NEW OR IMPROVED TELEPHONIC APPARATUS TELEPNIC APPARATUȘ INTENDED MORE PARTICULARLY FOR DOMESTIC USE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edward Gouraud of Wallbrook in the City
of London for an Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED TELEPHONIC APPARATUS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edward Gouraud
;
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1883.
GEORGE. EDWARD GOURAUD of Wallbrook in the City of London
NEW OR
IMPROVED TELEPHONIC APPARATUȘ INTENDED MORE PARTICULARLY FOR DOMESTIC
USE
"
My Invention relates to new or improved apparatus to be employed chiefly in
domestic telephonic systems. The primary feature in these apparatus consists of
a peculiar switching device, but the Invention also embraces other important
details of construction, arrangement, and combination all as fully hereinafter
described.
In carrying out my Invention as applied to domestic purposes, I fit in each one
of the rooms of a house which it is required to place in communication with each
other an apparatus having a switching device of the following character. In a
box or case is arranged a series of separated or insulated contact plates corresponding
in number to the rooms to be placed in communication, each of which contact
plates carries the terminal of a line wire, there being as many lines as there are
contact plates. These contact plates may be conveniently arranged in an annular
or ring form, and they are assumed as being so arranged in the following
description, although this arrangement may be somewhat modified without
affecting the principle of action of the device. In the centre of the ring is
mounted a shaft or axis carrying a spring contact arm and roller for completing
the electrical circuit with any one of the plates, and consequently with any one
of the lines, the said roller, when the shaft or axis is operated by means of a
handle from the exterior of the box or case, being caused to roll over the contact
plates until the one is reached corresponding to the room with which the person
requires to communicate. As all the rooms are indicated on the outside of the
ED 37

page_text: box or case by number or letter over the respective contact plates, and as the
operating handle is provided with a pointer, facility is afforded for placing the
roller of the spring contact arm in contact with the required plate. On the shaft
or axis is also mounted a ratchet wheel the pawl or detent of which is formed
with or carried by or arranged in relation to the hook or suspension lever or
support of the telephone in such a manner that when the telephone is on the hook
or support the pawl or detent will be held out of gear with the teeth of the ratchet
wheel, whilst the act of removing the telephone from its hook or support is caused
under the influence of a spring to bring the pawl or detent into engagement with
the teeth of the ratchet wheel. When therefore the telephone is off the hook or
support the operator may by means of the handle-pointer move the contact arm
and roller into contact with the required plate and thus place himself in connection
with the line connected with the instrument with which he wishes to communicate.
This movement of the contact arm and roller takes place in opposition to the
action of a controlling spring or weight which when the telephone is replaced on
its hook or support restores the handle-pointer to its zero point which is the
position for the receipt of messages from any other instrument. It will thus be
seen that while the switching on to any particular line, after the removal of the
telephone from the hook or support for conversation is the act of the operator, yet
the restoration of the parts to their normal position when the conversation has
ceased is purely automatic, it being accomplished by the natural and necessary act
of replacing the telephone on its hook or support.
In addition to the switching device each box, or case, or apparatus is provided
with the other devices such as push-button, bell, induction-coil, telephonic
transmitter, and receiver, common in telephonic instruments, and, there may be
a single battery for each house, located say in the basement thereof. These
devices may be of any usual or suitable construction, and arranged in any
convenient manner. It is preferred however to arrange the push-button, and
parts connected therewith so that the act of depressing the button shall have
the effect by breaking one contact and making another contact of cutting the
battery off from the telephone and placing it in communication with the line, the
battery being normally in circuit with the telephone when the latter is off its hook
or support, and when the push-button is not so depressed.

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SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of, the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Edward Gouraud in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th November 1883.
