Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-05-04
THE PHONOGRAPH.
THE INVENTOR TELLS or SOME OF
ITS POSSIBILITIES.

Letter Writing to be superseded by Talking
Books Reproduced Aloud Hundred
Times--Revolutionizi the Telegraph
and Every Thing Else.
Thomas A. Edison, the inventor Of the won
derful phonograph, contributes letter to the
North American Revie,r from which we extract
tho following:
The probable application of these properties
of the phonograph and the various branches of
commercial and scientific industry presently
less mechanical ingenuity. Conceding that the
apparatus is practically perfected in so far as
the faithful reproduction of sound is concern
3D. many of the following applications will be
made the moment the new form of apparatus,
which the writer is now about completing, is
Qualities; but they so closely trench upon other
applications which will Immediately follow
that it is impossible to separate them; hence
they are all enumerated under the head of
probabilities, and each specially considered.
Among the more important may be mentioned:
Letter-writing and other forms of dictation
books, education, reader, music, family
record; and such electrotype applications as
books, musical boxes toys clocks, advertising
and signalling apparatus, speeches. &C.. DC.
Letter-writing.-The apparatus now being
perfected in mechanical details will be the
standard phonograph, and may be used for all
purposes, except such as require special form
of matrix, such as toys, clocks, ETC., for an in
definite repetition Of the same thing. The main
utility of the monograph however, being for
the purpose of letter writing and other forms
of dictation. the design is made with view to
its utility for that purpose.
The general principles Of construction are,
a fat plate or disk, with spiral grooves on che
face, operated by clock work underneath the
plate; the grooves are cut very closely together,
so as to give great total length to each inch Of
surface close calculation gives as the capac-
ity of each sheet Of foil upon which the record
is had, in the neighborhood of 10000 words.
The sheets being but ten inches square, the cost
is so triling that but 100 words might be put
upon single sheet economically. Still, it is
problematical whether less number of grooves
per inch might not be the better plant GER
tainly would for letters-buti it is desirable to
have but one class of machines throughout the
world; and as very extended communications,
if put upon one sheet. could be transported
more economically than upon two, it ia lmpor-
tant that each sheet be given as great capacity
as possible. The writer has not yet decided
this point, but will experiment with view of
ascertaining the best mean capacity.
The practical application of this form of
photograph for communications is very simple.
A sheet Of foil is placed in the phonograph, the
clockwork set in motion, and the matter dictat-
ed into the mouthpiece without othel effort
| than when debating to a stenographer. 1t is
then removed, placed in suitable form of en-
| velope, and sent through the ordinary channels
| to the correspondent for whom designed. He,
placing it upon his monograph, starts his
clockwork and listens to what his correspondent
| has to say. Inasmuch as it gives the tone Of
voice Of his correspondent it is identified. AS
| it may be filed away as other letters, and at
10
! record. As two sheets of foil have been indent-
ed with the same facility as single sheet, the
writer Ray thus keep duplicate of his COM
munication. As the principal of a business
house, or his partners, now dictate the import
ant business communications to clerks to be
| written out, they are required to do no more by
| the photographic method, and do thereby dis
| pense with the clerk, and maintain perfect
privacy in their communications.
The photograph letters may be dictated at
! home, or in the Office of a friend, the presence
of stenographer not being required. The die
tation may be as rapid as the thoughts can be
formed, or the lips utter them. The recipient
may listen to his letters being read at a rate OF
from $50 to 200 words per minute, and at the
same time busy himself about other matters.
InterjecCions, explanations, emphasis, exclama-
tions ETC., may be thrown into such letters. ad
libitum.
In the early days of the photograph, ere il
has become universally adopted, correspond.
emit in Hong Kong may possibly not be supplied
| with an apparatus, thus necessitating written
letter of the old-fashioned sort. In that case
the writer would use his phonograph simply as
| a debating machine, his clerk writing it out
| from the monograph at leisure, causing as
| many words to be uttered at time as his
memory was capable of retaining until he had
written them down. This clerk need not be a
| stcnographer, nor need he have been present
when the letter was dictated, DC.
no a1u arf2 of s1co an INN
| the present slow, tedious, and costly methods
| are too numerous, and too readily suggest them.
| selves, to warrant their enumeration, while
there are no disadvantages which will not dis
appear coincident with the general introduction
Of the new method.
Dictation.-All kinds and manner of dicta.
ton which will permit of the application Of
the mouth of the speaker to the mouthpiece OF
the monograph, may be as readily effected by
the photograph as in the case of letters. Il
| the matter is for the printer. he would much
prefer, in setting it up in type, to use his ears
1t would be even worth while to compel wit
nesses in court to speak directly into the pho
nograph, in order to thus obtain an unimpeach
able record of their testimony.
| The increased delicacy Of the photograph
| which is in the near future, will enlarge this
| field rapidly. It may then include all the say
| ings of not only the witness, but the judge anc
the counsel. 1t will then, also, comprehend
! the utterances of public speakers.
Books.-Books may be read by the charitably
inclined professional reader, or by such reader!
especially employed for that purpose, and thu
record Of such book used in the asylums o.
the blind hospitals, the sick chamber, or ever
with great profit and amusement by the lady
or gentleman whose eyes and hands may b.
otherwise Employed; or, again, because of tht
greater enjoyment to be had from book whe1
read by an elocutionist than when read by tn.
low Hno or11r, oh no
peating this book from fifty to a hundred time
as it will, would command price that would
pay the original reader we'll for the slightly in
creased difficulty in reading it aloud in tn,
phonograph.
Educational Purposes.-As an elocutionar,
teacher, or as primary teacher for children, i
will certainly be invaluable. By it Difficult
passages may be correctly rendered for tn
pupil but once, after which he has only to ap
ply to his photograph for instructions. TIL
child may learn to SPELL commit to memory
lesson set for it, &c.
be devoted to music. A song sung the pho
nograph is reproduced with marvellous accurac,
and power. Thus friend may in a mornin,
call sing us song which shall delight an eve
ming company, &c. As musical teacher i
will be used to enable one to master new air
the child to form its first songs, or to sing hin
to sleep.
Family Record-For the purpose of preserv
ing the sayings, the voices, and the last word
of the dying member Of the family-as o
great men-the photograph will unquestion
ably outrank the photograph. In the field o
multiplication of original matrices, and tn
indefinite repetition of one and the same thing
the successful electrotyping of the origina
record is an essential. As this is problem cas-.
of solution, it properly ranks among the probs
bilities. 1t comprehends vast field. Til
principal application of the phonograph in thi
direction is in the production of
Photographic Books-A book of 100000 word
upon single metal plate ten inches squar
thus becomes strong probability. The ad