4 Spring Suitcase Home

[catfishjohn]

I recently picked up an interesting Edison Suitcase Home. What makes it interesting is the addition of three springs and an unfamiliar repeating attachment. Unfortunately it is missing the return worm gear. The large rectangular opening in the bottom of the case should have a sliding oak door that when moved to the right would reveal the springs. I would have thought this to be a one of kind machine, but I remembered seeing a similar machine about 5 years ago. The other day I contacted the owner since my memory was a bit foggy. He gracefully sent me pictures of his complete machine and to my surprise they were identical and must have been made by the same person or outfit. For what purpose I am unsure but I’m guessing a commercial or retail application. Any ideas? - John P.

[gramophoneshane]

Very interesting phonograph indeed, and something I dont recall seeing before.
The only reason I can think of, for a machine to be equipt with 4 springs & a repeat mechanism, would be for advertising purposes in a retail shop. With all that spring power, it must be able to play & repeat a cylinder 16-20 times with a full wind. I cant imagine any other situation where anyone would want the same cylinder playing over & over that many times.
It's kind of strange that they'd want access to the motor through the front of the cabinet though, although perhaps the added weight of the motor is too much for the hinges & support lever to handle without twisting the thin oak bedplate surround or pulling out the screws?

[briankeith]

Very very nice machine, probably modifed for a store display. But by the Edison plant? Or who?

[Andersun]

That is a really cool machine! I bet someone will find an old ad of a company that was converting these for some extended play use. Now put a belt and reproducer on it and demonstrate it for us!

[phonogfp]

What an interesting machine - - and to discover that more than one was made makes it even more so.

It's kind of strange that they'd want access to the motor through the front of the cabinet though, although perhaps the added weight of the motor is too much for the hinges & support lever to handle without twisting the thin oak bedplate surround or pulling out the screws?

These early Homes don't have hinges or a support to prop open the mechanism; it is lifted bodily out of the cabinet. I believe the opening was meant only to show off the mechanism.

John - have you compared serial numbers of the two known machines? That might be interesting.

Thanks for posting this!

George P.

[estott]

These early Homes don't have hinges or a support to prop open the mechanism; it is lifted bodily out of the cabinet. I believe the opening was meant only to show off the mechanism.

It just might be the product of some machinist who wanted to say "Look what I did"- the equivalent of this super powered blender: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTJq21k6 ... re=related

[catfishjohn]

This example is serial number 28572. I did request the serial number from the other machine and apparently it never had a serial number, the boss is blank. It is curious and makes me wonder under what circumstances would the serial number have been left off. Is that unusual? Could the serial number have been ground off and if so for what reason? - John

[JerryVan]

Can you show more pics of the repeat mechanism?

Also, any idea why the upper casting is notched on the underside, where it should have a nice curve towards the base? Was it to accomodate a chip tray that would slide under the mandrel?

[USlakeside]

I think if it were intended to be left on endless repeat at some venue, then the additional springs make sense. And because Homes from this period don't have hinges, I would be the door was there for easy access for oiling regularly. The owner probably didn't advertise four spring machines.

[phonogfp]

And because Homes from this period don't have hinges, I would be the door was there for easy access for oiling regularly. The owner probably didn't advertise four spring machines.

You could be right. I seriously doubt that the owner was "advertising four spring machines." The store where this was used probably sold clothing, cigars, hardware, or other typical Main Street merchandise. But any store having a specially-made machine like this one (especially a modification of such a well-known model) might well want to show curious patrons how it ran for so long between windings. Rather than pulling out the entire mechanism, the mainsprings could be shown by simply sliding the door open.

Oiling through that door would be inconvenient - - you'd be fighting against gravity. Those old metal oilers couldn't shoot oil as far up a tube as modern plastic ones! To properly lube that mechanism - whether the original single-spring or four springs - it would be best to pull the entire mechanism out of the cabinet.

George P.