The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-07-01
The KinetOgraph.

The name given to Thomas A. Edi-
sons latest invention, the kinetograph,
describes briefly the purpose and
achievement of that remarkable mechan-
ism. This purpose, it should be said,
entifc men call " kinetic force that
is, the force of moving body. The aim
is simply to produce perfect and true
visual image of men, animals, or other
objects as they appear when in actual
motion. For some time before the
new invention was announced, Mr..
Edison thought of calling it, and in
fact frequently did call it, the kineto-
scope, which would mean a vision of
movement" or" movement-sight," but
he has finally christened it the kineto-
graph, name compounded from two
Greek words, meaning movement and
writing. The sense, therefore, in
which the kinetograph is to be under
stood is that of movement record"
1t performs the same service in record
ing and then reproducing motion which
the photograph performs in recording
and reproducing sound. There, in a
nutshell, is the whole object and ac-
complishment of the kinetograph. But,
as any one may see, moving forms can
not be registered and retained, and
then brought before our eyes again, by
means precisely similar to those used
for sounds. The photograph does its
work by engraving upon wax the al
most invisible lines caused by vibra-
tions of the voice or by noise or music,
and from these lines the same vibra-
tions may again be set going and heard
again. But the function of kinetograph
is to set down and permanently record
exact images of men walking, trees
waving in the wind, birds flying, ma
chinery in active operation-in fine, to
secure pictures of any or everything
that is going Il. e., in motion), and
then to show us complete representa-
ton of those objects nth their move
ment, just the same as though we were
looking at the reality. In order to
reach this result it must, of course,
make photographer number of photo
graphs, which, when seen in rapid sue
cession, impress themselves upon the
eye in such blending that we get from
them a single clear image of the NOV
ing man or brute, bird or machine.
The kinetograph, then, is new appli-
cation of the art of photography united
to peculiar ingenious mechanism, and
with new system of combining many
separate photographs in one total effect,
which reproduces with absolute fidelity
and naturalness the Increment as well as
the form of the original object. In one
respect here we find a precise resem-
blance to the photograph. The two
inventions are meant to be used to-
gether as well as separately. By a
monograph cylinder attached to a
kinetograph cylinder, and moving
spontaneously with it, we may revive
and enjoy all at once the sound, the
sight, and the movement of any particu-
lar occurrence or performance. This,
which can be done with the microscopic
kinetograph, is practicable with the
present magnifying kinetograph repro.
Queer. The original and unique birth
of one brain, they are linked as closely
as the Siamese Eng and Chang, not by
a band of flesh, but by bar of steel,
viz, the shaft that rotates the phono-
graph cylinder, and is also connected
with the strip and shutter mechanism
of the kinetograph, enclosed in box.
Underneath the stand is an electric
battery, and single electric motor ami
mates and rules them both. The
photograph is fitted with its funnel for
sending out sound, and the kinetograph
is armed with its magnifying lenses for
throwing forth large moving shapes
upon a screen beyond. - Harper'S
Weekly.