US468473A - ceane - Google Patents

Description

(I\ Io Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. G. CRANE & F. W. COLE.

REPEATER FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

No. 468,473. Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

Invent M0665 Gflrane Fradera'ck WCaZe 5 m fl d fizzy.

ifitness as,

TON, n. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

M. G. CRANE & P. W. COLE. REPEATER FOR ELEGTRIG CIRCUITS.

No. 468,473. Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

. 7& 03 jnven tons. I I, f v M0665 C Urwne'md Frederick W G'ol (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4'.

M. G. CRANE & F. W. COLE. RBPEATER FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

No. 468,473. Patented Feb 9, 1892.

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lumen/tors,

w iiwi'rn Statics Aren't MOSES G. CRANE AND FREDERICK \V. COLE, OF NEWTON, Illr'iSSAC-lIUSEFr .REPEATER FUR ELECTRlG GlRCUlTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ?atent No. 4168,4373, dated February 9, 3.392.

Application filed July 2, 1889.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MOSES G. CRANE and FRED RICK W. COLE, of Newton, county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have "invented an Improvement in Repeaters for 'mitting or repeating the signals that may be received from a signal-box on any one circuit over all the circuits of the system. The signals are usually produced by opening and closing the circuits which are commonly normally closed and with the currents applied to them, and the signals generally consist of a number of consecutive short closures of the circuit separated from one another by definite short intervals of time, and the break-wheels of the transmitting-boxes are usuallyso made that while a signal is being transmitted the time of closure of the circuit is shorter than the interval between two consecutive closures, during which interval the circuit remains open.

For convenience the instrument forming the subject of this invention will be described as'il intended to operate for signals of the character just referred to, although it is obvious that the repeating-instrument forming the subject of this invention might be employed with signals of other character-as, for example, when closures of varying duration are used to produce signals composed of dots and dashes, such as used in the Horse alphabet, or when the signals are given by changes in the character or condition of the current'other than total interruption and recstablishmeut ot' the current.

it'is necessary for a repeatingix strument for the purpose above set forth tli t the instrument should be capable of operation by any one of the several circuits, and that on Serialllo. 315,332 (No model) the moment that one circuit begins to transmit a signal the repeatiug-instrument should be removed from control of all the other ciris included, so that the message can be re ceived on one circuit and repeated over several other circuits as quickly as it could be received if no such repetition had to be provided for.

v with this invention provided with a number of electro-magnets, one in each circuit, and adapted to respond directly to the signals originally transmitted in said circuit, the armatures of said magnet each actuating directly or through the intervention of a relay a number of circuit-changers co-operating with all the circuits connected with the repeater, so that'the movement of any one armature immediately produces a break or change in all the circuits connected with the repeatinginstrument. The said armatures are each provided with a loci; or detent, all of which looks are connected to move simultaneously and each of which is normally disengaged from its corresponding armature, leaving'ltii'ee to move; but on the backward or retractive movement of any one armature all. the locks are immediately moved and all except the one corresponding to the armature 9o which has moved to operate them are bysuch movement thrown into engagement with and lock the corresponding armatures in such position that they are unaffected by changes in their magnets, while the particular armature 5 that has moved to operate the locking device is itself in such relation to its lock to be left free to respond to its magnet, so that it will go on responding to the message that is being transmitted in its own circuit, and each we of its movements will produce a corresponding change in all the other circuits; but the said change in the other circuits, or, in fact, any change made from any point in any of In order to accomplish this result, the repeating-instrument is in accordance 7o the said other circuits, is unable to afliect the armatures of the repeater-magnets therein, owing to the effect of the before-mentioned look; It isfiecessary that the lock should remain in engagement with the several armatures during the entire period of time occupied by the message that is being originally transmitted,but that the armatures should be unlocked as soon as possible after such message is finished, so as to leave the repeater in condition to respond to the next message which may be transmitted in any one of the circuits. This result is eitected by means of amechanical motor or clock-work having a time-movement and being controlled by each of the armatures of the several repeater-magnets in such manner that the said motor begins to operate at the first backward or opening movement of any one of the armatures, and in its operation begins to operate a restorer for the armature at each forward or closing movement of said armature, which restorer is so arranged that it requires a period of movement of the motor slightly greater than the longest closure of the circuit that occurs in the transmission of any continu'ous message before it can restore the lock to its original position and unlock all of the armatures. The magnet that is responding to a message throws the lock-restorer back to its original starting-point at each break of said message, so that as long as'the armature is responding to the successive impulses of the message the restorer cannot move far enough to unlock the armatures; but shortly after the magnetarmatu're comes to rest in normal attracted position at the end of a message it completes the movement of the restorer which returns the locks to their original or normal position and releases all of the armatures, leaving the repeater ready for the next operation, and finally stops the restoring-motor itself. Means are also provided for preventing the derange-.

