This Day in History: 19 February 2020
19 February 1878
142 years ago, today, Thomas Edison patented the phonograph, and was awarded US Patent No. 200,521. This invention made the modern music business possible, when it came into existence in a New Jersey laboratory, as it was the first device to both record and play back sound. The phonograph came as a spin-off from Edison's ongoing work in telephony and telegraphy. He was attempting to make it possible to repeat a single telegraph message, using a Morse code method, and so he applied this to the telephone, thus devising a system that transferred sound vibrations. The invention was worked on all through the autumn of 1877, along with his mechanic, JohnKreusi, and they quickly had a model ready for demonstration.
The patent that was awarded to Edison on this day specified the precise method of embossing, which involved capturing sound on tinfoil covered cylinders. The next improvement in recording technology came from Edison's rival in the race to develop the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, who had created a phonograph based on wax cylinders. This was a significant improvement and led directly to the successful commercialisation of recorded music in the 1890s.
Want to read more about the history of the cylinder phonograph? Clickhere for more information.
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