US2068449A - Gramophone or the like - Google Patents

Description

19, 1937. R, DOWNS GRAMOPHONE OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 19, 1937. A. R. DOWNS GRAMOPHONE OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 26. 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ina/Emma W M Y W Jan. 19, 1937.

A. R. DOWNS GRAMOPHONE OR THE LIKE Filed 001;. 26, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 19, 1937. A. R. DOWNS GRAMOPHONE OR THE LIKE Filed 001;. 26, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan; 19, 1937. A, R, D WNS 2,068,449

GRAMCPHONE OR THE LIKE Filed Oct. 26, 1954 e Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented :Jan. 19.1937

u N STAT This invention relates to automatic gramophones in which the records to be played are transferred oneat a time from a storage position to a playing position and particularly to those automatic gramophones w both sides of each transferred record.

In automatic gramophones designed to play both sides of each transferred record it has always heretofore been necessary to invert the v record. This method requires a relatively'large amount of headroom and in addition it involves, as an essential, the use of a conventional tumtable for supporting the record during reproduction.

The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic gramophone in which both sides of each transferredrecord may be played without the record being turned over and in such a manner that the conventional turntable may, if desired, be dispensed with.

Broadly the present inven automatic gramophone in which a record, transferred by automatically operating means from a storage position to the playing position is suspended or supported in said playing position so that each side thereof is playable in turn without the record being turnedover.

In the preferred embodiment 'of the invention each record to be played is engaged bygripping means which are constricted to pass through the center hole in the record and then expanded to engage beneath the central surface of the record and pull the record againsta revoluble friction pad, the record so engaged being transferred to the playing position where it is positively rotated whilst thus held, firstl'yin one direction for oduction of one side, of the recordand the opposite direction for the reproducsite side of the record. In this embodiment the conventional turntable is dispensed with.

In order that the invent rstood and carried into effect an automatic mophone in accordance therew of the accompanying drawings hich reproduce tion consists of an tion of the oppo ion may be clearly ith will now be described by aid in which:-

Figs. 1 and 2 are perspec works of an automatic, gramoph the present invention,

ing arm in position ab engagement with the up and Fig. 2 showing the position when the removed record is in the playing position and its upper surface about to be reprotive views of theupper one according to Fig. 1, showing the swingove the magazine and in per record of a series. of the. parts cation october 26, 1934, Serial No. 150,213 In Great Britain November 6, 1933 Claims. (Cl. 214-) Fig. 3 is a further perspective view, partly in section of the outer or pick-up end of the swinging arm.

Fig. 4 is-a vertical section through thesame showing an engaged record in position. v 5

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the working parts of the automatic gramophone according'ito this invention when looking at the edge of the baseboard to both sides of which they are attached.

Fig. 6 is an underside plan view of the mechal0 nism which is situated on the underside of the baseboard shown in Fig. 5. 1 r

Fig. '7 is a perspective view .showing more or less diagrammatically the grpup of operating cams.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation to an enlarged scale, of the storage magazine d the means employed for lifting the records at er each removal of a record.

Fig. 9 is a diagr' matic plan view taken from Fig. 1 showi g t paths of movement of' the swinging arm and he tone arms.

Figs. 10 and 11 are views of the mechanism to operate the arm carrying the lower sound box to move same into and out of contact with the undersurface of a positioned record.

Fig. 12 isan electrical diagram of the connection to the switches and motors.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings a record removed automatically from a storage position and swung into a playing positionhas both sides reproduced whilst the'same is suspended. The apparatus illustrated for thispurpose broadly comprises a swinging arm A which operates to pick up the upper record from a stack of records in a storage position B, to transfer the record thus picked up to a playing position C and tohold the same suspended in mid-air in the playing position whilst both sides are reproduced in turn.

The swingingarm A in the embodiment illustrated comprises a horizontal arm i, which is,

. at its inner end, supported by pivots 2 between the arms of a bracket 4 at the upper end of a vertical column 5. This column is affixed to the upper surface of a baseboard 6 at a point equi- 5 h during reproduction.

zontal arm i in a vertical ots 2.

