US1054395A - Sound-reproducing machine. - Google Patents

Description

A. R. O'UNNIUS. SOUND RBPRODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.Z0,1911.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

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wit names A. R. OUNNIUF. SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE. APPLICATION mum MAR. 20, 1011.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

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flttmnu QM/mew A. R. OUNNIUS. SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20,1911.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

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ALFRED It. CUNNIUS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO'LIPMAN KAISER, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

SOUND-REPRODUCING MACLEIINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

uances.

Patented Feb. 25,1913.

Application filed March 20, 1911. Serial No. 615,650.

2 '0 (d6 whom it may concern "do it known that I ALFRED It. Cosmos", a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county oi Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful SoundReprodiicing hlachine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in sound reproducing machines, and relates more particularly to the cabinet type of sound reproducing machines where the sound anu'ilitier carried beneath the motor u'iechanisni and the large end of the amplifier terminates at the front of the cabinet.

The object of the present invention is to materially increase the volume of sound produced by such type of machine.

lfu sound reproducing machines of the cabinet. type the motive mechanism and the turn-table for supporting the sound record, as well as the s'ound box and the taper arm, or as it is sometimes called the tonearui, carrying said sound box all follow the usual construction found in sound-reproducing machines where the amplifying horn overhangs the turmtable, but the large end of the tone-arm is turned downwardly and con neots with a sound conduit which in turn is coupled to the small end of a sound amplifying horn or conduit housed in vthe cabinet and p 1o ier.:ting forwardly from the rear end of the cabinet to the front thereof where the large end of the an'iplitier terminates and is commonly closed in by doors, whereby the emitted sound may be nuiditied at the will of the operator up to the full power of the machine. There is, however, a noticeable loss in volume as compared with the t pe of re roducing machines where the ampiiiying horn overhangs the tablet :arrying table, but there are advantages in the cabinet type of sound reproducing machine in that the reproduced sound has a, softness and naturainess not found in the other type men tioned, and which or titillt'tfllieilt'tl of de seriptiou may be termed the horn type. Mort-River, the cabinet type of maclnne is provided with a cover for inclosiug the revolving table, the sound box and tone-man, and the motor mechanism i'or driving the revolving table is housed 111 the body oi the by the reproducing diaphragm on the exposed face are all hushed, and only such sounds as travel through the sound conduitand are emitted through the large end of the sound amplifier are observable by the listener, the freedom from extraneous noises materially contributing to the perfection of the reproduction of the sound record.

By the present invention a very material lengthening of the sound conduit uith corresponding increase in volume oi the amplitied sound is brought about, antl, moreover, provision is made for a wide range of modification whereby the device s adapted to soft reproduction of sounds suitable for small rooms or a loud reproduction of the sounds suitable for large halls, or any in tormediatc degree of sound that may be desirable.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection withthe zuzcompanying drawings forming a part of this specilicat ion, with the understanding, however, that while the drawings illustrate a practical and commercial form of the invention, the latter is by no means limited to the exact construction shown, but may loev varied in many details without departure .trom the scope of the invention.

In the drawingsz-Ifigure 1 is a front elevation of the cabinet embodying the present invention with the controlling door of one of the sound amplifiers open and with one of the doors of a tablet containing compartment open. Fig. 2 is a front. to rear vertical section through the machine with someparts shown in elevation and some parts broken away. line 3--3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section in substmitially the same part as Fig-5 but taken through the small end of one of" the terminal amplifiers and of the adjacent portion of the neck connected thereto, the scale being somewhat larger than that of Fig. 3.

Fig. :7 is a studion at right angles to that.

of Fig. 2 and taken through the sound coir duit \vherc joining the pivoted end of the itill0-:tit|l, parts being omitted. and showing, a soon-what modified form of the invention. tis a section on the line ('----t of Fig. 5. T is a sertiou on the line 1 of Fig. 5. is a wrtiou in part similar to Fig. 5

showing still another form oi the in- Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the r i may be lifted to gain access to the interior.

fastened to the through the Vention. Fig. Q is a plan View of a. coupling used in the structure of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, there shown a case or cabinet 1, which in general form may follow the design usually employed for the cabinet type of sound reproducing machines, and since such cabinets are often installed in dwelling houses the exterior of the cabinet may be of ornamental. configuration. The body of the cabinet ,is provided with a top or cover member 2 connected to the body member by hinges 3 and provided with a handle or handles t, whereby the top of the upper end of the cabinet, which is divided from the main portion of the interior of the cabinet by a partition 5 inset a short distance from the upper edges of the walls of the cabinet and constitutes not only a division wall, but a support for parts of the mechanism. Below the partition or shelf 5 is a cross piece 6 in spaced relation to-the shelf 5, and this cross piece may be side walls of the cabinet otherwise. The cross piece by brackets 7 or support a motor mecha- 6 is designed to nism 8, such as. is commonly employed in machines of this character for driving a turn-table 9 located above but in close relation to the shelf 5. The motor and turntable may be of ordinary and well known construction and, therefore, need no specific description. v

