ROOM-TO-ROOM COMMUNICATOR
Year: 1884

page_text: EBENEZER CHANNING MURRAY 37 Grove Place High Street Walthamstow Essex,
Electro-plater do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "ROOM-TO-ROOM
COMMUNICATOR" to be as follows:-
I use pieces of Slate, Wood, Cardboard or other suitable material arranged in
pairs, hereinafter called the order and receiving Slates, with a length of Iron Wire,
or any suitable material placed between them, and so arranged that when the whole
is fixed in position, the order Slate will be suitably placed in the Room or part
of the Room where the order is given, and the Receiving Slate will be in the
Room or part of Room where such order is to be received.
The number of pairs forming the Communicator is regulated according to
requirements.
Both the order and receiving Slates are moveable, and are arranged so that
motion applied to one is conveyed, by means of the Wire, to the other.
This movement or change of position is the signal that a communication has
been made, and the nature of this is determined by what has been written upon
the Slate, but whatever word or sign has been written or made upon the order
Slate, must also be written upon the receiving Slate.
"
If the word "Mutton" is a standing order upon the Slate or has been so written
in accordance with the Bill-of-Fare for the day, and "Mutton is wanted; the
Waiter has simply to press down the order Slate a short distance to enable the
attendant to see at a glance that "Mutton" was on order, and this without the
possibility of forgetting it, because the 'Communicator' remains down until such
order is placed upon the "Lift" when it is pushed back to its original position,
which is just above a certain line upon the Wall where it is fixed.
I also use one or more lines when more than one of the same order is required.
A signal is used in the same way which means "send up at once."
A Bell may be connected when required.

page_text: EBENEZER CHANNING MURRAY 37 Grove Place High Street Walthamstow Essex,
Electro-plater, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for ROOM-TO-ROOM
COMMUNICATOR, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
I use pieces of Slate Wood Cardboard or other suitable material arranged in
pairs, hereinafter called the Order and receiving Slates, with a length of Iron Wire
or other suitable material placed between, or in connection with thein; and so
arranged that when the whole is suitably fixed in position, the Order Slate will
be in the Room or part of Room where the Order has to be given, and the
receiving Slate will be in the Room or part of Room where such order is to
be received. The number of pairs forming the communicator is regulated according
to requirements.
Both the order and receiving Slates are movable and are arranged so that motion
applied to one is conveyed by means of the wire to the other. This movement or
change of position is the signal that a communication has been made, and the
nature of this is determined by what has been written upon the order Slate, But
whatever word or sign has been written or made upon the order Slate must also
be upon the receiving one.
If the word "Mutton" is a standing order, or has been so written in accordance
with the Bill-of-Fare for the day and "Mutton" is wanted the waiter has simply
to press down the order Slate a short distance to enable the attendant to see at a
glance that "Mutton" is on order, and when he has placed it on the "Lift" he
pushes the Slate back to its original position, which is just above or to the right
of a certain line made upon the wall.
་
I also use one or more lines below this for use when one or more orders of the
same kind are required.
"Send
"
A Signal is also used in the same manner which means
up at once.'
A Bell may be used with Communicator when required. And in order that my
Invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into practice I will proceed
to describe the Drawing annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
A A A1 A1, are the communicator boards which may be painted black or
Ebonized and should be fixed to the wall.
The drawing shews a set of twelve communicators worded as if used in an Eating
House. The communicator board being divided in this case into twelve parts or
communicators by means of the guide pieces marked B. which serve to keep the
Order Slates C1 to C12 in position. Six of said guides being numbered 0 to 6.
One figure answers for the Slate on either side.
Any number of Slates may be used according to the class of Business. Such
places as Eating Houses requiring more than most other business houses. The
same holds good in regard to the number of lines-If used on board Ship, one line
or space would be all that is required for communicating words of command. The

