Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1877-08-25

by the exhibitions of the telephone In
ventions of Messrs. Gray, Edison, and
Bell, says the Detroit Free Press, nearly
every electrician in this country has
been endeavoring to solve the problem
of telephone which would talk directly
from a battery, thereby making il posi-
Bile to communicate over long distances,
and to repeat the aeoustical vibrations
from one line to another AS often rs de-
sired. Thi, problem has at length been
solved by G. Il. Richmond, dentist and
student of science residing in this city,
and in so simple and satisfactory q man.
ner as to seemingly defy improvement.
Ii has been tested by several scientific
gentlemen, among them Prof. 4. c.
kedzie, of the Michigan Agricultural
College, who pronounces Mr.. Rich
mond's invention a valuable and scien-
tific discovery.
We give the following brief descrip-
ton of MIR. Richmond's telephone from
the model forwarded to the United
States Patents Office through the me-
chanics' and inventors agency at De-
troit: A circular brass frame, about
! two inches in diameter, is secured in a
perpendicular position, into the upper
part Of which is inserted speaking
tube, and to the lower part is secured a
thin metallic diaphragm which can be
frightened to proper tension by means
Of thumb-screws. To the center of this
diaphragm is soldered a small platinum
wire about an inch and half long, pro-
jecting downward. Directly under this
diaphragm, and inclosing the platinum
wire, is a glass tube two inches long and
about one inch in diameter, with a hard
rubber bottom. Into this bottom is fix
ed another plantinum wire, projecting
upward through the center of the glass
tube, and reaching within about one
thirty-second of an inch Of the platinum
wire attached to the diaphragm. The
glass tube is filled with distilled water,
the platinum wire attached to the dia-
phragm is connected with battery, and
the lower platinum wire attached to the
main line. There is now q constant
current Of electricity 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 resistance to the passage
of a current of electricity over 1000, 900
times greater than platinum wire. See
Miller's Chemical Physics, p. al.
When a person speaks or sings into
the speaking-tube, the diaphragm Vi
brates in unison with the voice, and the
volume of water between the platinum
points is alternately increased or dimin-
ished in unison with the vibration. 1t
therefore follows that as the volume of,
water between the platinum points is;
increased OF diminished, currents of
electricityOf varying strength are thrown
into the main line in exact unison with
whatever sound enters the speaking
tube, andis conveyed over the line to
the observation-disclosures, which is an
electro-magnet and diaphragm of the
ordinary construction for telephone ex-
periments.
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
transmitting instrument and battery
We're located in the office of Mr.. Rich
mond, and the receiver in another office
several doors distant. Small copper
wires, insulated, were used on the main
line, and their 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 ar
ranged for much longer circuit. The
battery was also very light, consisting