CA1100413A - Automatic record player - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure An extremely simple record changer mechanism is provided wherein only two members interconnect the tone arm subassembly with the main cycling gear in the spindle area of the changer. One of these members is employed to lift and lower the tone arm and the other member is used for the dual purpose of moving the tone arm horizontally during the record changing cycle and also acts as a velocity trip actuating member during the playing cycle.
Both members are designed to avoid damage to the mechanism if the tone arm is moved or restrained during the record changing cycle.

Description

l~UTOM~TIC RECORD PLAYFR

The present invention relates to automatic record players and record changers, and more particularly, to an automatic record tone arm drive mechanism for such players and record changers.
Present day automatic record chanqers are much too complicated and expensive to manufacture. For example, the changer manufactured by BSR Ltd.l which changer consti~
tutes approximately eighty percent of the total world's production of automatic record chanqers, has approximately 220 parts and requires a substantial amount of labor to assemble and test these parts in order to manufacture the complete record changer. In addition, most, if not all, present day automatic record changers are sensitive to warpage and bending of the metal base plate on which the parts of the record changer are assembled. This base plate is conventionally made of relatively thin sheet metal and the tone arm driving and positioning mechanisms become misaligned and malfunction when warpage or bending of the base plate occurs, either in production, during shipping, or after the changer has been used by the customer. Fur-thermore, because the functions at the center of the turn table are interconnected with the functions at the tone arm mechanism by means of complicated linkages, and the like, it is not possible to separately test and align the tone arm assem~ly before it is assembled in the main base plate. Accordin~ly, the manufacturing cost of such arrangements is substantially increased. Also, in order to properl~ position the tone arm over the rest post of -the changer, most conventional changers re~uire indexing -^4-. ................................ . -: -.

means associated with the tone arm ~uadrant for stopping the tone arm over the rest post and lowering it onto the rest post during the last record shutoff cycle. However r such arrangements are also sensitive to warpage and bend-of the base plate which tends to misalign the portion of the base plate containing -the rest post with respect to the axea at which the tone arm is rotatab:Ly mounted.
~ith regard to the velocity tri~ping arrange-ments employed in many conventional changers, these vel-ocity tripping arranyements usually employ two or more parts which are frictionally interconnected and can become randomly oriented by shock or vibration as the main gear is detented. In order to prevent this action it is cus-tomary to employ a relatively heavy friction force between :
the platès to prevent such misalignment. However, when such heavy friction is emplo~ed it is difficult to trip the changer with lightweight tone arm pressure in the order of one gram.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tone arm drive mechanism for an automatic record ~.
player comprising the combination of a main cycling gear, means for rotating said gear one revolution during an automatic cycle, and a tone arm mounted for rotation about a fixed point which is spaced from said gear, characterized by the provision of an elongated link member, means connecting one end of said link member to said tone arm, and means operative when said gear has been moved to a predetermined position during an automatic c~cle for interconnecting said link with said gear so that upon further rotation of said gear said tone arm is driven through said link and rotated about said fixed point.

It ls another object of the present inven~ion to provide a new and impxoved tone arm driving arrangement for use in an automatic record player or changer which is extremely simple and reliable and provicles smooth tone arm movements by means of a slip clutch dri~e arrangement to permit the tone arm to be restrained. at any time and par-ticularly at mid cycle during the last record shutof cycle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tone arm driving arrangement for use in an automatic record player or changer which also functions as a light force veIocity tripping mechanism during the playing cycle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved automatic record player or changer wherein a single element is employed to inter-connect the tone arm with a main cycling gear for con-trolling horizon~al movement of the tone arm, this element ..
-~ also functioning as a velocity trip actuating member during the playing cycle.
Briefly, in accordance with the present invention an extremely simple record changer mechanism is provided wherein only two members interconnect the ton~ arm subassem-bly with the main cycling gear in the sPindle area of the changer. One of these members is employed to lift and lower the tone arm and the other member is used for the dual pur-pose oE moving the tone arm horizontally during the record changing cycle and also acts as a velocity trip actuating '~
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member during the playins cycle~ Both members are designed to avoid damage to the mechani~m i~ the tone arm is accident~
ally moved or restrained during the record changing cycle.
The presence or absence of a xecord on the spindle shel is S sen~ed by blade means whlch is moved in the direction of the shelf during the ini~ial portion of the record changing cy-cle. If no record is present on the shelf, somewhat before mid cycle the tone arm is lowered into engagement with a re-taining no~ch on the rest post and the turntabl2 motor is turned of at the end of this last record shutof~ cycle.
A turntable pause feature is provided by simply applying a braking ~orce to the rim of the turntable while the turntable hub continues to be driven, a simple wa~her oE
low ~oefficient of friction material between the turn~able and its hub permitting the tu~ntable to ba stopped while the : driving motor continues to rotate the turntable h~b.
The control knob normally used for ON-OFF-~EJECT
functions, is provided with a 4th position in which the rec~
ord changer repeadtedly pla~s a record on the turntable with-out shutting off the machi.ne. This Rh'PEAT PLAY position is reached by first moving the ~ontrol knob to the O~ or REJECT
position ~nd then mo~ing it back:~FF to a posltion ~etwPen the O~ and OFF positions. When so mov~d, a deten~ ~orce is :
provided for the control knob and an audible click is pxoduced to in~orm the operator thak the REPEAT PLAY position has been reached.
The invention both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereoE, will best be Imderstood by reference to the fol.lowing specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the record changer of the present invention with a portion of the turntable broken away to show a portion of the record changing mechanism;
FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the record changer of FIGURE l;
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the tone arm subassembly o~ the changer of FIGURE 1 when the changer is turned off;
FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the position of the tone arm near the end of a last record shutoff cycle;
FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIGURE l;
FIGURE 5A is a fragmentary external view similar to FIGURE 5 but taken on a larger scale;
FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines 6-6 of FIGURE l;
FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURF. 2;
FIGURE 7A is a sectional view taken along the line 7A-7A in FIGURE l; . .
FIGUR¢ 8 (located on the same sheet as Figure l? is a sectional view taken along the lines 8-8 of FIGURE 1 and showing the tone arm drive-trip clutch in its rest position; ..
FIGURE 9 (located on the same sheet as Figure 1) is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 8 but showing the tone arm clutch in its tone arm drive position;

-FIGURE 10 (loca~ed on the same sheet as Figure 2) is a perspective view of the velocity trip clutch employed in the changer of FIGURE l;
FIGURE ll (located on the same sheet as Figure 2) is a sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIGURE 10;
FIGURE 12 (located on the same sheet as Figure 1) is a fragmentary plan view taken on a larger scale, showing the speed shift mechanism of the c-nanger of FIGURE 1 in the 33 rpm position;
FIGURE 12A ~located on the same sheet as Figure 1) is a plan view similar to FIGURE 12 but showing the speed shift mechanism in the 45 rpm position;
FIGURE 12B (located on the same sheet as Figure 2) is a sectional view taken along the line 12B-12B of FIGURE 12;
FIGURE 12C (located on the same sheet as Figure 2) is a sectional view taken along the llne 12C-12C of ~IGURE 12A;
FIGURE 12D (located on the same sheet as Figure 2) is a sectional view taken along the line 12D-12~ of FIW RE 12A;
FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating in diagrammatic form the operation of the drive-velocity trip mechanism of the changer of FIGURE 1 in initiating a record changing cycle and showing the main gear in the home or detent position; .:
FIGURES 14 to 1~ are views similar to FIGURE 13 but showing the main gear at different positions in the record changing cycl.e;
FI~RE 20 is a view similar to FIGURE 13 ~ut showing the action of the velocity tripping mechanism of the changer of FIGURE 1 during a playing cycle;
FIGURE 21 (located on the same sheet as Figure 6) is a fragmentary sectlonal view taken along the lines 21-21 of FIGURE 6 and showing the tone arm quadrant in the twelve-inch record set down positlon;
FIGURE 22 is a bottom view of the tone arm subassembly of FIGURE 3;

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FIGURE 22.~ is a view similar to FIGURE Z2 but showing the manner in which the tone arm subassembly is assembled on the base plate;
FIGURE 23 is a perspective view, partly in section, of the tone arm subassembly of FIGURE 3 with a portion thereof cut away to show the operation of the cueing lever in the tone-arm-up position;
FIGURE 23~ is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 23A-23A of FIGURE 23;
FIGURE 24 is a view similar to FIGURE 23 but shown with the cueing lever in the tone-arm-down position;
FIGURE 25 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 25-25 of FIGURE 5 and showing the control knob of the changer of FIGURE 1 in the OFF position;
FIGURE 25A is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 25 but taken on a somewhat larger scale;
FIGURE 25C (located on the same sheet as Figure 27) is a perspective view of the flat spring blocking member employed in ~he changer of FIGURE l;
FIGURE 26 is a view similar to FIGURE 25 but showing t~e control knob in the ON position and the main cam in a last record shutoff cycle initiating position; :
FIGURE 26A is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 26 but taken on a somewhat larger scale;
FIGURES 27, 2~ and 29 are views similar to FIGUPE 26 but showing the main cam in different posit~ons duri~g a last record shutoff cycle;
FIGURE 27A is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 27A-27A of FIGURE 27; ~;

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FIGURE 28A is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE ~8 but taken on a somewhat larger scaie;
FIGURE 30 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 25 but showing the control knob in the REJECT position to initiate a record changing cycle;
FIGURE 30~ is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 30 but taken on a somewhat larger scale;
FIGURE 31 is a view similar to FIGURE 26 but showing the mechanism in a single automatic record play position;
FIGURE 32 is a view similar to FIGURE 31 but showing the main gear at a later point in the single record automatic play changing cycle;
FIGURES 33 and 3~ (located on the same sheet as Figure 5) are fragmentary sectional vi.ews similar to FIGURE 5A but showing the parts in different positions of a last record sensing cycle;
FIGURE 33A is a view si.milar to FIGURE 25 but showing the mechanism ' in a repeat play position;
FIGURE 35 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of an alternative record supporting arrangement which may be used in the changer of FIGURE l;
FIGURE 36 is a plan view of the reeord supporting arrangement shown in FIGURE 35;
FIGURE 37 is a side elevational view of the arrangement of FIGURE
35 when used to play se,ven-inch records with a large-hole record adaptor;
FIGURE 38 is a sectional elevational view of an alternative record sensing arrangement of the present invention similar to FIGURE 5 of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 37;
FIGURE 39 is a sectional view taken along the line 39-39 of FIGURE 38;

~ 3 FIG. 40 is a fragmentary plan view of an alternative -tone arm drive and velocity trip actuating mechanism which can be used in the changer of FIG. 1;
FIG. 41 is a sectiQnal view taken alonq the line 41-41 of ~'IG. 40;
FIGS. 42 and 43 are fragmentary plan views of further alternative drive-trip arrangements simila.r to the embodiment o f FI GS . 4 O and ~1;
FIG. 44 is a ragmentary plan view of an alternative tone arm drive and trip actuating mechanism which can be used in the changer of ~IG. l; .
FIG. 45 is a sectional view alonq the line 45-45 of FIG. 44;
FIG. 46 is a sectional view along the line 46-46 of .: .
FIG. 44;
E'IG. 47 is a fxagmentary plan view of an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein an idler wheel drive unit is employed to rotate the turntable; and ~IG. 48 is a fragmentary plan view of a further -: :
alternative em~odiment of the invention wherein a modified drive link arrangement is employed to move the tone arm horizontally; and FIG. 49 is a plan view of an alternative emhodiment of the invention wherein a two-plate velocity tripping arrange-~5 ment is omployed.

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Re~erring now to the drawings~,~ and more particu-larly to FIGS. 1 th~oucJh 34 thereof, the automatic record changer of the present invention is there:in illustrated a~
comprising a metal base plate indicated generally at 10 on which is mounted a rotatable turntable indicated generally at 12, a tone arm indicated generally at :L4, and a balance arm indicated ~enerally at 16. The tuxntable 12 is mounted for rotation about a centering s~indle indicated generally at 18 on which a stack of records may be suppor~d and the balance arm 16 moved from its rest position somewhat beyond the position shown in FIGo 1 to a position over the records so that these records are balancPd on the record supporting shelf of the spindle 18.
The tone arm 14 is rotatably mounted on a tone arm housiny subas~embly indicated generally at 20 r the housing 20 beiny provided with a rest post portion 22 which extends upwardly from the housin~ 20 and is provided with a relatively deep notch 24 in the top thereof within which the tone arm 14 may be seated when the record chanyer is turned off. A cueing lever indicated generally at 26 is rotatably mounted in the tone arm~subassembly 20 and may be moved from a y~nerally verticaly posikion shown in FIGS. 1 and 24 to a rearward inclined position shown in FIG. 23. When the cueing lever 26 is în the vertical position shown in FIGo 1~ it is ineffec- .
tive to lift the tone arm. ~lowever J when ~he ~ueiny lever is moved to the rearward position it is effective to lift the tone arm off of the record after which it ma~ be manually placed over another selec~ion on the record or moved over the rest post 24. Then, the cueing lever may be used manually to lowe~r the tone arm 1~ into enyagement with a record on the :
~urntable 12; or the notch inthe rest post, as will be xeadily understooa hy those ~killed in the art.

3~ ~ 3 A combined speed and size control krlob 27 is provided which i,n the illustrated embodiment is movahle between a 33-1/3 rpm position and a 45irpm position. In the 33-1/3 r,pm position tha tone arm 14 is automatically adjusted to play 12-inch records and in the 45 rpm position the tone arm is automatically adjusted to pla~ 7-inch records.
When small-hole seven-inch records are ko be pla~ed they may be placed on the shelf of the spindle 18 and the balance arm 16 emplo~ed to balance the record stack. When large-hole seven-inch records are employed a suitable adaptor ma~ be placèd on the spindle 18, as will be readily understood by `~
those skilled in ~he art. In the event 10-inch 78 rpm records are to~be~p~'a~e~, the knohs 27 may be provided with a third detent position ahead of the 45 rpm ~osition, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.
A multi-function control knob 29 is provided which ~' has four positions, namelyr an OFF position~ a ~EPEAT PLAY ;
position, an ON posit,ion and a REJECT position, from front to back of the changer. When the knob 29 is moved from the '~
O~F position ~o the ON position khe driving motor for the turntable 12 is energized and when the knob 29 is moved to the REJECT po~ition a record changing cycle is automatically initiated~ In accordance with an impor~ant aspect o the present invention, the record changer mechanism is so arranged that when the knob 29 is first moved to the ON positi~n and then is moved back ~o the R2PEAT PLAY position a slight detent orce is exerted on the knob 29, which is not produced when The knob 29 is moved from OFF to ON~ and an audible click is produced to inform the operator that he is in the REPEAT PLAY
position. With the knob 2~ in the REPEAT PLAY position the record changer repeatedly plays the record which i~ on the kurntable 12. As noted above, the REPEAT P~Y position cannot ,' : .

be reached b~ simply moving the knob 29 from the OFF position to the adjacent REPEAT PLAY position. The knob 29 must first be moved to the REJECT position, so that the turntable motor is tuxned on, and ~hen moved back to the REPEAT PLAY position.
With this arrangement the single knoh 29 is employed to pro-vide Eunctions requiring several knobs in conventional changers.
In accordance with a further important aspect of khe present invention, the base plate 10 is provided with a central depressed portion 28. Most of the parts of the record chan~ing mechanism per se are mounted on the top and bottom oE
the central depressed base plate portion 28, which is eccentric with respect to the spindle 18 to permi~ such mounting, thereby eliminating the conventional base plate subassemblies which are nvrmally employed to mount the operative parts of th~ record changing mechanism. By employing the central base plake por-tion 28 as a support for the control levers and other parts of the record changing mechanism, the number of parts required i$ substantially reducea and in addition the amount of time re~uired to assemble these parts in production i8 also sub~
stantially reduced, More particularly, a cycling gear indi-cated ~enerally at 30 is rotatahly mounted on a post 32 which is secured in the central base plate portion 28 and extends upwardly therefrom, the gear 30 being retained on the post 32 by any 5uitable means such as the C washer 34. A sleeve bearing 36 is mounted in the eccen~xic portion 28 of the ba~e plate 10 and the spindle 18 is secured within the bear~
ing 36~ A turntable hub 38 is rotatably mounted on the sleeve bearing 36 and rests on a thrust bearing indicated generally at 40 which is position~a~about the bottom end of the sleeve 36 and rests on the centxal base plate porkion

2~v The hub 38 is re~ained on the bearing 36 by means of the O-ring 37.
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In order to drive the tuxntable hub 38 a turntable driving motor 40 ~FIG. 5) is mounted on the underside of the base plate 10 beyond the portion 28 and the shaft 42 thereof exten~s upwardly through an openinq 44 in th~ base ~late 10.
A drive turret havin~ a 45 rpm step 46 and a 33 rpm step 48 is mounted on the shaft 42 above the base plate 10 and a flexible belt 50 is employed to interconnect one of the turret steps 46, 48 with the turntable hub 38~ ~he belt 50 riding on the periphery of the hub 38 In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, the turntable 12 is not directly con-nected to the turntable hu~ 38, but instead rests on a thin and relatively wide washer 52 ~hich is positioned hetween the upper surface of the turntable hub 38 and the bottom surface of the turntable 12 adjacent a central depressed portion 54 o the turntable 12. The washer 52 is made of low coefficient of friction material, such as Teflon or the like. With this arrangement, the turntable 12 may be ~topped during the record changing cycle~ by brake means to be described in more detail hereinafter, so that the turntabl~ 12 is stationary when a xecord is dropped onto lt. This construction also penmits the turntable hub 38 to be continuously dxiven from the motor 40 during the record changing cycle, the washer 52 providing a suffic-iently low coefficient of friction bearing to permit stop-ping of the turntable 12 without placing an excessi~e load on the motor 40, and without requir~n~ disenga~ement of the driving means between turntable and turntable hub by some means such as elevating or lowering of either the turntable hub 38 or the turntable 12~ A suitable turntable mat 56 may be positioned on ~he upper surface of the turntable 12 to provide a cushion for records deposited on the turntable 12. The turntable 12 is retained in the hub 38 hy means of an O-ring 39 and the central openinq in the ~urn~able 12 rides on the upper shaft portion 41 o~ thle hub 38 which acts as a bearing for the turntahle during braking.
In order to drive the main cycling gear 30 during a record changing cycle, the turntable hub 38 is provided with pinion gear teeth 58 at the bo~tom end thereof which are adap-ted to engage the peripheral gear teeth of the gear 30O How ever, during ~he playing cycle the gear 30 is detented in a home position in which a mutilated portion 60 of the gear 30 is opposite the year teeth 58 so that these teeth are not in mesh during the playing cycle.
In or~er to initiate a record chang!ing cycle, a single velocity trip lever 62 (FIG~ 1) is pivotally mounted on the upper face of the gear 30 by means of a pin portion 61 which is positioned within the central bore of a down-wardly extending housing portion 63 ~FIG. 5) of the main gear 30, the lever 62 being provided with an upstanding flange portion 66 ~FIG. 1) in which a vertically extending shoulder 68 is formed. The shoulder 68 i5 arranged to be struck by a flange 70 provided on the central sleeve portion of the turntable hub 38 above the geax 58 when the shoulder portion 66 of the velocity trip lever 62 is moved inwardly by a predatermined amoun~. Movement of the velocity trip lever 62 is effec~ed at the end of the playing cycle by means of a ~elocity tripping mechanism to be described in more detail hereinater. As soon as the velocity trip le~eri62 has been pivoted by an amoun~ suf~icient to bring the shoulder 68 into ~he path o the flange 70, the gear 30 is rotated by engagement sof these members by an amount such ~ha~ the gear teeth of -the turntable hu~ gear 58 engage the adjacent teeth of the gear 30 and rotate the gear 30 through one revolution during the record changing cycle.

