Improvements in Telegraphy, and in the Means Employed for Perforating Tapes Used for this Purpose.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Telegraphy, and in the Means Employed for
Perforating Tapes Used for this Purpose.
I, PATRICK BERNARD DELANY of South Orange, New Jersey, United States
of America, but at present residing at 14 Lower Berkeley Street, Portman Square,
in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide an improved system of perforation,
mechanical transmission, locally or from a distance and improved recording devices
for reception of signals over ocean cables or difficult land lines with a view of
increasing the speed of working and rendering the signals plainer.
The Specification of a Patent granted to me No. 21630 dated November 13,
1893, shows a system of perforating by an electrically actuated punching machine
having three keys, dot, dash and space. My present improvement in this part of
the system relates to the spacing or paper feeding features of machines of this kind
which, as shown in the Specification referred to, pulls the paper step by step each
time the circuit through the coils of the feed magnet is broken, it being closed by
depressing the space key. As, for convenience in practice, this paper tape is
coiled up in great lengths and unwound from a reel there is, by reason of inertia of
the paper roll and reel, when the tape is taut, a much greater demand on the power
of the feed rollers than when the tape is slack, thereby tending to interfere with the
smoothness of operation of the feed devices. This is the case in all perforators no
matter how operated. To overcome this difficulty and provide slack tape con-
tinuously in advance of the pull of the feeding devices, I provide a friction device
for giving a slight turn to the reel each time that the space key is released sufficient
to provide slack tape for any number of signals that may be punched before the
space key is again touched and in order to guard against too much slack I place
around the reel which carries the roll of paper a fixed concentric cylindrical casing.
By this arrangement should the tape be unwound too fast the convolutions of paper
unwound from the roll bank up against the inner face of the fixed cylindrical
casing and by their friction against this casing and the reel offer an impediment, to
the reel being turned by the friction device operated by the space key.
Figure 1 is a diagram view of an apparatus arranged in this manner.
Figure 2 is a section taken through the reel and cylindrical casing.
In this apparatus a cord a is passed around the central pivot of the reel and is
attached at one end to a spring blade K and at the other to a fixed point a¹ where
the normal tension on the cord can be adjusted. The blade K is as shewn by the
diagram attracted by a magnet m each time that the space key Z is depressed.
When the blade is attracted the cord is slackened. When the circuit is broken
this slack is suddenly taken up and the friction between the cord and the reel pivot
turns the reel and unwinds tape from the roll. Y is the tape or paper strip.
Ythe space magnet, 12 its armature carrying a spring pawl Ys which turns the
wheel Y one tooth each time the armature is released by the magnet and so gives
motion to rollers Y' which draw forward the paper. Similarly the rollers are
turned a distance at each release after depression of the other finger keys
representing a "dot", or a "dash."
i
3.

page_text: By adjusting the normal tension of the cord at a any degree of unwinding desired
may be secured.
W is the fixed cylindrical casing around the reel-the reel or disc V passes
as is shown below the casing W so that the paper cannot drop between them.
In the transmission of signals where perforated tape or like automatic trans-
mitters are used for the purpose-I use in combination with the automatic
transmitter a polar and a neutral relay for transmitting currents to the line, and
these relays may be operated directly from an automatic transmitter in a local
circuit or locally by means of intermediate relays operated by the automatic
transmitter from a long distance.
This method is illustrated in the diagram Figure 3.
This diagram shews contact making devices above and below the perforated tape
pressing towards one another operating a polarized relay in a local circuit.
The
armature of this polarized relay is held in a neutral or zero position by yielding
fingers a a', the insulated cross bar b fixed on the armature being slightly shorter
than the space between them. In this (the normal) position the cable or line is
connected to earth through contacts a c c and a¹. When the first perforation
representing a dash is reached the polarized relay will be actuated by local
battery L, B, and its armature attracted say towards the left contact d and sending
a positive impulse into the cable. When the three dots are reached the armature
makes three successive contacts with its right hand limit d¹. It will be seen before
the armature can reach either of its limit contacts d d' connected to the main battery
the connection between the cable and the earth is broken at C or C. It will be
apparent that by proper adjustment the transfer of the cable or line from earth
to current and vice versa may be effected with a minimum break or loss of time.
