US1192289A - Sound-box. - Google Patents

Description

J. C. ENGLISH.

SOUND BOX,

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 23,19l2.

1,1 92,289. Patented July 25, 1916.

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35 I" l ///A 90 9] INVENTOR Jam Ga /s12.

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JOHN C. ENGLISH, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR TALKING MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SOUND-BOX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN G. ENGLISH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Camden, county of Camden, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sound- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

is a fragmentary front elevation of a sound.

box constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 3 a longitudinal section on line 33 of Fig. 2; and Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary longitudinal sections of two modified forms respectively of the same.

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of this invention consists of a sound box comprising a casing, including a fiat annular supporting plate or member 10, coaxial with thecasing and forming a portion of theback thereof. This supporting plate 10 is preferably made of comparatively ri material, such as brass or any other suita le metal. Surroundin the central opening 11 of this plate 10 an projecting rearwardly from the plate, and integralor rigid therewith, is a tubular extension 15, which is adapted to telescope over the open freeend of the usual or any suitable hollow tone arm 16 or other support. The internal diameter of the tubular extension 15 is preferably somewhat greater than the diameter of the central opening 11 of the supporting plate 10, thus forming an internal annular shoulder 17 between the tubular extension 15 and the supporting plate 10, this shoulder being adapted to abut against the inner end of the hollow tone arm 16 to assist in holding the sound box in position upon the tone arm. The usual pin 18 rojects inwardly from the tubular extension 15 rigid therewith, and is adapted to perform its usual function Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Application filed January 23, 1912. Serial No. 672,961.

of engaging in a bayonet slot in the tone arm 16. The diameter of the opening 11 in the supporting plate and the internal diameter of the tone arm 16, are preferably made equal so that the inner surface of the tone arm 16- will be flush with the cylindrical wall of the opening 11.

Surrounding the supporting plate 10 coaxial therewith and slightly spaced therefrom, is an annular marginal member 20, also forming a portion of the back of the casing of the sound box, and preferably made of the same material as the supporting plate 10, or of any suitable comparatively rigid material Therear -surface 20 of this marginal member 20, is preferably flat and normally flush with the rear surface of the supporting plate. This marginal member 20 is provided upon its outer margin with an outwardly projecting flat annular flange 21, integral and coaxial therewith, and arranged flush with the rear surface 20 of the marginal member. The marginal member 20 projects forwardly from its flat annular flange 21 in the form of a cylindrical flange 22 having a flat annular forwardly facing end wall'23. From the cylindrical flange 22, the marginal member 20 tapers inwardly in thickness measured in a direction perpendicular to the rear surface 20, and the inner face 24: of the member 20 is conical in form and coaxial with the tubular extension, 15.

Telescoping snugly over the cylindrical flange 22 of the marginal member 20 is a hollow cylindrical cap 30, also preferably made of brass or other suitable comparatively rigid material. This cap 30 has a flat annular rear wall 31 normally abutting against the front face of the flange 21 of the marginal member 20, and is provided with an internal annular shoulder 32 normally spaced slightly in front of the end wall 23 of the ange .22 of the marginal member 20 and of equal dimensions. The front portion of the cap 30 is provided with an inwardly rojecting flat thin annular flange 35, coaxial and integral or rigid there'- with. The cap 30 is secured to the marginal member 20 by means of screws 36 extending throughthe flange 21 and threaded into the" rear wall of the cap, or by any other suitable means.

For yieldingly supporting the marginal member 20 and cap 30 carried thereby, a flat yielding annulus 40 snugly surrounds the tubular extension 15 and is secured to the rear wall of the supporting plate 10 and also to the rear wall of the marginal member 20. This yielding annulus 40 is preferably made of felt, leather, paper, cork, rubber, or any other similar or suitableyielding material. It has been found that felt givesvery good results in this connection. The annulus 40 is preferably clamped securely against the rear wall of the supporting plate 10 by means of a metal or other comparatively rigid annular washer 41, fitting snugly around the tubular extension 15, and clamped against the rear face of the annulus 40 by means of headed screws 42, extending loosely through the washer 41 and annulus 40 and threaded into the supporting plate 10. The annulus 40 is also preferably clamped securely against the rear wall of the marginal member 20 by means of a similar flat annular outer washer 45, surrounding and spaced from the inner washer 41 and clamped against the rear wall of the annulus 40 by means of headed screws 46 extending loosely through the washer and annulus and threaded into the marginal member 20. The screws 42 through the inner washer 41 are preferably arranged in staggered relation with respect to the screws 46 of the outer washer 45. This outer washer 45 is preferably provided with an inwardly projecting marginal cylindrical flange 47 which engages snugly over the outer marginal wall of the annulus 40, and the inner end wall of which is normally spaced slightly from the rear wall of the marginal member 20. This flange 47 serves to confine the annulus 40 within certain limits and also protects the margin of the annulus and improves the ap pearance of the sound box.

