Improvements in Phonographs.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th Jan., 1895-Accented, 16th Feb., 1895.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Phonographs.
I, JOSEPH OULTON, of 8, Hill Side Terrace, Bradford, in the County of
York, Clock Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
. This invention relates to improvements in phonographs or instruments for
recording and reproducing the voice and other sounds.
To allow of the stylus accommodating itself to inequalities or irregularities in the
phonogram, or recording medium, the frame surrounding or supporting the
diaphragm is free to move bodily in relation to the phonogram. With this object
the sound tube connected to the diaphragm frame is arranged to slide telescopically
within or upon the sound tube to which the ear tubes are attached. Any con-
venient arrangement may be provided to prevent the telescopic tubes rotating one
upon the other, as for instance, a pin or projection on the frame of the diaphragm
fitting a stationary guide.
Instead of the above arrangement the stylus may be mounted upon a lever
pivoted upon any suitable support, and the diaphragm connected to said lever by a
cord or other flexible connection passed through an eye or around a pulley on the
diaphragm and attached to a light spring. The pulley or eye may be on the lever
and the cord connected to the diaphragm. As a further modification the lever
may be connected to the diaphragm by a double cord separated and looped
through a ring or its equivalent at any convenient point and the loops attached
to light springs. A weight or weights may be used instead of said spring or
springs.
To enable the same stylus to be used for both recording and reproducing sound
vibrations the stylus may be arranged to be heated by electricity or other means
when it is used for recording purposes.
:
Or instead of this method the stylus may be cut away on one side so as to form
a cutting or recording edge on that side and the stylus so arranged that it may be
turned approximately half way round for the purpose of bringing either the
recording or reproducing edge towards the direction of rotation of the phonogram
or recording medium according as to whether it is desired to record or reproduce.
In this case the stylus instead of being at right angles to the diaphragm may be
more or less inclined thereto.
To enable the phonogram cylinder to be rotated at a uniform speed by pedal or
manual mechanism I drive the cylinder through the medium of a sun and planet,
or like arrangement of differential gearing, and employ a fly or other suitable
governor to regulate the speed of the said cylinder. A drum carrying a weighted
cord is so arranged and connected with the sun and planet motion that when the
pedal or its equivalent is operated faster than the speed of the said cylinder
requires the drum is rotated so as to wind the weighted cord thereon instead of
communicating the whole of the power to the cylinder. But in case the pedal (or
its equivalent) is operated too slowly the weighted cord rotates the drum in the
reverse direction and its motion being communicated to the sun and planet

page_text: mechanism augments the motion imparted by the pedal (or its equivalent) and
maintains the rotation of the cylinder at the required speed. Any type of sun and
planet motion may be employed but I prefer one in which bevel, annular or crown
wheels are not required. Instead of the sun and planet motion I may introduce
two wheels or pulleys with the regulating weight suspended below by a long endless
driving band or chain passing over said wheels or pulleys and carrying a pulley
below to which the said weight is attached. A tension weight of smaller size is
mounted in the same way on the band between the pulleys. The driving wheel or
pulley may be fitted with a pawl and ratchet to prevent it rotating in the reverse
direction by the action of the weight. This arrangement is similar in principle to
Huyghens maintaining power for clocks and may be modified.
A device may be fitted to give an audible or other signal when the regulating
weight is approaching the extent of its movement in either direction. Or a clutch
or equivalent device may be provided to automatically throw the driving
mechanism in or out of gear as required when either point is reached. A spring
may be employed instead of the weighted cord.
Dated this 9th day of April 1894.
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Bradford, Agents.
Improvements in Phonographs.
I, JOSEPH OULTON, of 8, Hill Side Terrace, Bradford, in the County of
York, 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 relates to improvements in phonographs or instruments for
recording and reproducing the voice and other sounds.
To allow of the stylus accommodating itself to inequalities or irregularities in the
phonogram, or recording medium, the frame surrounding or supporting the
diaphragm is free to move bodily in relation to the phonogram. With this object
the sound tube connected to the diaphragm frame is arranged to slide telescopically
within or upon the sound tube to which the ear tubes are attached. Any con-
venient arrangement may be provided to prevent the telescopic tubes rotating one
upon the other, as for instance, a pin or projection on the frame of the diaphragm
fitting a stationary guide.
Instead of the above arrangement the stylus may be mounted upon a lever
pivoted upon any suitable support, and the diaphragm connected to said lever by a
cord or other flexible connection passed through an eye or around a pulley on the
diaphragm and attached to a light spring. The pulley or eye may be on the lever
and the cord connected to the diaphragm. As a further modification the lever
may be connected to the diaphragm by a double cord separated and looped
through a ring or its equivalent at any convenient point and the loops attached
to light springs. A weight or weights may be used instead of said spring or
springs.
