US2561320A - Combined microphone and switch - Google Patents

Description

July 17, 1951 R, l.. STONE ET AL '2,561,320

COMBINED MICROPHONE AND SWITCH Filed Nov. 15, 194e K 2 sheets-sheet 1 521 ,71, |31; fio/49 4,///L

INVENTOR. ROBERTL. STONE BY FRHNK E. RUNE HT TORNEY July 17, 1951 R. L. STONE ETAL 2,561,320

COMBINED MICROPHONE AND SWITCH Filed Nov. l5, 1.946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HUBERT L. STONE FRHNK E. RUNGE HTTORNEY Patented July 17, 1951l COMBINED' MICROPHONE AND SWITCH Robert L. Stone, Guilford, and Frank E. Runge, Branford, Conn., assignors to The Soundscriber Corporation, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of. Connecticut- Application November' 15, 1946, Serial No. 710,028@

1 Claim.

This invention relatesy to dictating apparatus, and more particularly to a combined microphone and lwitch holder which may selectively be used on the desk for conferencedictation or be carried in the hand of the dictator for close talking.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above nature in which the microphone unit may be replaced if desired by a combination microphone and loudspeaker unit.

A further object is to provide a devicek of the above nature having a semi-circular switch vactuator extending over the entire top of the casing and which is adapted to bey actuated either by the thumb or foreiinger or both, of the users hand.

A further object is to provide a, microphone and switch holder oi the above nature having a plate mounted flush in an elongated groove-in the base of the casing to provide a slot by means of which the user may attach the device on a hook mounted on the dictatingrnachine or other support, whenever desired.

A furtherl object is; to. provide a device of the above nature in which the casing is provided with a dat bottom `surface for resting on the desk when not carried in the users hand.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature which will be simple` inconstruction, light in weight and hencenon-fatiguing, inexpensive to manufacture, having high impact strength, easy to install and manipulate, compact, attractive in appearance, shaped to iit the users hand, and very efficient and durable in use.

With these and otherl objects in view, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawings one form in which the invention may conveniently be embodied in practice.

n the drawings,

Fig. l `represents the top plan View of thehand microphone and switch unit embodying the `present invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are side and bottom plany views 2 dica'tes a bottom base of insulating material hav'- ing an. upwardly inclined. diverg-i'ng skirt 'I l. The

base is made substantially oval-shapedi withcircular end sections and a reduced intermediate sectionA to iacilitatev carry-ing in the users hand.

The base it' is provided valongL itsv longitudinal' center line with a short ups-sanding pivot' lugv l2, and a pair of higher circular screw bosses'. i3', ill, as most clearly shownin'iigs- 4 and` 6 ci the drawing. On the outside of thev cover base iii,- provision is made of a longitudinalvgroove' i5, within which is secured; by means/.of three screws ii, a circular hanger disk ifi., preferably constructed of metal. and located ush with thei'iat bottom of the base ill.

As will be clear from-the drawings, a slotf ila is left between the hanger' disk. i6 and the top of the groove it for detachably iitting over a Z-shaped hanger plate Hb adapted tov beI permanently secured to the dictatingmachine-cabinet, a desk, or'other support, not shown. The combined microphone and switch holder is` provided with an upper casing i8 also of insulating material, which casing is dished and constructed of the same oval shape as the base ld.

The casing i8 is provided with an inclined forward facey ie having a plurality of transverse louvres 2@ extendingthroughvr thewall thereofte ring 25l to form a cushion. for said unit when seated in the top of said cashing-an acoustic chamber 26 being formed between said microphone unit 23 and the louvres 2&1.

The microphone unit 23 has a depending rectangular yoke 2l which is provided with side apertures 23 and embraces a depending coilenclosing cylinder 29.

The microphone unit 23 is adapted to be connected to a switch unit, herein shown as a microswitch 46, by means of a pair of lead wires 3D, 3|, which are connected in parallel to a capacitator 32 to prevent sparking 'during the operation of the microphone, or loudspeaker, The

wires 30, 3| are connected to the switch 46 by means of lead wires 33, 34.

