sandolini knew thomas edison

8/3/2019 Sandolini Knew Thomas Edison

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Foreword:

Sandolini ...was born at his fathersbrick oven. As a child,he loved to be near thewarmth coming fromthe brick and earthstructure located in

the communityskitchen.

He watched the flames with particular fascination,saying often how he enjoyed ever-changing colors andmotions skipping over the embers. He loved the smellsof burning, of the fragrant wood smoke from the fire,

mixed with vaporous emanations from the breads,browning on large stones, above the flames.

When he became a baker, what he loved most aboutovens was the sensation of happy surprise when theoven door opens, revealing the finished product. ForSandolini, that moment was everything. Its beauty and

satisfaction in one.

While Sandolini reveled in developing his art as a baker,he also participated in many spheres of art and science.The present story is one example out of many,

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Sandolini Knew Thomas Edisonby Sandy Cohen

Few members of The Rogues With Patents Societycomprehended the extraordinary degree of Thomas Alva

Edisons reliance upon the good opinions of Sandolini.For example, it was not widely reported that Sandolinidefined caramelization for Edison. Of course, Sandoliniwas very familiar with this process, as are other bakers;especially those with an appreciative taste toward theburnt, and the very burnt.

He had many times explored keeping things in the oven amoment or two longer than perfection. Sandolini strovefor perfections improvement.

The crust of my buckwheat cracker is so thin that itburns first, a glowing edge, before the thicker midle,

(Sandolini often misspelled words on purpose) andtherefore, it carbonizes, and chars. What happens iscalled caramelization.

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Caramelize. Its a distillation process, where the heat ofthe oven crystalize the sugars within the ingredients.The crystals turn dark. We see chromatic variations and

combinations of black, tan and brown. We smellpleasing smoke, and we taste sweetness.

Now, Edison was swishing a green olive in his glass. Hestared at it, floating and swirling, as he thought of thesmoke and taste he had just experienced, namely,burning rubber, and battery acid. At that moment,

comforted by his enthusiastic friend, Sandolini,rhapsodizing the plentitudes of baking, Edison couldeasily have let Sandolini recruit him into the fraternityof artisan bakers.

Edisons preoccupying concern that day, was his failureto find a method to extend the life of the filaments he

used for his light bulb experiments.

We have tried every material you canimagine, we tried cotton, paper, oatstraw, silk - every kind of fiber, evenrubber. Rubber is a great insulator, itturns out. Some material must exist

that lets us get to six hundred hours.

Sandolini shifted in his chair and asked, Have you triedmetals? I have heard that tungsten has manyadvantages.

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Edison stopped frowning, rose his head and smiled.Why yes! Thats it! Metal. I will draw everything from

gold to galena, from iron to steel. And each for adifferent diameter, and by coiling, various lengths.

Of course, Sandolini continued, any fiber or material,even metal, will eventually burn up because of thepresence of oxygen. Did you ever read Joseph Priestley?A dear friend of my father was Reverend Priestley, who

instructed us all of the necessity of oxygen forcombustion, and conversely, absence of oxygen preventsburning. Now imagine your best filament materiallighting without oxygen. It could last several hundredhouirs*, or more. Can you make a bulb that has nooxygen?*...what did I tell you?

Many have tried to evacuate a bulb, but no-one hassucceeded. Air leaks in. Ive got Latimer working on apump to vacuum out the air; I have Nicola paintingaround the seals. But no matter what we try, thefilament materials always burn out. How to get the airout?

Here, again, Sandolini applied his experiences with hisoven. Why dont you consider heat? I mean, heatapplied to the inside of the bulb. All but inert gasseswithin the bulb will expand once hot, and escape through

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a one-way valve in the bulbs base. Here is a little sketchI made to guide you.

Sandolini got up andofferedEdison hishand. Iregret I mustgo now. Ihave enjoyed

seeing you anddiscussing yourfascinatingproject to lightthe darkness. Iwish you everysuccess.

Oh yes, before I go,I wondered if youhave ever thoughtabout persistence ofvision?

Come with me right now. I want you to meet my dearfriend Eadweard Muybridge, who will show us ademonstration of his new invention, his zoopraxiscope.Why not accompany me? Ill be delighted to effect theintroduction.

Sandolini

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I know he will be gald* to meet you, Tom.

As they walked to the main dining room through thegrand lobby, Sandolini picked up a copy of the DailyRegister.

Muybridge just got acquitted of a murder charge;

justifiable homicide. Lets hear him tell about it.

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Collage made for Edison and Sandolini 1880, when the patent was issued.

Thanks to Sandolinis timely idea to remove oxygen from thebulb containing the carbonized filaments incandescence,

I was able to invent the light bulb.

TomasAlvaEdison,1880

sandolini knew thomas edison

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