US710448A - Apparatus for perforating tape for automatic telegraph instruments. - Google Patents

Description

m. 7|o,44s. Patented Oct. 7, 1902.

J. GELL. APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING TAPE FOR AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS.

(Application filed Nov. 26, 1901.)

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' Patented Oct. 7, 1902.

J. GELL.

APPARATUS FOR PEBFORATING TAPE FOR AUTOMATICv TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS.

(Application filed Nov. 26, 1901.)

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

.wasnmowu n c Patented Oct. 7, I902.

No. 7l0,448.

Y J. GELL. APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING TAPE FOB'AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS.

(Application filed. Nov. 26, 1901.)

3 SheetsSheet 3.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GELL, OF \VELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND.

APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING TAPE FOR AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPH lNSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 710,448, dated October 7, 1902.

Application filed November 26, 1901. Serial No. 83,724. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GELL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Wellington, New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Perforating Tape for Automatic Telegraph Instruments and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is for the purpose of perforating paper tape for the usual Wheatstone automatic telegraphinstruments or for other purposes by means operated from a standard type-writer keyboard in place of the three punches now in practical use.

The instrument to be described has been arranged to perforate tape for the use of transmitters operating cable siphon recorders. By modifying the connections and arrangements of magnets the instrument can, however, be adapted to the usual land-line Wheatstone.

The action of the instrument is shown in the accompanying plans, where the letters and figures in the different views represent the same parts.

Figure 1 is a plan view in the nature of a diagram of the complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side view of the perforating devices and adjacent mechanism with parts in section. Fig. 3 is a view looking from the left of Fig. 2, showing the tape-feed mechanism and adjacent parts. Fig. 4 is a View taken from the left of Fig. 3, showing the differential check for the tape-feed action, together with a shiftkey, spacing-key, and circuit connections, this view being also diagrammatic in character. Fig. 5 is a side view of the keyboard, showing the latter combs, parallel liftingbars, contact-springs. and also the tape-feedcontrolling lever. Fig. 6 is a detail of the parallellifting-bars and contact-springs. Fig. 7 is a detail view, partly in section, of the punches and adjacent parts. Figs. 8 and 9 represent portions of the tape. Fig. 10 is a diagram of the punches. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the punches and their interacting blocks. Fig. 1:2isa diagrammatic view of a modified way of operating the tape-feed. Fig. 13 is a detailof tape-feed rollers. Figs. 14. and 15 are detail views of the multiple switch.

As shown in Fig. 10, a group of tape-perforatingpunches are arranged in three rows.

Those of the middle row (usually spaced onetenth of an inch apart from center to center) are for the purpose of engaging with the ratchet-wheel in the perforating-machine and in the transmitter to feed the tape. The upper and lower rows consist of punches for forming the marking-holes and control in the transmitter the character of the signal-current and the interval between the signals.

I have numbered the punches l to 9, and they are operated by electromagnets Nos. 1 to 9, Fig. 1, through armature-levers 18, Figs. 1 and 2, which are pivotedto a suitable part of the framework.

Instead of using thirteen perforating-magnets. one for each punch, I employ only nine, and I am enabled to reduce the number of magnets in the following way: In Fig. 7 the central feed-hole punch is shown to have a shoulder piece or block 15' engaging with shoulder pieces or blocks 14 on each of the outer or marking punches, and the three punches in line transversely of the tape act as guide-bars to these blocks. The center punch also has a spring 16 pressing against its block, which raises the three punches to their normal positions.

It will be seen that if one of the markingpunches is depressed it will also carry down the companion center punch, so that a marking-hole and a feed or ratchet-wheel hole will be cut by the action of a single magnet, these holes being in line transversely of the tape.

The single feed-hole and spacing-punch 5,

Fig. 10, is operated by its own perforatingmagnet No. 5.

Fig. 10, which also represents the result if allt-he punches are pressed down simultaneously, is a key to the system, for it comprises a series of holes which cover all possible combinations necessary, and the selective mechanism is so arranged that any combination of the punches can be simultaneously brought into operation by the depression of the proper let ter-key, and thus cut in one operation the holes which represent the letter on the key so depressed and together with the feed-holes and the spacing-hole.

