Improvements in Phonographs.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Phonographs.
We JAMES PATRICK MAGENIS, of 50, Centre Street, North Adams, in the County of
Berkshire, and State of Massachusetts United States of America, Printer, and
ROBERT NISBET RICHMOND of 5, East Street, Adams, in the County of Berkshire
aforesaid, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide a phonograph in which a record may be
made upon two cylinders simultaneously so that one may be retained as a file or so
that a message may be repeated from one cylinder to another.
The invention consists mainly in the combination, with a diaphragni cell and
recording devices, of two independent diaphragms and two record cylinders arranged
to be acted upon by the recording devices and means substantially as described
for moving the diaphragm cell forward and for raising and lowering the record
cylinders.
The record cylinders are mounted parallel to each other, their ends being clamped
between discs on pairs of short shafts furnished with end pressure springs and
mounted in vertically-adjustable bearings whereby the distance vertically between
the record cylinders and the recording points of the diaphragms may be regulated as
desired. Below the middle of the space between the cylinders is arranged a
V-shaped track and at the rear of the machine parallel with said cylinders is fixed a
rod, and behind said rod and parallel with it is journaled a leading screw by which
an arm, fulcrumed on a guiding rod and provided with a half nut which fits the screw,
is traversed along the rod. This arm supports a V-shaped double diaphragm cell
which extends downwardly between the record cylinders and is provided with wheels
which travel in the groove of the track and support tho diaphragm cell at the required
height. Said diaphragm cell is provided with two cavities in which are secured
diaphragms each provided with a contact point for recording and reproducing, one
for contact with each record cylinder. The cavities communicate with the interior
of the diaphragm cell by curved passages and the top of the diaphragm cell is
provided with tubes to each of which is fitted a mouth and ear piece. Sounds uttered
into the diaphragm cell cause the diaphragms to vibrate and make a record upon their
respective cylinders, the arm and diaphragm cell being carried along by the leading
screw. By lifting the diaphragm cell so as to remove the points from the cylinders
the half nut is disengaged from the leading screw whereupon the diaphragm cell may
be readily carried back to the point of starting and lowered into the position of use
bringing the half nut again into engagement with the screw when the indentations or
engraving made on the cylinders by the points will cause the diaphragms to vibrate
and reproduce the sounds originally uttered into the diaphragm cell. If desired, a
cylinder bearing a record may be placed in the phonograph together with another
cylinder having no record and the record may be reproduced on the plain cylinder
while at the same time the operator may listen.
The diaphragm cell may be provided with a central partition which divides the
cell into two compartments thus permitting of the use of the diaphragms and record
cylinders separately. This construction permits of listening to the record on one
cylinder and simultaneously therewith dictating a reply to the other cylinder. It
also allows two persons to dictate at the same time and it is also possible to

page_text: reproduce two like messages simultaneously thereby greatly increasing the volume of
sound.
J. P. MAGENIS.
R. N. RICHMOND.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Phonographs.
We, JAMES PATRICK MAGENIS, of 56, Centre Street, North Adams, in the County
of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Printer, and
ROBERT NISBET RICHMOND, of 5, East Street, Adams, in the County of Berkshire
aforesaid, Merchant, 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 :-
The object of our invention is to provide a phonograph in which a record may
be made upon two cylinders simultaneously, so that one may be retained as a file or
so that a message may be repeated from one cylinder to another.
The invention consists in the particular construction and arrangement of parts, as
hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view, and Figure 2 a side elevation, of our
improved phonograph. Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section of the same, taken on
line - Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a sectional view of a modified form of the double
diaphragm cell. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the
views.
9
The frame A is provided with sleeves a a and b, the sleeves a al projecting
inwardly from the end pieces of the frame and the sleeves projecting outwardly
from the end pieces at the opposite end of the frame. In the sleeves a a' are journaled
shafts c c to the inner ends of which are attached flanged discs d d which are
adapted to fit into the ends of the record cylinders B B. To the sleeves bb' are fitted
shafts ee which are reduced in diameter, forming shoulders ff prolonged through
the ends of the sleeves and furnished with wheels gg. Between the shoulders of the
shafts e e¹ and the outer ends of the sleeves are placed spiral springs hh. The
inner ends of the shafts e el are furnished with flanges d³ which are fitted to the
ends of the record cylinders B B¹ and are held in place therein by the action of the
springs. The ends of the shafts c cand e e are carried by journal boxes a²
held to slide in vertical frames a³ mounted on the ends of the main frame A, said
journal boxes being provided at their lower end with a rod at which plays in a slot
in the lower member of the frames a³, a spring a encircling said rod and bearing
between said lower member of the frame and the journal box. A screw a passes
through the upper member of the frame a³ to a bearing upon the upper end of the
journal box, so that by manipulating said screws the distance vertically between the.
record cylinders and the recording points hereinafter mentioned may be regulated as
desired. Below the middle of the space between the cylinders B B is arranged
a V-shaped track Cand at the rear of the machine, parallel with said cylinders, is fixed a
round rod D and behind said rod, and parallel with it, is journaled a screw E. Upon
the rod D is supported and guided an arm F which is prolonged beyond said rod,
curved upwardly and provided with a half-nut i which fits the screw E. The arm F
supports a V-shaped double diaphragm cell G which extends downwardly between
the cylinders B B and is provided with two wheels; which travel in the groove of
the track C and support the diaphragm cell at the required height. Said diaphragm