I may also use this normally neutral position of the armature of a polarized
relay operated in a main or local circuit to locally actuate other devices which
transmit signals into another main circuit as shown in Figure 4. In this plan the
armature of the polarized relay is held in neutral position by a small yielding
spring between non-electric limits 1, which are adjustable in the plane of the
spring's length.
It will be seen that the two final transmitters T, T' are respectively operated
by the polar relay when the armature is attracted to one side or the other by the
perforations in the tape passing between the contact fingers of the automatic
transmitter. When the armature is at its neutral point the cable is connected to
earth through the armature levers of T T'. Or, instead of using the normally
neutral armature of the polarized relay to operate the final transmitters T, T₁ I may
as shown in diagram Figure 5 use it to control or actuate final transmitters by
which a signalling current, positive or negative, is sent into the cable, and that each
such current is immediately followed by a short impulse of reverse polarity while
the lever is passing from its lower to its upper limit. Reference to the figure
will show that as in Figure 4, when the armature of the polarized relay is in its
normal or neutral position the cable is to earth through the insulated contacts e e
carried on the ends of the levers. The contact fingers of the automatic trans-
mitter A being separated by the paper, the local circuit of polar relay P is broken
and its armature is in a neutral position. When the perforation on the lower line
representing the dash of letter B is reached the armature of polar relay P will be
attracted, say to its left hand limit contact d, thereby actuating final transmitter
magnet, T. When its insulated contact e which is connected to earth reaches
contact g the negative pole of main battery M. B. is connected to earth and a
positive impulse is transmitted through contacts e', '. When armature of l'
returns to its nentral position the lever of T' is released and through the pawl
carried at its end turns a ratchet wheel one tooth-this causes a tooth of the wheel
to press one contact i down to the other contact i thus sending a reverse impulse
from the negative pole of battery K during the passage of the lever from its lower
to its upper limit. Just as it reaches its upper limit the tooth will have passed
the contact spring the reversing impulse is terminated and the cable again

page_text: restored to earth. When the first and succeeding perforations representing the
three dots of the B are reached transmitter T will be actuated in the same manner
as T' already described and a negative signalling impulse will be sent into the
cable at eg which will be followed by a short reversal from the positive pole of
battery K through the medium of the ratchet wheel and contact and the cable
again put to earth.
It will be understood that the object of these short reversals is to give sharper
siguals or more "definition at the receiving end of the lines.
"
Another modified arrangement in which a polarized and a neutral relay in the same
local circuit are similarly operated directly or indirectly by an automatic trans-
mitter is shewn at Figure 6. In this arrangement the polarized armature at each
reversal of the local split battery 1. B. connects one or the other pole of the main
battery M. B. to the front limiting stop of armature of the neutral relay which
relay is actuated simultaneously with the polar relay. Thus during the contact of
lever of R with its front stop the line is connected to the pole of M. B. selected
by the armature of the polarized relay. Immediately following each impulse the
cable or line is put to earth at the back stop of armature of R.
The receiving instruments I construct after the general plan of the Thoinson
recorder, except as to the record making devices. It is well known that the siphon
of the Thomson recorder is bent at both ends in the same direction, the upper limb
in the ink pot being in a plane with the lower limb which moves over the tape.
As the upper end is immersed in ink to a depth of from one quarter to three
quarters of an inch, there is consequently great opposition to the very feeble power
applied to the siphon by the receiving coil. This sluggishness is the main obstacle
in the way of sharp clear signals and faster working. The object of my
invention is to minimise this friction between the siphon and the ink, and to this
end 1 bend the upper limb of the siphon in such a way that the movement of that
part of the siphon in the ink pot will be concentric with the axial movement of the
siphon, thus reducing the retarding effect of the ink on the siphon to a practically
negligible quantity.
