The 1888 Crystal Palace recordings

The invention of the phonograph

The twelfth of August 1877 is often given as the date of Edison's invention. Although this may represent the day that Edison first sketched the instrument, the development actually took a few months and Edison did not file for a patent until December 24, 1877. Moreover, the diary of one of Edison's aides, Charles Batchelor, seems to confirm that the construction of the first phonograph was not begun until December 4, and finished two days later. This may refer to the first working model.

Edison's 9th September letter to Preece is convincing evidence that Edison was already successfully working on the development of the phonograph in early September 1877, but had not got it to a stage where it could be a described as "finished".

Edison later described his invention himself:

"I was experimenting on an automatic method of recording telegraph messages on a disk of paper laid on a revolving platen, exactly the same as the disk talking-machine of to-day. The platen had a spiral groove on its surface, like the disk. Over this was placed a circular disk of paper; an electromagnet with the embossing point connected to an arm travelled over the disk; and any signals given through the magnets were embossed on the disk of paper. If this disk was removed from the machine and put on a similar machine provided with a contact point, the embossed record would cause the signals to be repeated into another wire. The ordinary speed of telegraphic signals is thirty-five to forty words a minute; but with this machine several hundred words were possible.

"From my experiments on the telephone I knew of the power of a diaphragm to take up sound vibrations, as I had made a little toy which, when you recited loudly in the funnel, would work a pawl connected to the diaphragm; and this engaging a ratchet- wheel served to give continuous rotation to a pulley. This pulley was connected by a cord to a little paper toy representing a man sawing wood. Hence, if one shouted: 'Mary had a little lamb,' etc., the paper man would start sawing wood. I reached the conclusion that if I could record the movements of the diaphragm properly, I could cause such record to reproduce the original movements imparted to the diaphragm by the voice, and thus succeed in recording and reproducing the human voice.

On 19th September Edison wrote again:

I will ship you Sept 26th speaking telephones for two stations. I do not know what the effect of the voyage will be upon them but I guess they will be OK. I will try and send you four more stations by 10th of Oct. W[estern] U[nion] are having a pile made, but I cannot get any of them and am compelled to make them myself.

Preece was getting impatient to try Edison's telephone and wrote to him on 28th September, crossing with Edison's letter of 19th. He tried to make amends for Edison's poor treatment in England four years before:

I was disappointed on the arrival of Gerritt Smith and Hamilton to find that they had not brought with them a sampling of your talking telephone.

We are very anxious indeed in England to see what you have done, particularly with the transmitting portion, and I shall be extremely obliged if as soon as you are in a position to do so, you will send me at least the transmitting portion, if not the whole.

Bell has done nothing as yet in England. The instrument does not surmount the difficulty of cross fire which with us is very severe indeed in out town work...

Smith and Hamilton have started the quad between London and Liverpool and it has gone off first rate. Smith is very confident of ultimate success, but he has not yet seen what an English wet day is. We have given him a good wire and he certainly has received a very much better reception and has had more facilities given him than you when you were over here. In point of fact you were unfortunate enough to tumble into the wrong hands.

By 3rd October Preece had received Edison's letter of 19th September, and replied:

I am very glad indeed to learn from you that you have sent me your speaking telephone. I shall watch for it with great anxiety. Bell has not been very successful at present and I am much inclined to think that if yours does all you say it does it will be a useful thing...I should very much like a pair for lecturing and especially if you can make them so that the audience can hear what takes place. I am engaged to give several lectures during the ensuing winter and I want to get together all I can.

The telephones appear to have arrived in England eventually.

On 25th November Edison dropped more hints about the phonograph (which at least one source says was publicly announced on 21st before and demonstrated on 29th):

I wish you were here now. I could show a great many new things stumbled on in the last 3 months

On 24th December 1877 Preece wrote Edison a short note, which speaks for itself:

I have only time to say that I lecture before the Royal Institution on Feb[ruar]y 1st. Whatever you have to send me pray send by then.

I will make a great sensation over the talking phonograph and should like to bring it specially before the Royal Society. I will see you put straight about the Quadruplex when my turn comes.

By 21st January 1878 the phonograph was certainly known, as this letter from Bliss of the Electric Pen and Duplicating Press of Chicago demonstrates:

I am sorry the Painter crowd has cleaned me out on the Phonograph. That is what a man gets when he does not stay and attend to business. I want it understood that they could not have done this if you had given me a Phonograph to work with. It is such an incredulous thing that people won't believe it except on sight.

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