Electricity and in Apparatus for that Purpose.
Year: 1885

page_text: Electricity and in Apparatus for that Purpose.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, of 52 Chancery
Lane, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, which has been communicated to me from abroad by
Alfred Meyer Albert Beale, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, Electrician, to be as follows:-
My invention consists in a new improvement in the art of conveying articulate.
speech by electricity and in apparatus for that purpose. My mode of operation
involves the charging of a conductor extending distant points-such as a line of
wire with a static charge of electricity, and I effect the conveyance of articulate
speech by producing variations in this charge corresponding to the sound waves
produced in air by the voice. I convey no dynamic current upon the line.
I employ a line insulated at both ends, upon which necessarily no dynamic current
can pass. My apparatus includes a telephone transmitter of the variable resistance
type which I connect in local circuit with a battery or other suitable source of
electricity. The current upon said local circuit being modified by the action of
the transmitter, causes the main line to become statically charged by induction.
Between the local circuit and insulated main line, I employ suitable means for
causing said main line to be inductively charged. At the opposite end of the line,.
is a conductor in communication with the ground, which conductor in turn is
charged by the main line. A telephone receiver is connected in the last mentioned
conductor, and is influenced by the variations of static charge to reproduce the
articulate sounds uttered into the transmitter at the opposite end of the line.
My invention therefore includes first, the new mode of conveying articulate
speech by causing in a body extending between distant portions a static charge of
electricity and variations in said charge corresponding to the sound waves in air
produced by the voice, and second, in my apparatus which includes a main line
J

page_text: insulated at both extremities, and at one end thereof a local circuit in which is
a telephone transmitter and a source of electricity and a means for enabling the
modified current in said circuit to induce a varying static charge upon the line;
and at the opposite end of said line, a conductor inductively charged from said line,
and a telephone receiver operating to reproduce articulate speech by reason of the
variations of the charge in said conductor.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
An Improvement in the Art of Conveying Articulate Speech by
Electricity and in Apparatus for that Purpose.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, of 52 Chancery
Lane, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, which has been communicated to me from abroad by
Alfred Meyer Albert Beale, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, Electrician, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
I propose to convey telephonic signals, including articulate speech between
distant points, by causing variations in the electro-static state of a body, such as
a line wire extending between said points. I conduct no current whatever upon
the line; but, on the contrary the line is not in circuit with any source of electricity
being insulated at both ends.
My invention differs materially from known systems of telephony as follows:
(1.) The so called Bell system involves two magnet telephones, in circuit with
a line. No battery is here requisite, and hence normally there is no current on the
line, except when generated by the movement of the diaphragm of the transmitter.
(2.) The variable resistance system which involves a transmitter containing
bodies of conducting material through which a battery current passes and becomes
modified. Here there is a constant current upon which current are imposed
variations or modifications through the action of the electrodes controlled by the
voice.
(3.) In my invention, I employ no dynamic current upon the line, either
permanent or temporary, although I may use a dynamic current to charge the line.
But the variations I produce are variations in the condition of the body itself
which forms the line. That is to say, I vary the electro-static state of the line
conductor, just as (to illustrate and assuming the possibility) I might vary its

