Improvements in or applicable to Phonographs.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st June, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
PROVISIONAL DE ECIFICATION.
Improvements in or applicable to Phonographs.
We, THE EDISON-BELL PHONOGRAPH CORPORATION, LIMITED, of Edison House,
Northumberland Avenue, in the County of Middlesex, and AUGUSTUS STROH, of 98,
Haverstock Hill, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to reproducing devices adapted for use in phonographs,
graphophones and the like, and consists in certain improvements upon devices designed
for the same purpose and described in the specifications to Letters Patent granted to
George Edward Gourand, No. 7794 of 1889, and to George Gatton Melhuish
Hardingham, No. 19,153 of 1889; the object of the present invention being to
render the machine more automatic in its action by dispensing with the necessity for
certain delicate adjustments hitherto effected by the user.
The adjustment dispensed with is that necessary in machines constructed according
to the above mentioned specifications to cause the reproducer point or stylus to travel
in the centre of the record groove; that is to say the spiral grooves traced by the
recording point in the surface of the phonogram cylinder.
This adjustment has, in the machine constructed under the before mentioned
Patents, been effected by means of a cam or screw, whereby a movement lateral to
the record groove and practically parallel to the axis of the cylinder is imparted to
the reproducer stylus. By the present invention this movement is rendered auto-
matic.
Hitherto the diaphragm has been inounted in its frame with a connection from its
centre to the end of a short lever, in the opposite extremity of which the reproducing
stylus is carried. The lever is pivoted on a pin carried by two studs projecting from
the face of a weight, which in turn is pivoted at one end to the diaphragm frame in
such a manner that the other end is free to move in a direction at right angles to the
diaphragmn, its motion being limited by a screw applied at its free end. It will be
perceived that, by virtue of this motion, the fulcrum, whereon the small lever
carrying the reproducer stylus turns, is held at varying distances from the diaphragm,
according to the position of this weight; and also that, since one end of the lever is
held (approximately) at a given distance from the diaphragm, its other end has
magnified in it the motion of the weight whereby it is actuated, the motion of both
the weight and lever being in a plane at right angles to the diaphragm.
This principle or characteristic is retained in the improved construction, the subject
of the present invention; but added thereto are provisions whereby the lever is
enabled to move in a plane at right angles to the motion of the weight. This is
secured by cutting out the portion of the weight bearing the studs carrying the
fulcrum of the lever and mounting such portion upon a pivot which is carried by the
weight and which is at right angles thereto. The effect of this portion of the weight
turning upon its axis is to cause the end of the lever bearing the reproducer point to
move laterally in relation to the record groove; the reproducer point gravitating to
the bottom of the said groove.
For the purpose of automatically adjusting the position of the reproducer point so
that normally it may be presented opposite the record groove and so require the least
subsequent lateral movement, the screw-top hitherto employed to limit the motion
of the free end of the weight is, according to the improved method of construction,

page_text: replaced by a pin which may have a hook for engaging in a V-shaped notch formed
on the pivoted portion of the weight.
In some instances, the weight, instead of being hung in such a manner that the
whole of its mass is upon one side of the point of suspension, may be mounted on an
axis which lies approximately in the plane of the connection between the diaphragm
and the lever which carries the reproducer point.
We, THE EDISON-BELL PHONOGRAPH CORPORATION, LIMITED, of Edison House,
Northumberland Avenue, in the County of Middlesex, and AUGUSTUS STROH, of 98,
Haverstock Hill, in the County of Middlesex, Gentlemen, 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:-
This invention relates to reproducing devices adapted for use in Phonographs,
Graphophones and the like, and consists in certain improvements upon devices
designed for the same purpose and described in the specifications to Letters Patent
granted to George Edward Gourand, No. 7794 of 1889, and to George Gatton Melhuish
Hardingham, No. 19,153 of 1889; the object of the present invention being to render
the machine more automatic in its action by dispensing with the necessity for certain
delicate adjustments hitherto effected by the user.
The adjustment dispensed with is that necessary in machines constructed according
to the above mentioned specifications to cause the reproducer point or stylus to travel
in the centre of the record groove; that is to say, the spiral groove traced by the
recording point in the surface of the phonogram cylinder.
This adjustment has, in the machine constructed under the before mentioned
Patents, been effected by means of a cam or screw, whereby a movement lateral to
the record groove and practically parallel to the axis of the cylinder is imparted
to the reproducer stylus. By the present invention this movement is rendered
automatic.
Hitherto the diaphragm has been mounted in its frame, with a connection from its
centre to the end of a short lever, in the opposite extremity of which the reproducing
stylus is carried. The lever is pivoted on a pin carried by two studs projecting from
the face of a weight, which in turn is pivoted at one end to the diaphragm frame in
such a manner that the other end is free to move in a direction at right angles to the
diaphragm, its motion being limited by a screw applied at its free end. It will be
perceived that, by virtue of this motion, the fulcrum, whereon the small lever carrying
the reproducer stylus turns, is held at varying distances from the diaphragm, according
to the position of this weight; and also that, since one end of this lever is held
(approximately) at a given distance from the diaphragm, its other end has magnified
in it the motion of the weight whereby it is actuated; the motion of both the weight
and lever being in a plane at right-angles to the diaphragm.
The principle or characteristic is retained in the improved construction, the subject
of the present invention; but added thereto are provisions whereby the lever is
enabled to move in a plane at right angles to the motion of the weight. According
to one mode of construction, illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which represent
respectively a vertical section, a view of the under side and a side elevation of a

