IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS OR CIRCUIT INTERRUPTERS FOR TRANSMITTING ARTICULATED SPEECH AND OTHER SOUNDS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN IRISH, of Electric Works, Sunderland, in the County of
Durham, Electrician c/o. Day, Davies & Hunt, Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS OR CIRCUIT INTERRUPTERS FOR
TRANSMITTING ARTICULATED SPEECH AND OTHER SOUNDS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in telephone transmitters, and
consists in the application of an improved system of transmitting articulated
speech and other sounds by means in which an interrupted circuit is employed for
the purpose, and by means which quite avoid and dispense with the use of
diaphragms, tympans and tension regulators hitherto employed in apparatus used'
for the purpose of the Invention.
It is not material to the Invention that this improved system of transmitting
sounds should be carried into effect in any particular way or by the aid of any
particular means or arrangement of parts, and it will be obvious to anyone
conversant with the science of electricity that the principle thereof may be carried
into effect in various ways more or less analogous and suitable depending upon
their particular application, and by the employment of various appropriate meaus
in all modifications or arrangements of which, however, diaphragms, tympans, or
tension regulators are dispensed with, but I have hereinafter described, by way of
example, tho application of certain very simple and convenient means of carrying
the improved system into practical effect.
To this end a principal modification of the Invention consists in the combination
of a funnel, conc, cup or other suitably shaped insulated holder, containing a series
of conducting bars or rods, or of non-conducting bars or rods having contacts of
suitable conducting material, or equivalent means, uniformly arranged and secured
within such holder with their lower ends or parts close towards but not touching
each other, with a conducting ball, or its equivalent, for.ning part of the electrical
circuit, and which freely rests upon and is supported by the said rods or bars, or
the said contacts thereof, the parts so co-acting as that when the sound waves are
concentrated upon the ball causing it to dance in unison but out of contact with
the said rods or bars or contacts thereof, thereby interrupting the electrical circuit

page_text: with varying rapidity corresponding or in accordance with the articulated or other
sounds given into the transmitter, and the sounds so transmitted and given out by
the transmitter may be reproduced in any suitable receiver electrically connected
therewith in any usual or suitable manner.
In carrying this modification into effect, the said funnel, cone, cup or other
suitably shaped holder may be made of wood, ebonite or other suitable insulating
material, and in the hollow thereof there are mounted three bars, rods or equivalent
parts of carbon, platinum, iridium, or other conducting substance, or of wood,
ebonite, or other suitable insulating material, with contacts of carbon, platinum,
iridium, or other conducting substance. These bars or rods may be two or more
(but preferably three) in number, and they are arranged opposite, triangularly, or
otherwise uniformly around the rim or within the said holder, being suitably
secured thereto at one end or part, and the other or lower ends or parts being
brought close together but not so as to touch.
When three of such bars are employed, two thereof, or the respective contacts
thereof, are connected to one pole of the battery, and the third to an induction
coil when used, or to the line wire. Induction coils or condensers may or may not
be employed as desired.
The said conducting ball is placed between, and is freely supported by the lower
-or-free ends or parts-of-the said bars or rods, or by the contacts thereof, and it may
be made of any suitable conducting substance, but preferably of carbon, or it may
be made of cork, pith or other suitable non-conducting substance-covered with a
conductor such as platinum foil or gold leaf.
The lower end of the said holder is or may be connected with a short tube
which-terminates at its other ond in a mouthpiece through which the sound waves
are or may be conveyed-to-within the said cup or holder, entering the latter below
the ball, and causing the latter (which, as aforesaid, forms part of the electrical
_ circuit,) to dance between the said conducting rods or contacts thereof and in
unison with such-movements as they receive from the sound waves, lifting it more
or less from off the said rods or contacts-in-proportion to the variation of intonation-
and intensity of the sound waves, and causing it to make-interruptions in "the
electrical circuit with varying rapidity corresponding with the sounds given in-to-
the transmitter, and the sounds so transmitted or given out by the transmitter
may be reproduced in any suitable receiver electrically connected therewith as
aforesaid.
I have found that the interruptions of the electrical circuit common to all
modifications of this improved system of transmitting sounds in which no
diaphragms, tympans or tension regulators are used and when effected by such
or substantially similar means as those herein described, and in which but very
snall ares are formed between the ball and the said rods or the contacts thereof, or
their respective equivalents during such interruptions, in no way impair the
articulation, but tend to improve the distinctness and volume of sound given out
by the receiver.
The said apparatus may be fitted in a convenient case.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
I, WILLIAM EDWIN IRISH, of Electric Works, Sunderland, in the County of
Durham, Electrician, c/o Day, Davies and Hunt, Patent Agents, 321, High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of mý
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEPHONE TRANSMITTERS OR CIRCUIT INTER-
RUPTERS FOR TRANSMITTING ARTICULATED SPEECH AND OTHER SOUNDS," and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in telephone transmitters, and
consists in the application of an improved system of transmitting articulated
speech and other sounds by means in which an interrupted circuit is employed for
the purpose, and which quite avoid and dispense with the use of diaphragms,
tympans, and tension regulators hitherto employed in apparatus used for the
purpose of the Invention.
It is not material to the Invention that this improved system of transmitting
sounds should be carried into effect in any one particular way or by the aid of noy
particular means or arrangement of parts, and it will be obvious to anyouc
conversant with the science of electricity that the principle thereof may be carried
into effect in various ways more or less analogous and suitable depending upon
their particular application, and by the employment of various appropriate means
in all modifications or arrangements of which, however, diaphragms, tympans, or
tension regulators are dispensed with, but I have hereinafter described by way of
example the application of certain very simple and convenient means of carrying
the improved system into practical effect.
Such means consist in the combination of a funnel, cono, cup or other suitably
shaped insulated holder containing a series of conducting bars or rods, or of non-
conducting bars or rods having contacts of suitable conducting material, or other
equivalent parts, uniformly arranged and secured within such holder with their
lower ends or parts close to but not touching each other, with a conducting ball
or its equivalent forming part of the electrical circuit, and which by gravity rests
upon and is freely supported by the said rods or bars, or by the said contacts
thereof, the parts so co-operating as that the sound waves or impulses are con-
centrated upon the ball causing it to dance in unison with the said rods or bars
or contacts thereof, intermittently in and out of contact therewith, theroby,
interrupting the electrical circuit with varying rapidity corresponding or in
accordance with the articulated or other sounds given into the transmitter, and
such sounds may be transmitted and reproduced in any suitable receiver
electrically connected with such improved transmitter in any usual or suitable.
manner,
On the accompanying drawings, Figs; 1, and, 2, respectively reprosent, a
sectional. elevation and a sectional plan view of a telephone transmitter con-
structed in accordance with this modification of carrying out my said Invention:-,
and Fig; 3, represents a sectional view of an alternative arrangement hereinafter
referred to

