Anyone Recognize This Brake?

[Dave D]

It seems to be complete and I believe it to be an automatic brake of some sort. However, there is nothing attached to the tone arm to trigger it. I don't get it and hope someone can teach me.
Thanks!
Dave D

[ChuckA]

Dave,

It is a brake patented by Josef Wittek, assigned to the Empire Talking Machine Company of Chicago.

It was fun looking for it as there were 681 patents granted on Aug 28,1917

Here is the patent:

Brake.pdf

(619.19 KiB) Downloaded 47 times

Chuck

[Dave D]

Thanks, Chuck! I should have mention it is from an Empire. It looks like there is an activator missing from the tone arm.
Dave

[Inigo]

Might it be the same tonearm body? There are examples of auto brakes with a lever standing up which is actuated by the tonearm itself.

[phonolamplighter]

Dave,
The tone arm is what activates the brake. Our Empire has the same mechanism (missing the nice rubber shoe) and the tone arm forces the lever over to press the brake against the turntable. Here are a couple of pictures with the brake applied:

Hope this helps.