The phonoscope (Nov 1896-Dec 1899)

8 THE PHONOSCOPE May, 1897 H IRew TEalMng flfcacbtne The latest and simplest talking machine is the Lyrophone, as illustrated below. Although similar in construction to another low-priced machine, it is far superior to it and shows the possibility of building a practical machine for little money. The principal feature of the Lyrophone is the very clever combination of the diaphragm and horn which makes a practical but simple reproducing medium, dispensing with the usual horn, stand, rubber connection, etc. The tone from this machine, although pbotoorapbtno Sounb Dr. J. Mount Bleyer, a New York scientist, has succeeded in doing what no other man before him has ever accomplished. He has discovered a method of photographing the human voice, music, or indeed, any sound whatever. Herewith are shown the first pictures he has made. Although they are crude, they will be found to be of great interest, for they indicate what a wide field lies before those who are attempting to gain "photographic records of noise." Dr. Bleyer's first photographs were snap shots and represented only an infinitely small vibration. The biograph, however, has enabled him to picture the sound in all its varieties from the time it was uttered until it died away. He set the biograph up in his laboratory and succeeded in making the pictures on a continuous film, just as photographs are taken for the kinetoscope. Since the original instantaneous pictures were concluded the doctor has made a further improvement in the manner of producing the figures from which tlie photographs are made. In the first instance he used a light powder, which danced and spread about on the surface of a piece of rubber tightly drawn over the big end of a cone or funnel. The improvement consists in substituting a colored liquid for the powder. The entire method is simple. A tin cone is supported in an upright position by being thrust through an aperture in the leaf of a table near its edge. The large end of the cone or horn is now uppermost. A piece of rubber or skin is drawn over the mouth of the cone like a drumhead. Alongside the cone and somewhat above it is mounted a mirror, inclined at an angle so that it will reflect to the eye of one standing opposite, it whatever may appear upon the surface of the tightened rubber. not equal to the high-priced machines in point of quality and volume, is remarkably clear and far superior to any low-priced machine ever put on the market. We are pleased to say that this machine is manufactured under authority of the American Graphophone Company, and the customary lawT suits for infringments, etc., will consequently be dispensed with. The machine will retail for about ten dollars. The biograph, which takes from 75 to 100 pictures a second, is placed opposite the mirror, the lens pointing at the spot on the glass where will be reflected anything on the surface of the rubber. A tiny drop of the liquid from the point of a needle is placed in the center of the rubber drum-head. A tone or tones, or a song, is sung into the small end of the cone or a bar of music is played on any instrument, always, of course, near the small end of the cone. The effect is to cause the tightened drum-head to vibrate, and in response to the vibrations the colored liquid dances up and down and spreads out and away from the center, forming the most intricate and beautiful geometrical figures. These figures are shown in the mirror and are reflected to the lens of the biograph and photographed upon the film that is passing along at lightning speed. Every movement of the liquid is copied, and when the pictures have been developed the hundreds of varied movements made by the liquid in response to the vibrations appear in odd and complex pictures. The same effect is produced when powder is used instead of liquid. \ — ICbat llMtascope patent The _\V<v York Mercury has received the following from H. P. Goodwin, relative to an article published in the issue of May 3d, concerning the relations of the Columbia Phonograph Company to the phantoscope and vitascope patents: "Some interest in regard to the condition of the Vitascope and Phantoscope patents has been excited by the publication in The Mercury of the 3d inst., that Messrs. Rati and Gammon, who control the Vitascope Company, might, under the terms of a 'broad patent,' which is about to be issused, secure a monoply of the invention. The growing field for the use of the Vitascope and kindred photographing projecting machines, would make such a monopoly of great value. C Francis Jenkins claims to be the sole inventor of the Vitascope or Phantoscope. He made an exclusive contract with the the Columbia Phonograph Company, whereby he assigned to that company everything he had done or might do. At the time of this assignment it appears that there was in the Post Office an application for a 'broad patent' which was filed in the name of Jenkins and Armat. "The Columbia Phonograph Company entered upon the legal fight with a view of determining that Jenkins was the sole inventor. It is likely now that the company will allow the patent to issue to Armat and Jenkins without further opposition. In that case, when the patent is issued to Armat and Jenkins, the Columbia Phonograph Company will be the owners of Jenkins' share and entitled to operate freely in the field. Thus the monopoly, which it was said Messrs. Raff and Gammon or Armat would enjoy, will have to be shared with the Columbia Phonograph Company. "The Columbia Phonograph Company, though claiming that it has a good right to the exclusive control of the invention under the arrangement made with Mr. Jenkins, is now, in view of complications attending the first application for a patent, and which might have resulted in hanging the case up in the Patent Office indefinately, inclined to no longer contest the right of Mr. Armat, from whom Messrs. Raff and Gammon derive their interest, to a share in the patent right. M. Lafont, director of Lumiere's Cinematographe, is also interested in the question of the exclusive right of the Vitascope company to operate animated photographic machines. Speaking of the article of May 3d, he says: "I would be grateful to the editor of this article if the answer the Vitascope Company, in the name of Lumiere & Son's Cinematographs, that this machine is the first invented and the only perfect apparatus for photographing life motion, and has been thus acknowledged all over the world. The Vitascope, Biograph, Phantoscope, and all the other "graphs" and "scopes" of which the Vitascope Company speaks, are but imitations of more or less merit. The Cinematographe has been on sale since April 1st, and it dawns upon us that the Vitascope Company, hearing of the numerous sales last month, think to cool the ardor of possible buyers by stating that they will soon control all patents, and be able to throw out of the country the first animated-photographic machine." E. C. Stearns and Company, the Bicycle Manufacturers, are negotiating with the makers of the cinematographe for the reproduction of the much talked about race between the Stearns Sextuplet and the Empire State Express. It is said that the railroad people are willing to offer every possible opportunity for a test of speed in front of the huge camera, and if satisfactory arrangements can be made, it is quite likely there will be at least a brush between the fastest train in the world and the greatest multi-cycle. It would certainly make an interesting picture. ^ A new experiment was tried in New York last month. It is a system of printing the colors on the biograph films by machinery. Heretofore the thousands of pictures had been colored by hand. The experiment was tried on the pictures of the Empire State Express, and the coloring proved more even than that done by the former method. A bid of fi.Soo has been made by the Edison Phonograph Company, of Indianapolis for the Ohio Phonograph Company, of this city.