IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sandys, of the Electric Telegraph Works, 72,
Upper Whitecross Street, Saint Luke's, in the County of Middlesex, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS."
Sealed the 20th June 1854, and dated the 30th March 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sandys at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th March
1854.
I, JOHN SANDYS, of the Electric Telegraph Works, 72, Upper Whitecross
Street, Saint Luke's, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH
INSTRUMENTS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a peculiar combination of parts into an instrument
suitable for communicating by electricity. For this purpose a curved or bent
magnetic needle is used, which moves on a suitable axis. This needle is hung
on its axis in such manner as to bring its poles on either side of the end or
one pole of the soft metal interior of an electro-magnet; hence, when a current
of electricity is passed in one or other direction, the poles of the magnetic
needle will be attracted or repelled accordingly, and the pointer fixed to the
axis will be moved in one or other direction. The magnetic needle has a
projection, which by stops prevents the magnetic needles being moved too far
in either direction. It is preferred, in constructing the electro-magnet, that
the soft metal interior should be composed of a bundle or cluster of soft wire
in place of a solid piece of soft metal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Sandys in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
September 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SANDYS, of the Electric Telegraph Works, 72, Upper Whitecross Street,
Saint Luke's, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty' Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give' and grant unto
me, the said John Sandys, Her special licence that I, the said John Sandys,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Sandys, my executors, administrators, and assigns should at any time agree
with, and no others; from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use; exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said John Sandys, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months.next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Sandys, do hereby declare the.
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and, ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
"
This Invention consists of a peculiar combination of parts into an instrument.
suitable for communicating by electricity. For this purpose a curved.or bent
magnetic needle is used, which moves on a suitable axis... This needle is hung
on its axis in such manner as to bring its poles on either side of the end or
one pole of the soft metal interior of an electro-magnet; hence, when a current
of electricity is passed in one or other direction, the poles of the magnetic needle
will be attracted or repelled accordingly, and the pointer fixed to the axis will
be moved in one or other direction. The magnetic needle has a projection;
which by stops prevents the magnetic needles being moved, too far in either
direction. It is preferred, in constructing the electro-magnet, that the. soft

page_text: metal interior should be composed of a bundle or cluster of soft wire in place
of a solid piece of soft metal.
"
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS...
Figure 1 shows a front view, parts being shewn in section; Figure 2 shows
a vertical section; Figure 3 is a plan; and Figure 4, a section taken at
A, B, in Figure 2, of the two-needle instrument constructed according to my
Invention. Each of the two instruments being similarly formed or combined,
it will only be necessary to describe one of them. A bar of soft iron a, which
I prefer to be composed of several soft wires, is wound round with insulated
wire, and thus made into an electro-magnet, as is well understood, and to
which, separately, I make no claim. 6 is a curved or bent magnetic needle,
having a pointer c fixed thereto; x, x, are stops. The magnetic needle is
mounted on an axis, and moves freely in a vertical plane, as shewn. I would
state that I make no claim separately to the making or using a bent or curved
magnetic needle in the construction of an electric telegraph instrument, similar
forms of magnetic needles having before been used; and I would wish it to be
understood, that my Invention consists of combining a curved or bent magnetic
needle with the pole of an electro-magnet, so that the two poles of the magnetic
needle may come on either side of one of the poles of the electro-magnets, and
by means of a pointer and suitable stops from an electric telegraph instrument,
and it is such a combination which constitutes the peculiar character of my
Invention. The end of the electro-magnet is mounted on the axis d, and is
capable of moving or swinging freely on the sliding plate e. The sliding plate
is received between the guides f, fixed at the back of the case of the instru-
ment. 9 is the dial plate which is fixed on the other end of the electro-magnet,
and the one pole or end of the bar a of the electro-magnet enters into a recess
at the back of the dial, so as to bring that pole as near as may be to the poles
of the magnetic needle b, which is hung, as shown, in front of the dial plate;
see separate section of these parts. In order to allow of either or both of the
needles and electro-magnets being removed, and yet to keep up a complete
circuit, there is a spring h, which when pressed on by the ivory stud or pro-
jection i, is pressed out of metallic contact at one end, so that the circuit is
through the electro-magnet when it is in its place, but when removed the
circuit is through the spring h. The two ends j, k, of the wire wound on to
each of the electro-magnets are by the screws l, m, put in metallic connection
with the telegraph wires n, o. The other parts of the electric telegraph.

page_text: instrument shown by the Drawings are of the ordinary kind, and form no part
of my Invention.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would wish it to be understood that I make no claim to
any of the parts separately. I would remark that, although I have shewn my
Invention as applied to a two-needle instrument, it will be evident that it is
equally applicable as a single-needle instrument, and I would have it under-
stood that what I claim is, the combination herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sandys, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
JOHN SANDYS. (L.S.)