At the outer or free end of the horizontal arm I is attached a vertical sleeve I which serves to revolubly support mechanism for picking up a record by its center and for suspendi g the same This mec m in the embodiment illustrated comprises a central spindle 3 on the lower end of which is formed or attached a cross bar 3 which extends through a slot i0 cut through a boss ll carried bythe lower end of a sleeve i2. This sleeve i2 is a tight fit within a further outer sleeve I3 which is a working iit in the outer stationary sleeve 1 car-,-

plane about the pivried by the horizontal arm I so as to be free to.

rotate therein. The lower end of the sleeve I3 is formed or provided with an enlarged boss l4 having a flange at its lower end and formed interiorly with a circular recess it to accommodate the cross bar 0 and the boss ll of thesleeve i2. Pivoted at l1 within the slot III are a pair of grippers l3. These grippers which are bent to form, in effect, bell-crank levers are attached by their upper ends and by links 18 to opposite ends of the cross bar 9 whilst their lower extremities are turned outwards as at 2llto form. fingers adapted to engage beneath a record, both of which are indicated in the engaged position in Fig. 4.

. The spindle 8 with its attached cross bar 9.

is adapted to have a vertical movement within the sleeve i2 and this movement is utilizedto move the grippers it into and out of the engaging position. Normally the spindle 8 is held in the raised position by a spring 22 which at its upper end .bearsagainst a sleeve 23 which is mounted on the central spindle 3 adjacent its. upper end and secured thereto by a set screw 24, and in this position the lower ends of the grippers are held in the expanded or engaging position shown. Upon depression of the spindle 8 the cross bar Q is brought into contact with the upper edges of the grippers and in consequence of their angularity this contact effects simultaneous outward movement of the upper ends of the'grippers andcorresponding inward movement of the lower ends of the grippers suqlpcient to permit the grippers to be inserted or withdrawn from'the central or spindle hole in the center of the record. Depending centrally from the boss II, and forming an extension thereof, 1

is a rod 25 the lower end of which is slotted as at 28 for engagement with-a tongue 21 at the upper end of the main driving spindle 28, which is driven by the gramophone motor I25, see Fig. 6. In operation, and preparatorytothe picking up of the upper record from the stack of records in the storage -position'ls, the spindle 3 isdesee Fig. 1, operpressed by means of a lever 23, ated by a Bowden wire 30 by mechanism hereinafter to be'described. This-causes the lower.

ends of the grippers to be contracted so that when the outer end of the swinging arm A is lowered I onto the center of the record to be engaged the grippers will pass through the central hole in the record. The spindle 3 is then released and under the action of .thesprlng 22- it returns to its'normal raised position thereby causing'the bent-extremities or lingers 23.0fv the grippers to move outwards and engage beneath the central portion of the record and at the same time to pull such central portion hard up against a friction surface II on theunderside of a disc 32 fixedly at a hed to the underside of the flanged end of the-boss ll of the sleeve l3. The arm A is then turned upwards about the pivots 2 to and the tongue 21' of the motor spindle 23.-

l'here is thus provided a driving connection between the driving spindle and the record to be played the motion of the driving spindle being transmitted through the central spindle 3 and from thence, by means of resulting contact between the set screw 24 and a stop pin 33; to the sleeve i3 and from thence to the record by the frictional grip aflorded by the friction surface 3| on the underside of'the disc 32.

The record to be played, whilst thus suspended in the playing position on the outer end of the arm A, is rotaited'flrstly in one direction during reproduction of one side of the record and then in the opposite direction during reproduction of the opposite side of the record such reversal of motion being eflected by means hereinafter to be described. In the example illustrated reproduction of thetwo sides of a suspended record is shown as being eil'ectedby means of two sound boxes 34 and 35, the sound box 34 reproducing the upper side of the record and the sound box 35 the underside of the record. These sound boxes are supported by pivotal connections 33 upon the upper ends of vertical spindles 33 which pass up through fixed standards 31 and by mechanism hereinafter to be described are moved automatically and in turn into and out of their playing position.

When both sides of the suspended record have r been reproduced the spindle 3 is again depressed automatically thus causing .the record to be released and permitting the same to drop down over a stationary sleeve 38 surrounding the driving spindle 23. The arm A is then swung back automatically to the storage position to eitect engagement with the next record to be played. the operations being continued until all or the required number of the assembled records have been layed.

As shown, the automatic gramophone is designed to handle records of different sizes, .for example, the usual 10" and 12'' records. Normally the sound boxes assume a position in readiof a 2" playin tioned topass the smaller record only is engaged by the periphery of the larger record causing the striker arm to be forced movement in turn is utilized boxes to take up adeflnite to, play the larger size of record from the storage position to the to cause the sound position in readiness record. One suitable mechanism for this purpose is described in connection with'the other figuresor the drawings.

