Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus.
I, BELISAIRE MARINOVITCH, of No. 16 Rue Drouot, Paris, France, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to electrical signalling apparatus such as may be used for
transmitting orders on ship-board or in other situations. It comprises a transmitter
and a receiver. The receiver may either have a simple index pointing to the
signal order transmitted or it may have means of recording the same. The
transmitter may consist either of a series of automatically operating manipulating
apparatus, of which there is one provided for each station to which orders or
signals are to be sent, or there may be a single such motor apparatus for working
all stations, as will be hereinafter described.
The receiving apparatus with single pointer consists of an electromagnet with
two branches, or of horse-shoe form, having polar extensions between the arc-
shaped ends of which is a rotatable armature retained in position by a spring
drawing it against a fixed stop. The axis of the armature, on which the latter
is loosely mounted, has fixed on it, firstly, an index or pointer and secondly two
ratchet wheels, the inclines of the teeth of the one being in the contrary
direction to those of the other, and with the one wheel gears a pawl carried
by the armature so as to cause the shaft to turn with it in one direction, two fixed
pawls being provided gearing with the second wheel, one for preventing a back-
ward motion of the shaft, and the other for stopping the forward motion when it
has been turned through a certain angle.
Thus when a current is passed through the coils of the magnet, the armature
will be turned and will carry the shaft and pointer with it by means of its pawl
and the one ratchet wheel, a stud on the armature which held the second above
mentioned fixed pawl in a raised position having at the same time moved away
from the pawl so as to allow it to rest on the second ratchet wheel and thus
prevent the shaft from turning beyond a certain distance, so that the pointer is
arrested in a certain angular position.
When the current is. interrupted, the armature is brought back to its original
position by the before mentioned spring, but the shaft and pointer are retained in
the described position. On the return motion, the before mentioned stud raises
the pawl out of gear with the second ratchet wheel, and if required, the above
operation is repeated so as to turn the shaft and index through one or more farther
distances, equal to the first.
It will be evident that a number of such receivers might be arranged at
different stations, the coils of the electromagnets being all branched on the same
ircuit.
As transmitter might be used an ordinary Morse transmitting apparatus, but
it is preferred to construct the same as follows. The transmitter consists of
two main parts, namely a combining device and an automatic manipulator.
The combiner consists of an apparatus similar to the above described receiver,
but the axis, instead of merely carrying an index, carries a contact disc on the
periphery of which bear a series of contact brushes arranged at equal distances
apart around the same, the disc being provided at one point of its periphery with

page_text: an insulating plate which, on the rotation of the disc, insulates each of the brushes
in succession as it passes under them, and thus breaks the circuit to which the
particular brush is connected.
The current from the main circuit is passed through the disc by means of another
brush in permanent conducting contact with the disc.
The automatic manipulator consists also of an electromagnetic apparatus, the
armature of which carries a brush of sufficient width to bear simultaneously upon
two curved contact plates insulated from each other.
The brush is mounted on a cam capable of turning on an axis carried by the
armature, which also carries a pivotted elbow lever, and a commutator drum on
which bear two fixed contact brushes. The before mentioned two contact plates
curve round the armature axis and are connected in series with the two coils of the
electromagnet limbs,
On passing a current through the electromagnet coils and contact plates, the
armature in turning into a certain angular position brings the cam in contact with
a stop, whereby the cam is turned and the brush carried thereby, which was in
contact with the two contact plates so as to close the circuit of the electromagnet,
is raised off the plates and is held in that position by the one arm of the elbow
lever engaging with a notch of the cam. The circuit of the electromagnet being
now broken between the two contact plates, the arinature will be turned back by a
spring into its original position of rest. As soon as this is effected a fixed stud
acting on the second arm of the elbow lever moves this so as to release the
cam, which is then turned back by a spring so as to cause the contact brush to
bear on the two contact plates and thus close the circuit of the electromagneta
again.
The armature is then again actuated and the above described actions are
repeated, so that the armature is thus subject to a regular reciprocating rotary
motion extending preferably through an angle of about 90°.
