US510656A - Chaeles s - Google Patents

Description

UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. TAINTER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

REPRODUCER FOR GRAPHOPHCN ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,656, dated December 12, 1893.

Application filed July '7, 1893. Serial No. 479,802. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES SUMNER TAIN- TER, of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Reproducers for Graphophones, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention has reference to the construction of the reproducer in apparatus for recording and reproducing sonorous vibrations, and more directly to the form of the point of stylus and its connection with the diaphragm. In the reproducing devices which have yielded the best results heretofore, the

point or stylus has been so mounted as to be capable of a limited lateral movement, independent of the diaphragm, so that it can adjust itself to the groove of the tablet and keep always in contact with the undulatory surface at the bottom of the groove, constituting the sound record. In one of the best forms which has been widely used, the stylus was made of a flat strip of steel having the general outline of a hammer, pivoted at one end to the casing of the reproducer, and having its other end flexibly connected with the diaphragm by means of a link. Long experience has shown that this form of instrument is susceptible of improvement, and that its principal defects are the following:

First. The flexible portion has not sufficient delicacy to insure that the point of the stylus will always impinge against the bottom of the groove. It will at times drag against one side thereof.

Second. The presence of a link or similar loose connection between the point and the diaphragm permits of lost motion, in consequence of which the sharp and closely crowded undulations made by sounds of high pitch are but imperfectly transmitted to the diaphragm.

Third. The several joints in the stylus and its connections allow it too much movement independent of the diaphragm, and cause rattling or scraping noises which interfere with the clearness of reproduction.

Fourth. The construction requires great care and fine workmanship, and is liable to derangement.

The object of the present invention is to remove or overcome thedefects above pointed out, and it consists mainly in mounting the reproducing stylus directly upon the diaphragm itself, and pivoting or swiveling it in such manner that it can oscillate transversely of the sound groove without appreciable friction.

The principle of the invention maybe carried out in various ways. In its simplest and best form the stylus is made of apiece of steel wire of the thickness of a sewing machine needle of medium size (about 0.025 of an inch in' diameter) bent near the free end and rounded to a hemispherical point. This stylus is mounted in a support or socket carried by the diaphragm, in such manner as to oscillate with the utmost freedom. The stylus when so mounted acts by direct thrust upon the tablet and its lateral movement does not depend upon the flexibility of the material of which it is composed, but upon its swiveled connection with the diaphragm, the axis of oscillationbeing the line of the shank or stem of the stylus.

The invention and its advantages will be more fully understood from the accompanying drawings in which Figure I represents in vertical section a stylus and mounting constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. II is a plan-view of the same. Figs. III, IV andV are details illustrating different modes of supporting the inner end of the stylus. Fig. VI is a vertical section of another form of mounting. Fig. VII is a side view, and Fig. VIII a top view of still another embodiment of the invention.

All the drawings show the parts greatly enlarged beyond their natural size.

Referring first to Figs. I and II which show what is deemed the best and most practical construction, a tubular socket 10 of brass or other suitable material is attached to the center of the diaphragm 11, extending at right angles thereto. This socket may be about 0.3 of an inch in length, with an outside diameter of 0.1 of an inch and an interior diameter of 0.075 of an inch; but. of course these dimensions are variable. The socket or support for the stylus maybe connected with the diaphragm in any convenient manner. 'Asshown the tubular or ,cuprportion passes through a perforation in the diaphragm, the flange 2O resting against the under side thereof. t

The stylus 12 is made from a straight cy- .lindrical piece of steel, one end bf which is rounded and polished to form the rubbing contact point, 13, after which a bend 14 is formed about a quarter of an inch from the rubbing-point, so as to throw the latter out of line with the main portion of the stylus. A collar 15 is secured to the stem of the stylus which is inserted into the socket with its sharp conical pointed end 16 bearing against the bottom of a hole 17 drilled in the end of the socket. In the mouth of the latter is fitted abnshing 1S centrally perforated, and constituting a bearing for the stylus. The collar 15 prevents longitudinal motion of the stylus to such extent as would displace its end from the hole 17.

Stops 21, 22 are provided to limit the rocking motion of the rubbing point 13 of the stylus. In the construction illustrated in the drawings these stops are formed by cutting a groove 23 in piece 24 projecting from the socket and which may be made in one piece therewith.

In use the free end of the stylus rests upon the tablet (represented by the curved line 25, Fig. I) in advance of the shank or stem, so that the point 13 can freely swing in an are about the axis of the stem, and track or follow faithfully the groove in the record, without regard to slight irregularities in the latter, or divergencies between its pitch and that of the feed screw. At the same time the motions of thestylus are communicated directly and in their entirety to the diaphragm, the result being that scraping noises are largely eliminated, and the recorded sounds are reproduced with much greater distinctness and with undiminished loudness.

Figs. III, IV and V show different ways of mounting the end of the stylus. In Fig. III the end is bored out and fits over a conicalpointed pin 26 secured in the socket 10. The construction shown in Fig. IV is similar to that of Fig. III, while the construction of Fig. V presents a slight modification of that illustrated in Fig. I.

In Fig. VI the stem of the stylus 12 is taered like the shank of a sewing-machine needle, and the metal socket 10 is drilled out to a diameter slightly larger than the stem. After the latter is inserted, the mouth of the socket is contracted upon the tapering stylus to hold it in place while permitting it to turn freely on its axis.

Figs.VII and VIII illustrate a construction which is within the principle of the invention, but is not so easily made as the form first described. The stylus 12, instead of oscillating on the axis of the stem is rigidly secured in its socket or support 10, the latter being pivoted in ears or brackets'28 attached to thediaphragm. The axis of oscillation is thus in a plane parallel with the diaphragm, or perpendicular to the stem of the stylus. The end of the latter projects through a slot 29 in the diaphragm, the ends of the slot serving as stops to limit the movement of oscillation of the rubbing point.

The foregoing description with the drawings referred to will suffice to determine the scope of the invention, and to show that many modifications in its form and details may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having now fully described my said invention, what I claim is 1. A reproducer having the stylus mounted upon the diaphragm the connection being rigid in the direction of the thrust of the stylus, and oscillatory in a direction transverse thereto, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the reproducer diaphragm, of a stylus carried by said diaphragm and having a pivotal or swiveled connection upon which its contact point can oscillate freely transversely to the groove of the record, substantially as described.

3. In a reproducer, a stylus havingits rubbing point bent at an angle from the stem, and swiveled in the line of the stem, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the reproducerdiaphragm of a stylus pivoted in a support or socket carried by said diaphragm soas to becapable of oscillation upon an axis perpendicular to the latter, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the diaphragm, of a tubular socket or support rigidly attached thereto, and a stylus having itsfree end bent at an angle to the stem, and being swiveled in said socket so that the point can oscillate about the axis of the stem, substantially as described.

' 6. The combination with the diaphragm of a stylus composed of a cylindrical steel wire, rounded at its end to form a contact point, and bent to throw the point out of line with the stem, said stem being perpendicular to and pivotally connected with the diaphragm, substantially as described.

I 7. The combination with the diaphragm, of a tubular socket attached thereto and closed at one end, a stylus having a straight stem portion inclosed in said socket and having a bearing upon a point at the closed end of the socket, so that it can turn upon its axis with slight friction, and a deflected portion outside of the socket upon the end of which is the rubbing point, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the diaphragm of the stylus swiveled on the axis of its stem in a support carried by said diaphragm, and stops embracing, and limiting the movement of the free end of the stylus, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES S. TAINTER.

WVitnesses:

PERCIVAL L. WATERS, PHILIP MAURO.

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