Frank Lambert (inventor)
Encyclopedia
Francois Lambert was a French American
inventor. Lambert is perhaps best known today for making the second-oldest playable sound recording (1878), on his own version of the phonograph
. Lambert was also famous for inventing a typewriter
on which the keyboard consists of one single piece.
in 1876 and became a U.S. citizen in 1893.
Twelve years after arriving in the U.S., Lambert, along with a friend John Thomson, founded The Thomson Water Meter Co. to manufacture their design of a water meter
.
Lambert went on to build his own version of the sound recording device, the Phonograph
.
Lambert recorded what was — until 2008 — considered to be the oldest extant recording, his Experimental Talking Clock
(1878). A recording of Au Clair de la Lune by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville
from 1860 has been found to pre-date it. However, Lambert's recording is still the oldest recording which can be played with its own original device, not needing to be scanned digitally to play it.
Lambert completed his main invention, a typewriter
on which the keyboard consists of one single piece. He sold it to the Gramophone Co. Ltd., for which he received USD$20,000.
Lambert's water meter
company was sold outright to the Neptune Water Meter Co. and Lambert received USD$800,000.
When Lambert died in 1937, he left his estate to his second wife, USD$20,000 to his daughter Jeanne and USD$30,000 to his only grandchild, Martha.
French American
French Americans or Franco-Americans are Americans of French or French Canadian descent. About 11.8 million U.S. residents are of this descent, and about 1.6 million speak French at home.An additional 450,000 U.S...
inventor. Lambert is perhaps best known today for making the second-oldest playable sound recording (1878), on his own version of the phonograph
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
. Lambert was also famous for inventing a typewriter
Typewriter
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
on which the keyboard consists of one single piece.
Work
Lambert was born in Lyon, France; he relocated to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1876 and became a U.S. citizen in 1893.
Twelve years after arriving in the U.S., Lambert, along with a friend John Thomson, founded The Thomson Water Meter Co. to manufacture their design of a water meter
Water meter
A water meter is a device used to measure the volume of water usage. This article provides an overview of technical aspects of water meters. The worldwide prevalence of metering as well as its economic benefits and costs are covered in the separate article on water metering.In many developed...
.
Lambert went on to build his own version of the sound recording device, the Phonograph
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
.
Lambert recorded what was — until 2008 — considered to be the oldest extant recording, his Experimental Talking Clock
Experimental Talking Clock
The Experimental Talking Clock was recorded circa 1878 by inventor Frank Lambert. It was long thought to be the world's oldest playable sound recording and is listed in both the Guinness Book of World Records and The Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound as such; however, an older phonautogram recording...
(1878). A recording of Au Clair de la Lune by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville
Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville
Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville was a French printer and bookseller who lived in Paris. He invented the earliest known sound recording device, the phonautograph, which was patented in France on 25 March 1857....
from 1860 has been found to pre-date it. However, Lambert's recording is still the oldest recording which can be played with its own original device, not needing to be scanned digitally to play it.
Lambert completed his main invention, a typewriter
Typewriter
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
on which the keyboard consists of one single piece. He sold it to the Gramophone Co. Ltd., for which he received USD$20,000.
Lambert's water meter
Water meter
A water meter is a device used to measure the volume of water usage. This article provides an overview of technical aspects of water meters. The worldwide prevalence of metering as well as its economic benefits and costs are covered in the separate article on water metering.In many developed...
company was sold outright to the Neptune Water Meter Co. and Lambert received USD$800,000.
Personal life
Lambert married twice, firstly with Jeanne-Marie Donval (whom he had five children with) who died from an unknown cause, then Jeannette Justine Lawson Ebbs.When Lambert died in 1937, he left his estate to his second wife, USD$20,000 to his daughter Jeanne and USD$30,000 to his only grandchild, Martha.