US2330383A - Record changer mechanism for phonographs - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 28, 1943. H; A, ROE 2,330,383

RECORD CHANGER MECHANISM FOR -PHONOGRAIfl-IS Filed Jan. '20, 1942 4 Sheets-She et 1 HM 4. vi

4 she ets-shee' t 2 7 m Q .9 M N, IW 2 V m W a 1/0 7 7 9 a A w u w M/ RECORD CHANGER MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Sept. 28, 1943.

H. A. ROE

Sept. 28, 1943.

I RECORD CHANGER MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Jan. 20, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I N VEN TOR. 16'';-

mi arvz ml H. A. ROE 2,330,383 CHANGER MECHANISM FOR PHQNOGRAPHS I 4 sheets-sham Sept. 28,1943.

RECORD Filed Jan. 20, 1942 Patented Sept. 28, 1943 RECORD CHANGER MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Howard A. Roe, Elyrla, Ohio, assignor to The v General Industries Company, Elyria -ohio, a corporation of Ohio I Application January 20, 1942, Serial No. 427,468

7 Claims. My invention relates to record changing mechanism for phonographs andrelates more particularly to record changing mechanisms of the general type wherein a stack of records normally supported above a phonograph turntable a're automatically lowered one at a. time onto the upper-v most surface of the turntable or onto the uppermost surface of any uppermost record at the time disposed on the turntable for reproduction by the phonograph reproducer adapted to traverse and reproduce the uppermost record during the playing thereof.

It is an objectof my invention to provide an improved mechanism of the type described which may be economically manufactured and which will be efiicien't in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide on improved record changer mechanism of the type described wherein improved means are provided to operate the record supporting and low-- ering means of the mechanis Another: object .of my invention is to'provide an improved record changer mechanism and more particularly the motor driven means employed therein to perform the record changing functions wherebysuch functions may be quietly and efiiciently performed by the mechanismby power .supplied from a phonograph turntable driving motor which by virtue of my invention-may be of very low power. 1

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved record changer mechanism wherein the mechanical functions are so performed as to avoid any large sudden loads being applied to the driving motor for the mechanism, to minimize Other objects of my invention and the invention itselfwill become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings and the following description of the embodiment of'my invention illustrated therein.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the phonograph record changer of my invention, partially broken away to illustrate the turntable drive;

the power required from such motor and therefore to minimize the size and cost .of the motor.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved power take-oi? for driving the record changing mechanism and an improved relationship between a motor driven element and said power take-01f, whereby said power take-oil.

may be quietly and efliciently associated with and disassociated from the said motor driven element.

Another objectof my invention is to provide an improved phonograph mechanism of the type described whereby the required movements of the tone arm at the conclusion of the playing of one record and prior to the playing of the next record are expeditiously and efliciently and quiet- 13 efiected.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved power take-off unit for the record changing cycle.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 1; 4 I

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section as indicated by the, line 3-3 on Fig. 6;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan similar to a part of Fig. 2 but illustrating the parts in a different position; I

- Fig. 5 is a horizontal section as indicated by the line 5-5 on Fig. 6; v

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view as indicated 'by the lines 6-6 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical section as indicated by the 7 lines 1-! in'Fig. 2.

The drawings hereof illustrate an embodiment of my invention, which is merely one example of the manner of practicing the invention.

In the embodiment illustrated, the phonograph mechanism shown is one wherein the driving motor drives the turntable by a, friction driving connection betweenthe motor shaft and the peripheral turntable flange, but it is to beunderstood that my invention is applicable to such a mechanism wherein the phonograph turntable is driven by the motor in-any suitable way as, at present; well-known in the art.

As shown in the drawings, a, base plate In is provided upon which are mounted the motor, turntable, tone-arm, and record changing and To clarify the following description of the operating parts of the improved phonograph mechanism described herein a brief statement asto the cycle which the illustrated mechanism'is adapted to perform follows:

As the reproducing tone arm of the phonograph reaches the termination of a record which it has been playing, the tone arm trips a latch and enables a power take-off, at the turntablev spindle, to drive a master gear, which gear carries cams and pins which operate various cam followers and levers which, in turn, lift the tone arm from the record, swing it off to the side, drop a succeeding record onto the turntable,

swing the tone armback to the record, lower it to the starting groove of the record and finally disengage the power take-off whereby the mechanism remains idle during the playing of the record. This mechanism is also adapted to per-- form various subsidiary functions such as the accommodation of records of differing sizes and the automatic interruption of the power supplied to the motor'and includes the motor drive for the turntable as well as various manual controls, all of which will be more fully explained by the following description of the specific mechanical parts involved.

