Improvements in Graphophone Reproducers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1900
Improvements in Graphophone Reproducers.
I, WILLIAM HART, of Kirksville, in the County of Adair and State of Missouri,
United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 graphophones, and more particularly to the repro-
ducers therefor including the sound-box, the diaphragin, and the stylus with its
supporting arm, and it has for its object to so construct and equip the sound-
box that it will be held yieldably in the direction of the record, so as to prevent
rattling, and the weight of which box will also be counterbalanced, the counter-
balance being adapted for adjustment to vary its effect. A second object of the
invention is to so construct and arrange the diaphragm that its tension may be
varied to secure the best results under different conditions.
A further object of the invention is to provide a stylus arm which will permit
movement of the stylus transversely of the face of the diaphragm and of the
adjacent record to cause the stylus to accurately seat and follow the lines of the
record, and still another object of the invention is to insure the return of the arm
to a predetermined position as soon as the stylus is lifted from the record.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the
following description, and in the drawings forming a portion of this specification,
and in which similar numerals of reference designate like and corresponding parts
in the several views:
Fig. 1 is a side view showing a sound-box and its supporting bracket with the
end of an adjacent record, parts being in section and parts in elevation.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing a sound-box and its supporting bracket, as
also the end of an adjacent record, the sound-box being provided with means for
counterbalancing its weight and a helical spring for holding the box with the
stylus against the record.
Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and showing a different means for holding
the box with the stylus against the record.
at
Fig. 4 is a view partially in section and partially in elevation and showing
portion of a supporting bracket with a sound box thereon and having a stylus
engaging a record, the sound-box having an adjustable counterbalancing weight.
Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the stylus supporting arm which is illustrated
in Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a view partially in section and partially in elevation and showing a
sound-box and its pivotal connection with a supporting bracket and having means
for holding it yieldably in the direction of the record, a stylus arm similar to that
shown in Fig. 1 being illustrated.
Fig 7 is a bottom plan view of the stylus arm and its pivotal connections, as
employed in the structures shown in Figs. 1 and 6.
Referring now to the drawings, 10 represents the bracket which supports the
sound-box and which bracket has the usual slide bearing 11. The exterior of
the sound-box is of the usual construction and comprises the diaphragm receiving

page_text: frame 12, upon the rear side and radially of which is secured a sound tube 13,
the lower end of which is provided with trunnions 14 which have a bearing in the
bracket 10. The lower end of the sound tube has an extension 15, which is
adapted to receive the horn or the ear tubes.
4
The front face of the frame 12 is dished, as shown, and upon this front face
and engaging the outer edges thereof is disposed the diaphragm, comprising a
plurality of disks in the present instance, two, shown at 16 and 17, of metal
or of other suitable material, which are clamped upon the frame 12 through the
medium of a common clamping ring 18 provided with clamping screws 19.
Between the elements 16 and 17 and concentric therewith is disposed a rigid
ring 20 of proper diameter;"
1, and which is preferably circular in cross section, or
has such other form as will cause it to engage the elements 16 and 17 each in a
single line. Centrally of the elements 16 and 17 is formed a perforation, through
which is passed a headed bolt 21, having a clamping-nut 22. By means of this
nút 22 and the bolt, the central portions of the elements 16 and 17, may be
brought together; and the tension of tlie elenients thus increased, the increase of
tension being of course dependent upon the thickness of the ring 20
and conse-
quent normal separation of the elements, and also upon the diameter of the head
of the bolt and of the nut..
.
1333
The stylus 23 in the present instance is supported by an arm 24, .the outer.end
of, which is curved in the direction of the frame 12 of the sound-box.and is.tapered
to a point, as shown at 50, to enter, a recess, or slot 51 in the frame. 12, and
which slot is disposed in radial alinement with, the diaphragm. This slot 51 is.
curvilinear in cross section, thus to permit the displacement of, the end of..the
stylus arm 24 therefrom under excessive lateral pressure, also to permit..the.
ready seating of the end of the arm in radial alinement with, the diaphragm,1 to
bring the stylus into axial alinement, with the diaphragm, and ready, for, engage-
ment with the record.
47
0A.
