CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND IN THE APPARATUS AND INSTRUMENTS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Henley, of St. John Street
Road, London, Electrical Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND IN THE APPARATUS AND
INSTRUMENTS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by William Thomas Henley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 9th November. 1852, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS HENLEY, of Saint John Street Road, London,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS AND INSTRUMENTS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows;
and that this instrument in writing under my hand and seal particularly
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed :--
The first part of my Invention relates to the suspension and insula-
tion of wires for electric telegraphs. Hitherto these wires have been
insulated by means of glass or earthenware fixed in a complicated and
costly manner, or by gutta percha in separate pieces attached by heat

page_text: in the process of erection, or lapped round the wire, and joined by
varnish, all of which means are attended with much trouble and ex-
pense. Now I propose to use much more simple and efficient methods,
consisting in most cases of a lodgment of the wires on an insulating
substance, as that is all that is required in general, the desideratum
being a means of running the wires along in a rapid manner, with a
view of diminishing the expense as much as possible. In one plan I
use a sheave or grooved roller of gutta percha, carthenware, or other
non-conducting material, about two and a half inches in diameter, shown
in Sheet 1, Figures 1 and 1. This is fixed to the pole or support by a
spike or screw passing through the axis of the sheave into the pole, the
sheave being free to move on the spike or screw; or, with a view of
economising the gutta percha, when made of that material, it may
consist of part of a sheave as shown at Figure 2, and 2, the grooved
part being on the upper side of the spike or screw, which in this caso
must hold it tight. In another form of insulator the piece of iron
driven or screwed into the post is made to turn upwards at a right
angle, and on this I place a stout thimble of gutta percha of con-
siderable substance above the iron, and with a deep notch for the
reception of the wire, see Figure 8; and on curves, where there would
be a considerable strain on the gutta percha, I propose to use a
similar shaped piece of iron or zinc, Figure 4, with a stout thimble of
gutta percha between that and the iron fixed in the post; and as a
means of fixing the wire at an insulator, where required, I tap the sile
of the before-mentioned thimble or piece of iron or zinc, and insert a
screw, which clamps the wire at the side of the notch and holds is fast;
or the wire may be fastened at each sheave, if necessary, by means of a
smaller wire; this is (in case of a wire breaking) to prevent its running
slack through the insulators for a long distance. In another form the
before-mentioned thimble of gutta percha is enlarged above the hook or
holdfast, and, instead of a notch, has a longitudind hole through it,
Figure 5; in this case the insulators are strung on the wires, and then
lodged on the bent pieces of iron previously fixed in the pole or support.
The great advantage of using the insulator in the form of a sheave or
roller is this: In the usual way of putting up wires great care is

page_text: required to make the wires hang parallel, and the men can only strain
a short length at a tinie; but in my improved plan the wires can be run
out, joined, and then lodged on the rollers and strained, a great length
at a time, the sheaves turning and allowing the wires to pass 'along freely,
and allowing each to be strained and adjusted with the greatest nicety,
and with half the trouble attending the ordinary method of erecting
telegraphic communications, whilst at the same time the sheave is as
good a form for the insulator as can be used, the water running freely
off during rain.
.
When I wish to separato the metallic continuity of the wire for the
purpose of diverting the current of electricity into stations, &c., I insert
a non-conducting shackle between the ends of the wire in the following
manner: I take two castings of iron or zinc or other suitable metal,
Figure 6, each casting forming a disk of about two inches diameter with a
deep champferred hole, and with a hook or eye formed on the champfered
side; I then take a solid piece of gutta percha of about three inches
long and about one inch diameter (or other suitable size); I then pass
the ends of the gutta percha through the holes in the castings; I then
heat the ends, and spread them out, filling up the champfers; when cold
the castings are firmly attached, requiring a great force to separate
them from the gutta percha; this is then inserted between the separate:
ends of the wire, and forms a non-conducting link; the branch wires
leading into the stations are then attached to the main wire on each
side of the shackle in the usual manner. In another form of shackle
for the same purpose, Figure 7, I use two pieces of metal, each forming
a loop or eye with a hook for attaching the wire; or two simple rings
of metal will answer the same purpose; I then pass a piece of gutta
percha through the rings and unite the ends by heat, forming a loop or
link of gutta percha (or india-rubber may be substituted for gutta"
percha); the main and branch wires aro then attached to the metal
rings, as in the before-mentioned plan, or it may be done in a still moro'
simple way by forming the ends of the wires themselves into a hook,
eye, or ring, and connecting the loop or link of gutta percha or india-
rubber in a similar manner.
For giving the wire the requisite degree of tension I use an apparatus

