US1632273A - Telegraph transmitting instrument - Google Patents

Description

w. D. COOPER TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTING INSTRUMENT June 14, 1927. I 1,632,273

Filed July 9, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 :2?" .j i .29 y 27 2a Z8 W D. COQPER TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTING INSTRUMENT Filed- July 9} 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet June y Patented June 14, 1927. l

UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE].

WILLIAM D. COOPER, OF WHITE BEAR, MINNESOTA, ASSTGNOBOF FORTY-NINE TWO;

HUNDREDTI-IS' TO HENRY WEILLER FOBTY-N-INE TTVO-HUNDREDTHS TO ROBERT 0. SWEET, BOTI-I OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTING INSTRUMENT.

Application filed July 9, 1923., Serial No. 650,345.

This invention relates to improvements in telegraph transmitting instruments of the type having a series of keys adapted to be manipulated, to send'ditlcrent combinations of impulses.

As is well known, code combinations of short and long impulses, or dots and dashes, are commonly employed in commercial telegraphy. The codes now in use include a series oi dots numbering up to six and it is these combinations of short impulses which. are extremely difficult to send rapidly and accurately with thecommon type 01 .teles graplrkey. Operators are unable to send messages as fast as they can receive them because of human limitationsupon the ability to rapidlyvibrate a key; Further, the send-; ing of dotsignals renders the operation of a transmitting instrument extremely i'ati:v guing. Mistakes in sending messages are al so largely due to inaccuracies in sending c0mbinations of short impulses. It is true that machines have heretofore been devised for sending a series of impulses upona single manipulation of a key, but as far as applicant is aware, none of these attempts have been successful from a commercial stand point because the machines are either too complicated and expensive and not adapted for use with present day methods or are defective in that. the messages transmitted thereby are indistinct. The latter defect is brought about by'a failure to provide proper means for firmly closing the circuit in a mechanically operated switch.

It is my object to obviate these defects by providing a simple and eflicient instrument whereby any required combination of dots for the commonly used codes may be sent by a single manipulation of a key.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a telegraph transmitting instrument by which messages may be sent at a greatly increased rate of speed, with greater :accuracy, and at the same time with less effort on the oart of theoperator.

Another object or" my invention is to prowide a transmitting instrument which is adapted for use with present day methods of commercial telegraphy.

A further object of my invention. is to provide an automatic switch in a telegraph this kind-Wither resilient i levers 22 (Figd).

1 7, is supported upon lily inventionalso includes novel features .of construction which willv be more fully pointed out in the, following specification and claims. i

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the best formof my device at present known to me, drawings, Fig. l is proved telegraph instrument; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation side elevation of thekeys for sending dashes; Fig, 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of l ig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of the of the same; Fig, 3 is a detail Referring to the a plan View of my 1mautomatic switch, partially in section; Fig.

6 is a central, vertical section through the motor; F 7 is a detail perspective view of the pawl for stopping the mechanism, to gether with the supporting arms therefor; Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8+8 of Fig. 3, and Fig. '9 is a line 9-9 of Fig. 3.

My device is supported inla frame consisting of abuse plate 10 formed with pairs of standards 11 and 12. A series of keys 13 to 17, inclusive, are adaptedto be ma:

nipulated to send dots, each key being ar;

section taken: a on r the,

ranged to control mechanism for sending a I different number of short impulses. The several keys 13 to 17 inclusive arepivotally supported upon a transverse rod 18 secured at its ends in the standards 11, and a series of collars .19 several ke s in proper spaced relationonthe rod 18.

igidly connected with the several keys and extending across the top of the instrument from the rod 18 is a series of bars 20 which are normally supported at their free ends upon shoulders The levers 22 are tilts ably carried upon a transverse rod 23 in the frame and :1 lug 24; oneachof said levers is adapted, when the lever is tilted, to support the :bar 20 in raised position.

A shaft 25 carrying a series of pinions 26 extends between the standards 11, being journaled therein. Fast on the shaft25 ad: jacent to one of the standards 11 is a ratchet 27 adapted to be engaged by a pawl 28. The

are provided to maintain the 21 formed on small latter ipawl, as clearly shown n Figs. 1 and a pair ofarms 29 which ,upan the red 18 at a end secured to the short impulses by manner. The key 57 is adapted tobe closed formed with a cross bar 30 near the opposite end, the bar 30 being arranged to normally rest upon the upper edges of the bars 20. A small coiled spring 31 is secured at its upper end to the bar 30 and at its lower end to a transverse rod 32. The spring 31 thus normally maintains the cross bar 30 height by suitable set screws 37.

Fast on one end of the shaft 25 is a cam wheel 38 adapted to actuate a switch bar 39. The latter bar is pivoted in obliquely inclined position uponv a pin 40 and maintained in contact with the periphery of the wheel 38 by a spring 41. A small contact plunger 42 is'n'iaintained in extended position by a compression spring 43 in the bar 39. Mounted opposite the end of the plunger 4-2 is a contact screw ist supported upon an insulatedconductor 45. \Vhen the wheel rotates, the upper end of the bar 39 is vi brated to make andbreak'the circuit between the plunger t2 and contact 4st.

