US2354739A - Sound recording machine - Google Patents

Description

' g H. P. CLAUSEN 2,354,739

'- SOUND RECORDING MACHINE 1 Filed April l6, 1943 IN V EN TOR. Henry R clause Patented Aug. 1, 1944 um'rao STATES PATENT orr cs scum) RECORDING mom Henry F. Ciausen, White Plains, N. Y., assig'nor v to The Gray Manufacturing- Company, Hartford, Coma, a. corporation of Connecticut Application April 16. 1943, Serial No. 483,571 8 Claims. on. lie-100.41

This invention relates to improvements in the sound recording art in relation to the conjoint action of, several machinescapable of recording sound upon a permanent record tablet or its equivalent.

The main objects of this invention are to provide two or more time recording machines, circuits therefor, and control devices in circuits whereby near the completion of the recording of sound on one machine another machine ofthe group is automatically set in operation; whereby two or more machines may be simultaneously operated to record the same sounds upon the corresponding number of records; or whereby sound recorded on one machine maybe recorded therefrom on one or more other machines.

A further object is to provide in such a system sound reproducing mechanism whereby at the completion of the reproduction of sound from the record of one machine another machine is automatically set in operation to continue the reproduction therefrom.

Other and more detailed objects of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description 01' an embodiment thereof.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts all as will be described in detail below. v

In the accompanying drawing, the single figure is a schematic and diagrammatic illustration of an embodiment of the subject matter comprising the invention disclosed herein.

The subject matter of this invention may be used with sound-recording machines of various kinds. but the embodiment herein disclosed will be described in connection with a type of machine which employs a thin flexible disc of some suitable material such as cellulose acetate upon which the record is recorded and from which it may be reproduced. A specific disclosure of a machine of this type will be found in United States Patent No. 2,296,870, issued September 29, 1942, to Proctor and Thiede.

.The subject matter of this invention is very iii) with the machines and the operations incident to their use.

In accordance with the invention at each dictators station is a relatively simple control unit including a combined microphone-loud speaker, a signal lamp and a single switch for starting and stopping the machine ,assigned to the dic-j; tator in the usual manner.

The system. herein disclosed may be used: either as a direct or remote control system for controlling the operation of two or more machines so that recording on one machine is transferred to the next in the series near the end of the record of the former machine, and for a short period of time the same subject matter is recorded on both records so that there is what may be termed overlapping recording during this period. Likewise, with such an arrangement reproduction may be efiected successively and automatically from machine to machine, but in the case of reproduction each machine as it initiates reproduction in the next machine immediately interrupts reproduction from itself so that there is no overlapping period during reproduction.

The system is further designed so that the same sounds maybe recorded simultaneously on the two or more machines or the record on one machine may be transferred and recorded on two or more other machines. 9

The sound recording reproducing machine diagrammatically illustrated herein is preferably of the type disclosed in full detail in the above mentioned patent. It consists of a carriagel which is supported in any suitableway for rectilinear motion in a radial direction with respect to the sound record tablet 3 which is keyed to the rotatable spindle 2 mounted on the carriage. The record tablet is caused to revolve by engaging a power driven friction wheel 4 from below which wheel in the use of the machine is revolving continuously. Positioned above the wheel I is an idler pressure wheel 5 rotatably mounted on apivotally supported arm 6 so that when the arm moves downwardly from the position shown in Figure 1, the record tablet 3 is gripped between the continuously rotating wheel 4 and the idler wheel 5 with the result that the record 3 revolves, causing the spindle 2 to turn with it. Through suitable connections, not shown, to the spindle 2, the carriage is caused to move slowly in a radial direction from right to left since recording and reproduction begin from a point near the center of the record and'proceed outwardly in a spiral path-of small pitch to the periphery. In actual use the axes of rotation of the wheels 4 and 5 This light is preferably of the gas discharge type 25 is the operator.

will be on the plane of the paper, as-will be obvious to those skilled in the art. lever 6 is grounded as shown.