The turntable I2 is suitably rotated by a synchronous motor l5, mounted below the base plate by means of bolts 15a, as through the medium of a,rubber tired idler wheel l6 slideably mounted so as to contact both the motor spindle l1, projected throughan opening in the base plate, and the turntable rim l8. Asbest illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7, the idler wheel spindle l9v is carried by two axially spaced discs 20 and 2| centrally perforated to permit the mounting of the spindle thereon, said discs being free to slide on the upper and lower surfaces, re-

spectively, of a plate 22-mounted on the base plate l0, rounded protuberances- 23 being preferably formed on the discs 20 and 2| to de-. crease friction. A light tension spring 24 secured to the spindle Wandextending therefrom 'to an anchorage on the base plate I0 maintains the idler wheel in driving contact with the turntable rim and the motor spindle, the directions .of rotation being such that the wheel tends to The above angle given as preferably slightly less than 90 may be varied over a range preferably between 50 and 90, the particular angle illustrated and above referred to being found, however, to achieve best results.

The power take-oil is normally, when the ree 0rd changing mechanism is not in Operation held out of engagement by a latch 40, pivoted on thesub-base at Ma, the tooth 4| of which engages an upturned lip 42 on the far end of the plate 3|. After the latch is tripped by means later described the lip 42 engages an. abutment 53 on the latch 40 beyond the tooth 4| as the spring 38 rocks the plate'3l. and the gears 28 and 31 come into meshing engagement. A spring M, secured to the latch and anchored on the sub-base 33, maintains the latch in contact with the lip 42 in either of its two positions.

Aspreviously mentioned, the tone arm of the phonograph operates to trip the latch 40. just 1 described and.thus to engage the power takeofi'. w

The reproducing tone arm 50, Fig. 6, is pivotally mounted as at-"5l on a rotatable head 52, for movement in a vertical .plane to and from the record to be played on the turntable. A tension spring 53 .is preferably employed to counterbalance the greater part of the weight of the tone arm and is, secured as at a to the outer end of the 'tone arm and at b to the head 52, an adjustable stop54 being used to limit the downward movement of the'arm 50. The head 52 which carries the tone-arm 50, spring 53 and stop 54, is, in turn, carried by a hollow spindle Site which it is secured as at 56. The spindle 55 is supported, in turn, by and journalled in a rigid hollow post 51 which extends through and is secured to the base plate -10. A .fiat sector 60 is ,drivingly carried by the spindle 55 below the post and; thus partakes of the 0scillations of the-tone arm.

whereby power is communicated from the motor to the turntable, is but one of a-number of different arrangements which may be employed..

ingsinthe supporting bracket 28, with a pinion 29 with which a power take-ofi device 30 is adapted to engage. This-device 30,compris,es an elongated plate 3| pivoted intermediate its ends iby "the brokenline position No,

I Referring now to Fig. '5', a trip arm 61 is shown pivoted atone end upon the sector at 62 and 'slideably supported at the other end with-, in a slotted-plate 63 carried by the sub-base 33.

Normally, frictional contact with the sector- 60- by the trip arm 6l maintains the said trip arm 6| againstthe end of the slot, as illustrated during .the traverse of 1 the tone arm across the record.

' Near the termination of the record, however, the

on a stud 32 carried by a sub-base 33 supported. f

sector in swinging inwardly pushes the trip arm into contact with a light leaf spring 64 which cams the trip arm inwardly to contact the surface 65 thereof against a knife edge 66 carried by the latch 40,fpreviously' described.

