US2394539A

US2394539A - Phonograph record changer

Info

Publication number: US2394539A
Application number: US564210A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erwood Joseph; Erwood John
Original assignee: ERWOOD CO
Current assignee: ERWOOD CO
Priority date: 1944-11-20
Filing date: 1944-11-20
Publication date: 1946-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 1963-02-12

Description

946. J. ERWOOD ET AL 4,

PHONOGRAPH RECORD CHANGER Filed Nov. 20, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l wM MAJ-Tu Feb. 12, 1946.

J. ERWOOD ET AL PHONOGRAP H RECORD CHANGER Filed Nov. 20, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Feb. 12, 1946. J ERWOOD ETAL 2,394,539

PHONOGRAPH RECORD CHANGER Filed Nov. 20, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 r 1 J19 J09 Q Z W meted Feb. 12, 1946 UNITED STATES.

PHONOGRAPH RECORD CHANGER Joseph Erwood and John Erwood, Chicago, 111., assig'nors to The Erwood Co... Chicago, 11]., a corporation oi Illinois Application November 20, 1944, Serial No. 564,210

15 Claims. (01. 274-40) This invention relates, in general, to intermittent feed mechanism, and has more particular reference to mechanism adapted to deliver phonograph records successively in operating position in record playing apparatus, that is to say, the invention specifically pertains to phonographic record changing apparatus.

Automatic record changing apparatus normally comprises the combination, with a motor driven record turntable and tone pickup arm movable over the turntable, of means for supporting a stack of records and for delivering records, one by one, from the stack to the turntable, and means for raising and lowering, and swinging the tone arm, at properly timed intervals, to apply the same to a, record to be played, to retract the same from the record at the conclusion of the record playing operation, and to swing the tone arm to a position allowing a succeeding record to be deposited in playing position on the turntable. Apparatus hitherto provided for record changing purposes has been of relatively complex nature, embodying many parts forming more or less intricate mechanism, the same being expensive to make and assemble, requiring accurate adjustment, and being apt to get out of order.

As exemplified in United States Letters Patent No. 2,230,106, issued to one of the Joint inventors hereof under date of January 28, 1941, it has heretofore been proposed to improve and simplify automatic record changing apparatus with some success. Presently, however; we seek to provide still further improvement and simplification, and an important object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of utmost simplicity, comprising a minimum number of rugged parts that are easy tomake and assemble whereby to provide low cost record changing apparatus having improved service qualities. and requiring minimum adjustment and care in operation.

Another important object is to provide record changing mechanism that is held in cocked, yet inactive condition, thus eliminating operational noise, while the record is being played, the mech- 45 anism becoming active to perform its record changing cycle, automatically, at the conclusion of the playing of a record, and also being manbeing to form the cam directly on the record turntable, thereby eliminating an extra part.

Still another important object of the invention is to utilize a cam of spiral configuration and to drive the record change mechanism by causing a cam follower, connected thereto, to ride the spiral 5 cam between the outer and inner portions thereof; a further object being to utilize a pair of cam followers adapted alternately to ride the cam and thus move the mechanism successively in opposite directions in performing its record changing 1o cycle and returning to an inactive, starting position in which it is cocked and ready for a repeat v performance.

Another important object is to employ the movement of the cam following mechanism, in

one direction, to lift andreturn the tone arm to an inactive or starting position and to then perform a record change operation, and to employ the movement of the mechanism, in the return direction, to swing and deposit the tone arm, in playing position, on the changed record and to latch the change mechanism in cocked position ready upon. demand to repeat its operational cycle.

Another important object is to drive the change mechanism, in one direction, by the cam upon in one direction, another cam follower being then released from cooked and latched position to cooperate wlth the cam to return the mechanism to starting position, the cam serving to recock and relatch the said other follower when the 85 change mechanism reaches such starting position.

Another object is to provide simple means actuated by cam driven change mechanism for raising, lowering and swinging the tone arm; a further object being to raise and lower the arm by means of a cam on the change mechanism and to swing the arm by a friction wheel.

Another object is to provide a manually adjustable stop projectable to various selected positions for determining the tone arm position at the commencement of a record playing cycle whereby the device may be conditioned for playing records of various size: a further object-being to accomplish the projection and retraction of said stop, as by a cam on the change mechanism, a further object being to provide for releasing the tone arm from said stop by retraction of the stop after playing position of said arm has been determined, whereby the arm may then move freely over the tumtable in playing a record. I

Another object is to provide manually operable means for locking the change mechanism in tion.

cocked, inoperative position and to disable said tone arm stop inretracted position whereby the apparatus may function as if not provided with record changing mechanism.

Another object is to provide a common control, preferably a knob or handle tumable at will to several selective positions, in one of which the change mechanism is latched against operation and in others of which the mechanism is released for operation on records of various size.

Another object is to provide a control, preferably in the form of a push button, manually operable to release the change mechanism for operation during the playing of a record so that the record may be rejected and changed at will; a furthenobject being to combine the reject button with the record size adjusting knob by disposing the button centrally of the knob to provide a neat unitary control for; the entire mechanism.

Another object is to provide improved latch tripping means for releasing the change mechanism for operation, when the tone arm reaches the limit of its record playing movement, and also if the arm, before reaching such limit, should receive a rocking movement, such as may be applied thereto upon contact with an eccentric record groove, of the type applied in most records, at the termination of the playing grooves therein, the latch tripping means being also operable at will by the manually operable reject button.

