Improved Method of and Apparatus for Recording and Reproducing Spoken Words and other Sounds.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1887
Specification Accepted, 9th Dec.. 1887
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Recording and Reproducing
Spoken Words and other Sounds.
EMILE BERLINER of Columbia Road Washington in the District of Columbia
United States of America Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to he particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to a novel method of, and apparatus for recording and
reproducing all kinds of sounds, including spoken words, and is designed to over-
come the defects inherent in that art, as now practised and in the apparatus used
therefor.
By the ordinary method of recording spoken words or other sounds for repro-
duction, it is attempted to cause a stylus attached to a vibratory diaphragm to indent
a travelling sheet of tin foil or other like substance to a depth varying in accordance
with the amplitudes of the sound waves to be recorded. This attempt is necessarily
more or less ineffective for the reason that the force of a diaphragm vibrating under
the impact of sound waves is very weak, and that in the act of overcoming the
resistance of the tin foil or other material, the vibrations of the diaphragm are not
only weakened, but are also modified. Thus, the record, while it contains as many
undulations as the sounds which produced it, and in the same order of succession, the
character of the recorded undulations is more or less different from those of the
sounds uttered against the diaphragm. There is then, a true record of the pitch, but
a distorted record of the quality of the sounds obtained.
The simple statement that the material upon which the record is made resists the
movement of the diaphragm is not sufficient to explain the distortion of the character
of the undulations; for, if that resistance were uniform, or even proportional

page_text: to the displacement of the stylus, the record would be simply weakened, but not
distorted.
But it is a fact, that the resistance of any material to indentation, increases faster
than the depth of indentation; so that a vibration of greater amplitude of the stylus
meets with a disproportionately greater resistance, than a vibration of smaller
amplitude. For this reason, loud sounds are even less accurately recorded than faint
sounds, and the individual voice of a loud speaker recorded and then reproduced by
the phonograph cannot be recognised.
With a view of overcoming this defect, it has been attempted to engrave instead of
indent a record of the vibrations of the diaphragm, by employing a stylus shaped and
operating like a chisel upon a suitably prepared surface; but even in this case,
the disturbing causes above referred to are still present. In addition to this, if in the
apparatus of the phonograph or graphophone type, it is attempted to avoid the
disturbing influence of the increase of resistance of the record surface, with the depth
of indentation or cut, as much as possible, by primarily adjusting the stylus so as to
touch the record surface only lightly, then another disturbing influence is brought
into existance by the fact that with such adjustment when the diaphragm moves out-
wardly, the stylus will leave the record surface entirely, so that part of each vibration,
will not be recorded at all. This is more particularly the case when loud sounds are
recorded, and it manifests itself in the reproduction, which then yields quite
unintelligible sounds.
It is the object of my invention to overcome these and other difficulties by recording
spoken words or other sounds without perceptible friction between the recording
surface and the recording stylus, and by maintaining the unavoidable friction uniform
for all vibrations of the diaphragm. The record thus obtained, almost frictionless, I
copy in a solid resisting material, by any of the methods hereinafter described;
and I employ such copy of the original record for the reproduction of the recorded
sounds.
Instead of moving the recording stylus at right angles to, and against the record
surface, I cause the same to move under the influence of sound waves parallel with
and barely in contact with such surface; which latter is covered with a layer of any
material that offers a minimum resistance to the action of a stylus operating to
displace the same; all substantially in the manner of the well known Phonautograph
by Leon Scott.
All this will more fully appear from the following detailed description, in which
reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrates two of the numerous
forms which my improved apparatus may assume, and in which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of my recording and reproducing
apparatus.
Fig. 2, is a like view of the recording and reproducing diaphragm with its stylus.
Fig. 3, a similar view of a portion of the support for the record surface.
Fig. 4. the same view, with the record surface applied.
Fig. 5, a plan view of a phonautographic record.
Fig. 6, a perspective of a phonautographic record, copied in solid resisting
material.
Fig. 7, the copied record mounted, ready for application to the support.
Fig. 8, is a perspective view of another form of my gramophone, in which the
sounds are recorded upon a plain surface, as distinguished from a cylindrical surface
used in connection with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 7.
Fig. 9, is a plan view of the diaphragm with its support, and a recording and
reproducing stylus, detached from the apparatus as a whole.
Fig. 10, is a sectional view of the same.
Fig. 11, is a cross-section on line a, a, of Figure 9.
