Coin-freed Grammophone.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 6th June, 1891
Coin-freed Grammophone.
A communication from ERNST PAUL WICKE and GUSTAV MORITZ PFEIFffer,
both of Dresden, Saxony, in the German Empire.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 consists in the combination of a grammophone with clockwork
whereby under the action of a coin the grammophone is automatically thrown into
and out of gear and the sounding box set in motion while the clockwork arrests
itself of its own accord after the passage of the coin.
By this means the user of the apparatus is enabled by inserting a coin to hear
a conversation, melody or the like of which the grammophone disc bears a
representation.
Within a closed casing is arranged a grammophone operated by means of any
suitable mechanism from a shaft 3 carrying a flywheel 2 and also a friction-roller 4
adapted to set in motion a disc 5 which carries the grammophone disc g. Upon the
arbor 7 of the clockwork U is secured a disc 9 provided with a notch S and with
it is connected a smaller disc 10 carrying a tappet or cam 11. With the notch 8
of the disc 9 engages one end of the lever 12 fulcrummed at a the opposite end of
which lever is situated below the channel or shoot 13 into which the coin is
inserted. The descending coin therefore tilts this lever 12 so as to bring it out of
engagement with the disc 9 (.e. into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4)
thus enabling the said disc 9 freely to rotate. A spring secured to the fixed arm 14
and also to the arm 15 of the lever 12 pulls the lever back to its normal position
directly the coin leaves it. During this movement the lever is in contact with the
disc 9 so that when it meets the notch & it may instantly engage therewith and
lock the disc against further rotary motion until it is again released by a further
coin.
With the cam-disc 10 which is coupled with this dise 9 an arm 21 pivotted at y
is in contact so that it is from time to time raised by the cam 11 thereby displacing
the sounding box S. This box is capable of revolving in both directions and is
secured to the arm 23 supported by the upright 22. It carries a pin or contact
point 24 which is in contact with the grammophone dise the spiral grooves of
which cause it gradually to move away from its periphery towards the centre.
The arm 23 carrying the sounding box is supported by an arm 25 arranged at
right angles to it and pivotted at which arm is connected by a rod or link 26 with
the before mentioned arm 21. When therefore this arm 21 is raised by the cam 11,
Fig. 2, the arm 23 moving upon the arm 25 by means of a roller 27 slides down-
wards along with the sounding box S until it reaches an adjustable stop 25 provided
on the column 29. By this time the sounding box S has been carried to the
periphery of the grammophone disc g but its pin is not then allowed to touch this
disc as the arm 21 is still raised by the cam 11 (Fig. 5). Not till this arm has
descended upon the disc 10 and the arm 25 assumed a practically horizontal
position (Fig. 6) does the point 24 touch the surface of the graminophone disc g
which disc at that moment is already revolving. By means of a flexible tube
leading to the outside where it is divided into a number of branch tubes and
provided with acoustic dises the listener will then be able to hear the conversation,
piece of music, or the like of which the disc has received an imprint or a
representation. When the contents of this disc is played out that is when it has
completed one revolution it is again locked in position by the lever or pawl 12.

page_text: The cam 11 being situated somewhat behind the notch 8 directly a coin is thrown
into the shoot the sounding-box S is first of all brought back to its proper initial
position in consequence of the arm 21 having been raised, but when this arm 21
slips off the cam upon the dise 9 the sounding-box is allowed to descend upon the
grammophone disc g. This short delay leaves the listener the time necessary for
taking his acoustic plate off the hook and bringing it close to his car so that he
misses nothing of the contents of the grammophone.
Additional efficacy is ensured in the locking of the clockwork through the fact
that a hook 32 provided on the lever 12 keeps the flyer from motion while this lever
is in engagement with the disc 9.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is -
A coin-freed grammophone characterized by a combination of the grammophone
proper ( and S) operated by any suitable mechanism with clockwork (U) adapted
to be set in operation by a coin and to bring the sounding box (S) in and out of
gear and restore it to its initial position for which purpose an arm (21) sliding upon
a cam-disc (10) connected with a coupling disc 9 raises the arm (23) of the
sounding-box thereby releasing the grammophone disc (4) and causing the said
sounding-box to return to its initial position substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Thirteenth day of April 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.