Improvements in Telegraphing by Means of Sound. Waves.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Telegraphing by Means of Sound. Waves.
I, SAMUEL ALFRED VARLEY, of 17, Lynton Road, Crouch End, London, N.,
in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
I mount parabolic mirror trumpets at the telegraph stations the sender speaks
into the focus of the mirror trumpet which transmits the voice waves in a parallel
beam to the mirror trumpet at the receiving station in the focus of which is
placed a sensitive telephone receiver to which the ear is applied in the usual
manner and in this way the human voice can be transmitted through a very
considerable distance of air space. When the stations are many miles apart
sound waves of definite duration but of greater and shorter lengths, but produced
by sound producing instruments such as whistles, bells syrens &c are substituted
for the human voice and are transmitted and received with the aid of parabolic
mirror trumpets as already described but in place of the telephone receiver a
tuning fork or its equivalent is substituted at the receiving station, this tuning
fork or its equivalent is connected to a sensitive microphone which closes a local
electrical circuit through a Morse instrument and the messages sent are read off
in the Morse alphabet.
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P
1000
SAMUEL ALFRED VARLEY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Telegraphing by Means of Sound Waves.
I, SAMUEL ALFRED VARLEY, of 17, Lynton Road, Crouch End, London, N.,
in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement : —
I mount parabolic mirror trumpets at the telegraph stations the sender speaks
into the focus, the mouth of the mirror trumpet and the voice waves are trans-
mitted in a parallel beam to the mirror trumpet at the receiving station where
they are condensed to a focus in which is placed a sensitive telephone receiver
to which the ear is applied in the usual way or the ear itself may be applied
to the mouth, the focus of the mirror trumpet and in this way the human voice
may be transmitted through a very considerable distance of air space. When
the stations are many miles apart sounds waves of definite duration but of greater
or shorter lengibs and produced by sound producing instruments such as whistles,
bells syrens &e. are substituted for the human voice and are transmitted and
TDC17

page_text: received with the air of parabolic mirror trumpets as already described but in
place of the telephone receiver a tuning fork or its equivalent is generally sub-
stituted at the receiving station, this tuning fork or its equivalent is connected
to a sensitive microphone which closes a local circuit through a Morse instrument
and the messages are read off in the Morse alphabet.
The tuning fork or its equivalent is constructed to synchronise with the sound
waves transmitted so as to isolate them from any extraneous sounds which may
find their way into the mirror trumpet at the receiving station, and with a
view to obtaining a clear air way for the sound waves transmitted, it is desirable
that the mirror trumpets should be mounted on high poles or towers. It is not
however necessary that the telegraph operators be on the same high level as
the mirror trumpets as communication can be established between the telegraph
operators the mirror trumpets and the transmitting and receiving apparatus by
means of speaking tubes which may be made wholly or in part flexible.
In order that my said invention may be more readily understood I have
hereunto appended drawings illustrative thereof upon which by figures and letters
reference is made to the following description, the same letters referring to the
same parts in the drawings.
Fig. 1 shows the construction and general arrangement of the parabolic
mirror trumpets when telegraphing through the medium of the voice and as
the mirror trumpets and the apparatus used in connection with them are the
same at the transmitting and receiving stations only one is shown in the drawings.
Fig. 2 shows the construction and general arrangement of the mirror trumpets
and accessory apparatus when sound producing apparatus are employed in con-
nection with mirror trumpets to produce Morse alphabet telegraph signals. Only
one mirror trumpet and accessory apparatus is shown in the drawings as the
apparatus is precisely alike at the transmitting and receiving stations.
A Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 represents in section the parabolic mirror trumpets. To
enable the mouths of the mirror trumpets to be raised or depressed and also to
enable them to be moved horizontally in either direction for the purpose of
adjustment trunnions indicated by dotted lines are attached to the mirror
trumpets on opposite sides, these trunnions work in journals of the frame B,
indicated by dotted lines, and which is constructed of two uprights between which
the mirror trumpets are mounted. Attached to the base of the frame B there is
a pin or pivot B1 working in a socket of the standard B2 indicated by dotted
lines the trunnions and the pin joint B 1 combined, permit the mirror trumpets
to be moved either vertically or horizontally. C Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 represent the
tube used for conveying the sound to, and from the mirror trumpets and the
telegraph operators.
When telegraphing by the voice the mouthpiece of an ordinary telephone
receiver or a mouth piece such as is used in connection with speaking tubes.
but which is not shown in the drawings, is attached to the lower end of Fig. 1
by means of a flexible pipe so that it can be readily applied either to the mouth
or the ear of the telegraphist accordingly as he is transmitting or receiving
messages. D Fig. 2 is a chamber connected with the lower end of the tube C
Fig. 2 this chamber opens into the bigger chamber D1 termed the "sound
chamber. In the sound chamber" sound waves of defined length but of longer
and shorter duration for transmitting telegraph signals in the form of the Morse
alphabet are produced by means of whistles or hells, not shown in the drawings
and conveyed through the tube C Fig. 2 to the mirror trumpet A Fig. 2. A
stop cock D2 is connected to the chamber 1) on the right hand side as shown in
the drawing this stop cock enables communication between the mirror trumpet A
Fig. 2 and the microphone chamber G to be established or cut off accordingly as
messages are being transmitted or received in the drawing the mirror trumpet A
Fig. 2 and the microphone chamber G are represented as being in communication
with each other. His a tuning fork which synchronises with the sound waves
transmitted, the lower end of the tuning fork is connected with the microphone I

page_text: which when signals are being received closes an electrical circuit through the
galvanic battery K and the primary system of the induction coil L as indicated
by the arrows P and the electric currents which become induced in the secondary
system of the induction coil L pass through an ordinary telegraph relay R
as indicated by the arrows S rendering it active and causing the relay contact
arm R1 through the medium of the electrical contact piece R2 to open and close
an electrical circuit through the galvanic batteryK 2 and the Morse instrument M
producing Morse telegraph signals in the usual way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I déclare that what
I claim is :-
1st. Telegraphing through air space by means of sound waves produced by
the human voice or other sound producing apparatus with the aid of parabolic
mirror trumpets as described.
2dly. In connection with telegraphing through air space by means of sound
waves produced by the human voice or other sound producing apparatus
with the aid of parabolic mirror trumpets as described the establishing com-
munication between the mouths or foci of the mirror trumpets and the receiving,
and the sound producing instruments by means of speaking tubes as described.
Taiad this Oth war of November 1800