Fig. 12. is a vertical section, showing the recording disc and its connection with
the driving gear.
Fig. 13 is a sectional view of a part of the driving gear.

page_text: Fig. 14, is a section showing the connection of the driven shaft with the support of
the recording disc.
Fig. 15, is a sectional view of a centering device employed in this form of
apparatus; and Fig. 16 is a plan view, upon a reduced scale, of a disc with a record
of sound recorded upon the same, in accordance with my invention.
The general arrangement of the first form of my apparatus is best illustrated in
Fig. in which a T shaped base plate A, is shown, upon which two standards H, I,
serving as journal bearings for the shaft of drum G, are mounted. The drum G, may
be constructed with flanges e, e', which project beyond the cylinder surface, and
from the edges of a gap B, left upon the cylinder surface, extend the side walls of
box K as shown. A thin layer of felt, or other yielding, elastic substance, is placed
upon the cylinder surface, and is bent over the edges of the gap and secured to the
side walls of the box K; this layer of elastic material is designed to serve as the
support for the record surface both in recording and reproducing.
For recording, I employ a thin strip of paper, parchment, metal or any other
suitable substance, which is secured at both ends to bars c, d, in the manner shown in
Fig. 7, with reference to a copy of a record; and is then placed upon the elastic
support f, with the bars c, d, entering into but projecting at both ends beyond the
box K, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 with reference to an engraved copy of a record.
Bolts g, passing through the projecting ends of bars c, d, are employed to draw the
record strip tightly about the drum, and the length of the strip is such, that the ends
of the same meet as nearly as practicable upon a straight line z. The record sheet is
then prepared to receive the record, by covering its surface with a thin layer of any
substance which is easily removed by the action of the recording stylus. I may use
lamp-black, which is deposited by placing a smoky flame under the record strip, and
by slowly turning the drum until all parts of the strip are covered with the deposit.
It is well known that a layer of Inmpblack thus deposited while it adheres well to the
surface of a solid body, is nevertheless, easily removed from the same; it requires
only an exceedingly small force to draw a plainly visible line upon such surface owing
to the fact that the spicules of carbon, of which lampblack is composed, are only
loosely superimposed upon each other, and are exceedingly light.
All this has long
since been recognised and utilized in the production of phonautographic records, and
I take advantage of these facts in my improved method of recording and reproducing
sounds.
The diaphragm m, is mounted in a frame n, with its plane at right angles to the
axis of drum G. A post O, is fixed to the centre of the diaphragm, and a slot in
said post receives one end of stylus S, which is pivoted in the post by a pin .
The stylus extends over and beyond the frame, with its free end barely in contact
with the record surface, and is also pivotally supported in a slot in a post p, secured
to the frame by means of a pin u, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
It will now be seen, that the stylus is in effect, a lever having its fulcrum in the
pin ",
and that its free end can only move in lines practically parallel to the record
surface. If it is now desired to produce a record of sounds, the drum is slowly and
uniformly rotated by means of crank L, or by any other suitable means, and sounds
are uttered or directed against the diaphragm. Under the impact of the sound
waves, the diaphragm is set into vibrations, whereby the free end of the stylus is also
caused to vibrate to the right and left of its normal position, removing at the same
time an undulating line y, of lamp-black from the record surface, as indicated, greatly
exaggerated in Fig. 5. Since, in this operation, the stylus only penetrates a uniform
layer of loosely heaped carbon spicules, and barely touches the record surface, it is
clear that the slight friction at the free end of the stylus will be uniform, whatever
be the amplitude of vibration. Consequently the vibrations of the diaphragm will
not be modified or changed by the reaction upon the same of a sensible and varying
resistance, as is the case in all other mechanical sound recorders.
Having thus obtained an accurate phonautographic record, the same may be fixed,
by applying a thin solution of varnish of any kind, which dries very rapidly, and
which does not obliterate or change the record."