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63~3 In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, rotation of the main gear 30 is employed to effect the desired lifting and rotation of the tone a.rm 14 by means o two members which are interconnected with the tone arm su~assembly 20 in such manner that they may be readil~ disconnected. With this arrallgement, the tone arm subassembly 20 may be separately manufact.ured and tested prior to installation in the base plate 10, after which in-stallation cunnection may be readily made to the automatic record changing mechanism through these interconnecting ele- -ments. Furthermore, these interconnecting elements are so constructed that warping or bending of the base plate 10 does not interfere with the proper operation of the changer during the record changing cycle or introduce errors in the set down lS adjustment of the tone axm 14 or the velocity tripping mech- :
anism therefor.

TONE ARM LIFTING MECHANISM

Considering fir~t the manner in which the ~one arm ..
~0 14 is lif~ed off of a record on the tuxntable 12 at the begin-ning of the record changing cycle, a tone arm lift rod indica-ted generally at 72 (FIG. 3) is provided with a right angle end portion 74 which is mounted in spaced apart bearings in the tone arm subassembly 20. More par~icularly, the tone arm subassembly 20 includes a main housing 76 which is provided with a pair o downwardly extending posts 78 and 80. A plate 82 is mounted on tha posts 78 by means of ~he screws 84 and 86 (FIG. 22~o The:housing 76 includes an upstanding portion 88 which is provided with a vertically extending bore 90 which is adatped to receive the upper end of ~he right angle portion 7~ of the tone arm lift rod 7~. The upper end of the bor~ 90 is arranged to form a bearing or ~he upper end -- 1 8 ~ r~

O of the right angle portion 74 and the plate 8~ fo~ns a lower bearing for this ri~ht angle end port.ion 74. As a resultt the lift rod 72 is supported by these two spaced apart bearings so that it may be smoothly raised and lowered. The upper end of the right angle end portion 74 is ~hreaded and an adjustable cap 92 is threaded onto the upper end of the right an~le end por~ion 74, the cap 92 being arranyed to engage the undersurfac~ of a flat plate portion 94 of the tone arm 14.
The plate 82 is provided with a downwardly extending ofset flange portion 96 which has an inclin~d camming surface 98 formed in the bottom edge thereof.
The tone arm lift rod 72 is biased upwardly into engage-ment with the camming surface 98 by means of a coil spring 100 the bottom end o which is hooked around the tone arm lift rod 72~ The springlOO extends upwardly through an opening 102 tFIG~ 22) formed in the plate 82 and into the interior of an upwardly extending housing 104 ~ormed in the plate 82. The upper end of the spring 100 is secured to the top wall of the housing 104. The other end of the lift rod 72 is provided with a right angle end portion 106 which is biased into engayement with a depending cam indi-cated genexally at 108 (FIG. 7), which i~ formed in the bottom surface of the gear 30, this biasing force being achieved by virtue of -the upward force exerted by the ~prin 100 adjacent the inclined camming sur~ace 98 which tends to rotate the end portion 106 of the lift rud 72 ~.
toward the centex of the gear 30.
When the gear 30 starts to rotate at the b gin-ning o~ the record chan~ing cycle the end portion 106, which .is continuously biased into engagement with the cam 10~ by virtue of the twisting action produced by the .:: . . . :
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upward force of the sprin~ilO0 in relation to the inclined cammin~ surface 98, ~ollows the portion 110 of the cam 108 with the result that the lift rod 72 is pivotecl about the above~described bearings for the end portion 74 thereof.
However, since the spring 100 is continuously urging the lift rod 72 upwardly, as this rod is rotated it i5 also bodily lited upwardly as it rides along the cam surface 98. Accordingly, the end p~rtion 106 may be rotated by an amount sufficient to parmit the lift rod 72 to be lifted up to the position shown in FIG. 4 wherein the portion 106 of the rod 72 engages the end of the 510t 114 -~FIGllr~25~)~ in~:~h~b :~base plate 10. The flange 96 is also provided with s~ops 111, 112 at either end o~ the cam surface 98 to limit movement of the rod 72 during assembly. As this upward movement of the lift rod 72 occurs, the cap 92 on the upper end of the end portion 74 o~ the lift rod engages the plate 94 and lits the tone arm upwardly off of khe record which has just been played on the turntable lZ. In this connection it should be noted .
that the tone arm 14 is shown in FIGS. 3 and ~ in a position over the rest post 22. However, a similar li~ting action is provided by the lit rod 72 when the tone arm 14 is resting on a record seated on the kurntable 12.
The end portion 106 of the ].ift rod 7~ extends upwardly through a slot 114 (FIG. 7) ormed in the base plate 10 so tha~ ~he upper portlon of the end portion 106 may be biased into engagemen~ with ~he cam 108 as described heretofore~ The spring 100 maintains the lift rod 72 in an elevated position after the end portio~ 106 has been moved out of engagement with the cam portion 110 so that the tone axm remains in an elevated position during the portion of the record changing cycle during which the next record is being deposite~ on the turntable and the tone arm .is moved ;:
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inwardly to the correct record size position, as will be described in more detail hereinafter. However, near the end of the record changing cycle the end portion 106 of the lift rod 72 engages the cam portion 116 of the cam 108. The cam portion 116 is not as steep as the cc~ portion 110 and hence the tone arm is gently lowerecl to -t:he surface of the record on the turntable 12 as the end portion 106 ls engaged by the cam portion 116 and moved outwardly and the lift rod 72 is cammed down the surface 98 against the force of the spring 100. ~ery close to the end of the record changing cycle the end portion 106 engages an intermediate portion 118 tFIG. 26) of the cam 108. The por~ion 118 i5 formed along an arc having the center of the gear 30 as its center so thak the biasing foxce which is exerted by the end portion 106 on the cam 108 and hence the gear 30, is constant and min~
imized as the gear 30 approaches its home or detent position.
In this connection it will be noted that ths ~nd portion 106 moves upwardly relative to the cam portion 110 as ~he lit rod is bodily moved upwardly at the beginning of the record chan~ing cycle. Also the encl portion 106 i5 moved downwardly relative to the cam portion 116 as the -tone arm is lowered~
However, no upward or downward movement of the end portion 106 relative to the cam portion 118 is experienced as the end portion 106 traverses the cam portion 118 so that mini-mal forces are exerted on the gear 30 as it approaches the detent position. In this conne~tion it will be noted that raising and lowering of the tone arm 1~ is achieved solely -in response to rotation of the end 106 of the lift rod 72 as contxolled by the cam 108 so that an extremely simple and yet efficient and smoothly ac-ting tone arm lift arrange ment is provided in accordance with the present invention.

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Furthermore, it is pointed out that the amount of li:Et is determined at the tone arm subassembly 20 ~y the cam sur-face 98 and warpage of the base plate does not chan~e the height of the tone arm lift as it would with conv~ntional linear motion slides which are directly connected to the main cycling gear. It is also poin-ted out that the lift rod 72 functions smoothly with relatively little force because the cam surface 98 is positioned quite a distance from end portion 74 abou~ which the rod 72 pivots. This construction permits the cam surface 98 to have a gradual slope, whereas if this cam were placed close to the end 74 it would have to be relatively steep and substantial additional force would be required to move along it. ~Iow-ever, the cam surface 9~ can be spaced away from the end 74 only because spaced apart beari.ngs are provided for the end 74, as described heretofore 9 SO that the rod 72 ma~ be lifted smoothly and with little force exertea thereon.

HORIZONTAL TONE ARM MOVEMENT

~ Considering now the manner in which ~he~::bone arm 14 is moved horizontally, in accordance with an important aspect of the present inventi~ a-ldrive trip link 120 is employed to intercon~ect the gear 30 with the tone arm 14 so that the tone arm is moved outwardly during the first portion of the record changing cycle and is than movea inwardly over the record which has been deposited on the : -tu~ntable 12 and into engagement with the lead-in groove o this record. The drive trip link 120 als~ acts as a vel~city trip actuating member during the playing cycle.
The lin~ 120, which may be simply a ~tiff wire, is:con-nected to the gear 30 at a point offset from the center thereof by means of a clutch mechanism i ndicated ge:nerally : at 122. The other end of the link 120 is connected to a , 3 tone arm quadrant member 124 (FIG. 2~ which is connected to and moves with the tone arm 14 by means to be described in detail hereinafter. Moxe particularly, the link 120 is pro~
vided with a right angle end portion 126 which ext~nds through 5 the central openin~ in a bushing 123 which is loosely posi tioned in a slot 130 formed in the quadrant 124. As best illustrated in FIG. 11 the ~u~hing member 128 is provided with a head portion 132 which rides on the upper surace of ~he quadrant 124 beyond the edg~s of the slot 130. A light coil spring 134 is positioned between an enlarged end portion 136 at the bottom of the bushin~ 128 and the underside of the quadrant 124 so that a light clutch force is provided to pre-vent the member 128 from moving within the slot 130 unless thi~ force is overcome. However~ when the member 128 is moved into engagement with either end of the slot 130 a posi-tive dri~e connection is provided between the link 120 and the quadrant 124.
Considexing now in more detail the clutch 122, an opening 140 is form d in the main gear 30 which communicates with a recess 142 of larger diameter on the underside o the gear 30. A central annular wall 144 is formed in the gaar 30 ad~acent the openin~ 140 and an outer annular wall 146 i~
also formed in the ~ear 30, the outer wall 146 having a pair of opposed cam actuating shoulders 148 and 150 ormed therein which project upwardly above the top of the central annular wall 144. A clutch drive pivot 152 is loosely mounted for rotation in khe opening 140 in the ~ear 30 and is pro~ided with a narrow slot 154 which extends upwardly from the bottom of the member of the pivot 152 and is adapted to receive the end portio.n of the drive-trip link 120~ The leg~ 156 and 158 which are foxmed in the pivot 152 by virtue of the slot 154 are prov~ded with offset 1exible end portions 160 and 162 - , .

which terminate in feet 164 and 166 which are adapted to engage the recess 142 of the gear 30 when the pivot 152 is moved to an elevated position within the opening 140~
The pivot 152 is also provided wi~h opposed shoulders 168 and 170 which are adapted to rest on the upper surface of the central annular wall 14~ when the pivot 152 is in the declutched or velocity tripping position shown in ~IGo 8~
In order to assemhle the pivot lS2 wi~hin the gear 30, the opening 140 is provided with opposed groov~s 172 and 17~ ~FI~G.14) which permi~ the pivot 152 ~o be inserted upwardly ~hrough the opening 140 ater which the pivot 152 is rotated and the end of the drive-trip link 120, which is inserted into the groove 154 and can then rest on the upper surace of the wall, as shown in FIG. 8.
Considering now the operation of the above-described clu~ch 122 and dr~ve-trip link 120 in moving the tone armrl4 outwardly to the rest post 22 and then returning the tone arm to the desired set down position during the record changing cycle. During the initial portion of the record changing c~cle, while the tone arm 14 is being lifted off of the record as described heretofore, the clutch 122 does not interconnect the gear 3Q with the link 120 so that no out-ward movement of the tone arm is produced during the tone arm lifting operation. This i5 because the link 120 remains loosely posîtioned wi~hin the slot 154 of the dxive pivot 152 ~s the gear 30 is moved from the posi~ion shown in FIG.
13 to the position shown in FIG. 14. During this movement of the gear 30 the driva pivot 152 is however rotating slightly relative to the gear 30 since the pivot 152 is maintained in alignment with the link 120 by virtue of the fact that the link 120 extends through the transvarse 910t 154 in the pivot 1520 ' ' ' ' ' ' ~ . :: ' :

When the gear 30 approaches the position shown in FIG. 14 the link 120 r.ide~ up the inclined portions 180, 182 formed in the outer wall 146 and OlltO the upper surface of the opposed shoulders 148, 150. As this occurs, the link 120 engages the top of -the groove 154 and lifts the pivot 152 upwardly until the feet 164, 166 thereof are biased into ::
engagement with the recess 142 in the gear, as shown in FIG.
9. The shoulders 148~ 150 are made of suf~icient height that the feet 164, 166 engage the gear 30 with sufficient force to clutch the drive-trip link to the gear 30 as the gear continues to rotate. However, this frictional force is not so great as to prevent the pivot 152 from rotating relative :
to the gear 30 since the pivot 152 must remain aligned w.ith the link 120 which extends through the notch 154 thereixl, and the other end o~ the link 120 is pivotally connected to the quadrant 124 of the tone arm mechanism, as clescribed in detail heretofore. During this rotary movement of the pivot 152 with respect to the gear 30 the feet 164, 166 slip along the surface of the recess 142 while maintaining the above described frictional ~orce ~or the link 120.
~s soon as the link 120 is moved upwardly into engagement with the upper surface of the shoulder~ 148, 150 the link 120 becomes clutched to the gear 30 and as the gear continues to rotate the link 12Q moves outwarclly~ If the velocity trip clutch bushing 128 is not positioned at the Lear of the slot 130 in the quadrant 124, this initial out-ward movement of the link moves the member 124 to the outer end of slot 130 after which point the tone arm 14 iS moved outwardly with the link 120 as the geax continuPs to rotate.
The tolle arm 14 is moved outwardly until it engages a block-in~ shoulder 184 on the rest post 22 the shoulder 184 extend- -ing upwardly a substantially greater distance than the inner -25~ :

7~9~3 shoulder 186 of the rest pQSt 22. The relative position of the link 120 and the clutch 122 as the tone arm i5 moved into engagement with the rest post shoulder 184 is shown in FIG. 15.
Since the tone a~m cannot move further outwardly when it engag~s the shoulder 184, as the gear 30 continues to rotate the clutch 122 permits such urther rotation by slippage betw~en the link 120 and the clutch 1~2, More ~ -particularly, while the fric~ional force with which the feet 164, 166 engage ~he gear 30 is sufficient to move the tone arm outwardly, as described here~ofore, this force is not too great that it cannot be overcome when the tone arm strikes an obstruction such as the shoulder 18~. When such an obstruction is encountered the link 120 sli~es over the upper surface of the shoulclers 1~8, 150 and also slides relative to the pivot 152 by virtue of a sliding action of the link 120 in the bottom of the groove 154. Accordingly, as the gear ~30 continues to rotate from the position shown in FIG. 15 to the posîti.on shown ~n FIG. 16 the clutch 122 continues to urge the tone arm against the ~houlder 184 while the l.ink 120 slides relative to the clutch 122 to : the position shown ~n FIG. 16. However, as soon as the link 120 rides down the inclined portions 188, 190 formed in the outer wall 146 the feet 164, 166 of the pivot 152 are no longer biase~ into engagement with the gear 30 so ~: that the link 120 becomes disengaged from the gear 30 while the tone arm 14 ~emains in its position in contact with the shoulder 184 of the rest post 22 ~fter the gear 30 has been rotated to the posi-tion shown in FIG. 17 the link 120 again rides up the in-clined portions 180, 182 so that the gear 30 again becomes : .
clutched to the link 120. As the gear 30 continues to .

, ~ .: , ,, : .

. .. .: , . . - :

rotate from the position shown in FIG. 17 to the position shown in FIG. 18 the link 120 is first moved 50 that the velocity trip clutch bushing 128 is moved to the forward end of the slot 130 and there~fter the link 120 functions to move the tone arm inwardly. By disconnecting the link 120 from the gear 30 during travel from the position shown in FIGo 17, the tone arm can remain in its position over the rest post for a longer period of time while the next record i8 heing deposited on the turntable 12. I'his in-ward movement of the tone arm ~uadrant 124 continues until the twelve~inch record positioning shoulder 192, which is formed in the quadrant 124, strikes the upturned flange por-tion 194 of a size selector slide 196. The slide 196 is manually positioned at the twelve-inch position by means to be described in more detail hereinater. When the shoulder 192 of the quadrant 124 strikes the size selector flange 194 further inward movement o~ the tone arm is prevented.
However, since the gear 30 continues to rotate the clutch 122 again per~its sliding movement of the link 120 relative to the shoulders 1487 150 and the pivot 152, as described heretofore in connection with FIGS. 15 and 16. It should be noted that as the ~ear rotates from the position shown in FIG. 18 to the position shown in FIG. 19, a constant pull is exerted on the link 120 so that the velocity trip clutch bushing 128 remains posi~ioned at the forward end of the slot 130 in the quadrant 124. The velocity tripping mechanism is thus continuously urged to the proper reset position of the velocity trip clutch during movement of the gear from the position ~shown in FIG. 18 to the position shown in FI~, 19~
When the gear 30 reaches the position shown in FIG. 16 the link 120 rides down the shoulders 188, 190 , ' .