Mechanism hereinafter to be described is also ne to play a' 10 record, but upon the transfer backwards and this position a striker arm 33 normally posiprovided, operable, for example, by a push butf ton, to effect, at the tion oi a record before will of the operator, rejecor during reproduction.

The mechanism for effecting the automatic operations of the devices shown in Figs. 1 to 4 record is removed from the magazine. This upward movement is accomplished, as shown in the drawings, by mounting the platform 4U on a hollow spindle 42. This hollow spindle-is'externally threaded with a screw thread 43 the pitch of which corresponds to the thickness ofg one record so that one. complete revolution of. the spindle will raise the platform 40 the required distance; e

The mechanism to rotate the spindle compr es a nut 44 which is internally threaded with, a thread corresponding to that of the spindle 42 which it engages. This nut is adapted to be retated, imparting its rotary movement to the spindie 42 for the purpose specified and as shown the nut is made integral with a bevel gear 44a which engages with a further bevel gear which is in turn mounted on an intermittently rotating shaft 48.

This shaft 40 is mounted in bearings 41 and has to which it is connected by a chain drive ill.

The toothed wheel 49 is mounted on a cam shaftl which is driven at predetermined intervals by a motor "to which it is connected either directly or through gearing 53 as shown. To prevent the Y toothed wheel 54 forming part of the hollow spindie and attached to its lower end. A ratchet finger 55 engages the teeth of the toothed wheel 54, to prevent rotation thereof in either direction when the nut is driven thereby allowing the wheel and associated spindle to be raised when the nut rotates and likewise prevents spindle 42 from rotating under the weight of the assembled records.

The finger 85 is retained in theengaged positionwith the toothed wheel 84 by a spring 58, both the finger and its controllingspring being housed in a member 51. I

To reload the magazine after a batch of records have been played the platform 40 is rotated in the appropriate direction and with a force suflicient to cause disengagement between the ratchet finger I! and the toothed wheel I4, the nut 44 remaining stationary, the screwed spindle 42' accordingly travels downwards until the platform is in its lowest position whereupon a further batch of records may be placed thereon.

wheel B4 during upward movement of the magazine, said member is attached to and forms a hearing for the lower end of the spindle 42 and to prevent rotation of said member it is provided with a guide piece 58 which is slidably mounted on the, guide bar 59.

To ensure that the center holes of the records assembled in the magazine are kept in alignment with each other, and also in alignment with the grippers, acentering spindle 'is provided having a pointed extremity which is adapted to be passed up through the center holes'of the batch of assembled records, each timeone is removed from the magazine. This centering spindle is shown at 40, in the drawings, andpasses up through the center of the aforementioned hollow spindle 42. Attached to the lower end of the centering spindle 60 is a lever 8i which is pivotaliy mounted in a bearing 62. W

The end $3 of the lever 4| has attached to it a spring 84 which retains said lever in the normal position as shown in the drawings. Also attached to this lever Ii is a further lever 65 which receives, each time a record is removed from the magazine,

a downward thrust which is imparted to the lever To keep the'flngerin step with the'toothed 6] so that said lever pivots in its bearing against the action of the restraining spring 64 and operates to raise the centering spindle Gil. when the downward thrust is removed from the lever 65 the centering spindle willbe returned to the normal position as shown in Fig. 8 by the aforementioned -\sprlng. The downward thrust is applied to the lever 65 by a further lever 88. This lever 66 is carried by a bearing 660, the end 68 of said lever 66 engaging the aforementioned lever 65 and its outer end engaging a bell crank lever 61, which is operated to raise the engaging end of lever 68 and'so impart the required downward thrust to the end 88 which thrust is transformed as aforementioned into an upward thrust acting on the centering spindle. Themethod of applying the necessary movement to the bell-crank lever comprises mounting this lever loosely on the aforementioned shaft 46, and operating it by a connecting rod 69 connected-to the arm of the bell-crank lever. This connecting rod 69 is coupled to the upper end of a rocking lever ll, said rockinglever being mounted by its other or lower end on a bearing a shaft 12. This rocking lever II 'is operated by a cam 13 which cam is mounted on the aforementioned cam shaft 5|. When this cam is rotated by movement of said cam shaft it imparts the necessary movement to rocking lever II, which movement is transmitted to the bell crank lever through the connecting rod 69. A spring 14 is provided which returns the bell crank lever to its normal position. This spring is attached by one end to the motor board 6 and its-other end is attached to the arm 10 of the bell crank lever.

