US1883238A

US1883238A - Sound reproducing machine

Info

Publication number: US1883238A
Application number: US706494A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rue William D La; Samuel H Wismer
Original assignee: RCA Corp
Current assignee: RCA Corp
Priority date: 1924-04-14
Filing date: 1924-04-14
Publication date: 1932-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 1949-10-18

Description

Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1924 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 w. D. LA RU'E ET AL souun REPRODUCING MACHINE Oct. 18, 1932.

Filed April 14, 1924 l2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V "MMMAWWMmMHWW Zjwwntoz N a R 5 Was LEW MR Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL sounn REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed April 14. 1924 12 Sheets-Sheet I5 Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL soUND REPRODUCINQ MACHINE Filed April 14, 1924 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 Maalllilfirlrlllllll i wn Tn M HNeEEIi is gmmntoz WW v Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1924 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL. 1,883,238

SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1924 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 r m n W Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL 1,883,238

SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filgd Apri1 14, 1924 12 Sheets-Sheet 'T N m w MW am i mm Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed April 14, '1924 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL SOUND R EPRODUCING MACHINE 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed April 14, 1924 Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1924 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 W -iQMLOMRM aU oz we ,5

Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL 1,883,238

SOUND REPRODUC ING MACHINE Filed April 14. 1924 12 Sheets-Sheet 11 Oct. 18, 1932. w. D. LA RUE ET AL 1,883,238

SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1924 12 Sheets-Sheet 12 m W ZW GU01 um 1 Patented Oct. .18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM D. LA EUE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND SAMUEL H. WISMEB, OI

PALMYRA, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO RADIO CORPORA- TION OF AMERICA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SOUND REPEOD'UCING MACHINE Application filed April 14, 1924. Serial No. 706,494.

- change of the record tablets, the restoration of the sound reproducing instrumentalities to starting position, etc., have been complicated and liable to early derangement. It is an object of this invention to provide a sound reproducing machine which is adapted to play a plurality of record tablets in succession automatically, and which is simple and compact in construction so that the machine may be housed in a cabinet of convenient size, and wherein the mechanisms for interchanging the record tablets, restoring the sound reproducing instrumentalities to starting position, etc., are of such simple and durable construction and arrangement as to minimize the likelihood of derangement even though the machine be operated by unskilled persons.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a sound reproducing machine with improved means for supporting a plurality of record tablets in position for transference into cooperative relation with sound reproducing instrumentalities; to provide an improved magazine for record tablets adapted to hold tablets of different sizes either interchangeably or intermixed in any desired order; to provide an improved magazine for record tablets adapted to engage the tablets at their center holes and support the same; to provide an improved magazine for record tablets adapted to support the tablets at an angle to the plane in which they are played, as in a substantially vertical position, for ready transference to playing position.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a sound reproducing machine with improved mechanism for transferring record tablets from a magazine into cooperative relation with the sound reproducing instrumentalities; to provide a tablet-transfer device which is also adapted to support the record tablet in cooperative relation with the sound reproducing instrumentalities; to provide an improved tablet-transfer device which by a single oscillation through a given angle is adapted to remove a tablet from a magazine and position it in inoperative relation with the sound reproducing instrumentalities; to provide 'a tablet-transfer device including a table which is adapted to cooperate with the ma azine to release a tablet therefrom and then convey said tablet into playing position and support the same in cooperative relation with the sound reproducing instrumentalities.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a sound reproducing machine with improved mechanism for discharging record tablets from playing position at the completi on of the reproduction of sound therefrom; to provide an improved tablet-transfer device which, as it moves to receive a fresh tablet from the magazine, will discharge the tablet which is in laying position; to provide a tablet-trans er device which by a single oscillation through a given angle will move a record tablet into a position wherein gravity will act thereon to effect its discharge from said device and then convey a fresh tablet from the magazine into cooperative relation with the sound reproducing instrumentalities; to provide a tablet-discharging device with means adapted to positively free the tablet therefrom; to provide an oscillatable table for discharging a record tablet therefrom and means to automatically free said tablet from said table as it oscillates out of playing position.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a sound reproducing machine adapted to play a plurality of record tablets in succession automatically with improved mechanism to initiate the operation of the tabletinterchanging mechanism; to provide means for actuating a tablet-transfer device by a reverse movement of the sound reproducing instrumentalities arising from their cooperation with the record tablets; to provide imroved means for actuating a tablet-transfer device from the record tablet.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a sound reproducing machine with improved mechanism for returmng the sound reproducing instrumentalities to starting position; to provide means actuated by a reverse movement of the sound reproducin instrumentalities for effecting the return 0 said instrumentalities to starting position; to provide improved means for returning the sound reproducing instrumentalities to starting position actuated by the record tablet.