GEORGE EDWARD GOURAUD of. Wallbrook in the City of London
"NEW OR
IMPROVED TELEPHONIC APPARATUS INTENDED MORE PARTICULARLY FOR DOMESTIC
USE"
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My said invention relates to new or improved apparatus to be employed chiefly
in domestic telephonic, systems. The primary feature in these apparatus consists
of a peculiar switching device, but as a subsidiary feature in these apparatus the
invention embraces a simple arrangement for cutting the battery used for signalling
and speaking, off from the telephonic apparatus and placing it in communication
with the line when required for signalling as fully hereinafter described.
In carrying out my said invention as applied to domestic purposes, I fit in each
one of the rooms of a house which it is required to place in communication with
each other, an apparatus having a switching device of the following character.
In a box or case is arranged a series of separated or insulated contact plates
corresponding in number to the rooms to be placed in communication, each of
which contact plates carries the terminal of a line wire, there being as many lines
as there, are contact plates. These contact plates may be conveniently arranged
in an annular or, ring form and they are assumed as being so arranged in
the following description although this arrangement may be somewhat modified
without affecting the principle of action of the device. In the centre, of the ring is
mounted a shaft or axis carrying a spring contact arm and roller for completing.
the electrical circuit with any one of the plates and consequently with any one of
the lines, the said roller when the shaft or axis is operated by means of a handle
from the exterior of the box or case being caused to roll over the contact plates
until the one is reached corresponding to the room with which the person requires
to communicate. As all the rooms are indicated on the outside of the box or case.
by number or letter corresponding to the respective contact plates and as the
operating handle is provided with a pointer, facility is afforded for placing the
roller of the spring contact arm in contact with the required-plate. On the shaft
or axis is also mounted a ratchet wheel the pawl or detent of which is formed with
or carried by or arranged in relation to the hook or suspension lever or support of.
the telephone in such a manner that when the telephone is on the hook or support
the pawl or detent will be held out of gear with the teeth of the ratchet wheel,
whilst the act of removing the telephone from its hook or support is caused under
the influence of a spring to bring the pawl or detent into engagement with the
teeth of the ratchet wheel. When therefore the telephone is off the hook or
support, the operator may by means of, the handle-pointer move the contact arm
and roller into contact with the required plate and, thus place himself in connection
with the line connected with the instrument with which he wishes to communicate.
This movement of the contact arm and roller takes place in opposition to the
action of a controlling spring or weight which when the telephone is replaced on
its hook or support restores the handle-pointer to its normal or zero point, which is
the position for the receipt of messages from any other instrument. It will thus
be seen that while the switching on to any particular line after the removal of the
telephone from the hook or support for conversation is the act of the operator,, yet
the restoration of the parts to their normal position when the conversation has
ceased is purely automatic it being accomplished by the natural and necessary act
of replacing the telephone on its hook or support.

page_text: In addition to the switching device each box or case, or apparatus is provided
with the other devices such as push-button, bell, induction coil, telephonic
transmitter and receiver common in telephonic instruments and there may be a
single battery for each house located say in the basement thereof. These devices
may be of any usual or suitable construction, and arranged in any convenient
manner. It is preferred, however, to arrange the push button and parts connected
therewith so that the act of depressing the button shall have the effect by breaking
one set of contacts and making another contact of cutting the battery off from the
telephonic apparatus and placing it in communication with the line, the battery
being normally in circuit with the telephonic apparatus when the telephone is off
its hook or support and when the push-button is not so depressed.
And in order that the said invention may be perfectly understood I shall
describe the best method with which I am at present acquainted of carrying the
same into effect and for that purpose shall refer to the several figures of the
accompanying sheet of drawings the same letters and figures of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
i
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a front elevation of a
domestic telephonic apparatus constructed in accordance with my said invention.
Figure 2 a front elevation of the apparatus with the cover removed, some of the
parts in this figure being in a different position to that indicated in Figure 1.
Figure 3 a transverse vertical section,
Figure 4 a detail hereinafter referred to, and
Figure 5 a diagram illustrating the relative connections of a number of
instruments.
In carrying out my said invention I fit in each one of the rooms of a house
which it is required to place in communication with each other an apparatus
having a switching device of the character illustrated in Figures 1 2 3 and 4 of
the drawings.