ment of the working parts in case any one or more of the main circuits should be permanently broken, grounded, or otherwise deranged, so that its magnet remains in abnormal condition.

From the previous description it will be understood that while one of the magnets is demagnetized the motor that restores the looking devices is running,.and if the said magnot should remain dcmagnetized fora-n indefinite period the said motor would run down. In order to prevent this, an additional restoring device is employed which will restore the repeater, with the exception of the deranged circuit, to its normal condition and leave it unaffected by the magnet the circuit of which is deranged, so that the remaining circuits can operate in the normal manner.

There are various other features, which contribute to the efficiency of the devices which will be hereinafter explained.

Figure l is a front elevation of a sutiicient portion of a repeating-instrument to illustrate this invention; Fig. 2 a side elevation of one of the main circuit-magnets and a portion of the devicesthat co-operate directly with the armature thereof; Figs. 3 and 4, details representing said devices in. different positions, to be referred to; Figs. 5 and 6,1nodifications thereof; Fig. 7, a perspective view of a portion of the devices that restore the repeat-er to normal condition when one of the main lines is deranged; Fig. 8, a detail representing a modification of said devices; Fig. 9, a side elevation of the time-motor that restores the armature-locks to their original or normal condition after a signal has been transmitted and restores the repeater to normal condition in case one of the main circuits is deranged; Fig. 10, a detail representing a portion of the devices shown in Fig. 9 in different positions; Figs. 11,12, 13, and 14, details of the restoring mechanism that operates when one of the main lines is deranged, and Fig. 15 a diagram representing one arrangement of the circuits that may be employed.

One only of the main-line magnets a is shown in Fig. l; but it is to be understood that there will be one of said magnets included in each main circuit of the entire set of circuits in which the signals are to be repeated, and that said magnets will be placed side by side in line with one another on a suitable base or support B, and that devices will co-operate with the armaturcs of the several magnets, which devices are alike for each magnet, so that those co-operating with one magnet only need be described. v

As shown in Fig.1 and in the diagram,'Fig. 15, the message received on any one line is repeated over the other main lines through the intervention of a relay-magnet R, which may be mounted upon the base or support- I at the end of the row of main-line magnets, as shown in Fig. 1, and is included in a local circuit controlled by contacts a operated by the armature-levers a of the maincircuit magnets a, (see Fig. 2,) the said pairs of contacts controlled by the several main circuitmagnets being in series in the local circuit of'the relay, so that the opening of any one will open the said local circuit, and thus cause the relay-magnet R to respond. The armature-lever R of said relay-magnet R is provided with a pin or projection R", which co-opcratcs with an arm b connected bration of said magnet causes the said arm b to swing and oscillate the shaft Z), which is a rock-shaft, and is controlled wholly bysuch movementof the armature-lever R being swungin one direction by the retractive movement of said armature and moved back to its when the armature is again attracted. The movement of the armature R is in this instance utilized to repeat the signal or message l on the other circuits, the said armature or the shaft b moved by it being provided with a contact-carrier c, (see Fig. 1,) provided with original position by mcans of a spring 1) IIO with a shaft b in such manner that each viso that the separation of the contacts 0 6-" upon the retraction of said armature produces the break in the other main circuits which immediately follows the break in any one circuit that permitted the armature-lever (t of the corresponding main-circuit magnet to be retracted, and thus open the local circuit, and when the relay-armature is again attracted by the closure of the local circuit by the maincireuit magnet that was originally operated the resulting forward movement of the said relay-armature will again close all the other main circuits.

