US1127761A - Electric signaling apparatus and circuits. - Google Patents

Description

F, B. HEEZOG, DEGD.

H. HERZOG, EXEGUTRIX.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS ATJTD CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED 53.10, 1902.

WITNESSES: v INVENTOR 3; a Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT orricn.

FELIX BENEDICT HERZOG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; HENRIETTA HERZOG EXECUTE-IX 0F SAID FELIX BENEDICT HERZOG, DECEASED.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS AND CIRCUITS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915,

Original application filed August 1 5, 1890, Serial No. 361,048. Divided and this application filed February 1 10, 1902. Serial No. 93,286%.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FELIX BENEDICT HnRzoc, Ph. D., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Signaling Apparatus and Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

This is a division or continuation of a pending case Serial No. 361,018 filed on- Aug. 15, 1890, since patented on Feb. 11, 1902, as No. 693,014 and is to be considered as related to two other applications, Serial No. 93,2841} and Serial No. 93,285%, filed on even date herewith as co-division's of the same original case.

This invention relates particularly to improvements in apparatus at the receiving station of a signaling system, in which a novel form of annunciator and a novel form of receiver are used in conjunction, although it also applies to the use of such improvements independently of each other. These devices may be used in connection with circuits of any kind, as for instance an ordinary push button circuit, said connection being constructed and arranged to connect with any one of a number of the terminals at any time, although they have special reference for use in connection with automatic signal transmitters at the substations.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents the new annunciator and also diagram of a circuit in which the same may be used; Fig. 2 shows a receiver adapted to receive and record signals from the outlying stations. Figs. 1 and 2 are shown jointed by the circuits between the respective stations. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the mechanism of a transmitter which may be used with my receiving instrument.

Referring to the figures in detail A and ll represent respectively duplications of a similar form of annunciator, the first showing the annunciator with the front door or cover closed, and the second showing the same with that door open. The individual or section wire, 92, is connected by 92 with one of the metallic terminals 97, several. of which protrude through holes 65, 66 of a dial 61. These terminals 67 are insulated from each other and are each connected to a separate sub-station such as 60,

62. They are also adapted to cooperate with a switch plug 80 in the usual Way to form a connection to a receiving instrument, such as 83, Fig. 2. According to the commercial requirements the annunciator is single, or

. of some suitable metal, as tin, and is preferably marked with some indication number, characteristic of the said sub-station, although for some purposes this method need not be followed. Cooperating with these terminals is a surface here shown as the hinged cover 63 containing a sheet of paper, linen textile or other suitable material 63 which, at the points of contact with the terminals or throughout is treated with some suitable electrolytic and electrochemically decomposable mixture of the character found in chemical telegraphs.

Among suitable solutions which would be decomposed by the passage-of a current are solutions of iodid, bromid or ferrocya'nid of potassium. In some instances it is desirable to hasten the normal period in which the electrolytic mark fades out and this is gained by the addition of hyposulfite of soda. The addition of a little starch darkens the mark. If desired a very dark mark may be made to fade out very perceptibly by the addition of enough hyposulfite. This particular solution is not claimed herein, as it is not my invention, but any suitable solution may be used. I often prefer to add a little dextrin of glycerin whereby the paper remains moist. For many applications I prefer to use a pad or mass of the sheets of the surface material or dial. This dial may be normally without indications, the eye of the operator serving to locate the indication corresponding to an operated terminal, but, for larger installations I prefer to number this surface, the numbers performing their functions in the best manner if they are printed in some color differing from that of the electrolytic mark, the color of the latter varying with the solution and the direction, and in some cases the strength of the current. Although not the only method for preventing confusion in the event of the indication of a large number of calls, I wish to particularly call attention to the fact that the very important point in this part of my invention is the utilization of that characteristic of some of the solutions mentioned by which the mark fades but partially or entirely in periods Varying from a few seconds to several days. This filling or bedding also serves by its elasticity to insure good contact with all the terminals. In contact with the chemical surface is the connection to the return circuit. This may be the tray or cover itself, as here shown, or a separate plate (not illustrated) forming a lining for the cover. Usually I. prefer to locate this on the other side of the dial from that touched by the terminals, although that is not essential as the current will conduct along the surface from the operated terminal to this common-contact and mark the paper sufficiently if the solution and strength of current are properly adjusted; this arrangement being a feature of this invention.

