US307232A - sheehy - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) a she ats sheet 3.

R. J. 'SHEEHY.

PRINTING TELEGRAPH.

No.30'7,232. Patented Oct. '28, 1884.

Main Line Main Line WITNESSES 'INVENTIOR 6L fiabertJ. Shea/2y,

.. By his flttorneg s NlTE STATES PATENT ()FFICER ROBERT J. SHEEHY, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

PRINTING-TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,232, dated October 28, 1884.

' Application filed November 15, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. SHEEHY, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Telegraphs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in devices and apparatus for revolving either or both of the two type-wheels of aprinting-tclegraph receiving-instrument through the agency of electric impulses transmitted thereto,for automatically eii'ecting impressions from one or the other of those typewheels, as desired, and for maintaining both type-wheels in unison with the transmitting-instrument,

, The object of the invention is to simplify the construction of such an instrument, to actuate it by means of electric currents transmitted over a single main line, and to render it more responsive to the'variations in the character and duration of the currents transmitted thereto.

' The invention consists in organizing the apparatus in substantially the following manner: The two type-wheels are constructed to here volved through the agency of electric impulses of alternating polarity by means of an armature which is of peculiar construction. This armature is polarized by induction, and responds to reversals in the polarity of the currents transmitted upon the main line. Two independent arniatures applied to two different electro-magnets are respectively employed for effecting impressions from the two typewheels. These armatures are actuated by means of electric impulses of greater duration than those required for actuating the typewheels. 'When either of the type-wheels has been advanced until the required character is above the paper tape, a prolongation of the impulse last transmitted will effect an impression of that character. \Vhen it is desired to print from the other of the two typewheels, that last employed is brought to rest in such position that an arm, moving with the same, is caused to stand in the path of a detent moving with the particular armature employed for effecting impressions from that type-wheel. If that armature be then actuated, the oircuit-comiections will be changed 1 drum.

from the electro-magnet employed for actuating that particular type-wheel to the other electro-magnet, and the subsequent succession of alternating impulses will cause the second type-wheel to be revolved. Each of the electro-maguets is further provided with an independent armature for advancing the paper tape upon which the impressions are made. These armaturcs respectively respond to impulses of the character required for effecting impressions from the corresponding typewheels. The unison of each of the type-wheels with the transmittirig-instrument is effected by means of an open drum or cylinder-head, moving with the corresponding type-wheel, and a detent, which is caused to intercept the path of a stop carried upon said drum whenever it is desired to arrest the type-wheel. v

This detent is normally held out of the path of the stop by means of one or more fingers resting upon the periphery of the drum. At each revolution of the drum one of these fin gers is allowed to fall through a slot formed in the periphery of the drum, thus permitting the detent to approachthe periphery of the drum. After the requisite number of revolutions the detent will rest upon the drum, in which position it will arrest the movement of the same by intercepting the path of the stop. I prefer to employ two or more of the fingers, so that it will require more than two revolutions of the drum to bring the detent into the path of the stop upon the periphery of the drum. Such a device as described is applied to each type-wheel. For the purpose of preventing either type-wheel from being arrested inthis manner during the process of printing from that wheel an arm moving with the particular armature employed for actuating the corresponding platen is employed for raising the detent from the periphery of the drumeach time an impression is made and the paper tape advanced. Such an upward move ment of the arm carrying the detent and fingers is rendered possible by pivoting the fingers so that when forced upward they wil1,upon

striking against the inner surface of the drum, be allowed to turn upon their axes in opposition to the action of springs applied thereto,

and thus be brought upon the outside of the XVhen, however, a sufficient number The of impressions are transmitted to the instrument without the intervention of a prolonged current, the detent will be brought into the proper position for arresting the type-wheel. The friction between the supporting parts of the two type-wheels is preferably sufficient to cause each to be advanced by the movements of the other until it is arrested by the corresponding unison device.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate myinvention, Figure 1 is a plan view of the complete instrument, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame through the plane 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 1 is an enlarged plan view showing more clearly the parts represented in Fig. 1. 3 is a side elevation of the instrument, and Fig. 4c is a front elevation through the plane at 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. at is an enlarged view, illustrating the unison device and type-wheelactuating mechanism.

