US3387088A

US3387088A - Telegraph single key

Info

Publication number: US3387088A
Application number: US439709A
Authority: US
Inventors: William H Stout
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-03-15
Filing date: 1965-03-15
Publication date: 1968-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 1985-06-04

Description

June 4, 1968 w. H. srouT TELEGRAPH SINGLE KEY d JAM INVENTOR.

/ Jr'oc/T,

Filed March l5, 1965 67: Taeeens,

United States Patent O This invention relates to keys for sending messages by telegraphic or wireless code, and more particularly to Ikeys havin-g a single operating lever yfor transmitting both dots and dashes.

In my Patent 3,160,705, issued Dec. 8, 1964, a tele- :graph sending key is disclosed which is of the double lever type. That is, the key is provided with two levers, one` of Iwhich makes dots and the other of which makes dashes. Instead of the electric contacts of the key being opened by springs, magnets are employed. The key shown in-my patent has many advantages, but some operators prefer a single key, which is one in which only one pivoted lever is used. When swung in one direction dots are transmitted and when swung in the opposite direction dashes are made. In the past, the lever has usually been returned to central position by a spring. Magnetic force has been suggested, but the arrangement is such that centering is not positive. In other words, the lever tends to vibrate laterally when moved back to centered position by the magnet, whereby unwanted dots and dashes may be transmitted.

It, is among the objects of this invention to provide a telegraph sending key of the single lever type, in which the lever is quickly returned to centered position by a magnet, in which the lever stops dead without vibrating when returned to centered position, and which can he adjusted to perform in any manner desired by the operator.

In accordance with this invention a telegraph key, having front and rear ends, is pivotally mounted on a base on a vertical axis. Stationary electric contacts are mounted on the base on opposite sides of the lever near its front end beside electric contacts that are carried by the opposite sides of the lever. At the rear end of the lever there is means for manually swinging it back and forth to move either of the lever contacts into engagement with the adjacent stationary contact. A roller is connected to the front end of the lever on an axis extending lengthwise of the lever, and a magnet is mounted on the base beneath the roller. The top of the magnet has a pair of laterally spaced poles, above which there is a pair of metal strips that are substantially parallel to the base. The adjacent ends of the strips are between the magnet and the roller. The strips are rigidly supported with a gap between them that is disposed above the center of the magnet and that extends lengthwise of the lever. The roller is adapted to roll on the strips when the lever is swung back and forth. When the lever is released by the operator, the magnet returns the roller to engagement with the opposite sides of the gap to center the lever between the stationary contacts.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. l is a plan view of my key;

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are end views taken in the direction of arrows III and IV, respectively, in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, an electronic type key is shown, although the invention is equally applicable to the older style telegraph keys that make the dots and dashes directly. With an electronic key, there are two sets of electric contacts, one set .for the dots and the other set for the dashes to be transmitted. The movable contacts are moved horizontally. For this purpose, a substantially horizontal bar lever 1 is pivotally connected near its rear end on a vertical axis to a suitable base 2, which may be metal. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, the

ice

lever may be provided with aligned upper and lower pivot pins 3 seated in bearings 4 and 5 secured to the base and to a yoke 6 mounted on the base and straddling the lever bar. Finger pieces or paddles 7 are attached to the opposite sides of the same end of the lever to permit the operator to swing the lever on its pivot.

IOn opposite sides of the lever near its front end are stationary electric contacts 9 mounted on the inner ends of horizontal adjusting screws 10 extending through posts 11 mounted on the base. These posts may be insulated from the base by upper and lower

insulating washers

12 and 13, through which holding screws 14 extend. The screws are spaced from the walls of enlarged openings 1S through the base in any suitable manner, such as by insulating sleeves or by inner flanges on the washers projecting into the ends of the holes. Wires 16 are connected to the lower ends of the screws to connect the stationary contacts in the desired electric circuits. A ground wire (not shown) can be connected to the base in any suitable location.

Mounted on opposite sides of the lever between the two stationary contacts are two movable contacts 18 that normally are spaced a short distance away from the stationary contacts. When the paddles are swung in one direction or the other, one of the contacts on the lever will engage the adjacent stationary contact and close the corresponding electric circuit. Depending upon which set of contacts is closed, either a dot or a dash will be transmitted.

It is a feature of this invention that the lever is returned `quickly and positively to its nor-mal position midway between the stationary contacts by nonmechanical means every time the paddles are released. Specifically, magnetic means are used for this purpose. Accordingly, a roller 20 is disposed in front of the lever, where it is supported through suitable means from the lever, with the axis of the roller extending lengthwise of the lever. IPreferably, the roller is journaled on the front end of a tiny shaft 21 that is rigidly mounted on the front end of a leaf spring 23, the rear end of which is clamped in a slot in the front end of the lever by means of a screw 24. Mounted on base 2 beneath the roller is a permanent magnet 26 having a pair of laterally spaced poles at its top. Thus, the magnet may be of the horseshoe type. yMounted on the base on opposite sides of the magnet is a pair of posts 27 having screws 2S in their upper ends for attaching to them the outer ends of flat metal strips 29 that are substantially parallel to the base. The inner ends of the strips are disposed between the roller and magnet. 'Ihey also are spaced apart to provide a narrow lgap between them. The Igap is disposed above the center of the magnet and it extends lengthwise of the lever. The strips may be made of a nonferrous material, but it is preferred to make them of soft iron.

