IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTERS AND ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLERS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Ambrose Brydges of the firm of Brydges & Co
Engineers and Patent Agents of 107 Königgrätzer Str. in the City of Berlin
and German Empire for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPH
TRANSMITTERS AND ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLERS" communicated to him
by William Fitz Charles Mason McCarty temporarily residing at New York
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th December 1883.
EDWIN AMBROSE BRYDGES of the firm of Brydges & Co Engineers and Patent
Solicitors of 107 Königgrätzer Str in the City of Berlin and German Empire.
IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTERS AND ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLERS
a communication to me by William Fitz Charles Mason McCarty temporarily
residing at New York City in the United States of North America.
In the utilization of electricity for many purposes it is often desirable and of
great advantage to be able to control simultaneously and automatically by a single
apparatus a number of electric circuits, entirely independent of each other and
connected to different sources of current, or a number of circuits which are derived
from a single source of current or to control by a series or number of contacts &
single circuit.
The object of my invention is to furnish a telegraph transmitter and electric
circuit controller which shall readily and reliably accomplish these objects, to which
end it consists in the features more particularly hereinafter set forth.
In carrying the invention into effect any suitable insulating base is used, as is
ordinarily the custom in electrical instruments, upon which the operative parts of
the instrument are mounted and supported.
Upon the base is an open ended frame, preferably square or rectangular in cross
section, upon which are secured a number of binding posts equal in number to the
largest number of circuits it is desired to control by the apparatus, while upon the
under-side, of the base is secured a similar number of binding posts.

page_text: From each of the first or upper set of posts a spring or spring-acted on contact
arm, properly tipped at its free end, is so supported that its free or contact end rests
upon an anvil formed on the end of the corresponding one of the second or lower
set of posts.
From this it is evident that, if from two corresponding posts proper circuit and
battery connections be made, the tipped or free end of a spring and the anvil form
the terminals of an electric circuit normally closed by the contact between the
spring and the anvil.
This contact is so controlled that if made or broken by a perforated tape or fillet
of any suitable nonconducting material, the perforations therein being arranged in
the sequence or order which it is desired to give the electric impulses.
A series of the contacts referred to is arranged upon the frame of the machine,
each set of the series being properly connected in its own independent circuit or in
a circuit derived from a common circuit and source of power.
If connected in the independent circuits noted, each of which may lead to a
different point, and the perforated fillet or band be passed between the contacts, the
same sequence of pulsations will be automatically and simultaneously transmitted
over all the circuits and to all the points connected to the circuits.
To control the movement of the fillet or band, two reels may be used, one at
either end, mounted pivotally upon or to the base or framing of the machine.
Upon one reel is wound the prepared fillet or band, either while in position or
when removed from place, the free end is then carried through the apparatus and
attached to the other reel, which is arranged to be rotated by any suitable motor
spring, weight or electro magnet, and having preferably a regulating device, (a fly,
brake or equivalent) by which its rate of speed may be controlled. This motor is
also provided with a catch or trip for stopping or releasing it, which may be a
simple manually operated trigger or catch or may be a magnetic trip to be operated
from a distance, as in the case of the well known Morse Register.
In order that the fillet or band may be used several times, a separate row of
perforations being provided for each, great economy in the use of the material of
which the band or fillet is made being thus insured, and in order to regulate the
tension upon the fillet or band, and properly guide it through the apparatus, a,
peculiar tension and guide apparatus is made use of.
Within the open ended frame mounted upon the base and carrying the contact
springs or arms before noted, is placed a rectangular frame, open at top and bottom
and of such size as to have some considerable range of movement vertically and
sideways. The under edges of the ends are cut away slightly so as to form guide
grooves for the fillet or band.
Through the top of the frame, at each end, pass adjusting screws whose enlarged
ends take into grooves in the ends of the inner frame, so that by adjustment of the
screw the pressure downward of this inner frame may be controlled and
consequently the pressure of the guide grooved ends upon the fillet or band and
the tension on the latter may be regulated.
Through the sides of this open ended frame pass a second set of adjusting screws
taking into the inner sliding frame.
The manipulation of these regulates the position horizontally or sideways of the
inner frame and consequently of the guide grooves, so that the latter may be so
placed as to cause the fillet or band to pass through with any line of perforations
registering the line of contacts.
