A Kurbelinduktor is a hand-operated dynamo, similar to a crank.  By turning it, an electrical current is generated.

The first telephones required the user to turn the handle to create the current that opened the flap on the Klappenschrank.

These days the Kurbelinduktor technology can be found in wind-up mobile phone chargers and torches.

To hear a simple explanation and a short discussion in German, listen to the podcast:

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Tags: charger, crank, dynamo, telephone, torch

Some other posts on this topic that you might like to read:

• Cold calling
• Klappenschrank

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 at 5:05 pm and is filed under German Words Explained, Podcasts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.