Other objects of this invention are to provide .a sound reproducing machine adapted to play a plurality of record tablets in succession automatically and including a tablettransfer device, with means whereby the machine will be automatically stopped in the event that said transfer device fails to move a record tablet into playing position; to provide an automatic stop mechanism adapted to be actuated by a tablet-transfer device and including means actuated by the presence of a tablet on said device for rendering said stop mechanism inoperative to stop the machine.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a sound reproducing machine adapted to play a plurality of record tablets in succession automatically with means for increasing the effective power of the motor during the operation of the tablet-transfer device; to rovide a machine of the character descri d with a device adapted to lift the record tablets from playing position and means to increase the effective power of the motor during the performance of this lifting function.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a sound reproducing machine adapted to play a plurality of record tablets in succession which is strong and durable in construction, efiicient in operation, and easy to manipulate so that it may be readily operated by unskilled persons.

Stated generally, the present invention provides means for supporting a plurality of record tablets, preferably in or near to a substantially vertical position by engaging said tablets at their central holes, whereby the magazine may be charged with tablets of different sizes, either interchangeably or intermixed in any desired order, and including means for retaining the tablets in the magazine adapted to be actuated by a tablettransfer device to effect the release of the foremost tablet in the magazine; means for transferring the tablets from said magazine into cooperative relation with the sound reproducing instrumentalities for supporting said tablets in position for cooperation with said instrumentalities, said means being shown the form of a table mounted for oscillation through an angle of approximately 90 detent for retaining said mechanism out of operation and means for releasing said detent actuated by a reverse movement of the sound reproducing instrumentalities, preferably produced by the cooperation of said instrumentalities with a suitable element, such as an eccentric'ally positioned groove, on each record tablet; means for returning the sound reproducing instrumentalities to starting position actuated by a reverse movement of said instrumentalities preferably provided by the cooperation of said instrumentalities with a suitable element, such as an eccentrically positioned groove, on the record tablet; means for automatically stopping the machine in the event that the tablettransfer device fails to move a tablet into playing position, preferably comprising, in combination with any suitable switch or brake mechanism, means on the tablet-transfcr device for actuating said stopping mechanism and means actuated by the presence of a record tablet on said tablet-transfer device for rendering said last-named means inoperative to actuate said stop mechanism; and means for increasing the effective power of the motor during the operation of the tablet-transfer device, preferably during the period when the transfer device is being lifted to discharge a tablet therefrom and position said transfer device in alignment with the tablets in the ma azine.

The invention is capafile of receiving a variet of mechanical expressions only one of WlllCh has been shown on the accompanying drawings, but it is to be expressly understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

In said drawings, wherein the same reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts in the several figures,-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a sound reproducing machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said machine, certain of the parts being shown in section for clcarness of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the sound reproducing instrumentalities, with I 1,eea,2aa

the parts carried thereby, and the counter shaft, with the several elements mounted thereon, in side elevation Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the tab-' let magazine and tablet-transfer device;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of component parts of the tabletmagazine drawn apart for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tablettransfer and tablet-discharging devices and the automatic stop mechanism with parts displaced laterally for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation'of the tablettransfer device showing the means for actuating the stop mechanism carried thereby.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of component parts of the device for actuating the stop mechanism drawn apart for clearness of illustration Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary axial section through the tablet-supporting member of the magazine;

Fig. 10 is a correspondin fra' mentary view illustrating the release 0 a ta let from the magazine by the center post of the table;

Fig. 11 is a transverse section showing the tone-arm returning lever and associated parts in side elevation;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the tonearm returning lever and the trip mechanism with parts displaced laterally for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the tonearm returning lever showing its manner of cooperation with the depending post on the tone-arm;

Fi 14 is a pers ective view of the lever for e evating and owering the reproducer and the plate cams for 0 rating the same;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the cam follower on the last-named lever;