page_text: shown at Figure 8. This apparatus need not be fixed, and can be used
for straining a great length of wire at a time; it consists of a rack a,
actuated by a pinion, Figure 8b, and moving in a guide piece c, the
latter being attached to one of the poles or other suitable fixed support;
the wire is attached to the end of the rack, when, by moving the pinion
round by a winch or other convenient means, the motion of the rack
gives the requisite tension to the wire. I also use a similar apparatus
for drawing the two ends of a broken wire together, Figure 9; in this
case one end is passed through a holding apparatus d, on. the end of the
rack, and the other through a similar apparatus on the guide e, in both
cases the pinion being mounted in the guide piece; 'the two ends are
then brought together by means of the rack, and joined, and then
liberated out of the notches in the holding apparatus; without con-
venient apparatus for this purpose, a wire breaking on the line causes
a great deal of trouble, necessitating the taking down of a quarter of a
mile or more to make it good. Instead of rack and pinion for the
above purposes, two pinions or spiked rollers connected by perforated
bands or chains, Figure 10, Sheet 2, or two plain rollers, with the band
very broad and tight, may be substituted; in this case one roller is
actuated by a winch or lever, the wire is clamped to the apparatus f,
fixed on the band, which, as it moves round the rollers, conveys the
wire from one end of the framework to the other, and thus gives it the
proper degree of tension; or, instead of the straight rack above men-
tioned; a semi-circular rack may be used, with a long arm proceeding
from the same axle furnished with apparatus for grasping the wire.
.
The second part of my improvements relates to the protection of
electric, telegraph wires when laid under ground or through rivers. I
take the ordinary gutta percha coated wire, and by means of suitable
machinery lay on a double covering of tarred yarn in opposite spiral
directions. I then lap round, in opposite spiral directions also, small-
sized iron wire (which I prefer to use galvanised), the wires being a
quarter of an inch or more apart; the two series of lappings cross each
other at angles, thus forming a kind of net work, which, if not strong
enough for the purposes of a submarine rope, forms a very efficient
protection for underground wires, or for wires passing through rivers, at

page_text: a greatly reduced cost, as by this arrangement I get the greatest avail-
able effect from a minimum quantity of metal. The wires crossing each
other in this manner form a very suitable method of protecting wire;
this is shown in Figure 11. And for submarine rope I propose to use
double lapping of wire as shown in Figure 12, laid on in opposite
directions, either with single or double covering of yarn, and one or
more wires
may be so lapped together.
For the protection of gutta percha wires, either covered with tarred
yarn or uncovered, I also propose to use troughs formed of wrought
iron or zine by rolling; if formed of iron, I prefer them to be galvanized,
which may be done either after rolling or before; the advantages of
using wrought metal are, economy of material, diminishing both the
cost of the article and the expence of carriage, and the facility of manu-
facture. The troughs are formed by rolling, as in the process of making
rails. A shallower trough is made a size larger, which forms a lid or cover
for the other, which can be made to fit with the greatest nicety.. In
putting on the cover, threads or joinings are not made to coincide with
the ends of the troughs, but to come in the centre, or nearly so, of the
latter; and in this way they become most securely fixed together in
any length, and when galvanized they will be found more durable than
cast iron. The high cost of cast iron pipe and troughs has hitherto
prohibited their use; this method is shown by Figures 13, and 18",
Sheet 2.
The third part of my improvements relates to the telegraph instru-
ments; and, firstly, to the reversing handle or key which is generally
used in telegraphs, in which the signals are indicated by needles or
pointers actuated by a voltaic battery to transmit the current in oppo-
site directions at will, so as to deflect the pointers to one side or the
other. The apparatus hitherto used for this purpose has been of a very
complicated character, consisting either of a compound axle formed of
two pieces of metal joined together by wood or other non-conducting
material, with a stud in each piece for moving two springs, and acting
against stops; or of a system of springs and studs called a key board.
From the want of strength in the former, or from the wood warping or
splitting, the axle is continually breaking or becoming inoperative; in

