IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1848

page_text: DAKLU
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
HENRY BARLOW, of Derby, Civil Engineer, and THOMAS FORSTER, of Streatham
Common, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-seventh day of
April, One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, in the eleventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said William Henry Barlow and Thomas Forster, our exors, admors, and
assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilegeand authority, that we,
the said William Henry Barlow and Thomas Forster, our exors, admors, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said William Henry Barlow and Thomas
Forster, our exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands
of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, save and except the Provinces of Canada,
Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and the Islands of Prince Edward, in
North America, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND
IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that we, the said William Henry Barlow, should cause a particular
description of the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, by au instrument in writing under our hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said in part recited 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, we, the said
William Henry Barlow and Thomas Forster, do hereby declare that the nature
of our Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are
fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
Our Invention consists,-
First, of improvements in the means of covering and thus protecting and
insulating the wires of telegraphs when gutta percha is used as the material
or part of the material for covering such wires.
Secondly, our Invention consists of improvements in the apparatus used for
indicating and printing communications made by electric telegraphs. And,
Thirdly, our Invention consists of improvements in apparatus for indicating
that a train or trains have passed a particular station, and the time of such
passing.
And in order that our Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the means and apparatus
resorted to.by us in carrying out our Invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A.
Figure 1 shews a side view, Figure 2 an end view, aud Figure 3 a longi-
tudinal section of a machine for covering wires according to the first part of
our Invention, the peculiarity of the means resorted to being the employment
of narrow sheets or fillets of gutta percha, or, what we prefer, narrow sheets
or fillets of gutta percha combined with the matter herein-after explained.
a, a, shews the framing of the machine, the nature of which is clearly shewn
by the several Figures of the Drawing. is the main or driving axis, which
receives motion by a strap or band from a steam engine acting on the pulley c.
On the axis is a cog wheel d, which takes into and drives the cog wheel e,
on the axis of the roller f, such roller being hollow, and suitably arranged
for being heated by steam. g is a cog wheel on the axis of the roller f,
which takes into and drives the cog wheel on the axis of the roller i, which
is also capable of being heated by steam. And the narrow sheet or fillet of
gutta percha, or a compound containing gutta percha, is passed between these

page_text: rollers and i, and is thereby heated so that it will adhere to the other similar
narrow sheet or fillet when they come together and are pressed by the rollers,
as herein-after explained. f*, *, are another pair of similar rollers, which
receive motion from the cog wheel e by means of the intermediate wheel j,
which takes into and drives the cog wheel k on the axis of the lower of the
pair of rollers f* and *; and the rollers f* and * are geared together by
cog wheels , l, on their axes, as shewn in the Drawings. The rollers f, i,
and fi, are heated by steam, conveyed to them by the pipes m from the
steam pipes n, there being two passages through the pipes m, one to admit
the steam to flow into the roller,and the other to allow of its flowing from the
roller, as indicated by the Drawings. And steam is similarly supplied to the
rollers o, 9. And the rollers o, o, are for pressing the fillets p, p,(composed of
gutta percha, or a compound containing that material,) together so as to cover
one or more wires. If several wires are to be closed in between two fillets
at the same time, then the rollers o, o, will be made with several grooves, and
will divide the fillet so as to form a covering for each separate wire, the edges
of the grooves cutting through the fillets; and if only one wire is to be covered.
then the rollers o will only require one groove. 2, 2, are reels on which the
wire is wound. r, s, are revolving grooved guides. t is a perforated plate to
guide the wires correctly to the grooves in the roller o. The under fillet p
is supported by an endless apron, formed of thin sheet brass, as shewn. A like
apron has not been found necessary for the
wheel on
fillet p.
upper
'The cog
the axis of the roller o (by which that roller receives motion by the cog
wheel v from the cog wheel w on the axis of the drum f*, as shown,) has a
clutch box, so that when desired the rollers o may be put out of motion by a
lever, as is well understood, but not shewn in the Drawing. It is well known
that the surfaces of gutta percha when heated will adhere together, hence it is
important that if gutta percha be combined with other materials, that this
property should not be overcome, otherwise the surfaces would require to be
cemented, which it is desirable to avoid. The materials which I combine with
gutta percha, when gutta percha is not alone used, are cowrie or New Zealand
gum, and flowers or milk of sulphur. The latter material we find is a preserva-
tive of the gutta percha, and the gum combines well with thegutta percha, and
facilitates the working. The gutta percha being in a suitable kneading ma-
chine, as is well understood, and kept heated to about one hundred and twenty
degrees of Fahrenheit, the gum, in a state of powder, and the milk or flowers
of sulphur,are progressively to be added, and the whole worked till uniformly
blended. And we have found that one part by weight of the flowers or milk

