Improvements in Phonographs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Phonographs.
I, GEORGE VOLENTINE GRESS, of Atlanta, in the County of Fulton and State of
Georgia, United States of America, Capitalist, 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:-
66
This invention has particular reference to that class of phonographs, called
multiplex-cylinder," wherein are employed a series of cylinders successively
brought into operative relation with the feed shaft and recording or reproducing
point, but many features of the invention are applicable to phonographs having
a single cylinder; and the invention consists in certain peculiarities in the con-
struction and arrangement of the parts and in certain novel combinations of the
parts substantially as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the sub-
joined claims.
The objects of the invention are as follows: First to provide the half nut, that
engages the feed shaft for transmitting longitudinal motion from said shaft to the
diaphragm-support, with means whereby said half nut may have a maximum
range of adjustment relatively to said shaft; second, to provide means whereby the
diaphragm-support will be properly guided in its movement over the wax cylinder
and will be adjustable relatively to said cylinder to compensate for the reduction
in the thickness thereof when shaved; third, to provide improved means for holding
the half-nut and diaphragm support elevated out of operative relation with the
feed shaft and wax cylinder respectively, and particularly to provide a construction
whereby said holder means will operate automatically to raise and hold the half
nut and diaphragm support elevated in the return of said parts to the starting
place; fourth, to provide simplified means whereby said return of the half-nut and
diaphragm support is accomplished automatically during the operation of bring-
ing a different wax cylinder into operative position; fifth, to provide improved
means for shifting the cylinders, in multiplex-cylinder phonographs, to bring a
different cylinder into operative relation with the recording or reproducing point;
and sixth, to provide means whereby the battery of cylinders and their supporting
parts may be quickly removed from the machine in entirety and another complete
battery substituted.
These several objects are accomplished by the constructions shown in the accom-
panying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a top and Fig. 2 an inverted plan view of a construction embodying all
of my improvements and showing the preferred means for carrying out the several
objects.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section showing the positions of the parts in
shifting from one cylinder to another.
Fig. 5 is an end view.
Fig. 6 is a view of the other end of the machine, partly in section.

page_text: Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line y-y of Fig. 1, with parts broken away.
Fig. 8 is a transverse section on the line zz of Fig. 1.
Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of a modification.
Fig. 10 is a central longitudinal section of the form shown in Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 is a view of one end of the same machine.
Fig. 12 is a central longitudinal section of the same with the parts in the posi-
tions they occupy in shifting the cylinders.
Fig. 13 is a view of a part of a further modified form.
Fig. 14 is a section on the line uu of Fig. 9.
Fig. 15 is a detail of part of the form shown in Fig. 13.
Fig. 16 is a detail view of the spring for supporting the half-nut.
The threaded feed shaft 3 is supported by uprights 2 projecting from the base 1
and is provided with a pulley 12 to be connected with a suitable motor. One
end of said shaft is journaled upon a removal center-pin 5 to permit the shaft to be
removed from the machine. This shaft rotates the mandrels 36 which carry the
usual wax cylinders or phonograms and also when engaged by a nut-section 13,
feeds the recording or reproducing point over the wax cylinder or phonogram as
heretofore; said nut section, however, is secured to a spring arm 14 attached at its
forward end to an arm 10 which projects forwardly from one end of a sleeve 9
which travels upon a bar 8 supported by standards 6 and 7, and the other end of
said sleeve has an arm 11 which carries the usual diaphragm not shown. Said
spring arm 14 is adjusted to regulate the degree of engagement of said nut section
with the feed shaft by a screw 15 having a head 16, engaging the under surface of
the arm 14 which has an opening 17, one end of which is wide enough to permit
the head 16 to pass through in assembling the parts and the other end narrow
to hold said parts in engagement when assembled and said spring arm is remov-
ably secured to an arm 10 by a screw 17ª, and furthermore has elongated slots 18,
through which pass screws 19 which secure the nut section 13 thereto; thus the
half nut 13 is adjustable longitudinally upon the spring arm and the latter is
adjustable relatively to the arm 10 and feed shaft 3, whereby proper engagement of
said nut with the feed shaft is at all times assurable.
