US1996374A - Dictating machine - Google Patents

Description

' April 2, 1935.

L. W. HAWKER DICTATING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 17, 1928 A rifi 2,1 35.

L. W. HAWKER DICTATINQE MACHINE Filed" Sept. 17, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mks April '1935, L. w. HAWKER 1,996,374

DICTATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 17, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented =Apr. 2, 1935 I i r i .DICTATINGMACHINE -Landis 'W. Hawker, Dayton, OIiio, assignor, =by mesne assignments, to Dictaphone' corporation, NewYork, N. PY.,acorporationiof New York Application September'1'7,"1928, Serial No. 3i)6,433

2 Claims. (01.274-17) My invention :relates to phonographic ;dictatoperation-themachine is set -in-motion;by the deing machines and more particularly to-asafety pressionofthecontrol button; Provision is-made control idevice 'for :locking the start and stop inthepresentccnstructionfor automaticallyadmechanism when themachine -is1not in condition lusting thecontrol mean-s to start position 'by the v 16 to record dictation andier :automatically-startadjustmentofthe machineto listening condition. '5 ing the :machine when it is adjusted to listening A sing-le operation only is necessary; Upon the 7 condition. s returnof ;the machine to dictatingior recording When'usinga phonographic dictating machine, condition, .the machine =is-stopped and control is the dictator frequently findsitdesirable'-to"read automatically restored to the start and "stop 10: back or cause the machine to 'Iepeat, previous mechanismz. Q q c 10 dictation. For, this purpose, machines of this i The object-of the invention is to simplify the character are ordinarily provided with meansiby construction-as" well as the *means and anode of which 'the machine :may be readily-changed from operation of safety control devices upon-dictating recordingor:dictatingnondition to reproducingor machines whereby they will'more efiicient in listening condition and vice versa. Itirequently operation, automatic in action, capable of being 15 occurs'that evenan experienoed dictator will forreadily applied toexisting machines, and-unlikiae get orneglect to restore the machine to recording 1y to get outof order. i I g or dictating condition after listening to a repeat A further object of the invention to provide of recorded matter, before continuing his -dictaa safety device which will effectively prevent the a tion. Consequently any-dictatiomwhile the maoperation of thed-ictating -machine while inan 20 chine is inrreproducing or listening condition or intermediate "or neutral condition. g I while in anintermediate or neutral condition is A further object of the invention is to provide not recorded. i means whereby the start and stopmechanism :Such machines'are motor operated. The-operwill be unresponsive to manual operation-when ator controls the .start and .stop of themachine the machine is listening or reproducing *ccn- 25 by a remote control push button or equivalent dition. I

device upon the speaking tube. =Such thumb A further object of the inventionis toprov-ide operated control operates through an interme means whereby the. machine will be automaticale diate connection either mechanical, pneumatic, ly setin operation by the adjustmentof the maor electrical to actuate a clutch or switch which chine from dictatingo-r recording condition-to 0 operatively connects ,thephonographic *mechalistening 'or reproducing condition. a nism the driving motor or which serves to A "further object of the invention is to rostart and stop the motor, as the casemay be. i vide a touch signal as distinguished from a vis- The present safety mechanism is designed to ual or-auditory signal which will attract the atpresent ineffective dictation or failure to record tention of the operator to the ineffective 'condi- 5 dictation, by warning the operator when the mation of the machine. v i i chine is inoperative or notin a receptive or re-' With the above mentioned primaryand other cording condition. This is effected by locking the incidental objects in view, as more fully j start and stop mechanism whereby the control appear in the specification, the invention 0011'! 40 button s fendeled unresponsive 17011118 p rat 's sists of the features of construction, of the parts 0 thumb. The act of pressing the'control button at and combinations thereof, and the mode of, op-' the moment of dictation becomes a fixed habit eration :or their equivalents as hereinafter set and isordinarily performed subconsciously; Any forth and describedin t claims i resistance: or failure of the button to respond is Referring to the accompanying drawings immediately noticeableas a disturbance of-rouwherein -15 shown the preferred, b t, obvigusly 45 tine. Su h failure the Control buttvn 0 not necessarily the only form of embodiment of p nd for ibly imp e 'up nth dic torsmind the invention,.Fig. 1 is a side 'elevation, partly the necess y for adjusting the machine to rein section of the travelling carriage of a phonocmding 0 dictating condition-i. y graphic dictating machine together with the i In order-t0 rep oduce p t dictated matter speaking tube and start and stop mechanism to 0 when t e. machine is in listeningrcondition, e which the present invention has been applied. machin mu be in motion-i This i rily ne- Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the traveling carcessitates two distinct operations. First the mariage showing the relative location'of the safety chine must be manually adjusted'to listening or control means therein; Fig. 3is a detail sectional reproducing condition, and then by'a separate view. Fig. 4 is anenl'arged detail view showing 55 ,tion have been shown in the drawings.