page_text: reproducing device, this movement of the lever a is secured by cutting out the portion w
of the weight W, formerly bearing the studs carrying the fulcrum of the lever, and
mounting such portion upon a pivot b which is carried by the weight W and which
is arranged at right-angles thereto. The effect of the portion w of the weight turning
upon its axis is to cause the end of the lever a bearing the reproducer point a¹ to
move laterally in relation to the record groove; the reproducer point gravitating to
the bottom of the said groove.
For the purpose of automatically adjusting the position of the reproducer point so
that normally it may be presented opposite the record groove and so require the least
subsequent lateral movement, the screw-stop hitherto employed to limit the motion
of the free end of the weight W, and which is only effective when the reproducer
point is removed from contact with the phonogram cylinder, is according to the
improved method of construction, replaced by a pin c which may have a hooked
end for engaging in a V-shaped notch w¹ formed on the pivoted portion of the
weight W.
In some instances, the weight W, instead of being hung in such a manner that the
whole of its mass is upon one side of the point of suspension, may be mounted on an
axis which lies approximately in the plane of the connection between the diaphragm
and the lever a which carries the reproducer point. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 represent
respectively a vertical section, a view of the under side and a side elevation of such
an arrangement; the weight W being pivoted in studs d d projecting from the
diaphragm frame. The portion w of the weight is similarly mounted on a pivot, b
carried by the weight W, the said portion w having a V-shaped notch w¹ at one
extremity for the engagement of the pin c, and carrying at its other extremity the
lever a bearing the reproducer point a¹.
In the above described arrangements, the requisite pressure of the reproducer
point upon the phonogram cylinder is maintained by means of the weight W, but it
will be seen that this is only fully operative while the machine retains its normal or
horizontal position. To ensure the same effect, whatever the position of the machine,
à spring may be employed in substitution for the weight as shown in the two
constructions illustrated in Figs. 7 to 12. Weight or mass is not however dispensed
with, because inertia is of essential importance, the whole weight in the present
constructions being so disposed as to secure a balance and to avoid a bias in any
particular direction should the machine assume a position out of level.
The lever a carrying the reproducer point al is pivoted in a support attached to a
vibrating weight w, the latter being pivoted at ww² to a transverse bar e arranged
in an opening in the weight w and carried on a central stud or pivot bx; the said
pivot being supported by a plate d', secured to the diaphragm frame, and a transverse
bar d² carried on pillars or studs d d, projecting from the plate d¹. A spring W*
whereof one end is attached to the weight w and the other end to the bar e serves to
maintain the device in operative position, i.e., with the reproducing point a¹ in yielding
contact with the cylinder. The automatic adjustment of the reproducing point a¹,
whereby it is always presented approximately opposite the groove in the phonogram
cylinder, is effected by the pin c, the hook of which engages in a V-notch w¹ in the
weight w. Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show an alternative construction wherein the lever a is
again mounted on a vibrating weight w; the said weight being pivoted at w² w² to a
bar e arranged in an opening in the weight w and vibrating on a central stud or pivot bx,
supported by plate d and an overhanging piece dx on the pillar d. One end of a
spring Wx is attached to the bar e while the other end is secured to the weight w.
It is essential to the proper working of the device that the part or body whereon
the lever a is mounted should be in balance, and it will be observed that this principle
is embodied in each of the constructions described. Moreover, the body w when the
device is in action moves in a plane parallel or nearly so with the diaphragm; the
reproducing point thus maintaining a constant position in the record groove.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we claim :-

page_text: 1. The improved reproducing device for use in phonographs, graphophones and
the like, arranged and operating substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
2. For use in phonographs, graphophones and the like, a reproducing device
wherein the reproducing point is carried on a vibrating lever the axis of which is
parallel with the diaphragm, the said lever being itself carried on a vibrating body
the axis of which is at right-angles to the diaphragm, the said vibrating body being
in turn mounted upon a comparatively heavy swinging body the axis of which is again
at right-angles and therefore parallel with the diaphragm, substantially as herein
described, and whereby the reproducing point is afforded freedom to adjust itself
laterally.
3. For use in phonographs, graphophones and the like, the modification of the
reproducing device referred to in the preceding claiming clause, wherein a spring is
substituted for a weight for effecting the requisite pressure of the reproducing point
upon the phonogram; the body which carries the reproducing point vibrating on an
axis parallel with the diaphragm and being carried on a vibrating bar the axis of
which is at right-angles to the diaphragm.
4. The herein described means for automatically adjusting the position of the
reproducer point, same consisting in mounting the lever which carries the reproducing
point upon a vibrating body, provided with a V-shaped notch, wherein a pin on the
diaphragm frame engages; the said pin operating to restore the reproducing point
to its normal position for presentation opposite the record groove.
5. A reproducing device comprising a lever a mounted in one end of a vibrating
body w which in its turn vibrates on an axis b in the weight W the other end of the
body w being provided with a V-shaped notch for the reception of a pin c on the
diaphragm frame, arranged or operating substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 or to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
6. A reproducing device comprising a lever a mounted upon a vibrating body w
which is pivoted at w² to a bar e arranged on an axis bx, and a spring W* for
maintaining the reproducing point in contact with the record groove; the body w
being provided with a V-shaped notch for the reception of a pin c on the diaphragm
frame, arranged or operating substantially as described with reference to Figs. 7, 8
and 9 or to Figs. 10, 11 and 12 of the accompanying drawings.