New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-10-01
The Principles OF the Electro. Motto.
graph.

In tha June Scribser, Mr.. Edwin NJ.
Fox describes the origin and develop
ment OF the electromagnetic, Mr..
Edison's most important invention, to-
gether with some applications of the
principle hitherto unannounced. It
must not be forgotten that this inven-
ton, which now transmits the human
voice at distance with perfect clear
ness and accuracy, is not only an appli.
cation of well-known laws Of acoustics
but involves the discovery by Mr..
Edison of an entirely unknown proper
ty of electricity, viz, that of destroy
ing friction. Of the differences be-
tween it and the photograph. the
writer says:
The latest achievement of Mr.. Edison
Is the electro Although it
is yet in its infancy, the scope of its
utility has already become far more ex-
tensive than that of any of Mr.. Edison's
previous inventions. Probably its most
striking feature il its paradOxical
power of making the human hand talk;
for the hand revolves little cylinder,
and the instrument speaks as it is bid.
den, and when the hand stops turning,
-
superficial glance, this principle would
seem to be the same as that of tho
photograph; but in point of fact there
is no essential similarity between the
two inventions; they are used for en-
tirely different purposes. and are gov
erned by separate and distinct laws.
The photograph records and preserves
the waves of sound; the electro-moto-
graph-or, as it is called when used in
connection with acoustics, the " chemi-
cal ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS nothing. In
the photograph, the main principle is
the indentation of tin. toll on cylinder,
by small needle attached to . dia-
phragm, which is set in motion by the
waves of sound. In the chemical tele-
phone there is likewise cylinder and
q diaphragm, but with these its resem-
blance to the photograph ceases. On
the cylinder of the chemical telephone
rests metal arm attached to dia-
phragm, and the passage of electric
waves through such cylinder causes the
vibration of the diaphragm, as will be
more fully explained farther on. The
scientific principle involved in the cleo
tro-motograph discovery is diametrical-
~ opposite to the main principle in
electro-magnetism, and yet it performs
In most cases exactly the same funo-
tons as electro magnetism.
In oil cOntrivances hitherto USED Tor
producing a mechanical movement at
long distance, the agency employed
has been electro-magnetism. Take for
illustration the ordinary Morse tele-
graph. This, as every scho0l-boy
knows, consists in the rough of q piece
of soft iron around which is coiled
continuous fine wire, through which
wire is passed, SO to speak, current
of electricity. This current magnetizes
the piece of soft iron, which thereupon
Is enabled to attract q second piece Of
iron or armature. Here, then, we have
q mechanical movement, produced by
energy transmitted from distance.
By means of the discovery of the prin-
ciples of the lectro-motograph, Mr..
Edison has made it possible to produce
mechanical movements at distance
without the employment Of electro.
magnetism. In other words, had the
inventor Of the telegraph never lived,
and had electro-magnetism never been
discovered, we might to-day ACCOM-
plish the same results BY means Of tho
| electro-motOgraph.