the relative adjustment of the parts in accordance with different operating conditions of the machine. Fig. shows a modified form of detent plate. Fig. 6 is a structural detail view in perspective of the detent device incorporated in the Bowden-wire. Fig. 7 shows a modified form of mechanical connection between the shift lever and detent plate. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the clutch operating mechanism of a typical dictating machine.

, Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

While the present invention is broadly applicable to phonographic dictating machines of various types employing different methods of control, including mechanical, pneumatic, and electrical, for illustrative purposes it will be shown and described in connection with a well known type of dictating machine employing a mechanical or Bowden wire control means. Such type of dictatingmachine' per se forms no part of 1 the present invention. For the present purpose only such parts of a dictating machine as are essential to the illustration of the present inven- It will sufiice to say however that such machines embody a revoluble mandrel to receive cylindrical records over which travels the carriage shown "in the drawings, which is propelled by a revolving feed screw rotating in unison with the mandrel under the' influen'ce of a driving motor. Sounds transmitted through the speaking tube to a vibratory diaphragm are recorded upon the wax record blank by the engraving thereon of undulating lines helically disposed upon the blank by means of an engraverpoint carried by the I vibratory diaphragm. In the particular style of .jecting boss upon the carriage housing I.

dictating machine adopted for the purpose of illustrating the application of the present invention and to which the general features of the traveling carriage illustrated in the drawings pertain, there isprovided a second tracer point or stylus which by following the helical record lines engraved upon the record blank, will vibrate the diaphragm to reproduce 'the recorded speech. In such style of dictating machine the head carrying the vibratory diaphragm is movable to and fro to alternately present the recording or engraving point and the tracer or stylus in engagement with the rotating cylindrical record.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I is the traveling carriage frame, having in the head 2 a bushing sleeve 3, which, slidingly engages a supporting rod of the machine frame. From such head 2, there projects downwardly a bifurcated arm 4 which slidingly engages a' second frame rod to support the carriage housing in its proper relation with the rotating mandrel carrying the record blank.

Located interiorly of the carriage housing I is a recorder-reproducer head 5 which carries the diaphragm with the graver point and tracer point before mentioned. This speaker head 5 is mounted upon a reciprocatory sleeve for to and fro adjustment to present the graver point and the tracing stylus alternately in operative position upon the cylinder. Such reciprocatory supporting sleeve is mounted in a forwardly pro- The recorder-reproducer head 5 is shifted to and fro, from dictating or recording to listening or reproducing position and vice verse. by means of a reciprocatory hook arm I supported upon a swinging link 8 within the housing I and having its rearward end connected with an oscillatory shift lever 9 journalled upon the bushing 3. The arrangement is such that as the shift lever 9 is oscillated forwardly, the hook arm I and with it the speaker head 5 are retracted rearwardly within the carriage housing to present the graver point in engagement with the record cylinder, and thereby place the machine in dictating or recording condition. Upon reversal of the position of the shift lever 9 to its rearmost position, the hook arm I and speaker head are moved to a reversed position the tracer stylus engages the record cylinder and thus the machine is then in listening or reproducing condition. The shift lever 9 may be arrested in a vertical position coincident with a fixed center stop arm II] in which position the speaker head 5 will be in an intermediate or neutral position and hence entirely inoperative.

