US1419214A - Phonograph brake - Google Patents

Description

R. 6. BROWN, PHONOGRAPH BRAKE.

APPLICATION FlLED sEPT- 15, I916- RENEWED NOV. 26,1920.

1,%19,214. v Patented June 13, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

3 ili INVENTOR RM 6. B

Y ATTORNEY R. G. BROWN.

PHONOGRAPH BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 15. i916. RENEWED NOV. 26 1920.

Patented June 13, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- L 5 ,7 INVENTOR Ra-12w? G. BM

y ATTORNEY WWW t r tii ld l @FHCE.

ROBERT Gr. BRO'WN, OF GEORGE SCHOOL. PEIQ'NSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOB, TO JOHN E.

ST REITELMEIER, O1? CINCINNATI, OHIO.

PHONOGRAPl-I BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 13 1922 original application filed January 18, 1915, Serial No. 2,884. Divided and this application filed September 15, 1916, Serial No. 120,305. Renewed November 26, 1920. Serial No. 426,604.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Ronnnr G. Brown, a citizen of the United States, and residing at George School, in the county of Bucks and State oi Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Phonograph Brake, of which the following specification is a full disclosure.

This is a division of my copending application No. 52834; filed January 18th, 1915, and this case covers more particularly the mechanism including especially the brake element and the means for automatically controlling and operating the same.

One object of this invention is to provide a mechanism adapted first to be set in op-. eration and then after a predetermined time interval to in turn cause a brake element to function in stopping the turn-table of a phonograph.

The primary object is to provide a mechanism that will very effectively enable a ven record to be automatically replayed as many times as desired and then to automatically stop the machine.

Another object is to provide a unitary self-contained mechanism which can easily be applied to a conventional type of phonograph and which will render the same automatic to the extent of enabling it to replay a record any predetermined number of times and then to automatically stop the operation of the machine.

An object of the herein illustrated specific embodiment of this invention is to pro *ide a mechanism that will normally oe entirely free from the turn-table. but which by anap n'opriatc electrical or mechanical latch *will be thrown into engagement with said ing mechanism into action preferably by turn-table power, to lift the stylus and replace it at the beginning of the record, and to combine with said mechanism an adjust ing instrumentality capable of determining the number of such replaying operations and of causing a brake automatically to stop the phonograph.

I Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and in part indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of parts and in the unique relations of the members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof; all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to comprehend the underlying features thereof that they may embody the same by the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated hv this invention, drawin q's depicting a preferredform have been annexed as a part of this disclosure, and in such drawings. like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, of which Fig. 1 is a plan view diagrammatically illustrating a conventional sound-arm, record and turn-table with my invention as an attachment applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an en larged planof a mechanism embodying my improvement. Fig. 3 is front elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a left-end elevation with the casing; in section. Fig. 5 is a plan. similar to Fig. showing the transmission unit in. its tripped motion-receiving position. and showing some of the parts broken away to more clearly show the details of the escape/merit device. Fig. 6 is a right-end elevation, with the casing in sect-ion. Fig. 7 is a front elevation, with the casing in section to more fully show the brake mechanism. Fig. 8 is a detailed elevation-of the counting wheel showing its bevelled ratchetreleasing nose. Fig. 9 is a plan of the sound conveying arm and of a modified construction of stop mechanism therefor.

Continuingby way of a more detailed analysis, it may be noted that this invention comprehends a trip or contact system which may operate either electrically or mechanically .but which preferably operates through a contact element secured directly to each record, thereby avoiding the necessity of adjusting the mechanism whenever the records are changed.

Preferably, the lifting mechanism is normally disconnected from the source of power so as to avoid wear of constantly running wheels and to that end the attachment is provided with a wheel which is normally out of action but which can be shifted to engage the periphery of the turn-table and act to transmit power to the mechanism during the working periods.

lileferring to the drawings 1 indicates an element which is driven ultimately by the conycntional phonograph motor and in this embodiment it is convenient to utilize the turn-table itself as the source of motion and throw a frictional clutch to connect and disconnect the stylus-lifting mechanism therewith. A. great advantage of this lies in the facility with which this instrument can be attached by any ordinary user to any conventional phonograph. Such phonograph will also conventionally embody a suitable tone arm l; adapted to swing about a vertical axis over the record. 5 and carrying a sound-box 3 having the usual stylus 2; the whole being so arranged that the stylus can remain in the groove or be uplifted therefrom, this being here accomplished by having the sound-box carrier or gooseneck pivoted to the tone-arm to swing about a horizontal axis. This invention embodies means which will lift the soundbox carrier about its horizontal axis in combination with means for swinging the tone arm about its vertical axis back to the initial or starting point.

