US433835A

US433835A - Telegraph-key

Info

Publication number: US433835A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 1907-08-05

Description

(No Model.)

J. B. VAN DEUSEN.

TELEGRAPH KEY.

No. 433,835. Patented Aug. 5, 1890..

ATIOR/VEYS trunnions of the key.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BARNER VAN D-EUSEN, OF SARATOGA, NEW YORK.

TELEGRAPH-KEY.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 433,835, dated August 5, 1890.

Application filed May '7, 1890. Serial No. 350,958. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BARNER VAN DEUSEN, of Saratoga, in the county of Saratoga and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Telegraph-Key, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved telegraph-key. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the circuit closed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the key, showing the position of the parts while the key is in use, and Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line as w in Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The object of my invention is to provide means for automatically closing a telegraphcircuit as the operator releases the key and for opening the circuit when the key is grasped by the hand.

My invention consists in the combination, with the anvil-contact and key-lever, of a contact-spring arranged to automatically close the circuit on the key-lever, and an auxiliary lever pivoted to thekey-lever for pressing the contact-spring away from the keylever.

The key A is of well-known construction, being formed of the base-plate B, the standards O, the key-leverD, pivoted in the stand ards, and the leg a, passing through the baseplate B, insulated therefrom and provided with the anvil-contact b for opposing the contact c of the key-lever D. Under the head of the leg a is placed a flat spring cl, which is curved rearwardly and upwardly and slit at the end so as to form the arms 6 e, projecting upwardly at opposite sides of the keylever D, and the arm f, projecting rearwardly underneath the key-lever and normally making contact with the under surface of the said key-lever.

To the lever D is pivoted a forked lever E at a point a short distance in front of the The lever E extends forward and is curved to conform approximately with the upper surface of the key-lever D. The key-knob F is divided, the forward portion 9 being attached directly to the end of the key-lever in the usual way, the

rear portion h being secured to the forward end of the lever E, the two parts taken together forming a complete knob of the usual shape. Each arm of the forked part of the lever E is provided with a strip c' of insulating material. These insulating-strips rest upon the arms e e of the spring d.

When the key is not in use, the lever E is lifted by the spring d and the said spring makes an electrical contact with the key-lever D, so that the current passing to the key through the rear leg j flows out through the spring d and through the leg a. When the operator grasps the knob F of the key, the pressure of the index-finger upon the rear portion h of the knob carries the lever E downward into contact with the key-lever D, thus pressing the spring d downward, carrying the arm f of the said spring out of contact with the key-lever D, thus breaking the circuit. The edges of the knob F are grasped by the thumb and second finger in the usual way, and the key is operated in the same manner as an ordinary key, the circuit being opened and closed at the contacts I) c. When the operator releases the key, the spring cl again closes the circuit on the key-lever D and at the same time forces upward the lever E, as shown in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that whenever the key is released the circuit will be automatically closed, thereby preventing the delays which frequently occur as the operator, through neglect or otherwise, fails to close the circuit of the ordinary key.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a telegraph-key, the combination, with the anvil-contact and the key-lever, of a spring attached to the anvil-contact and normally making contact With the key-lever D and a finger-lever pivoted to the key-lever and arranged for pressing the contact-spring away from the key-lcver, substantially as specified.

2. In a telegraph-key, the combination, with the key-lever D, of the lever E, provided with the insulation 2' and pivotally connected-with the key-lever, and the contact-spring d, connected with the anvil-contact and arranged trically with the anvil-contact and normally t0 normally-form an electrical contact with pressing the key-lever D, substantially as 10 the key, substantially as specified. specified.

3. Inatelegraph-key, the combination, with I JOHN BARNER VAN DEUSEN 5 a lever provided with the segmental knob F,

of the auxiliary lever E, furnished with the WVitnesses: insulation 2 and carrying a part of the knob FRANCISCO J ACINTO DEL CORRAL, F, and the contact-spring cl, connected elec- CHARLES MASON DAVISON.