IMPROVEMENTS IN GIVING SIGNALS AND SOUNDING ALARUMS IN DISTANT PLACES BY MEANS OF ELECTRIC CURRENTS TRANSMITTED THROUGH METALLIC CIRCUITS
Year: 1837

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FOTHERGILL COOKE, of Breeds Place, Hastings, in the County of Sussex,
Esquire, for myself and for CHARLES WHEATSTONE, of Conduit Street, Hanover
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS we did by petition humbly represent unto His late most Excel-
lent Majesty King William the Fourth, that after considerable application
and expence we had invented "IMPROVEMENTS IN GIVING SIGNALS AND SOUNDING
ALARUMS IN DISTANT PLACES BY MEANS OF ELECTRIC CURRENTS TRANSMITTED
THROUGH METALLIC CIRCUITS;" and His said Majesty being willing to give
encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for the public good,
was graciously pleased, by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twelfth day of June last (One thousand eight hundred and thirty-
seven), in the seventh year of His reign, for Himself, His heirs and successors,
to give and grant unto us, the said William Fothergill Cooke and Charles
Wheatstone, our executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that we or they, by ourselves or them-
selves, or by our or their deputies, servants, or agents, or such others as we
or they should agree with (and no others), during the term of fourteen years.
from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend our said Invention, within that part of His said Majesty's
Dominions called England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in
such manner as to us, our executors, administrators, and assigns, shall seem
A

page_text: neet, and as we or they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage arising by
reason of the said Invention during the said term of fourteen years; and for
that end His said Majesty requires and strictly commands all His subjects
whatsoever that they shall not, neither directly nor indirectly, make, use, or
put in practice our said Invention, or any part thereof, nor in anywise coun-
terfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor make any addition thereto or sub-
traction therefrom, whereby to pretend himself or themselves to be the inventor
or inventors thereof; and whereas the said Letters Patent contain a proviso,
obliging us, the said William Fothergill Cooke and Charles Wheatstone, par-
ticularly to describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
our bands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, and to cause the
same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent, as in and by the same (reference being thereunto had), will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Fothergill Cooke, for myself and for the said Charles Wheatstone,
do hereby declare that our said Invention is described and ascertained in
manner following and by the aid of three Sheets of Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :--
I shall first describe certain apparatus or mechanism which is constructed
according to our said improvements for giving signals and sounding alarums in
distant places by means of electric currents transmitted through metallic cir-
cuits; and then, at the conclusion of this our Specification, I shall point out
the particular improvements whereof the exclusive use is granted by the said
Letters Patent.
The description of the apparatus or mechanism will be facilitated by con-
sidering it as being composed of the following principal portions, which operate
in concert for giving signals or sounding alarums in distant places :-One of
those portions is situated at a convenient place (which may be called a
terminus) and adapted for being operated upon by a person who intends giving
signals or sounding alarums in distant places. Another portion (with dupli-
cates of it if required) is situated at the distant places where other persons are
to receive the intended signals or alarums, and is adapted for exhibiting such
And note, there may be if required
signals or sounding such alarums.
several duplicates of the last-mentioned distant portion situated one beyond
another in different distant places, all which duplicates will operate simul-
taneously, that is, they will exhibit like signals (or they may sound like

page_text: alarums) in all the several more and more distant places at the same time.
but the place where the most remote of all the said duplicates is situated may
be called the distant terminus. And for communicating between the several
portions of the apparatus which are situated as aforesaid at a distance onc
from another, a number of metallic rods or wires, which are suitably arranged
and prepared for conducting electric currents throughout their lengths, are
extended from the first-mentioned terminus and portion of the apparatus afore-
said, to reach through all the other aforesaid more and more distant portions
thereof, to that portion which is at the distant terminus; the arrangement
of the said conducting wires being such that they form as many distinct lines of
extension or courses capable of conducting electric currents from one terminus
to the other as there are wires, each wire being kept distinct or insulated from
all the other wires; also, that in extending from the first-mentioned terminus
and portion of the apparatus to the nearest duplicate of the distant portion
thereof (if there be any such duplicate), and in thence proceeding onwards to
another more distant duplicate, and so on to the most remote of those dupli-
cates which is situated at the distant terminus, each wire must preserve its own
continuous course of extension distinct and insulated from all the other wires,
so as to be qualified for transmitting or conducting an electric current through-
out its whole length, from the first-mentioned terminus and portion of the
apparatus to the most distant portion thereof at the other terminus, without
interruption to the continuity of the said current in passing through as many
duplicates of that most distant portion as may be established at intermediate
places between the two termini. But note. It is not an essential part of the
apparatus that there should be any such duplicates of the distant portion, for
in cases where it is not required to give signals or sound alarums at any inter-
mediate places between the two termini, the first-mentioned portion of the
apparatus being situated at one terminus as aforesaid, and the other distant
portion thereof being situated at the other terminus, the several conducting
wires will extend from one terminus and portion to the other terminus and
portion, the several wires being in all cases insulated and kept distinct one
rom another. And further, the first-mentioned portion of the apparatus which
s situated at one of the termini as aforesaid should be provided with somie
uch kind of electric apparatus as is usually termed a voltaic battery, and
which may be on any construction which is capable of exciting or producing
lectric currents through metallic circuits, that is to say, if one end of a great
ength of insulated conducting rod or wire of metal (forming a continuity of
netal) is brought into contact with one pole of such a battery, and the other
nd of the same wire is brought into contact with the other pole of the same

page_text: battery, so that such rod or wire forms what is termed a metallic circuit, then
a continuous electric current will be transmitted throughout all the length of
such wire or metallic circuit in consequence of a continual transmission of
clectric action, which as soon as such a circuit is formed begins to proceed
from one pole of the battery and along or through all the length of the conduct-
ing wire with a very great velocity of transmission, in order to return to the
other pole of the same battery, the electric current thereby performing a circuit
from the battery and back again thereto; and the said electric current or trans-
mission of electric action in a circuit will continue without interruption or
cessation so long as the metallic circuit is maintained, that is, so long as the
aforesaid contacts of the two ends of the conducting wire with the two poles of
the battery (and so long as the continuity of metal throughout the whole length
of that wire) is continued, provided that the battery is kept in working order;
but note, by continuity of metal in the conducting wire it is not meant that
the whole length of such wire is necessarily made of one unbroken piece of
metal, but merely that the ends of every separate piece of metal whereof
the whole length is composed are effectually connected together with suitable
contacts for conducting electric currents, and the person who intends giving
signals or sounding alarums at a distance can do so by application and
pressure of his hands or fingers upon suitable buttons or finger keys,
belonging to that first-mentioned portion of the apparatus which is situated
at one terminus, the mechanism of those buttons or keys being adapted
(according as they may be pressed) for establishing the requisite contents
and connections between the poles of the voltaic battery and the ends of
certain of the said conducting wires, so as to form those particular wires into
a metallic circuit for the transmission of an electric current from one pole of
the battery along one or more of the said particular wires to the distant
portion of the apparatus at the other terminus, and thence back again through
some other (or some others) of the said particular wires, to return to the other
pole of the same voltaic battery, and thereby perform an electric circuit. The
manner whereby such an electric current through a metallic circuit is caused
to give signals or sound alarums in distant places will be herein-after explained
The said electric current which is so transmitted through those particula
wires, which are thus formed into a metallic circuit passes without interruptio
to the continuity of the current in making its progress from the battery throug
all the several duplicates of the distant portion of the apparatus, which ma
as before explained be situated at intermediate places between the two termin
or else the said current repasses without interruption to the continuity of th
current in making its return towards the battery through all the said dupl

page_text: cates; but in either case the electric current is caused to produce a like and
simultaneous effect upon all the several distant portions of the apparatus,
that is to say, whatever effect the electric current produces upon the most
remote portion of the apparatus which is situated at the distant terminus, it
will also produce a like and simultaneous effect upon all the several duplicates
of that portion which may be situated at intermediate places between the two
termini. And the said transmission of such an electric current will continue
so long as the pressure is continued on the aforesaid buttons or finger keys,
but no longer, because the metallic circuit is broken and becomes null the
instant that the said buttons or keys are released from pressure, and that a
cessation thereby takes place in those contacts and connections which had
been for the time established as aforesaid between the two poles of the voltaic
battery and certain of the conducting wires, in order to form those particular
wires into a metallic circuit for the transmission of an electric current
through them as aforesaid. And note.-By applying pressure of the hand
or fingers upon other suitable buttons or finger keys, amongst divers such with
which the said first-mentioned portion of the apparatus is provided, contacts
and connections may be formed between the aforesaid ends of the particular
conducting wires before mentioned, and the contrary poles of the said voltaic
battery to those poles thereof with which the same ends were before con-
nected; wherefore, although the same metallic circuit will be formed amongst
the several conducting wires as before, nevertheless, the transmission of the
electric current will take place in a contrary direction through that metallic
circuit, and such reversal of the direction of the transmission of the electric
current through the same metallic circuit is caused to produce corresponding
differences in the appearance and signification of the signals, which are given
(in manner herein-after described) in distant places by transmission of an
electric current through the same metallic circuit. And note. By pressure
upon other suitable buttons or finger keys amongst a diversity thereof, the
ends of other of the conducting wires with which the apparatus is provided
may be connected with the poles of the battery, so as to be formed (in like
manner as already described) into a metallic circuit, but which will be a different
circuit from that already described, because it will be formed by different
wires. And so according to the number of conducting wires with which the
apparatus is provided several distinct metallic circuits may be formed, and the
transmission of an electric current through each of such different metallic
circuits as may be formed, (although excited by the same battery, may be caused
to give a different signal in distant places, each of which signals is susceptible
of two different significations, according as the current is caused to proceed

page_text: direction.
through the particular metallic circuit in one direction or in the contrary
And note also, the apparatus or mechanism may be so arranged
as that by pressure upon suitable of the said buttons or finger keys, two (or
in some cases more) of the said different metallic circuits may be formed out
of the several conducting wires at the same time, for the cotemporaneous
transmission of two or more distinct electric currents which may be excited
by the same battery; and although each of such currents should only give one
signal (with one or other of those two significations which belong thereto, accord-
ing to the direction in which the current acts), nevertheless, the combination or
concurrent exhibition of two or more signals by means of as many distinct
electric currents may have a different signification to that signification which
would appertain to the exhibition of either of the signals by itself. But note,
two concurrent signals may be exhibited at the same time without forming two
distinct currents as last mentioned, but by the transmission of only one electric
current through one metallic circuit, because as each circuit is composed of
two conducting wires united for the time into one circuit, cach wire may be
considered as one half of that circuit, and the electric current in proceeding
along one wire or half of the circuit in a direction from the battery towards
the distant terminus may give one signal, and the same current in returning
along the other wire or half of the circuit, in a direction towards the battery
(in order to complete its circuit) may give another signal, the simultaneous
and concurrent exhibition of which two signals may have a different significa-
tion from that which would appertain to the exhibition of either of the signals by
other
itself, or to the concurrent exhibition of either of the said signals with any
signal with which it might be brought into concurrence. But notwithstanding
that two cotemporaneous signals may be thus exhibited in concurrence by
transmission of only one electric current through one metallic circuit which
is composed of two wires, nevertheless, the two signals which are so brought
into concurrence may be differently paired, or their concurrence may be
diversified at the pleasure of the operator, because if each distinct conducting
wire out of a number of such is adapted to produce its appropriate signal by
transmission of an electric current through that particular wire, then by
pressure of suitable buttons or keys as aforesaid any two of such wires may
be conjoined into one metallic circuit, and the electric current which i
transmitted through that circuit will exhibit two concurrent signals, which
may (at the pleasure of the operator) be the concurrence of any two of th
whole number of individual signals which the several wires are qualified t
produce individually. And by virtue of the several means above describe
the apparatus or mechanism may be arranged so as to be qualified t

page_text: form (at the pleasure of the operator) a variety of different metallic
circuits, each such circuit being adapted to give its own appropriate
signal; but nevertheless, the electric current which will be transmitted
through each of those circuits can be made to give two different signi-
fications to the signal belonging to that circuit, according to the direc-
tion of the current. Or the apparatus or mechanism may be so arranged
as to be capable of forming two or more metallic circuits with a dis-
tinct electric current through each circuit at the same time, in order
to exhibit two (or in some cases more) signals in concurrence. Or the
apparatus or mechanism may be so arranged as to be capable of giving two
signals in concurrence by the transmission of an electric current through one
metallic circuit, with capability of diversifying the concurrence of the two
signals, which will be brought into concurrence by the formation of one
metallic circuit, and hence by one or other or all of those various means a
sufficient diversity of signals, and change in the significations of those signals,
can be given in distant places for constituting a telegraphic language or mode
of communicating letters of the alphabet and numeral or symbolic characters.
And furthermore, the manner whereby the aforesaid transmission of electric
currents through metallic circuits is caused to give signals or to sound alarums
in distant places is either by the angular motions which such currents are
capable of giving to metallic needles which are poised upon centres of motion
and placed in suitable proximity to the said conducting wires through which
such currents are transmitted, or else by the attractive force of occasional
magnetism which such currents are capable of exciting in masses of iron which
are not magnets themselves, but which are placed in suitable proximity with
the said conducting wires through which such currents are transmitted, or else
by the evolution of gas proceeding from water which is decomposed by causing
such electrical currents to pass through it, or else by any two or by all of the
said modes of action combined, in such manner as is suitable for giving such
signals or sounding such alarums at a distance, as may be required. And
respecting the adaptation of magnetic needles for giving signals, the same may
be made like compass needles, but fixed on axes passing through their centres
of motion, and these axes mounted delicately on pivots at their ends, in the
nanner of the arbors of watch wheels, so as to render the needles capable of
noving very freely with angular motion about their centres of motion. Each
eedle must have some slight tendency given to induce it to point in one
particular direction whenever it is left to itself uninfluenced by the electrical
urrent; the simplest (and perhaps the best) mode of giving such a tendency is
by gravitation, in which case the axis of the needle must be horizontal or

page_text: left to itself.
nearly so, and one end of the needle being made rather heavier than the other
that heavy end of the needle will always point downwards when the needle is
And whenever the needle does so point upwards and downwards
it denotes that it is quiescent or at rest, and that it is not giving any signal.
One of the conducting wires before mentioned is disposed vertically or in a
direction parallel to the needle when the same is at rest, the wire being
situated as near to the needle as can be to avoid touching; and when an
electric current is transmitted in manner already explained through the said
wire, so as to pass in proximity to the needle, that current will give the needle
a slight tendency to move about its centre with an angular motion or deflection
from its previous parallelism to the wire. If the transmission of the current
through the wire is in one direction, the needle will acquire a slight tendency
to deflect one way from the said parallelism, but if the transmission is
in the contrary direction the tendency will be to deflect the other way.
But note, as the tendency to deflection thus given to the needle is but
slight, it requires to be multiplied by the same means as is resorted to
for a like purpose in the instruments known by the name of galvanometers,
that is, by causing the conducting wire to form many convolutions around
the needle or around a narrow space within which the needle is left at
liberty to move, but without touching any of the convolutions that the wire
makes, the order of the said convolutions of the wire being such as that the
wire shall always transmit the electric current in one direction at one side
of the plane in which the needle moves, but shall transmit the current in the
contrary direction at the other side of that plane. To produce such convolutions
of the wire it must be coiled around the space in which the needle moves, all
the ascending parts of the coils being at one side of the needle (that is, towards
one end of its axis), and all the descending parts of the coils being at the
other side of the needle (or nearer to the other end of its axis). With this
arrangement of the conducting wire each ascending as well as descending part
of the several coils will transmit the electric current in the proper direction for
giving the needle a tendency to deflection one way or other, according to the
direction in which the current is transmitted through the coiled wire, and the
concurrence of an adequate number of such coils may be made to multiply the
before-mentioned slight tendency of the needle to deflection until it becomes
sufficient to turn the needle (notwithstanding the gravitation of its heavy end)
with a sudden and decided motion to one side or other of its quiescent or vertical
position the instant that the transmission of an electric current through the wire
is commenced by the formation of two of the conducting wires into a metallic
circuit by pressure on suitable buttons or finger keys, as already mentioned.

page_text: The extent of deflection or angular motion that the needle is permitted to
perform in consequence of the tendency to deflection which it then acquires is
limited by fixed stops, and the instant that by pressure on the said buttons a
metallic circuit is formed, and an electric current begins to be transmitted
through the coils of wire, the needle moves suddenly from its quiescent or
vertical position until it comes to rest in an inclined position against one of its
said stops, and it will remain motionless in that inclined position so long as the
current is continued; and when the needle is at rest in such an inclined
position it will point to some character, letter, figure, or symbol which is
marked on a suitable dial or tablet, and it is by so causing the needle to point
to such character, letter, figure, or symbol, that a signal is given. When the
needle is thus made to incline to one side of its quiescent or vertical position
as far as its stop will allow, it will point to and signify one character, letter,
figure, or symbol on the dial or tablet; but when by reversing the direction
of the electric current through the coiled conducting wire, as already men-
tioned, the needle is made to incline to the other side of its quiescent or
vertical position, it will point to and signify a different character, letter, figure,
or symbol on the same dial or tablet. And the instant that the electric current
through the coiled conducting wire is discontinued by releasing the buttons or
finger keys from pressure, and thereby breaking or nullifying the metallic
circuit through which the electric current was transmitted, then the needle
returns by the gravitation of its heavy end to its quiescent or vertical position,
in which it will not point to or signify any character, letter, figure, or symbol
on the dial or tablet, and the needle will remain at rest in that quiescent or
vertical position until the transmission of an electric current is resumed in
manner before stated. And it will in most cases be expedient to affix another
second magnetic needle upon the same axis as that needle already mentioned,
which is included in the space within the coils of the conducting wire, as afore-
said, the said second needle being parallel to the former, but so far along the
axis thereof as to be beyond or exterior to those coils of the wire within which
the first described or principal needle is situated. The second needle, which
may be called the exterior needle, must be reversed end to end in respect to
the first described or principal needle, which may be called the interior needle,
that is to say, if the north pole of one needle points directly upwards when
they are both in their vertical or quiescent position, the north pole of the other
needle must point directly downwards. By this reversal of the poles the exterior
necdle will be in proper relative position in respect to those coils of the con-
ducting wire which are nearest to it, so as to be suitably situated for
receiving the deflecting influence of those coils, and therefore the exterior

page_text: needle will be caused to concur with the interior needle in assuming the
required inclining position. Also by their reversed poles the two needles
neutralize each other's terrestrial magnetism or tendency to assume the
direction of dipping needles or of compass needles, the two needles when
thus reversed forming what is well known by the term of an astatic com-
bination. The exterior needle is that which should point to the characters,
letters, figures, or symbols which are marked on the dial or tablet before
mentioned, in preference to the interior needle, which is too much concealed
within the coils of the wire to be convenient for that purpose; the axis of the
two needles may pass through the plane of the said dial or tablet, and have the
exterior needle fixed on at the front of that plane, the coils of conducting wire
and the interior needle being behind the same plane. And note, it must be
understood in all cases not only that the several conducting wires with which
the apparatus is provided are effectually insulated one wire from another wire,
as before mentioned, but also the different coils which the same wire is caused
to make as aforesaid around the space in which the interior needle is included
are also effectually insulated one coil from another adjacent coil, in order that
the electric current which is to be transmitted through the conducting wire
may be really transmitted from one end of each wire to the other end thereof,
without being able to find a shorter course or circuit by lateral transmission
out of one coil or wire into another adjacent coil or wire. The requisite
insulation of the wires may be made in the usual manner of preparing the
wire used in the instruments called galvanometers, viz., by surrounding or
covering the metal of the wire with coils of thread, of silk, or cotton, or other
suitable substance, and such thread covering may be coated with some suitable
resinous varnish which will be impervious to moisture. An apparatus or
mechanism containing a suitable number of magnetic needles of the kind above
described (astatic or otherwise), for pointing to or exhibiting upon a suitable
dial or tablet all the various characters, letters, figures, or symbols which are
intended to be used in giving signals in distant places, is to be provided at
that portion of the apparatus which is situated at the distant terminus herein-
before mentioned, and if required duplicates of the same apparatus or
mechanism are to be provided at any intermediate places between the two
termini where simultaneous and like signals are required to be given. Also
another such duplicate is to be provided at the herein-before first-mentioned
terminus, in view of the operator who intends to give signals in the several
more and more distant places (the most remote whereof is the distant
terminus), by aid of the other several duplicates of the said apparatus or
mechanism. The conducting wires must be arranged so that there is one

page_text: such wire for each of the astatic or other needles which is contained as
aforesaid in every duplicate of the apparatus, that one wire first making its
convolutions or series of coils around one of the needles in the duplicate
which is situated at the first terminus in view of the operator, thence extending
onwards in continuatiou from the endmost of those coils to the next nearest
duplicate apparatus, and there making like convolutions around the corre-
sponding needle thereof, then extending onwards to the next nearest duplicate,
and making alike coils around its corresponding needle, and so on to that
apparatus which is situated at the distant terminus, where the same wire must
also make like convolutions around the corresponding needle of that apparatus.
In like manner another such conducting wire which is insulated from the other
wires is extended in a similar course of coiling round another needle in each
of the several duplicates of the apparatus, and so with other wires, in order
that every distinct needle in each duplicate may have its distinct insulated
wire, but that all the corresponding needles in each duplicate may be con-
nected by the same wire. There may also be an additional wire (or wires)
extending direct from one terminus to the other without making any coils or
having any connection with any needles. Now, if one of the before-mentioned
wires which is connected with a set of corresponding needles is formed (by
pressing suitable buttons or finger keys) into a metallic circuit by conjunction
with a wire which has no connection with any needles, then the electric current
which is transmitted through that circuit will cause simultaneous and like
motion in all the said corresponding needles, but in no others. If such current
is transmitted in one direction, all those said corresponding needles will incline
one way, and will all point to and signify one and the same character, letter,
figure, or symbol on their respective dials or tablets; but if the current is
transmitted in a contrary direction the same needles will incline the other
way, so as to point to and signify another character, letter, figure, or symbol
on their said dials or tablets. That duplicate of the portion of the apparatus
which contains needles, and which, as before mentioned, is placed at the
terminus in view of the operator, enables him to see what signals he is
actually giving when he presses particular buttons or finger keys, and thereby
he may avoid making mistakes. The apparatus containing needles at the
distant terminus will exhibit like signals, which may be observed by the person
who is to receive them, and so will the several duplicates of the apparatus
containing needles, which may be situated at different intermediate places
between the two termini, for, as before mentioned, the needles belonging to
every distant portion of the apparatus will exhibit the same signals at the same
time. It is obvious that by releasing the last-mentioned button or finger keys,