At 1 and 8 are respectively illustrated, in a diagrammatic way, the sound reproducing and sound recording heads which may beof any well known types such as the electromagnetic or the piezo electric crystal types. One terminal of each is grounded and the other terminals are respectively connected to the fixed contact fingers forming part of a switch having the movable support Q. Mounted on this support are the contact flngers i and II which are respectively connected to the output andinput terminals of a suitable amplifier diagrammatically illustrated at l2. This amplifier is preferably of the vacuum tube type and is provided with a signal light it energized thereby to give a visible signal to. the attendant that it is in good operatingcondition.

such as a neon lamp.

At this point it may be noted that the elements comprising machine No. 1 are substantially the same as the elements comprising machine No. 2, and therefore the corresponding parts of the latter have been given the same numbers distinguished however by a prime exponent. A detailed description of machine No. 2 will therefore not be necessary.

A second pair of fixed contacts cooperate with the movable contacts in and II and are connected by a wire It to the working contact of a switch l5 forming part of a relay of which the magnet The other terminal of switch I5 is connected by a wire to one terminal 01 the combination microphone-loud speaker IS, the other terminal of this unit is grounded by the wire I! and is also connected to theworking contact of switch 29. The other contact 01- this switch is'connected to one terminal of switch 21 forming part of relay 25. A switch is is arranged to connect ground to one terminal of the magnet 25 and to wire l9, which wire extends to the magnet 20. At this point it will be noted that various magnets have their other terminals connected to the positive side of acurrent source, not shown for the purpose of .simplifying the drawing. Magnet may be called the startstop magnet. Magnet maybe called the latching magnet. These and similar discussions will aid in distinguishing one element from the other in the following description.

The pivoted lever 6 controls a pair of contacts, one of which is connected by wire 2| signaling lamp 22 at the dictators station, other terminal of which is connected to wire Ht The other contact controlled by the lever B is connected by a wire to the fixed contact I and to the grounded neon lamp 24 positioned at the machine. Switch l30 is of the type which closes upon a very slight pressure and limited movement and is of the type now known as a microswitch. This switch is positioned to be engaged by the carriage I when it moves to the left to a, point near the end of the recording space on the record tablet 3. The movable contact oi this switch is connected by a wire to one terminal of the shifting magnet 30, which includes switches 28, 32, 39 and 40. The working contact of switch 28 is connected by wire 3| to the rest contact of switch 21 of the latching relay 25. The working contact of switch 32 is grounded and the other contact is connected to a heating coil forming part of the thermostatic switch 33 and to the contacts of switches 35 and 36 which are grounded, 76 for accomplishing 10 ll closes and switch 25 tion to control 35 may be added to to a neon the 3 be done since there are many well, known ways to as shown and forming part of the time delay relay 34. A- circuit for the winding of this relay is i completed by the thermostatic switch as shown. The working contact of switch II is cormected to 5 wire is, the'working contact or switch It is connected to the working contact of the grounded start switch 22 and to one terminal 01! the unlatching magnet 31 which operates the latch 2i sothat when the latching relay is energized switch 21 shiits from its rest to its working contact where they are both held until the unlatching magnet 21 is energised. Switch 3! has its working contact connected to the working contact of a third switch in the switch in- 15 cluding the movable support I. Switch 4. con- 26 called the tripping switches.

Between the pair of machines are provided a pair of key switches I3 and 44. Each of these switches has three'positions, that'is a neutral position as shown, a clockwise position to control the switches ll and 48 and a counter-clockwise. posithe switches, and It These switches are, connectedas shown. Switch 48 normally short circuits a resistance pad 41 in the lead to the microphone-loud speaker it. At the right it will be seen that a riumber of the circuit wires terminate in arrow heads indieating that by connecting these wires to the next machine in the manner in which machine No. i

is connected to machine No. 2, a. third machine the series and so on to include as many machines as desired.]"1he'- only other change noted in adding a third machine would be to shift the'wires A from No; 2 machine toNo. 3

machine.

