The Portland daily press., 1894-07-10
EDlsoN's KALEIDOSCOPE.
An Invention that Reproduces Action as
well as Sound.


just what the kinetograph and the
kaleidoscope really will accomplish is
known to few people, because of a lack
OF any authentic and authorized descrip-
tion of the Instruments. This will be
supplied by an interesting article written
for the Century by Antonio and WIKI.
Dickson, the latter Mr.. Edison's labora-
tory assistant and the expert who took
the magic pictures reproduced by the
kaleidoscope. Tie article is accompanied
by illustrations showing the kineto-
graphic theater and laboratory at
Orange Nj, and the minute photo
graphs taken in series on long strip
and recording all the phases of some
completed action.
: Mr.. Edison himself writes brief IN
PRODUCTION: "In the year 1887 the idea
occurred to me that it was possible to
devise an instrument which should do
for the eye what the photograph does
for the ear, and that by combination
of the two all motion and sound could
be recorded and reproduced simultane-
ously. This idea, the germ of W bich
came from the little toy called the
zoetrope, and the work of uybridge,
Marie and others, has been now accom-
plished, so that every change of facial
expression can be recorded and repro
duced life size. The kaleidoscope is only
small model illustrating the present
stage of progress but with each succeed
ing month new possibilities are brought
into view. I believe that in coming
years by my own work and that of Dick
son, Muybridge, Marie and others who
will doubtless enter the field, grand
opera can be given at the Metropolitan
Opera house at New York without any
material change from he original, and
with artists and musicians long since
deadnH
The synchronous attachment of photo
graphy with the monograph was early
Contemplated by Mr.. Edison, in order
to record and give back the impressions
to the eye as well as to the ear say the
Dicksons IN their article. The COM
prehensive term for this invention is the
kineto-phonograph. The dual "taking
machine" is the phono-kinetograph and
the reproducing machine the phono-
kaleidoscope, in con tradistinction to the
photograph and the kaleidoscope, which
relate Respectively to the taking and re-
production of movable but. soundless
objects.
The initial experiments took the form
of microscopic pin-point photographs.
placed on a cylindrical shell, cores
ponding in size to the ordinary phono-
graph cyl nder. These two cylinders were
then placed ride by side on shaft and
the sound record was taken as near as
possible spontaneously with the photo
ORG NH 10 i,1oo Ua iplnraGCQd an the r va
surface of the she'll
The Photographic portion of the work
presented many difficulties. and the writ
ters describe at length the efforts that
were made to get film sufficiently
sensitive to take the impression in the
brief tin:e possible for exposure, and that
would give such detail as to bear en-
largement. This was finally accom-
plished, however, and shutter was in
ven ted which gave an exposure of 1-2720
part of second. The next, step, and
one which sorely tried the patience and
ingenuity of the investors, was to con-
meet the camera and the phonograph so
that tine action and the accompanying
sound should both be recorded exactly
simultaneously. The pictures were taken
in specially devised theater, which is
described.
The actors, when more than one in
number, are kept as close together as
possible, anu oApoSeu elbuCr 10 Guo glare
of the sun, to the binding light of four
parabolic magnesium lamps, or to the
glare of twenty arc lamps, provided
with highly actinic carbons, supplied
with powerful rehectors equal to about
$4,000 candle power. This radiance is
concentrated upon the performers while
the kinetograph and photograph are hard
at work storing up records and impress
ions for future reproduction.
A popular and inexpensive adaptation
of microscopic methods is in the form of
the we'll known nickel-in-the-slot, a
machine consisting of a cabinet contain
ing an electrical motor and batteries for
operating the mechanism which acts as
the impelling power to the film. The
film is in the shape of an endless band
fifty feet in length, which is passed
through the field Of magnifying glass
perpendicularly placed. The photo
graphic impressions pass before the eye
at the rate of forty-six per second,
through the medium of rotating,
slotted disk, the slot exposing a picture
at each resolution. and separating the
fractional gradations of pose. Projected
against the screen or viewed through
magnifying glass, the pictures are emf
nently lifeliKe, for the reason that the