The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 33 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS is not obliged to take ttie benefit of it. The suit by tlie otier party for a breach must be brought against the assignor, the contracting party, not against the assignee unless he agrees to be bound. THE OTT TRANSFER IMMATERIAL. Much has been said about the transfer to said Ott, an alleged dummy, but the motives of that transaction are immaterial. By transferring a right the National Phonograph Co. assumed no obligation which the retention of the right would not have imposed. So far as the contracts were executory said Ott got the right to do nothing with them, or to assume the obligations of the insolvent company, as the contracts were in terms assignable on condition that the assignee assume said obligations. Now Ott saw fit to assume these obligations, but he did that on liis own account and not on behalf of the National Phonograph Co.; as there is not a scintilla of proof in the record vyarranting the conclusion that the National Phonograph Co. was in any way bound by Ott's said agreement. We are not concerned in this suit with the contract relations that may exist between the plaintiff and the said Ott. THE INEVITABLE CONCLUSION. The conclusion seems inevitable that whatever rig'hts the plaintiff has as against the defendant or his vendor are patent, not contract, rights. If so, any suit to enforce those rights arises under the patent laws of the United States, and the courts of this State cannot take jurisdiction of it. GILMORE NOT TO RESIGN. story in Orange Paper That the President of the National Phonograph Co. Was to Resign Is Absolutely Unfounded. A report that appeared in an Orange, N. J., newspaper last week with W. E. Gilmore, president of the National Phonograph Co., had resigned is unqualifiedly false, according to statements given out by the gentleman himself. When Mr. Gilmore was asked on Wednesday by The World whether he had resigned, he promptly replied: "The story is absolutely untrue. There will be no change whatever in the official staff of the company. A boy from a local pape.r came to see me and got things twisted, as I paid little if any attention to his questions. That's all. See Pelzer, he will tell you what is in the report." When "Wm. Pelzer, vice-president of the company was seen at the New York office he said: "No, Mr. Gilmore has not resigned, nor has he any intention of resigning. It is true he is going to Europe on July 1 for a long rest and to visit our branch houses. Mr. Gilmore has been tied down to business and the general management of the various Edison companies for a long time, and he feels the necessity of going away. He will take the baths when abroad, but no one, not even himself, can tell when he will return. That depends upon his health. Mr. Gilmore will be accompanied by his family, and during his absence the affairs of the company will be conducted by the heads of the respective departments, as they have always been during former absences." With this issue of the World, another new model makes its first public appearance in the well known line manufactured by the Vitak Co., of this city. This now fills out their line complete and their machines range from the lowest price at which a satisfactory article can be built for the home to the highest priced and most perfect mechanism on the market for professional purposes. They are: The Vitak Home Model, price $10; the Vitak Home Model, price $18; the Vitak Standard, price $125; the Vitak Mirror Vitae, price $250. Walter Eekhardt, who for some time past has been associated with the Vitak, now carries this association into the Manufacturers' Outlet Co., and they intend to exploit the line throughout the world. In order that the talking machine jobbers may see for themselves, just what these machines are capable of, the Outlet Co. will have the complete line of machines on exhibition at the Hotel Chalfonte, Atlantic City, N. J., during the convention, which will be held there on July 6 and 7. Exclusive territorial rights are now being allotted, and no one who is looking for live sellers can afford not to inspect this line thoroughly. "It's queer," said an out-of-town merchant who called on us the other day, "how cheap watches reflect business conditions. You can nearly always tell ho-w trade in general is by noticing how they sell. As soon as there is a decline, sales of these watches go up proportionately and stay up until conditions have righted themselves —at least that has been my experience." SPEED SIGNS ON RECORDS. J. S. Russell writes us as follows: "Would it not be an excellent idea for manufacturers of both disc and cylinder records to place somewhere on the records the exact speed at which they may be run? This is done with great "success in Europe. When I was abroad last year I noticed that some of the Odeon discs contained a sign '74 R' immediately beneath the title, which meant, of course, that the record should be run at the speed of 74 revolutions to the minute. They also iijclude this speed in their catalog. I believe this to be a very excellent idea, and one worthy of emulation by our domestic manufacturers. The value of a piece of music is oftentimes spoiled by the lack of consideration given to the matter of speed. To secure the best results the record should be played at as nearly the same speed as when the master record was originally made. Indeed, much