What is the purpose

[briankeith]

What is the purpose of the wing lever on some Edison C reproducers? Just to lift it easier? Curious.

[mikejk]

You will find some Edison carriages have an ajusting screw with nurled knob on the right side which will contact the lever for adjusting the position of the reproducer. I think anyway? Mike

[wtt11]

You will find some Edison carriages have an ajusting screw with nurled knob on the right side which will contact the lever for adjusting the position of the reproducer. Mike

Since the model C came out around Feb 1902( Frow, 1978), it provided users two options in playing both machines with or with no clips.

[phonogfp]

Mike and wtt11 are right. The arm is not for lifting, but for adjusting in the earlier carriage. After the Model C was introduced, the National Phonograph Company made an offer to owners of Edison machines with Automatics or Standard Speakers whereby they could send in their old reproducers and three dollars and receive a brand-new Model C reproducer in exchange. Naturally, those Model Cs sent in exchange would need the adjusting arm to work properly in the old-style carriages. Occasionally, a reproducer with a relatively high serial number will be found with an arm on it - - the result of an owner who procrastinated before trading in his Automatic or Standard Speaker. Edison dealers were equipped to attach one of these adjusting arms to any reproducer when necessary.

George P.