A New or Improved Method of and Means for Combining Phono- graphs with Electrical Telephone Circuits, and Vice-versa.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1896-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Means for Combining Phono-
graphs with Electrical Telephone Circuits, and Vice-versa.
I, THEODORE VAN HEEMSTEDE OBELT of 140 Rokin, Amsterdam, in the
Kingdom of Holland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained' in and by the following statement:-
.
My invention relates to a new or improved system and apparatus in connection
therewith for conveying telephonically to a distance, sounds produced from a
phonographic record, and telephonically transmitting sounds to be recorded on a
recording surface phonographically.
I am fully acquainted with Edison's Patent No. 1644 of A.D. 1878, and I do
not claim anything therein set forth, my present invention being essentially a
method of, and means for, converting the sound waves produced mechanically by'a
phonograph, into electrical waves, and transmitting such waves to any number of
telephone receivers, and conveying sound wavea electrically produced in a
telephone circuit to the recording diaphragm of a phonograph, and it is my
intention that tho said system shall be commercially known as the "Echophone."
As a basis of operations I make use of any type of phonograph that will
accurately reproduce or record sound waves, but I have some preference for those
that have from time to time been designed by myself, as I have always had in
my mind the desirability of utilizing them in connection with my present
invention.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a partly broken away side elevation of a telephone transmitter.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of an ordinary phonographic reproducing diaphragm.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation (partly broken away) of a direct phonographic
reproducing diaphragm, and electrical transmitter according to my invention.
Fig. 4 illustrates a method of combining Figs. 1 with Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation (partly broken away) of an improved form of
phonograph diaphragm for transmitting sound waves telephonically.
Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the magnetic pillar of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a detached view of the fork forming part of Fig. 5.
Fig. 8 is a vertical section of an ordinary resonator.
Fig. 9 is a vertical section of an improved form of electrical transmitter
according to my invention, Fig. 10 being a front elevation of the same partly
broken away.
Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating a simple form of transmitting phonographic
sound waves telephonically.
The telophone transmitter Fig. 1 consists of an outer caso or box A. of cylin-
drical formation, preferably made of hard rubber and open at the back end'a and
in the larger end l'affix a pair of tympanums or diaphragms B and C, which may
be of carbon, ferrotype-plate, or a plate of mica covered with tin. foil,
or other
material of good electrical conductivity, and the interstices between these I fill
with granulated carbon D, while both the said diaphragms or tympanums are
connected by wires b b with a telephone circuit.
.
As a convenient means for transmitting phonographic sound waves through the
Baid telephone circuit, I may connect the open end a of A with an ordinary

page_text: phonographic reproducing diaphragm E (Fig. 2) in the manner shewn by Fig. 4,
the effect of which would be that, the reproducing stylus c of E vibrated by the
record F, would convey mechanically produced sound waves through E to the
tympanums or diaphragms B, C, in the transmitter A, the corresponding
vibrations of which would convey electric waves through the wire to a
number of distant telephone receivers, and by the same rule if an ordinary double
pole Bell telephone receiver be connected in like manner to the recording
diaphragm of a phonograph, the electrically produced sound vibrations of the
diaphragm of the said receiver would cause like vibrations in the diaphragm of
the phonograph and an imprint of same upon the recording cylinder.
In Fig. 3 illustrate a phonographic reproducer G, having two diaghragms H
and H both of good electrical conductivity, similar to B and C in Fig. 2
previously described, and both connected by wires d'd with a telophone circuit.
The space between H and H' may be filled with granulated carbon H2, while the
latter diaphragm would be provided with a recording stylus c, the whole being
suitably suspended so that the said stylus may rest upon the surface of a recording
cylinder F. In this arrangement the mechanical vibrations of the diaphragm H',
due to the stylus c passing over the recording surface of F, electrical waves of
greater or lesser amplitude in unison with the said vibrations, would be conveyed
by the wires d d through the telephone circuit to one or a number of distant
telephone receivers.