page_text: of sulphur, and one part by weight of the gum, added to eight parts by weight
of gutta percha, make what is considered the best compound. We would
however state, that we do not confine ourselves thereto, and other matters
may be mixed with gutta percha, or gutta percha may be used alone in carrying
out this part of our Invention.
We will now describe the second part of our Invention, which consists of
causing the actions or pulsations of two currents of electricity so to operate
on mechanical telegraphic apparatus worked by step-by-step movements (for
the purpose of indicating or printing letters, signs, or symbols), that the effect
of each current acting separately and of the two currents acting simulta-
neously shall in every case cause a different letter, sign, or symbol to be
indicated or printed. And in order to make the application of this principle
of action to electric telegraph apparatus worked by step-by-stepmotions more
readily and fully understood, we will suppose that the pulsations of one cur-
rent of electricity are caused to act in such a manner as to controul the
ovement of an axis (or other common recipient of motion carrying or putting
i motion an indicator or instrument with type), and allow it to proceed in
one direction (forwards) a distance at each pulsation or action of the current
equal to five units. And we will further suppose that the actions of the other
current control the movement of the same axis in such manner as to allow it
to move in the opposite direction (backwards) with an amount of motion at
each action or pulsation equal to four units, then the actions of the two cur-
rents together will allow the same axis to move forwards with an amount of
motion at each conjoined action or pulsation of the two currents equal to a
single unit. This is supposing that the actions produced by the two currents
cause motion to ensue in opposite directions, which is what we prefer; but this
is not essential, neither are the particular differences of notiou above given
essential, as will be hereafter better understood, when we come to describe an
instrument constructed according to this part of our Invention. But before
doing so it will be desirable to call attention to the results which may be
obtained by constructing and combining mechanism according to the prin-
ciple explained, applicable to electric telegraphic purposes, the object being
to reduce the time and number of actions heretofore necessary when a step-
by-step movement has been used in constructing apparatus for indicating
or printing letters, signs, or symbols. In the various telegraphic apparatus
heretofore constructed which are worked by step-by-step motions in each
apparatus, one action of the current causes the first sign to be indicated; two
actions cause the second sign to be indicated, three actions are required for

page_text: the third, and so on, there oeing as many actions or pulsations required as
there are different signs to be indicated or printed. But in this part of the
Invention, if we distinguish the two currents as A and B,
The 1st sign, letter, or symbol will be indicated by 1 action of A.
The 2nd
ditto.
by 1
of A with 1 action of B.
"
The 3rd
ditto.
-
by 1
.
-
of B.
"3
The 4th
ditto.
-
by 2
of A.
The 5th
ditto.
by 2
of A with 1
of B.
"
"
The 6th
ditto
by 2
of A
2
of B.
33
35
"
The
7th
ditto
by 1
of A
2
of B.
"
32
"
The 8th
ditto
by
2
-
of B.
33
The
9th
ditto
by 3
of A.
9
The 10th
ditto
by 3
of A
1
of B.
33
"
"
. The 11th
ditto
by 3
of A
2
"3
"
of B.
"
The 12th
ditto
by 3
of A
3
of B.
"
"
13
The 13th
ditto
by 2
of A
3
"
"
of B.
The 14th
ditto
The 15th
ditto
by 1
by
of A
3
of B.
33
"
33
3
37
of B.
Thus with of
indications of
with two ac
notexceed
obtained
action of each current with one action of both together three
tions of the common recipient of motion are obtained;
current and two of both together, and combinations
current with one of the other, eight indications are
rée actions of each and three actions of both together, or com-
binations not exceeding three of either current, fifteen indications or positions
are obtained; and so on, the number of positions or indications being that which
is obtained by adding the sum of the number of actions of each current to the
product of the number of actions of each multiplied together. Thus with three
actions of each and their combinations we have (3 × 3) + 3 + 3 = 15 posi-
tions; with four actions of each we have (4 × 4) + 4 + 4 = 24 positions;
with four actions of one current and five of the other we have (4 × 5)
+4529 positious; with five actions of each we bave (5 x 5) +5 +5
35 positious, and so on. But in order to produce this result, and to com-
bine the greatest economy of the number of actions required to produce a
given number of signs or indications with the least amount of actual motion
in the moving parts of the instrument employed, it is desirable that the
following directions should be observed:-First, that if the actious of both
currents produce movement in the same direction, the amount of motion
produced by one of the currents should be equal to oue unit. Second, that
if the actions of the two currents produce motion in opposite directions, the
difference between the amount of motion produced by each action of the one
current and each action of the other should be a single unit. Third, that in