By such reciprocating motion the before mentioned commutator cylinder
alternately closes and interrupts an electric circuit by making and breaking contact
with the two before mentioned brushes which are connected to such circuit.
This automatic manipulator is connected to the before described combiner
through a keyboard arranged as follows.
Each key of the keyboard is connected to the one pole of the current producer
or battery, and on being depressed, it makes contact with a plate connected by a
wire to one of the contact brushes of the contact disc of the above described
combining apparatus, which brush is marked with the same number as the
depressed key.
The one commutator brush of the automatic manipulator is connected to the
same pole of the battery as the keyboard, while the other pole of the battery is
connected through the contact plates and coils of the manipulator to the permanent
contact brush of the contact disc of the combining apparatus, the other brushes of
which are each connected to a key of the keyboard and through this to the first
named pole of the battery as described. The two terminals of the electromagnet
of the combining apparatus are also connected respectively to the poles of the
battery, the one connection being through the one commutator brush of the
manipulator.
This brush is also connected with the terminal of the circuit of the first
described receiving instrument; the other terminal is connected to the second
pole of the battery. In consequence of these several connections, on depressing a
certain key of the keyboard, say No. 4, and thereby closing the battery circuit,
the manipulator will be set in motion as described, and will only be stopped when
by the corresponding motion of the armature of the combining apparatus the
insulating plate on the contact disc of the latter is brought under the commutator
brush No. 4, that is to say, after four passages of current have been effected.
Consequently the contact disc of the combining apparatus, and the shaft and
index of the receiver, will have moved through a distance equal to four times the

page_text: beat of their armatures, or, assuming this to be 45°, through an angle of 180°,
and will consequently give the order or signal corresponding to the division at such
angle.
And in a similar manner, the index can be brought to any other division of the
complete circle on depressing the corresponding key of the key board.
Assuming the dial of the index to be divided into 8 divisions, and that there are
eight keys on the keyboard, it will be seen that 8 different orders or signals can be
given, each division being made to represent a certain order or signal.
For insuring certainty of action, the armatures of the combining apparatus and
receiver are made to beat through an angle of only 45°, while the beat of the
manipulator, as hefore stated, extends to 90°.
When the receiving instrument is required at the same time to register the
signal transmitted, the following arrangement is employed.
The receiving apparatus itself is of the same construction as first described; on
the armature shaft which carries the index is fixed a type wheel having relief
characters corresponding in number to the number of orders capable of being
transmitted, and so arranged that when the pointer has been brought to a certain
sigual, the corresponding character of the type wheel is brought opposite a
stretched paper strip, whereupon the impression of the signal is effected by means
of an electromagnet, the armature of which in being attracted is made to actuate
the one arm of an elbow lever the other arm of which presses the paper strip
against the inked type wheel. The forward feed of the paper strip is effected by
another electromagnet, the armature of which on being attracted by the passage
of a current, effects the rotation of a ratchet wheel by means of a pawl, to which
wheel is fixed a serrated disc between which and a curved pressing surface the
paper strip is passed.
The armature in its motion acts by means of a stud upon a finger on a cylinder
of insulating material, so that when the armature moves in one direction it turns
the cylinder slightly against the action of a spring; the cylinder carries a contact
plate which by the said motion is brought under two brushes forming the terminals
of the actuating electric circuit, so that this is thereby closed. On the stud of the
armature passing beyond a certain point, the finger escapes from it and the cylinder
being then turned back by a spring action, brings the brushes off the contact plate
and onto the insulating surface thereof, whereby the circuit is broken. By this
arrangement the required intermittent action of the electromagnets for operating
the impression of the type wheel and the step by step feed of the paper is
produced.
The type wheel is inked by an inking roller in any suitable known manner.
Two or more sets of registering receiving instruments, combining instruments,
and manipulators can have their circuits connected to and operated by one and the
same keyboard; in this case instead of the leads of the several apparatus being
permanently connected to the negative pole of the battery as before described,
those of each set of apparatus are connected to a separate contact switch, the
fixed contacts of which are connected to the negative pole of the battery, so that,
according as the one or the other set of apparatus is to be operated by the key
board, the corresponding switch is made to connect that set with the battery, the
other set or sets remaining out of circuit.
