US2281487A - Phonograph delivery mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 2s, 1942. M. FINKEL ETAL 2,281,487

PHONOGRAPH DELIVERY MECHANI SM Filed April 18, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l ffaf. @Mya April 2s, 1942. M, FINKEI. ET AL, 2,281,487y

PHONOGRAPH DELIVERY MECHAN I SM Filed April 18, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4j April 28, 1942 M. 'FINKEL Erl-AL n PHONOGRAPH DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed April 18, 1940 5 sheets-'sheet 5 Apri1'2s,1942. MFINKEL Em 2,281,487

I i PHONOGRAPH DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed April 18, 1940 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 289 1942. M. FINKEL. ETA; 2,281,487

v PHONOGRAPH DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed April 1s, 1940 5 sheets-sheet 5 2%@ @m ff' Patented Apr. 28, 17942 UNITED OFFICE PHON OGRAIH DELIVERY MECHANISM Maurice Finkel, Philadelphia, and William P. Schmid, Yeadon, Pa.

12 Claims.

Our invention relates to the art of coin-controlled delivery of phonograph records.

A purpose of the invention is to provide a rotatable container having record stalls, each including a record-projected stop cooperating with a hand-controlled selects stop to cause registration of delivery mechanism with the rst recordprojected stop, thus progressively delivering from lled stalls.

A further purpose is to use a rotatable holder having a plurality of container groups and in each group a plurality of stalls for duplicate records in the stalls of a single group, along with cooperative hand-operated and record-operated means for limiting movement of the stalls past a delivery point by the presence or absence of a phonograph record in the individual stalls.

A further purpose is to provide a rotatable container with a plurality of stalls and with pin means in each stall set by a phonograph record, whereby to limit the movement of the stalls and bring a delivery space or stall which is loaded with a record within the reach of discharge means operating on the record.

A further purpose is to swing a container for phonograph records about an axis, to stop it by means set by the presence of a phonograph record so as reliably to insure stopping at a loaded compartment and additionally to check the presence of a record by interfering with delivery.

A further purpose is to operate a rotary container for phonograph records about an axis bringing it to rest at a loaded stall b-y stop means, in part controlled by the presence of a phonograph record and in part manually controlled and to reset both-means as the record is withdrawn.

A further purpose is to hold a spring-opened delivery door normally closed by spring latch means carried by our main operating lever, whereby the door is released as operation begins.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claims.

We have preferred to illustrate the invention by one form only among various forms in which it may appear, selecting forms which are practical and effective and which at the same time well illustrate the invention.

Figure l is a top plan view of a structure embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the structure of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section upon line 3-3 of the structure seen in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section upon line 4--4 of the structure seen in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical radial section of the structure of the preceding figures.

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of the structure seen in Figure 2.

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary section oi mechanism preventing reverse movement of the rotatable container.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary horizontal section upon line 8-8 of Figure 5 showing delivery door latching mechanism.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section showing part of the door latching strucnumerals indicate like K delivered and blocking operation when the records are exhausted, or when the delivery mechanism is not in proper position to deliver from a loaded compartment. The situation is further complicated when it is desired to deliver succes- ,O sively any of a number of duplicate records from 3 a container holding many types of records.

Permissible coin-controlled delivery of any one of a group of duplicate records among any of a number of different groups becomes increasingly important in view of the large and sudden demand created by playing and singing tunes and songs over the radio.

Our mechanism is intended to supply this need by offering a large number of each of many records with coin-controlled delivery of any kind selected. The mechanism illustrated accommodates fteen duplicate records of each of a number of different kinds.

The base I5 supports a rotatable casing I6 which in the illustration is divided between an upper chiefly supporting and record-'checking section Il covered at i8 and a lower record carrying stall section i9. The casing is carried by a bracket 20 having bearings at 2l and 22,v from fixed bearing members 23 and 24 which are secured to or supported by a fixed shaft 25.

The lower part of the casing is annular and contains vertical radially-directed stalls 26 for records. Each record is cartoned as at 2l to protect it and to present a bottom 28 conveniently slidable within the stall and adapted to cooperate with stop mechanism.

