IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEPHONES OR INSTRU- MENTS FOR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING ARTICULATED AND OTHER SOUNDS BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Patent Agents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEPHONES OR INSTRU-
MENTS FOR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING ARTICULATED AND OTHER SOUNDS
BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH." A communication from abroad by George
Bradburn Richmond, of Lansing, Michigan, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddau at
"
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th February 1878.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Patent
Agents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer." IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TELEPHONES OR INSTRUMENTS FOR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING
ARTICULATED AND OTHER SOUNDS BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH." A communication
from abroad by George Bradburn Richmond, of Lansing, Michigan, United States
of America.
The first part of this Invention relates to an instrument to transmit the electrical
vibrations over long or short distances, the object being to lessen the resistance to
the passage of the currents of electricity, and making such resistance more
uniform.
And, the second part of the Invention relates to an instrument for receiving the
sounds so transmitted, the object being to increase the clearness and volume or
loudness of tone of articulated words or sounds.
The transmitting instrument is constructed of a wooden base, from which rises a
vertical standard, to which is secured an annular metallic frame having an exterior
screw thread. A ring screwing on the said frame holds interveningly a diaphragm
of thin soft iron, and protected by a circular wooden cap, having a central opening
or flaring mouth-piece, through which the sound passes to vibrate the diaphragm.
A piece of platinum wire projects horizontally from the back of the diaphragm

page_text: through a hole in the standard, and into and about half way across a vertical
india-rubber water tube, supported by stretching over a glass tube secured to the
wooden base of the instrument. Rearward of the water tube is a block carrying a
screw, having a platinum point passing into the water tube in line with the
platinum wire, the points about one sixty-fourth part of an inch distance. A wire
is attached to the screw and runs to the line, and a wire attached to the metallic
frame holding the diaphragm to a battery. The tubes being filled with water to
cover the platinum points, and the instrument being put into connection with
battery and line, the current of electricity passes from the battery through the
wire connecting it with the metallic frame, diaphragm, and platinum wire, then
through the water to the platinum pointed screw, and thence to the line through
the connecting wire. The sound entering the mouth-piece causes the diaphragm to
vibrate in unison with the sound wire, thereby alternately increasing and
diminishing the amount of water between the platinum points, which causes an
undulatory wave in the current of electricity in unison with the sound wave,
which passes to a receiving instrument at the other end of the line, which I shall
now describe, and which forms the second part of the Invention.
A sounding chamber is made of thin resonant wood, preferably having suitable
openings, either at top, sides, or ends, for the escape of the sound. To the ends
of the box are secured posts, which are connected at top by a wooden cross piece,
which carries binding posts, to which are connected wires, which form a part of a
magnet, and are also connected with the magnet proper, which is secured firmly to
the cross piece, and extends down to near the top of the sound box. Immediately
below the centre of the magnet a flat armature of soft iron is secured upon the top
of the sound board or box at a distance of about one sixty-fourth part of an inch
from the bottom of the magnet. To the binding posts the telegraph wires are
secured in the ordinary manner.
A modification may be made by securing the magnet to the interior bottom of
the box, and securing the soft iron armature to the upper interior of the box in
close proximity to the magnet.
In using, the device is suspended in the air out of contact with other bodies.
The receiving instrument being put in circuit with a telegraph wire on a battery,
by means of the binding posts, undulatory waves of electricity are communicated
to the line by the transmitting telephone, in unison with articulated speech or
other sound. These undulatory waves of electricity pass through the electro-
magnet, and cause undulatory pulsations of the magnetism in the core of the
magnet, which atracts the soft piece of iron secured to the sounding board, and
causes the sounding board to vibrate in unison with the transmitting telephone,
and thus articulated speech is reproduced with great perfection.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
July 1878.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Patent
Agents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TELEPHONES OR INSTRUMENTS FOR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING
ARTICULATED AND OTHER SOUNDS BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH." A communication
from abroad by George Bradburn Richmond, of Lansing, Michigan, United States
of America.
The first part of the Invention relates to the instrument which transmits
electrical vibration over long or short distances with great clearness by giving
free escape to gases generated between platinum points covered by water or any
suitable liquid, by the decomposition of the water between the points, and thereby
lessening the resistance to the passage of the current of electricity, and making such
resistance more uniform, and the Invention therein consists,―
First. In placing the platinum points in a horizontal position in a tube filled
with water, and in arranging a diaphragm vertically.
Secondly. In the employment of a water-holding tube of flexible material, with
an open top, so that the platinum points can be passed water-tight through
the sides of the same, and the sides of the tubes move with the vibrations of the
diaphragm.
Thirdly. In supporting such flexible tube on the top of a vertical glass tube
secured to the framework.
