Improvements in and relating to Spring Motors for Gramophones and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Spring Motors for Gramophones
and the like.
I, ELDRIDGE REEVES JOHNSON, of No. 108, North Front Street, City of Camden,
State of New Jersey, United States of America, Machinist, 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 has relation to certain improvements in spring motors, and is
particularly adapted to gramophones, and other sound recording and reproducing
machines.
The main object of my invention is to provide a simple and compact motor which
can be cheaply constructed, and at the same time have sufficient power to run
light machinery such as above referred to. A further object of my invention is
to provide an improved construction of bearings for the various spindles of my
motor whereby the friction of the same may be reduced and the running qualities
greatly facilitated. A further object is to provide an improved form of governor
mechanism for maintaining an even and regular speed throughout its operation.
A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel and efficient adjusting
means for the governor spindles, whereby the lower bearing of said spindle can
be quickly and easily adjusted with relation to its intermeshing gears.
With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction,
combination and arrangement of parts such as will be hereinafter more fully
described and particularly pointed out in the claims made hereto.
In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly
appertains to make and use the same, I will proceed to describe it, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and
in which:-
Fig. 1 is a central sectional elevation of my improved motor showing it pro-
vided with a casing and having a turn-table secured on the driving spindle, such
as is used in gramophone machines.
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken about on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and
illustrating the arrangement of the gearing, the outer casing being broken away
at the ends.
Fig. 3 is a plan view, the cover of the outer casing being removed, and portions
of the motor frame broken away for convenience in illustration.
Fig. 4 is a detail front elevation of the speed governor mechanism also illustrat-
ing the governor brake.
Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of the eccentric bearing plate for the governor
spindle.
In carrying out my invention I provide a box or casing. A, such as is commonly
used on machines of the gramophone type, in which is placed a motor supporting
frame consisting of an upper and lower plate, a. connected at its corners by suit-
able tie bolts, a. Located centrally in one end of the supporting frame, a, is st

page_text: winding spindle, B, provided with journal boxes, b, at its upper and lower ends,
said boxes being rigidly secured in openings provided therefor in the frame, a.
The upper part of this spindle, B, is formed with an enlargement, B₁, com-
mencing slightly below its upper bearing, the upper edge of which forms a
shoulder, b.
Rigidly secured on the spindle, B, and resting on the shoulder, b', is a wheel, C,
having on its face near its periphery a series of apertures, c, of equal distance
apart, and adapted to be engaged by the teeth of a gear wheel, D.
This gear, D, is rigidly mounted on the inner end of a transversely disposed
shaft, DI, having a bearing at its inner end in a journal block, d, suitably secured
to the frame a, and at its outer end in the side wall of the casing, A, and a
bearing plate, d', which is secured on the inside of said casing, A, as most clearly
illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.
The outer end of this shaft, D, projects beyond the wall of the casing, A, and
is squared as at d², for the reception of an ordinary crank handle, not shown.
A spiral spring, E, is provided around the spindle, B, having its inner end
secured to the enlarged portion, B', of said spindle and its outer end to the tie
rod, a Directly below the spring, E, is a square plate, e, having an opening
in its center which surrounds the shaft, B, the said plate abutting against the
shoulder, 62, formed by the lower edge of the enlargement, B₁. This plate, e, is
prevented from turning with the spindle, B, by means of its squared edges abutt-
ing against the tie rods, a¹, and it serves the purpose of supporting the spring, E,
when it is unwound and loose.
A short distance below the plate, e, on the spindle, B, is mounted a gear, F,
loosely secured to a sleeve, or bushing, f, which is driven on, or otherwise
Interposed between the
rigidly secured to said spindle, B.
gear, F.
and the plate, e, on spindle, 13, is a rigidly secured sleeve, e', which carries a ratchet
wheel, e, adapted to be engaged by a spring pawl, e, which is secured on the
upper face of the gear, F, so that on the winding of the shaft, B, the gear, F,
remains stationary, its pawl running loosely over the teeth of the ratchet wheel, e²,
while on the backward rotation of said shaft, B, under the action of the spring, E,
the ratchet and pawl, e², e³, are in engagement and the gear, F, becomes rigid
with and revolves with the winding shaft, B.
Located in the supporting frame, «, in the rear of the spindle, B, is a spindle, G,
which carries on its lower portion a rigid pinion, g, which meshes with the
pinion, F, on spindle, B. Directly below the pinion, 9, is a large gear, G³,
which is also rigid on the shaft, G, and meshes with a pinion, h, rigidly mounted
on the driving spindle, H.
