The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

gramophone78 wrote:

fran604g wrote:

Andersun wrote:That battery is from the 1920s and 1930s and was for radio, ignition and all general purpose. No. 6 was an industry standard type that all the manufactures used like AAA, AA today.

Exactly, but an Edison label? Maybe rebadged?

Fran

I would doubt that. However, you may want to ask the guys on the vintage radio forum. They would know more about these battery's... .

Please excuse the trip down memory lane in my previous post, now, back on topic.

The reason for my querry is that the so called "Duncan Automatic Stop" needed to be powered by a battery. As far as I know, Edison didn't actually produce dry cell batteries, and if he did, I'm very curious if anyone has discovered one in a DD Phonograph that was equipped with an electric turntable stopping mechanism.

I've only seen very few pictures (here at TMF, in fact) of the C250 sporting a battery, and those few were photos of Columbia batteries. To me, these must be replacement batteries, as I'm sure that Old Tom would never sign off on such a thing as a Columbia branded battery in his beloved Chippendale, and especially not in 1917-1918.

Of course, I don't know this to be fact, as I've never seen what I consider to be an original example nestled in the rear corner of a C250's horn compartment.

I'm hoping that someone has encountered one.

Best,
Fran

Andersun wrote:Edison manufactured many types of batteries. The Edison Storage Battery Company was located right across the street from his lab and existed from 1901 to 1972 when it was sold to Exide.

Do you know if ESBCo. would have manufactured "No. 6" batteries?

EDIT: Columbia did, in fact, hold the patent on the style of 6" battery that I'm wondering about;

In 1896 the National Carbon Company (corporate predecessor of Energizer) developed the six-inch, 1.5 volt Columbia battery, the first sealed dry cell successfully manufactured for the mass market. The Columbia, a carbon-zinc battery with an acidic electrolyte, was a significant improvement over previous batteries, meeting consumer demand for a maintenance-free, durable, no-spill, inexpensive electrochemical power source. Finding immediate use in the rapidly expanding telephone and automobile industries, the Columbia launched the modern battery industry by serving as the basis for all dry cells for the next sixty years.

http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/educa ... ttery.html

Best,
Fran

I don't think there is any doubt that Edison made the No. 6 battery. Patents back then lasted the greater of: 17 years from date of granting or 20 years from filing. So most likely by 1920, that battery design was open game.

A picture of the battery retaining bracket in my Chippendale. The impression left on the bottom of the cabinet clearly indicates that a round battery was used, IMHO.

Fran

Andersun wrote:Patents back then lasted the greater of: 17 years from date of granting or 20 years from filing. So most likely by 1920, that battery design was open game.

Correct, but the "Duncan" automatic stop was employed at least three years earlier in the C250.

Fran

Are you looking to put a battery in there for show or are you just trying to figure out what brand battery was installed when new?

Andersun wrote:Are you looking to put a battery in there for show or are you just trying to figure out what brand battery was installed when new?

I'm going to restore the auto stop mechanism, but I'm more curious as to what Edison [sic] would have used originally.

The National Carbon Company received a patent (836,480) on the no. 6 dry cell battery on Nov. 20, 1906.

Interesting stuff...

Fran

This is the battery that came in my Edison C-250 appropriate for time period may or may not be orig.
Is it possible the phonographs were delivered and set up by the dealer that installed a locally available battery, as opposed to them being shipped from the factory w/Edison batteries (don't know how dangerous these are)?

BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED !!!



Ken

Tall, skinny 'A' Cell with binding posts - perfect! They still sold these when I was a kid, mostly for igniting model rockets, as I recall. I wouldn't be surprised if China or India are still making them.

Here you go: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Exell-Battery-E ... 4897.l4275

Also see: http://www.batterycountry.com/ShopSite/product9992.html

Google is your friend!