Fourthly. In covering one of the platinum points with a non-conducting material,
and the means for adjusting said point nearer to or further away from the other
point.
Fifthly. In the peculiar devices for holding the metallic diaphragm in its
frame.
Sixthly. In the construction of the framework, and in the various combinations
of the operative parts, as herein-after explained.
The second part of the Invention relates to the instrument for receiving the
sound transmitted with a view to increase the clearness and volume or loudness to
the tone, and the Invention therein consists in an instrument having a sounding
board or chamber of wood with suitable openings, and an armature secured thereto,
and carrying a magnet in close proximity upon a cross bar secured to posts at
the end of the sound chamber, which is suspended by a wire or cord from a
cross bar.
Fig. 1 is a top view and Figure 2 a longitudinal vertical section of a full size
transmitting instrument.
Figure 3 is a perspective view, Figure 4 a vertical central longitudinal section,
and Figure 5 a vertical transverse section of the receiving instrument.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 A represents the flat wooden base of the trans-
mitting instrument, which may be of any desired shape, and A¹ is a vertical wing
or standard, rising from such base near one end thereof. The top of this standard
is preferably rounded, as shown. B is a mettalic diaphragm, made preferably of
thin soft iron, which is supported against the end of an annular metallic frame a
by a ring b. The annular frame a has an exterior screw thread, and the ring b is
provided with an interior screw thread and an inwardly projecting flange, so that
by screwing these two parts together the diaphragm can be securely held between
them, as shown in Figure 2. The frame a is provided with short arms a¹, by which
such frame and ring and diaphragm attached thereto are supported in a vertical
position on the outside of the standard A'. These parts are covered and protected
by a circular wooden cap C, which is secured to the standard A', and has a small
central opening c, and a funnel-shaped mouth-piece c¹, through which the sound
passes which vibrates the diaphragm.

page_text: As a modification of the manner of supporting the diaphragm I have designed
to do away with the frame a and ring 6, and to secure the diaphragm directly
against the face of the standard A¹ by the same screws that hold the cap C to the
standard, such cap and standard being recessed away from the diaphragm at a
short distance within its periphery. Back of the centre of the diaphragm a hole b¹
is made in the standard A¹, and to the centre of the diaphragm is secured by any
suitable means a piece of platinum wire D, which projects horizontally through
such standard, and through the side of the vertical water tube E. This water tube
is made preferably of flexible india-rubber, but may be constructed of any other
flexible non-conducting material, and has an open top, and contains sufficient water
to cover the platinum wires D, G. The water tube is supported upon a glass
tube E', which is firmly secured upon the base immediately to the rear of the
standard A', and has an open upper end and solid glass bottom. The flexible tube
is secured water-tight to the glass tube by stretching the lower end of the flexible
tube over the upper end of the glass tube. The platinum wire D is passed through
a very small hole in one side of the flexible tube, so that the wall of the tube
springs against the wire and from a water-tight connection, and this wire extends
part way across the interior of the water tube, its end or point D₁ terminating at
any desired distance from either side of the tube. F is a horizontal screw, which
turns in a block e of hard rubber or other none-conducting substance, supported on
small standards e¹ rising from the base just to the rear of the water tube. This
screw is on a direct line with the wire D and the centre of the diaphragm, and has
attached to its end a short piece of platinum wire G. The sides of wire G are
'covered with a layer of rubber or other non-conducting substance, such as glass, etc.,
leaving only the extreme end or point G¹ exposed. This wire with its non-
conducting covering is passed through the side of the flexible water tube opposite
to the point D', and the two points D¹, G¹, are brought near to each other by
turning the screw F, so that the distance between the points will be only about
one sixty-fourth part of an inch. A wire fis attached to the screw F and through
the base and along its under side to the post H. Another wire f¹ is connected to
the frame a in which the diaphragm is supported, and to the lower end of a post H¹
on the base. From the post H a wire g runs to the line, and a wire g¹ extends
from the post H¹ to a battery. The tubes E, E¹, being filled with water or equi-
valent liquid, so as to cover the points D¹, G', and the instrument being put into
connection with the battery and line of telegraph, the current of electricity passes
from the battery through the wires g', f', frame a, diaphragm B, and wire D
to the point D¹, then through the water to point G¹, wire G, screw F, wires f, g,
and to the line.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of the Invention, namely, the
receiving instrument.