The inside of the annulus presents an annular track 29 against which rollers B bear. The rollers steady the rotatable parts. They are supported by 4bearings 3| from brackets 32 and 33 carried by any fixed members, such as supports 34, which may be part of an annular iioor. The lower part of the annular compartment section carries with it a toothed skirt 35 whose individual teeth 3S are adapted to serve a locking function hereinafter pointed out.

The annular rotatable section is turned to desired positions by a hand-operated ring Si.

The top of the stall section is shown at 38, forming the upper wall for each stalLand the bottoms of the stalls are shown at 39. Circumferentially the stall section is divided into groups di] of stalls 25, one group for each type of record, all of which records are duplicates within the group.

The partition walls between groups are shown at 4| and the partition walls between the stalls of the group are shown at |32. In order to protect against continual operation of the mechanism after all of the records in a group have been sold, the upper wall in the last stall of each group is slotted at 153 to permit entry within the stall of a projection d4, which is effectively part of arm d5 of lever Mi. The lever is pivoted at 'i.

The lever 4S extends on the opposite side of the pivot from projection del to form an arm 48. The arm 45 is pulled downwardly at i8 by atension spring i9 fastened to the lever at 58 and to the upper stall wall 38 at 5|. The end 52 of lever arm 45 carries a rod 53 guided at 5 and` terminating in a stop 55 which, when in lower position and, as later explained, prevents the movement of a pusher frame used for ejecting records.

The projection 44 is in such position as to engage against the upper surface 5t of a record carton 2'! if this last stall of the group contain a record and, in the `absence of a record, will .be drawn down by the tension spring so as to prevent the operation of the ejecting lever and block further operation of the device when this group is selected.

In order to indicate the existence or non-existence of a record in this'last stall vof vthe group an indicator lever 51 is used. It comprises arm 58 and drum 59. These parts are pivoted at Si). The drum carries an indication 5| which may be seen through an opening or transparency 52.

Lever arm 58 is connectedl with the lever arm A8 by a pin B3 in the one lever arm entering into a slot 54 in the other; with the purpose Aand effect that when the last record-in any group has been delivered the corresponding lever arm 45 will be pulled down, and stop 55 will prevent effort to eject a record. Lever arm 48 will be lifted, lifting arm 58 of the indicating lever and lowering the indicator to show that all the stalls of that group are empty.

In the lower part of each record stall is a spring E5 which is shown in lifted position in Figure 5 but whose end 65 is depressed when a record is in place. This depression of the spring carries l with it a corresponding depression of a. pin 61 which is connected with the-spring. The springs and pins are individual, one of each for each stall. When depressed the pin will dip below the level 68 of the rotating element` so as to enter within space |59.

Asbest seenV inA Figure 3" the pins V6`| arearranged in arcuate positions l0, lo', 152, etc., the pins within the same group such as Hl all being at one radial distance from the axis of rotation, but the pins of each other group being at a different distance from the axis. The arcuate positions for these pins are shown in Figure 3 where the diiferent radialv distances for the dilerent groups are apparent.

In order to facilitate orderly withdrawal of the records one at a time within the group it is highly desirable that the rotatable casing shall rotate in one direction only, illustrated as clockwise in Figure 3. Provision for this purpose is seen in the familiar ratchet and latch construction best seen in Figure '7, where the springpressed latch 7| is carried by a fitting 'l2 attached to any part of the bottom of the rotatable vcasing and the ratchet 'i3 is carried by a fixed member such as by the annular shelf 14.

