US1590399A - Method of and means for reproducing sound - Google Patents

Description

'June 29 1926. I1,590,399

J. TYKOClNSKl-TYKOCINER METHOD oF AND MEANS lFOR REPRODUCING SOUND Filed June 2, 1922 Patented J une 29, '1926.

UNITED' STATES .Iosnrn mocmsxlfrxocmnn, or URBANA, rumors.

MQETHOD F AND MEANS FOB BEPRODUCING SOUND.

Application tiled June 2, 1928. Serial No. 585,410.

My inventioli-relates'to a' method of and a means for reproducing sound.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 565,727 filed June 3, 1922 (Case 1), I have described the manner of producing records of sound photographicallyand of reproducing the sound so recorded by means of light variations caused by said record, which light variations act upon 'a photo-sensitive cell to influence current variations in a circuit, which current variations may be translated into sound Waves. As dlsclosed -in that application, the light is either trans mitted thru the record or is reiected from a part of the same to a variable extent depending upon the sound record.

According to the present invention, the sound may be reproduced from such a record or from any similar record without the use of light or other photo-active radiations.

AAccording to my invention, I utilize other roperties of the record. The properties which l employ are of .such a character as to influence a. magnetic or electric circuit. For the purpose of my present invention,`it is immaterial how the record may be produced as for instance, photogra hically,

photo-mechanically, chemically, or y purely mechanical methods, such as printing or the like, so long as the record exhibits difierenes in dielectric or magnetic properties, in accordance with the sound record, so that the variations in properties will permit of a detection by suitable magnetic or electric lcircuits of diiierences which may be ampli-' fied to produce sound Waves. v

1 ln order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and operating my invention, l shall now describe a particularembodiment. and various modiiications thereof, in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the present specicaticn.

ln the drawings, Fig. l is -a diagram illustrating a system for reproducing sound from a record having variations in dielectric properties.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a system employing the variations of dielectric capacity of the film in connection with radio frequency current.

Fig. 3 illustrates diagrammatically a system depending upon the variations in dielectric properties between the electrodes, which he on the same side of the record.

Fig. illustrates a system in which the magnetic characteristic of the record is relled upon for changing the inductanc'e of the reproducing 'cil-cuit.`

Flg.' 5 shows how a record vwith a transverse trace may be employed in connec- -t1on with the above method.

Fig. 6 indicates a mechanically produced record havlng a filling of substance having a dielectric constant difference from that of the record.

7 illustrates a moving picture film having a Poulsen wire mounted thereupon for the production of sound by variation of magnetism, and

Fig. 8 is a modification of the device .shown in Fig. 7.

An ordinaryuneriposed photographic film or plate contalns l1ght sentitive substances which are distributed evenly throughout the v emulsion and which show at all points the same 4physical and chemical properties. .After the action of light, the physical properties including electric and magnetic properties of the substance have undergone a c hange in accordance with theaction of the light upon the same. Places which were subjected to a greater amount of light diifer' from places which were subjected to a less amount of light or no light at all. This difference may be increased with the proper development of the film. Still greater differences, particularlv with respect to the magnetic and dielectric properties of the iilm canbe secured by treating the records chemically or mechanically, with substances showlng large magnetic susceptibility or large dielectric inductivity. For instance, ferrocyanides, similar salts of nickel or cobalt and other ferromagnetic salts may be used directly in the light sensitive substance or after exposure. rlhe hygrosco'pic properties of said substances may be used 11| connectionwith the preparation of the film so that the film or paper which forms a record, may, while wet, be so dusted or treated with ferromagnetic powder or with carbon, graphite, mica, glass or metallic powders, as tgform a record specifically differing in magnetic or dielectric properties, in accordance with the varying effect of light.

A convenient method of multiplying such records consists in using .known photo-mechanical processes and pinting the records on metallic or paperrib ns, rolls or plates.

The printing ink or dyesare themselvesV vention, to employ photographic or mechanical methods of producing impressions of variable thickness whereby the. record is characterized by variable thickness of either the entire record or certain layers which will produce, when the record is in motion, changes in the magnetic or dielectric constant of the circuit producing the field, the variations of which may be suitably translated into sound.