-27- ~

so that the gear 30 thereaft~r becomes disconnected from the link 120 as the gear 30 is returned to the detent or horne position shown in FIG. 1. In the detent position the l.ink 120 is completely free to move since the pivot 152 is now supported by engagement of the shoulders 168, 170 thereof with the upper surface of the inner wall 144. Furthermore, the link 120 is positioned approximately rrli.dway between the shoulders 148, 150 and rests loosely within ~he slot 15~ in the pivot152, as shown in FIG~ 8~

VELOCITY TRIPPING MECHANISM

In accordance with an important aspect of the present i~vention the link 120 is also used during the play-ing cycle as a velocity trip actuating mem~er~ More parti-cularly, the link 120 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 1 ak the start of the playing cycle with the velocity trip clutch membex 128 positioned at the forward end of the slot 130. As the tone arm moves inwardly over the record during the playing cycle the link 120 moves with ~he tone arm quadrant 124 du0 to the light force exerted hy the spr.ing 134 on the under side of the tone arm quadrant 124.
Thi~ light force is sufficient to move the link 120 axially through the slot 154 in he drive pivot 152 wi.thout disturbing khe position of t~e velocity trip clutch member 128 relative to the slot 130. Since the link 120 rests loosely upon the inner wall 144 of the gear 30 du~ing this movement, an ex-tremely light clutch force can be supplied by the spring 134.
As the tone arm nears the end of the record the link 120 is moved to a position where the end thereof engages the upstanding flange 66 of the velocity trip lever 62 which is pivotally mounted on the gear 30. The lever 62 is mounted on the gear 30 so that it may be moved with a very light force and hence the end of the link 120 moves the lever 62 without --2g~

-moving the bushing 128 within the slot 130~ However, as the kone arm nears the end of the record the flange 70 on the turntable hub strikes the edge portion 67 (E~IG. 16) oE
the flange 66 adjacent the shoulder 68 each revolution and moves the lever 62 an~ hence khe link 120 outwarclly a slight amount against the force o the velociky trip spring 134.
This force is, of course, not sufficien~,to interfere with inward stylus tracking o~ the record over the la~t few groo~es of the record. A~ a result, the bushing 128 is moved rearwardly in the slot 130 as the last few playing grooveS of the record are encountered.
When the runo~t groove of the record is encountered the link 120 is moved rapidly inwardly with the tone arm so that the lever 62 is pivoted by a substantial amount and the shoulder 68 thereof is moved into the path of the flange 70 on the turntable hub 38O When the flange 70 strikes the shoulder 68 the gear 30 is rotated slightly so as to initiate a record changing cycle in the manner described in detail heretofore. This velocity tripping action of the link 120 is made possible by virtue of the fac~ that the clutch 122 disconnects the link 120 from the year 30 in the detent position of the gear 30 as described in detail heretofore.
In this connection it will be noted that the velocity trip clukch connection of the link 120 to the quadrant 124 is always reset to the maximum range during the record changing cycle because the bushing 128 is pulled to the forward end of the slot 130 by the link 120 as the gear 30 ro-takesO ~ur-khermore, this resetting action lasts until near the end of the record changing cycle when the gear 30 becomes discon-necked fromthe link 120 (FIG. 19). This positive resettiny of the buxhing 128 also positions the end of the link 120 ,' correctly in relation to the tone arm 14. Accordingly, the posikion of -the velocity tripping pawl 62 when it i5 initially -2~-engaged by the end of the link 120 may vary without inter-fering with proper velocity tripping since the link is cor-rectly reg:istered with respect to the ~one arm at the start of the playing cycle, Elowever, the pawl 62 is prevented from moving into the path of the flange 70 as the gear 30 is detented by proper choice of the gears 5~ and 30O Pref~
erably, the ratio of teeth 58 on the hub 38 to the ratio of teeth on the gear 30 is such that there is an even ratio ~
plus two teeth on the gear. As the gear 3n is detented the gears 58, 30 are timed so that the flange 70 is in the path of the edge portion 67 of the velocity trip pawl h2 and hence prevents the pawl 62 from moving outwardly by an amount suf-ficient to position the shoulder 68 in the path of the 1ange 70. Preerably, the gear 58 has twenty-one teeth and the gear 30 has 128 teeth.
It is also pointed out that the above-d~scribed velocity trip clutch may be eliminated and the link 1~0 piv-otally connected directly to the ~uadran~ 124. In such case a two-part (or more) velocity trip pawl arxan~ement may be employed instead of the single pawl 62, ~s will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. However, such two-plate velocity trip mechanisms are subJect to random align-ment which is usually overcome by providing more friction between the two plates~ When such heavy ~riction is employed, velocity tripping with light tone arm orces in the order of one gram or less is not possible, whereas with the velocity tripping arrangement descri~ed in detail heretoore reliable velocity tripping is provided with tone arm forces of less than one gram.
The velocity ~rip~ing pawl 62 may be reset to its initial or rest position shown in FIG. 1 by any one 5 a number of arrangements~ One ~uch arrangement is shown in , FIG~ 16 wherein the intermediate portion of the link 120 is employed to reset the pawl ~2 as the gear 30 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 16 to the position shown in FIG. 17. More parti.cularly, as the gear 30 continues to rotate from the position shown in FIG. lh, the inclined top edge 200 of the flange portion 66 of the pawl 62 strikes the link 120. As the lillk 120 cams upwardly o~er the edge 200 the pawl 62 is moved inwardly away from the edge of the gear to the posi-tion shown in FIG. 1 as t:he link 120 rides over the top su.rface of the flange 66~ In the alternative the gear teeth 58 of the turntable hub 38 may engage the outwardly projecting portion 67 of the pawl 62 and move this pawl back to its initial position shown in FIG. :L as the gear 30 approaches the detent position at the end of lS the record changing cycle.

R13CORD SIZE SEI.ECTION

Considering now the manner in which the size selector slide 196 is positioned for seven-inch or twelve-~ inch records, it will be recall.ed from the ~eneral descrip~
tion heretofore~ that the control knob 27 is employed as a combined record size and speed selector and may be moved :~
between either a 33-1/3 rpm position of a 45 rpm position.
The control knob 27 is connected to an arm portion 204 of a speed-size lever 206 (FIG~ 6), the portion 204 extending out beyond the edge of the tone arm housing 20 through a slot 208 provided therein. The lever 206 is pivo~ally mounted beneath the base plate 10 by means of a tongue portion 210 which extends upwardly through an opening 212 in the base plate 10~ A spring wire 214 engages the tongue 210 on the top surface of the base plate 10, one end of the wire 214 being provided with an offset end portion which extends downwardly through an opening 216 in the base plate ~31-10 and the other end of the wire 214 bein~ provlcled wi.th an ofset end portion 218 which is positioned beneath the base plate 10. The lever 206 is provided with an upturned flange 220 (FIG. 13) which rides in an opening 222 in the base plate 10 and is urged against the wall 224 there!of by the spring 214. The wall 224 defines a pair of detent positions for the knob 27 ~orresponding to the twelve-inch 33-1/3 rpm posi-tion or the seven-inch 45 rpm posi~ion. The control lever 206 is provided with a downwardly extending post 226 (FIG~ 6) which is connec~ed to the size selector slide 196 by means of a wire link 228. One end of the link 228 is provided with an ofset end portion 230 which extends into an open- -ing in the slide 196 and the other end of the wire 228 is snapped into a groova at the bottom end o the post 226.
Movement of the size selector slide 196 is guided by means o~ a slot 232 (FIG. 22) in the slide 196 through which the right angle end porti.on 74 of the tone arm lift ^;~
rod 72 extends, and ~ slot 234 in the end of the size selector slide 196 which is positioned by means of a pin portion 236 (FIG. 6) which extends downwardly fr~m a stud 238 formed in the tone arm base member 76. The stud 238 is of rac~angular cross section so that portions thereof adjacent th~ pin 236 act as a fulcrum for the end of the size selector slide 196~ ~ .
The slide 196 is continuously urge.d upwardly by means of a flexible arm portion 2~0 of the plate 82, the arm 240 being provided with the rig~.~ an~le end portion 2~2 which engages the underside of the slide 196 ad~acen~ the fulcrum formed by the stud 23~.
The flexihle arm 240 ~ivots ~he size selector slide 196 about the fulcrum formed b~ the stud 238 so that the slide 196 is biased into engagement with a pair o pro jec~ing lu~ portions 244 (FIG. 6) formed on the opposite sides of the right angle end portion 74 o the tone arm lift rod 72. Accordingly, the size selector slide 196 is contin-uously biased by the arm 240 to follow vertical movements ~f the lift rod 72. When the lif~ rod 72 is elevated at the S beginning of the record changing cycle ~o raise the tone arm off of the record, as described in detail heretofore, the size selector 196 is also permitted to move upwardly under the slight spriny force exerted thereon hy the flexible arm 240. At the beginning of the record changing c~cle the tone arm quadrant 124 has not moved outwardly and hence the upstanding flange portion 194 of the slide 1~6 initially engages the ~mdersurface of the quadrant 124. However, when this quadrant is moved outwardly by the link 120, as described in detail heretofore, the size selector slide 196 is permitted to move upwardly to the position shown in FIG. ~ wherein the slide 196 i5 disengaged from the projec-tions 244. In the position shown in FIG. 4, the edge of the ~lange lg4 is positioned to engage the twelve-inch .
sh~ulder 192 of the quadrant 1~4 when the to~e arm is again moved inwardly, as described in detail heretoore in connec-tion with FIG~ 18.
When the speed control knob 27 is turned to the seven-inch 45 rpm position the post 22~ depending therefrom, and hence the slide 196, is moved to the left, as viewed in FIG. 6 so tha~ the flange portion 19~ of the slide 196 is now positioned ~o engage the seven-inch shoulder 246 (~IG. 18) formed int~e quadrant 12~o When the flange 194 is in engage-ment with the shoulder 246 of the quadrant 124 during a record changing cycle the tone arm 14 is positioned to engage the lead-in groove of a seven-inch record positioned on the turntable 12, . .

As discussed generally heretofore, the record changer of the present invention may also be arranged to play ten-inch 78 rpm records.
To this end, the quadrant 124 is provided with a shoulder 248 which is positioned to be engaged by the flange portion 194 of the slide 196 and position the tone arm 14 for ten-inch records. If ten-inch 78 rpm records are to be played, the opening 222 in the base plate lO is provided with a third detent lobe which is nearer the front of the changer than the 45 rpm detent position. When the control lever 206 is moved to this 78 rpm position the slide 196 is correctly positioned to engage the quadrant shoulder 248.
It will be noted that the successive detent positions of the lever 206 are arranged in order oE increasing turntable speed rather than increasing record size, the shoulders 192, 246 and 248 being arranged on the quadrant 124 to correlate with the respectlve positions of the comblned speed-size control knob 27.
When lt is desired to rotate the turntable 12 at three different speeds, i.e. 33-1/3 rpm, 45 rpm and 78 rpm, a conventional three-speed idler wheel drive arrangement for the rim of the turntable may be substituted for the belt drive arrangement described heretofore. Such an idler wheel drive arrangement is shown in Dennis United States Patent No, 3,~90,772 issued January 20, 1970. When an idler wheel arive arrangement is employedg the turntable brake feature described heretofore is eliminated, the washer 52 removed and the turntable 12 solidly connected to the hub 38. The control wire 302 would then control the three-speed idler wheel shifting mechanism shown in Dennis United States Patent No. 3,490,772 and would replace the control wire 124 shown in this patent. ;

~,t~ ~

,' . ~ ' . , ' ' , ~

TONE AR~S MOUMTING MFI~HANISM

Considering now the manner in which the tone arm 14 is mounted or rotational and pivotal movement on the tone arm subassembly base member 76 r a tone arm support post 250 (FIG~ 6) is pivotally mounted between the upper end of a sleeve housing 252 Eormed in the tone arm subassembly plate 76 and a well portion 254 formed in the support plate 82. To this end, a yoke 256 is secured to the recessed end portion 258 of the post 250 by means of the nut 260 which is threaded onto the upper threaded end of the post 250. The yoke 256 is provided with a slee~e portion 262 which extends downwardly into the top of the housing 252 and is positioned between the housing 252 and the upper end oE the post 250. The sleeve 262 thus acts as the upper bearing for the post 250. The post 250 is provided with a tapered end portion 264 which is seated in the well 254 to provide ~he bottom pivot for the post 250, The upper por~ion 253 of the post 250 is provided with a double D
cross section which cooperates with a similarly shaped opening in the yoke 256 so that the yoke 256 is accurately positioned relative to the post 2S0 when ~he sleeve 262 is inserted into :
the housing 252 and the nut 260 secured. .
The quadrantl24 is positioned between two transversely extending blade portions 266 and 268 which are ormed integrally with the post 250 and are pxovided with openings which are adap-ted to xeceive the head portions 270t 272 of a set-down adjust-ment member 2740 The member 274 is provided with an eccentric ; intermediate portion 276 which is biased into engagement with a slot in the quadrant 124 by means of the spring 278. The upper end of the set down adjustment member 274 extends through a slot ~80 in the upper wall of the tone arm housing 76 and is provided with a slotted adjusbment head 282 by means o~E ~h~oh the member 274 may be rotated. The portions 266 and 26~ are connectéd by ; -35 :

integrally-formed ribs 267 and the spring 278 extends between the ribs 267 and loads the qlla~rant 124 against the eccentric portion 276 and -the post 250. To this end the quadrant 124 is provided with a first notch 2fi~ for the eccentric port.ion 276 and a clearance slot 171 to accommodate the ribs 267 and spr~ng 278(FIG.13)~ The quadrant 12~ is also provided with a bearing slot 173 for the post 250~ The head portions 270, 272 ride in arcuate slots 175 in the portions 266, 268. The quadrant 124 i5 also provided with a clearance slot 177 which permits the tone arm lA to move relative to the lift rod 74. When the member 274 is rotated the quadrant 1~ is moved relative to the tone arm yoke 256 so that an adjus~ment of the set~
down position of the tone arm 14 may be madeO
The yoke 256 is provIded with the upstanding arm portions 284, 236 and the tone arm plate 94 is provided w.ith ear portions 238, 290 (F~G. 1) which are adapted to be moun-ted in the upstanding arms 284, 286 of the yoke 256~ In this connection it will be understood that any other suitable tone .
arm arrangement may be moun~ed on the post 250 insofar as the 20:1 pre~ent invention is concerned. ~Iowever, such tone arm ar- .
ran~ement must have a smooth undersurface equivalent to the plate 94 against which the cap 92 may ride as the tone arm 14 is moved outwarclly and inwardly cluring the r~cord changing cycle, R~CORD SPEED SELECTION

Considering now ~he manner in which the belt 50 i5 shifted from the turret 48 to the turret 46 ! and vice versa, in accordance with movement of the speed-size control lever 206~ the lever 206 is provided with an offset arm portion 300 (FIG. 2) to the end of which is secured a control wire 302~ ~he lever 206 is also provided with an arm 301, extend-ing in the opposite direc~ion from the arm 300, which rides on -36- :

. ~

the under surface of the base plate 10 and prevents the lever ~06 from twisting as it is moved between the 33-1/3 rpm and ~S rpm positions. The wire 302 extends beneath the base plate 10, around the depressed central base pl~te portion 28 thereof and exkends upwardly throu~h an elong-ated slot 304 formed in the hase plate 10. The control wire 302 is provided with an offset end portion 306 (FIG.
12) which extends through an opening in a irst control plate 30~ which is pivotally mounted on the upper side of the base plate 10. More particularly, the plate 308 is provided with a downturned flange 310 whieh is posi-tioned in a bow-tie-shaped openinq 312 in the base plate 10. A second speed cont.rol member 314 is pivotally mounted on the plate 308 by means of a downwardly extending post portion 316 on the member 314 which extends through a circular bearing hole 318 in the plate 308 and through an elongated arcuate slot 320 in the base pl~te 10. The stud 316 is ~ormed with a head portion 322 which retains a coil spring 324 positioned between the head 322 and a washer 323 on the underside of the base plate 10. While the members 308 and 314 are pivo~ally interconnected l~y means of the stud 316, this stud may itself move withi~ the slot 320~ ~Iowever, the memher 314 is also provided with a guide post 326 which extends through an elongated slot 328 in the base plate 10.
The control ~late 308 is provi.ded with an upstand-i~g flange 330 which includes an inclined shoulder portion 332. The shoulder portion 332 is adapted to engage the belt 50, when the belt is ridin~ on the 45 rpm turret 46, and urge the belt 50 upwardly into engagement wi~h the 33 rpm :~
turret 48 when the control lever 27 is moved rom the 45 to the 33 rpm position~ The control member 314 is provided ~37-with a vert.icall~ extending flange portion 33~ which termin-ates in a curved offset end portion 336 the outer edge of which is formed to provide an inclined s.houlder 338.
When the control knob 27 is moved ~rom the 33 rpm position shown in FIG. 1 to the ~5 rpm position shown in FIG.
12A the resul~ant movement of the arm po:rtion 300 of the lever 206 moves the wire 302 so that ~he control plate 308 and con-trol member 314 are moved in a scissors ~ype action from -the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FI~.. 12A.
In so doing the ~lange portion 330 of the control plat:e 308 is first moved away from the belt 50 after which the flange por-tion 336 is moved in~o en~agement with the belt 50 which is running on the turret 48 and the inclined shoulder portion 338 of the memher 314 forces the belt downwardly over the ~5 rpm turret 46 as khe control plate 308 continues ko move out-wardly away from the balt S0 to the position shown in FIG. 120 In a similar manner when the control knob 27 is moved from the 45 rpm position to ~he 33 rpm position, the flange portion 336 : ;
of the member 314 is firs-t moved back away from the belt $0 after which the inclined shoulder 332 of the control plate 303 engages the bel~ 50 and shi:~ts it upwardly to the 33 rpm turret 48.
While the provision of the common control ]cnob 27 to select size and speed has certain advan~ages, i~ is also ~:
possible to control record size selection and turntable speed selec-tion by separate controls. This modification may be very easily accomplished with the arrangement of the present -~
invention by connecting the wire 30~ to a separate control knob which may be located at any desired location on the base plate 10, such as in the front right hand corner of the base plate~ The control knob 27 then acts solely as a si~e selec~or to select the desired record diameter.

ANTI SKATE MECHANI SM

Considerin~ now the facilities which are provided in accordance w.ith the present invention to prevent the needle of the tone arm 14 from skating across the initial yrooves of the record as ~he tone arm lands on the lead-in groove portion of the record, it will be recalled from the above description of the size selector s:Lide 196 that this member is biased upwardly by means of the flexible arm 240 and after the quadrant 124 has heen moved free of the right angle flange 194 on the slide 196 this slide is moved up-wardly by the arm 240 to the position shown in FIG. 4. When the slide is in the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 21 the vertical edge of the flange portion 194 of the slide 196 is positioned in the path of the quadrant 124 ancl hence the shoulder 192 on the quadrant 124 is moved into contact with the lower portion of this vertical edge when~,the gear is in th~ position shown in FIG. 180 In accordance with an impor~ant aspect of the present invention a controlled and limited skating action is provided for the tone arm 14 after i~ lands on the record to per~it the stylus to find the lead-in groove of the record without skatiny acxoss the initial recorded ~roov~s of the records. This controlled skating action is accomplished by makiny ~he upper portion 340 of the ver~ical edge of the flange 194 slightly inclined with respect to ~he vertical.
With such an arrangemen~, when the slide 196 is lowered .in synchronism with the tone arm lit rod 72 at ~he end of the record changing cycle, by engagement of the projections 244 with the upper suxface of ~he slide 196, the slide 196 is moved downwardly as the tone arm is lowered onto the record.
The stylus ~ngages the record when the quadrant is even with ,~
- the bottom end of the inclined edge 340. Accordinyly, as ' .' 4~3 the slide 196 contin~es to be lowered the slight incline of the edge 340 permits the quadrant 124, and hence the tone arm 14, to skate inwardly over the slick surface of the record in a controlled manner until i~ engages the lead-in groove of the record. ~lowever, the tone arm is prevented by this arrangement from skating inwardly in an uncontrolled manner over the initial recorded grooves of the record.
This action is shown in FI~,. 21 wherein the lowered position of the slide 196 is shown in dotted lines at 342. As the slide 196 is lowered to the position shown at 3~2, ~he quad-rant 124 is pe~mitted to move slightly inwardly as the shoulder -192 thereo-f moves up the inclined edge 340 of the flange por-tion 194 of the slide 196. In this connection it will be understood that at the end of the record changing cycle the slide 196 is moved downwardly by an additional amount suffic-ient to position the ~lange 194 entirely below the bottom sur-face of the quadrant 124 so as to permit the tone arm to move inwardly over the record during the playing cycle. Thus, the controlled and limited skating action of the inclined edge 340 occurs only for a brief interval a~te r the tone anm has landed on the record.
An additional anti-skake provision may be made whereby a constant outward bias is exerted on the tone arm at all times. To this end, a downwardly-extending post 346 is formed on the projec~ing arm portion 268 o the tone arm post 25Q and a spring 3~8 is connected from the bottom end of the post 346 to a downwardly projecting post por~ion 350 ormed in the tone arm base member 76. The spring 348 exerts a slight outward force on th~ tone arm at all times and hence is effective to provide an additional anti-skate force on the tone arm as it lands on the lead-in groove por~ion of ~he record.
Also, the constant bias provided by the spring 348 during the .
' ' . ~ ~, , . -,, ' .. .. .

playing cycle is desirable Erom the standpoint of minimizing wear on the records~ as will be readil~ understood by those skilled in the art. It will be noted from FIG~ 22 that a5 the tone arm is mo~ed inwardly over the record, the post 346 moves in an ~rc about the center of the tone ar~ post 250 so that thP spring 348 is not lengthened appreciably and hence provides a substantially constant biasing force on the tone arm 14 during the playing cycle.
When the biasing spring 348 is employed to pro~
vide a constant bias on ~he tone arm 14 at all ~imes, it continuously tends to move ~he tone arm outwardly~ ~ccord-ingly, when the stylus lands on the slic]c surface of the record the spring 348 may kend to pull the tone arm 1~ of of the record. To prevent this r a slight frictional force 1~ may be exerted on the quadrant 124 during the record chanqing cycle. To provide such a frictional force, a plunger indica-ted generally at 352 (FIG~ 6) is mounted in a housing portion 35~ which extends downwardly from the plate 82. The bottom wall of the housing 354 is provided with an opening through ~0 which the end portion 356 of the plunger 352 extends. Plunger 35~ is thus captivated between quadrant 124 and the housing 354. A coil spring 358 i.5 positioned between the bottom wall of the housing 354 and the larger diameter intermediate ~or-tion of the plunger 352 within the housing 35~ The upper end 360 of the plunger 352 is of reduced diameter so as to define a shoulder which is positioned below the size selector slide 196. ~hen the record changer is in a playing cycle, or is turned o, the slide 196 is in engagement with this shoulder and holds the plunger 352 downwardly so that the upper end of the portion 360 thereof is posi~ioned below the bottom surface o the quadrant 124.