Referring to these figures, A represents the frame-work for supporting the various parts of the instrument, and B, B B and B B represent three electro-magnets, each of which is supported within this frame, and provided with a back plate, B, of soft iron, common to all. The coils of the electro-magnet B are illeluded in the circnit'of a conductor, 1, which preferably constitutes a local circuit. This electro'magnet is designed to be vitalizcd continuously by means of a current of electricity transmitted through the con d uetor 1 whenever the instrument is in use. The magnetism induced in the eleetro-magnet B is availed offor the purpose of polarizing two armatures, b If, which are respectively applied to the electromagnet B B and electro-magnet L B. These armatures are designed to respond to electric impulses of alternating polarity transmitted through the coils of their respective electromagnets, and to be actuated in one direction by currents of a given polarity and in the opposite direction by currents of the opposite polarity. For this purpose the eleetro-magnet B B is wound in the usual manner, so that the poles Z) and b will be of opposite polarity. he poles If and I) of the eleetro-magnet B B* are in like manner rendered of op posite polarity. If thus the magnetism induced in the armature Z) by means of the electro-magnet B is of north polarity, the armature will be both impelled and attracted in the direction indicated by the arrow :20, Fig. 2, when the magnetism manifested at the pole b is of north polarity and that at the pole b of south polarity, and vice versa. A like result will be effected with reference to the armature If when the electro-magnet B B is vitalized.

For the purpose of rendering the action more certain I prefer to construct the poles of the electro-magnets B B-' and B B with extensions I) N, Fig. 8, which extend into proximity to the respective armatures b and b and upon opposite sides of the same. The movements of the armature b or I) thus occasioned Fig.

are employed in a manner, hereinafter described, to advance one or the other of two type-wheels, T or T.

For the purpose of determining which of the armatures b or If shall be thus actuated it is necessary to employ means for directing the current from the main line through one or the other of the two electro-magnets B B or B" B". This is accomplished by means of a cireuit-controlling device, C, which consists of an arm, 0, moving between two contact-points, c and c", which contact-points are respectively connected with conductors leading through the one or the other of the electro-n'iagnets and uniting at apoint, c. The contact of the arm 0 with one or the other of these contaet-points is secured in a manner hereinafter described. The arm itself is connected with the mainline conductor, and the point 0 is connected with the earth either directly or through the succeeding instruments of a series. Each of the armatures Z) I) is carried upon a suitable post or standard, 1), extending from or constituting a continuation of the core of the electro magnet B. From this electro-magnet the armatures receive a polarization corresponding to that of the core of the electro-magnet. Thus, if the pole N of the electro-magnet B is of south polarity, the armatures I) and b will also be of south polarity. Secured to each armature is a right-angled extension, 0 and 6", respectively. These extensions or arms are respectively designed to actuate the two type-wheels T or T in correspondence with the movements of the corresponding armature, b or b. For this purpose the type-wheels are respectively mounted upon a shaft, 1, and a sleeve, f encircling the shaft. The shaft or arbor t is supported in the frame A in any suitable manner, and it carries near one extremity a ratchet-Wheel, if, which is designed to be actuated by means of two pawls, e and 0". These pawls are carried upon a pivoted arm, a, and they engage the opposite sides of the ratchet-wheel i. The movements of the arm or lever e are occasioned by the action of the armature b and arm a by means of the connecting-joint 0 The to-and-fro movements of the lever a cause the pawls e" and c to alternately engage the teeth of the ratchetwheel and advance it step by step. This movement causes the ratchet-wheel to be revolved and the type-wheel T to be advanced correspondingly. A ratchet wheel, 6, upon the sleeve 11 is caused to advance under the influence of the armature 7/ by means of pawls f and f" and a lever, f, in precisely the same manner as described with reference to the ratchet-wh eel t. The movement of this sleeve causes the type-wheel T to be advanced step by step in response to electricimpulsestrans mitted through the corresponding system of electromagnets.

'XVhen it is desired to effect an impression from the type-wheel which has been revolved until the desired type is above the platen g or h, the impulse last transmitted is prolonged.

