Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Registering and Reproducing Sounds.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Registering and
Reproducing Sounds.
We, EMILE ANSELME BUISSON, Engineer, of 18 Avenue des Boulevards,
Brussels, and OSCAR ADOLPHE JOSEPH THEYS, Merchant, of 3 Rue des Halles,
Brussels, both in the Kingdom of Belgium, 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:-
In apparatus for registering and reproducing sounds hitherto used the inevitable
want of uniformity in phonographic cylinders has stood in the way of perfect
uniformity in registering and reproducing sound, in consequence of which secondary
sounds, unpleasant noises, shocks or interruptions are produced. The shocks
produced in such manner often damage the style or the diaphragm. In order to
avoid these drawbacks, recourse has been made to special constructions of the
diaphragm whereby the style has been enabled to conform to the inequalities of
the cylinders fulfilling at the same time its work of registering or reproduction.
These constructions however are very costly and delicate and do not entirely do
away with the drawbacks mentioned, owing probably to the impossibility, in
consequence of longitudinal movement of the diaphragm, of rendering it sufficiently
sensitive to enable it to adapt itself to the inequalities of the cylinders.
We have found that it is preferable to return to the original construction of the
phonograph, that is to say to cause the phonographic cylinder to move, and to
maintain the diaphragm-holder in a fixed position.
This fixed position of the diaphragm enables the diaphragm holder to be
constructed so as to cause it to pivot in a plane normal to the axis of the phono-
graphic cylinder in such manner as to enable the diaphragm to follow without
difficulty (under the influence of the weight of the diaphragm holder) all the
inequalities of the cylinder caused by the imperfections in its manufacture.
The fact of the diaphragm-holder being pivotted imparts moreover a certain
elasticity to the style, so that in this manner very clear registering and reproduction
are attained, much better than in hitherto known phonographs.
It will be understood that in order to attain the desired sensitiveness or freedom
of movement, it is necessary not only to make the diaphragm-holder very light but
also to reduce the action of its weight so as to avoid any pressure which might
have an injurious effect. For this reason we prefer to make the casing in which
the diaphragm is arranged of aluminium and we fix it in the diaphragm holder
so that it is at an angle of 45° relatively to the horizontal plane of the phonographic
cylinder. In this position the style rests lightly on the cylinder and traces or
follows the phonographic undulations, at the same time easily adapting itself to all
irregularities of the surface of the cylinder.
The fact of the diaphragm-holder being pivotted enables the registering and
reproducing styles to be rigidly secured to their diaphragms whereby it becomes
possible to construct this very important part of the phonograph in a very exact
manner and to make it in a much stronger and cheaper manner.
With this pivotting movement of the diaphragm-holder in a plane normal to the
axis of the phonographic cylinder, we combine on the one hand a certain play or
lateral movement of the case enclosing the reproducing diaphragm, and on the
other hand, a rectilinear adjustment of the whole diaphragm holder in a direction

page_text: parallel to the axis of the phonographic cylinder. The first of these improvements
serves to automatically bring back the reproducing style into the groove or trace
on the cylinder in case it jumps out in consequence of too strong or violent
vibrations, and the lateral adjustment serves to correct the distance between the
grooves and the style in case it becomes too great, as well as to bring the style
into the exact initial position before starting reproduction.
In any case when causing the phonographic cylinder to move longitudinally it is
necessary to avoid a constructive fault in former phonographs, in which the drum
or the cylinder was driven directly by a worm used at the same time to support the
drum for the direct action of the worm was accompanied by production of noises
and such arrangement also lacked the accuracy and uniformity absolutely necessary
in the slightest details of the mechanism of a phonograph.
In the phonograph according to the present invention, the drum carrying the
phonographic cylinder is frictionally mounted on its longitudinal shaft, an inter-
mediate connecting part being moved by means of a worm and pushing the cylinder
forward, whilst a suitable mechanism imparts to the latter its rotary movement.