The casing I3 is also provided with a depending intermediate integral square boss 35 having a pair of longitudinally aligned tapped holes 39, 31 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The casing I8 also has a pair of integral transversely arranged screw bosses 38 having tapped metallic bushings 38a embedded therein during the manufacture thereof. A depending boss 39 is also provided adjacent the rear end of the casing I8 for cooperating with the upstanding screw boss I4 in the base I0.

The bottom base I is detachably secured to the casing I8 by means of a pair of flat head screws 49, 4I passing through the aligned bosses I3, 35 and I4, 39, respectively.

The microphone unit 23 is adapted to be held firmly against the edge of the inclined face I9 of the casing I8 by means of a rectangular metallic clamp strip 42 having an upstanding front end 43 which embraces the yoke 2l of the microphone unit 23. The strip 42 is provided with a longitudinal interior clearance slot 44 embracing the screw 40 and a screw 45 which is employed to attach the microphone clamp strip 42 to the square boss 35, as shown.

A pair of attaching screws 41, 48 are also ernployed for connecting the microswitch 4S (which is of rectangular construction) to the bushings 38a of the bosses 38.

The microswitch 46 is provided with a movable switch button 49 which is adapted to be depressed in response to the swinging motion oi the actuating segment 50.

The ring segment 50 has a knurled semi-circular end 5I projecting outwardly between the forward ends of the base I0 and the casing I8, and said segment 50 is provided with a central pivot aperture 52 fitted upon the pivot lug I2 of the base I0. The actuator 50 has a large circular aperture 52a surrounding the screw boss I3 on the base cover I0. The segment 59 is also provided with a raised inner leg 53, connected to a pair of converging arms 54, 55, as shown in Fig. 6.

In order to actuate the switch button 49, provision is made of a metallic spring strip 56 having an upper ear 56a secured to the arm 54 by means of a pair of drive screws 57, 58. The strip 56 has a rear spring section 59 provided with an inclined cam face 59a, an offset concave section 60, and an inturned end 6I.

The rectangular microswitch 46 is mounted crosswise in the casing I8 and is provided with lead wires 62, 63, 64, 65, 56, for connecting it to the microphone unit 23 and other parts of the dictating apparatus, in a manner not necessary to be herein shown.

In order to provide a mounting for a lead-in cable l0, provision is made of a ilexible rubber grommet 61 having an integral square ange 68 fitting into a square socket 68a formed by the 4 opposite sides of the casing I8 and the cover I0, respectively, and an integral circular exterior ange 69.

The intermediate section of. the grommet 67 between the flanges 68, 69 is fitted into a pair of complementary semi-circular sockets 68h formed in the base I9 and casing I9, respectively.

The present invention is especially adapted for use in connection with an electronic recording and playback'dictation machine of the type disclosed in my Reissue Patent No. 22,696, dated February 20, 1945, entitled Control Circuit for Sound Recording Apparatus.

Operation In operation, when the actuator segment 59 is moved clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6, the offset cup 60 will move laterally so as to snap over and depress the microphone switch button 49. To release the switch button 49, the actuator segment 59 Will be swung in the reverse direction.

It will be understood that during use, the device may selectively be held in the operators hand, allowed to lie nat on the table, or be suspended on the hanger I'Ib.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is to be shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures, but may be modied and embodied in vario-us other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired t0 secure Letters Patent, is:

In a combined microphone and switch holder, a perforated hollow upper casing, a hollow base attached to said casing, a microphone unit located Within one end of said casing, a transverse rectangular control switch in circuit with said microphone unit located Within the other end of said holder, and a resilient strip clamped between said casing and said base and engaging said microphone unit for yieldably pressing said unit against said casing.

ROBERT L. STONE. FRANK E. RUNGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 960,731 Taylor June 7, 1910 1,709,144 Mueller Apr. 16, 1929 1,877,678 Markman Sept. 13, 1932

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