page_text: lines A0 A0 may be red, and those marked A2 A2 may be painted White. In
order to prevent such lines from wearing off I make small grooves in in the
aforesaid board which are painted as required.
The order and receiving Slates C1 to C12. may be made of Slate Metal Wood
or other material, by preference Wood coated with White paint or Enamel. The
Words or signs to be used thereon may be made with a brush charged with a
mixture of of Lamp black and size, this being easily cleaned off when alterations
have to be made-as in a Bill-of-Fare for Eating Houses.
It will be seen that both ends of Communicator are practically the same,
A A being fixed in one place and Al Al in another. The two ends being so
connected or arranged that when one end is moved the other moves also.
So that whatever alteration is made at one end in the position of Slates in
relation to the aforesaid lines at such end, is repeated at the other. The drawing
shews at a glance what is an order according to communicator. The number of
each order being known by the number of the space in line with the Slates.
The readings on drawing are as follows:-C 1. No Mutton. C2. Three of Beef.
C 3. Two of Pork. C4 Three of Rabbit. C5. Six of Potatoes. 06. Four of
Greens. 07. No Turnip. C 8. Three of Soup. C9. Five of Rice. C10. One of
Apple Tart. C11. No Plum Pudding. C12. Six of Jam Roll.
"
"
>
Now should, say, "Two of Mutton" be called for, the person who takes the
orders, has simply to press down, or to the right if used in the same room, the
order Slate marked Mutton to the second space which is in line with the figure 2
on guide piece B. The attendant can thus see at a glance that "Two Muttons" are
are on order. This method of sending communications, need not take more than
one second. And avoids the no easy task of shouting down a Lift or up a speaking
tube. It is also impossible to forget an order or communication as it remains upon
the board until it has been attended to, if one of the "Muttons" are sent up, or
placed on the Lift, the receiving Slate is moved back one, still shewing that there
is another on order, and when this is sent up, the Slate is moved back to its
original position between the red lines, or the Space marked 0 on the guide
piece B.
If worked near a Lift, it may be used for regulating the same by sending the
necessary orders.
The bell J can be used when required, by disconecting the hammer from the
support D 2, and made to ring with every order. The Wires marked D being 80
bent as to form a number of catches. Catches being also made upon the Wire D 3.
To the centre of said wire is fixed a hammer which may also be formed of a bend
in the Wire.
Instead of bending the wire as stated, small studs may be soldered if preffered.
The object being that whenever a communication is being made one of the bends
or studs in or on the wire D presses against the crank like bend, or stud in the
wire D 3 causeing it to turn and the hammer to strik the Bell. Should the bell
not be required to ring with every order, the catch bends on D 3 are held back, so
as to clear those on D.
A Wire is also fixed in connection with the same bell for use at any time when
the attendant at the receiving end thinks necessary. E is the signal F a piece of
tube closed at the lower end, and contains a spiral spring which presses against a
disc fixed to the wire H and tends to keep up, and with it the signal E, which
if pressed down causes the hammer K to strik the bell, this should be repeated
until the signal E ceases to rise. This in its turn shews the communication is being
attended to, the signal being kept down by by means of a pin put through the
loop L and into the hole M.
If used in the same Room the communicator must be arranged horizontally, the
order slates being placed by preferance in a vertical position.
The Wires D D3 and Hare kept in position by means of small staples or eyes
fixed in the Wall. Small signals N are worked in the same manner and connected

page_text: by a fine wire which passes through the same staples or eyes as the wires D. This
may signify "Send up at once" or any other words agreed upon.
Having now particularly described and acertained 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 construction of Room-to-room communicators substantially as herein-
before described and shewn in the Drawing annexed.
2-Duplicate movable parts whereon is to be written or made the words or signs
to be used, constructed and arranged so that on working communicator the change
of position which is made at one end is repeated at the other or receiving end, and
which may act as a signal shewing that a communication has been sent, the nature
of which may be known by the aforesaid words or signs as herein before described
and shewn in the Drawing annexed.
3-Duplicate fixed parts whereon is made lines or other marks, which may be
numbered, arranged and placed so that on working communicator such parts taken
in relation to the moveable parts may indicate whether a communication is made,
or a number of orders of the same kind are required at the same time, according
to the number of space or point which is in line with such parts as herein before
described and shewn in the Drawing annexed.