"
Instead of all contacts being arranged in one line, there may be several series,
each series arrranged "in echelon By this construction with a fillet or band
perforated in like manner, an exceedingly rapid intermittence of current, or by
proper connections, of reversals of current, may be secured, much more rapid in fact
than may be secured by any ordinary magnetic or mechanically driven intermitters
or reversers now in use.
An apparatus constructed as hereinbefore set out and used with a properly
prepared fillet or band, is capable of many useful applications in the use of electric

page_text: currents, some of which will be hereinafter noted, while others will form the
subject of subsequent applications for patents.
The base of the machine is suitably sustained upon a framing or support.
Upon this base is mounted an open ended rectangular box or casing, supporting
the series of binding posts, the lower end of each carrying and being electrically
connected to the contact arms, normally acted on in this instance by suitable
springs. These contact arms may themselves be of such resistence as to normally
press downward and the springs be omitted.
A second set or series of binding posts is provided, the ends of which pass up
through the base and casing, and form the anvils for the said contact springs whose
ends are provided with platinum or other suitable tips.
As seen the series of binding posts are connected by the springs or contact arms.
These circuits may be independent circuits each having its own sourse of current
and leading to a separate point or they may be derived circuits from a source of
current common to all and thence leading to separate points or, again uniting,
leading to a common point or place of utilization of the current.
The circuits between the binding posts are controlled by a perforated band or
fillet. This fillet or band is of any insulating material, the preferable one however
being that herein before noted.
The passage of this fillet or band through the machine and between the contacts
may be controlled by any suitable motor, here typified by the clock work, the
perforated fillet being wound on a suitable reel and its free end attached to another
reel rotated by the motor.
This motor may be stopped or released by any suitable releasing device, a
magnetic trip for instance as in the Morse Register or by a simple manually
operated trip or trigger. The motor should be provided with any suitable speed
regulator, say a brake, an adjustable fan or an escapement, so that its speed may
be regulated to suit whatever style of receiving apparatus may be used.
The fillet or band may be supported at each end between suitable guide rollers.
The fillet or band may have several lines of perforations in order to utilize it to
the greatest degree, each line representing a different message or series of
impulses.
To determine which line of perforations shall be used a guide casing is used
with the framing, of such size relatively to the framing, that it may have a
vertical and horizontal sideway motion therein. This guide casing may be simply
a parallelogram without top or bottom, or if there be a top, transverse grooves
may be made therein, one for each binding post.
The bottom of the ends of the guide casing are cut away to form the guide
grooves, through which the fillet passes and by which the position and tension
thereof is regulated.
Through the top of the frame pass the adjusting screws having enlarged end-
which take into the grooves, one in each end of the guide casing.
By these screws the vertical position of the casing is controlled and the pressure
of the same upon the fillet and consequently the tension of the latter is regulated.
Through the sides of the frame pass the adjusting screws, whose ends take into
the said casing and by which the position horizontally and sideways of the casing
within the frame is controlled.
It follows then that by manipulation of the adjusting screws, the casing with its
guide grooves may be so placed as to cause the fillet to be passed through the
apparatus in such position as to cause either or any desired line of perforations to
control the circuit contacts between the binding posts.
As thus described, it is readily seen that a message once prepared may be
simultaneously transmitted over any number of circuits and to any number of
points and the same fillet may receive a number of messages, or the same message
be placed thereon in a number of lines, the result being great economy in time and
labor of transmission and in the use of the material of the fillet,

page_text: The reception of the messages so transmitted may be by any of the well known
processes, chemical, mechanical embossment or if the rate of transmission be
properly adjusted, by the ordinary Morse Register or Sounder.
The uses of this device are not however confined to telegraphic business.
It may be used for many other purposes.
For instance if it be desired to rapidly intermit an electric current the
perforations may follow each other closely, and the circuits be derived circuits,
leading back to a common circuit or to independent circuits, the result being a
rapidly intermittent current in the one or in each circuit.
If desired for exceedingly rapid intermittent currents, there may be several
series of contacts and corresponding series of perforations in the fillets, the
members of each series being arranged in echelon, which will enable the per-
forations to be made to succeed each other by a much smaller margin than if they
were arranged in one line.
