US2421909A - Record changer mechanism for phonographs - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1947. I H. A. ROE v 2,421,909

- RECORD CHANGER MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Original Filed Jan. 20, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY PiJViENTOR. 1 WWW June 10, 1947. H. A. ROE 2 RECORD CHANGER MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Original Filed Jan. 20, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 10, 1947. H. A. ROE

RECORD CHANGER MECHANISM- FOR PHONOGRAPHS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Jan. 20, 1942 mNT- ENTOR. m mwJQwrs H/s Aware/v2 y June 10, 1947. H. A. ROE 2,421,909

RECORD CHANGER MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Original Filed Jan. 20, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ll KEJVENTOR. BY m His ATToEA/Ey Patented June 10, 1947 RECORD CHANGER MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS Howard A. Roe, Elyria, Ohio, assignor to The General Industries Company, Elyria, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Original application January 20, 1942, Serial No. 427,468. Divided and this application July 3, 1943, Serial N0. 493,476

6 Claims. 1

My invention relates to record changing mechanism for phonographs and relates more particularly to record changing mechanisms of the general type wherein a stack of records normally supported above a phonograph turntable are automatically lowered one at a time onto the uppermost 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 object of my invention to provide an improved mechanism of the type described which may be economically manufactured and which will be efficient in use.

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 whereby such functions may be quietly and efficiently performed by the mechanism by power supplied from a phonograph turntable driving motor which by virtue of my inventionmay be of very low power.

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 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 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 quietly effected.

The present application is a division of my previously filed application for "Record changer mechanism for phonographs, Serial No. 427,468, filed January 20, 1942, bearing United States Patent No. 2,330,383 dated September 28, 1943.

Other objects of my invention and the inven tion itself will 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, l is a plan view of the phonograph record changer of my invention, partiallybroken away to illustrate the turntable drive;

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

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;

Fig. 5 is an nlarged horizontal section as indicated by the line 5-5 on Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view as indicated by the lines 6-8 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. '7 is a vertical section as indicated by the lines 7-1 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 between the motor shaft and the peripheral turntable flange, but it is to be understood 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 I0 is provided upon which are mounted the motor, turntable, tone arm, and record changing and ancillary mechanisms of my invention, the entire unit being adapted for mounting in a suitable phonograph cabinet by means of bolt holes II. The base plate supports, as stated, the turntable [2 which is drivingly secured on a spindle l3 as by a pin and slot connection I4, shown at Fig, 7.

To clarify the following description of the operating parts of the improved phonograph mechanism described herein a brief statement as to 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 tripsa latch and enables a power take-01f, at the turntable spindle, to drive a mastergear, 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 arm back 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 perform various functions among which is the accommodation of records of difiering sizes, also 3 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 l5a, as through the medium of a rubber tired idler wheel l6 slidably mounted SQ as to contact both the motor spindle I I, projected through an op i i e base plate. an the turntable rim l8. As best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7, the idler wheel spindle I9 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, respectively, of a plate 22 mounted on the base plate l0, rounded protuberances 23 being preferably formed on the discs 20 and 2| to decrease friction. A light tension spring 24 secured to the spindle I9 and extending therefrom to an anchorage on the base plate It) maintains the idler wheel in driving conta t with the turna le rim an e m or s ndle the directions o r tat o be n such th t e whe ds to wedge between the motor spindle I1 and the turntable rim It, thus ensuring efficient drive. An enlarged aperture 2 5 in the plate 22 allows the n ssar f edom If IHQ QII Q t t Wheel spindle [9.

il abov l Q f fifil turn able d i in mfitmsi whereby power is communicated from the motor to the turntable, is but one of a number of dife ent. ran em nts w ich m b employed- Pewer it m t e met r to era e th ec sha n me h ni m is prei eb y de i e r he. turnta l spindle. as t e atter s bein roa e i s Jus de ibe As bes en. i ss- 5 hd 7., th urn able spinel it. is r ded. n rmedi te i s hea n s in the supporting bracket 28, with a pinion 29 with w i h a newer tak -ef de ce. tv s adapted to. a e. his de i e 3.0 c mp ses an. el n ate plate 3| pivoted intermediate its ends on a stud 3 a ed l ub-base su p rted. t by rests be ow the. base P ate t.

