Three-nail microphone, 1875-1880

Three-nail microphone, 1875-1880 Three-nail microphone, 1875-1880 French-nail microphone used by D.E French-nail microphone used by D.E

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

French-nail microphone used by D.E
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

French-nail microphone used by D.E
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

French-nail microphone used by D.E. Hughes together with one small gauze-covered box, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1875-1880.

The development of the microphone owes much to David Edward Hughes (1831-1901). Building on the work of Willoughby Smith and Sir William Thomson, Hughes attempted to detect changes in the resistance of wire with sound. He discovered that these changes occurred only when his stretched test wire broke and when he touched the ends together. He found that light but constant pressure was the only essential, and in place of the wire tried a single nail resting lightly on two others. Hughes did not patent his discoveries, meaning that subsequent inventors were able to make use of them without giving Hughes the credit.

Details

Category:
Telecommunications
Object Number:
1922-229
Materials:
wood (unidentified), wax, metal (unknown) and copper (alloy)
Measurements:
overall: 21.5 mm x 60 mm x 31 mm,
type:
microphone
credit:
Executors of the late Anna C. Hughes

Parts

Three-nail microphone, 1875-1880

Three-nail microphone, 1875-1880

French-nail microphone used by D.E. Hughes together with one small gauze-covered box, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1875-1880.

More

The development of the microphone owes much to David Edward Hughes (1831-1901). Building on the work of Willoughby Smith and Sir William Thomson, Hughes attempted to detect changes in the resistance of wire with sound. He discovered that these changes occurred only when his stretched test wire broke and when he touched the ends together. He found that light but constant pressure was the only essential, and in place of the wire tried a single nail resting lightly on two others. Hughes did not patent his discoveries, meaning that subsequent inventors were able to make use of them without giving Hughes the credit.

Measurements:
overall: 21.5 mm x 60 mm x 31 mm,
Materials:
wood (unidentified) , wax , metal (unknown) and copper (alloy)
Object Number:
1922-229/1
type:
microphone
Fragments of a Three-nail microphone, 1875-1880

Fragments of a Three-nail microphone, 1875-1880

Small fragments in a crystal box, from French-nail microphone used by D.E. Hughes together with one small gauze-covered box, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1875-1880

More

French-nail microphone used by D.E. Hughes together with one small gauze-covered box, probably made by David Edward Hughes, England, 1875-1880.

The development of the microphone owes much to David Edward Hughes (1831-1901). Building on the work of Willoughby Smith and Sir William Thomson, Hughes attempted to detect changes in the resistance of wire with sound. He discovered that these changes occurred only when his stretched test wire broke and when he touched the ends together. He found that light but constant pressure was the only essential, and in place of the wire tried a single nail resting lightly on two others. Hughes did not patent his discoveries, meaning that subsequent inventors were able to make use of them without giving Hughes the credit.

Object Number:
1922-229/2
type:
fragment
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Musuem