Inasmuch as the breaking of the main circuits in which the signal is repeated depends upon and thus follows in time the retractivemovement of the armature of the magnet that was operated by a break external to the repeater, there is a very short interval of time between the li'fllilillVC movement of the armature that first elteeted by an external change in its circuit and the demagnetization of the other main-circuit magnets, which interval is depended upon to effeet the locking or retaining of the armatures of the other main circuiti magnets in operative condition, while the locking device for the armature of the externally-effected main.- circuit magnet is operated in such manner as to lOZ'LVG'SitlLl armature in condition to respond to further changes in the circuit, and thus continue to affect the relay, as will now be described.

A rock-shatt or lock-actuating bar 0 is provit ed with a lock 0 for each armatur (shown in 2, and l as consisting of a finger or projection hanging from the end of an arm e, fixed upon said rock-shaft 0,) so'that when the latter turns a short distance in the'dircction of the arrow, Fig. 2, the said projection drops in at the frontof a stationary projection c" at the rear of the armature-lever of each magnet that is energized, (see Fig. 3,) but falls at the rear of said. projection corionding to any armature that is retracted at the moment when or just before the said locking device falls. (See Fig. s) The said lock is provided with a projection or pin 1:, extending across the rear of a projcciiou a on the armattire-lever (L2 of the main-circuit 1 gnct, that in case the said locking dev'ee drops at the frontof the projection c b tween it and the armature-dire said lien cnotinteri with the movement of the armature, much by the engagement of the plaincd, it separating the contacts of said circuit-closer when the lock falls in front of the projection, so as to lock the armature from retractive movement, but being disengaged from the said circuit-closer and leaving the contacts together in case the armature is retracted and moves the lock to the rear of the projection 0" before the lock drops, as is the case with the magnet through which the message is being received. As a modification of this locking device or even in addition thereto, an arm similar to 0 might be provided with a locking projection 0 that co-operates directly with a projection a ou the armature-lever, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, said projection c dropping at the rear of the projection a on the armature in case the lock is operated while the magnet is energized, as shown in Fig. 5, or falling at the front of said projection if the armature was retracted before the lock fell, is the case with the magnet that is responding to the message, in which case the parts will come to the position shown in Fig. (i, the lock permitting the forward movement of the armature, and the prbjection a being made somewhat yielding or elastic, if need be, so as to permit the full forward or attractive movement of the armature.

With either construction of the locking device it maybe operated by the following mechanism. (Best shown 'in Figs. 1 and 9.) The said rocleshaft 0 (see Fig. 9) is provided with a controlling-{trill c, which is normally supported in position to keep the locking devices 0' raised, as shown in Fig. i, by means of a prop 0 provided with a preferably slightlyyielding linger c, that rests in the teeth of a ratchet a, connected with one of the armatures of a clock-work motor or train of wheelwork shown actuated by a mainspriug It the projection c on the prop c is thrown out from the teeth of the ratchet c", the arm c' will drop permit the rock-shaft c to turn, and lower the locks c' to the position shown in Figs. ll and -:l-; and it the finger c is again thrown into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet c" and the train of wheel-work is moving the arm 0" will gradually be carried there- ICC TIC

by back to its normal position, raising the locks to their normal position. as best shown in Fi 2.