The records when ejected are pushed out, far enough-for the purchaser to grasp them, through a vertical slot door opening 15 which is closed by a door 56. The door is mounted on vertical pintels 'i1 rigid with the door. To the lower pintel is attached an arm 18 drawn toward closed door position by a spring T9. This arm is limited in its movement to closure by a stop 8|). `In the views elements only are shown of any standard coin controlled mechanism of which there are many available and whose control is used for the purpose of releasing main lever 8| pivoted at 32 from the stop control of pivoted lever arms 83. These lever arms are pivoted at 84 and are notched at their upper ends normally to hold the lever 8| in its inoperative-in the illustration raised-position- The coin slide 85 is shown as representing one part of a coin control box 8S whose mechanism causes release of pivoted arms 84 from their position seen in Figure 5 where they prevent downward movement of main operating lever 8|. The intermediate character of the coin control-box is immaterial to the present invention, which is not concerned with whether it be mechanical or electrical, for example, providing that some stop mechanism holds the main lever 8| in its inoperative position until the coin or coins is or are inserted and the control operated for the release of this lever.

The main operating lever. 3| is connected by link 81 with a lever 88 pivoted at 93 provided with a projection or arm 9G, which lies below the swinging level of the levei` arm 18 and which carries a-spring latch 9| urged to operating position by a spring 92.

When the door-has been opened and is drawn toward closed position by spring 'I9 lever arm 18 passes over the projection 59 including any mechanism byv which the latch 9| is supported. It kpresses the latch 9| downwardly against the upward urge of this spring 92 untilthe lever arm reaches approximately the position seen in Figure 8, at which position latch 9| springs upwardly and holds the arm 'I8 .in position corresponding to the closed position of the door.

Lever arm 88 is pivoted in a bracket 93. When the locking arms by which the main lever 8|V is held in its inoperative position releasethis lever and the lever is pressed downwardly, this downward movement of the lever carries with it lever 88 and by the downward swing of lever 8|' carries the latch 9| beneath the level of the larm 18, leaving the door free to open againstzthe pull of spring i9 and underl the urge ofthe ca-r- Vtoned record, as the record is ejected.

When the way has been cleared by coin control release of the parts for operation of the mechanism the main lever 8| is depressed, carrying with it link 94 pivoted to it at 95. The link is connected pivotally at 96 to an end 91 of a bellcrank lever 98 pivoted at 99 to a xed part.

The other bell-crank lever I is spring-retracted at I0| and is connected with pin |02 fixed to an ejecting plunger. Movement of the parts is accommodated by slot |03 in the lever and |04 in a fixed cover for the plunger |05. The plunger has a head |06 and is suitably guided at |07. In use it passes within the proper one of ejection slots |08, of which one is provided in the inner wall end of each of the stalls. Y

When the plunger head is opposite the last stall of a group an absence of a record within this stall causes rocking of lever 45 and depression of stop 55 until it comes in position so as to interfere with forward movement of the pusher plunger, lever 8| cannot be depressed. The indicator mechanism shown in Figure will be operated to show that there are no more records in this group. Button |09 can then be operated to return the coin used.

The selector buttons and plungers are shown in elevation in Figure 5 and in transversesection in Figure 6. Because there are fteen stalls in each group fifteen operating selector buttons I|0 are shown, there being 4an additional resetting button I in any convenient position. The plungers I 2 of all of the sixteen buttons are guided, front and rear, in front and rear xed plates I|3, ||4 and all the plungers are resiliently returned by springs I I 5.

These plungers pass through a movable latch plate IIB which is drawn upwardly by a spring II'I. This plate is for the purpose of retaining the plungers in their depressed positions so that they need not be held in order to maintain the selection. W'hen any one of the plungers is pushed in a wedge I|8 on the plunger engages the plate IIB and depresses it until the shoulder ||9 passes the plate, when the plate jumps upwardly and holds the selector plunger in position.-

Pushing any button through its plunger causes longitudinal thrust upon a corresponding flexible shaft |20 which causes projection of a stop |2| into space 69 at a distance from the axis corresponding to the position of the pins for this group, a different distance for each hand pressed selector button, plunger, shaft and stop, in order to cooperate with the corresponding set of record operated stops 6l for the group. A few iiexible shafts and stops |2| only are shown, but it will be understood that each group of stops 6'I is controlled by a separate button with its individual plunger, shaft and stop |2|.

