US631421A - Facsimile telegraph. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 22, I899. W. P; DUN LANY &. T. MILLS.

FACSIMILE TELEGRAPH.

(Application filed Jun. 8, 1898.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheat I.

PH: veflzo! 71 1?! i 691 (Fi /J ZEM,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM P. DUN LAN Y AND THOMAS MILLS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, AS: SIGNORS TO THE INTERNATIONAL FACSlMlLEGRAPl-l COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

FACSIMILETELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent N0. 631 ,421, dated August 22, 1899;

Application filed January 8, 1898. Serial No. 666,082. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may UUlbU/lt:

Be it known that we, 'WILLIAM P. DUN LANY and THOMAS MILLS, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Facsimile Telegraphs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,rcference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention is for a facsimile telegraph, or,as we prefer to termit, a facsimilegraph, for it is adapted to produce facsimile copies without regard to the question of distance.

The invention is of that class of facsimile.

telegraphs wherein a message or picture is transmitted by means ofa stylus and a relatively-movin g surface which make and break connections according to whether the stylus is on an insulating or conducting portion of the surface.

One object of our invention is to provide such an instrument which may be used on an ordinary telegraph-line (being switched in in place of the Morse relay and key) or as a local copying instrument and which while being simple in construction and not liable to get out of order shall be very efficient in operation, being sensitive enough to transmit the message or picture, as desired, without being subject to being seriously interfered with by weather or other disturbing conditions.

Another object is to provide an instrument which may transmit a picture itself or the background not covered by the picture, as desired, and which is adapted to produce the received picture by a variety of methods each having its peculiar advantagesas, for example, by a direct mark, by the impression ofa carbon-sheet, by the intervention of a mimeograph-sheet, or in other suitable manner.

The invention consists in certain mechanisms by whichwe are enabled to obtain these results, prominent among which are a continuously-vibrating receiving-stylus adapted to be thrown into or out of operation by the making and breaking of the main current and unique and si 111 ple synchronizing n1echan ism. The arrangement for transmitting the background of the picture instead of the picture itsclf is likewise a portion of our invention. The construction and arrangement of parts shown in the drawings are also our invention, and in general the invention may be said to consist in the combinations of parts hereinafter described, and definitely enumerated in the claims, though we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the spe cific construction shown, (except in those claims necessitating such interpretation,) as numerous modifications within our invention will suggest themselves to one skilled in this art.

The drawings clearly disclose our inven' tion.

Figure l is a perspective view of the instrument. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking toward the left of that figure. Fig. ilis an enlarged plan of the carriage or platform and its attached parts, showing also in section a portion ofthe message-cylinder. Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal diametric section of the n1essage-cylinder. Fig. 5 isa diagrammatic view of our apparatus and an ordinary Morse telegraph system and the proper electrical conductors, a switch of the controller type being shown for establishing the connections.

The same letters of reference designate the same parts in each figure.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the base of the instrument. Carried by this base is a revoluble shaft B, journaled in suit-able bearings c a. This shaft has between its bearings a fine screw-thread b, as shown, and has beyond the bearing a an over hanging portion Z), which carries by a slipable connection (to be hereinafter explained) the cylinder or platen C. l

The shaft 13 is adapted to be revolved by suitable means, that shown being an electric motor D, having a pinion d on its armatureshaft in mesh with a spur-gear c on a laysha'ft E, to which shaft is secured a pinion e, meshing with the spur-gear 12 secured to the shaft B. Thus the revolution of the motor-armature revolves the shaft 13 at a much reduced speed.

F represents a platform or carriage adapted to slide along the front of the base A, said carriage being guided along the base by the V-guide a over which take corresponding est 121 grooves in feetf, depending from the carriage. One or more rollers f carried by this platform track on the base and partly support the platform and relieve sliding friction. The platform is adapted to be driven by the shaft B through the intervention of the arm G, pivoted to the platform and having an overhanging end g, the under surface of which has threads corresponding to the threads of the screw 1), with which they are adapted to engage. When in such engagement, the arm G lies between a pair of lugs f carried by the platform, which prevent lateral movement of the arm. It will thus be seen that the end of the arm acts as a nut and that when the shaft 13 is revolved the platform is thereby driven along the ways. The direction of the revo lution and threads is such in the instrument shown specifically in the drawings that the" platform is driven positively from left to right, and when it reaches its extreme right-hand position it may be returned to its initial position by hand by lifting the arm G and shoving the platform along its ways.