The foregoing and numerous other important objects, advantages and inherent functions of the invention will become more apparent as the same is more fully understood from the following description, which, taken with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment selected for the purpose of demonstrating the inven- Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a phonographic record player embodying the present invention: 7 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the underside of a record turntable forming part of the device shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device shown in Fig. 1, with the turntable removed;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the underside of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, the record changing mechanism being shown in the position occupied during the record playing operation and at ;the commencement of the record changing cycle;

Fig. 5 is a view, similar to Fig. 4, showing the apparatus in position midway through the record changing cycle;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

nection with a groove 23 formed at the peripheral edge of the turntable IS. The plate i3 carries a pedestal 25, outwardly of the edge of the turntable, on which pedestal is supported a tone pickup arm 2.1, which is pivoted for movement about the vertical axis of the pedestal and also for movement about a horizontal axis whereby the pickup device, on the arm 21 at the end thereof remote from the pedestal 25, may be applied to and lifted from the turntable, and a record thereon, and may swing horizontally across the turntable.

It will be understood, of course, that the pickup device on the arm 21 may be connected with suitable sound reproducing equipment so that by applying the .pickup device to a record on the turntable and by energizing the motor to operate the turntable, to thus rotate the record beneath and against the pickup device, a sound recording on the record may be reproduced at the apparatus with which the pickup device is connected.

In order to provide for the automatic delivery of records successively on the turntable in position to be engaged and played by the pickup device on the arm 21, we have provided, on the plate i3, compact and simplified record changing apparatus including means for supporting a stack of records 29 in position, above the turntable, to

be successively delivered in playing position on theturntable. To this end, the plate I3 is proporting blade 33 normally held in position, on the Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 1- in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a partial side elevational view;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line Ill-l0 in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a side view of the control device shown in Fig. 9.

To illustrate the invention, the drawings show a record player ll comprising a support plate l3 carrying a record turntable l5 mounted for rotation thereon about the axis of a central stem H, the turntable being driven by a preferably pedestal, with the end of the blade overlying and extending vertically above the peripheral edge of the turntableso that the stack 29 of records to be played may be supported, at the opposite sides of the stack, on the ends of the blades 33, with the upper end of the stern ll projecting through the aligned central openings of the records comprising the-stack 29. Each pedestal 3| also carries a record changing blade 35 extending therefrom substantially at right angles with respect to its cooperating blade 33, each blade 35 being offset upwardly of its cooperating blade 33 a distance substantially equal to the thickness of a record disc. Each blade 35 is" formed with a preferably substantialy knife-edged nose 3! in its side adjacentits cooperating blade 33, that is to say, the side of the blade 35 which normally extends adjacent to the record stack 29.

By causing the

blades

33 and 35 to turn on the pedestals 3| in\unison and in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 1, from above, the blades 33 may be swung outwardly from beneath the stack 29 while the blades 35 are swung inwardly, the noses 31 of the blades 35 entering between the lowermost record of the stack and the record immediately above such lowermost record whereby said blades 35will position and replaced by the stack supporting blades 33 in order to condition the record chan ing means for a successive performance of the record changing cycle.

In order to correlate operation of the record. changing blades with the record playing movement of the arm 21 we provide simplified mechanism operable upon th completion of the playing of a record on the turntable, to first raise the tone arm from the record and swing it outwardly on the pedestal 25 to a stand-by position entirely.

clearing the turntable; then to cause the record changing blades to perform their record changing cycle; and, finally, to turn the arm 21 to swing inwardly and drop upon the turntable to apply the pickup device in starting position on the record to be played,

ation of the record changing mechanism. We

provide novel latch controlled mean for drivingly connecting the operating member 91 with 1 the motor I! at the conclusion of the playing of To this end, as shown more particularly in Fig. I

8 of the drawings, the tone arm support pedestal forms a vertical bearing for a tubular arm,

support 39, which is turnablewithin and about. the vertical axis of the pedestal 25. One end of the support 39 extends at the upper end of the pedestal and carries a bracket 4| fixed thereto,

the tone arm 21 being pivotally mounted on the bracket by means of a horizontal pivot pin 49. The tubular support 39 has an end extending outwardly of the pedestal 25 beneath the support plate I3, said end carrying an arm or blade fixed on and extending radially of the tube 39, and a friction drive wheel 41 fixed on the tube adjacent the arm 45. outwardly of the friction wheel 41, the end of the tube 39 may be provided with a collar 49, and a spring washer 5| may be interposed between the collar and the friction wheel.

It will be seen that the foregoing construction allows the arm 21 to swing horizontally about the vertical axis of the pedestal with the tube 39 turning within the bearing afforded by the pedestal, and that the arm 21 may swing vertically about the horizontal axis provided by the pin 43. Axially movable within the bore of the tube 39 is a pin 53, the head of which extends outwardly of the tube 39 at the collar 49. The other end of the pin 53 extends outwardly of the tube 39 at the bracket 4! in position to bearingly engage a shoe 51, which is fixed on the arm 21. By controlling the position of the pin 53 in the tube 39, the elevation of the arm 21 with respect to the turntable may be determined. By pushing the pin 53 upwardly in the tube 39, the arm 21 may be swung upwardly on its pivot. 43 and conversely the arm may be allowed to drop under the influence of its ownlweight bylowering the pin in the tube 39.

The pedestals 3|, which carry the record changing blades, are preferably hollow to form vertical bearings for pins 59 upon which the record changing blades are secured. These pins 59 have ends projecting from the lower ends of the pedestals 3| beneath the support plate l3 and are fitted with radially extending arms 6|, which are tied together by means of a connecting bar 63 so that the pins 59 and the record changing blades thereon may move only in unison. One of the pins 59 also has a radial driving arm 95 fixed thereto by means of which the pins may be turned.

In order to correlate the movements of the tone arm with the record changing operation of the record changing blades, the plate l3 carries an operating member 61 periodically movable under the driving influence of the motor i9 and cooperatively associated with the tone arm to raise and swing the same to stand-by position upon the completion of the playing of a record,

a record in order to initiate and to carry out the record changing cycle of operation. We also provide improved and simplified means for raising and swinging the tone arm 21 in response to movement of the operating member 91 and for determining the starting position at which the arm is deposited, by the mechanism, upon a record to be played-whereby the mechanism is instantly adjustableto operate upon records of various size, such as the ten inch and twelve inch records in common use. As a further refinement, we provide simplified means for latching and thus securing the operating member in stand-by position to thereby disable the record changing apparatus and allow the record playing mechanism to function with the automatic record changing equipment inoperative.

The operating or actuating member 51 prefably comprises a sheet metal plate having a pair of arms 89 and a central body 1|, the arms 99 being formed at one end of said central body and the other end of the body being pivotally secured upon the underside of the support plate l3. as by means of a suitable pivot pin 13. Secured "to the body of the operating member 91 at the pivot pin, and turntable with the'body about said pin, are segmental plates 15 and 11 having circular edges 19 and 8|, respectively, center ing on the axis of the pivot pin 13. The edge 19 of the blade 15 frictionally engages the friction wheel 41 on the tubular tone arm support 39 and serves to rotate the support and the tone arm in res'ponse to movement of the operating member 61 about its pivot pin 13. The blade 11 is provided at its edge with a. block 83 forming a cam in position to engage the head 55 of the tone arm raising pin 53 when the operating member 61 is turned on its pivot into position bringing the cam 83 into contact with the head of the stem, whereby the arm 21 may rest on the turntable at a record playing elevation so long as the head of the stem engages the edge of the blade 11; but the arm 21 will be raised from playing position whenever the head of the stem engages the cam 93.

The operating member 81 normally occupies to stand-by position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings, during the playing of a record. The operating member 61 is yieldingly retained in such stand-by position, as by means of a latch member- 85, which may comprise a latch blade pivotally mounted on a pin 81, and yieldingly urged. on said pin as by means of a spring 99. in a direction to yieldingly engage ,a detent 9| on the operating member .51. a

The arms 59 of the operating member 91 carry selectively operable clutch devices 93and 93' for drivingly connecting the operating member with the-motor l9. 'As shown, the

devices

93 and 93 comprise retractable pins 95 adapted to be held normally in retracted position on the arms 69 but releasable for projection to active position in which said pins may engage in and ride along a .cam way 91 preferably comprising a spiral shallower and provides a pin depressing incline 99 which merges with the bottom surface of the central turntable portion I at the inner-end of the groove.

The devices 93 and 93' preferably each comprise a bushing IOI secured at one end thereof on the member 61, as by means of a holding nut I03 threaded on the bushing and clamping the same in place. The other end of the bushing extends through a curved slot formed in the plate I3. Each bushing IOI thus extends in a corresponding guide slot, the member 93 operating in a slot I05 and the member 93' operating in a slot I05, The slots I05 and I05 are curved about the axis of'the pivot pin 13 as a center and the bushings IOI have ends projecting upwardly of the plate I3 immediately beneath the turntable. The upwardly projecting ends of the bushings IOI may each carry a nut I01, but the bushings are freely movable along the guide slots I05 and I05. Each bushing carries one of the pins 95 axially movable therein with an end of each pin exposed at the upper end of its supporting bush- 0 ing. The pins also have portions extending outwardly of the lower ends of the bushings for engagement with preferably leaf springs I09 mounted on the member 61 and serving to yieldingly urge the pins in an upward direction in the bushings to project the cam engaging portions thereof toward the underside of the turntable. The pins are normally retained in retracted position against the influence of the springs I09 by means of latches III and III'. These latches comprise levers pivoted, as at I I3, in lateral slots II5 formed in the bushings IOI, said latches normally seating in circumferential latch grooves I I 1 formed in the pins 95 to hold the same in retracted position. The latches are normally urged toward pin holding position by springs II9 mounted on the arms 69 adjacent the bushings IN. The levers III and II I, however, may be moved against the influence of the sprin s II9 to release the pins 95 for upward projection in the bushings I0 I The latching groove I I1 of the device 93' may be formed with an inclined side III-l, as shown at the left hand side of Fi 7, to cooperate with the correspondingly formed portion of the latch III. This construction allows the pin 95, after it has beenraised to latching position on the central land I00, by the inclined groove portion 99, to be further retracted to separate its end from the sirable to form the latching groove II1in the device 93 with straight sides so that the pin 95 may be securely latched by the lever III under relatively light spring tension. In order that the pin 95 may clear the underside of the tumtable when in latched position, the underside of the turntable outwardly of the central land I00 is cut away, as at I20, sufflclently to clear the end of the pin 95 after it has been latched by riding onto the central land I00, The device 93, as will hereinafter appear, after being latched by riding onto the land portion I00, is immediately moved outwardly thereofby the driving engage- I ment of the device 93' in the groove 91.

