Improvements in or relating to Speaking Tubes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 4th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Speaking Tubes.
I, HAHNEMANN ADOLPHUS CUTMORE of 88 Hereford Road, Bayswater, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
This invention relates to the terminals of speaking tubes and has especial
reference to connecting a number of tubes with a single terminal piece embracing
preferably both the mouth piece and the ear piece.
In carrying out this invention I prefer to form the tube with a brass or similar
cylindrical end piece in which is pivotted a plate or equivalent carrying the whistle
or other sounding device. Into this cylindrical piece fits the terminal which as
above explained preferably carries or consists of both an ear piece and a mouth
piece.
The end pieces of the tubes may be arranged in any desired order, number or
design, upon a suitable switch-board or equivalent, and in use the terminal is placed
into any one of the tubes that happens to be required. In entering it pushes back
the pivotted whistle thus providing a clear through-way for it and removing the
whistle on that end of the tube. When the terminal is removed the whistle plate
which is preferably operated by means of a spiral spring or equivalent returns at
once to its proper position closing the tube and being ready for use when a signal
is sent from the other end.
By this arrangement any required number of tubes may be operated with a
single terminal and the expense of separate terminals for each tube is avoided.
It will be understood that the connection between the terminal and the tube may
be made in any convenient manner and that it is not essential that the terminal
should fit as above described inside the end of the tube.
Any suitable kind of indicator may be employed in connection with each tube;
for example a pivotted plate adapted to close over the hole and be blown out when
the signal is given.
Dated this 4th day of November 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Speaking Tubes.
I, HAHNEMANN ADOLPHUS CUTMORE of 88 Hereford Road, Bayswater, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following :-
This invention relates to the terminals of speaking tubes and has especial
reference to connecting a number of tubes with a single terminal piece embracing
preferably both the mouth piece and the ear piece.
In carrying out this invention I prefer to form the tube with a brass or similar
end piece or socket in which pivotted a plate or equivalent carrying the whistle
or other sounding device. Into this cylindrical piece fits the terminal which as
above explained preferably carries or consists of both an ear piece and a mouth
piece.
The end pieces of the tubes may be arranged in any desired order, number or
design, upon a suitable switch-board or equivalent, and in use the terminal is placed

page_text: A
into any one of the tubes that happens to be required. In entering it pushes back
the pivotted whistle thus providing a clear through-way for it and removing
the whistle on that end of the tube. When the terminal is removed the whistle
plate which is preferably operated by means of a spiral spring or equivalent returns
at once to its proper position closing the tube and being ready for use when a
signal is sent from the other end.
By this arrangement any required number of tubes may be operated with a
single terminal and the expense of separate terminals for each tube is avoided.
It will be understood that the connection between the terminal and the tube may
be made in any convenient manner and that it is not essential that the terminal
should fit as above described inside the end of the tube.
Any suitable kind of indicator may be employed in connection with each tube;
for example, a pivotted plate adapted to close over the hole and be blown out when
the signal is given.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure is a view showing the terminal-combined-ear-and-mouth-piece in
elevation and tube terminal-plate or.switch-plate in section.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the switch-plate
Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation and
Figure. 4 an interior view of the local signalling device.
Like letters represent like parts throughout the drawings.
A is the mouth-piece and B the compressible bulb of the general signalling
device for communicating with the various tubes. B' is the cup by which the
bulb B may be fitted to the tube C and B is the whistle provided on the bulb. E is
the ear-piece connected by preferably a flexible tube E' with the plug E² of a two-
way cock E2 E3 and so arranged that when the ear-piece E is lifted up and applied
to the car of the speaker with his mouth in front of the mouth-piece A. the plug E'
is so turned in the barrel E³ as to establish communication between the mouth-
piece A and the pipe C whereas when the ear-piece I hangs down as in Fig. 1
the cock is closed and communication between A and C is cut off; this is all
clearly described in my Specification appertaining to Letters Patent No. 4737
of 1889.
F is a vertical plate which may be secured to the wall or stationary board or
plate F C is a tapered extension provided on the tube C and which fits into any one
of a series of the sockets I carried by the plate F and each of which communicates
with its appropriate pipe G. Each pipe G or socket I is provided with its own
signalling device which may consist of a whistle as shown or other suitable arrange-
ment.and which is moved out of the way when the pipe C is placed in any of the
sockets I. The signal device H for this purpose is pivotted at H2 and controlled by
a spring H³ so that normally it adopts and retains the position indicated in Figure 3
closing the entrance to the socket I and ready to give a signal. Upon the insertion
of the extension C² of the pipe C which extension is preferably rounded as shown
in Figure 1, it is pressed back into the recess in the socket I provided for it as
indicated in the upper portion of Figure 1, where the extension C2 is shown in
position in the socket I, the signal device H lying snugly in its recess.
Upon the
withdrawal of the pipe C the spring H³ will return the pivotted signal H to its
normal position as in Figure 3, or the lower part of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a back
or interior view of the signal H showing the general arrangement. The pivot H⭑
of the indicating flap Hin Figures 1 and 3 is brought forward so that the flap
when in the position shown in the latter figure and in the lower part of Figure 1 is
overbalanced so as to lie naturally against the signal device H closing it until
turned over into the position shown in the top of Figure 1 by the puff of air when
the signal is given. The signal from that pipe G with which the mouth-piece is in
communication will be given through the signal device B B2 and not through H.
When the pipe C is withdrawn from the socket 1 and the signal device H is
returned to its normal position the flap H' may be returned to the position of
Figure 3 by the operator.

page_text: In Figure 2 the top central flap H' is shown as fallen down after a signal has
been given and the pipe C is not shown in this figure and it will be understood that
it can be entirely removed from the plate, from which it may hang by a chain or
cord as required and placed in any of the sockets I, each of which may bear its
appropriate designation such as cashier, machine-depôt, secretary, country-
depôt &c.
In Figure 2 eight pipes are shown but it will be understood that any
required number may be employed.
In a modified arrangement the branch C instead of fitting inside the socket I as
illustrated in Fig. 1 is provided with a hook or equivalent by which it can be hung
against the face of the plate F, that portion of the branch which faces the
socket being provided with one or more projections for the purpose of turning
back the door H. This arrangement it will be seen is practically the same
as that illustrated in Fig. 1 and it is merely a matter of convenience which form is
adopted.
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
1. In speaking tube apparatus the combination with a tube terminal G of a
hinged or pivotted door such as H substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. In speaking tube apparatus the combination with a tube terminal of a door
such as H and audible signal device substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
3. In speaking tube apparatus the combination with a tube terminal of a door
such as H and spring H³ substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
4. In speaking tube apparatus the combination with a tube terminal of a door
such as H and indicator such as H' substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
5. In speaking tube apparatus the combination with a tube terminal and door
such as H of a removable mouth-and-ear-piece-carrying branch substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In speaking tube apparatus the combination with a recessed tube-terminal-
socket I of a door H adapted to fold back into said recess substantially as and
for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete speaking
tube apparatus substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
1
H. A. CUTMORE.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.