Year: 1886

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from
Robert A. Macready of the City, County and State of New York, United States
of America, Broker) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The first part of this invention consists of a tongue having a knob of insulating
material rigidly fixed to one end thereof; said knob is provided with a square
perforation through which a corresponding shaped shank of a secondary knob plays,
said shank in its normal condition extends a trifle below the aforesaid tongue and
is provided with a platinum wire or strip forming one pole of the instrument: said
wire or strip adapted to rest in contact with points of a corresponding metal
secured to the underside of the aforesaid tongue forming the other pole.
The second part of this invention consists of connecting with the aforesaid
tongue a lever fulcrumed to the said tongue in such a manner as will enable one
portion thereof to extend below and parallel with the tongue at the knob end and
extending beyond the same the remaining portion of the lever extending above and
parallel with the tongue at the opposite end thereof where it is provided with a
fixed rod projecting downwardly and carrying at its lower end a suitable weight.
upon which is secured a retracting spring encircling the aforesaid rod which passes
through an elongated slot made in the tongue hereinbefore referred to.
The third part of this invention consists of a detent or locking device fulcrumed
on the lever hereinbefore referred to, and adapted to engage with corresponding
mechanism secured to or integral with the tongue described above.
The fourth part of this invention consists of the binding nut of one pole provided
with a horizontally projecting lip or stud adapted to engage with the periphery or
sides of the screw nut carrying the adjusting spring forming the other pole.
The fifth part of this invention consists of helical retracting springs encircling the
screws beneath the adjusting nuts of the instrument.
In the drawings Figure 1 represents a plan view of the key.
Figure 2 represents a side elevation with parts in section and broken away in
order to illustrate the parts clearly.

page_text: Figure 3 is a detail plan view of the binding nut forming one pole and the nut
carrying the adjusting spring the other pole. Similar letters refer to similar parts
throughout the drawings in which a represents the tongue which is held in position
by and plays in screws on either side of the base k; one end of the tongue a rests
upon the collar 6 mounted on the screw c which enters the vertically projecting
stud d integral with the base k. The collar b is checked by the retracting spring 61.
The other end of the tongue a is provided with the knob e rigidly secured thereto
and having a square opening e¹ made through its vertical centre-said opening e¹
being adapted to receive the correspondingly shaped shank f of the secondary
knob f. The lower end of the square shank f. is provided with the platinum
strip g which is electrically connected with the binding post by means of the
conductor h and the slotted metallic washer i.
The post h is insulated from the base k by means of the insulating sleeve m and
the metallic washer i is held in close contact with the shoulder of the binding post
by the binding nut n. To the underside of the tongue a on either side of the opening
through which the shank passes are properly secured the platinum points g¹
against which rests in close contact the platinum strip 9 held in that position by
the lower extension at of the lever a" which is fulcrumed to the tongue a at 6' and
carrying at its farther end the downwardly projecting rod o which passes through
the elongated slot o¹ of the tongue a. The lower end of the rod o carries the weight o*
to which is secured the retracting spring o³ encircling the rod o but it does not
extend to the tongue a. The lever all is provided with yoke drop latch p fulcrumed
thereto and is adapted to engage with the notch pl made on the upper surface of
the tongue a the operation of which will be described hereinafter. The tongue a
rests on the adjusting spring.r supported by the screw nut mounted on the
screw The turning of the nut will regulate the distance between the
platinum points A and B representing the poles of the circuit and also the throw
of the tongue a.
It will at times become necessary to remove the tongue a and lever all in order
to clean or repair them, in doing so the circuit is broken but is closed by the
binding nut n being turned so that its lip n² will come in contact with the screw
nút thus accomplishing the result required.
When the finger or fingers of the operator are placed on the secondary knob f 1
the pressure causes the platinum strip g to disengage with the platinum points gl
thus breaking the circuit through the lever all further pressure on the knob f¹
causes the tongue a to descend until the points A B are in contact when the circuit
is again completed as in telegraphing.
When the pressure of the fingers shall have been removed from the knob f¹ the
weight o' will descend and cause the end a¹ of the lever a¹ to ascend carrying with
it the square shank f¹ whereby the strip g and points g¹ are again brought in
close contact thus closing the circuit.
If an open circuit is desired for a period of time the end D of the lever a should
be pressed down until the yoke latch p shall drop into the notch p¹ thus separating
the strip and points g g-thus making an open circuit which may be closed by again
pressing down on the lever a" at D and with one finger press down the end E of
the yoke drop latch p at the same time remove the pressure from the lever a¹ when
a closed circuit will be maintained.
..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a telegraphic key the combination of the tongue the fixed knob on the end
thereof with a vertical opening through its centre adapted to receive the shank of
the secondary knob the platinum strip secured to the lower end of said shank the
conductor connected with said platinum strip and the platinum points secured to
the underside of the tongue on either side of the opening through which the shank
passes substantially as shown and described,

page_text: 2. The combination with the operating tongue of a telegraphic key the lever
fulcrummed to said tongue a portion of the lever extending beneath and parallel with
said tongue and projecting beyond the end thereof and a portion of said lever
extending above and parallel with said tongue the rod secured to the underside of
said lever the weight secured to the lower end of the rod the retracting spring
secured to the said weight and encircling said rod substantially as shown and
described.
3. The combination with the tongue and lever of a telegraphic key a detent or
locking device connected with the lever and adapted to work in conjunction with
corresponding means connected or integral with the tongue.
4. The combination with a telegraphic key, the binding nut having a projecting
lip adapted to engage in close contact with the nut carrying the adjusting spring
substantially as shown and described.
5. The combination with a telegraphic key the retracting springs encircling the
screws and resting in close contact with the adjusting nuts mounted on said screws
substantially as shown and described.