A NEW OR IMPROVED TELEPHONE HOLDER
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We GEORGE WATSON ERRINGTON of 21 Quayside Newcastle on Tyne in the
county of Northumberland, Shipowner and FRANK CAWS of 60 Fawcett Street
Sunderland in the county of Durham Architect do hereby declare the nature of
our invention for A NEW OR IMPROVED TELEPHONE HOLDER to be as follows:-
Whereas Telephones as at present constructed have to be taken in the hand and
held to the ear thus preventing the free use of the hands for writing or other
movement. Our invention obviates the necessity of holding the instrument in the
hands and leaves them free. It consists of an elastic or spring holder which may
be of various forms but in all of which the telephone is held in position against the
head by means of the recoil or rebound of the material forming the holder after it
has been sprung, pulled, stretched or bent out of its normal position. Thus a strap
bound round the head and made of elastic or other suitable material to which the
instrument is or instruments are attached or by means of which it is or they are
held in position against the ear or ears, may be used; or a spring ear clip made of
steel or other suitable material attached to the telephone and formed so as to grip
the ear and hold the instrument in position; or a spring preferably of steel having
a bow or other suitable shape to the two ends or to either end of which are or is
attached the telephones or telephone, which spring on being opened to admit the
operator's head presses the telephones or telephone against the ears or ear.
D

page_text: We GEORGE WATSON ERRINGTON of 21 Quayside Newcastle on Tyne in the
county of Northumberland, Shipowner and FRANK CAWS of 60 Fawcett Street
Sunderland in the county of Durham, Architect do hereby declare the nature of
our invention for A NEW OR IMPROVED TELEPHONE HOLDER and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawing:
Whereas, Telephones as at present constructed have to be taken in the hand and
held to the ear, thus preventing the free use of the hands for writing or other
movement. Our invention obviates the necessity of holding the instrument in the
hands and leaves them free. It consists of an elastic or spring holder which may
be of various forms but in all of which the telephone is held in position against the
head by means of the recoil or rebound of the material forming the holder after it
has been sprung, pulled, stretched or bent out of its normal position.
Referring now to the accompanying drawing
Figure 1. is a view of the holder arranged for holding two telephone receivers to
the ears it is shown hanging to the transmitter case ready for use.
Figure 2. is a view of the holder arranged for holding one telephone receiver to
the ear.
Figure 3. is a modified view of a double telephone holder.
Figure 4 is a modified view of a single holder.
Similar letters indicate similar parts throughout.
In all the figures A represents the holder of steel or other suitable material and
the hooks which hold the receivers are represented by the letter B.
In figure 1. the receivers are represented by the letter C-D is a band of elastic
or other suitable material by which the holder is adjusted and steadyed on the
head of the operator-A chain or nonconducting cord E is provided to which the
holder is suspended when not in use, it is suspended from the commutators F by
the hooks G and is so arranged that the weight of the holder and receivers shall
interrupt the current and connect the call bell. The transmitter case is represented
by the letter H.
In figure 3. a pad I is shown for adjusting and steadying the holder on the head
when in use and a thumb screw J is provided for fixing it in any convenient
position.
In figures 2. and 4 the bent end K is for use as a handle, and in figure 4 the
elastic band is made use of but is set diagonally.
To make use of the various telephone receivers it is necessary only to disengage
the holders from the hooks by which they are suspended, and having sprung them
open to place them over the head so that the receivers shall come against the ear or
ears, thus they will be held in position and the hands will be left free.
We would not have it understood that we confine ourselves to the particular
holders above described, as others may be used, thus a strap bound round the
head and made of elastic or other suitable material may be used, or a spring
clip made of steel or other suitable material and formed so as to grip the ear; but
we prefer the use of the bow spring..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A spring of steel or other suitable material for holding to one or both ears a
telephone receiver or receivers no got forth

page_text: 2. A spring of steel or other suitable material in combination with an elastic
band for improving the support of the telephone holder substantially as described
and shown.
3 The method of hanging the holder when not in use by means of a non-conducting
cord or chain from the clutches of the transmitter substantially as and for the
purpose above described and shown.