As the playing is aboutto terminate, and the tone arm needle approaches the end of the rec- 0rd groove, the first of a series of ratchet teeth 61 on thearm slips past the knife edge, and upon 'any subsequent reversal of movement of the trip 7 arm the particular ratchet tooth then in contact with the knife edge of the latch pulls the knife sub-base 33 and to the plate 3i tends to rock the.

take-01f device in a counter-clockwise direction,

Fig. 5, and to engage the gear 31 and the pinion 29 onthe turntable spindle l3. The angle bethe pressure angle of the gear teeth in such manner as, shown, wherein there is a minimum of friction under load, the gears tending neither to pull together or to disengage. V

edge to the left, as shown in Fig. 5, and trips the latch 40 to initiate the power take-oil associated therewith. Such reversal'of movement might either be due to the moving of the pick-up needle of the tone arm 50 by the terminal oscillatinggroove 68, Fig. 1, usually provided'on ing the playing groove. An additional means of tripping, the latch 40 isprovided' by a cam plate 69 secured to the trip arm 61 and adapted toengage a pin 10 carried by the latch. Continued vinward swinging of the tone arm, due forin v 70. the' record or by itsidle meandering after leavprovided, carries the cam toward the right and urges the pin and thus the latch 40 intripping direction. h

The power take-01f mechanism is adapted to drive a master gear which, in turn, drives the record changing and'tone arm swinging mecha-' nism. As best seen in Fig. 5, the second member 16 of the compound gear mounted on the pivot stud 32 is constantly in driving engagement with the gear 1.5, which rotates freely on a fixed stud 11 carried by the sub-base 33. Concentrically mounted upon the gear 15 is a cup shaped cam 18 which operates to raise and lower the tone arm. An arm 19, Fig. 6, is centraily pivoted upon the sub-base and is formed as a'cam follower 8.0 at one end, riding on the lower edge of the cam 18. An adjustable contact 8i carried by the opposite end of the arm supports a rod 02 'slideable within the hollow spindle 55. Normally, the cam follower rests in a notch 83 of the cam and the rod remains at its lowered position. As soon as the power takeoff is engaged, however, the cam rotates and the arm 19 is rocked to lift the rod 82 which, in turn, contacts the lower surface of the tone arm and lifts it from the record.

Subsequent to the raising of the tone arm, it is swung ofl to the side clear of the edge of the record. As will be seen in Fig. 5, the sector 60 is provided with an extension .85 which projects into the pathof a roller pin 86 on the master gear. As the gear revolves, the pin engages this extension, swinging it from the full line position to the extremebroken line position 85a-and thus swinging the tone arm aside. As the sector 604s swung toward its extreme position 00a, it returns the trip arm iii to the left. To free the ratchet teeth 61 from the knife edge 66 for this return movement, a cam 81 carried by the master gear pushes outwardly on a projection 88 secured to the trip arm.

Referring now to the record changing operation, it will be noted in Figs. 1 and 6 that two vertical hollow posts 90 are provided at diametrically opposite points on the base plate and carry record stack supporting devices at their tops. To accommodate records of various diameters, these posts are carried by standards 9Ia and 9Ib pivoted about bosses 92 projecting downwardly through the base plate I0. The position of the standardSla is selected by the operator, being guided by a pointer 93 on. the standard in conjunction with suitable indicia 90 on thebase, and through a suitable linkage the standard 9Ib is caused to assume a similar position. This linkage comprises a parallelogram arrangement in two records. Upon further rotation, the first plate I00 is withdrawn, dropping the lowermost record. The remainder of the stack is at this time supported upon the tongue which is backed up, except at its unsupported free end, by the relatively rigid third plate I02. After approximately a quarter of a revolution of the spindle I03, the direction is reversed and the flexible tongue is withdrawn, the stack being gently lowered thereby to the supporting plate I00 which has again come below the stack.

The rotation of the stack support spindle I 03, just described, is derived from the master gear 15. As shown in Figs, 2 and 6, short cranks I05 are secured to the lower end of the spindles and are linked, as at I 06, to arms I01 of bellcranks pivoted at'the axes of the standard bosses 92. The other arms I08 of the bellcranks are interconnected by a cross link I09 which is reciprocated by the master gear. The cross link I00, best seen in Fig. 3, is provided with two lips H0 and III which are engaged by pins H2 and H3 projecting upwardly from the master gear 15.

