Improvements in or relating to Telegraphy Without the Use of Continuous Wires.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1900-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1900
in the Empire of Germany, Doctor of Philosophy.]
Improvements in or relating to Telegraphy Without the Use of
Continuous Wires.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord
Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester both in the County of Lan-
caster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Improvements in or relating to telegraphy without the use of continuous
wires.
My invention relates to telegraphy without the use of continuous wires.
Hitherto it has been usual in such telegraphy to arrange the spark gap in the
current circuit of the vertical forwarding wire as has been already set forth
by Popoff and induction coils have also been interpolated in the said
current circuit. I have found however, that much better results are obtainable
if the currents which pass through the spark gap are not allowed to pass
immediately into the forwarding wire, but are subjected previously to a trans-
formation in the same manner as that of the ordinary transformer. In other
words according to my invention I provide the spark gap in the circuit of the
primary coil of a transformer the secondary coil of which is connected to the
transmitting wire at one end, its other end being connected to earth or insulated.
This method proves to be specially advantageous if use is made not of the quick
waves hitherto usual, but of slower waves, such as are obtained by the discharge
of Leyden jars. There is consequently both an advantage in the use of trans-
formed current for electrical telegraphy in general and also a further advantage
in the use thereof specially for slower vibrations. To give theoretical explana-
tion hereof of my invention presents difficulty. Possibly the sparking space
exercises a damping effect so that the vibrations soon disappear. There, may,
however, be other causes for this effect. When slower vibrations are made use
of, each vibration of the primary current circuit will cause a vibration of the
secondary circuit in addition to this, however, also the proper vibrations of the
secondary current circuit will be superposed on the same. It appears, not im-
possible that the reason of the improved transmission may lie in this peculiar
effect. Whether this explanation be the correct one or not, the fact remains that
the electric signals of telegraphy without a continuous wire are clearer and
plainer than it is ever possible to obtain with non-transformed vibrations.
There is, moreover, another advantage, in that the transmitting wire is not in
direct connection with the high tension, and consequently that a fall of the
wire would not have the same injurious effects which would be caused in the

page_text: case of a direct connection. Indeed the said wire can be touched by persons
without injury.
Dated the 3rd day of November 1899
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Telegraphy Without the Use of
Continuous Wires.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord
Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester both in the County of Lan-
caster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:--
This invention relates to telegraphy without the use of connecting wires
between the receiver and transmitter.
Fig. 1 shows a diagram of the connection of the apparatus, Fig. 2 is a modifica-
tion thereof.
Hitherto it has been usual in such telegraphy to arrange the spark gap in the
current circuit of the vertical transmitting wire as has been already set forth
by Popoff and induction coils has been joined in the said circuit. I have found,
however, that much better results are obtainable, if the currents which pass
through the spark gap are not allowed to pass immediately into the transmitting
wire, but are previously transformed. Therefore I provide the spark gap in
the current of the primary coil of a transformer, the secondary coil of which is
connected to the transmitting wire at one end, its other end being connected to
carth or insulated. This method proves to be specially advantageous if use is
made not of the quick waves hitherto usual, but of slower waves, such as are
obtained by the discharge of Leyden jars. The advantage of using transformed
current for electrical telegraphy is increased if slower vibrations are produced.
To give a theoretical explanation of my invention presents difficulty. Possibly
the sparking gap in the oscillating circuit exercises a damping effect so that
the vibrations soon disappear. There may, however, be other causes for this
effect.
When slower vibrations are made use of, each vibration of the primary
current circuit will cause a vibration of the secondary circuit; in addition to
this, however, also the proper vibrations of the secondary current circuit will
be superposed. It appears not impossible that the reason of the improved trans-
mission may lie in this peculiar effeot. Whether this explanation be the
correct one or not, the fact remains that the electric signals of telegraphy with-
out a continuous wire are clearer and plainer than it is ever possible to obtain
with non-transformed vibrations. There is, moreover, an other advantage in
that the transmitting wire is not in direct connection with the high tension,
and consequently that a fall of the wire would not have the same injurious effects
which would be caused in the case of a direct connection. Indeed the said wire
can be touched by persons without injury.
Jn Fig.
a is a Leyden jar which is discharged through the air at 6 and the

page_text: primary coil of transformer T. One end of the secondary coil s is connected
with the earth E, the other with the transmitting wire t.
In Fig. 2 R means a Rhumkorff apparatus connected with the Leyden jars «,
The connection
the spark gaps c, and the primary and secondary wire p and s.
of the secondary may be effected in the same manner as before.
The receiving devices (not shown in the figures) are of the usual type viz. a
coherer, a local battery, a signaller and so on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
In electric wireless telegraphy the use of transformers the primary of which
is joined in the circuit of the air gap and the secondary of which is connected
with the sending wire.
The 20th day of Tunn 1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.