Considering that portion of the casing to which the cover 2 is connected by the hinges 3 as the rear of the casing, the shelf near the rear edge has :tast thereto a ring-like member- 10, which may be either cast or turned or both, and this ring-like member i's'provided with an upstanding flange in surrounding relation to .a hole 0? passage shelf. The ring has connected to or formed thereon a bracket 11 between which and a suitable spider 12 within the ring 10 there extendsa post 13', which may be made fast to a tone-arm 14:, but which is free to turn about its longitudinal axis in suitable bearings in the bracket 11 and spider 12. The pivotal support for the tone-arm may be such as is ordinarily used in connection with machines of this character, and so' needs nt specific description. The small end of the tone-arm ll, which is of the customary taper form, carries piiotally a neck 15, which latter in turn carries a sound box 16 in position to engage, by a suitable stylus or needle, a sound record groove in a tablet l7 lodged on the turntable 9,

As so far described the structure need not vary in any essential particular from-structures of like character already in existence,

the particular showing of tom of the casing.

.nected to divergent n 'tivcly, and these necks are returned on carried thereby are into the present invention and, therefore, need no particular description, the showing of the drawings with respect to the -ereral features named being typical rather than mandatory. I 4

Depending from the shelf 5 coincident with the passage into which t-hetone-arm opens-is an expanding sound conduit 18 forming a continuation of the tone-arm, so far as the conducting of sound is concerned, and this comparatiiely low in the the drawings errllt' way toward the loot-- V, The expanded and of the conduit 18 which may be of metal is con ecks 19, 2O, respectends more than ha themselves so that the ends remote "from those connected to the condt it 18 open in generally the same direction the conduit 18, but the long H the open ends of these necks title at to the longitudinal although substantially parallel one with the other. Each neck 19 and 2,0 has formed thereon or connected thereto a radial flange 21 terminating in an annular flange 22 in which udinal axes of an angle lb lodged the smaller end of an amplifier .3, the latter being preferably made of a circular series of stavcs so shaped that the interior of the amplifier continuously expands from the end lodged within the flanged end 01 the respective neck 19 or 20 to the other end of the amplifier. To prevent rattling or other noises some soft material, indicated at 524-, interposed between the end of the sound annglitier 23 and the socket flange receiving it and the parts are secured together by screws 25 or in any other amiropriate manner. The mate rial 2'1 may be, and usually felt.

The necks l9 and 2'0 are each so shaped that the flanged ends and the amplifiers directed toward the front of the casing and at the same time upwardly, so that they tern'iinate on each side of the center line of the casing at the front thereof at openings 26, the corresponding ends of the amplifiers 23 terminating at an appropriate angle,so as to rest squarely against the inner wall of the front of the casing in surrounding relation to the corresponding-opening 26, and vent any attling at these points due to looseness of contart,a suitable felt gasket 2"! is interposed, while cleats 28 glued or other wise secured to the outer end of each amplitier serve as a means for secin'ing the amplifier in place by the use or" screws or by sound conduit is carried to a point casing l, and H1.

the length of axis of the conduit 18 in order to prethe casing, the openings 26 are of oval form with the longer axis upright, but this form is by no means mandatory. Each opening 26, there being two amplifiers 23 on opposite sides of the center line ot' the casing, is provided with a door 30 which may be connected to the front ot' the casing by a hinge 31, and is provided with a knob or handle 32, whereby the door may be readily opened or closed. Any of the ordinary forms of latch devices may be used to hold the doors in the closed position, but such latch devices are not. shown in the drawin The longitudinal g s of the two amplitiers 23 are substantially parallel one with the other and the sound emitting ends of these amplifiers are of enlarged area due to the fact that the planes ot said ends are each at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the respective amplifier, so that. such enlarged ends operate acoustically like the expanded bell ends of ordinary sound amplifiers. ecause of the upward and forward direction of theamplifiers 23, the openings 26 are located near the top of the casing and there remains ample room below these openings and below the amplifiers 23 for racks 33, :34, respectively, designed to receive record tablets of the disk type, and these racks may be supported by generally horizontal partitions 35, 36, of which the latter may constitute the bottom of the cabinet, and doors 3? may be provided to close in these racks against the entrance of dust or dirt, and, also. to add to the appearance of the front. of the cabinet. The rack compartments in themselves form no part of the present inven tion, since they may be made in a manner corresponding to the usual custom in machines of this character.

