Improvements in Means or Apparatus for the Manufacture of Wax- coated Tablets or Cylinders for use in Graphophones, Phono- graphs, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1890-Accepted, 12th July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for the Manufacture of Wax-
coated Tablets or Cylinders for use in Graphophones, Phono-
graphs, and the like.
1, JAMES YATE JOHNSON, of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention, (which has been com-
municated to. me from abroad by the Edison United Phonograph Company, a
corporation organized under the laws of the State of New Jersey, (one of the United
States of America) and having its principal office in the City of Orange, Essex
County, in said State,) 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 apparatus for the manufacture of wax-coated tablets or
cylinders for use in apparatus known as Graphophones or Phonographs for recording
and reproducing sounds or the like, and has for its object to enable the manufacture
of such tablets or cylinders to be carried on in an expeditious and economical manner
and to secure good and uniform results without the necessity for special care on the
part of the operator or for the employment of skilled labor.
Prior to this invention the application of the wax-coating to the foundation by
which it is supported has been attended with difficulties and has necessitated its
being conducted in a very careful manner, and by processes comparatively slow and
therefore expensive. As the tablets or cylinders are used in great quantities the
importance of means for producing them rapidly and cheaply will be readily
understood.
According to the present invention the tube or cylinder which is to be coated with
wax is fed along longitudinally, and at the same time is given a rotating motion over
a vessel or bath containing melted wax.
While it is advancing and rotating, a coating device, which may conveniently
be a small roller, rotating in the bath, applies a coating of wax to the tube.
The tube is preferably formed in lengths, it may be of six feet or more, and
after passing through the coating device is cut to the sizes required for graphophonic
tablets.
The invention includes a vessel of special construction having an extension at one
end in which the coating device or roller is placed, the vessel being hinged, so that it
can be tilted as the wax is used up so as to maintain the same level in that portion
which contains the coating device.
The invention further includes automatic mechanism for tilting the vessel as the
wax is used up. This mechanism may be of any suitable description.
As herein shown it comprises a counterweight hung on a cam carried by a shaft,
the curvature of the cam being such that the leverage of the weight is shifted as the
wax is consumed.
The said shaft is connected by connections with the vessel so that the latter is tilted
on its hinges as the weight turns the shaft.
The invention further includes special means for imparting to the foundation tube
or cylinder its forward and rotating motions, and also certain details of construction
and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.
The accompanying drawings represent an apparatus embodying the principle of the
invention, Figure 1 being a perspective view, Figure 2 a vertical section partly in
front elevation, Figure 3 a vertical section partly in side elevation, Figure 4 a partial
plan and Figure 5 a detail view showing the feed roller and its support drawn to a
larger scale.
A. represents a metal vessel having double walls a a¹ the space between them being
filled with water or equivalent heating medium. The said vessel A is supported on

page_text: a stand B, to which it is hinged at the points 2 and 3 (see Figure 2) so that it can be
tilted forward more or less as hereafter explained. The vessel A contains the wax or
waxy composition to be applied to the tube or cylinder and the water or like jacket
keeps the wax melted and at a temperature practically uniform.
The hollow sleeve which constitutes the holder for the foundation tube b is
supported in a tubular bearing D. carried by a standard E which is supported by the
stand B. The sleeve C carries a driving pulley F. by which it is rotated.
b
The internal diameter of the hollow sleeve or holder C is such that the tube or
cylinder 6 upon which the coating of wax is to be applied, will fit closely therein so
that it will be turned with the sleeve or holder C. It should not fit so tight however
as to interfere with its forward motion.
The bath or vessel A hus a forward extension G, constituting a small compartment,
and as the foundation tube b issues from the holder C it passes over this compartment
coming in contact with a small roller g which rotates therein and by which a
coating of wax is applied to said tube. As shewn in Figure 2 the roller
slightly tapering in form, as this is found in practice to give better results than
a roller of uniform diameter.
is
The said roller g is carried by a spindle 4 turning in the sleeve 3 and provided
with a small pulley 5 which is driven from a pulley 6 on the counter shaft 7, the
latter being driven from the rotating sleeve C through pulleys 8 and 9. The shaft 7
has bearings in brackets 10 depending from the table B.
The forward motion of the tube 6 is effected by a small feed roller d or more
properly a pair of rollers on the same spindle (see Figure 5). These rollers are
bevelled off on one side, leaving edges sufficiently sharp to bite into the surface of
the tube without cutting the same, the rollers being pressed in contact with the
tube by the spiral spring i surrounding the shank h and bearing at one end against
the bracket by which the shank is supported.
When the tube b rotates it turns the rollers d by friction. The axis of the
rollers d is slightly oblique to that of the tube b consequently the said tube is fed
forward, the combined action of the rotating holder and oblique feed rollers imparting
to it the notion of a screw.
"
l
The inclination of the feed rollers may be adjusted by means of the adjusting
screw acting on the arm m attached to the shank h. A flat spring n holds the said
arm against the end of the screw l. The speed at which the tube b is advanced (in
other words the pitch of its spiral motion) is determined by the inclination of the
rollers d. Preferably the angle of the feed rollers is such that the tube & advances
at each revolution a distance equal to, or slightly less than, the width of the coating
roller g.
The action of the latter resembles the winding of a film or band of wax
helically around the tube b. The roller g should also be set obliquely with reference
to the axis of tube bits inclination corresponding to that of the rollers d. It will
thus assist, and not impede the forward motion of tube b.
The direction of longitudinal motion of the tube b is indicated by the arrow in
Figure 2.
2
The upper end of the shank h carrying the feed rollers d is screw-threaded, and on
it is screwed a thumb nut o by means of which the pressure of the feed rollers d on
the tube can be regulated.
It is very desirable to keep the wax in the compartment C at approximately the
same level, by gradually tilting the bath A forward as the wax is consumed. The
bath or vessel A is balanced by the counterweight H hung by a strap p from a
cam I, the strap passing over the surface of the cam.
The shaft L which carries the cam I has an arm M pivoted to a link N, the
latter being in turn pivoted to an ear or lug 9 projecting from the rear of the
vessel A.
A
The weight H is loaded sufficiently to hold vessel A in such position that the
level of the wax in the part G thereof is slightly higher than the lower surface of
the coating roller g. As the wax is consumed, and the vessel A consequently
lightened, the weight H causes the shaft I to turn which through the con-

