phophones
Year: 1899

page_text: I, GEORGE L. Hocax, of 109, Equitable Building, Baltimore, in the State of
Maryland, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
-
My invention relates to improvements in graphophones or devices designed
for reproducing articulate speech or other sounds recorded on phonograms or
sound-writings.
The object of my invention is to provide a device or mechanism of a simple,
cheap, and durable construction by means of which such phonograms or sound-
writings may be accurately and perfectly audibly produced without any attendant
disagreeable scraping, grating, or other interfering noise resulting from the
action of the mechanism.
My invention consists of a sound-generator in the form of a trumpet of conical
shape made of a tough quality of paper, vulcanized fibre, or other material and
having a rigidly attached small rod of hard material, the extremity of which is
brought to a fine point and bent so as to fit in the spiral grooves of the phono-
gram-writing and pivoting said trumpet.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which—
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a portion of the base on which the cylinder
is mounted.
Figure 2 is a top view of the machine complete.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the point end of the trumpet on a somewhat
larger scale.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the complete machine.
Figure is a detail view of part of the trumpet, showing the manner of
joining its edges.
Figures 6 is a detail view of the adjustable cushion.
The large end of the trumpet rests on a stud b, where it is pivoted loosely on
vertical rod e. extending from the stud upward. This gives the point end
of the trumpet a free lateral swinging movement. The trumpet has on its lower
ide a hole and on its upper side a slot c³, through which the rod passes. The
longitudinal slot affords a slight range of up- and down movement to the
point end. A hard downward-curved point d is attached to the small end of

page_text: the trumpet, and said point rests on the phonogram-cylinder, and as the same
is revolved the spiral groove of the writing serves as the means to carry the
point froni one end to the other of the cylinder, the trumpet swinging on its
pivot . No other feeding or guiding device is required.
The hard point d may be attached to any portion of the wall of the sound- 5
ing-trumpet and yield good results. I have, however, provided a novel means
of attachment that will now be described. The hard point d is preferably held
in a socket e, from which it may be..removed when desired. The socket is
fixed on the end of a rod f and has position in front of the point end g of
the trumpet. This rod extends along below the small end of the trumpet, and I
its end is attached to the side of the trumpet some distance back from the
said point end. This manner of locating the hard point d and connecting it
with the side wall of the trumpet, but back from its point end g, produces the
best results.
The trumpet is made of a sheet of tough paper or thin indurated fibre, and 1
each of the two edges of this material that come together when the sheet is
folded to the cone form are first bordered by a thin sheet-metal strip folded longi-
tudinally, as shown at h in Figure 5. This metal strip encloses the sheet edge
like a clip and extends from the large end to the point end. The two metal
strips are abutted together and joined by solder. This metal strip not only
serves as a means of joining the sheet edges, but also serves to augment and
improve the sounding qualities of the trumpet.
.
It is a feature of improvement in this invention to attach the end f¹ of the
rod to which the hard point is secured to the said metal joint-strips h. Thereby
the metal strips become the conductor for the sound vibrations, which latter are
evenly distributed all along the wall of the trumpet. The pivot-hole c¹, hereto-
fore referred to is through this metal strip.
The phonogram-cylinder I is held in position by two bearings and a
horizontal axis k. The bearings are slotted out instead of being bored, so
that the phonogram-cylinder can easily be lifted out of these bearings. The
slots in the two bearings are cut at right angles to one another and are
in such a position that the force of elasticity of an india-rubber belt m, con-
necting the pulley n, attached to the phonogram-cylinder, with the pulley
the driving device, will keep the axis of the phonogram-cylinder always pressed
firmly in the bearings, and thus produce a steady movement. By this simple
means I have found that articulate speech, songs, and instrumental or other
music may be reproduced from sound-writing very accurately and with great
loudness, clearness and distinctness.
of
It will be seen that this graphophone has a cylinder that may be rotated by
any driving mechanism and a sounding-trumpet whose point end is movable
along the cylinder, following the sound-writing. The point end automatically
follows the spiral groove of the sound-writing, and the vibrations are trans-
mitted to the trumpet, which generates and largely increases the volume of
sound.
As the hard point d is held in a socket, it may be removed when worn and a
new one inserted.
An adjustable cushion p is shown in Figures 3 and 6, as a ring, and is mounted
on the rod and may be shifted along said rod. This cushion bears on the
wall of the trumpet, and its varying position alters the tone or pitch of the
sound.
A cylinder is shown carrying the sound-writing; but it is obvious a disc may
be used instead or any shaped body to rotate.
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:-
1. A graphophone having in combination a rotating sound-writing; a vibratory

page_text: cone-shaped sounding-trumpet pivoted to allow its point end a free swinging
movement, and also a slight vertical movement; a hard point engaging the
surface of the said sound-writing in front of and in line with the point end of
the trumpet but not contacting therewith and supported by a rod which
extends along the outer wall of the trumpet and attached to the side thereof.
2. A sounding-trumpet for graphophones comprising a sheet of fibre folded
to form a cone and the edges which come together bordered by strips of metal
folded over the edges and the said metal strips united, and a hard point at
the point end of the trumpet.
3. A sounding-trumpet for graphophones having a cone shape and made of
fibre; a strip of thin metal extending longitudinally of said cone and secured
to the trumpet; a hard point in front of the trumpet's point end but not
attached thereto; and a rod supporting the said hard point and extending along
the outside of the trumpet and attached to said metal strip.
4. A graphophone having a base provided with two bearings each having a
slot inclining in a different direction from the other; a rotary eylinder carrying
the sound-writing and baving journals resting in said slotted bearings; a
pulley on one journal; a drive-pulley; and a belt from the drive-pulley to the
cylinder-pulley, as and for the purpose set forth.
Datel this 11th day at X
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant,