The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

“On This Day in the History of Recorded Sound…”

December 24, 1877: Thomas A. Edison filed the first U.S. patent application for “Improvement in Phonograph or Speaking Machines.”

December 24, 1902: Eldridge Johnson and William Moore filed for a U.S. patent on the tubular tone arm that had begun appearing on Victor Talking Machines in October 1902. This was the “Rigid Arm,” which removed the weight of the horn and earlier traveling arm from the record.

December 24, 1939: Died: Walter B. Rogers, cornet recording artist and later music director for Victor and Brunswick.

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Very interesting, thanks for your post. So the window for Rigid Arm machines was early 1903 to ?. Is it safe to say that Rigid Arm machines helped reduce record wear considering the fact that larger horns were becoming more popular and the record grove moved that entire mass while playing? And when the Tapered Arm was introduced it was a major improvement in sound quality because of the expanding sound chamber?

Thanks, Jerry B.

December 24, 1920 : Enrico Caruso gave his final operatic performance in La Juive at the Metropolitan, New York.

Jerry B. wrote: Wed Dec 24, 2025 11:29 am Very interesting, thanks for your post. So the window for Rigid Arm machines was early 1903 to ?.

Actually October 1902 to April 1903.

Jerry B. wrote: Wed Dec 24, 2025 11:29 am Is it safe to say that Rigid Arm machines helped reduce record wear considering the fact that larger horns were becoming more popular and the record grove moved that entire mass while playing? And when the Tapered Arm was introduced it was a major improvement in sound quality because of the expanding sound chamber?

Yes - that's the progression.

I'm glad you enjoyed the post, Jerry. Merry Christmas!

George P.