US1350596A - Sound-box for talking-machines - Google Patents

Description

A. C. DIEI'IL. SOUND 80X FOR TALKING MACHINES. APPLICATION mm luv :1. ma. mums um. n. 1920.

INIIINTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT O. DIEHL, OF PENSAUKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 VICTOR TALKING MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SOUND-BOX FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

Application filed May 81, 1916, Serial No. 100,880. Beneswed January 17, 1920. Serial 110 352333.

T0 at! whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT C. DIEHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pensauken, in the county of Camden, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful 1m rovements in Sound-Boxes for Talkin achines, of which the following is a speci cation. 7

My invention relates to that type of sound boxes, comprising a diaphragm and stylus, adapted more especially to reproduce recorded sounds from a disk record whereon such sounds have been recorded as laterally undulating sound grooves; such disk record being operatively rotated, for reproduction purposes, in a horizontal plane, while the sound box, including its stylus, is operatively positioned relatively thereto, in a vertical plane.

My improvements in such a sound box, have for their object the provision of means to adjust the relative tensioning of the diaphragm and the spring mountin of the stylus bar coacting therewith; an then to fixedly lock such mounting, when such adjustment has been obtained, to the end that the tonal quality of the sound produced thereby may be regulated and controlled; and these objects are attained by substantially fixedly positioning the tensioning spring members on the stylus bar mounting and avoiding the usual sliding contact between said sprin members and the parts coacting therewit reducing such contacting surface to a minimum; providing facility of adjustment of the elements which reg- *ulate the spring controlled stylusbar; andlocking the combined and coacting elements in fixed operative position after the proper adjustment has been efi'ected.

n the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, igure 1 is a side elevation of my improved sound box; Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof; F ig.v 3 is an enlarged bottom plan view, illustrating the mounting of the stylus bar and the means to adjust it; Fi 4: is a section on line 44 of Fig, 3, showing the spring under action of the regulating member; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of part of the sound box, broken away; Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly in section of a form of mounting encircling the stylus bar; Fig. 7 is a plan view thereo and Fig. 8 is a like view of Fig.6 showing the reverse side of the ring member of. the

mounting; Fig. 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Fig.7 and Fig. 10 is another section of Fig. 7 on line 10-40 thereof; and Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the stylus bar mounting in a slightly modified form from that shown in Fig. 3.

In all sound boxes of the general character shown in the drawings-above referred when struck gives a sharp or flat-tone as compared with the tone obtained from a socalled standard sound box. My improvements enable me to adjust the tonal effect or pitch of a diaphragm from sharp to flat, or vice verse; to provide in connection therewith, a certain spring tensioning of the stylus bar; and to lock the stylus bar mounting in adjusted position when the proper relative adjustment of the elementshas been obtained. These results may be effected with facility and accuracy, and without liability of subsequent derangement.

The sound box comprises a casing 1 in which is mounted a diaphragm 3; the rear ofthe sound box consisting of the back 2 by means of which it ma be connected in the usual manner to a talking machine. The stylus bar t is connected at its upper end to the outer face of the diaphragm 3 and at its lower end is pivotally mounted as hereinafter described. A stylus or needle 5 is held within a socket in the lower end of the stylus bar by means of the thumb screw 20.

Upon the lower edges of the sound box there is fastened, by the screws 88, a plate 7 with lugs or wings 6-6 which conform to and partially surround the" ring member 9. An extension on the lower portion of the stylus bar is provided with lugs 18. which clamp the ring member between them, and, coacting with the screw 19 in the countersunk hole 12, rigidly secure the ring to the stylus bar.

In the lugs 6 of the plate 7, two set screws or studs 15 are oppositely positioned in alinement with each other, and on these screws are the usual lock nuts 16. The free tapered ends 17 of the studs or screws 15 are cupped and the cupped portions thereof are lll) ada ted to engage respectively with the sma l hardened steel balls 25 positioned in the recesses 11- of thesteel ring 9. These steel balls 25 protrude slightly from their recesses ll. When the studs 15 are properly adjusted, the ring member, stylus bar, balls, and studs or screws are all in alinement with the axis upon which the stylus bar oscillates, and all the parts are in firm contact with adjacent parts, but the stylus bar is free to oscillate smoothly upon substantially pivotal bearings between the cupped ends 11 of the screws 15 and the balls 25. This direct, firm, positive contact between the ring 9 and the steel balls seated therein, and between the steel balls and the cupped ends of the set screws 15 is readily obtained, because any desired degree of pressure may be applied to them through the balls 25 to the resilient ring 9 by suitably adjusting the set screws 15. Thus, while movement of the stylusbar upon its axis is smooth and uniform, there is no looseness between the parts which might introduce undesirable local vibration. Moreover, any wear which might occur from the continued use of the sound box may be compensated for by the set screws 15.