This invention contemplates a general,

mechanism adapted to enter into combination with the above-named conventional elements to function as above stated, and spe array be any motor driven element;

a trip system which effective automatically to throw the power connector into action at the appropriate station in the record; (F) a control lever which automatically effects a disconnection of the power connector and normalizes the relation of the trip to the mechanism; an adjuster which predetermines the number of times the mechanism operates to replay the record; and (H) a brake which is conveniently caused to oper ate to conclude the performance.

These will be described in order.

The sound box lifter, as shown by Fig. 1, consists of a davit 11 which is formed of tubing bent L-shaped and having its lower end journalled in a bearing 9 formed by a boss projecting from the base-plate 15. This base-plate is mounted adjacent the base of the tone-arm 4 so that the horizontal upper end of the davit may extend towards the tone-arm and terminate over the same in a relation which will presently be more fully explained. A tension element such as the cord 12 (containing leading in and out wires) is anchored to the extremity of the davit 11 and also to an appropriate part of the sound-box 3, such as the upper side thereof and the extremity of the davit 11 is sutliciently higher than the axis 4 so that a pull on the cord 12 will lift the arm 4t about its horizontal axis, thus elevating the-stylus. This davit has an arm 16 wereby it may be oscillated by the motion transmitting mechanism.

The tone arm shifter is for the purpose.

of causing the tone -arm to swing back to its starting position and, to avoid scratching the record by the stylus, this movement should not begin until the stylus has been raised clear of the record. This invention contemplates a means that will come effectively into action only after the stylus has been raised and in this particular embodiment great simplicity has been attained by intimately incorporating this means with the stylus lifter, and this has been done by a peculiar relation between the axes 11 and a of the davit and tone-arm, respectively and the arc of swing of the point 11. That is to say in its normal or stylus lowering position the davit 11 is in such a position that the straight line from the point 11 to the point 12 is in substantially dead center relation with the axis 4, but when the davit 11 swings into the position shown by Fig 1 this straight line becomes in offset relation with the axis lwiththe result that a pull on the cord 12 not only tends to lift the stylus but also imposes a turning movement on the tone-arm and urges it gently yet sufliciently towards its initial position.

The motion transmission is the mechanism or train of elements that results in the actuation of the stylus-replacing means by power derived from some motor-driven part, such as the turn-table 1; and which preferably embodies reduction gears so that the ultimate motion will be slow and deliberate and the stylus will be handled gently and without jerks and save the record from scratches. In this embodiment, this transmission is in part stationary and in part is bodily shiftable for power-connecting purposes. The Stationary part comprises a shaft 19 pivoted at its lower end in the base of the main frame or casting 15 and at its upper end to the cover-plate 20 which is also fixed to said frame by means of the posts 21 and 22. The upper end of this shaft 19 is provided with an eccentric pin 19 which is connected with the end of the arm 16 by means of the link 17 whereby the davit 11 may be rocked slowly. This shaft 19 derives motion from the clutch element or wheel 29 through a train of reduction gears 24:, 25, 26 and 27, the shafts of which are all pivoted to the side plates 23 of a rocking-frame. Both. gear sets 2 l n5 and 2627 have a pronounced reduction effect with the consequence that the cranlepin 19 is but very slowly turned, although the friction wheel 29 may rotate several times during each revolution of the turn-table.

The power connector is an arrangement in the nature of a clutch and it enables the turn-table to operate during the normal playing of a record without any concomitant operation of the return mechanism. Preferably this means is located so as to disconnect as many parts as possible from the source of motion, to avoid needless wear or noise, and preferably the wheel 29 is therefore entirely withdrawn from the turntable. This is conveniently done by pivoting the plates 23 of the sub-frame to the shaft 19 so that the shaft 28 of the friction wheel will be carried by the remote free-swinging portion of the sub-frame.

