US1862700A - Talking machine and the like - Google Patents

Description

,June 14, 1932. 4 F. A. MITCHELL 1,362,700

TALKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed 001:. 12. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2.

INVENTOR FRANK ALLEN NMTCHELL.

ATTORNEY I June 14, 1 932. Tc gLL 1,862,700

TALKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed om. 12, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 2 \9 6 7 a as n I I: ll W m Q I J, \5

" I E -LJ::

' June 14, 1932. F, A, MITCHELL 1,862,700

TALKIIIG MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 12, 1927 3 Sheets- Sheet 3 Y IWWAMAM/ xwmmmyyxw y zoo W Z Patented June 14, 1932 i ATENT @FIF'E'CE FRANK ALLEN MITCHELL, OF LONDON,

ENGLAND. ASSIGNOR T0 COLUMBIA PHONO- GRAPH COMPANY, INC., OF BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK TALKING .MACI-IINE AND THE LIKE Application filed October 12,

This invention relates to talking machines andthe like, with particular reference to machines of the kind in which the amplifying horn or chamber comprises two sections or parts, one of which in some cases consti tutes a reflector adapted to reverse the direction of travel of the sound waves.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of talking machine of the above character, in which I am able to obtain greater compactness of the amplifying chamber and associated parts so that the invention will be particularly applicable to talking machines of the portable variety, while at the same time I am enabled to obtain improved tonal and amplifyingqualities.

The invention consists in a talking machine havinga-n amplifying horn or chamber comprising an outlet section extending beneath the motor-board and having its outlet substantially at or above the motor-board level, and an inlet section (in addition to the tonearm) situated wholly or in part within the outlet section.

The invention al o consists in a talking machine having an amplifying horn orcham'ber, in combination with a sound conducting inlctsection extending beneath the motor-board level in adirection laterally of the axis of the tone-arm, and a sound reflector section h aving its outlet situated substantially at or above the level of the said motor-board.

The invention further consists in other novel features as will be disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows one construction of amplifying chamber for use in a portable talking machine shown open and sectioned on line 1-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of Fig. 1, with the lid removed;

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. l, and shows the cabinet closed ready for transportation;

Fig. t shows a modified construction of ampliiying chamber for portable talking machines in accordance with the invention;

1927, Serial No. 225,732, and in. Great Britain November 4, 1928.

Fig. 5 isa section similar to Pi 4: showing the cabinet closed;

Fig. 6 shows a further modified construction of amplifying horn in accordance with the invention; and

7 is a detail view showing the use of ti 3 device as an electric loud speaker.

In carrying any invention into efieot in one conwenient manner as, for example, in its application to a portable talking machine, and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, I provide a case 5 of. suitable size and shape, and having a partition or motor-board 6 spaced above the base or bottom 5a of the cabinet and a turntable 7 of any usual form. As shown the motor-board 6 is cut away or falls short of the rear wall of the cabinet whereby an inlet and outlet opening for the chamber or compart- Inent between the motor-board 6 and the base 5a is provided.

The tone-arm 8 may be of any suitable type and has its outlet end 9 pivotally connected to the small end of a horn or taper-in inlet tube 10 which passes beneath the motor-board 6 and the larger end ofwhichextends towards the front of the talking machine case.

The front or outlet end 11 of the inlet -section co-operates with an outer sound reflector or horn 12, which encloses the inlet horn or sound conveyor 10 and extends towards the back of the talking machine and terminates in an outlet 13, which lies approximately in the plane of the motor-board 6.

The outlet 13 is flared to occupy substantially the whole width of the case 5, as shown in Fig. 2.

The reflector end 14 of the outer horn 12 is formed aft-er the manner of two adjacent U-shaped troughs so that the sound-wave impulses are projected from the inner section 10 round the outside of said inner section where they are further amplified by their passage through the outer section 12.

It will be seen that with such a construction the inlet and outlet sections are of ap proximately equal le-I-ig-ths and that the two together constitute a horn having an amplify ing length greatly in excess of the length of the containing case 5, and the arrangement is therefore very suitable for portable talking machines.

To enable the talking machine to be partially collapsed to occupy a smaller bulk when inoperative, I preferably pivot the end 11 of the inner section within the outer section 12 by means of the pivot pin 15, so that the sound-box 16, tone-arm 8 and inner section or sound conveyor 10 can be lowered from the position shown in Fig. 1 into the closed position shown in Fig. 3.

Such collapsibility may be obtained in the manner disclosed in my prior United States Patent No. 1,584,184, or by other suitable means.

\Vhen in use for playing a record the tonearm 8 is raised, as shown in Fig. 1, and when the instrument is out of use the tone-arm 8 and its adjacent parts are lowered, as shown in Fig. 3.

