Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 12.djvu/739

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R. THOMAS A. EDISON has recently invented an instrument which is undoubtedly the acoustic marvel of the century. It is called the "Speaking Phonograph," or, adopting the Indian idiom, one may aptly call it "The Sound-Writer who talks." Much curiosity has been expressed as to the workings of this instrument, so I purpose giving an account of it.

All talking-machines may be reduced to two types. That of Prof. Faber, of Vienna, is the most perfect example of one type; that of Mr. Edison is the only example of the other.

Faber worked at the source of articulate sounds, and built up an artificial organ of speech, whose parts, as nearly as possible, perform the same functions as corresponding organs in our vocal apparatus. A vibrating ivory reed, of variable pitch, forms its vocal chords. There is an oral cavity, whose size and shape can be rapidly changed by depressing the keys on a key-board. A rubber tongue and lips make the consonants; a little windmill, turning in its throat, rolls the letter R, and a tube is attached to its nose when it speaks French. This is the anatomy of this really wonderful piece of mechanism.

Faber attacked the problem on its physiological side. Quite differently works Mr. Edison: he attacks the problem, not at the source of origin of the vibrations which make articulate speech, but, considering these vibrations as already made, it matters not how, he makes these vibrations impress themselves on a sheet of metallic foil, and then reproduces from these impressions the sonorous vibrations which made them.

Faber solved the problem by reproducing the mechanical causes of the vibrations making voice and speech; Edison solved it by obtaining the mechanical effects of these vibrations. Faber reproduced the movements of our vocal organs; Edison reproduced the motions which the drum-skin of the ear has when this organ is acted on by the vibrations caused by the movements of the vocal organs.

Figs. 1 and 2 will render intelligible the construction of Mr. Edison's machine. A cylinder, F, turns on an axle which passes through the two standards, A and B. On one end of this axle is the crank, D; on the other the fly-wheel, E. The portion of this axle to the right of the cylinder has a screw-thread cut on it, which, working in a nut, A, causes the cylinder to move laterally when the crank is