Fig; 16 is a perspective view from below of the various instrumentalities carried on the tone-arm;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the post carried by the tone-arm and the parts carried thereby drawn apart for clearness of illustration Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the parts carried onthe under side of the tone-arm drawn apart for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 19 is a transverse section showing in elevation the apron and pivoted track and associated operating devices;

Fig. 20 is a bottom plan view of the platelike cam members and the associated lever for elevating and lowering the reproduoer;

Fig. 21 is a top plan view of the tone-arm with its associated mechanism for returning the tone-arm and elevating and lowering the reproducer;

Fig. 22 is a perspective view of the stop mechanism with the parts drawn apart for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 23 is a side view of the clutch and its operating device;

Fig. 24 is a perspective view of the clutch and its operating device turned upside down;

and Fig. 25 is an axial section through the clutc Tablet magazine (Fi s. 1, 2, 4, 5, 9 and 10) In conformity with t e present invention, means are provided for supporting a plurality of record tablets in position for transfer into cooperative relation with sound reproducing instrumentalities. While, as respects certain features of this invention, said means may be of any suitable construction and arranged in an suitable manner, said means are preferab y so constructed as to support record tablets of .either large" or small diameter, e. g. either the standard 12 or 10 inch tablets, in any desired order, and are so arranged as to support said tablets in a position making a large angle with the horizontal and shown as a substantially vertical position for transfer of the tablets successively into cooperative relation with the sound reproducing instrumentalities.

In the form shown, an upright bracket 1 is provided and by preference pivotally mounted in any suitable way, as b pintles or pivot screws 2 in the upstan ing side members 3 of a bracket plate 4 suitably mounted on any desired support, as the top wall 5 of a cabinet 6. Any suitable means may be provided for retaining the bracket in its upright position; in the form shown, said bracket 1 extends below its pivotal axis 2 as shown at 7 (Fig. 4 and said extension is retained a ainst a xed abutment 8 on the bracket p ate 4 by a laterally extending arm 9 projecting from a stub shaft 10 which is also rotatably mounted in one of the up-,

standing side members of said bracket plate. The outer end of said stub shaft 10 carries a second arm 11 by which the stub shaft, and therefore the arm 9, may be rotated into and out of operative position for locking the bracket 1 in its upright position. If arm 11 is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, stub shaft 10 and arm 9 are same direction, and the bracket 1 is therefore freed from its abutment 8 so that it may be swung about its axis 2 into a substantially horizontal osition, in which position it may be enclosed by the cover of the cabinet 6. When the magazine is to be placed in operative position, the'bracket 1 may be swung about its axis 2 into the upri ht position and locked therein by moving t e arm 11 in a clockwise direction to rotate the arm 9 into engagement with the depending extension 7 of said bracket and press the latter firmly against its abutment 8.

Suitably mounted on the up er end of said bracket 1 is a sleeve 12 (see ig. 4) closed at its outer end 13 and carrying on opposed rotated in thv longitudinally extending grooves or slots 17 1 (see Fig. 5) to receive the inwardly projecting ends of said screws 14, whereby the sleeve 16 may reciprocate longitudinally within the sleeve 12 but may not rotate with respect thereto, said grooves or slots 17 being shown as closed at their inner ends to provide a stop for the outward movement of said sleeve 16. The outer end of the sleeve 16 is provided with an inwardly directed flange which may take the form of a centrally apertured block 18 suitably secured within the end of the sleeve 16, and mounted on the outer end of said sleeve 16 is a centrally apertured plate or disk 19 which may be of any suitable diameter but which is preferably of sufficient size to afford a relatively large area of contact with a record tablet. If desired, said plate may be provided with a facing 20 (see Fig. 2) of any suitable soft material, such as felt.

Mounted within the

sleeves

12 and 16 1s an axially extending tubular post 21 which is reduced in external diameter at its forward end to substantially the size of the center holes of standard record tablets. Said post may be supported within said sleeves in any sultable way; in the form shown said post has an outer end 22 which fits within a corresponding aperture in the end 13 of the sleeve 12 and a flange 23 Which|may be drawn against the inner face of said end wall 13, and clamped in position, by a screw 24 threaded into the end of said post and provided with a large head for engagement with the outer face of sand wall 13. Surrounding said post 21 is a COll spring 25 which abuts against the flange or block 18 at one end and the'flange 23 at its other end, whereby said spring normally operates to urge the sleeve 16 forwardly to a position wherein it is projected to its maximum extent from the sleeve 12.