.The record l shown in Fig. 1 has traces of dielectric material distributed transverse` ly along its length in lines perpendicular to t e general line of motion as is apparent in Fig.` 2. The record asses between two electrodes, 2 and 3 whic electrodes form a condenser in connection with the variable dielectric of the record 1. This condenser is charged by suitable battery 4, to the desired potential. The electric charge stored in the condenser will vary with the consequent change in the dielectric properties of the record 1, and these variations of capacity will produce changes of potential on the grid 5 of the amplifying tube 9. The variations in grid potential influence the plate circuit 6, 7, 8 Vof the .amplifying tube 9. This plate circuit contains theprimary of an induction coil 12 which connects to the circuit of a Vreceiver or loud speaking telephone 10. Thus, the-variations in the dielectric characteristics of the record 1 are translated into sound waves as desired. Any suitable indicating device instead of the telephone 10 may be employed if desired. Even if the lines on the record 1 were pro`1 duced by mechanical impressions or cutting as by a phonograph or by photographically obtained relief, still the indicator 10.V will indicate variations of current so long as the distance between the electrodes 2 and 3 remains constant. The material of the record possesses a different dielectric constant from that of air and thereby. changes the capacity of the 'condenser in accordance with the changes in thickness of the dielectric.

Fi 2 represents another application of the a ove described method and a different method of utilizing the same. The record 11 here shown is a combined moving picture and sound recorda the moving 'picture views appearing as shown at 13, and the sound record appearing at 14. The record consists, for instance, of a film with distributed variations of the dielectric material along" the portion 14, these variations corresponding to sound waves, and consisting of variations of the dielectric material of the reccludes the. inductance 19. The oscillatory circuit is `operated by a continuous wave device consisting o the electron tube 20` arranged as is Well understood in the art to maintain the circuit in oscillation. The plate circuit contains a primaryof the induction coil 21, the secondary of which leads to the grid circuit 22 of another ampliying tube 23. The amplifier 23 has in its plate circuit, a suitable indicator 10 which may be in the form of a telephone receiver, loud speaking device or the like.

Fig. 3 shows means for .reproducing variations of audio frequency or of higher frequency from any suitable record, such for instance, as a picture -to be transmitted by telegraph or telephone line. ln the transmission of pictures the record may be prepared in the fiat and the lilm is then rolled over a cylinder 25, a pair of electrodes 26, 27 slide over the surface of the cylinder; these electrodes being included in a suitable oscillating circuit 28, containing the condenser 29 and the coils 30 and 31. A source of radio frequency 32 is connected thru a transformer 33, the secondary of which forms the coil 30. This source of radio frequency supplies current at a constant frequency and constant amplitude to the oscillating circuit and the variations in ampli- .tude of the oscillating circuit are. transmitted through a transformer 34 of which the primary winding is the coil 31. radio freguency of varying amplitude may be ampli ed in the amplifier 35 and then transmitted over the line wires 36 to the receiving station 37, a detector or rectifier 38 converting the variations in radio frequency into audio requencyvariations or Waves. If desired, the detector or rectiei may be placed at the transmitting end of the line 36 and onlypaudio frequency transmitted ,to the receiving station 37. The receiving station 37 ma .include a telephone receiver or any suitab e indicator or recording device as desired.

It will be apparent 'that the variations in the record 40, which is mounted upon the cylinder 25, cause chan es in the electrostatic relation of the pointed electrodes 26 and 27. This change may be partly due to conduction, or it may be merely due to variations in the dielectric medium between the two electrodes.

This

In m co dii ap lication herein above referredto lialths arid apparatus were dcscribed to record lfotographically variations of current; en used at receiving station37,these\ methods serve to convert vibrations of carrier currents into an image or picture.

'Ihe system shown in Fi 4 shows a modification in which instea of havin electrodes formingparts of a variable con enser, electromagnets 41 and 42 are varied in accordance with themagnetic permeability of the record40', these variations in the magnetic pro erties of the record serving to iniluence t e natural period of vibration of the circuit towhich these electroma ets 41 'and 42 are connected. The circuit o the magnet 41 42 contains a condenser 43 and a coil 44 and is adapted to infiuence an indicating device or receiving? device as described in connection with igs. 2'or 3.

