--Organization. Ideally, the project would directly related
to phonograph storage battery work, and would provide opportunity to
demonstrate linkages between the library, chemistry laboratory, drafting room,
pattern shop, machine shops, and other Edison facilities and off-site. (See Appendix for discussion machinists’ tool
cabinets and their contents.
Eight machinists’ tool cabinets are visible the bench the south side the
shop figures 105 and 103, taken 1914.640 The number machinists peaked during
World War there were 1919. Photographs "Mr.
840 Employee Records, Edison Laboratory Time Sheets, Boxes 90-94 (1913-1914). Visitors
would see how laboratory notebooks were translated into drawings, drawings into
patterns and patterns into prototypes, then how prototypes were modified and
refined before tooling could built turn out production models.
843 Photograph Album 42, catalog 541.642 Machine shop employees also appear group photos a
commemorative album, given Edison for his 70th birthday, 1917, but they
look little too cleaned-up.)
It difficult find workers* clothing and other personal effects the 1914
photographs the main shop. Two more can seen the north
bench figure 106, and there may more out sight behind the camera. Most
of the boxes are set blocks, their drawers can opened without running
into work the bench. work shirt hangs the
cabinet the background figure 109, along with 1914 calendar girl pin-up. Payroll records not indicate whether individual machinists
were working the heavy shop, precision shop, elsewhere the laboratory
complex.641 Their numbers then fell precipitously
during the 1920s.
641 "Functions Present Laboratory Organization," September 24, 1919, 1919, Thomas Edison,
Inc.
842 See Photograph Album 10, catalog 5209, leaf 81. ‘Posing’ for Motion Picture"
and "Shaking Hands" are particularly good.
Photos the second floor, from the same series, show vacuum bottle the
bench (figure 121) and the spectral image man dirty smock (figure 124). figure 101, jacket hangs from post.643
For some time, Edison NHS staff have wanted identify historically
appropriate project that would serve make Edison’s research and development
techniques more tangible for visitors. The
corner apron shows the edge figure 103.
The working garb machinists and other laboratory employees show more clearly
in 1911 series photos taken the occasion Edison’s return from
Europe.machinists each month 1914.
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