US916458A - Telephonic recording apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

R. D. LAMPSON.

TELEPHONIG RECORDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.6,1907.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. 1). LAMPSON.

TELEPHONIG RECORDING APPARATUS,

APPLICATION FILED DBG.6,1901.

91 6,458. Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

' 3 SHEBTS-SHBET 2. v

INVEN TOR R. D. LAMPSON. TELEPHONIG RECORDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, 1907. 1

Patented Mar. 30, 1909. f a? 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR ,(Z- fJow-v WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY.

f UNI ED srarnsrnrnnr onnron.

ROBERT D. LAMPSON, OF NEWYORK, N: Y., ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALE TO JOHN E. THOMPSON,

- OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TELEPHONIC RECORDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 30, 1909.

Application filed December 6, 1907. Serial No. 406,874.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT D. LAMPSON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and residingat New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephonic Recording Apparatus, of which the following is a specification such as will enable those skilled 1n the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My improvements in telephonic recording annunciators relates to th at class of appara- 'tus adapted to the recording of electro telegraph-1c messages, and has part cular reference to the adaptation of such apparatus in connection with a system of electrical distribution, employed in the comn-iunication of intelligence, when connected up with a central station, and principally the present method of establishing telephonic communication now in vogue.

The object of the invention lies in the adaptation and cmistruction of an electro telegraphic recording apparatus, which will announce a call in the event of the absence of an attendant at the station signaled through a system, for example of telephonic commu nication, and it is the further object of this invention to record sufficient information at the absented stationto enable the attendant to ascertain the identity of the station which transmitted the alarm or signal as well as the time of the sending of suchisignal.

In reducing my invention to practice my attention was directed to a type of rinting telegraphic apparatus which has liecn in vogue in connection with lire alarms and messenger call systems whereby records are made upon strips of paper tape actuated by suitable motor mechanism, whereby L1)0I1 the operation of the tape and the control of the printing mechanism the intelligence of a signaling station is comnnmicated through a series of interruptions or changes in the electrical circuit involving the transmitting and receiving apparatus, and to this end I have adapted an electrical circuit, which may be completed at the central station of a telephonic system between two conncctcd subscribers, to the said printing telegraphic ap aratus whercb upon the sending in of a cal either througr the central oflice, or by the calling station direct, the tape and printing apparatus located at thc station to which The features characteristic of my invention whereby I am enabled to attain the objeets thereof are depicted in the several illustrations in the drawings hereto attached and forming part of this specification, and by the descriptive matter of the specification relative thereto and the distinctive features of novelty are referred to finally in the claims.

, With reference to the draWin aFigure 1 is a diagrammatical view of a telephonic circuit connected through a central station showing the adaptation of my improvements when employed in connection with the subscribers of a telephonic system connected by. central, Fig. 2 a diagrammatic view of the same on a somewhat enlarged scale with certain ortions of the recordin apparatus in detai Fig. 3 a side elevationa' view of a callbox, one side of the casing removed in order to more clearly show the tape feeding mechanism and the telegraphic rheotome, Fig. 4 a vertical sectional view taken through certain parts of the call-box so as-to illustrate the electro-magnetic controlling devices taken approximately on the line 4-, 4 of Fig. 5, and :-Fig. 5 a sectional plan view of a callbox adapted to my invention with certain parts of the mechanism omitted in order to render the illustration more clear.

In the several figures of the drawings similar characters of reference are employed to indicate like parts wherever they occur, and (1 represents a strip of tape or paper wound in the usual manner, for apparatus of this character upon adrum. b and is fed usually by springdriveu motor mechanism, or throu 11 other suitable motive power by the feed ro ls or wheels 0 and d.

in Figs. 3 and 41 have illustrated a form of recording apparatus operated by a spring motor tin-(nigh the instrumcntality of a main sprii'ig' c, driving shalt f, ratchct wheel 9, main driving wheel 7i and spring pressed pawl 'i. The feed roll 0 is driven by the main driving whccl it through a pinion j, which for every rcvolutiou oi the driving wheel h makes a number of revolutions, thereby giving to thefeed roll 0 a ra id rotation, while the main driving wheel 7i may make but a partial revolution. Co-rotative with the inion 7' is an intermediate driving gear 71: w 'ch is in mesh with a pinion l co-rotative with an escapement wheel m engaging an escapement n, and in mesh with the pinion Z is an intermediate driver 0 in mesh with the printtion at which the operator is located consists of a spring motor, embodying the main spring e, a main driving wheel 7?, driven thereby through ja shaft f ratchet wheel g and spring pressed awl t. The driving wheel h is in mesh wit a pinion 0 which is co-rotative with a driving gear p which is in mesh with a pinion j which is co-rotative with the escapement wheel m speed controlled by an escapement n Oo-rotative with the gear 19 is a rheotome or other suitable current varying means which I shall refer to occasionally as a signaling wheel indicated at s in Figs. v1, 2 and 3 which is provided with a limiting sto t.

