New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-22
NATIONAL CAPITAL TOPICS
TELEPHONE INTERFERENCE CASES.
DECISIONS AWARDING PRIORITY oRNvBNrfoS- 10
BELL, EDISON AND MDoNoUGH.

BELL, EDISON AND M'DoNoUGH.
WASHINGTON, July 21.-The first stage of
the settlement Of the question OF priority of invention Of
the several parts Of the telephone reached to-day
when the Examiner Of Interfsrences in the Patent Office
promulgated his decision In the speaking telephone
interference The first OF these interferences Of
which there are eleven, declared In March 1878,
and the Patent Office has az various times since then
considered them and heard arguments upon them. The
| persons originally involved A. G. Bell, ]. W.
McDonough t. A. Edison, e. Berllner G. b. Richmond,
f. Gray A. L. Dolbear, A. g. Holcoinbe, c. L. Chin
mock, G. A. Randall +. Blake, J. H. Irwin and G. NJ
Phelps W. L. yoelker made party TO three
in 1879 OF the original persons decisions have hereto
fore been rendered against Richmond, Holcombe, Ram
| dali Phelps, Chinook snd Berliner.
The decision OF the examiner in the remaining cases is
avolumnous document In the several interferences
are denomnated respectively nterferenees A. b. G, ID,
E. +, G., L, and No. L. The subject matter of inter-
ference "A" is defined the of transmitting and
reproducing at a distance vibrations
OF any description which consists in increasing and de-
creasng the strength OF electric current traversng
circuit In such to produce in said circuit
series of electrical vibrations precisely
spending in their intervals of relative amplitude to the
sonorous waves which TO be reproduced at the
cevng station stations so that oral conversations or
sounds of description be Geographically trans
mitted" With regard this interference &c examiner
holds that the evidence shows that this art had not
|
ties this interference prior to the filing OF Bells app
cation for patent February ~ 1870" He also holds
that Bell the first to disclose and explain Iblicly
the principle well as the first to construct and use In
struments to carry the principle into effect Priority Of
invention is accordin.ly awarded to Bell on this count.
The pattieso this interference were Bell Gray, Edison
| and Voeker
The subject matter Of Interference e is defined
| the Improvement in the art OF transmitting vocal
sounds spoken words GEOGRAPHICALLY which consists
in throwing upon the line through the medium of vary
ing resistance electrical impulses corresponding TO the
vibration OF diaphragm operated by the movements Of
The air produced by spoken word" The parties 10 this
were Bel, Gray, Edison and VOelker The examiner
holds that while Gray undoubtedly the first TO
ceve OF and disclose the invention as in his cayeat OF
February II, 1876 his failure 10 take any action
amounting 10 completion until after Others had demon
sirsted the utility Of the invention. depryes him OF the
right to have il considered a continuous act He
holds that IL IL not proved that Edison possessed
knowledge OF tie ar, method or disclosed or de-
monsrated prior Juno 20, 1876 when Bell had re-
duccd % practice, and that Yoelker neither understood
the principle tao mode Of applying it, Priority OF
invention IN this Instance l. according yawarded to Bel.
Two inventions are included in interference &C."
and are thus defined: =" First The transmitter.
consisting OF the combination IN an electric circuit
OF a diaphragm and liquid or equivalent substance,
OF high resistance whersoy Tie vibrations o. the dia-
Ihracm variations IN the resistance OF the electric
|
,rayersiug said circuit Second In telegraph nstru-
ment operated by sound the combination with the d.a
phragn OF two electrodes placed In an electro
lyc quid and operating 70 Increase aDd decrease the
resistance % the electric circuit 10y the movement de-
rived from tIe diaphragm The examiner holds in this
ease that ;o facts relied upon by the parties IN support
o. their respective claims aye the same ~ ia interference
! H." gna awards priority OF in' ouil0h TO Bel
The subject matter OF interference ID" is in an elcc-
tro-hydro ep0ue the halihcina Nerti EAU yadlasta-
be tU1e within which the ends OK the platinum points
are immersed Inc invenuon %aS Sia'ed py , iGn
iE0al. but hls clam lid pteh fr)ectsd AMI upuSn
| ne .tbcr Gray nor Ldissn claimed H. TIE examiner
awards priority invention 10 Edison. on the ground
that In tdsOn's ExatGit water teepaone, proved to
cspOodnnout OF this featurS is shove
The invention embraced Ia inicri,reHca L Is defined
IN acoustic cle-raph, includn5 sound prod,icers az
well rprolncers, an arn@tMe plate 'eonsistns oil
diaphAs ol ron OF s'vei a atnas'e ts,vnes ~ -,
membrane diaphragm, or hon-ulHsca aiihaLme piate
and closed circuit passing from the helix % such eec-
to magnet tins soIgce o! uuduldt0ry electric energy
and cray Ihe eNlmner uNer the late OF Befs patent
February IL ls7s ne throw. Out DDleeaps e!aa
| 1876 and holds that Gray's and Edson's claims are
based upon devices tor producing ratbep than rcroc-
ing sound vibrations. that the Use o: several srt-
nent- made occasional and experimental ony, and
ing been aside resnrreced for the sole pur-
pose OF de2ryinc the invention OF the arcuatoy tele
phone of is IMPORTANT elements Priority Of In
| venflon Is accordingly awarded 10 He'll
Tue subject patter OF Interference r" Is destined a.
