Part Of: Notebook Series -- Notebooks by Edison

[NA242-F] N-13-12-08.2 (1913-1914)

This notebook was used during the period December 1913-May 1914. The entries, which are by Edison and Sherwood T. (Sam) Moore, pertain primarily to the molding, transfer, and printing processes involved in disc record manufacture and to the construction of record blanks. The entries at the beginning of the book describe experimental transfers and indicate the effect of polishing the molds used to print the records. Additional entries relate to the surface qualities and treatment of the master records onto which recordings were made, forming the base for subsequent molds. Another group of notes describes experiments with bumps or "tits" on record blanks to determine if and how the surface might become smooth when heated. The entries in the remainder of the book describe a sequence of experiments, numbered from 12 through 369, which involved pressing powder in blank molds with a pure rubber plunger "to get even pressure all over" during the formation of record blanks. The goals were to smooth off the surplus stock (using various scrapers) after the rubber pressure without disturbing the pressed powder and to prevent the powder from sticking to the rubber. The entries for experiments 12 through 44 are by Edison. Among the results noted are the thickness of the blanks, transfers, and prints, as well as the quality of the transfers and prints. The results of the remaining experiments, recorded by Moore, appear in tabular form. The notes indicate that Harry R. Grimes also assisted Edison. Inserted into the book is a note to employee F. C. Pullin regarding an old dynamo belonging to Edison. In addition, there are seven pages of typewritten comments, which were prepared by former employee William A. Hayes during the late 1940s or early 1950s for Vice Admiral Harold G. Bowen, executive director of the Thomas A. Edison Foundation, and Norman R. Speiden and Harold S. Anderson, curators of the Edison laboratory. The front cover is labeled "8 December 1913," "Mr Moore," and "Experiment on Blank." The book contains 135 numbered pages.

Courtesy of Thomas Edison National Historical Park.

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