'The main spring e is energized throug a key or crank u'which is rigidly secured to a stop 0), andthe operation of the signaling spring driving mechanism just described is such that upon the rotation of the crank it in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3

the main spring e will become energized and will set the shaft f into rotation carrying with it the ratchet wheel 9 and rotating the driving wheel h through the ,instrumentality of the s ring pressed pawl i and through the ear re ation with the ratchet mechanism ust described will control the speed of rotation of .the drive, thereby giving sufficient time forthe operation of the rheotome to cause the necessary variation in the strength of the electrical current traversing the electrical circuit to send in the proper signal as will'be hereinafter more fully explained. In the meanwhile however, the crank it will be returning to its or' inal position, while the contact wheel 8 wil be executing a revolution on its axis until its movement will be arrested by the sto pin t engaging thelstop '0, thus limiting to t e desired extent the degree of rotation 'of the contact wheel s,which in turn is designed to control the nature and character of the signal.

It will be observed particularly with referenee to Figs. 2 and 3 that the contact wheel 8 is provided with a number of cont act points s 8 s and s and that a contact spring w having a. contact point w bears wheel 8 and the contact spring wis main tained in order that the electrical circuit may be kept closed, exceptin at such time when a signal is beingtransmitted. During the rotation of the contact wheel 8 the contact point w of the contact sprin w will interrupt the electrical circuit, 0' which these two members form part, until a contact point 8? shall come incontact with the contact point to? of the spring to when the circuit will again be closed the rotation in the meanwhile continuing will cause the second interruption of the current by opening the circuit after the contact point w passes the contact point 3 and will again close the electrical circuit at the contact point 8, thus giving to the electrical current traversing the circuit two impulses in quick succession, the nature of which are known in the Morse alphabet as dots, and upon the continued rotation of the contact wheel 8 the contact point to of the'spring to will make a some wliat lengthened contact upon the segment 8 of the contact wheel 8 and continue thereafter to make two dots in the manner aforesaid, thus it will be observed that the signal sent in in this instance will be a dash, two dots a dash and one dot.- traversin the electrical eircuit presently to be descri ed of which the contact spring w and the contact wheel 8 form a art are communicated to a distant oint w ereat the recording apparatus is ocated through the medium of the conductors and circuit connections a, polarized rela a line wire a through central station swltchboard a", communicating line wire a polarized relay a, signaling circuit wire a communicating contact wheel .9 and communicating contact spring w, conductor a to signaling magneto bell a to telephone switch a l, and when switch a is depressed by the weight of the telephone receiver hanging thereon, through said telephone switch and conductor a and conductor a", thence to tele hone switchboard a, to conductor a, tience to coin ductor a to callers telephone switch a, presuming the same to be in contact with the conductor a by the wei ht of the telephone receiver hanging there rom as aforesaid, through contact a magneto call bell a, conductor a), contact spring to and contact wheel 8.

Due to the nature of the electrical current developed by the magneto call bell a", at the signaling station traversing the circuit as.

a and a in the circuit with its armature b restrained against a stop If by a tension spring 1), whereby a polarized armature '11 These impulses lOO' of the relay will respond but to unidirectional currents, thereby lengthening the period of vibrations of the armature b to double that of the impulses of the magneto bell which is transmitting the signal.

The armature bis provided with a contact point I) which bears against a stop b which closes the circuit of a local battery 0 through the medium of the conductors and connections and ,electrical devices to wit local batte wire 0 rela armature Z) local circuit wire 0 electro-magnct 0, local battery v. ire c eflecting for each contact between the contact-points b and b of the polarized relay at both ends of the line, the closing of both local circuits as aforesaid and the energization of the electro-magnet c.

The elkactro-magnet a is provided with an armature c" which is retracted by a tension spring 0 a ainst a step 0 (see Fig. 4) and is so ad usted so as to respond to the closing pf the local battery circuit aforesaid. Secured to and carried by the armature c is a platen e which when the electro-magnet becomes impulsively energized sufficiently to attract the armature c, it forces the strip of paper (1 against the inked printin wheel 9, thus marking. itwith a series 0 imprints which articulate with the impulses of the polarized relay aforesaid, and will have the effect of making a series of dots as long as the magneto bell is in action. This does not, hOVvever, interfere with the nature of the signal about to be transmitted over the line by the contact wheel 8 uhich has a distinct characteristic signal de ending upon the dots and dashes in selecte order.

