The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
The ElectrO-hydro Telephone.

Since the public were first electrified
by the exhibitions of the telephone in
ventions of Messrs. Gray, Edison and
Bell, nearly every electrician in this coun-
Try been endeavoring to solve the
problem of a telephone which would talk
directly from battery, thereby making
it possible to communicate over long
distances, and to repeat the acoustlcal
vibrations from one line into another as
often as desired. This problem has at
length been solved by G. B. Richmond,
a dentist and student of science residing
in this city, and in so simple and salts
factory manner as to seemingly defy
improvement. 1t has been tested by sew
eral scientific gentlemen, among them
Prof r. G. KedZie, of the Michigan Ag-
ricultural College, who pronounces Mr..
Richmond's invention valuable and sci
entifc discovery.
We give the following brief descrip-
ton of Mr.. Richmonds telephone from
the model forwarded to the United
States Patent Office: A circular brass
frame, about two inches in diane
ter, is secured in a perpendicular posi-
ton, into the upper part of which is in
serted a speaking tube, and to the lower
part is secured thin metallic diaphragm
which can be frightened to a proper ten
sion by means of thumb-screws. To the
center of this diaphragm is soldered a
small platinum wire about an inch and a
half long, projecting downward. Directly
under this diaphragm, and inclosing the
platinum wire, is glass tube two inches
long and about one inch in diameter,
with hard rubber bottom. Into this
rubber is fixed another platinum wire,
projecting upward through the center of
the glass tube, and reaching within about
1-32 of an inch of the platinum wire at
tached to the diaphragm. The glass tube
is filled with distilled water, the platinum
wire attached to the diaphragm is con-
nected with battery, and the lower plat
mum wire attached to the main line.
There is now a constant current of cleo
tricity passing from the battery to the
main line by way of the platinum points,
through the water.
The scientific fact on which Mr.. Rich
mond's discovery is based is that pure
water offers a resistance to the passage
times greater than platinum wire.
When person speaks or sings into
the speaking-tube the diaphragm vibrates
in unison with the voice, and the volume
of water between the platinum points is
alternately increased or diminished in
unison with the vibration. 1t therefore
follows that, as the volume of water be-
tween the platinum points is increased or
diminished, currents of electricity of
varying strength are thrown into the
main line in exact unison with whatever
sound enters the speaking-tube, and are
conveyed over the line to the receiving
| instrument, which is an electromagnetic
and diaphragm of the ordinary construe-
ton for telephone experiments.
The entire instrument is perfectly
simple in its construction, and the only
wonder is that men of the first ability
should have labored so long and over
looked principles and facts with which
they must have been familiar, and which
appear to be the only avenue through
which a successful solution of practical
telephone communication can be reached.
On the occasion of our visit the trans
IhlttluS luSGI uLEcHb anu udJteIy Wclc lO-
Gated in the office of Mr.. Richmond, and
the receiver in another office several
doors distant. Small copper wires, in
sulated, were used on the main line, and
there was no tension, the wires hanging
on nails, and being coiled up carelessly
in all shapes to get them out of the way,
having been originally arranged for a
much longer circuit. The battery was
also very light, consisting of about eighty
common water tumblers; yet we dis.
tinctly heard talking and singing at the
receiver, took it in short hand, and re-
peated it to Mr.. Richmond on his arrival
at our end of the line, as we had no
transmitter and consequently could not
"talk back" Mr.. Richmond claims for
his telephone that it can be used equally
as we'll as an ordinary telegraph and I'm.
der the same conditions; either the en-
tire length of line, or cut off at any par
ticular point, without impairing the dis
tinctness of the sounds in the least. 1t
will soon be tested to its fullest capacity
Mr.. Richmond calls his invention the
electro hydro telephone" - Lansing
(Mich.) Republican.