US2352031A - Telegraph transmitter - Google Patents

Description

June 20, 1944. o STEINER 2,352,031

TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Filed Aug. 8. 1941 FIG.1 57x7 ea 32 5s v I INVENTOR. v 33 02320 Steamer 'FIG..2A,, i

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 20, 1944 TELEGRAPH TRANSltHTTER.

Otto Steiner, Berlin-Spandau, Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application August 8, 1941, Serial No. 405,985

ermany December 16, 1939 12 Claims. (01. 1 78-84) This invention relates to printing telegraph apparatus and particularly to keyboard controlled signal transmitting mechanism.

More specifically, the invention pertains to the transmission of facsimile telegraph signals.

' An object of the invention is to provide a key board controlled facsimile telegraph signal trans mitter in which the finger keys may be operated in overlap relation, any finger key being depressible before the transmission of the signal initiated by the previously depressed finger key has been completed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a keyboard controlled facsimile telegraph signal transmitter in which each finger key directly controlls a selectable signal transmitting element individual thereto.

In the operation of keyboard devices, it is desirable to aiford the operator as much freedom with regard to the timingof successive finger key operations as possible. This enables operators whose normal speed of operation may vary widely or whose timing may be irregular to operate the keyboard devices without special training or practice. When a keyboard transmitter device is so arranged and timed that a key lever may not be depressed until the transmission of the signal represented by a previously depressed key lever has been completed or substantially completed an operator may be obliged to adopt a regular or rhythmic touch considerably at variance with that operators normal key lever operating technique and such compulsion may be a source of annoyance to the operator and possibly a source of errors in keyboard manipulation. This is particularly true if the system is designed to operate at a relatively low signaling frequency. The obligation to employ a rhythmic keyboard technique may be minimized by so arranging the keyboard transmitter that as soon as the transmission of a signal combination has been initiated so that it may proceed to conclusion without further control from the keyboard mechanism, a second key lever may be depressed and the selective condition controlled thereby stored so that at the conclusion of transmission of the previously initiated signal combination, the transmission of the signal combination represented by the stored selective condition will follow immediately. Thus the keyboard mechanism is free to be operated during a large percentage of each interval allotted to the transmission of the signal combination and the keyboard transmitter approaches, in freedom of operation, the well known typewriter.

According to the present invention each key lever is arranged to rock into operated position a signal transmission controlling lever individual to the key lever. The signal transmission controlling lever becomes latched in operated position and the keyboard mechanism becomes locked so that another key lever may not be immediately depressed. The signal transmission controlling lever withdraws one of two detents from blocking relation to a transmitting contact lever which, however, remains held by a second detent. Each of the transmitting contact levers is normaly held by the two detents in position to hold an associated transmitting contact out of engagement with a transmitting drum. The drum is provided with circumferential rows of conductive' and nonconductive areas in alignment with each of the transmitting contacts. Upon engagement of one of the transmitting contacts with its associated circumferential row of conductive and nonconductive areas and rotation of the drum a succession'of signaling impulses will be generated in accordance with the arrangement of conductive and nonconductive areas and the impulses will be impressed upon a communication channel to which the transmitter is connected. I i r The transmitting drum may be rotated in startstop manner or continuously and the shaft by which it is rotated is provided with a cam the first function of which is to release the second of the two detents holding the transmitting contact lever in normal position. Upon release of the second detent, the transmitting contact lever permits the transmitting contact to engage the circumferential alignment of conductive and nonconductive areas with which it is aligned at the proper point on the surfaceof the drum reg-ardless of whether the drum-has just been set in rotation or has been rotating continuously to efiect the transmission of the combination of impulses from beginning to end thereof. Immediately following the .release of the transmitting contact lever by retraction of the second detent, the cam performs its second function which is to unlock the keyboard mechanism. The unlocking of the keyboard mechanism places it in condition for the depression of another key lever and a. key lever may be depressed while the transmission of impulses of the preceding code combination is in progress. If such key lever is depressed its associated signal transmission controlling lever will be rocked to operated position and latched there and the keyboard mechanism will become locked and remain-locked until the timing cam again performs its two functions, namely, the unlocking of the transmitting contact lever to be selected which, it may be added, is accompanied by restoration of the previously selected transmitting contact lever, and unlocking the keyboard mechanism to permit the operation of another key lever.

