FOLLOW THE RESTORATION: one-of-a-kind Higham Graphophone

[fran604g]

An interesting re-purposing of the existing type-A motor frame with the elimination of the original spring support stanchion, and fitting of a two-spring barrel. I see that the governor sleeve has a slot cut into it at the end furthest from the friction disc, and there is a pin in the governor shaft that corresponds to the slot. An "anti-torsion" modification, perhaps? I've noted a similar engineering feature used on much later Edison Disc machine motor governors (ie: the so-called "Shock Proof" governors).

Fran

[Dave D]

Thanks for sharing this. With only one more episode of Downton Abbey, I am glad to have this article for entertainment. Your work is always fascinating.
Dave D

[wtt11]

Very intriguing modification. Why did original owner make so much effort(which is also very well done) to part out machines and modify into a such low-potential one. Did the seller mention any thing about the unique history behind? I'm very curious.

[fran604g]

Very intriguing modification. Why did original owner make so much effort(which is also very well done) to part out machines and modify into a such low-potential one. Did the seller mention any thing about the unique history behind? I'm very curious.

Wyatt pretty much explains it all earlier in the post (VERY interesting stuff!):

Still don't believe me? Yet, you read onward! I'm glad. Because it's worth the effort. The cabinet footprint is about 12" X 8". It will not break your back in carrying the way a triple-spring-powered "BC" will. If there were two, you could carry one under each arm while smoking a cigar and hailing a trolley.

Yes, I am aware of the Highamophone machine, and it's traversing carriage and stationary reproducer. It is highly impractical, and EXCEEDINLY complex in its design. It can be viewed in the Fabrizio&Paul book THE TALKING MACHINE AN ILLUSTRATED COMPENDIUM" on page 143, illustration 4-39. In my final punch for tonight, I will present to you the patent application drawing filed Feb 15, 1905 by Columbia's chief engineering genius Thomas Hood Macdonald. In the patent text, he notes the incorporation of Daniel Higham's patented apparatus in this design. What we see here is staggering. The similarities are more than just coincidental. In the later BC, the half-nut arm is mounted at a steep angle away from the front of the machine, at its tail it rides a polished support rod. On this machine the half-nut support station is directly under the carriage tube as per the Type-A design, and this is reflected in the patent drawing. And additionally if you inspect the reproducer design, it is identical to that in the patent drawing....a Higham mounted to the carriage tube, with integrated half-nut support and lift lever.

[USlakeside]

Where would the Columbia BM, 'Home Premier', with a smaller (3in approx? )Higham reproducer, fit into this mystery? Image found on http://www.gramophones.uk.com/

[FloridaClay]

Fascinating stuff Wyatt. And I would think deserves an article in article in the journal as well to get wider distribution.

Clay

[MicaMonster]

As I recall, the BC has a 4" reproducer, and the BM has a 3" reproducer. Mine? 3.5". Explain that, right?

OK. I have some good news, in stages, obviously.

Firstly, I received my replacement governor springs from Lord Sitko. And they fit perfectly. A little oil here, some grease there, and the motor runs beautifully.

Nextly was the install of the belt. Now, because the belt is not leather, there is no real way to tension it because it isn't stretchy like leather. The solution was to replace all 4 upper casting rubber washers with new ones, and this took up the slack and allowed the tension to be adjusted by tightening or loosening the mounting screws. The belt has plenty of traction, and looks pretty trick as well.

Also from Master Sitko there came a new 2-minute sapphire for the needle bar. The installation of the needlebar took me nearly 2.5 hours. This was because the sapphire itself measured something like .035" in diameter, and the hole in the needlebar was .03". SO, I had to micro file it from the inside until I could get it to fit. Add to that....the sapphire "pay-TING'd" out of my jeweler's tweezers not once, not twice, but THREE times, and I found it on my work table each time. Last time I thought I absolutely lost it, but found it between the oak boards of the work table. WHEW! Installed it with a little dab of molten shellac flake, just like the factory would have.

I have pictured the reproducer mechanism. Unlike the later BC model, this one has an adjustment knob for the ebonite shoe tension. Turn the know to the left, and it increases tension on the 2nd shoe, and turn to the right to lessen the tension. While playing it, the knob acts as a tuning control. Increase the tension until the treble comes in acceptably. I can understand why this was eliminated in the other models, because the adjustment introduces one more element to fail in operation.

SO! I turned on the motor, checked all systems, and put on a record. And.....AND.....AND......"SKKKKKKKKRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!". The Amber wheel and ebonite shoe started to make noises that cats make in the intimate moments of feline copulation. It was insanely loud and made my ears hurt.

Now, we add 3 more hours fiddling with it. Cleaning with a damp Q-tip, combined with disassembling it about 4 times to inspect the surfaces of the two ebonite shoes and the amber wheel. Banging my head against a wall thinking of chemicals to use to dress the shoe, without affecting its friction qualities. I have used diluted alcohol in the past, and this did the trick. But the wheel still squeaked and squawked every 180-degrees of rotation. Now I am observing it with a loup. The edges of the wheel, from use, developed a raised edge. I ran a nail file over the sharp edges, and this eliminated 99% of the squeal. I put on a xylophone test record, and....GREAT ZARQUON! IT PLAYS!!!!!

As the Amber wheel settles back into service it sounds better and better. BUT, this machine is a shelf queen....not a working girl. So my quest for getting her operation is satisfied.

[Curt A]

Love it... Thanks for posting...

[RAK402]

This thread is fascinating.

Not only am I learning about a machine that I knew nothing about, the manner in which the whole thing is written is extremely interesting, humorous, and impressive!

[martinola]

Wyatt,
Every time I read about your restorations I learn something new. I'd still like to know more. Fantastic job! Thanks for sharing!
Martin