If, on the other hand, two or more of the switches are put in contact, a
corresponding number of sets of instruments will all be operated simultaneously in
precisely the same manner for transmitting one and the same signal on the
depression of a key.
In place of the automatic manipulators constructed as above described of which
there is one provided for each set of combining and receiving apparatus, I, in some
cases, arrange only a single motor-manipulator for any required number of such
sets. For this purpose a small electromotor of any suitable known construction is
made to effect the rotation of a commutator having brushes so arranged as to
transmit a current into the circuit, say, once every second. The circuits from the

page_text: motor and from the said brushes lead to brushes on a second commutator actuated
by an electromagnet which can be thrown in and out of contact with the battery
circuit by means of a switch; the second commutator has also other brushes that
are in connection through the keyboard with the several combining and receiving
instruments of the line.
Thus on connecting the electromagnet that controls the second commutator with
the battery circuit and also depressing the key for the required signal the operating
circuit will be closed, the electromagnet in bringing the second commutator into a
certain position will connect the battery circuit with the circuit of the small
motor engine; this in rotating will actuate the first commutator so as to send a
current at every second through the second commutator to the signalling
instruments to be operated.
When the index of the receiving instrument has been brought to the required
signal, the operating circuit is broken by the insulating plate of the combining
instrument in the manner above described and the second commutator is then
automatically brought back to its original position, thereby breaking the circuit of
the motor again, and stopping the transmission of currents.
Dated this 10th day of January 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus.
I, BELISAIRE MARINOVITCH of No. 16 Rue Drouot, Paris, France, 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 :-
This invention relates to electrical signalling apparatus such as may be used for
transmitting orders on ship-board or in other situations. It comprises a transmitter
and a receiver. The receiver may either have a simple index pointing to the signal
order transmitted or it may have means of recording the same. The transmitter
may consist either of a series of automatically operating manipulating apparatus,
of which there is one provided for each station to which orders or signals are to be
sent, or there may be a single such motor apparatus for working all stations, as
will be hereafter described.
I will describe the several apparatus with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Figures 1, 3 and 2 shew respectively two sectional elevations in two different
positions and a plan of a receiving instrument with pointer;
Figure 4 a sectional elevation of the combiner of the transmitting instrument;
Figures 5 and 6 sectional elevations of two different positions of the
transmitter
Figure 7 diagram view of all the said parts combined;
Figures 8 and 9 a sectional view and a section on line X X of a registering
receiving apparatus.
Figure 10 diagram view of an installation with registering receiver for two
separate stations.
Figures 11 and 12 diagram views of a complete installation with a single
motor.
1. RECEIVING APPARATUS WITH POINTER.
This apparatus consists of an electromagnet the two branches B B¹ of which are

page_text: connected at one end to the base C while the other ends have concave pole
pieces P P between which is mounted an armature D loose on the axis A and
kept in position of rest shewn at Figure 1 by the tension of a spring T and a
stop &
The axis A carries a pointer I and two ratchet wheels R and having the same
number of teeth but placed in opposite directions. These wheels are fixed on the
axis A, and with them gear three pawls m n o of which m gearing with R is
mounted on the armature D, as are also two studs g, g', while the two pawls,
n gearing with R, and o gearing with r, are pirotted to the pole pieces P P
This apparatus operates as follows. When a current is passed through the electro
magnet winding B B', the armature will turn in the direction of the arrow f
tending to include the greatest possible number of lines of force of the magnetic
field generated between the pole pieces P P In this movement the armature
carries with it the axis A by means of the pawl m and wheel R, while the stud g',
in descending allows the pawl o to drop into gear with the wheel r. The said
motion continues until the tooth d of wheel bears against the end of the pawl o,
when the motion will be stopped, the parts being then in the position shewn
at Figure 3. The pointer I will during this time have moved through an
angle of 45°.