The mechanism to control the swinging movement-of the swinging arm A is operated by the cam I3 mounted on-the aforementioned cam shaft. Associated with this cam and operated by it is the rocking lever II. This rocking lever as aforementioned is mounted by one end on the bearing shaft 12. The cam 13 is adapted to bear against the rocking lever ll intermediate its length and to impart to the upper end of the same a predetermined movement. This movement in turn is transmitted to a lever 11 which is attached by one end to the upper end of the said rocking lever H. vThe other end of the lever 11 is'fixed to a crank 18 in sucha manner that the mo ements of lever ll and ll serve to operate the to the lower end of a sleeve Ia which sleeve passes up through the aforementioned column 5 and is attached to the swinging arm A by the pivotalconnections 2 and therefore this sleeve in will swing with the crank 18. The cam 13 furank l8; Thecrank I8 is rigidly attached- 'th'er operates to rotate the record carrying arm from the playing position into the storagefposh tion in readiness to engage another record to be played; For this purpose a lever 19 is provided, such. lever being associated with cam 13 and adapted to be operated by it. Such lever is also f mounted by one end on the bearing shaft and is adapted to engage a projection 80 made integral with the aforementioned lever 11 so that after the lever 11 has been pulled in one direction by the cam 13 as above described, further operation of the cam 13- serves to return the said lever 11 to its normal position and simultaneously to rotate the crank 18 in an anti-clockwise direction to return the record carrying arm to a position over the magazine. To limit the swinging motion of the arm A stops 5b are provided on the upper'end. of the column 5, between which stops said arm A operates. The mechanism I which is also mounted on the cam shaft 5| This lever 85 is mounted intermediate its length in a bearing 86 in such manner that the upward motion of the lever 82 will impart-a downward movement to the end 81 of the lever 85.

This downward motion of the lever 85 is transmitted to the rear end of the horiontal arm I through a. vertical lever 88 which passes up through the center of the vertical column 5 and as 8 shown in the drawings is connected at one end to the lever 85, its other end being'connected by pin 88a. (Fig 5) to the horizontal arm I. A spring 88 is provided which serves to retain the vertical lever 88 in a raised position except when it is depressed by the "lever 85. The horizontal arm with an engaged record is raised in the man- .ner above described and swings over into the playing position in the manner described when it is lowered in order that the gripper mechanism may engage the driving spindle also as previously described. The lowering of the horizontal arm I into the playing position is eflfected by the cam 8| releasing the lever 82 whereupon the weight a: the engaged record and gripper mechanism on the outerend of the horizontal arm I causes said arm to belowered. This downward movementis aided by the aforementioned spring 88 which is connected as stated to the lever 88. After the record has been played and is released from the grippers the horizontal arm I is again-raised in the manner previously described and returned to a position over the magazine.

The mechanismto move the sound boxes into and out of the playing position willnow be described.

As shown in-Fig. 5 the sound boxes :84 and 85 are mounted on arms each pivotally mounted on Y a vertical spindle 88 which spindle passes. up through the fixed standards 81. These spindles 88 each pass through the motor board and have attached rigidly to their lower ends, a member 85. When'either tone arm has travelled completely over the record surface each member 85 engages a further member 86. Each of these members 88 is adapted to pivot about a point 81 and-to impart to the members 85 a turning movement which is transmitted to the vertical spindle and: thus swings the sound box in the required direction clear of the playingposition ta-allow afurther record tojbe positioned. The members 88 receive their motion from connecting rods 88. These connecting rods are attached to the lower ends of the levers 88 and serve to'returnconnected to the upper 'endsof rocking levers 88 which are -p Qt .=-.at 1thelr :upner ends t the bearing shaft 1-2. These levers 88 are moved about their pivots by cams I8l keyed'to the'cam shaft 12. Operational-the levers 88"by-. the cams imparts a pull to the rods," and eflects the turningof the members 88 about their-pivots and .such turning movement is in turn. transmitted to the vertical spindles through .bers .85 until the said members come up Springs I82 are attached to the lower;- efidsiof-the;levers8 andserve to return provided 75 in order that the members 88 returned stops I8I.

soundbomisutillaedto'keepthe "desiredtofli! this a oeauo to their original position in readiness to return the sound boxes clear of the playing position after a further record has beenplayed.