The control of the recording apparatus as depicted, more particularly in Figs. 1, :3 and 5, 1s etfected by the electro-Inagnetic mech anism co-acting with the spring motor consisting of the main spring e, driving wheel h, ratchet wheel gand spring ressed pawl aforesaid, and the speed contrdl escapement mechanism already, described, and in this connection the electro-magnet c which is secured to the casing of the instrument does not only when energized effect the printing of the record on the tape in the manner aforesaid throu' h the instrumentality of its armature c, ut as well controls the feed of the tapeby the-feed roller 0 through the stop mechanism co-actin with the said armature during the period 0 its attraction with the electro-magnct c", and to this end I provide the armature c" with a universally jointed arm 0 and c, which may appear more lucid by referring to Fi s. 4 and 5. The portion 0 which shall re er to as an arm, is pivoted to the armature c in bearing relation by a stud c and carries an arm 0 fpivoted perpendicularlytothe axis of the a resaid arm,

and the two said arms are restricted by a tension spring '0 to bear against the seat 0 of a spiral boss 0" and against the pinion p described by the when the armature is retracted by said spring c One terminal of the said spring 0 is secured to the armature, and the other end thereof to the arm 0 The arm 0" is provided with a follower c, which when the armature is retracted by its spring in the manner aforesaid and forces the arm 0 upon the drum 0 follows the worm c" until the terminal of the arm 0" is carried in juxtaposition to the stop 0" pro jecting from the drum 0. This stop mechanism for arresting the feed of the tape when the local -battery circuit is open is one of the features of my invention. Upon the energizin of the local battery circuit as already olarized relay, the arm 0 co-actin with the armature 0 being attracted by the electro-ma et will lift clear of the drum 0 and thefo lower (1 will become disengaged from the worm 0 thus releasing the stopmechanism and permitting the feed of the tape in the manner already described, while the record is being imprinted on the tape by the lifting of the platen 6 During the u and down movement of the arm 0" b t e pulsations in the electrical circuit W ich controls the armature c", the sto pin 0" contacting with the terminal of t e arm 0 will arrest the tape as already described, but it will be understood,

that it will re uire at least a complete revolution of the rum 0 to transmit the complete signal and to bringthe wheel 8 again to its starting point.

It will be observed in Fi 2 and'3 that the contact wheel 8 is rovi ed with an additional means for ma ing contact as shown at s which represents the adaptation of further characters to be printed on the ta e,of the recordin instrument as already escribed. In said il ustration let it be understood that a record is to be made upon the recordin tape. a of a transmitting instrument at a distant point as already described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 upon the turning of thehandle u in Fig. 3 in'the direction of the arrow and the transmission of the message, the imprint of said-message u on the tape a will bea dash, two dots, a ash, one dot, a space and a dash, which may be interpreted to mean 5113, party J, Cortlandt, the dash being understood as 5 when. followed by two dots, and the two dots for one each and the dash preceded-by two dots, 3, and the one dot after a line, and the'length of "the space followed by adash, determining both the code for the district as well as the party.

It is obvious that any character of signal desired consisting of the interruptions in the circuit through a series of contact points of the character described, may be adapted to a code to accomplish the pur ose of my invention; In order to record t e date and hour of the signal upon the ta e a, I provide a lever f, f actuated by t e arm a of the armature c on its upward movement, which lever is pivoted at f. The lever f f carries at the terminal of its arm f a time and date stamp f 13 consisting of a clock rigidly secured by its hour staff f to the terminal of the said arm f against rotation. While the clock f revolves about its hour stafi f 14 it brings the perimeter of the casing f and the characters thereon into a printing osition, with reference to the ta e a.- ese characters are arranged in e ua divisions in accordance with the time in ours or subdivisions between them for minutes and fractions thereof.

The casing f of the clock f is subdivided at f and a second drum f carried by a calendar Wheel of the clock is familiarly arranged with res ect to the date, as is the perimeter of the c ock aforesaid arranged for the hours and fractions thereof. It will be observed with reference to Fig. 3 that while printing the time upon the tape, a somewhat elongated platen f supports said tape.

