GB466769A - Improvements relating to magazine gramophones - Google Patents

Abstract

466,769. Magazine gramophones; electric control systems. ELOD, E., and HOFFMANN, K. Sept. 4, 1935, No. 24683. [Classes 40 (i) and 40 (ii)] A magazine gramophone has the records arranged in carriers disposed radially in a rotatable drum and means is provided for operation, after the drum has been rotated to the appropriate extent, for bringing any desired record in its carrier out of the drum to a device situated near it which supports the record so that it is accessible for playing on both sides, a pair of pick-ups or other sound-reproducing devices being provided to enable one or both sides of the record to be played while it is so supported. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a drum 1 is mounted on a shaft 2 and is rotated from the driving mechanism 4 by wheels 5, 6 and a chain 7. The end plates 8 of the drum are formed with grooves 9 in which the spring controlled holders 10 for the records 11 are adapted to slide. When the drum has reached the position in which the selected record to be played is vertical, pinions 18 are rotated by the driving mechanism 4 so that projections 20 on racks 19 engage pins 17 on the appropriate holder 10 and draw the latter out of the drum against the action of its spring 15 so as to bring the selected record into the playing position. The mechanism 4 then rotates the shaft 23 through half a revolution so as to cause the cams 24, 25 thereon to operate the pivoted forked levers 27 and bring the axially movable sleeves 28 on the record driving shafts 21, 22 into engagement with the record. One or both sides of the record are then played, after which the sleeves 28 are again displaced axially to release the record, the racks 19 are raised and the holder 10 withdrawn into the drum by the spring 15. 'Fig. 6 shows a modification in which each record 49 is held between jaws 34 on a pair of limbs 30, 31 pivoted at 35, 36 to a third limb 32 and held in position by springs 33. The carriers so formed are held in grooves 39 in the pot-like drum 38 by springs 37. The selected record with its carrier is withdrawn from the drum on the engagement of a projection 45 on the carrier by a spring 43 on a rack 44 which is displaced by a pinion 41 rotatable by the driving mechanism 40. After the record has been gripped by its driving shafts, levers 50, 51 carried on rods 52 are operated so as to spread the limbs 30, 31 apart and release the record for rotation. When playing is finished, the levers 50, 51 are moved back and the record gripped again by the jaws 34, the rack 44 is returned and the carrier drawn back again into the drum by the spring 37. According to a further modification, Fig. 8, each record is held at four points on its periphery by grooved rollers 52<1> carried by supports 54 mounted on levers 57 pivoted at 55 and adapted to be actuated by spring controlled push buttons 56. The drum, in this arrangement, consists of two plates 61, 62 provided with radial slots 63 in which the carriers 60 are mounted so as to rotate about spindles 64. The selected record with its carrier is adapted to be swung out of the drum on its pivot 64 so as to bring the centre of the record into alignment with the sleeves on the driving shafts by means of a rack 67 operable by pinions 65 and engaging with toothed quadrants 68 on the carrier. After the record has been gripped, the lever 72, rods 73 and levers 74 are operated so as to cause the push buttons 56 to be depressed and release the record from the rollers 52<1>. When playing is ended, the record is again gripped by the rollers, the rack 67 moved back and the carrier 60 again swung into the drum. Fig. 17 shows a modified form of carrier which can be used with the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, the carrier being formed of springy material and comprising resilient limbs 78 carrying rollers 79. The particular record to be played may be selected by remote control means, Fig. 18 (not shown), comprising tens and units dials, the pointers of which when manually set to the number of the record to be selected, cooperate with appropriate contacts which are in electrical connection with corresponding contacts of a pair of similar dial-and-pointer devices, the contact arms of which are driven with the drum 1 from the shaft 5. Accordingly, when the selected record reaches the vertical position at the bottom of the drum, the last mentioned contact arms complete the necessary electric circuit whereby solenoids and relays are energized to declutch the drum from the shaft 5, release a catch to hold the drum in the selected position and operate the pinions 18 and shafts 23 and 21 to withdraw and drive the record as described above. A further manually operated pointer is adapted to be preset so as to determine whether only one or both sides of the' selected record is to be played. If only one side is to be played, the appropriate pick-up arm at the end of its travel closes contacts to establish an electrical circuit whereby the record is released from the shafts 21, 22 and allowed to be withdrawn into the drum, whilst, if both sides are to be played, another set of contacts is closed whereby the drive of the shaft 21 is reversed and the second pick-up arm is brought into position for playing the other side of the record. Each pick-up arm 101, one of which is shown in Fig. 19, is mounted on a carriage 102 adapted to be fed across the record by a lead-screw and nut arrangement (not shown). The arm 101 is mounted by means of a ball-and-socket joint 103 on a platform 106 and is urged towards the record by springs 104, its movement in this direction being restrained by a thread 105. The platform 106, which pivots about an axis 107, is provided with an adjustable member 108 resting on a hinged table 109 which co-operates with an incline 11 so that as the carriage 102 moves into the position in which the pick-up is opposite the first groove of the record, the table 109 rides down the incline 110 and consequently lowers the member 108 and platform 106 to allow the pick-up to engage the record.