The motor is so timed that a movement of operative relation to the armature and other parts represented in Figs. 3 and it, and, it dosired, the arm 0 may be loose on the shaft 0 and engage it by means of projections 0 so that the rocleshaft will be moved only during the last part of tlle upward movement of the prop 0 The arm c is also provided with a detent c that engages with a projection c from the governor or balance of the train of wheel-work, or otherwise engages with said train so as to stop its movcmentas the arm 0" in being raised by the' ratchet arrives at its normal position, and so as to permit the train to start the moment the arm is dropped by the disengagement of the finger and ratchet c, as before mentioned. This engagement and disengagement of the finger c and the ratchet c" is effected by a projection on an arm 1/ from the rock-shaft b, which is itself operated by the arm b (see Fig. 1,) engaged by the projection R on the armaturelever of the relayunagnet R in such manner that when said armature is retracted the projection h throws the projection 0- out from the teeth of the ratchet; but when said armature is attracted it throws it into engagement with the said ratchet a, so that as the shaft Z) responds to the movement of the main-circuit armature the said finger 0 will, during the transmission of a message, be retained in engagement with the ratchet 0" only during such periods of time as are occupied by the closures of the circuit forming part of the message, which periods-of time are, as before stated, too short to bring the locking parts back to their normal position, and at the end of each closure the linger c is again disengaged, so that the prop drops to its-lowest position, and it cannot be moved tar enough to restore the locks to their normal position until it has been held in engagement with the ratchet a sufficient time by one continuous closure of the circuit, which can only occur after the message has been completed. The projection Z) engages with the prop b by means of a slot or guideroove, as shown in Fig. 9, so as to permitof the movement of the prop with the ratchet, but at the same time to control its position as to engagement with the ratchet at all times by the movement of the arm Z)". As the closures during thcftransmission of a signal are usually of very short d u ration, the time required to'restore the locks to their normal position after the final closure of the circuit at the end of a message may be made very short, at the end of which time the entire instrument will be restored to the normal condition ready to respond to a message coming in on any line.

The parts thus far described are all that is necessary for the normal operation when all the lines are in working condition, and the normal operation will be best understood in connection with the diagram, Fig. 15, which represents the main-circuit magnet that is recciving'the message only. The said main circuit may be traced follows: From one terminal of the magnet a by wire 2 out from the main stat-ion and to the signal-box or break-wheels Vt, by which themessages are to be transmitted, and back to the main office, where it connects with one or" the members of the circuit-closer e a operated by the relaymagnet R, from the other member of which circuit-closer the line is completed, as shown at 3 to the other terminal of the ma net a, a battery being included at any desired point. A branch circuit 4 5 around the relay-contacts c 0 includes and is controlled by the switch S, that is operated by the armature-lock, as before stated, said switch being closed for the magnet that responding to a incssage, as shown in the diagram, but -being opened for all other main-circuit magnets immediat, .y after the first break of the magnet that is responding to a signal in its own circuit. Thus the circuit-closer corresponding to 6 a for al other circuits will hate complete control ot these circuits, which may thusrespond to the movements of the relay-armature; but the circuit-closer e c of the one circuit in which the message is being originally received will have no control of thatcircuit, as the shunt 4 5 will be closed, thus leaving said circuit wholly under control of the external trans mitter or break-wheel that may be operating.

The magnet a in the main circuit in which the message is being originally received con trols the relay by its contact a in the local circuit, which may be traced as follows: From one terminal of the relay-magnet R- by Wire 6 to one member of the circuit-controller a of the first magnet, and from the other member thereof by wire '7 to the circuit-controller a of the next magnet, and so on, the second member of the last circuit-controller of being connected by wire S back to the other terminal of the relay. Any one of the circuit controllers 11. may thus control the localrelay circuit (3 7 S; but as all but one are locked in' their closed position immediately after a message begins the-said local circuit remains until completion of a message under control of that one which is not locked.

It may happen, owing to some derangement of some one of the main circuits, that the corres ending ma net wouldvremain dema 'netized, and, if so, the contact a would remain open and the relay-armature in its retracted position, which would leave the lock-propping device 0 disengaged from the ratchet c keep in'g all the other armatures locked out of operative position, and, furthermore, leaving the restoring-motor running continuously until it would run down. To avoid such derangement of the repeater, the parts, with the exception of the deranged circuit, may be automatically restored to normal condition ready to operate with all the circuits that'are in operative condition externally to the repeater by the following mechanism: Inorder to rc-engage the prop-finger c '-,with theratchet c", it will be necessary merely to move the shaf 3) to its normal condition, which may be done by closing the local circuit ofthe relay over that one of the circuit-breakers a which happens to be open, and to accomplish this result the local-circuit Wires 6 7, for example, leading from the two members of the said circuit-breakerso may be connected with two members h h of a normally- 'open switch, which may be mounted directly upon the armaturelever a of each main-circuit magnet, it constituting the projection a thereon before referred to. The said switch is shown in Figs. 1 and 7 made in the form of an elbow-lever, its movable member 71 having an arm h extending latcrally'to one side of the armature-lever, as best shown in Fig.

7, and when said lever is retracted the said arm h stands over an arm d from a rockshaft (Z, so that if said rocloshaft is turned the said arm 17, will turn the switch 1 in the direction to close it, and thus complete the local relay-circuit around the openpoint a. A spring (see Fig. 7) tends to throw the switch open,when the arm (Z is again dropped; but while the armature remains in its retracted' position the switch-lever is retained in its closed position by a (log or look 5, shown as pivoted on a support i near the armaturelevcr and acted upon by a spring i that tends to throw its shoulder into engagement with theswitch when the latter is moved by the arm (I while resting against the arm i. A stop i" limits the movement of the dog L' toward the magnet, so that in case the magnet should be energized by the restoration of the circuitto the normal condition it will draw the switch 7/ forward out of engagement with the look i, when the spring 71* will snap the switch back to its normal position and the magnet will be ready to operate in the normal way. The rock-shaft d, that throws the switch when a magnet remains demagnetized, as des 'ribed, has its own movement controlled by the same motor thatrestores the armature-1ocking devices in the normal operation, as before described, and in such manner that the said rock-shaft will b moved upward and then released after the motor has been running for a period of time greater than the longest opening of the circuit forming part of a normal message, and such upward movement will cause the relay to be energized, which in turn will throw the finger 0 into engagement with the ratchet c", and thus after a short additional interval will raise the locks and stop the motor and thus bring the entire repeater to normal operative condition. fihis movement of the rock-shaft d is produced by a swinging yoke 76, pivoted loosely on one of the arbors of the motor and acted upon by a spring k (see Fig. 11,) tending to turn it in the opposite direction to that in which the arbor g" is turning. The said plate is provided with a pivoted linger 7t, adapted to engage an arm (F on the rocksha-ft (Z, so that when moved by its spring 7r? from the position shown in Fi 10 to that shown in Fig. 9. it will swing the arm (I quickly upward and then release it, such movement being sufficient, through the action of the arm (Z to throw the switch h of any magnet that may be demagnetized, as will be understood from Figs. 2 andl'. The finger 7t is brought to the position below the arm d and the spring 7;. is strained or wound up the first time that the motor is set in oporation'durin the transmission of a signal 3 J v by means of a ratchet itfiturned by one of the wheels, as g, of the motor-train or by said shaft g, as will be understood from Figs. 9

