USRE6870E - Improvement in printing-telegraph instruments - Google Patents

Description

, Shets-*Sheet 1. E. GRAY.

PRINTING-TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENT.

Ressued Jan.25,1876.

3 Sheets--SheefI 2.

E. GRAY.

PRINTING-TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENT. No. 6,870. Reissued Jan. z5, 187e.

YN: mm nu" nu, manrmno., Mmmuron, n. c.

- BSheets-Sheet 3. E. GRAY.

LEGRAPH INSTRUMENT.

Ressued Jan. 25, 1876..

PRINTING-TE UNITEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELISHA GRAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRINTING-TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 132,907, dated November 1872; reissue No. 6,870, dated January 25, 1876; application filed December 2, 1875.

DrvrsIoN A.

ing speciication, reference being had to .the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents a front elevation of a printing-telegraph instrument provided With my improvements, the upper part of the polarized relay and cylindrical case being broken away for the purpose of exhibiting the parts within the case. Fig. 2, Sheet `1, is a rear elevation of the saine. Fig. 3,

Sheet 1, is a front elevation of the upper-part `of the polarized relay,detached. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a bottom view of my improved instrument. Fig. 5, .Sheet 2, is an enlarged view of the unison-stop, detached. Figs. 6 and 7, Sheet 3, represent a planlview or chart, more fully showing the'connection between the different parts of the instrument, the relation of the instrumentto the batteries, and of the primary to the secondary instruments along the line.

The object of my invention is to provide a line of printing -telegraph instrnments,pco n sisting of one primary and one or more secondary instruments, charged, alternately, with positive and negative currents by a single main battery and a pole-changer, thus dispensing with the use of a switch, and also of a main battery and a pole-changer, except at the stations where the primary instrument is located, thel said pole-chan ger being under the control of the operator at any station on the line, and theV instruments being automatic in action, with the exception of the ordinary manipulation of keys at the transmitting-staf tion.

The invention herein claimed relates to a pole-changer, so constructed and arranged that with one main battery the printing zinstruments throughout the line may be charged,

alternately, with positive and negative currents; also, to the combinationof a polechanger with with a type-wheel, in such a manner that both will be controlled by the same armature; and, also, in certain combinations of a pole-changer with other devices, for the accomplishment of certain specific results, as will be hereinafter. fully set forth.

The case of the instrument-s consists'of two parts-a base, A, and an upright portion, B, the latter being,surmounted by a suitable brass cover.

U C are keys, the former of which are'designated by the letters ofthe alphabet and marks of punctuation. All are constructed with gatta-perchaheads, having brass pins extending freely through the case.

D D are metallic platinum-pointed springs,

.supporting the lower end ot' the pins projecting 'from the keys, and E E are metallic strips faced ,with platinumi`oil,- and united by the cross-piece E', against which strips the movable ends of the springs D D rest.

F F are small insulated copper wires, each of which communicates with one of the keys C C', and all of which, excepting F', unite and form the cable G, and then, separating, each wireI ot' the cable communicates with one of the metallic pieces H, all of which pieces are attached to a disk, but are insulated from each other and from the disk to which they are attached, and constitute what is known as a sunflower, while the sunflower, springdrag, wires F F", and corresponding keys constitute what I call a sunflower system.

I is an electro-magnet, wound with insulatedr copper wire, (preferably No; 23.) J is a lever, and K is a bracket to which it is pivoted, as shown at l, Fig. 1.

M is a soft-ironarmature, rigidly attached to au arm or lever projecting from the shoulder or pivot of the lever J, and N is a coilspring, by which the lever J is -drawn back when the circuit through the magnet I is open. Y

.'When the circuit through the magnet I is closed the armature M is drawn to the poles of the said magnet, and the lever J vibrated as this circuit is opened and closed.