page_text: and pressing others instead thereof, another of the before-mentioned con-
ducting wires which is connected with another different set of corresponding
needles from those last mentioned may be formed into a metallic circuit with
the same (or with another) wire which has no connection with any needles, and
then the same effects as before mentioned will be produced, but upon different
needles, and will therefore give different signals; and so on any other one of
those wires which, as before mentioned, is connected with a set of corre
sponding needles may, whenever it is required, be formed into a metallic circuit
for bringing into operation and giving signals by the corresponding needles to
which that wire belongs; but so long as only one needle in each duplicate of the
apparatus or mechanism containing needles is rendered operative at the same
time, so long will the signals thereby given be confined within a series of simple
significations or two significations to each needle, according as it is made
to incline and point one way or the other way, And in order to bring two or
more needles in each duplicates into concurrent operation at the same time, so
as to obtain diversity of significations from their concurrence, two or more
distinct metallic circuits may (by pressure upon suitable of the buttons or
finger keys) be formed at the same time out of two or more of those wires
which have no connection with needles, together with as many of those wires
which belong to sets of corresponding needles, and then the transmission of a
distinct electric current through each such circuit, although from the same
battery, will actuate two or more needles at once in each of the duplicates of
the apparatus containing needles. And it is obvious that any two of the
needles contained in each duplicate may be thus brought into concurrent
operation, according as the buttons or finger keys are pressed. Or instead of
thus forming two or more distinct metallic circuits for transmission of as
many distinct electric circuits, another and more convenient mode of obtaining
the same result of actualing two needles at once, is to form a metallic circuit
by conjunction of any two of those conducting wires before mentioned, whereof
each one is connected with its own set of corresponding needles, and then the
one electric current which will be transmitted through the metallic circuit so
formed will actuate both such sets of corresponding needles, that is, it will
actuate two needles in each of the duplicates of the apparatus containing
needles. And by pressure on suitable of the buttons or finger keys any two of
the said last-mentioned conducting wires may be formed into the one metallic
circuit, which, as aforesaid, is to bring two needles into concurrent and cotem-
poraneous operation, wherefore any two out of the whole number of needles
in each duplicate of the apparatus containing needles may be so brought into
concurrent and cotemporaneous operation, and that is done without making

page_text: use of any of those other wires before mentioned which have no connection
with any needles; but one of the latter wires must be used for forming
part of any metallic circuit whereby it is required to bring only one of the
needles in each duplicate apparatus into operation by the electric current
which is transmitted through that circuit; and in cases where it may be
required to bring three of the needles in each duplicate of the apparatus into
concurrent and cotemporaneous operation, the same may be done by forming
two distinct metallic circuits for two distinct electric currents, one of those
circuits being formed by conjoining one of the said wires which has no con-
nection with any needles to one of the wires belonging to a particular set of
needles, the other circuit being at the same time formed by conjunction of two
other of the last-mentioned wires belonging to particular sets of needles. But
note, three needles in each duplicate apparatus may be brought into concurrent
and cotemporaneous operation by one electric current, if the metallic circuit
for that current is formed by coupling two of the wires which belong to
particular sets of needles with one pole of the battery, and only one such
wire with the other pole of the same battery, in which case one half of the
circuit will consist of one wire, but the other half thereof will consist of the
said couple of wires, wherefore the transmission of the electric current through
the last-mentioned half of its circuit will be divided between the two wires of
the said couple, and although so divided it will actuate both the sets of needles
belonging to those two wires at the same time that the corresponding trans-
mission through the first-mentioned half of the circuit will be confined to one
wire, and will only actuate the one set of needles belonging thereto, thus
making three sets of needles in all which are brought into concurrent and
And
cotemporaneous operation by transmission of only one electric current.
note, it is obvious that four sets of needles may (if required) be brought into
concurrent and cotemporaneous operation by transmission of only one electric
current, if the metallic circuit for that transmission is formed by coupling two
of those wires which belong to particular sets of needles to each pole of the
battery, in which case the transmission of the electric current through both
the halves of its circuit will be divided between the two wires of each couple,
and although so divided it will actuate all the sets of needles belonging to all
those four wires which are thus coupled, and whereof the couples are con-
And
joined into one circuit for the transmission of one electric current.
note, in order that the conducting wires may be capable of being conjoined
together, any one or two of them with any other one or two of them, into a
metallic circuit or into metallic circuits for the formation of a variety of such
circuits, as before explained, the said wires must all (or else so many of thein

page_text: as are intended to retain that capability) must be connected together at the
most distant terminus by one cross piece of metal in a suitable manner for
the free transmission of electric currents from that distant end of any one
wire to the corresponding end of the other wires, wherefore when the contrary
ends of any one, two, or more of the same wires (which ends are at the first-
mentioned terminus) are to be brought by pressure on the buttons or finger
keys into connection with the two poles of the voltaic battery in any of the
various ways of connecting them which may be necessary for forming the
wires which are so connected into such metallic circuits as are required, it
will in all cases happen that the said two or more wires which are so formed
into a circuit or into circuits will be already suitably connected by the said
cross piece of metal at the distant terminus for the transmission of electric
currents through those circuits; and notwithstanding that the said cross piece
of metal also forms a communication between the distant ends of the wires
then for the time belonging to those circuits and the distant ends of other
conducting wires which do not for the time belong to those circuits, never-
theless, as the last-mentioned wires have no connection at their other ends
with the poles of the battery, the electric current will not be transmitted (or
not in any suitable degree) through those last-mentioned wires, because the
current will be confined to the other wires which are actually connected with
the poles of the battery, and which, therefore, constitute the intended metallic
circuit or circuits. And furthermore, the apparatus or mechanism herein-
before set forth, although it has been hitherto described as if it were merely
for enabling a person stationed at the first-mentioned terminus to give signals
to other persons situated at the distant terminus, and also, if required, at such
other intermediate places between the two termini as may be provided with
duplicates of that portion of the apparatus which is at the distant terminus,
nevertheless, with suitable additions to what has been herein before explained
respecting that last-mentioned portion, it is equally capable of enabling a
person stationed at the distant terminus to give signals to the person stationed
at the first-mentioned terminus, and also, if required, to other persons stationed
at all the said intermediate places, so as to communicate intelligence in either
direction for carrying on a mutual telegraphic conversation between the
persons at the two termini. The said additions are another voltaic battery
and set of buttons or finger keys, with suitable mechanism for them exactly
like those parts already mentioned as being situated at the first-mentioned
terminus. The said additional battery and set of buttons or finger keys
being applied to that portion of the apparatus which is situated at the distant
terminus will enable the person who is stationed there to connect the distant

page_text: ends of any of the conducting wires with the poles of the distant battery, so
as to form those wires at the will of that person (according as he chooses to
press the buttons or finger keys) into suitable metallic circuits for the trans-
mission of electric currents from one pole of the battery at the distant terminus
along those conducting wires which constitute one half of the circuit to the
other first-mentioned terminus, and froin thence back again along those other
conducting wires which form the other half of the same circuit, to the contrary
pole of the same battery, and such transmission is caused to produce all the
same signals and diversity of signals by means of the different needles, as
already explained, the transmission being equally operative upon the needles
in all the several duplicates of the apparatus which contain needles. The
arrangement of the buttons or finger keys is precisely the same at both
termini, and their connections with the voltaic battery are similar, except that
the distant battery has its poles reversed in respect to the poles of the other
battery, that is to say, the connections which are made between each pole of
the distant battery and its several button or finger keys correspond exactly
to those connections which are made between the contrary poles of the other
battery and its like buttons or finger keys; wherefore, if by pressing any par-
ticular buttons or finger keys they will cause the needles to give a particular
signal or signals at every portion of the apparatus containing needles, it
follows, from the similarity of arrangement and reversal of the poles of the
distant battery, that by pressing the corresponding buttons or finger keys at
the other terminus they will cause the needle to give a like signal or signals
at every such portion; wherefore all that has been herein-before explained
respecting the mode of giving signals by a person stationed at the first-men-
tioned terminus to other persons stationed at the several more and more distant
intermediate places and at the distant terminus, is also to be understood to be
equally applicable to the mode of giving signals by a stationed at the distant
terminus to others stationed at the intermediate places and at the first-men-
tioned terminus. And note, it is by that duplicate of the portion of the
apparatus containing needles which, as herein-before stated, is placed in view
of the person stationed at the first-mentioned terminus that he is enabled to
see and receive the signals which the person at the distant terminus intends to
give to him. And note, although in general it is intended that the operator
stationed at one terminus shall complete the signals or series of such which
will constitute a distinct idea or communication from him before the person
at the other terminus begins to return any signals in reply, nevertheless, the
apparatus and mechanism will admit, if required, of some signals being made
by one party at the same time that other different signals are making by the

page_text: other party, because some of the conducting wires may be formed into a
circuit with the battery at one terminus, whilst others of those wires are
formed into a distinct circuit with the battery at the other terminus; and it is
obvious that distinct electric currents may be transmitted through those
circuits at the same time without interference of one with the other; and
each of those distinct transmissions will produce its own proper effect upon
different needles. And note, there is a cross piece of metal for connecting
the ends of some or all of the conducting wires at the first-mentioned terminus
similar to that cross piece already mentioned as being at the distant terminus,
and for a similar purpose, as already explained, viz., it is for keeping the
wires connected in readiness for forming any of those metallic circuits which
they may be required to form with the distant battery; but when such a cross bar
is provided at both ends of each of the wires, it follows that whenever any one
of those ends is to be connected with its battery, in order to form one half of
a circuit, the said end must be previously disconnected from its said cross
piece. This disconnection is most conveniently effected by the same pressure
on the button or finger key which causes the intended connection of the said
end of the wire with its battery to be effected. And before proceeding to
state the mode of exciting occasional magnetism and of decomposing water, I
shall explain the details and Drawings of an apparatus and mechanism which
is constructed according to the foregoing description.
Figures A and B, Sheet I. are the dial or tablet on which twenty letters
are marked, in order to be pointed to when required for giving signals by five
magnetic needles 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, which are the external needles of as many
astatic needles, whereof the details are drawn full size in Figures C, D, E, F,
and G. 6 in all those Figures is the horizontal axis whereon the two astatic
needles are fixed fast, 1 being the exterior needle and 7 the interior needle,
which latter is included within the numerous coils 8 that the conducting wire
makes around a slight frame 10 of thin wood (or of metal, which must not be
iron or contain iron). The use of the frame 10 is to retain the coils in place,
and to preserve a narrow space within the coils for the interior needle 7 to
move in, as shewn in Figure F. The frame 10 is in two parts, side by side,
see Figures D and G, leaving a small interval between them for the axis 6 to
pass through, as is shewn in the horizontal plan Figure C, and that interval
also enables the axis 6 with the interior needle 7 to be inserted into its place
in the narrow space within the coils. The two parts of the frame 10 are
united together by their two endmost pieces passing across from one part to the
other and being common to both, also by other cross pieces 11, which serve
likewise to fasten the frame 10 to the back of the vertical board A or Figure A,

page_text: which forms the dial. The pivots at the two ends of the axis 6 are sustained
in pivot holes formed in the ends of screws, which are screwed through two
horizontal metal bars 12, 12, one in front of the dial A and the other at the
back, both bars 12 being sustained at the ends of horizontal pillars 13,
5 which project out each way from the vertical board. The dial A is very thin
at the places where the coils 10 apply behind it, in order that the exterior
needle 1, which is in front of the dial A, may not be far distant from the
coils 8. The conducting wire which is to operate on each needle (or on each
pair of needles 1, 7, which constitute one astatic needle) is first coiled, as at 8,
around one half of the frame 10, and then it crosses over to the other half
and proceeds to coil around the same; the coils being in the same direction in
both, the effect of the two halves is nearly the same as one continuous coiling
would be. The said coiled wire is copper wire closely covered with silk
thread, in the same manner as is used for galvanometers, being about one
thirtieth part of an inch in diameter, which is of a smaller size than we prefer
for the other parts of the conducting wires, which are extended between
distant portions of the apparatus, those wires being copper about one twelfth
of an inch diameter. A great length, and consequently multiplication of coils,
may be obtained with the small wire without rendering the mass of coils 8 so
large as to remove the exterior coils too far from the interior needle 7 to exert
a due influence thereon; a length of about 200 yards in the coils 8, 8, around
each interior needle 7, and making about eight hundred convolutions, is what
we have found most suitable. Note, in order more effectually to insulate
the coils of wire one coil from another coil, it is best to line all that part of
the frames 10 with which the coiled wire will come in contact with woven
silk cloth (that is, in case those frames are made of metal), and also to
interpose a small piece of woven silk cloth between each successive layer of
coils, which are laid over a preceding layer of coils just at the two ends of the
frame 10 where the bending of the wire causes the coils to apply closer to
the preceding coils than they do in the straight parts; also in winding on the
succeeding coils which are to lay side by side on the frame 10, they should not
be laid so close together as to press very tight laterally one against another.
The five needles which are placed side by side in a row being all of them
astatic, as before explained, do not exert inagnetic influence on one another,
but each astatic needle when left to itself, that is, when left free from the
influence of any electric current through the coiled wire 8, will settle into a
vertical position by preponderance of its heavy end. The stop before men-
tioned by which the angular motion of the interior needle is limited when, by
action of an electric current through the coiled wire 8, the needle is deflected

page_text: from its vertical position, is fixed at 14 to the side of the frame 10 across that
opening thereof wherein the interior needle 7 moves. Those stops must be of
metal not susceptible of magnetism, and may be wound with silk thread to
diminish any tendency of the needle to rebound when it moves suddenly
towards and strikes them, that the needle may rest quietly against them.
Note, stop pins fixed into the face of the dial A to intercept the ends of the
exterior needle 1 would answer the same purpose as the stops 14; in either case
the stops must be so fixed as to limit the inclination of the needle either way
to conformity with the inclined lines marked on the face of the dial, Figure A,
which contains twenty letters disposed at the several intersections of those
inclined lines; and the concurrent pointing of two of the five needles always
designate some particular letter, which is the signal that they give by so
pointing in concurrence; for instance, on the Drawing, needle 1 inclines with
its upper end towards the right hand, and needle 4 inclines with its upper end
towards the left hand; the mutual convergence of the upper ends of those
needles towards each other shews that the signal they are to give is to be
found in the upper half of the dial, and the respective directions in which
those two needles point being continued upwards by aid of the inclined lines
marked on the dial, their intersection is the letter B, which is the signal they
now give; but if the lower ends of those needles had converged towards each
other instead of their upper ends, then the signal they would give would be
found in the lower half of the dial at the intersection of their respective lines
of inclination, at the intersection of which is the letter V, and so on of all the
other needles. But note, this dial is only adapted for giving signals by the
concurrent pointing of two needles, and there are five conducting wires
21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, each belonging to its respective needle or pair of
needles, which constitute five astatic needles 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, so that there
is no wire of that kind which, as before explained, is not connected with
any needles, such wire being unnecessary unless it be required to give
signals by inclination of only one needle, and the dial, Figure A, is not adapted
to give signals by one needle. The dial A and exterior needles are covered
in front with a glass, and the coils and interior needles behind the dial
are enclosed by boards framed to the vertical board of the dial in the manner
of a close box, to keep off dust and dampness. Figures H, I, and J,
represent a set of buttons or finger keys whereby the person who intends
to give signals in distant places can at pleasure connect the ends of any
of the five conducting wires with either of the poles of a voltaic battery,
which is assumed to be charged and properly prepared for action; 31, 32, 33,
34, and 35, are five finger keys of metal, fixed fast by one end of each key to

page_text: a piece of wood 19, which is erected on one end of the keyboard 18; the
other end of the key may be pressed down, and then the key will bend like a
spring, but with a tendency to rise up again when permitted; to these five
keys the ends of the five conducting wires 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, are connected
at the fixed ends of the keys, and the keys being conducting bars of metal
may be considered as prolongations of the several conducting wires, so that the
moveable ends of the keys may be considered to be the ends of the conducting
wires, which have been herein-before mentioned as being occasionally con-
nected to the poles of the battery; 17 is the cross piece of metal before men-
tioned for connecting those ends of all the several wires one to another, in
readiness for forming part of some metallic circuit; the cross piece 17 is
fixed upon legs erected on the board 18 so as to extend horizontally across
the ends of all the five keys, which spring upwards by their elasticity, so as to
touch beneath the cross piece 17, and that forms the stop to the springing up
of each key. There are two buttons, as 41, 51, for instance, applied to each
key (as 31, for instance) for the operator to press down either one or other
with his fingers, one of which buttons 41 being pressed will bend down the key
31 and connect that key, (and consequently the conducting wire 21, whereof
it forms the end), with one pole (say the positive pole) of the voltaic battery, in
consequence of the lower end of the stem of the button 41 going down in contact
with a fixed cross bar 26 called the pole bar, which is connected with the posi-
tive pole of the battery by any suitable connecting wire 27; and at the same time
by the bending down of the key 31 its extreme end is disconnected from the
cross piece 17, and thereby the end of the wire 21 becomes disconnected from
its previous connection with the other four wires; wherefore by pressure on the
button 41, the key 31, which may be considered to be the end of the conducting
wire 21, is become connected with the positive pole of the battery so as to form
one half of a metallic circuit. But in order to constitute a complete metallic
circuit which will transmit an electric current, some other wire must be
connected with the negative pole of the same battery, and to do that another
button 54, for instance, which is one of the buttons belonging to the key 34 of
the conducting wire 24, being pressed down, will bend down its key 34 so as
to disconnect the end thereof from the cross piece 17; and also the end of
the button 54 will go down into contact with another fixed pole bar 36,
which is connected by a wire 37 with the negative pole of the battery, and
therefore by such pressure on the button 54 the key 34, which may be
considered to be the end of the wire 24, is become connected with the
negative pole of the same battery; and note, this being done only on that set
of buttons or finger keys, Figures II, I, J, which is situated at one terminus,

page_text: the other like set of buttons or finger keys at the other terminus, which are
represented by Figures h, i, j, will stand with its corresponding keys 31 and
34 in those Figures (which keys may be considered as the distant ends of
the said two conducting wires 21 and 24) in contact with the cross piece 17,
Figure h, i, and thereby the said two distant ends of the wires 21 and 24 are
connected together. The instant that the said two buttons 41 and 54 are
thus pressed an electric current will begin to be transmitted along the two
wires 21 and 24 in the following manner: viz., from the positive pole of the
battery along its connecting wire 27, and pole bar 26, and button 41 (which
has just been pressed down into contact therewith, as above explained), and
thence along the key 31 of that button, and along the conducting wire 21 of
that key to the coils (8, Figure C) which that wire makes around the interior
needle 7 (Figure C) belonging to the exterior needle 1 (Figure A); and the
said transmission of the electric current (being in the direction from the
positive pole of the battery, through those coils causes the needle 1, Figure A,
to incline instantly from its previous vertical or quiescent position to turn its
upper end towards the right hand as far as its stop 14 will allow it to go;
and the electric current so transmitted through the coils belonging to the
needle 1 thence proceeds along all the long extension of the conducting wire
21 to the nearest of the distant portions of the apparatus containing needles,
which supposing for a moment that there are no duplicates at intermediate
places between the two termini, will be that portion or dial and set of needles
which is situated at the distant terminus, and which is represented edgeways
by Figure b, and is in every respect a duplicate of what has been already
described by Figures A, B, to G; at that distant terminus the electric current
which as aforesaid is transmitted through the conducting wire 21, and which
wire there makes coils around the first needle of the dial, Figure 6, will in
passing through those coils incline that first needle with its upper end to the
right, the same as before described respecting the other dial, Figure A; and
the electric current so transmitted through the said coils thence proceeds
along the continuation of the conducting wire 21, Figure 6 and h, to the key
31, Figures h and i, and along that key to the cross piece 17, with which the
key 31 is in contact; then passing laterally through the piece 17, the electric
current gets to the key 34, which is also in contact with 17, and begins to
return towards the battery along the conducting wire 24, and thereby to the
coils which that wire makes around the fourth needle of the dial, Figure b,
at the distant terminus; and the said transmission through those last-men-
tioned coils being in a direction towards the negative pole of the battery,
causes the said fourth needle to incline with its upper end towards the left

page_text: hand, and the electric current transmitted through the said coils thence
proceeds along all the long extension of the conducting wire 24, to return to
the first-mentioned terminus, supposing as before that there are no duplicates
at intermediate plates between the two termini; and at the first-mentioned
5 terminus the electric current returning along the conducting wire 24 is
transmitted through the coils which that wire makes around the needle 4,
Figure A; and that transmission being in a direction towards the negative
pole of the battery as before mentioned, respecting the fourth needle of the
distant dial, Figure 6, causes the needle 4 to incline with its upper end to the left
hand, as is represented in Figure A, and thence from the said last-mentioned
coils the electric current returns along the conducting wire 24, Figure A, to
the key 34, Figure H, and along that key and through its button 54 (which
has just been pressed down in contact with the pole bar 36); the electric
current enters that bar, and thence by the conducting wire 37 passes to the
negative pole of the battery, thus completing its long and very intricate circuit
above described, but which may be briefly recapitulated to be proceeding
from the positive pole 27 along all the continuous extension of the wire 21,
including all the coils that it makes around needle 1, Figure A, and around.
the first needle of Figure 6 to the cross piece 17, Figure h, at the distant
terminus, and passing laterally by that piece 17 to the other wire 24, returns
along all the continuous extension of that wire, including all the coils that
it makes around the fourth needle of Figure 6, and around needle 4, Figure
A, to return to the negative pole 37 of the battery. The said long and cir-
cuitous transmission of the electric current begins instantaneously on pressing
down the two buttons 41 and 54, so as by their respective contacts with the
pole bars 26 and 36 to conjoin the two wires 21 and 24 into a metallic
circuit, and the needles belonging to those two wires assume their respective
inclining positions almost instantaneously; wherefore they present precisely the
same appearance at the same time on the dial, Figure A, at one terminus, and
on the dial, Figure b, at the other terminus, the signal which they indicate being
the letter B on both dials. And note.-If there were duplicates of the apparatus
containing needles situated at intermediate places between the two termini, the
same would be exact duplicates of that which has been already described by
Figures A to G, and the conducting wire 21 would in passing through each such
duplicate make coils around the first needle thereof, and the wire 24 would make
coils around the fourth needle of each such duplicate, wherefore the effect of the
electric current would be the same on the needles in each of the duplicates, as
already described respecting the dials at the two termini, and the same signals
will be exhibited by the needles of all the several dials as well at intermediate

page_text: places as at the two termini. The electric current will continue to be trans-
mitted through the circuit so long as the two buttons continue to be pressed,
provided that the battery continue in vigor, and the two needles which have in
consequence been thrown into an inclining position will continue steadily in their
inclining and pointing position; but when the operator who has given them
that position (in the present case, that is, he who is at the first-mentioned
terminus, and who has pressed the two buttons 41 and 54, Figure H) has
kept them pressed down during a sufficient and previously appointed time for
the person at the distant terminus to have observed the needles of the dial
there (Figure 6), and to have recorded the signal which two of the needles
thereof point to (that is, in the present case, the first and fourth needles
pointing to the letter B), then the person at the first-mentioned terminus
releases the two buttons 41 and 54, Figure H, whereupon their keys 31 and
34 spring up by their own elasticity, raising the lower ends of the stems of
the buttons from contact with the two pole bars 26 and 36, and thereby dis-
connecting the two wires 21 and 24 from the poles of the battery, and the
ends of the keys 31 and 34 come up in contact with the cross piece 17; that
contact connects the two wires 21 and 24 together, and the instant that the
buttons are so released, the metallic circuit being thereby broken, the electric
current ceases, and then the two needles of each dial which had been inclined
by action of that current into pointing positions fall back quickly to their
quiescent or vertical positions by the gravitation of their heavy ends, and as
soon as the person at the distant terminus perceives that the needles have
done so, he knows that the intended signal, B for instance, is completed, and
he prepares his mind either to receive another succeeding signal which may
be sent to him, or else to return an answer to what he has received, or to
make some appointed signal in acknowledgement of the receipt, the best and
surest mode of doing which will be to repeat or send back the same signal
For this purpose the
he has just received as the final signal of a series.
person at the distant terminus has only to press the two corresponding buttons
(in this case buttons 41 and 54, Figure h,) and they will connect the con-
ducting wire 21 with the negative pole of the battery at the distant terminus
and the wire 24 with the positive pole thereof, and thereby the first and
fourth needles will be caused to point out the letter B on all the dials,
Figure A and Figure b, just as before described, because a metallic circuit
will be formed, and an electric current will be transmitted through those two
wires 21 and 24 in the same direction through each of them, as already
described, although excited by the battery at the distant terminus. And all
that has been now fully described in respect to two of the wires 21 and 24

