Refer a class

Hi, I try to load some 'modules' into my class. These modules are other classes. I want to refer the main class to this new module but that doesn't work. At the moment it looks like this: Mainclass: function loadModule($name) { if(class_exists($name)) { //Class found if(!$this->module[$name]) { $this->module[$name] = new $name(&$this); } return true; } else { return false; } } The mainfunktion of the module: function module_artikelvote(&$parent) { $this->main = &$parent; return true; } I can use $this->main->VARIABLE but the values are old. If I call a function with $this->main->func_name(); it doesn't work, but there also isn't an error message! What's wrong with these functions? Thanks for help, Michael