The stem I1, upon which the turntable is turnably mounted, is preferably flxed'in the plate I3, as by means of a suitable fastening nut 28, and extends upwardly of the plate, providing a bearing- I2I for the turntable at the base of the stem. It should be noted that the slots I05 and I05 extend on opposite sides of the pin I1 and that the devices 93 and 93', which operate in said slots, cooperate with the cam 91 on opposite sides of the pin I 1. When in stand-by or starting position, the member 61 supports the device 93 at the outer end of its guide slot I05, the other device 93' being supported at the inner end of its guide slot I 05'. If desired, a stop block I23v may be secured on the underside of the plate I3 at the outer end of the slot I05 to accurately determine the stand-by or starting position of the member 61 by engagement with the bushing I0 I, as shown more particularly in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

Cooperatively associated with the latch member III, is a latch tripping lever I25 comprising a member pivotally supported on the plate I3, as by means of the pivot I21, said lever I25 having an arm I29 extending adjacent the latch member III and adapted to shift said latch member when the leverv I25 is rotated on its (pivot in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 6, rotation of the lever in a clockwise direction being preferably limited by means of a stop pin I30 in the plate I3. The arm 45, which turns with the tone arm, being secured thereto by the sleeve 39, has an end which swings adjacent an edge of the lever I25, said arm 45 being provided with means for moving the lever I25 to release latch III upon the completion of the playing-of a record. To this end, the lever I25, in its edge facing the swinging end of the arm 45, is provided with a series of teeth I3I, while the arm 45 at its swinging end carries pivoted thereon, a tooth member I 33. This tooth is connected with a relatively weak spring I35, which serves yieldingly to hold the tooth in position, projecting at the land surfaces I00 by the camming action of the,

latch III with the inclined groove side IIB. To this end the spring I I9, associated with the latch I I I, is made adequately strong to perform its pin retracting cam action.

If desired also, the latching groove II1 of the device 93 may be made with an inclined side similar to the side H8 in the device 93' in order to retract the pin from the relatching land I00. It is desirable, however, that the spring II9, which cooperates with the latch III, be relatively weak to permit easy hair trigger release of the latch III as hereinafter described. It is, therefore, de-

swinging end of the arm 45, to engage the teeth I3I of the lever.

- At the commencement of the playing of arecord, the arm 45 will occupy a position approximately as shown in solid lines in Fig. 6 of the drawings. During the playing of a record, the movement of the tone arm radially of the turntable will cause the arm 45 to travel in a counterclockwise direction, viewing Fig. 6, to a position at the conclusion of the playing of a record substantially as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. During such movement of the arm 45, the tooth I33 It will be noted also that during the travel of the tooth I33 along the edge of the lever I25, the tooth I33 will be tilted on the arm 45, the spring I35 yielding to allow the tooth to so tilt. Disc records ordinarily are provided with an eccentric groove into which the pickup device is delivered at the conclusion of the playing of the sound track of a record. When the pickup device enters such eccentric record groove. the tone arm 21 and the arm 45 will be rocked back and forth. As the arm 45 moves backwardly from the position shown in dotted lines. in Fig. 6, the tooth I33 will be caused to straighten itself on the arm due to the engagement thereof with the teeth I3 I, thereby imparting a toggle action causing the lever I25 to rotate in a direction to trip the latch lever I I I. In the event that a record being played is not provided with an eccentric groove; the end of the latch lever III has an end fitted with an adjustable pin I31, which is supported in position such that record playing movement of the arm 45 beyond a predetermined position will trip the latch lever by direct engagement therewith. I As soon as the latch lever I I I is tripped, the pin 95 of the operating device 93 will be released and projected under the influence of the spring I99 into position to engage the outer end of the cam groove 91. Thereafter, continued rotation of the turntable will draw the device 93 radially inwardly along the slot I95 by the action of the spiral cam upon the pin 95, thereby rotating the member 51 about its pivot 13 in a counter-clock wise direction, viewing Fig. 6. Such movement will continue until the parts reach relative positions, as shown in Fig. 5. When in such position, the actuating pin 95 of the device 93 will have reached the inner end of the cam groove and rides up the inclined grooved portion 99 onto the central portions of the turntable thereby returning the pin to latched position against the influence of the spring I09.

During the initial portions of the movement or the member I51 under the driving influence of the device 93, the tone arm 21 will be raised through the engagement of the head of the pin 53 with the cam block 83 and the tone arm will have been swung outwardly of the peripheral edge of the turntable by the action of the plate 15 on the friction wheel 41, such outward movement of the tone arm being limited by a stop pin I39 positioned on the underside of the plate l3 to engage and limit the movement of the arm 45 in the limit position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Thereafter, continued movement of the member 51 will actuate the record changing mechanismsince the member 51 is connected therewith by means of the connecting rod 55, said rod having a slot I to afford lost motion connection with the member 51, whereby the record changing mechanism is not actuated during the period of initial movement of the member 61, thereby affording ade quate time within which to retract the tone arm outwardly of the peripheral edge of the turntable.

