The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-11-27
A TALKING MACHINE.

Tho Latest Triumph of Constructive
skill.
There ia now In Baltimore very curious
piece of mechanism, which initiates not only
the various sounds of the human voice, but
combines them into wordsaaDd sentences. IL
has been exhibited to members OF the press
by the inventor, Professor Fabers Erben, at
his rooms in Barnum's Hotel, who explained
the workings of. the contrivance. Talking
machines. have been invented at various
times, but this is: the only one that has COM
blned such great range Of utterance with such
perfect articulation. The machine Ia COM
plete system of tubes, levers. keys and modl-
Tying appliances, q great many manipulatlons
being sometimes necessary to produce the de-
sired sonnd. 1t ls thus described:
The machine is constructed In Imitation OF
the human organs of speech, all the mechani-
cal appliances being adjusted 30 as to produce
the effect Of the different muscles used In ar
ticulation. The largest portion OF the appa-
ratus is bellows, which performs the same
function as the lungs In the human body.
This feeds variety of tubes through Wnlcn
the sound escapes. which are manageo, oy
fourteen levers, each representing VoWei or
consonant, and extending out to sort OF Key
board, by the manipulation of which the va
rieus combinations of sound are produced.
Here Sits the performer, the professors vile,
who manages the machine with great dex-
terity. The sensldveness OF her ear ls re-
msrkable, .inasmuch. as she makes the ma
chine speak In languages foreign to her, when
she necessarily must initiate each word from
recollection Of the sound. The many combina.
tions sometimes necessary to express single
word demands skill and rnpidity on her part.
Leading from the bellows is 8 windpipe for
the conduction ofthe air, and an India rubber
larynx, with vocal chords, modelled after those
OF q human being. opening and closing IN the
same manner. The sound escapes from an
Imitation of the human mouth, the upper jaw
being of wood, with lip Of leather, aud the
lower law of India rubber. The mouth has
palate Of hard rubber, and tongue OF hexl-
Bile rubber. There is also passage for the
escape Of the air when the mouth 1s closed,
in Imitation of the vent which In the human
organism Is afforded by the nostrils. Fourteen
sounds are ell that are used by the machine
for the production Of speech. Ail the other
sopnlis are produced ont Of these fourteen Dy
combination VI by modifying their action
either by separating the vocal chords or bring
ing them together. The professor made the
machine utter slbulant, cultural, laughing and
other articulate sounds. 1t then utters many
different names and short sentences. Its ar
ticuation is somewhat slow, bat is very dis
tinct and audible. 1t speaks German excel
ientiy, the harsh, cultural sound being imita-
ted exactly; its English has German accent
now and then, showing the nativity of the In.
yeiltor, When 1t speaks French a mask Is
attached, having apparatus by means Of which
the usual sound OF the French tongue is imi.
tated. This mask is rather ghastly simula-
crum of III human face. The eyes move and
the mouth works, and the words pour out, but
the tmmovability of the features and the ab-
seloe OF expression creates weird and un-
csnny feeling In the spectator. The professor
SAYS that the machine can sing as well as talk,
its voice having compass OF two octaves, but
as the arrangement was not In order be was
unable to give an example OF Its performance.
The nrofassor has many testimonials from SCI
entifc men in every. civilized country, and
from many European courts.