In ink recording telegraphic instruments as now made it is necessary to insert
the siphon almost to the bottom of the well containing the supply of ink from
which the siphon is drawing in order to provide against depletion of the supply of
ink. Therefore when the well is filled up to the top there is nearly an inch of
siphon tube submerged which greatly impedes the freedom of the siphon. To
overcome this difficulty I provide a reservoir from which ink may be supplied to
the siphon well constantly by siphoning or intermittently by dripping so that the
supply to the siphon well may be regulated to approximately or almost exactly
the rate at which the ink is drawn from the siphon well, thus admitting of an
adjustment of the recording siphon which will not require the end to penetrate the
ink more than just below the surface. In order to provide against possible over-
flow of the siphon well I provide an overflow outlet which will carry off any surplus
should it rise to the outlet. Although, as the siphon from the reservoir to the
siphon well may be of exactly the same capacity as the recording siphon there will
hardly be any use for this overflow.
I do not confine myself to the arrangement shown for keeping the siphon sub-
merged at a practically uniform depth in the ink as it will be apparent the same
regulation might be secured by a device for gradually or intermittently raising
the ink well to the siphon by mechanical means.
This regulation of ink supply is applicable to all kinds of telegraphic ink
recorders.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Telegraphy, and in the Means Employed for
Perforating Tapes Used for this Purpose.
1, PATRICK BERNARD DELANY, of South Orange, New Jersey, United
States of America, but at present residing at 14 Lower Berkeley Street,
Portman Square, in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, 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:-
The object of my invention is to provide an improved system of perforation,
mechanical transmission, locally or from a distance, and improved recording devices
for reception of signals over ocean cables or difficult land lines with a view of
increasing the speed of working and rendering the signals plainer.
The Specification of a Patent granted to me No. 21630 dated November 13, 1893,
shows a system of perforating by an electrically actuated punching machine having
three keys, dot, dash and space. My present improvement in this part of the
system relates to the spacing or paper feeding features of machines of this kind which,
as shown in the Specification referred to, pulls the paper step by step each time
the circuit through the coils of the feed magnet is broken, it being closed by
depressing the space key. As, for convenience in practice, this paper tape is
coiled up in great lengths and unwound from a reel there is, by reason of inertia
of the paper roll and reel, when the tape is taut, a much greater demand on the
power of the feed rollers than when the tape is slack, thereby tending to interfere
with the smoothness of operation of the feed devices. This is the case in all
perforators no matter how operated. To overcome this difficulty and provide
slack tape continuously in advance of the pull of the feeding devices, I provide a
friction device for giving a slight turn to the reel each time that the space key is
depressed sufficient to provide slack tape for any number of signals that may be
punched before the space key is again touched and in order to guard against too
much slack I place around the reel which carries the roll of paper a fixed concentric
cylindrical casing. By this arrangement should the tape be unwound too fast the
convolutions of paper unwound from the roll bank up against the inner face of the
fixed cylindrical casing and by their friction against this casing and the reel
offer an impediment to the reel being turned by the friction device operated by the
space key.
Figure 1 is a diagram view of an apparatus arranged in this manner. Figure 2 is
a section taken through the reel and cylindrical casing. In this apparatus a
cord a is passed around the central pivot of the reel and is attached at one end to
a spring blade K and at the other to a fixed point a' where the normal tension on
the cord can be adjusted. The blade K is as shewn by the diagram attracted by
a magnet m each time that the space key Z is depressed. When the blade is
attracted the cord is suddenly taken up and the friction between the cord and the
reel pivot turns the reel and unwinds tape from the roll.
When the circuit is
broken the blade springs back leaving the tape slack and also slackening the cord.
Y is the tape or paper strip. Y¹ the space magnet. Y2 its armature carrying a
spring pawl Y3 which turns the wheel Y one tooth each time the armature is
released by the magnet and so gives motion to rollers Y which draw forward the
paper. Similarly the rollers are turned a distance at each release after depression
of the other finger keys representing a
"dot or a "dasb."