The stud y prevents the springing upwards of the pawl o which might otherwise
take place at the moment when the forward motion of the said parts is suddenly
stopped.
When the current through the electromagnet ceases, the armature is drawn
back by the spring T, while the axis A is prevented from following by the
pawl n.
The apparatus thus constitutes a receiver with pointer of very simple construc-
tion and of reliable action. At each passage of current, the pointer moves through
a determined angle, which is 45° in the present case, but may be greater or smaller
according to number of teeth of the wheels R and r, equal to the number of indica-
tions to be transmitted. The pointer can by this step by step forward motion pass
over all the divisions of a dial thus indicating a corresponding number of different
signals.
It is evident that a series of these apparatus connected in parallel on a single
circuit, would all work synchronously. It suffices for this purpose that the trans-
missions and interruptions of the currents should follow each other regularly with
sufficient intervals for allowing of the movement of the armature in one direction
or the other.
An ordinary Morse transmitter might be used for this purpose, but in this case
the reliability of action could only be obtained at the expense of rapidity of
working. For insuring both features at the same time, it is necessary to employ a
transmitter in which the transmission of the currents is effected automatically and
independently of the skill of the manipulator. Such an apparatus is shewn at
Figures 4, 5 and 6.
II. TRANSMITTER.
The transmitter consists of two main parts which control each other, namely the
part termed the "combiner " and the automatic manipulator.
a. Combiner. The combiner Figure 4 is an apparatus which is identical with
the receiver Figure 1, but the axis A, instead of simply carrying a pointer carries
a disc M of conducting material and on the periphery bear eight contact brushes 61
to 6 placed at a angle of 45° to each other. This disc M has an insulating plate S,
such that, in the position shewn in the figure, the brush b, is insulated from all the
others, while the brushes by to by are all in conducting communication with each.
other and with the brush R³.
Under the action of a current passed through the apparatus, the disc M will turn
through 45° in the direction of the arrow, whereby the brush by will be brought on
the insulated plate S. Thus by means of eight consecutive transmissions of

page_text: current, corresponding to a complete revolution of the disc, the brushes will each
successively be brought on to the plate S, so as to be cut out of circuit.
b. Automatic Manipulator.-In the automatic manipulator Figures 5 and 6, the
- armature D carries a brush Z of a size sufficient to rest upon the two cylindrically
bent contacts H H' which are arranged side by side and are insulated from each
other so as only communicate with each other through the brush Z. This brush
which is fixed to the cam V turns on the axis h fixed to the armature, together
with the cam. The armature D also carries a lever with two arms E F turning on
the axis G. The apparatus contains farthermore a commutator drum Q fixed to
the armature on which bear two brushes X X...
In this apparatus the windings of the electromagnets are connected in series with
the contacts H H'.
The apparatus being at rest, the different parts occupy the positions shewn at
Figure 5. If the wires L L be connected to the terminals of a source of a
sufficiently strong current, the armature D will be rapidly turned in the direction
of the arrow, and the beak K of the cam V in striking against the stud Y, the
brush Z will leave the contacts H H', while the arm F of lever E F engages with
the notch of the cam V. The parts will then occupy the positions shewn at
Figure 6. The circuit of the electromagnets being interrupted at the contacts H H¹,
the armature D will move back to its position of rest, under the action of
spring T.
As soon as the armature arrives at this position, shewn at Figure 5, the stud Y
acting on the arm E of lever E F will cause this to release the cam V, and the
brush Z falling upon the contacts H H under the action of spring T, the electro-
magnet circuit will be again closed. The armature D is then again turned
.forward, and the same series of movements is continuously repeated.
The armature having thus an automatic to and fro movement imparted to it,
which extends through an angle of nearly 90°, the drum Q will follow these move-
ments and the brushes XX will be alteruately put in communication and
insulated from each other during equal intervals of time thus alternately closing
and breaking a circuit.