The letters are formed by certain combinations of perforations. For instance, the letter A is produced by operating simultaneously the punches 5 4 7, as shown in Fig. 8. The letter B is produced by operating punches 5 6 3 2 1.

All the punches of the group necessary to form a letter, together with the feed-hole punches and the spacing-punch 5,are operated simultaneously upon the depression of the key at the keyboard which bears the character to be punched. For this purpose I employ circuit-selectin g mechanism,which whenany key is operated selects and causes to be energized the proper electromagnets to operate simultaneously the predetermined combination of punches necessary to form the letter. This mechanism comprises selectingcombs 19, one for each key-lever 20, carried by vertically-movable rods 21, guided in the frame at 22 and arranged to be raised by a slot-and-pin connection 23 with the key-lever. The key-levers are fulcrumed at 24 and carry the keys 25, which bear the characters. Springs 26 hold the key-levers with the'combs normally in the position shown in Fig. 5; but when a key is depressed the comb is elevated and its teeth or projections 27 will select and raise certain of the conducting-bars 28, which are arranged in a group transversely of and.

above the rear ends of the key-levers. Each of these bars is supported by links 29, pivoted at its ends and pivoted also to the fixed frame of the machine, so that in raising or lowering the conducting or contact bars will maintain their horizontal position. When any combination or predetermined series of said bars is raised by the teeth of the comb, they contact with springs arranged above them, which I have marked 1', 2, 3', 4, 5, 6, 7, 3, and 9. These springs are electrically connected, respectively, with the electromagnets No. 1, No. 2, &c., which latter are electrically connected with a common return-wire 30, leading to the battery g, the other pole of which connects electrically through wire 31 with all the conducting-bars 28 through their links 29 and their common pivot-support 32. hen, for example, letter-key Ais depressed at the keyboard, the selecting-comb thereof will raise certain of the conducting-bars 28 to engage the contact-springs 5 4 7. The current from battery 9 now passes over the following course: wire 31, pivot 32, links 29, the particular bars 23 which have been lifted by the comb, and contact-springs 5', 4', and 7. From contact-springs 5, 4', and 7 the current flows, respectively, through the wires 5 4 and 7 to the electromagnets Nos. 5, 4, and 7 and thence byreturn- wires 30 and 33 to the battery g. The energizing of magnets Nos. 5, 4, and 7 causes the punches 5, 4, and 7 to cut holes 5 4 7, Fig. 8 and chart 10, to represent the letter A on the Wheatstone tape. \Vhen another key is depressed, its comb, being provided with teeth or projections differingin position from the A key mentioned above, will select a difierent combination or set of conducting-bars, thus selectinga different combination of circuits and Thus not only is the letter formed on the Wheatstone tape, but the ratchet-space hole between the letters.

Space between w0rds.In order to produce perforations representing the extra spaces between words, the spacing-punch 5 is util-' ized and means are provided whereby said punch may be operated independently of all r the other punches. For this purpose a spacebar34 is arranged at the front of the machine, being carried by levers 35, fulcrumed intermediate of their length and carrying selecting-combs at their rear ends, which, however, are each provided with but a single projection, this being in position to operate the conducting-bar which closes the circuit from the battery through the contact-spring 5, the course of the current being thence through wire 5 electromagnet 5, and return-wire 30 to battery 9.

Tape-feeding mecham'sm.The mechanism for feeding the tape through the slot 17 is represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 and comprises feed-rollers 36 37, arranged in line with said slot and suitably journaled in the frame of the machine. The lower roller is provided with pins spaced to engage in ratchet-Wheel feed-holes previously cut and with a ratchetwheel 38, engaged byabar 39, having ratchetteeth fitting into the teeth of the wheel. The bar is pressed into engagement with the ratchet-wheel by a spring 40, and it is oper-' ated by an armature-lever 41, pivoted to the frame at 42 and arranged to be operated by electromagnets 43 44.