The normal position of the stops 88a allows the tone arms to swing into a position clear of the conventional 12" diameter records. To swing the tone arms into the playing positions the stops 7 I8I are provided which engage the members 85 and rotate same in the appropriate direction see Fig. 6. For this purpose each stop is mounted on a lever I84. Each of these vers I84 are slidable by means of-associated roc ng levers I85 to the upper end of which each lever I84 is connected. The rocking levers I85 are each pivotally mounted by their other ends onthe bearing shaft 12, and such levers receive motion from operating members on cams I against the face of which each .rocking lever I85 bears Fig. 7. Theoperating .members on cams I88 comprise high and low portions I88a. and I88b, the portion I881; being used to operate the levers I85 when a 12 record is to be played the other portion I88b operating the levers I85 when alO" record is being played. In order that the operation of the stops I8I to pull in the tone arm into the correct position may be entirely automatic the position of the levers I85 I over either the high and low cam portions Mia and I88b is determined by the periphery of the record to be played during its travel from the magazine to the playing position striking the striker arm 88, and for this purpose the aforementioned levers I85 are each attached to a drawbar I81. The drawbar is given a lateral sliding movement by a lever I88 which is formed integral with the drawbar I 81. This lever I88 rests in a slot I88a formed in an extension I88b I of the striker arm88'; said striker arm being pivotally mounted at and when engaged by the periphery 01 a r 0rd is forced backwards and this movement is transmitted to the drawbar I through the lever I88 w ich will therefore position the levers I85.

Qn completion of ,the playing of a 12" record the drawbar and its associated mechanism has to be returned to thenormal position. To accomplish this the drawbar. I81 is further provided with arigidly attached lever II8 which is operated by a face cam III mounted on the cam shaft 5|. Normally this lever is clear of .the operating face of the cam III but. whenever the levers I81are'positioned for playing 12 records this lever I I8 is brought into such a position that when the cam III is operated it engages the lever II8 which is thusgiven a lateral sliding movement which in turn imparts to the drawbar' a similarmovement and returns said drawbar and the associated rocking levers I85 totheir normal position over. the cam portions I88a. The stops are further utilized to bring the sound boxes into the playing position, and for this purpose assoon as 3130021115 positioned ior playing continued movement of the camshaft II causes eitherthehighorlowmr otcam Illtooperate the associated rocking lever I88. which in turn an inward movement to the lever I84, and stop III, which bearing against the member 85 rotatesit and'consequenfly brings the sound the undersurface d acounterblhnce arm portion H6; To retain the weight 2 in mounted as stated, on the cam shaft BI.

' lever I25 is in turn connected to the upper end -closedt'ostartthe the raised position when the lower sound box out of use, a cam II'I engages the arm IIS and looks it in such a position that the platform H3 is held up. against the downward push of said counterbalance weight. When thc'sound box is to be. used the cam III is operated and is so formed that it gradually releases the arm 6 and permits the lever ill to move-downwards under the action of the weight II2 such downward movement being transmitted to the rear end of the tone arm through rod I22a which has its lower end connected to the platform H3 and its upper end suitably connected to the rear end of the tone arm.

The upper sound box is retained in the raised position when not in use by the cam I06 whic lrihis e cam normally retains the end I2I of the lever II! in a raised position which results in the other end of this lever being held in the lowered position. The lowered end of the lever II! is coupled to a vertical spindle I23 by a connection I24 in such manner that said vertical spindle is also lowered. The upper end of the vertical spindle I22 is connected to-the rear end of the arm carrying the sound box which rear end will similarly be lowered, the forward or sound box end being therefore retained in a raised position. The cam IDS is so formed that when however it is required to use the upper sound box it gradually releases the lever H5 and allows the sound box to lower itself onto the record playing surface. 7

As previously stated the direction of rotation of the gramophone motor I25 is reversed when playing opposite sides of a record. To accomplish this the motor circuit reversing switch 125a. This switch may be of any suitable type and is adapted to be operated as shown in the drawings by a lever I2i. The

of a rocking lever I21. The arrangement of switches is shown in Fig. tor 52 is controlled by a main able type the contacts of which are diagrammatically shown at I42. This switch is manually mechanism driving motor 52.

Similarly the graniophone motor I25 is provided with a main switch are shown also tlcall'y'at i42.

' When the contacts I42 and I42 are plosed both the motor 52 and the gramophone motor I25'are connected to the main supply. v

The contacts 12117 and I each form part 'of the switch I", the operation of which is controlled by the swinging movement of the tone arm. Switches of this type are common and-aocordingly need no further description.

.The operation of the contacts is as follows:-

Immediately upon closure of contacts I42 the motor 52 commences to operate the cam shaft 5| current being supplied thereto through the leads a contacts I20 which isclosed and leads c2.

