US2128645A - Phonograph - Google Patents

Description

1938- H. F. M. GRAMANN 2,128,645

PHONOG'RAPH l8, 2 sheets sh\ee1I l INVENTOR Heme/cw f-TMAx GRAMAA A/ A ORNEY Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE signor to Thomas A. Edison,

Incorporated,

West Orange, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 18, 1933, Serial No. 680,908

3 Claims.

This invention relates to 'phonographs and more particularly to phonographs of the business type, commonly called dictating machines. Such phonographs or dictating machines when designed for use by a dictator are normally equipped with a suitable reproducing means as well as the usual recording means. By the inclusion of this reproducing means, it is possible for the user of such-a machine-to hear all, or a portion of, the material which'has been recorded upon therecord tablet at any time. It has been common practice to provide a sound box which may be conditioned 'for either recording or reproducing by the manipulation of a lever conveniently placed on the machine. This lever may havetwo or more positions in one of which the sound box is conditioned for recording and in another of which the sound box is conditioned for reproduc- The use of the reproducing mechanism may be required when a dictator has been interrupted in the course of dictation. After such an interruption he may shift thecontrol lever to a neutral position in which the styli of the sound box do not coact with the'record, move the sound box backwardly alongzthe record as far as necessary, and then move the control lever into the reproducing position wherein matter previously recorded will be reproduced as the sound box moves forward up to the position which it occupied prior to the backward movement. When he has reached the end of the recorded matter :and is again ready to dictate, it is necessary that he again manipulate the control lever to recondition the sound box for recording, whereupon he may proceed with his dictation.

If it is desired to repeat only the last few words or portion of a sentence in order to pick up the train of thought, this may usually be done by shifting the control lever directly from recording position to reproducing position Without moving the sound box backwardly along the record. Reproduction of the last few words under such circumstances is obtained when the sound box is advanced over the record tablet by reason of the fact that the reproducing stylus in the sound box is offset a short distance behind the recording stylus, usually of the order of .1". When the control mechanism therefore is shifted from recording to reproducing position without movement of the sound box relative to the record tablet, the reproducing stylus will engage the record tablet at a point several grooves behind the recording stylus so that as the sound box .iS advanced along the record tablet the matter recorded in these several grooves'will be reproduced. This forms a convenient method of picking up the train of thought and obviously requires less manipulation than is necessary if the sound box proper is moved backwardly. However when the recorded matter of the last few grooves referred to has been reproduced it is again necessary to shift'the control lever from the reproducing into the recording position before it is possible to proceed with dictation.

The manipulation required both prior to and subsequent to a reproduction of dictated matter is undesirable in such'machines. Manipulations of this sort do not rapidly become automatic or instinctive withthe userand they therefore have a tendency to distract'and to break into the concentration normally required in dictation; For this reason it is desirable'to make all operations automatic to as great an extent as possible.

The primary object of my invention therefore is to provide-a business phonograph having a simple and improved means'by-which thephonograph may be quickly and easily shifted from recording position into reproducing position to subsequently repeat a portion of previously dictated matter.

Another object of my-invention'is to provide a construction by which the above'means may be readily controlled from a point remote from the phonograph. i

*A further object of my invention is'toprovide means for automatically restoring the sound box to recording position "after the reproduction of the matter last dictated on the record tablet.

Further objects and features of my invention will be disclosed in the following specification and appended claims.

of the phonograph of Fig. 1 and includes a sche- .matic diagram of the electrical circuit for actuatingand controlling the r'epeatingmechanism; Fig.3 is an elevational view,,partly in section,

,of the carriage and :sound box of the phonograph of Fig. 1, ..as seen from the right;

Fig. .4is abottomplan view of the mechanism of Fig.3;

Fig. .5,is. a fragmentary view of the sound box and mechanism on the carriage when the sound box has been conditioned for reproducing;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view, partly broken away, of the carriage; and

