[NJARC] Record speeds

[Jim Whartenby]

Alex
Yes, the encoding of sound in the side walls of the groove is THE
improvement in recording.  I just consider it a change in form, fit and
function of the original!

For those interested, the Letters Patent number is 372,786 granted 8
November, 1887.  In this patent, the recording is on a cylinder.  The
next patent of interest is 382,790 which is an improved process of
copying and reproducing the first recording.   Both of these were filed
by Emile Berliner.

The third patent of importance to the Victor Company was filed by
Werner Suess and assigned to Berliner.  It is a disk machine and the
patent number is 427,279.  It was issued 6 August, 1889.

In looking over all of the Victor patents from 1887 to 1900, I find no
reference to speed but much about improvements to the above three
patents.

Eldridge Johnson doesn't show up on a patent until 22 March, 1898 with
number 601,198.

Getting back to the original question that started this thread, Edison
chose 80rpm and most likely set the standard.  78rpm is close enough
not to make that much of a difference in a spring powered motor.  There
seems to be enough control on the motor governor to go from 70 to 90 or
so RPM with my Edison Diamond Disk Phonograph.
Regards,
Jim

--- amagoun <amagoun at davidsarnoff.org> wrote:

> Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> _______________________________________________
> Jim,
> 
> Actually Berliner's challenge with earlier patents wasn't form or
> speed,
> but the manner in which he made the grooves.  When he developed disc
> recording, Edison and Columbia were selling in a quite different
> market
> for different purposes.  In 1887 neither record format nor speed were
> a
> patent issue; the method of making grooves was.  Instead of engraving
> or
> indenting, Berliner traced vibrations in soot on glass, photoengraved
> them, and made a reproduction master by etching the grooves with
> acid.
> He used a disc because mass production was simpler and he traded off
> fidelity for loudness.  He cranked his initial records at 30 rpm and
> then doubled it to 60.
> 
> Through mass production of discs for the new market of home
> entertainment that Berliner envisioned, he could sell records for
> less.
> His first commercial records were intended for playback around 70
> rpm,
> with the stylus's movement activated by the lateral movement of the
> groove walls.  Edison and Columbia used vertical, "hill and dale"
> recording on cylinders for the sake of playing time, driven by a feed
> screw.  The playback stylus was duller than the engraving stylus
> because
> otherwise you'd simply gouge the groove.  The volume was much lower
> because the stylus didn't draw on the up and down motion of the
> groove,
> requiring an earphone.  But at that time, Edison nor Columbia were
> still
> pushing phonographs and graphophones for commercial stenography,
> while
> their lessors were beginning to adapt them to jukebox parlors.
> 
> As for price, after Victor began cleaning Columbia's clock, it fought
> back by doing outrageous things like songs on both sides of the disc
> for
> the same price.
> 
> You can read about this at much more length in my dissertation, which
> I'm looking forward to revising for publication by the end of the
> summer.
> 
> cheers,
> Alex
> 
> Message: 7
> Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2007 20:44:58 -0800 (PST)
> From: Jim Whartenby <antqradio at sbcglobal.net>
> Subject: Re: [NJARC] Record speeds
> To: New Jersey Antique Radio Club <njarc at mailman.qth.net>
> Message-ID: <212580.20795.qm at web82703.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
> 
> Alex and Nick
> It is my impression that Berliner and Johnson got around Edison's
> patents by making some obvious changes in method.
> 
> Using a disk instead of a cylinder.
> 
> Encoding the sound in the record grove sides instead of the grove
> bottom.
> 
> Changing the speed from 80RPM to 78RPM.
> 
> Most important from the consumer point of view, charging less then a
> buck for a record!
> Regards,
> Jim
> 
> --
> Alexander B. Magoun, Ph.D.
> Executive Director
> David Sarnoff Library
> 201 Washington Road, CN 5300
> Princeton, NJ 08543-5300
> 
> 609-734-2636
> amagoun at davidsarnoff.org
> (f) 609-734-2339
> www.davidsarnoff.org
> www.davidsarnoff.blogspot.com
> 
> 
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