Figure 7 shews the manner of grouping together the combiner and manipulator
aud the mutual action of these two apparatus which, together with an ordinary
keyboard, form the complete transmitter. From this figure it will be seen, firstly
that on depressing any one of the keys, the circuit of the manipulator is closed in
passing through the brush of the combiner which carries the same number as the
depressed key and the brush R. Secondly. That for every complete oscillation
of the armature of the manipulator the electromagnets of the combiner and those
of the receiver will be connected with the source of current during an interval equal
to one half that of the complete oscillation of the armature.
Under these conditions the working of the whole system will be readily under-
stood from the above description of the several apparatus. The oscillation of the
manipulator cause the combiner to advance and this in its turn stops the manipulator
after a number of oscillations which depends solely upon the particular key which
has been depressed, and upon the position of the disc of the combiner at the
moment when the key is depressed. The receivers follow synchronously the
movements of the combiner.
If for example, the parts being in the position shewn at Figure 7 the key No. +
be depressed the manipulator will begin to move and will only stop when the
brush 4 is brought in contact with the insulating plate S of the disc; this wil
occur after four emissions of current consequently the disc of the combiner and the
pointers of the receiver will have advanced 4 times 45°, that is 180°.
Generally speaking, it may be said in the case of the division of the circumference
into eight:
1. That the combiner and the receivers move synchronously, advancing as many
times 43° as the manipulator performs complete oscillations.
2. That the pointers of the receivers being situated on the division (n).and

page_text: consequently the insulated plate of the combiner being in contact with the
brush (n), the manipulator will send automatically into all the apparatus the.
number of current emissions necessary for bringing the pointers from the division (n)
to the division (n¹).
As to reliability of action, it is to be observed that in the combiner and in the
receivers the armature only moves through 45° during the time that that.
of the manipulator moves through about 90°. It will be seen therefore that
the apparatus will work with a speed which is about one half of the maximum:
speed.
Notwithstanding this margin given for security, the rapidity of action is.
much greater than that which could be obtained by hand with a regular
manipulator.
It is also evident that the coefficient of security can be rendered the greater, the
smaller are the angular displacements of the receivers, that is to say, the greater
are the numbe
Figures 8 and 9 shew a registering receiver, that is to say, an apparatus in which
the signal transmitted by means of a moveable pointer on a dial is automatically-
registered on a paper band.
Figure 9 is a section of the apparatus on line X X Figure 8.
In this figures R2 is a receiver with pointer of the same construction as above-
described, with the exception of the arrangement of the electromagnet. On the
axis of the pointer is mounted a type wheel T having relief characters equal in.
numbers to that of the signals to be transmitted. This wheel is fixed on the axis
in such manner relatively to the pointer that when this is brought to the
signal (n) the corresponding character on the type wheel will face the paper
band p p.
The impression is produced by the horse shoe electromagnet II, which in
attacting its armature M presses the paper band against the type to be impressed.
by means of the lever P Q pivotted at O. The paper is made to travel by
the action of the electromagnet E. The paper band passes in the ordinary
manner over a roller W having fine serrations against which it is pressed by a
guide G.
When the current passes through the electromagnet E, the armature H
moves in the contrary direction to the hands of a watch, carrying with it the
roller W by means of a pawl d and ratchet wheel r fixed to the roller W..
The paper band is thus made to advance a distance which can be adjusted by
regulating the movement of the armature H. When the current is interrupted,.
the armature returns to its position of rest, being drawn back to the spring N
Figure 9.
Above the armature H, is a roller A of insulating material the axis of which is
mounted on centre points and carries a rectangular piece g having a cylindrical
extension or finger f.
The spring S in pressing against the side of the piece g, tends to maintain the
roller A in the position shewn at Figure 8 and consequently brings it back into
that position when it has been turned out of it. The armature H carries a stud m
at right angles to the plane of the drawing. On the armature moving forward or
backward this stud m carries the finger f with it during part of its motion and then
allows it to escape.
The result hereof is that in the forward movement of the armature, the roller A
turns through a certain angle in the direction of the hands of a watch, and turns.
backward through the same angle on the opposite side of the vertical line when
the armature moves back to its position of rest. Under these conditions it is
evident that the metal plate n will establish a contact between the brushes h h¹ for
a moment every time that the armature H returns to its position of rest, thus.