Fig. 7 is a side view of the electro-magnet for actuating the repeating mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, the phonograph comprises a mandrel I supported on a shaft 2 journaled in a standard 3 projecting from a base 5. The mandrel is adapted to rotatably support a record tablet A. The mandrel driving means such as a motor (not shown) is connected to the mandrel through a belt 8 passing over a pulley 5. A suitable clutch mechanism 9l0 is provided for connecting or disconnecting the mandrel shaft and pulley 5. The base 4 carries two other standards I! and I located near opposite ends of the base. These standards support a pair of guide rods l'll8 on which a carriage I3 is slidably mounted. The guide rods are supported in the standards by suitable means to prevent longitudinal movement thereof while permitting free rotation. A feed screw 26 is supported on a pair of pivots 20' mounted in the standards I and l. Rotation is imparted to the feed screw by a gear wheel 22 mounted on the mandrel shaft and meshing with a gear wheel 23 secured on the feed screw 26. A feed nut 2!, mounted on a bracket 85 pivoted on a pin 85' in the carriage I3, is biased into engagement with the feed screw 26 by a coil spring 86 embracing a pin 81 which is threaded into the rear portion of the arm I3.

A sound box and the control mechanism therefor are mounted in the carriage and are well known in the art, being substantially the same as those described in detail in U. S. Patent No. 1,420,316, to N. H. Holland, entitled Phonographs and issued June 20, 1922. The sound box comprises a frame 32 having an upwardly extending neck 33 adapted to fit into an elbow 34 forming the innerend of a speaking tube comprising a flexible tube 35. The frame 32 also carries a downwardly extending lug 39 on which a casing 42 comprising a sound chamber is pivotally secured at 40. Connection between the sound chamber 42 and the neck 33 is made by a sliding tube 44. Casing 42 is closed by a diaphragm which carries a stirrup 55 at the lower end of which a recording stylus 56 is secured.

A floating weight 48 is likewise pivotally secured to the lug 39 and is positioned below the casing 42. A central hole is provided in the floating weight 48 through which the stirrup 55 may pass. A' reproducing stylus arm 58 carrying a reproducing stylus 59 is pivotally secured by a pin 66 in a suitable slot in the floating weight 48. The end of the arm 58 opposite to that carrying the reproducing stylus lies at all times within the stirrup 55. The reproducing stylus '59 is positioned slightly behind the recording stylus withrelation to the direction of advancing movement of the carriage. The floating weight 48 carries an advance ball 80, preferably made of sapphire and having a spherical end portion for coaction with the record, said ball having a diameter several times that of the recording or reproducing styli.

The manual control mechanism for controlling the sound box at the arm or carriage l3 comprises. a lever pivotally mounted in the carriage about the front guide rod IT. The lever 65 has three positions in one of which the sound box is conditioned for recording, in another of which the sound box is conditioned for reproducing, and in the third of which the sound box is moved to inoperative or neutral position and the feed nut 2i is simultaneously disengaged from feed screw 20. To accomplish the control of the sound box, the lever 65 actuates a pair of dogs H and 12 also mounted for rotary motion about the front guide rod H. The dogs H and "I2 coact respectively with lifting tabs 48 on the floating weight 48 and 42 on the casing 42. When the lever 65 is moved to its forward position in which the sound box is conditioned for recording, as shown in Fig. 3, both dogs H and 72 are rotated downwardly until they are entirely clear of the lifting tabs with which they cooperate so that both the floating weight and said casing are free to rotate in a clockwise direction. The floating weight will therefore move downwardly until the advance ball 85 comes into engagement with the record tablet A. At the same time the casing 42 will likewise rotate downwardly, the stylus 56 and the stirrup 55 passing through the opening in the floating weight, until the recording stylus 56 likewise engages the record tablet A. It will be noted that the advance ball 86 is positioned slightly in advance of the recording stylus 56 lengthwise of the record tablet so that when the mandrel is rotated, the recording stylus will cut a groove in the record material independently of the floating weight, the floating weight being merely carried along supported by sliding contact of the advance ball and the uncut portion of the record tablet, in advance of the recording stylus. The floating weight is not used in the operation of recording and is by this means merely maintained in a position in which it does not interfere with the recording stylus.