Such a prolongation induces in the core of the corresponding elect-ro-magnet, B B", for exan1- ple, sufficient magnetism to overcome the re tractile force applied to two corresponding armatures, D Dflwhieh are respectively applied to the two poles of the electro-magnet. The first of these armatures, D, is employed, for

causing the platen g to be impelled in the direction of the type-wheel T through the agency of a pivoted lever, upon which it is carried, and an arm, 9', extending from the an mature above one extremity of the lever. A similar arm, h, and lever If are employed for actuating the platen h of the type'wheel T when an armature, D", which corresponds to the armature D, is actuated by means of one pole of the electro-magnet B B. The armature l) and a corresponding armature, D, respectively, applied to the remaining poles of electro-magnets B B and B B are each employed for actuating a paper-feeding device, J, when the corresponding arn'iature D or D has been employed for effecting an impression from the corresponding type-wheel. This is accomplished in the case of the armature D by means of an arm, 7'", extending into proximity to a ratchet-wheel j", carried upon an arbor, j, of the paper feeding or friction wheels of the device J. A pawl, j, which is carried at the end of the arm jflengagesthe ratchet-wheel j each time the armature D is depressed, and upon its being released advances the same, thereby causing the frictionrollers i t to be revolved. A similar pawl, j is attached to the armature D, and acts upon the ratchet-wheel] to actuate the paper-feeding device in the same manner when the armature D is actuated.

The method of bringing one typewheel or the other into operation, as desired, will now be described in connection with the device 0, employed for controlling the circuitconnections.

Upon the armatu res D and 1), respectively, are carried two right-angled'extensions, L and L. An arm, m, moving in a suitable bearing, in, is linked to the extremity of the extension L. A similar arm, a, is linked to the extension L and is carried in a hearing, if. The movements of the armature D toward and away from its electro-magnet cause the arm m to be moved to and fro in its bearings in a longitudinal direction, and in like manner the arm'a is actuated by the movements of the arn'iature I).

At the extremity of the arms in and a, respectively, are pivoted two latch-pawls,t" and These pawls are employed for moving the circuit-controlling arm 0 from one of its con tact-points d or a to the other. This arm G is carried upon a centrally-pivoted lever, I. The respective extremities i and i" ofthis lever are designed to be engaged by the re spective pawls t" and i, which are normally pressed in the direction of the lever by means of suitable springs. A T-shaped lever, B, is employed, however, for forcing one or the other of the pawls t" or 11 away from the corresponding extremity of the lever I.

The movements of the lever B are controlled however, may be arrested in such a position that its stop will be in the longitudinal path of the corresponding projections or lugs m or a. 1i one of the typewheels, T, for instance,

be so arrested, and the arnmture D" be caused to app reach the poles of its electro-magnet, the arm a will be thrust forward, the projection a striking against the finger 0, which is thereupon pushed forward against the tension of a spring, 8. Such a movement of the stop may,

it is evident, be occasioned at the will of the transmitting-operator whenever the electromagnet B B is connected in circuit, and, likewise, when the electro-magnet B B is in circuit, the finger 0 will be thrust forward in precisely the same manner by means of the projection m". Such movements of the fingers 0 and o are employed for controlling the posi" tion of the T- shaped lever R through the' agencyot two sliding rods, 2 and p". These rods are respectively pivoted or linked to the opposite extremities of an arm or lever, 11, secured to and moving with the T-shaped lever B. The rod p is provided with a projection or lug, 1), extending toward the typewheel shaft t, and the arm p is likewise provided with a lug, p", projecting toward the sleeve t.

The lug p is in such a position that when the stop 0 is'forccd forward it will, ifthe lever B be in the position shown in the drawings, strike against the stop or lug p and turn the lever 11 upon its axis, thus moving the T-shapcd arm R from the position shown in the drawings.

The latch-pawl i will thereupon be released and allowed to engage the corresponding extremity, i, otthe arm I. The pawl i however,

will at the same time be thrust out of engage- .ment with the extremity i and stand in a position corresponding to that in which the pawl t" was previously held. The subsequent movement of thearm m in response to the movement of the armature D away from the poles of its electro-magnet will cause the pawl i to turn the arm C upon its axis, moving it from its c0ntact-point a to the point 0. The circuit of the main line will thereupon be completed through the electro-magnet B B, while the circuit of the electro-magnet B B will be open. In precisely the same manner, by arresting the type-wheel T in the proper posilion for bringing the finger in the path of the finger a", the T-shaped lever B will be turned in the opposite direction, reestablishing the connections of the main line through the electro-magnet B B", the parts then being in the position shown in the drawings.

For the purpose of assisting the action of the pawls, I attach to the armatures D and D, respectively, suitable retractile springs, s and s, of well-known construction. An eccentric spring, 8*, is applied to the circuit-controlling arm 0, for the purpose of insuring a reliable contact of that arm with one or the other of its contact-points c or c".

