American Graphophone Type "C"

[SSBN 657]

I aquired this phonograph, but being basically an Edison/Victor guy I've got a question. The little ball float part in the carriage is fixed in position by two pins, one from each side. how do I proceed to free the ball so it will float?

Thanks To All

Tim

[Sidewinder]

Is it a "C", as it seems to be a 4" mandrel wheras I think the "C" has a 6" mandrel?

[ChuckA]

Yeah, it's not a "C" looks like a late "A or "AT". Model C will have 6" mandrel and the drive pulley is able to be disengaged by push buttons on the right side
of the chassis.

I wouldn't take the pivot apart, ultrasonic cleaner if you have one or just soak it in solvent until it's free.

Chuck

[SSBN 657]

ok. the mandrel is 4.5 inches. The data plate shows type c serial number 202390. The motor is a beast 3 spring. looks like the top works may have been replaced at some time. so is the reproducer connection point supposed to swivel with the pins in place?

[Lucius1958]

ok. the mandrel is 4.5 inches. The data plate shows type c serial number 202390. The motor is a beast 3 spring. looks like the top works may have been replaced at some time. so is the reproducer connection point supposed to swivel with the pins in place?

Looking at the first photo, it appears that someone replaced the mandrel on a Type C chassis.

The trunnion pivot should be able to move freely up and down. if the carriage is pot metal, the assembly may have swollen.

- Bill

[JerryVan]

It doesn't appear that you carriage is pot metal, so that's good. I believe your pivots have some corrosion interffering with movement. Try penetrating oil and pushing the swivel & down repeatedly to possibly free it up.

[SSBN 657]

Jerry's right, it' NOT pot metal. So after overnight soak with liquid wrench I was able to move the swivel up and down. It's still a long way from free floating, but looks like with work it can be returned to normal function. I'll post more pics so you columbia guys can tell me exactly what I've got here.

Tim

[SSBN 657]

more pics

[phonogfp]

Your machine is indeed a Type C - including the upper casting - but at some point the 6-inch mandrel was removed and a standard-size mandrel put in its place. In the process, the disengagement mechanism was removed. All this means it that 6-inch records cannot be played on this machine, but that's usually not much of a problem unless you're lucky enough to have a cache of them. Your machine's original pot metal carriage has been replaced with an earlier nickeled brass example, which is a nice plus. Once you get this machine sorted out, I think you'll like it.

The Type C is a great machine to use as a regular player because of the powerful motor (originally advertised to run for an hour on a single winding!). When introduced in 1897 and for several years thereafter, the Type C was marketed as the "Universal" since it could used for exhibitions, home entertainment, and as an office machine. In the years leading up to the introduction of the Commercial Graphophone (April 1906), the Type C was marketed exclusively as an office machine. For this reason, many collectors over the years have dismissed the Type C as simply a "Dictaphone," which is certainly not the case, as amply demonstrated in early advertisements and catalogs. I have a late-1890s handbill advertising an exhibition using a Type C Graphophone. Additionally, there's a group of 6-inch brown wax cylinders containing home recordings of singing, laughter, and cheering.

An article on the Type C Graphophone appeared in the September 2015 issue of the Antique Phonograph Society magazine. You can read it by clicking on this link:

universal-rev3.pdf

(3.94 MiB) Downloaded 42 times

George P.

[SSBN 657]

Thanks George!! Normally I wouldn't ask, but not being a columbia guy can anyone give me a ballpark value as it sits?

Thanks everyone

Tim