AN IMPROVED APPARATUS BY THE USE OF WHICH ANY SOUND WILL BECOME INAUDIBLE TO THE WEARER
Year: 1864

page_text: "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS BY THE USE OF WHICH ANY SOUND WILL BECOME
INAUDIBLE TO THE WEARER."
Sealed the 12th May 1865, and dated the 1st December 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Charles Rein,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st December 1864.
I FREDERICK CHARLES REIN. of the Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
Acoustical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS BY THE USE OF WHICH ANY SOUND WILL
BECOME INAUDIBLE TO THE WEARER." to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is entirely (or as nearly só as possible) to exclude
sound from the drum or inside of the car when a person desires so to do. I
make a form or plug to fit in (or nearly so) the inside of the ear, pressing also
by a species of flange on the edge of the "tragus" thereof; the plug and
flange may (or may not be) of one piece, and may be made of any suitable
material, prefer caoutchouc. and may be made hollow and filled with air,
with cotton, or any soft material or substance. This form or plug is attached
to a plate which covers or partially covers the car, from whence (being fitted
to the plate) passes a sliding or solid spring which goes over or round the

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Charles Rein, in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th May 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. FREDERICK
CHARLES REIN, of the Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Acoustical Instru-
ment Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four. in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, 'the
said Frederick Charles Rein. Her special licence that I, the said Frederick
Charles Rein, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Frederick Charles Rein. my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others. from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise. and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS BY THE USE OF WHICH ANY SOUND WILL
BECOME INAUDIBLE TO THE WEARER," upon the condition (amongst others) that
1, the said Frederick Charles Rein..my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said Frederick Charles Rein, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, 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 Sheet of
Drawing forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures and letters of
reference placed thereon.
The object of my Invention is to enable an individual to entirely (or as
nearly so as possible) exclude sound from the drum of the ear when he (or
sne) desires so to do, as when such individual is travelling by railway, and in

page_text: ear.
°
numerous other cases where continuous crashing or other unpleasant noise
may be distressing. In order to effect my object I make a form or plug
similar to those shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing, which shews that
part of the plug to be passed into the cavity of the ear. These plugs are com-
posed of india-rubber or any elastic or semi-elastic substance which can be
manufactured so as to assume and retain the form required, except in so far
that on pressure they yield so as to fully occupy the cavity of the cars they
are intended to fill. Figure 1 is the plug intended to occupy the cavity of the
right ear immediately under the "tragus" thereof, and Figure 2 that of the left
I color or enamel these plugs to the color of the skin so that they may
be less apparent when placed in the ears. These plugs may be used alone
and will retain their position if merely pressed by the finger into the cavities
of the ears, and where softening the effect of sound be all that is desired they
will effectually serve such purpose, but where a more effectual stoppage of
sound is desired they may be assisted by any of the means shewn in the
Drawing, or by any other means that I may find applicable for obtaining the
pressure necessary for such purpose. For example, I attach the plugs each
to a circular plate by means of a pin or spindle, (which allows the plug free
play) passing through the ends of a steel spring, the centre of the plate, and
into but not through the plugs as shown at Figure 3, where a, a, denote
plugs; b, b, circular plates; c, c, pins: d, spring. On passing the spring over
the head or under the lower jaw-(as may be preferred) the plugs are made to
enter the cavity of each ear, being pressed inwards by the action of the spring d
upon the plates b. b. and to further assist the elastic or semi-elastic plugs in stop-
ping or excluding sound. I make the plates of the size, and following the shape
of the car as shewn at Figure 4 which represents a plug attached to the
under side of a plate, (which may be made of any suitable material) the
spring to be fitted as mentioned in reference to Figure 3; or I use a spring
unattached to any plate but merely passing from the jaw, or over the head, or
at the back of the neck as may be preferred, so that its ends (which are
smoothed or rounded off) press upon the plugs which are already in their
places. It will be obvious that if the plugs alone are sufficient to soften sound,
the pressure of the ends of the independent spring will serve to exclude sound
altogether (or nearly so). I sometimes fill these plugs with air and also the
plug of other form shewn Figures 6 and 7: Figure is intended to repre-
sent the interior or inside of a hollow plate lined with silk at e, c, and padded
with velvet at f. : two strips of elastic g. g. are fitted in its centre, and when
in use the plug shewn at Figures 6 and 7 is placed in the hollow c, c. of the
plate and kept in position by the elastics g, g, which pass over it on each side

page_text: of the nipple h, resting on the plug at i, i. A sliding or solid spring d
attached to the outside of this plate passes (as at Figure 3) to another plate
fitted in a similar manner. The two plates attached to each other by the
spring being placed one on and entirely covering each ear, the nipple of the
plug passing into the cavity thereof, and being firmly pressed on and kept in
position by the yielding of the padding 1, f, under the action of the spring d
which may as aforesaid pass under the jaw, over the head, or behind the neck
of the wearer, will thus effectually deaden or exclude sound from passing to
the drum of the ear; Figure 8 shews the interior of a hollowed plate j, similar
to Figure 5, but not cushioned or padded, and Figure 9 a side view thereof;
in this apparatus I use a plug k, formed as usual of elastic or semi-elastic
material, but mounted on a spiral spring 1, and attached to and through the
plate, the spring passes from the plate shewn to its fellow, and the action is
precisely the same as that described in relation to Figures 3 and 5 of the
Drawing. In conclusion I would wish it to be distinctly understood that
the forms or plugs intended to fill the cavity of the ear are made of any
suitable material, such as caoutchouc, and may be made hollow and filled with
air, with cotton, or any soft material or substance, and that the spring I make
to keep the plugs or plates in position is made in one piece, or in two or
more pieces with slides and stops according to the nature of the apparatus to
be used.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and shewn means by
which it may be carried into practical effect, I declare that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein given, or to the Diagrams or Figures
shewn in the Sheet of Drawing, as modifications may be made to suit the
circumstances of particular cases without departing from my Invention, and
I claim the exclusive use of forms or plugs made of clastic or semi-elastic
material to be placed in the cavities of the ears, either alone or supported or
assisted by a spring or plates, and spring for the purpose of rendering sound
partially or wholly inaudible to the wearer. The whole essentially as herein-
before described and illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Charles Rein have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
FREDERICK CHARLES REIN. (L.s.)