The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-13
NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.
Edison Produces Tones with
FIuted, Flexible Brass Tube.


FIuted, Flexible Brass Tube.
From the Philadelphia Press.
New York. -Edison has been occupied
for many months with problem created
by the commercial use of compressed air
1t seems to have been quite as difficult of
solution as was the problem he undertook
So 90 solve as to make commercially prof
liable the use Of the electric current for
lighting purposes Although compressed
air has come into such general use for
power purposes that the capitalization OF
various corporations employing IT amounts
to many millions, yet its development
would II lie known, be much Increased
were 1t possible to use reheated compress-
cd air. That would give 30 great econo-
mics in the cost of production and in the
ere OF the power certainly 10 increase
the commercial demand for this energy.
None of the scientists or inventors have
yet discovered exactly how compressed
air can be reheated, at least in a prac-
ticable way, and some Of the greater cap
itafists who ore manufacturing compress
ed cdr apparatus of various kinds appealed
10 Edison, I'm the hope that he could dis
cover some process or construct some
apparatus that would make It feasible
thus to employ reheated compressed air.
Edison got so far to assert that II ne
was able to obtain flexible tube and one
that would resist high pressure, per-
heps as great a pressure as thousand
pounds to the square inch, then, he would
be able 90 do what the capitalists are so
anxious to have done.
He lacked one of those little things ap-
parently little the lack of which has
made so many inventions Of no CONNER
cial value. II Is a little thing that has
made the electric storage battery really
nj IaIx
OF street cars. And yet II is no little
thing 70 construct a flexible metallic tube
capable of responding without damage to
itself to every twist or turn that the use
of machinery involves, and yet capable OF
resisting a very high pressure Gutta
percha tubes. which some genius discov-
cred could DO strengthened by winding a
wire around them, are all right where a
low pressure Is sufficient, but are use
less where very high pressures are re-
Qutred
So important is the production of a
perfect flexible tube capable Of Withstand
ing high pressure that In Great Britain
many thousands have been expended in
an attempt to perfect an apparatus Of
that kind, and IL is only within the past
year that 1t has been done. But II entail
cd the invention OF machinery specially
adapted to that work and most in
genious conversion OF thin metal sheets
III hcllA III butIi HiAnfltT as 10 procure
both flrmness and elasticity. The Eng
fish inventors were somewhat proof OF
the fact that they were able to do what
American inventors have tried long TO do
but have been unable 10 accomplish.
Flexible Tube Discovered.
Just as Edison's attention was called
to this ingenious apparatus a man walk
ed In upon him one day, perhaps a month
ago, and laid before him what seemed 10
be a rod. perhaps two feet in length,
whose circumference was in spiral con.
voiutions suggesting an elongated screw.
When Edison took hold OF Il he discov-
cred that while It had rigldity II was
also flexible. IT was in fact flexible
tube constructed out OF an ordinary brass
tube which by the employment Of ma
chinery Invented In Germany was con-
verted into this screwlike or futed tube.
This huting Of the tube gave 10 ID al
most the hexblty Of rubber without i'm
pairing its strength. The ingenuity dis
covered in II consisted frst in the discov-
cry by German inventor that the fiut-
ing Of brass tube subjected 1t to certa n
changes which while not impaIring
strength gave to It remarkable fiexibillty