and 11, the said ratchet engaging a pawl on the yoke 7., as shown in Fig. i). The said ratchet L which is re resented in seotion in frame-work, and which then supports the said yoke against the action of its spring 73. until the pawl m is tripped by means which will be hereinafter described. Just after the arm is has passed by the pawl m and the latter has snapped back beneath the arm a projection 7t from the pawl It comes against a projection m from the stationary f rame-work, so that the further movement of the ratchetand swinging yoke turns the pawl out from engagement with the ratchet is, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10,) thus leaving the yoke k disengaged from the ratchet and supported wholly by the engagement of its arm 73 with the pawl m, the plate It then remaining in the position shown in Fig. 10 until some one of the main-line circuits remain broken for a greater length of time than occurs iirtlie normal transmission of a message, after which the said yoke will be released by the disengagement of the pawl m and will be swung around by the action of its spring, and thus operate the rock-shaft d to effect the restoration of the repeater to nor mal condition, as before described. The disengagement of the pawl m after such aperiod of time is effected by the following devices controlled by the shaft Z1, which, as before de scribed, responds to changes of conditions of the main-line circuit. The said shaft 7) is provided with an arm N, having spring-fingers u that embracea projection a from a pawl n pivoted on a plate nflwhich is mounted loosely on the shaft g between the yoke it and the ratchet it, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11. lVhen the shaft 1) is in the normal condition, as when the main circuits are all closed, the arm N causes a lateral projection N of the pawl n to be disengaged from a ratchet 0, (shown in section, Fig. 11, and in full lines in Fig. 113,) and when the said shaft Z2 is in abnormal position, as'when any of the main-line circuits is opened, it causes the said projection 91. to engage with the ratchet o, as shown in Fig. 13. The said ratchet 0 is also-loose on the shaft g and acted upon by a light spring 0 tending to rotate the ratchet in the same direction that theshaftg is turning, but yielding and being, as'it were, wound up in case the said-ratchet is restrained from turning, as by engagement of the pawl it", while the shaft g is turning. 'lhesaid shaft is arranged to have a limited movement only with relation to the shaft {1", at the end of which movement it is positively engaged by said shaft or some partinoving with it. As showi: in thisinstance, the wheel g, to which the ratchet l is attached, is provided with a IIO reccss 5 (see Figs. 11 and 14,) into which a P jection o 'from theratchctoextends. The plate 71, upon which the pawl n is pivoted, has a projecting portion 71 that normally rests between the stationary projection m and an arm m, connected with the pawl m, that supports the arm 1;, (see Figs. 10 and 12,) and the said pawl m affords a sufficient resistance to the movement of the plate m" to overcome the strength of the spring 0 acting on the ratchet 0, in case the said ratcheto is engaged by the shoulder a of the pawl. n. Thus any time that the shaft 1) is turned upon the breaking of one of the maincircuits, so as to throw the pawl projection a into engagement with the ratchet 0, the said ratchet. will merely be prevented from turning for'a time, and if aftera short interval the shaft bshonld be turned back again,'as will happen in the normal operation, the pawl 0 will be released and its spring 0 will throw it forward to the forward limit of the movement which it has independent of the shaft-th'at is, until the pin 0 engages the shoulder at the forward end of the recess g with relation to the direction in which the parts are moving. (Indicated by the arrow, Fig. 14.) If, however, the projection 771 should remain in engagement with the pawl o for a considerable period of ti1ne-that is, somewhat great r than the longest break in the circuit forming part of the normal message-the pawl 0 would be restrained from turning, until finally the shoulder at the other end of the recesses g would overtake the projection o, as shown in 'FigJ-i, after which the train of wheelwork would forcibly move the ratchet 0 and with sufiicient power to turn the plate 91, with the shaft, until its arm at, by acting on the arm m would throw the pawl m from beneath the arm 79 of the yoke 7;, which would then be moved suddenly by its spring 762 from the position shown. in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 9 and in such movement would turn the rock-shaft d, and thus effect the restoration of the repeater to the normal condition, as before described. The said plate has a portionJtr which at the end of said movement engages the pawl 12?, and thus positively disengages it from the ratchet 0, as otherwise the frictional held between the teeth of the Ill ratchet and pawl might be too great for the spring-fingers m to overcome. The projection. k of the pawl also comes against a somewhat-yielding projection on on the stationaryframework and throws the pawl 15 .into engagement with the ratchet is again (see Fig. 9) ready to cause the yoke to be set back to the position shown in Fig. 10, with its spring 79 wound, upon the next operation of the repeater.

The distance between the shoulders at the end of the recess f, that determines the amount of movement that the ratchet 0 may have independently of the shaft, is such that the time of the motor in moving these shoulders through the distances between them is greater than the longest normal break in any of the circuits, so that in the normal operation the ratchet 0 will never be overtaken and positivcl y engaged with the wheel-work, but will at each impulse of a message he released and moved by its spring 0 to its forward position.