To rotate the shaft 25 when the keys 13 to 17, inclusive are manipulated, I provide a sirino actuated motor 46 ri s. 1 2 and 6. Q 3 j o J lhis motor consists of a drum 454 mounted to revolve inthe standards 12 and having an, gear 419 axial shaft 4-8 connected by a large and a pinion 50 with the shaft 25. Rigidly Shaft 48 withinthe drum 47 is a ratchet wheel 51 which adapted to be normally engaged. by 47. A large convolute spring 53 is fastened at its outer end to the drum 4'? and at its inner end to an inwardly projecting hub 54 on one ofthe standards 12. To adapt the spring 53 to be wound by a. crank 55, "the drum l'i is provided with a threaded stud 56 extending through the outer standard 12.

The stud 56 is adapted to receive the crank 55 which has a threaded bore. Thus, by manipulating the crank 55 the drum 4:? may be rotated to wind the spring 53,,the pawl 52 being arranged to run free on the ratchet wheel 51 during spring 53 has been wound, it will tend to rotate the shaft 48 by means of the pawl 52 which now engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 51 on the shaft 48. The shaft 25 is thus normally maintained under such a torque as to tend to rotateit in the direction indicated by arrows in Figs. 4 and 5, rotation being normally prevented by the pawl 28 n engagement with the ratchet 27.

Keys 57 and 58 mounted on one end of the base plate are provided. to send dashes or manipulation in the usual a pawl 52 on the drum the winding. hen the by vertical pressure while the key 58 is actuated by horizontal pressure, these keys be ing provided so that operators accustomed to either motion can manipulate the present device with facility. The keys 57 and 58 are pivoted upon pins 59 and 60, respectively the circuits being closed by engagement of contact screws 61 and 62 on said keys with stationary contacts 63 and Get, respectively. Proper spacing of the contacts or points may be maintained by suitable adjustment of set screws 65. The circuits are normally maintained open by adjust-able com r ion springs 66. The { QYS 57 and 58 and automatie switch bar 39 are adapted to be con-- n adapted to control mechanism for sending 2 to 6 short nnpulses. These keys being identical, the operation of all of them will be understood from adescription of the operation of one. The operation of the key by which four dots are transmitted, is as fol lows: lVhen' the key 15 is depressed from full line to dotted line position shown in Figure 4; the bar is tilted so to raise the bar 30 together with the pawl 28 releasing the ratchet27 and shaft 25. The motor 4L6 immediately turns the shaft in the direction t and 5. Simultaneously with tilting of the bar 20, the arm (which is normally in a position to hold the rack 34: out of mesh with the pinion 26) will be moved substantially longitudinally to cause the rack 34 to engage the pinion26. As the pinion 26 t'Ot-zltQS, the rack 34 is carried upward while the dog 24 (being in dotted line position) supports the free end of the bar 20 to hold the pawl 28 out of mesh with the ratchet 27. The rack 34 in its upward movement new strikes the lever 22 and raises said lever to horizontal position. allowing the bar 20 to move back upon the shoulder 21 and simultaneously permitting the pawl 28 to engage the ratchet 27. Rotation of the shaft 34 is withdrawn upon the dog 24, the rack 26 by the from engagement with the pinion action of the spring 31 and gravity; The rack 3 finally falls upon ll'S support 25 to starting position. 7

The number of impulses transnntted each time a key is depressed. is dependent upon the are through which the shaft 25 carrying the cam wheel is allowed to rotate. Then 39, the circuit between the plunger l2 and screw 44-.is closed to send a short impulse.

thus

indicated by arrows in Figs,

is thus stopped and the lever 20. being no longer supported It will now be evident that the number of impulses transmitted"when anyone of the keys 13 lo 17 are manipulated dependent upon the height'of the support for the particularract arm The key 13, which when actuated, causes two dots to be sent, is thusarranged with the support '35 elevated by the screw 37 so that the cam wheel 38 is only allowed to turn a distance of two notches on its periphery before the rack 04- strikes the lever 22 to stop rotation of the shaft 25 carrying the wheel 38. The height of the several supports '35 beneath the keys 14:, 16 and 17 is so regulated by the screws 37 that three impulses will be sent when the key ll is depressed, while the keys 1,6 and 17 arejseverally adapted to control the sending of five and six impulses, respectively.

The keys 5'? and 58 are adapted to be struck by the thumb of the operator in the usual manner to send either a single short impulse or the desired number of long impulses or dashes. Any required series of dots may be sent by manipulating a single one of the'keys 13=to 17, inclusive.

An importantfeature of my device is the formation and arrangement of the automatic circuit closer consisting of the switch bar 39 provided with the resilient plunger 42. The sp'ringtS allows the plunger to remain in firm contact with the stationary contact -14.- during the sending of each impulse. The spring 43 causes the plunger 42to strike the stationary contact with a touclithat closely resembles that-obtained by proper manual operation of a key. Unusual distinctness is thusobtained so that even when messages are sent with great rapidity they can be received with facility.

