This machine would have been made the laboratory staff from plans drawn
up experimenters—probably Edison, Sam Moore, and Fred Ott—and copied from
existing distilling machines and heated mixers. The first was condensing distilling machine used make the phenol
resins used make the disc blanks.346 The use brick building material, where
cheap pine panelling was used everywhere else the laboratory, significant,
perhaps prompted risk fire from experiments undertaken this room.
At the bottom the container was valve draw off the hot liquid and a
manhole cover attached large bolts was the top. vacuum pump was placed nearby.346
There are photographs the interior the brick room and evidence about
its use.
. publicity was
given this project this machine.
These were used store chemicals and were arranged under system that
grouped similar types chemicals together.
Two large machines were brought into the laboratory part the disc record
project.through door the brick room. was gone 1906.
102
348 See figure 26. The various elements the
mixture were pumped and then condensed under pressure and high heat. 1910 and 1911 Edison negotiated with Baekeland license his
patents while simultaneously attempting circumvent these patents and set up
his own production operation. The container was
sheathed steam jacket heat the mixture and steam pipes were attached. Photographs show two experimental tables and
one table fitted with drawers within the room (figures and 19). Secrecy was therefore essential. was pressure container which a
vacuum could created.
This created the thick resin, called condensite, which when cooled, could made
into blanks.
The large cabinet with glass doors which was placed front the partition was
moved into the balance room where now stands. Baekeland
was the lead developing these early plastics and had strong patent
position. The balance room contained
microscopes evaluate crystals developed experiments recording media and
to examine the surface disc and cylinder masters. There are three more
photographs this area Photograph Album 7. The condensite project was
carried out great secrecy, for just few miles away from West Orange, Leo
Baekeland was carrying out experiments with the same phenol resins. Six cabinets the east side the
chemistry laboratory held chemicals, and three the west side held glassware.
A series wall cabinets are visible photographs taken during this period. The mixtures concocted Aylsworth
345 NPS, 'HSR, Physics Laboratory, Building 1,” see also figure 18