page_text: If in this process the deposit of lamp black be made. thick enough, the line drawn
by the stylus would represent a groove of even depth, preserving all the characteristics
of the sounds which produced it, and which may be handled and touched with
impunity. The latter is then removed from the drum, and may be preserved any
length of time without danger of its being disfigured. This record I then copy in
solid resisting material, preferably metal, either by the purely mechanical process of
engraving, or by chemical deposition, or by photo-engraving. I prefer the last
named process, which enables me to produce the most accurate copy of the original
record, in copper, nickel or any other metal, without in any way or manner affecting
the original record. The copy thus obtained, which may be multiplied to any desired
extent, is a grooved wave line upon a strip or sheet of copper, or other metal, as
shown in Figs. 1, 4, 6 and 7, and for the reproduction of the recorded sounds, it has
the advantage over the ordinary records in tin foil, wax, etc., that it is not sensibly
attacked by the reproducing stylus, and will stand an indefinite number of repro-
ductions without the slightest variation in the accuracy and loudness of the reproduced
sounds. The copied record is fixed at both ends to the bars c, d, as shown in Fig. 7,
and is placed upon the elastic support, upon the drum, in the same manner as has
been described with reference to the original record strip, and as is illustrated in
Figs. 1 and 4. Care must be taken, that the two ends of the undulatory groovey:
meet exactly, as will be readily understood.
This condition of the apparatus is shown in Fig. 1 with the engraven record upon
the drum, and the free end of the stylus entering the undulatory groove.
If now the drum is rotated with uniform speed, the end of the stylus will be forced
to follow the undulations of the groove y, and the diaphragm will be vibrated
positively in both directions in strict accordance therewith, and will therefore, repro-
duce the exact sounds which originally produced the record. This peculiarity of
positive vibratory movement in both directions of the diaphragm, is a feature which
also distinguishes my method and my apparatus, from others heretofore used.
In the phonograph and graphophone, the end of the reproducing stylus which
bears upon the indented or engraved record, has a vertical upward and downward
movement; it is forced upwardly in a positive manner by riding over the elevated
portion of the record, but its downward movement is effected solely by the elastic
force of the diaphragm, which latter is always under tension. In my improved
apparatus, the stylus travels in a groove of even depth and is moved positively in both
directions; it does not depend upon the elasticity of the diaphragm for its movement
in one direction. This I consider to be an advantage, since by this method the whole
movement of the diaphragm is positively controlled by the record, and is not affected
or modified by the physical conditions of the diaphragm which conditions necessarily
vary from time to time, and constitute some of the causes of imperfect reproduction
of recorded sounds.
:
In practising my method of recording and reproducing sounds, I am not limited to
the use of the identical apparatus berein shown and described this apparatus may be
varied indefinitely without seriously impairing its utility for the purposes in view.
Thus, it is not absolutely necessary that a diaphragm should be used for receiving
the impact of sound waves in recording and for remitting sounds in reproducing;
any sonorous body, of whatever shape and material, may be used in lieu of a diaphragm
proper. The recording surface need not be mounted upon a drum, but may be
supported in any suitable manner upon a support of any description which is
adapted to move the same under the stylus evenly and with approximately uniform
speed.
Nor do I confine myself to the use of lamp-black as a substratum for the phon-
autographic record, although I have found this substance to yield excellent results;
any other substance which adheres well to the support, and may at the same time be
removed from the same with a minimum force, may be employed.
Thus far I have described a method of recording and reproducing sounds which
consists in first causing the sounds to inscribe themselves upon a layer of non-
resisting material in a manner substantially like that practised by the well known

page_text: Leon Scott Phonautograph; then copying the phonautographic record in solid
resisting material, preferably by the photo-engraving process, and then reproducing
the sounds from the solid copy of the record.
The original record as well as the copy of the same, is obtained as has been seen,
as an undulatory line of even depth, as distinguished from a line of varying depth
obtained by the ordinary Phonograph and by the Graphophone.
In the second form of my invention, I retain all the fundamental features of my
gramophone, but introduce certain novel features both in the process and in the
apparatus, which render the attainment of the objects of a sound recorder and repro-
ducer still more certain and more perfect.
In the original form of my gramophone above described, I employ a curved
(cylindrical) surface upon which the non-resisting medium used for recording is
supported this has the disadvantage that, for the purpose of copying the record by
the photo-engraving process, such surface has to be first straightened, and the flat
copy obtained from the same has to be bent again to the original cylindrical form of
the record surface. This involves delicate and tedious manipulations, which I avoid in
my second form of apparatus, by inscribing the record of sounds upon a flat plate,
and I further improve the process by arranging that flat plate horizontally, and by
inscribing the record upon the under surface of the same, whereby the material
removed by the recording stylus drops away from the plate, and leaves the undulatory
groove of even depth clean and well defined; whereas by the method as practised
with the apparatus above described, the material removed by the stylus accumulates
in and about the adjacent grooves.