The outer end of the tubular post 21 is pro vided with a longitudinal slot 26 (see Fig. 5), and pivoted within said slot on a transverse pin 27 is a lever 28 the forward end of which projects beyond the outer end of the tubular post 21 and isthere provided with an upstanding toe 29. Said lever 28 has an elongated slot 30 at its inner end to receive the pivot pin 27 and permit some freedom of movement of said lever on said pin. Said lever 28 is normally urged into such a position that the toe 29 on the outer end of said lever is depressed, so that it does not project beyond the peripheral surface of the tubular post 21. To this end, a plunger 31 having an enlarged head 32 is reciprocably mounted in the tubular bore 33 of the post 21, said bore being enlarged as shown at 34 to receive said head 32 and a coil spring 35 which reacts between said head 32 and the inner end of the screw 24 or other suitable abutment. The end of said plunger 31 is tapered as shown at 36 and cooperates with an inclined surface 37 on the inner end of the lever 28. Said surface 37 is so related to the axis of pivotal movement of said lever 28 that said lever is urged in a clockwise direction into depressed position by the forward pressure of the plunger 31, under the action of the spring 35, on the inner end of said lever.

The outer end of the post 21 is formed eccentric with respect to the body of the post as shown at 38 (Figs. 9 and 10) and reciprocally mounted within the outer end of said post but concentrically with respect to the eccentric portion 38 thereof, is a short plunger 39 which is slotted longitudinally thereof, as shown at 40, to receive the outer end of the lever 28. Plunger 39 is provided with a head 41 which is beveled on its forward face, and said head, owing to its eccentric relation to the body of the post 21, provides a shoulder 42 which projects above the said post. Said plunger 39 also has a longitudinally-extend- .ing recess 43.which normally contains the toe 29 on the lever 28. Plunger 39 has a limited reciprocating movement within the post 21 and to this end is provided with a slot 44 which receives the projecting end 45 of a screw 46 threaded into an aperture in said post. This slot 44 is so designed that when its inner end (its left hand end as viewed in Fig. 9) 1s in engagement with the inner end 45 of the screw 46, the head 41 of the plunger 39 is spaced a short distance from the end of the post 21, this distance however being always less than the thickness of any record tablet to be mounted on said post. The eeccntric projection 38 on the end of the post 21 is of such length that the distance between the shoulder 47, between said eccentric portion and the main body of said post, and the shoulder 42 on the head 41 is greater than the thickness of any record tablet to be mounted on said post but less than the thickness of {any two tablets to be mounted on said pos When record tablets are to be positioned in the magazine so far described, pressure is applied to the face of the disk 19 to telescope the sleeve 16 within the sleeve 12 to its farthest extent. The sleeve 16 and disk 19 may be retained in this innermost position in any suitable way; in the form shown, the sleeve 16 is provided on its underside with a slot 48, and mounted within a tubular extension 49 on the sleeve 12 is a plunger 50 provided with a head 51 having an overhung lip 52 and an inclined surface 53. Said plunger is normally urged upwardly by a coil spring 54 retained within the tubular bore of said extension 49 and reacting between the end of the plunger 50 and a screw 55 threaded into the lower end of said bore. As the sleeve 16 is telescoped into the sleeve 12, its inner \end engages the beveled surface 53 on the head 51 and depresses the plunger 50 against the tension of the spring 54 until the slot 48 is brought into alignment with said head, whereupon the spring 54 forces the plunger 50 upwardly and the head 51 enters the slot 48 and prevents the sleeve 16 and disk 19 from being forced outwardly by the coil spring 25. In this position the reduced end of the tubular post 21 projects forwardly of the disk 19 to an extent suflicient to receive the desired number of record tablets, which may be slipped onto said post from its outer en When the desired number of tablets have been slipped onto the projecting end of the post 21, the sleeve 16 is released from the head 51 in any suitable wa In the form shown a lever 56 is pivote at 57 (Fig. 5) on the extension 49 and is received 1n a lateral slot 58 in the plunger 50, and retained therein by a screw 59, said lever being provided with an outwardly extending thumb piece 60, whereby upon depression of said lever 56 the plunger 50. is de ressed and the head 51 withdrawn throug the slot 48. Owing to the overhanging lip 52, however, the head 51 of plunger 50 can be withdrawn through the slot 48 only in the event that pressure is first applied to the face of the tablets on the post 21 so as to move the sleeve 16 a ainst the tension of the spring 25 in- .War ly a slight distance. a This ensures that the hand shall be upon the face of the tablets at the-time that the sleeve 16 and disk 19 are released to be moved by the action of the spring 25, as a precaution that the sudden expansion of the spring 25 shall not shoot the tablets off of the post 21 or injure the foremost tablet by hard impact with the shoulder 42 on the head 41.