The height of metal strips 29 above the ibase is such that with no magnetic attraction present, the roller would be supported by spring 23 a slight distance above the strips or in very light engagement with them. However, the magnet pulls the roller downward into firm engagement with the metal strips. Thus, when the lever is swung back and forth by the paddles, the roller will roll back and forth along the strips and across the narrow gap between them. When the paddles are released, the magnetic force acting through the strips will cause the roller immediately to roll toward and into the gap to engage its opposite sides; that is, the adjacent upper edges of the strips. When the roller is in this central position it will hold the lever in centered position also, with the movable contacts 18 spaced from both stationary contacts. lIhus, the magnet always positively centers the lever every time the paddles are released. Another advantage is that the moment the roller rolls into the gap between the metal strips, it stops dead so that there is no vibrating of the lever laterally.

Since different operators like different degrees of resistance to movement of the lever bar away from center, this resistance can 'be \varied to suit them in three difierent ways. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the magnet can be rigidly mounted on the upper end of a screw 31 that is threaded through the base. The magnet can be turned with the screw and then locked in the new position by means of a nut 32 on the lower end of the screw. As the magnet is rotated from the position shown in FIG. 3, the magnetic force that it exerts on the roller will be reduced. This force also can be varied by raising and lowering the magnet relative to metal strips 29 above it. This likewise is done by turning the magnet to run screw 31 up or down in the base. A third way of changing the resistance of the lever to movement away from its centered position is to loosen the screws 28 that hold the metal strips and then move the strips toward or away from each other to vary the width of the gap between them. The strips can be slotted for this purpose. The wider the gap, the more efort the operator will have to apply to the lever in order to swing it away from centered position.

The lever swings extremely free 4because there is no restraining spring connected to it. This invention also allows close setting of the contacts lbecause centering of the lever is very definite and positive and there is no lateral bounce that would cause the contacts to engage when the lever is released. A very high rate of message transmission can `be produced with this key Aby an expert operator.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In a telegraph key that includes a base, a lever above the base having front and rear ends, means pivotally mounting the lever on the base on a vertical axis, stationary electric contacts mounted on the base on opposite sides of the lever near its front end, electric contacts carried 'by the opposite sides of the lever between the xed contacts and normally spaced therefrom, and manually operable means at the rear end of the lever for swinging it back and forth to move either of the contacts thereon into engagement with the adjacent stationary contact; the improvement comprising a roller in front of the lever, means connected to the front end of the lever and extending forward therefrom for supporting the roller with its axis extending lengthwise of the lever, a magnet mounted on the base beneath the roller and having a pair of laterally spaced poles at its top, a pair of metal strips substantially parallel to the base projecting between the roller and magnet, and means rigidly supporting the strips with a gap between them that is disposed above the center of the magnet and extends length` wise of the lever, the roller being adapted to roll on said strips when the lever is swung back and forth, and said magnet normally holding the roller in engagement with the opposite sides of said gap to center the lever between said stationary contacts.

2. In a telegraph key according to claim 1, including means mounted on the 'base adjustably supporting the magnet to vary the magnetic force it exerts on said roller.

3. In a telegraph key according to claim 1, including means mounted on the base adjustably supporting the magnet to permit it to be raised and lowered relative to said strips.

4. In a telegraph key according to claim 1, in which said magnet can be turned on a vertical axis to vary the magnetic force it exerts on said roller.

5. In a telegraph key according to claim 1, in which said strips are adjustable toward and away from each other to vary the width of said gap.

`6. In a telegraph -key according to claim 1, in which said roller-supporting means includes a spring secured to the front end of the lever and extending forward therefrom, and means carried by the front end of the spring rotatably supporting the roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,098,898 7/1963 Jakosky et al. 178--108 3,293,363 12/1966 Pfeiffer 178-108 THOMAS A. ROBINSON, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A TELEGRAPH KEY THAT INCLUDES A BASE, A LEVER ABOVE THE BASE HAVING FRONT AND REAR ENDS, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING THE LEVER ON THE BASE ON A VERTICAL AXIS, STATIONARY ELECTRIC CONTACTS MOUNTED ON THE BASE ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE LEVER NEAR ITS FRONT END, ELECTRIC CONTACTS CARRIED BY THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE LEVER BETWEEN THE FIXED CONTACTS AND NORMALLY SPACED THEREFROM, AND MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS AT THE REAR END OF THE LEVER FOR SWINGING IT BACK AND FORTH TO MOVE EITHER OF THE CONTACTS THEREON INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ADJACENT STATIONARY CONTACT; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A ROLLER IN FRONT OF THE LEVER, MEANS CONNECTED TO THE FRONT END OF THE LEVER AND EXTENDING FORWARD THEREFROM FOR SUPPORTING THE ROLLER WITH ITS AXIS EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE LEVER, A MAGNET MOUNTED ON THE BASE BENEATH THE ROLLER AND HAVING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED POLES AT ITS TOP, A PAIR OF METAL STRIPS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE BASE PROJECTING BETWEEN THE ROLLER AND MAGNET, AND MEANS RIGIDLY SUPPORTING THE STRIPS WITH A GAP BETWEEN THEM THAT IS DISPOSED ABOVE THE CENTER OF THE MAGNET AND EXTENDS LENGTHWISE OF THE LEVER, THE ROLLER BEING ADAPTED TO ROLL ON SAID STRIPS WHEN THE LEVER IS SWUNG BACK AND FORTH, AND SAID MAGNET NORMALLY HOLDING THE ROLLER IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID GAP TO CENTER THE LEVER BETWEEN SAID STATIONARY CONTACTS.