To enable the same stylus to be used for both recording and reproducing sound
vibrations the stylus may be arranged to be heated by electricity when it is used
for recording purposes.
Or instead of this method the stylus may be cut away on one side so as to form
a cutting or recording edge on that side and the stylus so arranged that it may be
turned approximately half way round for the purpose of bringing either the
recording or reproducing edge towards the direction of rotation of the phonogram
or recording medium according as to whether it is desired to record 'or reproduce.

page_text: In this case the stylus instead of being at right angles to the diaphragm may be
more or less inclined thereto.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying sheets of drawings forming a part of
this Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in each of the figures.
Figure 1, represents an elevation illustrating the method of mounting the
diaphragm frame telescopically within the bottom of the sound tube, in this figure
the stylus of the diaphragm is represented resting upon a portion of a phonograph
record. Figure 2, represents a vertical section of the same and Figure 3, represents
a plan view.
Figure 4, represents an elevation of an arrangement in which the stylus is
mounted upon a lever connected to the diaphragm by a cord.
Figure 5, represents a vertical section through the broken line a, b Figure 4, and
Figure 6, represents an underside view of the same.
Figures 7 and 8 respectively represent an elevation and a vertical section of a
modification.
Figure 9, represents a separate view of a diaphragm and stylus illustrating a
method of heating the latter by electricity.
Figure 10, represents a similar view illustrating a modified method.
Figure 11, represents an enlarged view of a portion of a phonograph stylus
illustrating a form adapted to both record and reproduce.
Figures 12, and 13, represent an elevation and plan view of a diaphragm frame
and certain other parts illustrating the method of mounting the diaphragm frame
when a combined recording and reproducing stylus is employed.
Figure 14, represents a front view of a portion of the phonograph stand fitted
with a pedal or manual mechanism for driving the phonograph at an uniform
speed. Figure 15, represents an end view of the same.
The sound tube A is mounted in the usual way in the arm of the phonograph
carriage by the flange A' or in any other suitable manner. In Figures 1, 2 and 3
the diaphragm frame B is provided with a tubular extension B2 telescopically fitted
in the tube A so as to slide freely therein, and a pin B' fixed in the frame B and
engaging the slot A' prevents the frame rotating but leaves it free to rise and fall
in relation to A. The stylus B connected to the diaphragm 13 when resting upon
the phonogram or recording medium C is arranged to more or less lift the frame B
thus the telescopic connection between the frame and the tube A allows said frame
to rise and fall as required and consequently, notwithstanding any irregularity
there may be in the form of the phonogram, the stylus B is kept lightly and
uniformly in contact with the phonogram.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 the stylus B is mounted on one
end of the small lever B pivoted by the pin D to the cross bar D2 attached to the
lugs or projections D³ on the diaphragm frame B. A piece of silk or other
suitable cord is attached to the other end of the lever B₁ and is passed round
the pulley D' mounted in the block D cemented or otherwise secured to the
diaphragm B and is connected to the light spring D projecting from the
diaphragm frame B. In this arrangement the spring D regulates the pressure of
the stylus upon the phonogram and also keeps it uniformly in contact therewith.
An eye may be used instead of a pulley.
In the modification of this arrangement shown in Figures 7 and 8 the pulley is
dispensed with and the double cord passes from the lever B' through the tube B'
to the diaphragm and is perinanently attached thereto in any convenient manner.
Holes B are however made in each side of the tube B7 and the ring D' is intro-
duced therein. The double cord is looped through it in the manner shown and
the loops are drawn out on either side and are hooked to the ends of the light
springs D, De fixed to the flange D at the bottom of the tube B'. In this
arrangement also the springs determine the pressure of the stylus and allow a
certain margin for irregularities in the phonogram.
Instead of using a cutting stylus for reproducing purposes it may be heated when

page_text: used for recording. To heat the stylus for this purpose may coil a platinum or
other suitable wire E around the shank of the stylus as shown in Figure 9 and pass
a suitable current of electricity through it to heat it.
As a modification the platinum wire E may be bent to form the point of the
stylus as shown in Figure 10. In this case the diaphragm may be insulated and
be in or form a part of the electric circuit by which the stylus is heated.
The stylus represented in Figure 11, is cut away on one side b, to resemble a
recording stylus but the other side is rounded similar to a reproducing stylus.