So far as the operation of the devices last described is concerned, it makes no difference in what man 11 er the rock-sh aft (Z or part moved by the yoke 7t eifects the restoration of the repeater to its normal condition, and the invention so far as relates to said devices is not limited to that construction in which the said rock-shaft d operates a switch, as h, on the arm attire-lever of the magnet in the deranged circuit. A modification of the means by which the shaft (Z effects the restoration is represented in Fig. 8, in which the said shaft d-is provided with an arm (1 having a pin'd, that engages an arm (1, loose on said shaft (1 and standing at the rear of the main-circuit armaturelevcr a". In this construction the rotation of the shaft (1 moves the arm (1 from the full to the dotted line position, and in said movement the said arm pushes back the armature to its normal position, as shown in dotted lines, thus closing the local circuit of the relay at a in case the relay construction is adopted, as shown in Figs. 2 and 15. If the circuit of the magnet remains open after its armature is restored by the arm (1, as just described, said armature will remain pressing back against the said arm and by the triotional pressure against the end thereof will retain said arm-in dotted-line position, Fig. 8, mechanically holding the armature in the position to close the local circuit of the relay. The armature-restoring arm (F does not, however, carry the armature quite so far forward as it is carried by the attraction of the magnet, and consequently, although all the arms (Z are moved up when the restoring inechanism operates, only the one which engages and restores the armature will remain held up by the friction against st id armature. The other armatures,being held by the magnetism, will not be touched by the arms which will fall back immediately after the restoring movement-that is, the oscillation of the shaft (Zhas taken place. The loose connection of the arms (1 with the shaft 1 permits anyone to remain in dotted-line position, holding the armature of a magnet the circuit of which is broken in position to close the local circuit or" the relay. It is not, however, essential to the operation of the other parts of the apparatus that a relay should be used. Instead of this construction, each main-circuit armature-lever a mightco-operate with an arm I) (see Fig; 8) on the rock-shaft b, which would control the motor,the same as before, and would also be provided with the contact-carrier e corre-,

ment of the mam-circuit armature a that isrespondingto a message. The restoration last referred to following an abnormally-prolonged break in any main circuit might with this construction be effected mechanically, as shown in i Fig. 7, by having the arm b on gaged by the upwardly-projecting portion a ot' the switch 72, which no longer need perform the functions of an electric switclnbnt which in its normal position would engage with the projection Won the arm Zf, as shown in Fig. 8, causing the said arm to respond to each movement of the armature, but which when thrown to abnormal position by the action of the arm (7 as shown in Fig. 7, would slip laterally away from the projection If, thus releasing the arm IF" and permitting the shaft 11 to be restored to its normal position by the action of its spring 11*, Fig. i. It is also true that the lock-restoring mechanismthatis, the ratchet c, prop and parts operated thereby-docs not depend for its operation on the specific construction of the lock or the part that controls the main-circuit armature. 'lwo mechanical modifications of the said lock are represented in Figs. 3 and l and and ii, respectively; but it is obvious that other modifications mightbemade, it bcingessential only that the parts operated by the ratchet c and arm under control of the shaft I), should be such that when the said shaft I is moved the magnet which moved it should be retained under control of its external circuit, while the other magnets should be also out of control of thcircircuits external to the repeater, so that --said circuits should be controlled wholly by the repeater until the first message was completed.

1. The combination of a number of mainline electro-magnets, each in a main circuit independent of the others,with a lock actuating bar and a number of locks connected therewith, one co-opcrating with the arma ure of each of said magnets, the said lock-actuating bar being controlled by each ot saidarmatures, as described, the said locks being moved upon the retraction of any one of the said armatures and retaining all except the armatn re which was retracted in normal position for a predetermined period of time after said movement, at the end of which period said locleactuating bar is moved and unlocks all the armatures, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a number of main line electro-magnets, each in a main circuit independent of the others, with locks for the armatures of said magnets, connected to operate simultaneously, a motor and detenttherefor, and lock support or prop adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from said 1110- tcr and when so engaged to restore the locks to normal condition by its movement derived from said motor, and intermediate n1echanism between said prop and the armatures, whereby said prop is disengaged fromthemo tor when any armature mores from its non mal condition and is engaged therewith when said arniatnrc returns to its normal position, snbstai'itially as described.