As the gear is rotated by the power take-oil, the

pin H3 nearest the axis engaged the lip H0, as indicated by broken lines at 3a, Fig. 2, and

- moves the link I09 slowly to the left to cause which a cross bar 95, Fig. 2, below the base plate is pivoted at one end to a boss 96 depending from the standard 9Ia through a slot in the base and at the other end to an arm 91 drivingly secured to the pivot boss 92 of the standard 9). As illustrated in Fig. 2, this cross bar may be suitably'offset 0r bent to clear the motor or other parts.

The stack supporting devices, previously mentioned, each comprise three plates I00, I0! and I02, rigidly secured to a spindle I09 rotatable within the respective post 90. The plate I00 normally projects within the periphery. ofthe records and hence serves as a support. for the stack S above and clear of thetone arm. The plate IN is of comparatively flexible material and is formed as an arcuate tongue which, upon rotation of the spindle I03 by means later described,

. I the master gear urges the the tongues IOI to gently enter the stack. Thereafter, pin H2, which is at a greater distance from the axis and hence moves more rapidly, engages the lip H0 and continues the movement at a faster rate so that the link may move the necessary distance in its allotted portion of the cycle. As pin II2-leaves the lip H0, the inner pin H3 engages the lip III, as shown in Fig. 3,

and continued rotation of the master gear returns the crosslink slowly to the right to restore the normal stack support with a minimum of noise and wear. v t

As will be seen in Fig. 6, the pin H2 is the shorter of the two and hence does not engage the lip III, which is shallower than lip i I0. When the power take-off is disengaged at the end of the cycle, by means to be described, the master gear comes to rest with the pin H9 contacting the lip III on dead-center relative to the direction of movement of the crosslink I09, as shown in Fig. 2, thus locking the linkage and the stack supports against inadvertent displacement.

Following the dropping of the record, as just described, the tone arm is swung inwardly and lowered to the rim of the record. The same cam 81, on the master gear, which coacts with the projection 88 of the trip arm also engages an arm II 5 of a bellcrank pivoted on a bracket II 6. The other arm II-1 of the bellcrank engaged a pin II8 on the sector 60 and, upon being rocked by the cam 81, thereby swings the sector 60 inwardly to return the tone arm. As the sector '60 was previously swung outwardly to the extreme position 60a, as described hereinbefore, the pin H8 moved the bellcrank to the broken line position II5a-II1a. The cam 81, therefore, now swings it to the position I Lib-i IIb to move the sector to the position 60b and the tone arm 50 to the rim of the record. As the master gear continues its rotation, the cam follower 80, previously described, rides into the notch of the cam 18,

allowing the tone arm to descend andthe pickup needle to engage the margin of the record. 'I'h'ereupon. a light leaf spring I20 carried by bellcrank arm Iiib outwardly a small amount to cause the needle to ride Intothe initial playing groove of the record.

As the playing grooves carries the tone arm inwardly, the bellcrank is rocked idly by the pivot pin 62 to the full line position II5--I I1 of Fig. 5. An adjustable stop I2I may be provided to limit the extreme inward position of the sector 60.

When playing a smaller size record the tone arm must of course be swung inwardly a greater amount to reach the margin of thc record. To provide for this, the bracket II8 which supports the bellcrank, just described, is mounted on the crossbar 95 which imparts the selected positioning to the standard 9Ib. Thus, when the standards are positioned toaccommodate the smaller records, the bracket 6 is moved to the broken line position (id of Fig. 5 and the bellcrank when swung by the cam 81 takes the position II5d-I I1d. The sector is thereby moved-to the position 60d; which will be noted to be slightly inward from the position 60b corresponding to the larger records.