If there be any record in lany of the stalls of this group the corresponding pin or pins 61 will be depressed in position where it or they will engage with the stop |2|. The pin engaged will be that pin corresponding with the first of the loaded stalls in that group in the direction of movement of the rotatable casing. The engagement of the record operated stop 5l with the stop |2| aligns this first loaded stall with the ejecting mechanism. Perfect alignment of the parts is secured by a prong |22 upon lever |00 in such position as to engage with one of the teeth within the skirt of the rotatable casing.

Not only does the registration of the prong with the proper tooth insure registration between the ejecting members and the opening |08 on the one yhand and the record and outlet through the door at the other end of the ejecting range, but the entry of the prong within the tooth 36 prevents rotation of the rotary container during the operation of the ejecting lever.

Should the intending customer change his mind and decide that he does not wish to get any record, or that he will select a record of a different group he can release the button and plunger depressed by pushing down on the plate I5 through operating button ||I and its cam face ||8 but lacks a shoulder H8. This depresses plate 5 and'releases all plungers. On the other hand, if he merely press another button its plunger wedge will depress the plate allowing the first plunger pressed to be retracted while the wedge of the second plunger pressed presses through the plate and before the plate lifts to latch under the shoulder of the second plunger.

It will be evident that the stop mechanism carried by lever 45 and individual to the last stalls in each of the different groups is record operated, i. e., record released, in that the absence of a record in a given nal stall will cause its operation.

It will be evident that the hand-operated selector buttons and levers can operate to set up the selector stops in any part of the circumference of the rotary container except when the group of record operated stops 6l for which it is set up is opposite the selector-set stop.

In operation the customer presses the desired selector button inward, turns the rotary container i6 until it is brought to rest by the iirst downwardly presented stop 6l coming against the stop |2| presented upwardly by depressing the selector button. The customer now notes at the indicator 6| that the desired record is in discharge position, inserts the coin and depresses the discharge lever 8|. This advances the plunger |06 to push the record carton forward, the forward edge of the carton pushing open the door 'I6 and presenting the carton for easy withdrawal by the customer.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benets of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire vto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A rotary casing having vertical radial stalls adapted to hold cartoned phonograph records on the edge, an ejecting mechanism to eject the records from the stalls in ejecting positions, locking means for interlocking the casing and the delivery mechanism when the latter begins to operate, a lever adapted to control ejection of a phonograph record, a plurality of springs, one in each stall adapted to be downwardly pressed by a record in said stall, revoluble stops, one carried by each of the springs to present the stops beneath the casing, coin-controlled means for releasing the ejecting lever and hand-operated selective means cooperating with the revoluble stops to limit movement of the casing when a stall containing a record comes in line with an ejecting position.

2. In a coin-controlled phonograph record delivery mechanism, a rotary casing, a plurality of record-holding stalls adapted to deliver from delivery positions progressively until all the records have been delivered, record-operated stops carried by vthe rotary casing, 'one adapted toV be projected from each stall, a hand-operated selector stop adapted to engage withrecord-operated stops which are projected, and a handoperated mechanism aligned successively LWith record-holding stalls by engagement between successive record-operated stops and the selector stop.

3. In a phonograph record, coin-controlled delivery. mechanism, an annular rotatable casing, partitions dividing the casing into record stalls each extending inwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis, a plurality of springs-one in each stall, revoluble stop pins carried by the casing, one lying under each spring and adapted to be depressed when a phonograph record is. in place, the pins being located in groups at different distances from the axis of the casing and manually operated stops located at distances from the casing axis corresponding to the locations of the pins.

4. In coin-controlled mechanism for delivering phonograph records, a rotary casing having a plurality of stalls in each of a plurality of groups of stalls of phonograph records, record-controlled stop means in each of the stalls projecting :from the stalls when a record is in place, the projections in dilerent groups being at diierent distances from the axis of rotation, selector levers and connections, one for each group, and stops operated by them, the stops Voperating at distances from the axis of rotation corresponding, for different stops, with the distances for record operated stops in different groups, permitting engagement successively between the record controlled stops for different records in the same group and the selector stop to align successive stalls with discharge positions, and lever-operated mechanism for discharging the records one by one from their stalls, Areleased by the coincontrolled mechanism.

