Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-13
THE WIZARD OF LLEWELLYH PARK
COMPLETES HIS PHOsOGRAPH
a Marvellous Exhibition Speech and Music
Engraved by Sound, Preserved, and
Artionlated Again.
EIlsnn,s snelklnc nhonncranh IS at !

Jdls0n's speaking phOnograph is at last
perfected and ready for public use.
The Wizard Of LIcwcllyn Park said TO a
Heraid reporter yesterday that the pboDo-
graph had given him more trouble than any
other OF his numerous Inventions. Since II
was first exhibited in this country and in
London, eleven years ago, Is has been reyO-
lutiouized, and the machine Of O.day IL en-
tircly unlike the tin foil recording ph0no-
graph OF 1857, except 30 far a. the principal
on which II records sounds Is concerned
\ Herud reporter made special visit TO
Mr.. Edison's laboratory at ilewellyn Park
yesterday afternoon. On entering the cN-
pcrimcntll room be heard cOrnet playing,
without horns or musicians In sight. II was
EdisOu's wonderful DhOnOgrapD throwing
ont music like a brass band. Hall an hour
previously horns bad been played near the
instrument. Not a note had been lost.
" The music would come out Just a. good
iiiiv years hence a. now" said the Wizard
to the aSiOni,hed visitors who were gather
ed abound The strange machine. Then
some musicians were called IN, and
they played WaltzcS Sonatas, and military
marches. A big funnel, SIX feet lone, coaXcd
in the music ana focused it against the tiny
drum Of the phonogrlph which, IN turn.
yibrited under each sound wave aud punched
little needle against wax cylinder rtyoly-
ing by elcctric-tatiorv power az the rate OF
100 revolutions a minute.
EVERY SOUND FAITHFULLY RECORDED.
All the music was faithfully recorded, and
in few minutes the photograph was re-.
pcating those wild and stormy notes ~ well
as The softer coolng passages to delighted
hum1n cars. In the centre OF the room
stood A concert grand piano.
" 1t was made by the manufacturers for
little Josef llOimann,' said Mn. Edison. By
request this instrument was also played, and
its music reproduced again and again nearly
IS il was clme from the fingers OF the mln
on the piano stool.
Mr.. Edison said that having perfected the
phonocranh for The human voice he was
now trying to make il capable ~ repro
ducing music exactly "a IL Is written and
PLAYED. lie had found great difficulty IN
determining the proper speed Tor the ma-
chine and the proper length and focus OF
the receiving cone, which, like an ear-trum-
pet, conducts sound 10 irS little end attached |
to the monographs drum.
Experiments showed tnlt music played in |
a low octave was transformed into piccolO by |
the phouOgraph when run at a high speed, |
while the high notes become rich bass with |
slower speed Of the photograph roller. II |
the speed Of the roller and the size. length, |
and pitch 81 the receiving cone Doe just right /
the music Will be- transmitted and repro |
duced exactly As played. y good illus |
tratlOn was given when one Of the /
experts said that mans image |
was exactly reproduced without dis !
tortion IN two mirrors II they were placed |
10 the proper angles. The slightest Geyla- |
H.. lao Lg "a
mans reflection appear too tall, too short. or |
out of proportion, rs IN concave or convex |
mirrors. The laws governing sound, waves, |
ard light were somewhat similar The |
Wizard said he expected to have his must |
cal monographs ready for use in few |
weeks.
TIE TALRING.MACHGNE TESTED.
The speaking phonograph was tested in
various ways. II was a success. The wax /
.ylinders. on which the sound impressions |
are registered, are hollow. four inches long |
md about two inches I'm dnmeter-the shell |
being from sixteenth 10 an eighth Of an
nch thick. They closely resemble four
inches Of a large church wax candle bored
Put and turned smooth. The photograph,
With is wax cylinder revolving, looks like a
BOYS turning lathe, the cutting chiael being
he pin fastened 10 the little drum Of the re-
,eiying tube and which records on the wax
roller the sound waves. They are mere
lots. 50 tine that one can scarcely distinguish
hem without 4 glass.
one thousand words are taken on one OF
hese cylinders and no eye can distinguish
hem. The screw that propels It has one
hundred threads 10 the inch, and the 0rdi-
lary speed j. seventy revolutions a minute.
4 ten minutes talk or dictation ills the roll.
4 typeWriter-man can copy u thousand
lines and then put II away IN boXtO repeat
n the tones Of the original human voice that
irst uttered the sentences. Mr.. Edison said
Re would soon be turning ont the talking
machines al the rate OF two hundred a day.
To test the probability OF the machine
xtractS were read 10 It by the reporter and
dictation given IL. Every word was
aiken and then copied Of on a typewriter by
ir. Edison's secretary. lie said that all
heir correspondence was dictated to the
,ax.rolls and copied and preserved. They
we're cheap. Each would contain 10000
words before worn out. 4 little knife pares
q the surface OF the roll when filled il the
asst dietation Is not to be preserved, other
wise new roll must be used.
Mr. Edison said the machine would do
way with much Of the labor Of stenOgra-
ny for dlctaiions and private correspond
nee. For taking public speeches the big
lusIc funnel must be used rs wncn record
NJ music from an orchestra.