The armature-lever is shown in its position of rest in Fig. 3, it having been drawn to the right by the energized magnet 44. When a key is depressed, the electromagnet 44 is demagnetized and the magnet 43 is energized, thus drawing the armature-lever to the left and setting the ratchet-bar in proper relation to the ratchet-wheel to feed the latter when the key is released and the magnet 44 is again energized.

It will be seen from Fig. 3 that the ratchetbar when moved or set to the left under the action of the magnet 43 slips over the ratchet without turning it, the spring 40 allowing the ratchet-bar to raise and a detent 45 holding the ratchet against movement.

When the ratchet-bar moves toward the right under the action of the electromagnet 44, the ratchet-wheel is turned to feed the tape beneath the punches. a

The electromagnets 43 and 44 are in circuit with a feed-control lever 45, Figs. 1 and 5, pivoted at 46 to a suitable part of the frame and having its rear end provided with a projection 47, always in contact with the parallel lift-bar belonging to the contact-spring 5, which bar, as before stated, is in the nature of a universal bar, it being operated by the selecting-comb of each key and also by the comb of the space-bar.

The opposite end of the tape-feed-control lever operates between two spring-contacts 48 49, supported upon but insulated from the main supporting-frame of the machine. The contact-spring 48 connects electrically through wire 50 with the setting-electromagnet 43. The other contact 49 is connected electrically through wire 51 with the tapefeed electromagnet 44, the return to battery 1 from these electromagnets being through the common return-wire 30.

Normally, or when the machine is at rest, the tape-feed-control lever 45 is in contact with the upper contact 49 and the current from the battery passes through wire 31, parallel lifting-bar, tape-feed-control lever 45, wire 51, tape-feed electromagnet, and thence by return-wire to battery. NVhen a key is depressed, the tape-feed-control lever is operated, breaking the circuit at contact 49 and making it at contact 48, so that the current passes now through the setting-magnet 43 by way of wire 50, and the armature-lever 41 is then attracted, thus advancing the ratchet-bar and setting it in position to operate the feed-rollers, which takes place when the key is released, and the feed-electromagnet 44 is energized consequent upon the closing of the circuit at contact 49.

Briefly stated, the depression of a key causes magnet 43 to set the tape-feed mechanism ready to act, and the release of the key causes the setting-magnet 43 to be demagnetized and at the same time the tape-feed magnet 44 to be energized to effect the feed of the tape, and the feed mechanism then remains in the position shown in Fig. 3 until another key is depressed.

Diyj erential check for tape-feed mechanism.-As before stated, the distance between the perforationsflmeasured longitudinally of the tape, is one-tenth of aninch. Someletters are composed of two punchings and others of three, four, and live punchings, and it follows from this that the feed of the tape must be a differential one and correspond to the number of punchings composing the letter. For instance, the letter A, with its associated space, occupies three ratchet-wheel perforations formed by punches 5 4 7. The letter 7 is composed of five perforations formed by punches 5, 6, 3, 2, and 1. From this it will be seen that the letters as indicated by the perforations are of different lengths, and it is essential, therefore, to introduce a differential feed-check mechanism to enable the letters to be perforated on the tape contiguously and in proper succession and to give continuous and equallyspaced intermediate feed-perforations for the engagement of the ratchet-wheel of the transmitting instrument.

This differential check for the tape-feed mechanism comprises four magnets a b 0 (Z, supported in the framework, as shown in Fig. 4, said magnets having their ar matnres 52 pivoted to the framework at 53 and having their free ends pivotally connected with check rods or bars 54, which are guided in the framework, as at 55, Fig. 4. The inner ends of these check-rods lie normally adjacent to a guideway 56, into which the arm 57 of the tape-feed armature 41 extends. Normally the arm 57 lies at the upper end of the guideway against an adjustable stop pin or screw 58.

