US1599725A - Phonograph needle - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 14 1926.

G. H. SCULLY PHONOGRAPH NEEDLE Filed Oct. 5, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //v VENTO/E.

Gcorge 6 Saw/y.

Sept. 14 1926.

G. H. SCULLY PHONOGRAPH NEEDLE Filed Oct. 3, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jfforn g lit) Patented Sept. 14, 1926. I

uurruu STATES GEORGE H. SCULLY, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PHONOGRAPH NEEDLE.

Application filed. October 3, 1924. Serial No. 741,503.

My invention relates to phonograph needles and has for its principal object to provide a needle capable of playing several thousand records without having to be replaced.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the quality of sound produced by a needle may be regulated as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby such a needle, having been once adjusted, will not accidentally change adjustment.

My invention contemplates the use of a hollow needle and a long coil of wire having the playing end fed through the hollow needle to provide a constantly renewable point. It is therefore another object of the invention to provide simple and dependable means for accurately and positively feeding the wire as required.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple storage means for holding a long length of wire.-

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the wire may be advanced or retracted with ease, while the phonograph to which the device is attached is in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device for holding and feeding wire to a hollow needle, which device may be quickly attached to a phonograph by an unskilled person without the use of tools.

Still other objects and advantages of my invention will appear hereinafter and will be better understood by virtue of the order of their occurrence.

T have illustrated by the accompanying drawings two embodiments of my invention.

In the said drawings,

Figure 1, is a rear elevation of a diaphragm holder of a phonograph, showing the preferred embodiment of my invention attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a view on enlarged scale as seen on a line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a view on enlarged scale as seen on a line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view in section seen on a line 5"5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective View of a part hereinafter known as the needle element.

Figures 7 and 8 respectively are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, of a modified form of my invention.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a magazlne employed in the modified form of the invention.

Fi re 10 is a view seen on a line 10-10 of Fig. 7.

Figure 11 is a view of the parts of this form of the invention which correspond to the parts shown in Fig. 5.

In the drawings, 9 indicates the frame for holding the usual diaphragm (not shown); said frame being the type commonly employed in phonographs and including a collar 10, whereby it is detachably secured to the tone arm 11, as by set screws 12. The diaphragm is provided with the usual vibratory lever 13, having a needle socket 14.

My improved type of needle guide 15, which I employ in both embodiments, is provided with a polygonal shank 16, removably fitted in the socket 14. The needle is provided with a hollow wire-receiving end 17. A coil of wire 18 is provided, having one end fed through the hollow end of the needle so that the protruding portion 19 thereof forms a constantly renewable needle point.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the mechanism indicated by the numeral 20 is employed for holding the coil of wire and for providing means whereby the wire may be advanced or retracted as required. The mechanism includes a frame or split collar 21, adapted to be fitted around the collar 10. A set screw 22 provides for tightening this split collar so that it becomes securely clamped relative to the tone-arm. Integral with the clamp or split collar, an arm 23 is provided. When the device is properly attached to the collar 10, the arm extends outward and downward toward the needle guide. At the lowermost part, the arm has a portion 23, which turns at right angle to the arm and extends horizontally outward. From this portion, another portion 23 extends at right angle to the portion 23, along the same horizontal plane on which the portion 23 extends.

At the lower end of the arm I provide a hardened knurled friction roller 24, which is fixed to a short shaft 25, carrying a knob 26. Shaft 25 extends from the arm at a right angle to portion 23, and parallel to portion 23 The edge of the knob is provided with a plurality of spaced indentations 27. A flat spring 28, secured to the arm by a split pin 29, has its outer end 3,0 disposed to engage one of the indentations. It will be apparent now that turning of the knob will result in the hardened friction roller 24 being revolved accordingly. Coacting with the friction roller, I provide a spring pressed plunger 31. Said plunger is freely reciprocable in a small cylinder 32, which forms substantially an integral part of the arm 23. Said cylinder is provided internally with a spring 33, adapted to hold the outer end of the plunger forcibly against the friction roller. The plunger at the outer end is provided with a diametrically extending slot or groove 34. In assembling and adjusting the device, the wire is fed between the roller and the plunger so that it reposes in the groove. It will be apparent now that upon turning the knurled knob the roller will act to frictionally engage the wire and advance it quite positively. Reverse turning of the knob will result in the wire being retracted.