The plate I3 on its underside is provided with a latch releasing stop member I43 in position to engage the latch member I I I' when the actuating member 61 reaches the position shown in Fig. 5. When in such position, the member 93' is disposed opposite the peripheral portions of the turntable so that upon actuation of the latch member III' the.pin 95 of the driving member device 83' and its pin in the cam groove 91. As the member 81 reaches its inoperative or standby posltion, the pin of the device 83' will ride up the inclined inner end of the cam groove, thereby relatching the device 93' so that the member 81 will thereafter be and remain entirely disconnected from the turntable and driving motor and will be retained in stand-by position by operation of the spring latch 85 and detent 9 I.

During the initial portions of the returning movement of the operating member 51 from its projected position shown in Fig. 5, the tone arm will first be swung inwardly by the action of the blade 15 on the friction wheel 41 to a position determined by an adjustable stop latch I45 disposed at the underside of the plate I3 adjacent the arm 45. This latch comprises a member preferably pivoted at one end on the pin 81. The member I45 is yieldingly urged, as by means of a spring I41, in a direction to engage an adjustable stop I49. This stop may be manually adjusted on the plate I3 to several positions. The member I45 has stop shoulders I5I, said shoulders being in position to engage a positioning pin I53 mounted in the arm 45, said positioning pin being adapted to engage a stop shoulder I5I selected by the position of the adjustable stop I49. In the illustrated embodiment there are two shoulders I5I so that with the member I45 in the dotted line position in Fig. 6, movement of the tone arm inwardly, during the initial portions of the return movement of the member 51, will be stopped by a shoulder I5I in a predetermined position with respect to the edge of the turntable, such position corresponding with the size of the record to be played. For this purpose, the two shoulders I5I may correspond, respectively, with a ten inch record and a twelve inch record; The member I45 also is provided with a shoulder I55 and the latch member 85 is provided with a pin I51 in position to engage the shoulder and retract member I45, as from dotted line position to solid line position shown in Fig. 6, thus over the record. Such retraction of the member I45 is accomplished during the latter portions of the returning movement of the member 51 to stand-by position. To this end, the member 61 is provided with a cam I59 which may incorporate the latch detent M. This cam cooperates with the latch member 55, to turn the same in a counter-clockwise direction and to retain the memher in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6, whenever the driving member 51 is displaced from its stand-by or inoperative position, that is to say, when the latch member 55 rides upon the cam I59 during the entire record changing cycle of movement of the member 51 and until just before the member returns to stand-by or inoperative position. So long as the member 85 is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6, the member 45 is free to swing against the stop I45 and occupy a position wherein the pin I53 may engage one or other of the stop shoulders I5I. As the member 61 approaches and reaches its-stand-by position, the member 85, riding on the cam I59 under the influence of the spring 89, will return to the solid line position shown in Fig. 6, thereby retracting the member I45 against the influence of the spring I41 by the action of the pin I51 on the shoulder I55, thus releasing the arm 45 and the tone arm connected therewith for playing movement. As the member 61 reaches its standby position thereby releasing the tone arm for playing movement, the cam 83 is also retracted from beneath the pin 53 thereby lowering the tone arm upon the record in position'to commence the playing of the same.

The driving member 61, of course, in returning to its stand-by position. from the position shown in Fig. 5, through the action of the connecting rod 66, will restore the record changing blades to the normal stack supporting position shown in Figs. land 3. It is desirable to provide means for latching the record changing mechanism in position with the blades 33 supporting the stack and also in record changing position withthe blades 35 supporting the stack. To this end, the connecting bar 63 may be provided with spaced notches I6I and I62, and a spring pressed latch member I63 pivoted as at I65 on the plate I3 may also be provided. The'latch member has a when the record changing mechanism is in shifted position with the blades 35 supporting the record stack and to latchingly engage the notch I82 when the record changing mechanism is in normal position with the blades 33 Sup orting the record stack. The latch I63 has a portion extending adiacent an edge of the slot I35 in position to be engaged by the bushing IIII'oi the driving device 33 as the same travels the slot I in either direction so as to release the latch from the notch I62 while the member 61 is traveling from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and thereby release the record changing mechanism for operation.

The latch I63 is likewise released from 'latching engagement in the notch I8I during the return'movement of the member 61 from the position" shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, to thereby release the record changing mechanism for actuation by the continued movement of the member 31.