page_text: with their keys 31 and 34 and their buttons 41 and 54 and their needles 1
and 4 in each of the several dials and duplicates thereof, is equally true of any
other two of the five conducting wires with their corresponding keys and
buttons and needles, and cannot therefore require further description. But
note, each key is provided with two buttons, as herein-before mentioned,
whereof one button is for connecting that key and its wire with the positive
pole of the battery, and the other button is for connecting the same key and
wire with the negative pole of the same battery. The use of two buttons is
to be enabled to cause each needle to incline either way from its perpendicular
position, and thereby to point to a different letter on its dial. For instance,
if the buttons 51 and 44 are pressed down (instead of 41 and 54), although
they belong to the same two keys 31 and 34, and wires 21 and 24, and
needles 1 and 4, as already directed, nevertheless the result will be to transmit
the electric current through both those wires 21 and 24 in a contrary direction
to that already described, and consequently to incline the needles in a contrary
direction, that is, needle 1 will turn its upper end to the left and needle 4
will turn its upper end to the right, consequently their convergence or con-
currence will be downwards; and by examination of the lower half of the dial,
Figure A, it will be found that they will point to the letter V thereon, which
will be the signal given by pressing the two buttons 51 and 44 in like manner
as the letter B was the signal given by pressing the two buttons 41 and 54,
as before explained. It only remains to state that the steins of the two
buttons to each key are fitted through sockets or holes in the key, and have
a certain latitude of motion up and down through those sockets independent
of the key; but the extent of that motion is limited by two shoulders on each
of the stems of the buttons, and slender springs affixed to each key are
applied to each button to bear the same upwards in its socket as far as the
lowermost shoulder on the stem will allow the button to rise up from the key.
The said springs of the buttons are more yielding than the elastic flexure of
the key. The consequence is that whenever a button is pressed it first moves
down in its socket through the key by the yielding of its own slender spring
without moving the key until the upper shoulder of the stem comes to act
upon the key, and then the further continuance of the pressure on the button
bends down the key until the lower end of the stem of the button touches ou
the one or other of the poll bars 26 or 36 beneath it, so as to form the
intended connection of the key with one of the poles of the battery; but the
other button of the same key, which is not pressed, being borne upwards as
far as it can go up in its socket through the key by its own slender spring will
not be carried down low enough by the bending of the key to cause its lower

page_text: end to touch that pole bar 26 or 36 which is beneath it. By this means
there is no risk of both buttons of the same key forming contacts at the same
time unless both were to be pressed upon, which is never to be done. And
note, all the contacts which are to form part of the metallic circuit which is
to be established must be rendered secure that the metals do actually touch.
The springs by which the stems of the buttons are urged upwards in their
sockets being fixed to the keys will ensure a sufficient contact of the buttons
and their keys. The elasticity of the keys will ensure their contacts with the
And where the communi-
cross piece 17 whenever that contact is required.
cating wires are connected to the keys the thread covering and varnish must
be removed, and the bare metal of the wire held in actual contact with the
metal of the keys by screws, and the additional precaution of soldering will be
proper. And in like manner the junctions of the several pieces whereof the
long extension of cach conducting wire is formed should be united by forming
the thread covering and looping or twisting or otherwise joining the ends, so
that the metal of one comes in actual contact with the metal of the other, and
such contact may be rendered secure by soldering, and then a covering of
thread is to be wound about the joint. The long extensions of the conducting
wires, which may be called telegraphic wires, may be lodged in channels
formed in wood rails, and lined with any suitable resinous matter, with a
covering rail of wood over the channels to protect the wires from injury and
from damp; such wooden rails may be according to the section, Figure 21,
Sheet III., formed in as long pieces as can be readily procured. The rail
containing the wires may form a square rail, and the covering rail the
upper half of a square rail, which may be fixed with one of its angles
upwards on the tops of upright posts fixed in the ground in the manner
very commonly used for post and rail fences along embankments and other
places on public roads; the rails being lodged in angular notches on the
tops of the posts are bound down and secured therein by straps of broad
hoop iron bended over the upper angle of the rail, and reaching down the
sides of the post and nailed thereto; large posts may be applied at the
junctions of the pieces of rails to receive and sustain the adjacent ends of two
pieces, and the joint may be made firm by any suitable application of iron.
The joints of the pieces composing the upper half may be interspaced to those
of the lower half, and smaller supporting posts may be applied in the intervals
between any joints. As many parallel channels as there are conducting wires
may be cut out with circular saws along the middle part of the lower half of
such rails, and after those rails are laid in places on their posts, and the
channels being lined with suitable resinous varnish, then the wires suitably

page_text: covered with thread, if necessary and varnished, may be lodged in the channels,
and fillets of wood may be driven in to fill up each channel over the wire,
which being thus inclosed the upper half or covering rail may be applied
with felt interposed in the joint and secured by the iron straps over the posts
and such other intermediate bands of iron as will be requisite for fastening the
two securely together like one rail, to keep out wet and give it sufficient
strength to resist injury. The bottom half may, as before mentioned, be a
square rail with a covering rail, as in Figure 21, placed angle upwards over
it, that form being best for a covering because the rain water will not rest
upon it. Figure 22 is a section of another form of rail containing distinct
channels for the several wires, each of which channels is closed by a fillet of
wood driven into it. Such rails may be laid under ground when that is more
convenient than to place them above ground upon posts, and some parts of a
long line may be under ground and other parts above ground, and extend
along the sides of public roads or railways or otherwise, as is most convenient and
suitable to go from one terminus to the other. And for telegraphic communi-
cations between places which are too distant for an electric current to be
transmitted all the way with sufficient vigour to be certain in its operation, a
chain of such apparatus as herein-before described must be established to
communicate one to another through the whole distance, in which case what
has been called the distant terminus of one apparatus will be situated close by
the commencing terminus of the next apparatus, and the signals received
there from one apparatus must be sent forward by the next, and so on, all
which requires no explanation because it is well known in the usual system of
telegraphic communication, and forms no part of our present Invention.
And the same may be said of the telegraphic language or system of signals
and their significations, those systems which are well known and in use for
other telegraphs may be used or they may be modified, but they form no part of
our Invention. And note.-Instead of inclosing the several conducting wires
in distinct channels as above described, they may all be carried along one
channel, for provided that they are kept dry, their covering of thread and
varnish will form a sufficient insulation of each wire from its neighbours. The
whole number of conducting wires may be bound together in a bundle by a
wrapping of coarse thread and varnish over, that may if required be covered
again with a spiral fillet of hemp, and then covered with pitch or tar to keep
out wet, the one channel receiving a set of wires either when so bound
ogether or when detached one from another, may be formed in wood rails put
ogether in two halves or in iron troughs or tubes formed of hoop iron bended
p and put together in two halves, and united with screw bolts at suitable

page_text: intervals, having tarred felt interposed in the joint between the two halves or
tubes may be formed by bending up hoop iron with a sufficient longitudinal
opening left between its meeting edges to introduce the wires one by one, and
afterwards closing up the opening by inserting tarred felt and pinching the
edges together thereon by screw bolts applied at suitable intervals. Figure 23
represents such a tube, and explains how the ends of the several pieces thereof
may be united by sockets of the same description, made large enough to
receive the ends of the tubes. Figure 24 explains how a rail of wood may
have an inverted gutter or trough of iron applied upon it to cover over and
protect the wires which are laid upon the wood without being let into channels
therein. The two edges of the inverted iron trough may be let into two channels
cut in the wood and cemented in with pitch or tar, and the iron may be
fastened to the wood by iron staples applied over it and driven into or
otherwise fastened to the wood. The junctions of the several lengths of iron
may be covered over with short lengths of similar gutter iron, but of larger
size, to form sockets for receiving the two ends of the lengths which are to be
joined. And note.-The set of buttons and finger keys represented in Figures
h, i, j, Sheet I., are rather differently constructed from what has been herein-
before described, inasmuch as that the sockets into which the stems of the
buttons are fitted, instead of being formed in the keys themselves, are formed
in the two pole bars 26 and 36, which bars are fixed across over the keys
instead of under them as before described, being supported at their ends or
upright legs erected on the board 18. The stems of the buttons are fitted
into their said sockets with slender springs to urge them upwards therein, and
there are shoulders on the stems to limit the extent of motion therein as
before described. When pressure is applied on any button, the same is
forced down in its socket, in opposition to its own slender spring, until its
lower end gets down in contact with the key, which thereby becomes connected
with the pole of the battery, and then the button being pressed still lower it
bends down the key so as to remove the extreme end thereof from its previous
contact with the cross piece 17: And note. The apparatus represented in
Sheet I. (as the same has been herein-before described) must necessarily give
all the signals by the concurrent and cotemporaneous operation of two needles,
because each of the five conducting wires makes coils around one of the five
needles in each dial; and whereas two wires must of necessity be employed to
form any metallic circuit, it follows that whichever two of the five wires may
be so employed they must bring two needles into concurrent and cotempo-
raneous operation. Wherefore, in order to give signals by operation of one
needle at a time, another or sixth wire may be added to extend direct from one

page_text: terminus to the other without forming coils around any needles, and the two
ends of that sixth wire must be connected to a sixth key, which is added to
the set of keys at each terminus, that key having its two buttons precisely the
same as all the others, then it is obvious that the apparatus will be qualified
for operating at pleasure upon one needle at a time as well as upon two
needles at a time as already described, or upon three needles at a time, or
upon four at a time, or five at a time. For each set of buttons and keys will
consist as before of two rows of buttons, those in one row being adapted on
pressure to cause the needles belonging to them to incline and point in one
direction, the buttons in the other row on pressure causing the same needles
to incline and point in a contrary direction, all which is as before described;
but now instead of five there are six such buttons in each row. The additional
key with its two buttons may be disposed at the commencement of the series
of five already described, that is, by the side of the first key which is marked
31, in Figures H and h, Sheet I., and its two buttons are marked 41, 51; the
additional key may be marked 30, its two buttons 40 and 50, and the
additional or sixth wire 20, and they may be considered as the blanks or zero
of the series; and it is obvious that on pressing down either of the blank
buttons 40 or 50 no needle will be moved in consequence of so pressing; but
by pressing down at the same time any other one of the buttons the parti-
cular needle thereto belonging will be moved by itself alone, and that one
way or other, according to the row on which the button that is pressed is
situated. The dial, Figure A (as it has been already described) containing
twenty letters, none of them can be pointed out by single needles; but a row of
numeral figures may be marked in red ink as there shewn; and it will be
apparent that when only one needle is inclined at a time that it will point to
some one of the red figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, on the dial, and not to any
letters thereon, and if thought more convenient such numeral characters may
be marked in red around the border or margin of that part of the dial which
contains the letters. But note.-In cases where the use of six conducting
wires may be objectionable on account of the expense of very long lines.
thereof, five wires and five keys with ten buttons, as before described, and as
represented by Figures II and h, may be retained exactly; but the fifth key
35 and wire 25 will be the blank which has no connection with any needles,
and one of the five needles of each of the dials will be omitted, and only four of
them used with a suitable dial, such as is represented by Figure Z, Sheet III.,
which dial is adapted to give significations to the pointing of any one needle,
as well as to the concurrent and cotemporaneous pointing of two needles.
And now, respecting the means of applying the attractive force of occasional

page_text: magnetism, which may be excited in masses of iron by electric currents, as
herein-before alluded to. Figure Y, Sheet I., represents a mode of actuating
a magnetic needle 7, which may for the present be supposed to be one of
those belonging to the dial, Figure A, and that the parts represented in
Figure Y are placed at the back of the vertical board of the dial A, in place
of the frames 10, represented in Figures D to G. U, U, Figure Y, are two
pieces of soft malleable iron bended into the form of a fork or of the letter U,
or what is termed a horse-shoe form, one such horse shoe being over the needle
7 and the other under it, but both being in the same plane in which the
needle is to move. The four extremities of the two horse shoes come very
near to the fixed stops 14, 14, by which the inclining motion of the needle 7
either way is to be limited in manner already explained; 21 is the conducting
wire by which the needle 7 is to be actuated; that wire is covered with silk, as
before explained respecting Figure G, but it is now wound in continuous
spiral coils around the four ends or prongs of the two horse shoes U, U, that
is to say, the wire 21 having made a number of coils around one prong of the
upper horse shoe U, with coil over coil until a considerable mass of coils is
accumulated thereon at r, for instance,) then passes across to the other prong of
the upper horse shoe, and makes another mass of like coils s; after which the
continuation of the same wire 21 descends and makes a like mass of coils t
around one prong of the lower horse shoe, and passes across to form a like
mass of coils v around the other prong, and from the last of those coils the
wire 21 continues on its course of extension in the same manner as if it had
formed coils, as before explained by Figure G; when an electric current is
transmitted through the wire 21, and all its several coils r, s, t, v, magnetism
will (as is well known) be excited in the horse shoes, so as to convert them for
the time into two voltaic magnets, and in consequence of their relative posi-
tions in respect to the needle 7 they will concur in inclining it from its vertical
If that electric
or quiescent position as far as its stops 14 will allow it to go.
current is transmitted in one direction it will cause the needle 7 to incline one
way, or if the current is transmitted in the contrary direction it will cause the
needle 7 to incline the other way, or if the electric current is discontinued then
the two horse shoes will cease to be magnetic and will allow the needle to
return to its quiescent or vertical position by the gravitation of its lower end,
which must be heavier than its upper end, as already fully explained respect-
ing the needles having heavy ends, wherefore the effect produced upon the
needle by the means explained in Figure Y will be similar in every respect to
the effect produced thereon by the means herein-before described, in respect
to Figures D to G. And note.-The two horse shoes U, U, are to be fixed fast

page_text: to the back of the vertical board A by any convenient means, but the four
extremities of the prongs of the horse shoes U, U, must not be so situated as
to be too near to the ends of the needle 7 when the same is inclined as far
either way as its stops 14 will allow it to go, because the magnetic attraction
of the needle itself for the iron ends of the horse shoes (although that iron
has ceased to be magnetic) might, if they came too near together, impede the
free return of the needle to its vertical position by the gravitation of its heavy
end. And note. The needle 7, Figure Y, corresponds to the interior needle 7,
Figures E, F; but the exterior needle belonging to Figure Y, which is to be
in front of the dial, is to be a mere pointer of brass or copper, and not a
magnetic needle, wherefore the needle actuated in the manner of Figure Y
will not be according to an astatic combination, which it is advisable for the
needles, Figures E, F, to be, as already explained. And respecting the sounding
of alarums in distant places by means of electric currents transmitted through
metallic circuits, "the same may be effected by the attractive force of occasional
magnetism excited in masses of iron by such currents, and may be applied in a
distinct apparatus which is only adapted by sounding alarums without giving
any other signals than such alarums: see Sheet II., Figure R. n is a well-
known piece of clockwork, having a bell g, which is sounded when required
by a hammer actuated by the wheelwork, that wheel work being turned by
force of a spring or a weight with a cord and barrel, which has been previously
wound up; but all motion of the wheel work is stopped by a detent p mounted
on a horizontal axis & catching into the teeth of any of the wheels l, as will best
suit; and when that detent p is removed out of the way of the teeth of the
wheel, then the alarum begins sounding its bell, all which is so weil known
as to require no further explanation, particularly as there are or may be various
constructions of such alarums, and our improvements therein only relate to the
mode of disengaging and re-engaging such detent p by means of electric
currents. Let K represent a voltaic battery on any of the constructions com-
monly used, one of the most simple, consisting of a flat vessel of copper filled
with acidulated water, and having a plate of zinc suspended therein, will be
sufficient ; 21 is a conducting wire extending from one pole, which is in this case.
the positive pole 27 of the battery, to coil around the two prongs of a soft iron
horse shoe U, first around one prong thereof and then around the other prong
thereof, in the manner shewn in perspective in Figure S, Sheet II., and as has
been already explained respecting Figure Y, Sheet I.; but now there is only
one horse shoe instead of two and no magnetic needle, and after making such.
coils the continuation of the conducting wire 21, Figure R, is extended to
such place as is most convenient and accessible to the person who intends to

page_text: sound the alarum, and there the said wire 21 is connected to a finger key 31,
which is fixed fast by one of its ends, and the other end is capable of being
bended down by pressure, to bring it down into contact with a pole bar 26,
which is fixed beneath it, and from which another conducting wire 22 proceeds
to the other (which is in this case the negative) pole 37 of the battery K. When
the key 31 is not pressed it springs up by its own elasticity, so as not to touch
its pole bar 26, and no metallic circuit is formed; and so long as that is the case
the detent p of the alarum is kept by action of its own spring m in the way
of the teeth of the wheel l, so as to prevent the alarum from sounding; but
there is a mass of soft malleable iron V fixed across the lower or tail end of the
detent p, and extending horizontally across, parallel to the axis k of the detent,
the two ends of the piece of iron V being opposite to and at a small distance
from the ends of the two prongs of the horse shoe U, as is shewn in perspective
at Figure S, Sheet II., but neither the piece V, nor the horse shoe U, being
magnetic they do not attract each other. The person who intends sounding the
alarum can do so by merely pressing down the key 31, which he may either do
by applying his hand or finger to the key 31, or by pulling down a cord or bell
pull x, which may be appended to it; in either case, by bending down the key
31 to touch its pole bar 26, the required circuit is formed, and an electric
current being transmitted through the conducting wire 21, which is coiled round
the prongs of the horse shoe U, it excites magnetism therein, or converts
it for the time into a voltaic horse shoe magnet, which attracts the piece of
iron V at the lower end of the detent p, and draws it towards the ends of the
horse shoe U, although it is not allowed quite to touch them; the upper end of
the detent is thereby withdrawn from out of the way of the wheel 1, and then
the alarum commences sounding or hammering its bell by its own action,
derived from its previously wound-up weight or spring; and if the key 31 is
kept down so long the alarum will continue to sound, until its said weight or
spring is run down, but if the key 31 is released so that it can spring up and
separate from its pole bar 26, then the circuit being broken no electric current
will be transmitted through the coils of the wire 21, and the temporary
magnetism of the horse shoe U will cease altogether, and it will no longer
attract the piece of iron V; but the spring m of the detent p will withdraw
the piece from the horse shoe U, and will bring the upper end of the
detent into the of the teeth of the wheel 7, so as to stop the motion
thereof, and consequently the sounding of the alarum.
P
way
And note. In order
that no adhesion may take place between the ends of the piece of iron V and
the iron ends of the horse shoe U, it should not, as before mentioned, be
allowed to actually touch those ends, which may be managed by suitable stops

page_text: to limit the motion of the detent p about its axis k; or else two small copper
studs may be fixed into the ends of the horse shoe, or into the ends of the
piece V, to form prominences of copper, which may be allowed to come in
contact and they will prevent the contact of the iron with the iron. 32,
26, Figure R, shew a duplicate key and pole bar which may be provided in
another different place from those already described at 31 and 26. The key 32
having a branch from the conducting wire 21, and its pole bar 26 having a
like branch to the conducting wire 22, they will give the means of sounding
the same alarum from that different place, as well as from the place first
mentioned, and so on as many other keys and pole bars as may be.
required may be provided at different places for sounding the same alarum.
The said apparatus, Figure R, may be applied in dwelling houses, inns,
theatres, or other large buildings, for the same purposes as the ordinary
system of bell-hanging, and where the situation does not require too great a
length of conducting wires 21, 22, in the metallic circuit, so that the electric
current will be able to excite a sufficient vigour of magnetic attraction in the
horse shoe U, the upper end of the detent p may have a hammer head fixed
upon it, in order to strike against and sound the bell q, in the manner repré-
sented in perspective, Figure S, by a direct action of the force of the
occasional magnetism which is excited in the horse shoe U. But in other
situations the length of the conducting wires 21, 22, in the metallic circuit
may be so great that the magnetism excited in the horse shoe U will not exert
a sufficient force of attraction for the piece of iron V to remove the detent P
from the teeth of the wheel l. In such situations the apparatus, Figure S, is to
be preferred, wherein the voltaic battery K and the iron horse shoe U, together
with the piece of iron V, at the lower end of the detent p, are all the same as
already described, respecting Figure R; and the hammer for sounding the
Lell 7 of the alarum, may be either at the upper end of the detent p, as
represented in Figure S, or else the hammer may be moved by clockwork, as
already mentioned, and as is represented in Figure R; the office of the upper
end of the detent p being in that case to catch the teeth of the wheel Z, in
order to prevent the sounding of the alarum until the detent is removed, as
already explained. But instead of forming a long metallic circuit to extend
all the way from that battery K to the distant place or places where the
person who attends to sound the alarum may be situated, and thence back
again to the battery K, as is the case in Figure R, the battery K, in Figure
S, is devoted solely to the purpose of exciting occasional voltaic magnetism
in the horse shoe U by transmission of an electric current through no greater
length of metallic circuit than is most suitable for that purpose, that is to

page_text: be
say, a considerable part of the length is accumulated in the coils around the
prongs of the horse shoe U. The electric current which is to be transmitted
through the long circuit which extends to the said distant places is derived
from a distinct battery M, Figure S, and that current does not operate directly
upon the alarum, but it causes the other battery K (which may, for dis
tinction, be called the alarum battery) to be brought into action, in order
that it may sound the alarum, in manner already explained. It
may
therefore considered that the battery M and the electric current which is
transmitted from it through the long metallic circuit formed by the two
conducting wires 24, 25, is caused to produce the same effect on the alarum
apparatus as has been already described to be done by pressing down the
key 31, Figure R, in contact with its pole bar 26, viz., it establishes the
requisite contact between the ends of the wires 21 and 22, Figure S, to form
them into a metallic circuit for the transmission of an electric current from
the positive pole 27 of the battery K along the wire 21 and through the coils
which that wire makes around the two prongs of the horse shoe U, and back
again along wire 22 to the negative pole 37 of the same battery K. This
connection is effected by causing the two ends of a small fork 60, Figure S,
to descend into two small cups 61, 62, formed at the upper end of two
upright pillars 21, 22, which may be considered as prolongations of the
wires 21, 22. A small quantity of mercury is contained in each of the cups
61, 62, and when the fork 60 is brought down to dip therein, as is represented
by dotted lines, it forms the two wires 21 and 22 into a metallic circuit, and
that will cause the alarum to begin sounding the same, as would follow from
pressing the key 31, Figure R; but when the fork 60 is raised up, as repre-
sented in Figure S, that circuit is broken and the alarum ceases to sound, in
This being
the same manner as would follow from releasing the key 31.
understood, it is easy to explain how the small fork 60 is brought down or
raised up by the motion which is given to a magnetic needle by transmission
of an electric current from the distant battery M through a long metallic
circuit, which may be formed when required by the long wires 24 and 25.
The fork 60 is formed out of one end of a slender lever 63, 64, which is
fixed on the horizontal axis 65 of a magnetic needle, which is placed within
a set of coils 8 which the wire 8 makes around a frame 10, in the same
manner as already described respecting Figures D, G, Sheet I., the only
differences from the structure there represented being that the axis 65 of the
needle, instead of being mounted in pivots at its ends, is suspended by the
tension of horse hairs, which are extended horizontally in prolongation of the
axis 65 from each end thereof to small regulating screws 66, 66, supported at