The forward end of the arm end is provided with an adjustable screw 20 which
rests upon a guide flange 21 projecting from the base 1, whereby the diaphragm
and nut-carrying arms are caused to move in a straight line over the wax cylinder
and feed shaft respectively, and the screw may be turned to adjust the diaphragm
support relatively to the cylinder to conform to the thickness of the latter thus
enabling wax cylinders to be used, until by repeated shaving thereof they have
been entirely destroyed; preferably, the adjusting screw has heads 22 and 23,
the former for convenience in adjusting it and the latter to prevent marring the
guide 21, and is provided with a loose collar 24 to limit the adjustment.
35 designates an axial rod or bar, which projects from the base 1 and supports
the reel carrying the mandrels 36, which reel comprises two heads 37 and 38, con-
nected by a sleeve 39 rotatively and slidably mounted on said trod 35. Each
mandrel shaft 40 is journaled at one end in said head 37 and at its other end upon
a removable, or movable center pin 41 supported by the head 38. The inner end
of each shaft 40 projects beyond head 37 and when interlocked with the clutch
member 4 of feed shaft 3 (see 42) rotates with said shaft.
Like other multiplex-cylinder machines in bringing a different cylinder into
operative relation with the feed shaft, the reel is moved horizontally away from the
feed shaft and then turned the exact distance between two consecutive cylinders and
returned longitudinally to engage the mandrel shaft that is now opposite the feed
shaft 3 with the latter; but the mechanism heretofore used for securing this result
has been comparatively complicated, expensive, liable to get out of order and
unreliable in action, because the construction has contained many delicate parts
and the return of the reel has produced a jar or shock which has caused the parts
to be forced endwise, and thus broken, or moved out of place.

page_text: These disadvantages are overcome by my improved construction of operating
means, which consists generically, of two separate shafts 43 and 44 mounted in the
base 1 of the machine, one of which shafts (43) is capable of both longitudinal and
rotary motion in its bearings, suitable mechanism for locking said shaft 43 against
rotation until it has moved longitudinally a predetermined distance, a suitable
device for engaging the reel and imparting the motion of said shaft 43 thereto,
and suitable devices constructed to co-operate with the locking mechanism in
imparting successive longitudinal and rotary motion to said shaft 43.
This generic idea may be embodied in different forms of mechanism, several of
which are shown and described in the present case.
The detail constructions preferred by me are as follows:
The reel head 37 is provided with two series of holes 45 and 46 spaced to corre-
spond with the location of the cylinder-carrying mandrels. I have shown five
mandrels but any number may be employed. The outer series of holes 45 receive
a stationary pin 47 projecting from the base 1 whereby the reel is held in position
for engagement of a mandrel shaft 40 with the feed-shaft 3. At the outer end of
the rod 35 is a spring 48 which will yield to pressure to permit the reel to move
to the right and will return the same when said pressure is released. The inner
end of said rod 35 has an opening 49 for the adjacent end of the shaft 43 and the
other end of said shaft is supported in an opening 50 in the end of the shaft 44,
whereby the longitudinal movement above specified is permitted.
The contiguous ends of the shafts 43 and 44 are provided with a clutch which
(see Figs. 2 and 7) preferably consists of a collar 56 mounted on the inner end of
the shaft 44 and having recesses in its end formed with walls sloped to form two
end-cam surfaces 57 and 58, which are engaged by a pin 159 projecting laterally
from both sides of the shaft 43. But (see Figs. 9 and 13) said clutch may consist
of two locking jaws 56 and 59, one on each shaft which have the adjacent sides
of their walls sloped as shown at 57° to form engaging end-faced cams. With
either construction the clutch cams will operate when the shaft 44 is turned and
the shaft 43 is locked against oscillation to move said shaft 43 longitudinally to
the right. The shaft 43 is pressed yieldingly to the left by means of a spring 60
having at one end an abutment 61 fixed to said shaft and at its other end an
abutment 62 projecting from the base 1 of the machine, whereby said clutch devices
on the contiguous ends of the shafts 43 and 44 are beld in engagement with each
other at all times.
