The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-07
DRAWINGS SENT BY WIRE.

Edison's Autographs Telegraph Will
Reproduce Sketches | 900 Miles.
Thomas y. Edisons new autographs
telegraph on which, in conjunction with
Patrick Kcuney. he has been for many
months at work, will revolutionizc the
whole system of newspaper illustration
from distant points.
BY tie aid of the autographs telc graph
it will be easy for the artist to transmit
by wire any kind of sketch with the
certainty that it will he reproduced ut
the other end of the line
There is nothing absolutely new in
this idea !" said Mr.. Edison yesterday to
Il World reporter at is simply de
vclopmcnt of the old Cassclla system, in
which the transmission was made along
Il sort of pendulum. ] had thought out
and perfected the machine some years ago.
when the telephone came along and stop
ped me. y business man desiring to give
a practical description of II design in dry
goods prints or in forms could make his
meanings readily clearer over the tcle.
phone.
lit afterwards occurred to me that the
perfection of this little instrument might
benefit my friends in the newspaper pro-
ltSSlOu, ftIltl III 10 lOi uiltli bItJ HtNe
designed it, | want to say that no news.
paper has or will have IL monopoly in the
use of the auto telegraph. I shall reserve
the patent and sell the machine to any
newspaper that comes to buy it.
The process is simple enough. The
artist makes his sketch in the usual man
ner 1t doesn't matter what it may be
Directly the drawing is finished he wraps
it around the little cylinder atop of the
machine. He presses IL button and ut the
same instant while the machine rcvolves
the man in The World room, say II thous-
and miles away, is reproducing that
sketch
He isn't necessary, as the cylinder re
moves II tiny steel needle ligncr, touches
it and in that moment establishes the
electrical connection at the other end
where another needle or finger lust rs
you choose, is touching another finger.
when the needle has travelled over all
| the lines of the original sketch You would
see on the receiving paper ut the other
end Il series of lines occupying positions
corresponding with those in the original
sketch. After each revolution the needle
| drops Il trifle and when the lines come
! around again the dots are IL little lower
| And when the needles have gone from the
top to the bottom of the cylinder you
| thus have reproduction of the drawing.
| You can say now that the instrument
is ready for use. You could handle it al
once with absolute certainty. Before
attempt to put it on the market I shall
try so to reduce it to a portable size sc
that the artist sent to Chicago or st. Loui:
may put it in his pocket, damp it down
on any sort of Il telegraph table and trans
init the drawing with just rs much east
and as little ceremony as he would ust
in telegraphing 200-word story.
'ln less than four months from thi:
time the instrument in its portable form
will he ready for the market.
"Oh. said Mr.. Edison, ..rumplng hi
hair with the characteristic gesture
which has become famous, II don't eX
pect to achieve any marvellous thing will
this little instrument, l don't say invcn
ton. The model belongs to Casella.
have only tried to get something to hell
the work of the newspaper boys don
look for II large sale or an extended mar
ket. Only the big dailies here and il