The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-05-01

~ All the writer Inventions, none uSs
.,wmspded such profound and earnest
l,,a,rion throughout the civliizei world
r. the phonugraph. This ia,t he At
,.ibr,e. largely 10 that pecul larl y OF the
'.rar,,pn which brings its possibilities
..,,b;, range of the speculative imagine
ION. O. sli thinking people, rs wei! a. to
.bs almost universal applicability OF the
.arrdstion principle, namely, the gNta.
.,;r, M and retaining Of sounds htner.
:. f7gli,ye and their reproduction at
From the very abundance Of cOniec-
.r-.I and prophetic opinions which have
beao disseminated by the press, tne public
!. liable to become confused, and less ac-
crrs,ely informed as to the Immediate
,s.plt and effects of the phonogrsph than
,,,1sIoyenuon had been one confined TO
rsr,sin specific applications, and there
t,-sof less interest 10 the masses. The
a-.-.- has no fault 10 find with th con-
anon nj the discussion of the merits and
.,..ibjli,ies OF his invention; for, indeed,
me possibilities are so illmitsble and the
probabilities so numerous that he
i,,pob subject to the iufIence If fsmlI-
H., c5ntsc.-is himself In u somewhat
c-s tic condition of mind rs TO where 10
t-eg the dividing line. In poIut ci fact,
.rao line cannot VITA salty be defined
IN ordinary inventions st 50 early stage
,ftbeir development. In the case o. an
invention ,f the nature and scope of the
pborogrspr, It Is practically impossible
10 indicate It today, tor tomorrow a
t-8s msv eyteId 1t almost indefinitely.
There are, however, certain stages IN
the developing process which have thus
far been sctua ly reached; certain others
which are clearly within reach, AID
others which, though they are In the
lrlt Of to-Cuy classed rs possibilities,
nav tomorrow become probable, and a
little latter actLa a achievements
II the reproduction of sound is to be
msie audible q an audience, conslders-
bic force Is requisite IN tle or glnaI Ut
te-,.cy; II for the individual ear, only
me ordinary conversational tone (eyen II
whisper has been reproduced In both
,sses the original ulterauces are delivered
directly in the mouthplece OF the in
..-umenI. An sudib.e reproduction
nav. uOwever. DO had by speaking at
tle instrument from n distance Of from
two 70 three + et iu loud tone. The az
p.cs.IUn OF h darIr Z tube or funnel TO
collect the sound waves and the con
s.r4cuOu of M especially delcst3 dia
phrsgm aud embossIng point, &c, are the
simple means which suggest themselves
10 effect this. The writer has not as yet
given this stage Of the development much
s.tsution, but sees no practical difficulty
10 Gathering up and retaining a sectional
psr. Of the sound waves dfused about
ne original source, within radius OF,
sav. three feet sufficiently removed not
10 be annoying D speaker or singer.
The stage OF development reached by
the several essential features of the pho
n5,rsph demonstrates the following as
fatts acr0mDLiS:
/ The captivity of All manner of
:o1nd-wsves, heretofore designated a.
fugitive" and their permanent reten-
ton.
.. Their reproduction with all their
original characteristics NJ will, without
the presence or consent of the original
source, and after the lapse of any period
Of line.
3. The Transmission of such captive
sound; through the ordinary channels
Of tcgmmercisl intercourse and trade in
uaerj.l trn, tor purposes OF communi.
cs..on ora u.erchsntabie goods.
4 I0t,uule multiplication and pres
ervs,ou ot such sounds, without regard
= the ex..tnr ce or nou-exis;ence OF the
original source.
5 The c,I tvalion Of sounds, with or
wGtou. the knowledge or consent Of the
solIc, of their origin.
TIE probable application OF these pre-
pe.tes OF the photograph and the vari-
o-s branches of commercial and scientific
industry presently indicated will require
the exercise Of more or less mechanical
Ingenuity CDucedirg that the ap.
pars,is practically perfected III 50 ar
as ,.o faithful, reproduction Ct 'ound Is
concerned, many of the following apph-
ysagDs will be made the moment the
Lev form Of apparatus, which ne writer
}. now about completing, is finished.
Iaese, then, might be classcd as sCtusli-
Hesi but they so closely trench upon
u.-er applications which viii immediate
'' follow that it = imFoss Die II separate
!-em, hence they are AL enumerated
l.-sr the head OF probabilities,
aud each specially considered.
Among the more important may
De mentioned: Letter-wr,!ri . and other
io'ms OF ajc,aLjon books, education, read
o. music family record, and such cleo
.y.yps applications IS books, musical
boxes, toys, clocks, advertising and sig
1aal- apparatus, speeches, &c, &c
Le,,s--vrltirg The apparatus now
ysf- perfected in mechanical details,
W." be the standard phone graph, and
-.AF De used for al purposes, except
'',a t' require special form of matriX,
'--a as toys, clocks, etc, for 40 Indefinite
repetition OF the same thing. The main
A".y OF the phon2grsph, however, be-
1- Tor The purpose OF letter writing and
"-4r forms Of dict4,ion, the design Is
-'le with view TO its utility for that
purpose
lie general principles Of obstruction
n1.a LIST Plate or disk, with spiral groove
VI he .Scn operated by clock work uD-
-g'les;n the pls,e; the g-ooves are cut
,s'y Closely together, So as TO give
s.7a. iotsl length to each inch of suT-
s-ac.ose calculation gives rs the ca
f'-'y OF each sheet # ioil upon which
.rs record Is hand, IN the ighborhood
'o'.y thousand words. The sheets be-
Ia "a o-! Ten inches square, the cost is so
".-fs thst but one hundred words
,-sa' be put upon single sheet econom-
'po..! Still, ]! is prohlemstical whether
's's number Of grooves per inch might
~ oe the better plant certainly
'-'4 ior le'tars-but 1T is desirable 10
80. ave out one class of machines through
tue world; and as very extended
,sg.. '1hlcatons, if pu! upon one
&C. &C., could be transported more
nr,,....soaical.y than upon two, it is in
,.au. lha. each sheet be given
S.ea' capacity as possible. The writer
s-,a.o y no. Yet decided this point, but will
~ Ps,'Ment with s view of ascertainIng
r.. oe'' mean capacity.
NJ 1Ils I practical application + this form
PLOlOgrAph for COMMUNICATIONS ia