. The
business phonograph had failed become staple every
American office, Edison had hoped 1886. His plan
to perfect the instrument and then move into mass production in
the space year was wildly unrealistic. The failure of
perfecting the phonograph forced the West Orange laboratory
into more profitable fields.
The development commercial phonograph technology had
been expensive and time consuming task and had not
achieved the success that Edison had forecast 1887. "The amount work get phono out has
been stupendous" Edison wrote May 1889 and was
reflected the enormous number phonograph patents he
obtained: 1888, 1889, and 1890. Edison wanted his laboratory to
innovate with speed and flexibilty and had done so, but the
sheer number problems developing the phonograph had
swamped its resources. The enormous
cost R&D had not produced commercial product and had
ruined Edison's plans industrialize the Orange Valley. Even today, 12
months equip new factory and start production would be
considered incredibly fast.IV-23
method making duplicates