When the control lever 65 is moved into its central or neutral position, both dogs H and 12 are rotated in a clockwise direction and coact with their respective lifting tabs 42 and 48' to rotate the casing 42 and the floating weight 48 upwardly to a position in which both the recording and reproducing styli and the advance ball are entirely clear of the record tablet A. At the same time a roller 84 coacts with the head 84 of a plunger 8| slidably mounted in the carriage 13. The plunger 8| moves backwardly in engagement with the bracket 85 and thereby moves said bracket and the feed nut 2| against the pressure of the spring 86 to a position in which the feed nut is clear of the feed screw 20 whereupon the carriage may be freely slid along the guide rods. When lever 65 is in any other position than neutral, roller 84 is moved out of contact with the plunger, thus allowing spring 86 to move feed nut 2! into engagement with feed screw 20.

When the control lever 65 is moved to its rear or reproducing position the dog 72 is maintained in its uppermost position in which it holds the casing 42 adjacent the frame 32. However, the dog TI is then rotated downwardly and allows the floating weight to move downwardly. Since the rear portion of the reproducing stylus arm 58 lies at all times within the stirrup 55 which is held up with the casing 42, the downward motion of the floating weight 48 will impart a counterclockwise rotation to the reproducing stylus arm 56 which will cause the reproducing stylus 59 to engage the record tablet before the advance ball 86 engages it. By reason of the offset of the recording and reproducing styli, the reproducing stylus engages the record behind the recording stylus relative to the advancing direction of movementof the carriage. Under these conditions the floating weight 48 serves to bias the reproducing stylus 59 into engagement with the record and also serves 'to bias 'the-other enfd of "the reproduc'ingstylus arm '58 into engagement with the bottom of thestirrup 55. If, therefore, a vibratory motion is applied to the stylus 59 by the record groove of tablet A when the latter'is rotated, such vibratory movement will also be im- ;parted-tothe stirrup 55 and "consequently to the 'lever'55 is substantially the same as that described'in'detail in the Holland patent mentioned above and willnot be repeatedherein. All of the mechanism described so far is well known in the art and is in common use on commercial phonographs intended for manual control.

It will be noted that the only motion required to change the'sound box from its recording position to its reproducing position is the raising of the casing 42 which disengages the recording stylus, disengages the advance ball 89, and engages the reproducing stylus 59. In providing a remotely controllable mechanism for shifting the sound box from its recording to reproducing position therefore, anauxiliary lifting dog 95 is pivotally mounted about the guide rod I'I adjacent the lifting-dog I2 and is freely rotatable independently thereof. The lifting dog 95 is provided with a nose 95' for coaction with the lifting tab 42 on the casing 42. The lifting dog '95 is also provided with a shoulder to coact with a pin 98 which is secured in a disc 91 mounted for 'free rotation about the guide rod I'I within a boss I5 of the carriage I3. A-coil spring I92 connected to the disc 91 and to the side wall of the boss I5 serves to urge the disc 91 in a counterclockwise direction when the carriage is viewed from the right hand side as in Figs. 3 and 5. This tends to move the pin 98 away from the shoulder on the lifting dog 95 and to allow thelatter to fall to a point in which its nose 9.5 is entirely below and clear of the lifting tab 42'. One end of a connecting rod 99 embraces the pin 98 and is free to rotate thereon. The connecting rod 99 passes toward the rear of the carriage and is supported in a'suitably drilled hole in a bracket I99 secured on the side of the carriage I3'by suitable screws. The rear end of the connecting rod 99 is adapted undercertain conditions to contact with a spring IIlI mounted on a rocking member II. The rocking member IllI is pinned to a short shaft 193 which is journaled in the bracket I99 and in the adjacent side wall of the carriage l3 and is held against longitudinal movement by a pair-of collars I96 and IE5 pinned thereon. A cam I I8 'is splined on the back rod I8 by a pin I8 and moves with the carriage by'reasonof its confinement between the bracket 109 and the adjacent side wall of the carriage 13. The cam H8 is adapted to coact with the rocking member IIlI. if the back rod I8 is given a clockwise rocking motion with themachine incondition for recording, the cam I IB will contact with :the rocking arm I91 and will cause it to be rotated forwardly. As a result of'such rotation the spring 'I9'I will strike the rear end of connecting rod 99 and move it forwardly. Forward movement'ofthe connecting rod '99 causes "the 'pin -98 "also to be moved forwardly against the urging of spring I92, to coact with the shoulder on the lifting dog 95, thereby turning said dog so that the nose 95' thereof is raised to coact with the lifting tab 42' on the casing 42. The casing 42 is thus rotated upwardly, disengaging the recording stylus and the advanceball from the record tablet and engaging the reproducing stylus 59, thereby conditioning the mechanism for reproduction.

