US1989558A - Radio station selector - Google Patents

Description

lJall. 29, v W' MYERS ET AL RADIO STATION SELECTOR Filed Aug. y15, 1931 -2 Sheets-Sheet l Egg@ 9 4, gli;

Jan. 29, 1935. I J, W, MYERS ET AL 1,989,558

RADIO STATION SELECTOR Filed Aug. 15, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Jan. 29, 1935 UNI-TED STATES RADIO STATION SELECTOR Joseph W. Myers, Philadelphia, Pa., and Ernest E. Murray, Jackson, Mich.

Application August 13,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to selective position controlling devices and has for an object the provision of an automatic device that is particularly adapted to be incorporated in a radio receiver for the purpose of enabling a person to selectively control the tuning condenser shaft thereof. The invention enables a person to make and record, at any time, a number of selections of different radio stations that the person may wish to hear at various times within a given period subsequent to the time at which the plurality of selections is made and recorded. The apparatus is so designed that at the various predetermined times as recorded, the stations recorded to be heard at such times will be automatically tuned in on the radio receiver. The apparatus further provides for quiet periods when no program is desired between any two desired programs, and during these quiet periods the radio receiver may be active without any radio program being heard. The apparatus further provides for automatically shutting off or deenergizing the radio receiver between programs or at the end of the last desired program.

The invention involves essentially the use of a perforable tape on which the'selections of the stations desired to be heard are recorded in succession and in the order of time in which the desired programs are being broadcast. The recording of the selections is madeby punching a series of holes or perforations in the tape at predetermined spaced intervals longitudinally of the tape, the spacing of the holes depending upon, and being made in accordance with, the different frequency or wave length ratings of the stations that the person wishes to hear. The

tape in turn acts as a means by which the condenser shaft of the radio receiver when rotated is positioned to tune in the various stations, 40 the holes in the tape functioning as the means for accurately stopping the rotation of the condenser shaft at the point at which the desired radio station will come in on the receiver. Rotation of the condenser shaft is accomplished by means of a time-controlled electric motor, such motor being controlled by a, timing apparatus which in turn is actuated by an ordinary clock mechanism.

A clear understanding of the essential features and principles of the invention may be had from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial plan view illustrating the invention as applied to a radio receiver;

1931, Serial N0. 556,868

(Cl. Z50- 20) Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 with -a portion of thereceiver panel broken away; l

Fig. 3 is a side elevational yview illustrating the recording tape arrangement;` d

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the "clutch'of our device; I

Fig. 5 is a detail view ofthe rotating contact element of the timing apparattus;

Fig. 6 is a schematic wiring diagram of the 10 circuit of the device; and

Fig. 7 is aschematic illustration of a modification of the device.

Referring to the drawings, the front panel of a radio receiver is illustrated at l. Mounted on 15 panel l is the time-selecting mechanism 2 which specifically forms no part of this invention but is disclosed and claimed in co-pending application, Serial No. 553,668 led July 28, 1931. This Ltime-selecting mechanism comprises a series of 20 plunger contacts 3 arranged in a circle, concentric with a clock face 4 (see Fig. 2) at intervals corresponding to fteen minute periods of time.

In the present case, the time-selector is associated with an electric clock and is arranged for 25 a period of twelve hours. A contactarm 5 (see Figs. 1 and 6) is carriedby the hour hand shaft of the clock and is adapted to travel from alignment with one contact plunger 3 to the next successive contact plunger 3 in fifteen minutes. 30 Normally the contact plungers 3 occupy the positions shown in Fig. l, wherein none of the plungers would be engaged by the rotating contact arm 5.`

Mounted behind panel 1, butvisible through a window 6 therein, is a station-selectingvdial in the form of a drum 7, on the peripheral surface of which are graduations ,8 which primarily denote the frequency or wave length ratings of stations in the broadcasting group, or these gradua- 40 tions may be numbered from zero to 100 in known manner, but in any case the graduations provide identication of the points on the dial at which various stations are normally tuned in on the radio receiver. It will be understood then that this dial is identical with the usual tuning dial 9 of the receiver. Secured to the shaft 10 (see Fig. 3), on which the drum 7 is also secured, is a sprocket 11 having teeth 12 adapted toV register with holes 13 (see Fig. 2) Y disposed 50l along the opposite edges of the station-recording tape 14, the tape being normally wound on a reel 15 suitably mounted within the radio receiver housing and having any desired form of braking mechanism to prevent over-running of', 55

or slackness in, the tape 14. At a predetermined distance above the horizontal level of the shaft 10 is a punching mechanism 16 comprising a punch 17 and a die 18 between which the tape 14 is adapted to pass as shown in Fig. 3.