O is a frame, and Pis the press-lever pivoted thereto, to which lever the printing-pad or roller and the feeding mechanism are attached. Thel lever P is jointed to the lever J in such a manner that the vibration of the latter oper# atcs the feeding mechanism and throws the pad against the type-wheel. Q is. the type-V wheel, rigidly attached to a shaft having bearings in the frame O.

R is a German-silver spring-drag, rigidly attached to one end of the type-wheel shaft, and having its free end resting on one of' the pieces H. `For certainty of operation, j this spring is split'a-nd hentin the manner shown.

S, Fig. 5, is a disk rigidly attached to the type-wheel shaft, but adjustable thereon. The outer face of this disk is spirally grooved. T is a platinum pin, rigidly attached to and projecting slightly above the periphery of the disk S. U is an armpivoted to the frame O, and extending to the central part of the disk S. The free end of this arml is perforated, and Vis a Aheaded steel pin passing freely through the said perforation, and projecting into the spiral groove on the disk S.

A platinum pin, A' is sipported by the arm U, but is insulated therefrom, and so arranged with reference to the disk S that when the lat teris rotated the pin T will be brought into contact with the pin A. A small insulated copper wire (not shown) connects the pin A' with the inside Awire of the magnet B', hereaftermentioned.

A forked arm,'C", is attached to the horizontal arm of the lever P, and, extending upward, its forked portion embraces the arm U,

so that the upward movement of 'the arm of lever P will cause the pin A. to be lifted above the pin T, and thereby break its contact there? With. To accommodate this movement, .the point ofthe pin V is slightlyr rounded, and the spiral groove in which it travels is slightly ciently for thepurpose.

y D" is asoft-iron armature located between the magnets B' B", and E" -is a pivoted lever to which the armature is attached. From the lever E" converging arms F" F" extend and terminate in verges for wedge-shaped projecwedge-shaped. so that the lpin V will yield suftions, which alternately'rest in V-shaped` notches sunk into the periphery of a disk (not shown) rigidly attached tothe tyr e-wheel shaft, so that the type-wheel will 'e intermittently revolved by the vibrations of the lever E." and one letter at a time presented to the paper on which the messages are printed.

B' B are ordinary electro-magnets, the poles of which are arranged opposite the sides of the armature D".

The pole-changerisvconstructed as follows: G is an insulator-block attached to the lower end of the lever E". H' I' J' are metallic blocks attached to the block Gr', so as to be insulated from each other.

K' is also an insulator-block, and L' M are German-'silver springs attached thereto, 'so as to be insulated from each other.

The free end of the spring L' rests alternately on the blocks H' andI', and the spring M' alternately on the blocks I and J', as the le'i'er E" vibrates.

N is a common Wire communicating with the block H' J', and with one pole of the main battery. i

O is a wire attached to the block I and communicating with the other pole of the main battery.

The spring M' communicates -with the keyboard, polarized relay, and the ground, and the spring L' with the main line.

P' P", Fig. 3, represent the polarized relaymagnet, the lower part of which vis shown in Fig. l, which may be its position on the instrument. p

Q' Q" are semicircular pieces of soft iron attached to the poles of therelay-magnet, and arranged with reference to each other, as shown in Sheet 3, thus dividing the magnetism and making a-double or forked pole.

R' is a hardened and permanently-inagnetized steel tongue or armature, pivoted so as to vibrate between the end of the pieces Q' Q". S S" are platinum-pointed screws, and T' is a post projecting from the armature R and provided with platinum-points so arranged as to alternately come in contact with the points of the .screws S' S" as the armature '1tv is vibrated.

.Having thus described the mechanical couy struction and operation of my improved devices, and the parts operating in connection therewith, l will now 'trace the electrical currents through the instrument and describe its operation thereon, andthe operation of two' or more instruments acting together and,

first, the direction of the main current when the machines are'at rest.

In Figs. 6 and 7, Sheet`3, the main circuits are represented by full lines, the type-wheel locals by dotted lines, and the printingdocals by broken lines.