It will be seen from Fig. 4 that in the position indicated of the check-bars the arm 57 can have a full stroke from the top to the bottom of the guideway, and when this movement takes place the ratchet-bar will be set to its fullest extent leftward, Fig. 3, so as to give the maximum feed of five ratchet-wheel holes to the tape when the finger-key is released and the feed-magnet 44 actuates the armature 41. If, however, previous to the setting action of the tape-feed ratchet-oar and armature any one of the check-bars 54 is thrust across the guideway 56, the setting movement leftward of the ratchet-bar will be limited accordingly and the feed of the tape will be correspondingly limited in amount. The magnet a, Fig. 4, when energized will operate its check-bar to limit the feeding action to one ratchet-wheel hole,'magnet b to two holes, magnet c to three holes, magnet d to four holes, and the adjustable screw 59 at the bottom of the guideway limits the feed of the tape to five holes.

The position of the check-bars 54 relative to the stroke of the armature 57 may be accurately adjusted by means of adjustingscrews 60, carried by the framework 61, upon which screws the check-bars rest. The magnet a, which limits the amount of feed to one ratchet-hole, is controlled from the space-bar 34,which has a contact 61 thereunder to close a circuit from the battery through line 62 and contact 63, Figs. 1 and 4, said circuit being completed through line 64, a switch-lever a, (hereinafter particularly referred to,) a contact a line 65, magnet a, and return-wire 66 to battery. When the space-bar is depressed, therefore the first action which results is the energizing of the magnet a through the circuit just described. This thrusts the first or upper check-bar, Fig. 1, across the guideway and limits the setting movement of the tape-feed mechanism, so that it will feed only one ratchet-hole. The space-bar being further depressed causes the punch 5 to be actuated, as before described, and then upon the release of the space-bar the onestep feeding action of the tape-feeding mechanism takes place as the armature 41 is swinging back to the right, as shown in Fig. 3.

From an inspection of Fig. 1 it will be seen that in addition to the contact-springs 1 to 9' for closing the punchmagnet circuits three additional contact-springs 10, 11, and

12 are shown, and these control, respectively, the energizing of the feed-check magnets Z; c d. The circuits between these contactsprings and their respective magnets are closed when certain of the finger-keys are operated. For instance, the letter A requires, together with its space-hole, three holes, as shown in Fig. 3, so that when the A key is depressed it is necessary to close the circuit to the check-magnet 0 through the contact-spring 11, and for this purpose the selecting-comb 19 of'the A key is provided, in addition to the projections thereon necessary to operate the punching-magnets, with an additional projection adapted to lift one of the parallel bars 28 to close the circuit through the contact-spring 11, which circuit may be traced to the check-magnet c in Fig. 4:, as follows: From the battery g to the bar 28, contact-spring 11, switch-lever 0, wire 67 through the magnet c and line 68, through the return-wire 66 to opposite pole of the battery. In similar manner the check-magnets b and cl are energized to thrust their check-bars into the pathof the check-feed armature-arm 57 when certain of the keys are depressed, the character-sign of which requires such a feed movement of the tape as will be produced by limiting the throw of the arm 57 by the respective check-bars of said magnets 17 and cl. In every case the adjustment of contact-sprin gs is such that the check feed-magnets are operated slightly before the perforating feed-magnets.

Punch" zg figures andpzmctuationmarks In addition to making the perforations for the letters it is necessary also to punch groups of perforations representing figures or punctuation-marks, the. \Vhile this can be accomplished by providing a large number of per-.

