US553825A - Speaking-tube - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1 C. A. BARTLIFF.

SPEAKING TUBE.

Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

W-ITJV'ESSES 1.7V V'EN TOR 6 04 @W I Wm flttorney AN DREW B.GRAHAM. PHOTO-LITHO.WASHING1ON. D.C

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) G. A. BARTLIFF.

SPEAKING TUBE. N0. 553,825. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

WITNESSES .zlttorney AN DREW B GRAN/WI. FHOTO-LITHO.WASI(I NGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

CHARLES A. BARTLIFF, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

SPEAKING-TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,825, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed May 2, 1895. Serial No. 547,876. (No model.)

To (ti/Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. BARTLIFF, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, and a resident of Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Tube- Telephone Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 shows the application of the invention to a building. Fig. 2 is a front view of annunciator-board, bellows, &c., used at central station. Figs. 3 and 4: are front and side views, respectively, of the phone used in the diiferent rooms. Fig. 5 is a section through mouthpiece, gravity-trap, &c., connected to each tube at central station. Fig. 6 is a similar View of the mouthpiece, trap, &c., connected to the other ends of tubes in the different rooms. Fig. 7 is a section through bellows. Fig. 8 is a detail of mouthpiece provided with double ear-tubes.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in non-electric or tube telephones, the object being to provide the tubes with an improved annunciator and mouthpieces, also with means for making calls or signals without using the mouth; and the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letterA designates an annunciator-board, which is to be suitably located in the building and to which all the speaking-tubes from the respective rooms or apartments are conducted. Each tube is provided at the annunciator with a mouthpiece B, which is numbered to denote the particular apartment with which it communicates. These mouthpieces consist each of a tube which is secured to the end of the line-tube and fitted at its outer end with the mouthpiece proper, B, which is usually of porcelain. Upon the upper side of the tube B is a whistle C, which communicates with the tube by a small opening.

E is a gravity-trap, which closes the mouthpiece when the whistle is sounded, but which is normally open. Said trap comprises a metal disk having at its lower portion a back- Wardly-bent tongue E, which forms a hook for engagement with a small wire I), which is secured across the interior of the tube B, forming a pivot on which the trap swings. The lip E is bent at f to form a broad bearing, on which the trap stands when in position to close the orifice of the mouthpiece.

f is a second transverse thin wire, which prevents the trap from falling too far backward.

In operation when a call is made from any room the current of air strikes against the rear face of the trap and closes it, permitting the entire current to go through the whistle, which is sounded. Owing to the broad bearing f on which the trap stands, it will remain closed, and will thus indicate to the attendant at a glance which room gave the call, as all the other traps are open. The attendant or person at the annunciator, before replying to the call, gives a short quick blow in the mouthpiece, which opens the trap ready for conversation to be carried on.

In making a call from the annunciator to any apartment the mouth may be used, but this practice is objectionable for the reason that the moisture of the breath dampens the tube-walls and retards the sound-waves. I therefore provide in suitable relation to the annunciator-board a bellows G, to whose exhaust is permanently fitted a flexible tube H of a length sufficient to reach the mouthpiece of any one of the series of tubes, its free end having a nozzle g of rubber or similar material, which is adapted to closely fit the mouthpieces. This exhaust-tube should be pro vided at some point therein with an outwardly-opening valve Gr.

It will be observed that the mouth portions above described are well adapted for inclividual use as well as in the annunciator. In.

some cases it will be desirable to have the trap fall back of itself afterthe whistle is sounded, and to effect this I form the tongue E, as

shown in Fig. (3, with a short bend at f instead of with the broad face f.

I will now describe the instrument with which each tube is provided in the several rooms.

K designates a case which in general appearance may be similar to the telephoneboxes in common use. Into the upper portion. of this case runs the line-tube L, which is fitted with a mouth portion M of the follow ing construction:

To the end of the line-tube L is attached a tube whose outer end is fitted with a mouthpiece on, which is provided with a trap N, which is of the same construction or arrangement as those of the mouthpieces B before described, and which may be arranged to remain closed or to fall as soon. as the call has been made. Immediately behind said trap is connected a flexible ear-tube attachment 0, havingan earpiece oand a whistle, being similar to the attachment. forming a part of my Patent No. 5()1,-t87, granted July 18, 18%. Over the junction of the ear-tube with the mouth portion is placed a deflector I which forms two separate passages in the mouth portion, opening at one end to the. line-tube and :at their other ends leading oneto the mouthpieceiand the other to the ear attachment. Formed through said shield near the mouthpiece is a small opening 1), the purpose of which is to throw air against the trap to close it in sending a call to the opposite end. The deflector is so high that without this hole the back-pressure of .air from the bellows now to be described might not be su'llicient to close the trap. Behind the deflector the tube has a second branch which extends down through the case to a bellowsR, which is similar to the one before described. here this branch joins the main tube, a hinged trap S is provided which normally closes the opening of the branch and prevents sound-waves coming or going from entering said branch.

The operation of this instrument is as follows: To make a call, the person simply works the lever of the bellows, which gives the signal at the opposite end, the blast from the bellows throwing the trap S upwardly, and deflecting such blast to line. He then places the ear-tube to his ear and awaits the reply. \Vhen a call is made from the opposite end, the. trap S isalrea-dy closed, the trap N will be automatically closed, and the blast will pass into the ear-tube to the whistle thereof.

Fig. 8 shows a mouthpiece having double ear-tubes, one for each ear, and designed i'or use when there is considerable surrounding noise.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secu re by Letters Patent, is

i. The herein-described mouthpiece i'or speaking-tubes, having an air-whistle mounted thereon, and a normally-open trap in front of said whistle and arranged to close the orilice of the mouthpiece, said trap having at its rear lower portion a backwardly -bent tongue, at fulcrum-wire loosely engaged by said tongue and a back-stop for said trap, substantially as spcciiied.

2. The combination with the mouthpiece of a tube-telephone, of a trap which is arraugwl to close the oriiice of said mouthpiece but which is normally open, said trap cmnprisin a disk havingatits rear lower portion a back wardly-bent tongue which loosely engages a fulcrum, said tongue being bent to form a broad horizontal portion which constitutes a rest which causes the said trap to remain erect in front of the said orifice to give the desired signal by its presence until it is forcibly thrown back substantially as specified.

3. The combination withthemouth portion of a speaking-tube, 01' a branch pipe connected therewith, a bellows connected to said branch pipe, and a hinged deflector in said mouth portion and normally closing the open in g into said branch, substantially as specified.

4. In a tube-telephone, the mouth portion having a pivoted or hinged trap arranged to close the orifice of its mouthpiece, an eartube attachment behind said trap, a deflector over the junction of said attachment with the mouth portion, and having a small opening therethrough, a second branch behind said deflector, a hinged trap and deflector normally closing the entrance into said branch, and the bellows. connected to said branch, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. BAR'ILIFF. \Vitnesses:

PHILIP C. MASI,

inonon II. PARMELEE.

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