The coil of wire is held by a revoluble s 001 35. While it is not apparent from the rawings. it is nevertheless a fact that the coil of wire is so wound that it tends to form in a coil of smaller diameter than the diameter of the perimeter of the spool. Then the coil is rewound upon the spool and has a tendency to hug the perimeter thereof quite closely. Such winding of the wire also gives to the coil a tendency to take up, or draw back, an slack that may occur between the spool and the needle. The coil of wire, in itself, acts as a spring and is attached at one end 36 to the spool.

In the operation of this form of the invention the wire is advanced so that it projects beyond the hollow needle guide a suitable distance. The farther the wires end projects beyond the needle guide, the softer will be the sound produced by the phonograph. In regulating the wire to ob tain the correctquality of sound, the operator has only to turn the knob in the correct direction. This may be accomplished while the phonograph is in operation; which is a decided advantage. The gage of wire should be such that it rides in the grooves of the record (not shown) without distorting or enlarging said grooves. The flat spring engaging the indentations in the knob holds the roller firmly in adjusted position. and the friction grip on the wire provided by the joint action of the roller and plunger holds the wire firmly in ad justed position. As the wire wears away it may be advanced as required. If advanced too far, it is as readily retracted by reversing the knob. Upon such reversing, the sclf-rewinding tendency of the coil results in all slack being taken up as fast as it occurs.

In the second form of the invention, the split collar or clamp is provided, as well as the arm thereof, the friction roller, knurled knob, spring pressed plunger and the like; all of which parts are similarly numbered throughout the drawings. This form of the invention difl'ers primarily in the winding of the coil and in the means for holding and regulating same in its travel to the needle.

Said means include a tubular magazine 40. Adjacent the lower end of the magazine a slot 41 is provided, so that it may be fitted over a projecting screw 42, carried by the arm. Another screw 43 provides for the upper part of the magazine being secured to the arm. Obviously, the magazine is readily removed from the arm for replenishing. However, one coil of wire consisting of a few lineal inches is sufficient to play several thousand records.

One of the salient features of this form of the invention, is that the coil 44, in this embodiment, is wound so that its coils are spaced apart appreciably, and the coil is freely inserted in the tubular magazine and is not connected thereto at either end. The end of the wire, remote from the playing end, is provided with a loop 45. This loop provides a means for manually rotating the coil within the magazine, should the necessity arise.

Another salientfeature of this form of the invention resides in a tongue 46, which in this embodiment is an integral part of the magazine. This tongue preferably is extended outwardly in a spiral of slight angular pitch and leads to a point close to where the roller and plunger are positioned. Small wire guiding loops 47 are suitably spaced along this tongue. that the portion of the wire lying along said tongue, having been normally wound in a spiral, has a natural tendency to coil back to the original form in which it was disposed before being drawn from the magazine. In fact when the wire is drawn out of the coil a short distance and is subsequently released, the portion withdrawn, either returns of its own accord or else the slightest force will serve to return it.

The operation of this form of the invention is similar to the previously described It will be apparent now I form, where the matter of adjusting for wear and tone is concerned. Upon reverse turning ofthe knob the reverse thrust is given the wire and it is quite forcibly returned to the magazine. As the wire returns to the magazine it again arranges itself in coil form.

'It will be apparent now that I have provided a simple, flexible and self locking means for advancing and retracting wire through a hollow needle guide to provlde for wear and tone adjustment, and while I have shown and described two specific embodiments, I do not limit myself to any specific construction or arrangement of parts, and may alter the construction and arrangement of parts as I desire, or as occasion requires, without enlarging thescope of my invention, within the appended claims.

I claim,

1. In a device of the character described, a vertical rigid arm adapted for attachment in fixed relation to the tone arm of a phonograph, a horizontal friction roller revolubly mounted in the lower end of said arm, said arm having an extension providing a portion extending at a right angle to the roller and another portion extending parallel with the roller, a cylinder carried by the last named portion extending toward the roller with its axis parallel to the first named portion of the arm and at a right angle to the axis of the roller, a plunger in said cylinder, and a spring in said cylinder behind said plunger acting to constantly urge theplungerou twardly of the cylinder to maintain said plunger in contact with the roller.