A description of the. various ways in which this circuit may be operated will'now be set forth in detail. It will be assumed that-these machines are at a central station and that one or more dictators stationsare situated remotely with respect 46 thereto but connected to the control "circu ts as 50 chine, as will be explained. It a person'at a dictators station wishes to record on machine No. 1. ior example, he will signal the central station in any suitable manneralthough there is nothing shown in the drawing to indicate how this would efl'ect such a signal. Assumingth'at the operator has placed a. fresh record disc 3 on the machine I, has moved the carriage l to the extreme right and engaged the recording head. with the rec-' go -ord tablet near its center, he momentarily closes the start switch I8. It isnrst to be noted. however, that the power driven'wheel 4 will be in operation. The closing oi switch ll completes .a circuit for the latching magnt 2! in an obvious man- .ssnor to close switch II and to shift switch 21 to its working contact. The closing of switch II also completes a circuit from ground through wire it to the start-stop magnet '20. The momentary energization thereof will pull the lever". down.

causing the idler wheel lto' grip the top of the record 3. The lever 0 will stay down in this po- I sition until the next operation of the start-stop magnet 20. 'Ihereare a numberot'well known .i'orms of electro-magnetically operated devices this action,.and it is believed therefore that the diagrammatic illustration is sufllcient. The attendant at the time of placing the recording-head 8 on the record tablet 3 will throw the support 9 downwardly into recording position so that contact l engages the lower adjacent fixed contact, thereby connecting the recording head with the output of the amplifier i2 and contact It will move into engagement with the adjacent fixed contact to connect the iriput of the amplifier l2 to wire I and through switch i5 tothe unground terminal of the microphone-loud speaker I6; The amplifier ,l2 being in operation the neon light l3 will be visibly energized to advise the attendant that it is in operating condition.

Returning to the energizationof the latching relay 25, it will be seen that switch 21 connects start-stop switch 29 through switch 28 to wire l9, thus placing the start-stop magnet 20 under the control of switch 29. Ground willbe connected through lever B and wire 2i to one side of the neon light 22, the other side of which is connested t0 the power source through the start-stop magnet 20. Thus the neon light 22 wll be energlzed to indicate to the dictator that the machine is in operation and ready. for his use. The amount of current flowing through the high remachines normally. The closing of the other part of switch 40 places ground on wire ll 'and by it through wire l9 to the start-stop magnet 20 so that the lever 6' moves downwardly to start machine No. 2. Thus the dictated matter will at this .period be simultaneously recorded on the record tablets of machine No. 1 and No. 2.

- The closing of switch 39 on its working contact partially completes a circuit from switch 39 and unlatching relay 31 to the lowermost switchof the support 9, but nothing "happens since this switch is open. The closing of switch 32 places ground on the heating coil of the thermostatic switch 33 which at the end of a predetermined fall back on its resting contact. The time period sistance neon lamp 22 will not be sufiicie'nt to operate the magnet 2d. The other contact controlled by lever 6 will place ground on neon lamp 24 which will be extinguisheduntil the proper time for its operation. The dictator if he is ready may then begin to dictate, but if he is not ready he momentarily closes switch 29 to stop rotation of the record 3. This is accomplished by establishing a circuit from ground to wire I! through switch 29, through the working contact of switch 21, through the rest contact of switch '28, through wire l9 and the start-stop magnet 26. The energization of this magnet, lever S being down, will cause it to move upwardly relieving the pressure of the idler wheel 5 on the record disc 3 so that this recording machine will stop.

'When the dictator is ready to start the machine he again momentarily closes switch 21 completing 'a circuit'to the start-stop magnet 20 to pull lever 5 down. He then speaks into the microphone which is grounded at one terminal so that the impressed currents will flow through closed switch i5, wire it, switch ii, to the input of am plifier l2, and from the output by way of contact 80 to the wire connected to the'recording head 8.