In setting up, or recording, selections for stations to be heard at various times throughout the period of time included in one revolution of the contactarm 5, the dial 7 is, turned manually by means .of vthenusual. operating knob 19 until the graduation 8 corresponding to the first station to be heard is in line with the indicator of window 6 through which dial 7 is visible. With the dial in this position, the punch 17 is pressed into the die 18, thereby cutting a yhole in the center of the tape 14. At the same timethe plunger 3, corresponding to the time at which this particular station is to be heard, `is pressed inwardly so that the rear end of such plunger lies in the path of the rotating Contact arm 5. v. Thus'the iirstfstationto be heardis recorded Jen .;the.tape14:andthe time at which this particular station is to be-heardis recorded on thetiming device v2; `lf another station is to be heard ilfteerr` minutes after'the time of the starting ofj the rst recorded program,v dial 7 is turned to indicate the next station desired and the nextfsuccessive plungerclockwise on the time indicator 2 is pressed inwardly, and at the same time punch 17 is pressed to punch a second hole in the tape 14. If thislsecond program is to be heard yfor oner hour, for example, and then a quiet period is to be had, the plunger corresponding to the time at which the quiet period is `to start is pressed inwardly and the dial p7 is rotateduntil the .o position or a point whichA may be marked quiet period there-1 on reaches the indicator of window 6 and the punch "17 is pressed to punch another hole in the tape 14. If this quiet `periodis to be for thirty minutes, the plunger contact 3, corresponding to the time -at which the quiet period isv to end, is pressed inwardly. The dial 7 is rotated to indicate the next station to be heard and the punch Y 17 is pressed to record the selection on the tape 14. If this last selected station is to be heard for a period of one hour, the plunger 3, corresponding to the time at which this program is to end, is pressed. The dial 7 is turned to register the neXt station to be heard, or if'the set is to be shut off completely at that time, the dial .7 is turned to the point marked off, andthe punch 17 is pressed torecord the procedure onthetape 14. The dial 7Ais adapted to be turned in a counterclockwise direction only, as viewed in Fig. 3, by` virtue of a ratchet wheel 58 carried on shaft 10 and a pawl 59 pivotally secured adjacent tape 14 to a collar 67 on the shank of punch 17. VA coil spring 68 normally urges punch 17 outward, and the ratchet and pawl arrangement not only prevents clockwise rotation of dial 7 but also assures a predetermined minimum spacing of punched holes in tape 1.4, since thevpawl. rotates the ratchet wheel the desired amount rupon release of punch 17 after each punching.V Consequently every time the dial is turned,` the tape 14 is `moved downwardly through the punch and die mechanism 17-18. The tape which has been advanced by this turning of `the dial 10 is formed into a loop, indicated at 20, within a suitable container 21 within the receiver cabinet.

Below the station-selector` dial 10 `is located the usualtuning dial 9 which may be rigidly mounted von condenser. shaft. 22, Also secured on shaft 22 is a sprocket 23 which corresponds to sprocket 11 on shaft 10 of dial 7 and is provided with teeth 24 which correspond to the teeth 12 oi sprocket 11 and which are also adapted to register with the holes 13. in the tape. Disposed above the horizontal plane of shaft 22, a distance exactly the same as the distance between the horizontal plane of shaft 10 and the center of punch 17, is a registering device 25. This registering device comprisesafbl'ockvZ' having an opening 27 corresponding to the opening in the die 18. Pivoted to the rear side of the'block 26, is a lever 28 which is provided with a projection 29 adapted to pass through the openings in tape 14, successively, as the tape is fed downwardly past opening 27 of block 26. Spring 3G functions to turn the lever about its pivot andv cause projection 29 to enter the opening in the tape which is brought into registry with the projection to stop the tape against further downward movement. Consequently, the rotation of shaft 22 is stopped which stops `the condenserfrotor plates of the receiver positively at the point at which the first recorded station is brought in on the receiver.

