IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF TELEPHONY
Year: 1884

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by James Lowth, Inventor, of Walnut Street, and
William Dana Ewart, Manufacturer, of South Jefferson Street, both in
Chicago, State of Illinois, in the United States of America.]
I, CHARLES AUBREY DAY, of 321, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF TELEPHONY" (a communication to
me from abroad by James Lowth Inventor, of Walnut Street, and William Dana
Ewart, Manufacturer, of South Jefferson Street, both in Chicago, State of Illinois,
in the United States of America) to be as follows:-
The present invention is based upon the fact or discovery that those exterior
parts of the human body which are located in the vicinity of the vocal organs
(such for instance as the exterior surface of the throat, and especially those parts
near the larynx), possess such action, in connection with the larynx and the organs
of articulation, during the utterance of words and other sounds, as will cause any
solid body that may be placed in contact with such exterior parts of the body and
also connected with a telephone to operate said telephone in the same manner as do
the sound waves induced by the action of the vocal organs and transmitted to such
telephone through the atmosphere.
In practicing the present Invention this fact or discovery is carried into effect
by the use, in connection with a telephone, of a bar or rod, preferably of wood,
which is arranged so that one end will be in contact with the proper part of the
telephone while the other is adapted to be placed in contact with the throat of the
speaker using the telephone.
To enable those skilled in the art to which the present Invention relates, to fully
understand and practice the same, I will now proceed to more fully explain the
application of the present Invention.
The type of telephone which has been as yet selected for the developement of
the present Invention is that known as the magneto genus of telephone; but the
present improvement in the art, may equally be put into practice in other types of
telephones by the use of properly constructed apparatus.

page_text: The telephone apparatus herein before referred to is constructed with a small box
having a cap or lid applied thereto, and an inner magnet with a surrounding helix,
one end of which is carried to one binding post, and the other end of which is
carried to another binding post, such binding posts forming a metallic circuit to
other binding posts on the receiver, and being applied to the said box, and the said
helix being also applied in the usual manner. A vibrating diaphragm is also
located in the said box just out of contact with the magnet.
In adapting the present improvements according to the modification now being
described, one end of a tube is caused to enter the said cap and is led outwardly
therefrom, and a vibratory rod is passed through both the cap and the tube, having
freedom of movement therein.
The inner end of this vibratory rod is pointed and enters a depression or
perforation in the said diaphragm and by this means the inner end of the rod is
retained in place relatively to the said diaphragm as will hereinafter more fully
appear. A small strap or band of rubber, or other sufficiently flexible material,
extends across the open outer end of the tube, and through which the said vibratory
rod is passed and by which it is held end wise, but yieldingly, and out of contact
with said tube. The outer end of the rod is formed or provided with a suitable
button or head to render this end of the rod better adapted to be pressed lightly
against the throat of the person using the apparatus.
In order to practice the present Invention (that is, to transmit articulate speech,
telephonically, by the action, on a telephone, of exterior parts of the body in the
vicinity of the larynx) with the apparatus described, the speaker simply holds the
said button or head on the outer end of the said vibrating rod lightly against but
in perfect contact with the exterior of his throat, and talks in an ordinary tone of
voice, while the listener (at the other end of the line) applies the receiver which
may be of an ordinary kind to his ear in the usual manner.
The voice of the speaker will then be distinctly heard by the listener, and thus
any desired message may be transmitted over the line, with the same results as, if
not better in effect than can be obtained by the use of telephones worked according
to the mode of operation practiced previous to the present Invention.
It will be understood, of course, by those skilled in the art that in carrying out
the present Invention therein, both a transmitter and a receiver may be employed
at each end of the circuit as done with telephones worked the old-fashioned way;
also that the circuit may or may not operate in connection with a battery, as may
be deemed best, and that other modifications may be made in the apparatus described
to adapt it to the various circumstances under which it may be desired to practice
the present improvement in the art of telephony.
Other types and forms of transmitter than that described may be employed if
deemed or found in practice to be desirable, the gist of the present invention
consisting essentially in operating a telephone through the medium of a solid body,
connected therewith and placed in contact with the body of the speaker, by and in
accordance with those vibrations, of exterior portions of the body, which accompany
the utterances of sound, in contra-distinction to the heretofore known and practiced
mode of operating a telephone by the action of the sounds produced by the vocal
organs and transmitted therefrom to the telephone by the atmosphere.
It will be perceived that by the present improvement in the art of telephony,
I am enabled to employ a diaphragm; or other moving device (to be actuated in
accordance with the sounds to be transmitted by the telephone) of the greatest weight
and size commensurate with the attainment of the best magnetic actions, irrespective
of that capacity in said device for action, under the influence merely of the delicate
sound waves in the atmosphere, which was indispensable in a telephone adapted to
work according to the modes heretofore practiced in the art. In other words, by
the present invention in accordance with which the diaphragm is moved by a
positive force, applied through the medium of a solid body, instead of as heretofore,
by the mere sound waves in the fluid atmosphere, I am enabled to size and pro

