Columbia Disc Graphophone - new acquisition

[stevel]

I've just acquired this Columbia Disc Graphophone minus the motor , turntable and crank.
Before I start looking can anyone tell me which model this is?
The top is 9 and 3/8ths inches square and the base is 10.5 inches square.
Thanks
Steve

[flashpanblue]

Hello,
Looks to me like you a second model Columbia AJ.
Pete

[stevel]

Hello,
Looks to me like you a second model Columbia AJ.
Pete

Thanks Pete, much appreciated
Steve

[Lucius1958]

It is interesting that the Companion shows the second style AJ as a rear-wind machine, while this example is side-wound. Was there possibly a transition between the second and third styles?

Bill

[De Soto Frank]

It is interesting that the Companion shows the second style AJ as a rear-wind machine, while this example is side-wound. Was there possibly a transition between the second and third styles?

Bill

I wouldn't be surprised, Bill... I have an early BJ "Imperial" that appears to have been built from left-over front-mount parts: crank is on the left (!), and the speed / brake control is at the rear. Crank and control positions all jive with earlier front-mount motors.

[stevel]

I wouldn't be surprised, Bill... I have an early BJ "Imperial" that appears to have been built from left-over front-mount parts: crank is on the left (!), and the speed / brake control is at the rear. Crank and control positions all jive with earlier front-mount motors.

That's good to know , so a BJ motor might fit!

[De Soto Frank]

I would be happy to take pictures and measurements, bear in mind that at BJ motor is a two-spring job.


Will get back to you with this info.

[De Soto Frank]

I wouldn't be surprised, Bill... I have an early BJ "Imperial" that appears to have been built from left-over front-mount parts: crank is on the left (!), and the speed / brake control is at the rear. Crank and control positions all jive with earlier front-mount motors.

That's good to know , so a BJ motor might fit!

Okay, digi-cam needs a charge, so pictures to come later.

But here are some measurements from my BJ "Imperial", circa 1905.


If one stands facing the machine ( as if you were going to play a record ), the crank is on the left side, and the "plunger" for the brake & speed regulation are out the back, to the right-side of the back-bracket.


If one draws two center-lines through the spindle / center-hole of the motor board as reference lines ( 9 o'clock <> 3 o'clock = "horizontal axis", and 12 o'clock <> 6 o'clock = "vertical axis" ), the hardware lines-up as follows:

Crank - dead-center on the "horizontal" axis.

Speed / Brake plunger - approx 1-¾" to 2 " to right of "Vertical" center line


Motor-bolts - there are four, and they fall as follows:

upper row is on a line 2-½" above the horizontal center-line, lower line is on a line 2-½" below the horizontal center-line.

Vertically, the left side bolts fall 4" to the left of the vertical center-line, the right side bolts fall 3" to the right of the vertical center-line.


Total spacing on the bolts is 7" in the horizontal and 5" in the vertical.


On my machine, the motor is mounted to the motorboard with a stack of leather / felt washers between, probably around ½".


The center-line through the crank falls ¾" below the underside of the motorboard, as mounted.


The center-line of the brake/speed plunger falls +/- ⅜" below the underside of the motorboard, as mounted.


The height / depth of the motor assembly from top face of casting to bottom of spring barrels is approx. 3-¾".


My machine has a two-spring motor, but the barrels are small in comparison to a Victor, and I believe Columbia motors of this era were somewhat "modular", in that a given motor-plate casting could accommodate one, two, or three spring-barrels.


So, measure your case, and see if any of the above jives...

I'll try to get some pics tomorrow.

[De Soto Frank]

Just went back to top of this thread, and examined the scans of the AJ that Pete ( flashpanblue ) posted from one of the books...


Looks like the correct motor for this machine incorporates the catch for the motor-board latch, and is built on a steel bed-plate, and uses a ratchet-crank ?

The motor in my BJ is built with a cast-iron frame, uses a screw-on crank, and has no provision for the motorboard latch catch...

I think you're going to be looking for an earlier motor...

[stevel]

Thanks Frank , that is really appreciated.
I shall get measuring later!