US2304796A - Intercommunicating device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 15, 1942; c. CVAVANAUGH EI'AL 2,304,796

INTERCOMMUNICATING DEVICE Filed Nov. 7-, 19:59

' INVENTORS lake 6' Cara zzzagk Henry M Room? and ' M ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERCOMMUNICATING DEVICE- Luke 0. Cavanaugh and Henry V. Roohk, Cleveland, Ohio Application November 7, 1939, Serial No. 303,267

17 Claims.

by the ear phone which operatively selects eitherthe loud speaker or the ear phone.

A further object of our invention is to provide a private ear phone which is enclosed substantially entirely within the housing of the intercommunicating device thereby obviating the danger of accidental displacement and breakage.

Another object of our invention is to provide a housing for an intercommunicating device which encloses the transmitter and substantially entirely encloses the ear phone thereby obviating arms and hooks which are apt to be acci-' dentally bumped or disturbed.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a switch between a loud speaker and an ear phone and to actuatethe switch by the movement of the ear phone.

Another object-of our invention is to resiliently hold the private year phone in a receptacle in i the housing for the device by spring arms which actuate switches.

A further object of our invention is to provide a housing or station box for an intercommunicating device which has a receptacle in its side adapted to receive and substantially entirely enclose an ear phone.

Another object of our invention is to provide a substantially U-shaped holder with two switch means thereon and to position theholder so that the switches lie on either side of a receptacle in a housing for the device, whereby an ear phone placed in the receptacle or withdrawn therefrom will actuate both switches to control a hearing circuit and a selective circuit.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of our invention may be had from the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which like parts are designated by like reference characters, and

in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric View of a station box or housing for an intercommunicating device and shows a private ear phone in a receptacle in the side of the box.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view partly in cross section of a portion of the interior of the station box showing in detail the receptacle into which the private ear phone may be placed and the switches which are actuated by the ear phone.

Figure 3 is a side view of Figure 2 but not shown in cross section, and

Figure 4 is a view showing a circuit diagram which may be used in a station box using our invention.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, our invention comprises a station box or housing It for an electrical intercommunicating device. The box Iii comprises a front H, a right side l2 and a top I8 as well as a left side, a back and a base.

The station box Ill is substantially a complete. enclosure to protect the mechanisms which are enclosed therein. The front ll of the station box It is divided down the center by, a brace I4 into a left opening l5 and a right opening IS. The openings l5 and It are covered by a fabric screen to allow sound to enter the station box and to emit therefrom. The opening I5 is adapted to receive the voice of a person who wishes to converse with another station in the intercommunicating system. Transmitting means I! are positionedbehind the screened opening l5 and adapted to pick up the operators voice and transmit it to a receiver at the other station. Behind the screened opening I6 is positioned a loud speaker l8 which is adapted to receive the vocal sounds from another station in the communicating system and amplify them so that they are audible upon passing through the screened opening l6.

On the top 13 are mounted the various levers l9 and lights 20 which are necessary to operate the system.

Besides having a loud speaker our station box or housing Ill is provided with second means for receiving the vocal sounds from other stations in the intercommunicating system. This second means is the private ear phone 2| which is mounted in a receptacle 22 in the station box ID. We preferably mount the private ear phone 2| in the right side l2 of the station box In as most people are right handed. However, it is to be understood that the private ear phone 2| may be mounted in the left side for left handed persons or in the front side It or in the top l3. A cord 23 having wires 44 and 45 connects the private ear phone 2| with the proper circuits in the station box Ill. Ihe cord 23 is of'suflicient length to enable a person to place thestation boxlU on a far corner of the desk at which he ables a person to wedge the private ear phone v between his shoulder and his ear whereit will 7 stay. Both of the listeners hands are then free,

enabling him to search through a file and write at the same time as he receives private directions from another station.

The receptacle 22 in which the private car phone 2| is mounted is attached to the right side of the station box ID by means of screws 24. When the ear phone 2| is completely inserted in the receptacle 22, the exposed end is substantially flush with the side |2 of the station box or housing. This arrangement not only gives a good appearance but also avoids accidental displacement. The receptacle 22 is substantially cup shaped and has a flared opening at the open end to' facilitate the positioning of the private ear-phone therein. To the other or" rear end of the receptacle 22 there is attached a substantially U-shaped bracket 25 having legs 21. Any means of attaching the U-shaped bracket to the receptacle 22 may be used but we prefer nuts and bolts 26. The U-sha'ped bracket 25 is positioned in such a manner that the legs 21 lie along the receptacle 22 andsubstantiallyparallel therewith. Mounted on the legs 21 by means of bolts 28 are a pair of switches 29 and 34. Spring levers 30 are attached to the switches 29 and 34 by means of bolts 3|. The spring levers 30 extend through slots 32 in the receptacle 22 into the space normally occupied by the private ear phone 2| where they are adapted to be actuated by the withdrawal of the private ear phone 2| and by the replacing of the ear phone into the receptacle 22 Switch buttons 33 are positioned under the spring levers 39 and are normally biased outward toward the spring levers. The removal of the private ear phone 2| from the receptacle 22 allows the spring levers 30 tornove away from the switches 29 and 34 thereby releasing the pressure on the switch buttons 33 causing the switches 29 and 34 to operate. Conversely, whenthe private car phone, 2| is placed in the receptacle-22 it engages both spring levers 39 and causes pressure to be exerted on the switch buttons 33. Pressure on the switch buttons 33 causes the switches 29 and 34 to operate.