The dial 63 and its bed are kept from falling out by suitable means, as for instance, the plate of rubber or glass 72 provided with holes through which the terminals may touch the surface. This plate 7 2 also serves to protect a large portion of the record surface from dust and to retard the evaporation from all but the small points opposite the terminals. To protect the surface from this when not under inspection, the cover may be made to fit tightly on the box. Normally the cover is held closed on the box by a trip magnet diagrammatically indicated at 69, and fully shown in a divisional. case now patented No. 693,0l.

lVhen the line circuit is closed at any one of the sub-stations such as 60, current from battery flows through lines 97, station 60, section line 92, branch 92", terminal (55-, cover (33, plate 5, line 95, to relay magnet 72, and out line 96 for return to battery. The relay magnet 72 being thus energized, closes a local circuit through battery 77, which circuit energizes trip magnet 69 to release cover 63 from hook 70 in the manner shown in my Patent No. 693,014. This re lay circuit may also operate any suitable alarm if desired. it is possible to operate without the relay, but I prefer to use a relay and usually a polarized relay, as then a very small battery will suflice to operate this through the resistance of the dial without making a mark so heavy that it will take too much time to fade out.

While the cover is open as shown under ordinary circumstances each circuit would be broken and of course other stations could not call and indicate, and I have overcome this ditliculty in various ways, one of which is the duplex arrangement show-.1. Bebind the cover 33 is supposed-to be a plurality of terminals 67 and a conducting surface duplicating that described, and an arrangement is made so that any closure at a sub-station during the inspection of 63 will result in an electrolytic mark on the corresponding spot of this auxiliary annunciator A. The arrangement for cutting out of line the annunciator which has been dropped and placing in line the other member of the duplexsystem is as follows. The wire 95 is electrically connected to the cover 63 at contact 5, as shown, and Whenever the cover is released to fall down, the current from line is broken by the separation of the terminals (37 from the face of dial 63. A normally open switch 6 is located in any convenient portion of branch 95 leading to the second ann'unciator A, which switch 6 may be closed by a projection 7 3 fixed upon and insulated from the falling cover 63 of the first annunciator B. In this manner the second annunciator A is placed in line automatically by the cutting out of the first annunciator B. If any sub-station such as 62 should then call when cover 63 is down, as shown in Fig. 1, the current will pass from 62 along line 94:, branch 94' to its respective terminal in box A. Of course current cannot pass through branch 94" to box B,since the circuit is broken at this place' Tlurrent passing through box A will be led by 95 through the relay 72 as before, and by 96 back to the battery 90. This arrangement of duplex annunciators may be advantageously applied to ordinary electro-mechanical drops in which trouble often arises from the fact that a call made before the other drops are restored will not be indicated.

The operation of the parts described is as follows: The circuit being closed at a substation in'any suitable manner, as for instance by a push-button switch or special automatic transmitter, the current decomposes the solution and leaves a mark on the point of the surface which it touches, at the same time the magnet operates through the relay to open the case and expose the face. The mark immediately begins to fade and thus new discolorations made after the cover has been replaced are easily distinguishable by their freshness from the old ones. Crank (3 is intended for use where more direct access to the apparatus is not convenient, as, for instance, where a glass case covers the entire apparatus; a rod cooperates with the cover and passing through a bushing connects with the external crank. Any suitable variation of such an externally operating device may be substituted.

fa relay circuit a is provided in connection with the annunciator A. which. is similar to the relay circuit for the annunciator B. This relay circuit is operated by relay magnet a in the line 95 so that when the magnet is energized it attracts its armature and closes the circuit a which is energized by battery (1. This releases the latch indicated at a and permits the cover of the annunciator A to open. 7

The cooperation of the receiving device shown in Fig. 2 with the circuits and terminals of the annunciating device shown in Fig. 1 is as follows: lVhen the operator at the receiving station learns by means of the annunciator drop that a signal at some distant station is ready to be transmitted, he inserts plug 80 in the proper terminal jack or 66 thereby closing the circuit from said distant station through battery 89 and cutting out battery 90 in the ordinary way, such as described in several of my previous patents, such as Patents Nos. 289,834; 317 ,7 83; and 560,212.

Signal indicatbr.-This is shown in Fig. 2 as a dial of chemically moistened paper bearing a number of columns radiating from a center on which moves the arm 87. This signal indicator here shown is particularly adapted for cooperation with a transmitter of the form shown in Fig. 6 of my copending application 933mg. A marking point (here shown as a circular nut 88) works on a screw shaft so that its periphery will describe practically a spiral as the arm is rotated, manually, as here shown, or by means of a motor. The arm is started at the edge of the dial and the are transcribed by the marking point will continue to make dots when the circuit is closed at the distant station, and whenever the dial is not shortcircuited by contact of spring end 85 with a tooth or the rack 88. Suitable adjustments may be made for the character of the circuit control of the particular type of transmitter used, it being understood that they are all of the class named by me latent-signal transmitters in which the transmitter does not operate until the circuit is controlled from place or by means other than of the transmitter alone. the adjustment here selected "for illustration the impulses needed to operate the transmitter of any suitable cooperating character are given by the alternate strengthening of the current occasioned by the alternate cutting out of the resistance oi' the dial by the contacts 85 of the arm and the serrations of the rack 83. As these serrations correspond to the indications on the dial columns, the necessary cooperation or synchronism with the transmitter is thus produced in an exceedingly simple manner. As here shown furthermore, the circuit passes through the periphery of the nut 88, and this is of a metal through which the current passes to the chemically treated dial to produce impressions or lines in the manner described in connection with the annunciators A and and, as the result, each closure at 83 strengthens the current and advances the transmitter one step, while each insertion of;

