Improvements in Phonographs.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Phonographs.
I, THEODORE VAN HEEMSTEDE OBELT, of 140, Rokin, Amsterdam, in the Kingdom
of Holland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of Phonographs, and;
has for its object simplicity in use, and a material reduction in the cost of manufacture
as compared with such instruments as hitherto made and used.
My invention consists of a wooden or other box or case containing a suitable.
clockwork, electric or other motor, the said box or case being covered by a metallic;
or other plate forming the base of the phonograph head in the usual way. Upon
the said plate is mounted a pair of suitable standards one-of-which may form or carry
a bearing for the one end of the spindle of a mandrel, the opposite end of which may
pass through an aperture in the second standard, and be borne by a suitable bearing
hinged or otherwise pivotally connected to the said base plate, so as to be quickly
and easily placed in and out of position for permitting a wax or other cylinder to be
placed upon and removed from the said mandrel.
To the back or permanently mounted end of the said mandrel is fixed, or formed
integrally therewith a grooved pulley or sheave, carrying a band, strap, or cord
passing downwardly through slots formed in the said base-plate to a suitable pulley
or sheave provided upon the speed shaft of the before mentioned motor, or other
suitable gear inay be provided for imparting motion to the said mandrel. The spindle
of the mandrel at this end extends through its bearing and carries a small wheel or
pulley having a suitable number of equidistant pins or pointed projections upon its
periphery, and above this a like but preferably larger wheel is mounted upon the end
of a worm shaft carried in suitable bearings fixed upon the upper end of, or formed.
integrally with the before mentioned standard at this end of the mandrel, the said**
upper wheel receiving motion from the lower wheel by the means of a perforated
band or strap, the perforations in which engage with the pins or projections on both
the said wheels. The said upper end of this standard is adapted to carry a short
shaft, at right angles with, and above the said worm shaft, and upon this is mounted
and fixed a a grooved pulley and a worm wheel, the latter being in gear with the said
worm shaft, and receives motion therefrom, while the former carries an endless chain,,
cord, gut or wire passing therefrom to and around a like pulley mounted loosely
upon a spindle. or shaft carried in suitable bearings mounted upon the standard at:
the opposite end of the mandrel, suitable means being provided in connection with ..
the last named bearings for tightening the said chain, cord or the like to compensate
wear. The said chain or the like is thus stretched from standard to standard above..
and parallel with the said mandrel, and travels continuously, when the mandrel is in
motion, at a speed relatively thereto, governed by the adjustment of the intermediate
gearing.
The said standards carry a fixed rod parallel with and between the said chain and
mandrel, and upon this is mounted the arm of the speaker; adapted to slide along
L

page_text: the said rod, and in order that the said arm may alway project from the said rod at a
predetermined angle, a key may be provided upon the said arm engaging with a
keyway in the said rod, or vice-versa, or the same end may be attained by the said
rod being made rectangular or triangular in cross section. Upon this end of the
speaker arm is mounted a vertical projection having a suitably formed head adapted
to clutch the before mentioned travelling chain by the lension of a spring and cause
the said speaker arm to travel along the said rod at the same rate of speed as the
said chain, the said vertical projection being so arranged that the said clutch may be
lifted out of contact with the chain for permitting the speaker to be slid along the
said rod from the final to the initial end.
The said speaker arm is preferably formed in two parts hinged or otherwise
pivotally connected to each other, the second or movable portion being adapted to
receive the usual resonator or hearing tubes, and carry a suitable diaphragm for
recording upon, or reproducing from the said cylinder, suitable means being provided
for lifting the stylus of the recording or reproducing diaphragm out of contact with
the cylinder when returning the speaker arm along the before mentioned rod.
According to my invention I am enabled to dispense with the expensive finely
threaded shaft hitherto indispensable in phonographs for imparting the necessary.
travelling motion to the diaphragm, whether recording or reproducing, as. by a
careful adjustment of the gearing by which motion is conveyed from the mandrel to
the travelling chain, the latter may be arranged to effect the travel of the speaker
arm along the said rod at such a rate, and with such precision, that the recording
stylus may trace equally fine sound vibrations upon the cylinder, and the reproducing
stylus follow in the said tracings in every way as perfectly as when such finely
threaded shaft is used.
I, THEODORE VAN HEEMSTEDE OBELT, of 140, Rokin, Amsterdam, in the Kingdom
of Holland, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of Phonographs, and
has for its object, simplicity in use, and a material reduction in the cost of
manufacture, while still retaining a maximum of efficiency as compared with such
instruments as hitherto made and used.
By means of the accompanying drawings and the following Specification referring
thereto, my invention and the manner of its operation will be fully understood.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a Phonograph constructed according to my invention,
Figs. 2 and 3 being end elevations of same, the former as viewed from left to right,
and the latter as viewed from right to left of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the speaker arm, illustrating the general construction
of this and the manner in which the recording or reproducing stylus rests upon the
wax or other cylinder, upon which the record is to be, or has been made.
