IMPROVED TELEPHONIC TRANSMITTING APPARATUS OR NEST TELEPHONES
Year: 1884

page_text: I SILVANUS PHILLIPS THOMPSON of University College Bristol in the County
and City of Bristol, Doctor of Science and Professor of Experimental Physics,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVED TELEPHONIC
TRANSMITTING APPARATUS OR NEST TELEPHONES to be as follows:-
My present improvements relate to telephonic transmitting apparatus of the types
described by me in my Specification of Letters Patent No. 3803 of 1882, in which
I claimed in a telephonic transmitter wherein there is no tympan or diaphragm the
combination of sound reverberators or reflectors with electric current regulators and
also the employment or application of a mouth-tube or mouth-piece for the purpose
of intercepting the moisture of the breath, all as in the said Specification sub-
stantially set forth. The purpose of my present invention is to perfect the instru-
ments of the types so described and to render them both more certain in their
action, simpler in construction, and louder in their effects. One feature of my
present improvements is constituted by a novel and peculiar form of electric current
regulator to be employed as previously described and claimed by me in combination
with a sound reverberator, reflector, mouth-piece or mouth-tube. This novel forin
of transmitting-telephone I call, for the sake of distinction a "nest-telephone." It
may be constructed as follows. A nest is prepared from cotton-wool, lamb's wool,
flannel, felt, waste-silk, glass-wool, slag-wool, bran, feathers, Blocks, hair, or other
suitable material placed in or on a suitable and solid support. In or on this nest 1
place one or more lumps of conducting matter forming the electrode or electrodes of
the current-regulator. The electrodes may be made of any of the substances used
as electrodes or contact-pieces in telephonic transmitters. They may be metallic,
as for example, made of or covered with the metals osmium or selenium, or in some
cases of nickel; or they may be made of some non-metallic substance provided that
non-metallic substance bo a good conductor of electricity such as battery-coke or
retort-coke. In some instruments the electrodes take the form of eggs placed in
contact with one another in the nest. In other analogous cases the electrodes or
contact pieces consist of mere lumps of such matter lying loosely in contact with
one another. One good form of nest-telephone is made by placing in the middle of
the nest one single lump of coke or metal and resting upon its top or edges some
other pieces of coke or other suitable material, the whole being so connected with
the cell or cells of the battery that the current shall flow through the points of

page_text: contact where one or more of the pieces or lumps touches against another of the
pieces or lumps. In another form of nest-transmitter small cavities are hollowed
out in the edges or sides of a central lump or mass, and at the edges or sides of the
nest a series of corresponding lumps or pieces are set, and a smaller lump or piece
is laid or set across from each cavity in the central lump to a cavity hollowed out
in one of the other lumps, the electric connexions being so made that when in
action a current shall flow either from the central lump to the lump set at the edgo
or elso contrariwise. Small levers made of wires or strips of copper, platinum, or
other metal, or of coke or other conducting material, are in some cases employed.
These levers pass either from a central lump or lumps in the nest to a lump or
lumps at the side or edge, or else conversely. It is convenient also to use instead
of levers small rods of coke, pointed or turned small at the ends, and set each with
one end lying loosely in a small cavity bored in the side of the central lump or ball
or piece, and the other in a small cavity bored in a lump or block at the side of the
nest. When strong currents are to be transmitted a number of such rods or levers
may be used, and the current divided so that it enters by several of these rods or
levers, and leaves by several others. Or a separate battery may be used to send a
current into each one of several of the levers or rods. In the latter disposition
of currents it is convenient to employ as connecting pieces to carry the currents
from the central lump to the external lumps washers of metal or of coke or other
suitable material. These washers rest on the central lump and on the edge pieces
in loose contact and are kept from being displaced by having each passing through
its central hole a pin of non-conducting material. In some cases it is advisable to
weight the washers or to apply light springs to keep them in their places. In
working in an induction circuit many contact-pieces are not necessary. A single
balanced piece, kept by gravity or by a spring in contact with the central lump
suffices. In some cases granulated coke is placed in the nest and the current is led
in and out by lumps of metal or coke placed at the sides. The mouth-tube or
mouth-piece concentrates the air-waves of the voice upon the central lump ball or
piece and absorbs the moisture of the breath.

page_text: "
I, SILVANUS PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of University College, Bristol, Doctor of
Science and Professor of Experimental Physics, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "TELEPHONIC TRANSMITTING APPARATUS OR NEST TELEPHONES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My present improvements relate to telephonic transmitting apparatus resembling
that described in my Specification of Letters Patent No 3803, 1882, in respect of
the absence of a tympanum or diaphragm and in respect of the combination of
sound reverberators or reflectors with electric current-regulators, and also the
employment or application of a mouth-tube or mouth-piece for the purpose of
intercepting the moisture of the breath. The purpose of my present invention is to
perfect instruments of this typo or class, and to render them more certain in their
action, simpler in construction, and louder in their effects than heretofore.
My present invention, however, though generally resembling that referred to or
described in my said former Specification, is distinct therefrom in respect of the
peculiar featuro by reason of which I term the instrument a "nest" telephone.
I use this term to indicate the employment of a soft insulating substance whereon
I place the electrodes or contact pieces and whereby I isolate or separate them
from any part which, by its vibration, could disturb their action or impair their
effect upon the current.
The nest is prepared from cotton-wool, lamb's wool, flannel, waste silk, glass-
wool, slag-wool, bran, feathers, flocks, bair, or other like material placed in a
suitably solid support. In, or on, this nest I place one or more lumps or pieces of
conducting matter forming an electrode or electrodes of the current-regulator. For
this purpose I can use any substances capable of serving as electrodes in telephonic
transmitters; they may be metallic, that is to say, made of, or covered with, metal
such as osmium, or selenium, or in some cases nickel; or the electrodes may be
formed of some non-metallic substance, which is a good conductor of electricity,
such as battery-coko or retort-coke.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which I have
shewn, in transverse section, as examples thereof, various forms or modifications of
my transmitter. In these figures, a is part of a box or case of wood or other
suitable material; b is the soft material which, in combination with the support c,
forms the nest. The part c is formed of pipe-clay, lead, wood, or other suitable
non-vibratory substance. d is the mouth-piece or tube. e is a cushion or sheet of
india-rubber or other sound-deadening or dampening material, such as is used in
many optical instruments, to prevent or neutralize the effect of the false vibrations
of any part of the instrument, or of its case, upon the contact-pieces in the nest.
In some cases, I use spherical or similarly formed electrodes f arranged like eggs
in contact with each other in the nest. This form of my instrument is shown in
Figure 1. In other analogous cases, the electrodes or contact pieces consist of
lumps of suitable material, but without symmetrical or regular form, lying loosely
in contact with one anothor in the nest.