In order to prevent the ap aratus from being tampered with incase t e same in a suitable envelop or casing, and to render the apparatus exclusive I provide a key switch 7c and a second supplemental switch 70 both of which being requlsite to render the system operative or ino erative. With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, t e arrangement of these two switches to short circuit the relay by wires a and a will be obvious. The switch It being a key renders interference with the instrument somewhat difficult, for the reason that both switches k and 76 must be closed in order to cut out or short circuit the polarized relay a In operating my improved annunciator by the system of distribution, and electromagnetic and other mechanism just described, it will be understood that inasmuch as the current which is transmitted from a signaling station is of a pulsatory character, furnished by a magneto it will be necessary at the-time of sending the signal to pull down the crank it in Fig. 3 to its full extent, and before releasing the same to turn the crank ofthe magneto several times in rapid succession by the other hand of the operator, while central has established the through connection. I

Since it is the magneto at the transmlttmg .station'which furnishes the energy for operating the olarize'd relay at the recording station, t e armature of the polarized relay will vibrate ra idly making a number of contacts with t e local recording battery in rapid succession, but during this period the transmitting contact wheel 8 moving at the customary slow speed for call boxes Wlll make contactwith the spring 112 asfalready stated making and breaking the magneto (in-cit with a distinct character which will 7 ma rk the contrast between the pulsations of the magneto currentirnoreovei' owingv to the T ized relay armature at the recording end, the

local battery circuit will be rapidly ener 'zed i and deenergized, the eifect of which. be the printing of the tape as though the magneto current were a continuous one. The

reason of this being that the dot printed by the impulse during each energization of the llocal circuit will be sufficiently rapid by the pulsating nature of. the magneto circuit to eflect the 'printin of the dots sufliciently closeas to lendt cm into the construction of a line, or dash, but the desired interrup:

tion of the printing is caused by the opening of the magneto circuit between thecontact points of the contact wheel 8 by the spring w. It will be understood however, that in lieu of the magneto being employed as a means for transmitting. the'signal over the line an ordinary continuous current call bellsystem as has been commonly in voguemay be employed, and when my improved re-' cording telephonic annunciator is adapted on systems of communication employing a signaling system which is transmitted froma central station, the central station .is instructed to transmit a lengthy signal prior to the operator at the transmitting station releasing the crank u, which signal should be of sufficient duration to enable the contact wheel 8 to make one complete revolution.

It is obvious in lieu of using a code of signals such as I have already described, I may select the usual call box method and number each signaling wheel .5; with the requisite number of contacts to indicate the ordinals in the list of subscribers of such call box, and reference beinghad to a list of such subscribers, the telephonic number. indicating the number of the respective call box will at once give the necessary intelligence to ascertain the desired information.

I am aware'that prior to my invention call 1. In a telephonic recording annunciator, I

the combination of a main closed circuit and signaling apparatus therein of a signaling alarm device and, a unidirectional operative relay, and a normally open local circuit involving a battery and electro ma at, and a recording apparatus actuated t ereby together with a short circuiting'switch in shunt with the relay.

rent alarm devices t erefor of a signaling magneto, a unidirectional operative relay, a

local circuit, a battery and a recording apparatus co-acting therewith and actuated thereby together with means controlled by the relay adapted to chronologically impress the record.

4. In a telephonic recording annumziator;

the combination with the main circuit of a polarized relay, a local circuit cooperating therewith, an intermittent current signaling magneto in circuit with the relay, a printing and recording device controlled by the local circuit and said relay, and a time recorder operated by the printing and recording derice.

5. In a telephonic recording annunciator, the con'ibination with a main circuit having receiving alternate current transmitting and alarm devices, of a olarized signaling relay,

a local circuit and battery cooperating with said relay, a recording apparatus co-aeting with the said local circuit and battery, and a chronological impress mechanism adapted to time the record.

6. In a telephonic system and in combination with the magneto alarm device, a recording annunciator, a polarized relay operated thereby, a local circuit cooperating therewith, an intermittcnt'current signaling instrument in circuit with the relay, a printing and recording device controlled by the local circuit and relay, tape feed mechanism cooperating with the printing device and a stop therefor embracing a cam and follower controlled by the energy of the telephonic e ireuit.

In a telephonic system and in combination with the alarm magneto of a recording annunciator, a polarized relay in the teleihonic circuit operated by the magneto, a local circuit cooperating with the relay, an intermittent signaling device in circuit with the relay, a tape feed printing device controlled by the local circuit and a timing rccorder eo-acting therewith.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of the subscribing witnesses this 5th day of December 1907.

ROBERT D. ln-UlPSON. Witnessesi C. E. MULREANY, M. E. Doom.

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