Carried by the platform F is the transmitting-stylus Q, pivotally mounted on the insu lated post g. This stylusis adapted to contact with the message on the cylinder at the transmitting end of the line and make or break the circuit by being in contact with a conducting or an insulating surface, but it may be turned back out of the way to make room for the receiving-stylus, as shown in the drawings, where the instrument is represented as receiving. Carried also by the platform is a vibrator, which consists of a magnet H and lever J in series therewith, an armature 7t, carried by the lever, a suitably-sopported setscrew K in series with the magnet ll through a battery, and a spring L tending to draw the lever away from the magnet, there being play enough so that the circuit is made and broken at the point of the set-screw as the armature recedes from and approaches the magnet. A flat springj, secured to the lever J and hearing against the set-screw K, allows the lever J to be in electrical connection with the setscrew until the armature is nearly at the limit of its movement toward the magnet. The spring L is stronger than the spring j, and thus retracts the lever J from the magnet substantially its whole play when there is no current. The parts described therefore cooperate when a current is passed through the magnet to cause the vibration of the lever J substantially in the manner of a continuous-vibration bell,the currentbeing broken between the set-screw and springj as the lever J reaches its inward position and being reestablished when the lever springs backward under the action of the spring L.

The forward end of the lever J has hinged to it an arm M, from which projects a prong or stylus m. \Vhen the arm M is turned down in the position shown in the drawings, so that it is a straight extension of the lever J, the point of the stylus may be brought against the surface of the cylinder 0, while the arm M is adapted to be turned up at right angles to the lever J, thereby swinging the stylus out of the way.

The rear end of the lever J is not pivoted on a stationary pivot, but to an arm of a bellcrank lever N, the other arm of which carries or constitutes an armature for a magnet P. The latter magnet we call the relay of the facsimile system, and it is adapted to be connected in the main circuit. \Vhen a current is flowing from the main circuit through this relay, itdraws the bell-eran k lever N into the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3. This swings the pivot of the lever J to such a point that when this lever vibrates under the influence of the vibrator, as described, the point of the stylus is adapted to hit against the su rt'ace of the platen; but when the current ceases through the relay the spring L swings the parts into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and then although the lever J continues to vibrate the point of the stylus m will not hit the platen. Thus the relay governs the impression made on the platen, while this impression always consists of a series of blows following in very quick succession. If some receptive material is placed about this platen--as, for example, a sheet of papersurrounded by a carl' on-sheetand the mechanism set in operation, as long as the current flows through the relay the continuous blows of the stylus will make a dotted line on the paper, and when the current stops through the relay this line will cease. Ve have spoken above of the stylus striking the platen and similar expressions will be used in the claims forsimplicity; but of course what the stylus strikes in operation is the receptive material carried by the platen, and even if the stylus in reality be not or could not be adjusted to strike the platen itself we intend the above expression to descri be it when it strikes the receptive material.

The current through the relay is governed by the message or picture on the cylinder at the transmitting end of the line. This message or picture consists of insulating-lines on a conducting-baekground or condtn-ting-lines on an insulatingdmekground. The circuit leading from the conducting portion of such picture is completed in one direction by a suitable brush, as the brush is carried on a suitably-insulated standard \V, and in the other direction by the transmittiug-stylus. All the instruments on the line are exactly the same and may operate either as receivers or as transmitters, and the transmitting-stylus is that already referred to and designated Q in the drawings. The st'ylusis there shown as turned back out of use, the instrument being in receiving position; but when transmitting the arm M and its stylus-point m are turned up into an approximately vertical position and out of the way, and the stylus Q is turned over through one hundred and eighty degrees to occupy the position which the stylus on had. An electricconnection leads from the post q to the main line, the conducting portion of the surface of the message on the cylinder being in series with the other end of the main line. The current on the main line is thus made or broken according to the picture or message on the transmitting-cylinder, and this making or breaking operation upon the relay makes a similar message or picture on the receiving-cylinder, the lines being dotted instead of solid. The vibrator may operate so rapidly that these dots are close enough together as to form a substantially continuous line, though in some Work-for example, in the transmission of a portrait it is preferable to have the dots far enough apart to give a distinctly stipple eifect to the received picture.