page_text: the latter the springs are constantly getting out of order, or the points
of contact become encrusted with oxide, thereby stopping the current.
In my improved apparatus I use an axle formed of one piece of metal
only, shown by Figure 14, which may be half the length of the one
hitherto used; this is mounted in bearings shown at 9 and h,
Figure 14, one end terminating in a handle as usual; it may have one
stud passing through the axle transversly and projecting each side
about three quarters of an inch, shown by i and k; or it may have a
lug cast on each side instead, l, m, Figures 15 and 16. The stud or lug
on the lower side plays in a notched piece of brass n, Figure 17,
touching it only when moved in contact with it on either side. This
piece of brass is fixed to the base of the instrument, and is connected
with one pole of the battery (say the copper); two springs are fixed to
the base of the instrument, one on each side of the axle, and rest
against points in a metal horizontal pillar o, Figures 14 and 17; this
pillar is in contact with the other pole of the battery. The action of the
apparatus is as follows:-When the handle is moved to one side, bring-
ing the lug on the axle in contact with the notched piece of brass n, the
current passes by the axle to one of the springs p, which the upper
stud moves away from the metal pillar. This spring is in connection
with the line wire; the current passes along the line wire to the distant
instrument, back through the earth to the other spring 9, which is in
contact with the other pole of the battery by means of the metal
pillar o, against which it rests; the signal apparatus of the same instru-
ment can be included in the circuit, if desired; on moving the handle
to the other side the other spring is moved, and conveys the current
in the reverse direction. This bandle or key can be made much
cheaper than those at present in use, and is less liable to derange-
ment.
The apparatus I use for giving signals consists of two magnetic
needles, shown by Figures 18, 19, and 20, about two inches long,
mounted on a horizontal axis, one in front of the dial and one behind,
see Figures 18, 19, and 20. I place at each end of the needles, in an
aperture cut in the dial, a flat coil t, consisting merely of insulated wire,
wound on a flat piece of any material about one eighth (thick) of an

page_text: inch; these flat coils are in the same plane as the needles, but with their
axis placed at right angles to them; the top and bottom coils are con-
-nected with each other, so that their similar poles shall lie in the same
direction; the flat core may consist of iron or nickel, but in that case
the bottom of the needles would have to be made heavier; the coils
be placed behind the dial instead of in a slit cut in it, but in that
case the front needle would not be so powerfully affected.
may
The last part of my improvements relates to the voltaic battery for
working the telegraph. Hitherto to obtain the requisite intensity for
working a distance, batteries have been constructed with several cells,
each containing a pair of plates, but I propose to construct the battery
with one cell only, but with a number of plates, with felt, flannel, or
similar material between each pair, the plates being perforated in the
centre and clamped on an insulated axle, (but not too tight,) that is, an
axle covered with non-conducting material, which may be formed of
varnished wood or metal covered with gutta percha or other suitable
substance. The battery is not intended to be used when immersed in
the fluid, as in the usual way, but when removed from it, the felt
retaining moisture sufficient to work the telegraph for a whole day
without a fresh immersion. When removed from the solution each
pair of plates with its felt or flannel acts the same as a distinct cell,
the current not finding a short circuit back as it would if left immersed
CLAIMS.
I claim, firstly, the improved methods of constructing and fixing
insulators for wires for electric telegraphs, the insulators being in the
form of a sheave or roller, of gutta percha, earthenware, or other non-
conducting material, and fixed to the post or supports by holdfasts
through the axis of the sheave or roller, so that in the movement of the
sheaves or rollers on their axes, the wires can be readily brought parallel
with each other; and also the method of supporting the insulators on
metal hooks, with and without iron clamps for holding the wire; and
also the shackles before described; and also the method of applying the

page_text: rack and pinion, or the rollers and band and chain, for the temporary
purpose of stretching the wires, as herein-before described.
Secondly, I claim the method of protecting insulated wires, as de-
scribed in the second part of this Specification, and the use of a double
covering of submarine rope, and the wrought iron troughs or boxes
herein-before described.
Thirdly, I claim the improved reversing apparatus herein-before
described, and the method of placing the flat coils, as set forth in the
third part of this Specification.
Lastly, I claim the peculiar construction of voltaic battery, and the
method of using it for electric telegraphs, when removed from the solu-
tion, as described in the latter part of this Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thomas Henley, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-two.
W. T. (L.s.) HENLEY.