When the tone arm lift rod 72 is elevated at the beginning of a record changing cycle the size selector slide 196 is moved upwardly by an amount sufficient to permit tlle top poxtion 360 of the plunger 352 to engage the underside S of the quadrant 124. Accordingly, a sli~ht force is exerted, -~
by means of the spring 358, on the plunger 352 and hence against the underside of the tone arm quadrant to provide the desired friction during the record changing cycle~ It will be noted that the plunger 352 is permitted to engage the quadrant 124 even though the flange 194 of the selector slide 196 strikes the underside of the quadrant 124. Accord-ingly, the frictional ~orce exerted by the plunger 352 is exerted on the tone arm as soon as it is lifted off of the record and before it is moved outwardly by an amount suffici-ent to clear the upstanding flange 194 of the slide 196. This frictional force is continuously exerted on the quadrant 124 until the slide 196 has been lowered below the position indi-cated in dotted lines at 342 in FIG. 21 so that this friction-al force is present as the stylus lands on ~he record and en-gages the lead-in groove thereof. This force is not removed until the end of the record changing cycle when the upper edge of the ~lange 194 has been moved below the q-ladrant 1240 The rictional force exerted hy the plunger 352 on the ~uadrant 124 also unctions to smooth out movement of the tone arm 14 25 ~ during the record changing cycle. In this connection it is polnted out that the top portion 360 of the plunger 352 also rides in the slot 232 formed in the size selec~or slide 196 for different-sized records, as described in detail heretofore.

L~ST RECORD SENSING AND S~UT-OFF
:i'' :
In the record changer o the present invention, the last record sensing mechanism is combined with the record ~, .
-~2 ~ -:

- , , ejecting mech~nism provided at the spindle 18. With this arrangement the balance arm may be of simple conskruction and need not include any last record shuto:Ef facilities as is conventional in many changers. Furthermore r by accomp-lishing the last record sensing in the area of the spindle 18 and gear 30, the recoxd changer mechanism is substan tially simplified and no interconnection with the tone arm mechanism other than the above~described members 72 and 120 is required. This arrangement has the further advan tage of rendering the record changer less sensitive to warpage and bending of the main base plate lO:and hence misalignment of the tone arm area with respect to the center of the base plate.
In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, the last record sensing operation is accomplished by movement of the record ejector blade in the same direc~ion as this blade moves to eject a record from the shelf of the spindle 18. Such an arrangement sub-stantially simplifies ~he l~st record sensing mechanism, as will be described in more detail hereinafterO Consid~r-ing first the elements provided for ejecting a record from ~he shelf of the spindle 18, a push off slide 370 (FIG. 5) is slidably mounted benea~h the central portion 28 of the base plate 10. More paxticularlyr the slide 370 is provided with a cam follower pin 372 which is secured to one end of the slide 370. The pin 372 is provided with a groove 374 whi~h rides in the narrow portion of a keyhole slot 376 formed in the central portion 28 of the base plate 10.
A flange 378 extends downwardly therefrom through an opening 380~in the push~off slide 370, the flange 378 engaging the sides of the opening 380 so that the slide is guided by means of the flange 378 a~d slot 376 for reciprocal movement with ' :' ~C?4~3 respect to the base pla-te portion 28. A push of slicle actuating cam indicated generally at 382 i9 formed on the underside of the main ~ear 30 and extend~ downwardly therefrom. The slide 370 is provided with a downturned 1ange portion 3~4 and a sprlng 386 is connected hetween the flange 378 and the flange 38~ so as t;. bias the cam follower pin 372 into engagement with the outer surface of the cam 382, It will be noted that the spring 386 is conn~cted to the ~lange 378 at a poin~ closer to the base plate than the other end of the sprin~ 386. ~ccordingly, the spring 386 also provides an upward bias on the slide 370.
In order to detent the main gear 30 in its home or detent position shown .in FIG. 1 during periods between ,, record changing cycles, a detent lever indicated generall~
at 390 (FIG. 25) is pivotally mounted on the base plate portion 28. More particularly~ the lever 390 is provided with a pin 392 which extends into a keyhole slot 394 ~ormed in base plate portion 28. A detent pin 396 is secured to an arm portion 398 o the lever 390 and extends upwardly through the opening 114 in the base plate portion 28~ rrhe detent pin 396 is biased into enga~ement with a main con-trol cam indicated yeneral.ly at ~02 which is formed i.nteg-rally with the main gear 30 and extends downwardly therefrom~
The ~ontrol cam 402 is provided with a notch portion 405 ~FIG. ~6) into which the de~ent pin 396 is biased by means o a spring 404 which is connected between a projection 406 ormed in the arm 408 of the deten~ lever 390 and an open-ing 410 in the base plate portion 28. The spring 408 tends ~o rota~e the lever 3~0 abou~ the pivot pin 3~2 so that the de~ent pin 396 is held in the notch 405.when the g~ar 33 is in its home or de~ent position. The detent pin 396 i9 pro-.

vided with a groove 397 (FIG. 7)~ One ed~e of the groove 397 moves alon~ the arcuate ed~e portion 399 of the open--ing 114 in the base plate portion 28. With -this arrange ment the detent pin 396 is stabili~ed as t:he detent lever 390 is pivoted about the pin 392.
The push-off slide 370 is provicled with a U-shaped end portion which defines a tab portion 412 (FIG~ 5) which is positioned below the main portion of the push-off slide 370 and is immediately below an opening 414 inthe slide 370 through which the lower end portion 416 of a record ejector :
blade indicated generally at 418 is positioned. The blade 418 is pivotally mounted in the body of the spindle 18 by means of a pin 420. The detent lever 390 is provided with an offset portion 422 (FIG. 25) at the encl of the a~m 408 which extends between the push-off slide 370 and its tab portion 412, as hest illustrated in FIG. 5~ The portion 422 of the detent lever 390 is provided with an arcuata narrow slot 424 (FIG. 25) which opens into a relatively wide slot 426~ the intersection of the slots 424 ana 426 defining an interference ~ -shoulder 428 in the vicinity of the end portion 416 of the ejector blade 418.
Since the spring 404 i9 connected to the base plate portion 28 it urges the portion 422 of the detent lever 390 upwardly into engagement with the push-off slide 370 and hence exerts an upward bias on the slide 370 in addition to the bias provided by the spring 386. Wi~h this arrangement the tab por- :
tion 412 of the push off slide 370 exerts a slight upward force on the end of the recoxd ej~ctor blade portion 416.
This force is employed during the last record sensing opera-~
tion described in mora detail hereinafter. .
Considering ~rst the operation of the push-off slide 370 in ejectin~ a record which is seated on the shelf 4~a3 430 oE the splndle 18 r and assuminq that a record changing cycle has been initiated in the manner dessribed in detail heretofore, the push-off slide actuating cam 382 i5 provided with a first lobe portion 432 (FI~. 25) which functions to move the push-off slide 370 a slight amount during ~the ini-tial or record sensing portion of the record changing cycle.
During engagement of the pin 372 wL~h~ the lobe 432 of the cam 3~2 the push-off slide 370 i5 moved from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FI~. 33. During this movement the slight force which is exerted by the tab portion 412 on the end of the record ejector blade portion 416 is insufficient to move a record seated on the shelf 430 off of this shelf. As a result, the end portion 416 remains in the position shown in full lines in FIG. 33 as the slide 370 is moved to ~he right during engagement with the cam lobe portion 432. During this movement of the slide 370 the ejector blade end portion 416 is not moved since the opening 414 in the slide 370 provides clearance between the slide 370 and the end portion 416 durin~ the record sensing portion of the record changing cycle. However, when the pin 372 engages the record ejecting lobe portion 434 on the cam 382, so that the push-off slide 370 is moved farther to the right as viewed in FIG. 5, the end portion 416 of the ejector blade 418 is engaged b~ the edge of the opening 414 in the slide 370 and is moved to the position shown in FIG. 34.
During this push-off movement of the ejector blade 418, the upper portion 436 of the blade 41~ engages the bot~om record seated on the shelf 430 and moves this record off of the shelf so that the bottom record is deposited on the turntable 12~ In this connection it will be understood that the position of the cam 382 on the gear 30 is so related to the position of the tone arm cam 108 that the tone arm 14 has been lifted upwardly and moved outwardly heyond the edge o the record stack beore the end portion 436 of the record ejector blade has moved the bottom record of of the shelf 430.
After the record has been ejected the spring 386 continues to bias the pin 372 into engagement with the c~m 382 as the main gear 30 is rotated through the remai.nder of the record changing cycle. If desired, the ejector blade 4].8 may be provided with an elongated vertical sl.ot for the pin 420 and is normally spr.in~-biased so that the pin 420 is in the bottom of thi.s slot~ With such an arrangement the ejector blade may be depressed to the level of the shelf 430 by the record stack above the ho~tom record as the bottom record is ejected~ The weight of khe record stack is thus removed from the upper end of the blade 418 which facilitates return of the blade 41~ to its rest position under the ~orce of the return spring 386 through the slide 370. Such a spring-biased arrangement is shown and descrihed in connec-tion with the embodiment of FIGS. 38 and 39.
Considering now the manner in which the absence of a record on the shelf 430 is sensed in accordance with the arrangement of the p.resent invention, the c~ntxol cam ,: '.
402 on the main gear 30 is provided with a deep notch por-tion 440 (FIG. 25). During a normal record changing cycle, and assumin~ a record is seated on the shelf 430, when the gear 30 has been rotated an amount such ~hat the d~tent pin 396 is opposite the not~h:,440 the spring 404 ~ends to rotate the detent lever 390 and move the detent pin 396 into the notch 440 but this action is prevented b~ engagement of the recoxd ejec~or blade portion 416 with the interference shoul~
der 428 formed in the end portion 422 of the detent ].e~er 390. : :
In this connection it will be reca].led that the light: fric-~47-. . . , . ~ . ~ ':

tional force exerted on the end portion 41~ hy the tab 412 is insufficient to move the ejector hlade 41~ when a record is seated on the shelf 430~ However, if no record is pres~
enk on the shelf 430, durinq the initial record ~en~ing S portion of the cycley i.e. during the period when the pin 372 engages the lobe 432 oE the cam 382 and the slide 370 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIGo 33, the light force exerted on the end of the record ~:
ejector blade portion 416 is suficient to move the ejector -.
blade to the dotted line position 442 shown in FIG. 33. This movement of the bottom end of the ejector blade portion 416 causes a correspondiny movement of the upper end 436 to the dotted line position 444 shown in FIG. 5. This last :record sensing movement of the end portion 416 ~y engagement with ~ :
the tab 412 take~ place just prior to the poi.nt in the record changin~ cycle at which the detent pin 396 is opposite the notch 440. Accordingly, when the detent pin 396 encounters.
the notch 440~thé ejector blade portion 416 is now moved into alignment with the notch 424 on the end portion ~22 of the detent lever 390 so as to pennit the spring 404 ~o rotate the detent lever 390 and move the deten~ pin 396 into the hottom of the notch 440. This inward movement of the det2nt pin 396 toward the center oE the gear 30 is employed to turn ofE the motor 40 in accordance with a last record shut-off mechanism which will now be descrihed.
Considering first the control linkage which is employed to turn on and off the motor manually 7 a control knoh 29 is connected to the end of an on-off lever 450 (~IG~ 25) which is rotatably mounted on a pin ~52~ The pin 452 is itself connected to a switch ac~uating p:Late 456 which is positloned helow the lever ~50. The p:in 452 is provided with a groove 451 ~FIG. 25B) which rides in : -~8-. . .

, the narrow portion of a keyhole slot 454 ~ormed in the ba~e plate portion 28. A flat spring blocking member 458 is posi-tione~ between the lever 450 and the plate 456 and is secured to -the pin 4S~. More particularly, the pin 452 is provided with a ~irst portion 453 o~ reduced diameter on whicll the on-off lever 450 is pivotally mounted. The pin 452 is also provided with a por~ion 455 of still sma:Ller diameter which defines a shoulder 457 a~ainst which the blocking member 458 and s~itcll actuating plate 456 are held bY staking the end of the pin 452 so that the memhers 452, 456 and 458 move to-gether. The plate 456 carries a pair of switch actuat:ing arms 460 and 462 which are positioned on either side o the actuat-ing button 46~ of a slide switch indicated generally at 466.
The on-off lever 450 i.s provided with an upwardly extending tongue ~ortion 468 which extends into a trian~ularly shaped opening 470 in the base plate portion 2~. The switch actuak-ing plàte 456 is provided with a projecting lu~ portion 472 to which one end of a spring 474 is connected, the o~her end of the spring 474 being connected ~o an opening 476 (FIG. 1) in the base plate portion 28. The on-of lever 45n is pro-vided with a shoulder 47~, FIG. 27 which is normally held in engagement with an upturned flange portion 480 on the switch actuatiny plate 456. In the OFF position of the control knob 29 the spring 474 functions to rotate the plate 456 so that the flange 480 thereof i5 in engagement wi-th th~ shoulder 47~ ..
and the lever 450 is also rotated until the tongue 468 hits one end of the slot 470, In the OFF position of the plate 456 the arm 460 retains the switch button 464 of the switch 466 in the OFF position shown in FIG. 25.
The switch actuatin~ plate 456 is provided with an upturned right angle flange porkion 482 which extencls upwardly through a notch 483 ~FIG. 25C) in ~.he blocking member 458 and -~

~9- .

an irregularly-shaped opening 484 in the base plate portion 28.
In the OFF position of the lever 450 one edge of the flange 482 rides on the curved edge portion or shoulder 486 of the opening 484 and is positioned s~stantially away from a right angle edge portion 488 of the opening 484, the surfaces 486 and 488 forming an essentially right-angled shoulder or corner.
When the lever 450 is moved upwardly ~as viewed in FIG. 25) toward the ON position the lever 450 ancl plate 456 move as a unit so that the flange 482 rides along the surface 486. E~ow-ever, as soon as the edge of the flange 482 is moved heyond the edge of the curved surface 486 the spring 474 moves the plate 456 with a snap action to the ON position shown in FIG~ 26 as the piD 452 moves to the bottom of the elongated slot 454. At the same time, the arm 462 of the plate 456 engages the button 464 and moves the switch 466 to the ON position with a ~uick snap action movement. During this mo~ement of the plate 456 :;
the flan~e 482 drops down beside the surface 488 of the base ..
plate opening 484. As soon as the flange 482 moves beyond ..
the edge of the curved surface 486 the linkage 450, 456 act-ually pivots about the end of the on~of lever 450 which is being held by the operator. However, the flangef:
482-is biased into~engagement with the surface 488 by the s~ring 474 and holds the lever 450 in the detented ON position.
When the control knob 29 is moved from the ON to the OFF position manually the on-off lever 450 rotates about : the tonque 468 as a fulcrum and lifts the pivot pin 452 within the notch 454. However, until the flange 482 has been movea inwardly by an amount su~ficient to clear the inner edge of the surface 488 the sp~ing 474 is unahle to rotate the plate 456 and actuate the switch 464. Accordingly, it is not until the plate 456 has b~en moved inwaraly by an amount sufficient to :~ause the ~lange 482 thereof to engage : -50- -- , ~ . . ~