In a box or case A is arranged a series of separated or insulated contact
plates B B corresponding in number to the rooms to be placed in communication,
each of which contact plates carries the terminal a of a line wire, there being as
many lines as there are contact plates. These contact plates are arranged in an
annular or ring form as indicated in the drawings. In the centre of the ring is
mounted a shaft or axis 6 having fast thereon a spring contact arii C with roller c
for completing the electrical circuit with any one of the plates B and consequently.
with any one of the lines, the said roller when the shaft or axis b is operated by
means of a handle e from the exterior of the box or case A being caused to roll
over the contact plates B until the one is reached corresponding to the room with
which the person requires to communicate. As all the rooms are indicated on the
outside of the box or case A by number corresponding to the respective contact
plates B as represented in Figures 1 and 5 and as the operating handle e is
provided with a pointer f; facility is afforded for placing the roller c of the spring
contact arm C in contact with the required plate. On the shaft or axis b is also
secured a ratchet wheel g the pawl or detent h of which is formed with the hook
or suspension lever or support D of the telephone or carried by or arranged in
relation to such hook, lever, or support in such a manner that when the telephone
(receiver) E is on the hook or support as shewn in Figure 1 the pawl or detent h
will be held out of gear with the teeth of the ratchet wheel g whilst the act of
removing the telephone E from its hook or support D is caused under the influence
of a spring i to bring the pawl or detent h into engagement with the teeth of the
ratchet wheel g this being the position of the parts shewn in Figure 2.
When therefore the telephone E is off the hook or support D the operator may
by means of the handle-pointer ef move the contact arm C and roller c into
contact with the required plate B and thus place himself in connection with the
line connected with the instrument with which he wishes to communicate. This
movement of the contact arm C.and roller c takes place in opposition to the action
of a controlling spring / (see Figure 3 and detail Figure 4) or of a weight, which

page_text: spring or weight when the telephone E is replaced on its hook or support D
restores the handle-pointer ef to its normal point which is the position for the
receipt of messages from any.
y.other instrument.
In addition to the switching device, each box or case A or apparatus is provided
with the other devices such as push-button F, bell G, induction coil H, telephonic
transmitter K and receiver E common in telephonic instruments and either a
battery L to each instrument as shewn, or there may be a single battery for each
house located say in the basement thereof, two main wires being carried along from.
the battery and the several instruments connected in multiple arc therewith.
These devices may be of any usual or suitable construction, and arranged in any
convenient manner. It is preferred, however, to arrange the push button Fand
parts connected there with in the manner shewn so that the act of depressing the
button shall have the effect by breaking the contact of a spring lat m and of a
spring n at o and making the contact of the spring at o, of cutting the battery L
off from the telephonic apparatus and placing it in communication with the line,
the battery L being normally in circuit with the telephonic apparatus when the
telephone is off its book or support D and when the push button F. is, not so
depressed.
In order that the action of the apparatus may be clearly understood I shall
describe in detail the mode of connecting up the various parts thereof and give an
example of the operation of the same.
For the sake of simplicity I shall assume that only five instruments are used and
consequently five lines which connect the five contact plates B numbered 1 2 3 4 5,
of the several instruments as clearly shewn in Figure 5. The contact plates of ⚫
each instrument are thus in connection with line and by moving the contact arm C
with its roller c in the manner hereinbefore described into contact with the plate
which corresponds with any particular room, the sending instrument is placed in
connection with the instrument in such room. Let it be assumed, for example,
that the occupant of N° 1 room desires to speak with the occupant of N° 2 room.
