STEEL BOBBIN TO TAKE PLACE OF GRAMOPHONE RECORD IS NEW DEVICE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6849, 2 March 1929, Page 6

STEEL BOBBIN TO TAKE PLACE OF GRAMOPHONE RECORD IS NEW DEVICE

Purity of Tone Increased

The gramophone record is hoavj-, as those who have carried a score of records arc well aware. The world of invention has long (bean seeking ia substitute. There is a. possibility that this has been found in the form of a bobbin of steel wire, upon which variations of sound have been impressed by elccfro-magn,etic means. Almost 30 years ago, Poulson, tho Danish physicist made use of the capacity which steel has for retaining a magnetic impulse in order to register sound for a sufficient time to permit its reproduction. Unfortunately, tho impression on the steel was not per-

nxanent. Now a German inventor, Dr Stdlle, has discovered a chrome steel which will retain magnetic impressions almost indefinitely, and he is adapting Poulscn’s principle to long-distance telegraphy and telephony, and to the "ramophonc. Dr Stille unwinds a thread of the chrome steel before an electric mag act, the power of which varies in accordance with sound vibrations, whother of the human voice or musical instruments. The magnetic variations are imprinted upon the wire in the form of stable molecular changes, so that when the process is reversed, and the steel wire is again passed before an eectro-magnef, the molecular changes will suitably affect sounding apparatus, and the original sounds will be reproduced.

If Dr Stille's system comes into general use, instead of the clumsy gramophone record, a steel bobbin will be inserted into the gramophone. It is claimed that the purity of tone will be increased rather than diminished by the change. Further Developments. No less promising developments are

lihely to arise from the application of Dr. Stille's invention to long-distance telegraphy and telephony. In this case the basis of the invention is the chance feet that, when one impression Has been made upon the steel wire, the bobbin can bo used a second time. All that is required is a fresh molecular adjustment in the chrome steel. At once the old impression disappears and a new one arises. This process of change seems to be limitless. The proposal is that the speech of anyone using the telephone shall be recorded upon the wire, as if a high gramophone record wero going to be made, the electric magnet being part of the telephone receiver disc, as it is at present. The message is dictated at tihe speed of normal speech, but it can bo‘transmitted at any speed up to twelve times the speed of the human voice, and yet be perfectly recorded on an instrument scores or hundreds of miles! distant.

When the receiver desires to hear the speech, however, the bobbin once more unwinds at the normal speech speed* dr more slowly if the receiver

desires to writo down the words. process is precisely similar to that of gramophone recording. The steel wire receives a molecular imprint, which affects the telephone disc when the process is revex-sed, so that the original sounds are reproduced. An amplifies is added to multiply the impulses given off by the chrome steel. The telephoning process does not seem to have any connection with the question - and answer aspects of telephony, but where a spoken message can replace a telegram it has manifest ad* Vantages. No more perfect method of reporting a public speech can be imagined. The fact that the messagO is transmitted at the rate of 1,000 to ■1,200 words a minute is- also import* ■ant, giving promise of saving money by saving, time. Dr. Stille Bays that his apparatus is cheap. . Demonstrations given . jn. Paris suggost that no long time should elapse before the dovice is upon the market.