Improvements in or connected with Phonographs.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
Improvements in or connected with Phonographs.
I, ERNST EISEMANN, of 8 Blumenstrasse, Stuttgart, Wurtemberg in the
Empire of Germany, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to bé particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists in an improved arrangement for switching on and
adjusting the recording and speaking appliances in phonographs with a diaphragm
common to both appliances. The recording and speaking appliances are mounted
in a vertical plane lying one behind the other on a common lever situated under
the diaphragm, which lever is revolubly mounted on a pin attached to the
diaphragm and is coupled to a second revoluble lever which engages by its free
end an adjustable pin adapted to be adjusted by the turning of a lever provided
with a grip or handle, the lever attached to the diaphragm being also capable of
being turned so that either appliance may be pressed on the phonogram roller. In
order then that it may be possible to ascertain immediately at the first glance
which appliance is working without first looking at the roller, the words
"Aufnahme" (recorder) and " Wiedergabe" (repeater) are arranged on the
curved support piece of the diaphragm and on the adjusting lever in such a way
that only one of the two words is visible.
Simultaneously for the exact adjustment of the appliances, the arm which
carries the diaphragm is revolubly mounted on a slide piece for effecting the
movement forward of the said arm by means of a screw spindle in such a way
that the appliances of the diaphragm are also adjustable towards the slide piece
without any forward movement of the diaphragm taking place by means of the
screw. Further the diaphragm itself (both membrane and appliances) is radially
adjustable in the ordinary manner against the phonogram roller.
...
In the accompanying drawings, this improved adjusting device is shown attached
to a phonograph in Figures 1-3 and the switching device itself is shown on a
larger scale in Figures 4 and 5.
The phonogram roller B or rather its spindle b is mounted in bearings'in' a
frame A, one pointed trunnion a¹ being adapted to be pushed aside in the ordinary
manner by turning the socket bearing A', so that the roller B may be removed or
inserted. The adjustment or pushing forward of the diaphragm takes place also
in the ordinary manner by means of a screw spindle and push arm which is
firmly connected with a slide piece D adjustable and revoluble on a spindle D.
An arm C for carrying the diaphragm E is revolubly fixed by means of a
screw c on the slide piece D, and the diaphragm may be adjusted on. c as point
of rotation by means of a screw 'd' which is mounted in an arm D¹ attached to
the slide piece D and which
spring d' attached to the arms against the arm end C of the arm C. A
presses the support arm C with its end C¹ against
the set screw d'. By turning the arm C the diaphragm E is adjusted axially along
the screw spindle b and this adjusting device serves for the exact adjustment of the
appliances.
The diaphragm E by means of a curved piece e and horizontal hollow pin E¹ is
revolubly mounted in a bearing F, which is attached to the support arm C and
protected against horizontal adjustment by a screw e¹ which engages through a
slot in the bearing F. A socket f1 for the recording or speaking tube is
arranged in the hollow bearing F.

page_text: The two appliances, the recording pin m and the speaking pin m³, are mounted
on a lever M which is revolubly fixed on a pin / attached to the diaphragm E and
is connected by its slotted or forked end n with a pin n' which is fixed on a second
lever K also under the diaphragm (see Figure 4). This lever K is revolubly
mounted at one end in a support kon pins k' and at the other end is connected by
means of a cross pink with an adjustable pin J passing through the support arm C,
which pin J is pressed upwards by means of a spring i. The pin J, which is
rounded at the top, projects somewhat above the support arm C. A set lever G
suitably bevelled is revolubly arranged on the latter on a screw 9 in such a way
that on it being turned over the projecting pin J, the latter will be pressed
downwards and turn the lever K together with the lever M. The recording
implement m is thereby removed from the roller B and the speaking implement m¹
pressed on it. If the lever G be turned backwards the pin J is raised by the
spring and the levers K and M move backwards, so that the recording
implement m is again pressed on the roller B whilst the speaking implement m¹
is removed.
"
The word "
Wiedergabe is placed on the adjusting lever G at the top, and
the word "Aufnahme "
on the support arm C at the place where the lever G
is adjusted for taking off the phonogram, so that in this position of the lever
the word "Aufnahme" is covered by the lever on which the word " Wiedergabe "
is inscribed.
On the adjustment of the lever G into the working position of the recording
implement, the lever rests in a groove C³ in the support arm C in such a way that
the word "Wiedergabe " is covered.
Any confusion in the adjustment of the desired implement is therefore impossible
because there is always only visible on the arm C' the word which corresponds to
the implement in question, and this is only possible by the right adjustment of the
lever G.
The impression of the recording or speaking tool is always the same immaterially
whether the support arm C is placed higher or lower by means of its set screw h
travelling on the bar H, and is produced by the natural weight of the diaphragm E
and curved piece e.
The apparatus may of course be provided with any of the ordinary devices for
revolving the phonogram roller or the like.
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. In phonographs with common diaphragms for both recording and speaking
implements (m m²) which lie in one vertical plane one behind the other, the
arrangement of both implements on a common lever (M) revolubly mounted on the
diaphragm, said lever being connected with another lever (K) adapted to be moved
by means of an adjustable pin (J) held by a spring (i) in a given normal position,
the adjustment of said pin being effected by a suitably bevelled revoluble adjusting
lever (G) engaging over said pin, and thereby pressing one of the implements on
the phonogram roller, whilst the implement at the moment pressed on the roller is
immediately indicated by suitable words such for instance as Aufnahme
(recorder) and "
Wiedergabe" (repeater) which are inscribed on the support
arm (C) and on the adjusting lever (G), one word, (for instance " Wiedergabe ")
on the lever, and the other ("Aufnahme") on the support arm being arranged at
such a place that when anything is being repeated the word "Aufnahme
"" is
covered by the adjusting lever (G), whilst on the other hand when anything is
being recorded the said lever (G) lies in a groove in an arm (c³) of the support or
in other words the word "Wiedergabe" is covered and vice versa, substantially as
bereinbefore described.
+
2. In phonographs such as described, the arrangement of the support arm (C) of
the diaphragm (E) revolubly on a moving curved piece (D) in such a way that the

page_text: diaphragm and its implements may be axially adjusted without the curved piece (D)
being moved, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th day of March 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.