دو
By adjusting the normal tension of the cord at a any degree of unwinding desired
may be secured.
W is the fixed cylindrical casing around the reel-the reel or disc V passes as is
shown below the casing W so that the paper cannot drop between them.

page_text: In the transmission of signals where perforated tape or like automatic transmitters+
are used for the purpose-I use in combination with the automatic transmitter a
polar and a neutral relay for transmitting currents to the line, and these relays may
be operated directly from an automatic transmitter in a local circuit or locally
by means of intermediate relays operated by the automatic transmitter from a long:
distance.
This method is illustrated in the diagram Figure 3.
This diagram shews contact making devices above and below the perforated tape
pressing towards one another operating a polarized relay in a local circuit. 'The.
armature of this polarized relay is held in a neutral or zero pusition by yielding
fingers a a', the insulated cross bar fixed on the armature being slightly shorter
than the space between them. In this (the normal) position the cable or line is
connected to earth through contacts acel and a'. When the first perforation
representing a dash is reached the polarized relay will be actuated by local
battery L B and its armature attracted say towards the left contact d and sending
a positive impulse into the cable. When the three dots are reached the armature
makes three successive contacts with its right hand limit d'. It will be seen before
the armature can reach either of its limit contacts d d' connected to the main,
battery the connection between the cable and the earth is broken at C or C¹. It
will be apparent that by proper adjustment the transfer of the cable or line from
earth to current and vice versa may be effected with a minimum break or loss
of time.
I may also use this normally neutral position of the armature of a polarized
relay operated in a main or local circuit to locally actuate other devices which
transmit signals into another main circuit as shewn in Figure 4. In this plan the
armature of the polarized relay is held in neutral position by a small yielding spring
between non-electric limits 1, which are adjustable in the plane of the spring's
length. Or the armature of the polarized relay might be held in neutral position
by springs acting in opposite directions upon the armature lever as shewn in
Figure 7.
It will be seen that the two final transmitters T T are respectively operated by
the polar relay when the armature is attracted to one side or the other by the
perforations in the tape passing between the contact fingers of the automatic
transmitter. When the armature is at its neutral point the cable is connected to
earth through the armature levers of T T'.
At Figure 9 I have shewn transmitting mechanism such as shewn at Figure 4
transmitting currents to like mechanism at a distant repeating station where a
repetition of the currents is sent on to the next length of line and so on-the
mechanism at the last transmitting station transmitting currents through a cable to
the receiving instrument which may as indicated be a Thompson syphon recorder
of any ordinary construction.
The same mechanism may also be used (where the circuit is such as to permit) as
the final receiving relay that is to say it may be placed at the receiving terminal of
the line or cable instead of the syphon recorder.
So far as I am aware it is new to employ a neutrally maintained polarized relay
whose armature lever is capable of being actuated successively in either direction
from its neutral or zero position to transmit succeeding impulses of current of like
or opposite polarity into a line or circuit whether such instrument be used as an
initial transmitter, a repeater, a final transmitter or a receiver relay.
Instead of using the normally neutral armature of the polarized relay to
operate the final transmitters T T in the way shewn at Figure 41 may as
shown in diagram Figure 5 use it to control or actuate final transmitters by which
a signalling current, positive or negative, is sent into the cable, and that each such
current is immediately followed by a short impulse of reverse polarity while the
lever is passing from its lower to its upper limit. Reference to the figure will show
that as in Figure 4, when the armature of the polarized relay is in its normal or
neutral position the cable is to earth through the insulated contacts e e¹ carried on

page_text: the ends of the levers. The contact fingers of the automatic transmitter A being
separated by the paper, the local circuit of polar relay P is broken and its
armature is in a neutral position. When the perforation on the lower line
representing the dash of letter B is reached the armature of polar relay P will
be attracted, say to its left hand limit contact d, thereby actuating final transmitter
magnet T¹.