tion of the mark and this will, of course,

correspond with'the signal set at a cooperating distant transmitter of the types shown for instance in the application of my Patent 693,013 of Feb. 1'1, 1902 or, in the form of transmitter shown in Fig. 6 of a co-divisional application (S.- N. 98,285%) of even date.

It is to be understood that the dial columns contain printed words corresponding to those of the transmitter, or that a fixed scale of marks or indications guides the eye. If such a scale be marked on a circular arc the radial screw shaft will serve to locate the last mark. Each rotation of the arm further moves the marking point downward and the proportions may, if desired, be so arranged that by the time that the sheet is filled up the first made indications have faded so that the operation may be repeated. Of course a straight path may be arranged instead of this circular one. Where the operation of the transmitter depends upon diflerences of current strength or direction the chemical receiver will indicate all of these by changes in the intensity, duration color and .other characteristics of the mark.

In further explanation of the mode of i operation of the receiving instrument, the current has two paths through the arm, a path of low resistance from the axis of the arm out to the spring-contact 85 and when this spring-contact is in engagement with one of the points of the rack or convoluted segment 83, the current passes into this segment 83 and thencethrcugh the frame or" the instrument to wire and to the plug 80. The contact 85 is arranged so that it is not constantly in contact with the rack 83, namely at the moment when it is passing from one point of the rack to the next.

il hen the contact is broken in this way, the

current instead of passing to the frame of the instrument through the rack, passes through the wheel 88 and through the sensitized substance or dial 86. Hence a short circumferential dash will be made at the point where the wheel touches the sensitive surface. This forms a record on the dial and at the instant that each of these dots or dashes is being formed, the resistance in the circuit is very much higher than it is when the current is passing through the contact 85. For this reason the arm in advancing cooperates with the rack to produce an impulsive current in the circuit.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated part of the mechanism of a transmitting instrument which may be used with my receiving instrument. This instrument is of simple construction and preferably comprises an electro-magnet 47, the coils of which are in circuit with the wires 91 and 92. When an impulse passes in the circuit the magnet 47 is energized and attracts the armature 30 which normally rests in a depressed position. The pawl 20 pivotally carried by the armature 30 gives the ratchet-wheel 48 a unitary movement through one tooth space and when the force of the impulse drops 'sufliciently, the magnet cannot hold the armature up so that it falls to its normal position. The shaft of the ratchet-wheel 48 is rigid with an indicating member or needle indicated by the dotted line 4:5. The frame 45 carries two contacts 26 and 27 which are normally in engagement, the contact 27 being between the contact 26 and the ratchetwheel. sufficiently to bring an opening 28 in the ratchet-wheel under the spring contact 27, it permits the end of the spring-contact 27 to drop into the opening, thereby separating contact 27 from contact .26 which opens the circuit. position of the indicating needle 45 It should be understood that the magnet 47 is too weak to operate when the current is passing through the wheel 88 and through the sensitive dial 86. It will now be understood that the .movable arm at the receiving instrument will make a record on the sensitive surface as long as current is supplied in the circuit and it also operates to break up this current into impulses which actuate the transmitting instrument, but as soon as the transmitting instrument arrives at its zero position, the current stops and although the arm at the receiving instrument can be moved farther on, it will cease to record and the last dot or dash recorded on the dial will therefore indicate the position Which the indicating needle e5 occupied when the transmission of the signal began.

On account of the fact that the wheel or nut 88 is mounted on a radial screw, it travels laterallv as the arm moves and hence the record lines or dots are actually of spiralform. Also on, account of the lateral movabilitv of this wheel, it can be adjusted progressively across the dial so as to utilize the entire surface ofthe dial for forming the records of different signals.

Where the control is not entirely through one circuit, as for instance in cooperating with the transmitter shown in Fig. 2 of a co-divisional application (S. N. 933853;) of even date, of course the function of the second circuit may be exercised in connection with the indications thus described. The wavy line 86 represents the line of division between two consecutive sets of indications printed on the dial, the circumference of which is so great that the entire series of indications may be repeated several times, and

"in this case the marking nut 88 should be When the ratchet wheel is rotated" This corresponds to the zero placed to coincide with the first of these indications before the circuit is completed by the plug or otherwise.

