New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-01
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
EDIsONs NEW TELEPHONE.
fHE INVENTORS LATEST MACHINE EXHIBITED AT
MEMO PARK.

In response to an invitation from Mr.. Edison,
TRIBUNE reporter went to Menlo Park, New-Jersey,
yesterday afternoon, TO the eectro-chemical
telephone. At the laboratory, Mr.. Edison's chief
assistant, Edward H. Johnson, was found sur
rounded by q large number of lately finished
telephones of an unusual form, evidently
preparing them for q journey. THESE are
The first we have finished" he explained,
"and l start with these fifty for Lon
don tomorrow, where l shall establish tele-
phonic exchange similar to that now making
such progress in New-York. The fact is" he con-
tinued, 1.-the telephones at present in use are too
feeble for the peculiar electrical conditions of Eu
rope so that they are used very little across the
ocean except as toys. I expect to put this mouth
piece at work" he concluded picking up one of the
Queor iron boxes and exhibiting il.
Before showing what it would do he proceeded TO
explain how il came to be. The Bell patentpreceded
Edisons and soon after Edison improved the tele-
phones by substituting the carbon button transmit
ter. The machine, however, was still far from what
was required II could not he used advantageously
IN Europe And il involved lawsuits brought by
The Bell Telephone Company and defended by the
Western Union Company, which had bought Ed
sons patents In this strait, the English agent
teleCraphed to Edison: " You must make q new re
ceiver and dispense with the magnet" This was
cred indispensable in every telephone 20 convert
sound waves INTO electrical waves, and wee versa
But the inventor began experimenting lie t7e9
wood He tired various metals At last II occurred
10 HIM that ne might substitute chalk, molsteued
with certain chemicals. He tried 1t, and II produced
results which delighted bila.
After this explanation, Mr.. Johnson eXhi bted me
electro-ehemcal telephone as now finished; Inc
machine is about six inches square, and consists OF
spool of chalk mounted on a small SHAFT turned
by q crank. II here Is no magnet, and the current
passes directly through this spool OF chalk TO thlh
tongue of steel that rests on II, aud thence TO a
this metallic Diaphragm, hCh reproduCeS the voice
When the spool Is turned the voice Is heard. but
when the friction stops II is silent.
The peculiarly Of this telephone, as compared
with any other, is that it is not necessary
to put the receiver TO the ear. IN order
to hear its message; indeed, II Is fastened
turned the voice of the distant speaker is distinctly
heard all over a large room or a hall. HE room
used for the purpose az MEMO PARK was snali, Dut
the voice was strong and loud and the words OF the
speaker (whO stationed at the other end of the
grounds We're distinctly heard, even when the hs-
teneT walked 30 or 40 feet away IRON the receiver
The articulation was equally clear when the speaker
was recItng some familiar tIliie ike Mary had
little lamb which seems TO be 1aYOHte at
known book an English criticism on America
and Americans. Indeed, the experiment at Menlo
yesterday demonstrated that tins telephone Will de-
liver messages IN loud and distinct voice, so that
they can be heard by everybody over large ROOM
IT is said to operate perfectly at least for nifty miles,
Moreover, the peCullauueS Of the voice are Trans
mitted, so that friends readily recognize each
others voices.
In reply to a question rs to the special chemical
used as mOisteneT, Mr.. Johnson SAID it was causuc
soda, and that 1t coOperatcs with the cleo
trio current only after being Crystallized and polar
lied within the spool of chalk. 1t Is intended TO
simplify this receiver by furnishing 1t with clock
work to turn the spool, TINS TO be stopped ana
started by electricity at the will OF the speaker
The Western UniOn Telegraph Company has OBJ
tanned the right TO this telephone and VIII doubt
less substitute IL for that at present IN use.
After experimenting at some length with the
TELEPHONE and getting considerable fun out of II,
the visitors OF whom there were twenty or thirty
ladies and gentlemen, went to the brick machine
shop, back of the laboratory, aud were there re-
Ceived by Mr.. Edison himself. He stood by the
side of his new electric generator, with his coat
of, weighing horsepower on PAIR OF PLATFORM
scales by an ingenious gearing OF the belt that ran
from the adjacent steam engine. INN copper wires
extended from the foot of the generator TO half a
dozen standards or platinum lamps for the cleo
trlc light, ranged on a shelf.
GLOW does t come on - inquired one Of the party.
alt keeps coming" said Edison. In fact, II has
come. | have demonstrated, 10 myself and 10 my
pected 10 this matter. j have supplied SIX cleo
trio lights from one horsepower. These cost me
Just about one-thiTd much as three similar gas
burners viii cost gas manufacturers. L claim JhaC
this solves the question"
Mr. Edison then explained the generator to the
COMPANY, and said he had got it pretty near
right but there was good deal to be done yet IN
computing and establishing proportions so as 10
construct all parts of the complicated machinery so
correctly that the work need not be done over
again. In the meantime Mr.. johnson had been
sending of his telephones to the tram, and Will
start with them to-day upon the Wisconsin.