The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-05-17
EDISON'S NEW PHONOGRAPH.
The Invention Ten Years Ago Perfected 1
Recording and Reproducing.

The Invention Ten Years Ago Perfected In
Recording and Reproducing.
NLw York, May 16.-At the Electric
Club rooms Saturday night Edison gave
an exhibition OF his new and improved
form of phonograph. In place OF
the cumbersome machine OF ten years
ago was neat little instrument smaller
than typewriter, but suggesting a COM
promise between that familiar apparatus
and the ordinary telegraph sounder,
key and electro-lnagnet. The sugges-
ton OF the typewriter is due to n hor-
izontal cylinder about five inches long
by one and half in diameter, covered
with white wax. Partly covering this
is little arrangement OF polished brass
resembling somewhat pair OF eye
glasses, with broad flat frames. In place
Of the glasses, however, are two din-
phragms, one OF which is the recorder
and the other the reproducer Of speech.
To the left OF the cylinder is a small
square box containing the small electric
motor, which is one OF the chief i'm
provements lately added by Mr.. Edison.
Two or three little keys are convenient
ly placed to start or stop the phonograph
or TO make it repeat from any desired
point.
This is what it looks like. Now for
its practical operation. A little key is
shifted ON tOpO the box containing the
motor, and with perfectly steady, uni
form motion the cylinder begins to
revolve. The operator then, in an ordi-
nary tone OF voice, speaks into the re-
cOrder eye OF the brass spectacle or eye
glass. As he talks the diaphragm
vfbrates and tiny metal point affixed
to its under side begins to mark lines
Of varying depth and regularity
on the wax cylinder. When his
say is finished the operator turns a
key, which lifts the recorder out Of the
way and brings the Teproducer into its
place; the cylinder is shifted back to its
starting point, the motor set running
and the delicate little membrane, which
has, like the recorder, tiny point
affixed 70 it, begins to give back in low
but clear and distinct tones the very
words which have been spoken few
moments before. The effect is startling,
for every peculiarly Of speech, every
rising or falling infection, every pause,
even any temporary huskiness Of tone
is given back with marvellous fidelity.
OF the ten instruments exhibited nine
were, for convenience sake, limited to
reproducing. Conversations, passages
OF piano music, solos on a cornet, reci.
tation by a well known humorist had
been recorded on, various cylinders, and
over and over again the little instrument
ground them out, to the wonderment OF
the listeners. The remaining phono,
graph was arranged for recording aS
well as reproducing, and the Wis.
itors amused themselves by talk
ing into it and then hearing
their own words ground out again. An
ingenious attachment was exhibited in
connection with this. A sharp, thin
blade is attached to the recorder and
IS the cylinder revolves shaves of an in
describably thin layer OF wax containing
the previous impression so that clean
smooth surface is left for subsequent
conversations. This enables the cylindel
10 be used over and over again, u matte
Of convenience chiefly, for the cost o
the new cylinder is the merest tritle ant
| is less indeed than that Of the paper oil
which corresponding number Of word
could be written.