US479859A - Telegraph-key - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

A. P. TUCKER.

TELEGRAPH KEY.

No. 479,859. Patented Aug. 2, 1892.

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UNITED STATES ALBERT F. TUCKER, OF AUBURNDALE, MASSACHUSETTS.

TELEGRAPH-KEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,859, dated August 2, 1892.

Application filed March 24, 1892.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. TUCKER, of Auburndale, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph-Keys, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the. accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved key; Fig. 2, a top plan'view of the same, and Fig. 3 a sectional view illustrating details.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates especially to a selfclosing telegraph-key. Much difficulty is frequently experienced from the fact that switches of telegraph-instruments in a line are accidentally left open, incapacitating the line for work until such switches are closed.

In my improved device the key is provided with an automatic switch, whereby the cir cuit is normally closed when the instrument is not in use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation. I

In the drawings, A represents the table, upon which the instrument is mounted. The ordinary bindingposts cl (1 for the conducting-wires pass through the table in the usual manner and are respectively connected with connecting-strips b b on the face of the table, said strips being preferably semi-elliptical, as shown, and out of electrical contact with each other. In lugs ff' on the plates 1) b the key-shaft gis journaled, said shaft being provided with the ordinary tension nuts. The bearing of the shaft in the lugs f is insulated at h, Fig. 3, from the plate 11 The key B is mounted on the shaft 9 and is of the ordinary general construction. Its short arm is provided with the usual adjustable contact-point 2', which normally is in engagement with the plateb. The long arm of the key has an adjustable screw j, against which a push-spring 7c bears, tending to elevate said arm. A projection m is formed on the plate I), and a contaetpointp on the long arm of the lever is in position to be engaged therewith in operating the key in the usual manner.

A switch 0 comprises a lever pivoted in laterally-projecting lugs g on the key. The long arm of the lever projects from the fingerpiece 7" of the key and is provided with a lip t, which may be readily engaged by the forefinger of the operator. The opposite arm of the switch engages the lug f on the plate 12 and is held normally in contact therewith by a push-spring v on the key 13.

When the instrument is not in use, the circuit is closed, the current passing through the post (1, plate I), contact-point 2', key B, switch 0, and plate 6 In manipulating the key the operator by pressing the forefinger against the lip t of the switch throws said switch laterally, disconnecting said point to from the lugf breaking the circuit.

The key in other respects is operated in the usual manner, the circuit being closed by depressing the key contacting the points 19 m and broken by the elevation of the key.

Having thus explained my invention, What I claim is 1. In a telegraph-instrument, two disconnected plates respectively in electrical contact with the line wires, a telegraph-key pivoted on said plates and insulated from one thereof, contact-points on said key in position to alternately engage said plate, and a spring-pushed switch pivoted to the key and normally in contact with said insulated plate, substantially as described.

2. In a telegraph-instrument, the combination of the plates, as b 17 respectively connected with the contact-wires, and the key B, insulated from the plate 1) of the switch 0, normally in electrical contact with the plate 12 substantially as described.-

3. In a telegraph-instrument, the combination, with the plates 1) b and mechanism for with said insulated plate, substantially as deattaching them, respectively, to the conductscribed. ing-Wires, of the key B, pivoted on said plates and insulated from one thereof, contact- ALBERT TUCKER 5 points on said key for alternately engaging Witnesses:

said plates, and the spring-tensioned switch 0, THEODORE A. FLEU,

pivoted to said key and normally in contact JOHN C. BRUNBLECOM.

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