The Minneapolis journal., 1901-10-10
TO CUT OUT HOT AIR
Twin City Phones to Have "Buz-
zers" and "Busy-Backs."
ALsoA "HowLER" WILL SQUAWK
ering-HOwever, .CentraF' VIII
Hold Her Job.

On the theory that much time is wasted
in talk under existing conditions, the
Twin City Telephone company is about to
install several new telephone devices
which, it is expected, will do away with
much useless ''palavoring over the wires,
and at the same time greatly facilitate
telephone communication A code of sig
nails will be established by which
central will be excused from talking
over time. In order that these signals
may be understood, it will first be neces-
sary to educate the public up to the new
standard of service.
Among the new appliances is the "busy-
back" a mechanical electrical device, de-
signed to notify subscribers when the line
is busy. 1t was the original purpose of
the inventor Of the busy back to have
his machine initiate the sound of the word
used and thus save central the trouble
Of making the explanation
In this he was only partially successful,
for the talking machine only gets in one
syllable of the word. 1t simply says
buzz" but when that sound comes to be
fully understood, as indicating that the
wire is in USE it will be fully as salts
factory. In order to make this sound, the
machine in the central office sends @
weak, generative current over the wire
which is alternated to such an extent as
to create the continual "buz- buz," which
continues whenever the receiver is taken
down as long as the line is already occu-
pied.
Subscribers will be expected to under
stand when they hear that sound, without
further explanation from central, that
they will have to wait until the line is
open. The operator at the exchange on
~,
to keep off the line as much as possible.
In fact, after she has taken the number
desired, should the line be open, she will
not be heard from again. The works, "
wherever possible, are to be automatic.
An automatic indicator will let cen
trail know If the party desired has
answered. Without any effort on her part
the bell will continue to ring and rest at
intervals until there has been some re-
sponse or the fact is established that the
one wanted is not at home. This bell
will ring three seconds and rest five sec
onds until it gains its point.
To keep this bell going central" will
simply throw the key over the generatfve
current An impulse which is sent over
the line throws the key into position and
the generator off.
If the subscriber falls to get any re-
SpOnSe aIter ne mas given MS numDer, ue
will take it for granted that central was
unable to summon any one to the other
end of the line. Under existing condi-
tions the subscriber waits patiently fol
Central to say: They don't answer u
In the future that fact will be SO obvi-
Gus that any further explanation will be
unnecessary.
The "howler" is another new appliance
which is intended to cure subscribers OF
the bad habit of not hanging up their re-
ceivers. When a telephone is carelessly
left off the hook, the people to blame will
be notified by a squawk not unlike q
lusty fish horn. and the squawk will con-
tinue to protest until the receiver is
again put in place.
The ''howler' is tiny appliance with
a rapid rotary armature that throws a
high voltage current on the line and Gre
ates loud vibration on the diaphragm
! OF the receiver.