Diagrammatically illustrated at 80 is an alternate form of a receiving instrument which is not sensitive to changes in current intensity but which marks only the actual breaks in the circuit such as are caused in giving a signal by the apparatus shown in Fig. 6 of my copending application 93,2855 Attention is called to the method here shown of securing coincidence.

The various modifications shown in connection with several of the parts of my invention are not intended to exclude others, but have been selected mainly because they also exhibit special adjunctive devices.

What I claim is 1. A transmitting instrument having an indicating member, means actuated by electric impulses for advancing said indicating member by successive unitary movements, a receiving instrument in, circuit therewith having an arm adapted to advance, means at said receiving instrument for causing an impulse in the circuit for each movement of said arm through a unitary movement corresponding to said first named unitary movement, and means at said receiving instrument controlled by the flow of the current for recordingthe number of impulses.

2. A \transmitting instrument having an indicating member, means actuated by electric impulses for advancing said indicating member by successive unitary movements, a receiving instrument in circuit therewith having an arm adapted to advance, means at said receiving instrument for causing an impulse in the circuit for each movement of said arm through a unitary movement corresponding to said first named unitary movement, means at said receiving instrument controlled by the flow of the current for recording the number of impulses, and means at said transmitting instrument for interrupting the current after a predetermined movement of said indicating member.

3. A transmitting instrument having an indicating member, means actuated by electric impulses for advancing. said indicating member by successive unitary movements,

-a receiving instrument in circuit therewith having an-arm adapted to advance, means at said receiving instrument for causing an impulse in the circuit for each movement of said arm through a unitary movement corresponding to said first named unitary movement, means at said receiving instrument controlled by the flow of the current for recording the number of impulses, and means at said transmitting instrument for interrupting the current after'a predetermined movement of said indicating member, said recording means including an electro-chemlcally sensitive surface cooperating with said arm and arranged to be affected by the current once for each unit of movement of said arm.

4. A transmitting instrument having an indicating member, means actuated by electric impulses for advancing said indicating member by successive unitary movements, a receiving instrument in circuit therewith havingan arm adapted to advance, means at said receiving instrument for causing an impulse in the circuit for each movement of said arm through a unitary movement corresponding to said first named unitary movement, means at said receiving instrument controlled by the flow of the current for recording the number of impulses, and means at said transmitting instrument for breaking the circuit after a predetermined movement of said indicating member.

5. A transmitting instrument having a rotatable indicating member, a receiving instrument in circuit with said transmitting instrument, means actuated by variations in the strength of current for advancing said indicating member by successive unitary angular movements, said receiving instrument having an arm adapted to swing about an axis, andv means cooperating therewith for varying the resistance of the circuit at each movement of said arm through a corresponding unitary angular movement, means for opening the circuit after a predetermined movement of said indicating member,

and means for indicating the position of said arm when the circuit is opened.

6. A receiving instrument adapted to 0perate with an electric current comprising, in combination, a movable member through which the current passes, means cooperating with said movable member to form a path for the current to form a record of the movement of said member, said means being arranged to cease operation upon the cessation ofthe electric current, and means cooperating mechanically as well as electri- 'ally with said movable member to vary the strength of the electric current.

7. A receiving instrument comprising in combination, an electro-chemically sensitive member, a member movable across the same and forming a path for a current passing through said sensitive member, and means mechanically associated with said movable member for causing periodic interruptions in the current passing through said sensitive member as said movable member advances.

8. A receiving instrument comprising in combination, an electro-chemically sensitive member, 'a movable part adapted to move across the same, and means for giving said movable part a lateral and spiral movement as it advances in touch with the sensitive member, said movable part forming a path for a current passing through said sensitive member.

9. A receiving instrument comprising in combination, an electro-chemically sensitive member, a radial arm adapted to swing over said member, a wheel mounted on said arm adapted to touch said sensitive member and arranged to move substantially radially on said arm as said wheelrotates, means for forming a circuit through said wheel and said sensitive member, and means for producing an impulsive current in said circuit to form a record of the movement of said arm while the impulsive current flows through said wheel.

In witness whereof, I have signed this in the presence of two witnesses, on this 10th day of February, 1902.

F. BENEDICT HERZOG.

Witnesses:

EDWARD Y. Penny, DANIEL J. MALUNEY.

a. NEWEON,

fitting flo mmz'ssoner of Patents.

E It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,127,761,,granted February 9, ii 1915, upon the application of Felix Benedict l-lerzog, of New York, N. Y., for an E improvement in Electric Signaling Apparatus and Circuits, errors appear in g the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 37, for the word jointed read joined; page 4:, line as, for the word laterally read I tatemlly; same page, lines 48-49, for the word movabilitv read mOoaMz'ty; and

that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the 3 same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

g Signed and sealedthis 9th day March, A. D, 1915.

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