the curved surface 486 that the spring 474 then rotates the plate 456 about the pin 452 with a snap ac~ion and the arm 460 at this time moves the button 464 50 that the switch 466 is turned to the OFF position~ It will be noted that the above described on oEf control linkage is effective to pro-vide a snap action actuation of the swit:ch 4 6 6 so that a relatively simple and inexpensive sl.ide switch 466 may be employed to turn on and off the motor 40. A more expensive switch would be required if the on-ofE control linkage were such that the switch 466 could be held momentarily in a mid position which could cause damage to th~ switch contacts.
However, with the above-described control linkacJe o~ the present invention it is impossible for the operator by move-ment of the control knob 29 to position the switch ~66 in a position intermediate the ON or the OFF posi.tions due to the above described snap action of the flange 482 with respect to the shoulder 486, 488.
Considering now the automa~ic shut-of~ meehanism of the present in~ention which cooperates with the above-described on-off control linkage to turn off the machine when the Aetent pin 396 enters the notch 440 in the~control cam 402, it is first noted that this shut-off action is accomplished during the same record changing cycle duriny which the absenee of a record on the shelf 430 is de~ected `
by movement of the end portion 416 cluring the sensing portion o the reeord ehanging cycle. As deseribed generally hereto-fore, the ton~ arm 14 is moved outwardly during the record changing cycle until it ~trikes the back wall 184 of the tone axm rest post 22~ during the mid portion of the record changing cycle. In accordance with an important ~eature of the present invention the tone arm is low~red durincJ the period when it is in engacJament with the back wall l.84 of ~C~3 the rest post 22 so that the to~e arm is lowered into the notch 24 during the mid portion of the last record shut-o~f cycle. Furthermore~ the tone arm remains in this somewhat lowered position during the remainder of a last record shutqoff cycle 50 that the tone arm is not moved ~ack in-wardly as the gear 30 rotates back to its detent position, -the clutch l22 slipping during this motion of the gear 30, as descrihed in detail heretofore. Such an arrangement has the advan~age that a set-down or rest post~position for ~he tone arm is not re~uired on the quadrant 124 or elsewhere with the attendant difficulties of aligning such a rest post position with the tone arm mechanism.
In order to lower the tone arm to an interm~di- -ate position within the resk post notch 24 after the tone -arm has engaged the back wall 18~, a tone arm latch member indicated generally at 490 (FI~. 25) i5 pivotally mountecl on the detent pin 396. More particularly, the detent pin ~;~
396, which is staked to the detent lever 390 is provided with a shoulder portion ~92 tFIG. 7) on which the tone arm latch 490 is pivotally mounted, the latch 490 bein~ preferably made o~ thin spring stock, or the like. The tone arm latch 490 is provided with an inwardly extending hook portion 494 (FIG. 25) and an extension arm portion 496 which is adapted to engage a downturned flanqe portion 498 of the base plate por~ion 28 when the detent pin 296 enters the notch 440.
The tone arm latch 390 i~ also provided with an arm portion 500 which rides on the sur~ace 502 of the detent lever 390 to stabilize the tone arm latch 49n during pivotal movement thereof~
~5 described generally heretofore, during the first portion of the recoxd changing cycle the tone arm ~i~t rod 72 is moved inwardly as the end 106 thereof .~
~52-~ 3 follows the cam portion 110 on the gear 30. However, as the detent pin 396 enters the notch 440 the hook portion 494 of the tone arm latch 490 is moved inwardly to a point inside the end porti.on 106 of the lift rod 72 and as the S arm 496 of the tone arm la-tch 490 engages the flange 4g8 the tone arm latch 490 is pivoted so that the hook portion 494 thereof is in alignment with the lift rod end portion 106 as shown in FIG. 26. ~ccordingly, as the detent pin 396 moves out of the notch 440 to the position shown .in FIG. 27 the hoo~ portion 4~4 engages the lift rod end por-t:ion 106 and moves it outwardly to the intermediate posi~ion s:hown in ~IG. 27 ~t this point in the record changing cycle, .
the tone arm 14 has already been lifted from -khe record and moved outwardly into contact wi~h the bac}~ wall 184 of the rest post 22. ~ccordin~ly, when the lift rod end portion 106 is moved outwardly by engagement with the hook portion ~94 of the tone arm latch 490 the tone arm is immedi-ately lowered into the notch 24 in the rest post 22. The detent pin 396 continues to ride on ~e periphery of the contxol cam 402 with the ~èsult that ~he latch ~90 holds -the lift rod 72 in the position sho~n in FIG. 27 until the end portion 106 of the rod 72 is engaged ~y the cam portion 116 near the end of the record changin~ cycle. When the end portion 106 enga~es the cam 116 the tone arm lift rod 72 is moved further down the inclined camming surface 93 and the end portion 74 thereof is lowered while the tone arm remains in the notch 2a of the rest post 22 In order to actuate ~he on-off contxol linkage 450, 456 to turn off ~he motor 40 when the detent pin 396 enters the .notch 440, a shut-off latch indicated generally at 510 (FIG. 25) .is also pivotally mounted on the detent pin 396 and rotates on a shoulder formed by the recluced `

end portion 512 (FIG~ 7) of the detent pin, the shut-o~f latch being retained on the encl portion S12 hy means of the C washer 51~. The shut~off latch 510 is providecl with a clearance opening 516 (FIG. 25) to accommodate movemenk of the lift rod end por-tion 106 and includes a first arm extension 518 which terminates in a hook portion 520, and an offset arm extension 522. Both of the arms 518 and 522 oE the latch 510 are positioned in a slot 52~ formed in a downturned flange portion 526 of the base plat~ por~ion 2~.
Also, the tip portion 528 of the switch actuating plate 456 also extends through the slot 524. The switch actuating plate 456 is also proYided with a hook portion 530 immedi-ately adjacent the inclined end portion 532 of the flat spring blockiny member 45~. The flat spring hlocking member 458, which is positioned between the on-off lever 450 and the switch actuating plate ~56 is provided wi~h a notch to receive the right angle flange 482 of the switch ac~uating plate 456 so that the members 456 and 458 move together.
However, the flat spring blocking member 458 is provided with an offset flange 534 which spaces the intermediate portion 536 of the flat spring member 458 below the plane of the members 456 and 51~.
During a normal record changing cycle the shut-of latch 510 is never moved to a position in which the hook por-tion 520 thereof can become aligned with the hook po~tion 530 on th~ switch actua~ing plate 456. This is because the detent pin 396 never enters the notch 440 during a normal record changing cycle, as described in detail heretofore.
However, when the detent pin 396 enters the notch 440 the shut off latch 510 is moved so that the arm 518 thereof ex-ten~s further throu~h the slot 5240 Also, when the detent pin 396 entexs the notch 44U the tone arm latch 490 is pivoted . . : . . ... .

~a~ 3 by engagement of the arm ~96 khereof with the flange 498, as described heretofore~ When the tone arm latch 490 pivots, a downturned flange portion 538 (FIG. 25) ~hereof engages the edge 540 of the shut-off latch 510 and pivots :it about the detent pin 396 to the position shown in FIG. 26.
In -this position the hook port:ion 520 is positioned in alignment with the hook portion 530 Oll the switch actuat-in~ plate 456. Accordingly, as the de-tent pi.n 396 moves out of the notch 440, i,e~ from the posi~ion shown in FIG. 26 ~o the position show~ in FIG. 27 the hook portion 520 raises the .inclined end portion 532 of the flat spring 458, moves into engagement with the hook portion 530 and after engage~
ment of the members 520 and 530 lifts the on-off linkage ;.
450, ~56 slightly so that the pivot pin 452 is moved upwardly in the keyhole slot ~5A to the position shown in FIG. 27.
By positionin~ all of the members 522, 528 and 518 in the com-mon slot 52~ the engagemen~ ana hooking of the members 520 and 530 is insured without misalignment during a shut-off cycle.
The members 520 and 530 remain in the above-described hooked position as the cletent pin 396 rides around the peripher~ of the con~rol cam 402. IIowever, near the end of the record changing cycle the detent pin 396 encounters an outwardly projecting inclined portion 54~ (FIG. 27) of the control cam 402 which functions -to move the switch actuating plate 456 toward the center of the gear 30 by an amount sufficient ~hat the Elange ~82 thereof is moved inwardly be~ond the end of the surfac~
488 in the base plate portion 28. When this occurs, the spring 474 exerts a sidewise pressure on the inter-connec~ad membexs 510 and 456 which is sufficient to mo~e the edge of the flanye 482 to the right to the position .

4~3 shown in FIG. 28/ so that the ed~e of the 1an~e 4~2 is now above the forward edge of the curved surface 486 while the shut-off latch 510 remains in latched engage~
ment with the switch actuating plate 4S6. Howeve.r, the arm 522 of the latch 510 engages the end of the slot 524 in the flange 526 and blocks the arm 5~8 of the plate 456 so that the plate '156 is prevented from rotating to the OFF position and the motor 40 continues to be energized.
It is necessary to continue ener~iæation of the motor 40 because the disclosed belt drive of the turn~able 12 has relatively little coast af~er the motor is de energized and the gear 30 might not be returned to the notch 405.
If an idler wheel drive arrangement i5 employed for the turntable 12 considerable coast is provided so that the motor could be turned of~ earlier in the cycle.
As the gear 30 continues to rotate the detent pin 396 moves down the inclined portion 54.4 (FIG. 27~ of .
the control cam 402. Durin~ this movemen~ ~he edge of the flange 482 on the switch actuating plate 456 strikes the curved surface 486 which blocks urther movem~nt o the hook portion 530 while tbe hook portion 520 of the shut-o~ latch 510 continues to move away from the hook 530. As soon as the latch portions 520, 530 become disengagea, the spring 474 rotate.s the switch actuating plate 456 while ~5 the edge of the flange 482 rides on the curved surface 486 as a pivot. During this rotation of the switch act-uating plate 456 the arm 460 thereo~:}enga~es the switch button 464 and moves the slide switch 466 in a snap action to the OFF position, as illustrated in FIG. 29. When the switch 466 is opened the motor 40 is de-energized and the gear 30 is moved into the deten~ notch 405 on the control cam 402 by the force exerted thereon from the spring 404 .. . .

through the detent levex 390 and the detent pin 396J As discussed gPnerally here-tof`ore, there is an extremely light load on the gear 30 at this point in the recorcl changing cycle so as to insure that the detent pin 396 en~ers -the home or detent notch 405 in the cam 402. As the switch actuating plate 456 is ~hus moved to the OFF position the flange portion 480 thereof engages the shoulder 482 on the on-off lever 450 and moves this lever to the OFF posit.ion in unison, as shown in FIG. 29.

io M~NUAL REJECT MECH~NISM

Considering no~ the manner in which a record changing cycle may be manually initia~ed by moviny the control knob 29 beyond the ON position to the REJECT posi-tion, reference may be had to FIG. 30 wherein the on-off lever 450 is shown in full lines in the REJECT position.
In this pOSitiOII of the lever 450 the switch actuating plate 456~ which rotates with the lever 450, is moved by an amount such that the flange 482 thereof is moved into engagement with a downturned ~lange 560 (~IG. 7Aj on the velocity tripping member 6~. The flange 560 extends through an opening 562 (FIG. 1) .in the gear 30 and is provided with an offset end portion 564 which is adapted to be engaged by the flange 482 when this flange is moved -to the ~EJECT position ~hown in FIG. 30. When the lever 450 is moved to the REJECT ~:
position the velocity tripping member 62 is moved by an amount suf~icient to bring the shoulder 68 thereof in~o the path of the flange 70 on the turntable hub so that a record changing cycle is initiated in the manner described in detail heretoforeD As soon as the control knob ~9 is released, the spring 474 rotatas the linkage 456 r 450 back ~57- :

, . . ' ' ' . , ~

to the ON position sho~n in FIG. 31 wherein the side of the flange 4~2 engages the surface 4~8 of the opening 4~4 in the base plate portion 2~, The :lever 450 is thus restrained or detented in the ON position.

SINGLE RECORD PL~Y ARRANG:EMENrr In order to provide single record play facilities in a simple and economical manner so thak a single recorcl may be placed on the turntable 12 and played automatically after which the changer i5 shilt off~ movement of the control knob 29 to thè REJECT posi.tion is employed to disa~le the automatic shut-of latch 510 durin~ the record changing c~cle which is initiated by movement of the knob 29 to the REJECT positi~n. Such action is necessary because when a sinyle record is playecl no record is positionecl on the record shelf 430 and hence the automatic shut-off mechanism would function immediately to turn off the changer if the auto-matic shut-off latch 510 were not disabled. More particu-larlyt when the control ]~nob 29 is moved to the REJEC~ posi-tion the tip portion 528 of the switch actuating plate 456 engages the edge 568 (FIG. 30~ of the arm portion 518 of tha shut-off latch 510 and pivots the shut-off latch 510 about the detent pin 396 so that the shut-off latch 510 $~ moved to the end of the slot 524 in the flange 526, as shown in FIG. 3~. In this position o-E the shut-ofE latch 510, a shoulder portion 570 thereo~ is positioned above ~he end of the slot 524. When the control knob 29 is .released after being moved to the reject position the spring 474 returns the lever 450 back to the ON position but the shut-off~:.
latch 510 remains i~ the positi.on shown in FIG~ 30 with ~he shoulder 570 above the end of the slot 524. Accord-~:
ingly, during the record changing cycle which is ini.tiated ~ ` .
_5~_ . . -' .

after the single record has heen placed on the turntable but before it has been played, when the gear 30 i3 rotated an amount sufficient to bri.ng the detent pin 396 opposite the notch 440, as shown in FI~;. 31 the detent lever 390 is pivotecl only slightly until the shoulder 570 engages the end of the slot 524 ln the flange 526 after wh.ch engage-ment the detent pin 396 is prevented from moving into the notch 440 in the control cam ~02. Accordin~ly, the shut-off latch 510 is blocked by engagement of the shoulder 570 with the flange 526 so that ths latch 510 is not pivoted and the hooked portion 520 thereof aoes not engage the hook portion 530 of the Switch actuating plate 456. The r~cord changing cycle thus proceeds normally as the detent pin 396 moves into engagement with the control cam 402 at the far side of the notch ~40. However, as the record is bein~ moved off of the shelf ~30 by the blade 41n (approximately micl cycle) the flange 384 on the pushoff slide 370 engages the edge portion 572 of the ~hut-off latch 510 and pivots the shut-off latch 510 about the detent pin 396 to the position shown in FIG. 32~ The shut-off latch 510 is thus positioned so that the shoulder 570 thereo~ is positioned out of alignment with the end of the slot 524 in the flange 526. : :
However, this movement of the shut-off latch 510 occurs after the detent pin 396 is well past the notch 440 r so that the manhally initiated.record changin~ cycle is com~
pleted in a normal manner. ~ccordingly, during the manually initiated cycle the latching members 520 r 530 are prevented from becoming interconnected so that the control linlcage remains in the ON position and the single record on the turn~
table is played during the follow.ing playing cycle. ~IoweverJ
after this record is played a record changing cycle is auto- :
matically initiated and since there is no record p:resent on 59- .

- . - , -. , . -: . . :
:. ~ ' . ~

the spindle shelf 430 an automatic shut-off cyc:Le is per-formed in a manner identlcal to that described in detail heretofore so that the machine is turned off after the single record is played.
It will be noted that when the control knob 29 is in the OFF position the end portion 528 O:e the switch actuating plate 4S6 engages the extension anm 522 of the shut-off latch 510 and holds the shut-o-ff latch in the posi-tion shown in FIG. 25~ In this position the shoulder portion 570 of the shut-of~ latch 510 is positioned well away ~rom the end o~ the slot 524 in the flange 5260 This collstruction ensures that the shut-off latch 510 :is not inadvertently moved so that the shoulder 570 becomes aligned with the end of the slot 524 as the record changer is carried about. When the on-of~ lever 450 is therea~er moved to the ON position there is no danger that the shoulder 570 will become latched against the edge of the slot 52~ in the ~lange 526 and dis-able the last record shut-o~f mechanism so that the machine would not automatically shu-t off a~ter the last record has been played.
It should also be noted tha~ in the arrangement of the present invention a single record may be placed on the turntable the control knoh 29 moved to the ON position ~but not to the REJECT position) and the tone arm 14 manu-ally placed on the record. Vnder these conditions, the machine will play the record placed on the turntable and then ~hut-off automatically. This is due to the fact that when the tone arm 14 is thus manually placed on the record to initiate a playing cycle there is no preceding record changing cycle during which i~ is necessary to block the shut-off latch S10. The record changing cycle which EollowS playin~ o~ the single record i~ an automatic -60~

- : .

shut-off cycle since no record is present on the shel~ 430.
On the other hand, when a single record play is initiated by moving the control knob 29 to the REJECT position, an auto-matic record changing cycle is initiated before the single S record .is played and it is then necessary to blocl~ the shut-off latch 510, by engagement of the shoulder 570 with the edge of the slot 524, to prevent the machine from being shut off before the record is played.
REPEAT PLAY ARRANGEMENT
In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, the control knob 29 is provided with a REPEAT PLAY position which is inter~ediate the ON and OFF
positions of the lever 450. When the control knob 29 is moved first to the ON position and then is moved approxi-mately halfway back to the OFF position a detent force is exerted on the control knob 29 and an audible click is pro-duced to inform the operator that the REPEAT PLAY position has been reached. When the control knob 29 is thus moved first to the REPEAT PLAY position, either a single record placed on the turntable 12 may be repla~ed repeatedly, or if a stack of records is on the spindle 18 the stack of rec-ords will be played and then the last record will be played .:
repeatedly. This repeated play of a record on the turntable will continue until control knob 29 is moved either -to the ON
position or the OFF position. To accomplish these objectives, the shut-off latch 510 is blocked when the control knob 29 is moved to the intermediate REPEAT PLAY position so that the changer will continue to play a record on the turntable 12 without turning the motor 40 off. More particularly, assuming that the control knob is in the ON position and that the tone arm 14 has been placed on the record, when the control knob 29 - i5 moved toward the O~F position the on~off lever 450 is pivoted by engagement o:E the tab 468 thereof with the edge of the openinq 470 in the base plate so that the switch actuating plate 456 is moved in a translatory manner as the flange 482 moves along the surface 488 and the pivot pin 452 moves up within the narrow portion of the keyhole slot ~54.
The on~of lever 450 is provided with an extension arm 574 (FIG. 2S) which includes a hook portion 576 which is adapted to en~age the end of a repeat play control wire 578.
The arm 574 is bent downwardly so that it is in horizontal alignment with the arm 518 of the shut-off latch 510. The wire ~78 is positioned beneath the base plate portion 28 but above the plate 45h and rests on the upper surface of a downwardly offset tongue portion 577 of the base plate portion 28. The wire 578 is provided with a downturned right angle end portion 579 which is positioned in the path ~;
of the hook portion 576 as the lever 450 is rotated. An in- . ~
te~mediate portion 580 of the wire 578 is positioned on top ~::
of the base plate portion 28 and is secured within a notch 581 in the base plate portion 28 and a hole 583 therein, the end 585 of the portion 5~0 extending down through the hole 583, 50 that the wire 578 is prevented from movin~ length-wise while at the same time permitting the wire 578 to be flexed sideways. The intermediate portion 580 of the wire 578 also serves the additional unction of retaining the pivot pin 452 within the keyhole slot 454. Accordingly, as the on-off lever 450 is moved from the ON position toward the REPEAT PLAY position the outer edge of the hook 576 engages the side of the end portion 579 of the repeat wire S78 and flexes the wire 578 so that it moves sidewise away from the base of ~he ton~ue 577. However, when the lever 450 reaches the REPEAT PI.AY position midwav between the ON
and OFE` positions the wire end 579 snaps into the hook por-tion 576 and the wi.re 578 moves bac}; against the base of the tongue 577 ~iving an audible click as this occurs~ ~h~
end portion 579 of the repeat wire 578 is thus positioned ~ithin the hook portion 576 of the f].ange! 574. Wh~n the lever 450 is released the spring 474 urges the hook por~ion 576 into engagement with the end portion 579 of the wire 578 so that the plate 456 is held in the position shown in FIG. 33A in which the flange ~82 is still in engagement with the surface 488 so that a detent orce is provided which holds the lever 450 in the REPEAT PLAY position. When the lever 4sn is thus held by the wire 578 in the position shown in FIG. 33A, the end surface 582 (FXG. 26) of the arm 574 is position~d in abut-ting relationship to the end sur~ace 584 on the extension arm 518 of the shut-off Latch 510. Accordingly, during any succeeding xecord Changing cycle, when the detent pin 396 attempts to move into the notch 440 in ~he control cam 402 -the end surfaces 582, 584 meet and ~he shut-off latch 510 is blocked so that the detent pin 396 is prevented from entering the notch 440. When the shut-off latch 510 is hlocked the hoolc portion 520 thereof is not moved into alignment with the hook por~ion 530 un the switch actuating plate 456. Accordingly, the on-off lever 450 is not actua-ted to the OFF position and the switch 466 remains on~ This action occurs during each succeeding record changing cycle ;-:
. so that the record on the turntable is repeatedly played until the control knob 29 is moved either to the ON position or to the VFF position.
Considering ~he operation of the mechanism when the control knob 2g .is moved from the REPE~T PI,~ position to the OFF position, during such movement ~he on-off lever 450 is rotated about the tab 468 as a pivot and th~ flange 487 is moved upwardly by an amount sufficient to clear the upper ed~e of the surface 488 so that ~he above~described snap-action m~vement of the swi~ch actuat:ing plate 45~ i5 provided by ~he spring 474 and khe switch 466 is turncd of~
During this movement of the lever 450 the hook por~ion 576 thereof moves away ~rom the end portion 57~ of the control wi.re 578. On the other hand, i the confrol kn~b-29 is moved back to the ON position from the ~EPEAT PLAY position, the on-off lever 450 pivots about the tongue 46g and the hook portion 576 thereo~ cams past theend portion ~79 of the control wire 578. As soon as the hook 576 moves past the end portion 579 the spring 474 urges the pin ~52 to the bottom o~ the slot 454 so that the flange 482 of the p].ate 456 moves back down the surface ~8~ to the ON posit.ion shown in FIG. 26.
The last record shut-off facilities will then function normally when the ~nob 29 is moved back to the ON
position so that the machine is shut off duri~g the record changing cycle which ensues after the knob is moved back to -the ON position, as descrihed in detail heretofore.