When its insulated contact e which is connected to earth reaches
contact g the negative pole of main battery M B is connected to earth and a
positive impulse is transmitted through contacts el '. When armature of P returns
to its neutral position the lever of T₁ is released and through the pawl carried at
its end turus a ratchet wheel one tooth-this causes a tooth of the wheel to press
one contact i down to the other contact i thus sending a reverse impulse from the
negative pole of battery K during the passage of the lever from its lower to its
upper limit. Just as it reaches its upper limit the tooth will have passed the
contact spring i the reversing impulse is terminated and the cable again restored
to earth. When the first and succeeding perforations representing the three dots
of the B are reached transmitter T will be actuated in the same manner as T¹
already described and a negative signalling impulse will be sent into the cable
at eg which will be followed by a short reversal from the positive pole of battery K
through the medium of the ratchet wheel and contact and the cable again put
to earth.
It will be understood that the object of these short reversals is to give sharper
signals or more "definition at the receiving end of the lines.
"
Another modified arrangement in which a polarized and a neutral relay is
similarly operated directly or indirectly by an automatic transmitter is shewn at
Figure 6. In this arrangement the polarized armature at each reversal of the
local split battery L. B. connects one or the other pole of the main battery M. B.
to the front limiting stop of armature of the neutral relay which relay is actuated
simultaneously with the polar relay. Thus during the contact of lever of R with its
front stop the line is connected to the pole of M. B. selected by the armature of the
polarized relay. Immediately following each impulse the cable or line is put to
earth at the back stop of armature of R.
In Figure 8 I have shewn a modified construction or arrangement. I have here
indicated the automatic transmitter devices as before. The polarised instrument
or apparatus however is shewn as consisting of two ordinary biassed polar relays M
and O. The local transmitter circuit or line circuit, as the case may be, passes
successively through the coils of both relays M and O. The armature levers mo
are respectively biassed by springs and normally bear against corresponding
contacts m³ o connected with one pole of the battery M. B. The other pole is
connected with the other contact stops m² o2 of the armature levers. The line or
cable is connected with the armature lever of O and the armature lever of M is
grounded. A current of one polarity in the coils of M and O causes one armature
lever to bear more strongly against its contact stop m¹ or o' and the other passes to
its contact m² or o². A current of opposite polarity in the coils reverses this
condition. It will be seen therefore, that the polarised apparatus normally occupies
a neutral position with the line or cable to earth and that the polarity of the current
sent into the line or cable from battery M. B., depends upon the polarity of the
current in the coils of M and O.
The receiving instruments I construct after the general plan of the Thomson
recorder, except as to the record making devices. It is well known that the
siphon tube of the Thomson recorder is bent at both ends in the same plane, the
upper limb in the ink pot being in a plane with the lower limb which moves over
the tape. As the upper end is immersed in ink to a depth of from one quarter to
three quarters of an inch, there is consequently great opposition to the very feeble
power applied to the siphon by the receiving coil. This sluggishness is the main
obstacle in the way of sharp clear signals and faster working. The object of this
part of my invention is to minimise this friction between the siphon and the ink,
and to this end I bend the short upper limb of the siphon in such a way that the

page_text: movement of that part of the siphon in the ink pot will be concentric with the axial
movement of the siphon, thus reducing the retarding effect of the ink on the siphon
to a practically negligible quantity. A siphon so formed is shewn at Figure 10.
In ink recording telegraphic instruments as now made it is necessary to insert the
siphon almost to the bottom of the well containing the supply of ink from which
the siphon is drawing in order to provide against depletion of the supply of ink.
Therefore when the well is filled up to the top there is nearly an inch of siphon
tube submerged which greatly impedes the freedom of the siphon. To overcome
this difficulty I provide as shewn at Fig. 11 a reservoir X from which ink may be
supplied to the siphon well Z constantly by siphoning or intermittently by dripping
so that the supply to the siphon well Z may be regulated to approximately or almost
exactly the rate at which the ink is drawn from the siphon well, thus admitting of
an adjustment of the recording siphon which will not require the end to penetrate
the ink more than just below the surface. In order to provide against possible
overflow of the siphon well I provide an overflow outlet Z' which will carry off any
surplus should it rise to the outlet. Although, as the siphon from the reservoir to
the siphon well may be of exactly the same capacity as the recording siphon there.
will hardly be any use for this overflow.
