A D V E N T U R E S in C Y B E R S O U N D
Bell's First Phones : 1876-87
Bell's 'Liquid Transmitter' of 1876 (possibly a reproduction)
Alexander Graham Bell's earliest telephones were fashioned much in the manner of the 'liquid transmitter' of Elisha Gray's patent filed on February 14, 1876, the same day that Bell (actually Bell's attourney) filed his patent. It was on March 10 that the famous first words "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you" were spoken by Bell into a 'liquid transmitter'.
An alternate photo of Bell's 'Liquid Transmitter' of 1876 (also possibly a reproduction)
Authenticity of the above models is further put into doubt (ed.,) by the image below from the Smithsonian showing a 'worn' and probably original 'Liquid Transmitter' and 'Receiver'. Shown on the left are models (reproductions ?) also from early 1876
Some of Bell's Early telephones from 1875 and 1876
At the same time Bell was working on the above devices he also designed the so called 'Gallows' model
The 'Gallows' model telephone
The 'Gallows' model telephone designed by Bell and constructed by his assistant Thomas Watson, June 1875. (Most photographs show this device placed down on its 'face'. This image clearly shows the device in 'operating position' with the 'mouthpiece/earpiece' void in front and the diaphragm electromagnet behind.
Thomas Watson showing how the 'Gallows' phone was employed
Cross section diagram of Bell's 'Gallows' telephone
The first commercial telephone designed by Bell was based on his patent of January 1877. The telephone consisted of a single transmitter/receiver placed within a retangular wooden box. One would speak into the opening in the box and then listen through the same opening. This telephone had essentially the same design as the patent drawing except for the shape. The patent drawing had a round shape rather than squared. A contemporary sketch in Scientific American? refers to this device as 'Graham Bell's Long Distance Telephone'
Bell's First Commercial and so called 'Box' or 'Long Distance' Telephone, (possibly a prototype model), 1876
Bell's First Commercial and so called 'Box' or 'Long Distance' Telephone, 1877, without cover, a contemporary sketch
Bell's First Commercial and so called 'Box' or 'Long Distance' Telephone, 1877, without cover
Bell's First Commercial and so called 'Box' or 'Long Distance' Telephone, 1877
Two or more of these 'box' telephones were connected in series on a line with a ground return. The first telephone line was installed in April 1877 between Charles William's electrical shop on Court Street, Boston and his home about three miles away. A month later the first rented installations were made making this line the first commercial telephone service.
Bell's 'Box' Telephone in use in Boston, 1877
Bell's 'Box' Telephone in use in Boston, (detail), 1877
The 'box' or 'long distance' phone had no signaling device to determine incoming calls. In June of 1877, Thomas Watson devised a 'thumper' that would strike the diaphram of the box telephone to make a tapping sound on the receiving telephone as a signal device. This was later replaced by an electric bell which in one form or another survives untill today.
Bell's 'Box' Telephone of 1877 showing added 'thumper' button at right front
Bell's 'Box' Telephone 1877 without cover showing the crude but still effective 'thumper' mechanism
Bell's 'hand telephone' in use, 1877
Bell's 'hand telephone' of 1877 (Detail)
The fixed wall mounting of the telephone device was probably an fairly early decision and the image below shows the first such device.
Bell's commercial Magneto-Telephone of 1877
This was one of the first telephones on which both transmission and reception were done with the same instrument.
Bell's first telephone approved for Post Office use
Source: The Smithsonian Institute, various books and the website
http://www.cybercomm.net/~chuck/box.html
For more on Alexander Graham Bell - see two other essays on this site Bell's Patent and Bell's Notebook
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