Improvements in Sound Recording and Reproducing Instruments.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 7th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Sound Recording and Reproducing Instruments.
I, JOSEPH W. JONES, of 46 E. Houston Street, New York, United States of America,
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:
My invention relates to new and useful improvements in sound recording and
re-producing instruments, especially that class of instruments known as gramo-
phones, and has for its object to provide a simple automatic device having for its
motive power a spring which is caused to operate by the insertion of a coin into
the coin chute of the machine as shown in the drawings and more fully described
hereafter.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 illustrates an end elevation, partly in section of an instrument embodying
the principle of my invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the top cover being removed
and the standard supporting the instrument being omitted."
Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a detached sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6.
Fig. 6 is a detached sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 7.
Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6, and
Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the mechanism controlled by a coin
for starting and stopping the instrument.
Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
A is the record in the form of a disk having upon its face a layer of wax or other
like material upon which sound waves have been recorded.
B is a rotatable table carrying the record, the same being held in position by a
thumb screw, B¹.
The shaft, C, which supports said table has suitable bearings in the frame
work, D, of the motor and motion is imparted to said shaft as follows:
A beveled pinion, E, on the shaft, C, engages a beveled gear, E¹, loosely sup-
ported upon the shaft, 2, on the same shaft is loosely hung a pinion, E³, connected
by a sleeve to the beveled gear, El, which meshes with a gear wheel, E, fixed to
a shaft, E, and upon this same shaft is fixed a pinion, E6, which meshes with a
gear wheel, E, loosely hung to the shaft, E².
The spring, E8, is secured at one end to the shaft. E², the outer end being con-
nected to the gear wheel, E7, by a pin, e7, upon the shaft, E2, is also secured a
ratchet wheel, E⁹, having a pawl, e, engaging it, which is pivoted to the frame.
work of the motor, in winding the spring, E8, the shaft, E2, is turned by a
crank, E10, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

page_text: The sound box, F, of the instrument comprises a casing, F¹, and ring, F2, between
which is secured the diaphragm, F3, the reduced portion, f¹, of the casing is pro-
vided with a flexible tube, F4, through which the sound waves are conveyed to a
coupling, f, in the cover and thence through the tube, F5, to the ear pieces.
The stylus or needle, G, is mounted in a binding post, G₁, provided with a set
screw, G2, the same being secured to a spring plate, G3, which is fastened to the
sound box by screws, g, g, the spring plate, G, being connected to the diaphragm, F3,
by a pin, f3, in the usual manner and in some cases an additional spring plate, G+,
may be employed provided with an adjusting screw, g.
Secured to and forming part of the sound box is a short arm, H, connected to
the saddle, I, by means of screws, h, h, and in order to provide for a slight irregu-
larity which I find will at times occur between the feed imparted to the saddle
and that imparted to the stylus by the record, I provide a slot h¹, in the arm, H,
in which one of the screws, h, is free to play.
The saddle, I, is sleeved at its upper end to a bar, J, which bar is supported by
uprights, K and K¹, connected to and forming part of the base plate, K². The
saddle, I, is caused to travel backward and forward upon the bar, J, by means of
two screws, L and L, the former when engaged with the semi-threaded portion
of the saddle, I¹, will impart a slow movement corresponding to that imparted to
the stylus or needle by the groove in the record plate, the latter screw imparting
a quick return movement to the stylus after the same has been lifted from the face of
the record.
The motive power for operating the screws, L and L¹, is conveyed from the
shaft, C, to the shaft, M, by means of pulleys, C' and-M¹, connected by a belt, M³.
The shaft, M, is provided with a worm, M³, which engages the teeth of the worm
wheels, L2 and L3, secured respectively to the ends of the worms, L and L¹.
The movements given to saddle and sound box carried thereby through the
arm, H, are as follows, When the saddle is in the position shown in Figs. 3
and 5, the semi-threaded portion, I', is in engagement with the worm, L, which
conveys the saddle forward until the same is brought in contact with the cam, N,
and a further movement compresses the spring, n, and brings the toothed portion
of the cam in contact with a collar, O, which is fixed to the worm shaft, the same
having corresponding teeth which engage the toothed portion of the cam; the cam
now turns with the screw shaft and a pin, i, projecting from the saddle is acted
upon by the cam and disengages the saddle from the screw, L.
