US55541A - Improvement in telegraphic repeaters - Google Patents

Description

C. H. RUDD.

Telegraphic Repeater. No. 55,541. Patented June 12, 1866.

U Af Z TENS, PhnhrLHhugnphcn washm tm nv Q PATENT Erica G. H. RUDD, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN TELEGRAPHIC REPEATERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,541, dated June 172, 1366.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, O. H. RUDD, ot'Sandusky, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph-Repeaters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the repeater. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig-I3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a view of the under side. 5 is a view of the end opposite i'roinFig. 3.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the difi'erent views.

My improvement in telegraphrepeaters relates to bringing into action fresh currents at such points as maybe necessary to produce an intelligible and correct transmission of signals over straight or diverging lines, as hereinafter described.

The figures in the accompanying drawings -represent different views of one side of a telegraph-repeater, double or duplicate instruments being used, one on each side, so as to connect with the lines in the usual way.

The description of the construction and operation of one instrument is essentially the same as the other, and the explanation of one sounder embraces the other, the instrument being arranged and connected to ordinary re lays in any suitable manner to attain the desired object. The connection of the relay to the sounder is the same as for ordinary business. The relay breaks and closes the local currents, which operates the sounder just as it does in any and all cases where sounders are used.

The important object to be attained in telegraphing is speed, accuracy, and precision in the signals transmitted. To accomplish this it is important to avoid rewriting by hand as much as possible.

There is no fixed limit to the length of perfectly insulated wire over which telegraphic signals may be transmitted; but in the present state of insulation business is more readily and profitably conducted by dividing the circuit into lengths of from one hundred to three hundred miles, with batteries at each end.

A A are binding-posts for the attachment of the local circuit. B is a post, to which setscrews P P are connected for regulating the motion of the leverE. F F are posts for supporting the lever E. N N are set-screws arranged on the posts F for regulating the position of the lever.

O 0 represent coils, and D the armature of the coils. G is a binding-post, to which the main line is attached after it has passed through the signal-key ot' the circuit. H is a spiral wire extending between the bindingpost G and lever, to which it is attached at the ends. L is a postfor the attachment of the wire of the main battery after it has passed through the relay employed for that circuit. K is a post to which is attached one end of a quantity of very fine iron wire that is designed to offer resistance to a current of electricity equal to fifty miles, more or less, of ordinary line-wire, to be varied according to the adjustment of the relay. M is a flat spring fastened to the top of the post L, runs parallel to the armature D ot'the coils, and reaches over and rests upon the post K when not prevented. S is a platina-pointed set-screw, placed in the end of the lever E under the spring M, there being platina on the spring where it comes in contact with the set-screw. It is between these points that the main connection is made.

X is the base on which the operating parts are arranged. The lower ends of the posts extend through onto the under side, where they are secured, as represented in Fig. 4.

\V \V are wires that connect the bindingposts A A with the coils G C. It It are binding-screws in the lower part of the posts L and K.

The adjustment of the sounder is shown at T T in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 3 may be seen the points at which the wires are attached, the attachment being made by means of binding-screws on the right of each post.

The operation of this instrument is as follows: While the sounder stands open the connection between the screw S and spring M is broken, leaving M to rest upon the top of the post K. As K is connected with the ground, it forms just as good a conductor as the line itself, and the ground connection being made through such great resistance protects thebat tery from all injury. It matters not whether S and M, or M and K are connected, so long as the line-wire remains closed at all points,

2 55,54lll except in the instrument itself there must be a current over that part of the circuit between the main battery and the instrument. The relay of the circuit at that point is in this part of the line, and consequently is constantly under the influence of a current. It the line should be opened outside of the instrument, then the first close of the sounder would break the circuit between M and K without having the power to establish it again between M and S 5 therefore the relay must open, which would open the other sounder and break the other line.

As the other sounder is constructed in the same manner and has its wires attached in the same way as the one described, it has the same power; hence either sounder may work in a circuit without the power to open the relay of that circuit at that point.

The superiority of this improvement in point of economy and facility of operation is apparent, as by the ordinary method an extra local battery is required for each repeating-sounder, but with this instrument the same results are produced by a simple management of the main currents of the lines placed together upon the repeater. g

In the action of a line there are little intervals during which the main-battery power of that line is inactivethat is, when the line is open. It is just at this moment that some extra force is required to hold one relay shut, or else that the power which would open the relay be removed. In the ordinary way the power which would open the relay is removed, but with my method extra force is used to hold the relay shut; and this extra power is found in the main current, which is unemployed just at the moment when needed. The current at this moment is used by means of the ground connection or resistance-wire attached to the post K. Vhen the sounder stands closed the set-screw S presses upward against the spring M, which lifts M off the post K. Should the sounder open, M would follow S in its downward motion, until M comes in contact with K, when the connection between S and M would be broken. During the interval that S and M are not in connection M and K must be. In either case the current pro duced must pass through the relay, thus holdingit closed, so long as its line remains closed at all points except in the instrument itself. By the present method at least two cups of a local battery on each side are used, besides the local force necessary to work the sounders. But with this mode no local power except such as may be necessary to work the sounders is employed, the results depending upon the simple management of the main currents.

There are during the operation of a telegraphline little intervals during which the main battery, as far as that line is concerned, is not employed for anythin At these intervals, and only then, are the times when the action must take place to prevent a line breaking itself. By means of a ground connection of great resistancethe main battery is used during the intervals when its current is not traversing the line, to hold the relay closed. It may be illustrated thus, numberin the batteries 1 and 2: "When No. 1 opens it does not stop the action of the battery power assigned to No. 2, but simply transfersit to another channel, for when the battery of No.2 is not passing over the line, being prevented by No. l, which is open, it must be passing to the ground through the resistaneewvire. In either case the current must pass through the relay, which keeps it closed, the circuit through one channel never being broken until it is established through the other.

YVith this instrument there is a' great saving of power, from the fact that power already in existence is brought out and used in place of requiring extra power from other sources, all the power required being obtained from the main current instead of keeping up a local battery for this purpose.

In the breakingoflines, when it is necessary to use a ground-wire, one ground is sufficient for as many lines as is necessary to run it. Therefore the resistance-wire which is used will be sufficient for all the repeaters in an office. This wire may be divided into coils, and each instrument provided with a switch, by means of which the resistance may be varied whenever there is sufficient change in the adjustment to require it.

\Vhat I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The posts G L, with the spring M, post K, and extension of the lever E beyond the line of the posts F F, so arranged as to enable me to use extra force for holding the relay closed when said extra power is obtained from the main current, which is unemployed just at the time when needed, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

0. H. RUDD.

Witnesses:

GEO. SWEITZER, ANDREW O. FREY.

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