Fig. 5 shows the manner in whichfrecords which have been made with an arcuate transverse trace onA the film may be used in connection with the above methods of reproducing. The film 46 bearing the sound record is passed between fixed plates 47 and 48. A rotating spider havin radial arms 49 1s driven at a of speed is definitely related to the speed at which the record film 46 passes between the plate, so as to maintainregistration between the arcuate record portions 50 and the end 51 of the radial arm 49 which sweeps 7 over the record at a particular instant of time. lin the form illustrated in Fig. 5, the plate 47 forms one electrode and the radial arms form the other electrode of a variable condenser which is connected in a suitable circuit 52. The lower late 48 keeps the inactive radial arms 49 rom being influenced by the adjacent part of the film. Only one electrode at a time is effective. As the electrodes sweep over the arcuate path 50, the capacity of the circuit 52 is .varled and may be made to influence either an oscillatin circuit or may influence directly the gri circuit of an amplier as above explained, for translating the variations in the record into sound waves.

if it is desired to take advantage'of the variations in magnetic permeability of the record 46, the plates 47 and 48 may be of magnetic material and the arms 49 may then become poles of an electromagnet which is included in the circuit, the characteristics of which are changed by the variations in duced by the record 46.

Fig. 6 shows a section of a phonograph cylinder carrying asound or other record in the form of a helical groove 54 of varying depth. -The outer circle 55 represents the outer surface of the cylinder and the inner circle 56 re resents the bottom of the guiding groove elowwhich' the undulations of xed rate o .speed which rate.

the Vrecbrd are formed. The l oove of variable depth is preferably fille with a substa-nce differing in value as to its dielectric constant from the dielectric constant of the material which is used for the cylinder. A pair of thin electrodes are guided in the guiding groove over the deposited material m the sound record groove 54, and as the cylinder rotates the amount of dielectric material subjected to the action of the field between said electrodes, Ivaries from point to point, thus causing a change in the natural frequency of the circuit, which changes in frequency may be translated into sound waves as above indicated. In this manner, mechanically formed records may be used to reproduce sounds thru the variations of the dielectric constant or the magnetic permeability of the record.

' In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a moving picture film which is provided with a magnetic sound record.

As shown in Fig. 7 the moving picture film` 60 has a portion thereof as shown at 61 devoted ,to successive views of an object.

`Along `one margin of the film 60, I provide a very thin strip 62 of steel or other ma netic material which is magnetized. This4 magnetic strip 62 is preferably. glued or otherwise cemented to the film 60. In the preparation ofthe film, the steel strip 62 `1s moved past a recording magnet which ma net is varied as to its strength in accor ance with telephonie current, leaving a definite variation of magnetism in the steel tape 62. These variations of magnetism may be detected as indicated in Fig. 4, as by means of an oscillating circuit, or they may be read directly by induction, that isz passing a small coil with an electric win ing adjacent to the surface of the steel tape 62, the variations of magnetism of the strip 62 causing fluctuations of magnetism of the detecting magnet which variations may be translated to current variations and these in turn amplified and translated into sound.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a similar moving pictiire film 63, having a steel tape threaded thru the openings 65 in the body of the film. This steel tape is also preferably secured by cementing the same in addition to the interlacing with the substance of the film.

As explained in my co-pending application, (Case 1), for the simultaneous production of moving picture and sound records upon a single moving record, the record isl first passed in front of the sound recording device where the record moves with a. uniform velocity and thereafter the record is passed in front of the optical system of the motion picture camera where the motion is intermittent. The two parts of the film are separated by a loop, which ermits the n the film intermittent motion to occur.

A passed in front of the Poulsen recording magnet, 'to make the magnetic sound record. The film thenpass'es the loop and isV fed past the optical system of the moving 4 picture camera with an intermittent mothe Poulsen reproducer and then tion. In reproducing the sound and moving pictures, the same spacing of the sound reproducer and the picture pro]ect1on and the same loop of iilm are maintained and the film with the sound reco-rd is rst fed past past the moving picture projector.

I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown and described.

I claim:

1. In combination, a sound record having arcuate transverse portions of a continuous sound record disposed thereupon,'plates on opposite sides of said sound record, a rotat-- ing member related to said plates, said ro-A tating member being adapted to follow said arcuate parts of the record, and an electric circuit controlled by the variations of the sound record as detected by said rotating member. v

`2. A sound record comprising a ribbon like strip of material having" arcuate portions of a continuous sound record. disposed transversely thereupon, means .for advancing said ribbon like strip at a hiforni rate, and a rotating member having arirns"z for tracing along successive portions of said-arcuate parts of the record.

3. The method of preparing copies of the kind described from a photographic record which comprises varying the hygroscopic character of the copy in accordance with the image and distributing finely divided material upon vsaid surface.

4. The method of preparingoopies of the kind described from a photographic record which comprises printing a photolithographic image with a sticky liquid, and dusting a powdered material upon said printed image.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day of May, 1922.

JOSEPH TYKOClNSKl-TYKOCINER.

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