Suspended from the bottom of the saddle is a roller, P, which when the saddle
is in engagement with the screw, L, rests upon a track or guide, Q, as the saddle is
disengaged by the cam, N, from the screw, L, the roller, which has considerable
vertical play upon the pin which secures it to the saddle, drops by gravity down
behind the track or guide, Q, as the saddle is shifted and holds the saddle and
pin, 12, projecting therefrom into engagement with the quick return worm, L'.
In order that the pin, I2, will properly engage the thread of the screw, L', when
the saddle is shifted, I provide a spring, S, which is located in an opening directly
back of the pin so that in case the pin strikes the thread at the moment the saddle
is shifted the spring will be compressed until the pin is properly adjusted between
the coils of the thread.
As the saddle is moved along by the worm, L', the roller, P, is brought in con-
tact with the inclined plane, R, which raises said roller from the track or guide, Q,
and the weight of the sound box shifts the saddle out of engagement with the
worm, L', and into engagement with the worm, L.
The governor, T, is of the ordinary centrifugal type, comprising the weighted
arms, T and T2, connected to the sleeve, T³, by connecting links, T* and T5, a
spring, S. being interposed between the upper pivotal and fixed connection for
the arms, T and T2, and the loosely supported flanged sleeve, T³. The shaft, T,
which carries the governor is driven from the shaft, C, by means of a belt, T', and
pulleys, T and T. The speed of the machine is regulated by a plate, U, and

page_text: thumb screw, u², the former, being pivoted at a point, u, and pro-
vided with a pad, , which bears against the flanged portion of the sleeve, T, .to
a greater or less extent as the governor revolves and governs the speed of the
device by the frictional contact between said parts.
The coin mechanism for controlling the operation of the instrument. embraces
a lever, V, which is provided at a point, v, the weight of said lever and its connect-
ing parts being counter-balanced by a spring, S³..
1
An arm, V, projects out some distance from the lever, V, and normally engages
a projection, w, on the disc, W,, which latter is secured to and. rotated by the
shaft, M.
Carried by the lever, V, is a bar, V2, acted upon in one direction by a spring, St,
so as to cause one end of the bar to lie in the path taken by the coin in the chute, X.
When a coin is inserted into the chute, X, it passes along until it comes in contact
with the projecting end of the bar, V2, the weight of the coin being sufficient to
bear down the lever V, against the action of the spring, S3, which disengages the
arm, V, from the projection, w, on the disc, W.
The instrument being free to operate the saddle, I, is fed slowly forward by the
screw, L, the roller, P, coming in contact at or near the end of its travel with a
lever, Y, which being connected to the lever, Y¹, by a small shaft, y, operates the
bar, V2, against the action of the spring, S4, and releases the coin.
The coin being released from the bar, V2, the spring, S³, comes into action and
returns the lever, V, to its normal position but, as the roller, V3, at this point has
been carried forward by the bar, V2, in releasing the coin, the roller, V³, upon the
return of the lever, V, comes in contact with a stop, V*, which prevents the arm, V¹,
from engaging and locking the disk, W, until the saddle, I, has been reversed by
the screw, L, and carried a distance sufficient to disengage the lever, Y, and allow
the spring, S, to return the bar, V2, to its initial position.
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:
First. In a sound recording and reproducing instrument the combination of a
record disc mounted upon a table supported upon a vertical shaft, spring means
for rotating said shaft, a sound box provided with a diaphragm and stylus operated
upon by the record, a short arm connected to the sound box and having suitable
bearing upon a horizontal bar which is supported by the frame work of the machine,
a screw connected to the source of power and adapted to convey the sound box
and its connections with a slow motion across the face of the record disc in one
direction, a second screw connected to the source of power and adapted to move
the sound box and its connections with a quick motion in the opposite direction,
means for transferring the arm carrying the sound box from one to the other of
the screws, a coin chute, or a pivoted lever one end of which is in line with said
coin chute and adapted to be acted upon by a coin so as to unlock the operating
mechanism.