of the old-time prejudice against the 'talker' was due to the fact that the operators entirely ignored the speed regulations. I have discovered a very simple method of regulation, and it is to place a strip of white paper under the disc, so that it will project about a' quarter of an inch over the rim of the disc. Let the motor run for about five seconds and then count the number of times the paper passes a given point and adjust accordingly. Ordinarily users of talking machines when playing records have nothing to guide them, and hence the importance of some means which gives them a key to the speed at which they may play to get the best results." GERMAN VIEWS ON SOUND BOXES. Some interesting hints regarding sound-boxes are given by Die Sprechmachine in a recent issue, in which we read that the diaphragm should be placed symmetrically in the rubber couch. The needle holder must be fixed precisely in the middle of the mica. The mica should not have too deep a tension, but must lie level after fastening the needle holder. A tension with too great an upward tendency is as bad as no tension at all. With too small a tension it is likely to creep into the inner site, which position renders it impossible for the required reproduction, because the, sound generated by the mica cannot be controlled, which results in a disagreeable echo. All the screws regulating the tension and the fixtures are to be tightened, so that they do not gather up the vibration of the sound-box and develop a rattle. IIVIPROVING ACTION OF MOTOR. The talking machine manufacturers of Germany have long been endeavoring to improve the action of tue motors, especially in the cheaper machines and in a large degree have succeeded. Among the troubles of the old motors was the fact that the draw-springs, owing to the difference in consistency were lacking in necessary energy. Also in the gearing duration of action was frequently obtained at the expense of necessary force. While a noticeable improvement has been made in the motors of high priced machines, an increase of energy has also been successfully introduced into cheaper movements, such as those only lasting out one or two discs without rewinding. This has been achieved in several manners. Some makers have adopted a vertically-placed spring-case, instead of one lying horizontally. The vertical position may be described as an extremely advantageous one; the motive force of the draw-spring is no longer interfered with by a sidewards tendency, but as the spring-case turns without the least hindrance in the vertical position, the next momentum is freely brought into play. In the same manner a displacement of the spring during playing is quite impossible as the position of the springcase can be kept at a fixed height. It has also been shown that horizontally situated springbarrels with light draw-springs may be brought to a greater manifestation of power. This is to be obtained by the employment of coarse cogs, which work freely on transmission to the middlewheel. In this manner the German talking-box industry has been enabled to supply the finest works even with cheap apparatus. NOISES AND THEIR SOURCE. It will often happen that when operating a disc machine a strong "hum" is set up, apparently by the record, every now and again, which, should the note be sufficiently powerful, may develop into a decided blast and rattle, says a writer in The Talking Machine News. Now this is not due to the record at all. It arises from the fact that on account of the tensioning device of the stylus bar being in contact with the shell of the sound-box the tone arm, support and trumpet are set into strong vibration by the reproduction. The best way to check this is, if possible, to insulate the trumpet from the support. One or two thicknesses of silk fabric will accomplish this, as also will an India rubber band stretched round the nozzle of the horn in such a way as to prevent the naked metal coming in contact with the support. In many ways of this kind the reproduction can be improved and purified out of all knowledge. I should like to impress on readers that great care should be taken with every little thing, even to the smallest details. The great difference made by attention in this direction will more than repay the trouble taken, which, after all, is very little. A SPECIAL SCREW JACK. In order to simplify and aid in the work of repairmen as much as possible the Victor Talking Machine Co. are offering a special screw jack for taking winding gear and ratchet off of the spring barrel shaft. Heretofore it has been necessary to pry this part off at the risk ^f injuring the winding gear or the large brass worm gear. The device is very simple in construction and manipulation, and is sold at a very moderate price to both dealers and distributers. The International Zonophone Co. has succeeded in obtaining a permanent injunction against the manufacturers of the "Hornophon" machines in Germany. All experts and perhaps the Zonophone Co. themselves are very surprised that this has been achieved, as the experts were of the unanimous opinion, that there was absolutely no similarity between the words Hornophon and Zonophone. The judge in his wisdom found differently. The Diaphragm is King Everybody indorses our WOOD OIAPHRA.G1VI for Cylinder Reproducers PRICE, including Cross Head and Link, $1 EACH. NORCROSS PHONOGRAPH COMPANY New Lang Building, 662 Sixth Avenue = NEW YORK CITY ==