The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

“On This Day in the History of Recorded Sound…”

June 27, 1885: Chichester Bell & Charles Sumner Tainter filed for a U.S. patent for “Recording and Reproducing Speech & Other Sounds.” This would become one of the industry’s fundamental patents (No.341,214), specifying engraving sound rather than indenting it.

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A lucky judgment day for Bell and Tainter. Did a judge decide or a jury? In either case it was an error, don't you think? But if Edison was Google and Bell/Tainter was Facebook, at least it gave us one more player.

The Patent Examiner would have made the determination. I don't think there's any question as to the value of engraving rather than indenting.

George P.

I think the difference is in forming the groove by cutting and removal of material from the surface (engraving) or only straining it under pressure so to displace the material and leave a permanent mark, forming the groove, without actually removing any material (indenting)... Isn't it?

Inigo wrote: Thu Jun 27, 2024 6:28 pm I think the difference is in forming the groove by cutting and removal of material from the surface (engraving) or only straining it under pressure so to displace the material and leave a permanent mark, forming the groove, without actually removing any material (indenting)... Isn't it?

There are other claims in the patent, but the distinction between engraving and indenting had a massive impact on the early sound recording industry.

George P.