The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

11 '(Srapbs, Ipbones ant> 'Scopes The Sy nchronograph An exceedingly interesting paper was read at the meeting of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, by Dr. A. C. Crehore and Lieut. George O. Squier, U. S. A., on the "Synchronograph," described as a new method of rapidly transmitting intelligence by the alternating current. The experiments on which the papers were based were made in the electrical laboratory of the United States Artillery School at Fort Monroe, Va., where land telegraph and telephone lines were used. By means of the new transmitter which was exhibited, Lieut. Squier said that 3,000 words a minutes could be sent. Among some of the possibilities which Lieut. Squier presented was the publication of the same newspaper in different parts of the country the same day. "For example," he said, "in an edition of a daily newspaper of twelve pages, eight columns to a page, there are less than 185,000 words. At the rate of 3,000 words per minute, it would require only about an hour to transmit the entire contents of the paper. The great flexibility of the alternating current, as employed, permits, if neeessary, considerable amounts of power to be transmitted over the line, which may be used for making simultaneous manifold copies of the same dispatches in remote cities. It is also practicable to use the system in the ordinary quadruplex telegraphing at the same time." Concerning the telegraphy of the future, based on this system, Lieut. Squier said : "The telegraph line of the future will comprise substantial pole=) carrying a few copper wires, worked to their full capacity for transmitting electric signals. The cost of maintaining such a line, when once con. structed, will be little more than for the ordinary iron wire now used, while the carrying capacity for intelligence at 3,000 words per minute, simplex, will be about equal to 160 wires used for hand transmission, simplex. By duplexing the line, the carrying capacity is doubled, and becomes 6,000 words per minute." The Lenoscope John M. Mclntire an inventor of this city, [has just completed the mechanism of what he terms a lenoscope, and experiments show it to be a success. The inventor claims that the lenoscope is equal to fourteen kinetoscopes combined, and the pictures shown by him bear out his statements. The Ampliphone The ampliphone, the latest of instruments for magnifying sound, has produced little short of a sensation in medical circles. In fact, in point of value for diagnostic purposes, it is regarded by many as next to the Rontgen ray as an important addition to the resources of the profession. The stethoscope is manifestly out of date, and medical practitioners have long felt the need of an instrument less crude and clumsy and more sensitive and adequate to the requirements of modern medical science. A few months ago a remarkable sounddetector was brought out. It possessed a sensitiveness never before deemed possible, and for a while the medical profession congratulated itself that in the new appliance a valuable acquisition had been made. However, it was soon found that the instrument was practically too sensitive, inasmuch as, while it transmitted the most minute sound with the body, it carried at the same time an overpowering, ringing din, caused by the vibration of the particles of metal of which the instrument was composed. The effect was often that, of a distant voice trying to make itself heard in a gale of wind. The instrument, however, did the doctors a most important service, in that in taught them that a much higher standard of aural diagnosis . was possible if a practical means of accomplishing it could be devised. The realization of this imperative want has led to the singular resurrection of an instrument long forgotten and intended for use in an entirely different field. Ten years ago, when a great deal of important news was stolen in transit over the telegraph lines by hangers-on at railway station and telegraph offices, who would listen to the click of the sounders, A. A. Knudson, an electrical inventor, patented a device which he called an ampliphone, for magnifying, or amplifying, the tell-tale click under certain conditions. The invention enabled the armature of the telegraph instrument to be adjusted so close to the magnet that its movement when in operation could not be seen by the naked eye. The noise of such a slight motion could not, of course, be heard by the unassisted ear, but the ampliphone carried it distinctly to the receiving operator, and thus the secrecy of the message was secured. It was claimed that the instrument would save over 50 per cent, in current and consequently the expense of more than half the battery power employed. In 1888, however, the dynamo began to be used for supplying current for telegraph work, instead of batteries, and the ampliphone was laid on the shelf. By mere accident it has been taken up again and tested for medical purposes, with the result that many leading doctors have stated their conviction that it will fill the need of a microphonic appliance, of which the profession has become