Improvements in Electric Contacts for Telegraphic Vibrators.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 29th May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Contacts for Telegraphic Vibrators.
A communication to me from PAUL LA COUR, of Askorshus, in the Kingdom of
Denmark, Professor.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It has been attempted to produce different electric signals by means of vibrators
consisting of tuning forks or tongues, for the purpose of generating intermittent
electric currents acting upon distant vibrators having the saine speed of vibration
only, and upon no others, and the present inventor himself patented such a system
in different countries, the first Patent being obtained in England on September 2nd
A.D. 1874, and numbered 2999.
As a signal of the kind described becomes manifest at the receiving point only
by the vibrations of corresponding tuning forks or tongues, the touch which is
,, is intermittent, and
communicated to the fork or tongue by an ordinary "contact
the electric current resulting therefrom is also intermittent. Such a current acts
but feebly on the alarm apparatus and is further weakened on account of the
electro magnetic induction resistance, and the numerous sparks when the currents
are broken have an injurious effect upon the "contacts" and finally the alarm lasts
only as long as the vibrations whether they are noticed or not. All these
which form the subject of
disadvantages are removed by the improved "contacts
the present invention.
$1
In the accompanying drawing which is in illustration of the invention,
Figure 1 shews a side view of a complete vibrating apparatus, Figure 2 a
horizontal view of the same, the improved contact apparatus being shewn by dotted
lines.
Figure 3 is an end view shewing the improved contact aud a portion of the
vibrating apparatus partly broken off.
a is an ebonite plate, a brass plate, d' a brass block fixed upon d, but insulated
from it by a. On the block two magnetized steel rods and are fixed as
vibrators, one with its north pole and the other with its south pole opposite the
pole of the electro magnet r, the ends of the insulated wire from which pass through
the bottom plate. A lever is arranged so that it can turn upon its centre gl
which is screwed into the base plate the position of the lever being adjusted by
means of a fine threaded screw g² against which the lever is pressed by the
spring 9. The lever carries an insulated block which in turn carries the
platinum spring f, and the latter by means of the screw g² can be adjusted in
such a position that it just touches a small platinum plate" which is fixed to the
vibrator v¹.
From an insulated wire passes through the base plate. This wire is connected
with one end of the wire r round the electro magnet and the other end of which is
connected with one pole of a battery the other pole of which communicates with
the vibrator by means of the screw so that the vibrator is attracted by the
electro magnet ŕ and the vibrator is set into active vibration in consequence of
the automatic making and breaking of the contact so that the electric current is
intermittent

page_text: The number of the vibrations and consequently the number of the cu
second may be altered by placing one of the blocks x, y, or, in the hole n of a
small brass block fixed upon v'. The other vibrator is provided with a fixed
block which by its weight determines the number of vibrations.
On the ebonite plate a a support his fixed which carries a platinum eye or 5
hook c¹ to which a pendulum e is suspended. The latter may be made wholly or
partly of platinum. Or, as illustrated in Figure 3, of a platinum wire and a brass
ball. When in a vertical position the pendulum touches an insulated part of the
vibrator for instance a small projection a fixed upony.
In addition the pendulum is limited in its movement by a catch p, p, p², the
shape of which is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2.
It consists of a hook p' the oblique edge of which turning towards the vibrator is
insulated so that it does not cause any electric connection with e' when vertical,
whilst the edge of the hook (which is of platinum) which is turned from the
vibrator is a conductor. The catch is also provided with an arm of the shape
shewn at p, p. When the vibrator is working it pushes against the pendulun
which moves in the space between u, p', and p², and is caught at once by the
hook p'. The catch is fixed upon a vertical axle d' the upper end of which turns
in an insulated support in the bracket h, whilst its lower end is carried in a brass
On the axle da handle d' is also fixed and is
plate d³ upon the ebonite plate a.
held by means of a spring d against the stop e, if however the handle is turned
round against the stop e¹ the axle is turned together with the catch in such a
way that the hook is removed from the pendulum which then resumes its normal
position.
Accordingly there is electric communication from the binding screw h' through
the pendulum e the axle d² and the bottom plate only when is caught by
the hook.
The connection established thereby closes a local current and is
signalling, ringing, or the like, as desired.
21
for
The arrangenient of the details may be modified in various ways without
essentially altering the principal of the invention in which the contact piece is
projected or thrown over into the position to complete a circuit when the apparatus
commences to operate. For instance the pendulum and the catch might be
differently shaped, and the pendulum might be brought back from the position in
which it is held by the catch to its normal position in other ways instead of by
the handle. An electro magnet for instance might be used for the purpose.
Further the method of insulation and of conducting might be differently
arranged, in such a way for instance that the pendulum would allow a current t
pass in its normal position, whilst the current would be interrupted when th
pendulum is held back by a catch. Any electrician will readily see different way
of effecting this.
The essential point of the invention is the use of a suspended body such as
pendulum which in its normal position bangs against a vibrator, whilst when th
latter is set in motion the pendulum is pushed forward and held by a catch,
different electrical condition being thereby established causing a signal to
transmitted which continues until the pendulum is returned to its normal position.
this 4th day of August 1893.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35 Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Electric Contacts for Telegraphic Vibrators.
A communication to me from PAUL LA COUR, of Askorshus, in the Kingdom of
Denmark, Professor.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers of 65 and 66 Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, 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, that is to say :-
-
It has been attempted to produce different electric signals by means of vibrators
consisting of tuning forks or tongres. for the purpose of generating intermittent
electric currents acting upon distant vibrators having the same speed of vibration
only, and upon no others, and the present inventor himself patented such a
system in different countries, the first Patent being obtained in England on
September 2nd A.D. 1874, and numbered 2999.
66
"
As a signal of the kind described becomes manifest at the receiving point only
by the vibrations of corresponding tuning forks or tongues, the touch which is
communicated' to the fork or tongue by an ordinary contact is intermittent, and
the electric current resulting therefrom is also intermittent. Such a current acts
but feebly on the alarm apparatus, and is further weakened on account of the
électro-magnetic induction resistance, and the numerous sparks when the currents
are broken have an injurious effect upon the "contacts," and finally the alarm
All these
lasts only as long as the vibrations whether they are noticed or not.
disadvantages are removed by the improved "contacts," which form the subject of
the present invention.
In the drawing which accompanied my Provisional Specification and which is in
illustration of the invention,
Figure 1 shews a side view of a complete vibrating apparatus, Figure 2 a
horizontal view of the same, the improved contact apparatus being shewn by
dotted lines.
Figure 3 is an end view shewing the improved contact and a portion of the
vibrating apparatus, partly broken off.
a is an ebonite plate, da brass plate, d' a brass block fixed upon d, but insulated
from it by a'. On the block d¹ two maguetized steel rods bare fixed as vibrators,
one with its north pole and the other with its south pole opposite the pole of the
electro-magnet r, the ends of the insulated wires from which pass through the
bottom plate.
A lever is arranged so that it can turn upon a centre g¹ which is screwed into
the base plate, the position of the lever being adjusted by means of a fine threaded
screw g², against which the lever is pressed by the spring g³. The lever carries an
insulated block which in turn carries the platinum spring and the latter by
means of the screw g² can be adjusted in such a position that it touches a small
platinum plate f which is fixed to the vibrator b. From an insulated wire
passes through the base plate. This wire is connected with one end of the wire r
round the electro-magnet, the other end of which is connected with one pole of a
battery the other pole of which communicates with the vibrator » by means of the
screw, so that the vibrator is attracted by the electro-magnet r, and the
vibrator is set into active vibration in consequence of the automatic making and
breaking of the contact, so that the electric current is intermittent.
The number of the vibrations, and consequently the number of the currents per
second, may be altered by placing one of the blocks x, y, or, in the hole n of a