5, In coin-controlled mechanism for phonograph records, a rotary casing having a plurality oi stalls in each of different groups, means for stopping rotation of the casing in one direction, record-controlled stops revoluble with the casing and having in diierent groups projections at diierent distances from the axis of rotation,`

hand-controlled selector stops iixed against rotation and adapted to bar movement of the record-controlled stops when the latter are recordprojected and to stop rotation of the casing at the position of the earliest record-controlled stop of a group which is projected, considered in the direction of rotation and ejecting mechanism released by coin control when the casing has been brought to a stop by engagement of a selector stop with a record-controlled stop.

6. In a coin-controlled delivery mechanism for handling phonograph records, a rotatable casing having inwardly and outwardly directed division walls, and intermediately located inwardly and outwardly directed partition walls providingstalls in groups for phonograph records, ejecting mechanism mounted at the interior of the casing-*and adapted to deliver radially a phonograph record located in any of the stalls within the `casing when this stall lies opposite the ejecting delivery mechanism, coin-controlled means for releasing the ejecting mechanism and selector mechanism for determining the stall from which ejection may be made, the selector mechanism including stops,one for veachrecord stall, record means for depressing the stops tomake them effective and hand-operated means engaged by the stops, and means` connected with thel delivery ejecting mechanism for interlocking the casing and ejecting mechanism when the latter begins topperate.

'7. In a coin-controlled delivery mechanism .for handling phonograph records, a rotatable'casing having a plurality of stalls` for records of the same character, in each of several groups, means for successively discharging individual records, one at a time from the stalls, including a discharge plunger, means for blocking the advance of the discharge plunger and means engaging the record intended last to be discharged in its group and operative to release the blocking means when said last record is in place.

. 8. In a coin-controlled delivery mechanism for handling phonograph records, a rotatable casing, means for restricting movement of the casing to one direction. of rotary movement, a discharge plunger adapted to discharge the records one after another, a coin-controlled operating lever and connections for moving the discharge plunger, means for blocking the advance of the discharge plunger and means engaging the record intended last to be discharged in its group and operative to release the blocking means when said last record is in place.

, idividing the casing into a plurality of stalls in each of a plurality of groups, a discharge plunger adapted to discharge the records one after another -from any of the stalls in any of the groups, when the stall is aligned with the plunger,

; acoin-controlled operating lever and connections for moving the discharge plunger, means for each of the groups of stalls located in the last stall of thegroup and adapted to rest upon the top of a record when the stall is illed and to move downwardly because of lack of full support when the stall is empty and a stop carried by said means interrupting discharge movement of the plunger when the last stall of the group is empty.

10. In coin-controlled delivery mechanism for phonograph records, a rotary casing having a plurality of stalls in each of a plurality of group positions, a plunger adapted to eject records from any of the stalls when aligned with the plunger in a discharge position, lever means for operating the plunger, stops adapted each in one position to prevent movement of the plunger, arms each carrying a stop, spring means for operating the arms toward stop position and projections moving with the arms and adapted each to rest upon a record, one each in each iinal stall of the different groups in the direction of rotation, whereby in the absence of a record the arm is free to move and the stop is set to block delivery.

"ll,- In coin-controlled delivery mechanism for phonograph records, a rotary container, walls forming a plurality of stalls in each of a plurality of groups about the circumference of said container, record-operated stop means, individual to the stalls, cooperating hand-operated selector 'aligning .with the delivery mechanism and recordoperated stop means individual to the last stall in each group preventing movement of the delivery mechanism when the last record of a given group has been delivered.

12. In a coin-controlled record delivery mechanism, a rotary container having vertically and radially arranged record-holding stalls, means for aligning record-holding stalls successively with a discharge position, means for discharging the records one at a time through a discharge opening, a door resiliently closing the discharge opening, a latch normally holding the door in closed position, a lever carrying the latch and lever-operated discharge mechanism adapted when operated to withdraw the latch lever and the latch from position holding the door closed.

MAURICE FINKEL. WILLIAM P. SCHMID.

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