IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPHIC PRINTING APPA- RATUS
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Peter Jensen at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
January 1873. A communication from abroad by C. H. G. Olsen,
of Christiania, in the Kingdom of Norway, Engineer.
I, PETER JENSEN, of 89, Chancery Lanc, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPHIC PRINTING APPA-
RATUS," (a communication to me from abroad by C. H. G. Olsen, of
Christiania, in the Kingdom of Norway, Engineer) to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention refers to the perforating apparatus,.
which is provided with a key board, each key having its own letter or
other sign with the exception of two keys which mark intervals between
the words, and give letters and signs alternately. At the top of the
apparatus there is a brass cylinder covered with paper; this cylinder
the whole length of which is provided with a fine threaded screw has at
cach end a centre point to revolve upon. When one of the keys is
touched a needle placed above the cylinder makes a small round hole in
the paper with a certain place on the cylinder. Parallel to the cylinder

page_text: is placed a screw at an elevation equal to that of the cylinder; along this
screw the needle moves, being thus enabled to perforate the paper on the
cylinder on its whole length. Between two side walls there is a shaft
that is made to revolve by means of an ordinary train of wheels; on
this shaft there are applied 28 steel arms emanating like radii from the
axis of the shaft with intervals between them of of the periphery, and
placed along the whole length of the shaft with equal intervals between
them. Beneath each of these arms is a steel finger, the lower end of
which by means of a pin joint is attached to a key of the key board.
When a key is touched the steel finger will be raised so as to pass 1
through an aperture in an arched piece when it will be struck by one of
the arms of the aforesaid revolving shaft. A pin on the steel finger will
bo pushed against an inclined plane on a horizontal lever and raise it till
it stops against a fixed bar, after which the shaft will stop.
.
The lever being raised will make a drum revolve on its centres by 1
which another lever that holds the needle will bring it down, and the
needle will make a hole into the paper on the cylinder under it.
That the shaft with the 28 arms shall not revolve except when a key
is touched a ratchet wheel is applied on one end of the shaft; a pawl that
works into this wheel is connected with a drum transversely to the keys 2
by means of a pin; this drum is provided with 28 pegs all in the same
plane each resting on the key under it; when a key is touched this
drum is made to move, the pin will unlock the pawl from the ratchet
wheel, and the shaft with the 28 arms by means of a train of wheels
will make the cylinder and screw revolve simultaneously with the same
speed, after which it will stop against the fixed bar as before mentioned.
When the finger is removed from the key the drum over the keys will
follow its retrograde movement and allow the pawl to work into the
ratchet wheel before the steel finger has gone down. When the key has
its normal position a spiral spring restores the steel finger to its normal
position.
The mechanism can make 300 revolutions before the weight must be
wound up, and this is exactly the number of the threads of the screw.
In this way from 60 to 80 words can be put on the cylinder.
The needle guide forms a part or one side only of a nut for the screw,
when the screw has carried the needle guide to the end of the cylinder
it can be pushed up by a handle which will force the frame back on

page_text: which the needle guide runs at the same time loosening the needle guide
from the screw. When a cylinder is to be put into the apparatus it is
laid on a couch under the points, this done one of the points is drawn.
back by means of a handle, the cylinder is then raised a little from the
couch and the point brought forward again. That the apparatus may
be able to operate with proper speed one end of the shaft is connected
with a shovel or paddle wheel enclosed in a light wooden case in which
there is some mercury with the object of governing the speed. With
the usual speed one revolution is done in about 0.4 of a second.
The second part of this Invention refers to the printing apparatus
which is provided with a type wheel, on the edge of which letters aro
engraved in the same succession as on the key board. After having per-
forated the paper on the cylinder in the perforating apparatus it is placed
in the printing apparatus between two points. There is also here
parallel to the cylinder a screw with a needle that is trailing against the
paper on the cylinder, when this needle falls into a hole a current is sent
to the line, and the printing mechanism will print the letter or sigu
corresponding to the letter or sign that has made the hole.
On the one side of the type wheel is an ink roller, and under it a slip
of paper is passing on which the letters are printed. As the letters are
printed while the whole mechanism is revolving the rapidity of the
writing is chiefly dependant on the rapidity of the revolution. From
the experiments that have as yet been made it appears that the speed
will scarcely exceed 170 revolutions per minute, and at very great
distances about 150. The rapidity of the writing will also depend on
the number of letters printed in one revolution. If the letters of a word
succeed each other in the same direction as the motion of the type wheel
more letters can be printed than if this is not the case.
The apparatus
allows at most 9 letters to be printed in one revolution. The word
"below" for instance requires only one revolution while the word
'Paris" will require three. In certain cases only one letter can be
printed in one revolution for instance two letters of the same kind.
When two apparatus are to correspond it is necessary that they should
revolve with equal speed (synchronism), and that both type wheels should-
"
66
keen the same position.

