The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-21

twain. but not before 1t had emitted light OF sew
era gas jets. Eagerly the inventor FASTENED to ex
anime under the microscope this curious hlamen'
apparently 80 delicate. but in reality much more
infusible than platinum. so long considered one OF
the most infusble Of metals. The microscope
showed the surface of the ilament be highly pol
ished and its parts interviewer with each other.
THE PAPER LIGHT.
1t was also noticed that the flament had obtained
remarkable degree OF hardness compared with it's
fragile character before subjected TO the
ton OF the current. Night aud day. with scarcely
rest enough to hearty meal catch brief re-
pose. the inventor kept up his experiments. and
from carbonizing pieces OF thread he went to
splinters OF wood. straw paper and many other sub
stances never before used for that purpose The
suits Of his experiments showed that the substance
best adapted for carbonization and the giving out OF
incandescent light. was paper preferably thick ike
card board but giving good results even when very
thin. The beautiful character OF the illumination
and the steadness. reliability and non-fusibility Of
the carbon ament not the only elements incl
dent to the new discovery that brought JOY to the
heart of Edison. There was further element-not
the less necessary because of it's being hidden-the
element OF proper and uniform resistance to the
passage Of the electric current.
The inventors efforts to obtain this element had
been by the laborous OF any in the history
of his work from the time he undertook the task,
and without il absolute to electric incandes-
cent illumination could not be predicated. even
though all the other necessary properties were pres
emit IN the fullest degree.
Passing over the scores of experiments made since
tho discovery that the carbon framework Of little
piece OF paper thread the best substance pos
sible for Incandescent Lighting come to consider
the way in which the same is prepared at the pres
ent time in the laboratory
MAKING THE PAPER CARBON.
With suitable punch there is cut from piece Of
bristol" cardboard strip of tho same in the form
OF miniature horseshoe. ABOUT two inches in length
and one ghth OF an inch in width. A number Of
these strips laid 1atwise in wrought iron
mould about the size of the hand and separated from
each other by tissue paper The mould Is then covered
and placed in oven where it is gradually raised
to a temperature Of about six hundred degrees Fab
renheit. This allows the volatile portions of the
paper to pass away. The mould is then placed in
furnace and heated almost to white heat and then
removed and allowed to cool gradually. On open
ing the mould the charrcd remains Of the little horse
shoe cardboard found. 1t must be taken out
with the greatest care, else II will fall to pieces
After being removed from the mould it Is placed in
little globe and attached to the wires leading to
the generating machine. The globe is then con-
nected with air pump. and the latter Is at once
set to work extracting the air. After the air has
been extracted tho globe Is scaled and the lamp is
ready for use. Figure shows the lamp complete-
PERFECTED LAMP-HIGURE Z.