To brace the lower end of the pendent' conduit 18 and the lower ends of the amplifiers .23, bracing strips 38 are provided, and these strips may be connected to nearby fixed parts of the cabinet.

One of the necks, say the neck 20, is open at one side and this opening is flanked by .guaTr'd membeI-s 39 between which may be passed a valve plate 40 held against rattling by strips 41 of felt: or other material lodged idem-responding enlargen'ients of the guard members 392' The 'alve 4t) exterior to the guard members connected to an operating bar 42 carried to and through the shelf where it closes the passage through the neck 30 from the conduit 18 to the corresponding amplifier 23. Let it also be supposed that a sound record tablet ltailged on the turntable and that the apparatus is in operation for the production of sound from such tab let. Because both amplifiers have their outer ends or months closed, and because one of the amplifiers is cut oil t'rom' the conduit. 18, the reproduced sound is so Inutlled as to be nearly inaudible. If, now, the door 30 controlling the mouth of the amplifier connected to the ncck'19 be open, a volume of sound will at once issue from the instrument commensurate with the length aml cross section of the sound conduit from the sound box to the mouth of the particular amplifier 23 under consideration. The volume of sound is readily con trolled by the degree of opening o l the cor responding door 30, and because of the length of the sound amplifier and, also. heeause of the cross section thereot'. there sues from the amplifier connected to the neck 19 a volume of sound in excess of the. cabinet type of sound reprmlucing machines as ordinarily constructed. If a greater volume of sound is desired, then the valve 40 is moved out of interfering relation to the interior of themeck 2O amt there is innuediatcly brought about a marked increase in the volume of sound until it reaches a maxi mum in excess of that producible by a commercial form of horn machine of large size. The extraneous sounds necessarily associated with the horn machii are climilmtcd in the cabinet type of machine of the present invention, while not only is the volume of sound emitted by the machine otthe present invention far in excessof the volmne of sound produciblc by any known commercial form of cabinet machine, but the volume of sound may even exceed the loudest commercial type of horn machine, and is only exceeded by the air pressure type of sound reproducing machines. h'loreover, the amplifiers 2 which may be made of wooden stares, materiallyenhances the pnrity and naturaluess of the. repivuluced sound in the same manner as is brought about by the use of a uooden horn in the horn machines.

The elongated sound conduit reaching, well toward the bottom of the cabinet and the upwardly and mitwardly directed amplitiers give a desirable length to the sound passages to impart volume to the sound, while the upward direction of the emitting end of the sound amplifiers causes a disposition of the sound, whereby in large audience halls the sound may be made to travel with practically the same volume to all parts of the hall, distance only serviug to diminish the sound, while the sound is as readily audible to one side of the di- 5/ communication with the sound box, this befee . readily controlled from the ersing a bracket 47 fast to the interior of the casing,'and this by a spring 48 tending to move the valve T toward the closed position. The end of the rod -16 remote from the. valve is conrecjt'liiiia of project-ion from the machine as dirlectly in front thereof. Moreover, the

twin sound amplifiers makes it possible to greatly modify the volume of the emitted sound andto Wider extentthan would hap' pen if the modification of the volume of s und Was due solely to the opening and closing of a door or doors controlling but one amplifier, for one of the amplifiers may remain unimpeded with the door wide open While the sound may be diminished or in- ,l. moving the valve 40 into and tr-aversing relation to the neck 20 to any' extent desired. The valve 40 does not interfere With the use of the doors 30 for modifying purposes, but usually these doors are used for the modification of the sound only in small rooms, Where the full power of the machine, or even of one of the amplifiers is excessive.

o more pronounced controlof the ted sound may be brought about by dividing the conduit 18 into two parts longitudinally. This may be done, as indicated in Fig. 5, Where the conduit- 18 is traversed longitudinally by a centrally located Web 41-, so that there is not direct communication between .thelsound plissages from the large end of the tone arm to' the emitting end or ends of the amplifiers vBy the time the reproduced I so 1 d reaches the large end of the tone-arm is connected by a link to anotherbell crank lever 51 mounted on a bracket 52 and provided with a manipulating rod 53 eX- tending through the slot 54 in the shelf 5 and through-a corresponding slot in a plate 56 on the shelf 5 immediately surrounding the slot 54:. The rod 53 is formed with a handle 57 above the shelf 5, so that this handle may be readily reached by the operator and drawn up or pushed down as to Whether it is desirable to move the valve 45 out of or into traversing relation to the portion of the conduit 18 connected to the neck 20. A pin 58 traversing" the rod 53 may be pulled through the slot 54. in the shell and the slot in the plate 56, and if this slot be of the key hole variety the pin 58 may be carried into locking relation to the plate 56, so as to hold the valve 45 in the open position against the tendency of the spring 48.

