The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-14


Last December the fundamental patent
on the speaking telephone, granted IN
England to Alexander Graham Bell, ex-
pired, and the Britishers are already con-
graduating themselves on relief from
what there, as here, has proved to be .
very obnoxious monopoly. Telephone
rates have already been reduced through
the natural agency of competition.
This leads to brief consideration of the
circumstances surrounding the principal
patents that have enabled the Bell Tele-
phone Company to maintain its almost
absolute monopoly. The fundamental
patent was granted March Z, 1876, just
twenty-one days after the application was
filed. It was . remarkable patent, its
feature being the enormously sweeping
claim for transmitting vocal sounds by
electrical undulations. All other claims
arc comparatively unimportant.
This patent will expire in this country
March I, 1898, its life being quite unaffected
by the expiration of the English patent. It
will be seen, therefore, that March z, 1888,
the broad principles of teiephoning will be
thrown open, and operative, receiving and
transmitting instruments can be freely
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 considered.
January 80, 1877, Alexander Graham Bell
took out a second patent, covering the i'm
portant features of the form of receivers
generally used. This second patent viii
probably enable the ordinary form of con-
until January 80, 1884. Relief at this COM
parativeiy early date, however. is not to be
too surely reckoned on, for complications
arise regarding the patents on that part Of
the telephone known as the transmitter.
Thomas A. Edison, April 80, 1878, Sc
cured the principal patents on the carbon
transmitter. They are now controlled by
the Bell Telephone Company, and will not
expire until April 80, 1895. While the Edi-
son transmitter is eminently successful, it
has not been generally used. The Ameri-
can patent on this was granted on August
80, 1881. and will expire September l6,
1892. This is, however, antedated by the
Edison patent, so the Bell company will
hold a claim on the carbon transmitter
until April so, 1895, when the Edison pat
ent expires. The original form of Blake
transmitter is the subject of a group Of
patents dated November %, 1851, but is the
result of the division Of an application
filed January 8, 1879, and the entire group.
patented in England in that year, will pass
out of legal existence January 20, 1888.
1t will thus be seen that while the re-
its forms in 1892, the transmitter patents
are likely to tie up that par. of the tele-
phone system for nearly two years there
after. OF course, other modified transmit
tiers will be found to operate, though per-
haps it will be weak in long distance work
So it seems that thoroughly successful
telephone for anything but long distance
work can be manufactured by anybody
who desires to put them on the market
after January 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 a claimant to the carbon transmitter.
His application for patent was nled con-
siderably later than Edisons, but might
be ruled to come within the statutory limi-
tations if there was no serious opposition.
1t is. therefore. stated as possibility that
an effort will be made to tie mp the trans
mitter for another long term of years bv
establishing legal priority for Draw
baugh, in default Of an active opposition
in behalf of Edison. Through such a pos
sible legal Vaccination the Bell Company
might continue its cherished monopoly on
very component part Of its telephone