Battery and 2 Wires in my Edison??

[66healey]

Can anyone tell me the purpose of the No. 6 dry cell battery in my Edison Model 250? One wire goes to the reproducer, and the other wire goes to what looks like two copper coils in the guts of the mechanics. The wire that goes to the reproducer is routed through a channel along the inside curve of the horn. It looks like it's been there a long time (original??).

[larryh]

You have what was called a Duncan Stop. It used the battery to create a sort of switch to shut off the turntable when the record reached the end of the grooves. The center pin activated it when the moving front limit loop catches up with the pin as it runs in the last groove, thus stopping the turn table. Not overly rare but probably so if still working. There should be a small wire running from the reproducer down the horn to the battery.

Larry

[greekjeep]

Hello very new to edison mine also has 2 wires that seem to have once been conected. Should I twist them back together or just leave them apart if it doent hurt anything.

[maroongem]

Kim,

Where you are missing the Reproducer designed for the Duncan Stop, you can either connect the wires or just leave them be as there is no power going through them any longer.

[greekjeep]

Thank you for your reply, i feel stupid but what is the duncan stop? And how did the battery recieve a charge from cranking it? Sorry for all the questions thank again kim

[bobacker]

wow Greekjeep, you can always try a solar panel to charge your battery back up.... Make sure got right amps. I use have solar panel for my trailer.. and work fine!

[shellophone]

The Duncan Automatic Stop was designed to address the shortcoming of the factory mechanical stop on Edison Disc Phonographs, the problem being that the machine shut off at a pre-determined point regardless of the length of the selection. The machine would just sit there with surface hiss emanating from the horn and wasting spring-power until the mechanical stop kicked in.
The Duncan Stop -- which was a factory-endorsed, non-Edison product -- consists of an electrically activated stop switch below the turntable, a modified reproducer that has the weight electrically isolated from the body of the reproducer by an insulating hinge-block, wiring, and a dry-cell battery held in place by a bent metal strap.
The concept is that the reproducer body -- and specifically the limit loop -- along with all other contiguous metal parts act as ground (neutral as attached to the battery), while the positive terminal is attached to the switch and then on to the wire protruding from the back of the hinge block which applies a current to the weight. As the reproducer makes the end of the recording, the stylus hangs in the groove. Since the reproducer is still tracking across the surface, it only has to move a short distance until the limit loop touches the limit pin. When it does, the circuit is made and electricity flows completely through the circuit causing the solenoids in the switch to pull and release the brake. There should be a small rubber tube that is around the V-shaped bottom portion of the limit loop. This allows the circuit to only be made when the limit pin touches the sides of the limit loop, but is insulated from the bottom so that the circuit does not make when the reproducer is in the raised position.
Cranking the Phonograph has no bearing on the charging of the battery. The spring-motor and the battery are completely separate in function and purpose.

[davvalh]

To all
My C-250 has the Duncan Brake also. After diging around in the horn compartment I found an old round battery, probably the orginal. I was told that a 6volt lantern battery would work to restore it to use. I have not tried as I don't have the rubber tube on the limit loop.
Thanks. for all of the help this board has given me.