Oberlin Smith

Oberlin Smith

Oberlin Smith (b. March 22, 1840, Cincinnati, Ohio - July 19, 1926) was an American engineer who published one of the earliest works dealing with magnetic recording in 1888. In an article that appeared in the British magazine - Electrical World, he suggested (probably for the first time) the use of permanent magnetic impressions for the recording of sound. Smith had fabricated a cotton or silk thread, into which steel dust or short clippings of fine wire would be suspended. These particles were to be magnetized in accordance with the alternating current from a microphone source. Smith also discussed the possibility of using a hard steel wire, but thought it scarcely possible. A working unit was never built. Many of Smith's ideas were used by Valdemar Poulsen when he developed the first true magnetic recorder.

He also started a small machine shop in Bridgeton, New Jersey, where he lived most of his life, which became known as the Ferracute Machine Company in 1877.^[1] For the entire existence of the company he was the president and chief engineer.

References

1. ^ Oberlin Smith: Biography, IEEE Global History Network. Accessed November 2, 2010.

External links

• Recognition at the NJ Inventor's Hall of Fame.
• Write up in local newspaper.
• Compilation of Oberlin Smith biographical and technical information of his inventions.
• Ferracute Machine Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferracute_Machine_Company

Persondata
Name	Smith, Oberlin
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 22, 1840
Place of birth
Date of death	July 19, 1926
Place of death