page_text: portion the diaphragm to better advantage, and by reason of this I can use a
construction of telephone with which better results may be accomplished than
could be attained by any apparatus designed to work on the plan of operation
followed prior to the present invention.
Another advantage arising from the use of the present invention, is that requiring
only that the solid conductor, as for instance the said rod, shall come into contact
with the diaphragm, the latter may be so inclosed and protected against the
disturbing action of all extraneous sounds or noises that the speaker's message
only will enter and be transmitted by the telephone, and thus the great annoyance
now frequently experienced in the use of telephones will be wholly avoided.
Dated this 26th day of November 1884.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Art of Telephony.
I, CHARLES AUBREY DAY, of 321, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ART OF TELEPHONY " (a communication
to me from abroad by James Lowth, Inventor, of Walnut Street, and William Dana
Ewart, Manufacturer, of South Jefferson Street, both in Chicago, State of Illinois,
in the United States of America) and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
The present Invention is based upon the fact or discovery that the exterior
parts of the human body, in the vicinity of the vocal organs (such for instance as
the exterior surface of the throat, and especially those parts near the larynx) so act
in connection with the larynx and the organs of articulation during the utterance
of words and other sounds, that a solid body or medium placed in contact with
such exterior parts, and with a telephone transmitter, will be caused to operate
the latter as accurately in accordance with the vocal utterances, and as effectually,
as it would be operated by the sound waves produced by the direct action of the
vocal organs.
I wish it to be understood that I use the term solid body or substance, in
contradistinction to a column or body of air or gas interposed between the
telephone and the external surface of the parts adjacent to the vocal organs of any
person using the telephone, and that the present Invention consists, essentially, in
utilizing any suitable substance or body (other than an aereform or gaseous fluid)
applied to the exterior surface of the larynx or adjacent parts, and to the telephone,
in such a manner as that the latter will, through the medium of the said substance
or body, be influenced by and in accordance with the muscular vibration which
accompany the action of the vocal organs.
The said Invention is carried into effect by the, use, in connection with any
suitable telephone transmitter, of a bar or piece of wood or other solid body or
substance, so arranged that one end thereof will be in contact with the diaphragm
or equivalent part of the instrument, while the other end is adapted to be placed
in contact with the throat of the speaker while using the telephone.
A. receiver (of any suitable kind) is provided, and it will be understood that in
carrying the present Invention into effect both a transmitter and a receiver may be
employed at each end of the telephone line or circuit, as in other telephone systems;
also that the circuit may or may not include a battery.
A convenient form of transmitter for use in the practice of the present Invention
is that described in the Specification of Letters Patent No 15,583, of even date
herewith, granted to me, but other types and forms of transmitters may be
employed.
It will be obvious that in practicing this Invention, the diaphragm, or other
moving part or device to be actuated in accordance with the sounds to be
transmitted by the telephone, may be of the greatest weight and size commensurate
°

page_text: with the attainment of the best magnetic actions, and its capacity for action, under
the influence merely of the delicate impulses of atmospheric sound waves, does not
need consideration as in the case of the telephones heretofore used. In other
words, by the application of the present Invention, in accordance with which the
diaphragm is caused to vibrate by impulses applied through the medium of a solid
body, instead of through the medium of atmospheric sound waves, the diaphragm
may be so proportioned in relation to the other parts of the telephone that better
results can be accomplished that could be attained by the telephone instruments
heretofore commonly used.
Another advantage arising from the use of this Invention is, that the diaphragm
is so enclosed as to be protected against the action of all sounds except those
transmitted through the said solid. medium, thus the great annoyance now
frequently experienced by the effect of extraneous sounds or noises in the use of
telephones will be wholly avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my Foreign Correspondents, I declare that what I claim is
The herein before described improved mode or method of working a telephone by
utilizing a solid substance or body (that is to say any suitable substance or body
other than a column or body of air or gas) interposed between the diaphragm or
equivalent part of the transmitter and the exterior surface of the throat or other
part adjacent to the vocal organs of the operator or speaker, in such a manner as
that the said solid substance or body will communicate to the transmitter the
muscular vibrations, which accompany the action of the vocal organs as above set
forth.