The position of this sub-frame is in turn determined by the following arrangement:--

The lever control for the swinging power connector functions first to unlatch and resiliently swing the sub-frame to bring the friction wheel 29 into engagement with the periphery of the turntable and to maintain this engagement until the tone-arm has been shifted to its initial point, and in the meanwhile to effect a relatching of the control lever, and then through the same lever to withdraw the friction wheel and permit the record to be played without interference. This triple action is very easily effected by the multiple fulcrum lever sys tern comprising a lever 31 which is permanently pivoted at 39 to the plate 23 of the swinging sub-frame and which, in the position of the parts shown by F 2, can

(when unlatohed) be turned about the stationary fulcrum point 18 formed by a fiat er go of the cam plate 18. That is to say, the end of the lever 31 has entered a right angle notch 32 in the cam-plate 18 so that it may rest against the edge 18 thereof which constitutes a stationary fulcrum ena bling the lever 31 at the point to pry the plate 28 around the axis 19. Normally, the lever is held against this movement by means of a pin 33 which engages with a notch 34- of a latch pivoted at 3-6 to a frame-element and spring pressed into position by the pull of the spring 38 on the end of the arm 37. The rotation of the cam 18 begins the moment the wheel 29 starts to actuate the davit 11 and this rotation is anti-clockwise and immediately brings the raised portion 18 against the edge of the lever 31 so as to -force its end away from the shaft 19 and swing the lever about the pivot 30 (the subframe remain ing still) until the latch pin 33 has passed the notch 34 in the latch 35. This condition remains unchanged while the periphery of the cam-plate 18 rides against the edge of the lever 31 and until the point 18 passes the end of the lever 31, whereupon the fulcrum provided by the cam 18 will have disappeared and immediately its place is taken by the pin 33 so that the spring now tends to turn the lever 31 around the pin 33 as a fulcrum and this tends to throw the pivotal connection 80 in the opposite direction and, of course, withdraws the subframe and the friction wheel 29 so that all motion ceases in the entire attachment. The sub-fran1e continues to withdraw until the end of the lever abuts the part 18 again, when the position of Fig. 2 is attained. This action has resulted in an elevation of the stylus, a swinging of the tone-arm, and a replacement of the stylus. N ow, the stylus is in a position to replay the record and will continue to do so until a trip system comes into effect to release the latch 35 and cause the attachment to refunction in restoring the stylus to its initial position.

The trip system contemplates a means for causing the latch 35 to swing aside and release the pin 33 and this movement of the latch 35 may be effected either mechanically or electrically, the latter possessing the advantage of making it unnecessary to reset the trip adjustment when a new record disc is placed in the machine. In this embodiment, a thin brass washer 14 is affixed to each particular record at a proper point so that it will close the circuit between the two spring lingers 13 when the stylus 3 reaches the end of the sound groove. The current passes through the conductor which leads upwardly as indicated by 12 and is secured at 11 to the hollow arm ofthe davit 11 and it passes down this davit through the hollow post 9 (Fig. 6) and thence through the opening 9 and the end 12 is fast to the one binding post a: of the electro-magnet 39. The other binding post 2 may, by means of the small wire to, be grounded to the arm 15 to complete' the circuit. Thus, whenever the contact 14 functions, the electro-magnets will retract the latch and the resetting of the stylus will take place.

The adjuster operates to determine the number of times the record is to be replayed; this number ranging rom one to eight, or more, according to the construction. So far as has been explained, the above described :uiparatus would perform repeatedly an indefinite number of times, but this invention proposes a very simple arrangement for limiting the operation of the instrument. That to say, a brake is caused automatically to stop the turn-tables; preferably just after the stylus has been uplifted and the tone arm returned. This brake consists of a rod journalled to slide in the posts 41 and 22 and normally urged in the direction of the turntable by the spring 4:6 so that, if otherwise free, it will advance to project its end l2 (carrying a friction surface) through the opening Zi in a post 2i and directly against the periphery of the turn-table, thereby stopping it. This movement is restrained, however, by means of a controller having a number of teeth all which can cooperate with the periphery if) of a spiral track 4:51. This frame 43 can be adjusted, with the brake rod if) by grasping the nob 4:3 and it is provided with a pointer co-operating with indication marks 51. it ow, during each single revolution of the track 4 5, the end 4? will receive and pass one tooth, and if there be three teeth to pass then the instrumentwill operate three times before the brake is released by the sharp nose -7 which rides under and lifts up the smooth portion 418. The releasing point depends upon the location of the end l7 of the track and. this will preferably be such that the davit will be moved to its uplift position.