page_text: degree of temperature or vary its strength as a magnet. I do not vary the
condition of any current flowing over the line for no current flows.
In the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic view, I exhibit an
operative means of carrying my invention into practical effect.
A represents the main line conductor. The terminals of this conductor are
connected respectively to the plate B of the condenser C and the plate D of the
condenser E. The opposing plate B₁ of the condenser C is connected to ground by
the wire F and the opposing plate D¹ of the condenser E is similarly connected by
the wire G to ground.
It will be apparent therefore that the plates B¹, D', are connected by ground and
the plates B, D, by the line wire A which line wire thus substantially and in effect
becomes a prolongation or bridge between said plates B, D. It will also be obvious
inasmuch as owing to the usual and ordinary construction of condensers there
exists between the plates B and B and D and D¹ a layer of dielectric or insulating
material, that the entire line wire A¹ is insulated and that hence, no direct dynamic
current can either pass upon or from it nor can any such current circulate therein,
inasmuch as said wire A is not a part of a circuit capable of conducting such
a current.
If now a charge of electricity be conducted to the plate D¹ of the condenser E,
this plate will become statically charged and will induce a corresponding charge
upon the opposite plate D across the, intervening dielectric; and inasmuch as the
line wire A is substantially part of the plate D, said charge will also be induced on-
said wire and the plate B of the condenser C. The charge induced upon the plate B
will in turn induce a corresponding charge upon the plate B₁ which communicates.
with ground.
As long as the original inducing charge is maintained on the plate D¹ of
condenser E for so long will the condition of affairs above set forth continue; and
if this charge is supplied by a galvanic battery the wire will, other things being
equal, remain in its charged state so long as this battery current remains constant.
If, however the inducing charge is not constant but variable, then the induced
charge on the line will in like manner, vary, and hence by controlling and varying
the character of the inducing charge I can correspondingly control and vary the
electro-static condition of the line.
H is a telephone transmitter containing electrodes and of any known construction
which I arrange with a battery in the closed local circuit I. Said circuit includes
the primary J of an induction coil, the secondary K of which coil is in communi-
cation at one end with wire G and at the other end with the earth.
When speech is uttered before the transmitter H, the battery current in the local
circuit I is modified and in proportion to the variations of strength of said current
induced charges of high potential are generated upon the secondary K. These
induced charges charge the condenser E and hence the line A. Inasmuch as the
current in the local primary circuit I will correspond in its characteristics to the
rate amplitude and frequency of the sound waves which modify the current through
the agency of the transmitter so will the current thus varied in turn induce
a cliarge of electricity in the secondary wire K which will charge the condenser and
hence the line at a rate, with a frequency and to an extent. corresponding to the
original sound vibrations. When however the current in the local circuit I ceases,
then whatever charge has accumulated on plate D disappears by reason of the earth
connection.
I thus obtain a line varying in electro-static condition correspondingly to the
sound waves affecting the transmitter; and the variations in the electrical condition
of the line will induce corresponding variations in the electrical condition of the
plate B¹ of the condenser C and hence of the wire F communicating from said
plate B to ground.
.It remains then to connect a receiving telephone N, to the wire F and this,
I prefer to do by attaching said wire to one end of a coil L, which coil forms the

page_text: .
secondary wire of an inductorium of which the primary: wire M is in a local
circuit I with the receiver N. The other end of coil L connects to ground..
In practice, in order that a transmitter and a receiver may exist on each end of
the line I arrange the transmitter in local circuit and the receiver in shunt circuit
therefrom as indicated at H, H¹, and N, N¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The method of conveying vocal or other sounds, including articulate
speech, between separated points, as herein described, by causing variations in the
electro-static condition or state of a body extending between said points corre-
sponding to the vibrations of the air accompanying said vocal or other sounds.
Second. The combination of a main line insulated at both ends, a telephone
transmitter, & source of electricity in circuit therewith, a means such as a condenser,
for causing the dynamic current traversing and modified by said transmitter
statically to charge the main line, and, at a distant station, a local line communi-
cating with ground, a means, such as an interposed condenser, of causing the
charged main line to induce a charge on the said local line and a telephone receiver
in said local line, substantially as described.
Third. The combination of a main line connected at each end to an induction
plate, induction plates in inductive proximity to, but separated by a dielectric from
said first mentioned plates, conductors connecting said last mentioned plates to
ground, the secondary coil of an inductorium in each of said conductors, a local
circuit containing a telephone transmitter, a source of electricity and the primary
coil of one of said inductoriums and a local circuit containing the primary of the
other of said inductoriums and a receiving telephone, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of a main line connected at each end to an induction
plate, induction plates in inductive proximity to but separated by a dielectric from
said first mentioned plates, conductors connecting said last mentioned plates to
ground, the secondary coil of an inductorium interposed in each of said conductors
and two local circuits each respectively containing the primary coil of one of the
said inductoriums, a source of electricity, a transmitting telephone and in shunt
circuit, a receiving telephone, substantially as described.
Dated the 17th day of December 100K