page_text: is the third. Vertically upon this there is a fourth vertical shaft which
by bevel wheels can be revolved by the type wheel shaft with the same
speed as the latter. Upon the vertical shaft are placed two wheels, of
which one moves the governor and the other works into a corresponding
wheel to move a shaft, the object of which is to make the cylinder
revolve; this is done by means of a pin. When a movable frame
against which the cylinder is resting is pushed against the cylinder
driving shaft, the pin will strike another pin placed in the centre shaft
of the cylinder. In the frame is a sorew one end of which has a wheel
that works into a corresponding wheel on the centre shaft so as to give
the latter and the screw equal speed. At the other end the cylinder is
supported by a centre point as in the perforating apparatus. Parallel to
the screw is a ruler on the inside of which the needle holder can be
moved along by means of the screw. The needle holder has a case
enclosing a small lever, in one end of which the trailing needle is
attached by a pin joint, and in the other end of which there is a
platinum spring resting between two insulated contact bands of metal.
As long as the needle is trailing on the paper the platinum spring is
kept pressed against the lower band, but as soon as the needle arrives at
a hole in the paper, a spring will drive it into the hole and the platinum
spring will touch the upper band. These bands are attached to the
ruler, being in their whole length provided with a platinum wire along
which the platinum spring can slide. The lower band is united with
the zinc pole of the battery, and the upper band with the copper pole.
When the needle holder by means of the screw is carried down to its
end the ruler can be drawn back from the screw by a handle and the
needle holder by a finger pushed up to the other end. The type wheel
has 28 letters and as many figures and signs engraved in movable bits
of metal attached on pins in the periphery of the wheel, one letter
and one figure or sign placed on the same bit and in the same order as on
the keyboard. The type wheel has a corrector wheel with 28 incisions,
in two of which are the ends of a double armed lever which by a
movable centre is attached to the corrector wheel. On a vertical shaft.
is a corrector screw that fits into the incisions of the corrector wheel in
such manner that it must pass through the incisions when the shaft
makes a revolution. Passing through one of the incisions where the
ends of the double armed lever is it will press the lever against the
centre of the type wheel in such manner that a bar connected with the

page_text: lever will work into a disc that makes the types face to one side or
other as it is desired to have letters or figures printed. When the
corrector screw strikes the opposite end of the double armed lover all
types will turn to the other side, and all figures and signs face the slip
of paper. When the corrector screw is passing one of the incisions no
letter, sign, or figure is above the printing press, and consequently no
printing will take place, but only an advancing motion of the paper.
These two incisions correspond to the two blank keys on the key board.
To the corrector wheel is attached a lever holding a brake of cork,
which by a spring is trailing in a disc. By this means the type wheel
being loose upon the shaft or only held by friction is stopped and
detained while the shaft is continuing its revolution. This is done by
pressing down a pedal, an arm is thereby pulled down and a pawl will
catch a pin in the aforesaid vertical shaft by which the arm is detained,
and a projecting edge of the same will during the course of the type
wheel be struck by the lever of the brake and raise the brake a little out
of the groove in the brake disc. Simultaneously a pin in the corrector
wheel will strike against the said edge and the type wheel will stop
with a blank just above the printing press. When the needle in the
printing apparatus falls into the first hole in the cylinder, which must
ever be done with the blank key to the left on the key board, the
current then sent will only make the vertical shaft revolve once, by
which the pin will let go the pawl, the arm in connection with the
pedal will be raised and let go the brake at the same time as it leaves
the pin in the corrector wheel. The type wheel will thus be locked,
having a certain position to the writing on the cylinder.
I will now describe the printing mechanism itself:-A spring that
can be wound up by a handle drives a train of wheels, among the shafts
of which the printing shaft is the third; this shaft is connected with the
aforesaid vertical shaft by two bevel wheels so that these two shafts
have the same speed. The vertical shaft has on its upper end a steel
disc with fine teeth which work into the edge of a similar disc on a
larger wheel. By this means these discs go together while the printing
shaft is making one revolution, after which a small plane filed on the
edge of the smallest steel disc will face the large wheel which is thus
enabled to continue its revolution while the printing shaft is at rest.
The printing shaft can only make one revolution every time a letter is
to be printed. The speed of this shaft is fourteen times greater than

