[LB052260], Letter from Walter Henry Miller to Iowa Phonograph Co, Whitfield Stinson, September 16th, 1891
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/LB052260
Transcription
Sept. 16th, 1891. W. Stimson, Esq., Secretary. Iowa Phonograph Co., Sioux City, IOWA. Dear Sir:- Mr. Edison has asked me to reply to your letter to him of 3rd instant, with relation to trouble experienced by you in connection with Nickel-Slot Phonograph. You will find that your Slot Phonograph will keep in good adjustment and give you little or no trouble if you will observe the following advice: Always keep the hundred thread nut of phonograph adjusted in such a manner that it runs smoothly along the screw of main shaft; always keep the back rod well oiled and cleaned so that the nut arm will not be strained or strung by pushing the spectacle-arm along. One cause of the trouble in question, and one that can not very well be detected, is the contraction and expansion of cylinders caused by heat or cold. If a cylinder is recorded at a certain temperature and is reproduced at a much higher or lower temperature, it will no doubt get out of adjustment. If you will kindly send us the average temperature of your city,-that is where you use your phonographs- we will try and furnish you records that will give you no trouble. The new musical reproducer which I suppose you have heard of and perhaps already have rarely gets out of adjustment, as it has plenty of the lateral play which you speak of in your letter. With reference to the lateral play of the needle in reproducer you are now using, this has been tried and we found there was too much friction of the axis pin along the bearings. Yours very truly, W.H. Miller Expert.