As thus constructed this device may be used to control simultaneously a number
of independent electric circuits, so as to transmit the same message to a number
of points, or to control a number of derived circuits, in ordinary telegraphy,
forming practically a multiplex telegraph or it may be used to control the current
to a series of terminals, for the charging of secondary or accumulating batteries of
piles or for a constantly intermitted current for any of the purposes or uses where
intermittent currents are desired or needed, or it may be used with properly
prepared fillets or bands as a transmitter for facsimile or Roman letter reception
and I do not confine myself to any particular use thereof.
While the base, and casings and the frame are preferably made of insulating
material, it is evident that they may be made of other materials, if such construction
be used as shall guarantee an insulation of the members of the series of contacts or
binding posts from each other.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges in the Patent Office on the 19th June
1884.
"
EDWIN AMBROSE BRYDGES of the firm of Brydges & Co Engineers and Patent
Agents of 107 Königgrätzer Strasse in the City of Berlin and German Empire
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTERS AND ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLERS
a communication to me by William Fitz Charles Mason McCarty, temporarily
residing at New York City in the United States of North America
In the utilization of electricity for many purposes it is often desirable and of
great advantage to be able to control simultaneously and automatically by a
single apparatus a number of electric currents, entirely independent of each other
and connected to different sources of current or a number of circuits which are
derived from a single circuit or from a single source of current or to control by a
series or number of contacts a single circuit.
The object of my invention is to furnish a telegraph transmitter and electric
circuit controller which shall readily and reliably accomplish these objects to
which end it consists in the features more particularly hereinafter set forth.
In carrying the invention into effect any suitable insulating base is used, as is
ordinarily the custom in electrical instruments upon which the operative parts of
the instrument are mounted and supported.
Upon the base is an open ended frame preferably square or rectangular in cross
section, upon which are secured a number of binding posts equal in number to the
largest number of circuits it is desired to control by the apparatus, while upon the
underside of the base is screwed a similar number of binding posts.
From each of the first or upper set of posts a spring or spring acted on contact-
arm, properly tipped at its free end, and is so supported that its free or contact
end rests upon an anvil formed on the end of the corresponding one of the second
or lower set of posts.
From this it is evident that, if from two corresponding posts proper circuit and
battery connections be made, the tipped or free end of a spring and the anvil
form the terminals of an electric circuit normally closed by the contact between
the spring and the anvil
This contact is so controlled that if made or broken by a perforated tape or
fillet of any suitable nonconducting material, the perforations therein being
arranged in the sequence or order which it is desired to give the electric impulses-
A series of the contacts referred to is arranged upon the frame of the machine,
each set of the series being properly connected in its own independent circuit or
in a circuit derived from a common circuit and source of power.
If connected in the independent circuits noted, each of which may lead to a
different point; and the perforated fillet or band be passed between the contacts,
the same sequence of pulsations will be automatically and simultaneously
transmitted over all the circuits and to all the points connected to the circuits.
To control the movement of the fillet or band, two reels may be used, one at
either end, mounted pivotally upon or to the base or framing of the machine.
Upon one reel is wound the prepared fillet or band, either while in position or
when removed from place, the free end is then carried through the apparatus and
attached to the other reel which is arranged to be rotated by any suitable motor
spring weight or electro-magnet, and having preferably a regulating device (a fly,
brake or equivalent) by which its rate of speed may be controlled.
This motor is also provided with a catch or trip for stopping or releasing it,
which may be a simple manually operated trigger or catch or may be a magnetic
trip to be operated from a distance as in the case of the well known Morse
Register,

page_text: This fillet or band is of any insulating material, the preferable one however being
that hereinbefore noted. The passage of this fillet or band through the machine.
and between the contacts may be controlled by any suitable motor, here typified by
the clockwork b, the perforated fillet being wound on the reel B and its free end
attached to reel n' rotated by the motor b
This motor b may be stopped or released by any suitable releasing device, a
magnetic trip for instance as in the Morse Register or by a simple manually.
operated trip or trigger c. The motor should be provided with any suitable speed
regulator, say a brake, an adjustable fan or an escapement, so that its speed may
be regulated to suit whatever style of receiving apparatus may be used.
The fillet or band may be supported at each end between guide rollers g.
The fillet or band may have several lines of perforations in order to utilize it to
the greatest degree, each line representing a different message or series of
impulses.