1 further improve the process, by using a transparent plate as a support for the
non-resisting medium; this plate is therefore made either of glass or some other like
substance, whereby I secure several important advantages. The most important of
these advantages is, that it enables me to work with parallel transmitted rays of light
in the subsequent process of photo-engraving, in which the original record is thus
used as a negative; and another important advantage is, the reduction of the friction
of the stylus upon the support, to a minimum.
The process is further improved by the employment of a new recording medium.
In the original process I use a layer of lamp-black, pure and simple, and this substance
is well adapted for the purpose, on account of the slight coherence of the particles;
but by reason of the floculent nature of this substance, the lines drawn upon it are
more or less ragged, as can be observed under the microscope, and the photo-engraving
obtained from such record displays all the defects of the original. In my improved
second process, I employ a layer of a semi-fluid ink or paint, of such consistancy and
thickness that it will neither subside nor flow spontaneously. Such ink is practically
structureless, and the lines drawn upon it are exceedingly sharp and reveal no ragged
edges under a powerful microscope, and the photo-engraving from such record is far
superior to a like copy from a record produced under the former process.
Referring now to Figs. 8 to 16, in which the details are marked by numerals, there
is a platform 1, suitably supported, and upon this platform are mounted the operative
parts of the apparatus. A metallic plate 2, provided with a longitudinal rib 3, is
Secured upon the platform, and standards 4, 4', mounted upon plate 2, are provided
with a nut bearing 5, and a smooth bearing 51, respectively, for the shaft 6, which
extends through these bearings as shown. One half, more or less of this shaft, is
screw threaded as shown, and enters the nut bearing 5, and at a point near the middle
said shaft passes loosely through a movable support 7, the position of which upon the
shaft is determined by two collars 8, 8, as indicated in Fig. 14. The support 7, serves
as a bearing for a bevel gear 9, which is centrally perforated and widens out into a
circular flange 10. Upon its underside, the bevel gear 9, is recessed, and said recess
fits loosely over the upper end of support 7; a screw 11 Fig. 12 passing loosely
through the central perforation of bevel gear 9, screws into the head of support 7,
so that the bevel gear can rotate about its axis, which coincides with the axis of
screw 11. Two screw pins 12, 12, which may be either fixed or removable, project at

page_text: diametrically opposite points, from flange 10, and are designed to pass through two
similarly located holes in a glass plate 13, as will be more fully described hereinafter.
A bevel gear 14, fixed upon shaft 6, engages bevel gear 9, but provision is made for
releasing gear 14, from the shaft if desired, for a purpose which will be explained
further on. As stated above. the screw threaded portion of shaft 6, passes through
nut-bearing 5, and it will now be clear, that if shaft 6 is rotated, bevel gear 9, with its
flange 10, will likewise rotate, and will at the same time advance in a straight line;
since shaft 6, screwing into or out of its nut-bearing 5, will carry bevel gear 14, and
support 7, with it. From the bottom of support 7, two lugs 15, 15, one on each
side of rib 3, of plate 2,-serve to guide the support with the parts attached thereto,
in the line of said rib, which is of course parallel to shaft 6. A part of the smooth
portion of shaft 6, has a longitudinal groove 16, extending to the right hand end of
the shaft (as seen in Figs. 8 and 13), and a sleeve 17, loosely fitting this portion of the
shaft, has a pin 18, the end of which engages groove 16, as shown in Fig. 13, so that
the shaft is free to slide longitudinally through sleeve 17, and will rotate with the
same if the latter is rotated.
Sleeve 17, is fitted into bearing 51, of standard 4', so as to rotate within the same,
and upon that part of the sleeve which projects beyond the bearing, is keyed the
compound gear 19. The latter is composed of a pinion 20, and a bevel gear 21; and
a rather large bevel wheel 22, mounted upon a shaft 23, below platform 1, meshes with
pinion 20.
A small bevel gear 24, meshes with gear wheel 21, and to the shaft of gear 24, are
secured fans 25, which are thus driven at a high speed and serve as a regulator, as
will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.