The currentis carried to the different points on the platform by suitable means, thatshown beingaseries of conductors 0, extending longitudinally beneath the platform and connecting each with a binding-post carried by the frame. These conductors are properly insulated from each other and are exposed on their upper surface, With which surface brushesf carried on the under side of the platform contact. These brushes are suitably insulated from the platen and connected with the two terminals of the relay, with one terminal of the vibrator, with the set-screw, and with the transmitting-stylus post, the other terminal to the vibrator being connected with the armature-lever J. In place of the conductors O and the brushes f a flexible cable might be provided for carrying the current to the different points on the platform. \Ve will now describe the manner in which the cylinder 0 is supported on the overhanging end of the shaft B. On this overhanging end, be ond the bearin a is carried a sleeve S. Snuglysurroundingthissleeve,butadapted to revolve thereon, is the plate 8, having the inwardly-extending flange s. Surrounding the sleeve S and revolving therewith is the sleeve 8 having spring-arms 8 which are adapted to bearagainst the plate .9, a rubber ring 3 being preferably set in to that plate to receive the arms 5 and furnish suitable friction therewith. These arms 8 are forced against the ring 5 with desired pressure by means of a nut .9 screwed onto the sleeve S. When the parts are properly adjusted, there is so much friction between the spring-arms s and the plate 3 that the latter revolves when the shaft revolves; but if the plate is held against revolution the shaft may continue to revolve, the spring-arm s slipping over the surface .9 Surrounding the flange s is a sleeve of insulation 5, and over a portion of this is a metallic protecting-sheath 3 The flange s, insulating sleeve or ring 5 and the protecting-sheath are all rigid together.

The cylinder O has one end which is open and which is adapted to he slipped over the metallic sheath 5 and fit snugly around it and be supported by it. The exposed end of the sheath 5 is turned inward toward the shaft, as shown, to allow the cylinder to be easily slipped over it. The outer end of this cylinder has secured to it a head 0, which head has an opening through its center and a flange c, surrounding that opening. This flange when the cylinder is in position surrounds an insulating-sleeve T, which surrounds a thimble t, which "thimble surrounds the shaft B, between the collar 19 thereon and the washer b held around the shaft by the nut 5 The thimble is thus prevented from longitudinal displacement, but may be revolved on the shaft. Vi ith the parts in normal position, as shown in Fig. 4t, if the shaft is revolved the cylinder 0 will be normally revolved with it; but if the plate .9 is held against revolution the cylinder is alsoheld and the shaft revolves without transmitting motion to the cylinder. The cylinder may be removed over the end of the shaft without displacing the parts.

We have stated that the shaft B may be revolved Withouttransmitting motion to the cylinder if the plate sis held against revolution. The synchronizing mechanism is adapted. to so hold this plate when the shaft is revolving too rapidly. This mechanism consists of and operates as follows: A detent U is pivotally supported on a suitably-insulated standard, so as to have its point bear on the exposed periphery of the insulating-ring s, being pressed toward that ring by a spring uand carrying an armature it of a magnet ta which latter when energized overcomes the force of the spring a. A notch s is formed in the periphery of the insulating-ring s at some point, and at this point a projection 51 on the plates extends up into the insulatingring and has an exposed edge adapted to contact with the detent U when the latter is at the bottom of the notch 5- An insulatingblock .9 is set into the periphery of the plate 3 in such position that a brush 7), carried by a suitably-insulated standard V and bearing on the metallic periphery of'the plate .9, is

thrown out .of contact with such metallic peripheryjust as the deteut enters the notch s and is adapted to be on that block, and hence out of contact with the plate 3 when the detent is in contact with such plate through the projection s".