The driving spindle, H is provided at its lower ends with ball bearings jour-
nalled in the lower supporti .g trame, a, consisting of a cup, i, adapted to an
opening in the lower frame, a, having a flange overlapping said opening and
carrying in its cup portion, i, a series of balls, 2, adapted to bear against the
cone shaped end, h2, of the spindle, H. At the point where the upper portion
of the spindle passes through the upper frame, a, I also provide ball bearings
which consist of a cup, j, similar in shape to the lower cup, i, and adapted to
an opening provided in the frame around the spindle and having an overlapping
flange. Balls, 12, are located in the cup portion, j¹, which bear against the cylin
drical portion of the spindle, H.
On the upper end of this driving spindle, H, is secured the turn-table, K, which
carries the record disk in gramophone machines. This turn table may be rigidly
secured to the driving spindle in any well known manner, while I have shown
it as having a depending hub, k, provided with a transverse slot, k¹, adapted to
straddle a pin, 2, carried by the spindle, H. The upper end of the spindle, H, i
shown as provided with screw threads for the reception of a lock nut, K', which
securely locks the turn-table and clamps the record disk between them.
On the lower end of the spindle, H, directly below the pinion, h, is rigidly
mounted a gear, I, which meshes with a pinion, I¹, secured on the lower end o

page_text: the governor spindle, L. The governor spindle,. L, is journalled at its upper
end in the frame, a, and at its lower end in an eccentric bearing plate, M, carried
by the lower frame, a. This plate, M, consists of a disk, m, having a pivot
bearing, m', in the centre of its upper surface adapted to receive the lower end
of the governor spindle, while on its lower side it has an eccentrically located
stud, m³, adapted to the opening, m³, provided in the frame, a. A set screw, m³,
passes through the edge of frame, a, and engages the stud, m³, for securing it in
position. Thus when it is desired to adjust the relation of the pinion, I', to its
intermeshing gear, I, the set screw, m³, can be loosened up and this easily
accomplished by slightly turning the disk, m.
Loosely mounted on the governor spindle, L, is a sleeve, 1, having formed
integral with its lower edge a disk, 7, and on the upper end of said spindle is a
rigidly secured collar, 13, having oppositely projecting lugs or ears, 13, to which
are pivoted the governor arms, 7, having the weights, 15, secured to their lower
ends. The flat springs, 16, are provided for each of the arms, *, having their
upper ends secured to the edges of said arms just below their pivots and their
lower ends connected to the sleeve, l.
By my above described construction and arrangements of arms, 1, and con-
necting springs,, I am enabled to produce a governor which will maintain a
regular and uniform motion, with almost thirty per cent. less speed than the
governor now employed in this class of motors.
I have provided a brake for the governor which is very simple and cheap to
construct and at the same time very efficient, and consists of a flat lever, N,
pivoted at n, to the tie rod, a¹, having its inner end twisted at about right angles
to the main part and extending above the disk, ; a rubber, or leather teat, n¹,
is provided in this and adapted to bear on the disk, 11, when properly adjusted.
The long end of the lever, N, extends outwardly within a short distance of
the wall of the outer casing, A, and is provided near said end with the coil
spring, n, which tends to keep it normally out of contact with the friction
disk, ¹, on the governor spindle. A horizontally disposed stub shaft, O, having
bearings in the side wall of the casing, A, and the side plates, a³, is provided
carrying on its inner end a cam, o, adapted to bear against the underside of
the lever, N, as clearly illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. On the outer
end of the shaft, O, is a spring lever, o¹, provided with an operating handle or
knob, o, the said spring lever acting as an index finger or pointer and bearing
against a plate, 03, which may have an index on its face to denote the speed
of the motor. Thus it, will be readily understood that by turning the lever, o¹,
the shaft, O, is rotated, and the cam, o, brought to act on the end of the lever, N,
which throws its inner end and teat, n³, into frictional contact with the disk, 71,
of the governor, and enables the speed of the motor to be governed as may be
desired.
In operation the winding shaft, B, is turned through the medium of the
transversely arranged shaft, D, and its connecting gearing, C, D, which winds
up the spiral spring, E, which is connected at its inner end to, said shaft and at
its outer end to a fixed point. The unwinding of the spring, E, rotates the
shaft, B, which through its ratchet and pawl mechanism, e², e³, revolves the
gear, F, which through its train of connecting gearing rotates the final shaft
of the series.