page_text: the insulating surface of the roller A.
The roller is an ordinary inker for the type wheel, on which it is made to bear
lightly by a spring.
Figure 10 shews the general arrangement of the circuits for an installation
of two lines, each provided with a receiver with optical signal and registering
apparatus.
It will be seen that each line is provided at the central station with a combiner,
a manipulator, and a connecting lever L. A single key board serves for working
all the lines.
Each combiner is connected to the corresponding manipulator in the same way
as described with reference to Figure 7.
In the combiners the brushes of the same signal of the several instruments are
connected together and to the contact plate of the corresponding key.
It will be observed that the wires which in Figure 7 pass directly to the negative
pole of the source of current, in this case are connected to the levers L₁ L.
and are not put in communication with the battery until the corresponding one of
these levers is depressed.
In the receiving apparatus the receivers proper are mounted as previously
described. The electromagnets E, serving for propelling the paper strips are in a
shunt circuit of the corresponding manipulators.
But it is to
Lastly, the electro magnets II serving to produce the impression, are directly
connected to the current supply wire through the connecting levers.
be observed that each of these latter circuits is normally open
brushes h and h³.
between the
Under these conditions it will be seen from what has been said above that on
depressing any one of the levers L and the key of the special signal (n) the
following will take place.
1. The combiner, the manipulator and the receiver of the line corresponding to
the depressed lever, are brought into action, and do not stop until the pointer of
the receiver arrives over the particular signal (n).
2. The armature H of the electro magnet E is attracted as soon as the key is
depressed and does not return to its position of rest until the circuit is broken by
the action of the combiner, that is to say, when the pointer stops over the signal
to be transmitted. The band of paper consequently advances to the extent
required.
3. When the armature H comes back to the position of rest, the circuit of the
printing electromagnet I is closed between the brushes h h', during a very short
time, but sufficient for obtaining the impression of the characters corresponding to
the signal transmitted.
It will be evident that the said action will take place simultaneously in all the
circuits, if the corresponding levers be depressed at the same time.
The system consequently allows of the transmission either in a single line, or in
any desired number of lines, of a series of signals, of which a printed record will be
produced on their arrival.
Whatever be the number of lines, the manipulation will always be effected in a
simple manner by means of the play of a number of keys equal to that of the
signals to be transmitted, and the play of a number of levers equal to that of the
receiving stations.
If necessary, there may of course be provided at the central station repeating
apparatus branched upon, the several receivers so that the operater may have
before him a visible image of the position of the pointer at each receiving station.
The complete system as above described works well, but the very rapid speed of
the manipulator may affect the regularity of its action; it also has the disadvantage
of not being very strong, in view of the important role which it plays in the
transmission of the signals.
As the emission of currents which are to cause the simultaneous advance

page_text: through a certain angle of all the receiving and repeating apparatus constitutes the
basis of the whole system, it is essentially necessary that the device which has to
produce these impulses shall be strong; it is also indispensible that its speed shall
be capable of regulation at will, so as not to exceed the limit at which action
ceases to be reliable.
For complying with, these conditions I substitute, according to another modifi-
cation, for the several automatic manipulator, equal in number to that of the lines
or stations to be served, a single small motor, the action of which is reliable, and the
speed of which can be readily regulated. The work performed by this motor being
very small (as it mainly consists of the friction of the shafts in their bearings) the
expenditure of energy thereof is quite a negligable quantity, not exceeding th of
a horse power during the short intervals during which the signals are transmitted.
The use of a motor for producing the current impulses necessary for operating
the various receivers and repeaters, does not in any way alter the construction and
arrangement of these last apparatus; only the arrangement of the central station
is modified.