The plate .9 is electrically connected (pref erably through the bearings of the shaft B) with the main line, and the main circuit in leading to that plate divides into two paths, one path leading through the magnet n to the detent Uand the other path. to the brush 1]. During the larger portion of the revolution of the cylinder the current is passing by the latter path. When the notch 8 however, comes opposite the point of the detent, the latter springs down into the notch in a position to intercept the movement of the plate 8 at the same time the brush t; comes onto the insulating-block s and the circuit is broken through the brush, but the shaft. B revolves the plate .9 until the projection 3 contacts with the detent. If now the line is otherwise closed, the current will pass through the magnet a through the detent, and through the projection s to the plate 5 and from thence through the bearings and out. The circuit will not be closed at all other points, however, unless the cylinder at the other end of the line is in unison with the cylinder at this end, for supposing the motor at the other end to be running slightly slower than that at this end then when the detent U comes in contact with the projection s the detent at the other end of the line will be out of contact and the circuit will be broken. The detent U will therefore restrain the plate 5 until the projection s" at the other end of the line comes against its detent, when the circuit will be completed and both detents will be withdrawn by their magnets, and the revolution of the cylinders will continue. The motors are intended to be governed by suitable rheostats, and the cylinders will not vary enough on one revolution so that one brush at one end of the line will be in contact with the metallic periphery of the plate 5 while the detent U is in contact with the projection at the other end. If desired, there maybe several of these notches s projections 5 and insulating-blocks 5 instead of one. It is to be understood that the detent U need not it self carry the current, for a suitable additional brush might be provided forthat purpose. Neither need the detent bear specifically on the ring 5 It might engage with any suitable member properly geared to the cylinder.

\Ve have shown at the end of the frame in Fig. l eight binding-posts. (Designated O to 0 inclusive.) Of these 0 to 0 inclusive, are connected, as already described, to the different parts carried by the platform, and the post 0 leads to the synchronizer-that is, the conductor leading from it divides and passes to one terminal of the magnet a and to the bracket carrying the brush t", said two part 5 being thus in parallel,the other terminal ofthe magnet a being connected with the post which supports the detent. The binding-post O is connected to theinsnlated standard \V, which carriesa brush it, bearing against the message on the cylinder, and thus adapted to complete the circuit from the transmittingstylus through the conducting part of the message. This brush may bear directly against the cylinder and the conductive portion of the message he in cont-act or electrical connection with the cylinder. The last binding-post O is connected directly to the frame and is the terminal for the plate 3.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 5, we will explain the electrical connections of the apparatus when connected up for receiving, for transmitting from insulating-lines on conducting material and from conducting lines on insulating material, and will show how the apparatus is adapted to be used on an ordinary Morse system by simply switching out that system. At the left hand of this figure is seen a switch of the controller type, consisting of the contact-fingers a" to 0;, inclusive, and the contact-plates y to 11 inelusive, on a relatively-mova ble body adapted to stand in four positions, the first of which is for the ordinary Morse telegraph and the other three for the facsimile system, according to whether a message is being received, is being transmitted directly, or transmitted reversed.

Suppose the switch to be in position No. 1, wherefore contact-fingers :0 and of are in engagement with the plate 1 and contact-fingers cc" and are in engagement with plate 1 and the other contact-f1ngers are out of engagement. The current comes in from the main line to contact-linger :0 to plate y, to contactfinger .111, to the Morse key, from thence to the Morse relay, and out to the main line again while the local circuit starts with the armature of the Morse relay, passes to contact-finger 9;, plate 3/ contact-finger :0 to the battery 2, thence to the Morse sounder, thence to the contact-point with which the relay-armature contacts when drawn toward the relay-magnet. \Ve have here, therefore, the ordinary Morse system with the rest of the apparatus out of use.