A weight 26, is suspended by cords or chains 27, from shaft 23, and if said shaft is
turned by a crank 28, or otherwise, in one direction, the cords or chains are wound
upon the same, as indicated in Fig. 8, and the weight 26, is raised up toward the
platform. If on the other hand, the weight is allowed to descend, it will rotate
shaft. 23, this in turn will rotate gear wheel 22, which meshing with pinion 20, will
rotate the latter and the connected shaft. 6, and in the manner hereinbefore described,
the support 7, will receive a rectilinear motion, while flange 10, upon bevel gear 9,
will both rotate and move in a straight line. For every complete revolution of bevel
gear 14, support 7, and bevel gear 9, with its connected flange 10, will be moved in the
line of a diameter, a distance equal to the pitch of the screw threads upon shaft 6;
and it will now be understood, that if a plate 13, is fixed to flange 10, and a fixed
pencil or stylus be lightly pressed upon the plane surface of said plate, a spiral line
will be drawn upon the plate. The recording stylus 29, is mounted upon a
diaphragm 30, substantially in the manner shown in and described with reference to
Figs. 1 and 2. The diaphragm itself, which may be of any suitable sonorous material,
is mounted in a case 31. Fig. 10, a rigid tube 32, projecting from one side of the case
communicating with a flexible tube 33, and with a mouth or ear-piece 34. The tube
is clamped and may be adjusted in the direction of its length in a ring 35, formed at
the end of a rod 30, which is adjustable in a support 37; and the latter is again
A metal post 39,
adjustable vertically in a standard 38, mounted upon platform 1.
is fixed to the centre of the diaphragm, as shown, and its free end has an axial slot 40,
into which a soft rubber tube 41, is forced and flattened. The free end of the soft
rubber tube receives the stylus 29, which may be of metal or any other hard and
fairly elastic material.
Preferably, the stylus is made of a flat strip of phosphor bronze, extending radially
At its
over the face of casing 31, and some distance beyond the edge of the same.
free end, the stylus is reduced to a point, and is curved upwardly, and by turning the
diaphragm case about the axis of tube 32, or by turning rod 36, in its bearing 37, or
by adjusting the latter upon bracket 38, the point of the stylus may be brought into
light contact with the lower face of disc 13, at a point in diameter of said disc which
is parallel with shaft 6. Near the middle of its length, a hole is produced through
the stylus, and a pin 42, formed at one end of a metal block 43, passes through said

page_text: hole, and into the central bore in a similar block 44. Between each block, and the
adjacent face of the stylus, a soft rubber washer 45, is inserted, and the two blocks are
forced together and are made to clamp the stylus between the rubber washers, by
means of the pointed screws 46, working in the supports 47. The screws 46, 16,
thus constitute the pivotal supports of the stylus, which is a true two-armed lever; a
piece of soft rubber tubing 48, is inserted between the outer arm of this lever and the
casing 31. and another piece of soft rubber tubing 49, is slipped over the stylus
between the elastic support 48, and the outer end. Thus it will be seen that the stylus
is elastically supported and amply dampened, and that if the diaphragm vibrates
under the impact of sound waves, the free end of the stylus will move to the right
and to the left of its position of rest, and parallel to the face of disc 13. The disc 13,
is preferably made of glass, it is of suitable diameter and thickness, and has two
holes 121, 12, Fig. 12, corresponding to the pins 12, 12, projecting from flange 10,
and is placed in position upon said flange, with the pins entering the holes; the
nuts 50, 50, are then screwed down, whereby the glass disc is securely clamped.
The method of recording and reproducing recorded sounds by means of this
apparatus will now be easily understood. As has been stated above, the non-resisting
material upon which the sound record or phonautogram is produced, is a semi fluid,
and I can use for this purpose any ink, as for instance printer's ink, of the required
consistency; an even layer of this ink may be spread over the under surface of the
glass disc, in any suitable manner, as for instance by means of a brush or roller, while
the disc is slowly turned. But I prefer to produce the ink directly upon the disc
itself, and I proceed in the following manner:
The under surface of the glass disc is first carefully polished and dried, and is then
covered with a thin film of oil by means of a camel-hair brush; this is done while
the disc is rotated with moderate speed. Any oil or fut may be used, but I have
found linseed oil specially adapted for the purpose. A smoky flame is then held
under the glass plate while the latter is slowly rotated, whereby the lamp-black
ascending from the flame is intercepted by the plate and becomes deposited
upon the same in a very fine layer, which, however, is instantly absorbed by and
mixes intimately with the thin layer of oil, thus forming a black amorphous
ink covering the under surface of the glass disc in an even, exceedingly thin
layer.
