Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-10-18
The h no Graph,

recording and repro lucing articulate
speech. 1t Is the result OF many " ars
of experiment and study. Ma y at
tempts were made to reproduce speech,
but the Edison photograph was the
'irst machine 10 echo ones words. Edi-
sons first phOnograph was exhibited in
1878. 1t was little more than q scien-
tidc toy, being too unreliable for prac-
tical use. 1t has since, however, been
improved until now it is practical in
Strument. 1t is about the size of a
sewing machine, and its construction is
just as simple. Unlike the telephone
the photograph is not dependent upon
electricity or magnetism. While the
Edison monograph is operated by an
electric motor, any other motor would
answer equally as well. Thus the
graphophone, a modified form of the
phonograph. is operated by foot power.
lis essential parts are wax cylinder
for receiving impressions and a metal
lie diaphragm for rCc )rding them. The
cylinder is a hollow tube of wax, about
four inches in circumference and one
half inch thick. 1t is mounted on u
small iron rod which is turned by q
small electric motor. 1t can be remov-
ed when necessary and replaced DY an
other. Above the cylinder is support
ed the diaphragm. a delicate piece Of
metal, SO poised as to vibrate to any
sound Secured to its under surface
is Il fine needle which rests on the sur
face of the wax. The arm which sup
ports the diaphragm carries knife
which cuts OFF any old record that may
b. OH the wax and prepares new sur
face for the needle. The support of
the diaphragm is threaded and engages
long screw, so that when the machine
is set in motion the diaphragm and
needle move lengthwiSe the cylinder
When the monograph is set in motion
and spoken to. the diaphragm is thrown
into vibration, which causes the neeLle
to make indentatiOns in the wax cylip-
der. These indentations correspond to
the movements of the diaphragm. The
record is now made in the cylinder III
the form Of long spiral groove. If il
is desired to hear the photograph re-
peat what has been said to it, it is stop
ped, the diaphragm is lifted from the
cylinder, and, 10y simple arrangement
is returned to the place from which il
started; the machine being set in mo-
ton again. the needle follows the in
dentations in the wax and causes the
diaphragm to vibrate the same as be.
fore, thus giving off the sounds it re-
corded. If any part of the reproduced
words are not understood, they may bC
repeated as often as necessary. The
phoncgraph will record and eprOduce
not only spoken words. but music
noise and all other sounds. 1t will re
produce, not only the speakers words
but tone and mCdulationS. The uses Il
which it may be put are many. 1t car
be used for taking testimony in court
for teaching language, for correspon
dence, for military or ,ers, for reading
to the sick, and various other uses. b!
n simple process. similar to electrotyp
ing. the wax cylinders or phonograms
as they are called, may be multiplied
many thousand times. Authors. in
stead Of writing books, may speal
them to Il photograph. and, by having
many copies of the phonogram made
can sell them as readily as books. Thus
any person who OWNS monograph
whether able to read or not, may learr
the contents of any book by buying Z
phonogram of it. IT is, therefore, O
great use IN teaching the blind. Tn,
wax cylinders are made of different
lengths, and are so thick that they may
be used many times. AS these cylinder!
or phonograms are very light, they may
be mailed as readily as letters. So i
you wish to send message to frien(
you can speak it to the monograph
mail the phonogram, and. by putting i
III similar photograph your frienC
can hear the words you have spoken
Business men, instead OF debating
their letters to stenographer, cal
speak them to monograph and thei
copyist can write them from its dicta
ton. The songs of famous singers ma.
be preserved for future generations
Young ladies can hear how they scream
ed when they were babies. a very in
teresting and popular use of the phono
graph will be the distribution of ser
mons and speeches of great men, musi
OF famous orchestras and stories o
humorous men, so that the owner Of
monograph can have these things at
very small cost. The things above
mentioned are not only what the phon
ograph WILL do, but what is is doIni
to-day. Extensive preparations are be
ing made for its manufacture, and it il
1 4 Al