In order to control the adjustable stop I43 and also to provide means for tripping the latch III manually at any time during the playing of a record, in order to thus reject the record being played and to substitute another record by operation of the change mechanism, we provide a single manually operable control, which is shown more particularly in Figs. 9, 10, and 11. This control comprises a supportframe I83 (see Fig. 10) clampingly secured in a suitable opening in the plate I3 by the nut I12. This support frame forms a bushing for supporting a tubular member having a disc III presented at the end of the bushing I53 beneath the'plate I3. The other end of the tubular member projects upwardly of the bushing and carries amanually operable knob I13 exposed upwardly of the plate I3. The adjustable stop I43 comprises a bent lug of an elongated member I15, which is slidably secured to the underside of the plate I3 by any suitable retaining means. To this end the stop member I33 may be used by forming the same as a headed pin extending through a slot I11 in the member I15 to thereby retain the same slidably on the plate I 3. The other end of the member I15 is connected with the disc "I as by means of a stud I13. By turning the knob I13, the member I15 may be shifted in order to present the stop member I43 in adjusted position to determine the position occupied by the member I45 and hence by the shoulders I5I thereof, under the influence of the spring I41, when the member 85 is turned by the action of the cam I 53. The position of the member I45 thus determines the starting posi tion to which the tone arm may be turned in applying the same on a record to be played. Consequently, it is necessary to provide for as many adjusted positions of the knob I13 as there are stop shoulders I5I on the member [45. We prefer also to provide an adjusted knob position in which the stop member I43 prevents all of the shoulders I5I from being projected into position to engage the pin I53. We also provide a latch IBI pivoted on the bottom of the plate I3, as by means of the stud I83, said latch being preferably spring urged in a direction to engage the spring pressed head of the stud 35 of the driving device 33. The latch I8I is operatively connected with the member I15, however, and is so arranged that the latch will lock the member 33 against operation when the stop I43 is in'position preventing engagement of the shoulders I5I with the position determining pin I53. When in such position, the record playing equipment will be permitted to function as if the record changing mechanism was nonexistent thereby conditioning the apparatus for manual operation. The latch I8I, however, will be retracted from the driving device 33 leaving V the same cooked for action upon operation of the latch lever III thereby rendering the apparatus automatically operative whenever the knob is positioned to allow the shoulders I5I to engage the arm I83 of a lever I3I, which is pivoted as v at I33, on the collar I33 beneath the plate I3. By pressing the button I81, the pin I85 may turn the lever I! on its pivot to move a rod I35. This rod I35 is slidably supported in a guide I31 and has an end I 33 hooked around the end of the latch releasing lever I25 50 that by pressing on the button In the latch m may be tripped, thereby initiating the record changing cycle of the 'device.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in r the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodimentfor the purpose of illustrating the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of;the United States is:

1. Phonographic apparatus comprising the combination, with a record turntable, a motor for turning the same and a tone arm movable with respect to the turntable, of record changing means comprising a driving member normally retained in stand-by position, normally inoperative driving means connectible with the motor to move the member in one direction to a projected position, said driving means being connectible with said motor when the member is in projected position to return the member to standby position, means driven by said member for swinging the tone arm radially with respect to said turntable and for raising and lowering the tone arm with respect to the turntable, record changing mechanism driven by said member, and releasing meansoperable by said tone arm, as at the conclusion of the playing of a. record on the turntable, to actuate said driving means. said releasing means comprising a lever having teeth formed along an arm thereof, a tooth member pivoted on and swingable with said tone arm, said tooth being yieldable on the pivot to tilt thereon and thereby engage said teeth and pass over them dragingly in ratchet fashion without tilting the lever, so long as the tone arm moves continuously in one direction during the playing of a record, said tooth being adapted to straighten itself on its pivot by the locking of its tip between a pair of said teeth and thereby move said lever to release said driving means upon reversal of record playing movement of the tone arm, as when the same enters an eccentric record groove.

2. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a record turntable, means operatively associated with the turntable for turning the same, record changing means, driving means comprising a cam formed on the underside of the turntable, clutch means drivingly connecting said record changing means with said cam driving means, and means operatively connected to said clutch means to render said clutch means operative. I

3'. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a record turntable, means operatively associated with the turntable for turning the same, record changing means, driving means comprising means forming a spiral groove in the underside of the turntable, clutch means drivingly connecting said record changing means with said spiral groove, and means operatively connected to said clutch means to render said clutch means operative.

4. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a record turntable, means operatively associated with the. turntable for turning the same, record changing means, driving means formed on the underside of the turntable, an actuating member operatively associated with said record changing means, a plurality of clutch means successively drivingly connecting said actuating member with said driving means, at least one of said clutch means being operative to connect said actuating member with said driving means to move said actuating member to a predetermined position to operate said record changing means and another of said clutch means being operative to connect said actuating member to said driving means to restore said actuating member to its initial position, and means operatively connected to said clutch means selectively to render said clutch means operative.

5. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a record turntable, means operatively associated with the turntable for turning the same, record changing means, driving means comprising means forming a cam groove on the underside of the turntable, clutch means comprising a clutch pin, means operatively associated with said clutch pin and with said record changing means to drivingly connect said clutch pin with said cam groove, and means operatively associated with said clutch pin to hold it out of engagement with said driving means during the playing of a record.

6. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a record turntable, means operatively associated with the turntable for turning the same, record changing means, driving means comprising means forming a spiral groove on the underside of the turntable, clutch means drivingly connecting said record changing means with said spiral groove, means operatively connected to said clutch means to render said clutch means operative, and means associated with said spiral groove to disconnect said clutch means irom said driving connection with said spiral groove.

'7. Phonographic-apparatus comprising a combination of, a, record turntable, means operatively associated with the turntable for turning the same, a tone arm associated therewith pivoted for vertical and horizontal movement, record changing means, driving means comprising a cam formed on the underside of the turntable, clutch means drivingly connecting said record changing means and said tone arm with said cam, and means operatively connected to said clutch means to render said clutch means operative.

8. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, arecord turntable, means operatively associated with the turntable for turning the same, a tone arm associated therewith pivotally mounted for vertical and horizontal movement, record changing means, driving means formed on the underside of the turntable, actuating means operatively associated with said record changing means comprising clutch means drivingly connecting said record changing means with said driving means, slip clutch means drivingly connecting said actuating means with said tone arm to move the tone arm to a standby position during a record changing operation and then back to playing position, and means operatively connected to said first clutch means to render said clutch means operative.

9. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a record turntable, means operatively associated with the turntable for turning the same, a tone arm associated therewith pivoted for vertical and horizontal movement, record changing means, driving means comprising a cam formed on the underside of the turntable, actuating means operatively associated with said record changing means and provided with clutch means drivingly connecting said record changing means with said driving means, a cam member associated with said actuating means and operatively associated with the tone arm to cause the tone arm to ascend and descend at predetermined times before and after the changing of a record, another cam member associated with said actuating means and operatively associated with the tone arm to cause the tone arm to be rotated horizontally, and means operatively connected with said clutch means to render said clutch means operative.

10. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a recordturntable, means operatively associated with the turntable for turning the same, a tone arm associated therewith pivoted for vertical and horizontal movement, record changing means, driving meansformed on the underside of the turntable, actuating means operatively associated with said record changing means and provided with clutch means drivingly connecting said record changing means with said driving means, means operatively associated with said actuating means and with said tone arm to cause said tone arm to pivot vertically prior to a record changing operation, to pivot horizontally to a standby position during the record changing operation, to return to playing position and to descend on the record, adjustable stop means operable to stop the movement of the tone arm from the standby position to the playing position at a predetermined point depending upon the size of the record to be played, means associated with said actuating means to release the stop means when the tone arm descends on a record,

means operatively connected to said clutch means to render said clutch means operative, and means operatively associated with said driving means to disengage said clutch means from said. driving means.

11. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a record turntable freely mounted on a base plate, a motor drivingiy connected to the turntable for turning the same, means forming a spiral groove on the underside of the turntable, an actuating member pivotally mounted beneath said base plate, a pair of spaced clutch means each comprising a pin mounted on said actuating member in spaced relation to each other and to the pivot point of the actuating member operable to move upwardly through an opening in said base plate to engage said spiral groove, means operatively associated with each I of said clutch pin to prevent said upward movement during the playing of .a record, means operativeLy associated with one of. said clutch means to render its clutch pin operative to engage said spiral groove while the other clutch pin is held out of engagement with the spiral groove, means operatively associated with said first clutch pin to move it out of operative engagement with said spiral groove as it reaches a predetermined point in the latter, means operatively associated with the other clutch means to render its associated clutch pin operative to engage the spiral groove when the first clutch pin is withdrawn therefrom, means operatively associated with said second clutch means to move said second clutch pin out of engagement with said spiral groove as it reaches a predetermined point in the latter, record changing means, and means drivingly connecting said actuating member to said record changing means to cause a record to be disposed on the turntable during theperiod that said first clutch pin is operatively engaged in said spiral groove.

12. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a record turntable freely mounted on v a base plate, a motor drivingly connected to the turntable for turning the same, a tone arm asso-' ciated therewith pivoted for vertical and horizontal movement, means forming a spiral groove on the underside of the turntable, an actuating member pivotally mounted for horizontal movement beneath said base plate, a pair of spaced clutch means each comprising a pin mounted on said actuating member in spaced relation to each other and to the pivot point of the actuating member operable to move upwardly through an opening in said base plate to engage said spiral groove, means operatively associated with each of said clutch pins to prevent said upward movement during the playing of a record, means operatively associated with one of said clutch means to render its clutch pin operative to engage said spiral groove while the other clutch pin is held out of-engagement with the spiral groove, means operatively associated with said first clutch pin to move it out of. operative engagement with the spiral groove as it reaches a predetermined point in the latter, means operatively associated with the other clutch means to render its associated ing means to cause a record to be disposed on the turntable during the period that said first clutch pin is operatively engaged in said spiral groove, an arm having an arcuate shaped end fixed to rotate with said actuating member, a cam plate; fixed to rotate with said actuating member, a cam.

' the edge of said arcuateshaped end of said arm operable to rotate the tone arm horizontally, said wheelrotating the tone arm ofi of the turntable to a standby position when the first clutch pin is engaged in said spiral groove and rotating it back to playing position when the second clutch pin is engaged.

13. Phonographic apparatus comprising a com: bination of, a record turntable freely mounted on a base plate, a motor drivingly connected to a turntable for turning the same, a tone arm associated therewith pivoted for vertical and horizontal movement, means forming a spiral groove on the underside of the turntable, an actuating member pivotally mounted beneath said base plate, a pair of spaced clutch means each comprising'a pin mounted on said actuating member in spaced relation to'each other and to the pivot point of the actuating member operable to move upwardly through an opening in said base to engage said spiral groove, means operatively associated with each .of said clutch pins to prevent said upward movement during the playing of a record, means operatively associated with one of said clutch means to render its clutch pin operative to engage said spiral groove while the other clutch pin is held out of engagement with the 40 spiral groove, means operatively associated with said first clutch pin to move it out of operative engagement with the spiral groove as it reaches a predetermined point in the latter, means operatively associated with the other clutch means to render its associated clutch pin operative to engage the spiral groove when the first clutch pin is withdrawn'therefrom, means operatively associ-.