Said shaft 43 has an arm 63 having a pin 64, which pin, when in its normal
position just clears the head 37 of the reel and registers with the adjacent hole 46
in said head; and also engages the surface 65 of the base 1 whereby oscillation too
far in one direction is prevented. Said arm 63 is preferably provided with a
pin 64, which is parallel with said pin 64 and engages the surface of said head 37
when the pin 64 has been inserted as far as necessary in the hole 46.
The means for locking said shaft against turning during a portion of the turning
movement of said shaft 44 will now be described.
Secured at one end to the base 1 is a spring arm 66 having a ledge 67 at its free
end, which ledge is adapted to engage a lug 68 which moves with the shaft 43.
This lug (see Fig. 3 and 4) preferably projects from a sleeve 69 fixed to said shaft 43
and carrying the pins 64 and 64, but in the form of the device employing two end-
faced cams, said lug preferably projects from the cam or clutch-member 56°.
In the normal position of the parts, this lug engages the ledge 57 and prevents
rotation of the parts while the shaft 44 is being turned in one direction a certain
distance, but allows said shaft 43 to move endwise. This ledge is of such length
that when said shaft 43 is moved to the right the distance which disengages the
hole 45 in the head 37 from the pin 47 the lug 68 will have passed beyond the
ledge, so that further rotation of the shaft 44 will cause the shaft 43 to turn and
carry with it the reel frame and cylinders, the distance between two consecutive
mandrels. Suitable stops to be engaged by the pin 37 when thrown upward, for

page_text: limiting the oscillation of said shaft 43, and reel, are provided, which stops may
consist of aligned projections 70 and 71, respectively formed integral with the base 1
and with a hanger 72 supporting the shaft 43, as shown in Fig. 2, or if preferred,
of a screw 76, see Fig. 9. The stop or stops are so placed as to be engaged by said
pin 64 when the reel has been rotated an exact sub-division of the circle corre-
sponding to the location of the mandrels therein. One of the holes 45 in the
head 37 is at this time in registry with the locking pin 47. To engage the mandrel
shaft 40, now opposite the feed shaft 3, with said feed shaft and the hole 45 with
the locking pin 47, the shaft 44 is turned in the opposite direction to that imparted
to it in accomplishing the disengagement and turning above specified, and during
the first part of this movement the shaft 43 is locked against rotation but allowed
to move endwise to the left by means of a stationary pin 76 projecting from the
base 1 into position to be engaged by a shoulder 77 projecting from the sleeve 69,
as shown in the preferred form of the device; or, as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 14,
the same result may be accomplished by means of a collar 76 on the sleeve having
two radial notches 76b to engage said pin 76, said notches being spaced to corre-
spond with the spacing of the mandrels. The pin 76 engages the shoulder 77, or
the shoulders formed by the notches 76b, during the return reciprocation of the
shaft 43, and prevents turning of said shaft until the reel has been moved endwise
sufficiently to operatively engage the mandrel shaft 40 with the feed shaft 3 and
withdraw the pin 64 from the hole 46 after which the shaft 43 is oscillated and the
pin 64 returned to its normal position by a further movement of said shaft 44. A
direct axial return of the reel and its engagement with the pin 47, is thus insured.
This movement is accomplished with the contact surfaces of the clutch members in
the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 12, and obviously the clutch-member on shaft 44
is controllable by the operator to insure an easy and gradual return of the reel and
the parts carried thereby, and thereby prevent shock and consequent disarrange-
ment of the parts. In the return reciprocation of the shaft 43 the lug 68 returns
at one side of its normal position and when the shaft 43 is operated to return the
parts to their normal positions the spring arm 66 will be forced back until the lug
is in operative position with respect to the ledge 67 thereof, when the said spring
arm will return to its normal position and prevent any oscillation of said shaft 43
until it has been moved endwise far enough to clear said ledge.
In the modified construction shown in Figs. 13 and 15, is a different connection
for operating the device. In this form the shaft 44 does not project beyond the end
of the case or frame and the shaft 44 instead of being operated by a crank is operated
by a pivoted lever having two arms 80 and 81, the latter extending into position to be
operated by hand. The arm 80 is provided at one end with a toothed segment 82,
which intermeshes with a pinion 83 upon the clutch-member carried by the
shaft 44. As the lever 81 is moved sideways the segment will rotate the pinion 8:3
and shaft 44. The operation of the device is otherwise identical with those above
described.