page_text: that of the large wheel. The corrector screw will by its working into
the corrector wheel move the type wheel forward or backwards so as
to mark equal intervals between the letters. The printing shaft has
two eccentrics, one serves to move an arm which by a pawl works into
a wheel on the printing press that advances the slip of paper, while the
other eccentric works another arm, and with that the printing press,
up to the type wheel with the object of printing a letter on the slip of
paper. The printing shaft has in its other end a clutch that strikes
against one end of a lever, while its other end is resting just above the
armature of the magnet, and as long as the armature is at rest the
printing shaft is locked by this lever; but as soon as the armature
works it strikes the lever out of the clutch and against the edge of an
eccentric under it, by which the printing shaft is set in motion in the
direction of the revolution, in such manner that its working into the
steel disc in the large wheel shall be done quickly and precisely, for it
depends upon this whether the corrector screw will be able to work into
the right incision of the corrector wheel and have the required letter
printed. During the revolution of the printing shaft the eccentric will take
the armature back to its resting place at the magnet, and the lever will
strike against the clutch, locking it till the next letter is to be printed,
on which the same operation is repeated. From the moment the
printing shaft has begun revolving till it has finished one revolution the
type wheel will have advanced as far as the length of two letters,
consequently only every three letters can be printed in one revolution of
the type wheel. If, for instance, the letter A is printed D is the nearest
Jetter that can be printed, B and C being obliged to await another
revolution. Accordingly the needle holder on the perforating apparatus
is given such a great movement in the arch that it will pass by two of
the arms on the shaft with the 28 arms and stop before the third. Thus
by touching the key D immediately after A you can make two holes in
the paper with a short interval and in the same thread of the cylinder,
while B and C after A will have their holes made each in different

page_text: cylinder is applied a screw the top of which is set with a bit of agate on
which the armature is resting. Accordingly by means of this screw the
armature can be made to approach to or be removed from the magnet,
but always attracted by it except when a current is passing through
the coil in a certain direction whereby the magnetism is much
weakened. In the latter case the armature will let go the magnet, and
acted upon by a spiral spring it will be raised and strike against the
aforesaid lever with the clutch. The armature only resting with two
sharp edges on the agate has consequently both a steady resting place.
and a very free movement. In the experiments that have as yet been
made this construction has proved very favourable, viz., the magnet will
work with a very feeble current and the elasticity of the armature is not
so dependant on the power of the current.
The governor is as follows :-In the centre of a round box there is
a vertical shaft made to revolve by a wheel that works into the aforesaid
large wheel. To this shaft is attached a disc near the periphery of
which aro small holes into which the projecting spindle of a motor
pinion can be pushed; at the bottom side of this disc is a wheel into
the teeth of which the motor pinion works; on the top of the disc there
is an S shaped piece that by screws is connected with the wheel gearing
with the motor pinion; thus the motor can move the 5 shaped piece
forwards or backwards. Diametrically to the disc are two movable arms
which in one end hold a brake of cork which works against the wall of
the box, and in the other a spring resting at the eccentric edge of the
S piece with the object of pressing the brake against the wall. Attached
to the shaft is a cross bar with two movable arms at its ends. Each of
these arms hold a weight; when the whole mechanism is revolved by
the aforesaid large wheel the weight will be forced out, pressing the brakes
against the walls. By a certain speed the pressure of these weights will
be so great as to overcome the power of resistrance of the weighted arms.
By giving these springs different elasticity, which is done in the above
mentioned manner, the speed of the governor and the type wheel can bo
precisely governed. The apparatus are set in motion and stopped by a
suitable pawl lever.
By insulating the cores from the permanent magnet it has been
possible to let it work with a current of very short duration, which is of
the greatest importance in this apparatus because the rapid revolving of
the letters will only allow a contact of 17 of a second.

page_text: The printing apparatus has two functions, the revolving of the type
wheel with its shafts, and the printing of the letters; each has one
particular motive power. By this means it is possible by a co-operation
of both powers, which amount to about 46lbs., to print 25 letters
per second or 9 in one revolution of the type wheel.
As regards the type wheel:-When 56 characters with the necessary.
intervals are applied on the periphery of a wheel the speed of the
periphery of such a large wheel on account of the rapidity of the
revolution will be so great that a much greater motive power is required
to make the printing press with due rapidity and precision strike against
the types.
But in this apparatus when the types are movable only
28 characters face in their turn. Thereby the advantage is gained
that the type wheel can be given only half the size than otherwise,
and consequently some motive power is saved.