Page:Collected Physical Papers.djvu/24

4 Anyone who has tried to obtain an oscillatory discharge knows how easily the discharge becomes irregular, and the most fruitful source of trouble is often traced to the disintegration of the sparking surface. In my later apparatus, I have discarded the use of the vibrating interrupter. The coil has also been somewhat modified. A long strip of paraffined paper is taken, and tin-foil pasted on opposite sides; this long roll is wound round the secondary to act as a condenser. In this way there is a great saving of space. The two ends of the primary are in connection with a small storage cell through a tapping key. The coil, a small storage cell, and the key are enclosed in a tin-box; a small opening behind allows the stud of the press-key to pass through. In front of the box there is an opening, through which the radiating tube projects. The radiating box, thus constructed, is very portable. The one I have been using for some time past, is 7 inches in height, 6 inches in length, and 4 inches in breadth. There is another one which is still smaller.

The radiator tube is 2.5 cm. in diameter. As an instance of the efficiency of the radiating apparatus, I may here mention the fact that the storage cell was charged about a month ago; I have since been using the apparatus for electro-magnetic radiation almost every day. All the while it required no attention, and there was no further necessity of polishing the sparking surfaces. To obtain a flash of radiation I have only to press the stud and release it, and on an average, I require about fifty flashes for a day's work. For working an entire month it is therefore only necessary to have a little over a thousand breaks of the primary current. With the usual vibrating interrupter