The construction and form of the steel rin 9 in other respects is clearly illustrated in igs. 4 to 8 inclusive. Fig. 7 shows the two cuts 23-23 extending through the ring 9. These cuts 23 form at this place in the ring, two outer portions 13-13 and an inner or intermediate portion 14. Each of the outer portions 13 is provided with a cut 22 extending through to the adjacent recess 23 and these cuts 22 are respectively adjacent the opposite extremities of the intermediate web or member 14. The intermediate web 14 is not so cut or severed, however, and forms a resilient portion of the main ring, but of less cross-sectional area than the adjacent full section portions 9-9 integral with said intermediate portion 14. The full-section portion of the ring 9-9.substantially terminates at the ends 2727 of the slots or cuts 23. The operation involved in making the cuts or apertures 23 and the cuts 22 is one of milling machine practice. Similarly, by means of a milling cutter, portions of the intermediate web 14 are removed to form substantially peripheral depressions 26 therein for the purpose of providing clearance space for the conical ends of the ad usting screws 10, as will more clearly appear below. After the ring 9 has been suitably cut in the manner above described, it is tempered; the parts or members 13 become fiat springs and the ririg 9 itself becomes a resilient spring ring.

11 Fig. 4, the ring 9 is shown in position between the lugs 6 with the tapered ends of the set screws 10 in operativeposition. As shown in Fig. 5, the set screws 10 are preferably arran ed in a somewhat staggered relation to position them respectively relatively adjacent the springs 13. The set screws 10 are so positioned as to outwardly displace the free ends of the springs 15 when the tapered portions of the set screws are forced inwardly against the inner edge of the spring members 15. If the middle web 14 of the ring 19 were not provided with the recess or cutaway portions 26, the tapered ends 24 of the adjusting screws 10 might contact with the web 14, wed e between the webs 13 and 14, and prevent the ring from oscillating upon the axis provided by the set screws or studs 15.

When a diaphragm is mounted in a sound box of the kind above indicated and the stylus bar is in place with tension applied to the mounting 9, the adjustin of the tone or pitch of the diaphragm is e ected as follows: The workman first ascertains whether or not thediaphragm so mounted is sharp or flat; that is to say, whether its tone, when so mounted, is above or below that which should be obtained from a standard sound box. If it be found that the tone is not correct, the proper set screw 10, is forced further inwardly against the coacting spring 13 to exert a greater tension on the stylus bar, tending to throw the upper end of the stylus bar toward or away from the plane of the diaphragm. If the tonal effect or pitch of the diaphragm is sharp, he adjusts one of the screws 10. If it is flat, he adjusts the other of the screws 10, until the correct or desired note or tone or pitch is attained. The change in the pitch of the diaphra may be intentionally carried to excess; t at is to say, if the tone be flat, the proper adjusting screw 10 may be forced inwardly until the tone finally obtained is sharp, whereu on the other set screw 10 is then adjusted inwardly to bring the pitch backto that which is desired or standard. After this is done, the set screws 10 are locked in ner, the adjusting screws 10 cooperate to move the diaphragm into its true note position, and, after that is done, the parts are locked in proper position. i v

It is believed from the above that the steps by which the pitch of thediaphragm is corrected has been made plain; one set screw or adjusting screw, 10, will correct sharpness when screwed inwardly and vice-versa,

set screws 15 by the needle 5 positioned in position by the lock nuts 21. In this mantension adjusting members,

tion to each other I spring mem a sound record groove, the tapered ends 24 of the set screws 10 are fixed in position and the edges of the spring portions 13 of the spring member 9 are in contact with the tapered portions 24 of the set screws 10 at theoretically a single point of contact only. The tapered ends 24 of the set screws engage the free ends of the spring portions 13 at the free ends of the said spring portions and on the inner edges only.

In Figs. 3 and 11,are illustrated two ways of positioning the set screws 10. Fig. 11 shows the preferred form because the action of the conical ends 24 of the screws 10 against the springs 13 is a little more of a direct action than that present in the construction shown in Fig. 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: i w

' 1. A sound box comprising in combination a casing, a diaphragm therein and a stylus bar attached thereto, means for operatively mounting the stylus bar including a continuous member surrounding the'st lus bar and having a plurality of independent disposed in opposite relaand means secured to said casing to vary the tension of said spring elements, said means comprising adjustable members each havin a wedge-like portion adjacent one of sai spring elements, said means coacting with said spring elements to tension said stylus bar in opposite directions.