page_text: small brass block fixed upon v'. The other vibrator is provided with a fixed
block k, which by its weight determines the number of vibrations.
On the ebonite plate a, a support his fixed which carries a platinum eye or
hook to which a pendulum c is suspended. The latter may be made wholly or
partly of platinum. Or, as illustrated in Figure 3, of a platinum wire and a brass
ball. When in a vertical position, the pendulum touches an insulated part, of the
vibrator, for instance a small projection u fixed upon r.
In addition, the pendulum is limited in its movement by a catch p, p², p², the
shape of which is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2.
It consists of a book p', the oblique edge of which turning towards the vibrator
is insulated, so that it does not cause any electric connection with c' when vertical,
whilst the edge of the hook (which is of platinum) which is turned from the
vibrator is a conductor. The catch is also provided with an arm of the shape
shewn at p, p. When the vibrator is working it pushes against the pendulum
which moves in the space between u, p' and p², and is caught at once by the
hook p. The catch is fixed upon a vertical axle, the upper end of which turns
in an insulated support in the bracket h, whilst its lower end is carried in a brass
plate d³ upon the ebonite plate a. On the rale handle is also fixed, and is
held by means of a spring d against the stop e, if hoever the handle is turned
round against the stop e, the axle is turned, together with the catch, in such a
way that the hook is removed from the pendulum, which then resumes its normal
position.
Accordingly, there is electric communication from the binding
the pendulum c, the axle d², and the bottom plate d³, only when
hook.
crew h¹, through
is caught by the
The connection established thereby, closes a local current, and is used icr
signalling, ringing, or the like, as desired.
The arrangement of the details may be modified in various ways without
essentially altering the principle of the invention, in which the contact piece is
projected or thrown over into the position to complete the circuit, when the
apparatus commences to operate. For instance, the pendulum and the catch might
be differently shaped, and the pendulum might be brought back from the position
in which it is held by the catch, to its normal position in other ways instead of by
the handle. An electro-magnet for instance might be used for the purpose.
Further, the method of insulation and of conducting might be differently
arranged; in such a way, for instance, that the pendulum would allow a current to
pass in its normal position, whilst the current would be interrupted when the
pendulum is held back by a catch. Any electrician will readily see different ways
of effecting this.
The essential point of the invention is the use of a suspended body such as a
pendulum, which in its normal position hangs against a vibrator, whilst when the
latter is set in motion the pendulum is pushed forward and held by a catch, a
different electrical condition being thereby established, causing a signal to be
transmitted which continues until the pendulum is returned to its normal
position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what!
claim is :-
1. A suspended pendulum-like body, serving as a moving contact, which, when
touching a vibrator remains at rest when the vibrator is not working, but is driven
off when the latter works and is held back by a catch in such a position that a fresh
electrical circuit is completed, by which an alarm or warning is given until the
pendulum is released from the catch, substantially as described and illustrated.
2. The application of the devices claimed in Claim 1, to several stations provided
with different vibrators having different rates of vibration, so that the station or
stations the vibrator of which is influenced by a corresponding intermittent

page_text: electrical current, is warned, through an alarm bell or device, by the making or
breaking of a current, until the pendulum-like body is allowed to return to its
normal position, all substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of April 1894.
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 & 66, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.