Page:United States patent 766474.pdf/11

 Similar characters designate like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The receiving telegraph instrument forming the subject-matter of this invention embodies two main mechanisms, one of which operates as a translating-receiver and is governed by the signals received, while the other consists of a plurality of character indicating or recording devices, usually in the form of a set of types, assembled about the periphery of a type-wheel. The instrument as a whole comprises a number of Subordinate mechanisms or devices each having to perform one or more of the analyzing or combining functions of the instrument. Most of the movements of the different operative parts of the instrument are governed by driving means normally continuously operative, the power requisite for operating the parts being preferably obtained from a small-series electric motor, such as 2, having its armature-shaft detachably connected with the main driving shaft 3 by means of a coupling-box 4. (See Figs. and .) The main element of the controlling or selecting means for analyzing the signals received by the instrument is in this case an electromagnet 5, mounted on the base plate 6. The armature 7 of this electromagnet has the usual to-and-fro movement, and the two oscillatory movements of this armature, one of which is governed, of course, by the energization and the other by the definergization of the magnet, are utilized to determine the selection of a pair of reciprocally-operative elements governed, respectively, by the makes and breaks in the circuit to said electromagnet and controlling the movements of those parts which have functions representative of such makes and breaks and of the lengths or time constants thereof. In the preferred construction the shaft 3 is a continuously-rotative driver, and its partial rotations are transmitted to the reciprocally-operative elements just mentioned. These elements may be any suitable for the purpose; but the elements governed directly by the armature preferably constitute coupling means having the usual alternating or reciprocal coupling functions, a pair of coupling members 9 and 10 being shiftable into and out of engagement with a central coupling member 8, secured to the shaft 11. All of these coupling elements may be mounted on a continuously rotative shaft 11, journaled at its ends, as is the shaft 3, in a pair of uprights 12 and 13, fastened to the base-plate 6. The intermediate clutch member 8 is fastened directly to this shaft, while the other two members 9 and 10 are loosely mounted thereon and are driven alternately by the member 8.

The driving connections between the main driver 3 and the shaft 11, carrying these reciprocally-operative coupling elements, are clearly shown in Figs. to, inclusive. As illustrated, they comprise a gear-train connecting the shafts 3 and 11 for rotating the latter continuously and two other gear-trains for alternately operating a pair of elements which determine the extent of feed of a pair of feed devices which determine the feed movements of the component-selectors, these selectors governing in turn the combination or addition of the components representative of the dots and dashes of the code characters, and hence representative of the language characters to be indicated and printed. The first gear-train embodies a pinion 14 secured to the shaft 3 and meshing with a spur-gear 15, mounted on a stud 16 and driving another pinion 17, in mesh with the spur-gear 18, secured to the shaft 11. The other two gear trains connect an intermediate shaft 20 with another shaft 21, carrying the feed devices just mentioned, these feed devices being also preferably rotary. In order to operate the feed devices at a uniform rate of speed and prevent breaking of any of these parts, a frictional driving connection is preferably maintained between the shaft 20 and the feed devices or gears 22 and 23. The shaft 20 has at one end thereof (see ) a resistance member, such as a nut 24, screwed as far onto the threaded portion 25 of the shaft 20 as possible, and this nut has a metallic washer 26 fixedly secured thereto and connected to one end of a rather strong helical spring 27, encircling the shaft 20, and connected at its other end to another metallic washer 28, rotatable with the shaft 20, but having a slight movement longitudinally thereof. The spring 27 presses this washer into engagement with one of a pair of leather washers for frictionally coupling a spur-pinion 30 to the shaft 20 by means of a pair of leather or similar washers 31 cooperating with another metallic washer 32, fast to said shaft. This spur-pinion 30 is continuously driven by the spur-gear 15, and hence tends to rotate continuously the shaft 20. The shaft 20 also has thereon three fixed collars 35, 36, and 37, separated by different intervals, and between each pair of washers is located another driving-pinion having a relatively long hub portion extending there from. These gear-pinions are designated, respectively, by 38 and 39 and their hub portions by 40 and 41. Between each of the gears 38 and 39 and the washer 36 is a helical spring, these springs being designated, respectively, by 42 and 43 and surrounding the hub portions 40 and 41 of said gears. The gear-wheels 22 and 23 mesh, respectively, directly with the pinions 38 and 39 and obviously are adapted to be driven thereby. These feed devices are intended to operate reciprocally-that is to say, when one of them is rotating the other is held fast-and the reciprocal movements of these feed devices are also preferably controlled by the same electromagnet 5 that brings the coupling elements 9 and 10 reciprocally into action. This will be clear