For the purpose of limiting the swing of the sound conveying arm, I provide a stop member 52 journaled on an upright stud 53, which also serves as a securing member for the shelf 20. This stop member has an L shaped head 5%, having a short and long arm, and may be turned on the upright to bring either into the path of movement of the sound conveying arm, alternately serving for relatively different standard sizes of records. While the stop is only adapted for use with records of two different diameters it may be interchanged with a stop member having stop arms of different lengths to accommodate records of any size.

In Fig. 9, l have shown a modified form of stop provided with a spring retaining clip engaging with a series of notches in the supporting upright. A rotation of the stop arm in a clockwise direction will engage the spring clip in either of the notches, while the shape of the clip and notches will prevent retrograde movement and form a rigid abutment.

l i ithout further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and. are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure the fol lowing combinations of'steps and elements, or equivalents thereof, by Letters Patent of the United States 1, A honograph brake-device combining a turn-table and a stylus; a mechanism operating under the power of said turn-table for repeatedly lifting said stylus; a brake; and an adjustment operated by said mechanism for causing said brake to function after said stylus has been uplifted for the predetermined number of times.

2. A phonograph brake-apparatus c01nbining a frame adapted to be mounted adjacent a conventional turn-table; a brakeelement movably mounted on said frame to engage and arrest the turn-table; means also on said frame adapted to co-operate in lifting a conventional stylus; and mechanism adapted to derive motion from said turntable for operating said means to gradually lift said stylus and subsequently control said brake-element.

3. A phonograph brake-apparatus combining a frame adapted to be mounted adjacent conventional turn-table; a brakeelcment movably mounted on said frame to engage and arrest the turntable; means also on said frame adapted to co-operate in lifting a conventional stylus; mechanism adapted to derive motion from said turntable for mechanically operating said means and controlling said brake-element; and means for automatically interrupting the propelling relation between said turn-table and said mechanism.

4-. A phonograph brake-apparatus comframe; a single-convolution worm deriving rotation from said wheel; mechanism actuated from said wheel for repeatedly shifting the position of said 'siil)-fi'ame; a brake element; and a toothed part normally engaging said worm to hold said brake inoperative and adapted to release the same when it overrides said worm.

6. A phonograph brake-apparatus combining a main frame; a sub-frame pivoted thereto; an element pivoted to said subframe; a cam shaped stop for limiting the movement of said element in one direction; a spring urging said element against said stop and thereby effective to advance said sub-frame; a latch adapted to engage said element to restrain the advance of said subframe; a wheel in said sub-frame adapted to turn said cam first to latch said element and then to employ it in withdrawing said sub-frame; a worm deriving rotation from said wheel; a toothed part engaging said worm; and a brake element controlled by said engagement.

7. A phonograph brake-apparatus combining a rotatable element adapted to be connected with. a source of motion; a frame adapted to shift said element; a lever adapted to turn on either one of a plurality of centers; a spring enabling said lever when turning about one center to advance said frame; a latch adapted to form a fulcrum to enable said lever to turn about it as a center and retract said frame; means for swinging said lever about said fulcrum; and a brake mechanism controlled by said element. I

8. A phonograph brake-apparatus com bining a rotatable element adapted to be connected with a source of motion; a frame adapted to shift said element; a lever adapted to turn on either one of a plurality of centers; a connection enabling said lever when turning about one center to advance said frame; a latch adapted to form a fulcrum to enable said lever to turn about it as a center and retract said frame; means for swinging said lever about a third center to render said latch operative; and a brake mechanism controlled by said element.

9. A phonograph brake-apparatuscombining a shiftable frame; a lever pivoted thereto; a latch; means for swinging said lever about its pivot to engage said latch; means for moving said lever about the latch as a fulcrum to shift said frame; a transmission element adapted to be connected with a source of power by the shifting of said frame; and a brake controlled by said element.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT Gr. BROWN.

ld itnesses:

FLORENCE E. Moonn, FRANK Bnnro.

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