forating or punch -operating magnets and multiplying the other elements-such as the parallel bars, keys, &c.-I have, in order to prevent complication and to avoid enlarging the machine beyond reasonable limits, provided means whereby the difierential-spacing mechanism may be controlled at will, so as to vary the spacing movement to eliminate the separate perforation made by the spacingpunch 5 between the letters, so that by combining two letter characters and arranging them contiguous they will represent, collectively, a different character-such as the figure 1, figure 9, or the interrogation-point shown in the same figure. For instance, the perforations representing the letters A and O can be made to represent the figure 1, and the perforations representing the letters I and r can be made to represent a note of interrogation. Thisis done by arranging the two groups necessary to form the composite character contiguous to each other by eliminating the space-perforations. To accomplish my object here, I make use of a shiftingkey 69, the lever of which is fulcrumed similarly to the letter-key levers, said shift-lever having its rear end connected by pins and slots 70 with switches a b c d, which are pivoted to but insulated from a post 71, extending up from the base of the machine. This switch is of a multiple character, and, as before described, the members of it, a b c (1, form parts of the circuits, respectively, between the space-bar 34, diiferential tape-feed contact- springs 10, 11, and 12, and the diiferential-feed check-magnet a Z) 0 cl. Normally the members of the multiple switch rest horizontally, as shown in Fig. 4, and the circuits when established are then through the checkingmagnets a, b, c, and (1, respectively, as previously described; but when the shift-key is depressed the free ends of the levers of the multiple switch are moved upwardly at an inclination, so that the member a is thrown out of operation as a conductor, and each of the otherswitch members leaves its own contact b 0 (1 respectively, and makes contact with the next one above, member b engag: ing contact a and so on. For example, the electrical circuit through magnet c is now completed instead through magnet b, so that the arm 57 of the tape-feed armature is arrested-one hole less than normally. It will be seen from the above that by depressing the shift-key and then the A key the letter A is perforated, but on lifting the finger from the A keyand from the shift-key the tape is only advanced two ratchet-holes instead of three, because the check-magnet b has, by the depression of the shift-key, been brought into operation instead of checkingmagnet 0. Now upon depressing the O key, as usual, the perforations representing the letter O will be cutcontiguous to those representing the letter A and without any space intervening, thus forming a composite character, which in the present instance is the figure 1.- Similarly the interrogationpoint can be cut by depressing the shift-key, and then depressing the I key, and finally the Z key. An air-cheek is shown at 75, Fig. 3, to form a cushion for the tape-feed lever.

Instead of actuating the feed-magnets by the movement of lever 45 the feed may be operated as shownin Fig. 12. Normallyspring 73 instead of magnet 44 of the previously-described form holds the ratchet-feed lever against a back-stop. When a key is depressed, the current fiows through the checkfeed magnets, as described, and also through the perforating-magnets; but instead of the current passing direct from the perforatingmagnets to the zinc pole of the battery by wire 30 it first of all passes through the tapefeed-setting magnet 48, which attracts its armature and causes the rack-bar to move across the teeth of ratchet-wheel. Then the finger is raised from the key andthe magnetism ceases, the spring 7 3 draws back the rackbar and moves forward the tape.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination with a group of punches to cut marking-holes and also a series of feedholes, and differential tape-feed mechanism IIO having means to engage the series of feedholes, said mechanism comprising setting means and dilferential checking means therefor, arranged and operating independently of the punches, substantially as described.

2. In combination in a perforating-machine, finger-keys, a group of punches, tape-feed mechanism, a single setting-magnet for the said tape -feed mechanism and means for checking the setting action of the said settingmagnet, the operation of said setting-magnet and the checking means being controlled from the keys, substantially as described.

3. In combination inaperforating-machine, a group of punches, finger-keys, tape-feed mechanism comprising an electromagnet controlled from the keys and electromagnetic checking means for efiecting a differential feed of the tape also controlled from the keys, substantially as described.

4. In combination in aperforating-machine, a'group of punches, finger-keys, tape-feeding mechanism comprising a lever, a setting-magnet for setting the said lever, checking-magnets, checking-bars controlled by the checking-magnets to limit the setting movements of the lever, and means for controlling the checking-magnets from the keys, substantially as described.

5. In combination, a group of punches including marking punches and a spacingpuuch, a keyboard, means controlled thereby for operating the punches and means controlled from the keyboard for eliminating the action of the spacing-punch, substantially as described.

6. In combination, a group of punches including marking punches and a spacingpunch, keys, means for selecting certain of the punches and operating them simultaneously to cut the marking-holes and also the spacing-hole and a key with means for eliminating the action of the spacing-punch, substantially as described.

7. In combination, a group of punches including marking punches and a spacingpunch, a keyboard, means controlled thereby for operating thepunches and means for eliminating the action of the spacing-punch, said meansincludingvariable spacing mechanism, substantially as described.

