The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-05-16
SCIENCE AND PROGRESS.
INTERESTING MATTER FOR IN
OUIRiN @ MINDS,
The Fate OF the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ton Of Zinc In Ores--To Detect
Erasures--Fishing Rod Holder
The Fate Of the Telephone.

PssShS va bhS oPSohihS SOiePhOhSt
granted in England to Alexander Gra-
ham Bell. expired, and the Britishers
are already congratulating themselves,
on relief from what there, as here, has
proved to be very obnoxious mo-
nopoly. Telephone rates have already
been reduced through the natural
agency OF competition.
This leads to brief consideration
OF the circumstances surrounding the
principal patent that have enabled
the Bell Telephone Company to main
tain it's almost absolute monopoly.
The fundamental patent was granted
March Z, 1876, just twenty-one days
after the application wastiled. 1t was
n remarkable patent its feature being
the enormousle sweeping claim for
transmitting vocal sounds by electri-
cal undulations. All other claims are
comparatively unimportant.
This patent will expire in this coun-
try March Z, 1898, its life being quite
unaffected by the expiration of the
English patent. 1t will be seen, there
fore that March z, 1898, the broad
principles oftelephoning will be thrown
open, and operative, receiving and
transmitting instruments can be free
ly manufactured. This seems to open
up rosy future to the unfortunates
who now have to use the telephone,
but there are other matters to be con-
sidered.
January 30, 1877, Alexander Ora
ham Bell took out second patent,
covering the important features of
the form of receivers generally used.
This second patent will probably en-
able the ordinary form Of construc-
ton to be withheld from public use
until January 80, 1894. Relief at
this comparatively early date, how
ever, is not to be too surely reckoned
on, for complications arise regarding
the patents on that part of the tele-
phone known as the transmitter.
Thomas A. Edison, April 30, 1878,
secured the principal patents on the
carbon transmitter. They are now
controlled by the Bell Telephone Com
pany, and will not expire until April
30, 1895. While the Edison trans
mitter is eminently successful, it has
not been generally used. The Ameri-
can patent on this was granted on
August 30, 1881, and will expire Sep
TENDER 10, 1892. This is, however,
antedated by the Edison patent, so
the Bell company will hold claim on
the carbon transmitter until April 30,
1895, when the Edison patent ex-
Frha n,.,y;,,,l of 1aly
transmitter is the subject of group
of patents dated November 20, 1881,
but is the result of the division OF an
application filed January 3, 1870,
and heentire group, patentedin Eng
land in that year, will pass out OF le-
gal existence January 20 1898.
1t will thus be seen that while the
receiver becomes public property in
most of it's forms in 1892, the trans
mitter patents are likely to tie up
that part of the telephone system for
nearly two years thereafter. Ofcourse
other modified transmitters will be
found to operate, though perhaps it
will be weak in long distance work.
So it seems that thoroughly success
full telephone for anything but long
distance work can be manufactured
by anybody who desires to put them
on the market after Jan. 80, 1894.
This condition OF affairs has led to
the circulation OF "a very interesting
rumor in telephone circles. 1t will be
remembered that Daniel Drawbaugh
became notorious as q claimant to
the carbon transmitter. His applica-
tion for patent was filed consider
ably later than Edison's, but might
be ruled to come within the statutory
limitations ii there was no serious OPP
position. 1t is, therefore, stated as
possibility that an effort will be made
to tie up the tranSmitter for another
long term OF years by establishing u
legal priority for Drawbaugh, in de-
fault of an active opposition in behalf
OF Edison. Through such a possible
legal Vaccination the Bell Company
might continue it's cherished monopoly
on a very component part OF its tele-
phone system.