folio FirstA telephone trhnsluief consisting %
phrann 20 arranged relative 70 each otherbat motion
OF TIE dmihtagm shall ln9lee N Tue COZ Oh wire ~
in virtue OF the presence OF tile
ui auet magnets seeoad-Ihp combination IN enc
circuit ni two disks diaphragms arranged
relatively 10 each other that II one OF the dsksoc d
phrAgps be put IN motion 10y the voice. ~ elrIe1t %
electricity In ~ assoclaed colt which e1rren0 shall
acuaic The other disks or dEphpsnS Ia virtue OF the
coil and magnets associated with them. The examiner
hols th cray and DolheaE the oiher parties to this
interference are not shown to nave invented ihe sDeet
matter prior February H. 1876 tile diio Of bells
patent. AMI awards priority OF INVENTION to ING iater
The invention embraced IN interference c. Is defined
. lie of
IN electric circuit OF mag Ct anl diaphragm sup
ported aud arranged In close proximity thereto. whereby
SQUADS throwu upon tls line may be reprodneod az
curately to pitch and quality The parties to TINS
DoIb1r Tie claims OF Edison and Gray are thrown ont
on the ground that their INSTRUMENTS 0i lsIl-o were
exerimentl. and were abandoned and tecaIse II Is qes
ouable II they contained this invention. Dobears Il
set aside because l. not shown that lac dld any thnS
the elao OF McDonuIgh, invention It having beea
SHOWN that he used the receiver that carry AT least
Whlo Bell does not pretend 10 nave oohstluceu Vi9
prior TO JAY 1870. Priority Is accordingly awarded TO
The dtcaration of interference /" embrace tee-
phone transnntter consisting OF one or more he!ces
forming portion Of the main rcit AMI surrounding
or cores maintained III maShet,g sI.'e ny ,is
uuctiVe clthor Of electric current or ol
6nctiTe pate or arnoturc which Is rgdy supported at
one more OF It's ores while the portion facing tho
milo. of the imagine nc Is left ree ~ 10
We AZ 'l,r. ar lhcr boiies DoIbear GRAY and
Rel contest tiis clam. The examiner holds that moth
u u the testimony carries rays Neutlon BACK OF the
dao of Bells record date apd that DolOears testimony
"Y an rxnerment With ~ shet t-iron diaphragm Octo
Der 1870 j. Insufficient to overcome Bells evidence OF
an earler completion. Priority Is accordingly awarded
| To Bell.
interference - ~ mcldes the combination with an
iron see Diaphragm secureu 10
resonant ease rendering audible acoustic vibrations
The contestants this claim are Edison, Gray and bell
Priority /, awarded Bell ON ale ground that ne hri
practcaly made the invention when he suggested ana
npped the first iron diaphragm
The subject matter OF interference l." Is declared as
follows: First Thc combination Is an acoustic tee-
grnph OF an electro magnet aud pOlarzed armature
formed of plate OF ron steel or Other material eapa3e
OF nduct5e action aud resonanttuoe GREASE seeond
The combination In acoustic telegraph OF an aritre
plate poargcd by induction resonant case OF tupe,
and an electro magnet and circuit connections whereby
reversed caused TO act In the electro set
with varying intensity proportionatc Ia the electro
waves sent the transmitting station, me con-
fcstants in this claim were Gray, Bel ana Eulson.
nf AWARDED Boil, inc cxulnlnef