US1919607A - Telegraph system - Google Patents

Description

July 25, 1933. f A. E. THOMPSON 1,919,607

TELEGRAPH SYSTEM Filed July 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALFRED E. THOMPSON ATTORNEY Patented July v25, 19-733 lmural) STATES ALFRED EDWARD THOMSON, 0F CBOYDON,

Lento? PATENT OFFICE ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 GREED AND COM- PAN'Y, LIMITED, 0F CROYDON, SURIREY, ENGLAND TELEGRAPH SYSTEM Application led July 28, 1931, Serial No. 558,516, and in Great Britain .Tune 11, 1.931.

This invention relates to printing-telegraph systems and has reference more particularly to those systems in which telegraphic communication is intermittent and the operations consequent upon the reception and printing of a message are effected automatically without the necessity for the attention of an operator at the receiving end of the line. f

In page printing apparatus 1r telegraph systems of the classy referred to .t is usually most convenient for the messages to be printed on forms or blanks fed in a continuous Webrom a roll. A paper roll of this nature willnormallyl supply sufficient forms for a large number of messages but where the operations consequent upon the reception and printing of messages are effected automatically it is very desirable to provide means operable on or near the exhaustion of the paper supply for giving a warning indication either near the receiving apparatus, or to the distant transmitting ap` paratus from which the telegraph signals are being received, or at both places if desired.

l'n telegraph exchange systems, for instance in which a connection to a called subscribers station is effected at a central station and a great feature is that a messa e can be received and printed at a called su scribers station in the absence of the subscriber to await attention at-a subs uent period, it is ve desirable that the transmittin operator e given notification if due to ailure of the paper supply a message is not ca able of being recelved at the called subscri rs station. A local warning at the receiving subscribers stationis also ve desirable at the same time in order that immediate attention can be drawn to the necessity for supplying a fresh roll in order 'switch-meansgisV provi ed operable when the paper is becoming or hasfbecome exhausted,

to control means for dication.

In a large number of telegraph systemsfto which the invention is applicable telegraph communication is only required to be effected in one direction at a time and in such cases transmitting cont-acts and receiving relays at both ends of the line circuit are connectedin series in simple circuit. Under these gonditions the receiving apparatus at thel transmitting end responds to the outgoing signals and serves as a home record of the messages transmitted. If the line circuit is broken the receiving apparatus at the ytransmitting station fails to record the signals and the operator has therefore lan indication that attention is required. Similar arrangements are ylmown in the art as break-in signals whereby a signal is sent in the opposite direction to that of the incoming telegraph signals. The simplest and the preferred method for the purposes-of the present invention is for the switch contacts under control of the paper rolll to open the line circuit or otherwise change its giving a warning inelectrical condition. It will be appreciated,

mitting operator may be employed if desired, the control of which may be convenvenient form of warning means either visual or audible can also beV operated at the same time 'as the signal is sent to the distant transmitting station, for indicating lo-` cally that immediate attention is required at the receiving station. These warning means can be controlled by aseparate contact means operated together 'with the rst mentioned contacts by an arm of whichjthe movements are underthe control of the pa er roll. i

n the' four figures of the accom nying drawings are illustrated two met ods of however, that many other methods of returning a' suitable indication to the transeecting the control of the switch contacts .from the paper roll and as applied' to two different cases. The first method consists of employing an arm one end of which end of the paper we'b of the roll to a spool 'y ingthe actuation of the switch contacts.

centre such as a cardboard tube or the like by pasting or any other suitable means, so that on the paper becoming exhausted the spool centre is drawn against guide pins 'through which the web is normally threaded onl 'a'pivoted arm to actuate the arm more posltlvely to an operated position for effect- In the first of the two cases the paper roll is located on a relatively stationary .portion of the apparatus, the paper web being fed to a movable platen carriage of the printing apparatus in a long fiexible loop. In the second case the paper-roll is mounted close to the moving platen ycarriage of the printing apparatus and moves laterally with the carriage. y

Fig. 1 shows the first method as 'applied to the first case and will be readily comprehended from the foregoing remarks and explanation. A paper roll 1 ismounted by any convenient means on a suitable fixed portion of the apparatus, not shown, the web 2 being drawn therefrom in a loop to the platen carriage, also not shown in this case. An arm 3 pivoted la`t 4 is actuated by spring means 5 to bear at its long free end on the periphery of the roll 1. A switch contact blade 6pivoted at 7 is adapted to be actuated from one .position to another as limited by stops 8 and 9 respectively, by snapaction means comprising spring 10 attached tothe ends of a short arm 11 of pivoted arm 3 and contact blade 6 respectively. Contact blade 6 and stop 9 in the example shown constitute a contact making and breaking device in the line circuit over which the telegraphi'c communication is effected, the

receiving relay being represented at 12`.V

When signals are being received and printed the line circuit will be closed between blade 6 and contact 9. As the paper becomes exhausted, however, the arm 3 will move towards the position shown in dotted lines and at about this .position the cont-act l vblade 6 is actuated with a snap action to its opposite stop 8 to open the line circuit and warnthe distant transmitting operator as previously described.