page_text: the case of the motion produced by the actions of one of the currents being
in units, the amount of motion produced by the other should be that number
of units which would be obtained by taking the square root, or the nearest
square number to that of the total number of indications to be made.
We
have hitherto spoken of two currents conveyed by two wiresas employed in this
manner; but our Invention also extends to three or more currents conveyed
by three or more wires, when the actions of each are made to act separately
and combined in the manner before described.
Our Invention also applies to the combinations to be effected by two
currents in the same wire, the one current being in the opposite direction to
the other; but in this case the combinations of different numbers of the actions
of one current with different number of actions of the other cannot be made
simultaneously, but must be immediately following each other. We would
also explain that in speaking of the numbers of actions of a current that,
causing a current to pass along the wire is one action, and causing it to cease
to pass is another action.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS B.
Having explained the principle according to which an instrument is to be
constructed when working according to this part of our Invention, we will
now proceed to describe an apparatus suitable for printing. The same letters
refer to the same parts in all the Figures. In this telegraph two wires and
adoubleescapementare employed to give thedesired position to the typewheel.
Theprinciple on whichthe escapement is constructed is as follows:-a and bare
two mitre wheels, of equal size, turning loose on the shaft d, e; a third mitre
wheel c working into the other two turns on the shaft f, which is fixed at
right angles into the shaft d, e. With this arrangement it will be seen, that
if either of the mitre wheels be at rest, and the other moves, the angular
motion given to the shaft d, e, will be one half of that made by the moving
wheel. If both the wheels a and b move in the same direction, the angular
motion of the shaft d, e, will be half the sum of the angular motion of the
two wheels a and b ; and if they both move, but in opposite directions, the
angular motion of the shaft d, e, will be half the difference of the motion of a
and b. Then, suppose that on the wheel a three projecting pins were fixed at
equal distances, so that one beat of an escapement attached thereto allowed
one pin to pass, motion being communicated to the wheel a by means of the
pinion worked by a train of wheels and a spring or weight, then for every
beat of this escapement, which we will call (No. A), the wheel a will move
one third part of a revolution, and the axle d, e, to which the type wheel T is

