The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Edison string-core cylinder.

I have seen these unusual (early) cylinders and can vouch that the interior contained a lot of helical thread. As a way of "truing" the bore/core, it does seem like a lot of time and work and hence few were made. I vaguely recall seeing one in an individual square cardboard cylinder box (built for just one example).

A long ago article on unusual cylinder interiors (in APM, Vol VII, No. 1, p. 5) cited some text from the First Phonograph Convention (May 1890) and depended on the original transcription which mistakenly used the word, "red." I presume this was the typist's own error for the (slightly mis-heard) word, "thread."

Mystery solved.

Allen

In October of 2019 I bought a bunch of Edison brown wax blanks. Most all of them had this thread core. I posted pictures of the on the forum. Here is a picture of one.

Rich Gordon

Thanks for re-posting this image of your cylinder's interior. I don't know if I would (technically) call this a "threaded" cylinder, more like "mesh." It doesn't look as if it was being used for purposes of "truing" but perhaps more for strength.

The "threaded" cylinders have the actual (helically-wrapped) thread making contact with the mandrel (not the ribs per se). Sometimes, the continuously-coiled thread would lose a little cohesion and a vagrant "loop" would detach itself from the rest of the sleeve.

However, iirc, the little wax cylinders on the Edison Talking Doll (1890) did use "mesh" inside (presumably for strength and adhesion).

Allen

The middle left cylinder is an example of an 1889 string-core cylinder. Note that there are no helical wax ribs - only the string wrapped very closely upon itself. Click image twice to enlarge.

George P.

rgordon939 wrote: Tue Feb 08, 2022 4:13 pm In October of 2019 I bought a bunch of Edison brown wax blanks. Most all of them had this thread core. I posted pictures of the on the forum. Here is a picture of one.

Rich Gordon

This type of cloth liner was used in the shatter resistant ( safety ) Ediphone dictation blanks I think from the mid 1920s onwards, so this may be a factory shortened blank or a later trimmed 6 inch blank