Fixed to and formed integral with the frame 12 are parallel. ears 52 and, 53,
connecting which is a pin 5 having a peripheral groove 55, preferably semi-
circular in cross section, and in which lies a pin 56, which is, fixed to the arm.24
adjacent to its outer tapered end. Thus, if the pin 56 be,held in engagement with
the peripheral groove 55, the arm 24 may move with the stylus in the direction
of the diaphragm, hereinafter described, and which is mounted .in. the. frame 12,
and which movement will lift the tapered end 50 from the groove 51, and when
the tapered end is thus lifted the arm may have a lateral swinging motion.
Furthermore, the inner end of the arm, and therefore, the stylus,. may be. moved
in a circular orbit.
In order to hold the pin 56 in engagement with the groove 55, a spring plate 58
is fixed to the arm 24 and has its outer end curved inwardly and then outwardly,
to form a shoulder, which lies against and exerts a pressure upon the second
pin 60 connected with the ears 52 and 53. The shoulder.59. is .in slidable.con-
tact with the pin 60, and as the arm 24 is rocked from side to side the spring 58.
including the shoulder has a yielding motion and tends to return the arm to. the
position shown in Figure 7 of the drawings..
.
.is.
Thus it will be seen that when the reproducer is out of engagement with the
record, the stylus may be accurately alined with the axis. of. the diaphragm;, and
that it may be engaged, while in this condition, with the record. Also, as soon
as the stylus engages the record, in its tendency to support the weight of the
reproducer, the stylus, together with the arm, will be moved in the direction of.
the diaphragm, the parts of the apparatus being so proportioned that when the
stylus has engaged the diaphragm, the tapered end 50 of. the stylus arm. will
be raised from the groove 51, and thus may the stylus have a movement longi-
tudinally of the record in addition to and independent of that movement.com-
tributed by the feed mechanism of the reproducer.... Hence, the stylus may
readily adapt itself to all variations in location of the impression. upon the record
longitudinally of the latter, and the result will be an, accurate reproduction.
J

page_text: Also, the tendency of the spring 58 to move the end 50 of the,stylus arm in the
direction of the slot or groove 51 exerts a yieldable pressure of the stylus upon
the record, and thus eliminates the noises and other objectionable results, incident
to the failure of the stylus to accurately follow the undulations of the record.
It will of course be understood, that in practice the ears 52 and 53 may be
formed upon a bracket, which is fixed to the frame of the reproducer, or that the
ears may be formed integral with the frame.
1
In Figure 6 of the drawings there is shown means for holding the sound-box
yieldably in a position to maintain engagement of the stylus with the record to
assist the action of gravity. In this figure of the drawings, 65 represents the
fixed cylindrical element of the usual pivotal connection, through which and
the adjacent. end of the sound-box carrying arm there is passed a pivot-screw
or bolt 66. A spring-wire 67 has a hook at one end engaging a projection 68
upon the ace of the fixed element, from which pin the wire is looped around the
adjacent end of the pivot bolt, and has a hook upon its opposite end engaging the
pin 69 upon the box carrying arm 70. A similar arrangement is provided at the
opposite side of the connection, the tension of the spring being such as to tend
to rotate the arm upon its pivot and thus hold the diaphragm adjacent the record
and maintain yieldable engagement of the stylus with the record.
In Figure 1 of the drawings, the head of the bolt 21 forms the engaging sur-
face for the rear end of the stylus 23, the opposite end of the stylus being adapted
for engagement with the record, which is indicated at 25.
Connected with the upper closed end of the sound tube 18 or with any other
suitable portion of the sound box, is a compound curved arm 26, which extends
outwardly and upwardly and then rearwardly to a point beyond the pivotal con-
nection of the lower end of the sound tube with the bracket 10, and the outer
end of this arm is provided with a screw-threaded enlargement 27, which is
adapted to receive a thumb-nut 28, which has an extension 29 provided with a
peripheral groove 30. With this groove 30 is engaged a cord or wire 31 with a
weight 32, attached to its lower end. This weight tends to counterbalance the
weight of the sound-box and its connected parts, and thus to neutralize to some
degree the pressure of the stylus upon the record. By shifting the thumb nut.28
upon the threaded extension 27, the position of the weight 32 with respect to the
pivotal connection at 14, may be varied and the counterbalancing. effect of, the
weight may be altered to secure the best results under different conditions.