Fig. 5 is a furthur enlarged view of a portion of the said speaker arm, to illustrate
more clearly the general construction of the upper portion of this, and one of the
cross sectional formations of the rod upon which it slides.

page_text: Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 4, illustrating the attachment
of the hearing tube, and a furthur modification in the cross sectional formation
of the rod upon which the said arm slides.
My said improved phonograph consists of a preferably rectangular, wood or other
box or case A, containing a suitable clockwork, electric or other motor, for imparting
motion to certain parts of the phonograph as hereinafter explained, the said box or
case being covered by a metallic or other plate B, forming the base of the
phonograph head in the usual way.
Upon the said plate B is mounted a pair of standards C and C¹, the former
of which may be arranged to form or carry a bearing for one end a of the spindle
of a parallel or slightly tapered metallic or other mandrel D, the opposite
end of the said spindle being borne in a cupped bearing b, attached to, or
forming part of a flap E, hinged to, or otherwise pivotally supported at points c
and c, in standards E¹ and E², mounted upon the plate B, and supported in its
raised position by any suitable catch or other fastening, so that E may be
quickly and easily raised or lowered (as indicated by dotted outline in Fig. 1) for
permitting a wax or other cylinder G (shewn by dotted outline in Fig. 1 and full
lines in Fig. 3) to be placed upon or removed from the mandrel D, to facilitate
which the bearing C' is provided with a suitable opening C² (Fig. 3).
The back or permanently mounted end a of the said mandrel, has fixed or formed.
integrally therewith, a grooved pulley or sheave H, carrying a band, strap, cord, or
its equivalent d, passing downwardly therefrom through slits in the plate B, and
around a sheave or pulley upon the high speed shaft of the before mentioned motor
within the box or case A, or any suitable gear, other than the pulley H and the
band d for imparting motion from the said motor to the said mandrel, may be
employed, while any suitable governor, and stopping and starting motion may be
employed for regulating and operating the speed of the said motor.
The spindle end a of the mandrel extends through the bearing standard C, and
carries a small wheel or pulley J, having upon its periphery a suitable number of
equidistant pins or pointed projections e, and above the said wheel a like but
preferably larger wheel K, having in its periphery similar disposed pins or pointed
projections el, is mounted upon one end of a small worm-shaft L, carried in suitable
bearings fand f1, fixed upon or formed integrally with the upper end of the standard C,
the said wheel K receiving motion from the lower wheel J, by the means of a band
or strap M, having perforations or holes g, the same distance apart as, and with which
make contact, the pins e and e¹ upon the wheels J and K.
The said upper end of the standard C, is also adapted to provide uprights h and h',
which form bearings for the ends of a short cross shaft, at right angles with and above
the said worm shaft L, and upon the said cross shaft is mounted and fixed a worm
wheel N, and a grooved pulley O, the former of which gears with the worm shaft I,
from which this and consequently the pulley O receive motion, while an endless chain,
cord, gut or wire k passes around the said pulley and a like pulley p, mounted upon a
cross spindle R carried in vertical bearings m, m³ forming part of a plate m² adapted to
slide horizontally in dovetailed or other shaped grooves upon the upper surface or
crown of the standard C¹, the said plate m² being so formed at m³ that by the
tightening of a thumb-screw p passing therethrough and impinging upon the outer
face of the bearing C, the chain cord or, the like k may be tightened to compensate
wear. The said chain or the like k is thus stretched from standard C to standard C¹
above and parallel with the mandrel D and the cylinder G thereon, and travels
continuously in the direction of the arrows Fig. 1, when the mandrel is revolving,
and at a speed relatively thereto governed by the adjustment of the intermediate'
gearing.
The standards C and C¹ carry between them a fixed rod S, parallel with and between
he chain or the like k, and the mandrel D, and upon this is mounted the speaker
rin adapted to freely slide along the said rod S, and in order that the sail arm
nay always project from S at a suitable and pre-determined angle a key may be
orined upon the said arm engaging with a key way in the said rod as at Fig. 4 or

page_text: vice-versa, or the same end may be attained by the said rod being made triangular in
cross section as at Fig. 5 or rectangular as at Fig. 6.
Upon this end of the speaker arm is mounted or formed integrally therewith a
vertical projection Tupon the inner face of which slides in guides sa plate T the head
of which t is provided upon its under surface with a jaw preferably in the form of an
inverted V the said jaw being adapted to clutch and bite the lower portion of the
travelling chain or the like by the tension of a spiral or other spring such as t¹, and
by this means the speaker arm 7, is caused to travel along the rod S at the same rate
of speed as that of the said chain.
The said speaker arm is preferably. formed in two parts and 21 hinged or other-
wise pivotally connected to each other at a point v, the second or movable portion 2.1
being hollow and provided with a tubular portion adapted to receive a resonator or
liearing tube 2 and arranged to carry a diaphragm holder having a recording or.
reproducing stylus w for recording upon or reproducing from the cylinder G, the
stylus w when not in use for recording upon or reproducing from the cylinder G, may
be lifted out of contact with G by means of the hinge or pivot v and may be retained
so, out of contact by the means of an arm a pivotted at y upon the portion of the
speaker arm, a notch y in the said arm automatically engaging with a pin y2 upon the
portion of the speaker arm.