Beside acting as levers to operate the'switch-es 29 and 34 the spring levers 30 function to snug 1y hold the private ear phone 2|"in the receptacle 22. The station box It) may be moved about and tipped but the private ear phone will not fall out of the receptacle 22. 1

The switch 29 operates to govern the voice receiving circuit and select either the loudspeaker IE or the private car phone 2|. Figure 4 shows a diagram of the voice circuit when the private earphone 2| is in the receptacle 22. The voice circuit which originates at another station box in the intercommunicating system enters the station'box I!) along wire 49 and may be traced as follows': from wire 40 the current flows into the switch 29 and out along'wire 4| into the loud speaker l8, and from the loud speaker l8 current flows along wires 42 and 53 back to the other station box to complete the circuit. It may be seen therefore that when the private ear phone 2| is in the receptacle 22 the loud speaker I8 is wired to operate. If the private ear phone 2| is removed from the receptacle 22 the switch 29 operates in the opposite direction as the switch button 33 is normally biased to move toward the space occupied by the private ear phone 2|. The movement of the switch button 33 breaks the loud speaker circuit and estab such as the light 29 indicates that there is a callfor him he can hear it'by means of the loud speaker l8 without operating any switches. If, however, there is some other person in conference with him and he does not want the other.

person to hear his message he need only withdraw the private ear phone 2 I, and place it to his ear and the loud speaker I8 is automatically silenced and the call switched to the private ear phone.

The switch 34 is actuated by the normal movements of the private car phone 2| and may be used to regulate selecting circuits in the intercommunicating system, through conductors 35 and 36.

Although we have described our invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combinascope of the invention as hereinafter claimed;

We claim as our invention:

1. A voice transmitting and-receiving stationfor use in a communicating system comprising in combination, an enclosure having a well} voice transmitting means in said enclosure adapted to send a voice to a second station in saidcommunicating system, voice receiving means adapted to receive a voice from said second station, said voice receiving means comprising a loud speaker in said enclosure and a private ear phone removably mounted in said well, and 3 movably mounted private ear phone means in said enclosure for receiving sound and switch means actuated by moving said private ear phone means into and out of said enclosure to render operable and inoperable said loud speaker means and said private ear phone means, said switch means also restraining said ear phone in said receptacle.

3'. In a/statiomhousingfor aniintercommunicating system havingreceiver means and a receptacle adapted to removably'receive said'receiver'mean's, the combination of switch means mountedin. the station housing comprising; a substantially Ur-shaped holdermounted in the station. housing, twgswitches mounted :on said U-shaped holder, said U-shaped holder support ing the receptacle between saidrtwo switches. switchv actuating levers mounted on said switches and extending into the said receptacle, whereby said switches are actuated byzsaidreceivermeans being inserted into'or removed. from said'receptacle and engaging or disengaging said switch actuating levers;

4. In a station housing for. an intercommunieating system having receiver means and a cupped-shaped receptacle: adapted to removably receive said receiver means, the combination of switch means'mounted in the stationhousing comprising, switch actuating means connected to said. switch" means and-extending in said cup shaped receptacle whereby it is engaged'by the receiver means in said". cup .shaped receptacle and disengaged when saidreceiver is withdrawn for selectively turning said loud speaker and said ear phone on and ofi; said resilient engaging arms also. restraining said.v ear phone in said receptacle. I

6. A sound receiving device comprising in combination, an enclosure with a stationary'rece'ptaole therein, loud speaker means in said enclosure, switch means in said stationaryreceptacle and ear. phone means adapted to be inserted substantially entirely within'said stationary receptacle, said ear phone means actuating said switch means to turn said loud speaker and said ear phone means on and off, said switch means restraining said ear phone in said receptacle.

'7. A sound receiving device comprising, in combination, an enclosure with a stationary receptacle therein, loud speaker means in said enclosure, switch means in said stationary receptacle and ear phone means adapted tobe inserted in said stationary receptacle, said ear phone means actuating said switch means to operate said loud speaker and said ear phone means, said switch means restraining said ear phone in said receptacle.

8. A sound receiving device comprising, in combination, an enclosure with a stationary receptacle therein, switch means in said enclosure, spring lever means adapted to actuate said switch means and extending from said enclosure into said stationary receptacle and ear phone means governed by the switch means and adapted to be substantially entirely inserted in said stationary receptacle and adapted to engage said spring lever means to actuate said switch means, said spring lever means also restraining said ear phone means in said stationary receptacle.