page_text: part G.
сце vessel farther forward, causing the wax LO HOW into the
The curvature of the cam I is such that as the weight H descends, it acts closer
and closer to the axis of shaft L, and its leverage is proportionately diminished. This
is necessary, owing to the constantly diminishing weight of the contents of the rear
part of vessel A which the weight H is required to balance.
To prevent oscillation of the vessel A as it is shifted by the action of weight H,
a rack P is secured to table B which rack is engaged by a pawl s pivoted on the
vessel A.
R represents a gas supply pipe with which are connected the two pipes S running
under the vessel A and supported by brackets T. and having a series of perforations
along their upper sides constituting burners for keeping up the temperature of the
water bath. Any other suitable heating means may however be substituted, and other
modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the
nature of the invention.
Where a feed roller is hereinbefore referred to herein it will be understood that one
or more such rollers may be used as desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for the purpose specified the combination with the vessel or bath of
the holder for supporting the article to be coated, the coating device in the said vessel
or bath and mechanism for advancing and rotating the said article substantially as
herein before described.
2. The combination with the vessel or bath containing the melted wax or composition,
of the rotatory bolder, the coating roller adapted to rotate in the said vessel or bath,
and the means for advancing the tube or cylinder to be coated while rotating with the
holder substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The combination with the vessel or bath, of the rotatory holder, the coating
device arranged in the said vessel or bath and the feed roller adapted to bear upon the
tube or cylinder to be coated, and arranged obliquely to the axis thereof, substantially
as herein before described.
4. The combination of the vessel or bath, hinged to a stand or table, the coating
roller arranged therein, devices for tilting the vessel or bath and holding it at any
desired angle, and the supporting and feeding devices for the tube or cylinder to be
coated by the said roller, substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. The combination of the vessel or bath having an extension at one end or side,
the coating roller arranged in the said extension, and the tube-supporting and
feeding devices, the said vessel or bath being hinged to its stand so that it can
be tilted to run the wax towards the said extension, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
6. The combination with the vessel or bath hinged to a support and containing
a coating device for applying the contents of the said vessel or bath to the surface
of a foundation to be coated, of means for automatically tilting the said vessel or
bath as its contents are consumed so as to maintain an approximately constant
level of the coating medium at the said coating device, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
7. The combination with the hinged vessel or bath containing a coating device of a
counter-balance weight connected with the said vessel, and means for automatically
shifting the leverage of the said weight as the contents of the vessel are consumed,
substantially as herein before described.
8. The combination with the hinged vessel or bath containing a coating device, of a
counter balance weight hung on a cam carried by a shaft, and connections between the
said shaft and vessel or bath whereby the descent of the weight acts to tilt the said
vessel or bath substantially as hereinbefore described.
9. The combination of the vessel or bath, the rotatory holder, the feed roller for

page_text: acting on the tube o cylinder to be coated and the coating roller, both the said rollers
being set obliquely to the axis of the said tube or cylinder substantially as hereinbefore
described.
10. The combination with the vessel or bith for the wax, the coating device and
the rotatory holder, of the feed roller having a sharp edge to bear upon the tube or
cylinder to be coated, the said roller being set obliquely to the axis of the said tube or
cylinder substantially as hereinbefore described.
11. The combination of the vessel or bath, the feed, the holder, and the tapering
coating roller in the said vessel or bath, substantially as hereinbefore described.
12. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus
for the making of wax coated tablets or cylinders, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dalth: 071 1
1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.