US2319527A - Cabinet for portable radio receiver sets - Google Patents

Description

May 18, 1943 M. ZAVATTARO CABINET FOR PORTABIQE RADIO RECEIVER SETS Filed Aug 22, 1940 I IINVENTOR MAR/0 2/! VA TTARO ATTORN EY Patented May 18, 1943 1 CABINET FOR PORT SETS Mario Zavattaro, Milan, Italy, assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Del-' aware Application August 22, 1940, Serial No. 353,629 In Italy September 8, 1939 2 Claims. (01. 250-14) The present invention is concerned with a case or cabinet for radio receiver apparatus and it more particularly concerns and has as it object a cabinet adapted to accommodate and contain a portable radio receiver set under conditions enhancing its utility and its appearance.

It is a well-known fact that the dimensions of portable radio receiver apparatus must be reduced to a minimum, in fact, to this end some of the demands and requirements conducive to satisfactory operation are often sacrificed. More particularly speaking, the dimensions to be chosen for the loudspeaker are such that it is not always feasible to insure good sound reproduction and fidelity.

The invention has as its object to obviate the said inconvenience of portable radio receiver sets, at least where these are used in a fixed place, for instance, in the home. This end is attained, for use of a portable set in a fixed place, by providing a cabinet having dimensions greater than those necessary to accommodate the apparatus so that, when the set is mounted in its place, there remains an empty space in which to place elements adapted to be associated with the radio receiver set and to insure more satisfactory operation thereof, that is, preferably a loudspeaker of standard dimensions, In this latter instance, the said space acts also as a resonance box or chamber for the spare or standby loudspeaker.

The appended drawing shows by way of example an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the cabinet, with the radio receiver apparatus mounted in place therein. Fig. 2 is a cross-section along the line 22 with certain modifications as regards the electrical connection means between the radio receiver and the loudspeaker disposed inside the cabinet, and Fig. 3 shows in diagrammatic fashion the connections between the several elements in accordance with the modification of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, I denotes the radio receiver of reduced dimensions, a complete unit in itself and comprising its own small-sized casing. 2 indicates the fixed cabinet designated to accommodate the portable set when and if the latter is to be used, for instance, inside the home. As can be seen from the drawing, the cabinet 2, in a horizontal direction, has dimensions much greater than those of set I, so that the latter leaves an empty space 3 which is bounded by the cabinet and a .lateral wall or partition 4.

The space 3 may be used to advantage for accommodating therein spare parts adapted to be connected with the receiver apparatus I for the purpose of its operation when placed inside the cabinet 2.

More precisely speaking, inside the space 3 couldadvantageously be disposed in an organic manner a loudspeaker 6 of normal or standard dimensions. For instance, by means of a chord or cable I, the said loudspeaker could be united with the output end of the radio receiver apparatus I, the latter, with this end in view, being provided with a female terminal or socket 8 designed to introduce therein the plug 9 of cable 1. The said plug is of the same type as the jacks used in telephone equipment so that, when the plug has been introduced in the socket, the loudspeaker 5 of the radio receiver set is disconnected, while in its stead is connected the loudspeaker 6.

Thus when the radio receiver apparatus I is placed inside the cabinet 2 and the plug 9 attached to cable or chord I has been inserted in socket 8, the sound will be rendered by the loudspeaker 6, that is, reproduction is as under normal conditions. But when the user desires to take the apparatus somewhere else, all that he has to do is to separate the plug 9 from the socket 8 and remove from the cabinet the apparatus I, and, since the latter has its own small cabinet or casing, it can be readily used.

Instead of using a cable I for establishing a connection between the normal loudspeaker 6 and the radio receiver apparatus I, such connection could also be established in an automatic manner. For this purpose, there are mounted in a wall or panel of the cabinet 2 and in the corresponding wall of the radio receiver apparatus I spring contact elements I0 and III respectively adapted to make pressure engagement with each other, when the apparatus I has been put in place and connected, on the one hand, with the loudspeaker 6, and, on the other hand, with the output circuit of the radio receiver set. The connections above described are shown more clearly in Fig. 3.

In this case the substitution of the normal loudspeaker 6 for loudspeaker 5 contained in the radio receiver set is brought about automatically the instant the radio receiver apparatus I is introduced into the cabinet 2.

To insure the exact position of the radio receiver set I in the interior of the cabinet 2, and to the end of facilitating the introduction as well as the withdrawal thereof it is advantageous to provide the base of the cabinet 2 where the set I is to be mounted normally, with guide means I I of a kind to correspond to and match similar guide means to be arranged on the bottom of the radio receiver set I.

Upon the supporting board or base are also disposed spring means l2 which form elastic arrests designed to lock the apparatus E in position as soon as it has been placed inside the cabinet 2.

With a cabinet or case of the kind as here-- inbefore disclosed, a portable apparatus is placed in condition to reproduce sound with greater fidelity Whenever it is used inside the cabinet so that, optionally in combination with spare or standby elements and auxiliaries, creates conditions conducive to a better utilization, While at the same time giving the radio receiver apparatus the appearance of a standard set.

I claim:

1. In combination, a cabinet provided with a front panel, one portion of which is fitted with a grille and another portion being completely open, a portable radio receiver, complete in itself. adapted to occupy the space behind said panel opening of the cabinet and so disposed that the front panel of the portable receiver is framed by said panel opening, a loudspeaker of larger dimensions than that contained in the portable receiver disposed behind said cabinet grille, normally closed switch contacts carried by the portable receiver for effecting connection between the receiver output and its loudspeaker, and switch contact means carried by the cabinet adapted, when the portable receiver is introduced into the cabinet, to open said normally closed switch contacts and to simultaneously connect the larger loudspeaker to the receiver output,

2. In combination, a cabinet provided with a front panel, one portion of which is fitted with a grille and another portion being completely open, a portable radio receiver, complete in itself, adaptedto occupy the space behind said panel opening of the cabinet and so disposed that the front panel of the portable receiver is framed by said panel opening whereby the receiver dial and controls are readily accessible through said opening, a loudspeaker of larger dimensions than that contained in the portable receiver disposed behind the grille of said cabinet, normally closed spring contacts carried by the portable receiver for eifecting connection between the receiver output and its loudspeaker, and switch contact means carried by the cabinet so constructed and arranged that the mere disposition of the receiver into the space designed therefor behind the cabinet opening causes the normally closed switch contacts to be broken and permits the simultaneous connection of the larger loudspeaker to the receiver output.

MARIO ZAVATTARG.

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