Figure 11 illustrates the arrangement of the central station where it is desired to
employ a motor. At the right of the figure there is shown the motor whose fielt
magnet is arranged in series with the armature; B' B' being the ordinary brushes
rubbing on the commutator. The shaft of this motor is provided on the side
opposite to the commutator, with an endless screw gearing with a helicoidal toothed
wheel mounted on the same shaft as the drum t the result of this arrangement is
that when the motor runs at its normal speed which is always rather high, as is the
case with all small electric motors the drum will revolve at a greatly creduced
speed which in practice is about one revolution per second. The surface of this
drum upon which two brushes (6) are arranged to rub tangentially, is divided
into two halves, the first half being of metal and shown white in the figure, while
the second half is of insulating material and is shown black in the figure. The
effect of this arrangement is that at every revolution of the drum t the brushes b¹ 62
are alternately connected together and insulated from each other during a period
equal to half the time occupied by the drum in making a complete revolution.
In the centre of the figure, there is shown an electromagnetic switch E the
cylindrical armature of which is keyed on the same shaft as the drum T. In order
to enable the drawings to be more easily understood the drum T is shown at the
side of the electromagnet E although in reality those two parts are fixed on the
same shaft. Five metal brushes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 rub on the cylinder T whose surface
is divided into metallic portions (shown white in the drawings) and into insulating
portions (shown black in the drawings). In the position shown in the figure,
which is the position of rest, the brushes 1 and 2 are insulated one from the other
and from all the other brushes. The brush 3 is insulated from all the others.
The brushes 4 and 5 are connected with each other, but are insulated from the
other brushes. In order to understand the operation of these parts it should be
carefully noted that these brushes like the others shown in the figure, are in contact
with their respective drums at their ends only.
When a current passes through the coils of the electromagnet E, the armature
of the latter is shifted approximately through 90° in the direction of the hands of a
clock, and drawn with them the drum T which moves in the direction indicated by
the arrow. This movement of the drum T has the effect:-(1) of connecting
together the brushes 1 and 2; (2) of connecting together the brushes 3 and 4
(3) of interrupting the connection between the brushes 4 and 5.
On the left hand of the figure, there is shown a "combiner" having eight
rubbing pieces connected to eight pushes or buttons, this apparatus differing
slightly as regards shape but being identical as regards principle and working,
with those that have been hereinbefore described.
To the terminals R R there is connected a repeater of the type shown in Figure 1
and described herein before. To the terminals R. I. E. R. C. there is connected a
recording repeater of the type shown in Figure 10 and hereinbefore described.

page_text: The terminals RIERC and the terminals of the recording repeaters bearing the
same index are electrically connected together.
The several parts of the figure being connected together respectively by means
of the electric circuits shown in the drawings and the two poles of the electric
generator being assumed to be coupled up at the points marked + and -, CC is
a cut out switch. The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
First it is obvious that so long as the lever L occupies the position shown in the
figure the pole of the current generator is completely cut off from the "system,"
and no current can flow through the various parts of the apparatus."
-
Let us now suppose that having depressed the lever L pressure is applied to any
one of the keys of the key board; for instance the third key counting from the
left hand. The current coming from the + pole passes through the key, the
corresponding brush of the combiner, the return brush of the combiner, the electro-
magnet E and back to the pole of the generator. It should also be noted, by
the way, that the current passes through the attachment terminal E into the
recording receiver where.it engages the electrical device for driving or feoding
the paper strip; the current leaves the apparatus by the common return wire R C
and returns to the pole of the generator.
-
The energizing of the electro magnet E has the result of shifting the drum T
and of producing changes in the connections between the brushes which have been
described above. The current now passes through the motor, starting from the
+pole of the generator through the contact I S, the field magnets I of the motor,
the brush B2, the armaturc of the motor, the brush B', the contact A, the rubbing
pieces 4 and 3 of the drum T, the lever L and the pole of the generator.