One effect of the counterbalancing weight 32 is to cause the stylus 23 to lie so
lightly against the record 25 as to cause the sound-box itself to yield in the
operation of the machine, and thus counteract to some extent the vibrating effect
of the stylus upon the diaphragm. In order to prevent this action. a second
arm 35 is connected with the bracket 10, and extends rearwardly thereof and
beyond the rear face of the record. The outer end of this arm is provided with
a hook 36, which is engaged with a flexible connection 37 attached at its upper
end to the fred end of a spring plate 38, the opposite end of which is fixed in a
block 39, secured to the sound box. The effect of the spring plate 38 will be
readily understood, and in its upward pull upon the connection 37. it forces and
holds the sound-box with the stylus in engagement with the record.
Instead of employing a spring plate 38 and the connection 37, an arm 40,
shown in Figure 2, of the drawings, may be secured to the sound box in the same
manner as the spring plate 38, and in the same position, and may be provided
with a hook 41 in its outer end having a helical spring 42 connected therewith,
the opposite end being attached to the hook 36.
In Figure 3, is shown a further modification in which the arm 35 is omitted,
while attached to the outer end of the spring arm 44, which is carried by the
seund-box, is a wire or cord 45 having a weight 46 attached to its lower end, this
wire or cord passing below and at the rear side of the record in the same manner
as does the connection 37 and the helical spring above described.
From the above description it will be seen that with the present structure,

page_text: the tension of the diaphragm may be varied at will and also that the pressure
of the stylus upon the record may be modified and the rebounding of the sound
box prevented, the result being a most efficient operation of the machine.
In substitution of the stylus arm above described there may be employed an
'arm, as shown in Figure 4, of the drawings, and which arm is composed of two
parts, a pivoted member 72 having its lower end formed with a lateral exten-
sion 73, and a spring member 74 having a head at its upper end which is inter-
nally threaded to receive the stylus 71, which latter is exteriorly threaded, and
is provided at its ends with the usual points to bear against the record and dia-
phragm respectively. The member 72 has journals 75 at its upper end which obtain
à bearing in the reproducer frame, thereby admitting of the stylus moving
rapidly between the diaphragm and record, which is essential to the operativeness
of the machine. The parts are disposed so that the stylus comes directly oppo-
site the center of the diaphragm. The spring member 74 is thin and compara-
tively wide, and is placed with its greatest width in the direction of the stylus,
thereby preventing any movement of the part 74 in a plane at right angles to
the diaphragm and record independent of the movement of the vibration of the
arm upon its journals 75 and with the stylus 11.
A pin 76 is rigidly attached to the member 74 and is located a short distance
from the stylus 71 so as to engage with the diaphragm near its edge when the
stylus 71 has been unscrewed so as to withdraw it from engagement with the
diaphragm. This construction provides for moderating the sound so as to prevent
a person standing near the machine from hearing the reproduction without the
use of an ear tube, which is of advantage when the privilege of listening to the
machine must be paid for. A second pin 77 is applied to the pivoted member 72
and constitutes a stop to engage with the frame of the reproducer and prevent
the arm bearing the stylus from falling away from the reproducer too far when
the latter is raised and slid back to the head to pass over another record.
move out-
As previously explained, the arm 74 is adapted to yield laterally or in a plane
parallel with the diaphragm and record, thereby enabling the stylus to adapt
itself to the groove of the recording cylinder when lowering the reproducer into
an operative position. This construction obviates the provision of a loose joint
between the reproducer and its support, which has been found objectionable
because of the lost motion generally existing in a pivotal joint of this character.
In this construction is shown a weight 78, which is slidably mounted upon a
threaded rod 79, engaged with the upper portion of the sound-box. The rod 79
depends at its outer end, so that the tendency of the weight is to
wardly of the rod, and in order to limit this outward movement to vary the effect
of the weight, a thumb-nut 80 is engaged with the threads of the rod. This
thumb-nut also acts to move the weight toward the attached end of the rod.