In Fig. 5 I illustrate, a form of diaphragm by means of which sound waves
produced direct may be transmitted electrically. For the purposes of this
portion of my invention, I produce of hard rubber or similar material a case J,
preferably of hemispherial formation, open at its lower end sufficient to receive
one end of a tube K. The upper surface of J carries a parchment or other
diaphragm L, upon which is fixed a carbon block e, connected by a wire with a
telephone circuit. The block e carries a pin g, upon the point of which lightly
rests one member h of a permanent magnet M, preferably in the form of a tuning
fork as shewn at Fig. 7, the heel of the said magnet being in fixed contact with a
permanently magnetic pillar N insulated at m. The heel of the fork magnet M is
connected by a wire with the lead of the telephone circuit, and it will be under-
stood that if sounds from the human voice, a.military band, or other source, enters
the tube K, that the sound waves thus set up would vibrate the diaphragm L, and
the carbon block e, thereby causing a corresponding make and break of contact
between the point g and the magnet M, and an electric current of greater or lesser
amplitude to pass through the wires fand f" and so generate corresponding
vibrations in the tympanums of the distant telephone receiver or receivers, and a
reproduction of the sounds first passed into the tube K. Or the tube K may be
connected with the reproducing diaphragm of a phonograph.
In Figs. 9 and 10 I illustrate an improved and very sensitive form of electrical
transmitter, especially effective for the purposes of my invention,,which consists of
an outer caso P open at P, preferably of hard rubber, in which is mounted a pair
of diaphragms R and R, the former of which may be of celluloid, rubber or other
non-conductive material, to: which is attached a copper stud p cupped upon its
upper and lower surfaces, the latter diaphragm Ri being of ferrotype or other
suitable material of good electrical conductivity, and between R and R'I place a
row of carbon balls S, kept in more or less intimate contact with each other anti
the stud p by the means of screws T and T¹, upon which said screws are mounted
suitable terminals r, one of which (say) is insulated from T at s. The
diaphragm R would be electrically.connected to the terminal while the metallio
stud p would be electrically connected to the terminal r, both the said terminals
being connected by wires tt to a telephone circuit. The open end P¹ of P.would
be connected to a phonograph reproducer such as E, in a similar manner to that
shewn at Fig. 4, which provides, that the waves set up in the case P, occasioned
by the vibrations of the diaphragm of the reproducer, would set up corresponding
vibrations in the diaphragms R and R',,and the electrical circuit, thereby creating

page_text: like vibrations in the telephone receiver or receivers and a reproduction at a
distance of the sounds recorded upon the original phonographic cylinder.
In Fig. 11 I illustrate a simple form of electrical circuit by means of which the
principle of my invention may be carried into effect, in which X is assumed to be
any of the transmitters described, say P, in connection with a phonograph recorder,
this being in an electrical circuit connected to the primary winding of an induction
coil XX the line wires leading from the secondary winding of which may lead to
a distant double pole bell or other telephone receiver Y, which may be provided with a
suitable resonator Z, which may be such as shewn by Fig. 8. Where distance or
other reasons may prohibit the use of a twin or return wire in the electrical circuit
as shewn, earth plates may be employed in the usual way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said iuven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The method of and means for combining phonographs with telephone
circuits for transmitting telephonically sound waves produced phonographically
and vice-versa, substantially as herein described and shewn.
2nd. In an improved system of connecting a phonograph with a telephone
circuit, the combination of a phonographic reproducer and transmitter such as G,
having two diaphragms H and H, with interposed granulated carbon H', the said
diaphragms being in electrical contact with a telephone circuit dd' substantially as
and for the purposes described and shewn by Fig. 3 of the drawings.
3rd. In an improved system of connecting a phonograph with a telephone circuit
the combination of a transmitter such as A electrically connected to a telephone
circuit at b, and to a phonograph reproducer such as E, substantially as herein
described and shewu by Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the appended drawings.
4th. In an improved system for transmitting direct sound waves ovor a telephone
circuit, the combination of a case such as J, connected to a speaking or other sound
conveying tube such as K with or without being in connection with a phonograph,
such sound waves operating to vibrate a diaphragm L, contained within the case J,
and carrying a carbon block e with needle point g, the latter in contact with a
magnetic fork M, connected to a magnetic pillar such as N, the said fork and
carbon block being in connection with a telephone circuit f,f substantially as
herein described and shewn by Figs. 5, 6 and 7 of the appended drawings.
5th. In an improved system for connecting a phonograph with a telephone
circuit, the combination of a transmitter such as P, connected at P' with a
phonograph reproducer such as E, the said transmitter having a pair of
diaphragms R R holding between them a row of carbon balls S adjustably
connected by screws T T', carrying terminals rr, the said diaphragm R having a
metallic stud P in electrical contact with the said balls, and electrically connected.
with the terminal r the said diaphragm R', being electrically connected with the
insulated terminal and both terminals in connection with a telephone circuit,
substantially as herein described and shewn by Figs. 9 and 10 of the accompanying
drawings.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Ageut for the Applicant.