Connected to the forward end of the boss 6 and communicating therethrough with the recorderreproducer head 5, is a flexible speaking tube I I having at its extremity a mouth-piece 12 and adjacent thereto, a handgrip portion I3 carrying a depressible plunger button I4 which controls the start and stop mechanism. The depressible plunger button I4 is operatively connected by a Bowden Wire transmission element I5 with a clutch operating plunger I6, as is illustrated in Fig. 8, controlling the operative connection of a driving motor and the record mandrel. As is shown in Fig. 8 the plunger I6 upon actuation oscillates a cam lever 26 thereby rocking a shift lever 21 against the tension of the retracting spring 28. The shift lever 21 is provided with arms 29 engaging in a groove in'the shift collar 3|]. This collar 30 is connected with a reciprocatory rod 3I within the hollow mandrel shaft 32. The rod 3| carries at its end a clutch head 33 engageable with a corresponding clutch member 34 upon the driving pulley 35 to rotate the shaft, and with it the record carrying mandrel 36 so long as the button I4 is held depressed.

Such is the general construction and operation of the particular style of machine in connection with which the present invention has been illustrated. Such mechanism so far described forms no part per se of the present invention, and is here described merely in order that the applica tion and operation of the safety control and automatic starting features may be more readily and fully understood without, however, any intention of limiting the scope and application of the invention.

The Bowden wire control element I5 which extends interiorly of the speaking tube II from its connection with the depressible plunger button I4 to a point adjacent to the boss 5' which emerges from such speaking tube, as is well known, embodies relatively reciprocatory elements, consisting of an outer tubular guide sheath and an inner flexible wire capable of reciprocatory motion within the guide sheath. In the present instance the outer element or flexible guide sheath of such Bowden wire control element, is interrupted at a point coincident with the traveling carriage, and there is inserted therein a short rigid tubular section I8 to the oposite ends of which the guide sheath of the Bowden wire element I5 is fixedly secured. Located within the rigid tubular section I8 is a short reciprocatory rod guided in its to and fro movement by the tube I8 and operatively connected with the interior reciprocatory wire element of the Bowden wire device I5. This rod I 9 may be an integral section of the inner reciprocatory Bowden wire element. Its

"18. The operative-connection between the depressible plunger 'button 1 I and the reciprocatory element-of the Bowden-wire control device I5 is such that upon depression of the plunger I4,the vreciprocatory wire and with it the rod I9 moves forwardly ortowardthe rightin Fig. l. This is theoperative movement necessary to start the dictating machineor tooperatively connect the driving gmotor with the record carrying mandrel.

Such movement is comparatively short, being in actual practice; approximately three-eighths of an inch. 'To facilitate operation, the detent stud 2llscarried by. the reciprocatory rod 19 may be provided with an anti-frictionroller' 2i. Mounted inthe lower portion of the carriage -housingp l upon a suitable trunnion stud 22 is an oscillatory detent plate 23 having therein a cam-slot 24 .positioned coincident with the detent stud when the latter is in its retracted position. That is to say when the Bowden wire device is in the motor stop position, the detent plate 23 is positioned below the path of travel of the detent stud 20 so that the latter is free for unrestricted to and fro motion as the plunger 14 is depressed and released. ,The detent plate 23 is connected by a link 25 with the shift lever B at a point eccentric with its center of oscillation. This link is so positioned and of such length that, as before stated, the detent plate 23 is positioned out of the path of travel of the detent stud 2!] when the shift lever is in its forward dictating position, at which time the speaker head 5 is adjusted to recording position. Upon the adjustment of the shift lever 9 rearwardly to a midstroke or an upright position whereby the speaker head is adjusted to its intermediate or neutralposition, the detent plate 23 is simultaneously oscillated upwardly by the pulling influence of the link 25 causing the plate to be projected into the path of to and fro movement of the detent stud by becomes unresponsive or resistant to the pressure of the operators thumb. This resistance or failure to respond to pressure of the plunger M, which when the machine is in dictating position is freely responsive, is a positive indication to the dictator that the machine is in an unreceptive or inoperative condition for receiving dictation. Attempt has been made to provide signal means by visual indicators such as a lamp to be lighted or by auditory signals such as a bell to be rung whenever the machine is in such ineffective or inoperative condition. However such signals are quite likely to be ignored. Unless the dictator constantly watches the signal light it may not be seenand during a moment of intense concen- 'tration upon the dictation a signal bell .mightnot be heard. However the resistance of the plunger "[4 serves as axtouch indicator or signal which the'operator is not likely .to ignore. Thedepressionof such plunger at the moment of dictation becomes a subconscious or automatic action. -A resistance of the plunger disturbs the established routine and aiiords'a positive indication to'the operator through his sense of touch'rather .than that of sight or'hearing.