The born or sound conveyor 10 may be attached to a suitable link 17, adapted to engage the spring-pressed catch 18 to hold the horn in its raised position relative to the case 5. The horn 10 is connected to the link 18 by means of a suitable connection as the pin 30.

The other end of the link 17 is attached to and is moved by the lid 19 of the case in such a manner that the link 17 holds the lid 19 in its open position when required, and the lid acts as a supplementary reflector for the sound issuing from the outlet 13.

In a modification in accordance with the invention shown in Figs. t and 5, the outer or reflecting horn section 20 is arranged so as to extend beneath the partition or motorboard 6, and so as to enclose the outlet end 21 of the inner section 22, the amplifying length being somewhat reduced as compared with that given by the construction shown in Figs 1 to 3 In the construction shown in Figs. l and 5, the inner horn 22 is not necessarily pivoted within the outer horn 20, as the sound-box 16 and tone-arm 8 can be lowered into the horn outlet 23, as shown in Fig. 5.

When the lid 19 is raised, as shown in Fig. 4, extension pieces at serve to extend the outlet of the horn 20 right up to the inside of the lid and thereby increase the effective length of the horn.

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged construction of horn in acordance with the invention, suitable for use in the larger type of talking machine in which portability is of secondary importance.

The outer reflecting horn section 12 extends beneath the motor-board in a manner similar to that shown in the previous examples, and the outlet end 11 of the inlet sect'on 25 is situated therein in such a manner that the end 11 co-operates with the reflector 14 to project the sound out of the outlet 13 into the chamber 26 situated above the motorboard 6.

It will be seen that the whole of the inlet section 25 is not situated within the outlet section 12. but that the inlet section may be formed with one or more bends 27 so as to extend below the outlet section before entering same at the point 28.

By this means, a much greater length of amplifying chamber can be obtained without occupying the space that would be necessary if the horn were of the usual onepiece construction.

It is now common practice to combine an electric loud speaking device with talking machines, in which case such a device could conveniently be attached to the amplifying chamber at 29 (Fig. 7), or in any other suitable position.

It must be understood that the foregoing descriptions are given by way of illustration and not of l mi'tation, since it will be obvious that the horn or sections from which the same is formed may be made in various shapes and from diil'ering materials, and further. that the details may clearly be modified and various mechanical equivalents substituted for the details shown depending upon the type or construction of machine to which the invention is to be applied or any practical requirements that may have to be fulfilled.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be pcr'lkirmed, I declare that what I claim is:-

1. In a talking machine, a cabinet including amotor-board and a base, said motorboard and base being spaced apart to form a compartment and said motor-board arranged to provide an exit from said compartment, a horn extending into the space between the motor-board and base, a reflector, said horn having an outlet delivering sound against the reflector, an amplifying chamber between said motor-board and base and of a. height substantially equal to the distance between the motor-board and base and closed at one end by said reflector, said amplifying chamber carrying the sound in a direction opposite to its direction of travel in said horn, and discharging it upwardly through the exit opening.

2. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a motor-board and base, said motor-board and base being spaced apart, a sound inlet section passing beneath said motor-board and into the space between the motor-board and base, an amplifying chamber between said motor-board and base and of a height substantially equal to the distance between the motor-board and base, a sound reflector within said amplifying chamber and substantially of the height of the amplifying chamher, said inlet section entering said amplifying chamber and discharging sound against said reflector, said inlet section having a discharge opening substantially of the height of the sound reflector, said amplifying chamber including an outlet section, said reflector reversing the direction of the sound waves and directing them about the inlet section and through the amplifying chamber into the outlet section.

3. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a motor-board and a base, said motorboard and base being spaced apart, a turn table disposed on said motor-board, an inlet horn section disposed and directing sound beneath the motor-board, a tone arm pivotally connected to one end of said inlet section, an outlet section of a height equal to the distance between the base and motor-board and discharging the sound from the space between the motor-board and base and about the inlet section, said inlet section pivoted at its other end within said space whereby the said inlet section, tone arm, and sound box may be lowered within the outlet section when the machine is closed.

4. A talking machine comprising a cabinet including a motor-board and a base, said motor-board and base being spaced apart, an amplifying chamber within the space between the motor-board and base and of a height substantially equal to the distance between the motor-board and base, a sound inlet section extending beneath said motor-board and into said chamber, a tone arm disposed on said inlet section, said amplifying chamber and sound inlet section extending beneath the m0- tor-board in direction laterally of the axis of said tone arm, and said sound amplifying chamber having its outlet situated at the level of the said motor-board.