. Rotation ofv shaft 22 is accomplished by means of an electric motor 31. Shaft 22 is axially aligned with the `armature shaft 32 of the mo;

tor, being coupled thereto by means of afriction or slip clutch 33, which comprisesone disc 34 secured to the shaft 22 and a secondkdisc 35 secured to the armature shaft 34, so that when projection 29 enters one of the holes in tape 14 and thereby stops the rotation of shaft 22, rotation of the armature shaft 32 may continue without injuring the tape in any Way. Actuation of the motor to rotate; shaft 22 for tuning in the first recorded kstation Yis effected at the time the program to be heard is listed by the movable Contact 5 engaging the rst of the depressed plunger contacts 3, which, through a4 circuit hereinafter described, effects the actuation of the motor 31.

This circuit is disclosed in Fig. 6 .and comprisesv transformer 39`through conductor 40, off switchl 41, described hereinafter, and conductor 42, while conductor 36 is connected directly to the other side of primary 38.- The transformer may be usual transformer of the power supply unit for the receiver, the secondary43 being connected to the receiver apparatus in theusual manner. The time selector v2`is connected in a shunt circuit across line 36-37 which circuit includes conductor 44,',contact plunger 3, Contact 5, conductor 45, switches 46 and 47 in parallel,- winding 48 of relay49, and conductor 50. vIf an electric clock is Yused in connection with the time-selecting mechanism, as in the present instance, such clock may be also connected across line 36-37by means of suitable conductors land 52. The off switch 41 is shunted by a branch circuit which includes conductor 53, contacts 54 of relay 49, and conductor 55.

be apparent hereinafter. l v

The actuating motor 31 is connected -in a shunt circuit across lthe secondary 43 of transformer 39. One side of the secondary is connected by means of conductor 5 6 directly to one side of the motor, while the other-side of the secondary is in Fig. 6, switch comprises arelativelyfstation- The purpose ofthis arrangement will Cil ary contact 6l and a movable contact 62 carried at the end of lever 28. A branch circuit comprising conductor 63, winding 64 of solenoid 65, conductor 66, switch 92, and conductor 93 is connected across the winding 48 of relay 49. Lever 28 carries a centrally disposed armature 69 which is attracted by the core of solenoid' 65 when the latter is energized to remove projection 29 from a punched hole in the tape, as will be clearly understood later.

The purpose of switch 47 is to control the action of the timing mechanism 2.4 With the arrangement of the plunger contacts 3 and contact arm 5, as illustrated, the contact arm will engage a selected plunger contact during the time interval of approximately two minutes duration. It will be apparent that this relatively long period will be unnecessary at times when slight rotation of the tuning dial is required to successively tune in the selected stations. In order to enable a reduction in the time of energization of the circuit, switch 47 is provided. This switch comprises a pair of contacts 70, one of which is actuated by a rotating arm 7l, the contacts being Aclosed once during eachrevolution of the arm. Arm 71 is also driven from the clock mechanism but is arranged so as to rotate once every fteen minutes and to maintain the circuit closed at such times during intervals of approximately ten seconds. It'will be apparent then that switch 47 will be closed only ten seconds during each closure of the circuit by the'time-selecting mechanism 2, thus reducing the time of energization of the circuit to a ten-second period at the outset of the two-minute period of energization of the time-selecting mechanism. 'Ihe purpose of switch 46 is to enable switch 47 to be rendered ineffective and causing energization of the circuit during the full two-minute period. Switch 46 may be any suitable manually operable switch, such for example as a snap switch having an operating leverl 64a. (see Fig. 2). It will be apparent that one or lmore switches similar to switch 47 may be provided in series to enable a further Variation in the energizing period.

