Imperial Phonograph Model 1---help with reproducer please!

[Kirkwood]

A good friend bought an outside-horn Imperial at auction locally, Model #1, and he asked my help to replace the mica diaphragm for him. Since this is somebody that has done more for me than I will ever be able to repay in my lifetime, I jumped at the chance to help him out. I looked around the net to get info ahead of time, noted that most examples had an aluminum diaphragm, and most used a black-enameled steel tonearm. He gave me the arm with the reproducer attached (it screws on from the back with 3 tiny screws), but as you'll note in the photos, it is missing the needle chuck and any sort of pivot or bar to conduct the vibrations up to the diaphragm, which in this instance could have been either mica or aluminum. This arm looks much different than examples I have found illustrated, it's of nickel plated brass. I have to wonder if perhaps this was a European phonograph sold as "Imperial" or was it some short-lived variant of the US line? Does anyone have any photos of the missing needle chuck assembly that *fits with* this reproducer? This friend won't want some other reproducer cobbled onto the arm, he's more particular than that. Locating the mica and rubber gaskets is the least of my concerns here, but I'm anxious to do this job right for him. Any ideas?

[phonogfp]

The arm you picture was manufactured by Hawthorne & Sheble, and was used to equip early models of the "Imperial" and others such as the "Yankee Prince." The needle bar is a spring-loaded design that simply presses against the diaphragm to hold it in place. H&S provided various thicknesses of diaphragms and made them interchangeable so that owners could vary the tone of their machines. Cute idea in 1907, but a nightmare for modern collectors because many times we're left with arms like this - missing diaphragm and needle bar.

Here are a couple of photos of what you're missing, and please excuse the non-original needle screw. Note that the diaphragm on your friend's machine should be black.

George P.

[Kirkwood]

Many, many thanks George Paul! I never would have guessed this set-up, nor would I have guessed that this came with any sort of variable-diaphragm option. A very curious arrangement indeed. It looks like there is a centering pin behind the needle chuck that presses against the reproducer housing, and it appears that the spring steel plate on my friend's example is bent/curled up and needs straightening, right? That done, there is my dilemma of what to do next. Clearly original parts like this are scarce indeed. Thanks so much for giving me a good sense of what I need.

[phonogfp]

Your observations are on the mark. It's an odd design, and one where you'd expect the sound to be seriously muddled, but it works surprisingly well.

Good luck!

George P.

[JerryVan]

Kirkwood,

NO. Do not straighten the spring plate! That's exactly how it should look. The one shown in the photo is; 1.) not an original piece and therefore varies from yours. 2.) sits straighter because it has the needle bar under it, pushing it outward. Most of those spring plates are missing or broken. The goods news is, yours is in perfect shape. The bad news is, the needle bar is very hard to find. It may be possible to modify a Columbia need bar, (from the upright Graphophone era), by grinding a narrow groove on its backside that will locate as a fulcrum point on the spring plate.

The pin you refer to is just a stop, to prevent you from hinging over the needle bar until the spring breaks.

Might also add that some of those diaphragms are a hard black cardboard with a slight leather grain texture embossed in it.

[Kirkwood]

Many thanks to you, Jerry Van!

I held off doing anything until I had located appropriate parts, and had determined that straightening that spring would be tricky without breaking it. It really is quite taut, as a tempered spring-type steel part should be. I have a parts reproducer that should yield up a needle bar assembly that could fit, although it's not a Columbia part. I won't worry about the limit pin until it's all put together and I know exactly where to place it.

Interesting that a leather-textured cardboard diaphragm would have been an option here. And it would explain why originals are so scarce. Once removed from the machine, it wouldn't look like much to the untrained eye. But as George Paul mentioned, these were supplied with various diaphragms to vary the sound, so aluminum. cardboard or anything that was flat and would resonate may have been an option.

Now I'm off to search the parts box---thanks again for your help!

[gramophone78]

Kirkwood, You may want to buy this for your arm. Ebay #390421850225.

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Good luck

[Kirkwood]

Thanks for the referral, gramophone78!

The arm I have came from a friend's Imperial phonograph, which he assures me is complete save for the diaphragm/needle bar assemblies. He promised me photos of his machine, but is away for a few more weeks, so heaven knows when he'll get around to that.

But for my own personal education, I was delighted to see this one in the eBay listing. I wasn't sure how the arm was fastened to the bracket, but the photos really clear that up. The story of Hawthorne and Sheble, and their many varied products, is one I should more actively pursue. That's the fascinating thing about this hobby----the more you know, the more you find you don't know.

[Kirkwood]

Well, you good folks really came through and helped me with this. Sure enough, I was able to modify a needle bar assembly from a parts reproducer to fit this reproducer body. I hadn't really focused on the little points in the spring steel piece. By carefully cutting a tiny notch in the pivot bar, this assembly was thus able to lock onto those points and pivot ever so slightly. The curve of the spring steel keeps the needle bar in place, and exerts a constant pressure against the diaphragm. It's a clever and simple design. Yes, it was possible to flex the bar assembly to remove the diaphragm and install another one. Too bad I didn't have one of those neat ribbed metal diaphragms as in the photo. But it was also too easy to move the bar assemble enough that it disengaged from the pivot points and dropped from position. Given that, I opted to secure the mica diaphragm back onto the needle bar with it's original tiny screw. It's simple enough to remove that screw if the owner wants to tinker with experimental diaphragms. I was reluctant to drill a hole (possibly too high or too low) to install the limit pin. I knew the owner would be careful such that it would not be required. He has since emailed me to say it's playing well. Many thanks to all----another piece of vintage technology can sing for another century!