In Figure of the drawings, the diaphragm is shown as thickened at its central
portion and gradually decreased in thickness towards its periphery. Centrally
of this diaphragm is engaged a headed bolt, upon one end of which is mounted
a frustro-conical plug, which lies in the sound opening of the box and is adapted
for movement therein as the diaphragm is vibrated to act in a choking capacity,
the stylus engaging the opposite end of the bolt directly.
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. In a graphophone, the combination with a reproducer, of a counterbalancing
weight having adjustable connection with the reproducer, and means for securing
the weight in an adjusted position, substantially as set forth.
2. In a graphophone, the combination of a reproducer pivotally supported and
normally inclining from the perpendicular, a rod extending from the reproducer,
and a weight adjustably mounted upon the said rod for counter-balancing the
reproducer, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 3. In a graphophone, the combination with a reproducer, of an arm bearing a
stylus and adapted to yield laterally to permit the stylus to adapt itself to the
record, substantially as set forth.
4. In a graphophone, the combination with a reproducer, of a spring arm bear-
ing a stylus and disposed with its width in a plane at right angles to the dia-
phragm of the reproducer and the record surface, and adapted to yield to permit
the stylus adjusting itself to the record, substantially as described.
5. In a graphophone, the combination of a pivoted reproducer mounted to
vibrate in a plane at right angles to the record surface, and an arm pivoted to
the frame of the reproducer and bearing a stylus independent of the diaphragm,
said arm adapted to vibrate in the plane of the reproducer and independently
thereof, substantially as set forth.
6. In a graphophone, the combination of a counterbalanced reproducer mounted
to vibrate in a plane at right angles to the record surface, and an arm pivoted to
the reproducer to vibrate independently thereof and bearing a stylus, and adapted
to move to enable the stylus to adjust itself to the record, substantially as set
forth.
7. In a graphophone, the combination with the reproducer, of a pivoted arm
bearing a stylus and a pin which are relatively adjustable, whereby either the
stylus or pin may be caused to engage with the diaphragm, substantially as
described.
8. In a graphophone, the combination with the reproducer, of a pivoted arm, a
stylus having adjustable connection with the pivoted arm to engage centrally with
the diaphragm, and a pin attached to the said pivoted arm and adapted to engage
with the diaphragm at a point remote from its center upon moving the stylus
outward or away from the diaphragm, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
9. In a graphophone, the combination with a reproducer, of an arm pivoted to
the reproducer and bearing a stylus, and a stop applied to the said arm and
adapted to engage with the reproducer to limit the outward movement of the
arm when the reproducer is removed from the machine.
10. In a graphophone, the combination with a record, and a reproducer com-
prising a diaphragm, of a stylus-carrying arm having a pivotal connection with
the reproducer frame to permit of its oscillation in a direction toward and away
from the diaphragm, and longitudinally of the record.
11. In a graphophone, the combination with a reproducer comprising a frame
and a diaphragm, of a stylus-carrying arm pivotally connected with the frame and
adapted for movement upon its pivot in a direction toward and away from the
diaphragm and transversely of the face thereof.
12. In a graphophone, the combination with a reproducer comprising a frame
and a diaphragm, of a stylus-carrying arm having a stylus thereon, said arm
having pivotal connection with the frame and adapted for movement upon its
pivot to move the stylus toward and away from and also radially of the diaphragm.
13. In a graphophone, the combination with a record and a reproducer com-
prising a diaphragm, of a stylus-carrying arm pivotally connected with the frame
of the reproducer, said arm having a stylus fixed thereto and adapted for move-
ment upon its pivot to move the stylus in orbits of various dimensions.
14. In a graphophone reproducer, the combination with a sound-box and a
diaphragm, of ears carried by the sound-box, a groove intermediate the ears, a
stylus-carrying arm adapted to enter said groove to aline with a radius of the
diaphragm, a pin carried by the arm, a pin supported by the ears and having a
peripheral groove adapted to receive the pin in the arm, and means for yieldably
holding said pin in the groove.