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description to be interpreted in the light of the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. l is an elevational view partly in section showing the keyboard facsimile transmitter according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is. an elevational view partly in section showing details of the keyboard locking mechanism;

Fig. 2a is an enlarged detail of a portion of thestructure shown in Fig. 2, certain of the partsbeing broken away to show the norm-a1 position of locking bail pins in slots of a bail operating link;

'Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in section showing the relation of certain elements when a key lever is depressed; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view supplementin the showing of the locking mechanism in Fig. 2.

Referring now to Fig. 1 the reference numeral designates the supporting frame of the keyboard transmitter according to the invention. A cylindrical rod |2 extending across frame II from one side of the keyboard transmitter to the other, and appearing at the right of Fig. 1, pivotally supports a plurality of key levers |3. Leaf springs I5 secured to the frame ll of keyboard transmitter engage the lower edges of the key levers l3 and urge the key levers to their uppermost positions. is provided at its foremost end with a finger key l4.

Intermediate the front and rear of the transmitter and extending from side to side above the key levers i3 is a cylindrical rod l6 which receives the bifurcated upper ends of vertically disposed slides or push bars I1. There are as many slides or push bars I! as there are key levers l3 and eachslide l1 extends downwardly past its associated key lever H3 in close proximity thereto.

Each slide I1 is provided with a forwardly extending lug or projection l8 and a laterally extending projection I9 of the key lever overlies the lug l8. A tension spring 2| is distended obliquely between each slide I! and a frame member 20 and urges the slides upwardly and in clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 so that their bifurcated portions rest a ainst the bar l6 and their lower ends rest against a stationary bar 22 se-- cu ed t the frame H of the transmitter.

, In addition to the key lever l3 the cylindrical rod l2 also pivotally supports signal transmission controlling levers 23 of which there is one beside each key lever l3. At, the foremost end (left-hand end as viewed in Fig. 1) each of the signal transmission controlling levers 23 is provided with a projection or lug 24 which underlies a rearwardly extending lug or projection 26 of the associated slide H. The signal transmission controlling levers 23 are urged in clockwise direction to bring their, projections 24 into abutting relation with the projections 23 of slides I! by leaf springs 21 secured to the frame ll of the transmitter in the same manner as springs l5.

The slides are provided with notches, one on Each ofthe key levers I3 ends by arms 33 pivoted at 34.

1) designated 28, and two on the rear edge designated 29 and 3|. All of the slides I! are identical so that when they are in their normal positions resting against the cylindrical bar l6 all of the notches 28 are aligned transversely of the transmitter, all of the notches 29 are aligned and all of the notches 3| are aligned.

The alignment of notches 28 is adapted to receive a lock bail 32 extending across the entire. bank of slides l1 and supported at its opposite Similarly, the alignment of notches 3| is adapted to receive a lock bail 36 which extends across the bank of slides l1 and is supported at its opposite ends by arms 31 pivoted'at 38. Lock bail 36 is provided with a blade 39 extending obliquely upwardly toward the rear of the transmitter from the rearmost edge of the lock bail 36 and the blade 39 normally abuts the rearmost edge (right-hand edge as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3) of a universal bail 4| which is in the form of a pivoted vane extending across the bank of slides l1 and having its foremost edge, which is the left-hand edge as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, disposed in the alignment of notches 29. Universal bail 4| is shown in Fig. 1 in its normal position and in Fig. 3 in its operated position and when it is in the normal position it holds the lock bail 36 clear of the rear edges of the slides or push bars |1.

At least one of the arms 33 which supports the lock bail 32 is provided with a laterally extending pin 42 (Figs. 2 and 4) and the adjacent one of the arms 31 which supports lock bail 36 is provided with a laterally extending pin 43. A tension spring 44 interconnects the pins 42 and 43 so that look bail 32 is urged to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 seeking to enter the alignment of notches 28 and the lock bail 36 is urged to the left seeking to enter the alignment of notches 3|.

The pins 42 and 43 carried by the lock bail supporting arms 33 and 31 respectively, are disposed in elongated slots 46 and 4! respectively in a link 48. Link 48 extends to the rear of the transmitter (to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2) and is operable by a cam operated lever, as will. presently appear, which normally holds link, 48 in its foremost position (left-hand position as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2). Spring 44 urges pin 42 toward the right-hand end of slot 46 and pin 43 toward the left-hand end of slot 41. Pin 42 does in fact engage the right-hand end of slot 46 when link 48 is in its normal position and in this position the link 48 holds lock bail supporting arm 33 in position to hold lock bail 32 clear of the alignment of notches 28. Pin 43 does not normally engage the left-hand end of slot 41 but is held toward the right of slot 41, as shown in Fig. 2a, by universal bail 4| which holds lock bail 36 clear of the alignment of notches 3|.