The final function of the master gear is the disengagement of the power take-off and thus the cessation of its own rotation. As the roller pin 85, Fig. 5, on the gear nears its final position, it engages a pawl I25, pivoted at I26 upon the power take-off plate 3|. The roller 86 rocks the pawl in a clockwise direction, Fig. 5, against the action of a tension spring I21 anchored on the plate 3|- V Due to the hooked form of the pawl, the angle of contact with the roller 86 at first tends to keep the take-off in its engaged position but eventually the roller swings the pawl I25 to a position such as that indicated by the broken lines where the force of the spring I21 is sufficient to overcome that of the holding-in spring 38. The curved end of the pawl then is forcibly cammed arcuately outward about the roller, forcing the plate 3i in a clockwise direction about itspivot 32 and causing the lip 42 to leave the abutment 43 on the latch 40. A snapping action is then effected, by the. forcible camming of the pawl resulting in the striking of its arm I28 against a stop I29 on the plate, which causes thelip 42 to strike a rubber-covered stop I30 on the latch.v This striking is in such a direction as to assist the latch spring 44 in swinging the tooth 4| into the path of the lip 42 as the lip rebounds and thus insures the latching action thereof. The power take-off at this time assumes the disengaged po-. sition illustrated in full lines in Fig. 5 and the master gear reaches the end of its cycle.

When desired, the mechanism may be preset so as to switch off the electric motorat the termination of the record then being played. For such purpose, a bar I35, Fig. 2, isconnected to a short crank I38 carried by the same spindle I31 of the electric switch which carries the manual button I38, Fig. 1. A notch I38 in this bar is adapted to be engaged by a projecting ear I40 on the crank I05 of the record dropping linkage, so that at the appropriate time during the cycle the bar I will be pulled to turn the switch to its "off" position. Normally, the bar is held out of engagement with the ear I as shown in Fig. 4, by a link I pivoted to a rocker arm I42 carried by a rod I43; The rod is journalled in the standard 8"; and may be selectively rotated, by means of ahandle l44,-Fig. 1, into either of'two positions. v

In the normal position of Fig. 4, a projection -I45 on the rocker arm I42 bears against the post 90 and is maintained in such position'by a tension spring I46 extending between the rocker arm and an anchorage I41 on the link I06. When it is desired that the motor should stop at the completion of the record, the handle I44 is turned to the full line position shown in Fig. 1 and the rocker arm I42 thus to its position shownin Fig.-

2. The rocker arm now lies against the pivot of the link I06 on the crank I05 and is maintained there by the spring I46 which now acts on the; opposite side of the-rocker arm pivot 143, thus a trip lever I5I pivoted on the sub-base 33 as at- I'52. Therear end of the trip lever IN is inclined upwardly at I53 whereby, consequent .to the depression of thebutton, the lever IBI cams the pin 10 carried by the latch 40 inwardly. The latch 40 is thus tripped to engage the power takeoff regardless of the position of the tone arm at the time and-the mechanism thus goes through its cycle to drop the next record. The button I gagement.

also operates as a startingbutton to drop the first record of a new stack. A

Also, if desired, the phonograph may be setfor manual operation. The positioningpin I60 carried by the standard 9Ia, Figs. 1 and 6, may be withdrawn and'the posts swung to their oute1 most positions clear of the largestrecords. -In so doing, an extension I6I, Figs. 2 and '7, carried by the crossbar between the standards engages an upturned end I82. of the power take-oil plate 3I and by moving such end I62 to the left, Fig. 2, maintains the gears 29 and 31 out of enping of the latch 40 by the trip arm 6| does not allow the power take-off to engage. sion I65 on the tone arm sector 60 may be pro vided to contact the fixed post 34 at the extreme outer position of the sector and hence may act as a stop to limit theoutward'swing of the tone arm.

A friction brake-may also be provided for the outward swing of the tone arm, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, wherein a bent spring I66 is secured to the tone arm lifting lever .19 and is provided with a pad of felt or the like at I61. Normally, the brake is out of contact with the sector 60 but, when the tone arm is raised for outward swingins, sufilcient braking action is introduced to'prevent its overtraveling clue to inertia.

The improved record changer mechanism above described is one which, because of the design of the motion communicating mechanism including the improved power take-oil, .wherein a very small ticular-embodiment, I am aware that the same may be modified within the range of mechanical skill, and may take widely varying forms within the purview of my invention andthe scope of the appended claims. i