Referring to Drawings, Figures 3, 4, and 5, the box or sounding chamber is con-
structed of woods, such as long experience has shown are best adapted for violins,
etc., and to use them as thin as possible, consistent with the size of the proposed
chamber, of which the top in the Drawings is marked a³, the sides b², b, the
ends c, c, and the bottom d³. In the top a³, which constitutes the sounding board,
are openings e, e², of suitable form, and in the sides are similar openings f, f, but
which openings may be at the ends, or both sides and ends, or may be omitted;
the bottom d is preferably without openings. To the ends of the box or sounding
chamber are secured, preferably by glueing, thin wood standards B³, B', rising a
short distance above the top a², and secured between the upper ends of these
standards is the wooden cross piece o³. There are mounted preferably upon the top
of the cross piece c², the binding posts D2, to which are connected the wires E
which form a part of the magnet, and are also connected with the magnet pro-
per E³, which is secured in a firm manner to the cross piece c³, and is placed
immediatty under said cross piece, and extends down to a point quite near the
upper surface a² of the sounding board. Immediately below the centre of the
magnet E2 a flat armature Gs of soft iron is secured on the top of the sounding

page_text: board at a distance of about one sixty-fourth part of an inch from the bottom of
the magnet. To the binding posts the telegraph wires are secured in any common
or usual manner.
A modification of this instrument can be made by securing the magnet to the
interior bottom of the box, and securing the armature or soft piece of iron to the
upper interior of the box in close proximity to the magnet, and making electrical
connection in any convenient way to the magnet.
It is apparent that the relative position of various parts of my device may be
changed without departing from the spirit of the Invention.
In use it is intended that the sound chamber be suspended by means of a cord or
wire H attached centrally to the cross piece c³.
The operation of the devices is as follows:-The articulated sound enters the
opening c, and causes the diaphragm B to vibrate in unison with the sound wave,
thereby alternately increasing and diminishing the amount of water between the
platinum points, which causes an undulatory wave in the current of electricity, in
unison with the sound wave along the line to the receiving instrument, which is
put in circuit with a telegraph wire on a battery by means of the binding posts.
The undulatory waves of electricity received from the transmitting instrument pass
through the electro-magnet, F, and cause undulatory pulsations of the magnetism
in the core of the magnet, which attracts the soft piece of iron G2 secured to the
sounding board, and causes the sounding boar to vibrate in unison with the
transmitting wave from the transmitting instrument, and thus articulated speech is
repreduced with great perfection.
As the loudness of sound is in direct proportion to the area of the sounding body
it is evident that this construction is capable of almost unlimited increase in the
volume of sound, and the suspension of the apparatus gives it additional force or
power, as in that case its entire surface trembles in unison with the sounding
board.
I claim as the Invention,-
1. In a hydro-electric telephone the combination with the vertical diaphragm B
of the horizontal platinum points D', G', and the tube E, containing sufficient
water to cover the platina, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a hydro-electric telephone the flexible water tube E, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
3. In a hydro-electric telephone the combination of the flexible water tube E, of
the rigid tube E', upon which the flexible tube is mounted, substantially as
described.
4. In a hydro-electric telephone the wire G projecting into the water tube, and
covered, except at the point G', with a non-conducting material, substantially as
described.
5. In a hydro-electric telephone the combination of the platinum points D¹, G¹,
projecting into the water tube of the screw F carrying on of the points, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
6. The combination with circular diaphragm B of the annular screw-threaded
frame a, against the end of which the diaphragm is placed, and the screw-threaded
ring b, constructed and arranged substantially as described.
7. The combination with the diaphragm B of the flexible water tube E, and the
platinum points D', G', passed through the walls of the flexible tube on opposite
sides thereof, and in line with the centre of the diaphragm, substantially as
described.
8. In a telephone the combination with the standard A¹ of the cap C, having
central opering and mouth-piece for covering and protecting the diaphragm, con-
structed and arranged substantially as described.
9. The frame for a telephone, consisting of the base A, standard A', and cap C,
constructed and arranged substantially as described.
10. In a telephone a volume of water or other fluid placed between the platinum
points D¹, G¹, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 11. A receiving instrument for telephones, having a sounding board of wood, sub-
stantially as set forth.
12. A receiving instrument for telephones, having a sounding chamber with
suitable openings e², e², substantially as set forth.
13. A receiving instrument for telephones; having a sounding chamber with
suitable openings f%, f³, substantially as set forth.
14. A receiving instrument for telephones, having a sounding board and an
armature secured thereon, substantially as set forth.
15. In a receiving instrument for telephones the combination of the box or
sounding chamber, the uprights B2, B2, and the cross piece C2, substantially as set
forth.
16. In a receiving instrument for telephones the combination of the box or
sounding chamber, the uprights B2, B2, the cross piece C³, armature G³, and
magnet E, substantially as set forth.
17. The method described of increasing the volume of sound by suspending the
receiving instrument, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord 1878.
H. I HADDAN. (L.S.)