page_text: In carrying this modification into effect, the said funnel, cone, cup, or other
suitably shaped holder, 1, may be made of wood, ebonite, or other suitable
insulating material, and in the hollow or interior thereof there are mounted three
bars, rods, or equivalent parts, 2, formed of carbon, platinum, iridium or other
conducting substance as represented in Figs; 1, and, 2;-or of wood, ebonite, or
other suitable insulating material, with contacts, 3, of carbon, platinum, iridium,
or other conducting substance, as represented in Fig; 3. These bars or rods may
be two or more, but are preferably three in number; and they are arranged
opposite, triangularly, or otherwise; depending upon their number, and are
mounted independently of each other around the rim or within the said holder, 1,
being suitably secured thereto by screws or otherwise at one end or part, 4, and
their other or lower ends or parts, 5, being brought close together but not so as to
touch each other.
When three of such bars are employed, as illustrated on the accompanying
drawings, two thereof or the respective contacts thereof are connected to one
pole of the battery, and the third to an induction coil when such is used, or to
the line wire. Induction coils or condensers may or may not be employed as
desired.
6, represents the said conducting ball which is placed between or upon and is
freely supported_by_the lower or free ends or parts, 5, of the bars or rods, 2, or
by the contacts-3,-thereof. The ball-may-be made of any suitable conducting
substance, but preferably of carbon, or it-may-be made of cork, pith, or other
suitable non-conducting substance covered with a conductor such as platinum.foil
or gold leaf.
The lower end of the holder, 1, is or may be suitably connected with a short
tube, 7, which terminates at its other end or is there in communication with
a mouthpiece, 8, through which the sound waves-are-or may be conveyed to within
the said cup or holder, 1, entering the latter below the ball, 6, and causing the-ball,
(which, as aforesaid, forms part of the electrical circuit;) to dance between the con-
ducting rods or bars, 2, or the contacts,-3,-of the non-conducting rods or bars, and
in unison with such impulses or movements, as thoy receive from-the-sound_waves;
lifting it more or less from off the said rods or contacts in proportion to the
variation of intonation and intensity of the sound waves, or other variation of the
cause of impulse, and causing it to make interruptions in the electrical circuit with
varying rapidity corresponding with the sounds given into the transmitter, and
which sounds may be transmitted and reproduced in any suitable receiver électrically
connected with such improved transmitter as aforesaid.
I have found that the interruptions of the electrical circuit common to all modi-
fications of this improved systein of transmitting sounds in which no diaphragins,
tympans or tension regulators are used, and when effected by such or substantially
equivalent means as or to those herein described, and in which but very small arcs
are found or distances created between the ball and the said rods or contacts or their
respective equivalents during such interruptions, in no way impair the articulation,
but tend to improve the distinctness and volume of sound given out by the
receiver.
The said apparatus may be fitted in a convenient case, 9, as illustrated on the
drawings.
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. The herein before described improved system of transmitting articulated speech
and other sounds by means in which an interrupted circuit is employed for the
purpose, and in which the use of diaphragms, tympans, and tension regulators, is
dispensed with.
2. The improved means hereinbefore described, of carrying such improved
system into effect; such improved means consisting in the combination in

page_text: telephone transmitters of a funnel or other shaped insulated holder containing a
series of conducting bars, or of non-conducting bars with conducting contacts,
independently mounted arranged and secured within such holder with their lower
ends or parts close together but not touching each other, with a conducting ball
forming part of the electrical circuit and resting freely upon the free ends of the
said rods or bars or the contacts thereof; when such parts or their respective
equivalents are so arranged and co-operate as to interrupt the electrical circuit in
accordance with the variation of the sound waves or cause of impulse, and to
transmit articulated and other sounds without the aid of diaphragmins, tympans, or
tension regulators, substantially in the improved manner hereinbefore described.
Dated this 11th dow of May 1002
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.