To determine which line of perforations shall be used a guide casing N is used
with the framing, of such size relatively to C, that it may have a vertical and
horizontal sideway motion therein. This guide casing N may be simply parallelo-
gram without top or bottom, or if there be a top, transverse grooves may be made
therein, one for each binding post a-The bottom of the ends of N are cut away to
form the guide grooves 8, through which the fillet p passes and by which the
position and tension thereof is regulated.
Through the top of C pass the adjusting screws D having enlarged ends which
take into the grooves n, one in each end of N.
By these screws the vertical position of N is controlled and the pressure of N
upon the fillet p, and consequently the tension of the latter is regulated.
Through the sides of C pass the adjusting screws E, whose ends take into N,
and by which the position horizontally and sideways of N within C is controlled
It follows that by manipulation of E, the casing N with its guide grooves 8 may
be so placed as to cause p to be passed through the apparatus in such position as
to cause either or any desired line of perforations to control the circuit contacts
between a and a¹.
J
As thus described it is readily seen that a message once prepared may be
simultaneously transmitted over any number of circuits and to any number of
points and the same fillet may receive a number of messages, or the same message.
be placed thereon in a number of lines, the result being great economy in time and
labor for transmission and in the use of the material of the fillet.
The reception of the messages so transmitted may be by any of the well known
processes, chemical, mechanical embossment or if the rate of transmission be
properly adjusted, by the ordinary Morse Register or Sounder.
The uses of this device are not however confined to telegraphic business. It may
be used for many other purposes. For instance if it be desired to rapidly intermit
an electric current the perforations may follow each other closely and the circuits
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 be derived circuits, leading back to a common circuit, or to
independent circuits, the result being a rapidly intermittent current in the one
or in each current.
If desired for exceedingly rapid intermittent currents, there may be several series
of contacts and corresponding series of perforations in the fillets, the numbers of
each series being arranged in echelon as shown at win Figure 2, which will enable
the perforations to be made to succeed each other by a much smaller margin than
if they were arranged in one line
As thus constructed this device may be used to control simultaneously a number
of independent electric circuits, so as to transmit the same message to a number of
points, or to control a number of derived circuits in ordinary telegraphy, forming
practically a multiplex telegraph, or it may be used to control the current to
series of terminals for the charging of secondary or accumulating batteries or piles
or for a constantly intermitted current for any of the purposes or uses where
intermittent currents are desired or needed, or it may be used with properly

page_text: prepared fillets or bands as a transmitter for fac-simile or Roman letter reception'
and I do not confine myself to any particular use thereof
•
While the base A and the casings C and N are preferably made of insulating
material it is evident that they may be made of other material, if such construction
be used as shall guarantee an insulation of the members of the series of contacts or
binding posts a a¹ from each other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is to or may be carried into effect
I wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is :-
1-A multiplex automatic electric circuit controller, consisting of a series of
contacts adapted to be controlled by a perforated fillet and adapted to distribute or
forward a message or current to a number of points substantially as described in
the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. A multiplex automatic electric circuit controller, consisting of a series of
contacts adapted to be controlled by a perforated fillet and adapted to distribute or
forward a message or current to a number of points and a motor controlling the
movement of the fillet substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a base and casing mounted thereon of a second or
interior casing adapted to guide the fillet or band over or through a series of
contacts substantially as set forth
4-The combination with a base and exterior case of an interior case adapted to
guide and control the perforated band or fillet and means for adjusting the interior
case so as to regulate the position or line of movement of the fillet or band
substantially as set forth.
5-A fillet or band perforated in series or numbers of lines, each line representing
a series of impulses or part of a series substantially as set forth.
6-The combination in a simple automatic transmitter or current controller of
the sets of circuit terminals a al each set having the contact arm F connecting the
two members thereof substantially as set forth.
7. In a multiplex automatic transmitter a series of circuit controlling contacts
arranged in echelon substantially as set forth.
8. In an automatic transmitter the combination of one or a series of circuit
controlling contacts, a guide for the perforated fillet or band and means for
adjusting such guide substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Edwin Ambrose Brydges have hereunto set my
hand and seal this first day of June One thousand eight hundred and eighty four
EDWIN A BRYDGES (L.S.)