Fig. 2 shows the first method 4as. applied to the second case above-outlined. The roll 1 in thiscase is shown supported in a cradle moving on suitable means such as roller 14 with the platen carriage. As is well-known the platen carriage moves step-by-step in a direction parallel to theyaxis of the roll for printing successive characters and rethe paper is becoming exhausted short end of lever 3 is moved towards a position opposite a projection 15 on a contact bell crank lever in the line circuit. A jockey roller 17 or similar means is 'employed to hold the bell crank contact lever in one or the other of its two positions. cradle when arm 3 has reached the lposition shown dotted, short arm of lever 3 actuates bell-crank lever to its opposite position to Open the line circuit. Contact bell-crank lever is replaced manually on the insertion of a fresh roll of paper. v

Fig. 3 shows the second ymethod as applied to the first case. A cardboard or other spool centre 18 `is attached to the inner end of the web of the paper roll as previou'sl mentioned, the web 19 being led throng guide pins 20 and 21 on a bell-crank lever 22 pivoted at 23. A spring' 24 normally maintains the line circuit closed through contacts 24. When the paper roll is becoming exhausted the spool centre 18 is drawn against pins 20 and 2l and causes lever 22 to open the switch contacts 24.

Fig. 4shows the second method as applied On movement of the to the second case in which the moving roll which has a spool centre attached to the inner end of the roll as described with reference to Fig. 3. A spring 33 normally maintains lever 29 againsta sto pin 24 so that a projection 35 on the extension of lever 29 is out of line with a contact bell-crank lever 16. A spring jockey means 17 mainpins 31 on the paper becoming exhausted projection 35 is brought into line with lever 16 and on return of the platen carriage and' -cradle at the end of the line of print, for

instance, the contact lever is4 actuated to its opposite position for actuating the warning means. As in Athe arrangement described with reference to Fig. 2 the contact lever .16 ma be replaced manually on the insertion o a fresh roll of paper. I

Various modifications and other-possible arrangements within the scope of the appended claims will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and after consideration of the foregoing remarks.

What is claimed is: Y

l. In a page printing telegraph receiver, a movable platen carriage, a paper roll movable with said platen carriage, an arm pivoted on said carriage and cooperating with said paper roll to be moved to an operated position when the paper is becoming exhausted, and switch means on a relatively stationary portion of the apparatus and engagedv by a projection on said pivoted arm on the return movement of the carriage when the arm is in an operated position.

2. In a page printing telegraph receiver, a paper roll, a spool centre for said roll and to which the inner end of the paper web of the roll is aiixed, a pivoted arm, guide pins near one end of said pivoted arm and through which the web of paper from said roll is adapted to be drawn, and switch means operated by said pivoted arm when said spool centre engages the guide pins on exhaustion of said roll.

3. In a page printing telegraph receiver, a movable platen carriage, a paper roll movable with said carriage, a spool centre for said roll and to which the inner end of the paper web of the roll is affixed, an arm pivoted on said carriage and adapted to be moved to an operated position by said spooll centre on exhaustion or' said paper roll, switch means on a relatively stationary portion of the apparatus and adapted to be engaged by said pivoted arm on movement of said carriage when the arm is in an operated position.

4. In a telegraph receiver, a paper roll, a

spool centre for said roll to which the inner end of the paper web of the roll is aiiixed,

switch means for giving a warning indica- 5. In a telegraph receiver, a spool cradle,

a paper roll supported therein having a spool centre to which the inner end of the paper web of the roll is attached, switch means for giving a warnlng indication of the exhaustion of the paper, and a member positively actuated by said spool`centre on its withdrawal from'said cradle on exhaustion of the paper supply for causing the actuation' of said switch means.

6. In a page printing telegraph receiver, a spool crad1ea paper rollsupported therein and having a spool centre to which the inner end of the web of said roll is aiiixed, a pivoted arm engageable at one end by said spool Ecentre on its Withdrawal from said cradle on the exhaustion of the paper, and switch contacts actuated by movement ofl said arm.

ALFRED EDWARD ATH llIPSON.

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