CUEING LEVE~ OP~R~TION
Considering now the manner in which ~he cueing lever 26 functions to raise and lower the tone arm 14 man-ually, in accordance with an impor~ant aspec~ of the present invent.ion a simple tone arm actuating mechanism is provided~
for relatively quickly lifting the ~one arm 14 upwardly off of a record in respo~se to movement o~ the cueincJ lever 26 to a generally horizontal position while at the same time proviclincJ a relatively gradual lowering of the tone arm when t}le cueing lever 26 is moved to the su~stantially vertical position shown in FIG. 24. More particularly, -: , .

a flat spring 590 is provlded with a hifurcated end portion 592 which is seated in a notch 594 (FIG. 23A) in a cwe lever lift rod 596. The lit rod 596 is mountecl in a vertically extending bore 59~ formed in -the housing portion 88 of the tone arm subassemhly hase 76. The lift rocl 5~6 extends throu(3h the clearance slot 177 in the quaclrant 124 and a ~asher 597 is positioned on the rod 596 below the quadrant 124 and is held against a shoulder in the rod 5~6 by means of a coil s~ring 599 which is positioned hetween the washer 597 and the end portion 601 of the rod 596. In the lowered position of the rod 596 shown in FIG. 6 the end portion 601 extends into a clearance opening in the plate 82.
The lift rod 596 is provided with transverse grooves 600 within which is positioned a viscous material and the fit bekween the li~t rod 596 and the bore 598 is relatively close so that a dash pot type of action is pro-duced in response to forces exerted on the post 596 by the spring 590. The flat spring 590 extends beneath a downwardly extendin~ flan~e portion 602 of the base 76 and the hor:izontal portion 604 o~ the cueing lever 26 is provided with an offset central portion 606 which engages the underside of the spring 590 between the post 596 and the flange 602~ ~ right angle end poxtion 605 of the lever 26 is retained in a suitable recess in the base 76. The end of the spring 590 is secured to the tone arm subassembly base 76 by any suitable means which provides adjustment of the flexure of this spring.
In FIG. Z3 an arrangement is shown wherein a screw 608 is threaded into a depending boss 610 on ~he mem~er 76. The head of the screw 608 is adjustable from beneath the record changer and as the screw i9 tightened the spring 590 .is flexed around the transverse partition 602.

In the alternative arrangement shown in FIG. 2~
a scre~ 612 is threaded throu~h the hoss 610 and ls secured in any suitable manner -to the end of -the spring 590. The screw 612 is provided with a head portion 614 which is accessible from the top of the tone arm subassembly so that adjustment of the cueing lever setdown s~eed can be made without removing the changer from its housing.
~Ihen the cueing lever 26 is moved from the tone arm down position shown in FIGS. 6 and 24 to the tone arm up position shown in FIG. 23, the intermediate o~set portion 606 of the lever 26 is rotated into engagement with the under side of the spring 590 and exerts an upward force on ~e lift rod 596 so that this rod moves upwardly and the top end there-of engages the underside of the plate 94 on the tone arm so that the tone arm is liEted off of the recorcl. The force exerted by the sprin~ 590 in lifting the tone arm is rela~
tively great as compared wi-th the lowering force exerted by the spring 590 because the offset portion 606 of the cueing lever 26 acts as a temporary fulcrum to raise the tone arm and this ~ulcrum is relatively close to the lift rod 596.
~ith this relatively short fulcrum the spring 590 is rela~
tively stifE and a relatively quick tone arm lifting action is provided. When the lift rod 596 is moved upwardly, the washer 597 engages ths underside of the quadrant 124 as the spring 599 is depressed 50 that a frictional drag is exerted on the tone arm 14. This frictional drag is sufficient to prevent the tone arm lA from moving outwardly under the force of the constant bias spring 348 when the tone arm i5 lifted off of or lowered onto a record. In less ex~pen`sive changer modelst the constant bias spring 34 8 may be eliminated, In such case, the spring 599 and washer 5~7 may be eliminated. Also, the flange ~52 and spring 358 may be e~iminated if the spring ;....... 348 is not used. The viscous materi~l in the ~rooves 600 may also be eliminated in such a low-cost changer so that the tone arm 14 is raisecl and lowPred directly. This change is made possible in the arran~ement of the present invention because the separate lift rods 74 and 596 are provided for automatic and manual operation, resp~ctively.
When it is desired to lower the tone arm onto the the record, the cueincJ lever 26 is moved from the tone arm up position shown in FIG. 23 to the tone arm down position shown in FIGo 24~ When this occurs the offset portion 606 is removed from benea~h the spring 590r As soon as the in- .
termediate portion 606 ceases to en~age the underside of the ~:
spring 590 a new fulcrum point is established for the spring which is the transverse partition 602. Since the partition 602 is spaced a substantially ~reater distance from the lift rod 596 than the of.~set portion 606 ~ a relatively smaller sprin~ force is exerted on the lift rod 596 to move this rod downwardly within the bore 598 against the action o-f the viscous material in the grooves 600~ Accordingly, the tone ar~ is very gentl~ and smoothly lowexed onto the record or into en gagement with the rest post 22 when the cueing lever is moved to the tone arm down position. As discussed heretofore the screw 608/ or the screw 612, can be adjusted so as to provide a desired degree of flexure of the spring 590 and hence an adjustment of the set down speed of the tone arm.

TURNTABLlE B:RAKINC', ARR~NGEME:NT :

It will be recalled from the preceding general description that facilities are provided in accordanc2 with the present inventi.on for stopping the ~urn~able 12 durin~ the record changin~ cycle so that this turntable is stationary as a new record is deposited thexeon. Fur- . :

-6~- .

, thermore, this turntable braking action is accomplishecl without de-energi~in~ the motor ~0 and without raising 03-lowering the turntable 120 In order to accomplish these objectives, a tone arm brake lever indicated generally ak 620 tFIG. 1) is pivotally mounted on a post 622 mounted in the base plate central portion 2~. The brake lever 620 is provided with an arm 624 which extends inwardly over a bEake control c~m track 626 on the upper surface of the main gear 30 and is provided with a pair of downwardly extending pro~ .
jections 628 and 630 which are positioned on opposite sides of the cam track 626. The o~her arm 632 of the lever 620 is flexible and carries a transverse end portion 63a at the outer end -thereof to which is secured a turntable brake pad 636 which is adapted to engage the inside of the rim of the lS turntable 12. As the CJear 30 rotates during the record chan~in~ cycle the brake lever 620 foll.ows the contour o~
the cam track 626 due to ~he follower action of the pins 628, 630. .
When ~he ~ear 30 is detented in the home position ~:
shown in FIG. 1, the lever 620 is positioned so that the pad 636 is not in engagement with the rim of the turntable 12~ However~ when a record changin~ cycle is initiated and the gear 30 starts -to rota~.e, the pins 628, 630 cause the lever 620 to move in accordance with th~ contour of the cam track 626. ~en the portion 638 of the cam track is encoun-tere~ the brake lever 620 is pivoted so that the arm 632 thereof is moved outwardly and the pad 636 is moved into engagement with the turntable rim as the arm 632 flexes slightly to produce a sprin~ biasing furce urging the pad 636 into engagement with the turntable rim with a predeter-mined force. Afte~n~ the record has heen deposited on the turntable ~he portion 640 of ~he cam ~rack 626 is encountered 6~-~6~4~L3 by the pin 628, 630 so that the brake lever 62Q 1~ pivotec~
about the post 622 and the pacl 636 is removed fxom the turn-table rim.
In accordance with an importan~ feature of the presen-t invention there is no spring biasing force contin-uously exerted on the brake lever 620. q~his is because a sufficient spring force is provided by flexure of the arm 632 when the pad 636 is urged into engagement with tha turn-table rim. When the l~ver is pivoted so that the pacl 636 does not engage the turntable rim there is no bias exerted on the main gear 30 through the brake lever 620. Accord~
ingly, as the main gear 30 approaches the detent notch 405 -~
of the control cam 402 the brake lever 620 does not intro-duce any frictional force which would prevent this gear from moving to its detent position aftar the teeth oE the gear 30 have become disengaged with the turntable hub teeth 58 as the notch 60 is encountered.
As described generally heretofore, when the turn-table 12 is stopped by engagement of the brake pad 636 th~rewith, the turntable hub 38 continues to be rotated by the belt 50 while the low coefficient of friction washer 52 provides slippage between the upper surface of the turn-table hub 38 and the undersurface of the turntable 12. The turntable 12 and mat 56 are also provided with a slight ~5 clearance between the turntable hub 38 and the central open-ings therein so as to permit ~he turntable to be stopped while the hub 38 continues to rotate.

ALTERNATE. RECORD SUPPORTING ARRAMGEMENT

As discussed generally heretofore, the ~alance arm 16 may be of conventional construction and does not include ~69-last record shut-off facilities hecause detection o~ the last record is sensed by movement of the spindle blade 41~, as discussed in detail heretofore. In FIGS. 35 to 37, in-clusive, an alternative arrangement for supportin~ hoth ~welve-inch and seven-inch records i9 shown which may be preferable in certain instances. Referring to these fig-ures, a post 650 is mounted on the base plate 10 by means of a p~ir of screws 652 which extend up through a locating plate 654 positioned beneath the hase p:Late 10 and through the opening 656 in the base plate 10 into the base of the pos~650. By using the locating plate 65~, the opening 656 may be such as to accommoda~e the balance arm 16 so that either type of record support may be used alternatively without ma~or record changer re-desiqn.
The post 650 is provided with a pair of arm por tions 658 and 660 at the upper end thereof which extend outwardl.y at right angles to each other and are adapted to support s stack of twelve~inch records 662 on t~e tips of the arm portion 658 and 660. A hold down member 663 provided with short parallel axms 664 is slidably and rota tably mounted in the pos~ 650. More particularly, the membar 663 is secured to a post 666 which extends through an open-ing in the top wall 663 of the post 650 and through an open-in~ in the locator plate 654 which acts as the bottom heariny for ~he shaft 666. A spring 670 is positioned between the locator plate 654 and a C washer 672 positioned on the end of the shaft 666 so that a continuous downward bias is exerted on the member 663. The post 666 is provided with a first spline 674 which is relatively long and extends through a cooperating groove in ~he top wall 663 of -the post 650 so as to locate the member 663 in th~ position shown in FIGS.
35 and 36. Howev~r, when the memher 663 is lifted upwardly -70~

by an amount sufficient to clear khe spline 67~ from the ~op wall 668 the member 663 may be rotated to a record loacling position so that a stack of twelve-.inch records may be positioned on the plat~orm arm~ 658, 660.
Aftex the records have been positi~ne~l on the platform arms 65~, 660 the member 663 i.s moved ko th~
central position shown in FIGSo 35 and 36 and is lowerecl until centrally located hold-down portions676 thereof are in engagement with the top record o-E the stack of twelve-inch records supported on the a.rms 658, 660. The portion 676 is positioned hetween the arms 658, 660 50 that a relatively wide support with good clamping action is providecl by the sprir~ 670 so as to hold a stack o twelve-inch records on the arms 658, 660. I~ will be noted that during the playing of twelve-inch records the arms 66~ do not engage the twelve inch record stack.
In accordance with an important aspect oE the , present invention, the centerin~ spindle 653 which is : employed in the embodiment o FIGS. 35 to 37, inclusive7 is particularlY adapted to function with the ~latform sup-porting arms 658, 660 without requiring an inclined upper portion for the centering spindle immediately b~low the shelf thereof. Conventional centering spindles which func-tion with an edge--type platform support usually ha~e an in-clined upper portion so that when the record is e~ected ik will strike an inclined portion of the centering spindle, thereby facilitating movement of the bottom xecord off of the platform edye suppoxt~ ~owever, such a cen~eri.ng spindle i5 quite expensive to manufacture.
The centering spindle 653 is provided with a ~.
stra.ight,spindle body having a milled slot 665 therein ; which is adapted to receive ~he blacle 655 which act~ both as a last-record sensor and as a record ejecting member to eject the bottom record off of the shelf 430 o the spindle &65. The blade 655 is provided w.ith a lower end portion 667 which corresponds to the end portion 416 of the blade 418 in the embodimellt of FIGS. l to 34, inclusive~ The end portion 667 is moved to a last record sensing position Isim.ilar to the position 442 shown in FIG. 33) in the ahsence of a rec-ord on the shelf 430. Also, the end portion 416 is actuated by the pushoff slide 370 to eject a record off of the shelf 430 of the s~indle 653 durin~ the record ejecting port.ion of the racord changing cycle. However, the upper end of the blade 655 is provided with an outwardly inclined forward edge 659 which extends outwardly beyond the edge o the shelf 430 when the blade 655 is moved by engayement with the pushoff slide 370 to eject a record. Accordingly, as the bottom record .is moved off of the p].atform arms 658, 660 the centerin~ aperture of the bottom reco~d rides down the inclined edge 659 of ~hel~lade 655 and is pulled away from the ends of the support arms 658, 660, In order to per-mit this sidewise movement of the bottom record immediately after it is ejected from the shalf 430, the spindle body of the spindle 653 is provided with a no-tch or undercut portion 657 so that a recess is provided ~m ~he spindle body opposite . .:
the forward edge of the shelf 430 to permit the hottom record to follow the inclined surface 659 of the blade 655. The notch 657 can be milled in the spindle body at the same time the slot 655 is formed. A re~ainer blade 651 is slidably mounted in the upper end of the spindle body by means o the pins 661 and is arranged to engage all but the hottom-mos~ record seated on the shelf 430 so that the records above the bottom xecord are not ejected with the hottom record/ as will be readily ~mderstood by those sk.illed ~72-in the ark. The upper end of the }.)l.ade 655 ls also pro vided with a notch or recess 669 in the rear edge thereof so that ~hen the blade 655 is moved to the record eject.iny position the recess 669 and the notch 657 in the spindle body cooperate to permit the above~described sideward move~
ment of the ~ottom record as it follows the slopin~ :Eorward edge 659 of the blade 655.
The purpose of providing ~he inclined forward edge 6S9 of the blade 655 is to assist the bottom record in moving off of the support arms 658, 660, and gives greater tolerance to the posi~ioning of the post 650 with respect to the centering spindle 653. If the inclined edge portion 659 is no~ employed then it would be neces- :
sary to adjust the position of the platform 650 with respect to the spindle 653 c1uring the manufacture of each record changer, which would be an extremely expensive operation.
On the other hand, the centering spindle 653~ which may be ~ed by simple milling opera~ions, is considerably simpler than spindles having inclined upper portions which require . ~ .:
bending operations to form tha same~
In accordance with an important aspect oE the present invention, when it is desired to pla~ seven-inch records with the arrangement shown in FIGS. 35 to 37, the member 663 is lowered until a second spline 678 enyages the top wall 668 of the post 650, i.er the position shown in ~IG. 37. In this position the tip portions 680 of the arms 664 are positioned at the correct level to support the edge of the bottom record of a stack of seven-inch large-hole records when a 45 rpm adap~or indica~ed generally at 682 is positioned on ~e spindle 18u The adaptor 682 may be o the type described in Dennis IJni~ed States Patent No~

3,5~9,0&0 and reference may be had to this patent or a detailad description thereo. I-lowever, for the purposes o:E
the present invention lt is pointed ou-t that the bottom rec-ord Qf the seven-inch large-hole recorA stack is seated on the shelf 430 of the spindle 653 and the outer edge portion of this record rests on the tip portions 680 of the arms 664.
By employing the spaced-apart short arms 664 as a support for the 45 rpm records a relatively s-table support is pro-vided without requiring the use of any hold-down arm on the top of a seven-inch large-hole record stack.
The inclined interferenc~ shouldex portion 68 of the adaptor 682 is parti.cularly important when last record sensing is accomplished by means of movement of the ejector blade ~55 o the spindle 653in the direction o the shelf 430, as described in detail hereto:Eore. During the early sensing portion of the record changing cycle the blade 655 is moved against the inner edge of the bottom record seated on the shelf 430. ~hen a relatively lightweigh~ rec-ord is positioned on the shelf 43n and the arm portion 680,~:
the force with which -the ejector blade 65S engac~es ~he inner edge of ~he bottom record on the sheIf 430 during th~ sensing portion of the record changing cycle may be sufficient to cause ejection of a record prematurel~. However, the in-clined intererence shoulder 684 provides an additional ob-st~cle which must be overcome by a substantially larger force than that produced during the sensing portion of the record -changing cycleO Of course, when the bottom end portion 416 ~: .
of the e~ector blade 655 is engaged by the back Pdge of the opening 414 in the pushof slide 370, as shown in FIG~. 33 and 34, a positive drive action is providecl for the ejector blade ~5~; which then moves the seven-inch record off of the shelf 430 against the blockincJ action of the interference shoulder 6~4. In this connection it should he notecl that `

-7~ .

the stack of seven-inch lar~e-hole record.s may be suPporte~1 on a shelf pro~ided on the adaptor 682 rather than on the shelf 430 of the centering spindle 6~,3~ An aclaptor pro-vic~ed with a shelf for supporting large-ho:Le records is shown, for e~ample, in hrahulec United States Patent No.
3,191,9~1~

ALTERNATE l,AST R~CORD SEN~ING AP~RANGEMENT

In FIGS. 38 and 39 there is shown an alternative last record snesing embodiment of the present invention wherein a last record sensing force which is somewhat greater than the force employed in the embodiment of FI(,S.
1 to 34 r inclusive, may he utilized without causing ejec-tion of the hottom record during the last record sensing operation.
Referring to these figures, two relatively thin blades 418a and 418b are mounted on the common pivot 420 within the body of the spindle 18A. The upper portion of the body of the spindle 18A is milled to provide a slot 689 for receiving the upper portions of the blades 418a, 418b and the lower portion of the spindle body is provided with a bore 691 which communicates with the slot 689. The irst pivotally mounted blade 418a acts as a record ejector blade to eject the bottom record seated on the shelf 430 off of this shelf. ~Iowever, th~ bottom portion 416a o-f the blade 418a does nct extend below the bot~om surface o the pushoff slide 370a. Also, the blade 418a i5 biased ~o its rear position shown in full lines in FIG~ 38 by means of a flat spring 690 which is positioned between a shoulder 694 formed in the back edge of ~he blade 418a and an opening 692 in the lower portion of the spindle body. The spri.ng ...

