YAEBPP - Yet Another Edison Business Phonograph Post

[Brad]

I picked up the below pictured Edison Business phonograph today. I consider myself a fairly experienced collector, but this thing has me feeling a bit like a newbie.

So first question: How much is it worth? (sorry couldn't resist).

It is model DC with an electric motor. In one of the pictures, I show the power cord which is clearly period connected to light socket adapter.

So first real question: What do I need to power the motor? (I am an EE so I can easily connect whatever is needed, I just need to know where to begin.)

Anyone know what date era this beast is from?

Any online info on Edison Business machines? I read a thread from this board from last year, and gleaned a little bit, but I want more.

On the right side there is a hole in the side of the case that looks like it might be for a crank. Could the base be for a different machine?

There is something that protrudes out the front. Is this a mounting tab for something? Perhaps the recording horn?

I am debating whether to leave it wild and just display it as is, or bringing it back to life. What is the likely hood that I can find recordable cylinders? (I don't have a shaver either).

Finally, any other info you could share, including, how much it is worth (kind of serious).

Thanks!

[JohnM]

Brad, I sent you a PM.

[gramophoneshane]

Great score Brad. Congratulations.
I know nothing about these early business machines, but I'm guessing the thing that protrudes at the front had a bracket to hang the recording tube & mouth piece on, which would stop the mandrel spinning when hung it up, and started the machine when lifted from the bracket. This was a feature used on later metal cased Ediphones at any rate, but these early machines may well have been different.
There may have been a knee operated lever that performed the same function?

You may remember a spring driven model that a fellow board member sold a little while back. It was very complete & included a carton of cylinders. It achieved $2200 on ebay, although I would think spring motored examples probably have more desirability amoung collectors, but even if an electric example is worth half that price, it's still not what you'd call a low end machine value wise.
That example was discused a couple times here, but the last time when it was sold can be found at the link below. It includes the ebay link, and the pictures are still up, so you might want to check them out and take a copy of the photos for reference purposes.

http://forum.talkingmachine.info/viewto ... ess#p35309

Here's one of the auction photos that shows the front bracket for the horn & crane that screws to the cabinet on this particular model. I'd imagine your 3 screw holes would be for a similar bracket too.
There is also a similar protrusion as yours to the right of the machine, just in front of the crank, but no sign of what attached to it unfortunately.
Personally. I think it would be well worth the effort to bring it back to life. Cylinders aren't hard to find either.

The attachment $(KGrHqYOKpME1qk46tk7BNrIj9ST1!~~_3.jpg is no longer available

[hillndalefan]

The plug on the end of the power cord is the type that Edison used. In his DC system of electric distribution, one type of outlet was used for everything. I suspect you would need a full-wave rectifier and resistance circuit to achieve the 100 Volt DC, for whichthat machine would have been made.
By the way, the two-prong plug that we see every day was the Westinghouse light bulb base, I believe, developed by Swan electric in the late 19th century.

[gramophoneshane]

I came across this site & these pictures while looking up the other guys Model E.
It appears the part protruding at the front may well have been some sort of stop-start switch if these early metal cased models are anything to go by.
I've actually got a Columbia secretary model that included the foot "pump", but as it was too far gone for restoration (and the lack of info on the net), I never really knew what the foot lever was for.
At first I thought it might have been for blowing air at the cylinder to dislodge swarf, but being a play-back only model, there would be no real need for that function.

http://www.officemuseum.com/dictating_machines.htm

1913_Edison_Dictating_Machine.jpg

1912_Edison_Dictating_Machine_p__2.jpg

[Brad]

Thanks Shane and H&D,

The part that protrudes through the front is part of the start stop control mechanism, however I a not sure how it works.

Thanks for the pointer on the voltage. I am definitely going to pursue getting the motor running, but it will have to wait as there is just too many fun things to do.

I really like the way this machine looks and am glad I scored it.

Keep the info coming!

[gregbogantz]

The screw-base connector on the power cord would indicate that this unit was designed to use "socket power", which was ordinary 110 volt widely distributed power available to consumers. In the days when radios were changing over from battery to household power, they were similarly equipped with these screw-base connectors which were meant to screw into a lamp socket. Radio sets so-equipped were said to use "socket power". Edison, of course, championed the use of DC power in his systems, but since the field and armature are both electromagnets in this motor with a commutator, this motor should be considered a "universal" type and should run equally well with AC or DC power. I would suggest starting with a rectifier hooked to a variac and bringing up the voltage slowly to see how the motor reacts. Then do the same without the rectifier. I'm guessing that you can do away with the rectifier, although you might want to put in a resistor or voltage bucking transformer to get the voltage down to around 110 rather than today's more prevalent 124 volts or so. But that little difference is probably not important either, if it appears that voltage in the range of 110 or so is correct. Remember that this is a torque motor and is intended to run with more torque than necessary so that the mechanical flyweight governor has the extra torque and speed necessary to work properly.

[estott]

I was once in an early 20th C. house which had screw-in power sockets installed in the baseboards, each protected by a brass cover. My own house contains a couple of non-standard sockets for plugs with the prongs in line instead of parallel.

[Phototone]

I was once in an early 20th C. house which had screw-in power sockets installed in the baseboards, each protected by a brass cover. My own house contains a couple of non-standard sockets for plugs with the prongs in line instead of parallel.

Those prongs "in-line" I believe are for 30 amp circuits, rather than for the more standard 20 amp ones. These would be used for air conditioners primarily.

[estott]

I was once in an early 20th C. house which had screw-in power sockets installed in the baseboards, each protected by a brass cover. My own house contains a couple of non-standard sockets for plugs with the prongs in line instead of parallel.

Those prongs "in-line" I believe are for 30 amp circuits, rather than for the more standard 20 amp ones. These would be used for air conditioners primarily.

Perhaps, but they're part of the 1930's wiring of my house and one is in the dead center of the dining room floor. One wall socket has T-shaped slots which will accept either in-line or standard plugs.