1847-1931. US scientist and inventor, with
over 1,000 patents. In Menlo Park, New
Jersey, 1876-87, he produced his most
important inventions, including the electric
lightbulb 1879. He constructed a system of
electric power distribution for consumers,
the telephone transmitter, and the
phonograph. Edison's first invention was an
automatic repeater for telegraphic messages.
Later came the carbon transmitter (used as a
microphone in the production of the Bell
telephone), the electric filament lamp, a new
type of storage battery, and the kinetoscopic
camera, an early cine camera. He also
anticipated the Fleming thermionic valve. He
supported direct current (DC) transmission,
but alternating current (AC) was eventually
found to be more efficient and economical. In
1869 he invented an automatic vote recorder
and the improved stock ticker in 1871, which
earned him enough to found his manufacturing
plant in Newark, New Jersey. He moved to
Menlo Park in 1876 and from there to West
Orange, New Jersey, where he invented the
movie camera, mimeograph, fluoroscope, and an
improved battery. In 1889 he began the Edison
Light Co., which became the General Electric
Co.