The motor begins to move and it moves with it the drum (t) and it is easy to
understand that at each revolution of this drum, a current impulse is sent into the
combiner along the circuit through the + pole of the generator, contact IS,
brushes (6), contact B, brushes 2 and 1 of the drum T, electromagnet of the
combiner, lever L and the pole of the generator; the same current impulses
are sent into the simple receiver and the recording receiver of the line through
the terminals R R of the simple receiver and the terminals RRC of the recording
receiver. At each of these current impulses, the combiner and the line receivers
are advanced or move forward one notch. We have assumed that pressure has
been applied to the third key on the left hand side. It is obvious that at the
termination of two current impulses the corresponding brush of the combiner comes
in contact with an insulated sector of the cylinder (black rectangle) and on
referring to the course of the above described circuits it will be seen that the current
is interrupted in the electro magnet E, the drum T then returns immediately into the
position shown in the figure and the motor circuit is also broken. In order to
effect an instantaneous stoppage of the motor which in the case of a simple break
in the circuit, would continue to revolve for some further period by reason of the
inertia of the parts, the armature is short circuited by the rubbing piece 5
(drum T) the contact I A, the brushes B B, the contact A and the rubbing
piece 4.
There is nothing special to be said regarding the "impressing" of the signal
which is effected as herein before described.
In the figure and in the preceding explanation we have assumed for the sake of
simplicity that the motor serves to actuate one single combiner and one single line
of receivers.
It will be readily understood that in the case of several lines of receivers
designed to operate either together, or singly one single motor is sufficient to
actuate the whole system
Obviously in such a case an arrangement should be provided of such nature that
the motor will not stop until all the apparatus have arrived at the desired signal
but according to the principle of the system, the various lines may in certain cases
require a different number of current impulses.
Figure 12 shews three lines with three automatic switches C₁ C³ C³.

page_text: It should be noted that in this figure the function of the switches C is the same
as that of the switch E in Figure 11.
I have not shown the rubbing pieces 1 and 2 whose operation is the same in both
cases. I have merely illustrated the control of the motor by means of the rubbing
pieces 3, 4 and 5.
In the position shown in the figure which is the position of rest, the armature is
short circuited. If any one of the electro magnets C is energized, the short circuit
of the armature is broken between the contacts 4 and 5, and the motor circuit is
closed through the + pole of the generator, the contacts 4 and 3, and the
lever L with the pole of the generator. If two or three levers are depressed at
one and the same time, it is obvious that the motor circuit will be broken and the
armature (circuit ?) will be closed only when all the electro magnets C shall have
returned to the position of rest.
This can be deduced from the mere inspection of the figure and complies with
the requisite conditions for the use of a single motor in the case of several lines.
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 I
claim is :-
1. An apparatus for transmitting signals with or without registering device
consisting of the combination with a receiver constituting an indicator which may
be either only optical or both optical and registering, of a transmitter composed of
two distinct devices, namely, a combiner and a manipulator which control each
other, the manipulator being, if necessary, replaced by a small electro motor
actuating, one or more multiple commutators substantially as herein described with
reference to the drawings.
2. In electrical signalling apparatus, an optical receiving instrument consisting
of an electro-magnet, the two branches of which have concave pole pieces in which
can turn an armature mounted loose upon an axis carrying the indicating pointer,
the movements of which are controlled on the one hand by a spring, and on the
other hand by a double ratchet pawl mechanism, by means of which the alternate
forward and backward rotation of the armature is made to produce a step-by-step
forward rotary motion of the pointer, each such movement being made to correspond
with one emission of current from the transmitter, substantially as described with
reference to the drawings.
3. In electrical signalling apparatus, a transmitting device termed "combiner "
consisting of an electro magnet with reciprocating armature actuating an axis
through ratchet and pawl mechanism in a similar manner to the receiving instrument
referred to in the second claim, the said axis being provided with a disc instead of
a pointer, which disc has an insulating plate at one point of its periphery which is
in contact with a number of brushes, so that by the rotation of the disc each brush
is in succession brought upon the insulating plate, so as to break the circuit,
substantially as and for the purposes described with reference to the drawings.
4. In electrical signalling apparatus, a registering receiver consisting of the
combination with an optical receiving device of the kind referred to in the second
claim, of a type wheel mounted on the same axis as the pointer, and electro
magnets serving on the one hand to apply a paper band to the type wheel, and on
the other hand to impart motion to the paper band, substantially as and for the
purpose described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 15th day of September 1896
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.