page_text: the upper ends of two small standards 67, 67, which are erected on the same
wooden base as the upright pillars 21, 22, for the cups 61, 62, and the frame
10 for the coils 8 of wire is also erected on that same base. Also that frame
10, instead of being made in two parts, as is represented by Figure D, and as
before explained, is here represented in one part, with a small tube projecting
out horizontally to admit the axis 65 of the needle, and keep the coils of wire
8 apart out of the way of the axis 65. The lever 63, 64, which carries the
fork 60 is fixed on the axis 65 at right angles thereto, and also at right
angles to the magnetic needle, which latter is concealed in Figure S within
the frame 10. The end 64 of the lever 63, 64, has a small weight which
overbalances the weight of the fork 60, so as to receive the same up out of
the cups 61, 62, as high as the stop 14 will permit, whenever there is no
electric current transmitted through the coils 8, 8, but the two ends of the wire
8 composing these coils are connected at 75, 76, with the ends of the two
long conducting wires 24 and 25, as is clearly shewn in Figure S. The wire
24 is connected with the positive pole 87 of the battery M, and from
the negative pole 97 of the same battery a connecting wire 36 extends
to the finger key 31 and to the pole bar 26; beneath that key the wire
25 is connected; wherefore if the key 31 is pressed down into contact with
its pole bar 26 the two long conducting wires 24 and 25 will become united
into a metallic circuit for the transmission of an electric current through the
following course, viz., from the positive pole 87 of the battery M, along the
long conducting wire 24 to the bottom 75, and thence through the wire 8, which
is coiled around the frame 10, in the space whereof the magnetic needle is
situated, and continuing from those coils to the button 76, there enters the other
long conducting wire 25, and along that to the poll bar 26, and through that and
its key 31 and connecting wire 36 to the negative pole 97 of the battery M. And
the said transmission through the coils 8 causes the magnetic needle to incline
from its perpendicular in the proper direction, and so much as is requisite to
put the fork 60 down into the cups 61, 62, which as already stated will cause
the alarum to begin sounding by the action already fully described in respect to
Figure R. But when the key 31, Figure S, is released, then the said metallic
circuit is broken, whereupon the electric current ceasing to be transmitted
through the coils 8 ceases to influence the magnetic needle, and therefore by
the preponderance of the weight 64 the fork 60 is raised up out of the cups
61, 62, as high as the stops 14 will allow, and then the sounding of the alaruni
ceases, for the reason already explained in respect to Figure R. And note.--It is
obvious that the weight or spring which actuates the clock work of the alarum
might as that weight descends, or that spring unwinds, be made to pull a

page_text: string which is tied around the wrist of a person who is asleep, or who is dul
of hearing, and thereby give an additional chance of his attention being called
by the sounding of the alarum beyond that of merely hearing the sound. And
the apparatus above described and represented in Sheet II. may also be
applied in concert with the apparatus herein-before described and represented
in Sheet I. to form part of our complete apparatus for giving signals and
sounding alarums in distant places, and will form a very important part
thereof, because the person who intends giving signals in distant places can first
call the attention of his correspondent or correspondents at the distant places
by sounding the alarum or alarums previously to commencing giving visible
signals. For this purpose an apparatus with an alarum like Figure S, but
constructed and adapted to be actuated with clockwork as in Figure R, is to
be provided at each terminus or place where there is a set of buttons and
finger keys, Figures H, I, J, or Figure h, i, j, Sheet I., and also at each inter-
mediate place where duplicates of the dials with needles may be situated; but
the long conducting wires 24 and 25, Figure S, together with the battery M
and finger key 31 and pole bar 26 are not required, because the functions of
those parts are to be performed by two of the five long conducting or tele-
graphic wires, viz., 21 and 25, Sheet I, together with their sets of buttons and
finger keys. For it is evident that the sounding of the alarums may be per-
formed by transmission of the same electric current which produces some
particular signal, for instance, that convergence of the upper ends of needles
1 and 5, which signifies the letter A on the dial, Figure A, and which is occa-
sioned by the transmission of an electric current through the wires 21 and 25
and their keys 31 and 35. But as it would be inconvenient to suffer the
alarums to be sounded every time when the signal letter A is to be exhibited,
the alarum should be only kept connected with those two wires, in the
intervals between the making of telegraphic communications when the appa-
ratus is not in use, and on proceeding to resume the use of it for giving
signals, the prelude or first thing will be for the person at the first-mentioned
terminus to make the signal for letter A by pressing down buttons 41 and
55, which producing all the same results as pressing down the key 31, Figure
S, in manner already fully described, will begin sounding the alarum at the
distant terminus, and also those at the intermediate places, those buttons 41
and 55 being held down only a very short time and then released, and the
sounding may be repeated if necessary until the attention of the person at the
distant terminus is called to it; and as soon as he is ready to receive signals
he will communicate that fact by sounding the alarum at the first-mentioned
terminus, which he does by pressing the buttons 41 and 55, Figure h, and by

page_text: those means a mutual understanding will have been established between the
two persons that they are both prepared to commence a telegraphic communi-
cation, he who commenced by first sounding an alarum having the right of
precedence therein, and then the alarums being unnecessary for the present
each person may disconnect his own alarum from the telegraphic wires, but
that is merely to avoid the annoyance of its being sounded every time that
signal letter A is made by either person in the course of their communication;
but when the person who has, as before stated, acquired the right of precedence
therein intends to put an end to it for the present, he expresses that intention
by some unusual signal which has been previously agreed upon, such, for
instance, as pressing down at once two of the buttons 41, 42, in one row, and
two of the buttons 54, 55, in the other row, which will turn the upper
ends of the needles 1 and 2 to the right and the needles 4 and 5 to the left,
and immediately after the making of such signal it is to be imperative on
each person to connect his alarum with the telegraphic wires, and to wind up
its clockwork, weight, or spring, if necessary, in order that the alarums may
never fail of being ready for sounding during all cessations, however short, in
the telegraphic conversation, and in order that every resumption of the con-
versation may be preluded by sounding an alarum; and as to the several
alarums at intermediate places between the two termini, they will all begin to
be sounded at the same time with that alarum at either of the two termini
which is first sounded, and the persons who are stationed at those intermediate
places, on hearing the sound and looking at their own respective dials will dis-
cover from which terminus the intended communication will afterwards be
sent, because the signals which follow after the sounding of the alarum must
be adapted to convey that information. The above particulars of the appli-
cation of the alarums being understood, it is easy to explain the manner of
connecting or disconnecting them with the telegraphic wires. The alarum at
the first-mentioned terminus to be connected by a short cross wire 94,
extending from the key 35 of the telegraphic wire 25, Figure H, to the
button 75, Figure S (instead of the wire marked 24 in that Figure), and tho
elegraphic wire 25, Figure H, is to be disconnected from its key 35 by
liding a small bolt 73, and is to be connected by means of that bolt
nd short cross wire 95 to the button 76, Figure S (instead of the wire
harked 25 in that Figure), to effect the said disconnection of the telegraphic
vire 25 from its key 35; it is not joined directly thereto, but to a spring piece
2, Figure H, which by bearing down on the end of the key 35 connects
he wire 25 therewith whenever the alarum is to be kept out of use; but
hen the alarum is to be connected then the small sliding bolt 73 being

page_text: pushed with its end beneath the spring piece 72, will lift the same up from
its previous contact with the key 35, but in so doing the bolt 73 makes con-
tact with the spring piece 72, which is connected with the telegraphic wire
25, and the short cross wire 95 being extended from the bolt 73 to the
button 76, the bolt 73 establishes the required connection between that button
and the wire 25. The consequence is, that when the bolt 73 is pushed under
the spring piece 72, the electric current transmitted along the wire 25, in
producing signal letter A, must pass through the coils of wire 8, Figure S, and
in so doing will cause the alarum to be sounded as already fully explained in
respect to Figure S; but when the bolt 73 is withdrawn, the said electric
current will not pass through the said coils 8, Figure S, and consequently
the alarum will not be sounded although the letter A is exhibited. In
like manner, to prepare the alarum at the distant terminus for action it
requires to be connected with the telegraphic wire 25, Figure h, so that the
electric current which is transmitted along that wire 25, when letter A is
exhibited, will also be transmitted through the coils 8, Figure S. The
mode of connecting the alarum to the set of keys, Figure h, may be an exact
duplicate of that which has been explained in Figure H. Another way of
preventing the alarums from sounding uselessly during the telegraphic conver-
sation, is to apply some stop to the motion of their clockwork in like manner
as in a stop watch, which will preclude the necessity of disconnecting the
wires, which may be always left in action; this is particularly applicable
to the alarums at intermediate places. And respecting the application of the
evolution of gas proceeding from the decomposition of water by the trans-
mission of electric currents, see Figure Q, Sheet II. A, B, is a glass vessel
somewhat like an inverted syphon, but with one leg A much larger than the
other leg B, which latter is only a narrow tube. The lower part of the
syphon is filled with mercury so high up as to occupy all the communication
between the two legs, and above the mercury acidulated water is poured into
the large leg A, so as to occupy some depth therein. The upper part of the
large leg A is closed by a cover C, and two platina wires 75, 76, are passed
horizontally through perforations through the thickness of the glass, to pass
into the midst of that water with their ends turned upwards therein. The two
wires 75, 76, Figure Q, correspond to the wires marked with those numbers in
Figure S, and the two points of those wires which are immersed in the water
answer the purpose of the coils 8, 8, around the magnetic needle in Figure S;
for when an electric current is transmitted through the wire 75 to the wire
76, the points whereof do not touch each other, the electric current must pass
through the water, and in so doing will decompose the same into its elements

page_text: of
oxygen and hydrogen, in the state of gases which ascend in bubbles through
the water, and by accumulating in the space above that water beneath the
elose cover C, will press downwards on the surface of the water and thereby
press on the mercury, so as to raise the same in the small leg B, until the
mercury comes up high enough to touch and surround the end of another
platina wire 61 which turns over and descends down into the small leg B, but
only so far down therein as not to touch the mercury when the same stands at
its natural level; but, nevertheless, so far as that the said end of the wire 6!
will become immersed in the mercury when the same is raised in the small
leg B by the aforesaid accumulation of the gases proceeding from the
decomposition of the water contained above the mercury in the large leg A.
The said wire 61 answers to the cup 61, Figure S; and there is another
platina wire 62 the extreme end of which is inserted through a perforation in
the lower part of the glass, so that its end is always immersed in the mercury
contained in that lower part. This apparatus, Figure Q, is to be used as
a substitute for the magnetic needle, and coils of wire around it in Figure S,
for the purposes of enabling an electric current, which is transmitted through
a very long metallic circuit, and which consequently acts but feebly to continue
to accumulate its action, until it has attained sufficient force to form the
requisite contacts for bringing an alarum battery into action, for the purpose
already described, in respect to Figure S. Therefore the apparatus, Figure Q,
being substituted for the magnetic needle and its surrounding coils of wire in
Figure S, the connections which are therein made to the buttons 75 and 7.6
must, in Figure Q, be made to the ends of the wires 75 and 76 therein, and
likewise the connections which are made to the two cups 61 and 62, Figure S,
are to be made in Figure Q to the ends of the two wires 61 and 62 therein,
which being done, the apparatus, Figure Q, will by its operation, above
described, form the requisite metallic contacts between the end of the wire 62
and the end of the wire 61, by the mercury in which they both become
immersed to form them into a metallic circuit, and thereby produce all the
same effects as already explained respecting Figure Q for bringing the alarum
battery K, Figure S, into action when it is required to sound the alarum.
And note. After the apparatus, Figure Q, has performed its intended office of
forming the ends of the wires 61 and 62 into a metallic circuit, and has
caused the alarum to be sounded, it will not immediately separate that contact
of itself, because the gas will continue for some time accumulated in the upper
part of the large leg A. Therefore, after the alarum has been sounded, the
person whose attention to it may apply his finger to open a small valve d, in
the cover of the large tube A, in order to let out the gas therefrom, and then

page_text: the mercury subsiding to its level in both legs will sink below the end of the
wire 61, leaving the same disconnected from its contact with the mercury, so
as to break the metallic circuit which has been formed thereby. And note.
As the long conducting or telegraphic wires used in our said apparatus may
be liable to be broken or otherwise deranged, it is necessary to have some
efficient and easy method by which the precise place of injury or derangement
may be ascertained without disturbing to any great extent the tubes, troughs,
or rails wherein those telegraphic wires may be lodged. The particular wires
in which the injury or derangement may have occurred will discover them-
selves from the defective working of the corresponding telegraphic needles at
the two termini. At given intervals along the line each of the conducting
wires should have a short lateral branch wire proceeding from it and reaching
out therefrom to some secure place where the ends of all those branch wires
will be accessible when required for making proof of the wires. These branch
wires are provided for the purpose of connecting any two of the long con-
ducting wires with an instrument which may be called a detector or prover.
Two convenient forms of such an instrument are represented in Sheet III.;
Figure W is a prover which consists of a multiplier with its magnetic needles
included in its coils of wire, exactly like those hercin-before described, Figures
D to G, Sheet I., but mounted on a stand with a protecting case of wood
having a glazed front, and each of the two ends 8, 8, Figure W, of the coiled
wire proceeding from the instrument, terminates with any convenient clamp of
metal, for the purpose of taking hold with those two clamps of the ends of any
two of the branch wires before mentioned with a good contact, and then the
instrument will form part of a metallic circuit with those two of the con-
ducting wires, to the branches whereof it is connected. The other kind of
provers, Figure L, is a glass vessel or bottle fixed on a wooden stand and con-
taining two pieces of platina wire p, p, insulated from each other, with their
lower ends soldered respectively to pieces of copper wire c, c, each terminating
with a clamp such as above described. The bottle is to be nearly filled with
diluted sulphuric acid or other good conducting fluid when required for use.
In applying either of these instruments to prove the defective state of the
telegraphic wires, I will speak, for example, of only two wires, and the mode
of proving those two will apply to any others, see Figure W, Sheet III.
21, 22, are two of those wires which extend from one terminus to the other;
and I will suppose one of them to have been broken at H. To find out the
place where it is so broken those ends of the two wires 21, 22, which are
at one terminus should be connected with the opposite poles of the battery at
that terminus. The person who is to examine the state of that conducting

page_text: wire which is known to be broken must proceed to that place nearest to the
terminus, where there are a set of lateral branch wires k, k, proceeding from
the conducting wires, as before mentioned, and there he must apply one or
other of the provers above described, with the two wires 8, 8, thereof attached
5 to the ends of the branch wires k, k, belonging to the two conducting 21, 22,
which have been, as before mentioned, connected with the poles of the battery.
If the defect does not exist between the terminus and this first proving place,
the prover will at that place, that is to say, if the prover W is used its needle
will be inclined, or if the prover L is used gases will be evolved at the platina
wires from the decomposition of water; the prover is then to be carried
forwards to the next proving place, where lateral branch wires are provided
farther off from the terminus, and so on successively; by applying the prover
at each proving place, more and more remote from the terminus, a place will
be found where the prover ceases to act, and that cessation of its action will
indicate that the defect exists between the two last places which were tried.
The portion of the tube, trough, or rail included between these two last-
mentioned places is then to be opened near the midway of the distance
between the two places, and at that midway the wires 21 and 22 must be proved
by connecting the wires 8, 8, of the prover immediately to each of them. In
this manner the half in which the defect exists may be detected, then that half
may be again subdivided, and the process continued in the same manner by
repeated bisection until the place of the defect is ascertained within very
narrow limits, and there the tubes must be opened to expose the wires and
repair the defect. And note.-In order to be able at all times to identify the
several conducting wires, it will be expedient to use varnish of different
colours in preparing them; wherefore, one colour will always distinguish the
wire 21, another colour the wire 22, and so on of the others.
Having now described our said improvements, I, the said William Fother-
gill Cooke, for myself and for the said Charles Wheatstone, do hereby declare
hat the new Invention whereof the exclusive use is granted to us by the said
Letters Patent, consists in the following particulars:-
Firstly, in the improvement herein-before described for the purpose of
communicating determinate angular motions to magnetic needles by means of
lectric currents transmitted through metallic circuits, and the adaptation of
uch angular motions for the purpose of giving signals in distinct places. And
whereas some experiments have been heretofore made by others upon giving
ignals by means of the well-known instruments called galvanometers, which
re for measuring the force of electric currents passing through metallic
ircuits, I wish to be understood that we make no claim to the application

page_text: of the multiplying coils of conducting wires, herein-before described, around
the magnetic needles, but the improvement we have made in the adaptation
of magnetic needles to the purpose of giving signals is in disposing the needles
in vertical planes (the axes whereon they are fixed being horizontal), and in
making the needles heavier at one end than the other, in order to give them
a decided preponderance or tendency to hang perpendicular and point upwards
when they are not influenced by electric currents; and in limiting the angular
motions of the needles (when they are so influenced) to some certain deter-
minate extent, by providing fixed stops against which the needles may reline
and continue to rest for a time in suitable inclining directions for pointing out
on a vertical dial the significations of the signals they are to give; and in case
two or more such loaded needles are to be placed near together in the same
vertical plane for pointing out signals on the same dial, then in the adaptation
of astatic needles, that is, two reversed needles fixed on the same horizontal
axis for giving signals in such cases. But note. The astatic mode of com-
bining magnetic needles for galvanometers being well known, we make no
claim to the use of astatic needles for giving signals, unless such astatic
needles are, as before mentioned, disposed two or more in a vertical plane,
and are loaded at one end, and have their angular motion limited to a deter-
minate extent by stops.
Secondly, in the improvement, herein-before described, for combining several
magnetic needles so that they will point out on one dial (suitably marked) the
significations of the signals which they are to give by the determinate angular
motions which are communicated to them by electric currents. Those signals
being given in some cases by the inclination and pointing of one needle, in
other cases by the concurrence and mutual pointing of any two needles, or in
some cases by the concurrence of three or four needles, as may be most
suitable for the sort of signals which are intended to be given.
Thirdly, in the improvement, herein-before described, of arranging and
combining any suitable number of conducting or telegraphic wires into a set
capable of being operated upon by buttons or finger keys at each end of the
set, and having a voltaic battery, and also a dial with magnetic needles, as
aforesaid, at each end of the set, with power of using those parts in such
manner that (at the pleasure of the operator) any two or more such wires
may have one or other of their ends connected to the two opposite poles of the
battery belonging to that end, the contrary ends to those ends which are so
connected being at the same time conjoined together so as to form the said
two or more wires into a metallic circuit or circuits for the transmission of an
electric current or currents throughout the length of two conjoined wires as a

page_text: means of giving signals by the angular motions; that such current or currents
will communicate to magnetic needles which are subjected to the influence of
such currents, or of sounding alarums by the conjoined action of magnetic
needles aforesaid, or of the evolution of gas from decomposition of water by
such currents, and of occasional or temporary magnetism excited in masses of
soft iron by such currents. And whereas either end of any wire or wires of
such set aforesaid is capable of being connected with either pole of its appro-
priate battery, a diversity of metallic circuits can be formed with a capability
of transmitting an electric current in either direction through each such
circuit, and of thereby giving a diversity of signals from a few wires.
Fourthly, in the improvement, herein-before described, in the arrangement
and combination of each set of the buttons and finger keys, whereby the ends
of all the several conducting wires constituting the set thereof are kept
conjoined one to another in readiness for becoming parts of any such circuits
as may be formed by connecting the opposite or distant ends of the wires with
the distant battery; but, nevertheless, the several buttons and keys hold all the
several ends which belong to them in due order for enabling the operator to
disjoin any two or more ends from their fellow ends by an instantaneous touch,
which likewise connects the ends so disjoined with either pole of the battery
belonging to the keys, and vice versâ; the same self-action of the keys whereby
they disconnect the said ends from those poles when the buttons are released
likewise rejoins those ends to their fellow ends in the set.
Fifthly, in the improvement, herein-before described, whereby a set of com-
bined conducting wires, as aforesaid, having a voltaic battery and a set of
buttons or finger keys, and also a dial with magnetic needles for giving signals,
as well as an apparatus for sounding alarums at each end of the set, may also
have duplicates of such dials, with needles and apparatus for alarums at inter-
mediate places between the two ends, all such duplicates operating simul-
taneously with each other and with the two end dials and alarums to give like
signals and to sound like alarums.
Sixthly, in the improvement, herein-before described and represented at
Figure Y, Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, for communicating
determinate angular motions to magnetic needles by subjecting them to the
attractive force of occasional or temporary magnetism which is excited in soft
iron by means of electric currents, for the purpose of giving signals in distant
places by such determinate angular motions of needles.
Seventhly, in the improvement, herein-before described and represented at
Figure R, Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, for sounding alarums
in distant places, either by direct application of the attractive force of

page_text: occasional or temporary magnetism which is excited in soft iron by means of
electric currents transmitted through metallic circuits, or else by applying the
said attractive force of such occasional magnetism to let off ordinary clock-
work alarums, and permit them to sound by the mechanical force and action
of their own mechanism.
Eighthly, in the improvement, herein-before described and represented at
Figure S, Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, for sounding alarums
in distant places by the aid of an additional voltaic battery (or alarum battery)
which is brought into action when required for sounding the alarum, the
sounding thereof being either by direct application of the attractive force of
occasional magnetism or by applying such force to let off clockwork alaruins,
as above seventhly stated; but according to this our eighth improvement the
requisite occasional magnetism is excited by an electric current derived from
that additional battery; the metallic circuit by which that current is so
derived from the said battery being formed (when the same is required to act)
by an angular motion then communicated to a magnetic needle, which is
dispersed within multiplying coils of conducting wire through which an electric
current is transmitted from a distance. The said angular motion of the needle
being caused to make the requisite contacts for forcing the metallic circuit of
the additional or alarum battery.
Ninthly, in the improvement, herein-before described and represented in
Figure Q, Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, for effecting the con-
tact requisite for forming a metallic circuit by which an additional or alarum
battery is brought into action for the purpose of sounding alarums in distant
places, as above eighthly set forth, but which contact in this our ninth im-
provement is effected by means of the evolution of gas arising from the
decomposition of water which is included within a small close vessel from
which the gas cannot easily escape, wherefore it presses down the water and
thereby raises up a small column of mercury from the bottom of the vessel into
the open leg of an inverted syphon tube which is connected with the vessel so
as to raise the mercury up into contact with the end of a wire in order to
form the required circuit.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Fothergill Cooke, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven.
WILLIAM F.
(L.S.) COOKE.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twelfth day of December,
in the first year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said William
Fothergill Cooke came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery,
and acknowledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-
fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Twelfth day of December, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-seven.