This intermediate part is pivotted in a plane normal to the axis of the worm so
as to enable all the small inequalities and irregularities inevitable in the construction
of a worm to be compensated without causing any wedging in the connection
between said worm and the drum. This part is at the same time arranged so that
it may be easily disengaged from the worm and the drum, whereby the position of
the cylinder relatively to the diaphragm may be instantly adjusted so as to correspond
to a desired place on the phonographic surface.
Our invention relates moreover, to a device for regulating the speed of movement
of the apparatus, this device enabling an absolute regularity of the speed of
rotation and of advance of the phonographic cylinder to be attained, said speed
being easily regulated to suit a desired speed of reproduction of sounds and the
speed of registering and of reproducing by the same phonographic apparatus to
be rendered absolutely identical.
This device is constituted by a governor vane regulator or air-wheel, the vanes
or blades of which are movable and are acted upon by springs so that when the
speed increases said blades move outwards centrifugally, and when the speed
diminishes they approach each other, so that the movement of the phonograph
regulated by opposing to the mechanical energy the resistance of air thereby
increasing or diminishing the speed. With this air-governor we combine a
governor having balls fixed on springy arms, which are connected with a friction-
brake, acting on the spindle of the governor so as to absorb a part of the mechanical
work as soon as the speed exceeds a certain limit determined by the proportionally
increasing resistance produced by the friction of said brake, which moreover may
be regulated or operated from outside.
The driving mechanism and all the constructive details of the phonograph
according to our invention have been devised so as to considerably reduce the cost
of construction of the apparatus, while ensuring a perfect and regular working.
In the accompanying drawings is represented by way of example one form of
construction of a phonograph according to our invention.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the phonograph.
Fig. 2 is a plan.
Figs. 3 and 4 are end-views, Fig. 3 being partly in section.
Figs. 5 and 6 show respectively a front view and a section of the casing containing
the registering diaphragm and
Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views of the casing of the reproducing diaphragm.
A slightly taper drum A carrying the phonographic cylinder B can move
longitudinally with a slight amount of friction on a revolving spindle C. In this
longitudinal movement it is guided by a feather c engaging with a longitudinal
groove in the spindle C. By means of this device c c the drum is caused to
participate in the uniform movement of rotation of the spindle C communicated to
the latier by a motor or clockwork part of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 4.. This

page_text: motor driven by a barrel spring c³ is regulated by a governor or air-wheel (Figs. 1 2
and 3) the arms cc of which are arranged so that they can either move away
from or come near each other, all the time remaining parallel to one another; for
this purpose they are provided with sockets et c guided on rods ce said sockets
being acted upon by springs c which tend to bring them back into their normal
position (shown in full in Fig. 1).
When the speed increases, the centrifugal force overcoming the resistance of
the springs causes the vanes to move farther and farther away from one another
(into the positions shown dotted in Fig. 1), thus increasing their sphere of action
and opposing to the motor the resistance of a volume of air increasing in proportion
with the increase of speed. When the speed of rotation decreases the vanes are
drawn inwards or nearer to one another by the action of the springs and the
sphere of the resistance diminishes in direct proportion with the decrease of speed.
With this air-governor is combined a centrifugal ball-governor (Figs. 1 to 4) the
balls cc of which are secured to spring levers or strips the upper ends of
which are fastened to a fixed part of the spindle of the governor, the lower ones
being secured to a sleeve c movable on the spindle of the governor. This sleeve
carries a friction-disc co engaging with a friction-stop c¹ the friction of which on
the disc may be regulated by means of a screw c¹³ acting on a sector cand
pointer c, attached to a spindle c¹s on which is mounted the arm supporting the
stop c. The sector is provided with an index c which indicates the amount of
friction on a graduated scale. The friction between c¹¹ and c¹o determines the speed
of the motor which is rendered uniform by the air-wheel. But when the speed
exceeds a certain limit, so that the movable vanes of the wheel are not sufficient
to regulate it, the balls 7 c moved outwards by centrifugal force bend the
springs which raise the disc c thereby rendering its contact with the knob c¹¹
much closer and consequently increase the friction.
