(No Model.

)
N. B. STUBBLEFIELD & S. C. HOL COMB.
MECHANICAL TELEPHONE,
No. 378,183, Patented Feb. 21, 1888.

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N. PETERS. Photo-Lithographer. Washingion, D.C

 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
NATHAN B. STUBBLEFIELD AND SAMUEL C. HOLCOMB, OF MURRAY,
KENTUCKY.

MECHAN CAL TELEPHONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,183, dated February 21, 1888.
Application filed February 19, 1887. Serial No. 228,231. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: in the face of the base-board, and whereby
Be it known that we,NATHAN B. STUBBLE. the drum and the diaphragm are Secured Cen
FIELD and SAMUEL C. HoLCOMB, citizens of trally to the base-board. The space between
the United States, residing at Murray, in the the base-board and the diaphragm and in
5 county of Calloway and State of Kentucky, closed by the drum constitutes an air-cham- 55
have invented a new and useful Improvement ber with which the opening B communicates.
in Acoustic Telephones, of which the follow O represents a button, the shank of which
ing is a specification. passes through an opening made in the center
Our invention relates to an improvement in of the diaphragm, the button resting against .
Io acoustic telephones; and it consists in the pe the front side thereof. A wire, P, is attached to 6o
culiar construction and combination of de the shank of the said button and is drawn
vices, that will be more fully set forth herein tightly, so as to tightly stretch the diaphragm,
after, and more particularly pointed out in and extends through the opening B, the other
the claims. end of the said wire being attached to a simi
I5. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front eleva iar button in the diaphragm of a companion 65
tion of an acoustic telephone embodying our acoustic telephone located at the distant sta
improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical central tion.
sectional view of the same. In order to obtain the best results, we coat
A represents a base-board, which is made the diaphragm with copal varnish on both
2c of Wood, and is circular in shape and provided sides, which varnish, after it is dry, contrib- io
utes materially to the resilience of the dia
with a central opening, B. The face and edges phragm
of the board are covered with velvet cloth, as enablingand increases its sensibility, thereby
it to vibrate with maximum ampli
at C, the said cloth having its edges drawn
over and upon the rear side of the base-board, tude andismobility. The outer side of the dia
25 and secured thereto by means of a circular phragm then gilded or bronzed.
The simplicity of the telephone will com
75
sheet of tin, D, the latter having its edges mend itself to the public, while its advantages
secured to the base-board by means of headed for talking over crooked or crossed lines will
nails E.
F represents a pair of Screws which extend be seen at once.
3O through the base-board, one above and the claim Having thus described our invention, we 8o
other below the central opening, B, the func In a mechanical telephone, the combination
tion of the said screws being to secure the of the base-board A, the drum arranged on
telephone to a wall or other supporting ob
ject. From the face of the lower side of the the base-board and having projecting pins N
35 base-board projects a hook, G, from which is to enter the same, the cloth diaphragm 85
suspended a mallet, H, that is used for call stretched over the drum and secured thereto,
ing the Operator at the distant station. the button on the outer side of the diaphragm
I represents a circular drum which is made and having the eye projecting through the
p of sheet metal, preferably of tin. Over the outer center thereof, and the wire P, passed through
4o side of the said drum is stretched a dia. an opening in the base-board and attached to go
phraglin, K, which is made of linen or other the eye of the button, substantially as de
suitable cloth, and has its edge secured to the scribed.
sides of the drum by means of cords L, which ourInown testimony that we claim the foregoing as
we have hereto affixed our signatures
are wound and tied tightly around the drum, in presence of two witnesses.
45 so as to surround the edge of the diaphragm, NATHAN B. STUBBLEFIELD.
as shown at Fig. 2. The outer side of the SAMUEL C. HOLOOMB,
drum is then covered with velvet cloth, as at Witnesses:
M. From the inner edge of the drum pro
ject two or more securing-pins, N, which are OsCAR FOLT,
5o adapted to enter corresponding openings made B. B. LINN.

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