The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-22

|
appreciated by the and cannot De compared
measured with musical sounda One can there
lore, scarcely imagine the rapiuuy OF vibration that
viii be necessary 10 produce high musical note, the
sharp sound madc n whstling the ing OF
silver bell. Yet the strings, the air particles Of
the bell that emit such sounds pass through the
CURED number OF vibrations, which with the
duration Of the sound Therefore, when IL is desired
TO graphically record such a sound delicate mechan-
ism must DO employed, and. even with the utmost
skill hitherto directed to that end the results
been fully satisfactory The, attempt to record the
sound accurately ana to prove the accuracy OF the
record by correct reproduction OF the sound
by mechanism governed by the record has been
made, but until the invention OF the monograph by
Edison never been successful
WHAT PnoSoGRAPH2
The simple piece OF mechanism known az the
phonograph, invented by the now ceiebrated Amer
lean, Thomas A. Edison, Of Menlo Park n. j.,
must be regarded one Of the most aston shing
triumphs OF the human mind over matter LIN IL Can
be concentrated all the results scientific
The phenomena OF and vibration.
II is in that hears all that STRIKE
and q mouth hatrepeats these sounds IN the same
tone and with tho same accuracy theyswere
ccived but us yet not with equal volume IL Analyses
the sounds In the most delicate manner. marking
each individual vibration developed III its sensitive
diaphragm with dstinctness that is proved by the
perfect reproduction Of the sound itself In this
spect II Is perfect monograph or sound-wrer and
UNNECESSARILY beyond those devised previously by
Scott and others.
the greatest interest attaches Any apprccabe sound,
whether 1t 10 a noise merely or musical note, fhe
wheezy cough of an old man or the warb!tng OF
Patti, the loud barking OF dog the scream OF a
parrot, II once written by the photograph on its
pleasure as distinctly as IL was first emitted Ia
mechanism the photograph Is simplicity ITSELF II
zontai axis ed by two bearers and rcyolved
either by hand, clockwork or steam power. On tho
surface OF the cylinder which is about four inches in
diameter is cut screw thread exactly
IN pitch with that cut on the for the purpose OF
giving tho cylinder longitudinal motion. The grooves
between the threads the cylinder surface are in
tended to govern tho trace Of the needle or point
attached to the vibrator when passing oyer the
voving surface. The vibrator is small liar
Of wood. over the orihce oil which IL placed thin
plate OF tan type TO tine ceu,re of this plate at
tached fine steel or mineral point In the direction of
the cylinder, that is the back part tin type
plate when the latter ARRANGED the instrument
The whole vibrator is mounted a movable arm. by
means OF which II can be removed from applied to
the cylinder az will ana clamped In position.
Now the instrument has no other parts but tho
cylinder ana its axis and the vibrator arm
yet what wonderful results are obtained sheet of
smooth tnfoii is adjusted aroun nd the cylinder and
secured in position with little gum. The vibrator
with its adjustable m0uthpiece Is tnen moved 10 the
cylinder and clamped in position. with its pointer
bearing the wrapper OF tnioil such a degree
that II the cylinder is revolvcd, the point Will
the threads cut the cylinder surface. The APP
paratus being ready the operator either applies
power to the axle crank or turns It by hand regu-
larry possible At the same time he she speaks,
sings Whistles groans, coug sneezos laughs
the mouthpiece over the diaphragm until the cylinder
has passed TO the limit marked by the width OF the
tinfoil sheet. Tho vibrator then unchanged
and the point witndr.wn until the cylinder has been
revoved back to its original position. Then the point
OF diaphragm is again applied securely tho CYL
inder surface OF tinfoi on which has been puncured
uttered the mouthpiece paper funnel is now at
to the mouthpiece and the diaphragm for
is revoived as before. ana the phonograph repeats
In clear tone every word ana sound recorded
Issuing from the instrument the song "John
Browns body lies Wondering In the grave, &C.,
with the reinforced chorus notes OF ''Glory glory,
halle liujab, " &c, just they have been sung into.
the mouthpece. The utterance Of a formal platform
speech given with every change OF iniouation. The
emphases are marked ana the pauscs, inhexions &c,
perfectly regulated and reproduced II repeated
by the original speaker In word, every sound OF a
pitch that vibrations of tho tntypo diaphragm
and thereby the most minute impressions OF the
pointer attached to It on the tin foil wrapper Of tho
cylinder is reproduced NO matter how that sound may
DO In combination with others.
