Edison A Model Triumph with Repeater?

[Valecnik]

If you look closely at the top casting of my A model Triumph, you'll see two small holes drilled.  Would these have been to mount a repeater?  If so, any idea which one?  

[Phonomark]

Bruce

 

Looks like two holes for a "D Repeater".  The hole spacing should be 3" centerline to centerline.

 

I have a D repeater available (for sale), but the carriage arm is for a Home.

 

Mark

[Valecnik]

13 minutes ago, Phonomark said:

Bruce

 

Looks like two holes for a "D Repeater".  The hole spacing should be 3" centerline to centerline.

 

I have a D repeater available (for sale), but the carriage arm is for a Home.

 

Mark

The motor is currently out for servicing so I cannot measure it but it does look like about three inches.  I'll ask the fellow that has it to measure.  I would like to add the appropriate repeater if that's what was there.

[phonogfp]

Those holes definitely look right for a Model D Repeater, and unless my eyes are failing me, it looks like an insert is on the top of the straight-edge (in the shadow of the carriage).  That would indicate a factory installation.

 

That Triumph has been converted to 2/4-minute, so you'll need the special geared pulley to drive the repeater.

 

George P.

[Valecnik]

18 minutes ago, phonogfp said:

Those holes definitely look right for a Model D Repeater, and unless my eyes are failing me, it looks like an insert is on the top of the straight-edge (in the shadow of the carriage).  That would indicate a factory installation.

 

That Triumph has been converted to 2/4-minute, so you'll need the special geared pulley to drive the repeater.

 

George P.

Yes it was converted when I got it.  Special gear pully?  Sounds like a tough find.  Would be nice to get it back to as it was though.

 

[phonogfp]

The geared 2-minute pulleys occasionally turn up (usually with the repeaters being sold minus a machine), but the 2/4-minute geared variety is harder to find.  It appears that often (and perhaps the situation with your Triumph) , when a machine was converted to 2/4-minute operation after 1908, the 2-minute geared pulley was discarded (along with the repeater) and the conventional 2/4-minute pulley substituted in its place.

 

I once had to make one from a 2-minute geared pulley and a conventional 2/4-minute pulley.  Centering the gear EXACTLY on the 2/4-minute pulley and drilling the holes was very tricky.  I would recommend having a machinist do it, although on this occasion I was very lucky.

[Valecnik]

Well if I can get the repeater I have Mr. Pedro in my neighborhood so I would have him do it.  If he cannot do it, it can't be done.  ?

[phonogfp]

I second that idea!

 

George P.

[Krkey1]

Just curious but how reliable were repeaters, did they ever try to make one for the Opera?

[phonogfp]

1 hour ago, Krkey1 said:

Just curious but how reliable were repeaters, did they ever try to make one for the Opera?

 

The Model D Repeater, once properly adjusted, is quite reliable.  I bought a Triumph with a Model D Repeater in 2001, and it hasn't needed adjustment since then.  It's a machine I use to demonstrate to visitors, so you know that would be the one to act up if it were going to...  The other one here is on an Eclipse, and in 11 years I've never had to adjust it.

 

My only complaints about the Model D Repeater are that 1) the machine must be very close to level on the front-to-back plane, or the hanging catch will dance around on the return screw, and 2) the lifter - being merely a short pin revolving rapidly near the perimeter of a small wheel - is pretty "clunky."  When the pin engages the catch, it's abrupt.  Compared to, say, a Rosenfield return, the Model D Repeater is pretty heavy-handed.  (That's not really a fair comparison because the Rosenfield return is found only on coin-operated machines and it wasn't designed to be sold for only $7.50!)  Still, with a large suspended horn (Cygnet or morning-glory), the Model D Repeater works well.  I've heard other collectors claim that their Model D will lift a 14" black-and-brass horn, but mine won't. 

 

I've never heard of a repeater made for the Opera.

 

George P.

[Krkey1]

Neat and very clever to say the least. I am a bit surprised no one thought of a way to make some sort of repeaters for an Opera, you always get some clever person who can figure such things out.

 

Thanks

[RodPickett]

I have an AC electric Triumph with a model D repeater.  It was documented in an article authored by George in the March 2017 The Antique Phonograph.

 

It is believed to be an Edison original. 

 

I have had it operational for an hour or more, continuous, and it has never missed.

 

I'd admit that listening to the same selection is a bit annoying. 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by RodPickett
upload of additional material

[Valecnik]

10 hours ago, RodPickett said:

I have an AC electric Triumph with a model D repeater.  It was documented in an article documented by George in the March 2017 The Antique Phonograph.

 

It is believed to be an Edison original. 

 

I have had it operational for an hour or more, continuous, and it has never missed.

 

I'd admit that listening to the same selection is a bit annoying. 

Not annoying at all Rod.  In fact post some pictures if you can.  ?

 

[Valecnik]

Just now, Valecnik said:

Not annoying at all Rod.  In fact post some pictures if you can.  ?

 

Although an AC electric Triumph probably  deserves it's own topic, with or without the repeater too!

 

[RodPickett]

I have uploaded some additional material to my original post.  Included are two pages from the March 2017 article I referenced and two short videos of the unit in operation.  Alternatively, you may also query the QR codes in the document with your smartphone to view the same videos.

[Neilvanstem]

I wish I could watch those little videos but they start and stop every few seconds and just can't be watched. No problems with YouTube so this must be different. I watch full length movies with hardly any problems at all so thinking something about this forum?

[Guest]

They were start and stopping for me too and I have 85Mb coming into my house so might be limited multicast bandwidth at the server, possibly a QoS setting on the outbound router.

[melvind]

The videos work fine for me.

[Valecnik]

I have about 50mb download speed but the videos dont work for me either.  Of course there's a big pond between us too.

[RodPickett]

We are in-process of moving all APS related sites to a new hosting provider.  This is a complex process and we may see some temporary outages.  After the transition is completed, we will assess performance and latency issues, especially with respect to the video performance issue some have reported. 

[phonogal]

Just got this Triumph with a repeater. I believe it is a model B Triumph. I have been trying to adjust the repeater and can get it to work fine until I try to put a 14" horn on it. Glad I came across George's post. I will try it with a crane and large horn. It came with the large brass horn Model C and H reproducer, recorder and manual.

[phonogfp]

Yes, that's a Model B Triumph.  You should be fine with a large horn and crane.

 

Have fun with it!

 

George P.