so sensible. Wonderful accounts are given of the sensitiveness and power of the instrument. Among other things, it enables the beating of the pulse to be heard. Its specialty is described as the ability to differentiate the manyconfusing sounds which may sometimes be heard within the body, without taking up any extraneous noises, and it is said to render possible a diagnosis of remarkable accuracy and amplitude. The instrument weighs about two ounces and can easily be carried in the coat pocket. The Waterscope If you go to the lakes or to the seashore this summer you should take a waterscope along with you. A waterscope is a device which will enable you to peer down to the bottom of a lake or stream and see the sea-weeds, with the fish resting among them. Any boy can make one of them very easily, and he'ean have no end of fun using it. The waterscope consists of a long, narrow box, covered at one end with glass — ordinary window glass. To make it, get four pieces of smooth straight-grained pine wood, one-quarter of an inch in thickness, 20 or 24 inches long and 2^2 inche wide. Have these pieces made true and exact in measurement. Carefully tack them together with brads in the form of a long box. It may be well before joining them to daub on a little white-lead paint, so as to make the joints watertight. Now cut a piece of glass the size of one end of the long box. You can readily cut glass with an old pair of shears by holding it under water. Fasten this piece of glass to the end of the tube by means of a few small tacks driven close to its edge. Then putty it carefully round, and, when the putty is thoroughly dry, paint the box and putty, taking pains to fill all the cracks. This is necessary to make the box water-tight. In a day or two your waterscope will be dry enough for use. On some bright, sunny afternoon push your boat out on the lake or stream where you wish to experiment. Thrust the glass end of the waterscope well under the surface of the water and place your eye at the other end. You will find that you can see through the water with great distinctness, often to the hiding places of fish among those forests of the lake bottoms, the seaweeds. The object of the waterscope is to cut through the disturbed surface of the lake where your boat stands, and also to protect your eyes from the reflection of the sun on the water. Of course it does not act tike a telescope, and you cannot see to the bottom where the water is very muddy or where it is very deep. But you will be astonished at what a fairyland of beauty the waterscope will reveal along the edges of some of our clear lakes on a sunny day. Often you can see a big clam, with its mouth wide open, waiting for his dinner to drop into it, or a lazy pickerel or a sunfish resting near the bottom, and sometimes you will see lost objects of various kinds, including trolling hooks and lines and other things of a similar nature. The writer once knew a man who found a watch which he had dropped into the lake by means of a waterscope. (Srapbopbone as a Witness The graphophone has been held to be not a competent witness — at least not in Justice Truax's court. An attempt to introduce it was summarilysquelched by the Justice in Special Term, of the Supreme Court, last month. The case on trial when the ruling was made was that of Sauer against the New York Central Rail road. Mr. Sauer is a member of the Park Avenue Property Owners' Association, which comprises ninety per cent, of the owners of property on that avenue between 11 6th street and the Harlem River. His suit is a test case involving about sixty more suits. He claims damages from the railroad company on the allegation that his property has depreciated in value by reason of the construction of elevated tracks from 116th Street to Harlem River, which shut out light and air and produce an unbearable noise. Unknown to the officials of the company the property-owners [of Park Avenue had a number of graphophone receivers erected at various points along upper Park Avenue. The receivers were planted at the 125th Street Station upon the Avenue, and in the houses owned by the association. Before the case was called last month the graphophones were tested in the offices of James C. Busbey, counsel for Mr. Sauer, and were found to give a very faithful reproduction of the noises made by the trains. The graphophone apparatus was fitted with a megaphone or wide mouthed trumpet, and the noise it made was deafening. The graphophones were in court last month when the case was called for trial. So were Electrician Goudge and several other experts, who were to testify that the graphophones were those which had been "planted" along Park Avenue. When Attorney Busbey offered the graphophones in evidence, counsel for the railroad immediatelyentered a vigorous objection. "Take those things right out of here," shouted Justice Truax, who evidently wasn't at all pleased with the tender of evidence. Mr. Busbey noted an exception and the dumb witnesses were carried away. It is probable that the graphophone company will endeavor to get a test case on the admissability of their machine as evidence before higher courts