A TELEGRAPHIC DIAL PRINTING APPARATUS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Tolhausen, Civil Engineer and Patent
Agent, of No. 17, Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, Paris, in the Empire of
France, for the Invention of "A TELEGRAPHIC DIAL PRINTING APPARATUS."
-A communication from Jean Baptiste Rousse and Henry Vivès,
residing at No. 17, Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, aforesaid.
aled the 3rd October 1862, and dated the 14th April 1862.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Frederick Tolhausen, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Decla-
ration, on the 14th April 1862, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
TOLHAUSEN, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, of No. 17, Rue du Faubourg
Montmartre, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "A TELEGRAPHIC DIAL
PRINTING APPARATUS," and have petitioned Her Majesty, to grant unto me,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the
same, and have made solemn Declaration that it is a communication from Jean
Baptiste Rousse and Henry Vivés, two persons resident at No. 17, Rue du
Faubourg Montmartre, aforesaid.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Tolhausen, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal, fully

page_text: describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement and accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to an apparatus for printing telegrams on a dial with
common or printer's type. This apparatus consists first, of a drum placed at
the centre of the apparatus between two plates; second, of a receiving or dial
telegraph which is placed on the right-hand plate; third, of a printing press
which is placed on the left-hand plate.
Fig. 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings is a plan of the telegraphic
apparatus complete; Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the receiving
apparatus; Fig. 3 shews an elevation of the printing apparatus.
At the centre of the apparatus two plates contain between each other a
drum, which is the prime mover of the wheel gear of the receiving apparatus.
This drum gears into the spur wheel A which drives a pinion, whose spindle
passes through both of the holding plates, and carries on one side the type
wheel, and on the other the toothed wheel B, having seventy-eight divisions.
The latter wheel communicates motion to the spur wheels C, D, E, each of
which has thirty teeth. The scape wheel E carries on its face five pins, one
or the other of which is always at rest on or stopped by the anchor F, which
turns or oscillates on a fixed point G on the plate. The other end of the
anchor lever carries the armature of the electro-magnet I, the current of the
line being sent by the manipulator, enters by the knob S, passes through
the electro-magnet I, and thence to the earth through the knob K, by the
motion of the armature the scape wheel E is set free to turn three teeth, that
is to say, one-tenth part of its circumference. At the same time the wheel B
revolves through three teeth, viz., one twenty-sixth of its circumference, and
the type wheel M being keyed on the same spindle, follows the same motion
and carrying the relievo types of the 25 letters of the alphabet, and a full stop
in addition. It will be easily understood that each motion of the scape wheel
will produce a different letter. By this arrangement thirteen currents followed
by thirteen interceptions are found sufficient to turn the type wheel all
round. The same motion is also imparted by the drum and the wheel A to
the wheel N, numbering 78 teeth, and from the latter to two spur wheels O, O',
having the like number of teeth. At the centre of the wheel we fix a hand,
which turns on a dial, exhibiting 25 letters {or 26 as the case may be}, and
the sign, this hand shewing the letter which is being printed off may be
used without any other auxiliary for transmitting telegrams as usual with the
ordinary dial telegraph.
The portion of our telegraph which we have contrived for printing contains