If the switch stands in position No. 2, the contact-fingers 05 and a are connected together, likewise the fingers and 0;, 5c and a 00 and 50 by means of the contact-plates 1 y g y, respectively. The result of this is that the main-line current from contactfinger 0: passes to the finger Q13 of the facsimile line to the facsimile relay, (there being no current in the reversing-coil R, to be hereinafter explained, and its armature 1', under the influence of the spring therefore leaving the line closed from the facsimile main line through the armature of the facsimile relay.) From the facsimile relay the current passes to contact-finger it, to plate 1f, to contact-lingerx whence it passes by the divided path explained through the synchronizer to the frame of the machine and thence to the ground. In the meantime a local circuit is established from the set-screw of the vibrator through the battery .2 to the contact-finger .2 to plate y, to contaet-finger 5 3 to the magnet of the vibrator, to the armature of the vibrator. This local circuit is alternately opened and closed by itself, as heretofore explained, and the stylus which it thus vibrates is adapted to impinge against the receptive sheet on the cylinder whenever the main circuit is closed. In this position of the switch, therefore, the facsimile instrument is receiving, the cylinder being revolved by the motor, which is now on a closed local circuit, extend ing from one brush of the motor to the contact-finger w, to plate y, to contact-finger to the battery 2, to the rheostat, and from thence to the other brush of the motor.

lVhen the plates are in position No. 3, the

main line is connected to the facsimile line ICC and the motor is connected on its closed cir cuit, as before; but contact-finger m is connected with contact-linger 00 via the plates 1 and y and their connection and the remaining fingers are out of action. The current then passes from the facsimile line to the transmitting-stylus, from there to the message, from the message to the brush, from the brush to the finger m from there to finger it and from there through the synchronizer to the main line. This is the position which the plates have when transmitting from an insulating picture or message on a metallic background.

If it is desired to transmit from metallic lines on an insulating-surface, the switch is turned to position No. 4. In this position the facsimile line and main line are connected as before, and the motor is connected as before, but contact-fingers (the synchronizer-terminal) is connected by the plate 'y" with the finger :0 which leads to the armature v of the reverse-coil. This armature is of any suitable construction and is normally drawn upward against a contact-point r (connected with the main facsimile line) by a spring '7" and adapted to be drawn downward by the magnet or reversing-coil R. It therefore follows that when there is no current through the reversing-coil the main line is connected direct to the synchronizer, but when there is a current through the reversing-coil the main line is broken at its armature. The circuit from the reversing-coil extends to the transmitting-stylus, to the message, to the brush, to contact iingera: via plates 1 and 11 and their connection to contact-lingerie, through the battery 2 to contact-finger as, to plate y, to contact-finger 00 to the other terminal of the reversing-coil. The reversing-coil is thus placed on a closed circuit through the battery and the message and operates to open the main line when the local circuit is closed and to allow the main line to close when the local circuit is open. The result of this is that if the message consists of conductinglines 011 an insulating-surface during most of the time the main line will be closed; but when the stylus strikes the line of the mes sage themain line is opened. This therefore transmits the message reversed, in that the background is the part atfected at the receiving end and the picture defined by that background is unaifected. For certain purposes it will be desirable to transmit direct and for other purposes to transmit with the parts reversed, as stated, and we have therefore devised the system described.

In operation the sending operator removes the cylinder from his instrument, secures the message upon it, and replaces the cylinder or simply slips his message in the form of a tube over the end of the cylinder, (the cylinder, if desired, being slightly tapered to cause a tight fit.) He then turns his transmitti11g-stylus so as to contact with the message and with the switch in position No. 1 calls up, on

the Morse instrument, the operator who is to receive the message. The latter turns his receiving-stylus into position and answers that he is ready to receive the message, whereupon he turns his switch into position No. 2. The sending operator turns his switch into position No. 3 or No. 4, according to whether he is transmitting direct or reversed, and when the platform has completed its movement along the cylinder the message or picture has been transmitted. The operators then return their switches to position No. 1 and the receiving operator acknowledges the proper receipt of the message. The platforms of the two instruments are then returned by hand to their normal positions and the instruments are ready for the next transmission.