The means which causes the necessary rotation of the back rod I8 to start the operation justdescribed comprises an electro-magnet IIB having a core H3 and a U-shaped armature III pivoted at II2. A link HIS is pivotally mounted on one side of the armature I I I and'passes upwardly to a pivotal connection with an arm I'Il secured to the back rod I8. A simple switch I I5 may be provided at any desired remote point, said switch being connected in series with conductors H4, a battery H5, and the coil of the electro-magnet I Ill. The armature III is normally biased by gravity to its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 7. However when switch I I5 is closed, thuscausing current to flow in the electro-magnet III), the armature III is attracted upwardly opposite the core H9 of the electro-magnet and by reason of its connection through the link H6 and the arm I II, to the back rod I8, it imparts a rocking movement to the back rod and thereby conditions the sound box for reproducing in the manner already described.

I It will be noted that, with the construction already described, as soon as the switch H5 is opened and the electro-magnet HIl thereby deenergized, the sound box will tend to returnimmediately to its recording position by reason of the movement of pin 98 away from the shoulder on the lifting dog 95, under the influence of the spring I92. In order to maintain the sound box in reproducing position the connecting rod 99 is provided with a notch 99"into which a pawl I I9 may fall when the connecting rod 99 is moved forward. The pawl H9 is pivoted on. the bracket I99 .and is urged into engagement with the connecting rod 99 by a coil spring H9 embracing the pivot screw I2'I onwhic-h the'pawl'ismounted.

The mechanism described above will'upon closure of the switch H5 therefore condition the sound box for reproducing and maintain it "in reproducing position so that as the carriage is moved forward thematterrecorded in the space on the cylinder corresponding to the offset betweentherecording stylus55 and the reproducing stylus 59 will'be reproduced. However in order to make the device entirely automaticit is'necessary that the sound box be'reconditioned for recording whenthe matter recorded has been entirely reproduced. In order to accomplish this the pawl I I9 is provided with a curved downwardly extending arm I22 terminating in a bent lug carrying a screw I29. A marker plate I24 is provided adjacent to'the carriage on its advancing side. The marker plate I24 is provided with an enlarged collar I25 embracingthe back rod l8 and having an adjustable spring and plunger mounted in a suitable well 829 therein to provide '"adjacent'side wallof'thecarriage I3, it holds the pawl extension I22 in a position where the pawl I I9 is out of engagement with the connecting rod 99. It will be seen that as long as the plate I24 is in contact with the said side wall of the carriage I3, the pawl H9 will remain in inoperative position and will be ineffective for maintaining the sound box in reproducing condition when it is moved thereto by forward motion of the connecting rod 99. Mechanism is therefore provided to move the marker plate I24 a slight distance in advance of the carriage whenever the sound box is conditioned for reproducing by actuation of the control switch H5. This mechanism comprises a cup-shaped member E32 embracing the shaft H33 and extending through an opening in one side wall of carriage I3. The outer end of the cup-shaped member I32 is partially cut away to provide a shoulder I33 which coacts with the marker plate I24 and thus prevents rotational movement of the cup-shaped member I32. The bottom of the shouldered portion I33 of the cup shaped member I32 abuts the marker plate I24. The marker plate I24 is held against rotary movement by a shoulder screw I35 which passes through the marker plate and is threaded into the carriage I3. The cup-shaped member I32 is provided with a slanting slot I3I with which a pin I39 secured in the shaft I03 coacts. When the back rod I8 is rotated causing cam M3 to coact with the rocking member IGI and thus move it forwardly and at the same time rock the shaft M3, the pin #30 will move along the slot I3I and cause the cup-shaped member I32 to be moved outwardly thus giving advance spacing movement to the marker plate I24. Under these circumstances the pawl III] is free to rotate under the urging of the spring H9 and as the connecting rod 99 is moved forwardly the said pawl drops into the notch 99 thus maintaining the sound box in reproducing condition. The advance spacing movement imparted to the marker plate I24 is approximately equal to the offset of the recording and reproducing styli.