The spring 25 presses the disk 19 and the series of tablets forwardly until the foremost tablet is in engagement with the shoulder 42 which, projecting beyond the peripheral surface of the 0st 21, acts as a detent or stop to prevent t e tablets being forced off of the post. It will be perceived,however, that as the foremost tablet is removed from the post the spring 25 presses the disk 19 and the remaining tablets on said post forwardly until the next-successive tablet contacts with said shoulder 42. While the device as shown ositions the record tablets in the magazine 1n substantially vertical planes, this is not necessary so long as the tablets are held so as to be in alignment with the upwardly swinging transfer device next to be described. Tablet transfer mechanism. (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 10) In conformity with the present invention, means are provided for automatically transferring tablets from the magazine heretofore described into cooperative relation with sound reproducing instrumentali'ties. While,

as respects certain features of this invention, any suitable tablet transferrinomechanism may be employed, the preferrecf construction comprises a record transfer device which swings through an angle of approximately 90 and by a single oscillation through said angle automatically picks up the foremost tablet in the magazine and conveys it into a substantially horizontal osition, said transfer device also prefera ly supporting the tablet in cooperative relation with said sound reproducing instrumentalities during the reproduction of sound.

In the form shown, the record transfer device comprises a table provided with a center post 66 which has a flared conical outer end 67, said post being preferably of substantially the same diameter as the central hole in standard record tablets. Mounted within said center post 66 is a pin 68 having a conical outwardly projecting end 69 coaxial with the flared conical end 67 of said post. Said pin 68 may be retained in posidisk 74 suitably attached to the under side of the table 65.

Table 65 is designed to vbe swung from a substantially horizontal position into a position substantially parallel to the tablets in the magazine and with its center post 66 in substantial alignment with the central hole of the foremost tablet. To this end said table 65 is carried by a frame oscillatably mounted on any suitable support, as a part of the cabinet. In the form shown, said frame comprises a pair of

arms

76 and 77 suitably attached to a rotatable shaft 78 mounted in any suitable way as in bearing sleeves 79 (see Fig. 1) on the cabinet. The outer end of said frame carries, or has formed integral therewith, a semi-circular flange or member 80 which is designed to be received in the peri heral slot 73 in the flan e 72 under the ta le 65. As the frame 6, 77 is swung by rotation of the shaft 78 from a substantially horizontal to its upward position, the flange 80 by en ga ement in the peripheral slot 73 carries the ta le 65 into position substantially parallel to the tablets in the magazine. In order to prevent the table 65 from being thrown outwardly and off of the flange 80 by centrifugal force as the frame is swung upwardly, the

arms

76 and 77 of said frame are preferably provided with upstanding lugs or pins 81 positioned to engage a depending peripheral flange 82 on t e table and prevent excessive outward movement thereof should the table start to leave the flange 80.

When the table is swu g into its upward position by the

frame

78, 77, it is in substantial alignment with and substantially parallel to the tablets on the post 21, and the conical end 69 of the pin 68 1s thrust into the recess 43 in the plunger 39 to force the outer end of the lever 28 upwardly (see Fig. 10). In this position, the table 65 is centered coaxiall with the plunger 39 by the engagement 0 the conicall flared end 67 of the post 66 with the bevel; of the head 41. When the lever 28 is forced upwardly, the foremost tablet on the post 21 is engaged by the toe 29 on said lever 28 and lifted from its position wherein it is concentric with the body of the post 21 into a position wherein it is concentric with the eccentric head 41 of the plunger 39, this movement being permitted by the eccentric extremity 38 of said post 21. The spring 25, acting through the disk 19 and the series of record tablets, thereupon presses the foremost tablet off of the post 21 over the head 41 and onto the center post 66 of the table. Said post is preferably reduced in diameter intermediate of its length, as shown at 83, and the tablet received on the post 66 as just described will therefore slide into the portion of reduced diameter, as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 10. As the table returns to horizontal posltion the tablet will be carried therewith and be properly centered on the table by the post 66.