The tone arm 50 may then be manipulated by the operator at-will since the tripi An extenofl comprising an arm 'ofl and associated arm; a pair of .adjacent said turntable, said posts having plate assdsss changing mechanism for phonographs of the type I comprising a turntable, a turntable motor, a

turntable spindle, a pinion carried'by said phonograph turntable spindle, a phonograph needlecarrying tone arm, a pair of record supporting posts arranged adjacent said turntable, said postshaving plate means associated therewith, said plates being movable to singly supply new records upon the turntable below, said power takepivoted intermediate its ends upon a base structure for said phonograph record changing mechanism, a train of intermeshed gears carried by said arm comprising a compound driven gear, an intermediately .disposed idler gear and a driving gear adapted to engage the pinion carried by the said phonograph turntable spindle, said pinion being in constant driven relation with the shaft of the phonograph motor, a master gear carried by said base structure, said compound gear adapted to further engage the mastergear rotatable to comcred record playing level of altitude at the conclusion of a record playing period to, operate said latch to release said arm from its locked position whereby said stored energy means associated with said arm resiliently exert pressure on said arm to swing it to a position wherein said second pinion is meshed with said motor driven pinion,said master gear being thereby driven to sequentially engage means associated with said tone arm to lift;

said tone arm out of engagement with said turntable and to swing said tone arm outwardly and laterally of said turntable, means associated with said oscillatory posts to, singly supply new records to the phonograph record supporting turntable, means to swing said tone arm inwardly towards the turntable and to lower said tone arm municate timed actuating motion to record' changing controller means and lowering of the tone arm associated with the phonograph turntable, and for communicating movement to said movable plates to superposition new records on the turntable after any outward swinging movement of the raised tone arm with respect to the turntable, said driving gear journalled on said arm in spaced relation to said driven gear axis, a spring adapted to exert pressure tending to swing said arm laterally forwardly to mesh said driving gear element with said motor driven gear pinion, a latch normally holding said arm in an outwardly swung position, means operated by said tone arm when its needle traverses the terminal groove of a played record to release said latch, to initiate the power takemaster gear, to actuate the above said controller means and record supports, and the included angle defined by the axis of oscillation of said arm of rotation, of rotation of for raising, swinging said driving gear elementand of rotation of said a motor driven gear than 90.

2. A power take-off for a phonograph record changing mechanism for phonographs of the type comprising a turntable, a turntable motor, a turntable spindle, a pinion carried by said turntable spindle, a phonograph needle-carrying tone record supporting posts arranged pinion being substantially less means associated therewith, said plates being movable to singly supply new records upon the turntable below, said power take-oil comprising an arm journalled on said base and oscillatable about its journal, energy storage means associated with said arm, a set of relatively .meshed gear pinions individually journalled on said arm, a master gear carried by the base, a first of said gear pinions so disposed as to remain meshed with said mastergear during oscillatory movements of sa d arm, a second of said gear pinions to the rim of the record placed. thereon; and means carried by the power take-oil means effective to force the arm about its pivot and to place it in a disengaged position with respect to the master gear. 3. A power take-ofi for operating the elements of a record changing phonograph cyclically operable automatically at the end of a record playing period to superpose a new record from a supply stack over the played record on the turntable and to effect proper movements of the phonograph tone arm to permit the unobstructed move- I ment of each new record supplied from the stack to the turntable comprising a master gear for driving said elements, an oscillatory arm, a set of intermeshed pinions carried by said oscillatory arm comprising a first pinion journalled on the arm in such a position as to constantly mesh with the master gear rotatable to communicate timed actuating motion to the said elements of the record changing mechanism and to effect proper movements of said tone 'arm, said master gear being mounted upon the base of said phonograph, and a second pinion carried by said arm adapted to be bodily laterally swung during oscillatory movements of said arm, graph and a pinion constantly driven thereby, said pinion positioned so to mesh with said, second pinion upon swinging of the arm forwardly, a spring resiliently exerting pressure tending to swing the said arm forwardly, a latch restraining forward arm movement and trigger means operable by said tone arm when moved laterally by the effect of the tone arm needle being led into the terminal groove of a played record at the end .of the playing means, said trigger means engageable with said latch to release said power take-off arm therefronf to initiate a cycle of operation of said master gear.

