IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF TELEPHONY
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JACOB NOLLNER MINTIRE, of 76, University Place, New York, in the
United States of America, Patent Attorney and Expert, do hereby declare the
nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF TELEPHONY to be
as follows:-
"3
The present Invention relates to certain improvements in the art of telephony,
and has especial reference to an improved mode or method of working telephonic
transmitters, and has for its main object to provide for use a method of and means
for operating such transmitters which will be more effective than the heretofore
known method and means, so far as capacity in the telephone, to perfectly transmit
articulate speech, is concerned, and which will at the same time overcome in
practice, an evil that is naturally attendant upon the usual mode of and means for
operating telephones, viz; the constant liability to undue disturbance in the
diaphragm or other vibratory device of the transmitter by noises extraneous to the
speech of the person using the instrument.
To this main end and object my invention consists in working a telephone, of
any known type, or construction, through the medium of a column or body of
confined air or its equivalent acted upon by such exterior portions of the body of
the speaker, (preferably the outer portion of the throat in the vicinity of the
larynx) as possess the capacity of imparting to any body in contact therewith the
sound vibrations of articulate speech.
As is well known to those skilled in telephony and kindred arts, the sounds of
the human voice may be conducted to the ear of a listener through the medium of
a stethoscope (either solid or tubular) arranged with one end against the exterior
of the throat of the speaker and the other close to the ear of the listener; this
method of hearing sounds of the voice being defined as "laryngophony."
According to the present Invention this principle has been applied to the art of
telephony by the utilization of a column or body of confined air or its equivalent,
acting as a conductor, between the exterior of the throat and the diaphragm of a
telephonic transmitter, said confined air imparting to said diaphragm the impulses
which correspond with the utterance of articulate speech, and causing the telephone
to transmit such speech as fluently as if the words were spoken against the
diaphragm in the way customary previous to the present invention.
In carrying into effect this novel application of the principle of the conduction
of the sounds of the human voice from the exterior of the throat, any apparatus or
Dis 21

page_text: contrivance may be employed embodying a suitable speaking telephonic apparatus,
provided with means by which a proper communication may be established, through
the medium of confined air or its equivalent, between the diaphragm (or other
vibratory or pulsatory device) of the transmitter, and the exterior of the throat of
the person speaking to the telephone.
To enable those skilled in the art to perfectly understand and practice the present
Invention, I will now proceed to more fully explain the same in that form in which
I have so far practically tested it, and which is the best form now known to me,
though I wish it to be distinctly understood that the principle of the Invention
may be carried into practical effect by various other means and suitable arrange-
ments of parts than those herein described, the Application of the Invention not
being limited to the use of any particular means for carrying it into practical
effect.
In accordance with this modification, for the purpose of rendering an ordinary
form of telephone transmitter substantially such as is now very generally in use
capable of working according to the present invention. I supplement it with or
adapt to it a tube properly connected at its inner end to the transmitter box front
and provided at its outer end with a sort of flared throat piece, or concentrator,
the usual box cover or lid being formed or provided with a tubular orifice (from
which the said tube extends outwardly) instead of having the commonly employed
flaring mouth-opening usually talked into by the speaker.
The said tube may be formed of rubber or of other suitable flexible material, or
may be made of any suitable rigid material, in which case, the tube, in lieu of being
separate from the wooden or other front of the transmitter-box, may be formed
integral therewith.
It is preferable, I believe, to have the apparatus so constructed that when the
said flared throat piece or concentrator shall be applied to the throat, the tube or
equivalent device containing the body of conducting air or its equivalent, shall
be nearly or quite air-tight; but this is not indispensable to the working of the
apparatus.
As hereinbefore referred to, other modifications and many substantial changes in
apparatus may be used in practising my herein described improvement in the art
of telephony, and which consists essentially in communicating to the diaphragm
(or other device for varying the condition of the electric current) through the
medium of a column or body of confined air or its equivalent, the sound vibrations
of the vocal organs derived from the exterior of the throat.