page_text: attached, will be moved one sixth part of a revolution. In like manner let
the wheel 6 have eighteen pins, so that at each beat of the escapement
(No. B) the wheel moves one eighteenth part of a revolution, which will
cause the shaft d, e, to move part of a revolution. Let the type wheel T
have thirty-six letters or signs upon it, and be attached to the shaft d, e, by
means of an apparatus which can be disengaged, to allow the type wheel to
return to its original position after the printing of each letter. Proceeding in
this way, it will be found that combinations not exceeding five actions of either
or of both together produce thirty-five different positions of the type wheel,
instead of requiring thirty-five actions, as is the case in the single-wire
printing telegraph heretofore proposed. The escapements in the apparatus
shown are attached for the sake of convenience to the pinions h, h', which
work into toothed wheels a', b', fixed to the mitre wheels a and b, and to the
pinions h, h', are fixed two cams i, ', upon which rests the arm of a lever p, l,
and the cams are so made that every time a tooth of either escapement
passes the end of the lever is lifted. The lever p, l, turns on an axis k. At
the end e two pins m and n project. o is a shaft attached to another train of
wheels, which are acted upon by a weight giving the shaft o a tendency to
turn in the direction indicated by the arrow. To the shaft o an arın a¹ is
attached, having the piu n¹ fixed upon it. The end of the lever at pis made
to preponderate, so that when the lever is at rest the pin n on the lever is
opposite to the pin on the arm attached to the shaft o, and prevents the
shaft o from turning round. If a tooth of either escapement pass, the end L of
the lever is depressed, so that the pin n' is brought against the pin m; but as
soon as the lever returns, by the preponderating weight at p, to its original
position, the arin on which the pin n' is fixed makes a revolution, bringing the
pin n¹ again in contact with the pin n. The revolution of the shaft o performs
severally the operations of printing, moving forward the paper,disengaging the
type wheel, restoring the type wheel to its original position, and re-engaging
it. In applying this as a self-acting printing apparatus, it is necessary that
the arm p of the lever should not fall back to its place until the requisite
number of beats of either escapement are made, to accomplish which it is
necessary that the revolution of the cam i should take place in less time than
would be required for the arm 2 to fall back to its place, and it therefore
becomes convenient to be able to regulate the time required for the lever to
fall back to its place, which is done by the governor q, 1, 1¹.
The governor
turns on an axis q, and from it are three arms, one resting or. the end 7 of the
leverp, l, and the other two carrying balls adjustable in distance by means of
screws. When the end of the lever endeavours to rise by the prepon-

page_text: derance of the end p it has to move the balls through a certain arc, and by
adjusting the balls the time required for the lever to fall back to its position
may be regulated at pleasure.
Wewillnowexplain howtherevolutionofthe shaft o accomplishes the printing
and the other operations above mentioned. To the frame F.F, a hammer His
attached by means of a spring S, the end of the hammer being opposite the
type to be printed, and the paper between the hammer and the type. From
the spring shaft of the hammer an arm is attached which is acted upon by the
camt fixed on the shaft o. The motion of the cam being in the direction of
the arrow, it will be seen that the revolution of the cam presses the hammer
gradually out, and lets it come suddenly back, striking the paper against the
type, and printing whatever letter may be opposite the hammer.
After printing, the next operation is disengaging the type wheel from the
shaft d,.e. The shaft, e, bas an arm projecting (see ), in the end of which
a bent catch is made to work. Upon the shaft which carries the type wheel
there is a small wheel W, having the same number of teeth as there are type
on the wheel. The catch above mentioned has a spring always tending to
press it against the wheel W, so that the motion of the shaft d, e, is com-
municated to the type wheel through the .catch by means of one or other of
the teeth of the wheel W. Upon the shaft o there is a second cam xacting
against a lever y, the other end of which presses against the arm of the bent
catch. It will be readily seen that in this manner the catch may be made
to disengage and re-engage itself at any part of the revolution of the shaft o
which may be required. The moving forward of the paper is accomplished by
any of the ordinary means employed for that purpose; and it ouly remains to
describe the means of restoring the type wheel to its original position after
printing. In the apparatus here described the type is made to move in one
direction by one escapement, and in the opposite direction by the other, by
means of weights or springs, as will readily be understood on examining the
Drawing. The object to be effected, therefore, is to bring it back, after it has
moved in either direction, to this central zero point. To the axle of the type
wheel T a pinion Y is attached, which works into an arc or circular sector Y.
This sector turns on an axis Z, and has two arms terminated with two pins
P, P. These pins are acted upon by the two cams M and M', and the action
is as follows:-Suppose that by means of the escapements the arm and pin
P is brought nearer the axis o, then when the axis o revolves in the direction
of the arrow, the cam M presses P back to its original position. In like
manner, if P¹ be brought nearer the axis o, the revolutions of the cam M¹
presses P¹ back to its original position. A, A, B, B, are two electro-magnets,

