Improvements in Telephone Systems.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 6th Apr., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Telephone Systems.
I, FREDERICK GEORGE WARRELL, of No. 3936 Spring Garden Street, City
of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Electrical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an improvement in telephone annunciators and call-bells
and consists in the combination and system hereinafter described.
The object of my invention is to provide a combined system of telephone and
call-bell annunciators for hotel, house and other like purposes of simple and
inexpensive construction so that the call indicated by the annunciator may be
connected by telephone communication by the mere adjustment of the proper switch
at the switch-board; and in which each of the respective terminals may be connected
with the annunciator and central telephone on independent circuits.
The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention; similar letters of reference
refer to similar parts throughout.
Figure 1 illustrates my invention, showing, however, only one call-bell and
telephone of the system connected with the annunciator.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the telephone and push button on the
line - ef Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the annunciator, switch-board and telephone
attached thereto.
The annunciator E is of the ordinary construction, comprising a series of
electro-magnets which are separately wired and connected to independent circuits.
Each magnet has an arrow or pointer which is operated upon when the magnet is
energized, and indicates the number of the circuit which has been closed. From
the annunciator extend wires a, b, connecting with the push buttons B, at the
various terminal stations, a battery B₁, being included in the circuit.
A represents a telephone which in the form illustrated in the drawing serves as
a receiver and transmitter, as does also the telephone A', at the annunciator end
of the line, although independent receivers and transmitters can be employed at
either or both ends when desired. The transmitter. and receiver A at each terminal
station is connected with the call bell circuit by a wire a'. A switch board S is
connected to the annunciator E, and has a switch p, for each terminal or indicator
of the annunciator, each switch being electrically connected, as by the wire a²
with the call-bell circuit. The telephone A' is adjustably connected by a plug
or switch with each switch of the switch board S. Any form of switch or key
and switch-board device may be employed; in the drawings I have illustrated a
simple form of flexible covered wire w connected at one end with the receiver and
transmitter A', and at the other end provided with a plug p'; illustrated as discon-
nected in Figure 1, but adapted to be engaged in the switch orifices p of the
switch-board S, when it is desired to place the telephone in circuit, as shown in
Figure 3, or it may be connected by any switch device, as above stated. Each
terminal desired to be connected is provided with a telephone, call-bell and wiring
connections similar to the single connection as illustrated in the drawing. Referring
to the drawing, when the push button B, is pressed the arrow on the annunciator
will indicate say room No. 27; the plug p provided on the end of the flexible

page_text: wire w will then be inserted in the orifice 27 of the switch-board by the person in
charge at the annunciator, and thus telephonic connection will be had directly
between the telephone A', through the medium of the wire a with the telephone A;
the bell circuit being broken at the push button B; when it is desired to disconnect
the telephone the switch plug p', is removed to a hook, or other temporary position,
as shown in Figure 1 ready to be inserted in any other switch of the switch-board
which the annunciator may indicate. The telephone is preferably grounded by the
wire a³ at one end and by the wire a' at the other end.
It will be noted that in my invention each room or terminal is connected
independently and directly with the central telephone and annunciator by a separate
independent circuit, allowing the annunciator to operate and indicate whenever the
button is pressed at any terminal, notwithstanding another terminal may be in
circuit, and will thus enable the operator to immediately connect with that terminal
when disengaged at the phone circuit on the other.
The annunciator E, is one of that class in which a single alarm bell is used in
connection with any number of indicating arrows or other devices. The arrows or
other indicating devices are each provided with a separate electro-magnet in a
circuit extending from the room where the push button or other circuit closing device
is located to an electric battery and from thence to the electro-magnet of the indicating
arrow having a number corresponding to the number of the room in which the push
button is located as illustrated, for instance in Figure 1, where the circuit wires a
and ³, indicate a complete circuit extending from the push button, B, (No. 27) to
the battery, B' to the electromagnet (No. 27) of the annunciator, and from
the annunciator back through the electro-magnet of the alarm bell to the
push button.
Each of the separate push buttons has an independent circuit extending to a
single electro-magnet in the annunciator and each of the circuits extends through
the electro-magnet of the bell, so that when any one of the circuits is closed by
one of the push buttons, the electro-magnet of the alarm bell will be energized
causing an alarm to sound, and at the same time the particular electro-magnet of
that circuit in the annunciator will also be energized and the indicating arrow having
a number corresponding to the number of the push button will also be energized
and the arrow will be moved to show that this circuit has been closed.
From each of the circuits of the electro-magnet extends, as before described, a
wire a², to the switch-board, each wire having a separate connection with the
switchboard so that it may be separately connected by the plug p' and the flexible
wire w to the telephone system.
The telephones employed are of the usual character having a metallic diaphragm
arranged in proximity to a wound bar magnet in the telephone circuit the arrange-
ment being such that the vibrations of the diaphragm due to the waves of sound
will induce a current in the coils of the magnet, which being in circuit with the
coils of a correspondingly wound magnet in the receiving telephone, will reproduce
the movements of the first diaphragm on the diaphragm of the receiving telephone,
the action being aided for long distances, by the battery B', or any other suitable
form of telephone may be employed if desired.
I have described the construction of annunciator and telephone as connected on
the system of wiring, but separate systems of wiring for the telephone and call-
bell annunciator may be employed, if desired, connected and constructed at the
annunciator terminals as described. Buildings already provided with annunciators
and call-bell system of wiring can readily be fitted with my invention on the same
system of annunciator wiring.
I do not limit myself to the particular construction described and shown as my
invention may be employed in numerous constructions. The electric generator or
battery B', connected with the call-bell system may be directly connected with
the wire a if desired, and the wire b₁ also grounded, if preferred; numerous
constructions of switches, as before stated, may be also employed.
I have described a battery provided to the call-bell this is a preferable

page_text: construction, but I do not limit myself to the use of a battery; frictional and other
annunciators may be employed in carrying out my invention.
I am aware that combined telephone and annunciator systems of communication
have heretofore been invented in which their respective telephone and call-bell
terminals by a complicated system of circuit wiring and switches are operated ou
the same circuit and all rooms connected on one main circuit with the central
telephone and annunciator through branches leading from the main circuit. The
combined system of telephone annunciators I do not claim broadly; my invention
consists in the device and system herein particularly described and claimed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination in an electric annunciator and telephone system of a central
annunciator E, provided with electrically operated indicating hands each hand
connected with one of the terminals of the system, a central telephone receiver and
transmitter, a central switch-board connecting said central telephone by means of
a switch or plug with each of the respective telephone terminals, a telephone and
push button provided at each terminal of the series, said push button adapted to
make or break at will the signalling circuits, independent circuits connecting each
terminal with the annunciator and central. telephone, a metallic signalling circuit
being part of the talking circuit, ground connections provided at each telephone
terminal, substantially as described.
2. In combination with a central annunciator and telephone, a ground circuit
and metallic circuit provided in each terminal connecting a telephone and circuit
closer at each terminal with the central telephone and annunciator, in each of
which said circuits the ground circuit forms a part of the metallic circuit when
closed by circuit closer provided at each terminal, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of Anoua 1904
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.