9. A sound receiving device comprising in combination, an enclosure with a walled stationary receptacle therein, switch means attached to and extending through therwall' "of said stationary 're.

cepta'cle and ear phonemea'ns governed by the switch means and adaptedto be substantially en- 1 tirely, insertediin said stationary receptacle to actuate said switch means, said switch means .re-

straining said ear phone in said receptacle.

1'0. A stationforparr intercommunicating system comprising; in'co-mbination, a substantially enclosed station housing having a receptacle therein, said receptacle comprising a. cylinder with-one end thereof 1 closed, a transmitting device in said housing 1 for sending communications to a second station in said system, receiving means in said housing forreceiving communications from said second station; said receiving means comprising a loud speaker and a substantiall cylindrical private car phone, said private ear phone positioned substantially entirely'within said receptacle and adaptedto be withdrawn and placed at the operators ear and switch means in said receptacle actuated by said private' ear phone for rendering said" loud speaker inoperable when said private car phone is operable" and for rendering said private ear phone in operable when said loud speaker is operable.

11. A stationfor an intercommunicating system comprising, in combination, a station housing having a receptacle therein, a sound transmitter in said station housing, an ear phone -;adapted to be removably placed in said receptacle, a loud speaker'in-said station housing, two switch meansin said-station housing positioned on opposite sides ofsaidreceptacle, spring means attached to said two switch means and extend- .-,ing into said receptacle for actuating said two switch means as said ear phone is moved in or out of said receptacle; said spring means also adapted to restrainsaid ear phone in said receptacle, one of said switch means turning said loud speaker and said ear phone on and off and the other of said switch means being connected in-the circuit ofthe intercommunicating system.

12'. A-sound transmitting and receiving station for use in a communicating system comprising,

in combination, an enclosed station'box having a front side enclosing means and a plurality of other side enclosing means, said front side enclosing means having opening means therein, a loud speaker positioned in the said enclosed station box and substantially behind the said opening means, a transmitter positioned in the said enclosed station box and substantially behind the said opening means, said enclosed station box having a receiver well in one of said other side enclosing means, movable private car phone means adapted to be placed within said receiver well, switch means in said enclosed station box to selectively render operable and inoperable the said loud speaker means and the said private ear phone means, resilient switch arm means adapted to actuate said switch means, said resilient switch arm means extending into the said receiver well and adapted to be actuated upon engagement by the said private ear phone in the well means.

13. A sound transmitting and receiving station for use in a communicating system comprising,

in combination, an enclosed station box having a front side enclosing means and a plurality of other side enclosing means, said front side enclosing means having two screened openings therein, a loud speaker positioned in said enclosed station box and substantially behind one of the said screened openings, a transmitter positioned in the said enclosed station box and phone means therein, switch means in said 'enclosed station box to selectively render operable and inoperable the said loud speaker means and the said private ear phone means, resilient switch armmeans adapted to actuate said switch means, said resilient switch arm means extending into the said receiver well and adapted to be actuated upon engagement by the said private ear phone means in the well means.

14. A sound transmitting and receiving station for use in a communicating system comprising, in combination, an enclosed station box having a front side enclosing means and a plurality of other side enclosing means, said front side enclosing means having opening means therein, a loud speaker positioned in the said enclosed station box and substantially behind the said opening means, a transmitter positioned in the said enclosed station box and substantially behind the said opening means, said enclosed station box 7 having a receiver well in one of said other side enclosing means, movable private ear phone means adapted to be placed within said receiver well, two spaced switch means in said enclosed station box to selectively render operable and inoperable the said loud speaker means and the said private ear phone means, resilient switch arm means to actuate said switch means, said substantially behind the other :of 'the' said two two switches mounted on said 'U-shaped'holdei',

said U-shaped holder supporting; thereceptacle between said two switches, resilient switch actuating levers mountedon said switches and ex- 1 tending into the said receptacle, said switches being actuated by the receiver means' engaging said resilient switch actuatinglevers in said rece'p' 1' tacle. I

16. A sound transmitting and receiving station for use in a communicating system comprisingf" its ends closed and one of its ends open and having slotted opening 'meansj-inits wall, private":

ear phone means having a'substantially cylinv-s drical shape and adapted to slide intothe said receptacle through the open end thereofyswitch means in said enclosed station box to selectivelyrender operable and inoperable the said loud'- speaking means and the said private car phone means, resilient switch arm means adapted to actuate said switch means, said resilient switch arm means extending through the said slotted" opening means and adapted tobe actuated upon engagement by said private ear phone means,

said private earphone means substantially. close"- ing the said open end of the receptacle;

1'7. In a station housing for anintercommunb cating system having receiver-means and a re-'* ceptacle adapted to removablyreceive said re'-'" .ceiver means, the combination of switch means mounted in the station housing comprising,-

spaced mounting means, spaced switch means mounted on said spaced mounting means, said spaced mounting means supporting the recepta-- cle between said two switches, resilient switch actuating levers adapted to actuate said switches and arranged to extend intosaid'receptacle, said switches being actuated by the receiver means" engaging said resilient switch actuating levers in said receptacle.

HENRY V. ROOHK.

LUKE c. CAVANAUGH. r

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