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FOTHERGILL COOKE, of Breeds Place, Hastings, in the County of Sussex,
Esquire, for myself and for CHARLES WHEATSTONE, of Conduit Street, Hanover
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS we did by petition humbly represent unto His late most Excel-
lent Majesty King William the Fourth, that after considerable application
and expence we bad invented "IMPROVEMENTS IN GIVING SIGNALS AND SOUNDING
ALARUMS IN DISTANT PLACES BY MEANS OF ELECTRIC CURRENTS TRANSMITTED
THROUGH METALLIC CIRCUITS;" and His said Majesty being willing to give
encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for the public good,
was graciously pleased, by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twelfth day of June last (One thousand eight hundred and thirty-
seven), in the seventh year of His reign, for Himself, His heirs and successors,
to give and grant unto us, the said William Fothergill Cooke and Charles
Wheatstone, our executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that we or they, by ourselves or them-
selves, or by our or their deputies, servants, or agents, or such others as we
or they should agree with (and no others), during the term of fourteen years
from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend our said Invention, within that part of His said Majesty's
Dominions called England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in
such manner as to us, our executors, administrators, and assigns, shall seem
A

page_text: neet, and as we or they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage arising by
reason of the said Invention during the said term of fourteen years; and for
that end His said Majesty requires and strictly commands all His subjects
whatsoever that they shall not, neither directly nor indirectly, make, use, or
put in practice our said Invention, or any part thereof, nor in anywise coun-
terfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor make any addition thereto or sub-
traction therefrom, whereby to pretend himself or themselves to be the inventor
or inventors thereof; and whereas the said Letters Patent contain a proviso,
obliging us, the said William Fothergill Cooke and Charles Wheatstone, par-
ticularly to describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
our bands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, and to cause the
same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent, as in and by the same (reference being thereunto had), will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Fothergill Cooke, for myself and for the said Charles Wheatstone,
do hereby declare that our said Invention is described and ascertained in
manner following and by the aid of three Sheets of Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :--
I shall first describe certain apparatus or mechanism which is constructed
according to our said improvements for giving signals and sounding alarums in
distant places by means of electric currents transmitted through metallic cir-
cuits; and then, at the conclusion of this our Specification, I shall point out
the particular improvements whereof the exclusive use is granted by the said
Letters Patent.
The description of the apparatus or mechanism will be facilitated by con-
sidering it as being composed of the following principal portions, which operate
in concert for giving signals or sounding alarums in distant places:-One of
those portions is situated at a convenient place (which may be called a
terminus) and adapted for being operated upon by a person who intends giving
signals or sounding alarums in distant places. Another portion (with dupli
cates of it if required) is situated at the distant places where other persons are
to receive the intended signals or alarums, and is adapted for exhibiting such
And note, there may be if require
signals or sounding such alarums.
several duplicates of the last-mentioned distant portion situated one beyon
another in different distant places, all which duplicates will operate simul
taneously, that is, they will exhibit like signals (or they may sound lik

page_text: alarums) in all the several more and more distant places at the same time;
but the place where the most remote of all the said duplicates is situated may
be called the distant terminus. And for communicating between the several
portions of the apparatus which are situated as aforesaid at a distance one
from another, a number of metallic rods or wires, which are suitably arranged
and prepared for conducting electric currents throughout their lengths, are
extended from the first-mentioned terminus and portion of the apparatus afore-
said, to reach through all the other aforesaid more and more distant portions
thereof, to that portion which is at the distant terminus; the arrangement
of the said conducting wires being such that they form as many distinct lines of
extension or courses capable of conducting electric currents from one terminus
to the other as there are wires, each wire being kept distinct or insulated from
all the other wires; also, that in extending from the first-mentioned terminus
and portion of the apparatus to the nearest duplicate of the distant portion
thereof (if there be any such duplicate), and in thence proceeding onwards to
another more distant duplicate, and so on to the most remote of those dupli-
cates which is situated at the distant terminus, each wire must preserve its own
continuous course of extension distinct and insulated from all the other wires,
so as to be qualified for transmitting or conducting an electric current through-
out its whole length, from the first-mentioned terminus and portion of the
apparatus to the most distant portion thereof at the other terminus, without
interruption to the continuity of the said current in passing through as many
duplicates of that most distant portion as may be established at intermediate
places between the two termini. But note.-It is not an essential part of the
apparatus that there should be any such duplicates of the distant portion, for
in cases where it is not required to give signals or sound alarums at any inter-
mediate places between the two termini, the first-mentioned portion of the
apparatus being situated at one terminus as aforesaid, and the other distant
portion thereof being situated at the other terminus, the several conducting
wires will extend from one terminus and portion to the other terminus and
portion, the several wires being in all cases insulated and kept distinct one
from another. And further, the first-mentioned portion of the apparatus which
is situated at one of the termini as aforesaid should be provided with some
such kind of electric apparatus as is usually termed a voltaic battery, and
which may be on any construction which is capable of exciting or producing
electric currents through metallic circuits, that is to say, if one end of a great
length of insulated conducting rod or wire of metal (forming a continuity of
metal) is brought into contact with one pole of such a battery, and the other
end of the same wire is brought into contact with the other pole of the same

page_text: battery, so that such rod or wire forms what is termed a metallic circuit, then
a continuous electric current will be transmitted throughout all the length of
such wire or metallic circuit in consequence of a continual transmission of
electric action, which as soon as such a circuit is formed begins to proceed
from one pole of the battery and along or through all the length of the conduct-
ing wire with a very great velocity of transmission, in order to return to the
other pole of the same battery, the electric current thereby performing a circuit
from the battery and back again thereto; and the said electric current or trans-
mission of electric action in a circuit will continue without interruption or
cessation so long as the metallic circuit is maintained, that is, so long as the
aforesaid contacts of the two ends of the conducting wire with the two poles of
the battery (and so long as the continuity of metal throughout the whole length
of that wire) is continued, provided that the battery is kept in working order;
but note, by continuity of metal in the conducting wire it is not meant that
the whole length of such wire is necessarily made of one unbroken piece of
metal, but merely that the ends of every separate piece of metal whereof
the whole length is composed are effectually connected together with suitable
contacts for conducting electric currents, and the person who intends giving
signals or sounding alarums at a distance can do so by application and
pressure of his hands or fingers upon suitable buttons or finger keys,
belonging to that first-mentioned portion of the apparatus which is situated
at one terminus, the mechanism of those buttons or keys being adapted
(according as they may be pressed) for establishing the requisite contents
and connections between the poles of the voltaic battery and the ends of
certain of the said conducting wires, so as to form those particular wires into
a metallic circuit for the transmission of an electric current from one pole of
the battery along one or more of the said particular wires to the distant
portion of the apparatus at the other terminus, and thence back again through
some other (or some others) of the said particular wires, to return to the other
pole of the same voltaic battery, and thereby perform an electric circuit. The
manner whereby such an electric current through a metallic circuit is caused
to give signals or sound alarums in distant places will be herein-after explained
The said electric current which is so transmitted through those particular
wires, which are thus formed into a metallic circuit passes without interruption
to the continuity of the current in making its progress from the battery through
all the several duplicates of the distant portion of the apparatus, which may
as before explained be situated at intermediate places between the two termini
or else the said current repasses without interruption to the continuity of the
current in making its return towards the battery through all the said dupli

page_text: cates; but in either case the electric current is caused to produce a like and
simultaneous effect upon all the several distant portions of the apparatus,
that is to say, whatever effect the electric current produces upon the most
remote portion of the apparatus which is situated at the distant terminus, it
will also produce a like and simultaneous effect upon all the several duplicates
of that portion which may be situated at intermediate places between the two
termini. And the said transmission of such an electric current will continue
so long as the pressure is continued on the aforesaid buttons or finger keys,
but no longer, because the metallic circuit is broken and becomes null the
instant that the said buttons or keys are released from pressure, and that a
cessation thereby takes place in those contacts and connections which had
been for the time established as aforesaid between the two poles of the voltaic
battery and certain of the conducting wires, in order to form those particular
wires into a metallic circuit for the transmission of an electric current
through them as aforesaid. And note.-By applying pressure of the hand
or fingers upon other suitable buttons or finger keys, amongst divers such with
which the said first-mentioned portion of the apparatus is provided, contacts
and connections may be formed between the aforesaid ends of the particular
conducting wires before mentioned, and the contrary poles of the said voltaic
battery to those poles thereof with which the same ends were before con-
nected; wherefore, although the same metallic circuit will be formed amongst
the several conducting wires as before, nevertheless, the transmission of the
electric current will take place in a contrary direction through that metallic
circuit, and such reversal of the direction of the transmission of the electric
current through the same metallic circuit is caused to produce corresponding
differences in the appearance and signification of the signals, which are given
(in manner herein-after described) in distant places by transmission of an
electric current through the same metallic circuit. And note.-By pressure
upon other suitable buttons or finger keys amongst a diversity thereof, the
ends of other of the conducting wires with which the apparatus is provided
may be connected with the poles of the battery, so as to be formed (in like
manner as already described) into a metallic circuit, but which will be a different
circuit from that already described, because it will be formed by different
wires. And so according to the number of conducting wires with which the
apparatus is provided several distinct metallic circuits may be formed, and the
transmission of an electric current through each of such different metallic
circuits as may be formed, (although excited by the same battery, may be caused
to give a different signal in distant places, each of which signals is susceptible
of two different significations, according as the current is caused to proceed

page_text: direction.
be
through the particular metallic circuit in one direction or in the contrary
And note also, the apparatus or mechanism may be so arranged
as that by pressure upon suitable of the said buttons or finger keys, two (or
in some cases more) of the said different metallic circuits may be formed out
of the several conducting wires at the same time, for the cotemporaneous
transmission of two or more distinct electric currents which may be excited
by the same battery; and although each of such currents should only give one
signal (with one or other of those two significations which belong thereto, accord-
ing to the direction in which the current acts), nevertheless, the combination or
concurrent exhibition of two or more signals by means of as many distinct
electric currents may have a different signification to that signification which
would appertain to the exhibition of either of the signals by itself. But note,
two concurrent signals may be exhibited at the same time without forming two
distinct currents as last mentioned, but by the transmission of only one electric
current through one metallic circuit, because as each circuit is composed of
two conducting wires united for the time into one circuit, each wire
may
considered as one half of that circuit, and the electric current in proceeding
along one wire or half of the circuit in a direction from the battery towards
the distant terminus may give one signal, and the same current in returning
along the other wire or half of the circuit, in a direction towards the battery
(in order to complete its circuit) may give another signal, the simultaneous
and concurrent exhibition of which two signals may have a different significa-
tion from that which would appertain to the exhibition of either of the signals by
itself, or to the concurrent exhibition of either of the said signals with any other
signal with which it might be brought into concurrence. But notwithstanding
that two cotemporaneous signals may be thus exhibited in concurrence by
transmission of only one electric current through one metallic circuit which
is composed of two wires, nevertheless, the two signals which are so brought
into concurrence may be differently paired, or their concurrence may be
diversified at the pleasure of the operator, because if each distinct conducting
wire out of a number of such is adapted to produce its appropriate signal by
transmission of an electric current through that particular wire, then by
pressure of suitable buttons or keys as aforesaid any two of such wires may
be conjoined into one metallic circuit, and the electric current which is
transmitted through that circuit will exhibit two concurrent signals, which
may (at the pleasure of the operator) be the concurrence of any two of the
whole number of individual signals which the several wires are qualified to
produce individually. And by virtue of the several means above described
the apparatus or mechanism may be arranged so as to be qualified to

page_text: form (at the pleasure of the operator) a variety of different metallic
circuits, each such circuit being adapted to give its own appropriate
signal; but nevertheless, the electric current which will be transmitted
through each of those circuits can be made to give two different signi-
fications. to the signal belonging to that circuit, according to the direc-
tion of the current. Or the apparatus or mechanism may be so arranged
as to be capable of forming two or more metallic circuits with a dis-
tinct electric current through each circuit at the same time, in order
to exhibit two (or in some cases more) signals in concurrence. Or the
apparatus or mechanism may be so arranged as to be capable of giving two
signals in concurrence by the transmission of an electric current through one
metallic circuit, with capability of diversifying the concurrence of the two
signals, which will be brought into concurrence by the formation of one
metallic circuit, and hence by one or other or all of those various means a
sufficient diversity of signals, and change in the significations of those signals,
can be given in distant places for constituting a telegraphic language or mode
of communicating letters of the alphabet and numeral or symbolic characters.
And furthermore, the manner whereby the aforesaid transmission of electric
currents through metallic circuits is caused to give signals or to sound alarums
in distant places is either by the angular motions which such currents are
capable of giving to metallic needles which are poised upon centres of motion
and placed in suitable proximity to the said conducting wires through which
such currents are transmitted, or else by the attractive force of occasional
magnetism which such currents are capable of exciting in masses of iron which
are not magnets themselves, but which are placed in suitable proximity with
the said conducting wires through which such currents are transmitted, or else
by the evolution of gas proceeding from water which is decomposed by causing
such electrical currents to pass through it, or else by any two or by all of the
said modes of action combined, in such manner as is suitable for giving such
signals or sounding such alarums at a distance, as may be required. And
respecting the adaptation of magnetic needles for giving signals, the same may
be made like compass needles, but fixed on axes passing through their centres
of motion, and these axes mounted delicately on pivots at their ends, in the
nanner of the arbors of watch wheels, so as to render the needles capable of
moving very freely with angular motion about their centres of motion. Each
needle must have some slight tendency given to induce it to point in one
particular direction whenever it is left to itself uninfluenced by the electrical
current; the simplest (and perhaps the best) mode of giving such a tendency is
by gravitation, in which case the axis of the needle must be horizontal or

page_text: nearly so, and one end of the needle being made rather heavier than the other
that heavy end of the needle will always point downwards when the needle is
left to itself. And whenever the needle does so point upwards and downwards
it denotes that it is quiescent or at rest, and that it is not giving any signal.
One of the conducting wires before mentioned is disposed vertically or in a
direction parallel to the needle when the same is at rest, the wire being
situated as near to the needle as can be to avoid touching; and when an
electric current is transmitted in manner already explained through the said
wire, so as to pass in proximity to the needle, that current will give the needle
a slight tendency to move about its centre with an angular motion or deflection
from its previous parallelism to the wire. If the transmission of the current
through the wire is in one direction, the needle will acquire a slight tendency
to deflect one way from the said parallelism, but if the transmission is
in the contrary direction the tendency will be to deflect the other way.
But note, as the tendency to deflection thus given to the needle is but
slight, it requires to be multiplied the same means as is resorted to
for a like purpose in the instruments known by the name of galvanometers,
that is, by causing the conducting wire to form many convolutions around
the needle or around a narrow space within which the needle is left at
liberty to move, but without touching any of the convolutions that the wire
makes, the order of the said convolutions of the wire being such as that the
wire shall always transmit the electric current in one direction at one side
of the plane in which the needle moves, but shall transmit the current in the
contrary direction at the other side of that plane. To produce such convolutions
of the wire it must be coiled around the space in which the needle moves, all
the ascending parts of the coils being at one side of the needle (that is, towards
one end of its axis), and all the descending parts of the coils being at the
other side of the needle (or nearer to the other end of its axis). With this
arrangement of the conducting wire each ascending as well as descending part
of the several coils will transmit the electric current in the proper direction for
giving the needle a tendency to deflection one way or other, according to the
direction in which the current is transmitted through the coiled wire, and the
concurrence of an adequate number of such coils may be made to multiply the
before-mentioned slight tendency of the needle to deflection until it become:
sufficient to turn the needle (notwithstanding the gravitation of its heavy end
with a sudden and decided motion to one side or other of its quiescent or vertica
position the instant that the transmission of an electric current through the wire
is commenced by the formation of two of the conducting wires into a metalli
circuit by pressure on suitable buttons or finger keys, as already mentioned

page_text: The extent of deflection or angular motion that the needle is permitted to
perform in consequence of the tendency to deflection which it then acquires is
limited by fixed stops, and the instant that by pressure on the said buttons a
metallic circuit is formed, and an electric current begins to be transmitted
through the coils of wire, the needle moves suddenly from its quiescent or
vertical position until it comes to rest in an inclined position against one of its
said stops, and it will remain motionless in that inclined position so long as the
current is continued; and when the needle is at rest in such an inclined
position it will point to some character, letter, figure, or symbol which is
marked on a suitable dial or tablet, and it is by so causing the needle to point
to such character, letter, figure, or symbol, that a signal is given. When the
needle is thus made to incline to one side of its quiescent or vertical position
as far as its stop will allow, it will point to and signify one character, letter,
figure, or symbol on the dial or tablet; but when by reversing the direction
of the electric current through the coiled conducting wire, as already men-
tioned, the needle is made to incline to the other side of its quiescent or
vertical position, it will point to and signify a different character, letter, figure,
or symbol on the same dial or tablet. And the instant that the electric current
through the coiled conducting wire is discontinued by releasing the buttons or
finger keys from pressure, and thereby breaking or nullifying the metallic
circuit through which the electric current was transmitted, then the needle
returns by the gravitation of its heavy end to its quiescent or vertical position,
in which it will not point to or signify any character, letter, figure, or symbol
on the dial or tablet, and the needle will remain at rest in that quiescent or
vertical position until the transmission of an electric current is resumed in
manner before stated. And it will in most cases be expedient to affix another
second magnetic needle upon the same axis as that needle already mentioned,
which is included in the space within the coils of the conducting wire, as afore-
said, the said second needle being parallel to the former, but so far along the
axis thereof as to be beyond or exterior to those coils of the wire within which
the first described or principal needle is situated. The second needle, which
may be called the exterior needle, must be reversed end to end in respect to
the first described or principal needle, which may be called the interior needle,
that is to say, if the north pole of one needle points directly upwards when
they are both in their vertical or quiescent position, the north pole of the other
needle must point directly downwards. By this reversal of the poles the exterior
needle will be in proper relative position in respect to those coils of the con-
ducting wire which are nearest to it, so as to be suitably situated for
receiving the deflecting influence of those coils, and therefore the exterior

page_text: needle will be caused to concur with the interior needle in assuming the
required inclining position. Also by their reversed poles the two needles
neutralize each other's terrestrial magnetism or tendency to assume the
direction of dipping needles or of compass needles, the two needles when
thus reversed forming what is well known by the term of an astatic com-
bination. The exterior needle is that which should point to the characters,
letters, figures, or symbols which are marked on the dial or tablet before
mentioned, in preference to the interior needle, which is too much concealed
within the coils of the wire to be convenient for that purpose; the axis of the
two needles may pass through the plane of the said dial or tablet, and have the
exterior needle fixed on at the front of that plane, the coils of conducting wire
and the interior needle being behind the same plane. And note, it must be
understood in all cases not only that the several conducting wires with which
the apparatus is provided are effectually insulated one wire from another wire,
as before mentioned, but also the different coils which the same wire is caused
to make as aforesaid around the space in which the interior needle is included
are also effectually insulated one coil from another adjacent coil, in order that
the electric current which is to be transmitted through the conducting wire
may be really transmitted from one end of each wire to the other end thereof,
without being able to find a shorter course or circuit by lateral transmission
out of one coil or wire into another adjacent coil or wire. The requisite
insulation of the wires may be made in the usual manner of preparing the
wire used in the instruments called galvanometers, viz., by surrounding or
covering the metal of the wire with coils of thread, of silk, or cotton, or other
suitable substance, and such thread covering may be coated with some suitable
resinous varnish which will be impervious to moisture. An apparatus or
mechanism containing a suitable number of magnetic needles of the kind above
described (astatic or otherwise), for pointing to or exhibiting upon a suitable
dial or tablet all the various characters, letters, figures, or symbols which are
intended to be used in giving signals in distant places, is to be provided at
that portion of the apparatus which is situated at the distant terminus herein-
before mentioned, and if required duplicates of the same apparatus or
mechanism are to be provided at any intermediate places between the two
termini where simultaneous and like signals are required to be given. Also
another such duplicate is to be provided at the herein-before first-mentioned
terminus, in view of the operator who intends to give signals in the several
more and more distant places (the most remote whereof is the distant
terminus), by aid of the other several duplicates of the said apparatus or
mechanism. The conducting wires must be arranged so that there is one

page_text: such wire for each of the astatic or other needles which is contained as
aforesaid in every duplicate of the apparatus, that one wire first making its
convolutions or series of coils around one of the needles in the duplicate
which is situated at the first terminus in view of the operator, thence extending
onwards in continuatiou from the endmost of those coils to the next nearest
duplicate apparatus, and there making like convolutions around the corre-
sponding needle thereof, then extending onwards to the next nearest duplicate,
and making alike coils around its corresponding needle, and so on to that
apparatus which is situated at the distant terminus, where the same wire must
also inake like convolutions around the corresponding needle of that apparatus.
In like manner another such conducting wire which is insulated from the other
wires is extended in a similar course of coiling round another needle in each
of the several duplicates of the apparatus, and so with other wires, in order
that every distinct needle in each duplicate may have its distinct insulated
wire, but that all the corresponding needles in each duplicate may be con-
nected by the same wire. There may also be an additional wire (or wires)
extending direct from one terminus to the other without making any coils or
having any connection with any needles. Now, if one of the before-mentioned
wires which is connected with a set of corresponding needles is formed (by
pressing suitable buttons or finger keys) into a metallic circuit by conjunction
with a wire which has no connection with any needles, then the electric current
which is transmitted through that circuit will cause simultaneous and like
motion in all the said corresponding needles, but in no others. If such current
is transmitted in one direction, all those said corresponding needles will incline
one way, and will all point to and signify one and the same character, letter,
figure, or symbol on their respective dials or tablets; but if the current is
transmitted in a contrary direction the same needles will incline the other
way, so as to point to and signify another character, letter, figure, or symbol
on their said dials or tablets. That duplicate of the portion of the apparatus
which contains needles, and which, as before mentioned, is placed at the
terminus in view of the operator, enables him to see what signals he is
actually giving when he presses particular buttons or finger keys, and thereby
he may avoid making mistakes. The apparatus containing needles at the
distant terminus will exhibit like signals, which may be observed by the person
who is to receive them, and so will the several duplicates of the apparatus
containing needles, which may be situated at different intermediate places
between the two termini, for, as before mentioned, the needles belonging to
every distant portion of the apparatus will exhibit the same signals at the same
time. It is obvious that by releasing the last-mentioned button or finger keys,

