Omaha daily bee., 1888-09-02

Frenchman, namely. Charles Cros. to
first conceive the idea of utilizing the
Scott phonautOgraph, or Scott phonau-
Geographic record for the reproduction
of speed. Ia a paper read by Mr.. Ber-
liner on May Is, 1888, before the Frank
lin institute in Philadelphia, he pub
lished the full account of Mr.. CrOs' in
genious conception.
According to Mr.. Berliner's state
ment, which can be verified by refer
ring to Vol. So of the Complies Rendus
of 1887, page 1852, Mr.. eros, in April
Of that year, laid down the correct prin-
ciples underlying the gramophone,
namely, to engrave the Scott phouauto-
graphic record into solid material and
use this engraving for reproducing the
sound which made the record. 1t does
not detract from MIR. Berliner's credit
that he independently and without pre-
vious knowledge of Mr.. Cros' prior con-
ception resurrected this idea ten years
later. and at n time when Mr.. eros had
not only long since abandoned expert
ments in this line but even when Mr..
CroS' paper was almost unknown to the
scientific world.
The first performance by the gramo-
phone last year was affected with u disc
in which the phonautographic record
had been engraved by the p%hoto-en-
craving process, but since that time
Mr.. B%erliner had adopted a much simp-
Ter plan to arrive at the same results,
namely, by a method of etching the
record into metal.
Mr.. Berliner took a small disc of zinc,
poured upon it a quickly evaporating
fluid which left an exceedingly thin
layer Of spongy and fatty wax, traced
into this layer a phonautographlc rec
ord and etched the same with acid. In
less than fifteen minutes, on examining
the zinc plate through u magnifying
glass, we observed the beautiful trac-
ings OF articulate speech as a line
sunken below the surface OF the metal
with all its decicate ave in most pc
culiar varieties as representing the va
sounds of the human voice,
In practice, a disc Of zinc about twelve
inches in diameter is clamped down
upon a table which revolves by clock
work at a velocity of about fifty revolu-
tions n minute. The recorder with its
diaphragm and stylus is moved across
the disc from periphery to center by a
very slow movement, and rs a result
there is obtained a spiral, showing the
tracings of the voice, which affects the
recording diaphragm as the disc is re-
volving. This plate is then plunged
into a solution OF chronic acid and left
in there for about fifteen minutes, when
it is taken out, washed off, and cleaned.
1t is then ready for reproduction. When
found satisfactory it may be multiplied
either by the electr6pIating process, or
by inversing the record upon celluloid,
plaster of Paris, sealing wax, type
metal, or any other substance capable of
being nodded with1ease. The copies
thus obtained from the original plate
reproduce the voice with the same tidel-
ity as the original record.
Notwithstanding the simplicity of the
etching process, that of the reproducing
apparatus is still greater. There is no
gear or machinery of any kind except
a smalLfriction wheel which revolves
the table having clamped down upon it
the reproducing disc. The reproducing
stylus connected to the diaphragm is
permitted to rest by its own gravity in
the reproducing groove of the record
and when the plate is made to revolye
1t not only vibrates the diaphragm and
~reproduces h sound, but it also leads
the diaphragm box across the disc
from periphery to center, so that the
record groove serves at the same time
as a screw instead OF a separate gear.
The recording diaphragm and stylus
are attached TO a lever which is pivoted
at a distance OF about eighteen inches
from h center line Of the disc, and as