Converters for telegraph signals or the like

Claim 1

IN A START-STOP TELEGRAPH SYSTEM, A SPEED CONVERTER INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO INCOMING SIGNAL CHARACTERS, A FIRST DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE RECEIPT OF A START SIGNAL FOR CAUSING SAID FIRST DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH TO PERFORM A CYCLE OF OPERATION, MEANS CONTROLLED BY SAID FIRST DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH FOR THE SAMPLING AT THEIR NOMINAL MID-POINTS OF SUCCEDING ELEMENTS OF A SIGNAL CHARACTER HAVING A TOTAL DURATION SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE CYCLE TIME OF SAID FIRST DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH, A SET OF STORAGE DEVICES CORRESPONDING IN NUMBER TO THE NUMBER OF INFORMATION ELEMENTS IN SAID SIGNAL CHARACTER, MEANS FOR SETTING SAID STORAGE DEVICES RESPECTIVELY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NATURE OF THE SAMPLES PROVIDED BY SAID FIRST DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH, A SECOND DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE SAMPLING OF THE FINAL INFOMATION ELEMENT OF SAIDSIGNAL CHARACTER BY SAID FIRST DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH FOR CAUSING SAID SECOND DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH TO PERFORM A CYCLE OF OPEATION IN A TIME PERIOD LESS THAN THE CYCLE TIME OF SAID FIST DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH, AND SIGNAL GENERATING MEANS JOINTLY CONTROLLED BY SAID STORAGE DEVICES AND SAID SECOND DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH FOR PRODUCING A SIGNAL CHARACTER CORRESPONDING TO THE ELEMENTS SAMPLED BY SAID FIRST DISTRIBUTOR SWITCH.