A t ai o ars is r i d by h p t 3 an serisi ts of a eemeeuhd seer o atab e he ri e s u 3 ehejmem e 3. o w i h. me s h an idler g a 6 w ch. n u m she with a sea A ser es 3.8 an to he s base 3 and to the plate 3| tends to rock the take: off device in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 5, d t a e the sear a d h in on 29 n the t t l s ndl is. e n e. b w en the center to center line of the gear 31 and the stud 3'2 and that of the gear 31: and the pinion 29 is preferably slightly less than 90, preferably by an amount substantially equalto the pressure angle of the gear teethin such manner as shown, wherein ther is a minimum of friction under load, the gears tending neither to pull together or to disengage,

The above angle given as preferably slightly less than 90 may be varied overa range preferbl e w en and e a i ular angle illustrated and above referred to. being found, however, to achieve best results.

The P w t k f iS e rie ta. h n. he e an in h n sm is ne in oper t on. held o t of. n gemen by alat h .0. Pi n thesub-base at 40a, the tooth 4| of which engages an upturned lip, 42, on the far end of the plate 31. After the latch is tripped by means, later de- 4 scribed the lip 42 engages an abutment 43 on the latch 40 beyond the tooth 4| as the spring 38 rocks the plate 3| and the gears 29 and 31 come into meshing engagement. A spring 44, 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.

As previously mentioned, the tone arm of the phonograph operates to trip the latch 48 just described and thus to engage the power take-off.

The reproducing tone arm 50, Fig. 6, is pivotally mounte as at 5| 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 stop 54 being used to limit the downward movement of the arm 50. The head 52 which carries the; tone arm 58, spring '53 and stop 54, is. in turn, carried by a hollow spindle 55 to 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 IE). A fiat sector is drivingly carried by the spindle 55 below the post and thus partakes of the oscillations of the tone arm.

Referring now to Fig. 5, a trip arm BI is shown pivoted at one end upon the sector at 62 and slideably supported at the other end within a. slotted plate 63 carried by the sub-base 33,.

Normally, frictional contact with the sector 60 by the trip arm 6| maintains the said trip arm 6| against the end of the slot, as illustrated by the broken line position 6m, during the traverse of the tone arm across the record. Near the termination of the record, however, the sector in swinging inwardly pushes the trip arm into contact with a light leaf spring fi l-which cams the trip arm inwardly to contact the surface 65 thereof against a knife edge 66 carried by the latch 40, previously described.

As the playing is about to terminate, and the tone arm needle approaches the end of the record groove, the first of a series of ratchet teeth 61 on the arm slips past the knife edge, and ul Qn any subsequent reversal of movement, of the trip arm and the particular ratchet tooth then in contact with the knife edge of the latch pulls the knife edge to the left, as shown in Fig. 5', and trips the latch 40 to initiate the. power take-off associated therewith. Such reversal, of movement might either be due to the moving of he ic -u ee le of the tone a m, 0. y the rm a scil atin roo e ;.Fie. 1, usual provided on the record or; by its idle meandering after leaving the playing groove. An additional means oftripping the latch 48, is provided by a cam plate 69 secured to the trip arm 6| and adapted to engage a pin 70 carried by the latch. Continued inward swinging of the tone arm, due for instance to the spiral terminal groove sometimes provided', carries the cam toward the right and: urges, the pin and. thus the latch 40 in trip ping direction.