As heretofore pointed out, the table 65 is preferably utilized to support the tablet while in cooperative relation with the sound reproducing instrumentalities to effect the reproduction of sound and, to this end, means are provided whereby the table 65 is rotated when returned to horizontal position. In the form shown, the turn table shaft 84 carries on its upper end a sub-table 85, said subtable being preferably held in frictional engagement w1th the shaft 84 in any suitable way, as by a suitable ball clutch indicated in Fig. 4 and including one or more balls 86 carried in one or more recesses in the hub of the sub-table 85 and normally pressed by one or more springs 87 into clutch engagement with the surface of the turn table shaft.

The u r surface of the sub-table 85 is provlded w1t one or more, preferably a plurality of, upstanding lugs 88, which may be convemently pressed upwardly'from the disklike body of the sub-table as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The under side of the turn table 65 is provided with one or more depending lugs 89 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) in circumerentlal alignment with the lugs 88 when said table 65 is in engagement with the subtable 85, so that in the latter position a lug 88 will engage the lug 89 and positively rotate the table 65. The upper end of the turn table d outer surface shaft 84 preferably projects above the surface of the sub-table 85, as shown at 90, so as to center the table 65, and the under side of the table 65, or the center post 66, is accordingly recessed as shown at 91 in Fig. 4 to receive said projecting end 90.

Any suitable means may be provided for oscillating the shaft 78 to effect the heretofore described movement of the

frame

76, 77, 80. In the form shown, shaft 78 is extended at one end beyond its bearing sleeve 79, as shown at 92 in Fig. 6 and is there provided with a crank arm 93 to which is pivotally connected at 94, a link 95. Said pivot 94 preferably takes the form of a bolt having an eccentric surface (see Fig. 7) so that, by rotation of said bolt, the extent of movement of the crank arm 93 may be nicely adjusted. Link 95 is pivotally connected at 96 to the long arm 97 of a bell crank lever 98 pivotally mounted at 99 on any suitable part of the frame, as a depending lug 100. Projecting from the arm 97 of said bell crank lever is a pin or screw 101 which is received within an elongated slot 102 in an arm 103 projecting from an eccentric strap 104 coo rating with an eccentric 105. The outer an of arm 103 is provided with a lateral pin 106 which is adapted to engage the short arm 107 of said bell crank lever 98. The upper end of said am 107 is provided with a lateral extension 108 which is of such extent that the pin 106 may never move beyond the outer extremity thereof.

As eccentric 105 rotates in an anti-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 6 the strap 104 is actuated to move the arm 103 toward the left as viewed in said figure, and when the end of the slot 102 engages the pin 101, the arm 97 of the bell crank lever 98 is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction and, through the link 95, rotates the crank arm 93 in a clockwise direction to rotate the shaft 78 and swing the

frame

76, 77, 80, and the turn table 65 through substantially 90. After the eccentric has rotated through 180 the strap 104 moves the arm 103 toward the right as viewed in Fig. 6 and the pin 106 engages the arm 107 of the bell crank lever 98 and moves the am 107 in a clockwise direction to effect the lowering of the frame and table. As said table is moved into horizontal position the arm 107 of the bell crank lever 98 is moved out of the path of the pin 106, and the latter may ride onto the upper surface of the extension 108 but, owing to the length of said extension as heretofore described, said pin 106 can never get beyond the same so as to engage the opposite side of said extension 108 of the arm 107 and interfere with the operation of the device.

Tablet discharging mechanism. (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7) a In conformity with the present invention, the tablet on the table 65 is automatically dischar d therefrom as the table is moved upwa 1y to receive a new tablet. While any suitable discharging mechanism may be employed so far as respects certain features of this invention, the preferred construction comprises means for releasing the tablet from the table so that it will move under the influence of gravity into a suitable receptacle for receiving the same. In the form shown, the top of the cabinet 6 is rovided with an elongated aperture 110 w lich extends substantially parallel to the shaft 78 and closely adj acent thereto, said slot being sufliciently long to receive a tablet of the maximum diameter to be employed. Beneath said slot 110 is a receptacle 111 (Fig. 2) into which the tablets may drop, the walls of said receptacle and of the slot 110 being desirably lined with felt or other soft materlal, as shown at 112, so as to prevent injury to the tablet as it pass s through said slot and into the receptable 111. A deflector plate 110', also covered with felt, may be positioned in the slot 110 to guide the tablets as they enter the receptacle 111.