page_text: and pressing others instead thereof, another of the before-mentioned con-
ducting wires which is connected with another different set of corresponding
needles from those last mentioned may be formed into a metallic circuit with
the same (or with another) wire which has no connection with any needles, and
then the same effects as before mentioned will be produced, but upon different
needles, and will therefore give different signals; and so on any other one of
those wires which, as before mentioned, is connected with a set of corre
sponding needles may, whenever it is required, be formed into a metallic circuit
for bringing into operation and giving signals by the corresponding needles to
which that wire belongs; but so long as only one needle in each duplicate of the
apparatus or mechanism containing needles is rendered operative at the same
time, so long will the signals thereby given be confined within a series of simple
significations or two significations to each needle, according as it is made
to incline and point one way or the other way, And in order to bring two or
more needles in each duplicates into concurrent operation at the same time, so
as to obtain diversity of significations from their concurrence, two or more
distinct metallic circuits may (by pressure upon suitable of the buttons or
finger keys) be formed at the same time out of two or more of those wires
which have no connection with needles, together with as many of those wires
which belong to sets of corresponding needles, and then the transmission. of a
distinct electric current through each such circuit, although from the same
battery, will actuate two or more needles at once in each of the duplicates of
the apparatus containing needles. And it is obvious that any two of the
needles contained in each duplicate may be thus brought into concurrent
operation, according as the buttons or finger keys are pressed. Or instead of
thus forming two or more distinct metallic circuits for transmission of as
many distinct electric circuits, another and more convenient mode of obtaining
the same result of actuating two needles at once, is to form a metallic circuit
by conjunction of any two of those conducting wires before mentioned, whereof
each one is connected with its own set of corresponding needles, and then the
one electric current which will be transmitted through the metallic circuit so
formed will actuate both such sets of corresponding needles, that is, it will
actuate two needles in each of the duplicates of the apparatus containing
needles. And by pressure on suitable of the buttons or finger keys any two of
the said last-mentioned conducting wires may be formed into the one metallic
circuit, which, as aforesaid, is to bring two needles into concurrent and cotem-
poraneous operation, wherefore any two out of the whole number of needles
in each duplicate of the apparatus containing needles may be so brought into
concurrent and cotemporaneous operation, and that is done without making

page_text: se of any of those other wires before mentioned which have no connection
ith any needles; but one of the latter wires must be used for forming
art of any metallic circuit whereby it is required to bring only one of the
eedles in each duplicate apparatus into operation by the electric current
which is transmitted through that circuit; and in cases where it may be
equired to bring three of the needles in each duplicate of the apparatus into
concurrent and cotemporaneous operation, the same may be done by forming
wo distinct metallic circuits for two distinct electric currents, one of those
circuits being formed by conjoining one of the said wires which has no con-
ection with any needles to one of the wires belonging to a particular set of
needles, the other circuit being at the same time formed by conjunction of two
But
other of the last-mentioned wires belonging to particular sets of needles.
note, three needles in each duplicate apparatus may be brought into concurrent
and cotemporaneous operation by one electric current, if the metallic circuit
for that current is formed by coupling two of the wires which belong to
particular sets of needles with one pole of the battery, and only one such
wire with the other pole of the same battery, in which case one half of the
circuit will consist of one wire, but the other half thereof will consist of the
said couple of wires, wherefore the transmission of the electric current through
the last-mentioned half of its circuit will be divided between the two wires of
the said couple, and although so divided it will actuate both the sets of needles
belonging to those two wires at the same time that the corresponding trans-
mission through the first-mentioned half of the circuit will be confined to one
wire, and will only actuate the one set of needles belonging thereto, thus
making three sets of needles in all which are brought into concurrent and
cotemporaneous operation by transmission of only one electric current. And
note, it is obvious that four sets of needies may (if required) be brought into
concurrent and cotemporaneous operation by transmission of only one electric
current, if the metallic circuit for that transmission is formed by coupling two
of those wires which belong to particular sets of needles to each pole of the
battery, in which case the transmission of the electric current through both
the halves of its circuit will be divided between the two wires of each couple,
and although so divided it will actuate all the sets of needles belonging to all
those four wires which are thus coupled, and whereof the couples are con-
joined into one circuit for the transmission of one electric current.
note, in order that the conducting wires may be capable of being conjoined
together, any one or two of them with any other one or two of them, into a
metallic circuit or into metallic circuits for the formation of a variety of such
circuits, as before explained, the said wires must all (or else so many of thein
And

page_text: as are intended to retain that capability) must be connected together at the
most distant terminus by one cross piece of metal in a suitable manner for
the free transmission of electric currents from that distant end of any one
wire to the corresponding end of the other wires, wherefore when the contrary
ends of any one, two, or more of the same wires (which ends are at the first-
mentioned terminus) are to be brought by pressure on the buttons or finger
keys into connection with the two poles of the voltaic battery in any of the
various ways of connecting them which may be necessary for forming the
wires which are so connected into such metallic circuits as are required, it
will in all cases happen that the said two or more wires which are so formed
into a circuit or into circuits will be already suitably connected by the said
cross piece of metal at the distant terminus for the transmission of electric
currents through those circuits; and notwithstanding that the said cross piece
of metal also forms a communication between the distant ends of the wires
then for the time belonging to those circuits and the distant ends of other
conducting wires which do not for the time belong to those circuits, never-
theless, as the last-mentioned wires have no connection at their other ends
with the poles of the battery, the electric current will not be transmitted (or
not in any suitable degree) through those last-mentioned wires, because the
current will be confined to the other wires which are actually connected with
the poles of the battery, and which, therefore, constitute the intended metallic
circuit or circuits. And furthermore, the apparatus or mechanism herein-
before set forth, although it has been hitherto described as if it were merely
for enabling a person stationed at the first-mentioned terminus to give signals
to other persons situated at the distant terminus, and also, if required, at such
other intermediate places between the two termini as may be provided with
duplicates of that portion of the apparatus which is at the distant terminus,
nevertheless, with suitable additions to what has been herein before explained
respecting that last-mentioned portion, it is equally capable of enabling a
person stationed at the distant terminus to give signals to the person stationed
at the first-mentioned terminus, and also, if required, to other persons stationed
at all the said intermediate places, so as to communicate intelligence in either
direction for carrying on a mutual telegraphic conversation between the
persons at the two termini. The said additions are another voltaic battery
and set of buttons or finger keys, with suitable mechanism for them exactly
like those parts already mentioned as being situated at the first-mentioned
terminus. The said additional battery and set of buttons or finger keys
being applied to that portion of the apparatus which is situated at the distant
terminus will enable the person who is stationed there to connect the distant

page_text: ends of any of the conducting wires with the poles of the distant battery, so
as to form those wires at the will of that person (according as he chooses to
press the buttons or finger keys) into suitable metallic circuits for the trans-
mission of electric currents from one pole of the battery at the distant terminus
along those conducting wires which constitute one half of the circuit to tho
other first-mentioned terminus, and froin thence back again along those other
conducting wires which form the other half of the same circuit, to the contrary
pole of the same battery, and such transmission is caused to produce all the
same signals and diversity of signals by means of the different needles, as
already explained, the transmission being equally operative upon the needles
in all the several duplicates of the apparatus which contain needles. The
arrangement of the buttons or finger keys is precisely the same at both
termini, and their connections with the voltaic battery are similar, except that
the distant battery has its poles reversed in respect to the poles of the other
battery, that is to say, the connections which are made between each pole of
the distant battery and its several button or finger keys correspond exactly
to those connections which are made between the contrary poles of the other
battery and its like buttons or finger keys; wherefore, if by pressing any par-
ticular buttons or finger keys they will cause the needles to give a particular
sigual or signals at every portion of the apparatus containing needles, it
follows, from the similarity of arrangement and reversal of the poles of the
distant battery, that by pressing the corresponding buttons or finger keys at
the other terminus they will cause the needle to give a like signal or signals
at every such portion; wherefore all that has been herein-before explained
respecting the mode of giving signals by a person stationed at the first-men-
tioned terminus to other persons stationed at the several more and more distant
intermediate places and at the distant terminus, is also to be understood to be
equally applicable to the mode of giving signals by a stationed at the distant
terminus to others stationed at the intermediate places and at the first-men-
tioned terminus. And note, it is by that duplicate of the portion of the
apparatus containing needles which, as herein-before stated, is placed in view
of the person stationed at the first-mentioned terminus that he is enabled to
see and receive the signals which the person at the distant terminus intends to
give to him. And note, although in general it is intended that the operator
stationed at one terminus shall complete the signals or series of such which
will constitute a distinct idea or communication from him before the person
at the other terminus begins to return any signals in reply, nevertheless, the
apparatus and mechanism will admit, if required, of some signals being made
by one party at the same time that other different signals are making by the

page_text: other party, because some of the conducting wires may be formed into a
circuit with the battery at one terminus, whilst others of those wires are
formed into a distinct circuit with the battery at the other terminus; and it is
obvious that distinct electric currents may be transmitted through those
circuits at the same time without interference of one with the other; and
cach of those distinct transmissions will produce its own proper effect upon
different needles. And note, there is a cross piece of metal for connecting
the ends of some or all of the conducting wires at the first-mentioned terminus
similar to that cross piece already mentioned as being at the distant terminus,
and for a similar purpose, as already explained, viz., it is for keeping the
wires connected in readiness for forming any of those metallic circuits which
they may be required to form with the distant battery; but when such a cross bar
is provided at both ends of each of the wires, it follows that whenever any one
of those ends is to be connected with its battery, in order to form one half of
a circuit, the said end must be previously disconnected from its said cross
piece. This disconnection is most conveniently effected by the same pressure
on the button or finger key which causes the intended connection of the said
end of the wire with its battery to be effected. And before proceeding to
state the mode of exciting occasional magnetism and of decomposing water, I
shall explain the details and Drawings of an apparatus and mechanism which
is constructed according to the foregoing description.
Figures A and B, Sheet I. are the dial or tablet on which twenty letters
are marked, in order to be pointed to when required for giving signals by five
magnetic needles 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, which are the external needles of as many
astatic needles, whereof the details are drawn full size in Figures C, D, E, F,
and G. 6 in all those Figures is the horizontal axis whereon the two astatic
needles are fixed fast, 1 being the exterior needle and 7 the interior needle,
which latter is included within the numerous coils 8 that the conducting wire
makes around a slight frame 10 of thin wood (or of metal, which must not be
iron or contain iron). The use of the frame 10 is to retain the coils in place,
and to preserve a narrow space within the coils for the interior needle 7 to
move in, as shewn in Figure F. The frame 10 is in two parts, side by side,
see Figures D and G, leaving a small interval between them for the axis 6 to
pass through, as is shewn in the horizontal plan Figure C, and that interval
also enables the axis 6 with the interior needle 7 to be inserted into its place
in the narrow space within the coils. The two parts of the frame 10 are
united together by their two endmost pieces passing across from one part to the
other and being common to both, also by other cross pieces 11, which serve
likewise to fasten the frame 10 to the back of the vertical board A or Figure A,

page_text: which forms the dial. The pivots at the two ends of the axis 6 are sustained
in pivot holes formed in the ends of screws, which are screwed through two
horizontal metal bars 12, 12, one in front of the dial A and the other at the
back, both bars 12 being sustained at the ends of horizontal pillars 13,
which project out each way from the vertical board. The dial A is very thin
at the places where the coils 10 apply behind it, in order that the exterior
needle 1, which is in front of the dial A, may not be far distant from the
coils 8. The conducting wire which is to operate on each needle (or on each
pair of needles 1, 7, which constitute one astatic needle) is first coiled, as at 8,
around one half of the frame 10, and then it crosses over to the other half
and proceeds to coil around the same; the coils being in the same direction in
both, the effect of the two halves is nearly the same as one continuous coiling
would be. The said coiled wire is copper wire closely covered with silk
thread, in the same manner as is used for galvanometers, being about one
thirtieth part of an inch in diameter, which is of a smaller size than we prefer
for the other parts of the conducting wires, which are extended between
distant portions of the apparatus, those wires being copper about one twelfth
of an inch diameter. A great length, and consequently multiplication of coils,
may be obtained with the small wire without rendering the mass of coils 8 so
large as to remove the exterior coils too far from the interior needle 7 to exert
a due influence thereon; a length of about 200 yards in the coils 8, 8, around
each interior needle 7, and making about eight hundred convolutions, is what
we have found most suitable. Note, in order more effectually to insulate
the coils of wire one coil from another coil, it is best to line all that part of
the frames 10 with which the coiled wire will come in contact with woven
silk cloth (that is, in case those frames are made of metal), and also to
interpose a small piece of woven silk cloth between each successive layer of
coils, which are laid over a preceding layer of coils just at the two ends of the
frame 10 where the bending of the wire causes the coils to apply closer to
the preceding coils than they do in the straight parts; also in winding on the
succeeding coils which are to lay side by side on the frame 10, they should not
be laid so close together as to press very tight laterally one against another.
The five needles which are placed side by side in a row being all of them
astatic, as before explained, do not exert magnetic influence on one another,
but each astatic needle when left to itself, that is, when left free from the
influence of any electric current through the coiled wire 8, will settle into a
vertical position by preponderance of its heavy end. The stop before men-
tioned by which the angular motion of the interior needle is limited when, by
action of an electric current through the coiled wire 8, the needle is deflected

page_text: from its vertical position, is fixed at 14 to the side of the frame 10 across that
opening thereof wherein the interior needle 7 moves. Those stops must be of
metal not susceptible of magnetism, and may be wound with silk thread to
diminish any tendency of the needle to rebound when it moves suddenly
towards and strikes them, that the needle may rest quietly against them.
Note, stop pins fixed into the face of the dial A to intercept the ends of the
exterior needle 1 would answer the same purpose as the stops 14; in either case
the stops must be so fixed as to limit the inclination of the needle either way
to conformity with the inclined lines marked on the face of the dial, Figure A,
which contains twenty letters disposed at the several intersections of those
inclined lines; and the concurrent pointing of two of the five needles always
designate some particular letter, which is the signal that they give by so
pointing in concurrence; for instance, on the Drawing, needle 1 inclines with
its upper end towards the right hand, and needle 4 inclines with its upper end
towards the left hand; the mutual convergence of the upper ends of those
needles towards each other shews that the signal they are to give is to be
found in the upper half of the dial, and the respective directions in which
those two needles point being continued upwards by aid of the inclined lines
marked on the dial, their intersection is the letter B, which is the signal they
now give; but if the lower ends of those needles had converged towards each
other instead of their upper ends, then the signal they would give would be
found in the lower half of the dial at the intersection of their respective lines
of inclination, at the intersection of which is the letter V, and so on of all the
other needles. But note, this dial is only adapted for giving signals by the
concurrent pointing of two needles, and there are five conducting wires
21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, each belonging to its respective needle or pair of
needles, which constitute five astatic needles 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, so that there
is no wire of that kind which, as before explained, is not connected with
any needles, such wire being unnecessary unless it be required to give
signals by inclination of only one needle, and the dial, Figure A, is not adapted
to give signals by one needle. The dial A and exterior needles are covered
in front with a glass, and the coils and interior needles behind the dial
are enclosed by boards framed to the vertical board of the dial in the manner
of a close box, to keep off dust and dampness. Figures H, I, and J,
represent a set of buttons or finger keys whereby the person who intends
to give signals in distant places can at pleasure connect the ends of any
of the five conducting wires with either of the poles of a voltaic battery,
which is assumed to be charged and properly prepared for action; 31, 32, 33,
34, and 35, are five finger keys of metal, fixed fast by one end of each key to

page_text: a piece of wood 19, which is erected on one end of the keyboard 18; the
other end of the key may be pressed down, and then the key will bend like a
spring, but with a tendency to rise up again when permitted; to these five
keys the ends of the five conducting wires 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, are connected
at the fixed ends of the keys, and the keys being conducting bars of metal
may be considered as prolongations of the several conducting wires, so that the
moveable ends of the keys may be considered to be the ends of the conducting
wires, which have been herein-before mentioned as being occasionally con-
nected to the poles of the battery; 17 is the cross piece of metal before men-
tioned for connecting those ends of all the several wires one to another, in
readiness for forming part of some metallic circuit; the cross piece 17 is
fixed upon legs erected on the board 18 so as to extend horizontally across
the ends of all the five keys, which spring upwards by their elasticity, so as to
touch beneath the cross piece 17, and that forms the stop to the springing up
of each key. There are two buttons, as 41, 51, for instance, applied to each
key (as 31, for instance) for the operator to press down either one or other
with his fingers, one of which buttons 41 being pressed will bend down the key
31 and connect that key, (and consequently the conducting wire 21, whereof
it forms the end), with one pole (say the positive pole) of the voltaic battery, in
consequence of the lower end of the stem of the button 41 going down in contact
with a fixed cross bar 26 called the pole bar, which is connected with the posi-
tive pole of the battery by any suitable connecting wire 27; and at the same time
by the bending down of the key 31 its extreme end is disconnected from the
cross piece 17, and thereby the end of the wire 21 becomes disconnected from
its previous connection with the other four wires; wherefore by pressure on the
button 41, the key 31, which may be considered to be the end of the conducting
wire 21, is become connected with the positive pole of the battery so as to form
one half of a metallic circuit. But in order to constitute a complete metallic
circuit which will transmit an electric current, some other wire must be
connected with the negative pole of the same battery, and to do that another
button 54, for instance, which is one of the buttons belonging to the key 34 of
the conducting wire 24, being pressed down, will bend down its key 34 so as
to disconnect the end thereof from the cross piece 17; and also the end of
the button 54 will go down into contact with another fixed pole bar, 36,
which is connected by a wire 37 with the negative pole of the battery, and
therefore by such pressure on the button 54 the key 34, which may be
considered to be the end of the wire 24, is become connected with the
negative pole of the same battery; and note, this being done only on that set
of buttons or finger keys, Figures H, I, J, which is situated at one terminus,

page_text: the other like set of buttons or finger keys at the other terminus, which are
represented by Figures h, i, j, will stand with its corresponding keys 31 and
34 in those Figures (which keys may be considered as the distant ends of
the said two conducting wires 21 and 24) in contact with the cross piece 17,
Figure h, i, and thereby the said two distant ends of the wires 21 and 24 are
connected together. The instant that the said two buttons 41 and 54 are
thus pressed an electric current will begin to be transmitted along the two
wires 21 and 24 in the following manner: viz., from the positive pole of the
battery along its connecting wire 27, and pole bar 26, and button 41 (which
has just been pressed down into contact therewith, as above explained), and
thence along the key 31 of that button, and along the conducting wire 21 of
that key to the coils (8, Figure C) which that wire makes around the interior
needle 7 (Figure C) belonging to the exterior needle 1 (Figure A); and the
said transmission of the electric current (being in the direction from the
positive pole of the battery, through those coils causes the needle 1, Figure A,
to incline instantly from its previous vertical or quiescent position to turn its
upper end towards the right hand as far as its stop 14 will allow it to go;
and the electric current so transmitted through the coils belonging to the
needle 1 thence proceeds along all the long extension of the conducting wire
21 to the nearest of the distant portions of the apparatus containing needles,
which supposing for a moment that there are no duplicates at intermediate
places between the two termini, will be that portion or dial and set of needles
which is situated at the distant terminus, and which is represented edgeways
by Figure b, and is in every respect a duplicate of what has been already
described by Figures A, B, to G; at that distant terminus the electric current
which as aforesaid is transmitted through the conducting wire 21, and which
wire there makes coils around the first needle of the dial, Figure 6, will in
passing through those coils incline that first needle with its upper end to the
right, the same as before described respecting the other dial, Figure A; and
the electric current so transmitted through the said coils thence proceeds
along the continuation of the conducting wire 21, Figure 6 and h, to the key
31, Figures h and i, and along that key to the cross piece 17, with which the
key 31 is in contact; then passing laterally through the piece 17, the electric
current gets to the key 34, which is also in contact with 17, and begins to
return towards the battery along the conducting wire 24, and thereby to the
coils which that wire makes around the fourth needle of the dial, Figure b,
at the distant terminus; and the said transmission through those last-men-
tioned coils being in a direction towards the negative pole of the battery,
causes the said fourth needle to incline with its upper end towards the left

page_text: hand, and the electric current transmitted through the said coils thence
proceeds along all the long extension of the conducting wire 24, to return to
the first-mentioned terminus, supposing as before that there are no duplicates
at intermediate plates between the two termini; and at the first-mentioned
terminus the electric current returning along the conducting wire 24 is
transmitted through the coils which that wire makes around the needle 4,
Figure A; and that transmission being in a direction towards the negative
pole of the battery as before mentioned, respecting the fourth needle of the
distant dial, Figure b, causes the needle 4 to incline with its upper end to the left
hand, as is represented in Figure A, and thence from the said last-mentioned
coils the electric current returns along the conducting wire 24, Figure A, to
the key 34, Figure H, and along that key and through its button 54 (which
has just been pressed down in contact with the pole bar 36); the electric
current enters that bar, and thence by the conducting wire 37 passes to the
negative pole of the battery, thus completing its long and very intricate circuit
above described, but which may be briefly recapitulated to be proceeding
from the positive pole 27 along all the continuous extension of the wire 21,
including all the coils that it makes around needle 1, Figure A, and around
the first needle of Figure b to the cross piece 17, Figure h, at the distant
terminus, and passing laterally by that piece 17 to the other wire 24, returns
along all the continuous extension of that wire, including all the coils that
it makes around the fourth needle of Figure 6, and around needle 4, Figuro
A, to return to the negative pole 37 of the battery. The said long and cir-
cuitous transmission of the electric current begins instantaneously on pressing
down the two buttons 41 and 54, so as by their respective contacts with the
pole bars 26 and 36 to conjoin the two wires 21 and 24 into a metallic
circuit, and the needles belonging to those two wires assume their respective
inclining positions almost instantaneously; wherefore they present precisely the
same appearance at the same time on the dial, Figure A, at one terminus, and
on the dial, Figure b, at the other terminus, the signal which they indicate being
the letter B on both dials. And note.-If there were duplicates of the apparatus
containing needles situated at intermediate places between the two termini, the
same would be exact duplicates of that which hs been already described by
Figures A to G, and the conducting wire 21 would in passing through each such
duplicate make coils around the first needle thereof, and the wire 24 would make
coils around the fourth needle of each such duplicate, wherefore the effect of the
electric current would be the same on the needles in each of the duplicates, as
already described respecting the dials at the two termini, and the same signals
will be exhibited by the needles of all the several dials as well at intermediate

page_text: places as at the two termini. The clectric current will continue to be trans-
mitted through the circuit so long as the two buttons continue to be pressed,
provided that the battery continue in vigor, and the two needles which have in
consequence been thrown into an inclining position will continue steadily in their
inclining and pointing position; but when the operator who has given them
that position (in the present case, that is, he who is at the first-mentioned
terminus, and who has pressed the two buttons 41 and 54, Figure H) has
kept them pressed down during a sufficient and previously appointed time for
the person at the distant terminus to have observed the needles of the dial
there (Figure 6), and to have recorded the signal which two of the needles
thereof point to (that is, in the present case, the first and fourth needles
pointing to the letter B), then the person at the first-mentioned terminus
releases the two buttons 41 and 54, Figure H, whereupon their keys 31 and
34 spring up by their own elasticity, raising the lower ends of the stems of
the buttons from contact with the two pole bars 26 and 36, and thereby dis-
connecting the two wires 21 and 24 from the poles of the battery, and the
ends of the keys 31 and 34 come up in contact with the cross piece 17; that
contact connects the two wires 21 and 24 together, and the instant that the
buttons are so released, the metallic circuit being thereby broken, the electric
current ceases, and then the two needles of each dial which had been inclined
by action of that current into pointing positions fall back quickly to their
quiescent or vertical positions by the gravitation of their heavy ends, and as
soon as the person at the distant terminus perceives that the needles have
done so, he knows that the intended signal, B for instance, is completed, and
he prepares his mind either to receive another succeeding signal which may
be sent to him, or else to return an answer to what he has received, or to
make some appointed signal in acknowledgement of the receipt, the best and
surest mode of doing which will be to repeat or send back the same signal
he has just received as the final signal of a series. For this purpose the
person at the distant terminus has only to press the two corresponding buttons
(in this case buttons 41 and 54, Figure h,) and they will connect the con-
ducting wire 21 with the negative pole of the battery at the distant terminus
and the wire 24 with the positive pole thereof, and thereby the first and
fourth needles will be caused to point out the letter B on all the dials,
Figure A and Figure b, just as before described, because a metallic circuit
will be formed, and an electric current will be transmitted through those two
wires 21 and 24 in the same direction through each of them, as already
And all
described, although excited by the battery at the distant terminus.
that has been now fully described in respect to two of the wires 21 and 24