The telephone being on its hook or support D and the roller c of the contact arm C
resting on N° 1 plate of the contact plates B and the push button F in its outward
position, No 1 takes the telephone off the hook or support and moves the contact
arm and roller into contact with plate N° 2 as shewn in Figures 2 and 5 and
depresses the push button. The circuit of N° 1 instrument is then from line to
contact plate N° 2, thence by the roller c, contact arm C, axis b, ratchet wheel g,
and detent h, to hook, lever or support D, thence from contact 6 to spring / and
thence by contact o to pole 7 of battery, the other pole of battery being con-
nected to earth E¹. The telephonic apparatus is thus cut off from the battery,
which is placed in communication with the line. N° 2 instrument being in its
normal condition for the receipt of a signal, its telephone will be on its hook or
support as shewn in Figure 5 and its push button will not be depressed. The
circuit will then be from line to contact plate N° 2 of N° 2 instrument (see Figure 5).
and thence (as indicated in Figure 2) by the roller c, contact arm C, axis b, ratchet
wheel g and detent h, to hook or support D, thence from contact 8; through bell
electro-magnet G₁ by e¹ to earth E. When, therefore, the operator of N° 1
depressed his push button, a pulsation will have been sent to the bell-electro-
magnet G¹ of N° 2 and the bell of this instrument will have been sounded. In this
position of the parts of the instrument N° 2 the transmitter circuit is broken at
9 10 as shewn in Figure 1 In order, however, to be prepared to enter into con-
versation, N° 2 takes his telephone off its hook or support and the latter assumes
the position shewn in Figure 2. The local transmitter circuit will then be from
pole 7 of battery to o, thence to spring contacts 9, 10, through transmitter K, to
primary wire p of induction coil H, thence to pole 12 of battery, (only a portion of
the cells of the battery being by preference utilized for speaking whilst the whole
are used for signalling). The local transmitter circuit being thus complete, the
operator at N° 2 may then respond to N° 1 the parts of N° 1 instrument being in
the position indicated in Figure 2 and the circuit running from line to hook or

page_text: lever D as before indicated, thence from contact 6, by spring and contact m and
through secondary wire 8 of induction coil H, to receiver E and thence by e¹ to
earth E¹. The receiver circuit of N° 2 instrument will be similar to the receiver
circuit just described of No 1 instrument, and the local transmitter circuit of N° 1
instrument will also be similar to that previously described of N° 2 instrument
No 1 and N° 2 may then converse together. When the conversation is completed,
No 1 by placing his telephone on its hook or support as indicated in Figure 1,
restores the parts automatically to their normal point in the manner herein before
described. It should be observed that in the example of apparatus illustrated the
normal point corresponds in all the instruments to the vertical position of the
hand-pointer as clearly represented in Figure 5, the roller of the contact arm in
this position resting on the plate of corresponding number to the instrument. If
therefore the occupant of N° 2 room (for example) wishes to speak wish [sic] the
occupant of (say) N° 4 room, the former having taken his telephone off its hook or
support moves the hand pointer round from its vertical position at 2 to the
number 4 and depresses his push button, and the other series of operations herein-
before described with reference to Nos 1 and 2 are repeated in respect of the
two instruments N° 2 and 4; and similarly with any other instruments which it
is required to place in communication with each other as will be readily understood
from the description hereinbefore given..
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is :—
First-In domestic and other telephonic systems, the employment of switching
devices each comprising a set of contact plates corresponding in number to the
rooms or places to be placed in communication with each other, and connected by
line wires to the contact plates of all the other instruments situate respectively in
the said rooms or places, and a contact maker interposed in the telephonic circuit
for making contact with the contact plates corresponding to the particular rooms
or places with which it is desired to communicate, the said contact maker being
retained in any position into which it may have been moved, by a detent device
arranged in connection with the hook or suspension lever or support of the
telephone so that by the act of replacing the telephone on its hook, suspension lever
or support the contact maker will be released, and, through the intervention of a
controlling spring or weight, will be returned to its normal position, all substantially
as herein before described.
Second-In telephonic apparatus of the character described, the arrangement
whereby the act of depressing or moving a push button or signalling device is
caused to cut the battery off from the telephonic apparatus and place it in
communication with the line substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof I the said George Edward Gouraud have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty fourth day of November in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
TDWIDE