Upon the depression of any one of the key levers l3 its laterally extending projection l9 engages the underlying projection I8 of the associated slide I1 and depresses the slide, which movement causes spring 2| to become distended. As will be observed by reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the lower left-hand edges of the slides IT slope rightwardly so that as the slide I1 is depressed it is also rocked counterclockwise by engagement of the sloping portion of its left-hand edge with the stationary bar 22, and the counterclockwise rocking movement is sufficient to cause projection l8 to move out from underlying relation with the I laterally extending projection 9 of the key lever.

the front edge (left-hand edge as viewed in Fig.

Upon the escape of projection l 8 from projection l9 the slide I! is at once restored by spring 2| to normal position.

Since the foremost edge of universal bar 4| is disposed in the alignment of notches 29, the depression of one of the slides I! will cause universal bar 4| to be rocked counterclockwise thus withdrawingthe rearmost edge of the universal bar from blocking relation to upwardly extending blade 39 associated with lock bail 36. Thus, lock bail 36 is no longerheld free of the slides I! and it seeks to enter'the alignment of notches 3|, the slot 4! accommodatingmovement of the pin 43 by spring 44. Since at this time one of the slides I! is out of normal position, it will block out lock bail 36 from entering the notches 31 and will continue to block it out until the operated slide I! has been restored to normal position by spring 2|, normal'position, lock bail 36 is no longer blocked out of the notches 3| and under the influence of spring 44 and the freedom afforded by slot 41 it enters the alignment of notches, thus locking against depression all of the slides I! which thereby individually block operation of the key levers l3.

It will be apparent that when slide i1 is depressed to its lowermost position by its associated key lever |3, the signal transmission controlling lever 23 associated with the depressed slide I! will ,be rocked into extreme counterclockwise position. ...Lock bail 36 is provided with a depending flange 5| which is bent forwardly obliquely at its lower edge. Each signal transmission controlling lever 23 is provided with an upwardly extending arm 52 the upper end of which extends rearwardly obliquely toward the flange 5| of lock bail .36. The relationship of arm 52 to flange 5| is such that the obliquely extending portion of arm 52 will just clear the lower edge of flange 5| as lever 23 is depressed. The apparatus may even be arranged so that when lever 23 is rocked to extreme counterclockwise position its arm 52 will .cam lock bail 36 slightly to the right as-viewed in Fig. 1, bail 36 immediately returning to engagement with the edge of the depressed slide I! when arm 5?. of the operated lever 23 has been drawn clear of flange 5|. Thus flange 5| will block the return path of arm- 52 of lever 23 and when lock bail 36 has entered the alignment of notches 3| the lower edge of flange 5| will fully overlie the upper end of. arm. 52 of lever 23 and will maintain lever 23 in operated position, which is its counterclockwise .position.

Each of the signal transmission controlling levers E3 'is also provided with an upstanding arm 53 the upper end of which isnormally presented to the left and in blocking relation to oneof two projections at the lower end of a transmitting contactlever 54 of'which there is one associated with each of the signal transmission controlling levers 23. The transmitting contact levers 54 are pivoted at 56 and each lever 54 carries at its upper end an insulating cap 5'. which engages an individual. transmitt ng contact spring 58. When the lever 54 is in normal position'it holds the contact spring 58 out of engagement with a facsimile signaltransmitt'ng drum 59. The transmitting drum 56 may be similar to that shown in Patent 2.046.328 granted July 7, 1936, to Edward E. Kleinschmidt et al. Drum 59 may be rotatable continuously or may be operable upon the start-stop principle, being released for one revolution upon each operation a of a key lever l3 in well-known manner.