Owing to these governors it becomes possible to fix and to regulate the speed
with the greatest exactitude.
The sliding or advance movement is imparted to the drum by a carriage a
adapted to slide and pivot on a rod a' and provided with an arm a², the end a³ of
which is formed into a nut or screwthreaded so as to engage with an endless
screw at the carriage is also provided with an arm a' adjustable in a vertical
direction and provided at its free end with a fork a³ embracing a collar a of the
drum and moving the latter laterally when the screw a is rotated by the motor e².
The screw a and the rod a' not being in the same vertical plane, the part a³ is
held in light engagement with the threads of the screw by the action of the
weight of the carriage. In order to regulate the pressure of a³ on the screw a
the socket-shaped portion of the carriage a is provided with an arm a carrying
an adjustable balance weight or regulating device. In consequence of the relative
position of the screw a' and the rod a' and of the adjustable arrangement of the
arm a the engagement of the fork a' with the collar a is reduced to a minimum
and is exempt from all unnecessary friction, at the same time ensuring the correct
movement of the drum. In its movement the carriage can slightly pivot in a plane
normal to the axis of the endless screw, thus compensating for the eccentricities or
small irregularities of the endless screw which are unavoidable whatever care may
be taken in the construction of said screw, and thereby avoiding the noises produced
by the friction caused by such irregularities in all other phonographs in which an
endless screw is used.
The arm a' of the carriage is provided with a handle a³ (Fig. 1) by means of
which this arm may be raised to disengage the carriage both from the drum and
from the endless screw or worm so that it can be caused to slide freely on tho
rod a The drum can then be advanced or moved backward by hand, so as to
give it any desired position and to connect it again with the worm.
The worm is protected by a casing at cut out over a certain portion of its length
Lo enable the part as to be introduced. When the drum has arrived at the end of
its travel the motor is automatically stopped by means of the following device: a

page_text: lever a slightly held in a vertical position by two springs a is provided with a
buffer as of leather or rubber and on the other side with a rod a hinged to the
upper part of the lever and projecting into the casing of the driving mechanism
nearly as far as the friction disc c which is provided on its lower surface with
two stops as. When the drum approaches the end of its travel, it strikes with its
side against the buffer a¹³ and continuing to advance, forces over the lever all
till the end of the rod a comes into the path of the stops a5 and arrests the
motion of the mechanism by engaging with one of these stops.
On
Upon the frame of the apparatus corresponding to a certain useful length of
the worm, is fixed a small column D', on which is placed the support D for the
diaphragm-holder. This support is vertically adjustable by means of a pin and a
set-screw d, in order to enable the diaphragm to be adjusted for drums and
cylinders of different diameters, while preserving at the same time a normal
position relatively to the cylinder and an inclination of 45° relatively to the
horizontal plane passing through the axis of the cylinder as indicated in Fig. 3.
The support D carries a small carriage d' acted upon by a spring d2 and adjustable
by means of a screw d³, in a longitudinal direction. In the carriage is mounted
the diaphragm-holder so as to enable it to oscillate in a plane normal to the surface
of the phonographic cylinder B. The diaphragm-holder is constituted by several
tubes or hollow parts d d d (Fig. 3) pivotted about a point de so that the open
portion d of the tube d' remains constantly in communication with the opening of
a fixed tube d to which are fastened one or more speaking or hearing tubes.
the tube may be placed casings or d containing the diaphragm. These
casings are made of aluminium or other light material. The casing do Figs. 3, 5, 6
contains the registering diaphragm carrying a style placed at an angle of 45°
relatively to the diaphragm and rigidly connected to the latter by means of a
bracket d¹³ secured directly to the surface of the diaphragm. In consequence of
the inclination of the style d relatively to the diaphragm combined with the
inclination of the diaphragm-casing relatively to the cylinder, the surface of the
contact between the point of the style and the phonographic cylinder is reduced to
a minimum whereby it is made possible to trace on the cylinder the slightest
vibrations with the greatest exactitude. The casing d" Figs. 7 and 8 contains the
reproducing diaphragm, the style d" of which is also rigidly connected to it, but
this style is arranged so that the reproducing point is in front of the periphery of
the diaphragm, in order to avoid the counter-vibrations of the diaphragm during
reproduction.