690 continuously urges the ejector blade rearwarclly away from the shelf 430 but is overccme by engagement of the bottom end portion 416a with the pushoff sLidP 37Oa during the record ejecting portion of a record changing cycle, as described in detail h~retofore.
The pushoff slide 370a is substalltially identical to the slide 370 descri~ea in detail heretofore except for th~ fact that the tab portion 412 of the slide 370 is elim-inated in the embodiment of ~IGS. 38 and 3g. Also~ the spring 386 may be somewhat lighter in ~e embodiment o FIGS. 38 and 39 since it is aided by the s~ring 690 insofar as biasing the ejector blade 418a to its rear position is concerned. In other respects, the record chang0r employed in the embodirnent of FIGS. 38 and 39 may be iclelltical to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 34, inclusive, described in detail heretofore.
The second blade ~18b is also pivotally mounted on the same pin 420 within the body of the spindle 18a and acts solely as a record sensing blade to sense the presence or absence of a record on ~e shel 430 during the initial sensiny portion oE the record changing cycle. The end por-tion 416b of the blade 418b doe5 extend downwardly below the bottom surface of the slide 370a and into the slot 426 in the offset portion 422 of the detent lever 390. The end portion 416b thus aats as a blocking member for the detent lever 390, in the same manner as the end portion 416 of ~he blade 418 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 34, inclusive, previously described, during record changing cycles other than a last record shut off cycle. A second flat sprin~
696 is positioned ~etween an ou~wardly formed notch portion 698 in the body of the spindle 18a and a shoulder portion 700 formed in the forward edge o the sensin~ blade 418b~

.

The notch 698 is formed in the spindle body a~ter the central bore is made by .inserting a tool through the openin~ 692 and deforming the wall o:E the spindle body outwardly as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The sprinq 696 continuously exerts a force on the blade 4:L8h tending to move the upper end of this blade in tha direction of the :record supporting shelf 4300 IIowe~er, the force exerted by the : -spring 696 on the blade 41~b is somewhat les~ than the force exe.rted by the spring 690 on the blade 418a.
Both of the blades 418a and 418b are provided with elongated slots 695 within which the common pin 420 is locatedO
A single spring 697 is positioned in the slots 695 and normally urges the pin 420 to the bot~om of these slots. Such construc-tion permits the blades 418a and 418b to be depressed by the `.
records above the bottom record when the bottom recorcl is ejectecl from the shelf 430, as di~cussed heretofore in con-nection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to $4, inclusive.
Preferably, the slots 695 are slightly wider at the top to accommodate movement of the blade 418b relative to the blade 418a when the absence of a record on the shelf 430 is sense~ .:
by movement of the blade 418b.
If a record is present on the shel 430, during the initial sensing portion o~ the record changing cycle the sprinq 696 urges the upper end of the sensing blade into engagmeent with the edge of the bottom record adjacen~ the shel~ 430 while at the same time the spring 690 urges the upper end of the ejector blade 418a into engagement with the OypOSite edge of the bottom record~ Since the spring 690 is stronger than the spring 696, the sensing blade 418b is unable to move the bottom record off of the shelf 430 and ~heblades 418a and 418b remain in substantial alignment during the sensing po~tion of the record changing cycle. Accordingly, : -77~

in the embodimerlt Qf FIGS. 38 and 39 a substantial force may be exerted on the sensin~ blade 418b to move this hlade in ~he absence of a record on ~he shel~ ~30 while at the same time positively insuring that the force exerted by the hlade 418h on a recGrd seated on the shelf ~30 will not be su~fic-ient to eject the record, due to the larc~ :Eorce exerted on the back edge of the bottom record by the l.~ector blade 41%a~
Assuming still that a record is positioned on the shelf 430, as the record changing cycle continues after the last record sansing portion thereof, t~e end portion 416a is enyaged by the back ed~e of the opening 414 in the slide 370a so that the hlade 418a is moved into engagement with the bottom record on the shel:E 430 and moves it off o the shelf and onto the turntable 12. As this occurs, the blade 418h is continuously urged in the direction of the shelf ~30 by the spring 696 and hence follows movement of the ~jector blade 418a as it moves the bottom record off of tha shelf 430~
As soon as the last record is moved off of the shelf 430, the sensing blade 418b is moved to the last record shut-off position shown in full lines in FIG. 38 by the spring 696. The last record is not moved off of the shelf 430 before the detent pin 396 has passed -the notch 440 in the cam 402 so that even though the bottom portion 416b of the bl~de 418b i5 moved out of its bloc~ing position with respect to the detent lever portion 422 no last record shut-off cycle is established and the last record is thereafter played in the normal manner. However, during the last record sensing portion vf the next record changing cycle the de~ent pin 396 is permitted to enter the notch 440 and a shut-off cycle is set up so that the changer is turned off at the end of this cycle, as described in detail heretofo.re. During -7~

, .
- ~ ..

this shut-off cycle the ejector blade 418a is moved by engagement of the end 416a thereof with the back edge of the opening 414 in the slide 370a but this movement has no effect on the last record shut-off mechanism since the end portion 416a of the bla~e 418a is cut off and does not extend into the path of the detent lever 390.
The embodiment of FIGS. 38 and 39 is particularly adapted for use in situations where there is little or no clamping force on the record stack. For example~ the two-blade arrangement of FIGS. 38 and 39 is particularly adap-ted for use in the arrangement of FIGS. 35 and 36 when small-hole 45 rpm records are played, as is customary in Europe, for example. To play such records no large-hole record adaptor is re~uired and the recoxd stack is supported on the shelf 430 oE the spindle 18a and the end portions 680 of the arms 664, it being noted that the arms 664 will have to be longer bv an amount equal to one-half of the diameter o the large-hole centering aperture when small-hole 45 rpm records are to be pla~ed, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.
When a single 45 rpm record which is of relatively little welght, rests on the arms 664 a relatively light sens-ing force must be used with the single blade embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 34, inclusive, to be sure that the record is not moved off of the shelf 430 during the sensing operation.
However, with the two-blade arrangement of FIGS. 38 and 39 the e~ector blade 418a functions to hold a lightweight record in the shelf 430 even though the sensing blade is urged against the opposite edge of the record with a substantial sensing force. Since no adaptor is used with such an arrangement, the two-blade embodiment of FIGS. 38 and 39 is ~articularly desirable because the action of the ejector blade 418a in ~79-.~
. . :-- . : . . . -, . . -a3 holding records on the shelf ta};es the place of the inter-ference shoulder 6~ when a 4~ .rpm adaptor is used as de-sc~ibed heretQfore in connection with FIG. 37. rIoweverr it will be unclerstood that the two-blade embodiment of FIGS.
38 and 39 may be useful in any arrangement where little or no clamping force is exerted on the xecord stack, either in the spindle area or at the ed~e of the record stack.
In accordance with a further aspect of the inven-tion, the tone arm subassembly 20 includes an audio clip indicated generally at 704 (FIGS. 4 and 22) on which the female type electrical receptacles 706 and 708 are positioned.
The clip 704 comprises a flat panel of electrically insulating material which slides within a slot in a downwardly extending portion 7].0 of the tone arm subassembly base 76, the other end of the clip 704 heing supported in a notch in the p].ate 82.
With this arrangement the phonograph pickup supported on the forward end o the tone arm 1~ may be electrically connected to the receptacles 696, 6~8 and the entire tone arm subassembly 20 may be manufactured as a unit and tested electrica~ly before it is installed in the base plate 10. Ins~allation of the com-pletely assembled and tested subassembly 20 on the base plate 10 is conveniently accomplished by providing the openings 776, 778 and 780 (FIG. 22A) in the base plate 10. The lift rod 72 is ~irst inse~ed is first inserted into the opening 776 and the housing 76 is p~ovided with depending off~et ~eet 782 and 784 which interlock ~Jith the corresponding edge portions 786 : and 788 of the opening 776. The bottom edge of the housing 76 rests on the upper surface of the base plate 10 and the subassembly 20 is secured to the base plate by means of screws which are inserted throu~h the openings 790 in the base plate 10 and into the housing 76. The drive-tri.p link 120 is then connected to the quadrant 124 by simply inserting : the end portion 126 into the hushing 128~ as shown in FIG. 11.

, ~
. ~ . . . .................. . .
~ . ~ . ~ . -. , Referring now to FIGSv 40 and 41 of the drawings an alternative tone arm drive and velocity trip actua-ting arrangement is shown therein which may be used in place of the arrangement describe~ in detail heretofore in connec-tion with the em~odiment of FIGS. 1 to 34, inclusive. In this alternative embodiment the drive-trip link 120a i9 connected to the tone arm ~uadrant 124 by means of the bush-ing 132 which i5 positioned within the elongated slot 130 in the tone arm quadrant 124, as described in detail heretofore.
However, in the embodiment of FIGS. 40 and 41 an alternative clutch arrangement is employed to interconnect ~he lin3c 120a with ~he main cycling gear 3Q~. More particularly, the end of the link 120a is formed in a modified hairpin shape t~
provide a relatively wide slot 720 and a somewhat narrower ]5 slot 722, the end portion 724 of the link 120 being secured to the main portion of the link by any suitable means, such as welding or brazing. A drive pin 726 may be rotatably mounted in the gear 30a and retalned on the gear 30a hy means of the retainin~ washer 728. The U-shaped end portion 730 o the link 120a rides on ~he upper surface of an annular wall portion 732 formed in the gear 30a and ex~endin~ upward-ly Erom the upper sur~ace thereof.
The drive pin 726 is provided with an enlarged head portion 734 which is positioned over the end portion 730 of the drive link 120a ~o retain it in place while permitting longitudinal and rotary motion thereof with respect to khe gear 30a. Sufficien~ vertical clearance is provided between the head portion 73~ and the link 120a so that when the gear 30a is in ~he detent position shown in FIG~ 40 the link 120a is not in~erconnected with the gear 30a and the end portion 730 may be moved forwardly toward the flange 66 as the tone arm moves inwardly over the record during the playinc~ cycle.
, 3C?~13 When the encl portion 730 enga~es the flange ~6, the lin~
120a is effective to move the velocit~ tripping pawl 62 to the record changing cycle initiating position, as clescrihecl in detail heretofore in connection with the embodirnent of S FIGS, 1 to 34, inclusive~ In the al~ernative, the pin 726 may be Eormed integrally with the gear 30a and suitahle means provided for retaining the link 120a on the pin 726.
The diameter of the drive pin 726 is substantially i less than the width of the slot 720 in the drive link 120a.
Accordin~ly, during the first por-tion of the record changing cycle while the tone arm is bein~ lifted o~ of the record, the link 120a is not interconnected with the gear 30aO How-ever, when the pin 726 engages the narrower slot portion 722 of the link 12Qa the pin 726 becomes wedged into the slot 722 and interconnects the gear 30a with the tone a~n quad-rant 124 50 that the tone arm is moved outwardl~. When the tone anm strikes the hlocking portion 184 of the rest post 22 the tone arm cannot move outwardly ~ny further and the drive pin 726 slips within the slot 722 of the link 120a as the gear 30 continue~ to rotatPr ~uring the latter half of the record changing cycle the drive pin 726 is moved in the opposite direction and func~ions to move the tone arm quad-rant 124 inwardly until the shoulder 192 thereof en~ages the size selector slide flange 194. When thi~ occurs the pin 726 again slips within the slot 722 while the ~one arm remains positioned for engagement with a twelve-inch record. Thls actionncontinues until the pin 726 is moved into the lar~er slot 720 of the link 120a whereupon the link 120a becomes disconnected from the gear 30a as this gear moves to its home or detant position. It will be noted that in tlle embodi ment of FIGS. 4Q and 41, the clutching action which intercon-nects the gear 38 with the link 120a is accomplished without requiring vertical movement o~ the drive pin 726.
-~2-.

In FIGSo 42 and 43 alternative tone arm drive and velocity trip actuating arrangements are showrl wherein the drive link 120b is providecl w.ith a single elongated narrow slot 740, the U-shaped en~ portion 742 of the link :L20b being employed as a velocity tripping member whi.ch enga~es the flange 66 of the pawl 62 to initiate a record changing cycle when the gear is located in the de~ent position shown in FIG~
42. In the embodiment of FIG 42 a drive pin 744 is provided with a head portion 746 which is posi.tioned over the U-shaped end portion 742 of the lin]c 120h to retain this lin]c on the upper surface of the wall 732. However, the drive pin 744 is solidly secured to the cycling gear, by any suitable means, so that as this gear rotates the cross section presented to the slot 740 changes. As this cross-sectional dimensiGn in-creases, the pin 744 becomes wedged into the slot 740 and a driving connection is established between the cycling gear and the link 12Ob so that the tone arm is moved outwardly.
However, when the tone arm strikes the arm portion 184 of the rest post 22, the pin 744 slips within the slot 740 to provide the necessary slip clutch action as the cycling gear continues to rotate. When the cycling ~ear is in the detent position the pin 7~ is completely disconnected from the link 120b so that this link may be used as a velocity trip actuating member, as described in deta.i.l heretofore in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 34, inclu-sive. In the embodiment o:E FIG. ~2 -the pin 744 is provided with a ~-shaped cross sectionO In the embodiment oE FIG.
43 the pin 744 is provided with a diamond-shaped cross sec~
tion. In both of these embod~ments the chang.in~ cross-sectional dimension of the pin 7~14 relative to the width of the slot 740, as the main cycling gear rotates, pro duces the nece~sary wedging action to interconnect the cycling gear with the link 120b.

O ReferrincJ now to FI~S. 44 to ~h, inclusive, an alter~ative tone arm drive anc1 velocity trip actuating arrangement is shown wherein a drive trip link 120c is employed to interconnect the main cycling year 30c with the tone arm quadrant 12A. In the embodirnent of FIGS.
44 to 46, inclusive, khe e]ongated slot 130 in the quad-rant 124 is eliminated and the link 120c :is pivotally con~
nected directl~ to the quadrank 12~ through the bushing 128 without permittin~ any lost motion between these memhers.
A drive pin 750 is rotatably mounked in an opening 752 formed in the gear 30c and is provided with a transverse slot 754 within which the end por-tion of the drive link 120c extends. The gear 30c is providecl with an upstandiny annular wall por-tion 756 adjacent the opening 752 and the lin]c 120 rides on the upper sur~ace of the wall 756. The pin 750 is providecl with flexible leg portions 758 and 760 which terminate in feet 762 and 764 whi~h are adapted to engage the underside of the gear 3~ within a recess 766 formed therein~
When the main cycling gear 30c is positioned in its home or detent position sho~n in FIG. 44 the pin 750 is positioned so that the arcuate bottom surface 768 there-of is in engagement with an upturned flange portion 770 pro- -vided on the base plate portion 28, as shown in FIG. 45.
In this position of the gear 30c the pin 750 is held in an upper position within khe opening 752 so ~hat the link 120c rides loosely within the opening 754 in the pin 750~ Accorcl-inglyJ during the playing cycle ~he link 120c is free to mov~ within the slok 754 as khe tone arm moves inwaxdly over ~' the record. In this connec~ion it will be notecl that the opening 754 in khe pin 750 is of sufficient wiclkh to permit the slight sideward movement of khe link 120c as the tone arm is moved to ~he runout yroove of the recorcl~
-8~-In the embo~iment shown in FIGS. 44 to 46, inclu-sive~ the tone arm tripping arrangement does not include a velocity trip clutch connection between the link 120c and the cluadrant 124. Accordingly, this embodime~t is arranged ~o provide a change cycle ini~iatin~ action which is re6pon-sive to the position of the tone arm rather than to the change in velocity when the tone arm engages the runout groove of a record. Thus, the link 120c is made of the correct len~th so that when the tone arm reaches the runout groove of a recoxd on the turntable the end o the link 120c will engage the flange 66 and move the pawl 62 into the path of the 1ange 70 thereby initiating a record chan~ing cycle. In the alternative, a photo-electric sensing and tripping ar~
rangement may be employed which is responsive to movement lS of the link 120c to a predetermined point during the play-ing cycle, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. It will also be understood that a velocity trip clutch including the members 128~ 130 and 134 may be employed in the embodiment of FIGS. 44 to 46 if desired so that a velocity tripping action is provided as described in detail heretoore in connection with the embodimen-t of FI(1S.
1 to 34, inclusive.
CGnsidering now the operation of the slip clutch connection between the gear 30c and the link 120c in the embodiment o~ FIGS. 4~l to 46, inclusive, after the gear 30c has rotated an amount sufficient to permit lifting oP the tone arm, the pin 750 is moved away from the flange 770 on the base plate portion 28 and assumes the position shown in FIG. 46. In this position the flexible leg portions 758, 760 urge the pin 750 downwardly within the opening 752 so that the link 120c is gripped between the upper wall of the slot 754 and the upper surface of the annular wall 7~6.

-g5-~ccordingly~ as the gear 30c continues to move ~he tone arm 14 is moved outwardly until it engayes the upstanding blocking portion 184 of the tone arm rest 22~ When the tone arm ls moved into engagement w,ith the portion .L84 the link 120c slips with respect to the flange 770, as described in detail heretofore in connection wlth the embodiment of FIGS. l:to 34 r incluslve.
If cdesired, the link 120c may be disconnected from the gear 30c during the mid portion of the record changing cycle so that the tone a.rm can remain in its outward position adjacent the rest post 22 as lony as possible hefore it is '::' moved inwardly to the edge of a twelve-inch recnrd. More particularly, a second arcuate upstanding flange 772 may be ormed in the base plate portion 2g ,in the path of the pin :
750~ When the gear 30c has ro~ated somewhat less than 180 degrees the surface 76E of the pin 7S0 i5 lifted to a posi-tion similar to FIG. 45 in which the link 120c is no longer ,~
c~amped between the upper suxface of the slot 754 and the upper surfaces of the annular wall 756~ A~ter the gear 30c :~.
has rotated by an amount suficient to move the pin 750 away ~rom the flange 772 the pin 750 again assumes a position similar to that shown in FIG. 46 and moves the tone arm in-wardl~ until the shoulder 1~2 engages the flange 194 on the size selector slide 196. ~fter the tone arm is thus restrained at the correct twelve inch record position, the link 120c slips with respect to the pin 750 as the gear 30c continues to rotate. As the home or detent position of the year 30c is reached, the pin 750 engages the surace 774 cf the flange 770 so that the pin 750 is lif~ed to the position shown in FXG. 45 wherein the link 120c is disconnected from the gear .~Oc and may be used for a velocity trip actuating cperation during the playing cycle.

