US2245724A - Voice silencer - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1941. s. SCHER VOICE SILENCER Filed May 21, 1940 INVENTOR 100/5 5. SCHEZ ATTO R N EY Patented June 17, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VOICE SILENCER 7 Louis S. Scher, New York, N. Y. Application May 21, 1940, 'Serial No. 336,345

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to voice mufflers or silencers for the hand set type of telephones for mufliing the voice of a speaker desiring to converse confidentially in the presence of others.

This invention is an improvement over my previous structures patented November 12, 1935 and October 4, 1933, and bearing the respective numbers 2,020,970 and 2,131,820, and is designed to overcome some of the faults of these structures and those of the prior art.

The present structure is neat, trim, inexpensive to produce, and is further characterized by the ease with which it may be disassembled for thorough cleaning and sterilization.

Seeking to provide a mufiier of practical and efficient form, the invention contemplates the provision of a body having removable association with the mouthpiece of a telephone instrument and fitted with a preferably swingable mouth engaging portion which may be swung to a position within the body to clear the telephone support when the instrument is placed thereon and which may be swung outwardly of the body when in use.

The invention also contemplates the provision of novel sound absorbing means disposed within the muffler body and deals with the structure of said means.

The mufiler further incorporates novel features of construction tending to provide a compact and efficient device for the purpose intended.

The foregoing and many other objects, features and advantages will be hereinafter set forth or will become apparent as this disclosure proresses. The features of the invention have been incorporated in the device as illustrated in the accompanying drawing and the following specification is based thereon.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a portion of a hand set type of telephone fitted with a muffler designed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates a telephone mouthpiece with the muffler in longitudinal section and ready for use.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of one portion of the bod? of the muffler.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a sound absorbing unit used in the mufiier.

Referring now to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a telephone support is shown at 5, said support being provided with a base 6. In the usual manner, the support cradles a hand set instrument I provided with a transmitter or mouthpiecet. As can be seen from Fig. 1, a

' face upon which the telephone rests.

portion of the transmitter has vertical overstanding relation with the base 6 when the hand set instrument is cradled on the support and that only a small amount of clearance is provided between the transmitter and said base and the sur- It is evisuoh departs if undesirable shifting of operating position is to dent then, that the muflier must be of sign as to clear such thereof into and out be obviated.

To this end, the muffler body 9 preferably comprises a transmitter engaging member l0 removably fitted with a preferably domed mouthpiece supporting member I I, the latter supporting a swingable mouthpiece 12. These members H), II, and 12 are preferably moulded of hard rubber, Bakelite, or other such materials and are substantially rigid and non-deformable.

The member ID is preferably formed with an opening E3 in which the transmitter 8 is engaged, a seat l4 being provided to limit the position of the transmitter within the opening l3, In order to removably hold the member H] on the transmitter, means may be provided, such as the retaining springs l5 carried by the member [0, for engaging the transmitter and gripping the same.

The body member ID is preferably circular in contour with the opening it eccentrically disposed to provide a widened portion which in this instance is hollow to form the crescent shaped trough IS. The bottom of said trough is preferably lined with a sound absorbing element 11 of felt or the like.

The member ID, on its lower face, may be provided with a rabbet 13 formed by said face and a rib 09 to receive the upper edge portion of the mouthpiece supporting member H. Suitable means may be provided to give detachable association between the members l0 and H. The latter member, which is formed as substantially half of a, hollow sphere, is preferably provided with an angularly disposed opening 20 in substantial register with the opening of the transmitter 8. In this opening is positioned the mouthpiece t2.

The mouthpiece I2 is preferably formed as a curved tubular member having a rim 2| and provided with a lug 22 which is seated against the underface of the member Ii], said lug being confined'ag'a'inst displacement by a portion of the member H. Thelug 22 is so positioned in its seat as'to become a hinge point for the mouthpiece l2 which may thus be swung from the retractedfposition of Fig. 1 to the in use posig tioii of Fig. 2, theformer condition being neces- The felt portion 24 reasonably follows that part of the body member H adjacent which it is'disposed, its edge being seated upon lugs 25 formed in the body member and within the trough it. The felt portion 25 has itsedge seated against a lug 25 in said trough and isj,eccen-' trically arranged with respect to the portion 24 so that its opposite edge meets and follows the commensurate'edge of said portion 24 a In the above manner, an extension 2'! of the trough It ;is formed between the felt portions 243 and 25 leaving a felt-lined chamber into which the transmitter 8 opens and into which the mouthpiece maybe swung when out of use. Inasmuch as a feature of the invention is the ease with which the parts of the muiiier may be disassembled for thorough cleaning, it is essenti al that 'said parts can be easily handled.