page_text: with armatures or levers; and, according as an electric current is passed
through either of them, separately or simultaneously, the result on the axis d, e,
will be asherein described, the axis d, e, being allowed to move a different quan-
tity of a revolution when a current of electricity passes through A, A, to that
when a current passes. through B, B, and a different quantity of motion to the
axis d, e, to that produced by A, A, or B, B, will result when currents of
electricity are caused to pass simultaneously or nearly simultaneously through
the two electro-magnets, and currents of electricity may be caused to pass
through the electro-magnets A, A, and B, B, by any convenient apparatus.
We use two finger keys, as is well understood, so that the operator may
cause a current of electricity to pass through either of the electro-magnets
A, A, or B, B, or through them both simultaneously. From the above
description it will be evident that if a hand or pointer be affixed to the axis
d, e, and fixed dial plate be used, and the printing parts of the apparatus
dispensed with, the hand or pointer would be operated on in a like manner to
what has been described in respect to the type wheel, or a dial plate might
be affixed on the axis d, e, and bring the letters, sigus, or symbols to a defined
position, as explained.
We have not thought it necessary to show means of applying ink to the
type, as the same may be done in any convenient manner.
We will now describe the third part of our Invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING C.
Train indicator, to be worked by electric agency.-The use of a train indi-
cator is to enable warning to be given to a station when a train is approaching,
or when it has passed the previous station. In this instrument a dial A,B,C,
is made to revolve by a clockwork once in each hour, and forming, if desired,
part of a timepiece. The dial is pierced with sixty 'holes at equal distances,
in each of which a small pin is fitted, so that they may be moved forward so
as to project outwards beyond the face of the dial, or they may be pushed
inwards until the ends of the pins are even with the face of the dial. In
front of the dial a piece of metal D is fixed, so that if any pins are projecting
they will be forced back even with the dial plate on passing under this piece
of metal. Vertically over the axis of the dial an electro-magnet is placed,
and so arranged that when a current of electricity is passed the electro-magnet
E will attract one end of a lever F, G, and in so doing the other end will
push forward the pin which is opposite to it.
The practical application of the instrument is as follows:- Let it be
required from station No. 1 to give information to station No. 2 that a train

page_text: has passed, going towards No. 2. A wire is laid from station No. 1 to No. 2,
communicating with the electro-magnet of the instrument at No. 2. When
a train passes No. 1 station the signal man, by any of the ordinary apparatus
employed for such purposes (videlicit, a battery or a permanent magnet.),
causes a current of electricity to pass along the wire. This acts on the
electro-magnet of the instrument, and causes the pin opposite the end of the
lever to be pushed forward and project beyond the face of the dial; and as
the dial continues to revolve any person looking at the dial can see, not only
that a train has passed the previous station, but also, by, observing the
distance which the projecting pin has travelled from the end of the lever, he
will know how many minutes it is since it passed. The advantage which this
instrument possesses over the train indicators previously invented is, that if
several trains are on the road at the same time between one station and
another, the times at which each train has passed that from which the signal
is given will be shewn upon the dial; whereas in all former train indicators, if
a second train passes station No. 1. before the first has arrived at station No. 2,
'the approach of the second train cannot be indicated. If thought desirable,
the same action which pushes the pin forward can be. made to strike a bell
when the signal is given.
Having thus described the nature of our.Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we would remark, that we do not confine
ourselves to the details as herein shewn and described, so long as the peculiar
character of either part of our Invention be retained.
But what we claim
is,―
First, the mode of covering wires used for electric telegraphic purposes with
gutta percha or a compound containing gutta percha, as herein described.
Secondly, we claim the mode of governing electric telegraph apparatus
(worked by step-by-step motion) by currents of electricity, each producing a
different effect when separately acting and also when acting in conjunction,
as herein explained. And,
Thirdly, we claim the arrangement of apparatus for indicating the passage
of a train or trains, and the time of passing a station, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Forster, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.
THOMAS (L.s.) FORSTER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the 'Twenty-seventh day of October,
in the year of our Lord 1848, the aforesaid Thomas Forster came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and everything therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight-hundred and forty-eight.