The operation of the device is as follows: When it is desired to dictate, the control lever 65 is moved to its forward or dictating position wherein the recording stylus engages the record. When the mandrel is revolved, the carriage is moved forward by the cooperation of the feed screw 20 and the feed nut 2| and a groove is cut in the record. If it is desired to repeat the last few words which have been dictated, the control switch H5 is closed thus energizing the electromagnet III and imparting a rocking movement to the back rod I8. Such rocking movement of the back rod I8 causes the cam I I8 to be rotated which in turn moves the rocking member IUI forward to contact the connecting rod 99 and move the dog upwardly, thus raising the casing 42 and conditioning the sound box for reproducing. At the same time the cup-shaped member I32 is moved outwardly thus moving the marker plate A2 3 to a position slightly in advance of the carriage and out of contact with the screw I23 on the pawl extension I22 so that the pawl H9 will fall into the notch 99' in the connecting rod 99 and thus maintain the sound box in the reproducing position. When the mandrel is again rotated the last few words dictated will be reproduced by reason of the offset between the recording and reproducing styli. When the carriage has moved a distance approximately equal to the offset between the styli and has reproduced the last of the recorded matter, the screw I23 will again contact the marker plate I24 thus withdrawing the pawl I I9 from the notch 99' and allowing the connecting rod 99 to be moved backwardly by action of the coil spring I02. The casing 42 will thereupon move downwardly under the action of gravity and the sound box will thereby be automatically reconditioned for recording. The dictator may then proceed with his dictation, the only manipulation required of him in order to repeat the last few dictated words having been a single momentary closure of the switch I I5, whereupon as has been described above, the sound box is conditioned for reproducing, and, when the last of the recorded matter has been reproduced, is automatically reconditioned for recording.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a phonograph, a sound box movable with respect to a record tablet and comprising a recording stylus and a reproducing stylus alternatively shiftable into record engaging position, said reproducing stylus being offset to engage the record at a point rearwardly of said recording stylus with respect to the forward movement of the sound box, a manual control on the phonograph for effecting shifting of said recording stylus into record engaging position, a remote control and a mechanism operable by said remote control independently of said manual control for effecting engagement of said reproducing stylus with the record tablet for a predetermined amount of forward movement of said sound box substantially equal to the amount said reproducing stylus is offset.

2. In a phonograph, .a sound box comprising a recording stylus normally biased into record engaging position and a reproducing stylus normally out of record engaging position and offset behind said recording stylus with reference to the normal direction of movement of said sound box when recording, means for imparting an advance movement to said sound box with respect to a record tablet carried by said phonograph, mechanism operable at will for effecting shifting of said recording stylus out of and said reproducing stylus into record engaging position at any time during an advanced movement of said sound box, means for maintaining said reproducing stylus in record engaging position after operation of said mechanism, and a device movable relatively to said sound box which when in a certain position relative to the sound box renders said means inoperative.

3. In a phonograph, a rotatable mandrel adapted to carry a record tablet, a sound-box associated with said tablet and normally conditioned for recording and comprising a recording stylus and a reproducing stylus, said reproducing stylus being offset behind said recording stylus with reference to an advancing movement of said sound-box with respect to said tablet, means for imparting such an advancing movement to said sound box, mechanism, operable by remote control at any time while said sound-box is advancing, for conditioning said sound box for reproducing, a remote control for operating said mechanism and a device which automatically restores said sound-box to recording condition after a predetermined interval of reproducing.

HEINRICH F. MAX GRAMANN.

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