page_text: cell is provided with two cavities in which are secured diaphragms ¹ each
diaphragm being provided with a contact point m for recording and reproducing,
one for contact with the cylinder B and the other for contact with the cylinder B¹.
The cavities k k¹ communicate with the interior of the diaphragm cell by curved
passages n and the top of the diaphragm cell is provided with tubes o o' to each of
which is fitted a flexible pipe p terminating in a flaring end which serves the
double purpose of a mouth piece and an ear-piece. Each flaring end
is pro-
vided with a curved wire adapted to be hooked over the ear for supporting the
tube in the position of use. The arm F is prolonged behind the diaphragm cell G
forming an index S which travels over a scale t secured to the main frame A. In the
lower part of the main frame A is arranged a casing u for receiving the drawer vin
which are stored the record cylinders and a tray w is placed on top of the casing to
receive the chips cut from the cylinders B B by the recording and reproducing points m.
The shaft c of the cylinder B is provided with a pulley H which receives its power
through the belt I and upon said shaft are also placed the pulleys J, K. A belt L
runs over the pulley J and over a pulley M on the shaft c¹ to impart motion to the
cylinder B and a belt N runs over the pulley K on the shaft c and over a pulley O
on the end of the screw E.
"
C
Sounds uttered into the diaphragm cell G, either directly or through the flexible
pipe p, cause the diaphragms to vibrate and make a record upon their respective
cylinders B B', the arm F and diaphragm cell G being carried along by the screw E.
By lifting the diaphragm cell so as to remove the points m from the cylinders B B¹,
the half-nut i is disengaged from the screw E whereupon the diaphragin cell may be
readily carried back to the point of starting and lowered into the position of use,
bringing the half-nut i again into engagement with the screw E when the indentations
or engraving made on the cylinders by the points will cause the diaphragms
to vibrate and reproduce the sounds originally uttered into the diaphragm cell.
The diaphragm cell G, shewn in Figure 4, is provided with a central partition
which divides the cell into two compartments, thus permitting of the use of the
diaphragms and record cylinders separately. This construction permits of listening
to the record on one cylinder and simultaneously therewith dictating a reply to the
other cylinder. It also allows two persons to dictate at the same time, and it is also
possible to reproduce two like messages simultaneously, thereby greatly increasing the
volume of sound.
If desired, a cylinder bearing a record may be placed in the phonograph
together with another cylinder having no record and the record may be repro-
duced on the plain cylinder while at the same time the operator may listen.
this case however, it is necessary to employ the diaphragm cell G shewn in
Figure 3.
In
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is;-
1. In a phonograph, the combination, with the diaphragm cell and recording
devices, of two independent diaphragms and two record cylinders arranged to be acted
upon by the recording devices.
2. In a phonograph, the combination, with the diaphragm cell and recording
devices, of two independent diaphragms and two record cylinders arranged to be
acted upon by the recording devices, and means, substantially as shown and described,
for moving the diaphragm cell forward.
3. In a phonograph, the combination, with the diaphragm cell and recording
devices, of two independent diaphragms and two record cylinders arranged to be
acted upon by the recording devices, and means, substantially as shewn and described,
for raising and lowering the record cylinders.
4. In a phonograph, the combination of the record cylinders B B', the diaphragm

page_text: cell G, furnished with the diaphragms having recording points m, and means,
substantially as shown and described, for moving the diaphragm cell forward.
5. In a phonograph, the combination of the record cylinders B B₁, the comparted
diaphragm cell & furnished with the diaphragms 1 having recording points m,
and means, substantially as shewn and described, for moving the diaphragm cell
forward.
6. In a phonograph, the combination of the record cylinders BB, the diaphragm
cell G furnished with the diaphragms having tracing points m, the arm F
provided with the half-nut i, the rod D, the track adapted to support the diaphragm
cell in the position of use, and the feeding screw E, substantially as specified.
T
1000
1.
J. P. MAGENIS.
R. N. RICHMOND.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.