We have spoken of the message being re ceived by the impressions of a carbon-sheet on the receiving-cylinder. It is to be understood that this is simply one of many methods which may be used, The stylus might itself be a pencil-point, or in place of a carbon-sheet there might a mimeographsheet, or the vibrations of the stylus may produce the picture in any other desired manner. Likewise the ultimate picture may be produced on the material held on the platen, or the blows of the stylus may simply produce an intermediate sheet, from which the ultimate picture is to be developed by some suitable method.

Having described our invention, we claim 1. The combination of a suitable platen, a suitably-supported stylus, mechanism adapted to give the stylus a continuous vibration, an electromagnct, means actuated thereby for changing the position of the path in which the stylus vibrates, and mechanism for giving the stylus and platen a movement past each other in two directions at an angle to each other, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a revolving cylinder, a

adapted under certain conditions to impinge against said cylinder, there being provision for relative movement between said stylus and cylinder in a longitudinal direction, and mechanism for preventing said stylus from impingingagainstsaid cylinder,substantially as described.

3. In combination, an electromagnet, an armature-lever in series therewith, a suitable stop limiting the movement of the armaturelever away from the magnet and connected in series through a source of electric energy to the magnet, a spring tending to move the armature-lever away from the magnet, said parts cooperating to cause a continuous vibration of the armature-lever, said armaturelever adapted in its vibrations to cause an and also adapted to vibrate without causing such impression, and mechanism for determining whether such vibration causes such impression, substantially as described.

4. In combination, a lever, means for viimpression ona suitahly-held receptive sheet continuously-vibrating stylus, said stylus brating the same, said lever being adapted in its vibration to cause animpression on a suitably-held receptive sheet, said lever being pivoted on a movable pivot, an electromagnet, connecting means between the magnet and such pivot whereby the magnet is adapted to change the position of the pivot and thereby determine whether the lever in its vibration makes an impression on the receptive sheet, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a revolving cylinder, at continuonsly-vibrating stylus swinging in an are about a suitable center and adapted to impinge against receptive material carried by said cylinder, there being provision for relative longitudinal movement between cylinder and stylus, an electromagnet operating to change the center about which said stylus swings in its vibration whereby said magnet determines whether such vibration will impinge upon the receptive material, substan tially as described.

6. In combination, a cylinder adapted to be revolved, a platform capable of longitudinal movement along the side of the cylinder, a continuously-vibrating stylus carried by the platform and capable in its vibration of striking material upon the surface of said cylinder and capable also of vibrating without striking such surface, an electromagnet carried by the platform, and operating to govern the vibration of said stylus, and means for conveying current from a stationary point to said magnet, substantially as described.

7. In combination, a cylinder adapted to carry a receptive surface and adaped to be continuously rotated, a platform adapted to travel along the side of said cylinder, a vibrating lever carrying a stylus adapted to impinge against the receptive material carried by the cylinder, an electromagnet carried by the platform, said magnet operating to shift the pivot of said vibrating lever, and thereby change the center of its vibration so as to determine whether it impinges against the receptive material, and means for conveying current from a stationary point to said magnet, substantially as described.

8. In combination, a cylinder adapted to be continuously revolved, a platform adapted to travel along the side of the same, there being mounted on said platform; first, a lever carrying a stylus; second, an electromagnet connected in a local circuit and adapted to vibrate said lever; third, a magnet connected in the main circuit, said latter magnet adapted to cause change of position of the pivot of the vibrating lever whereby the stylus in its vibration may or may not impinge against the receptive surface, substantially as described.

9. In combination, a cylinder adapted to be continuously revolved, aplatform adapted to travel along the side of the same, a vibrating lever carried by said platform, electricallyactuated means for governing the vibration of said lever, a stylus hinged to said lever, a second stylus hinged on a pivot stationary with respect to said platform, the location of said styluses being such that either may contact with a surface carried by said cylinder at substantially the same point, either being adapted to be swung out of the way to make room for the other, substantially as described.