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: -
1. In a spring motor, the combination with a supporting frame, a power
transmitting shaft journaled therein, a spiral spring secured at one end to the
transmitting shaft and at its other end to the supporting frame, and means for
rotating said shaft to effect a winding of the spring, substantially as described.
2. In a spring motor, the combination with the supporting frame, a power

page_text: transmitting shaft journaled therein, a spiral spring surrounding the shaft
having its inner end secured to said shaft and its outer end to one of the con-
necting bolts of the supporting frame, a rectangular supporting plate for said
spring adapted to bear against the tie bolts of the frame, and means for rotating
the said shaft to effect a winding of the spring, substantially as described.
3. In a spring motor, the combination of an upper and lower frame, tie rods
connecting the same, a power transmitting shaft journalled in said frame, journal
boxes secured in the frame around the shaft bearings, an actuating spring
secured at its inner end to transmitting shaft and at its outer end to one of the
tie bolts of the frame, a spring supporing plate below the spring, adapted to be
held from rotation by the tie bolts, and means for winding the shaft to effect a
winding of the spring, substantially as described.
4. In a spring motor, the combination of an upper and lower frame, tie bolta
connecting the same, a power transmitting shaft journalled in said frame, a
spiral spring secured at its inner end to the transmitting shaft and at its outer
end to the frame, a supporting plate below the spring adapted to be held from
rotation by the tie bolts, a ratchet wheel rigidly mounted on said shaft below
the plate, a pawl secured to a loose gear, F, adapted to engage the said ratchet,
and means for rotating the shaft for effecting the winding of the spring, sub-
stantially as described.
5. The combination in a spring motor of an upper and lower supporting frame,
tie bolts connecting the same, a power transmitting shaft journaled in said frame,
a spiral spring connected at one end to the shaft and at its other end to one of
the tie bolts, a stationary supporting plate for said spring, a gear on the upper
end of said shaft, adapted to mesh with a gear on a transversely disposed shaft,
and a crank handle on said transversely disposed shaft for winding the same,
substantially as described.
6. The combination in a spring motor of a supporting frame, a power trans-
mitting shaft, a spiral spring connected at one end to the shaft and at its other
end to the frame, a driving shaft having ball bearings in the frame, a train of
gearing connecting the driving shaft with the spring actuated shaft, and a speed
governor suitably geared to said driving shaft, substantially as described.
7. The combination in a spring motor, of a supporting frame, a spring actuated
transmitting shaft, a driving shaft, a train of gearing connecting the transmit-
ting shaft and the driving shaft, a cone shaped end for said driving shaft,
adapted to rest on a series of balls, and a flanged cup for the reception of said
balls adapted to an opening in the lower frame, substantially as described.
8. The combination in a spring motor, of a supporting frame, a spring actuated
transmitting shaft, a driving shaft, a train of gearing connecting the transmit-
ting shaft and the driving shaft, a cone shaped end for said driving shaft, adapted
to rest on a series of balls, a flanged cup for the reception of said balls adapted
to an opening in the lower frame, a cup adapted to an opening in the upper
frame having a central opening for the driving shaft, and a series of balls
carried in said cup adapted to bear against the driving shaft, substantially as
described.
9. The combination with a spring propelled motor, of a governor spindle, a
movable sleeve carried thereby, a collar rigidly secured to the governor spindle,
arms pivoted on opposite sides of the collar carrying weights on their lower ends
and springs secured at their upper ends to the arms and at their lower ends
to the movable sleeve, substantially as described.
10. In a speed governor for spring motors, weighted arms pivoted to the
governor spindle, a movable sleeve on said spindle, and spring connecting arms
secured to the weighted arms and to the movable sleeve, substantially as described.
11. The combination with a spring propelled motor, of a governor spindle, a
movable disk carried thereby, a collar rigidly secured to the said spindle, arms
pivoted to said collar having balls or weights on their lower ends, springs con-

page_text: necting the said arms and the movable disk, and a friction brake adapted to
bear on said disk, substantially as described.
12. In a spring motor, a spindle bearing comprising a bearing plate having
an orifice in its upper face for the reception of the lower end of the spindle, a
stud projecting from the lower face of said bearing plate being eccentrically
located to the spindle orifice and adapted to an orifice in the frame of the machine,
substantially, as described.
13. In a spring motor, an eccentrically pivoted adjustable bearing plate, M,
carried in the frame of the machine comprising a disk, m, spindle bearing, m²,
eccentrically located stud, m², on the lower face of the disk adapted to the
opening, m³, in the frame of the machine and means for securing the bearing
plate in its adjusted position, substantially as described.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.