For the purpose of insuring that the typewheel at any time being actuated shall be an rested in the proper position to place the corresponding arm, 0 or 0 in thepath of the corresponding projection, m" or a", for the purpose of transferring the type-wheels, it may be desirable to run the same to unison, and then subsequently allow it to advance to the predetermined position for transferring. Such a position may be determined in the same manner as the unison-point is usually determined. The transmitting-operator will usually bear in mind which type-wheel is being employed at any time for printing, and there will there fore be no difficulty in determining the position in which the transmitter should be an rested for transferring, but in the event that the wheels should become displaced, the first attempt to transfer will not operate upon the receiving-instrument and the proper type wheel will remain in position.

The unison of the respective type-wheels with the transmitting apparatus is secured by means oftwo drums, U and U which are respective] y applied to the type-wheel shaft 1; and sleeve t". Each of these wheels is constructed with a flange, a, in which is formed a narrow opening, a. An arm, a, is applied to the drum U, and this arm carries a detent, a", which is designed to secure the unison of the type-wheel T by intercepting the path of a stop, a, projecting from the surface of the drum or flange u. The detent a is of such length that it cannot fall through the slot at", and it is held out of the path of the corresponding stop a during the process of printing from the corresponding type-wheel by the action of one or more pivoted fingers, a, which are shorter than the detent carried upon the arm a; but these fingers preferably are arranged in different radial lines from each other and from the detent 1o with reference to the axis ofthe corresponding drum. By rest-ing upon the surface of the cylinder these fingers serve to hold the detent above and out of the path of the stop a". At each revolution of the drum, however, one of the corresponding fingers falls through the slot and allows the detent to approach near to the drum or flange; and it is evident that if a sufiicieut number of revolutions of the drum be made, the detent will be permitted to fall and rest upon the drum in the path of the stop a. By placing the fingers in successive radial lines I am enabled to prevent more than one of them from falling through the slot at each revolution of the drum.

For the purpose of removing the detent a" from the path of the stop a when it is desired to actuate the type-wheel after it has been brought to unison, and also for the purpose of preventing the detent from intercepting the path of the step during the process of printing continuously from one type-wheel, I prefer to pivot the fingers a to the arm 16?, and to nor mally hold them in their position by means of springs 11?. These springs, however, permit the arms to be turned downward upon their pivots when the arm a is raised and the fingers are brought in contact with the inner surface of the flange. An arm, It, is secured to the arm L, attached to the armature D, which moves with the same, and by projecting across the path of the heel u of the arm a" serves to depress the same and to elevate that arm until the lower flange, a, is brought outside the flange of the drum each time an impression is made. \Vhen, however, it is desired to bring the type-wheel to unison, it is necessary only to allow a sufficient number ofalternating impulses to be transmitted to allow all the fingers to drop through the aperture u". A precisely similar device is employed in connection with the drum U and armature D for securing the unison of the typewheel T It is evident upon an inspection of the drawings that when either typewheel is being actuated the other type-wheel will be locked in a given position, which may or may not be its unison-point, by means of the corresponding pawl and ratchet-wheel, which prevent its movement in one direction, and the corresponding pivoted finger, which, by striking against the longitudinally-movable arm, prt vents its movement in the opposite direction.

For the purpose of insuring that the fingers of the unison device shall rest upon the surface of the drum instead of falling through the slot whenever they are thrown up, after having brought the type-wheel to rest at its unisonpoint, I prefer to place the stop a a slight distance beyond the slot, as shown in the drawings.

I claim as my in vention 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of an electro-magnet, means for vitalizing said electro-magnet, two armatures polarized by induction from said electromagnct, two electro-magnets to which said armatu res are respectively applied, and means, substantially such as described, for completing the connections of an electric circuit through one or the other of the last named electro-magnets.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of an electro-magnet, two armatures polarized by induction from said elcctromaguet, two elcctro-magnets to which said armatures are respectively applied, two independent armatures respectively applied to the last-named electro-magnets, and means,

