The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-24
ELECTRIC PHOEOGRAPH
\ Device Said to Reproduce Per-
feetly the Human Voice.
invention of n Danish Engineer to
BE Put on the American Market.
sound Waves Reproduced by FIuc-
tu"tions in Magnetic Current-The
Claims Made for the New Machine,

negotiations are at present pending for
the American rights to a new species of
monograph invented by yaIdemar PouI-
sen. a Danish engineer. The instru,nen,
Is called telegraphene. and was exbib-
ited at the Paris Exposition last sum
mer, where 1t attracted much attention
! The telegraphone differs radically from
the different kinds OF talking machines m
vogue in this country both In outward
| appearance and constructive detail. IL
consists of steel wire, which is ordl-
| narily for the sake of convenience v ound
| on brass cylinder in a rather closs
/ spiral. and a very small electro .nasust.
or pair Of electro gnets the poles of
| which embrace the wire closely. The ar
| rangement of the apparatus is such that
the wire may be drawn between the Ioles
OF the magnet at considerable speed
by the rotation of the cylinder. or i'm
other ferns of the apparatus by unreeI-
ing 1t from one reel and spooling Il On
another
when telephone transmitter is con-
nected in circuit with the small electro
magnet and speech or other sound IL mada
force is set up between the poles of tha
small eIectromagnet and in direction
transverse to the axis of the moving steel
wire between them. The magnetic fuc
tuations following the current waves in
the telephone circuit impress themselves
upon the wire as disturbances of its mag
netie condition exactly corresponding In
intensity and direction to the fluctuations
causing them II the telephone receiver
be now connected in place of the trans
mitter and the wire again run through
between the poles of the small electro
magnet the latter becomes virtually a
form OF dynamo machine, and currents are
generated in the coils surrounding It's
cores in exact accordance with the fuctu-
atoms of magnetization in the wire pass
ing between its poles. Thus are repro
duced in the telephone circuit current
waves Identical with those that originally
caused the magnetization of the wire, and
hence the instrument becomes an electric
monograph of highly perfected form
Those who have heard the new device
assert that there is an entire absence OF
the scratching and buzzing sounds notice
able in talking machines hitherto. The
reproduction Of speech is clear and ex-
ceedingly distinct. the sound greatly re-
'embling that Of conversation over good
line 1t is stated that a record
IN the magnetized wire has been repro
iuced z.zUU times without losing its force
'r character.
A number OF the instruments in their
various forms have recently been brought
20 this country by some members of the
Danish company. and have been exhibit ed
~ them to the engineering representa-
ives of large operating telephone COM
,anies and other people interested In this
lass of work In the United States. In the
arger kinds. using a long tape or wire
eeled on drums. the capacity of the ma
hine is sufficient for about one hours
ontinuous operation. The smaller cylin-
er machines as now made are suitable for
ecordS of about two minutes in length
he gentlemen who are here in charge CT
lie apparatus express the belief that what
lie instrument has accomplished so far is
erely an indication of what future per-
'ction may develop. II is available 81 her
a phonograph or as a means of record
ig e'ephone conversations and reprod1c-
lg them at will as distributor for tele-
hone announcements or signals, and IN
ariety of other ways which may suggest
lemselves to the inventive mind upon an
Of the principle.