In order to automatically bring the reproducing point back into the groove of
the phonogram in case it comes out of it in consequence of vibration or shock the
casing d containing the reproducing diaphragm is allowed to have a slight lateral
play or a slight movement of oscillation towards the right and left hand side. For
this purpose in the interior of a tube d in which the casing terminates a ring
is placed through which passes loosely a cross pin d¹ secured in the tube 15 said
ring fitting on to the end or tube d' of the diaphragm-holder, whereby the
whole casing is enabled to slightly move either towards the left or towards the
right. A hook dx Fig. 2-may be brought under the diaphragm-holder to hold
the latter away from the phonographic cylinder, when changing or replacing of the
cylinders is being effected.
In front of the diaphragm-holder is arranged a device for removing the
phonographic cylinder, that is to say for removing the inscription, and smoothing
or polishing its surface. This device is constituted by a scraper or cutter E acted
upon by a spring e and carried in a bracket e' so that it can be brought by means
of a screw against the surface of the phonographic cylinder. The bracket e
vertically adjustable by means of a screw e³ and may turn in its bearing so as to
bring the whole device into a position parallel to the cylinder.
One end of the spindle C is supported in one of the walls of the casing of the
driving mechanism, the other end being supported in a bracket e which can
oscillate or is pivotted at 18 (Figs. 1 and 3) and can be secured in place by means

page_text: of a screw c¹. By causing the bracket c to turn about its axis c18 18 the
corresponding end of the spindle C becomes disengaged and thus the phonographic
cylinder may be removed or replaced, or the drum itself may be removed.
It will be seen that the cylinder is completely free on all sides and that it will be
sufficient in the construction to lengthen the spindle C and the screw a and to
replace the drum A in order to make the apparatus suitable for cylinders of any
length and diameter.
The square frame supporting the apparatus is preferably provided with four
supports of rubber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, 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 drum carrying the phonographic
cylinder, of a carriage or independent coupling device actuated by a screw
to cause the drum to move frictionally on its shaft in a longitudinal direction,
substantially as described.
2. In a phonograph the combination with a drum of a carriage or independent
coupling device actuated by a screw said carriage being capable of moving
frictionally on a longitudinal rod and of oscillating about the latter in a plane
normal to the axis of the screw substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
3. In a phonograph the combination with a drum of a carriage or independent
coupling device sliding on and pivotting about a rod and driven by means of a
screw the axes of the rod and of the screw being parallel and arranged in different
vertical and horizontal planes, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
4. In a phonograph the combination with the drum of an independent carriage
sliding on and pivotting about a rod and actuated by a screw, said carriage being
acted upon by an adjustable balance-weight or regulating device, substantially as
described and for the purpose specified.
5. In a phonograph, the combination with the drum, of an independent carriage
or coupling comprising a sleeve carried on a longitudinal rod a bracket fixed on
the sleeve and carrying a screwed collar engaging with a screw, a vertically
adjustable arm the free end of which is forked and embraces a collar on the end of
the drum a handle fixed to the arm for the purpose of coupling the carriage with
the screw and the drum or for disengaging them and a balance-weight or regulating
device to regulate the pressure of the collar on the threads of the screw substantially
as described.
6. In a phonograph the combination with the drum of a spindle provided with a
longitudinal groove with which is adapted to engage a feather on the drum said
spindle imparting to the drum a rotary motion without preventing it from sliding
frictionally in a longitudinal direction substantially as described.