When the slide I! has returned to As previously mentioned each of the transmitting contact control'levers 54 has two latching or detent projections" at its lower end, one of which is normally blocked by the projection 53 of the'associated signal transmission control lever 23. The other of the detent projections is normally engaged and blocked by a bail 6| carried by arms 62 pivoted at 63. Shaft 64, to which transmitting drum 59 is fixed, has secured thereto a cam 66. The periphery of cam 66 is engaged by follower rollers 61 and 68 carried by cam follower levers 69 and 1|, respectively, pivoted at 12. Cam follower lever 1| pivotallyengages the rearmost end (right-hand end asviewed in Figs. 1 and 2) of the link 48 which engages, by means of slots 46 and 41, the pins 42 and 43 respectively, carried by the lock bail arms 33 and 31, respectively, all as previously described. Intermediate its ends the link 48 is provided with an elongated slot 13 through which extends a pin 14 carried by a link 16 which is pivotally connected to the cam follower lever 69. By virtue of slot I3 and pin 14 link 16 is supported in the desired position and either of the links 48 and 16 may be moved independently of the other.

One of the arms 62 which supports bail 6| has a sloping surface disposed in the path of pin l4, so that when link 16 is moved rightwardly as viewed in Fig. 1 pin 14 will engage the sloping surface of arm 62 and will cam the arm in counterclockwise direction, thus withdrawing bail 6| from blocking relation to the transmitting contact levers 54. Upon the return of link 16 and its pin 14 bail 6| is permitted to return to normal position as by springs (not shown). Link 16 supports at itsforemost end (left-hand end as viewed in Fig. 1) a restoring bail TI which engages all of the transmittingcontact levers 54 as link 16 is moved to its operated position and holds them in position to be latched by the pro 'jections 53 of the signal transmission control transmitting contact lever 54, which remains held by bail 6|. Regardless of whether the transmitting cylinder 59 operates upon the start-stop principle, in which case the position of cam 66 may be taken as indicating the stop position, or

whether the transmitting drum 59 rotates continuously, th secondary hold upon the selected transmitting contact lever 54; namely, that or bail 6|, will not be released until cam 66 has operated follower lever 69. As the apex of cam approaches follower roller 61, the roller will be moved rightwardly as viewed in Fig. l and follower lever 69 will be rocked in clockwise direction. Pin 74 will be moved rightwardly and will cam bail arm 62 in counterclockwise direction thus withdrawing bail 6| from blocking relation to all of the transmitting contact levers 54. However, restoring bail H is also moved rightwardly since it is carried by link 76 which carries pin 14, so that the selected one of the transmitting contact levers 54 and all others will be held by bail Tl, all except the selected one of the transmitting contact levers also being blocked against clockwise rotation by the projections 53 of unselected signal transmission control levers 23.

As the apex of cam 66 passes roller 61, follower lever 69 is permitted to return to its normal or extreme counterclockwise position. Such return is accompanied by movement of restoring bail shall not move into blocking, relation to the transmitting contact levers 54 until the restoring bail H has returned toward its normal position a sumcient distance to permit the selected one of the transmitting contact levers 54 to escape from the bail 5| that is, for the selected one of the transmitting contact levers 54 to have moved sufficiently in clockwise direction that its secondary latching projection at the lower end thereof will have moved slightly to the left, as viewed in Fig. l, of the position in which bail 5| blocks the secondary projections of the unselected transmitting contact levers 54.- This operating requirement necessitates that bail 6| shall not have returned to blocking relation to the transmitting contact levers 54 until restoring bail 11 shall have been drawn clear of the unselected levers 54. This'relationship may be established by properly selecting the distance that pin i4 shall travel before it engages the sloping portion of bail supporting arm 62 and the slope of the surface which pin 14 engages.

It will be apparent that since bail 6| does not move into blocking relation to unselected ones of the transmitting contact levers 54 until restoring bail H has been drawn clear, the bail 6| will be drawn out of blocking relation to the transmitting contact levers 54 before bail engages those levers during clockwise movement of cam follower lever 69 by cam 66. The distance through which transmitting contact levers 54 or a selected one of them may move clockwise to engage rightwardly moving bail H at the instant that bail 6| is withdrawn should not be enough to permit the associated transmitting'contact 58 to come into vided in the peripheral portions which a transengagement with drum 59, unless the drum is provided in the peripheral portions which a transmitting contact 58 would engage at the time with non-signal transmitting areas, so that no false signals will be applied to the communication channel.

