This telephone receiver differs from its predecessors in dispensing with an armature, the lateral vibration of the electro-magnet itself being utilized. In previous systems in which an electro-magnet is used, the sonorous vibrations are due either to the motion of an iron diaphragm or armature placed close to the poles of the electro-magnet, or to the expansion and contraction of the magnet itself. In Theiler's telephone the electro-magnet may be of the usual U-shape, and may consist either of soft iron or of hardened steel permanently magnetized, wound with a suitable number of turns of insulated wire. This electro magnet is fixed in such a manner that the vibration of either one or of both its limbs is communicated to a diaphragm or diaphragms The patentees also employ two or more electro-magnets in the same circuit, and utilize the vibration of both magnets in the manner described. By attaching a light disk or disks to the vibrating limbs, the diaphragm may be dispensed with. Fig. 1 represents one of the telephone receivers provided with two diaphragms or sounding boards, connected to the two limbs or cores of the U-shaped electro-magnet by short tongues. These tongues are firmly inserted in the diaphragms and fixed to the magnet, as shown. The poles of the electro-magnet are brought very close together by being shaped as shown, and the middle part of the magnet is firmly screwed to the case of the instrument. The ends of the helix surrounding the magnet cores may be attached as usual to two terminals, or soldered to a flexible conductor communicating with the other parts of the telephone apparatus. When a vibratory current is sent through the helix of the electro-magnet, the extremities are rapidly attracted and repelled, and this vibratory motion of the magnet cores being communicated to the diaphragms or sounding boards, the latter are set in vibration of varying amplitude produced by a current of varying strength, as in all other telephones. Instead of making the electro-magnet of one continuous piece of iron, as represented in Fig. 1, the patentees find it more practicable to make it of the form shown in Fig. 2, where the electro-magnet represented consists of two limbs or cores, a sole piece, and pole extensions, the whole being screwed together, and practically constituting one continuous piece of iron carrying the two coils. In Fig. 2 only one of the limbs or cores of the electro-magnet is attached to the diaphragm, the other limb being held fixed by a screw. Sometimes the patentees hinge one of the magnet cores, or both, in the sole piece, in which case the diaphragms or sounding boards can be made much thicker than when the cores are rigidly fixed to the sole piece, because the magnetic attraction of the poles has then only to overcome the resistance of the diaphragm. Instead of using a diaphragm, they sometimes fix a stem to one of the cores of the electro-magnet, and