-Begiuning at the primary instrument, or station No. 1,the plus (-1-) pole of the main battery enters the instrument at binding-post No. 7; from thence it proceeds through a Wire directly to the piece l of the automatic polechanger; thence'through spring M'V and its wire to the type-wheel shaft 5 thence through the spring R to that one of the pieces H in contact therewith, and through its wire to a key corresponding to such piece H; thence to the stripsI E E, and through key C' and Athe -polarized relay, and from thence out at binding-post No. 8 to the ground. g

- At instrument or station No. 2 the plus current passes up the ground-wire to bindingpost N o. ll; thence to key C' thence through strips E; thence through one of the keys C and its wire to a corresponding piece, H; thence through the spring R, type-wheel shaft, andl its wire to the polarized relay; thence to binding-post No. 10, and over the line to station No. 1` entering the instrument there at binding post No. .9', from thence it passes through a wire vto spring L' ofthe pole-chan ger; l

from thence through the'block J', which is connected by a wire to the block H', and

throughs. .wlre to a Morse relay, which may,

be attached to the case A, through'the said Morse relay and a Wire to binding-post No. 6; and from thence to the negative or --pole of the main battery- -4 The circuit of the type-wheel local battery of instrument No. 1,-Fig. 6, is as follows: En terinor at binding-screw No. 12, it runs to the local magnets B' B", where it branches and connects with the inner end of the coil of each of 4said magnets. Theouter endsof said coils connect, respectively, with the platinum-pointed screws S S". Frourone or the other of these 'screws the current passes to the armature R', according to the screw in contact therewith; from thence it passes to binding-screw No. 13; from thence to the type-wheel local battery.' v

. The prin'ting-circuit'enters binding-post No. 15, and passes on a wir'e directly to the armature-lever of the Morse relay. When this armature-lever is resting ou its back point it'connects` with one end lof the wire ou the local 'printing-magnet I, so that when the'Morse relay-circuit' is open the printing-local circuit is through .the said magnet '1; from thence it passes 'to binding-screw No. 14, and to the printing-local battery.

The local magnet B' B is shunted when the pins T and A' are in contact, as may be observed by tracing the broken lines on Sheet 3, relating to instrument No. 1.

T-hesecondary instrument' at station No. 2, Fig. 7, is in vallrespects like instrument N o. 1, except that the former has no pole-changer nor Morse relay, land the printing-local. is brought into action in a different manner from that described.

The disk corresponding to the disk S is also 'dierently grooved, and thc pins corresponding to the pins T and A' have no electrical contact.

U', in instrument No. 2, Sheet 3, is a toothed wheel on the front end ot' the type-wheel shat't. V' is a rectangular lever pivoted atits angle, and its upper end is provided with a Wedge- `shaped point corresponding to the teeth. or

notches on the wheel U', with which it engages. W' is a point in communication with the printing-local battery, and the lower end of the lever V' rests on the point W' when the upper end rests in the said notches.

The revolution of the wheel U' vibrates the lever V' and breaks its contact with the point WV' and breaks the local printing-circuit, and the vibrationis so rapid that the point W' is not in contact with the-lever long enough to close the printing-local circuit until the typewheel stops for a moment, when the said c-.rcuit closes and a letter is printed. v

lNhen the line is not in operation the circuits run in the manner described, with the exception of the local type-wheel circuit at instrument No. 1.

The purpose of the contact of the pins T and A is to allow the circuit to pass around the magnet B'.

As the resistance of the. circuit through the shunt is greatly less than through' the magnet, it follows that there is littleor no magnetism developed in magnet B', and, as the main circuit is ruiming through the polar-- ized relay-magnet in such a direction 'as-to hold its tongue against the platinum point S', there is no magnetism in eitherB' or B".

