June 20, 1901] 



NA TURE 



185 



magnet, m, connected with the microphone transmitter, 

 and from this it receives a record of any words spoken. 

 The ribbon, now carrying a record, next comes to a series 



of magnets, M,, M^;, M;, 



From this arrangement is derived the telephonic relay 

 which we referred in our last article. Let the series of 

 magnets M,, M;, . . . instead of being connected to distant 



each of which is connected to ; receiving telephones be connected to a series of recording 



:.-Sn:el Ribbon Telegraphone. (From the El.ctr 



a different circuit. The message is thus transmitted by 

 the magnets, Mj, m, . . . to any number of distant sta- 

 tions at the same, or practically the same, moment. The 

 ribbon after leaving the last magnet comes round again 



M5 M4 H3 M2 M, M '' 

 Fig. 3 — Distributing Telcgr.iphone. 



in due course to the permanent magnet, p, by which it is 

 cleaned to receive fresh magnetisation ; thus messages of 

 any length can be sent by this means. 



NO. 165 I, VOL. 64] 



magnets which are used to produce records on a number 

 of steel tapes. If all these steel tapes be made to repeat 

 their record at the same instant to a single receiving 

 telephone the loudness of the speech will be increased in 

 proportion to the number of ribbons used. 



We understand that successful experiments have been 

 carried out on these lines, but that no actual relay has as 

 yet been constructed. It is to be noted that as the energy 

 is derived from the motion of the ribbons, and therefore 

 from the motor used to drive them, there is theoretically no 

 limit to the loudness that could be attained. If Herr 

 Poulsen is really successful in constructing a telephonic 

 relay, as there seems to be every prospect of his being, 

 he will have accomplished a feat of immensely greater 

 importance than the invention of an improved phono- 

 graph, or even of a satisfactory recording telephone. So 

 far as this last point is concerned we learn that very 

 successful trials have been carried out in .A.inerica 

 between Boston and New York. The ordinary telephone 

 lines were used, the telegraphone being substituted for 

 the receiver at one end ; a good and clear record of the 

 transmitted speech is said to have been obtained. 