While the sound-absorbing unit 23 may be formed to give the desired rigidity for handling, it is preferred to set the edges thereof into light channels 2 9 to obviate the collapse or derangement of said edges and to indent the walls of said channels, as at 30, to pinch the felt members .2 3 and 25 to prevent inadvertent separation of the channels from said felt members.

To permit free circulation of air in the chamber 28 and to prevent blasting, the member i9 maybeprovided with the holes 3| communieating said chamber with atmosphere when the mouthpiece i2 is covered during use. 7

In use, the instrument I is removed from its support and ,the mouthpiece swung outwardly to the positionlshown in Fig. 2. The mouth is pressed against the rim 2| to prevent escape of sound'bei'ng directed to the transmitter 8. The sound circulates in the chamber 28 and for the most part is absorbed by the felt member 25. Such sound as penetrates this member finds its way into the troughs l6 and 21 to be absorbed by the felt members l1 and 24. By this time, any sound which finds its way out of the mufiier is so indistinct as to be unintelligible.

, From the foregoing it is evident that an improved and novel voice muffler has been provided in a preferred form of embodiment. It is further apparent that changes in designs, incorporating the principles and features of the invention, may Well be made without, departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A voice muiiier comprising a hollow body formed of two separable members, sound absorbing means carried by one of said members, and a rigid mouthpiece carried by the other of said members, said mouthpiece being retractable within said, other member. 7

2. A voice muffler comprising a two-part body, one of said parts being adapted for engaging association with a telephone transmitter, sound absorbing means carried by said body part, the other of said parts being carried by the first mentioned, part and providedwwith an angularly disposedopening, and a mouthpiece of substantially non-deformable material, swingably mounted on said second part and within said opening for ready retraction within, and extension out of said other part.

3. A voice muflier comprising a two-part body, one of said parts being adapted for engaging association with a telephone transmitter, and formed with a crescent-shaped trough, sound absorbing material disposed in said trough, a. sound absorbing unit carried by said part and extending beyond said trough and having a chamber communicating with said trough, the other of said parts being carried by the first-mentioned part and formed with an opening, and a mouthpiece of V substantially non-deformable material, swingably mounted on said second part for ready retraction within, and extension out of said second part through said opening.

4. A voice mufiier for a telephone transmitter comprising a transmitter-engaging member having an opening into which the transmitter or" a telephone instrument is snugly though removably fitted, and having a seat against which the transmitter rests, said member being substantially circular with the said opening being eccentrically disposed relative thereto to provide a hollowcrescent-shaped trough, a sound-absorbing lining in the bottom of said trough, a mouthpiece-supporting member removably fitted to the transmitter-engaging member and being formed as a hollow, substantially. hemispherical element and having an angularly disposed opening to register substantially with the'opening in the transmitter, a mouthpiece formed as a curved tubular member having an annular rim, and a hinge lug on said mouthpiece in 'interfitting pivotal engagement with the said supporting member.

5. A voice muiiler for a telephone transmitter com-prising a transmitter-engaging member having an opening into which the transmitter ofv a telephone instrument is snugly though removably fitted, andlhaving a seat against which the 1 transmitter rests, said memberrbeing substan- 45 tially circular with the said opening being eccentrically disposed relative thereto to provide a hollow crescent-shaped trough, a sound-absorbing lining in the bottom of said trough, a mouthpiece-supporting member removably fitted to the transmitter-engaging member and being, formed as a hollow, substantially hemispherical element and having an angularly disposed opening to register substantially with the opening inthe transmitter, 'anda mouthpiece having pivotal engagement with said mouthpieceesupporting member and swingable in relation thereto.

6. A voice muiiier for a telephone transmitter comprisinga transmitter-engaging member having an opening into which the transmitter of a telephone instrument is snugly though removably' fitted, and having a seat against which thetransmitter rests, said member being substantially .cir-

cular with the said opening being eccentrically disposed relative thereto to provide a hollow crescent-shaped trough, a sound-absorbing lining in the bottom of said trough, a mouthpiece-supporting member removably fitted to the transmitterengaging member and being formed as a hollow, substantially hemispherical element and having an angularlydisposed opening to register sub-.

stantially with the opening in the transmitter, and amouthpiece disposed in said opening and being pivotally mounted for swingable movement from a position within the mouthpiece-supporting member to a position protruding therefrom.