Suppose the operator at instrument No. 1,

wishes to communicate with adistant station, he depresses key C', Aand 'thereby breaks the main circuit. By breaking this circuit the Morse relay-magnet at instrument No. l is allowedl to open, an'd it will, in turn, on its hack stroke, close the printing-local and throw the printing roller or pad and the paper thereon against the type-wheel, so as to make an impression of the letter then presented. At the same time the arm U will be thrown up, and the-pin V will rest on the periphery of the disk S. This operation will take the shunt from the magnet B', an-d the type-wheel local current acts ou the said magnet, so that the armature D" is drawn'to it.` This changes the relative position of the polechan ger blocks and thespriugs resting thereon, and as soon 4as the key C' is ,released thel current of the main battery through the polarized relays and over the whole line is reversed.

The armaturesof the polarized relays are' now thrown against the opposite S andY the local circuits through the/ magnets B" intall the instruments are thus closed, and the armatures D" are immediately drawn to them. This again reverses the maiucircuit, and the reverse action takes place.

If the arm U should remain up, the instrument wouldcoutinue to operate so long as the batteries developed sufficient force. But the pin V follows the spiral groove in the disk S until the type-wheel instrument No. 1 has the armature R' with the point S produces no el'ect oli the said magnet; consequently the armatures, both local and main, cease to act.

As all the machines in the circuit are controlled by instrument No. l, they all stop at thesame time and on the same letter. The

points T and A' on all the instruments, exceptA No. 1, engage with each other at two revolutions of the type-wheel, instead of three, and make no electrical contact, but simply lock the type-Wheel when the proper letter is 'presented, and until the type-wheel of instrument No. 1 makes vanother revolution and stops' at the same letter.

- By this means all the type-Wheels, it' they should be disarranged, are brought into uni- 4 Y asm son, so as to act together. It' the operator at either vinstrument now depresses key C' the printinglocal of instrument No. 1 will be closed and the shunt taken from magnet B.

In order to print a Word vor sentence the operator, before releasing the key C', depress` es the key designated by the first letter of the Word or sentence, and-at the same time releases the key C. The armature will now vibrate rapidly and carry forward the type-wheels until they reach the letter corresponding to the key which is still depressed.

When the 'point ot' the spring R, which moves with the type-wheel, reaches the piece H, corresponding to the depressed key, it finds the main circuit open at that key; consequently, the vibration of the armatures R ceases, and the type-Wheel stops, its movement depending upon Ithe vibration of said armature.

A letter on the type-wheel is now over the printing-pad. All the printing-locals are now brought into action--thatot` instrument No. 1 because the armature of the Morse relay (A, Sheet 3, instrument-No. l) falls on its back point on account of the main circuit being open; that of instrument o. 2 because the type-wheel has stopped and allowed the lever V to rest on the point W.

He now i'nds the key corresponding tothe next letter to be printed, depresses this key, and releases the key corresponding to the first letter, and so continues untilA the message is printed. l

After he has released the last key operated upon,wthe type-Wheel of instrument No. 1, makes three revolutions, and the line is then at rest. v

It may be 'here stated,'that as it requires three uninterrupted revolutions of the typewheel to bring the shunting-points T and A' m contact, andas a letter is printed at least as often as ,once in each revolution, the said points cannot come in contact during the operation of printing.

I make no claim to many parts ot' the mechanism which I' have shown and describedin order to explain the construction and operation of the instruments; andV thespeeitic con` struction of several of the devices which I claim to have combined in a novel manner is not oi my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y 1. A line of telegraph-printing instruments, charged alternately with positive and negative currents by one main battery and pole-changer Vplaced at any point on the line, substantially 5. The combination, substantially as described, of a pole-changer, a type-wheel, anda polarized relay, for the purposes set forth.

6. An electro-mechanical pole-changer, con sisting of the blocks H' I J and insulated springs L and M', arranged and operating 'substantially as described. i

7. The combination, substantially as described, of a polarized relay and the polechanging magnets B' IB", as and for the purposes set forth.

ELISHA Gear. In presence of- A HEINRICH F. BnUNs, L. A. BUNTING.

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