The annular space 50 between the inner and outer washers 41 and 45 is preferably opposite and substantially equal in area to the area of the space 51 between the supporting plate 10 and the marginal member 20, and these spaces are preferably only of sufficient width to permit of a desirable amount of yielding or flexing of the annulus 40 throughout the annular portion of the annulus included between these two annular spaces.

Any suitable diaphragm may be used in connection with the casing of this improved sound box, but in the present instance, an improved diaphragm, which has been made the basis of a separate application, is shown in this connection. This improved diaphragm comprises a thin flat outer annular portion 55, made of cork or a composition of cork, or made of other subereous or suitable yielding material, having little, if any tendency, to set up local vibrations. Surrounded by the flat annular portion 55 is a thin comparatively rigid cupped or conical portion 56, made of any suitable material, such as stifl paper, and arranged normally coaxial with the sound box'casing, and having its convex side facing rearwardly The marginal portion 57 of this conical portion 56 is preferably slightly flattened and over-- laps the inner margin of the flat annular portion 55 and is secured thereto, preferably upon the front side thereof, by means of cement or glue, or in any other suitable manner.

The outer marginal portion of the diaphragm is clamped securely in position by and between the end wall 23 of the marginal member 20 and the internal shoulder 32 of the cap 30 of the sound box casing. The nature of the material form-ing the marginal portion of the diaphragmis such that when the diaphragm is thus clamped in position, it adheres to the walls between, and by which it is clamped and any possibility of leakage of the air around the outer margin of the diaphragm is thus avoided, and also any tendency of the diaphragm to rattle is avoided.

Connected to the central portion or apex of the conical portion 56 of the diaphragm is one end of a stylus bar 60, which projects outwardly from the conical portion in a direction substantially coaxial therewith to a point in front of the flange 35 of the cap 30, and then turns radially outwardly in a direction parallel to the flange 35 and spaced slightly in front thereof. The outer portion 61 of this stylus bar is offset rearwardly outside of the cap 30 and is mounted upon the cap 30 to oscillate in respect thereto by means of spaced yielding connections 62, these yielding connections being preferably arranged so thatthe axis of oscillation of the stylus bar is substantially in a plane with the flat annula portion 55 of the diaphragm. The "stylus loarv is provided with an enlarged. outer end 63 adapted to hold the usual or any suitable'stylus 64, which is held in place by the usual set screw 65.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that in the construction described, the sound box casing may be considered broadly as being composed of two independently movable rigid members, one of which, including the marginal member 20 and the can 30, carries the diaphragm and cooperating stylus, and the other of which including the supporting plate 10 and its tubular extension 15, is adapted to be mounted upon the tone arm 16 or other suitable carrier, these two main portions of the sound box casing being connected by a: yielding or hinge-like means which permits of the relative movement of the main portions of the casing, and also acting as a closure for the space between these portions. It 18 also evident that the yielding annulus 40 may be placed under a greater or less initial tension by adjusting the screws 42 and 46 to vary the compression of the annulus and that this variation of the initial aperture or tension would correspondingly affect the yielding qualities of the annulus and the freedom of movement between the two main portions of the sound box casing, and give a corresponding modification in the volume and quality of reproduction. It is also evident that in the operation of this sound box, the central portion ofthe diaphragm will vibrate as a. whole without flexing, and the surrounding portion will flex to permit of this vibration.

Instead of forming the back of the sound box casing as hereinbefore described, of two spaced annular members, one surrounding the other, theback of the sound box may be formed of a single piece as indicated at in Fig. 4, and having a tubular extension 71, 71 divided and spaced apart as at 72, the two portions 71 and 71 of the tubular extension being yieldingly connected by a cylindrical ring 73 of yielding materiahsuch as felt or rubber, etc, snugly surrounding the tubular extension and clamped to the two portions of the extension by means of comparatively rigid flanged rings 74 and 75 held in place by screws 7 6 and 77 extending through the rings and threaded into the two portions 71 and 71' respectively of the tubular extension.

A further modification of this invention consists. in forming the baclr of the sound box casing and its tubular extension in one part, as indicated at 80 and 81 respectively, and having an annular cap 82 spaced slightly in front of the back 80 and yield ingly connected thereto by means of a yielding cylindrical ring 83 surrounding the back 80 and engaging in an annular recess 84 provided therefor in the outer surface of the cap 82, the yielding ring 83 being clamped in position against the cap 82 and the back 80 by means of the rings 85 and 86 surrounding the yielding ring and held in place by screws 87 and 88 respectively, extending through the 'rings and threaded into the cap and the back respectively. In this case, the diaphragm is clamped in place between a ring 89 and the flanged ring 90 carried by the cap 82, the latter ring being clamped in position by means of screws 91 extending through the ring and threaded into the cap.