page_text: But
with their keys 31 and 34 and their buttons 41 and 54 and their needles 1
and 4 in each of the several dials and duplicates thereof, is equally true of any
other two of the five conducting wires with their corresponding keys and
buttons and needles, and cannot therefore require further description.
note, each key is provided with two buttons, as herein-before mentioned,
whereof one button is for connecting that key and its wire with the positive
pole of the battery, and the other button is for connecting the same key and
wire with the negative pole of the same battery. The use of two buttons is
to be enabled to cause each needle to incline either way from its perpendicular
position, and thereby to point to a different letter on its dial. For instance,
if the buttons 51 and 44 are pressed down (instead of 41 and 54), although
they belong to the same two keys 31 and 34, and wires 21 and 24, and
needles 1 and 4, as already directed, nevertheless the result will be to transmit
the electric current through both those wires 21 and 24 in a contrary direction
to that already described, and consequently to incline the needles in a contrary
direction, that is, needle 1 will turn its upper end to the left and needle 4
will turn its upper end to the right, consequently their convergence or con-
currence will be downwards; and by examination of the lower half of the dial,
Figure A, it will be found that they will point to the letter V thereon, which
will be the signal given by pressing the two buttons 51 and 44 in like manner
as the letter B was the signal given by pressing the two buttons 41 and 54,
as before explained. It only remains to state that the stems of the two
buttons to each key are fitted through sockets or holes in the key, and have
a certain latitude of motion up and down through those sockets independent
of the key; but the extent of that motion is limited by two shoulders on cach
of the stems of the buttons, and slender springs affixed to each key are
applied to each button to bear the same upwards in its socket as far as the
lowermost shoulder on the stem will allow the button to rise up from the key.
The said springs of the buttons are more yielding than the elastic flexure of
the key. The consequence is that whenever a button is pressed it first moves
down in its socket through the key by the yielding of its own slender spring
without moving the key until the upper shoulder of the stem comes to act
upon the key, and then the further continuance of the pressure on the button
bends down the key until the lower end of the stem of the button touches on
the one or other of the poll bars 26 or 36 beneath it, so as to form the
intended connection of the key with one of the poles of the battery; but the
other button of the same key, which is not pressed, being borne upwards as
far as it can go up in its socket through the key by its own slender spring will
not be carried down low enough by the bending of the key to cause its lower

page_text: end to touch that pole bar 26 or 36 which is beneath it. By this means
there is no risk of both buttons of the same key forming contacts at the same
time unless both were to be pressed upon, which is never to be done. And
note, all the contacts which are to form part of the metallic circuit which is
to be established must be rendered secure that the metals do actually touch.
The springs by which the stems of the buttons are urged upwards in their
sockets being fixed to the keys will ensure a sufficient contact of the buttons
and their keys. The elasticity of the keys will ensure their contacts with the
cross piece 17 whenever that contact is required. And where the communi-
cating wires are connected to the keys the thread covering and varnish must
be removed, and the bare metal of the wire held in actual contact with the
metal of the keys by screws, and the additional precaution of soldering will be
proper. And in like manner the junctions of the several pieces whereof the
long extension of each conducting wire is formed should be united by forming
the thread covering and looping or twisting or otherwise joining the ends, so
that the metal of one comes in actual contact with the metal of the other, and
such contact may be rendered secure by soldering, and then a covering of
thread is to be wound about the joint. The long extensions of the conducting
wires, which may be called telegraphic wires, may be lodged in channels
formed in wood rails, and lined with any suitable resinous matter, with a
covering rail of wood over the channels to protect the wires from injury and
from damp; such wooden rails may be according to the section, Figure 21,
Sheet III., formed in as long pieces as can be readily procured. The rail
containing the wires may form a square rail, and the covering rail the
upper half of a square rail, which may be fixed with one of its angles
upwards on the tops of upright posts fixed in the ground in the manner
very commonly used for post and rail fences along embankments and other
places on public roads; the rails being lodged in angular notches on the
tops of the posts are bound down and secured therein by straps of broad
hoop iron bended over the upper angle of the rail, and reaching down the
sides of the post and nailed thereto; large posts may be applied at the
junctions of the pieces of rails to receive and sustain the adjacent ends of two
pieces, and the joint may be made firm by any suitable application of iron.
The joints of the pieces composing the upper half may be interspaced to those
of the lower half, and smaller supporting posts may be applied in the intervals
between any joints. As many parallel channels as there are conducting wires
may be cut out with circular saws along the middle part of the lower half of
such rails, and after those rails are laid in places on their posts, and the
channels being lined with suitable resinous, varnish, then the wires suitably

page_text: covered with thread, if necessary and varnished, may be lodged in the channels,
and fillets of wood may be driven in to fill up each channel over the wire,
which being thus inclosed the upper half or covering rail may be applied
with felt interposed in the joint and secured by the iron straps over the posts
and such other intermediate bands of iron as will be requisite for fastening the
two securely together like one rail, to keep out wet and give it sufficient
strength to resist injury. The bottom half may, as before mentioned, be a
square rail with a covering rail, as in Figure 21, placed angle upwards over
it, that form being best for a covering because the rain water will not rest
upon it. Figure 22 is a section of another form of rail containing distinct
channels for the several wires, each of which channels is closed by a fillet of
wood driven into it. Such rails may be laid under ground when that is more
convenient than to place them above ground upon posts, and some parts of a
long line may be under ground and other parts above ground, and extend
along the sides of public roads or railways or otherwise, as is most convenient and
suitable to go from one terminus to the other. And for telegraphic communi-
cations between places which are too distant for an electric current to be
transmitted all the way with sufficient vigour to be certain in its operation, a
chain of such apparatus as herein-before described must be established to
communicate one to another through the whole distance, in which case what
has been called the distant terminus of one apparatus will be situated close by
the commencing terminus of the next apparatus, and the signals received
there from one apparatus must be sent forward by the next, and so on, all
which requires no explanation because it is well known in the usual system of
telegraphic communication, and forms no part of our present Invention.
And the same may be said of the telegraphic language or system of signals
and their significations, those systems which are well known and in use for
other telegraphs may be used or they may be modified, but they form no part of
our Invention. And note.-Instead of inclosing the several conducting wires
in distinct channels as above described, they may all be carried along one
channel, for provided that they are kept dry, their covering of thread and
varnish will form a sufficient insulation of each wire from its neighbours. The
whole number of conducting wires may be bound together in a bundle by a
wrapping of coarse thread and varnish over, that may if required be covered
again with a spiral fillet of hemp, and then covered with pitch or tar to keep
out wet, the one channel receiving a set of wires either when so bound
together or when detached one from another, may be formed in wood rails put
together in two halves or in iron troughs or tubes formed of hoop iron bended
up and put together in two halves, and united with screw bolts at suitable

page_text: intervals, having tarred felt interposed in the joint between the two halves or
tubes may be formed by bending up hoop iron with a sufficient longitudinal
opening left between its meeting edges to introduce the wires one by one, and
afterwards closing up the opening by inserting tarred felt and pinching the
edges together thereon by screw bolts applied at suitable intervals. Figure 23
represents such a tube, and explains how the ends of the several pieces thereof
may be united by sockets of the same description, made large enough to
receive the ends of the tubes. Figure 24 explains how a rail of wood may
have an inverted gutter or trough of iron applied upon it to cover over and
protect the wires which are laid upon the wood without being let into channels
therein. The two edges of the inverted iron trough may be let into two channels
cut in the wood and cemented in with pitch or tar, and the iron may be
fastened to the wood by iron staples applied over it and driven into or
otherwise fastened to the wood. The junctions of the several lengths of iron
may be covered over with short lengths of similar gutter iron, but of larger
size, to form sockets for receiving the two ends of the lengths which are to be
joined. And note.-The set of buttons and finger keys represented in Figures
h, i, j, Sheet I., are rather differently constructed from what has been herein-
before described, inasmuch as that the sockets into which the stems of the
buttons are fitted, instead of being formed in the keys themselves, are formed
in the two pole bars 26 and 36, which bars are fixed across over the keys
instead of under them as before described, being supported at their ends or
upright legs erected on the board 18. The stems of the buttons are fitted
into their said sockets with slender springs to urge them upwards therein, and
there are shoulders on the stems to limit the extent of motion therein as
before described. When pressure is applied on any button, the same is
forced down in its socket, in opposition to its own slender spring, until its
lower end gets down in contact with the key, which thereby becomes connected
with the pole of the battery, and then the button being pressed still lower it
bends down the key so as to remove the extreme end thereof from its previous
contact with the cross piece 17: And note.-The apparatus represented in
Sheet I. (as the same has been herein-before described) must necessarily give
all the signals by the concurrent and cotemporaneous operation of two needles,
because each of the five conducting wires makes coils around one of the five
needles in each dial; and whereas two wires must of necessity be employed to
form any metallic circuit, it follows that whichever two of the five wires may
be so employed they must bring two needles into concurrent and cotempo-
raneous operation. Wherefore, in order to give signals by operation of one
needle at a time, another or sixth wire may be added to extend direct from one

page_text: terminus to the other without forming coils around any needles, and the two
ends of that sixth wire must be connected to a sixth key, which is added to
the set of keys at each terminus, that key having its two buttons precisely the
same as all the others, then it is obvious that the apparatus will be qualified
for operating at pleasure upon one needle at a time as well as upon two
needles at a time as already described, or upon three needles at a time, or
upon four at a time, or five at a time. For each set of buttons and keys will
consist as before of two rows of buttons, those in one row being adapted on
pressure to cause the needles belonging to them to incline and point in one
direction, the buttons in the other row on pressure causing the same needles,
to incline and point in a contrary direction, all which is as before described;
but now instead of five there are six such buttons in each row. The additional
key with its two buttons may be disposed at the commencement of the series
of five already described, that is, by the side of the first key which is marked
31, in Figures H and h, Sheet I., and its two buttons are marked 41, 51; the
additional key may be marked 30, its two buttons 40 and 50, and the
additional or sixth wire 20, and they may be considered as the blanks or zero
of the series; and it is obvious that on pressing down either of the blank
buttons 40 or 50 no needle will be moved in consequence of so pressing; but
by pressing down at the same time any other one of the buttons the parti-
cular needle thereto belonging will be moved by itself alone; and that one
way or other, according to the row on which the button that is pressed is
situated. The dial, Figure A (as it has been already described) containing
twenty letters, none of them can be pointed out by single needles; but a row of
numeral figures may be marked in red ink as there shown; and it will be
apparent that when only one needle is inclined at a time that it will point to
some one of the red figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0, on the dial, and not to any
letters thereon, and if thought more convenient such numeral characters may
be marked in red around the border or margin of that part of the dial which
contains the letters. But note.-In cases where the use of six conducting
wires may be objectionable on account of the expense of very long lines
thereof, five wires and five keys with ten buttons, as before described, and as
represented by Figures H and h, may be retained exactly; but the fifth key
35 and wire 25 will be the blank which has no connection with any needles,
and one of the five needles of each of the dials will be omitted, and only four of
them used with a suitable dial, such as is represented by Figure Z, Sheet III.,
which dial is adapted to give significations to the pointing of any one needle,
ns well as to the concurrent and cotemporaneous pointing of two needles.
And now, respecting the means of applying the attractive force of occasional

page_text: magnetism, which may be excited in masses of iron by electric currents, as
herein-before alluded to. Figure Y, Sheet I., represents a mode of actuating
a magnetic needle 7, which may for the present be supposed to be one of
those belonging to the dial, Figure A, and that the parts represented in
Figure Y are placed at the back of the vertical board of the dial A, in place
of the frames 10, represented in Figures D to G. U, U, Figure Y, are two
pieces of soft malleable iron bended into the form of a fork or of the letter U,
or what is termed a horse-shoe form, one such horse shoe being over the needle
7 and the other under it, but both being in the same plane in which tho
.needle is to move. The four extremities of the two horse shoes come very
near to the fixed stops 14, 14, by which the inclining motion of the needle 7
either way is to be limited in manner already explained; 21 is the conducting
wire by which the needle 7 is to be actuated; that wire is covered with silk, as
before explained respecting Figure G, but it is now wound in continuous
spiral coils around the four ends or prongs of the two horse shoes U, U, that
is to say, the wire 21 having made a number of coils around one prong of the
upper horse shoe U, with coil over coil until a considerable mass of coils is
accumulated thereon at r, for instance,) then passes across to the other of
prong
the upper horse shoe, and makes another mass of like coils &; after which the
continuation of the same wire 21 descends and makes a like mass of coils t
around one prong of the lower horse shoe, and passes across to form a like
mass of coils around the other prong, and from the last of those coils the
wire 21 continues on its course of extension in the same manner as if it had
formed coils, as before explained by Figure G; when an electric current is
transmitted through the wire 21, and all its several coils r, s, t, v, magnetism
will (as is well known) be excited in the horse shoes, so as to convert them for
the time into two voltaic magnets, and in consequence of their relative posi-
tions in respect to the needle 7 they will concur in inclining it from its vertical
or quiescent position as far as its stops 14 will allow it to go. If that electric
current is transmitted in one direction it will cause the needle 7 to incline one
way, or if the current is transmitted in the contrary direction it will cause the
needle 7 to incline the other way, or if the electric current is discontinued then
the two horse shoes will cease to be magnetic and will allow the needle to
return to its quiescent or vertical position by the gravitation of its lower end,
which must be heavier than its upper end, as already fully explained respect-
ing the needles having heavy ends, wherefore the effect produced upon the
needle by the means explained in Figure Y will be similar in every respect to
the effect produced thereon by the means herein-before described, in respect
to Figures D to G. And note.-The two horse shoes U, U, are to be fixed fast

page_text: to the back of the vertical board A by any convenient means, but the four
extremities of the prongs of the horse shoes U, U, must not be so situated as
to be too near to the ends of the needle 7 when the same is inclined as far
either way as its stops 14 will allow it to go, because the magnetic attraction
of the needle itself for the iron ends of the horse shoes (although that iron
has ceased to be magnetic) might, if they came too near together, impede the
free return of the needle to its vertical position by the gravitation of its heavy
end. And note.-The needle 7, Figure Y, corresponds to the interior needle 7,
Figures E, F; but the exterior needle belonging to Figure Y, which is to be
in front of the dial, is to be a mere pointer of brass or copper, and not a
magnetic needle, wherefore the needle actuated in the manner of Figure Y
will not be according to an astatic combination, which it is advisable for the
needles, Figures E, F, to be, as already explained. And respecting the sounding
of alarums in distant places by means of electric currents transmitted through
metallic circuits, "the same may be effected by the attractive force of occasional
magnetism excited in masses of iron by such currents, and may be applied in a
distinct apparatus which is only adapted by sounding alarums without giving
any other signals than such alarums: see Sheet II., Figure R. n is a well-
known piece of clockwork, having a bell Q, which is sounded when required
by a hammer actuated by the wheelwork, that wheel work being turned by
force of a spring or a weight with a cord and barrel, which has been previously
wound up; but all motion of the wheel work is stopped by a detent p mounted
on a horizontal axis & catching into the teeth of any of the wheels l, as will best
suit; and when that detent p is removed out of the way of the teeth of the
wheel l, then the alarum begins sounding its bell, all which is so weil known
as to require no further explanation, particularly as there are or may be various
constructions of such alarums, and our improvements therein only relate to the
mode of disengaging and re-engaging such detent p by means of electric
currents. Let K represent a voltaic battery on any of the constructions com-
monly used, one of the most simple, consisting of a flat vessel of copper filled
with acidulated water, and having a plate of zinc suspended therein, will be
sufficient; 21 is a conducting wire extending from one pole, which is in this case.
the positive pole 27 of the battery, to coil around the two prongs of a soft iron.
horse shoe U, first around one prong thereof and then around the other prong
thereof, in the manner shewn in perspective in Figure S, Sheet II., and as has
been already explained respecting Figure Y, Sheet I.; but now there is only
one horse shoe instead of two and no magnetic needle, and after making such.
coils the continuation of the conducting wire 21, Figure R, is extended to.
such place as is most convenient and accessible to the person who intends to
.

page_text: sound the alarum, and there the said wire 21 is connected to a finger key 31,
which is fixed fast by one of its ends, and the other end is capable of being
bended down by pressure, to bring it down into contact with a pole bar 26,
which is fixed beneath it, and from which another conducting wire 22 proceeds
to the other (which is in this case the negative) pole 37 of the battery K. When
the key 31 is not pressed it springs up by its own elasticity, so as not to touch
its pole bar 26, and no metallic circuit is formed; and so long as that is the case
the detent p of the alarum is kept by action of its own spring m in the way
of the teeth of the wheel l, so as to prevent the alarum from sounding; but
there is a mass of soft malleable iron V fixed across the lower or tail end of the
detent p, and extending horizontally across, parallel to the axis k of the detent,
the two ends of the piece of iron V being opposite to and at a small distance
from the ends of the two prongs of the horse shoe U, as is shewn in perspective
at Figure S, Sheet II., but neither the piece V, nor the horse shoe U, being
magnetic they do not attract each other. The person who intends sounding the
alarum can do so by merely pressing down the key 31, which he may either do
by applying his hand or finger to the key 31, or by pulling down a cord or bell
pulla, which may be appended to it; in either case, by bending down the key
31 to touch its pole bar 26, the required circuit is formed, and an electric
current being transmitted through the conducting wire 21, which is coiled round
the prongs of the horse shoe U, it excites magnetism therein, or converts
it for the time into a voltaic horse shoe maguet, which attracts the piece of
iron V at the lower end of the detent p, and draws it towards the ends of the
horse shoe U, although it is not allowed quite to touch them; the upper end of
the detent is thereby withdrawn from out of the way of the wheel I, and then
the alarum commences sounding or hammering its bell by its own action,
derived from its previously wound-up weight or spring; and if the key 31 is
kept down so long the alarum will continue to sound, until its said weight or
spring is run down, but if the key 31 is released so that it can spring up and
separate from its polo bar 26, then the circuit being broken no electric current
will be transmitted through the coils of the wire 21, and the temporary
magnetism of the horse shoe U will cease altogether, and it will no longer
attract the piece of iron V; but the spring m of the detent p will withdraw
the piece from the horse shoe U, and will bring the upper end of the
dctent P into the way of the teeth of the wheel 1, so as to stop the motion
thereof, and consequently the sounding of the alarum. And note.-In order
that no adhesion may take place between the ends of the piece of iron V and
the iron ends of the horse shoe U, it should not, as before mentioned, be
allowed to actually touch those ends, which may be managed by suitable stops

page_text: to limit the motion of the detent p about its axis k; or else two small copper
studs may be fixed into the ends of the horse shoe, or into the ends of the
piece V, to form prominences of copper, which may be allowed to come in
contact and they will prevent the contact of the iron with the iron. 32,
26, Figure R, shew a duplicate key and pole bar which may be provided in
another different place from those already described at 31 and 26. The key 32
having a branch from the conducting wire 21, and its pole bar 26 having a
like branch to the conducting wire 22, they will give the means of sounding
the same alarum from that different place, as well as from the place first
mentioned, and so оп as many other keys and pole bars as may be
required may be provided at different places for sounding the same alarum.
The said apparatus, Figure R, may be applied in dwelling houses, inns,
theatres, or other large buildings, for the same purposes as the ordinary
system of bell-hanging, and where the situation does not require too great a
length of conducting wires 21, 22, in the metallic circuit, so that the electric
current will be able to excite a sufficient vigour of magnetic attraction in the
horse shoe U, the upper end of the detent p may have a hammer head fixed
upon it, in order to strike against and sound the bell q, in the manner repre-
sented in perspective, Figure S, by a direct action of the force of the
occasional magnetism which is excited in the horse shoe U. But in other
situations the length of the conducting wires 21, 22, in the metallic circuit
may be so great that the magnetism excited in the horse shoe U will not exert
a sufficient force of attraction for the piece of iron V to remove the detent p
from the teeth of the wheel l. In such situations the apparatus, Figure S, is to
be preferred, wherein the voltaic battery K and the iron horse shoe U, together
with the pieco of iron V, at the lower end of the detent p, are all the same as
already described, respecting Figure R; and the hammer for sounding the
bell of the alarum, may be either at the upper end of the detent p, as
represented in Figure S, or else the hammer may be moved by clockwork, as
already mentioned, and as is represented in Figure R; the office of the upper
end of the detent p being in that case to catch the teeth of the wheel 1, in
order to prevent the sounding of the alarum until the detent is removed, as
already explained. But instead of forming a long metallic circuit to extend
all the way from that battery K to the distant place or places where the
person who attends to sound the alarum may be situated, and thence back
again to the battery K, as is the case in Figure R, the battery K, in Figure
S, is devoted solely to the purpose of exciting occasional voltaic magnetism
in the horse shoe U by transmission of an electric current through no greater
length of metallic circuit than is most suitable for that purpose, that is to

page_text: say, a considerable part of the length is accumulated in the coils around the
prongs of the horse shoe U. The electric current which is to be transmitted
through the long circuit which extends to the said distant places is derived
from a distinct battery M, Figure S, and that current does not operate directly
upon the alarum, but it causes the other battery K (which may, for dis
tinction, be called the alarum battery) to be brought into action, in order
that it may sound the alarum, in manner already explained. It may be
therefore considered that the battery M and the electric current which is
transmitted from it through the long metallic circuit formed by the two
conducting wires 24, 25, is caused to produce the same effect on the alarum
apparatus as has been already described to be done by pressing down the
key 31, Figure R, in contact with its pole bar 26, viz., it establishes the
requisite contact between the ends of the wires 21 and 22, Figure S, to form
them into a metallic circuit for the transmission of an electric current from
the positive pole 27 of the battery K along the wire 21 and through the coils
which that wire makes around the two prongs of the horse shoe U, and back
again along wire 22 to the negative pole 37 of the same battery K. This
connection is effected by causing the two ends of a small fork 60, Figure S,
to descend into two small cups 61, 62, formed at the upper end of two
upright pillars 21, 22, which may be considered as prolongations of the
wires 21, 22. A small quantity of mercury is contained in each of the cups
61, 62, and when the fork 60 is brought down to dip therein, as is represented
by dotted lines, it forms the two wires 21 and 22 into a metallic circuit, and
that will cause the alarum to begin sounding the same, as would follow from
pressing the key 31, Figure R; but when the fork 60 is raised up, as repre-
sented in Figure S, that circuit is broken and the alarum ceases to sound, in
the same manner as would follow from releasing the key 31. This being
understood, it is easy to explain how the small fork 60 is brought down or
raised up by the motion which is given to a magnetic needle by transmission
of an electric current from the distant battery M through a long metallic
circuit, which may be formed when required by the long wires 24 and 25.
The fork 60 is formed out of one end of a slender lever 63, 64, which is
fixed on the horizontal axis 65 of a magnetic needle, which is placed within
a set of coils 8 which the wire 8 makes around a frame 10, in the same
manner as already described respecting Figures D, G, Sheet I., the only
differences from the structure there represented being that the axis 65 of the
needle, instead of being mounted in pivots at its ends, is suspended by the
tension of horse hairs, which are extended horizontally in prolongation of the
axis 65 from each end thereof to small regulating screws 66, 66, supported at