Second. In a sound recording and reproducing instrument the combination of
a record disc mounted upon a rotatable table, spring mechanism for operating
the same, a sound box provided with a diaphragm and stylus which is adapted
to traverse across the face of the record, a screw for conveying the sound box in
one direction with a slow motion, a screw for conveying the sound box in the
opposite direction, and a cam mounted upon one of said screws and being adapted
to shift the parts carrying the sound box out of engagement with one and into
engagement with the other of the said screws.
Third. In a sound recording and reproducing instrument the combination of a
record disc mounted upon and detachably secured to a rotatable table carried by
a vertical shaft, spring means substantially as shown and described for operating
said shaft, a sound box provided with a diaphragm and stylus operated upon by

page_text: .
the record, a short arm connected to and adapted to guide the sound box, mechanism
substantially as shown and described for imparting a slow motion in one direction
and a quick motion in the opposite direction to said arm, and mechanism controlled
by a coin for unlocking the motive power and again locking the same after the
stylus has completed a forward and backward movement across the face of
the record disc.
Fourth. The combination with a sound recording and reproducing instrument
substantially as shown and described of coin controlling mechanism comprising
a pivoted lever held normally upward by a spring and adapted to lock the operat-
ing mechanism of the gramophone, a coin chute, a rod having bearings in said
pivoted lever, one end of said bar resting directly under said coin chute and adapted
to receive the coin with means such as a spring, for holding said bar in position,
and a pivoted lever controlled by the mechanism of the gramophone and adapted
to release the coin and lock the operating mechanism, substantially as specified.
Fifth. In a sound recording and reproducing instrument of the kind above claimed
the combination with the rotatable record disc and the sound box of a device con-
nected with and adapted to guide the sound box, said device being supported so
as to be capable of travelling across the face of the disc, of a screw connected with
the source of power and adapted to engage with said device and automatically
impart to it and the sound box a slow positive motion in one direction across the
disc, of a second screw adapted to engage with said device and automatically im-
part to it a quick positive motion in the opposite direction, and of a cam for shift-
ing said device from one to the other of said screws.
Sixth. In a sound recording and reproducing instrument the combination of
a record disc, spring means for rotating the same, a sound box provided with a
diaphragm and stylus operated upon by the record, a short arm connected to the
sound box and guided by a bar supported by the frame work of the machine, a
screw connected to the source of power and adapted to convey the sound box and
its connections with a slow motion across the face of the disc in one direction, a
second screw connected with the source of power and adapted to convey the sound
box and its connections with a quick motion in the opposite direction, and a cam
mounted upon one of said screws for transferring the arm, carrying the sound box
from one to the other of said screws.
Seventh. In a sound recording and reproducing instrument the combination of
a record disc mounted upon a table supported upon a vertical shaft, spring means
for rotating said shaft, a sound box provided with a diaphragm and stylus operated
upon by the record, a short arm connected to the sound box and fulcrumed to a
suitable bearing upon a horizontal bar which is supported by the frame work of
the machine a screw connected to the source of power and adapted to convey the
sound box and its connections with a slow motion across the face of the disc in
one direction, a second screw connected to the source of power and adapted to move
the sound box and its connections with a quick motion in the opposite direction,
and a cam carried by the first mentioned screw for transferring the arm carrying
the sound box from one to the other of the screws.
Eighth. In a sound recording and reproducing instrument the combination of
a record disc suitably supported upon a vertical shaft, spring means for rotating
said shaft, a sound box provided with a diaphragm and stylus operated upon by
the record, a short arm connected to the sound box and having a bearing fulcrumed
to a saddle upon a bar which is supported by the frame work of the machine, a
screw connected to the source of power and adapted to convey the saddle and its
connections across the face of the disc in one direction, a second screw connected
to the source of power and adapted to move the saddle and its connections in the
opposite direction, a cam operated by the first named screw for transferring the
arm carrying the sound box from one to the other of said screws, a coin chute, a
pivoted lever, one end of which is in line with said coin chute and adapted to be
acted upon by a coin so as to unlock the operating mechanism.
Ninth. A sound recording and reproducing instrument having its parts con-

page_text: structed arranged and combined to operate substantially as herein described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of March 1898
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.