With the structure shownin Figs. 5, 6 and '7 the full volume oi sound is approximately that of the structure shown in Figs. 2 and 3, but since the presence of the'web i4.- reduces the efiective cross section of the conduit 18 so far as either of the amplifiers 23 is concerned, the volume of sound issuing through a single amplifier is less than in the structure shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and consequently the cutting ofi of one half the conduit 18' is more pronounced in effect in the emitit i amplified, but not to any very marked e rec. In the structure shown in Figs. 2 y 3 the sound by the time it reaches the ,ueoks l9 and 20 amplified about much as ,the total volume of sound issuing from a "cabinet type of machine of ordinary construction. "l'hc result of this is that While reduction of the volume of sound. than in the th valve 40 produces a noticeable dimiuu- I structure of Figs. 2 and 3. titan It is possible to produce an even more tiemuichine as a whole, this valve being laced in traversing relation to the neck 20,,

some sound will marked client by substituting for the conduit 18 two conduits separately connected to the res u'ctive necks l9 and 20, so that the c0mbiued 'crrss sectional area of the two conduits may be greater than that of the single cmduit 18 atthe same point. In Figs. 8 and 9 two conduits 18 and 18" are indicated and'each otthese conduits maybe circular in cross sections, and at one point may be brought into contact for mounting. being joined at these points by soldering or otherwise if found desirable. In order to connect the smaller ends of the conduits 18 and 18* With'the large end of the toncarm 14 there is provided it connect: ing member 59 in traversing relation to the shelf 5 and formed with a flange 60 adapted to engage the under face of the shelf 5 to be se ured illQHBiu by screws. or otherwise. This connector 59 is formed a collar like extension ceive lhc large end of the tonc-arm 14:, While the other end of the member 59 below the shelf 5 is formed with a flange 62 of shape to receive the rounded smaller ends of the l l of the volume of sound issuing from i still issue through the sound I has been cut oil' from direct i ing due to conduction valveand the Walls of thereto.

of sound through the the neck 20 adjacent With the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 there is less an'iplification of the sound in each half of the conduit 18 than 'Would occur if the Web 44 were absent, so that whatever sound may still issue from the cut 01? amplifier much diminished with reference to the form shown in Figs. 2 and In order that the direct ccn'ununication with one side of the conduit 18 may be con trolled before the sound passing thereto is amplified to any great extent. there provided a valve beneath but close iii the shelf 5 and so positioned as to be movable l into and out or" traversing relation to that I side of the amplifier S coimectmlt-zvthe, neck 20. in order that this valve may be front portion of the machine,.it is connected to a. rod travnected to a bell crank lever 49, which in turn convenience of above the shelf with 6.1 designed to re-' rod is also surrounded vided with a valve 45* adapted to the shape of the conduit and controllable, in the same manner as the valve 45 described with reference to Figs. 5, 6 and 7..

What is claimed is I,

1. A sound reproducing machine of cabi-' nettype having sound record driving means, a sound box and a tone-arm in the upper portion, a sound conveyer of progresslvely increasing cross sectlon. communicatln at thesmall end with'the tone-arm and from thence having a downward directihn or drop and also having a sound emitting end of double form -rising from the lower end of the drop portion, and means for cutting out one of the-two sound emitting devices from direct communication with the tone-arm,

ing portion extending to the upper part of the cabinet-adjacent the sound record driving means.- v

12. sound reproducing machine Compris: 'ing a suitable cabinet provided with tablet actuating means, a sound'box, and 1a taper tone-arm all locatedin the. upper of the tions of each neck ofthe conveyerin cahinet, a sound conduit of progressively increasing diameter communicating at its smaller end with the larger end of the tonearm, said sound conveyer comprising a metallic portion extendin from the tonearm in a downward direction in the cabinet and terminating in two upturned-branches or necks and upwardly directcdkcontinua- 1e rog'resform of a hollow wooden member from the res ective neck sively expanding and terlnlnatin below that portion containingfthe sound box and tone-arm, the terminal portion of each wooden continuation of the sound oonveyer being rovided with a door individual there to, an one of the two necks of the metallic p0rtion-0f the sound conveyer' being pro vided with a cut-off having a manipulating member-extending to that portion of the at the front of the cabinet cabinet containing the sound'boxand tone larm and there accessible. said means hav ng an accessible manlpulat- In testimonil, that I'sclaim the foregoing as my own, I I a I V ture in the presence of two witnesses ALF DQ-RLvCU USY Witnesses: JOHN H. SIGGERB;

, DAYID R. Wa oNnR.

ve hereto aflixd mysigna

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