I have devised means by which the reel and battery of cylinders may be removed
at once from the machine. When this means is employed the frame 85 support-
ing the outer end of the axial bar, is dispensed with, and said outer end of the
axial bar is formed with L-shaped channels 86 and 87 at its opposite sides. The
cap 88 to which the spring 48 is preferably secured, holds the reel upon said axial
bar, and is provided with inwardly projecting pins 89 which normally project into
the channels 87 and thus lock the cap to the bar. When it is desired to remove the
reel and cylinders, the cap is turned until the pins 89 register with the channels 86,
and may then be withdrawn, together with the spring 48, to permit the free
removal of the reel and cylinders.
The outer end of the bar may (see Fig. 10) be formed with a channel 90 for a
pin 91 extending from a collar 92, which collar, in this form of the device forms
the inner abutment for the spring 48, whereby the reel is guided in its recipro-
cations upon the bar.

page_text: A shaft 25 journalled in the standard 6 and 7 has two inclined arms 26 connected
by a rod 27 which is raised to lift arms 10 and 11 and consequently elevate the
half nut 13 and recording or reproducing point out of engagement with feed shaft 3
and wax cylinder respectively, thus stopping the operation of recording or repro-
ducing without stopping the feed shaft. The underside of said arm 10 has a
shoulder 28 which is engaged by said rod 27 when said arm is raised the required
extent; whereby said parts are held elevated automatically until by further raising
said arm by hand its shoulder is disengaged from said rod, when the latter drops
to its former position and the arms 10 and 11 may now be lowered to operative
position. The end of the shaft 25 is provided with a lever 29 which normally
rests upon the shorter side of a cam 93 fixed on the shaft 44 so that when the
shaft 44 is rotated the longer side of said cam lifts the arm 29. Said shaft 44 is
provided with a peripherally grooved segment 52 to which is secured one end of a
cord 94 which extends thence over a pulley 95 to the arm 10 and said segment has
a handle 51 by which the shaft is turned said handle being preferably capable of
heing folded against the segment for convenience when the device is not in use and
secured in extended position by a lock 54-55. Thus when the arms 10, 11 have
been elevated further turning of the handle 51 causes the segment to draw upon
the cord and wind the same in its groove and return the arms 10 and 11 to the
starting place whereby the shifting of the cylinders, the elevating of the arms 10
and 11 and the return of the latter are accomplished at once.
The lever 29 may
when desired be raised by hand to elevate arms 10 and 11 without rotating said
shaft. Preferably the arms 26 extend loosely through the shaft 25 and are held
by screws 30 and the handle 29 is secured to the end of said shaft by the adjust-
able screw 31 whereby said parts are adjustable. If the cam segment and cord be
not used the shaft 44 may be provided with an operating handle 51 of ordinary
form (see Fig. 9) or with the operating mechanism of Fig. 13.
I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the details of construction
above set forth, as many forms of mechanism other than those above described may
be employed for carrying out my invention without departing from the spirit
thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1. The combination with the longitudinally movable and rotatable reel carry-
ing the cylinders, of a cylinder shifting means comprising two shafts, devices for
locking one of said shafts against rotation until it has moved endwise a pre-
determined distance, devices carried by the latter shaft for engaging the reel, and
means connecting the contiguous ends of said shaft and co-acting with said locking
devices in translating rotary motion of the one shaft into successive longitudinal
and rotary motion of the other shaft, substantially as shown and described.
2. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex cylinder phonographs, comprising
a clutch one member of which is mounted upon the handle shaft and the other
member upon a second shaft, said clutch having cam surfaces, and a non-rotating
lock for the second shaft, freed by an endwise movement thereof.
3. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising
a clutch one member of which is mounted upon the handle shaft and the other
member upon a second shaft, said clutch having cam surfaces, a spring pressing
said members toward each other, and a non-rotating lock for the second shaft
freed by an endwise movement thereof.
4. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising a
cylinder carrying reel having locking holes in one head, a locking device engaged
movement of the reel, a
with and freed from the reel by endwise
handle shaft, a second shaft adapted to connect the handle shaft and
5 the reel by an endwise movement of said second shaft, a clutch connecting said

page_text: handle shaft and second shaft having cam surfaces, and a non-rotating lock for the
second shaft freed by an endwise movement of said shaft.
5. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising a
cylinder carrying reel having locking holes in one head, a locking device engaged
with and freed from the reel by an endwise movement of said reel, a handle shaft,
a second shaft adapted to connect the handle shaft and reel by an endwise move-
ment of the second shaft, a clutch connecting said handle shaft and second shaft
and having cam surfaces, a non-rotating lock for the second shaft freed by the end-
wise movement of the latter, and stops limiting the oscillations of the second
shaft.
6. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising a
cylinder carrying reel having holes in one head, a locking device engaged with
and freed from the reel by endwise movement of said reel, a handle shaft, a second
shaft adapted to connect the handle shaft and reel by endwise movement of said
second shaft, a clutch connecting said shafts and having cam surfaces, a lug
movable with the second shaft, and a spring arm engaging said lug and preventing
rotation until cleared by the endwise movement of the second shaft.
7. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising
a cylinder carrying reel having holes in one head, a locking device engaged with
and freed from the reel by endwise movement of the reel, a handle shaft, a second
shaft adapted to connect the handle shaft and reel by endwise movement of the
second shaft, a clutch connecting said shafts and having cam surfaces, a lug
movable with said second shaft, a spring arm engaging the same and preventing
rotation until cleared by the endwise movement of the second shaft, and stops
limiting the oscillations of the second shaft.
8. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising a
cylinder carrying reel, having locking holes in one head, a locking device engaged
with and freed from the reel by endwise movement of said reel, a handle shaft, a
second shaft adapted to connect the handle shaft and reel by endwise
movement of said second shaft, a clutch connecting the contiguous
ends of said shafts, said clutch having cam surfaces, a spring for return-
ing said second shaft, and a non-rotating lock for said second shaft freed by
endwise movement thereof.
9. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising a
cylinder carrying reel having locking holes in one head, a locking device engaged
with and freed from the reel by endwise movement of the latter, a handle shaft,
a second shaft adapted to connect the handle shaft and reel by its endwise move-
ment, a clutch connecting the contiguous ends of said shafts and having cam
surfaces, a spring for returning the second shaft, a non-rotating lock for the second
shaft, freed by the endwise movement thereof, and stops limiting the oscillation of 4
the second shaft.
10. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising
a cylinder carrying reel having locking holes in one head, a locking device engaged
with and freed from the reel by endwise movement of the latter, a handle-shaft, a
second shaft adapted to connect the handle shaft and reel by endwise movement of 4
the second shaft, a clutch connecting the contiguous ends of said shafts and having
cam surfaces, a lug movable with the second shaft, a spring engaging said lug and
preventing rotation of the second shaft until cleared by the endwise movement
thereof, and a spring for returning said second shaft.
11. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising a 5
cylinder carrying reel having locking holes in one head, a locking device engaged
with and freed from the reel by endwise movement of the reel, a handle shaft, a
second shaft adapted to connect the handle shaft and reel by endwise movement of
the second shaft, a clutch connecting the contiguous ends of said shafts and having
cam surfaces, a pin fixed in the machine base, and a device movable with the 5
second shaft and engaged by said pin to prevent oscillation of the second shaft.

page_text: 12. A cylinder shifting mechanism for multiplex-cylinder phonographs com-
prising interlocking jaw clutches formed to provide end faced cams, one part
mounted on a handle shaft and the other part upon a second shaft, said second shaft
having a longitudinal reciprocating and oscillating movement, and locking devices
for the second shaft preventing its oscillation except at the ends of its longitudinal
reciprocations.
13. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex cylinder phonographs, comprising a
longitudinally movable and rotative reel carrying the cylinders, a shaft movable
endwise and rotatively, means for imparting successive endwise and oscillatory
movement to said shaft, and a device connecting said shaft with the reel for trans-
mitting the motion of the former to the latter.
14. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising
a longitudinally movable and rotative reel carrying the cylinders, a shaft movable
endwise and rotatively, means for imparting successive endwise and oscillatory
motion to said shaft, and a device connected with and disconnected from said reel
by the reciprocatory movement of said shaft and serving when engaged with the
reel to turn the same in one direction.