The coating of ink, thus directly formed upon the disc has just the consistency and
the thickness required; it will not flow spontaneously, and while it adheres well to the
glass plate it requires only a minimum force to remove it from the same, and the point
of the stylus in its passage through the substance of the ink experiences no perceptible
resistance.
The disc is now ready to receive the phonautogram, and it is moved to the position
shown in Fig. 8, with the point of the stylus near the outer edge; the point of the
stylus is then adjusted into light contact with the disc, so that the coat of ink is
barely penetrated by the same, and the weight 26, is allowed to descend, and to rotate
shaft 6, in the manner herein before described. If now, the stylus remained
immovable, it would describe upon the under surface of the disc a smooth spiral, the
convolutions of which continuously decrease toward the center of the disc; the pitch
of the spiral is determined by the pitch of the screw upon shaft 6, and by the relative
angular velocities of said shaft and of bevel gear 9, and may in practice be made as
small as of an inch.
If now, during the progress of the disc, sound waves are directed against the
diaphragm, through the mouth piece 34, and tubes 33, and 32, the stylus will vibrate
to the right and left of the spiral line, inscribing upon the disc an undulatory line of
even depth, which line will truly and accurately represent the sounds uttered against
the diaphragm. The stylus removes a very sharp line of ink from the disc, leaving
the latter quite transparent at this line, while it is quite opaque and will not transmit
light at the places not touched by the stylus; the ink removed by the stylus drops
away from the disc, as stated above, and does not accumulate in and about the
grooves.

page_text: An approximate idea of the phonautogram thus produced can be obtained by
inspection of Fig. 16, which represents an undulatory spiral line upon a disc
with the pitch of the spiral greatly exaggerated. In the drawing, the undulatory
line appears black upon a white ground, while in fact the line is transparent upon a
black ground.
The phonautogram may extend to within a short distance from the edge of flange 10,
and in practice the cords or chains 27, 27, are made just long enough to drive the
disk up to that limit, or the apparatus is mounted at the proper height above the
ground so that the weight will be arrested before the limit of progress of the disc is
reached. Bovel gear 14, is then disengaged from bevel gear 9, by unclamping the
same from shaft 6, and sliding it upon the same a short distance to the left hand (in
the view shown in Fig. 8) and the disc is then given a single rotation by hand,
whereby the stylus describes a true circle 51, Fig. 16 upon the disc. This circle,
which I call the centering circle, is afterwards utilized, as will presently appear.
The glass disc, with the sound record and centering circle upon the same,
removed, and the record may be fixed by applying a thin coat of varnish; it may then
be handled with impunity.
now
From this record I produce a copy in copper or any other nietal, by the process of
photo-engraving and in this process I use the original record as a negative, which
enables ine to work by transmitted light, and with parallel rays; the copy thus
produced will have the exact size of the original, as is well understood by those
skilled in the art.
In the photo-engraved copy, the sound record appears as an undulatory line of even
depth upon a solid metal disc, and the centering circle 51 is reproduced in the same
manner.
For reproducing the original sounds, the centre of the centering circle is determined
by well known simple geometrical constructions, and a small hole is drilled through
that centre, which hole corresponds to the mathematical axis about which the glass
disc had been rotated, and also marks the axis about which the metal disc must be
rotated by the apparatus shown, in order that the pointed stylus applied to the starting
point of the record may follow the same from beginning to end.
Two holes corresponding to the holes 12', 12', in the glass disc, are also made in
the metal disc, but these holes are preferably made large enough to permit the disc to
be adjusted in either direction when placed upon flange 10. Before this is done, a
well fitting cylindrical block 52, is placed into that part of the cylindrical hole through
the common centre of flange 10, and bevel gear 9, which is occupied by the head of
screw 11, as shown in Fig 15; this block which call the centering block, has a fine
axial hole 53 which corresponds exactly to the mathematical axis of rotation of
bevel gear 9.
If now the photo-engraved copy of the record is placed upon flange 10, with pins
12, 12, passing through corresponding holes in the metal plate-a fine pin, say a
sewing needle, is passed through the centering holes in the disc and in block 52, and
the clamp nuts 50 are tightly screwed down. By this simple process, the metallic
copy of the original record is safely and quickly centered in position; the stylus is
then adjusted with its point in engagement with the outer end of the record groove,
and the weight 26 is allowed to descend.