Switch 92 is similar to switch 47 and its rotatable arm 94 is also driven from the clock mechanism so that it rotates once every minute. 'Ihis switch diiers from switch 47, however, in that it is designed to close its contacts during a very short interval, say two seconds, at the outset of the energization periods of mechanism 2 and switch 47. During this short interval, energizing current will flow through the parallel circuits of windings 48 and 64.

y Considering the operation of the various ele- -ments of the circuit just described, as contact 5 rotates and engages one of the depressed plungers 3, relay'49 is energized either during the entire two-minute period of engagement of contact 5 with the depressed plunger or during the tensecond period of closure of switch 47. At this time, the relay closes its contacts, short-circuiting the 0E switch 41 to render it ineffective. At the same time, solenoid is energized by closure of switch 92, as explained above. Energization of the solenoid causes the'lever 28 to be swung to the right against the action of spring 30 to close switch 60 and thus start the motor. At the same time, projection 29 is, of course, withdrawn from a hole in the tape and the motor rotates the condenser shaft and causes the tape to move downward. Switch 92 causes energization of solenoid 65, however, only long enough to cause retraction of projection 29 from the tape and allow initial movement thereof. Deenergization of vsolenoid 65, releases lever 28, but at this time, the hole inl the tape has moved downward'and the tape holds lever 28 in its switch closing position against the action of spring 30, as illustrated in Fig. 6, until the next hole is in alignment with projection 29,

at which time the spring forces the projection into the hole to stop the tape and open switch 60.V

This, of course, cuts off the motor Asupply and causes it to stop. The movable or rotor condenser plates will now be in the proper position relative to the stationary or stator plates toy bring in the desired program. If the hole in the tape correspondsl to a quiet period, the'condenser plates will have been stopped at such position as to tune in no station. If the hole has been punched to shut olf the receiver entirely, the source of energy will becut off by the off switch to be described below.

On shaft 22 (see Fig. 3) is a wheel 72 which has a notch 73 in its periphery adapted to receive one end of a spring-pressed plunger 74, the opposite end 75 of said plunger forming a contact adapted to co-operate with a fixed contact 76. Such contacts are, of course, the contacts of oil" switch 41.

tial that the off switch be ineffective to interferev with the automatic tuning in of desired stations. Furthermore, the arrangement permits the automatic shutting olf of the .receiver between programs.

If at any time it is desired to operate the conth-e automatic mechanism above described may be thrown out by turndenser shaft 22 manually,

ing the knob 77 clockwise. This knob is mounted on the outer end of a shaft 78 Aon the inner end of which is a cam 79 adapted to engage one end of a lever 80. Thelever 80 is pivoted at 81 toa bracket secured to the back of the panel 1 and the opposite end of lever 80 is ment 82 of a clutch 83 which is shown in detail in Fig. 4. The shaft 22 is in two parts, dial'9 being secured to one section which forms the condenser shaft, while the clutch mounted on and splined to the other section. The clutch element 82 is provided with a pin 84'which is adapted tol enter a hole formed in a second clutch element 86 secured to the condenser shaft. Consequently, upon turning knob 77, pin 84 is withdrawn from hole 85, thus permitting the tuning dial 9 to be turned by hand in the usual manner, but upon turning the knob 77 in a manner to re-engage the elements of the clutch 83, the end of the pin 84 will ride on the surface of the clutch element 66 until the dial 9 is rotated suiciently to bring the hole 85 in line with the pin 84, whereupon the said pin will enter the opening 85 and thereby re-connect the two sections of the shaft When shaft 22 is in a position corresponding to the position marked off on dial 7, c

connected to oneelei element 82 is slidably 22 so that the sprocket 23 will be brought into proper registry with dial 9. In this manner, the' To return plungers' totheir normal positions, inthe event that an error is made in a selection, each plunger is provided with a collar 87 (see Fig. 1) and these collars are 'adapted to be engaged by a ring 88 which is connected to a pivoted fork 89 actuable by knob 90. Thus ring 88 is adapted to be moved axially ofthe timing device 2 by applying pressure to knob 90 which will move all the plungers outwardly, bringing their inner ends out of the path of the rotatingcontact 5. While this structure could also be used to set up new selections, 'we prefer to construct contact arm 5 as. illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein it will be noted that the arm carries a cam member 91 which automatically returns the depressed plungers to normal after electrical contact therewith by arm 5 ceases.