7. A voice inuflier for a telephone transmitter comprising a transmitter-engaging member having an opening into which the transmitter of a telephone instrument is snugly though removably fitted, and having a seat against which the transmitter rests, said member being substantially circular with the said opening being eccentrically disposed relative thereto to provide a hollow crescent-shaped trough, a sound-absorbing lining in the bottom of said trough, a mouthpiecesupporting member removably fitted to the transmitter-engaging member and being formed as a hollow, substantially hemispherical element and having an angularly disposed opening to register substantially with the opening in the transmitter, and a mouthpiece having pivotal engagement with said mouthpiece-supporting member and swingable in relation thereto, a sound-absorbing unit disposed within the mouthpiece-supporting member, said unit comprising two walls of fibrous material each curved in transverse planes to produce shapes substantially as portions of hollow spheres, one of said walls reasonably following the adjacent wall of the mouthpiece-supporting member with one edge supported on lugs in the trough of the transmitter-engaging member, the other fibrous wall being seated on lugs in the opposite wall of said trough and eccentrically disposed relative to the first wall so that the outer edges of both said walls meet and merge together, the said two fibrous walls constituting in effect a continuation of the trough walls.

8. A voice muffler for a telephone transmitter comprising a transmitter-engaging member having an opening into which the transmitter of a telephone instrument is snugly though removably fitted, and having a seat against which the transmitter rests, said member being substantially circular with the said opening being eccentrically disposed relative thereto to provide a hollow crescent-shaped trough, a sound-absorbing lining in the bottom of said trough, a mouthpiece-supporting member removably fitted to the transmitter-engaging member and being formed as a hollow, substantially hemispherical element and having an angularly disposed opening to register substantially with the opening in the transmitter, and a mouthpiece having pivotal engagement with said mouthpiece-supporting member and swingable in relation thereto, a sound-absorbing unit disposed within the mouthpiecesupporting member, said unit comprising two walls of fibrous material each curved in transverse planes to produce shapes substantially as portions of hollow spheres, one of said walls reasonably following the adjacent wall of the mouthpiece-supporting member with one edge supported on lugs in the trough of the transmitterengaging member, the other fibrous Wall being seated on lugs in the opposite wall of said trough and eccentrically disposed relative to the first wall so that the outer edges of both said walls meet and merge together, the said two fibrous walls constituting in efiect a continuation of the trough walls, said mouthpiece being retractable into the supporting member and withdrawable therefrom.

9. A voice mufiler for a telephone transmitter comprising a transmitter-engaging member having an opening into which the transmitter of a telephone instrument is snugly though removably fitted, and having a seat against which the transmitter rests, said member being substantial- 1y circular with the said opening being eccentrically disposed relative thereto to provide a hollow crescent-shaped trough, a sound-absorbing lining in the bottom of said trough, a mouthpiece member reniovably fitted to the transmitter-engaging member and being formed as a hollow, substantially hemispherical element and having an angularly disposed opening to register substantially with the opening in the transmitter.

10. A voice mufiler for a telephone transmitter comprising a transmitter-engaging member having an opening into which the transmitter of a telephone instrument is snugly though removably fitted, and having a seat against which the transmitter rests, said member being substantially circular with the said opening being eccentrically disposed relative thereto to provide a hollow crescent-shaped trough, a sound-absorbing lining in the bottom of said trough, a mouthpiece member removably fitted to the transmitter-engaging member and being formed as a hollow, substantially hemispherical element and having an angularly disposed opening to register substantially with the opening 'in the transmitter, a soundabsorbing unit disposed within the mouthpiece member, said unit comprising two walls of fibrous material each curved in transverse planes to produce shapes substantially as portions of hollow spheres, one of said walls reasonably following the adjacent walls of the mouthpiece member with one edge supported on lugs in the trough of the transmitter member, the other fibrous wall being seated on lugs in the opposite wall of said trough and eccentrically disposed said two fibrous walls constituting in tinuation of the trough walls.

11. A voice muffler for a telephone transmitter comprising a transmitter member, said member being substantially circular with an opening being eccentrically disposed relative thereto to provide a hollow crescent-shaped trough, a soundabsorbing lining in the bottom of said trough, removably fitted to the transmitter member and being formed as a hollow, substantially hemispherical element and having an angularly disposed opening to register substantially with the opening in the transmitter member.

12. A voice muifler for a telephone transmitter comprising a transmitter member, said member being substantially circular with an opening being eccentrically disposed relative thereto to proeffect a consubstantially hemispherical element and having an angularly disposed opening to register substantially with the opening in the transmitter gether, the said two fibrous walls constituting in eifect a continuation of the trough walls.

LOUIS B. SCHER.

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