IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEPHONIC TRANSMITTERS
Year: 1885

page_text: ROLAND HARRY RIDOUT 5 Napier Terrace Battersea Surrey Surveyor do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEPHONIC
TRANSMITTERS to be as follows:-
"
My invention relates to the construction of transmitters for telephonic purposes.
According to the first method of construction consistently with my present
invention I support on a suitable frame two electrically insulated conductors
preferably of hard carbon hereinafter referred to as "lateral pieces
" each in
connection with a pole of an electric battery and I electrically connect them by
means of two or more conductors preferably of hard carbon hereinafter referred to
as "transverse pieces' The transverse pieces may be of any suitable shape but
I prefer to construct and arrange them in such manner that collectively they may
present a suitable surface to receive acoustic impulses. To complete the trans-
mitter I place the parts thereof as above described in a suitable case having a
screen or damper of muslin felt cloth wire gauze perforated sheet or other
suitable material fixed between the transverse pieces and the source of sound or
I wholly or partially immerse them in a vessel of liquid when I direct the sound
upon the surface of such liquid.
According to the second method of construction consistently with my present
invention I proceed as in the first method of construction except that I so arrange
or construct the lateral pieces that they are both in connection with one pole of
the battery while the transverse pieces are severally in connection with the other
pole of the battery.
According to the third method of construction consistently with my present
invention I proceed as in the first method of construction but electrically divide each
lateral piece into two or more pieces and further I so dispose the several parts of
the apparatus that the electric current entering at say a lateral piece traverses a
transverse piece thence a lateral piece thence a transverse piece thence a lateral
piece & so on as will be readily understood.
It will be obvious that the methods of construction above described admit of
their being combined or used in multiple in the same transmitter.
The following applies to each of the above described methods of construction.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I use the words "lateral pieces" and
'transverse pieces" to simplify the description and not necessarily to indicate their
position under all circumstances.

page_text: For the purposes of my invention I employ transverse pieces in the form of
rings interlinked with or partly superposed on each other or in the form of rods
bars tubes strings of beads or overlapping tiles or of a combination of two or more of
them and I support them in electrical contact with the lateral pieces by their own
weight by springs by threads by tapes or by ribbands or upon pegs or in grooves
or in sockets or by the cohesion of a liquid between solid substances which
includes some part of the piece so supported or held or by combination of two or
more of them.
I construct the lateral pieces in the form of rods bars tubes strings of beads or in
the form of rings or segments of rings or of a combination of them.

page_text: ROLAND HARRY RIDOUT 5 Napier Terrace Battersea Surrey Surveyor 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
statement
My invention relates to improvements in telephonic transmitters and has for its
object the increasing of the efficiency of such instruments.
In the accompanying drawings the same letter indicates a similar part in the
several modifications hereinafter described. My improved transmitter is shown
diagramatically in Fig. 1 where upon a suitable frame A are supported two pieces
of hard carbon or other conducting material B B with terminal wires & a for
making electrical connections. The pieces B B are electrically joined by a
transverse piece C also constructed of hard carbon or other conducting material.
Articulate or other sounds suitably directed upon C vary at its points of contact
with B B the electrical resistance of a battery circuit which includes B B and
whereby the transmission of such articulate or other sounds is effected as will be
readily understood.
I will now describe a transmitter constructed according to my invention and
adapted for use in a vertical position. Fig. 2 is an elevation and Fig. 2* a section
through Fig. 2 along the line a b. A is a heavy ring of lead or other dense
material and B B are bars of hard carbon or other conducting material firmly
attached to but insulated from it. C is composed of several strips or bars of hard
carbon or other conducting material fastened on one side to a thin flexible tape
preferably of silk N at short intervals in its length and is then suspended by N
from an adjustable support G upon the frame A in such manner that the strips or
bars just rest against B B. The transmitter is swung in its case by the rings or
loops H. H. and takes a definite position of rest from which by reason of the
inertia of A it is not readily disturbed. I find it most convenient to direct the
voice upon the side of C nearest B B that is through the ring A as indicated by
the arrow but it answers almost equally well if directed from the other side. In
some cases a screen of muslin or gauze is placed between C and the speaker but
such screen is not comprised in my invention. A second modification of my
transmitter adapted for use in a horizontal position is shown in Fig. 3. A and
BB are as last described with reference to Figs. 2 and 2ª. The strips or bars
composing Crest by their simple weight upon B B. A third modification of my
transmitter also adapted for use in a horizontal position is shown in Figs. 4 and 5.
Fig. 4 being a plan & Fig. 5 a section along ay of Fig. 4. Here A and B B are
as in the first modification described with reference to Fig. 2. C is composed of
articulated strips as shown by the section Fig. 5.
In the 2nd and 3rd modifications of my transmitter the strips or bars composing C
whether articulated or not are held in position when B B by means of an encircling
frame or other device which will permit a limited motion to such strips or bars
and at the same time attain the desired object but such encircling frame or other
device is not comprised in my invention.

page_text: 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 telephonic transmitter substantially as herein before described with
reference to Figs. 2 and 2ª of the accompanying drawings.
Second. In a telephonic transmitter the compound transverse piece C constructed
and supported substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 2
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Third. The telephonic transmitter substantially as herein before described with
reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In a telephonic transmitter the compound transverse piece o composed
of articulated strips or bars substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to Figs. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of May 1886.