Thomas devoted all his spare time to his research, really it was his one and only true companion. The 4 major inventions that Thomas patented are:
- Electrical light bulb
- Electric generating system
- Sound recording device
- Motion picture projector
All of these devises have really made an enormous difference to the world.
Early Inventions:
In 1868 Thomas worked as a telegrapher in Boston. He made his 1st invention that he tried to sell. It was an electric vote recording machine - although it was not well received.
In 1874 in New York Thomas began to manufacture his stock ticker that he had invented and also improved the typewriter by substituting metal parts for wood.
In 1876 Thomas improved the telephone by adding the carbon transmitter - this was important in making the telephone practicable so people didn't have to shout into a phone.
In 1877 the phonograph was invented by Thomas. He regarded it as his favorite invention. When he spoke into this machine saying "Mary had a little lamb" and it repeated back to him, everyone was amazed; even Thomas.
In 1879 Thomas worked out a successful principal for the Electric light. He had spent 2 years searching for a suitable filament. From 1887 Thomas spent most of his time perfecting his inventions of the 1870's. He also organized many companies to manufacture and sell his inventions. He also began contributing to the development of the cinema in the late 1880's.
Early 1914: Thomas connected the phonograph and a camera to make talking pictures. It had faults but later inventors corrected these.
Later: Some of this later inventions and improvements included:
- the accumulator or storage battery
- a cement mixer
- a Dictaphone
- a duplicating machine
- devised a method of making synthetic rubber from golden rod plants.
- The electric pen
- The mimeograph
- The microtasimeter (detects minute changes in temperature)
- A wireless telegraphic method for communicating with moving trains.
- Designed, built and operated plants for the manufacture of benzene, carbolic acid and aniline derivatives (all for World War 1 use)
- Designed one of the world's 1st electric power station
- Edison observed the flow of electrons from a heated filament - this is called Edison effect - and it had a great effect of modern electronics, although this was not realized until several years later.
- He continued to make contributions to society at a steady pace and collected so many awards and achievements that he once joked he had to "measure them by the quart." Thomas died at the age of 84 on October, 18th, 1931 in West Orange, U.S.A.
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