This invention is not limited to any specific construction disclosed, as various changes might be made in applying this invention Without departing from the spirit of the invention or" the scope of the ap pended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A sound box casing comprising two spacedportions, yielding substantially nonresilient means connecting said portions and means arranged to limit the outward radial expansion of said first-named means.

2. A sound box comprising an annular supporting member provided with a tubular extension rigid therewith, an annular marginal member surrounding and spaced from said supporting member, and yielding means surrounding said tubular extension and connecting said supporting member and said annular marginal member.

3. A sound box comprising an annular supporting member provided with a tubular extension, an annular marginal member surrounding said supporting member, a diaphragm carried by said marginal member, and yielding means surrounding said tubular extension and connecting said supporting member and said marginal member.

4. A sound box comprising an annular supporting member, an annular marginal member surrounding said supporting memher and spaced therefrom, yielding means connecting said members and forming a closure for the space between the same, and a diaphragm carried by said marginal member.

41A sound box comprising an annular supporting member provided ,with a tubular extension rigid therewith, a second annular member surrounding said first-mentioned annular member, a diaphragm carried by said second annular member, and yielding means connecting said annular members.

6. A sound box comprising an annular supporting member provided with a tubular extension rigid therewith, an annular marginal member surrounding said supporting member and spaced therefrom, and a flat yielding annulus surrounding said tubular member and connecting said members.

7. A sound box comprising a casing including an annular supporting member provided with a tubular extension rigid therewith, an annular marginal member surrounding said supporting member and spaced therefrom, a substantially flat \'ielding annulus snugly surrounding said tubular extension and connecting said members, and annular means overlapping and engaging the outer margin of said annulus for holding the same in position.

8. A sound box comprising a casing including an annular supporting member having a tubular extension rigid therewith, an annular marginal member surrounding said supporting member and spaced therefrom, a yielding annulus surrounding said tubular extension outside of said members, a washer surrounding said tubular extension, means for clamping said washer against said annulus, an outer washer surrounding and spaced from Said first mentioned Washer,

and means connected to said annular marginal member for clamping said outer washer against said annulus.

9. A sound box comprising a casing including an annular supporting member having a tubular extension rigid therewith, an annular marginal member surrounding said supporting member and spaced therefrom, a yielding annulus surrounding said tubular extension outside of said members, a washer surrounding said tubular extension, means for clamping said washer against said annulus, an outer washer surrounding and spaced from said first mentioned washer, and means connected to said annular marginal member for clamping said outer washer against said annulus, said latter washer being provided with an inwardly projecting marginal flange overlapping and engaging the marginal edge of said annulus.

10. A sound box comprising an annular supporting member provided with a tubular extension rigid therewith, an annular marginal member surrounding and spaced from said supporting member, an annular cap carried by said marginal member, a diaphragm clamped between said cap and said mar mnal member, and yielding means connecting said supporting .member and said marginal member. 0

11.-A sound box comprising an annular supporting member' provided with a tubular extension rigid therewith, an annular marginal member surrounding and spaced from saidsupporting member, an annular cap carried by said marginal member, a diaphragm clamped between said cap and said marginal member, and yielding means connecting said supporting member and said marginal member, said diaphragm comprising a flat, annular yielding portion, and a comparatively rigid central portion surrounded by and secured to said flat yielding portion.

12. Alsound box comprising an annular supporting member provided with a tubular extension rigid therewith, an annular marginal member surrounding and spaced from said supporting member, an annular meaese cap carried by said marginal member, a diaphragm clamped between saidcap and said marginal member, and yielding means con necting said supporting member and said marginal member, said diaphragm comprising a flat, annular yielding subereous portion, and a comparatively rigid central portion surrounded by and secured to said flat yielding portion.

13. A sound box casing comprising two separately movable portions, yielding means forming the sole connection between the said portions, and means arranged to compress said yielding means in one direction, said yielding means being held against expansion in a direction transverse to said first-mentioned direction.

14. A sound box casing comprising two spaced portions, yielding means holding said portions in spaced relationship, means to subject said yielding means to different degrees of compression, and means to limit the outward expansion of said yielding 15. A sound box casing comprising spaced portions, yielding annular means holding said portions in spaced relationship, means to subject said annular means to different degrees of compression and annular relatively rigid means inclosing said yielding JOHN C. ENGLISH.

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD K. MACEWAN, JOHN D. MYERS.

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