-~6-In FIG. 47 o:E the d:rawings, an alternative embodi ment of the present inventio71 is disclosed wherei.n the turn~
table hub 38 i5 driven by an idler wheel arrangement rather than the belt drive of the ernbodiment of FIGS. l to 34, in-clusive. Referring -to FIG~ 47, an idler wheel 794 is rota-tably mounted on an arm 796 which is itself pivotally mounted on a pin 798 in the end of a member 800 of U-shaped cross section. The member 800 is pivotally mounted on a post 802 which is mounted on the base plate lOa and extends through a slot 804 in a multi-level positioning member 806 which is slidably mounted on the base plate lOa. The control wire 302a, which is sim:ilar to the wire 302 in the embodiment of FIGS. l to 34, is connected to one end of the member 806.
The idler wheel arrant3ement is generally similar to the idler wheel drive mechanism shown in Dennis United States Patent No. 3,490t772 and re:Eerence may be had to this patent ~or a detailed description thereof. ~Iowever, for the purpose of the present invention it may be stated that when ~he con-trol wire 302a is moved to different speed posit.ions/ the member 800 is moved up and down the post 802 by engagement of an adjustment screw 808 with the multi-level surface o~
the member 306. ~s a result, the idler wheel 794 is moved intv enyagement with different steps on a multi-step turret 810 positioned on the upper end of the shaft of the turntable driving motor. The idler wheel 794 is biased~in~o wadging ~.:
engagement with the outer edge of the turntable hub 38 and the turret 8lO by means of a spring 8l2 which is connected from the arm 796 to the base plate lOa. In th~ embodiment of FIG. ~7, the other portions of the automatic record changer are identical to ~hat described in detail hereto- :
fore in connection wi-th ~IG~. l to 34. Accordin~ly, the turntable 12 may be stopped during the record cha:nging :. . .: .
~7-. . . : . , . . : : .

a3 cycle, by means of the brake member h20, while the idlex wheel 794 continues to drive the hub 3~ and the washer 5~
provides slippage between the members 38 ancl 12~ It will be noted that the change from belt drive of the hub 38, as .in S FIGS. 1 to 34, inclusive, to the idler wheel drive oE the hub 38 in FIG. ~7 ma~ ~e made ver~ simply and economicallY with no changes in the automatic record changing mechanism itself~
This simplification is made possible by driving the hub 38 by engagement with the outer periphery thereof. In conven-1~ t.ional changers the idler wheel engages the inner surface of the turntable rim to drive the turntable.
In FIG. ~8 an alternative embodiment of the inven-tion is disclosed wherein separate tone arm drive means and velocity tr:ipping means are employeA. Refe.rring to th.is fig-ure, the slip clutch 122 on the main cycling gear 30d is em-ployed to connect a drive link 120d to the tone arm quadran-t 124d for moving the tone arm horizontally but a separate vel - ocity tripping arrangement is employed to initiate a record changing cycle. In the emhocliment of FIG. 4g the quadrant 124d is provided with a rectan~ular opening 820 within which is posi-tioned the downturnecl right angle end portion of the drive link 120d. The link 1.20d is held at the correct level for encJagement with the openinq 820 b~ means o a nember 822 which extends downwardly ~rom the upper wall,of the-housing 76 and is provided with an openln~ 8~ withi~ which the intermediate portion of the link 120d is positioned~
In the embodiment of ~IG. 48 the link 120d i5 only employed to move the tone arm and other velocity tripping means are employed to initiate a record changing cYcle For example, the velocity tripping arrangement shown in Dennis United States patent application Serial No~ 432J089 filed January 9, 1974 may be employed. :[n such case a --g8~

velocity tripping arm, simllar to the arm 338 in said application, is mounted for rotation about the t:one arm pivot and is frictionally connected to the tone arm, said arm beinq arranged to en~age the flange portion 560 of the trip pawl 62 in the embodiment of FIGS . 1 to 3~l o~ the present invention~ In o-ther respects the embodi-ment of FIG. 48 ma~ be identical to the embodiment of FIGS~ 1 to 34 described in detail heretofore.
In the embodiment of FIG. 4 8, when the gear 30 has moved ~o a position corresponding to FIG. 14, the clutch 122 connects the gear 30 to the link 120d. As the link 120d starts to move outwardly from ~e position shown in full lines in FIG. 48 there is no movement of the quad-rant 124d until the end of the link 120d enga~3es the back lS edge 826 of the openin~ S20 in the quadrant 124d. When this occurs, the link 120d moves the quadrant 124d, and the tone arm 14, outwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4 8 at which position the tone a~m engages the blockin~ por-tion 184 of the rest post 22 and during further outward movement of th2 link 120d the clutch 122 sliPs, as described in detail heretofore. During the retuxn motion of the link 120d the quadrant 124d is not moved until the end of the link 120d enga~es the forward edge ~28 of the open iny ~20 whereupon the quadrant 124d is moved inwardly un~il the shoulder 192 en~ages the slide 196 at the twelve-inch recoxd position and the clutch 122 slips as the gear 30 continues -to move back to its deten~ position, as described in detail heretofore in connection with FIG5. 13 to 19~
inclusive. During the playin~ cycle the quadrant 124d is moved inwardly as the tone arm mo~es inwardly over the record. ~uring ~his mo~ement the quadrant 124d is com pletely disconnected from the link 120d so that no loading '.

_~9_ : :

', . .' ~ ' ' '' from the link 120d is placed on the tone arm, the opening 820 in the quadrant 124d providing this lost motion con-nection between the q~ladrant 124d and the link 120d during the entire playing cycle.
In FIG. 49 of the drawings an alternative embodi-ment of the invention is disclosed wherein a two-plate vel-ocity trippinq mechanism is employed in place of the pla-te 62 and clutch member 132 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 34, inclusive. Referring to FIG. 49, a drive-trip link 120f is connected to the main gear 30 through the clutch members 122 as the gear 30 rotates, as described in detail hereto~
fore. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 49~ the end o~ -the link 120f is pivotally connected to the quadrant 124 but the slot 130 is eliminated so that there is no lost motion between the members 120f and 124. A two-plate veloc-ity tripping mechanism is mounted on the gear 30, this mech-anism comprising a bottom plate 852 and top plate 62a. The -top plate 62a is provided with a pin 61a which extends through a hole in the bottom plate 852 and into an opening in the gear 30 so that the members 62a and 852 are each piv-otally mounted for rotation about the axis of the pin 61a.
The bottom plate 852 is provided with a pair of upstanding ears 850 and 856 which limit movement of the bottom plate 852 relative to the top plate 62a. The bottom plate 852 is provided with a flange 854 which is adapted to be engaged by the end of the link 120f. The plate 62a includes the downturned flange 560 which extends through the opening 562 in the gear 30 and has a shoulder 68a which is adapted to be engaged by the flange 70.
Near the end of the playing cycle the end of the link 120f engages the flange 854 and moves both members 62a --~0-- ~

~r~
~f:~

~Q~3 and 852 toward the centering spindle. However, the flange 70 engages the plate 62a behind the shoulder 68a thereof and moves the top plate 62a back slightly while the plate 62a slips with respect to -the bottom plate 852. When the run-out groove is encountered, the link 120f moves both members toward the spindle by an amount sufficiant that the flange 70 engages the shoulder 68a on the top plate 62a and moves the gear 30 so that a record changing cycle is initiated. During the record chan~ing cycle the members 62a and 852 are reset to their desired positions by engage-ment with the teeth of -the gear 58 on the turntable hub.
The bottom plate 852 is provided with a protruding portion 858 which is first en~aged by the teeth of the gear 58 so that the ear 856 is reset to a position in en~agement with one side of the member 62a. Thereafter, the members 62a and 852 are mo~ed together to a position in which the shoulder 68a is positioned out of the path of the flange 70. It will be seen that the embodiment of FIG. 49 pro-vides a lost motion connection between the link l~Of and the plate 62a instead of the lost motion connection at the other end of the link 120 provided by the slot 130 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 34~ inclusive. In other respects the embodiments of FIG. 49 os identical to that of FIGS. 1 to 34, inclusive.

:, - 9 1~
,.", ;....
.

Claims (51)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In an automatic record player, the combination of 7 a main cycling gear, means for rotating said gear one revolution during an automatic cycle, and a tone arm mounted for rotation about a fixed point which is spaced from said gear, characterized by the provision of an elongated link member, means connecting one end of said link member to said tone arm, and means operative when said gear has been moved to a predetermined position during an automatic cycle for interconnecting said link with said gear so that upon further rotation of said gear said tone arm is driven through said link and rotated about said fixed point.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said interconnecting means is operative to permit slippage between said gear and said link when said tone arm is prevented from moving.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said link member has an elongated slot therein, and a pin secured to said gear at a point offset from the center thereof and positioned in said slot, said pin having a cross section such that as said gear rotates said pin becomes wedged against the sides of said slot and connects said gear to said link member as said gear continues to rotate, whereby said tone arm is there-after driven by said link and rotated about said fixed point.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said pin has a generally D-shaped cross section.

5. The combination of claim 3, wherein said pin is arranged to slide within said slot while wedged against the edges of said slot when said tone arm is prevented from moving, thereby to provide a slip-clutch connection between said link and said gear.

6. The combination of claim 3, wherein said pin is of circular cross section and at least a portion of said slot is relatively narrow so that said pin can be wedged against the sides of said slot when positioned within said narrow slot portion, thereby to interconnect said pin with said link member.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein said pin is arranged to slip within said slot portion when said tone arm is restrained.

8. The combination of claim 1, which includes a clutch member rotatable with said gear, and means including said clutch member and operative as said gear is moved during an automatic cycle for interconnecting said gear and said link member, thereby to drive said tone arm from said gear through said link member, a rest post for said tone arm, and means for blocking outward movement of said tone arm when said tone arm is positioned over said rest post, said clutch member permitting slippage between said link member and said gear when said tone arm engages said blocking means.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said blocking means is a part of said rest post.

10. The combination of claim 9, which includes means for lowering and retaining said tone arm on said rest post while said clutch member permits said link member to slip relative to said gear as said gear continues to move during a last record shutoff cycle.

11. The combination of claim 10, wherein said rest post is provided with a notch in the upper end thereof, and said tone arm is positioned in said notch during said last record shutoff cycle, said notch being of sufficient depth to restrain said tone arm while said link member slips relative to said gear.

12. The combination of claim 1, which includes a pin rotatably mounted on said gear at a point offset from the center thereof and having an opening through which said link member extends, and means operative during at least a portion of an automatic cycle for moving said pin relative to said gear so that said link member is urged into frictional engagement with said gear with a force sufficient to move said tone arm about said fixed point as said gear rotates during the automatic cycle.

13. The arrangement set forth in claim 12, wherein said pin moving means comprises cam means on said gear and adapted to move said pin so that said link member is held in frictional engagement with said gear as said gear rotates during the record changing cycle.

14. The arrangement set forth in claim 13, wherein said cam means comprises a pair of upstanding shoulders on said gear which are positioned on opposite sides of said pin and are adapted to engage said link member to provide said frictional engagement as said gear rotates during an automatic cycle.

15. The arrangement set forth in claim 14, wherein said pin is engaged by said link member and urged upwardly when said upstanding shoulders engage said link member, and means for restraining upward movement of said pin so that said link member is wedged between said pin and said shoulders to provide said frictional engagement.

16. The arrangement set forth in claim 15, which includes flexible means connected to said pin and adapted to engage said gear as said pin is urged upwardly, thereby to restrain upward movement of said pin and provide said frictional engagement.

17. The arrangement set forth in claim 16, wherein said flexible means comprises a pair of trans-versely extending flexible members on said pin and adapted to engage the under side of said gear as said pin is urged upwardly.

18. The arrangement set forth in claim 17, wherein said link member extends through an opening in said pin which has a vertical dimension substantially greater than the vertical cross sectional dimension of said link member, and means operative when said link member is not engaged by said shoulders for supporting said pin on said gear in a vertical position such that said link member may be moved readily through said opening without substantial frictional engagement with said link member.

19. The arrangement set forth in claim 18, which includes a pair of outwardly extending shoulders on said pin which support said pin in said vertical position by engagement with said gear.

20. The arrangement of claim 12, which includes a support member on which said gear is rotatably mounted, said pin is rotatably mounted in a vertically extending aperture in said gear, and said pin moving means comprises cam means positioned on said support member in the path of said pin and adapted to engage said pin as said gear rotates during an automatic cycle.

21. The arrangement of claim 20, wherein said pin is provided with a rounded bottom portion adapted to be engaged by said cam means as said gear rotates during an automatic cycle.

22. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein said frictional force is sufficiently small that said pin can rotate relative to said gear while maintaining said link member in frictional engagement with said gear.

23. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein said frictional force may be overcome and said link moved relative to said pin and said gear in the event said tone arm is restrained during an automatic cycle.

24. The combination of claim 1, wherein said interconnecting means is operative during an automatic cycle frictionally to connect said link member to said gear so that as said gear rotates said tone arm is moved outwardly during the first half of the cycle and is then moved inwardly during the second half of the cycle, and means for interposing a blocking member in the path of said tone arm during said inward movement to terminate inward movement of said tone arm at a desired location, said frictional interconnecting means permitting slippage between said link and said gear as said gear continues to rotate while said tone arm is restrained by said blocking means.

25. The combination of claim 1, wherein said link member is interconnected with said tone arm through a lost-motion connection, said lost-motion connection being operative substantially completely to disconnect said tone arm from said link member as said tone arm moves inwardly during the playing cycle.

26. The arrangement set forth in claim 25, wherein lost motion connection includes first cooperating portions on said tone arm and said one end of said link member which are engaged to move said tone arm outwardly during the first half of the cycle and second cooperating portions on said tone arm and said one end of said link member which are engaged to move said tone arm inwardly during the last half of the cycle.

27. The arrangement set forth in claim 26, wherein said first and second cooperating portions are spaced apart by an amount sufficient to permit said tone arm to move inwardly during the playing cycle without engagement therewith.

28. The arrangement set forth in claim 25, wherein said tone arm includes a horizontal plate portion and said lost-motion connection comprises an opening in said plate portion and a right angle end portion on said one end of said link member.

29. The arrangement set forth in claim 28, wherein said right angle end portion engages one edge of said opening to move said tone arm outwardly during the first half of the cycle and engages an opposing edge of said opening to move said tone arm inwardly during the last half of the cycle.

30. The arrangement set forth in claim 29, wherein said opposed edges of said opening are spaced apart by an amount sufficient to permit said tone arm to move inwardly during the playing cycle without engage-ment of said opposing edge with said right angle end portion.

31. The combination of claim 1, wherein said link member also moves with said tone arm during a playing cycle, and tripping means including said link member for initiating an automatic cycle at the end of said playing cycle.

32. The combination of claim 31, which includes velocity tripping pawl means carried by said gear, said pawl means being engaged by said link member as said tone arm moves inwardly over the record during said playing cycle.

330 The combination of claim 31, which includes a single velocity tripping pawl carried by said gear and engaged by said link member as said tone arm moves inwardly during the playing cycle, and a lost motion connection between said pawl and said tone arm which permits said pawl to be reset relative to said tone arm as said tone arm engages the grooves of the record ahead of the run-out groove thereof.

34. The combination of claim 32, wherein said gear is detented in a rest position during the playing cycle, and guide means for said link member on said gear and effective when said gear is in said rest position to guide said link member into engagement with said pawl means as said tone arm moves inwardly during the playing cycle.

35. The combination of claim 33, wherein said lost motion connection is provided between said link member and said tone arm.

36. The combination of claim 33, wherein said lost motion connection is provided between said pawl and said link member.

37. The combination of claim 31, which includes a single velocity tripping pawl carried by said gear and engaged by said link member as said tone arm moves inwardly during the playing cycle, and slip clutch means intercon-necting said link member with said tone arm with a light force which is sufficient to move said link member with said tone arm as said tone arm moves inwardly but is light enough to permit said link member to be reset relative to said tone arm as said tone arm engages the grooves of the record ahead of the run-out groove thereof.

38. The combination of claim 31, which includes a single velocity tripping pawl carried by said gear and engaged by said link member as said tone arm moves inwardly during the playing cycle, and slip clutch means intercon-necting said link member with said tone arm with a light force which is sufficient to move said link member with said tone arm as said tone arm moves inwardly during the playing cycle, and means for periodically engaging said pawl and moving said link member relative to said tone arm by overcoming the force of said interconnecting means.

39. The combination of claim 38, which includes a positioning plate connected to said tone arm, a slot in said plate, said link member having an end portion movable within said slot, and spring means for urging said end portion into engagement with said plate to provide said light force.

40. The combination of claim 31, which includes a velocity tripping pawl carried by said gear, and a lost motion connection between said pawl and said link member which permits said pawl to be reset relative to said link member as said tone arm engages the grooves of the record ahead of the run-out groove thereof.

41. The combination of claim 31, which includes a velocity tripping pawl pivotally mounted on said gear, a trip member frictionally connected to said pawl and adapted to be engaged by said link member as said tone arm moves inwardly during the playing cycle, and means for periodi-cally engaging said pawl and moving it relative to said trip member as said tone arm engages the grooves of the record ahead of the run-out groove thereof.

42. The combination of claim 41, which includes means for resetting both said pawl and said trip member as said gear rotates during an automatic cycle.

43. The combination of claim 41, which includes means for resetting said trip member relative to said link member during an automatic cycle.

44. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein said link member is a wire formed to provide said elongated slot therein.

45. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said elongated link member comprises a wire having sufficient stiffness to move said tone arm.

46. The arrangement of claim 31, wherein said elongated link member has extremely low mass to minimize the load on said tone arm as it moves over a record during a playing cycle, thereby permitting initiation of an auto-matic cycle when said tone arm engages a record with very light force.

47. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said interconnecting means comprises a pin movably mounted on said gear at a point offset from the center thereof and moving in a predetermined orbit as said gear rotates, means fixedly connected to and rotatable with said year for selectively moving said other end of said link member relative to said pin in accordance with the orientation of said moving means relative to said link member, and means responsive to said movement for urging a point on said link member into engagement with said pin with a force sufficient to move said tone arm about said fixed point as said gear rotates during the automatic cycle and said point on said link member is moved in said predeter-mined orbit.

48. The arrangement of claim 47, wherein said moving means includes cam means on said gear and adapted to engage said link member as said gear rotates during the record changing cycle.

49. The arrangement of claim 48, wherein said cam means comprises a pair of upstanding shoulders on said gear which are adapted to engage said link member as said gear rotates during the record changing cycle.

50. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said interconnecting means comprises a pin mounted on said gear at a point offset from the center thereof and moving in a predetermined orbit as said gear rotates, the other end of said link member being movable with respect to said pin, means fixedly connected to and rotatable with said gear for selectively moving the other end of said link member in a direction generally parallel to the axis of said gear in accordance with the orientation of said moving means relative to said link member as said gear rotates during an automatic cycle, and means responsive to said movement of said link member for interconnecting a point on said other end of said link member and said pin so that said tone arm is moved about said fixed point as said gear rotates during the automatic cycle and said point on said link member is moved in said predetermined orbit.

51. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said interconnecting means comprises clutch means including a portion fixedly connected to said gear at a point offset from the center thereof and movable in a predetermined orbit as said gear rotates during an automatic cycle, said clutch means being operative selectively to frictionally connect and disconnect a point near the other end of said link member to said gear in dependence upon the orientation of said clutch portion relative to said link member during the automatic cycle, whereby said tone arm is driven from said gear through said link member and said point on said link member is moved in said predetermined orbit only during a period when said link member is frictionally connected to said gear by said clutch means.