The power take-01f mechanism is adapted to drive a mastergear- 15 which, in turn, drives the record n i d on rmv sw n in mechanism. 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 15, which rotates freely on a fixed stud 71. carried by the subrbase 33.

concentrically mounted; upon the gear; 15 is a cup shaped cam I8 which operated to raise and lower the tone arm. An arm 19, Fig. 6, is centrally pivoted upon the sub-base and is formed as a cam follower 80 at one end, riding on the lower edge of the cam I8. An adjustable contact 8| carried by the opposite end of the arm supports a rod 32 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 take-01f is engaged, however, the cam rotates and the arm I9 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 off to the side clear of the edge of the rec'ord. As will be seen in Fig. 5, the sector 60 is provided with an extension 85 which projects into the path of a roller pin 85 on .the master gear. As the gear revolves, the pin engages this extension, swinging it from the full line position to the extreme broken line position 85a and thus swinging the tone arm aside. As the sector 60 is swung toward its extreme position 60a, it returns the trip arm BI 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. diameters, these posts are carried by standards Gla and SI?) pivoted about bosses 92 projecting downwardly through the base plate I0 and secured thereto by screws. The position of the standard fiia is selected by the operator, being guided by a pointer 93 on the standard in conjunction with suitable indicia 94 on the base, and through a suitable linkage the standard 9lb'is caused to assume a similar position. This linkage comprises a parallelogram arrangement in which a cross bar 95, Fig. 2, below the base plate is pivoted at one end to a boss 96 depending from the standard 9 la 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 9Ib. As illustrated in Fig. 2, this cross bar may be suitably offset or bent to clear the motor or other parts.

The stack supporting devices, previously mentioned, each comprise three plates I00, IOI and I02, rigidly secured to a spindle I03 rotatable within the respective post 90. The plate I00 normally projects within the periphery of the records and hence serves as a support for the stack S above and clear of the tone arm. The plate IOI is of comparatively flexible material and. is formed as an arcuate tongue which, upon rotation of the spindle I03 by means later described, is adapted to enter the stack between the lower 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 i has again come below thestack.

. The rotation .of the stack support spindle I03,

To accommodate. records of various 15. As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, shortcranks I05 are secured to the lower end of the spindles and are linked, as at I06, to arms I01 of bellcranks pivoted at the axes of the standard bosses 92. The other arms I08 of the belloranks are interconnected by a cross link I09 which is reciprocated by the master gear. The cross link I09, 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 I5. As the gear is rotated by the power take-ofi, the pin II3 nearest the axis engages the lip IIO, as indicated by broken lines at II3a, Fig.2, and moves the link I09 slowly to the left to cause the tongues IM to gently enter the stack. Thereafter, pin I I2, 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 II 2 leaves the lip IIO, the inner pin II3 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.

As will be seen in Fig. 6, the pin II2 is the shorter of the two and hence does not engage the lip III, which is shallower than lip IIO. 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 I-I3contacting the lip III on dead-center relative to the direction of movement of the crosslink I09, as shown in Fig. 2, thus locking the linkageand the stack supports against inadvertent displacement.

Following the droppingof the record, asjust 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 II5 of a bellcrank pivoted on a bracket H9. The other arm I" of the bellcrank engages a pin II8 on the sector 00 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 I I8 moved the bellcrank to the broken line position Il5a--I I'm. The cam 81, therefore, now swings it to the position II5b-I III) to move the sector to the position 60?) and the tone arm 50 to the rim of the record. As the master gear continues it rotation, the cam follower 80, previously described, rides into the notch of the cam 18, allowing the tone arm to descend and the pickup needle to engage the margin of the record. Thereupon a light leaf spring I20 carried by the master gear urges the bellcrank arm II5b outwardly a small amount to cause the needle'to ride into the initial playing groove of the record.

As the playing groove carries the tone arm inwardly, the bellcrank is rocked idly by the pivot pin 62 to the full line position II5--I H of Fig. 5.