2. In a device of the character described, a vertical rigid arm adapted for attachment in fixed relation to the tone arm of a phonograph, a horizontal friction roller revolubly mounted in the lower end of said arm, sald arm having an extension providing a portion extending at a right angle to the roller and another portion extending parallel with the roller, a cylinder carried by the last named portion extending toward the roller with its axis parallel to the first named-portion of the arm and at a right angle to the axis of the roller, a plunger in said cylinder, and a springin said cylinder behind said plunger acting to constantly urge the plunger outwardly of the cylinder to maintain said plunger in contact with the roller, said plunger being provided with'a fiat face adjacent said roller, a wire magazine atached to said arm, a coil of wire in said magazine, an end of said wire passing downward from the magazine and between the roller and plunger face said plunger face being provided with a shallow wire guiding groove across its face.

3. In a device of the character described, a vertical rigid arm adapted for attachement in fixed relation to the tone arm of a phonograph, a horizontal friction roller 'revolubly mounted in the lower end of said arm, said arm having an extension providing a portion extending at a right angle to the roller and another portion extending parallel with, the roller, a cylinder carried by the last named portion extending toward the roller with its axis parallel to the first named portion of the arm and at a right angle to the axis of the roller, a plunger in said cylinder, and a spring in said cylinder behind said plunger acting to vconstantly urge the plunger outwardly of the cylinder to maintain said plunger in contact with the roller, the plunger being free to turn on its axis in the cylinder; said plunger being provided with a flat face adjacent said roller, a wire magazine attached to said arm, a coil of wire in said magazine; an end of said wire passing downward from the magazine and between the roller and plunger face; said plunger face being provided with a shallow wire guiding groove across its face.

4. In a device of the character described,

a vertical rigid arm adapted for attachment in fixed relation to a tone arm of a phonograph, a horizontal friction roller revolubly mounted on a lower part of said arm, a cylinder disposed with. its axis at right angle v to the axis of the roller and on substantially the same plane; said cylinder having an open end directed toward said roller, a plunger in said cylinder, a spring in said cylinder behind said plunger acting to constantly urge the plunger outwardly of the cylinder to maintain said plunger in contact with the roller, an extension to the said arm to which said cylinder is attached; the spring pressed plunger and the roller being adapted to coact to advance or retract a wire passing therebetween upon rotary movement of said roller, a horizonalshaft for driving the" roller, passing and terminating in a knob on the outside of said arm, a wire magazine secured to the inside of said arm above and in substantially vertical alignment with that end of the plunger which is adjacent the roller,'a coil of wire carried by saidmagazine extending from the magazine downwardly and passing between the plunger and roller, and a spring carried on the outside of said arm and bearing on the perimeter of the knurled disc. c

5. In a device of the character described, avert-ical rigid arm'adapted for attachment in fixed relation to a tone'arm of a phonograph, a horizontal friction roller revolubly mounted on a lower part of said arm, a cylinder disposed with its axis at a right angle to the axis of the roller and on substantially the same plane; said cylinder having an open end directed toward said roller, a plunger in said cylinder, a spring in said cylinder behind said plunger actingto constantly urge the plunger outwardly of the cylinder to maintain said plunger in contact with the roller, an extension to the said arm to which said cylinder I is attached; the spring pressed plunger and the roller being adapted to coact to advance or retract a wire passing therebetween upon rotary movement of said roller, a horizontal shaft for driving the roller, passing through the arm and terminating in a knob on the outside of said arm a tubular member detachably secured vertically to said, arm on the inside thereof, an integral tongue extending from said tubular member in a downwardly ran ing helical path of increasing helical pitc1 downwardly, a plurality of wire guiding loops spaced along said tongiie, said tongue terminating immediately above the said face .of the plunger.

6. In combination, a tone arm, a reproduoer havinga collar fitted around said tone arm, a needle socket member carried by said reproducer, a needle guide in said socket member provided with an aperture, a clam fitted around said collar, a rigidly depen ing arm to said clamp, wire advancing means carried at the lower end of said arm adapted to feed wire through said aperture in the needle guide, and a wire containing tube detachably secured to said arm adjacent said wire feedlng means.

GEORGE H. SCULLY.

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