7. In a phonograph the combination with a phonographic rotatable and laterally
movable cylinder of a tubular diaphragm-holder arranged in a fixed bracket so as
to be capable of freely pivotting in a plane normal to the axis of the phonographic
cylinder, whilst remaining at all times, in open communication with a fixed speaking
or bearing tube substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
8. In a phonograph the combination with a rotatable and laterally movable
phonographic cylinder of a tubular diaphragm-holder pivotted on a fixed bracket
and capable of vertical adjustinent substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
9. In a phonograph the combination with a rotatable and laterally movable
phonographic cylinder of a tubular diaphragm-holder pivotted on a fixed bracket
and capable of lateral adjustment substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.

page_text: 10. In a phonograph the combination with a tubular diaphragm-holder pivotted
-on a fixed bracket of interchangeable casings containing the diaphragm in which
the registering or the reproducing style is rigidly connected to its diaphragm
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
11. In a phonograph the combination with a tubular diaphragm-holder pivotted
on a fixed bracket with an aluminium diaphragm-casing fitted to the diaphragm-
holder so as to make an angle of 45 degrees with the horizontal plane of
the phonographic cylinder substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
12. In a phonograph the combination with a tubular vertically pivotting
diaphragm holder and with a casing for the registering diaphragm placed at an
angle of 45 degrees relatively to the cylinder, of a registering style inclined at an
angle of 45 degrees relatively to the diaphram and rigidly connected with it by.
means of a bracket, the sides of which are secured to the diaphragm, substantially
as described and for the purpose specified.
13. In a phonograph the combination with a tubular diaphragm-holder capable
of pivotting in a vertical plane, of a casing for the reproducing diaphragm the
tubular end of which casing carries a ring traversed by a pin fixed in said end, said
ring fitting on the end of the tubular diaphragm-holder, substantially as described
and for the purpose specified.
14. In a phonograph the combination with a vertically pivotting tubular
diaphragm-holder and with a casing for the reproducing diaphragm of a
reproducing style rigidly connected to the diaphragm and having an angular
form so that the reproducing point is in front of the periphery of the diaphragm
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
15. In a phonograph the combination with a tubular diaphragm-holder pivotted
vertically on a fixed bracket, of a hook or other device for holding the diaphragm-
holder out of engagement with the cylinder substantially as described and for the
purpose specified.
16. In a phonograph the combination with a drum having a rotary movement
and an independent carriage or coupling of a motor controlled or regulated by an
air-governor the two vanes of which are laterally movable and controlled by springs
and so arranged so that they can either approach or recede from one another
whilst at all times remaining parallel substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
17. In a phonograph, the combination with a rotary drum an independent
coupling and a motor regulated by a governor having rotatable vanes,. of a
centrifugal governor, the balls of which are fixed on spring arnis secured, at their
upper ends to the governor-spindle, and, at their lower ends, to a sleeve provided
with a friction disc, a friction buffer being adapted to be brought in contact with
said disc, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
18. In a phonograph, the combination with a motor regulated by an air-vane-
governor and centrifugal ball governor connected with a friction-brake, and
regulating mechanism operated by a worm, and regulating screw, substantially as
described and for the purpose specified.
19. In a phonograph, the combination with a drum supporting the phonogram
cylinder and having rotary and lateral movements, and with a friction-brake
connected to the governor of the motor, of a stop secured to a spring controlle
lever carrying a rod or slide which is caused to advance under the action of the
drum into the path of the stops fixed on the disc of the friction brake, substantially
as described and for the purpose specified.
20. In a phonograph, the combination with the phonographic cylinder of a
scraper or knife arranged in a vertically adjustable bracket, which latter is
capable of turning in its bearing, said knife being acted upon by spring and
capable of being advanced by means of a screw towards the surface of the
cylinder, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 21. The complete phonograph, or apparatus for registering and reproducing
sounds, substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this ouh 1
1007
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.