page_text: an electro-magnet P, whose armature actuates the lever T, which presses on
the letter to be printed, and also the type wheel M and two rollers, which
cause the paper to advance regularly after receiving the imprint of a letter.
The paper for the telegrams is wound on a drum Q, turning on a standard.
The paper is carried by suitable guides towards and under the type wheel, and
after leaving the same passes between two callender rollers R, which are
intended to draw it along regularly, so as to properly space the letters that are
being printed, the type wheel is inked by the roller S. Each letter is printed
at the lower part of the type wheel by the pressure of the lever T, which turns
about the stud U when the armature of the bobbin or coil P is set in motion.
The motion of this lever is regulated by means of two set screws shewn at
Fig. 2. At the opposite end of said lever we connect a rod or pawl V, working
into a ratchet wheel X after the printing of the letter, and said ratchet wheel
being keyed on the shaft carrying the lower callendering roller, the action of
the spring Y causes said rollers to turn for advancing the paper.
The current of a local battery of three or four elements on Rousse's system
will be found sufficiently powerful to attract the armature of the printing.
coil. The current from this battery passes through the knob or puppet Z to
the stop. A', thence it runs along the lever F to the anchor in contact with the
scape wheel E. Through the spindle of this wheel the current communicates
with the isolated wire B', by which it is led to the printing coil. The current
passes thence through the circular arc C' into the commutator D', and hence
into the isolated end of a lever E', by which it is passed to a spring in com-
munication with the battery.
At the beginning of each telegraphic communication the current of the local
battery is directed into the printing coil, but whenever the operator sends a line
current, the local current is interrupted, the armature rises under the action
of a spring, and only redescends when the anchor of the recipient is at rest, the
letter then which has been brought to the lowest point of the type wheel is
printed off. Since at each making and breaking the contact for the line current,
the current of the local battery is almost instantaneously produced, the arma-
ture of the printing electro-magnet would have a tendency to descend again, and
in order to obviate this effect I use the lever E, which is actuated by a ratchet
wheel, and stops the printing current, thus ensuring the proper rising of the
armature, and causing it to strike and stick against the upper stop during the
whole of the time necessary for establishing the contacts.
With respect to the manipulator I use the one known by the name of
Bréguet, our apparatus answering quite readily to the manipulation of a quick
operator, and only an instant's time being required for securing the impression.

page_text: Those operators that are not conversant with the Bréguet apparatus may
also use a kind of manipulator which has been formerly employed with the
ordinary dial apparatus. This manipulator consists of a moveable dial, on
which are inscribed the 25 (or 26, as the case may be) letters of the alphabet,
and also the sign + (plus), which forms both the starting and separating
point between the words equivalent to a full stop. On this dial a disc is fixed
having 13 (or 14) notches, and 13 (or 14) blanks or projections. A crank
or winch free to move independent of the dial is made to gear into, or act
upon any desired letter until meeting a stationary rod. Whilst this motion is
being performed, the breaking and making of contacts is produced by means
of a lever, one end of which is acted upon by the notches of the disc, and
which is centered on a pivot, through which the current is passed. How-
ever, we would prefer to use a manipulator which we have contrived for the
better working of the printing apparatus, being more rapid, safe, and easily
managed by any operator. In this improved manipulator the notched disc or
wheel a for the manipulators above alluded to is set in motion by a drum b
and wheel gearing, which is provided with a regulator (see Fig. 4.) This
barrel or drum is wound up by means of a crank handle and wheel gearing.
The fixed dial, Fig. 5, carries the 25 (or 26) letters, and also the sign + which
are engraved on one rim or periphery, and moreover the first 25 figures and
zero (0) which are engraved on another rim. Each of these letters corre-
sponds with a key, by means of which and a lever C, C', Fig. 4, a needle or
hand m is raised, which stops the notched disc at the required letter.
Whichever manipulator be used when the current is sent once an interrup-
tion is produced in the receiver, and the letter A moving to the lowest point
of the type wheel is printed off, next by breaking the line current the letter B
is printed, and after that letter C by another making and breaking, and so
forth successively for all the letters of the alphabet by passing rapidly from
the sign to any letter of the alphabet, the type wheel, and the needle, or
dial-hand following each motion, and by stopping during even the shortest
pause the current of the local battery is made, and the lowest letter on the
type wheel is printed off. The same letter is twice printed off by giving
another turn to the dial or the type wheel. Any desired number may be
telegraphed by means of the first nine letters of the alphabet, and the points
corresponding to the first nine figures, and to zero. In this improved mani-
pulator, the speed of the revolving notched disc for breaking and making the
current is regulated by a scape wheel e, which works into an oscillating
anchor g connected with a pendulum swinging between two pins, which can
be set nearer to or further from each other by means of a set screw h. The

page_text: motion of the notched wheel is stopped by means of a straight bar, which is
attached to each key, and passes through an aperture provided to that effect
on the inner periphery of the dial.
I claim the telegraphic printing and manipulating apparatus combined and
arranged substantially as herein-before set forth, by which telegrams may be
sent and printed off with a greater amount of rapidity and preciseness than
with the ordinary apparatus.
F. TOLHAUSEN. (L.S.)