15. In a graphophone reproducer, the combination with a sound-box and a
diaphragm, of ears carried by the sound-box, a groove intermediate the ears, a
stylus-carrying arm adapted to lie in said groove and to be held thereby in a
predetermined position, a pin carried by the ears and having a peripheral groove,

page_text: a pin carried by the arm and adapted to lie in said groove and adapted for rock-
ing movement therein and to move longitudinally thereof, a second pin connected
with the ears, and a spring carried by the arm and engaging the last named pin
to hold the pin and groove in mutual engagement.
F
16. In a graphophone, the combination with a reproducer comprising a frame,
a diaphragm and a stylus in operative relation to the diaphragm, of a supporting
arm for the frame having a pivotal connection with a suitable base, and means
engaging said arm and base and adapted to hold the frame. yieldably in the
direction of the adjacent record.
. f
17. In a graphophone, the combination with a records and a reproducer com-
prising a diaphragm, a diaphragm frame and a stylus in operative relation to, the
diaphragm, of a frame-supporting arm pivoted to a suitable base, a pin carried
by the base, a pin carried by the arm, and a spring-wire engaging said pins and
the pivot of the arm and adapted to hold the arm yildably in the direction of the
record.
18. The combination with a pivoted sound-box, of a counterbalancing, weight
flexibly connected therewith.
19. The combination with a pivoted sound-box having an arm extending beyond
the pivot of the box, of a counterbalancing weight having flexible connection with
the arm.
20. The combination with a sound-box, of a counterbalancing weight. having
flexible and adjustable connection with the sound-box.
21. The combination with a sound-box having an arm extending beyond the
pivot of the box, of a counterbalancing weight having flexible and adjustable
connection therewith.
22. The combination with a pivoted sound-box, of an arm connected with the
box and extending above and beyond the pivot of the box, and a counterbalancing
weight and its flexible connection with the arm.
23. The combination with a pivoted sound-box having an arm connected there-
with and extending beyond and above the pivot of the box, of a nut having
threaded engagement with the arm, a flexible connection attached to the nut,
and a counterbalancing weight attached to the connection.
24. The combination with a pivoted sound-box and means for counterbalancing
the weight of the box, of means for holding the box yieldably against the ten-
dency of the weight.
25. The combination with a pivoted sound-box and a counterbalancing weight
therefor, of an arm connected with the box and having a weight connected there-
with and adapted to hold the box yieldably against the tendency of the first named
weight.
+
:
26. The combination with a pivoted sound-box having a counterbalancing
means, of means for holding the box yieldably against the first named means.
27. The combination with a pivoted sound-box and means for counterbalancing
.the weight of the box, 'of a spring connected with the box and adapted to hold the
box against the tendency of the counterbalancing means.
~
".
28. The, combination with a pivoted sound-box having counterbalancing means.
of a spring arm connected with the box, and connections between the arm and
a suitable support for holding the box yieldably against the tendency of the
.counterbalancing means.
29. The combination with a pivoted sound-box, of means for holding the sound-
hox yieldably upon one side of its center of gravity, and additional means con-
nected with the box and adapted to exert a moving tendency upon the box in
opposition to the first named means.
30. The combination with a sound-box. of a diaphragm comprising two disks
.secured at their edges to the box, means for holding the disks separated at points
between their centers and their peripheries, and means for drawing the disks
toward each other to increase their tension.
31. The combination with a sound-box, of a diaphragm comprising a plurality

page_text: of disks secured to the box, and means for varying the distance between corre-
sponding points of the disks to vary the tension of the diaphragm.
32. The combination with a sound-box, of a diaphragm comprising two disks
secured at their edges to the box, and means for drawing the disks toward each
other at their centers to increase the tension thereof.
33. A diaphragm comprising two plates mutually connected and normally
separated at points, and means for drawing the plates toward each other to
increase their tensions.
34. A diaphragm comprising two plates adapted to vibrate in unison, and
means for varying the separation of the plates to vary their tensions.
35. The combination with a sound-box, of a diaphragm comprising two plates
connected at their edges to the box, a ring disposed between the plates and in
engagement therewith, a headed bolt passed through the plates within the
enclosure of the ring, a nut upon the bolt adapted to draw the plates towards each
cther a stylus arm mounted upon the box, and a stylus carried by the arm and
adapted for engagement with the bolt to transmit motion to the diaphragm.
Dated this 25th day of November 1899.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.