Dated this 16th day of October 1881
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, JACOB NOLLNER MCINTIRE, of 76, University Place, New York; in the United
States of America, Patent Attorney & Expert, do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF TELEPHONY," and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The present Invention relates to certain improvements in the art of telephony,
and has especial reference to an improved mode or method of working telephonic
transmitters, and has for its main object to provide for use a method of and means
for operating such transmitters which will be more effective than the heretofore
known method and means, so far as capacity, in the telephone, to perfectly transmit
articulate speech is concerned, and which will at the same time overcome in practice,
an evil that is naturally attendant upon the usual mode of and means for operating
telephones, viz., the constant liability to undue disturbance in the diaphragm or
other vibratory device of the transmitter by noises extraneous to the speech of the
person using the instrument.
To this main end and object my Invention consists in working a telephone, of any
known type, or construction, through the medium of a column or body of confined
air or its equivalent acted upon by such exterior portions of the body of the
speaker, (preferably the outer portion of the throat in the vicinity of the larynx) as
possess the capacity of imparting to any body in contact therewith, the sound
vibrations of articulate speech.
As is well known to those skilled in telephony and kindred arts, the sounds of
the human voice may be conducted to the ear of a listener through the medium of
a stethoscope (either solid or tubular) arranged with one end against the exterior of
the throat of the speaker and the other close to the ear of the listener; this method
of hearing sounds of the voice being defined as laryngophony."
"
EL
According to the present Invention this principle has been applied to the art of
telephony by the utilization of a column or body of confined air acting as
conductor or conducting intermediary between the exterior of the throat and the
diaphragm of a telephonic transmitter, said confined air imparting to said diaphragm
the impulses which correspond with the utterance of articulate speech and causing
the telephone to transmit such speech as fluently as if the words were spoken against
the diaphragm in the way customary previous to the present Invention.
In carrying into effect this novel application of the principle of the conduction of
the sounds of the human voice from the exterior of the throat, any apparatus or
contrivance may be employed embodying a suitable speaking telephonic apparatus,
provided with means by which a proper communication may be established, through
the medium of confined air or its equivalent between the diaphragm (or other
vibratory or pulsatory device) of the transmitter and the exterior of the throat of
the person speaking to the telephone.
To enable those skilled in the art to perfectly understand and practice the present
Invention, I will now proceed to more fully explain the same in that form in which
I have so far, practically tested it, and which is the best form now known to me,
though I wish it to be distinctly understood that the principle of the Invention may
be carried into practical effect by various other means and suitable arrangeinents of
parts than those herein described: the application of the Invention not being
limited to the use of any particular means for carrying it into practical effect.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a telephonic apparatus adapted to carry
the present Invention into operative effect.

page_text: Fig 1 illustrates in vertical sectional elevation, an ordinary telephonic transmitter,
substantially such as now very generally in use, supplemented with means necessary
to the practicing of the present Invention.
The means shown for rendering this form of transmitter capable of working
according to the present Invention consist of a tube A, properly connected at its
inner end to the transmitter box front B, and provided at its outer end with a sort
of flared throat piece, or concentrator C, the usual box cover or lid B, being formed or
provided with a tubular orifice at E, (from which the tube A, extends outwardly as
shown,) instead of having the commonly employed flaring mouth-opening usually
talked into by the Speaker.
The said tube may be formed of rubber or of other suitable flexible material, or
it may be made of any suitable rigid material, in which case, the tube, in lieu of
being separate from the wooden or other front B, of the transmitter box, may be
formed integral therewith.
Figure 2. illustrates a modified form of apparatus, in which (in another form of
transmitter) a rigid tube A2, is shown as formed integrally with the cover B2 of the
casc.
As herein before referred to, other modifications and many substantial changes in
apparatus may be used in practicing my herein described improvement in the art of
telephony.
It is preferable, I believe, to have the apparatus so constructed that when the
said flared throat piece or concentrator, C, shall be applied to the throat, the tube
or equivalent device containing the body of conducting air or its equivalent, shall
be nearly or quite air-tight; but this is not indispensable to the working of the
apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;
The hereinbefore described improvement in the art of telephony, or improved
mode or method of operating telephones, and which consists essentially in commu-
nicating to the diaphragm (or other device for varying the condition of the electric
current,) through the medium of a column or body of confined air the sound
vibrations of the vocal organs derived from the exterior of the throat.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.