If sodesired, the slot 24 in the detent plate 223 may be concentric with the center .22 of -oscilla+ tionin which case the detent stud Zilwithfii-ts reciprocatory rod i9 and the active 'elem'entxof the Bowden Wire transmission will'be held lim- .smovableiwhil'e the shift lever. 8 is movedito'its further listening or reproducing position atfthe :rear or left in Fig. 1." Such disposition ofr'the slot 24? for positively locking the start and-stop mechanism in bothzthe neutral and listening po-,- sitions o ithe shift lever 9 is shown in detail in Fig. 5. xUnd'er-sucheondition the operator must employ the. auxiliary start and stop device or-- dinarily provided upon such machine to set the machine in operation when in the listening orjree producing condition. a j I v For convenience and simplicity; of. operation the slot M is preferably .cam shaped ordisposed eccentrically relative tothe center of oscillation 22 of the detent plate 23 whereby as the plate continues its operation under the influence of the movement of the shift lever 9 from its center I or neutral position to the rearward or listening position, such cam slot will ei'lect'a simultaneous I only necessary for operator to move the shift lever 9 from its dictating to its listening position in order to not only change condition of the machine from recording to reproducing po sition but also to start the machine in operation whereby the recorded dictation will be repeated. Upon the return oscillation of the shift lever 9 to its normal or dictating position, the cam slot 24 acting upon the detent stud 20 in reverse direction automatically adjusts the start and stop device to arrest the motion of the machine. As the detent plate 23 returns to its normal depressed position the detent stud is entirely released for free to and fro motion and the operative control of the start and stop mechanism is restored to the depressible plunger l4 and Bowden wire transmission element.

While the detent and automatic operating means heretofore described is the preferable and simplest construction, it is obvious that the detent plate 23 might bereversed and connected.

to operate with a descending motion under in-' fiuence of a link connected to the opposite side i catory member actuated by the to and fro motion of the shift .lever 9. Such variation being obvious and differing merely in details of mounting and not in principle from that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 has not been illustrated in detail.

-From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect and the invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its form or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

14A phonographic dictating machine including a movable start and stop member, a detent stud' carried thereby, a shift lever for adjusting the machine alternately to listening and dictating condition, a movable detent plate having a cam slot therein, said cam slot being positioned beyond the path of movement of the detent stud when the machine is in dictating condition, and

an operative connection between the cam plate and shift lever whereby the adjustment of the lever to change the machine from dictating condition will move the cam plate to entrap the stud within the cam slot, said cam plate being further movable in unison with the adjustment of the machine to listening condition, said cam slot being so shaped as to actuate the start and stop member, through engagement with said stud to start position.

2. In a dictating machine, in combination, a movable start-and-stop member, a detent stud carried thereby, a shift lever movable to different positions for controlling a function of said machine, a plate mounted on said machine by means 0 of a pivot and having a cam slot formed therein, and means connecting said shift lever to said plate for producing movement of said plate simultaneously with movement of said shift lever to cause said detent stud to travel said slot when 5 said lever is moved from one position to another, thereby automatically to actuate said start-andstop member.

LANDIS W. HAWKER.

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