A modified way of maintaining a constant level of ink in the siphon cup is shewn
in Figure 12. In this case what is known as a "bird fountain" arrangement is
employed for maintaining a constant level in the cup Z and an overflow Z provided
to prevent the level of liquid in the cup being raised by any expansion of air that
may take place in the supply vessel.
I do not confine myself to the arrangements shown for keeping the siphon
submerged at a practically uniform depth in the ink as it will be apparent the same
regulation might be secured by a device for gradually or intermittently raising the
ink well to the siphon by mechanical means.
This regulation of ink supply is applicable to all kinds of telegraphic ink
recorders.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination with a machine for perforating tape of an electrically
controlled feeding device for maintaining a supply of slack tape to be taken up by
the machine.
2. The combination with a machine for perforating tape of a friction device for
turning the reel off which the tape is to be unwound and of a fixed cylindrical
casing surrounding the reel for the tape to bear against when unwound too
fast so as to impede by friction the turning of the reel when sufficient has been
unwound.
3. In a machine for perforating tape the combination of a friction device
operated by the space key for turning a reel off which the tape is to be unwound
each time the space key is depressed and a fixed cylindrical casing surrounding the
reel for the tape to bear against when unwound too fast so as to impede by friction
the turning of the reel when sufficient has been unwound.
4. The combination of mechanism substantially as described and illustrated at
Figure 1 for providing slack tape to the feeding devices of tape perforating
machines.
5. The combination of an automatic transmitter capable of sending impulses of
either polarity and of the same duration with a polarised relay or instrument the
armature or contact arm of which is held normally in a neutral position but when
moved to one side or the other operates contact mechanism to put the end of a line
wire in connection with one or other pole of a battery.
6. In a transmitting repeating or receiving instrument the combination of a
polarised relay, whose armature or contact arm is held normally in a neutral
position with contact mechanism by which when the armature is moved to one side:

page_text: or the other an impulse of one or other polarity is transmitted to a line wire or
receiving instrument substantially as described.
7. In a transmitting repeating or receiving instrument the combination of a
polarised relay whose armature or contact arm is held normally in a neutral
position with contact mechanism by which when the armature is moved to one side
or the other an impulse of one or other polarity is transmitted to a line wire or
receiving instrument whilst when the armature is in its neutral position the line is
coupled to earth substantially as described.
8. The combination of a polarized relay the armature or contact arm of which is
held normally in a neutral position but completes a circuit through one or other of
two electro magnets when moved to one side or the other-the armatures of these
magnets being held normally up to contact stops which are both coupled to one
pole of a battery but are capable of being drawn by the action of the magnets to
other contact stops in connection with the other pole of the battery-
being also coupled to earth and the other to the line wire so that normally the line
is connected to earth but when either armature is attracted by its magnet a current
passes to the line in one or other direction from the battery according to which
armature is attracted the whole capable of being used for transmitting repeating or
receiving purposes substantially as described.
-one armature
9. The combination with mechanism so arranged of an automatic transmitter
capable of sending impulses of either polarity to the polarized relay.
10. Automatic transmitters arranged substantially in the ways herein before
described with reference to Figures 3 to 7.
11. The modified arrangement shewn at Figure 8 in which the armatures of two
polarized relays each biassed to hold them normally against contact stops are used
instead of a single polarized relay the armature of which is held normally in a
neutral position.
12. The combination of parts substantially as described with reference to
Figure 9 for repeating from one circuit to another.
13. The construction of the siphon of siphon recording instruments in such a way
that the portion of the short upper limb of the siphon which is immersed in ink
shall be concentric with the axial movement of the siphon.
14. Maintaining one constant level of ink in the ink cup of siphon recorders
substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of May 1895.
PATRICK BERNARD DELANY.