Obviously, any desired or suitable type of motor may be substituted for the motor 46 with-out departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a telegraph transmitting instrument, a normally stationary shaft, means for intermittently rotating said shaft, a switch bar adapted to be vibrated, means operatively connecting said shaft with said bar, a series of keys, means severally connecting said keys with said shaft whereby said shaft is allowed to I rotate through predetermined different angles when the several keys are manipulated and means under control of the several keys for positively stopping rotation of said shaftupon the completion of predetermined combinations of vibrationsof said bar.

2. In a telegraph transmitting instrument, a single cam wheel, means for intermittently rotating said wheel, a switch bar adapted to be vibrated by rotation of said wheel, a series of keys, and means severally connecting are said keys with said wheel whereby said a shaft, means for intern'iittently rotating said shaft, a switch bar adapted to be vibratetl, means operatively connecting said shaft with said bar, a series of keys, a ratchet wheel on said actuated by said keys to engage and discu gage said wheel, and means severally con nectingsaid keys with said shaft whereby said shaft is 'a-llowed'to rotate dife fcrent angular distances when the several. keys are manipulated.

4. In a telegraph transmitting instrument, a shaft, a series of pinions fast on said shaft, a switch adapted to be actuated by said shaft, a series of keys, racks severally connect said keys withsaid pinions, means for turning said shaft when any of said keys are manipulated, and means operable by said racks to stop rotation of said shaft after the same has turned *a pre-[ determined different angle upon the manipulation of the several keys.

5. In a telegraph transmittinginstrument, a shaft, a series of pinions fast on said shaft. means for rotating said shaft, a switchadapted to be actuated by said shaft, a series of keys, racks arranged to severally connec said keys'with said pinions, a ratchet on said shaft, a pawl arranged to normally engage said ratchet, means for-disengaging said pawl to 11 ermit rotation of said shaft when any of saidkeys are manipulated, and means operable by said racks to cause-said pawl to stop rotation of said shaft after the same has turned a pre-determined different angle for each of said keys.

6. In a telegraph transmitting instrument, a shaft, a series of pinions fast on said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a ratchet and pawl arranged to normally prevent rotation of said shaft, a switch adapted to be actuated by said shaft, a series of keys. racks arranged to severally connect said keys with said pinions, dogs adapted to hold said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet and to permit rotation'of said shaft when any of said keys are manipulated, and means connected to said dogs and operable by said racks to stop rotation of said shaft after the same has turned a predetermined different angle for each of said keys.

7. In a telegraph instrument, a normally stationary shaft, a series of manually operable keys, means for rotating said shaft when any of said keys are manipulated, a switch bar adapted to be vibrated, means operatively connecting said shaft with said bar, pinions on said shaft, racks severally connecting said keys with said pinions, and dogs adapted to be actuated by said racks to shaft,'a pawl adapted to be arranged to 3 and paiwl bar, pinions on said pawl to stop rotation of said stop rotation of said shaft when the same has been rotated predetermined different angles for the several keys.

8. In a telegraph instrument, a normally stationary shaft, a series of manually operable keys, means for rotating said shaft when any of said keys are manipulated, a switch bar adapted to be vibrated, means operativelyconnecting said shaft with said shaft, racks severally connecting said keys with said pinions, a ratchet and pawl arranged to normally prevent rotationof said shaft, and dogs adapted to be actuated by said. racks to cause said shaft when said shaft has been rotated through a predetermined different angle for each of said keys.

9. In a transmitting instrument, a frame, a manually operable key pivotally supported in said frame, a horizontal shaftjournaled in said frame, means tending to rotate said shaft, a pinion and a ratchet wheel fast on said shaft, a switch bar, means for vibrating saidbar operatively connected to said shaft, a pawl normally disposed to prevent rotationof said shaft by engagement wlth said ratchet wheel, a dog arranged to maintain said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet when said key is manipulated, a lever on said dog, a rack pivotally connected to said key and adapted to be moved into engagement with said pinion when said key is manipulated, said rack being positioned to strike said lever under the action of said pinion and thereby allow said pawl to stop rotation of said shaft after said key has been manipulated.

10. In a telegraph instrument, a normally stationary shaft, a series of keys, means for rotating said shaft through predetermined different angles when the several keys are manipulated, a switch operatively connected to said shaft, stationary and resilient contact elements arranged on said switch to be pressed one upon the other when said shaft is rotated and means under control of the several keys for positively stopping rotation of said shaft upon the turning thereof through a predetermined angular distance when each key is manipulated.

11. In a telegraph instrument, the combination with a series of keys and a single cam wheel, of means for rotating said wheel through predetermined different angles when the several. keys are manipulated, a series of identical camming surfaces at regular intervals on said wheel. a switch adapted to be actuated by said camming surfaces and stationary and resilient contact elements arranged on said switch to be pressed one upon the other when said wheel is rotated.

12-. In a telegraph transmitting instrument, a mechanically operated swltch comprising, a pivoted bar. a plunger projecting transversely from, said bar, resilient means for normally maintaining said plunger in extended position, a stationary contact element disposed opposite said plunger, and

means for vibrating said bar to cause the proyectmg end of said plunger to implnge agalnst said contact element.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM D. COOPER.

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