The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-02-19
THE PuLslon TELEPHONE.
A Mechanical Inventio OF Great Commer.
cia1 Importance.

| 'ohnoni invention OF Great CONNER
cia1 Importance.
A new mechanical telephone of extra
ordinary power has recently been excit-
Ing considerable attention in London
and some other cities and towns in this
country, writes correspondent of
Nature. 1t Is of American origin, like
50 many other modern Improvements Of
exceptional character, being the inven-
tion OF one Lemuel Mellet, believe, of
Boston. There have been many previous
mechanical telephones, as your readers
are aware, some of which have obtained
much publicity for short time, and
then have been heard of but little more;
but having had an opportunity OF exper-
imenting frequently with the new in
strument and observing its vocal pow
er, so to speak, under very various cir
cumstances, can not doubt 1t has a
great future before it.
1t may be clearly stated at once that
the pulsion instrument is absolutely in
dependent of all electrical aids or ap-
pliances, and therefore needs neither
battery power to bring it into play nor
insulation of any Of its parts to keep
them effective. Itconsists solely Of two
cheap and simple instruments connected
by an ordinary non-insulated wire OF
copper, or, better still, OF double steel
wire, the two parts being slightly
intertwisted, say with about
single turn in couple OF
feet. The wire Tor wires) is simply
looped to the instrument at either end,
the connection being made in few
seconds. The instrument consists of a
disk in combination with series of
small spiral springs inclosed in case
of some three or four inches In diam
eter. These springs, arranged in a man
ner that has been determined by ex-
pertinent, and so as to produce harmo-
nized vibrations, appear to possess the
power of magnifying or accommodating
upon the wire the vibrations which the |
voice sets up in the disk, and the wire
seems to possess undoubtedly does
possess-the power Of transmitting to
great distances, and giving out upon a
second pulsion instrument the sounds OF
the voice.
The ability Of this simple system Of
springs, disks and wires to convey con-
yersational and other sounds to con-
siderable distances with great clearness
and distinctness, reproducing the very
tones OF the voice and the qualities of
musical sounds with but little reduction
Or modification, is most surprising, and
TO none more so than to the many men
Of science who have been recently ex-
perimenting with it.
The writer Of this notice can not, per-
haps, do better than state his own expe-
riences with this system. After exam
ming and experimenting over several
short lengths Of wire, some OF them ex-
seeding mile and half, he last week
vent to the Fnchlcy Road Station Of
he Midland railway, from point near
% which line had been conveyed to
lear tho Welsh Harp Station, distance
II three miles by the line Of railway,
md OF more by the track OF the wire,
which for the larger part was carried by
ne telegraph-posts, to which IL was at
aohed by very simple means. Conycr-
alton through this length OF line, of !
ver three miles, was exceedingly easy; !
indeed, so powerfully was the voice :
transmitted that an ordinary hat suf- |
ICED for all the purposes of the second
without going near to which
onversation was carried on repeatedly =
y means OF the hats OF three gentlemen !,
rho were present, the tops OF which =
Iere merely placed against the telo- !,
hone wire.
l then went into the garden OF the
Welsh Harp" where . short length of
ire had been led between two points,
be wire on Its way from one point to :,
40 other being twice tightly twisted :,
t an interval OF some yards, round
nall branches Of trees Of about ono
lch in diameter, being wound round
nd round the branch three times in
ach case. Strange to say, this tight =
visiting Of the wires round the branches d
no way interfered with the transmits =
on Of the voice from end to end of the q
ire.
A third and last experiment was made
ith wire laid obliquely across the g
'elsh Harp lake, and allowed to sink y!
and rest upon the lake bottom. The y, =,
myth Of the line was roughly estimated II;
about one-third Of mile, and from o,
I'd to end excepting few yards at re
'ch end where the wire was led from Il,
% waters edge TO the telephone box) si
% wire was completely immersed, and en-
ithout any other support than the bot te
m of the lake offered It, Yet, not W
this immersion OF tho an
hole wire, conversation was carried on &c &c
rough 1t by means Of the pulsion in or or
without the least difficulty. IN
fact, the voice came through the i'm
ersed wire, and the longest wire (of
er three miles) previously mentioned, y
tn greater purity and mellowness than
rough shorter lengths.
He Couldn't Exactly Tell.