Means are preferably provided for freeing the tablet on the table from the center post 66 as the table swings upwardly, so that the tablet may be discharged through the slot 110 before the table reaches its upper or tablet-receiving position. Any suitable means ma be provided for effecting this function; in the form shown, a lever 113 is pivotally mounted on a rod 114, which extends between the

arms

76 and 77 of the transfer mechanism, by means of depending lugs 115 on said lever. One end of said lever is expanded into arcuate form, as shown at 116, and is designed to underlie a tablet on the table 65, while the opposite end of said lever is in the form of a plate 117. A coil spring 118 is connected to said plate-like end 117 and the shaft 78, and by its tension, tends to hold the lever 113 substantially parallel to the

arms

76 and 77. Mounted on the support 5, in the path of movement of the platelike end 117 as the latter swings with the

frame

76, 77, 80, is an upstanding lug 119 provided with a curved free end 120. As the

frame

76, 77, 8O swings upwardly from a horizontal position the plate-like end 117 engages the curved surface 120 of the lug 119, and said lever is rotated about its axis 114 with respect to said frame, and against the tension of the spring 118, to the position shown in Fig. 2.

During this movement the arcuate end 116 of said lever, which underlies the tablet on the table, tilts the tablet with respect to said table, and about its far edge, so that the center hole of the tablet is freed from the center post 66 of said table. By this time the table '65 has swung upwardly to such an inclination that the tablet will slide downwardly from the table, and across the arenate end 116 of said lever, into the slot 110, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. As the frame continues to swing upwardly the end 117 will snap past said lug 119 and the spring 118 will return the lever 113 to normal position. During the return of the table and frame to horizontal position the plate-like end 117 of the lever 113 engages the lug 119 and the lever 113 is tilted in the opposit-e direction against the tension of the spring 118 until it snaps past said lug 119, but this movement has no effect on the tablet on the table because the end 116 of the lever 113 is depressed with respect to the table.

Tone arm returning mechanism. (Figs. 1, 3, 11, 12, 13 and 21)- Any suitable sound reproducing instrumcntalitics may be employed, that illustrated being the conventional taper tone-arm 125 having a tubular end mounted in any suitable support 126 whereby the tone-arm may oscillate across the face of a record tablet. Said tone-arm is preferably so mounted that its axis of oscillation is slightly inclined to the vertical to the end that said arm may have a slight inclination to move inwardly toward the center of the table 65. Tone-arm 125 communicates with any suitable sound amplifying device 127 which may be mounted within the cabinet 6. Rotatably mounted on the free end of said tone-arm 125 is the usual or any suitable goose neck 128 carrying at its free end a sound reproducer 129 of any suitable construction. In conformity with the present invention, means are provided for moving said sound reproducing instrumentalities out of the path of the oscillating table 65 at the completion of the reproduction of sound from a tablet on said table, such movement taking place before the table is swung upwardly to discharge the reproduced record and receive a fresh tablet.

Any suitable means may be provided for moving the tone-arm 125 and the reproducer 129 from their position at the end of a record tablet to a position outside of the periphery of said tablet. In the form shown, the tone-arm 125 is provided with a depending post 130, and mounted for cooperation with said post is a lever 131 pivotally mounted at 132 in any suitable way, as on a depending lug, and having its upper end projecting through a slot in the top wall 5 of the cabinet 6. The upper end 133 of said lever 131 is bent horizontally, substantially at right angles as shown at 134, and flared to provide an inclined lateral edge 135 for engagement with the depending post 130. Beyond said flared portion, said lever is reduced in width as shown at 136, so as to provide a slot 137 between the extremity of said flared portion and a horizontally extending arm 138 which projects a considerable distance beyond said flared portion and is enlarged at its end as shown at 139 to provide an inclined surface 140. The depending end 141 of said lever 131 is extended laterally to form a toe 142, and said end is also provided with an elongated arcuate slot 143 which is at a small angle to a radius from the axis of oscillation of said lever 131. Received within said slot 143 is a pin or screw 144 projecting from the lateral arm 145 of an eccentric strap 146 which cooperates with an eccentric 147. The opposite end of said eccentric strap carries a late-like extension 148 which at its upper e ge is provided with a curved cam surface 149 designed to cooperate with a fixed pin or roller 150 suitably mounted on the frame of the machine.

