How Does the Phonograph Work?

How does this ingenious device work? The simple way to explain it would be that sound waves enter through a funnel. The vibrations from the sound waves cause a pin to vibrate. As the pin oscillates up and down, it leaves groves in a wax coated wheel that spins anywhere from thirty-three to seventy-eight revolutions per minute. When playback of the sound is wanted, the wheel just needs to rotate so that another, similar, needle can follow the indentions left from the previous recordings. This will cause the pin to vibrate in a similar matter as the sound waves caused it to do before. Again, the pin is attached to a funnel (amplifier) that projects the sound waves causing you to hear what was previously recorded.
When Thomas Edison wanted to come up with a way to record sounds for business purposes, he had no idea that his phonograph invention would still be used a century later. His remarkable apparatus seems simple by design, yet no one had invented it. One could easily look at it and say, “Why didn’t I think of that”? Today, phonographs are more known as the record player. Though it may be more advanced, dealing in terms of electronics than mechanics, this device is still very much the same. Loud speakers and digital computer chips rather than funnels and wax coated pinwheels, are the main differences in the phonograph of today.

Marcus Coates

References :
http://www.ieee-virtual-museum.org/exhibit/exhibit.php?taid=&id=159253&lid=1&seq=3&view=
"Phonograph." Microsoft® Student 2008 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2007.
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2008. © 1993-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

The Necessity of the Phonograph :

August 12, 1877 is the date given to the completion of Edison's model phonograph. It is believed, however, that Edison's did not complete the model until later in the year since he filed for a patent on December 24, 1877. The phonograph started gaining popularity the next year when Edison established the Edison Speaking Phonograph Company. The phonograph had many various uses. Of it's many uses, possibly the most important is it's use with the telegraph and telephone to record important conversations. The phonograph was used to record conversations between government officials, for example. Other uses of the phonograph include, but are not limited to, letter-writing and dictation, phonographic books for the visually disabled, personalized family recordings, music boxes, toys, and even clocks that announce the time.
The ability to record conversations and discussions was beneficial in that one could later review those conversations and discussions. If something was questioned, it was not simply one's word against another. The information could be reviewed to see if the statement in question was actually made. The other uses, directed towards entertainment, served as a foundation for the technilogical developments that followed.

Ryan Morris

References :


http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledison.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph

Phonograph in 21st century:
In the 21st century, Phonograph are best known as turntables, record player, or record changer. Even though, many technological advancements have been made since 18th century but the devices like Phonograph are still in use by a large number of people around the world. Now-a-days, People mostly use this device as a medium of music and recording sound. Audiophiles believes that the phonograph produes a more natural sound effects than any other digital device. The concept of compact disc's structure has been derived from the phonograph. Phonograph is still a productive, popular, and entertaining device. There are many other devices and components which are based on the same concepts and techniques as Phonograph. The invention of Phonograph is assisting the modern day engineers and inventors to improve the technology in a number of ways.

Muhammad Ali

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph