Bell-Tainter A-Frame Machine Questions
Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 10:45 pm
I have recently been enjoying studying pictures of the Columbia Bell-Tainter A- Frame Graphophones from The Compendium, Hazelcorn's guide, and various Internet sources. I have a few questions for you lucky folk who own such machines.
On the A Frame spring and electric machines I can see the spring-loaded half nut extending upward from the post which keeps the carriage properly aligned, but I do not understand how the half nut engages and how the reproducer is lifted. From some writing I believe that you grab and manually lift the reproducer and this somehow disengages the half nut. Just how does this work?
Looking at patent information and lithographs from the 1880s it seems that both the reproducer carriage and recorder carriage in the earlier treadle models were completely removed when not in use. Is the half nut in these units fixed such that the weight of the carriage when placed on the feed screw automatically engages the half nut?
The Type III treadle machine uses a complex carriage which incorporates both the recorder and reproducer. The recorder can be swung up and down when needed but I don't quite get how the reproducer is engaged. I also don't understand exactly how the half nut is brought into play when either is used.
Sorry for the questions, but I am fascinated with the mechanical evolution of these machines and I'm sure many of us would be interested to know more as well. Since I don't expect to run across any of these at a local yard sale I thought I would ask you all.
Many thanks!
Steve
On the A Frame spring and electric machines I can see the spring-loaded half nut extending upward from the post which keeps the carriage properly aligned, but I do not understand how the half nut engages and how the reproducer is lifted. From some writing I believe that you grab and manually lift the reproducer and this somehow disengages the half nut. Just how does this work?
Looking at patent information and lithographs from the 1880s it seems that both the reproducer carriage and recorder carriage in the earlier treadle models were completely removed when not in use. Is the half nut in these units fixed such that the weight of the carriage when placed on the feed screw automatically engages the half nut?
The Type III treadle machine uses a complex carriage which incorporates both the recorder and reproducer. The recorder can be swung up and down when needed but I don't quite get how the reproducer is engaged. I also don't understand exactly how the half nut is brought into play when either is used.
Sorry for the questions, but I am fascinated with the mechanical evolution of these machines and I'm sure many of us would be interested to know more as well. Since I don't expect to run across any of these at a local yard sale I thought I would ask you all.
Many thanks!
Steve