As will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 the cam follower rollers 51 and G8 are very close together and since both are operated by cam 96 the operation of cam follower lever H will lag only slightly behind that of cam follower lever 69. The cam follower lever H moves its link 48 rightwardly as viewed in Fig. l to withdraw lock bail 35 clear of the alignment of notches 3| in slide i1, and to draw lock bail 32 into the alignment of notches 28 on the opposite sides of slide When cam follower lever ll has been rocked to extreme clockwiseposition by the apex of cam 36, lock bail 38 has been retracted into position where its obliquely extending blade 39 is blocked by universal bail 4|. The reason for locking the slides I! by means of the lock bail 32 at the time that lock bail 36 is withdrawn is that the operation of cam follower lever 1| overlaps the operation of cam follower lever 69 and bail 6| may universal bail 4|.

be out of blocking relation to the transmitting contact levers 54 at the time that lock ball 36 is drawn free of slides If at this critical instant another of the key levers |3 should be operated its associated transmitting contact lever 54 would immediately be released by its signal transmitting control lever 23 and permitted by restoring bail 11 to move clear of the blocking position of bail 6| then in process of returning to normal position. Thus, two transmitting contacts might be permitted to engage the drum 59 at the same time, resulting in superposed unintelligible signals. The lock bail 32 is withdrawn from the alignment of notches 28 to unlock the keyboard mechanism for the next operation upon the return of cam follower lever H and link 48 to normal position, lock bail 36 being prevented from moving into locking relation to the slides I! by Slot 4'! in link 48 permits lock bail 36 to remain stationary while lock bail 32 is moved to normal position.

Upon the restoration of lock bail 36 to normal position its depending flange 5| is drawn clear of the projection 52 of the selected signal transmission control lever 23, which is prevented from returning to its full normal position, however, by its associated transmitting contact lever 54 which has been rocked clockwise by its transmitting contact 53 and therefore interferes with the projection 53 of the signaltransmission control lever 23 As soon as the lock ball 32 has been moved clear of the slides another key lever l3 may be operated to prepare for the transmission of the next signal combination. This will not interfere in any way with the completion of the signal combination which is then in process of transmission by virtue of engagement of one of the transmitting contacts 58 with drum 59, as the only immediate effect will be to depress another of the signal transmission control levers 23'which will be held depressed by the bail 36, which will again lock the slides l1.

If the transmitting drum 59 is operable upon the start-stop principle and another key lever has been depressed, the drum will not be arrested at the completion of a cycle but will continue to rotate for execution of the next cycle and the transmission of the signal combination representing the key lever depressed. If another key lever has not been depressed, the drum 59 will be arrested at the completion of the transmission of the signal combination for the last key lever depressed. If on the other hand the drum 59 rotates continuously, the cam 66 will again operate the cam follower lever 69 whether or not a key lever has been depressed. As the cam follower lever 69 is rocked to extreme clockwise position, bail 6| will be withdrawn from engagement with the bank of transmitting contact levers 54 and restoring bail 11 will be moved rightwardly as viewed in Fig. 1 to restore that one of the transmitting contact levers 54 corresponding to the signal combination just transmitted to normal position with its lower end to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, of the projection 53 of the associated signal transmission control lever 23. This permits that signal transmission control lever to return to normal position in blocking relation to it transmitting contact lever 54 so that when bails BI and 11 return to normal position the transmitting contact lever 54 will be held by the bail 6|.

Assuming, as previously mentioned, that another key lever had been depressed while a signal combination was being transmitted, the

transmitting contact lever 54 associated with that key lever will escape from normal position before the return of bail 6| to normal position, due to the fact that its associated signal transmission control lever 23 is held indepressed or perated position by the dependin flange of lock bail 36. Thus, the transmission of another signal combination will be initiated. Immediately after the operation of cam follower 69, cam follower lever H will be operated to withdraw lock bail 36 and momentarily lock the slides I! with bail 32, thereafter to removebail 32 from looking relation to slides ll. In each cycle of transmitting drum 59, cam follower levers 69 and II will be operated whether or not a key lever has been depressed. The effect of operation of cam follower lever 69 if no key lever has been depressed will be merely to disengage bail 6| from and reengage it with transmitting contact levers 54 and to operate restoring bail Tl idly. The only eifect of operation of cam follower lever 7| will be to lock momentarily the slides I! by lock bail 32, since lock bail 36 is held clear of slides H by universal bail ll.

