AN IMPROVED ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR OPERATING BELLS, SIGNALS, AND TELEGRAPHS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gregoire Skrivanoff, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
Gentleman, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR
OPERATING BELLS, SIGNALS, AND TELEGRAPHS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gregoire Skrivanoff at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th October 1880.
GREGOIRE SKRIVANOFF, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Gentleman. "AN
IMPROVED ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR OPERATING BELLS, SIGNALS, AND
TELEGRAPHS."
The object of this Invention is to produce a simple and efficient apparatus for
operating bells, signals, and telegraphs by electricity. I will describe a small
apparatus suitable for houses and other buildings and apartments.
I form an external case of suitable size and shape, say, having somewhat the
appearance of the ordinary bell-lever arrangement. The back of this case is fixed
or fitted to the wall, and consists of a disc or plate of charcoal, or coal, graphite, or
platina.
In the interior of the said case, and upon the said plate I attach with wax or
other suitable material a piece of blotting paper, linen, or, still better, of asbestos.
A rectangular piece of zinc or zinc amalgam, parallel with the face of the said
plate, and maintained at a slight distance therefrom, is fitted to a rod and spiral
spring.
When my said improved apparatus is intended to operate at great distances the
zinc is replaced by magnesium.
The said rod is soldered to the electro-positive element or material, and passes
through the cover of the said case, and is fitted into a small knob of ivory or other
suitable material, which knob rests upon the said spiral spring within a circular
recess formed in the said cover.
When the said case is secured to the wall I introduce therein, through an
apperture in the upper part of such case, a solution of bichromato of ammonia,
strengthened with sulphuric acid or any other suitable liquid in such quantity as
not to reach the zinc.
Should magnesium be employed the exciting liquid would then be either a
solution of alcoline, chloro-chromate, or a permangate strengthened with sulphuric
acid:
Two insulated wires, one of platina, lead from the said back plate and terininate
in two small pillars or projections on the upper part of the said case, and form the
requisite communication with the bells or signals.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Gregoire Skrivanoff in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
April 1881.
"AN
GREGOIRE SKRIVANOFF, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Gentleman.
IMPROVED ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR OPERATING BELLS, SIGNALS, AND
TELEGRAPHS."
The object of this Invention is to produce a simple and efficient apparatus for
operating bells, signals, and telegraphs by electricity. I will describe a small
apparatus suitable for houses and other buildings and apartments.
In order that my said Invention may be more fully understood and be more
readily performed I will explain the same, with the aid of the accompanying
Drawing, which forms part of this Specification, reference being made thereto by
the numerals and letters marked thereon; the same index letter refers to similar
parts in each Figure of the said Drawing.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of my apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same on the line A, B, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a similar cross-section, without the external cover, showing the apparatus
when at rest.
Fig. 4 is a similar cross-section showing the apparatus when in action.
The external cover b may be made of ebonite, porcelain, or other suitable
material, and may be either plain or ornamental. The back plate or disc c is of the
best quality of that description of charcoal known as " retort charcoal," homogeneous
in structure, compact, fine-grained, yet moderately porous. Agglomerated charcoal
may be used, if of the hardest and most sonorous kind. Or the said disc may be
of thin plate copper of equal area. This disc c is fitted to or within the cover b,
and secured to the wall in any convenient way.
The inner surface of this disc c is partially faced, as shown, with a layer a of
blotting paper, linen, or, by preference, asbestos in silky filaments forming an even
and smooth layer thereof. This facing is caused to adhere to the charcoal disc by
means of a small quantity of paraffine at the upper part thereof.
Or I use a paste formed by triturating in a large china or other suitable vessel
the following ingredients:
Protrochloride of conner (Cu (l)
Parts by weight.

page_text: Near the edge of the disc c I form a small circular hole, through which I pass a
small split tube of copper, at one end of which tube a long tongue of copper is
left; this split tube of copper is kept in place by a small hollow cylinder of
ebonite el or of other suitable material fitted within such tube so as to press the
latter against the charcoal by expanding it. The said tongue of copper is passed
from the interior to the exterior of the case over the edge of the carbon disc,
see Figs. 2, 3, and 4. To the free end of this tongue the negative wire r is
attached.
To the copper rod t is attached a strip or tongue of copper t, to which is secured
the electro-positive wire r, which passes through the said hollow cylinder e¹.
These conducting wires are continued to the bell or other signal to be operated
and applied thereto in the usual way for effecting electric action.
The electro-positive metal must be carefully varnished on the surface bearing
the conducting appendage.
Before uniting the disc c to the cover b I introduce into the lower part of such
case at as a reserve, a quantity of crystals of chlorochromate of potass, coarsly
broken, and moistened by a small quantity of the exciting liquid. These crystals
must not touch the zinc.
When tho apparatus thus described is put together, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower
portion below the metal plate z forms the reservoir for the exciting liquid 7 which,
for zinc, consists of a concentrated solution of chlorochromate of potass strengthoned
by an eighth part thereof of sulphuric acid; to this is added, when. zinc amalgam
is used, a trace of chromate of mercury to maintain the amalgamation.
Bichromate of ammonia or other alkaline chlorochromates may be substituted
for chlorochromate of potass.
When a plate of magnesium is used instead of the zinc 3, I use for the exciting
liquid a very concentrated solution of chromic. acid, in which, while cold (about
15° C.), I dissolve chlorochromate or permanganate of potass to saturation.
The first solution, while bot is poured on to the asbestos a, whence it falls into
the reservoir.
The liquid will ascend into the facing a by virtue of capillary attraction.
The apparatus may be fixed to the wall or other place by any suitable and
efficient means.
In operating my said improved apparatus, which is shown when at rest in Fig. 3,
it is only necessary to press inwards the knob e, which pushes the metal plate z in
close and parallel contact with the moistened facing a, as shown in Fig. 4, when
an electric current is instantly produced, and the distant signal thereby operated.
The electric action is terminated by simply withdrawing the pressure from the
knob e, when the spiral spring & returns the said knob to its normal position as in
Fig. 2, and thereby draws away the metal plate z from contact with the facing a,
and thus restores the apparatus to a state of rest.
It is evident that my improved apparatus is of the most simple and inexpensive
construction, and entirely supercedes the usual batteries hitherto used for similar
purposes.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of iny said Invention,
and the method of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do
not restrict myself to the precise details and dimensions now specified by way of
illustration, as they admit of considerable variation, according to the distance of
the signals to be operated, and to the strength of electro current required, as
when applied to railways and the like, without departing from the main
characteristics of the Invention, but I claim as new, and desire to secure by the
herein before-mentioned in part recited Letters Patent,―
Firstly. The formation of the entire electric pile within the case, box, or button.
Secondly. The composition of the paste and its application as a facing to the
charcoal or copper disc.
Thirdly. The composition of the exciting liquid when zinc is used.
Fourthly. The composition of the exciting liquid when magnesium is used.

page_text: Fifthly. The general arrangement of the several parts forming the said electrical
apparatus.
Each and all substantially as herein described and shown in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gregoire Skrivanoff, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One &
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
GREGOIRE SKRIVANOFF. (L.S.)