page_text: the upper ends of two small standards 67, 67, which are erected on the same
wooden base as the upright pillars 21, 22, for the cups 61, 62, and the framo
10 for the coils 8 of wire is also erected on that same base. Also that frame
10, instead of being made in two parts, as is represented by Figure D, and as
before explained, is here represented in one part, with a small tube projecting
out horizontally to admit the axis 65 of the needle, and keep the coils of wire
8 apart out of the way of the axis 65. The lever 63, 64, which carries the
fork 60 is fixed on the axis 65 at right angles thereto, and also at right
angles to the magnetic needle, which latter is concealed in Figure S within
the frame 10. The end 64 of the lever 63, 64, has a small weight which
overbalances the weight of the fork 60, so as to receive the same up out of
the cups 61, 62, as high as the stop 14 will permit, whenever there is no
electric current transmitted through the coils 8, 8, but the two ends of the wire
8 composing these coils are connected at 75, 76, with the ends of the two
long conducting wires 24 and 25, as is clearly shewn in Figure S. The wire
24 is connected with the positive pole 87 of the battery M, and from
the negative pole 97 of the same battery a connecting wire 36 extends
to the finger key 31 and to the pole bar 26; beneath that key the wire
25 is connected; wherefore if the key 31 is pressed down into contact with
its pole bar 26 the two long conducting wires 24 and 25 will become united
into a metallic circuit for the transmission of an electric current through the
following course, viz., from the positive pole 87 of the battery M, along the
long conducting wire 24 to the bottom 75, and thence through the wire 8, which
is coiled around the frame 10, in the space whereof the magnetic needle is
situated, and continuing from those coils to the button 76, there enters the other
long conducting wire 25, and along that to the poll bar 26, and through that and
its key 31 and connecting wire 36 to the negative pole 97 of the battery M. And
the said transmission through the coils 8 causes the magnetic needle to incline
from its perpendicular in the proper direction, and so much as is requisite to
put the fork 60 down into the cups 61, 62, which as already stated will cause
the alarum to begin sounding by the action already fully described in respect to
Figure R. But when the key 31, Figure S, is released, then the said metallic
circuit is broken, whereupon the electric current ceasing to be transmitted
through the coils 8 ceases to influence the magnetic needle, and therefore by
the preponderance of the weight 64 the fork 60 is raised up out of the cups
61, 62, as high as the stops 14 will allow, and then the sounding of the alarum
ceases, for the reason already explained in respect to Figure R. And note.-- It is
obvious that the weight or spring which actuates the clockwork of the alarum
might as that weight descends, or that spring unwinds, be made to pull a

page_text: string which is tied around the wrist of a person who is asleep, or who is dull
of hearing, and thereby give an additional chance of his attention being called
by the sounding of the alarum beyond that of merely hearing the sound. And
the apparatus above described and represented in Sheet II. may also be
applied in concert with the apparatus herein-before described and represented
in Sheet I. to form part of our complete apparatus for giving signals and
sounding alarums in distant places, and will form a very important part
thereof, because the person who intends giving signals in distant places can first
call the attention of his correspondent or correspondents at the distant places
by sounding the alarum or alarums previously to commencing giving visible
signals. For this purpose an apparatus with an alarum like Figure S, but
constructed and adapted to be actuated with clockwork as in Figure R, is to
be provided at each terminus or place where there is a set of buttons and
finger keys, Figures H, I, J, or Figure h, i, j, Sheet I., and also at each inter-
mediate place where duplicates of the dials with needles may be situated; but
the long conducting wires 24 and 25, Figure S, together with the battery M
and finger key 31 and pole bar 26 are not required, because the functions of
those parts are to be performed by two of the five long conducting or tele-
graphic wires, viz., 21 and 25, Sheet I, together with their sets of buttons and
finger keys. For it is evident that the sounding of the alarums may be per-
formed by transmission of the same electric current which produces some
particular signal, for instance, that convergence of the upper ends of needles
1 and 5, which signifies the letter A on the dial, Figure A, and which is occa-
sioned by the transmission of an electric current through the wires 21 and 25
and their keys 31 and 35. But as it would be inconvenient to suffer the
alarums to be sounded every time when the signal letter A is to be exhibited,
the alarum should be only kept connected with those two wires, in the
intervals between the making of telegraphic communications when the appa-
ratus is not in use, and on proceeding to resume the use of it for giving
signals, the prelude or first thing will be for the person at the first-mentioned
terminus to make the signal for letter A by pressing down buttons 41 and
55, which producing all the same results as pressing down the key 31, Figure
S, in manner already fully described, will begin sounding the alarum at the
distant terminus, and also those at the intermediate places, those buttons 41
and 55 being held down only a very short time and then released, and the
sounding may be repeated if necessary until the attention of the person at the
distant terminus is called to it; and as soon as he is ready to receive' signals
he will communicate that fact by sounding the alarum 'at the 'first-mentioned
ferminus, which he does by pressing the buttons 41 and 55, Figure h, and by

page_text: those means a mutual understanding will have been established between the
two persons that they are both prepared to commence a telegraphic communi-
cation, he who commenced by first sounding an alarum having the right of
precedence therein, and then the alarums being unnecessary for the present
each person may disconnect his own alarum from the telegraphic wires, but
that is merely to avoid the annoyance of its being sounded every time that
signal letter A is made by either person in the course of their communication;
but when the person who has, as before stated, acquired the right of precedence
therein intends to put an end to it for the present, be expresses that intention
by some unusual signal which has been previously agreed upon, such, for
instance, as pressing down at once two of the buttons 41, 42, in one row, and
two of the buttons 54, 55, in the other row, which will turn the upper
ends of the needles 1 and 2 to the right and the needles 4 and 5 to the left,
and immediately after the making of such signal it is to be imperative on
each person to connect his alarum with the telegraphic wires, and to wind up
its clockwork, weight, or spring, if necessary, in order that the alarums may
never fail of being ready for sounding during all cessations, however short, in
the telegraphic conversation, and in order that every resumption of the con-
versation may be preluded by sounding an alarum; and as to the several
alarums at intermediate places between the two termini, they will all begin to
be sounded at the same time with that alarum at either of the two termini
which is first sounded, and the persons who are stationed at those intermediate
places, on hearing the sound and looking at their own respective dials will dis-
cover from which terminus the intended communication will afterwards bo
sent, because the signals which follow after the sounding of the alarum must
be adapted to convey that information. The above particulars of the appli-
cation of the alarums being understood, it is easy to explain the manner of
The alarum at
connecting or disconnecting them with the telegraphic wires.
the first-mentioned terminus to be connected by a short cross wire 94,
extending from the key 35 of the telegraphic wire 25, Figure H, to the
button 75, Figure S (instead of the wire marked 24 in that Figure), and the
telegraphic wire 25, Figure H, is to be disconnected from its key 35 by
sliding a small bolt 78, and is to be connected by means of that bolt
and short cross wire 95 to the button 76, Figure S (instead of the wire
marked 25 in that Figure), to effect the said disconnection of the telegraphio
wire 25 from its key 35; it is not joined directly thereto, but to a spring piece
72, Figure H, which by bearing down on the end of the key 35 connects
the wire 25 therewith whenever the alarum is to be kept out of use; but
when the alarum is to be connected then the small sliding bolt 73 being

page_text: may be an exact
Another way of
pushed with its end beneath the spring piece 72, will lift the same up from
its previous contact with the key 35, but in so doing the bolt 73 makes con-
tact with the spring piece 72, which is connected with the telegraphic wire
25, and the short cross wire 95 being extended from the bolt 73 to the
button 76, the bolt 73 establishes the required connection between that button
and the wire 25. The consequence is, that when the bolt 73 is pushed under
the spring piece 72, the electric current transmitted along the wire 25, in
producing signal letter A, must pass through the coils of wire 8, Figure S, and
in so doing will cause the alarum to be sounded as already fully explained in
respect to Figure S; but when the bolt 73 is withdrawn, the said electric
current will not pass through the said coils 8, Figure S, and consequently
the alarum will not be sounded although the letter A is exhibited. In
like manner, to prepare the alarum at the distant terminus for action it
requires to be connected with the telegraphic wire 25, Figure h, so that the
electric current which is transmitted along that wire 25, when letter A is
exhibited, will also be transmitted through the coils 8, Figure S. The
mode of connecting the alarum to the set of keys, Figure h,
duplicate of that which has been explained in Figure H.
preventing the alarums from sounding uselessly during the telegraphic conver-
sation, is to apply some stop to the motion of their clockwork in like manner
as in a stop watch, which will preclude the necessity of disconnecting the
wires, which may be always left in action; this is particularly applicable
to the alarums at intermediate places. And respecting the application of the
evolution of gas proceeding from the decomposition of water by the trans-
mission of electric currents, see Figure Q, Sheet II. A, B, is a glass vessel
somewhat like an inverted syphon, but with one leg A much larger than the
other leg B, which latter is only a narrow tube. The lower part of the
syphon is filled with mercury so high up as to occupy all the communication
between the two legs, and above the mercury acidulated water is poured into
the large leg A, so as to occupy some depth therein. The upper part of the
large leg A is closed by a cover C, and two platina wires 75, 76, are passed
horizontally through perforations through the thickness of the glass, to pass
into the midst of that water with their ends turned upwards therein. The two
wires 75, 76, Figure Q, correspond to the wires marked with those numbers in
Figure S, and the two points of those wires which are immersed in the water
answer the purpose of the coils 8, 8, around the magnetic needle in Figure S;
for when an electric current is transmitted through the wire 75 to the wire
76, the points whereof do not touch each other, the electric current must pass
through the water, and in so doing will decompose the same into its elements

page_text: of oxygen and hydrogen, in the state of gases which ascend in bubbles through
the water, and by accumulating in the space above that water beneath the
close cover C, will press downwards on the surface of the water and thereby
press on the mercury, so as to raise the same in the small leg B, until the
mercury comes up high enough to touch and surround the end of another
platina wire 61 which turns over and descends down into the small leg B, but
only so far down therein as not to touch the mercury when the same stands at
its natural level; but, nevertheless, so far as that the said end of the wire 61
will become immersed in the mercury when the same is raised in the small
leg B by the aforesaid accumulation of the gases proceeding from the
decomposition of the water contained above the mercury in the large leg A.
The said wire 61 answers to the cup 61, Figure S; and there is another
platina wire 62 the extreme end of which is inserted through a perforation in
the lower part of the glass, so that its end is always immersed in the mercury
contained in that lower part. This apparatus, Figure Q, is to be used as
a substitute for the magnetic needle, and coils of wire around it in Figure S,
for the purposes of enabling an electric current, which is transmitted through
a very long metallic circuit, and which consequently acts but feebly to continue
to accumulate its action, until it has attained sufficient force to form the
requisite contacts for bringing an alarum battery into action, for the purpose
already described, in respect to Figure S. Therefore the apparatus, Figure Q,
being substituted for the magnetic needle and its surrounding coils of wire in
Figure S, the connections which are therein made to the buttons 75 and 7.6
must, in Figure Q, be made to the ends of the wires 75 and 76 therein, and
likewise the connections which are made to the two cups 61 and 62, Figure S,
are to be made in Figure Q to the ends of the two wires 61 and 62 therein,
which being done, the apparatus, Figure Q, will by its operation, above
described, form the requisite metallic contacts between the end of the wire 62
and the end of the wire 61, by the mercury in which they both become
immersed to form them into a metallic circuit, and thereby produce all the
same effects as already explained respecting Figure Q for bringing the alarum
battery K, Figure S, into action when it is required to sound the alarum.
And note. After the apparatus, Figure Q, has performed its intended office of
forming the ends of the wires 61 and 62 into a metallic circuit, and has
caused the alarum to be sounded, it will not immediately separate that contact
of itself, because the gas will continue for some time accumulated in the upper
part of the large leg A. Therefore, after the alarum has been sounded, the
person whose attention to it may apply his finger to open a small valve d, in
the cover of the large tube A, in order to let out the gas therefrom, and then

page_text: the mercury subsiding to its level in both legs will sink below the end of the
wire 61, leaving the same disconnected from its contact with the mercury, so
as to break the metallic circuit which has been formed thereby. And note.
As the long conducting or telegraphic wires used in our said apparatus may
be liable to be broken or otherwise deranged, it is necessary to have some
efficient and easy method by which the precise place of injury or derangement
may be ascertained without disturbing to any great extent the tubes, troughs,
or rails wherein those telegraphic wires may be lodged. The particular wires
in which the injury or derangement may have occurred will discover them-
selves from the defective working of the corresponding telegraphic needles at
the two termini. At given intervals along the line each of the conducting
wires should have a short lateral branch wire proceeding from it and reaching
out therefrom to some secure place where the ends of all those branch wires
will be accessible when required for making proof of the wires. These branch
wires are provided for the purpose of connecting any two of the long con-
ducting wires with an instrument which may be called a detector or prover.
Two convenient forms of such an instrument are represented in Sheet III.;
Figure W is a prover which consists of a multiplier with its magnetic needles
included in its coils of wire, exactly like those herein-before described, Figures
D to G, Sheet I., but mounted on a stand with a protecting case of wood
having a glazed front, and each of the two ends 8, 8, Figure W, of the coiled
wire proceeding from the instrument, terminates with any convenient clamp of
metal, for the purpose of taking hold with those two clamps of the ends of any
two of the branch wires before mentioned with a good contact, and then the
instrument will form part of a metallic circuit with those two of the con-
ducting wires, to the branches whereof it is connected. The other kind of
provers, Figure L, is a glass vessel or bottle fixed on a wooden stand and con-
taining two pieces of platina wire p, p, insulated from each other, with their
lower ends soldered respectively to pieces of copper wire c, c, each terminating
with a clamp such as above described. The bottle is to be nearly filled with
diluted sulphuric acid or other good conducting fluid when required for use.
In applying either of these instruments to prove the defective state of the
telegraphic wires, I will speak, for example, of only two wires, and the mode
of proving those two will apply to any others, see Figure W, Sheet III.
21, 22, are two of those wires which extend from one terminus to the other;
and I will suppose one of them to have been broken at H. To find out the
place H where it is so broken those ends of the two wires 21, 22, which are
at one terminus should be connected with the opposite poles of the battery at
that terminus. The person who is to examine the state of that conducting

page_text: wire which is known to be broken must proceed to that place nearest to the
terminus, where there are a set of lateral branch wires k, k, proceeding from
the conducting wires, as before mentioned, and there he must apply one or
other of the provers above described, with the two wires 8, 8, thereof attached
to the ends of the branch wires k, k, belonging to the two conducting 21, 22,
which have been, as before mentioned, connected with the poles of the battery.
If the defect does not exist between the terminus and this first proving place,
the prover will at that place, that is to say, if the prover W is used its needle
will be inclined, or if the prover L is used gases will be evolved at the platina
wires from the decomposition of water; the prover is then to be carried
forwards to the next proving place, where lateral branch wires are provided
farther off from the terminus, and so on successively; by applying the prover
at each proving place, more and more remote from the terminus, a place will
be found where the prover ceases to act, and that cessation of its action will
indicate that the defect exists between the two last places which were tried.
The portion of the tube, trough, or rail included between these two last-
mentioned places is then to be opened near the midway of the distance
between the two places, and at that midway the wires 21 and 22 must be proved
by connecting the wires 8, 8, of the prover immediately to each of them. In
this manuer the half in which the defect exists may be detected, then that half
may be again subdivided, and the process continued in the same manner by
repeated bisection until the place of the defect is ascertained within very
narrow limits, and there the tubes must be opened to expose the wires and
repair the defect. And note.-In order to be able at all times to identify the
several conducting wires, it will be expedient to use varnish of different
colours in preparing them; wherefore, one colour will always distinguish the
wire 21, another colour the wire 22, and so on of the others.
Having now described our said improvements, I, the said William Fother-
gill Cooke, for myself and for the said Charles Wheatstone, do hereby declare
that the new Invention whereof the exclusive use is granted to us by the said
Letters Patent, consists in the following particulars:―
:
Firstly, in the improvement herein-before described for the purpose of
communicating determinate angular motions to magnetic needles by means of
electric currents transmitted through metallic circuits, and the adaptation of
such angular motions for the purpose of giving signals in distinct places. And
whereas some experiments have been heretofore made by others upon giving
signals by means of the well-known instruments called galvanometers, which
are for measuring the force of electric currents passing through metallic
circuits, I wish to be understood that we make no claim to the application

page_text: of the multiplying coils of conducting wires, herein-before described, around
the magnetic needles, but the improvement we have made in the adaptation
of magnetic needles to the purpose of giving signals is in disposing the needles
in vertical planes (the axes whereon they are fixed being horizontal), and in
making the needles heavier at one end than the other, in order to give them
a decided preponderance or tendency to hang perpendicular and point upwards
when they are not influenced by electric currents; and in limiting the angular
motions of the needles (when they are so influenced) to some certain deter-
minate extent, by providing fixed stops against which the needles may reline
and continue to rest for a time in suitable inclining directions for pointing out
on a vertical dial the significations of the signals they are to give; and in case
two or more such loaded needles are to be placed near together in the same
vertical plane for pointing out signals on the same dial, then in the adaptation
of astatic needles, that is, two reversed needles fixed on the same horizontal
axis for giving signals in such cases. But note. The astatic mode of com-
bining magnetic needles for galvanometers being well known, we make no
claim to the use of astatic needles for giving signals, unless such astatic
needles are, as before mentioned, disposed two or more in a vertical plane,
and are loaded at one end, and have their angular motion limited to a deter-
minate extent by stops.
Secondly, in the improvement, herein-before described, for combining several
magnetic needles so that they will point out on one dial (suitably marked) the
significations of the signals which they are to give by the determinate angular
motions which are communicated to them by electric currents. Those signals
being given in some cases by the inclination and pointing of one needle, in
other cases by the concurrence and mutual pointing of any two needles, or in
some cases by the concurrence of three or four needles, as may be most
suitable for the sort of signals which are intended to be given.
Thirdly, in the improvement, herein-before described, of arranging and
combining any suitable number of conducting or telegraphic wires into a set
capable of being operated upon by buttons or finger keys at each end of the
set, and having a voltaic battery, and also a dial with magnetic needles, as
aforesaid, at each end of the set, with power of using those parts in such
manner that (at the pleasure of the operator) any two or more such wires
may have one or other of their ends connected to the two opposite poles of the
battery belonging to that end, the contrary ends to those ends which are so
connected being at the same time conjoined together so as to form the said
two or more wires into a metallic circuit or circuits for the transmission of an
electric current or currents throughout the length of two conjoined wires as a

page_text: means of giving signals by the angular motions; that such current or currents
will communicate to magnetic needles which are subjected to the influence of
such currents, or of sounding alarums by the conjoined action of magnetic
needles aforesaid, or of the evolution of gas from decomposition of water by
such currents, and of occasional or temporary magnetism excited in masses of
soft iron by such currents. And whereas either end of any wire or wires of
such set aforesaid is capable of being connected with either pole of its appro-
priate battery, a diversity of metallic circuits can be formed with a capability
of transmitting an electric current in either direction through each such
circuit, and of thereby giving a diversity of signals from a few wires.
Fourthly, in the improvement, herein-before described, in the arrangement
and combination of each set of the buttons and finger keys, whereby the ends
of all the several conducting wires constituting the set thereof are kept
conjoined one to another in readiness for becoming parts of any such circuits
as may be formed by connecting the opposite or distant ends of the wires with
the distant battery; but, nevertheless, the several buttons and keys hold all the
several ends which belong to them in due order for enabling the operator to
disjoin any two or more ends from their fellow ends by an instantaneous touch,
which likewise connects the ends so disjoined with either pole of the battery
belonging to the keys, and vice versȧ; the same self-action of the keys whereby
they disconnect the said ends from those poles when the buttons are released
likewise rejoins those ends to their fellow ends in the set.
Fifthly, in the improvement, herein-before described, whereby a set of com-
bined conducting wires, as aforesaid, having a voltaic battery and a set of
buttons or finger keys, and also a dial with magnetic needles for giving signals, .
as well as an apparatus for sounding alarums at each end of the set, may also
have duplicates of such dials, with needles and apparatus for alarums at inter-
mediate places between the two ends, all such duplicates operating simul-
taneously with each other and with the two end dials and alarums to give like
signals and to sound like alarums.
Sixthly, in the improvement, herein-before described and represented at
Figure Y, Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed,. for communicating
determinate angular motions to magnetic needles by subjecting them to the
attractive force of occasional or temporary magnetism which is excited in soft
iron by means of electric currents, for the purpose of giving signals in distant
places by such determinate angular motions of needles.
Seventhly, in the improvement, herein-before described and represented at
Figure R, Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, for sounding alarums
in distant places, either by direct application of the attractive force of

page_text: occasional or temporary magnetism which is excited in soft iron by means of
electric currents transmitted through metallic circuits, or else by applying the
said attractive force of such occasional magnetism to let off ordinary clock-
work alarums, and permit them to sound by the mechanical force and action
of their own mechanism.
Eighthly, in the improvement, herein-before described and represented at
Figure S, Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, for sounding alarums
in distant places by the aid of an additional voltaic battery (or alarum battery)
which is brought into action when required for sounding the alarum, the
sounding thereof being either by direct application of the attractive force of
occasional magnetism or by applying such force to let off clockwork alarums,
as above seventhly stated; but according to this our eighth improvement the
requisite occasional magnetism is excited by an electric current derived from
that additional battery; the metallic circuit by which that current is so
derived from the said battery being formed (when the same is required to act)
by an angular motion then communicated to a magnetic needle, which is
dispersed within multiplying coils of conducting wire through which an electric
current is transmitted from a distance. The said angular motion of the needle
being caused to make the requisite contacts for forcing the metallic circuit of
the additional or alarum battery.
Ninthly, in the improvement, herein-before described and represented in
Figure Q, Sheet II. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, for effecting the con-
tact requisite for forming a metallic circuit by which an additional or alarum
battery is brought into action for the purpose of sounding alarums in distant
places, as above eighthly set forth, but which contact in this our ninth im-
provement is effected by means of the evolution of gas arising from the
decomposition of water which is included within a small close vessel from
which the gas cannot easily escape, wherefore it presses down the water and
thereby raises up a small column of mercury from the bottom of the vessel into
the open leg of an inverted syphon tube which is connected with the vessel so
as to raise the mercury up into contact with the end of a wire in order to
form the required circuit.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Fothergill Cooke, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven.
WILLIAM F. (L.s.) COOKE.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twelfth day of December,
in the first year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said William
Fothergill Cooke came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery,
and acknowledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-
fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Twelfth day of December, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-seven.