page_text: One advantageous form of my nest-telephone is obtained by placing, in the
middle of the nest, a single lump of coke or metal in combination with some other
pieces of suitable material, resting upon its edges, as shewn in Figure 2; in this
case, the arrangement of the cell or cells of the battery circuit and connections is
such that, when the apparatus is working, the current shall flow through the
points of contact where one or more of the pieces or lumps touches another of the
same.
In another form of my nest-transmitter, shown in Figure 3, small cavities are
formed in the edges or sides of a central ball, lump or mass of coke or other
suitable material, and around the edge of the next other lumps or pieces f¹ of such
material are set. There may be two, three, four, or more of the blocks or pieces f¹.
From ench cavity in the central mass f, a small rod, pencil or piece g extends to a
corresponding cavity in one of the outer blocks or pieces. fi; the electric con-
nections are so made or arranged that, when the telephone is in action, a current
will flow either from the central piece f to the outer blocks or pieces f¹, or in the
reverse direction, or from one set of blocks and pencils to the centre, then through
the other pencils to the remaining blocks. I sometimes employ small lovers h
made of wire or strips of copper, platinum or other metal, as shewn in Figure 5, or
of battery-coke or other form of carbon or other suitable material as shown in
Figures 2 and 4. In some instances, these levers extend from a central block or
blocks in the nest to the block or blocks set at the edge of the same, as above
described. In Figure 4, j is a block of lead or other metal, in which are set two or
more carbon points or pieces f' which are in contact with the levers / pivotted
at h'.
In Figure 5, f is a cinder or piece of coke lying on the nest and in contact with
the levers which are pivotted on the wire supports h².
In Figure 6, I have shewn curved or bent levers * resting on pins i formed of
any suitable conducting material; the said levers are so nearly balanced as to press
very lightly on the piece of coke or cinder flying in the nest. In this case the
tube d has its inner end enlarged.
When strong currents are to be transmitted, I employ a number of the rods g or
levers h, by which the current is divided so that it enters by several of these rods
or levers and leaves by others. Or I use a separate battery to send a current
through each one of the said rods or levers. In the instrument in which the
currents are thus divided, it is convenient to employ, as conductors of the currents
from tho centrál block to the external blocks, washers of metal, coke, or other
suitable material, as shewn in Figure 7. These washers rest in loose contact on
the central piece, block or lumpf and on the edge blocks or pieces f¹, and are
kept from being displaced by pins k¹ of ivory or other non-conducting material
passing through them. In some cases, it is advisable to provide weights or light
springs, as shown at k³, to keep the washers in their places. f is an irregularly
shaped piece of carbon or other suitable material lying on the nest.
The pieces f¹ are formed of carbon, selenium, bronze or other suitable material
arranged around the nest. It will be seen that the circuit is completed between
the parts and f¹ by the washers k.
In working in an induction circuit, many contact pieces are not necessary.
A single balanced pieco, kept by gravity, or by a spring, in contact with tho
central piece or lump in the nest will suffice. In some cases, granulated coke is
placed in the nest and the current passes to and from the same by picces or lumps
of metal or coke placed at the sides. In the modification shewn in Figure 8, the
electrodes consist of a cap or concave carbon picce f* resting on two or more eggs
or balls in the nest.
The mouth-tube or mouth-piece, in my improved transmitter, concentrates the
air-waves of the voice upon the central piece or pieces in the nest, and absorbs the
moisture of the breath. The said tube is arranged with its inner end slightly
above the central piece or pieces in the nest, as shown in Figure 1, so that the air-

page_text: waves are concentrated thereon. The said tube may be supported either by an
independent part or from projecting pieces at one side of the nest.
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. A telephone transmitter in which the principle of a nest such as I have
herein described is embodied or employed, for the purpose above specified.
Second. In a telephone transmitter provided with a nest such as is herein
described, the employment of two or more balls or other pieces placed in the said
nest in contact with each other and included in the telephone line or circuit, for
the purpose specified.
Third. In my telephone transmitter, the combination of electrodes or contact-
pieces in the nest with other contact-pieces arranged at, or around, the edge or
outside of the same and included in the telephone line or circuit, for the purpose
specified.
Fourth. In my telephone transmitter, the arrangement of the speaking-tube in
combination with, and relation to, the nest and the electrodes in, and around, the
same, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Fifth. The improved telephone transmitter consisting of the parts herein
described, constructed and combined as in either of the various forms or modifi-
cations of the instrument shewn in the accompanying drawing.
"
D: oir
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.