US440096A - bergmans - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

S. BERGMANN.

TELEPHONE.

No. 440,096. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. BERGMANN.

TELEPHONE.

No. 440,096. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

ATTEQL I INVENTOR:

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIGMUND BERGMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TELEPHONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,096, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed February 28, 1884. Serial No. 122,320. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SIGMUND BERGMANN, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Telephones, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates especially to telephone-receivers of that class wherein a movement of the diaphragm is produced by the expansion and contraction of the constantlytouching electrodes caused by the thermal effect of the current at the junctions of said electrodes.

In carrying out my invention I employ two or more electrodes of such character as to be readily afiected thermally by the current. One electrode is attached to the diaphragm, and they are all so arranged that they may be adjusted to loose contact. Preferably I employ a number of cylindrical buttons, composed of or faced with tellurium, placed together in a tube of insulating material, means being provided for adjusting them in the tube to the proper degree of loose contact. The current passes through the series of electrodes, and at the contacts variations in expansion or contraction of the tellurium are produced by the variations of the current transmitted to the instrument. Vibrations of the diaphragm corresponding to such current vibrations are thus produced. I may, in order to produce an increased eifect, employ means additional to the current required for operating the instrument for heating the electrodes, keeping them at a constant normal point of expansion, so that the current variations produce changes above and below this point. These extra heating means may be a battery in the line, or a coil from the transmitter-battery at that end of the line, or from a separate battery may be wound around the tube inclosing the contact-buttons. This lamp may form the only source of heat while the line is not in use, or a battery, such as shown at G in Fig. 6, may be continuously in the circuit as an additional source of heat, or heat may be applied by means of an alcohol or other flame, or in any other convenient manner. This extra heating is applicable not only to my particular form of receiver, but to any which employ the thermal efiect of the current and to thermally-afiected transmitters as well.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a receiver embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a sectional view of the same; Fig. 3, a rear elevation; Fig. 4, a section of a modified arrangement of the adjusting devices; Fig. 5, a view of a contact-button faced with tellurium, and Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are diagrams illustrating different ways of heating the receiver.

A is a suitable case provided with an earpiece B and holding the diaphragm O, which in this instance is of metal. Circuit-wire 1 is connected with the diaphragm. Attached to the center of the diaphragm is the conducting-rod a. This is attached to or bears against the first of the series of cylindrical contact-buttons b b, which are of tellurium or other readily thermally-aifected conducting material, or may be of any conducting material 0, Fig. 6, faced with the tellurium d d. The buttons have their .meeting surfaces planed smooth, so that they are in cont-act on the whole of such surfaces. The series of contact-buttons is inclosed in a glass tube 6.

Adjusting means for the buttons are provided, supported by the metal bridge-piece D, joined to the case A by the insulating-posts E E. A stationary sleeve f is held in the center of the bridge-piece D, through which passes a rod g, having a rib h, which enters a slot in the interior of the sleeve, so that the rod can move longitudinally but cannot turn within the sleeve. Upon the inner end of rod g is a metal sleeve 2', whose closed end bears against the end of the tube and the last button, Fig. 2, of the series. Near its outer end the sleeve f is internally screw-threaded, and a thumb-screw It turns within said sleeve upon the rod g and against the enlarged portion of said rod, the thumb-screw being held to the rod 9 by a screw it. It is evident that when the screw kis turned the rod 9 and sleeve iare moved forward against the inclosing-tube and the contact-buttons, and the tube will be moved thereby, while the buttons, being pressed by a, are pressed into close contact. The circuit-wire 2 is connected with bridgepiece D, and thence with the electrodes.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 a spring Z is placed within the tube, and the sleeve 1 bears against said spring, the other end of which is attached to a sliding block m, Which is in contact with the last button of the series.

The pressure of the spring and consequently the contact of the buttons is adjustable in the same manner as in Fig. 1.

As previously explained, the buttons are adjusted to loose contacts throughout the series. Then variations in temperature, caused by variations in the current from any suitable transmitter Which passes through the series of electrodes, cause variations in expansion and contraction at the contact-surfaces of the buttons, and consequent movements of diaphragm by Which the sound- Waves imparted to the transmitter are reproduced.

To produce an increased effect, as before explained, means are provided for raising the contacts to a certain normal heat, the current causing variations above and below this.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7, and 8,R is the thermally-affected receiver; T, any suitable transmitter; G, the transmittenbattery; I, the induction-coil, and L the line.

In Fig. 6 an extra battery G isplaced in the line, and the current therefrom heats the contacts of the receiver.

In Fig. '7 a coil 0 is formed around the tube inclosing the contact-buttons, such coil forming partof an extra circuit from the transmitter-battery G.

In Fig. 8 a lamp H is used to heat the tube and contact-buttons.

It is evident that the tube for holding the electrodes may be used for supporting the electrodes or contacts of any telephone Whose electrodes it is desired to adjust to or from each other.

What I claim is 1. A thermal telephone comprising the combination of a vibrating sound-reproducing body, two or more electrodes sensitive to heat making end contact With each other, and a tube inclosing-said electrodes and supporting them in proximity to the Vibrating body, whereby the expansion and contraction of said electrodes move the sound-reproducing body, substantially as described.

2. A thermal telephone comprising the combinationof a vibratory sound-reproducing body, two or more electrodes sensitive to heat making end contact with each other, a tube in closing the same, and means for adjusting said electrodes in said tube, whereby the expansion and contraction of the electrodes move the sound-reproducing body, substantially as described.

3. In atelephone-receiver, the combination, with a diaphragm, of a series of electrodes of metal readily affected by heat, such as tellurium, situated in loose contact with one 'another, substantially as set forth.

4.. In a telephone-receiver, the combination of a diaphragm, a series of contact-buttons of a material, such as tellurium, readily affected by heat, one of said contact-buttons being connected With the diaphragm, a tube inclosing the contact-buttons, and means for adjusting said buttons Within the tube, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a telephone operated by the heating effects of the electric current, of an additional source of heat applied to the electrodes, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a telephone operated by the heating effects of the electric current, of an extra heating-battery in the line, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 2d day of February, 1884.

SIGMUN D BERGMANN.

Witnesses:

WM. H. MEADOWCROFT, T. G. GREENE, J r.

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