15. A cylinder shifting means for multiplex-cylinder phonographs, comprising
a cylinder carrying reel having holes in one head, a shaft movable endwise and
rotatively, means for imparting successive endwise and oscillatory motion to said
shaft, an arm attached to said shaft, a pin projecting from said arm and designed
to be inserted in said holes and withdrawn therefrom by the endwise motion of said
shaft.
16. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the base and the
cylinder-carrying reel having two series of holes in one head, of a pin projecting
from the base and designed to engage the holes of one series, a shaft, means for
causing said shaft both to reciprocate and oscillate at each end of its reciprocations,
and a pin carried by said shaft and inserted into and withdrawn from the holes of
the second series by the reciprocations of said shaft.
17. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the cylinder-
carrying reel, of a shaft, a lug movable therewith, a spring arm having a ledge to
engage said lug, a pin projecting from the machine base, a device carried by the
shaft to engage said pin, means co-acting with said arm and lug and with the pin
and said device for causing said shaft to reciprocate and to oscillate at the ends of
its reciprocations and means for connecting said shaft with said reel.
18. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the cylinder-
carrying reel having holes in one head, of a shaft, a relatively fixed spring arm and
pin adjacent to said shaft, devices movable with the shaft to be engaged by the
spring arm and pin respectively so as to lock said shaft against oscillation but
permit it to reciprocate, said locking devices being disengaged by endwise move-
ment of said shaft, and means co-acting with said locking devices for reciprocating
said shaft, said means also serving to oscillate the shaft at the ends of its recipro-
cations, and a pin carried by said shaft and inserted into and withdrawn from said
holes by the endwise movement of said shaft.
19. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft
and the connected arms carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-support
respectively, of the cylinder-shifting mechanism, an eccentric with said cylinder-
shifting mechanism, a rod engaging said connected arms to elevate the same, and
a handle for said rod engaging said eccentric, substantially as described and for the
purposes set forth.
20. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft
and the connected arms carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-support,
respectively, of the cylinder-shifting mechanism, embodying a handle shaft, an
eccentric mounted on said shaft, a shaft journalled at the rear of the machine, two
forwardly and upwardly extending arms adjustably secured to said shaft. a rod
connecting the forward ends of said arms and arranged to engage the under sur-

page_text: faces of the first mentioned arms, and a handle adjustably secured to said shaft and
engaging said eccentric, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
21. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft
and the connected arms carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-
support, respectively, of the cylinder-shifting mechanism, means operated by said
mechanism for elevating said arms, and means operated by said shifting-
mechanism for returning said arms to the starting place while the same are
elevated.
22. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the feed-shaft
and the connected arms carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-
support, respectively, of mechanism for elevating said arms, the cylinder-shifting
mechanism embodying a handle shaft, a segment mounted on said shaft, and means
connecting said segment with one of said arms for returning the arms to the
starting place simultaneously with the operation of the shifting-mechanism.
23. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft, and
the connected arms carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-support,
respectively, of the cylinder-shifting mechanism, an eccentric movable
with said shifting mechanism, a rod engaging said connected arms,
a handle connected with said rod and engaging said eccentric, and a device
operated by said shifting-mechanism for moving said arms along said rod when
the latter has elevated the arms, substantially as described.
24. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft,
and the connected arms carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-
support, respectively, of the cylinder-shifting mechanism, embodying a handle
shaft, an eccentric mounted on said shaft, a segment also mounted on said shaft,
a rod engaging said connected arms, an elevating handle for said rod, engaging
said eccentric, and means connecting said segment with one of said arms.
25. In a phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft, and the connected
arms carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-support, respectively, of
means for raising said arms automatically, comprising an eccentric, a pivoted rod
engaging said arms and a handle connected with said rod and engaging said
eccentric.
26. In a phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft and the connected
arms carrying the shaft engaging device and diaphragm-support respectively, of
means for raising said arms automatically comprising an eccentric, a shaft a
journalled at the rear of the machine, two forwardly and upwardly extending arms
adjustably secured to the ends of said shaft, a handle adjustably secured to said
shaft and engaged with said eccentric, and a rod connecting the latter arms and
engaged with the first-mentioned arms.