10. In combination, a magnet II, a lever .I carrying an armature h, a suitable stop as a set-screw K, limiting the movement of the lever away from the magnet, a bell-crank lever N having an arm pivoted to the leverJ and the other arm acting as or carrying an armature, an electromagnet P in suitable position to at- ,tract said last-mentioned armature, a point carried by said lever J and adapted to cause a mark on a suitably-held receptive surface by its vibration when the magnet P has drawn its armature toward itself, otherwise said lever J and point to vibrate idly, and means for causing relative movement between said point and said receptive surface, snbstam tially as described.

11. In combination, a continuously-revolving shaft, a cylinder, a metallic plate .3 and an insulated ring .5 carried by said cylinder, at slippable connection between the cylinderand shaft, a brush o adapted to bear on the periphery of the plate 8, and a detent U adapted to bear on the periphery of said ring .9, said ring having a notch in it, there being a projection s in electrical connection with said plate and extending into said notch whereby when said detent is in said notch, it is adapted to be in electrical connection with said plate .9, an insulating-block in the periphery of said plate so placed that when said projection s" is in contact with said detent said brush '2; is in contact with said insulating-block, means causing said detent to normally press against said insulating-ring and enter the notch therein when it comes into apposition with the detent, an electromagnet a adapted when energized to withdraw said detent from said notch, a divided circuit leading by one path to said magnet a and from thence to the detent, and by the other path to said brush 7:, and a conductor leading from said plate 5 whereby the circuit may be completed either through the brush 1' or through the detent, but not through both at once, substantially as described.

12. In combination, a frame, the shaft suit ably journaled therein, said shaft having an overhanging portion Z), a plate 3 surrounding the shaft and adapted to rotate around the same, spring-arms s compelled to rotate with the shaft and bearing with an adjustable pressure on the plate 5 whereby the latter is normally revolved by the shaft but may be held against revolution therewith, a cylinder 0 connected at one end with said plate and revolving with it, saidrcylinder being unobstructed at its peripheral line, at the other end, whereby a message-tube may be slipped over it, substantially as described.

13. In combination, the shaft 13 having the overhanging portion b, the sleeve S secured to the shaft, the plates surrounding the sleeve, the insulating-ring 3 carried by said plate, the sleeve 5 surrounding the sleeve S and having spring arms 8 bearing against the plate s, the nut s adapted to adjust the pressure of said spring-arms, and the cylinder 0 carried at one end by the said plate 8 outside of said insulating-ring and at the other end by the shaft 1) and another insulating-ring, substantially as described. It. In combination, a shaft b, a sleeve S surrounding the same, a plate 8 journaled on said sleeve, insulation carried by said plate, a protecting-sheath s surrounding said insulation, an insulating-ring T surrounding the shaft at another point, and the cylinder G surrounding the sheath 3 at one end, and having at its other end a head 0 having a central opening around which is a flange c which bears upon the said insulating-ring T, substantially as described.

15. The combination of a telegraph-line; a Morse set of instrumentsincluding a key, relay, and a local circuit containing a local battery and governed by said relay; a facsimile set of instruments including a platen, a vibrating receiver, a relay for governing the same, a motor for causing relative movement between the vibrating receiver and the platen; and suitable switch mechanism adapted to disconnect the Morse system and connect its local battery with an electricallybperated part of the facsimile system, substantially as described.

16. The combination of a telegraph-line; a Morse set of instruments consisting of a key, relay and local line operated thereby; and a facsimile set of instruments consisting of a message-cylinder, a vibrating receiver, a relay for governing the same, a transmittingstylus, a reversing-coil, a synchronizer, a motor for operating the message-cylinder, two local batteries, one for operating the motor and one for operating the vibrator; and suitable switching mechanism adapted to disconmeet the facsimile system and connect in the Morse system with one of the aforementioned batteries in the Morse local circuit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we atlix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM P. DUN LANY. THOMAS MILLS. \Vitnesses:

ALBERT H. BATES, ALEXANDER Y. TAYLOR.

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