SOUND REPRODUcEp.
II cause can be reproduced ny Tho agency OF an
effect II Is dono tho photograph. To reproduce
the sounds that cause.-the vibra OF tho
aud the puncturing OF the tnol wrapper Of the Te-
voving cylinder 1t 10 ouly necessary make the
pointer over and into THESE and repro
ducc the vibrations in the diaphragm These latter,
acting the air. gvo to It the relative impulses
in the Same order and energy given IL by tho
organs OF speech or other causes OF the original
sound. Hence, the conditions OF atmospheric vibra-
tions alike In both cases the same effects must be
produced; ana If the sound OF the human voice causes
the diaphragm 10 vbrate and mark tho tinlol the
inverse action OF the tinfoi Oh the diaphr aam when
the cylinder Is revolvcd causes the reproduction
quently the sounds. Tho process Is so
entirely simple that even intelligent observers nnd
some difficulty In compromising It, Their minds 10
prepared to wrese with scientific ditlculy, and
they do perceive how entirely devoid ntricacy
OIL cause effect brought their
notice In the'phonosraDn. Everybody knows that II
. drum IL struck by drumstick peculiar sound Is
emitted due TO the vibrations OF the tightly stretched
shocpskin head. Those are At Understood TO be
the cause OF tns sound. Now suppose IL possible
TO write down these vibrations or rather that
they should write themselves with minute
ness and accuracy that could never DO accom-
pisned by ar. on surface OF SUCH u
character IS would enable them to DO as accurately
retraced by the instrument that writes them, and
that the said Instrument retraces them with
energy as that with when Il wrote Il follows that
re-
tracing OF their autographic Characters
tho sound which they In combination produce by
their effect the atmospherc Tns is exactly what
occurs the operation OF the phono graph Tue in
strumen Is really more than what ts name expresses
because IL not only autographicaliy records vbra-
lions due to sounds, but reproduces thom again. and
with them the sounds TO which they their origin.
MESLo pARK
To examine this curious Invention at Its birthplace.
the home OF MI Edison, representative OF tho
HERALD visited the workshops OF that gentleman ut
MEMO Park. N. j., comparatively now settlement
tho fcnns yivana Railroad, between Runway and New
Brunswick Faiiins 10 meet tho dstlng u shed ibven-
tor himself tho writer fortunately found his
tatve and principal assistant Mr.. Bachelor charge
oil the shops, aud indebted to that gentle
elaborate exhaustive series oil cxperme In
Ing tue merits OF t Tho the
instrument given above needs repetition furthor
detail consists only Of tho parts referred to and
has no co necton whatever with electrical agencies
In It's operation. The effects produced from the
simplest mech uism SO simple indeed AZ 10 create
tho utmost ,shment that apparatus OF tho
KIND should be embodied a discovery which equal
IN importance 10 the greatest yet made In the field
OF scientific research The same relation That photog
raphy bears TO The reproduction Of images, that
bears locomotion and power that electricity bears to
chemistry IN the decomposition aud analysis OF
tor, anu TO tho annihIlation OF distance and
the rapidly and accuracy Of tho
phonograph bears to the phenomenon oil sound. Tho
telephone transmits SOUND by the aid OF the electric
current, the pGonograph writes ~ In pdeble char
hcers preserves ~, as were FOR ali future time aud
reprodaces often may be desired and In as
my places ~ the same time there JIc amties
Of The original sound writing.
Among tho experiments made to test the
capacity OF the DhcnogrAph for producing multarious
sounds, such as one might hear at public meeting
where the principal speaker being interrupted
cries and jecrs. catcang and hootug ey his audience
the crying OF babss, the shrieks OF frightened women
ana cries OF ''nre.n We can easily inns gine what an
utter confusion of sound such mediey would make
and how dncult even practised ate nve listener
Ia pubic nail or theatre would have In distinguish.
ing the consecutive utcrances OF the speaker
ing TIE point OF witty or other interruptona Yet
judging nom the test made by Mr.. Bachelor the con-
iuson OF sound can DO accurately reproduced by the
phonograph without Involving the interruption Of
sequence vi any particular series Of sounds. For the
experiment be first spoke into tho mouthpicco as o.