Philipp Reis: Inventor of the Telephone: A Biographical SketchThompson, Silvanus P. (Silvanus Phillips)
History
Philipp Reis: Inventor of the Telephone: A Biographical Sketch
Thompson, Silvanus P. (Silvanus Phillips)
Reis, Philipp, 1834-1874; Telephone -- History
[Mr. Yeates is a well-known instrument-maker in the city of
Dublin, and in 1865, purchased from Mr. W. Ladd, of London,
a Reis’s Telephone of the form shown in Reis’s Prospectus
(Fig. 29). Mr. Yeates, after a few experiments, rejected the
knitting-kneedle receiver, and replaced it by the instrument
shown in Fig. 42, which consisted of an electromagnet mounted
above a sound-box, having a vibrating armature furnished
with an adjusting screw to regulate its distance from the
poles of the electromagnet. This instrument worked, even when
the armature was in absolute contact with both poles of the
electromagnet, and as the magnet did not during the experiments
lose its hold on the armature, it was clear that the effects
were due to alterations in the intensity of the magnetism of
the magnet. The apparatus was shewn at the November meeting
of the Dublin Philosophical Society, when singing and words
were transmitted. With a careful adjustment it was possible
to distinguish all the quality of the note sung into the
transmitter and to distinguish the difference between any
two voices. The instruments were then sold to the late Rev.
Mr. Kernan, who was then Professor of Physics in Clongowes
Wood College. The following recent letter from Mr. Yeates
corroborates the above facts.]
“2, Grafton Street, Dublin,
“_March 1st_, 1883.
“Dear Sir,
“There are several residing at present in Dublin who were present at my
telephonic experiments in 1865; three of them, namely, Dr. W. Frazer,
Mr. A. M. Vereker, and Mr. E. C. Tuke, took an active part in the
experiments, and remember all the circumstances connected with them.
The voice of each was instantly recognised in the receiver; in fact,
this point attracted special attention at the time.
“I had no knowledge at that time that Reis had used an electromagnetic
receiver, nor did I know that Reis was the inventor of the instrument
which I got from Mr. Ladd.
“The original instrument made by me is, I believe, still in the Museum
at Clongowes Wood College. The President kindly lent it to me some
time ago, and I returned it to him again after showing it to Professor
Barrett. I have a cut of this receiver, which I will send to you if it
will be of any use to you.
“Yours truly,
“S. M. Yeates.”
* * * * *
William Frazer, Esq., M. D.,
“20, Harcourt Street, Dublin,
“_March 13_, 1883.
“Dear Sir,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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