In Fig. 7, there is illustrated a modication wherein the punched holes in tape 14 cause the operation of a solenoid brake 95 for instantly stopping motor 31. In this instance, lever 28 and spring 3D are inoludedas electrically conductive elements inthe motor and brake circuits, switch functioning as before to close the motor circuit when solenoid is energized. The motor shaft is provided with a brake drum 96 which. is engageable by a pivotally mounted brake shoe 97 adapted for operation by the movable plunger of solenoid 98. The winding of solenoid 98 has one end connected through conductor 99 to one side of the motor supply circuit, while its other eX- tremity isconnected through conductor 100-to block 260.such block being electrically conductive in this instance. f

During energization of solenoid 65brake solenoid 9S is deenergized, as will be apparent, and brake will be` ineffective, the weight of the solenoid plunger urging theshoe away from drum 96. Upon movement of projection 29 into a punched hole and consequent moment of lever 28, however, the brake solenoid is energized to render the brake operative to stop motor 31', the motor supply circuit being simultaneously opened at switch 60.l The modified system is otherwise similar to the previously described system.

Obviously, many changes and modifications within the scope of the invention are possible. The appendedclaims define the scope of the invention, and only such limitations as are contained in the claims are to be imposed upon the invention. i

We claim:-

l. The combination with a radio receiver having a tuning element shaft, of means for rotating said shaft, time-controlled means for actuating said first means at a predetermined time, a second shaft, means for manually adjusting the position of said second shaft to similate a desired position of said tuning element shaft, a perforable tape movable by said shafts for disabling said first meansto stop rotation of said tuning element shaft at said desired position, and means for perforating said tape after manual adjustment of said second shaft to record said desired position.

2. The combination witha radio receiver having a tuning element shaft, of means for rotating said shaft, time-controlled means for actuating said first means at predetermined times, a second shaft, means for successively manually adjusting the position of said second shaft to similate desired positions of said tuning element shaft, a perforable tape movable by said shafts for disabling said iirst means to-s'top rotation of s'aid tuning 'element shaft at said desired positions, and means for perforating said tape after each manual adjustment of said second shaft to record said desired positions.

3, The' combination with a movable member whose position it is desired `to control, of means for moving said member, means for controlling said first means, selective time-controlled means for rendering said controlling means effective 'during a short interval to start said first means and move said member, and a perforable tape operable by said member for maintaining said controlling means effective until a predetermined position of said member represented by a perforation is reached. f

tl. The combination with a movable member whose position it is desired to control, of means for moving said member, means for controlling said first means, selective time-controlled means for successively rendering said controlling means effective during short intervals to start said first means and move said member, and a perforable tape operable by said member for maintaining said controlling means effective after each actuation thereof until successive predetermined po-y sitions represented by successive perforations are reached. 1 i

5. ri'lie combination with a movable member whose position it is desired to control, of a motor for driving said member, electrically operable brake means for stopping said motor, means for energizing said motor, a perforable tape operable by said member for controlling said brake means and said energizing' means to stop said member at a desired position, and means for perforating said tape to record said desired position in ad- Vance.

6. The combination with a movablev member whose position it is desiredto control, of means for moving said member, time controlled means for actuating said first means, a second movable member, means for manually adjusting the position of saidsecond member to similate a desired position of said first member, a perforable tape movable by said'members for disabling said first means to stop movement of said rst member aty said desiredposition, and meansfor'perforating said tape'after manual adjustment-.of said second member to record said desired position.'

'7. The combination `with Va movable member whose position it is desired' to control,y of means for moving said member, selective time-controlled means for actuating said first means to move said member, and a perforable tape operable by said r member for maintaining actuation of said first means until a predetermined position of saidA member representedby a perforation is reached.

8. The combination with a radio receiver having a rotatable tuning element shaft, of a switch included in an energizing circuit of said receiver,

means for maintaining said switch` closed for all positions of said shaft throughout thetuning range but permitting the switch to Aopen at a position of the shaft outside said range, time-con-` trolled means for rotating said shaftI at a predetermined time, and means for short-circuiting said switch during the automatic rotation of the shaft to prevent deenergization of the receiver.

JosEPI-ry w. MYERS. ERNEST E.V MURRAY

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