In practice the machine operates as follows
The cylinder G having been mounted upon the mandrel D and a diaphragm v³
having a recording stylus w, is mounted upon the speaker arm r1, the said diaphragm
would be lifted out of contact with the cylinder G as stated when by lifting up the
portion T¹ of the attachment T of the speaker arm, against the tension of its:
spring the clutch portion t of this would be thereby lifted out of contact with the
chain or the like k which permits that the portion of the speaker arm, may be
slid along the rod S until facing the initial end of the cylinder. The release of the
hold of the head or clutch t would permit this to again make contact with the chain
or the like by the tension of its spring t when by releasing the arm out of
contact with the pin y, the portion 1 would be free to fall (eased down by a chain ¹.
If the
Fig. 4) until the recording stylus w rests upon the cylinder Gas at Fig. 4.
motor be then started the rotation of the mandrel D would by means of the suitable
intermediate gearing described impart a travelling motion to the chain or the like k
in the direction of the arrows and consequently the speaker arm along the rod S at
the same rate. If sounds be now caused to enter through a resonator or speaking tube v2
fixed upon the tube v of the speaker arm r, the sound waves thus set up would cause the
stylus w to record the same upon the cylinder G in the usual way, and when such record
is finished and the speaker arm has arrived at the final end of the rod S the same
motion as previously described of lifting the recording stylus out of contact with the
cylinder G, and the clutch t out of contact with the chain or the like , would permit
that the speaker arm may be again returned to the initial end of the rod S as before.
If now the cylinder be brushed for the purpose of removing the chips cut therefrom
in tracing the record and the recording diaphragmn be changed for another
carrying a reproducing stylus the record may be reproduced by again starting the
motor and allowing the mechanism to convey the reproducing stylus over the path
of the record in the same way as that described with regard to the recording stylus a
resonator or hearing tube v² being placed upon the tube v as before described in the
usual way.
From the foregoing it will be understood that by my improved phonograph I am
enabled to dispense with the expensive finely threaded shaft hitherto indispensible in
phonographs, for imparting the necessary travelling motion to the diaphragm whether
recording or reproducing as by a careful adjustment of the gearing by which motion
is conveyed from the rotating mandrel to the travelling chain or the like, the latter
may be arranged to effect the travel of the speaker arm along the rod S at such a
rate and with such precision that the recording stylus may trace equally fine sound
vibrations upon the cylinder, and the reproducing stylus follow in the said tracings
in every way as perfectly as when such finely threaded shaft is used.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st. In a phonograph the combination with a case or box A, covered by a plate
such as B, and containing a suitable mechanical electrical, or other motor, the herein
described method and means of conveying motion from the said motor, directly to a
mandrel carried in suitable bearings mounted upon the said plate B, with means for
placing upon and removing from the said mandrel a wax or other cylinder, with
means for conveying motion from the said mandrel to a travelling chain or the like
with means for attaching the speaker arm thereto for receiving motion therefrom
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn.
2nd. In a phonograph the combination with a case or box such as A, containing
an electric mechanical or other motor and covered by a metallic plate B, of a pair of
standards C and C¹ mounted upon B, the former in conjunction with a hinged flap E,
forming a bearing for the spindle of a tapered or parallel mandrel D, adapted to
receive a wax or other cylinder such as G, with means such as a band for conveying
notion from the high speed shaft of the said motor to the said mandrel, the latter
carrying a pin wheel J, conveying motion by the means of a perforated band M to a
pin wheel K upon a worm shaft L carried in suitable bearings upon the crown of the
standard C the said worm shaft I conveying motion to a worm-wheel N and a pulley
or sheave the latter conveying motion to an endless chain or the like k borne
thereby and a sheave or pulley P carried in adjustable bearings upon the crown of
the bearing C¹ the said chain imparting motion to a speaker arm and diaphragm
adapted to slide upon a rod S for recording sound waves upon and reproducing the
same from the cylinder G the whole connected, combined and operating substantially
as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In a phonograph the use and application of a travelling chain, cord, gut,
or wire for conveying notion to the recording or reproducing diaphragms of the
machine in lieu of a threaded shaft as hitherto, with means for conveying motion to
the said chain or the like substantially as herein set forth and shewn.
4:h. In an improved phonograph as characterized by the preceding claims the
combination of a speaker arm formed in two parts such as and r pivotally
connected at a point and adapted for closer connection by the means of a pivotted
locking bar y having a slot y¹ for engaging with a pin y2 upon the portion 1,
the said portion 1 being adapted to receive and hold the recording and reproducing
diaphragms, the portion r carrying a plate T, with sliding plate T¹ having a head t
adapted to form a clutch for engaging with the travelling chain or the like k of the
phonograph by the tension of a spring t substantially as herein described and shewn
by the accompanying drawings.
AL