5. A talking machine including a cabinet, said cabinet including a motor-board having a space therebeneath, an inlet section, a sound reflector against which the inlet section discharges, said sound reflector of a height substantially equal to the distance between the motor-board and base, an outlet section, said sound reflector directing the sound toward the outlet section, and said outlet section disposed approximately in the plane of the motor-board.

6. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a partition within the cabinet adjacent the upper edge thereof and spaced from the base whereby a compartment is provided beneath the partition, said compartment having an exit from its top, a horn extending into the compartment, an amplifying chamber within the compartment and closed at one end, said amplifying chamber of a height substantially equal to the distance between the partition and base, said horn arranged to discharge sound against said closed end and said amplifying chamber carrying the sound in a direction substantially opposite to its direction of travel in the horn and discharging it through said exit.

7. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a partition within the cabinet adjacent the upper edge thereof and spaced from the base whereby a compartment is provided beneath the partition, said compartment having an exit from its top,a sound conveyor entering the compartment and extending along substantially parallel, with the partition, an amplifying chamber within the compartment closed at one end, said amplifying chamber of a height substantially equal to the distance between the partition and base, said sound conveyor arranged to discharge sound against the closed end of the amplifying chamber, and said amplifying chamber carrying the soundin a direction substantially opposite to its direction of travel in the sound conveyor-and discharging it through said exit.

8. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a-motor-board within the cabinet and spaced from the base to provide a compartment between the base and motor-board, T

said compartment having an exit from its top, a sound conveyor extending into the compartment and having a discharge end therein remote from said exit opening, means within said compartment and of a height substantially equal to the height of the compartment for turning the sound d livered from said sound conveyor and directing it in a substantially reverse direction and delivering it to said exit opening.

9. In a talking machine, a cabinet includ ing a base, a motor-board within the cabinet and spaced from the base to provide a compartment between the base and the motorboard, said compartment having an exit from its top, a sound amplifier within the compartment, said sound amplifier of a height substantially equal to the height of the compartment, said sound amplifier including an inlet section terminating at a point remote from said exit, a reflex section into which said inlet section delivers sound, and said reflex section arranged to deliver the sound to the exit of the compartment.

10. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a motor-board within the cabinet and spaced from the base to provide a compartment between the base and motorboard, said compartment having an exit from its top, an amplifier within the compartment, said amplifier comprising an inlet section and a reflex section receiving sound from said inlet section and delivering it to said exit, and said reflex section of the amplifier being of a height substantially equal 4 to the height of the compartment.

11'. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a partition within the cabinet adjacent the upper edge thereof and spaced from the base to provide a compartment be:

provided beneath the partition,

neath the partition, said compartment having an exit from its top, a sound conveyor extending into the compartment, an amplifying chamber Within the compartment and closed at one end, said amplifying chamber being a height substantially equal to the height of the. compartment, said sound conveyor arranged to discharge sound against said closed end, said sound conveyor increasing in cross sectional area as it approaches its discharge end, said amplifying chamber carrying the sound in a direction substantially opposite to its direction of travel in the sound conveyor and discharging it through said exit, and said sound amplifying chamber increasing in cross sectional area as it approaches the exit.

12. The combination as in claim 11 said sound conveyor and amplifying chamber being free of the partition.

13. In a talking machine, a cabinetincluding a base, a partition Within the cabinet adjacent the upper edge thereof and spaced from the base whereby a compartmentis said compartment having an exit from its top, a sound conveyor entering the compartment and extending along substantially parallel with the partition, an amplifying chamber Within the compartment closed at one end, said amplifying chamber being a height substantially equal to the height of the compartment, said sound conveyor arranged to discharge sound against the closed end of the amplifying chamber, said amplifying chamber carrying the sound in a direction substantially opposite to its direction of travel in the sound conveyor and discharging it through said exit, said sound conveyor expanding laterally as it approaches the exit and being the Width of the exit at the exit.

14. The combination as in claim 13, said exit being substantially the width of one Wall of the cabinet, and said amplifying chamber at its discharge end being the width of said exit.

15. The combination as in claim 8, said sound conveyor entering the compartment through the exit opening.

16. The combination as in claim 8, said sound conveyor entering the compartment through the exit and being pivotally mounted Within the compartment adjacent its discharge end.

17. In a talking machine, a cabinet including a base, a motor-board Within the cabinet and space from the base whereby a compartment is provided beneath the motorboard, said compartment having an exit from its top, a horn extending into the compartment, means within the compartment forming an amplifying chamber substantially of the height of the compartment and having a closed end, said horn arranged to discharge sound against said closed end, and said amplifying chamber carrying the sound in a direction substantially opposite to its direction of travel in the horn and discharging it through said exit.

Signed at London,

of September,

FRAN

England, this 23d day K ALLEN MITCHELL.

Images