Although reference has been made throughout the description to one cam 66, one cam follower lever 69 and II, it will be understood that since cam follower lever 69 operates bails 6| and 11, both of which extend across the entire bank of transmitting contact levers, and since cam follower lever H operates lock bails 32 and 36 which extend across the entire bank of slides I1, it may be found desirable to provide .a cam 66 and follower levers 69 and H, arm 62 for supporting bail 6| and links 48 and 16 at each end of the transmitting drum 59 so that operating power will be applied uniformly at both ends of all of the balls.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the drawing and described in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to such specific embodiment but is capable of modification and rearrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telegraph transmitter, a movable signal sending mechanism, the keyboard having keys biased to inoperative position, means for locking said keyboard said means being biased to locking position, two separate means for holding said locking means in inoperative position, means actuated by depressing a key for rendering one of said separate means operative and the other inoperative and means operable on release of said key for rendering said one means inoperative, means operated by depressing said key to initiate the movement of said signal sending mechanism and means responsive to the initial movement of said mechanism to unlock the keyboard.

2. In a telegraph transmitter, a movable signal sending mechanism, the keyboard having keys biased to inoperative position, means for locking said keyboard said means being biased to looking position, two separate means for holding said locking means in inoperative position, means actuated by depressing a key for rendering one of said separate means operative and the other inoperative and means operable on release of said key for rendering said one means inoperative, means operated by depressing said key to initiate the movement of said signal sending mechanism, means responsive to the initial movement of said lever for normally and primarily blocking its mechanism to unlock the keyboard, means for storing signal originating conditions, and means actuated by a second key depressing for controlling the storing means.

' '3; in a telegraph transmitter, a plurality of key levers, a slidein engag'ement,with each key lever, a storage'lever operable'by each slide, abail for locking all of the slides following operation of one, a bail for, holding the operatedstorage lever in operated position, a transmitting contact lever corresponding to each storage lever, a projection carried by each storage lever for normally and primarily blocking its contact lever, a bail for blocking secondarily any transmitting contact lever which has beenunblocked by its storage lever, a transmitting contact controlled by each contact lever, a driven transmitting drum to be engaged by said contacts individually, a cam driven with said drum, a lever controlled by said cam for actuating said blocking bail to release a primarily released contact lever and for subsequently restoring said contact lever to primarily and'secondarily blocked condition, and a lever also controlled by said cam for retracting said locklng bail to unlock said slides.

4. In a telegraph transmitter, a plurality of key levers, an escapable member in engagement with and operable by each key lever, a storage lever operable by each escapable member before it escapes from the key lever, a bail for looking all of the escapable members following escapement of the operated one, a bail for holding the operated storage lever in operated position, a transmitting contact lever corresponding to each storage lever, a projection carried by each storage contact lever, a bail for blocking secondarily any transmitting contact lever which has been unblocked by its storage lever, a transmitting contact controlled by each contact lever, a driven transmitting drum to be engaged by said contacts individually, a cam driven with said drum, a lever controlled by said cam for actuating said blocking bail to release a primarily released contact lever and for subsequently restoring said contact lever to primarily and secondarily blocked condition, and a lever also controlled by said cam for retracting said locking bail to unlock said escapable members.

5. In a telegraph transmitter, a plurality of key levers, an escapable member associated with and operable by each key lever, a storage element operable by each escapable member before it escapes from the key lever, a bail for locking all of the escapable members following escapement of the operated one, a bail for holding the operated storage element in operated position, a transmitting contact lever corresponding to each storage element, said lever being formed with two projections, said storage element being adapted to engage one ofsaid projections for normally and primarily blocking its contact lever, a bail for engaging said other projection for blocking secondarily any transmitting contact lever which has been unblocked by its storage element, a transmitting drum to be engaged by said contacts individually, a cam driven with said drum, a levercontrolled by said cam for actuating said blocking bail to release a primarily released contact lever and forsubsequently restoring 'said' contact lever to primarily and secondarily blocked condition, and a lever also controlled by said cam for retracting said locking bail to unlock said escapable members.