8. In combination, a group of punches including markingpunches and a spacingpunch, a keyboard, means controlled thereby for operating the punches and means for eliminating the action of the spacing-punch, said means including variable spacing mechanism and a shift-key for controlling the same, substantially as described.

9. In combination in a perforating-machine, keys, a group of punches including marking and spacing punches, differential tape-feed ing mechanism having a differential movement according to the particular key struck and means for varying the feed of the differential tape-feeding mechanism whereby composite characters inay be formed by cutting a plurality of characters in succes ion and contiguous to each other, substantially as described.

10. In combination in a perforatingmachine, a group of punchesincluding marking and spacing punches, tape-feeding mechanism having a differential movement, keys with means whereby the differential movement of the tape-feeding mechanism is controlled according to the particular key operated and to the extent of the group of perforations composing the letter corresponding to said key and means whereby the difierential spacing movement may be varied to eliminate the action of the spacing-punch,substantially as described.

11. In combination in a perforating-machine, a group of punches including marking and spacing punches, tape-feeding mechanism having a differential movement, keys with means whereby the difierential movement of the tape-feeding mechanism is controlled according to the particular key operated and to the extent of the group of perforations composing the letter corresponding to said key and means whereby the differential spacing movement may be varied to eliminate the action of the spacing-punch, said means including a shift-key, substantially as described.

12. In combination in a perforatiugmachine, a groupof punches, a keyboard, means for operating the punches, and selecting means controlled from the keyboard, said selecting means comprising a series of parallel bars arranged horizontally with means for supporting the same to allow movement thereof while maintaining their parallelism and contacts arranged above the upper edges of the bars to be engaged by said upper edges in the vertical movement of the bars, substantially as described.

13. In combination, in a perforatingmachine, a group of punches, a keyboard, means for operating the punches, selecting-combs operated from the keyboard, a series of parallel bars arranged horizontally with means for supporting the same to allow movement thereof while maintaining their parallelism and contacts to be engaged by the parallel bars, said contacts being opposite one of the longitudinal edges of the bars while the combs operate on the opposite longitudinal edge of the bars, substantially as described.

14. In combination, a group of punches, a keyboard, means for operating the punches, and selecting mechanism comprising toothed combs connected with the keys to move therewith and a series of bars, links at the opposite ends of said bars to maintain them in their proper relative position in rising and falling, substantially as described.

15. In combination, a series of punches, a keyboard, tape-feeding mechanism, electromagnetic checking mechanism for the tapefeeding mechanism, means for operating the punches, selecting means between the keylevers and the said operating means comprising a series of bars supported to have parallel movement, selecting-combs connected with the key-lever for moving said bars, a series of contacts to be engaged by the bars for controlling the operating means of the punches and contacts also arranged to be engaged by certain of the bars for controlling the checking mechanism, substantially as described.

16. In combination with a group of punches including marking-punches and a spacingpunch, a keyboard, means for operating the punches, selecting mechanism between the keyboard and said operating mechanism comprising a series of bars arranged to have parallel movement and selecting-combs connected with the key-levers for operating the bars, connections between the bars and the operating means of the punches, one of said bars being of universal character and connected with the spacing-punch for operating the same, substantially as described.

17. In combination, a group of punches, difierential tape feeding means including checking-magnets and means for varying the action of the dilferential tape-feeding mechanism comprising switch means for changing the circuits of said checking-magnets to make them operate in a different order from normally, substantially as described.

18. In combination in a group of punches, difierential tape feeding means including checking-magnets and means for varying the action of the differential tape-feeding mechanism comprising multiple-switch means for changing the circuits of said checking-magnets to make them operate in a different order from normally, substantially as described.

19. In combination, a group of punches,

' means for operating them, tape-feeding mechanism comprising a setting and an actuating magnet, a keyboard, selecting mechanism controlled thereby and comprising a series of bars with means for supporting the same to have parallel movement and a feed-controlling leveroperated by one of the bars and contacts arranged to be made and broken by the operation of the feed-controlling lever for energizing either one or the other of the said magnets, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. COOPER, O. S. MIDDLETON.

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