Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-05-10

Since the general characteristics Of the pho
nograph have become known to the public
great deal of faucifu ingenuity has been cx-
crcised in efforts to forecast for it marvel
GUS future Indeed, the imaginative and the
inventive have entered so much even into de-
scriptons Of the instrument and accounts of
its experimental working, that some matter
of-fact people hive been disposed to question
its actual existence, and to regard II us n
myth concocted by cuterprising reporters.
But there can no longer be any doubt that
such machine as the phonogaph has been
invented and it is so far developed and per-
fected that its application to practical pur-
poses can be discussed with some degree of
accuracy. The inventor himself, in paper
contributed to the North American Review,
has given in a very plain and straightforward
way an account of the results already attained,
and has indicated the practical uses of the in
strument which he regards as fully assured.
The accomplished facts are these A yibrat-
ing plate or disk is capable Of receiving a
complex motion (which shall correctly repre-
sent the peculiar property Of each and all the
multifarious vocal and other sound waves" I"
This is already practically applied in the tele-
phone. Such complex motion may be trans
mitted from the vibrating plate by means of
u single embossing point attached thereto, so
as to produce by indentation on plastic sur
face record having Il corresponding variety
and complexity of form; and the same EN-
bossing point on being passed over the record
again will follow it with such fidelity as to re-
transmit to the disk the same variety of move
ment and reproduce the vocal or other sound
waves without loss of any property essential
TO producing on the ear the same sensation as
if they came directly from the original source.
The record once produced can be removed
from the apparatus on which it was made and
placed upon another without mutilation or
loss of effective power to vibrate second
plate. In making the change from one in
strument to another the record may be trans
ported any distance. 1t may be made suffi-
cently durable to undergo from 80 to 100
repettions. 1t may be duplicated and rem
dered permanent by an electrotype process.
| This much is set down by Mr.. Edison as dem
onstrnted
Now as to the practical application of these
| facts toward which the ingenuity of the in
ventor is at present directed. The essential
parts of the standard phonograph are TO be a
| fiat disk with n spiral groove on its face, OPP
Grated by clock-work attached to the under
surface, the mouth piece, into which the
sounds are to be spoken or otherwise con-
veyed, and the vibrating plate with its EN-
| bossng point. The record is to be received
on sheet of foil about ten inches square and
capable of receiving 4O, 600 words. Into this
| letter or communication of any length may
be dictated, the sheet may be transmitted any
| distance and placed on another machine, and
the communication may then be reproduced
perfectly even to the tones and infections OF
| the sender 1t may then be filed away fol
| future reference. Confidential or busines,
letters may be thus dictated without the inter
! vention of an amanuensis or the trouble OF
writing. Two copies may be made at once
and one retained by the sender and duplicatei
may be produced at will. Matter may also b,
dictated to be put in print and the type-settei
may hear the words distinctly uttered instead
of having to struggle with bad copy" Book
may be read into the phonograph by traineC
elocutionist, copies may be multiplied anC
the effect of the reading may be enjoyed il
the sick chamber or the drawing-room, Will
the hands and eyes of the hearers are EN-
ployed at something else. The machine ma,
also be used as an auxiliary in the school
room, in training children to read properl.
without the personal attention of the teacher
in teaching them to spell correctly, and il
conveying any lesson to be acquired by stud
and memory. In short, school may almos
be conducted by machinery. The instrumen
may also be used TO preserve the sayings ant
speeches, the voices, and even the las
words" Of friends or distinguished persons
phonogmph, but volume of 10000 word
may be preserved on a sheet ten inche
square, and libraries collected and ,njoye,
without the effort usually required in reading
Songs aud music may be kept ION tap" as
were, dolls and ether toys may be made +
talk and to laugh and to cry, clocks may no
only tell the hour, but wake us in the morning
summon us to dinner, and send us to bed
As final triumph for his invention, Mr.. Ed
son expects to be able to combine it with tn
telephone, 50 that the sound waves may b
transmitted over long distances and recorde
Ly the phunograph with all the useful result
which that fact would imply.
Amazing as these things seem, they pro
ceed from no flights of the fancy, but are pre-
sale results of the application of processes al
ready successfully working They are Sc
down as certainties, only waiting for realiz0
tion until the necessary apparatus and appl
ances can be perfected The far-reachint
effects upon commercial and social econom
may for the present be left to the imagina
ton, but unless they are realized, and tina
quite speedily, the ingenious Mr.. Edison wi
evidently be much disappointed.
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