An adjustable stop I2 I 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 the record. To provide for this, the bracket IIS 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 to accommodate the smaller records, the bracket H6 is moved to the broken line position I-IBcZ of Fig. 5 and the bellcrank when swung by the cam 81 takes the position II5d--II 1d. The sector is thereby moved to the position 60d, which will be noted to be slightly inward from the position 6012 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 86, Fig. 5, on the gear nears its final position,

it-engages a pawl I25, pivoted at I26 upon the power take-E plate 31. The roller 86 rocks the pawl in a clockwise direction, Fig. 5, against the action of a tension spring llI anchored on the plate 3I.

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 I2! is suflicient to overcome that of the holding-in spring 38. The curved end of the pawl then is forcibly cammed arcuately outward about the roller, forcthe 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 position illustrated in full lines in Fig. and the master gear reaches the end of its cycle.

When desired, the mechanism may be preset .so as to switch off the electric motor at the terminationof the record then being played. For such purpose, a bar 135, Fig. 2, is connected to a shortcrank 13.6 carried by the same spindle I3?! of the electric switch which carries the manual button I38, Fig. 1. A notch I39 in this bar is .adapted to be engaged by a projecting car 140 on the crank I65 of the record dropping linkage, so that at the appropriate time during the cycle the bar I35 will be pulled to turn the switch to .its off" position. Normally, the bar is held out of engagement with the ear I40 as shown in Fig. 4,, by a link IAI pivoted to a rocker arm I42 .carried .by a rod 443. The rod is journalled in the standard 91b and may be selectively rotated, by means of a handle I44, Fig. 1, into either of two positions.

.In the normal position of Fig. 4, .a projection I45 on the rocker arm J42 bears against the post 911 .and is maintained in such position by a tension .spring 146 extending between the rocker arm and an anchorage M] on the link I66. When it is desired that the motor should stop at the completion of therecord, the handle I44 is turned to the full line position shown in Fig. 1 and the rocker arm 142 thus .to its position shown in Fig. 2. Th rocker arm now lies against the pivot of the link IIUB on the crank I65 and is maintained thereby the spring I46 which now acts on the opposite side of the rocker arm pivot I43, thus holding the notched portion of 'the bar I35 in the path of the ear I46. The freedom of motion allowed by the link 4-1 permits the switch to be turned-on or :off manually regardless of the position of the remainder of the mechanism.

If desired, a record may be rejected at any time during the playing thereof and the following record of the stack substituted therefor. To accomplish this, a manual button I50, Figs. 1 and '7, is provided which is carried at the forward end of a trip lever I5I pivoted on the sub-base 33 as at I52. The rear end of the trip lever I51 is inclined upwardly at I53 whereby, consequent to the depression of the button, the lever I5I cams the pin I0 carried by the latch 40 inwardly. The latch 46 is thus tripped to engage the power take-off 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 I50 also operates as a starting button to drop the first record of a new stack.

Also, if desired, the phonograph may be set for manual operation. The positioning pin I60 carried by the standard 9Ia, Figs. 1 and 6, may be withdrawn and the posts swung to their outermost positions clear of the largest records. In so doing, an extension IIiI, Figs. 2 and 7, carried by the crossbar between the standards engages an upturned end I62 of the power takeoff plate 3| and by moving such end I62 to the left, Fig. 2, maintains the gears 29 and 31 out of engagement. The tone arm 50 may then be manipulated by the operator at will since the tripping of the latch 40 by the trip arm 6I does not allow the power take-off to engage. An extension I65 on the tone arm sector 60 may be provided to contact the fixed post 34 at the extreme outer position of the sector and hence may act as a stop to limit the outward 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 I9 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 swinging, sufiicient braking action is introduced to prevent its overtraveling due 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-off, wherein a very small motor of low power may be employed to drive the phonograph turntable, and wherein the motion transmitting mechanism is operated smoothly and without any sudden increases in load imposed upon the motor, results in a highly efiicient quiet operation of the mechanism and eliminates the investment for the usual larger motor.