substantially such as described, actuated by ively revolved through the agency of said armatures in. response to electric impulses transmitted through their respective electromagnets, and means, substantially such as described, controlled by either of said electromagnets for interrupting the connections of an electric circuit through the coils of the same, and substituting therefor a like connection through the coils of the other electro-magnet.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbel'ore set forth, of two armatures, two electro-magnets to which said armatures are respectively applied, two type-wheels respectively revolved through the action of said armatures, two independent armatures respectively applied to said electro-magnets and re sponding to currents of greater duration than the currents required for actuating the firstnamed armatu res, and a circuit-controlling device actuated by the last-nam ed armatures and operating to substitute for the connections of an electric circuit through one of said electro magnets a similar connection through the other when the corresponding type-wheel has been arrested in a predetermined position.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of two type-wheels, two electro-magnets, two armatures respectively applied thereto acting in response to electric impulses transmitted through the coils of the same to revolve one or the other of said typewheels, two independent armatures respectively applied to said electro-magnets, and a circuit-changing device actuated by means of either of the last-named armatures when the corresponding type-whecls have been arrested in a predetermined position to substitute for the connections of an electric circuit through its electro-niagnet a similar connection through the other of said electromagnets.

6. The combination, substantially as herein before set forth, of two type-wheels respectively carried upon a type-wheel shaft, and a sleeve surrounding said shaft, two electro magnets, two armatures respectively applled thereto and responding to electric impulses transmitted therethrough, two ratchet-wheels, respectively applied to said type-wheel shaft and sleeve, means, substantially such as described, for actuating one or the other of said type-wheels through theaction of one of said armatures upon the corresponding ratchetwheel, two independent armatures respectively applied to said electro-magnets and responding to prolongedimpulscs transmitted through the coils ofthe same, and two independent platens respectively applied to said typewheels and acting in response to electric currents of the lastnamed character to impel the corresponding platen in the direction of its type-wheel.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of two type-wheels, two electromagnets, means, substantially suchas described," for revolving said type-wheels independently of each other through the agency of electric impulses transmitted through one or the other of said electro-magnets, two independent armatures respectively applied to said electromagnets, a circuit-controlling device for completing the connections of an electric circuit through one or the other of said electro-magnet-s, and means, substantially such as described, for actuating said circuit-controlling deviee through the agency of said 111- dependent armatures.

, 8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of two electro-magnets, two armatures respectively applied thereto, two pivoted fingers revolved through the agency of said armatures, two independent armatures respectively applied to said electro-magnets and responding to currents of greater duration than those required for actuating the first-named armatures, two movable rods respectively actuated by the movements of said independent armatures, and a centrally-pivoted lever for causing the connections of an electric circuit to be completed through one or the'other of said electro-magnets, and means, substantially such as described, cooperating with said rods toactuate said lever when either one of the pivoted fingers has been arrested in a predetermined posit-ion.

9. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a circuit-closing arm, two arms projecting from the same, two pawls respectively applied to said arms, a rock-lever acting to retain one or the other of said pawls away from its corresponding arm, two electromagnets, and means, substantially such as described, for causing either of said electro-magnets to actuate said rockshaft.

10. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a type-wheel and its shaft, of a circular flanged plate attached to said shaft, a stop carried upon the flange of said plate, a detent extending into proximity to said flange, one or more pivoted fingers, which, by resting upon said flange, serve to normally hold said detent out of the path of said stop, and means, substantially such as described, for permitting said detent to periodically approach the path of said stop when the type-wheel is actuated without printing.

11. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a type-wheel, of a circular flanged plate moving therewith, a stop carried upon said plate, a. detent for intercepting the path of said stop, one or more fingers secured to the support of said detent,

and a slot in the flange of said plate through of pivoted fingers for holding said detent out which one of said fingers is allowed to fall at of the path of said stop, means, substantially each revolution of said plate. such as described, for causing said fingers to 12. The combination, substantially as here I permit said detent to approach the path of 20 5 inbefore set forth, of a type-wheel, a circular said stop, an electro-magnet, its armature and flanged plate moving therewith, astop car- I armature-lever, and means,substantiallysnch ried upon the said plate, a detent for inter- ,as described, for causing the movements of ceptingthepathof saidstop, and asories of pivi said lever to cause said detent to be thrown oted fingers for holding said detent out of the i out of the path of said stop. :0 path of said stop, each. of said fingers being i In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of November, I A. .l). 1883. l

arranged in a different radial line, substantially as described.

13. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, with a circular flanged 15 plate,,a stop carried upon said plate, adetent for intercepting the path of said stop, a series ROBERT J. SHEEHY. \V H nesses:

DANL. \V. Eno'noonn, Oruunns A. TERRY.

Images