4. A clutch controlling mechanism adapted for use with a record changing mechanism for an automatic phonograph wherein the reproducer tone arm thereof is periodically moved out of contact with a previously played record and out of the intended path of a record which is subse-; quently positioned for playing upon the phonograph turntable and'wherein the tone arm is then restored to starting position in contact with said subsequently positioned record, said records being supported in a stack upon fixed support means disposed adjacent said turntable, a source of power, a base for said phonograph, a motor drive pinion rotatably carried by said base, said clutch controlling mechanism periodically eifecting driving of said record changing mechanism through power derived through said motor drive pinion and a gear mounted upon said base by means of a second and third pinion carried by a clutch carrier arm oscillatably mounted on said a motor for said phonosaid arm adapted to retain said arm against.

either of alternate successive step stops in either of two alternate positions of its swinging path, corresponding to the relative lateral spacing of said steps, means to swing said latchto release the arm from a first step, spring means biasing said arm towards said second step for moving the released arm forwardly tojits second step position wherein said third pinion is swingingly advanced into mesh with said motor driven pinion to effect driving of said gear through said second pinion, a snap action arm resetting mechanism for the arm comprising trigger and finger elements, one of said elements associated with said arm and another of said elements moved by said gear at the conclusion of a single cycle of rotation thereof to engage the other said element, to positively restore said arm to its initial first step latched position, and to relatively disengage said motor driven and third pinions, said latch oscillating means comprising a member movable by the phonograph tone arm when the needle thereof is carried into the terminal groove of a played record to rock said latch.

5. The mechanism substantially as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the provision of means to restore the recited pivoted arm tov its recited outwardly swung latched position, said restoring means comprising an element carried on the arm and having a pawl portion which is normally resiliently constrained to extend laterally of the pivoted arm inwardly over the peripheral border portion of the recited rotatable master gear, and a contactor, said contactor carried on said gear and adapted, when said master gear is rotated, to engage the extended pawl and progressively to forcibly deflect it onwardly in the direction of circular motion of said contactor and outwardly of its path, whereupon, by a thumb-and-finger snap-action, said pawl is adapted to reactively resiliently snap towards its normal position, with its advanced end rapidly traversing the outermost surface of said. contactor against which it cammingly resiliently reacts, thereby suddenly communicating reactive lateral pressure upon said arm to cause it to be swung to its recited outward latching position and to disable the recited power take-oil andv to re-condition the recited mechanism of said claim for the recited operation thereof, in response to the recited movement of said tone arm.

6. The mechanism substantially as set forth in claim 2, characterized by the provision of means to restore the recited pivoted arm to its recited outwardly swung latched position, said restoring means comprising an element pivotally carried on the arm and having a pawl portion which is normally resiliently constrained to extend laterally of the pivoted arm inwardly over the peripheral border portion of the recited rotatable master gear and a contactor, said contactor carried on said gear adapted when said master gear is rotated to engage the extended pawl and progressively to forcibly deflect it onwardly in the direction of circular motion of said contactor and outwardly of its path, whereupon, by a thumb-and-flnger snap-action, said pawl is adapted to' reactively resiliently snap towards its normal position with its advanced end rapidly traversing the outermost surface of said contactor against which it cammingly resiliently reacts, thereby suddenly communicating reactive lateral pressure upon said arm to cause it to be swung to its recited outward latching position and to 'disable the recited power take-oil and to recondition the recited mechanism of said claim for the recited operation thereof, in response to the recited movement of said tone arm.

7. The mechanism substantially as set iorth in claim 2, characterized by the provision of means to restore the recited pivoted arm to its recited outwardly swung latched position, said restoring means comprising an element pivotally carried on the arm and having a pawl portion, a spring resiliently constraining said pawl to such a normal rotative position to cause it to extend laterally of the pivoted arm inwardly over the peripheral border portion ,of the recited rotatable master gear, and a contactor, said contactor carried on said gear adapted when said master gear is rotated to engage the extended pawl and progressively to forcibly deflect it onwardly in the direction of circular motion of said contactor and outwardly of its path, whereupon, by a thumband-finger snap-action, said pawl is adapted to reactively resiliently snap towards its normal position, said spring constraining said pawl to cause its end to rapidly traverse the outermost surface of said contactor against which it cammingly resiliently reacts, thereby suddenly communicating reactive lateral pressure upon said arm to cause it to be swung to its recited outward latching position, and to disable therecited power take-ofl and to re-condition the recited mechanism of said claim for the recited operation thereof, in response to the recited movement of said tone arm.

HOWARD A. ROE.

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