Having thus described my invention in a par ticuiar 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 and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tone-arm moving mechanism adapted for use with a record changing mechanism for an automatic phonograph wherein the sequentially lowermost records of a relatively elevated stack are supported upon laterally disposed posts, said posts being provided with dispensing means whereby the stacked records are singly released to be deposited onto an underlying turntable when after playing the upper side of a record previously deposited on the turntable the tone arm is automatically raised and shifted outward- 1y of the path of the said next descending record from the stack, and characterized by the provision of a motor driven controller operable during non-playing periods for effecting the record changing and tone arm movements in proper sequence whereby the records of the stack are sequentially deposited on the turntable to be played, and the tone arm is elevated and then swung out of the path of each descending record before release thereof, then is swung inwardly a predetermined distance and lowered onto the margin of the last deposited record for playing thereof; said tone arm moving mechanism determining the degree of inward movement of said tone arm according to the diameter of the records supplied to the turntable and comprising a contactor means movable by said motor driven controller in a cyclic path during a cycle of controlled operations, a crank lever, a laterally shiftable support for said crank lever, said crank lever having a pair of divergent arms, a first of 'said arms engageable with an element of said tone arm and a second arm adapted to be positioned in the path of said contactor means so as to be engaged thereby after deposit of a recrd u on the turntable for playing thereof, said lever intermediately pivoted upon said support, a manually adjustable element for said dispensing means whereby said meansmay be moved inwardly or outwardly to operate upon different sized records,,a common manual adjustment device to simultaneously adjust said manually adjustable element and adjustably shift said support to vary the lateral position of the lever pivot, whereby the point of initial engagement on said second arm by said contactor is altered to a degree predetermined by the adjusted position of said pivot, and the degree of inward movement of said tone arm over the marginal surface of a record to be played is predetermined by adjustment of said record dispensing means.

2. In a tone arm moving mechanism adapted for use with an automatic phonograph mechanism of the type wherein the tone arm is lifted from the surface of a previously played record and swung outwardly of the periphery thereof to permit a new record to be disposed in superposed relation with the previously played record and dispensing means and to singly supply supply new records to theturntable, said dispensing means comprising an adjustment device for accommodating said dispensing means to any one of a plurality of different size records to be dispensed, and means to elevate the tone arm, means to swing the tone arm upwardly of a played record, motor driven controller means communicating motion to said dispensing means, said tone arm lifting and said tone arm swinging means, a 'camming co-ntactor movable in a cyclic path, by said controller means during operation thereof, said tone arm moving mechanism initiating the operation of said controller means and terminating operation thereof during the intervening period between the playing of a pair of records disposed in sequence upon the turntable and comprising a lever of the first class having a pair of divergent arms, a support upon which said lever is pivoted, said support with said pivot being laterally adjustably shiftable by movement communicated thereto from said record dispensing adjustment means proportionate to a measure of the adjustment thereof, one of the arms of said lever adapted to be disposed in the placed upon the turntable to cammingly deflect said lever arm to swing the associated lever arm, said associated lever arm engageable with an element of said tone arm to effect a predetermined inward swinging movement of said tone arm to position the tone arm needle above the marginal surface of the uppermost record on the turntable, the lateraladjusting shifting of said lever pivot being in such direction as to proportionately vary the point of application of deflecting force by said contactor along the length of the contacting lever arm whereby the degree of inward swinging movement communicated to said tone arm by said associated lever arm is variably predetermined to suit the particular diameter of the size of records supplied to said turntable by said dispensing means concurrently With the adjustment of said dispensing means.