It will now be clear that the stylus will be forced positively to follow the undula-
tions of the record, and that the diaphragm vibrating under the stylus will emit the
same sounds which produced the original record; which sounds can be distinctly
heard at the ear-piece 34.
In place of the metallic copy of the original record, I can use a copy made of sealing
wax, which is produced by pressing a metal plate, having the record in raised lines,
upon a cake or plate of sealing wax which is first softened by heat. The metallic
record may thus be preserved indefinitely without being used directly for the repro-
duction of the recorded sounds, but, simply as a stamp for multiplying the record
quickly and cheaply for immediate use.
While I have found the process of photo-engraving to yield admirable copies of the

page_text: phonautographic record, I do not mean to limit myself to this process to the exclusion
of other processes for copying and multiplying the original record in solid resisting
material; and it will be readily understood that the details of construction of my
apparatus and the manipulation of the same may be greatly varied without departing
from the fundamental idea of my invention.
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. The method or process of recording and reproducing spoken words and other
sounds, which consists in first drawing an undulatory line of even depth in a travelling
layer of non-resisting material, by and in accordance with sound vibrations; then
producing the record thus obtained, in solid, resisting material, and finally imparting
vibrations to a sonorous body, by and in accordance with the resisting record,
substantially as described.
2. The method or process of reproducing sounds recorded phonautographically,
which consists in copying the phonautographic record in solid resisting material, and
thon imparting vibrations to a sonorous body, by and in accordance with the copy of
the original record, substantially as described.
3. The method or process of reproducing sounds recorded phonautographically,
which consists in copying the phonautographic record in solid resisting material by
the process of photo-engraving and then imparting positive to-and-fro movements to
a sonorous body, by and in accordance with a copy of the original record, substantially
as described.
4. The method of producing a transparent phonautogram, which consists in re-
moving an undulatory line of even depth of a deposit of ink from a travelling plate
of glass, by and in accordance with sound vibrations, substantially as described.
5. The method of producing a transparent phonautogram, which consists in
removing an undulatory line of even depth, of a deposit of amorphous, opaque
material, from a travelling support of glass by and in accordance with sound
vibrations, substantially as described.
6. The method of producing a transparent phonautogram, which consists in re-
moving an undulatory line of even depth, extending along a volute described about
a given point, of a deposit of amorphous and opaque material from a rotating disc
of glass, by and in accordance with sound vibrations, substantially as described.
7. The method of producing a layer of semi-fluid ink upon a phonautographic
support, which consists in first applying a coat of oil or other fat upon the support,
and then depositing upon the oiled surface a thin layer of lampblack, substantially
as described.
8. As a step in the method of photo-engraving a transparent record of sounds the
process of photographing the same, which consists in applying such record directly
upon a plate sensitive to light, and exposing the same to actinic action, substantially
as described.
9. In a gramophone, the combination of a sound receiving diaphragm or other
sonorous body with a pivoted stylus controlled by a diaphragm, and controlling
the same, and a support adapted to carry a phonautographic record sheet or a copy
of such record, in solid resisting material, travelling in the plane of vibration of
the point of the stylus, substantially as described.
10. In an apparatus for mechanically recording and reproducing recorded sounds,
the combination of a sonorous body and a recording and reproducing stylus, mutually
controlling each other, with a support for recording and reproducing strips, travelling
in the plane of vibration of the end of the stylus, substantially as described.
11. In a gramophone, the combination of a travelling phoṇautographic record,
consisting of a strip or sheet of solid resisting material, having upon its surface
undulatory grooves of even depth, similar in form to the undulations of sound waves ;
with a stylus engaging the grooves of the record, and a diaphragm or other sonorous
body controlled by the stylus, substantially as described.
12. In a gramophone, the combination of a sonorous diaphragm and a pivoted stylus;

page_text: with an elastic connection between the diaphragm and stylus, and an elastic reactionary
dampening support for the free arm of the stylus, substantially as described.
13. In a gramophone, the combination of a diaphragm and pivoted stylus; with an
elastic connection between the diaphragm and the stylus, substantially as described.
14. In a gramophone, the combination of a horizontal travelling support for the
record surface; with a vibratory diaphragm and a recording stylus bearing upon the
under surface of the record surface, substantially as described.
15. As an article of manufacture, a phonautographic record of spoken words or
other sounds, which consists of a flexible strip or sheet of solid resisting material,
having upon its surface a groove of even depth, undulating to represent sound
vibrations, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of November 1887
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Applicant's Agent.