Page:United States patent 1108529.pdf/15

 lating mechanism, this break being between the contacts 37. Whenever this break is closed the second translating mechanism will be brought, into action and will choose a character-selecting component corresponding in length and position to the electrical signal received and also corresponding to the time-constant of such signal; and whenever the circuit between the contacts 37 is broken after being thus made the second translating instrument will also be operated to select a function or movement corresponding to a break in the circuit and to the time-constant of such break.

Referring now particularly to and to Figs. to inclusive, it will be seen that in the first of these views all of the parts. of the first and second translating mechanisms are as a matter of convenience mounted on a common base 38 and constitute in this embodiment of the invention a single receiving apparatus or instrument. The main sub-mechanisms mounted on the base-plate 38 are the first translating mechanism, the details of construction of which have been hereinbefore described and which is designated generally by 39; the sounder 36 just referred to; the motor 26 which will preferably control both the first translating mechanism and the analytic portion of the second translating mechanism the analytic mechanism which constitutes one of the two main elements of the second translating mechanism and is designated generally by 40, the synthetic mechanism which constitutes-the second main element of the second translating mechanism and is designated; generally by 41, and certain other devices such as switches, fuse-blocks and resistances contained in various portions of the local circuits of the receiving instrument. Each of these main elements is here shown as an independent sub-mechanism or device, all of the larger elements being mounted on their own sub-bases and secured to the main base 38.

The first element of the second translating mechanism to be operated by the continuous signals converted by the first translating mechanism 39 is the analytic mechanism 40, the details of which are shown most clearly in Figs to  inclusive. This analytic mechanism is similar in function to that shown in my aforesaid patent, but the construction is different and the analysis of the incoming signals is performed more perfectly. Two selectors are employed, one of which is controlled by one of the signal components or elements and the other of which is controlled by the complementary signal component or element, one of said selectors being operated in this case-each time that a make of the circuit is received by the analytic mechanism, and the other selector being operated each time the circuit is broken after the reception of such impulse. These two selectors operate reciprocally and each one has a variable movement the length of which is dependent upon the time-constant of the make or break of the circuit by which it is brought into action. For the purpose of operating each of these selectors a distance corresponding to the time-constant of its controlling signal element I prefer to employ, as in my aforesaid patent, a driver moving at a substantially constant speed, and suitable means for connecting each selector and the driver on the reception of the signal element controlling. such selector. In the machine shown in these drawings this driver is a feed-screw 42. It may be rotated continuously at a substantially constant speed: in any suitable manner, and in this case is fast on a shaft 43 journaled in a pair of uprights in the form of plates 44 and 45, the shaft being driven from the armature shaft of the motor 26 by suitable connections, such as band-wheels 46 and 47 connected by a crossed belt 48. This feed-screw 42 is of sufficient length to operate the selectors distances corresponding to the time-constants of their signal components of greatest lengths and preferably has a plurality of coarse screw-threads with any one of which a selector may engage when brought into action. By means of this feed-screw a relatively rapid rotation of the driving means, imparted to the feed-screw as a rotary movement is converted into-a relatively slow feed movement by the screw-threads. The selectors which employ in this machine are preferably reciprocatory in straight lines and slide back and forth on guides parallel with the axis of rotation of the feed-screw 42. These guides ere shown at 49 and 50 as rods rectangular in cross section but pivoted at their ends so as to be capable of oscillation. In order to permit freedom of movement of these guides I prefer to support them on needle-bearings, needle-pointed screws 51. and 52 being shown for this purpose, these screws being passed through uprights 44 and 45. On the rectangular or squared portions of the guides 49 and 50 are mounted the selectors, which are designated generally by 53 and 54. The first of these is brought into engagement the feed-screw 42-each time that an impulse is received, and the second brought into engagement with the feed-screw and the first is shifted out of action when the complementary signal element, or break, is received. In the construction illustrated, each of these selectors has two main elements, one of which is a feed element or feed-arm adapted to coact directly with the threads of the feed-screw 42, and the other of which is the selecting element proper and is in the form of a contact-arm adapted to sweep over a series of contacts