27. In a phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft and the connected 4
arms carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-support respectively,
of means for raising said arms and holding the same elevated, comprising a
pivoted rod, a device for raising the same, and a shoulder on one of said armis
engaged by said rod when elevated.
4
28. In a phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft and the connected
arms carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-support respectively, of
means for raising said arms, a pivoted segment, and a cord connecting said segment
with one of said arms, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
29. In a phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft, and the connected
arms carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-support respectively, of 5
means for raising said arms and returning the same to the starting place auto-
matically, comprising an eccentric, a pivoted rod engaging said arms and having
a handle engaging said eccentric, a device movable with said eccentric, and means
connecting said device with the arms whereby when said device is turned the arms
will be drawn to the left.
30. In a phonograph, the combination with the base having a longitudinal

page_text: flange formed with an upper straight-edge, the feed shaft, the connected arms
carrying the shaft-engaging device and diaphragm-support respectively, of an
adjustable guiding and supporting screw, threaded through the forward end of one
of said arms and engaging said straight-edge, substantially as described and for
the purpose set forth.
31. In a phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft, and an arm project-
ing forwardly over the same, of a spring-arm secured at one end to said arm,
a half nut secured to the free end of said spring-arm, and an adjusting screw for
said spring-arm, threaded through the first-mentioned arm, substantially as
described.
32. In a phonograph, the combination with the feed shaft and an arm projecting
forwardly over the same, of a spring-arm secured at one end to the first-mentioned
arm by a screw, a half nut adjustably secured to said spring-arm, and an adjusting
screw threaded through said first-mentioned arm and extending through an
elongated slot in said spring-arm.
33. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the base and the
axial bar or rod supported at one end by said base, of the cylinder-carrying reel
rotatably and slidably mounted on said bar and removable therefrom, and the
removable cap on the end of said bar, substantially as described and for the pur-
poses specified.
34. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the base, of an
axial bar or rod projecting therefrom, said bar having L-shaped channels or
recesses in its end, a rotatable and slidable cylinder-carrying reel removably
mounted on said bar, and a removable cap for the end of said bar having pins to
engage the channels therein.
35. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the base and the
axial bar or rod supported at one end by said base, of the cylinder-carrying reel
rotatably and slidably mounted on said bar and removable therefrom, a coiled
spring on the free end of said bar, engaging said reel, and a removable cap on the
end of said bar engaged by the outer end of said spring.
36. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the base, the
axial bar supported near one end by said base and having an opening in its inner
end, and the rotatable and slidable cylinder-carrying reel mounted on said bar, of
a shaft projecting at one end into said opening, a handle-shaft having an opening
to receive the other end of the first mentioned shaft, device for translating oscil-
latory motion of the handle-shaft into successive endwise and oscillatory motion
of the first-mentioned shaft, and devices connecting said first-mentioned shaft with
the reel.
37. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the slidable and
rotatable cylinder-carrying reel, of a handle-shaft having a clutch member
formed with sloping end walls constructed to form a double cam surface, a second
shaft having a laterally-projecting pin engaging said cam surface, means carried
by said second shaft to engage said reel, and locking devices for said second shaft,
freed by an endwise movement thereof.
38. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the slidable and
rotatable reel, of a handle-shaft, having a clutch member, a second shaft, two
engaging end-faced cams on the contiguous ends of said shafts, means carried by
said second shaft to engage said reel, and locking devices for said second shaft,
freed by an endwise movement thereof.
39. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination with the slidable and
rotatable reel, of a shaft having a clutch member, a pinion on said clutch member,
a second shaft having a clutch member, said shafts having cam surfaces, a device
movable with the second shaft for connecting the same with the reel, locking
devices for said second shaft, freed by an endwise movement thereof, and a bent
and pivoted lever having a toothed segment at one end, meshed with said pinion.
40. In a multiplex-cylinder phonograph, the combination of the axial bar
having a longitudinal channel near one end, a reel slidably and rotatably mounted

page_text: on said bar, a collar movable with said reel, and having a guide-pin projecting into
said channel, and a spring engaging said collar and pressing the reel yieldingly in
one direction.