constant is different from either the dot or the dash—may also be converted into the proper character or characters of another system by making provision for the control of 105another operation or operations by such signal or signals of greater length than a dot or a dash. Thus the electrical signals forming components of any code character may be utilized to control, selectively, in accordance 110with the different values or time constants of such signals, a series of different functions or movements, each of which is the representation of its particular electrical signal. When the functions or operations so controlled have 115the proper relative values, the may be brought together in such combinations that each combination will have a different characteristic or value from every other and will be representative of a different letter, figure, 120or other character of the language into which the code characters are to be translated. The capacity of the telegraph instrument constituting the subject-matter of this invention for converting the characters of the telegraph-code 125into the symbols of language is dependent upon the application of these two principles. Said instrument therefore constitutes a means for analyzing the telegraphic-code characters and for combining synthetically 130representatives of the components into which the code characters are resolved in such a manner that each particular combination of these representatives, whether they be movements or other functions, will control the selection of 135a character in the second system or language corresponding to the particular combination of signals controlling said combination of representative functions or movements.
In the Morse code, for example, the greatest 140number of electrical signals found in any single code character is six, and each of these signals may be either a dot or a dash. It is essential, therefore, that the dot and dash for any of these six positions control 145representative functions or movements, and it is also desirable that the sum of the values of the functions or movements representing a dot and a dash of any one of these six positions be different from the sum of such 150functions or movements for each of the other five positions. The values assigned to these dot and dash signals may be varied within wide limits, but they are preferably as follows: for the first period, one for the dot and sixteen 155for the dash; for the second period, two for the dot and twelve for the dash; for the third period, one for the dot and seventeen for the dash; for the fourth period, three for the dot and seventeen for the dash; for the fifth period, 160four for the dot and eight for the dash, and for the sixth period, on for the dot. As in the Morse code, there is no dash in the sixth period, no value is assigned to the dash for such period. The value of any code character165 in the Morse code may therefore be determined by merely adding the values of the signal components in the different positions for each code character, and it will be found that the sums of the values of these signal components are all different and that they run170 substantially in a consecutive series. The dot and dash in each period or position of the code character I term a “group” of signals or signal components, and means are provided for selecting a corresponding group of representative175 functions or elements and also for selecting the particular representative component of each representative group according as the signal sent is a dot or a dash. The selection of the representative group is 180preferably determined by a group-selector having a traveling or step-by-step movement, the subdivisions or steps of which movement correspond to the periods or positions of the signals of the code character, and this 185group-selector will be returned to its normal or zero position after the reception of all the signals of a code character in order that it may be in position to operate properly when the signals of the next code character are received. This190 group-selector should of course be returned to such normal or zero position after the reception of each code character regardless of the number of signals constituting such code character, and hence regardless of the number195 of steps such selector has advanced. Hence the traveling movement of this group-selector from its zero position may be a variable one, consisting of any number of steps from one to maximum, which is in this case six, at200 the end of which step or steps representing the number of signal components of the code character the group-selector will always be returned to such normal position.
In connection with the group-selector just 205described it is necessary to provide component-selecting means for choosing that one of the two representative components of a group of representative components or elements which corresponds to the signal received—210that is to say, the representative component selected in any group should correspond to the dot or dash signal located in the period or position corresponding to that group of representative components or elements. As each215 representative component so selected has a different numerical value, it will be evident that the selection of any letter, figure, or other language character may be readily controlled by any numerical value or by the combination220 or addition of any series of numerical values representing the signal component or components of a code character.
For such language character or characters as may be represented in a telegraphic code225 by a signal of different value or values from the dot and dash signals special selecting means controlled by such different value or values of the electrical signal may be employed. In my instrument the selection of the representative230