23. The combination of a-number ot' mainlineelectro-magnets, each in a main circuit inand position and is engaged therewith when said armature returns to its normal position, anda resiorer controlled by said motor and armatiu res, as dcseribeihsaid restore'r being called into action only after one of the armatnres has remained in abnormalposi tion a predetermined period of time and then operating to elfcct the engagement of the locleprop with the motor, substantially as described.

t. The combination of aminiiber of mainline eleetro; magnets, each in a main circuit in dependent of the others, and a series of circuit-breakers, one in each of said main circuits, and the entire series being controlled by the movement of any one of said armatures, with a second circuit-closerin multiple are with each of said main-line-circnitclosers controlled by said armatures, as described, being'closed in that one only of said main circuits in which a signal is being transmitted from an external station,substantially asand for the purpose described.

5. The combination of a number of mainline magnets and locks cooperating therewith, as described, with the motor and ratchet operated thereby and the projection co-operatin'g with said ratchet as desr bed, to control the position of said locks, and being itself controlled as to engagement with said ratchet'by any one of said magnets, substantially aac'lescribed. I

6. The combination of a number of mainline electro-magnets and locks cooperating therewith with a motor and detent therefor, as c operatively connected with said looks, and a prop or support for said detent, as 0 which when disengaged from said motor re leases the detent therefor and throws the locks into operation, and intermediate mechanism between said prop and the armatures of the said magnets, whereby the said prop is disengaged from the motor when any armature is moved from its normal position and is engaged therewith whensaid armature re turns to its normal position, substantially as described. I

7. The combination of a number of mainline magnets and several circuit elosers in the several circuits thereof operated by. any one of said magnets, as described, with the spring-actuated yoke 7; and its-"retaining pawl or support in, the releasing-arm for said support, and ratchet and pawl for operating, the same, the said ratchet having a limitcdmovcmcnt indepcndentlyof said motor, at the end of which movement it is positively engaged by said motor, and the engagement of said ratchet with its pawl being: ctl'eeted by anyof said armatures when in abnormal position, substantially as described.

The combination of the clockwork or motor and spring impelled yoke/c, and ratchet and pawl by which said yoke is moved against the stress of its spring,.thc holding," pawl or detent for retaining said yoke, with its impclli'ng'spring strained, a projection for disengaging the pawl from the ratchet when the yoke is so held, and the trip for disengagingthe said detent from said yoke, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. The combination of a number of maincircuit magnets in independentmain circuits, with a relay and local circuit therefor, and circuit-breakers controlled by the several main-circuit magnets and arranged in series in said local circuit, as described, and inde pendent circuit-closers in said local circuit at each main-circuit magnet, adaptedv to be operated to close said local circuit when the circuit, breaker controlled by the correspont'ling magnet remains in abnormal position beyond a predetermined period of time, substantially as'described.

l0. 'lliQ'OOlllblilftiiOll of a number of maincircuit magnets With'a stationary projection c" at the rear of the several armature-levers thereof, a rock-shatt c, and locking device connected therewith and cooperating with said armature-levers and stationary projections, substantially as and for thepurpose described. V

11.. The combination of a number of maincircuit magnets and armaturcs therefor and locks cooperating therewith, as described,

with a rock-shaft 0, connected with'said looks, a motor and arm connected with said rockshaft, and a prop for said arm operated by .said motor, as described, the engagement of the prop with the motor being controlled by any one of said main-circuit magnets, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a number of mainline electroanatmcts, each in the main circuit independent of the 0thers,with alock-actuat inc bar and a n umber-0t locks connected there with for thcarmature of said magnets, said lock-actuating, bar being controlled by each of said armatures, as described, operating all the locks simultaneously, and a number of independently-movablc armature-restorers, as

(F one corresponding tothe armature of each of said nnwnets, and an actuator common to all said arnnittire-restorers, substantially as described.

lb. The combination of a number of maincircuit magnets and armatn res therefor with a number of armature-restorcrs (Z and actuating rock-shaft (l therefor, said restorers being loosely connected with said shaft and the latter having connected therewith parts that engage said restorers and move the same posi- 7o tively in the direction to engage any armature that may be retracted and move the same toward itsattracted position, saidrestorer remainin in frictional engagement; with the armature aslong as the latter remains unattracted by the magnet, substantially as dcscribed.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MOSES G. CRANE. I FREDERICK \V. COLE. Witnesses:

.Ios. 1. Llvnnnonn, M. E. llILL.

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