Durin the period when sound is being reproduce ,the eccentric 147 is stationary and the pin 144 is adjacent the top of the slot 143,

so that it is relatively close to the axis of oscillation of the lever 131. When the eccentric 147 starts to rotate, in an anti-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 12, the arm 145 on the eccentric strap 146 rotates the depending arm 141 of the lever 131 in an anti-clockwise direction and the upwardly projecting end 133 of said lever in an anti-clockwise direction. The upper end of said lever thereupon engages its inclined edge 135 with the depending post 130, which has been brought into adjacency thereto by the travel of the reproducer to the end of the record groove, and as said lever 131 swings on its axis 132, the inclined edge 135 wipes across the surface of the depending post 130, exerting a lateral pressure on said post and swinging the tone-arm about its axis of oscillation outwardly until the reproducer is past the edge of the record tablet. The inclined surface 135 is made of suflicient length to move the reproducer outside of the peri hery of the largest record tablet to be used in the machine, and during this movement the lever 131 is moved rapidly owing to the radial distance of the pin 144 (at the top of the slot 143) from the axis of oscillation 132 of said lever. When the tone-arm has been moved to such a osition that the reproducer is outside of the periphery of the record tablet the inclined edge 135 passes out of contact with the post 130, and said post rides into the slot 137 (see Fig. 13) for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

Mechanism for elevating and lowering the reproducer. (Figs. 2, 3, and 14 to 21) In conformity with the resent invention suitable means are provided for elevating the stylus of the sound reproducer out of engagement with the record tablet prior to the outward movement of the tone-arm and sound reproducer and for maintaining said stylus elevated during the period when the tonearm and sound reproducer are being moved outwardly to free the periphery of the record tablet. Any suitab e means, so far as respects certain features of this invention, may be emplo ed to efl'ect this function. In the preferre embodiment, however, a bail 155 is suitably mounted on the goose neck 128 and is engaged and operated by a longitudinally reciprocating rod 156 suitably mounted on the tone-arm 125. In the structure illustrated, an arcuate plate 157 is suitably secured,

.as by a plurality of screws 158, to the under side of the tone-arm 125 and carries'a plurality for example three, depending ugs 159 which are apertured to afford a bearing for the sliding rod 156. In order to enable adjustments to be made between the rod 156 and the bail 155 a screw 160, shown as threaded into the end of the rod 156 and retained by a lock nut, constitutes an adjustable extension of said rod. Mounted on the rod 156 for movement therewith is an elongated housing 161 secured on said rod in any suitable wa as b one or more screws 162. The under side 0 said housing 161 is provided with a lon itudinal channel or slot 163 and pivoted wit in said slot, as on a pin 164, is a plate-like member 165 which at its opposite end is provided with an overhanging ledge or shoulder 166.

A lever 167, (Fig. 14) shown as formed with a pair of apertured lugs 168, is suitably pivoted on the frame-work of the machine to oscillate on the pivot pin 168 (Fig. 19), and the upwardly extending portion of said lever pro ects through the top wall of the cabinet and is formed into an arcuate apron 169 which inclines downwardly and rearwardly (see Fig. 21) for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. The upper edge 170 of said apron 169 constitutes a track upon which the overhanging shoulder 166 of the plate-like member 165 normally rides. The depending end 171 of lever 167 is provided in any suitable wa with a wedge-shaped cam follower 172. s shown more particularly in Figs. 15 and 20 said cam follower may be formed as a wedge-like projection on a plate 173 secured to the depending plate-like end 171 of said lever.

Mounted for cooperation with said cam follower 172 are a pair of plate-like reciprocating cam members 174 and 175. Member 174 is provided with a lateral longitudinal projection 176 having a cam edge which, as

shown more particularly in Fig. 14, includes two notches 178 and 179 between which is a wedge-shaped projection 180 which extends outwardly to approximately'the plane of the remainder of the ed e of the projection 17 6 (see Fig. 20) Member 175 has a corresponding lateral longitudinal projection 181 which is cut away at one extremity to provide the inclined cam surface 182. Members 17 4 and 175 are desi ed to move in unison through a part of their stroke and, to this end, a screw 183 is threaded into the member 175 and passes through a slot 184 in member 174. A leaf spring 185 is positioned between the head of the screw 183 and the member 174 and normally urges the two members 17 4 and 175 into frictional contact. Relative movement between said members 174 and 175 is