the poles of the permanent magnets S and N*, as shewn at
Fig. 8. If, for example, I wish to cut off the current of electricity from the
telegraph at Rugby, and send it forward direct, say, to Birmingham, I change
the poles of the battery by means of the apparatus shewn at Fig. 5. The
direction of motion of the electric current being thus reversed, it will, in passing
through the wire d, Figs. 8 and 9, cause the ends of the bar a to be attracted
by the reverse ends of the magnets, that is N and S*, by which means the
pendant end of the wire c will be brought from the mercury cup y to the
mercury cup, and the current will then, instead of proceeding through the
wire e, as before, take its course through the wire f, and so on to Birmingham,
by which means I effectually throw out of the circuit the telegraph at the
Rugby Station. When I wish to close the circuit I have said that the key J
of the telegraph apparatus (see Sheet I.), must be depressed. In order to
keep the circuit closed. I pull out the draw stop Q, Q, which draws down a
small lever R into the position shewn by dots in Fig. 2. This lever R keeps
the key in a depressed position, and the instrument is thereby prepared for
receiving communications from a distant telegraph.
In Sheet III. of the accompanying Drawings I have shewn another modifica-
tion of this rheopeter, in which the electro-magnet is made to move in a

page_text: vertical instead of a horizontal plane. The advantage of this latter instrument.
consists in the facility which it affords of changing the local direction of the
electric current, interrupting the current itself in so doing. This results from
the manner in which the wire of the electro-magnet is coiled. Upon each half
of the soft iron bar there is a separate coil of insulated wire; the length of the
wire of each of these coils proceeds from the extremity of the bar to its middle,
and then returns by overlapping to the same extremity of the bar, where
the ends of the wire forming the coil are made to dip into mercury cups. By
this arrangement one of these coils is dextrorsum, and the other sinistrorsum,
relatively to the side of the bar at which the electric current enters the coil.
Then if the electric current be supposed to branch off in two different directions,
and pass from the same side of the bar through these two coils simultaneously,
the electric current would flow in the same direction through both coils, and
consequently the polar unity of the resulting electro-magnet would be pre-
served. It is then obvious that when the electric current enters either coil
from the same side of the bar a similar polarity results, and a corresponding
motion is communicated to the bar by the influence of the permanent
magnets, as will be subsequently described; and when the electric current
enters either coil from the opposite side of the bar, the polarity and
consequently the motion of the bar are thereby reversed. In these alter-
nating motions, when the bar becomes horizontal, as seen in the Drawing,
the ends of the two coils are immersed in the mercury cups, and
therefore, without interrupting the electric current, its local direction may
be changed by depressing either end of the bar, as I shall now point
out in the following description of the several parts of the instrument.
Fig. 10 is a plan view of the instrument, and Fig. 11 is a vertical section,
taken in the dotted line 1. . 2, of Fig. 10.
A is a block of wood forming
the base N¹, S¹. N, S, are two permanent magnets, having their similar
poles opposite, and in the same vertical plane. These magnets are fixed
to the base A by the brass clamps C, C.
dards screwed to the base, and carrying set
which form the bearing points of the horizontal axle E, which passes
through the soft iron bar F. Round one half of this bar a double coil G of
insulated wire is wound. The ends of this wire dip into the mercury cup H
and I. Round the other half of this said bar there is a similar coil K of wire,
the ends of which dip into the mercury cups L and M. The two mercury
cups Land H, at the same side of the bar, are both connected by the
wires P1, P, with the stud O, to which the main circuit wire V is fastened by
a binding screw. The mercury cup M is connected by the wire S with the
D, D, are two brass stan-
screws with sunken centres,