This formation enables the same stylus to be used either for recording or repro-
ducing by simply turning the side required out of operation towards the direction
in which the phonogram is rotated. To enable the stylus to be turned for this
purpose the flange A' is mounted in the usual way in an annular seat A' formed in
the arm A of the phonograph carriage but in this case it is only held therein
sufficiently tight to keep it steady and is free to be turned therein. An arm B' is
fixed to the flange A by which to turn it and two pins e and e' are fixed in A to
form stops to engage said arm and limit the rotation of the flange A'.
In the motor illustrated in Figures 14 and 15 F represents a cranked pedal shaft
baving a driving pulley F' secured thereon 'connected by a strap F³ to a fast
pulley F mounted on the shaft G above the table H. The shaft G is mounted in
'standards H' and H fixed to the top of the table H, and another shaft G' in line
with G, extends from H to the standard H. The shafts G and G' each have a
pinion G³ fixed on their inner ends which engage the toothed wheels J and J*
loosely mounted on the spindle J³ carried by the standards H and He behind.
The shaft J'also carries two sprocket wheels J and J' respectively secured to the
wheels J and J' and the endless chain K is passed over both these sprocket wheels
so as to hang down in a loop K' at the back and a loop K' at the front. The
weight L is suspended by the pulley L2 in the loop K and in the drawings the
said weight is shown to be at its lowest point, or at the limit allowed by
the chains M, M connecting said weight to the bar M' fixed to the belt fork
lever M³.
When the pedal shaft F is set in motion the strap F' rotates the shaft G and
this shaft turns the wheel J through the medium of its pinion G' and thereby
raises the chain passing over the wheel J. This motion of the chain shortens the
loop K and raises the weight L so as to relieve the chains M of its weight therefore
the weight is carried by the loop K³ and a constant tension is put upon the chain
passing over the wheel J which rotates said wheel thus driving the wheel J and
the shaft G' through the medium of its pinion G. The shaft G2 carries a pulley N
which is connected to the driving pulley N³ of the phongraph shown in position in
Figure 15.
.
As soon as the weight L is raised to the position shown by the broken lines
Figure 14 the pulley L' engages the lever M and by moving it to the position
shown by the broken lines throws the belt F on to the loose pulley F' thus
throwing the shaft G out of action until the weight having descended the lever M'
is drawn back to its normal position by the chains M. A pawl mounted on the
top of standard Hs is provided to engage the wheel J and prevent it rotating in
the reverse direction when the shaft G is out of action. Any noiseless device may
be employed instead of said pawl if the "click" is found to be objectionable.
A fly governor is employed to regulate the speed of the shaft G', and is
connected thereto by the worm wheel P and the worm P on the governor
spindle P. The wings P' are preferably pivoted to the lugs P' fixed at the top
of the spindle and are connected below by the links P to the block P' loosely
mounted upon said spindle. In this arrangement any increased speed of the spindle
causes the wings, under the influence of a greater centrifugal force, to move
outwards thus increasing their resistance. A light spiral spring S is mounted on
the spindle and tends to keep the block P' down.
Any other suitable "maintaining mechanism" for connecting the shaft G and G
inay be employed instead of the arrangement shown.

page_text: 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. A phonograph having a tubular projection or the like on the diaphragm
frame fitting telescopically in or upon the sound tube of the phonograph, substan-
tially as herein shown and described and for the purpose specified.
2. In a phonograph having the stylus mounted on a lever, the combination with
said lever of a flexible connection passed round a pulley or through an eye on the
diaphragm and having one end attached to said lever and the other end attached to
a suitable spring or its equivalent, substantially as herein shown and described and
for the purpose specified.
3. In a phonograph having the stylus mounted on a lever, the combination with
said lever of a flexible connection passed round a pulley or through an eye on said
lever and having one end attached to the diaphragm and the other end attached to
a suitable spring, substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In a phonograph having the stylus mounted on a lever, the combination with
said lever of a double cord connecting it to the diaphragm and having the cords
separated at any convenient point and looped through a ring or its equivalent and
attached to suitable springs, substantially as herein shown and described.
5. A phonograph having its stylus or recording point electrically heated,
substantially as herein shown and described.
6. A phonograph in which the stylus is capable of being rotated upon its axis
approximately 180 degrees and is so formed that in one position it is adapted to
"record" and in the other position to "reproduce," substantially as herein shown
and described.
0
7. A pedal or manual motor for a phonograph having a "fly" or other similar
governor and a suitable maintaining mechanism together with means for auto-
matically throwing the pedal or manual connection in and out of action, substantially
as herein shown and described.
Dated this 8th day of January 1895.
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Bradford, Agents.