ated with said second clutch means to move said second clutch pin out of engagement with said spiral groove as it reaches a predetermined point in the latter, record changing means, means drivingly connecting said actuating member to said record changing means to cause a record to be disposed on the turntable during the period that said first clutch pin is operatively engaged in said 7 spiral groove, an arm having an arcuate shaped clutch pin operative to engage the spiral groove 0rd changing means, means drivingly connecting said actuating member to said record changend fixed to rotate with said actuating member, a, cam plate fixed to rotate with said actuating member, a cam track on said plate having a lower and a raised portion, a pin engaging said cam track at one end and said tone arm at the other I the turntable to a standby position when the first clutch pin is engaged in said spiral groove and rotating it back to playing position when the second clutch pin is engaged, adjustable stop means mounted on said base plate and operatively associated with said tone arm to stop the inward movement or the tone arm at a predetermined playing position, and release means operatively associated with said actuating member and with said stop means to release said stop means when the tone arm descends on the record.

14. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a record turntable freely mounted on a base plate having holes therein, a motor drivingly connected to the turntable for turning the same, means forming a spiral groove on the underside of the turntable, an actuating member pivotally mounted beneath said base'plate, a pair of spaced clutch means each comprising a spring pressed pin mounted on said actuating member in spaced relation to each other and to the pivot point of the actuating member operable to move upwardly through said holes under the influence of its associated spring to engage said spiral groove, latch means operatively associated with each of said clutch pins to prevent said upward movement during the playing of a record, delatching'means operatively associated with one of said clutch means to render its clutch pin operative to engage said spiral groove while the other pin is held out of engagement with the spiral groove, said delatching means comprising at least one of the jollowing: (a) a manually actuated lever operatively associated with said latching means of said first clutch pin. (b) a lever operatively associated with the tone arm and the latching means of said first clutch pin operative to delatch said first clutch pin when the tone arm reaches a predetermined position, and (c) a lever o eratively associated with the tone arm and the latching means of said first clutch pin operative to delatch said first clutch pin upon eccentric movement of the tone arm, means operatively associated with said first clutch pin to move it out of operative engagement with the spiral groove as it reaches a predetermined point in the latter, means operatively associated with the other clutch means to render its associated clutch pin operative to engage the spiral groove when the first clutch pin is withdrawn therefrom, means operatively associated with said second clutch means to move said second clutch pin out of engagement wit said spiral groove as it reaches a predetermined point in the latter,record changing means, and means drivingly connecting said actuating member to said record changing means to cause a record to be disposed on the turntable during the period that said first clutch pin is operatively engaged in said spiral groove.

15. Phonographic apparatus comprising a combination of, a record turntable freely mounted on a base plate having slots therein, a motor drivingly connected to the turntableior turning the same, a tone arm associated therewith pivoted for vertical and horizontal movement, means forming a spiral groove on the underside of the turntable, an actuating member pivotally mounted beneath said base plate, a pair of spaced clutch means each comprising a spring pressed pin mounted on said actuating member in spaced relation to each other and to the pivot point of the actuating member operable to move upwardly through said slots to engage sai-J, spiral groove,

means associated with said actuating member a and the sides of said slots to support said actuating member, latch means operatively associated with each or said clutch pins to prevent said upward movement during the playing 01! a record. detaching means operatively associated with one of said clutch means 'to render its clutch pin operative to engage said spiral groove while the other clutch pin is held out of engagement with the spiral groove, means operatively associated with said first clutch pin and with said spiral groove to move the pin out of operative engagement with the spiral groove as it reaches the inner end of the latter, means operatively associated with the other clutch means to render its associated clutch spiral groove when the first clutch pin is withdrawn therefrom, means operatively associated with said second clutch means and said spiral groove to move said second clutch pin out of engagement with said spiral groove as it reaches the inner end of the latter, record changing means, means drivingly connecting said actuating membar to said record changing means to cause a record to be disposed on the turntable during the period that said first clutch pin is operatively engaged in said spiral groove, a member having an arcuate shaped end fixed to rotate with said actuating member, a cam plate fixed to rotate with said actuating member, a cam track on said plate having a lower and a raised portion, a pin engaging said cam track atone end and said tone arm at the other end to raise the tone arm when said pin ascends on said raised portion and to lower it when it descends as in playing a record,

and slip clutch means comprising a friction wheel engaging the edge of said arcuate shaped end operable to rotate the tone arm horizontally, said wheel rotating the tone arm of! of the turntable to a standby position when the first clutch pin is engaged in said spiral groove and rotating it back to playing position when the second clutch pin is engaged.

- JOSEPH ERWOOD.

JOHN ER-WOOD. 7

in operative to engage the Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,394,539. February 12, 1946. JOSEPH ERWOOD ET AL.

It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above.

numbered patent requiring. correction as follows: Page 2,'second column, line 54, for

- -substantialy read substantially; page 3, second column, hne 9, for mean read means; line 37, for turntable read tu nable; line 58, for to stand-b read the standby; page 9, second column, line 16, claim 15, for detaching read etching; and that the and Letters Patent should be read with-these corrections therein that the same may conform to the rewrd of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of May, A. D; 1946.

LES LIE FRAZER,

First Assistant Commissioner of Patents.