page_text: stud T, to which, by a binding screw, the current-entering wire u of the tele-
graph is fastened. The mercury cup I is connected by the wire Q with the
stud R, which latter is connected by the small branch wire w with the current-
issuing wire of the telegraph, which passes to the remote terminus. Now, for
example, suppose the electric current to be passing from the stud O to the
mercury cup L, it will then pass through the coil of wire K to the mercury cup M,
and so on through the current-entering wire U of the telegraph. The electric
current now passing through a sinistrorsum coil, the extremity Y of the iron
bar becomes a north pole, and the other Z a south pole; this extremity Y of
the bar is then repelled by the pole N¹of the permanent magnet, and attracted
by the pole S¹; it therefore descends and releases the ends of the coil G
from the mercury cups H and I. The telegraph is then within the electric
circuit. If the direction of motion of the electric current be now changed,
the current-entering wire U becomes the current-issuing wire, and the stud
R is now connected with the current-entering wire; the electric current
then
passes from the stud T to the mercury cup M, and thence through the
coil K to the mercury cup L, and so on to the main wire V. As the electric
current in this case passes through the coil K from the opposite side of the
bar, this said coil is thus rendered dextrorsum; the polarity of the iron bar is
therefore changed; the end Z becomes a north pole, and the end Y a south
pole. This end. Y of the bar is therefore repelled by the pole S¹ of the
permanent magnet, and attracted by the pole N¹. The extremity Y.of the
bar is therefore raised from its inclined position, as in the first instance, and
releases the ends of the coil K from the mercury cups L and M at the same
time that its other extremity, being depressed, immerses the ends of the coil G
in the mercury cups H and I, and this immersion takes place before the ends
of the coil K leave the mercury cups L and M. As the stud R is now
externally to the telegraph connected with the current-entering wire, the
electric current, instead of passing through the telegraph, branches off to the
stud R, then passes to the mercury cup I, thence through the coil G to the
mercury cup H, and so on to the main wire V. The telegraph is thus, without
any interruption of the electric current taking place, put out of the circuit;
and as the electric current now passes through a sinistursum coil, the bar
retains its position until the direction of motion of the electric current be
again reversed, in order, when necessary to bring the telegraph again within
the circuit.
Fig. 9*, in Sheet II., represents in elevation one of the posts for supporting
the circuit wires of the telegraph along the line of communication. This
post A is of wood, and is to be sunk about five feet into the earth, the sunken

page_text: portion being imbedded in Roman cement, or any other hydraulic mortar, as
indicated in the Drawing. B is a wooden lantern-shaped box, completely
covering about sixteen inches of the upper end of the post, so as to protect
this portion of the post (which is to be well varnished) from the humidity of
the atmosphere. This box is made in two parts; C, the cover, is of a pyra-
midical form, and is firmly fixed on the top of the post. The case is made to
slide up and down upon the post, and is fastened to the cover so as to com-
pletely envelope the varnished portion of the post, and the broad binding screw
clamps thereon, which carry the telegraphic wires. Nometal whatever is used
in the construction of this box, to the outside of which an insulated lightening
conductor passing down to the earth is attached.
Having now described my Improvements in the Means of Communicating
Intelligence from One Place to another, I desire it to be understood that the
particular features of novelty which I claim under the above in part recited
Letters Patent are,-
Firstly, the construction and use of the direct-action electro-magnetic tele-
graph, as herein-before described, and particularly the arrangement of the
letters or symbols on the dial plate, and in the means applied to communicate
direct circular motion to the ratchet wheel and the index by the alternate
motion of two jointed lever armatures working simultaneously by being con-
nected with one another in the prolongation of the vertical diameter of the
wheel, the pendant portions of these lever armatures forming thepallets of the
escapement, and taking into the teeth of the ratchet wheel, their ascending and
descending motions being regulated by the latch stops, which produce a dead-
beat escapement. And I would further observe that I claim this said escape-
ment whether it be worked by two levers, as described, or by one lever only.
Secondly, the adaptation of the electro-magnets of the telegraph, as herein-
before described and represented in the Drawings, whereby they form what
may be called a magnetic circle, and attract the extreme and mediate ends of
the armatures simultaneously when the electric circuit is closed; and by the
proximity of the bell, electro-magnet, and its armature, one edge of which is
always in contact with the poles of the said magnet, the reactive force of elec-
trical induction is brought to bear so as instantly to destroy the attractive force
of the electro-magnets of the telegraph as soon as the electric circuit is
opened.
:
Thirdly, the arrangement of the machinery of the signal bell of the tele.
graph, as herein-before described.
Fourthly, the means employed for throwing the telegraph out of the electric
circuit,and bringing the striking machinery of the bell into the electric circuit,

page_text: and vice versa, and also of permanently closing the said circuit by means of a
lever and draw stop, as exhibited in the Drawing.
Fifthly, in the means of communicating with all the stations simultaneously,
or throwing any of the said stations out of communication at pleasure, by the
employment of the commutator and rheopeter, as herein-before described
And, lastly, I desire it to be understood that I claim the said improvements,
however they may be varied in their constructive details, so long as the general
arrangement of parts as above set forth is retained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Nott, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twentieth day of July,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid John Nott came before our
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained,in form above written. And
also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the same Twentieth day of July, in the year above written.