3. In a tone-arm moving mechanism adapted for use with a, record changing mechanism for an automatic phonograph wherein the sequentially lowermost records of a relatively elevated stack are supported upon laterally disposed posts, said posts provided with dispensing means whereby the stacked records are singly released to be deposited onto an underlying turntable when after playing the upper side of a record previously deposited on the turntable the tone arm is automatically raised and shifted outwardly of the path of the said next descending record from the stack, and characterised by the provision of a motor driven controller operable during nonplaying periods for effecting the record changing and tone arm movements in proper sequence whereby the records of the stack are sequentially deposited on the turntable to be played, and the tone arm is elevated and then swung out of the path of each descending record before release thereof, then is swung inwardly a predetermined distance and lowered onto the margin of the last deposited record for playing thereof; said tone arm moving mechanism determining the degree of inward movement of said tone arm according to the diameter of the records supplied to the turntable and comprising a conta-ctor means movable by said controller in a cyclic path during a cycle of controller operations, a crank lever, a laterally shiftable support for said crank lever, said crank lever having a pair of divergent arms, a first of said arms engageable with an element of said tone arm and a second arm adapted to be positioned in the path of said contactor means so as to be engaged thereby after deposit of a record upon the turntable for playing thereof, said lever intermediately pivoted upon said support, a manually adjustable element for said dispensing means whereby said means may be moved inwardly or outwardly to operate upon different size records, a common manual adjustment device to simultaneously adjust said manually adjustable element and adjustably shift said support to vary the lateral position of the lever pivot, whereby the degree of movement of said second arm imposed by engagement of said contactor is altered to a degree predetermined by the adjusted position of said pivot, and the degree of inward movement of said tone arm over the marginal surface of a record to be played is predetermined by adjustment of said record dispensing means.

4. In a tone arm moving mechanism adapted for use with an automatic phonograph mechanism of the type wherein the tone arm is lifted from the surface of a previously played record and. swung outwardly of the periphery thereof to permit a new record to be disposed in superposed relation with the previously played record and dispensing means comprising an adjustment device for accommodating said dispensing means to any one of a plurality of different size records to be dispensed, means to elevate the tone arm, means to swing th tone arm upwardly of a played record, motor driven controller means communicating motion to said dispensing means, said tone arm lifting and said tone arm swinging means, a camming contactor movable in a cyclic path by said controller means during operation thereof, said tone arm moving mechanism initiating the operation of said controller and terminating operation thereof during the intervening period between the playing of a pair of records disposed in sequence upon the turntable and comprising a, lever of the first class having a pair of divergent arms, a support upon which said lever is pivoted, said support with said pivot being laterally adjustably shiftable by movement communicated thereto from said record dispensing adjustment means proportionate to a measur of the adjustment thereof, one of the arms of said lever adapted to be disposed in the path of movement of said contactor and to be engaged thereby after said new record has been placed upon the turntable to cammingly deflect said lever arm to swing the associated lever arm, said associated lever arm engageable with an element of said tone arm effecting a predetermined inward swinging movement of said tone arm to position the tone arm needle above the marginal surface of the uppermost record on the turntable, the-lateral adjusting shifting of said lever pivot being in such direction as to proportionately vary the amount of deflection imposed upon the lever arm by said contactor and whereby the degree of inward swinging movement communicated to said tone arm by said associated lever arm is variably predetermined to suit the particular diameter of the size of records sup plied to said turntable by said dispensing means concurrently with th adjustment of said dispensing means.

5. In a tone arm moving mechanism adapted for use with a record changing mechanism for an automatic phonograph wherein the sequentially lowermost records of a relatively elevated stack are supported upon laterally disposed posts, said posts being provided with dispensing means whereby the stacked records are singly released to be deposited onto an underlying turntable when, after playing the upper side of a record previously deposited on the turntable, the