When contacts I42 are closed to connect the gramophone motor to the supply, no current can reach the motor I25 due to the fact that at the beginning of the operation of the cam shaft the reversing switch I25a is in the center position is provided with a 12. The circuit of moswitch of any. Suit-i the contacts of which are closed and contacts "I are open. As the tone arm travels across the surface of the record ing shaft 12.

' after with the closing of the reversing switchthe III contacts of the switch I30 are opened in a manner hereinafter described and the motor 52ceases.

As soon as playing finishes contacts I2'Ib are opened by operation of switch I25 and themotor I25 is stopped and similarly contacts I4I are 15 closed whereby the motor 52 is reconnected to the supply.

The contacts 131D and I as stated are part of a switch which is diagrammatically shown at I25. .This switch may be 01 any suitable type and as shown consists of a pair of arms I3Ia each pivotally mounted one. base as shown at I2 5a and I351! respectively. These arms are connectd together by a cross bar not shown such bar being pivotally attached to each arm to permit relative movement between the two arms. One of the arms I2Ia is connectedthrough a pin and slot connection to the member and accordingly when such member is moved by movement of the tone arm the arms are accordingly moved, so such movement being utilized to operate a switch block carrying the contacts I2Ib and I.

The contacts are so arranged that when the tone arm is at its outer position contacts I3lb during playing the arms I2Ia are gradually brought nearer to the rim I21 which is driven by the gramophone motor I25 such rim is provided with a projection which engages with the arms I3Ia. when the tone arm has travelled fully across the record surface, and causes movement of the same which in turn causes movement of the switch block to open contacts I21?) and close contacts I for the purpose specified. Upon the return of the tone arm to the outer position the switch is reset to open contacts "I and close contacts I2'Ib.

In the drawings the lower tone arm only is shown connected to this switch but in practice both upper and lower tone arms are connected so that the gramophone motor will out out upon completion of playing both upper-and lower. surfaces of a record.

The switch I20 is operated as shown in the drawings by a lever I2I. The lever I is connected to the upper end of a lever I22 which is pivotally mounted by its lower end to the bear- A cam I22 mounted on cam shaft 5i operatesthe lever I22 which motion is trans- 0 mitted to the lever I-2I add this lever being connected to the switch said switch is operated either to cut out or cut in the motor 52., A spring I34 is provided coupled to the upper end of lever I22 so that when cam I22 is clear of lever I22, said 5 spring will pull the switch into the closed position.

What'I claim is:

- 1.-In an automatic granrophone the combination with an arm having means thereon for engaging a record to be played by its central aperture and for holding the same in a suspended position against the underiace of a'revoluble sur- .face carried by the arm, of automatically opertral aperture and for the storage positionto a playing position means, in the playing e a position, for rotating the ,revolublesurface normally supporting the record transferring the suspended'record to the playingposition, means, in the playing position, for rotating the record'whilst thus suspended forfthe purpose of reproduction, means for releasing "the suspended record, and means for transferring the picking up means back to the storage position for the purpose offrepeating the operations on a further record all'said means operating automati? cally. 1

3. In an automatic gramophone, means for picking up a record to be played from a storage position and for transferring the sameto a playing position comprising, in combination, a swinging arrn,;-a plate carried thereby and gripping means'forengaging the record through its cenpulling the same up against the plate. v g i; In an automatic gramophone the combination with a motor-driven spindle in the playing position ofa swinging arm having a revoluble friction pad and means associated therewith for engaging a record to be played through its central aperture and for pulling the same up against the undersurface of the-revoluble friction pad,

of the friction pad, a storage position for the motor driven'spindle in the tion, a swinging arm, a friction pad on the outer .end of saidarrn and revoluble about a vertical axis, expanding grippers extending-through the F friction pad and serving when contracted, to pass 10 through the centraltaperture in a. record and when expanded to engage the undersurface of the-central portion thereof and to pull the record into frictional engagement with the undersurfaoe records to be played,,a playing position in which reproduction ofv each record is effected. a motor drivenspindle extending vertically upwards in said playing position, "and automaticallyoperating means for lowering the swingingtarm in-the storage position to eifect engagement with a record to be played, for raising the .same with the engaged record'suspended thereon, for swinging the arm with the record to a position above the playing position, for;

lowering the 'arm' to effect a driving connection between the friction pad and the motor drivenspindle and finally for releasing the suspended record and for returning the swinging arm to the storage record. p

ARTHUR ROBERT DOWNS.

position for engaging a further

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