Charles Sumner Tainter

Charles Sumner Tainter
Charles Sumner Tainter
c.1886
Born(1854-04-25)April 25, 1854
Watertown, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedApril 20, 1940(1940-04-20) (aged 85)
San Diego, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Known forPhotophone, phonograph
Father of the Speaking Machine
Spouse(s)Lila R. Munro, 1886
Laura F. Onderdonk, 1928

Charles Sumner Tainter (April 25, 1854 – April 20, 1940) was an American scientific instrument maker, engineer and inventor, best known for his collaborations with Alexander Graham Bell, Chichester Bell, Alexander's father-in-law Gardiner Hubbard, and for his significant improvements to Thomas Edison's phonograph, resulting in the Graphophone, one version of which was the first Dictaphone.[1]

Later in his career Tainter was associated with the International Graphopone Company of West Virginia,[2] and also managed his own research and development laboratory, earning him the title: 'Father Of The Talking Machine' (i.e.: father of the phonograph).[3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Schoenherr2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference WBR-1994 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Harding1984 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).