6. In a telegraph transmitter, a plurality of key levers, an escapable member associated with and operable by each key lever, a storage element operable by each escapable member before it escapes from the key lever, 'a bail for locking all of the escapable members following escapement of the operated one, a bail associated with said locking bail for holding the operated storage element in operated position, a transmitting contact lever corresponding to each storage element, each transmitting contact lever having two projections, means associated with each storage element to engage one of the projections for normally and primarily blocking its contact lever, a bail engaging the other projection for blocking secondarily any transmitting contact lever which has been unblocked by its storage element, a transmitting contact controlled by each contact lever, a driven transmitting drum for'completing a communication circuit through said contacts individually, a cam'driven with said drum, a lever controlled by said cam for actuating said blocking bail to release a primarily released contact lever and for subsequently restoring said contact lever to primarily and secondarily blocked condition, and a lever also controlled by said cam for retracting said locking bail to unlock said escapable members.

7. In a telegraph transmitter, 'a plurality of key levers, an escapable member in engagement with and operable by each key lever, a storage element operable by each escapable member before it escapes from the key lever, means for locking all of the escapable membersfollowing escapement of the operated one, and for holding the operated storage element in operated position, a transmitting contact lever corresponding to each storage element, means associated with each-storage element for normally and primarily blocking its contact lever, a bail for blocking secondarily said contact levers, a transmitting contact controlledby each contact lever, a driven transmitting drum for completing a communication circuit through said contacts individually, a cam driven with said drum, a lever controlled by said cam for actuating said blocking bail to release a primarily released contact lever, and for subsequently restoring said contact lever to primarily and secondarily blocked condition, and a lever also controlled by said cam for retracting said locking means to unlock said escapable member.

8. In a telegraph transmitter, a plurality of key levers, a storage element operable under the control of each key lever, a bail for locking the key levers and for holding an operated storage element in operated position, a transmitting contact lever corresponding to each storage element, means associated with said storage element for normally and primarily blocking its contact lever, means for blocking secondarily said contact levers, a transmitting contact controlled by each contact lever, a drum having circumferential areas representing character patterns with a pattern individual to each transmitting contact, a cam associated with said drum, means actuated by said cam during the initial signal transmitting movement for withdrawing the second mentioned blocking means to release a primarily released contact lever, and means also actuated by said cam for retracting said locking bail to unlock said key levers and to release said operated storage element.

9. In a telegraph transmitter, a plurality of key levers, a storage element operable under the control of each key lever, means for locking the key levers and for holding an operated storage element in operated position, a transmitting contact controlling member corresponding to each storage element, means associated with said storage element for normally and primarily blocking its contact controlling member, means for blocking secondarily said contact controlling members, a transmitting contact controlled by each contact controlling member, a drum havingcircumferential areas representing character patterns with a pattern individual to each transmitting contact, a cam associated with said drum, means actuated by said cam during the initial signal transmitting movement for Withdrawing the second mentioned blocking means to release a primarily released contact controlling member, and means also actuated by said cam for retracting said locking means to unlock said key levers and to release said operated storage element.

10. In a telegraph transmitter, a plurality of selectively operable storage elements, means for holding an operated storage element in operated position, a transmitting contact controlling member corresponding to each storage element and normally and primarily blocked thereby, means for blocking secondarily said contact controlling members, a transmitting contact controlled by each contact controlling member, a rotatable member having alignments of areas representing character patterns with a pattern individual to each transmitting contact, a cam associated with said rotatable member, means actuated bysaid cam for widthdrawing the second mentioned blocking means to release a primarily rleased contact controlling member, and means also actuated by said cam for retracting said locking means to release said operated storage element.

11. In a telegraph transmitter, a plurality of selectively operable storage elements, means for holding an operated storage element in operated position, a transmitting contact controlling member corresponding to each storage element and normally and primarily blocked thereby, means for blocking secondarily said contact controlling members, a transmitting contact controlled by each contact controlling member, a rotatable member having patterns with a pattern individual to each transmitting contact, means associated with said rotatable member, forwithdrawing the second mentioned blocking means to release a primarily released contact controlling member, and for retracting said locking means to release said operated storage element.

12. In a telegraph transmitter, a plurality of key levers, a storage element operable under control of each key lever, a bail for locking the key levers and for holding an operated storage element in operated position, a drum having circumferential areas representing character patterns with a pattern individual to eachstorage element, a transmitting contact and contact'opcrating levers corresponding to each storage element, means biasing said lever to contact making position, means on said storage lever engaging said contact lever for normally and primarily blocking its contact lever, operating meansfor actuating said drum, a second means engaging said contact lever for blocking secondarily the same and means actuated by the individual. movement of said operating means for withdrawing said second mentioned blocking means and retracting said bailtounlock the key levers.

, OTTO STEINER.

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