Harper's Electricity Book for BoysAdams, Joseph H. (Joseph Henry)
Science
Harper's Electricity Book for Boys
Adams, Joseph H. (Joseph Henry)
Electricity -- Juvenile literature
Another form of coherer is shown in Fig. 26. This is made of a small
piece of glass tube, two rods that will accurately fit in the tube, some
nickel filings, two binding-posts, and a base-block three inches and a
half long. The two binding-posts are mounted on the block, and through
the holes in the body of the posts the rods are slipped. They pass into
the tube, and the blunt ends press the small mass of filings together,
as shown in the drawing. By means of the binding-posts these
coherer-rods may be held in place and the proper pressure against the
filings adjusted; then maintained by the set-screws. The nickel filings
may be procured by filing the edge of a five-cent piece. Obtain a few
filings from the edge of a dime and add them to the nickel, so that the
mixture will be in the proportion of one part silver to nine parts
nickel. This mixture will be found to work better than the iron filings
alone. The aerial and ground wires are made fast to the foot-screws of
the binding-posts, and the base on which the coherer is mounted may be
attached to a table or ledge on which the other parts of the receiving
and recording apparatus are also installed.
Another form of coherer is shown at Fig. 27. This is constructed in a
somewhat similar manner to the one just described. A glass tube is
provided with two corks having holes in them to receive the
coherer-rods. Two plugs of silver are arranged to accurately fit within
the tube, and into these the ends of the coherer-rods are screwed or
soldered. Between these silver plugs, or terminals, the filings of
nickel and silver are placed, and the rods are pushed together and
caught in the binding-posts. The aerial and ground wires are made fast
to the foot-screws of the posts.
For long-distance communication it is necessary to have a condenser
placed in series with the sparking or sending-out apparatus. (See the
type of condenser described and illustrated in chapter iv., page 72.)
An astatic galvanometer is also a valuable part of the receiving
apparatus, and the one described on page 111 will show clearly the
presence of oscillatory currents by the rapid and sensitive deflections
of the needle.
For local service, where a moderately powerful battery is employed, a
telegraph-key, such as described on page 190, will answer very well, but
for high-tension work, where a powerful storage-battery or small dynamo
is employed, it will be necessary to have a non-sparking key, so that
the direct current will not form an arc between the terminals of a key.
Most of the keys used for wireless telegraphy have high insulated
pressure-knobs, or the make and break is done in oil, so that the spark
or arc cannot jump or be formed between the points.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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