of the thermostatic switch is. adjusted so that the desired amount of overlapped recording will occur after which machine No. 1 stops. With the closing of switch I32, the signal light 24 is energized when arm 6 rises and removes the short circuit apprising the attendant that machine No. 1 has stopped and its record tablet is full. During the period of overlapped recording the start-stop function of switch 29 will be effective only for machine No. 2. This results from the fact that when the shifting magnet is energized, switch 28 sets up a circuit from thevswitch 29 through the working contact of switch 21, through the working contact of switch 28, through wire 3!, through the working contact of switch 21', through the rest contact of switch 28' to wire l9. Thus during the short period of overlapped recording the closing of switch 29 will stop machine No. 2 and upon the next closing start Thus the matter to be recorded is impressed upon the record. The dictator may stop whenever he desires by again momentarily closing switch 29. If he continues to dictate until record tablet 3 is substantially full, carriage i will by that time have moved to the point where switch I30 is momentarily closed. This energizes the shifting magnet 3d so that all of the switches controlled thereby are closed. The closing of the right hand part of switch 5% will put ground on wire 62 energizing the latching relay 25, causing switch it' to close and switch 27' to shift to its working contact. The closing of switch it puts the microphone on the input of the amplifier I! through wire it and contact ii, the movable support 9' being in recording position. The output of the amplifier is connected through contact it to the recording head 8'. Signal lamp is is energized apprising the attendant that machine No. 2 is now in use, and therefore indicating to the attendant that machine No. 1 has about used up its record. Of course, the drive wheel 5% is in operation as are the drive wheels of all the it again so that the remote dictator has the necessary and full control at all times.

As a result of the above operations machine No. 2 is now recording and machine No. 1 has come to a rest. The attendant may therefore remove the full record disc 3 and replace it by a fresh record, shift the carriage I back to the extreme right, and replace the recording head on support 9 in recording position so that the machine is all ready to pick up the recording at the end of the recording on record tablet 3. Near the end of the recording on tablet 3', microswitch l33' will be closed to start the next machine in the series with a similar set of operations as described in the transfer from machine No.1 to machine No. 2. As illustrated machine No.2 is interconnected with lmachine No. 1 so that the recording will be transferred back from machine No. 2 to machine No. 1. However, any desired number of additional machines can be included in the series with a connection between the last and the'first like that illustrated in the drawing to close, so to speak, the cycle of operations. As illustrated when micro-switch l30' closes the shifting magnet 33' is operated to close, among duplicate recordings.

It is, of course, .assumed conditions require 4! and I. The key is left in this position to maintain these switches'closed. The closing of switch I! places the start-stop switch 29 at the dictators station in control of both start-stop magnets'lil and so that the dictator may simultaneously start and stop both machines in accordance with the requirements of his dictation. As before,

i when the micro-switch I30 of machine No. 1 closes, the shifting relay '30 will operate. At the same time current is supplied through switch 48 to the unlatchlng magnet 31 and through switch 4| and wire 4| to 20' sothat machine No. 2 stops immediately while machine No. 1 does not stop until the thermostatic switch 33 closes. Thus machine No. 1 will remain in operation for a very short period of time after machine No. 2 comes to a stop. However, since the record lines on a machine of this type are-so fine as to require about 225 per radial inch, it is apparent that the amount 'of recording on the two records does not differ very much.

The system may also be used for re-recordin which is to say for recording the data on one record onto another record. For example, a full record may be placed in the machine No. 1 and the matter recorded. the'reon may be impressed upon an empty record mounted in machine No. 2. As before, the machine carriages will be properly set with the proper records on them, but in the case of machine No. l the reproducing head I will engage the record tablet while the recording head 8 of machine No. 2 will record its record tablet. Whereas the support 9' will be in the downward position for recording the support 9 will be in the upper position for reproduction, in which case contact II will engage the contact connected to the reproducing head I, thus connecting the reproducing head to the input of the amplifier l2; Contact l0, connected to the output of the amplifier, will engage the contact above it to connect the output by wire l4 to switch I5 after preliminary preparation of the machines by the attendant. The attendant .operates the key 44 to the right to energize both latching relays 25 and 25' through the switch 48 as previously explained. He thenmoves the key to the left to close switches 49 and 50 as previously explained; Key No. 43 is then manipulated to the left where it is held in locked position-to open switch 48 and remove the short circuit from the resistance pad 41. The resistance 41 is connected in circuit with switch ii to cut the volume of reproduction from the reproducing head I in order that the recording head 8' will not be overloaded. In view of the prior description it is believed that it will not be necessary to detail again the operation of the circuitsfor re-recording other than that just given.