tone arm is automatically raised and shifted outwardly of the path of the said next descending record from the stack and characterised by the provision of a motor driven controller operable during non-playing periods for effecting the recrd changing and tone arm movements in proper sequence whereby the records of the stack are sequentially deposited on the turntable to be played, and the tone arm is elevated and then swung out of the path of each descending record before release thereof, then is swung inwardly a predetermined distance and lowered onto the margin of the last deposited record for playing thereof; tone arm moving mechanism determining the degree of inward movement of said tone arm according to the diameter of the records supplied to the turntable and comprising a contactor means movable by said controller in a cyclic path during a cycle of controller operations, a crank lever, a laterally shiftable support for said crank lever, said crank lever having a pair of divergent arms, a first of said arms engageable with an element of said tone arm and a second arm adapted to be positioned in the path of said contactor means so as to be engaged thereby after deposit of a record upon the turntable for playing thereof, said lever intermediately pivoted upon said support, a manually adjustable element for said dispensing means whereby said means may be moved inwardly or outwardly to operate upon different size records, a common manual adjustment device to simultaneously adjust said manually adjustable element and adjustably shift said support to vary the lateral position of the lever pivot, whereby the degree of movement of said second arm imposed by engagement of said contactor is altered to a degree predetermined by the adjusted position of said pivot, and the degree of inward movement of said tone arm over the marginal surface of a record to be played is predetermined by adjustment of said record dispensing means, means operable by said controller so positioned as to be effective immediately following said inward tone arm movement to lower the tone arm to cause its carried reproducer needle to en age said record marginal surface, and a second contactor means so disposed as to be moved by said controller to engage said second arm immediately following said lowering of the tone arm, said second contactor being substantially resiliently yieldable whereby the needle of said tone arm is advanced from the record margin to enter a first record playing groove responsive to pressure force of said resilient contactor upon said lever arm, and whereby the resultant resistance to further movement of said tone arm when its positioned needle is in said first groove is greater than the power which the resilient contactor tending to further move the tone arm can effect.

6. In a tone arm moving mechanism adapted for use with an automatic phonograph mechanism of the type wherein the tone arm is lifted from the surface of a previously played record and swung outwardly of the periphery thereof to permit a new record to be disposed in superposed relation with the previously played record and dispensing means to singly supply new records to the turntable, said dispensing means comprising an adjustment device for accommodating said dispensing means to any one of a plurality of different size records to be dispensed, and means to elevate the tone arm means to swing the tone arm upwardly of a played record, motor driven controller means communicating motion to said dispensing means, said tone arm lifting and said tone arm swinging means, a camming contactor movable in a cyclic path by said controller means during operation thereof, said tone arm moving mechanism initiating the operation of said controller means and terminating operation thereof during the intervening period between the playing of a pair of records disposed in sequence upon the turntable and comprising a lever of the first class having a pair of divergent arms, a support upon which said lever is pivoted, said support with said pivot being laterally adjustably shiftable by movement communicated thereto from said record dispensing adjustment device proportionate to a measure of the adjustment thereof, one of the arms of said lever adapted to be disposed in the path of movement of said contactor and to be engaged thereby after said new record has been placed upon the turntable to cammingly deflect said lever arm to swing-the associated lever arm, said associated lever arm engageable with an element of said tone arm to effect a predetermined inward swinging movement of said tone arm to position the tone arm needle above the marginal surface of the uppermost record on the turntable, the lateral adjusting shifting of said lever pivot being in such direction as to proportionately vary the amount of deflection imposed upon the lever arm by said contactor and whereby the degree of inward swinging movement communicated to said tone arm by said associated lever arm is variably predetermined to suit the particular diameter of the size of records supplied to said turntable by said dispensing means concurrently with the adjustment of said dispensing means, means operable by said controller means so positioned as to lower the tone arm to cause its carried reproducer needle to engage said record marginal surface, and a second contactor so disposed as to be moved by said controller means to engage said second arm immediately followmovement of said tone arm when its positioned needle is in said first groove is greater than the power which the resilient contactor tending to further move the tone arm can effect.

HOWARD A. ROE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 'Date 2,270,415 Catucci Jan. 20, 1942 2,289,357 Green July 14, 1942 2,351,972 Johnson June 20, 1944

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