2. A sound box comprising in combination a'diaphragm, and a connected st lus bar, amounting for said stylus bar including a continuous member surrounding the stylus bar, pivot members forming a bearing for said member, said member having a plurality of spring members integral therewith and coactin tensioning members for said %ers adapted to be adjustably spring elements positioned.

3. A sound box for sound reproducing machines, comprising in combination a casing, a diaphragm therein, a stylus bar connected thereto, a ring connected to and encircling said stylus bar, pivot members for said ring and secured to said casing and said ring being continuous and having a plurality of integral spring members, each .of which is free at one end and in contact adjacent said end with one of said tension adjusting mem bers.

4. A sound box ,for sound re roducing machines, comprising in combination a cue ing, a diaphragm therein, a stylus bar connected thereto, a ring connected to and encircling said stylus bar and having ball retaining sockets, a ball in each of said sockets,

axially adjustable. pivot members secured to said casing and cooperative with said balls, and tension adjusting members, said ring therewith, a mounting for said stylus bar comprising a ring member encircling said stylus bar, pivot members forming a bearing 76 for said ring member, said ring member being split and two of its sections cut at opposite peripheral points respectively to provide a plurality of independent sprin elements integral with said member an coacting tension members for said sprin ele: ments adapted to be independently an ad-. justably positioned. v,

6. A sound box comprising in combination a casing, a diaphragm therein, a stylus bar connected at one end with said dia-" phragm, a mounting for said stylus bar adacent its opposite end comprising a split ring member, means for connecting said member and said stylus bar, means for supporting said split member having adjustable tensioning means therein, said split ring member being split to form three independently relatively movable portions, the outer portions being free at one end and adapted to be oppositely displaced by said ad'ustable tensioning means.

A sound box comprising in combination a casing, a. diaphragm therein and a stylus bar attached thereto, means for operatively mounting a stylus bar, includin a continuous member. surrounding sai stylus bar and having a plurality of spring elements disposed in opposite relation to each other and means secured to said casing to vary the tension of saidspring elements, said means comprising ad'ustable members each engaging one of sai spring elements and coactm with said spring elements. to tension said stylus bar in opposite directions.

8. In a sound box for sound reproducing machines, the combination of a sound box casing, a diaphragm mounted therein, a stylus bar, a resilient ring forming a mount- 115 ing for and surrounding said stylus bar, i, saidring being provided with a air of resilient members inte ral therewith, means -to (pivotally mount said ring on said casing,

sprtneigs integral with said member and loca be- 180 tween said recesses and adapted to be respectively flexed to tension said' stylus bar.

10. In a sound box for sound reproducing machines, the combination of a sound box casing, a stylus bar, a substantially annular mounting for said stylus bar, means mounted on said casing to plvotally support and diametrically compress said mounting said mounting being provided with a pair 0% resilient members integral with the body portion of said mounting and located on one side of a line passing through the pivotal axis of said ring, an adjustable means to flex said members respectively in opposite directions. I a

11. A mounting for a stylus bar for a sound reproducing machine, com rising a resilient member adapted to e 81ttached to and to surround the stylus bar and provided with diametrically opposite surfaces upon which said member is adapted to be pivotally supported for vibratlon, said ring being also rovided with a pair of springs integral with said member and adapted to be respectively flexed in opposite directions to tension the stylus bar.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of May, 1916.

ALBERT o. DIEHL.

It is hereb certified that'in Lottom Patoqt No. 1,350,596; nnb'ed Au ust. 24; 1920; upon the ,appiih'tion of ,Albrt Diahl, of P anaauken, Nair-Jim f6 improvexfienfi in SouudI-Boxesjor'Timing-Machines," 1m @rfq M 51,

prihted spgcification correction as folIdwh t il ago 3, lina 130, did 'jmgql,

lima' 1, claim 9, stfik out @he wqrda and ]oca td botwoefl said manual; and

the 5d mu hum mum be ma with cpl-faction therein mt Im'ay ooiiforin to lag-Bord of the in the Pa fgn t Oflioe.-

Signad and sealed thih zeal-da of September, L 11., 192i].

M, H. COULSTON! Acting 00mm 9 mm c1. 274-35.

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