Key 43 is provided solely for the attendant who when he throws it to the left to place ground on the contacts 45 will operate all the unlatching relays so as to place the machines in their normal inoperative position so that they cannot be used while he is absent. In other words, this control is provided to easily place the machines in normal inoperative position whenever this condition is desired.

Except in connection with re-recording no mention has beenmade of reproduction. The opera tion of the machine for reproduction can readily be seen from the descriptions that have preceded' but a little further reference to reproduction may be helpful in fully explaining the system. For example to reproduce from machine No. 1 the attendant will place a full record on the carriage l, moving the carriage to the right, initiate the operation of the drive wheel 4, shift the support 9 upwardly toconnect the recording head to the input of the amplifier and the output of the amplifier to wire 14 and switch l5. He

'then starts the machine by closing start switch l8 as before, so that the dictator may now hear the recorded matter at the microphone-loud.

. switches including switch 39 which it will'be seen is connected to the lowermost switch on the support 9 which during reproduction is closed. Thus ground is immediately put upon the unlatching relay 31 so that during reproduction machine No.

1 stops instantly upon the closing of micro-switch I30 rather than having a delayed stopthrough the action of the thermostatic switch 33. At the same time through switch 4!! machine No. 2 is started up so that the reproduction continues from this machine with no overlap of reproduction because of the fact that if overlapping occurred the re-,.

suit to the ear would be inarticulate. Thus, reproduction is quite similar to recording except that there is no overlapped operation during reproduction.

An interesting feature of this invention is that a combination of two machines, as illustrated in the single figure, represents what may betermed a unit machine in which the machines may be used singly or in combination for recording and reproduction, all as previously explained iii detail. When required, this unit machine may be expanded by the addition of one or more machines by connection'to the circuit wires terminating in arrowheads as previously explained. However, the key switches 43 and 44 would not normally be included between each succeeding pair of machines because the unit machine which includes the switches, as illustrated, is capable of handling the additional functions of duplicate recording and re-recording.' However, the feature of continuous recording with travel from one machine to the next can be continued on as many machines as a particular situation would require.

From the above detailed description of the operation of the system herein disclosed, it will be apparent that by means of a few manipulations the mechanism may be adapted for continuous recording, continuous reproduction, simultaneous recording on two or more tablets, and re-recording from one to other tablets for duplication purposes. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate from the above description that many variations may be introduced without departing from the true novel scope of the invention. I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limited to the disclosure,

but rather by the scope of the claims granted me.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sound recording system the combination comprising at least two recording machines for recording sounds on records, means controlled by each machine for starting another machine when the record of the former is substantially full, means controlled by each machine for stopping it a predetermined period of time after it has started another machine, a dictators' control for starting and stopping an operating machine, and an attendants control for connecting the dictator's control to two or more machines whereby duplicate records of the same dictation may be made.

2. In the combination of claim 1, meansalso controlled by each machine for transferring the dictator's control to each machine as it is started by another.

3. In the combination of claim 1, an attendants control device for rendering all machines inoperative.

4. In the combination of claim 1, an attendants control device for disabling the dictator's control of said machine.

5. In a system of the typedescribed, the combination comprising a plurality of sound recording and reproducing machines, each machine ineluding a recording head and a reproducing head, means operated by each machine during recording for starting another machine when the record of the former is substantially full, a dictator's control for starting and stopping the operating machine, an attendants control for causing simultaneous operation of two or more machines whereby the recording head of one machine may be fed by the reproducing head of another to effect re-recording, and means for reducing the current output of the reproducing head during recording to prevent overloading of the recording head.

6. In the combination of claim 5, an attendants control device for simultaneously rendering all of said machines inoperative.

'7. In the combination of claim 5, an attendant's control for rendering two or more machines simultaneously operative whereby duplicate recordinss may be efiected.

8. In the combination of claim 5, an attendant's control for rendering two or more machines simultaneously operative whereby duplicate recordings may be efiected, and for placing the dictator's control in control oi the conJointly operating machines.

HENRY P. CLAUSEN.

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