US2458368A - Television receiver cabinet and cathode-ray tube mounting - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 4, 1949. v. A. KAMIN ETAL 2,458,368

' TELEVISION RECEIVER CABINET AND CATHODE-RAY TUBE MOUNTING Filed Jan. 10, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 ENTORS- .42 5 25 17 22 4. 08mm @Kvm'n ZawrerzceMzZZiZzgZ mand i. [56 29 Jan. 4, 1949. v. A. KAMIN ET AL TELEVISION RECEIVER CABINET AND CATHODE-FAY TUBE MOUNTING Filed Jan. 10, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.

Z/ernon @Kzmim Jan. 4, 1949. v. A KAMIN ETAL, 2,458,368

' TELEVISION RECEIVER CABINET AND CATHODE-RAY TUBE MOUNTING 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 10, 1948 INVENTOR5. UernonQffhmm ZQzz/mnceJ/V Patented Jan. 4, 1949 TELEVISION RECEIVER CABINET AND CATHODE-RAY TUBE MOUNTING Vernon A. Kamin, Elgin, and Lawrence J. Mattingly and Raymond E. Wingert, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Motorola, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 10, 1948 Serial No. 1,593

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to television receivers and more particularly to an improved cabinet and cathode ray tube mounting for a television receiver.

In the design of television receivers it is necessary to provide a cabinet which is arranged so that the screen of the cathode ray tube can be viewed and which also includes arrangement for mounting a loud speaker so that the sound thereof can be heard. For most satisfactory results the loud speaker should be mounted very close to the screen of the tube and should be arranged so that sound is directed toward the persons who are viewing the screen. The cabinet, of course. must also house an electronic chassis upon which the circuit components of the television receiver are mounted and it is desirable that the chassis be removable from the cabinet, as necessary for servicing, completely independently of the cathode ray tube and loud speaker. As the cathode ray tube is relatively long, and a relatively large chassis is required, cabinets provided for television receivers have been relatively large.

There are several problems involved in providing a satisfactory mounting for the cathode ray tube in a television receiver cabinet. In order to meet underwriters requirements, suitable protecting means must be provided so that in the event the tube should break, the particles of glass from the tube would not be free to fly through the air and injure a person in the vicinity. As a very high vacuum exists in such tubes, breakage of the tubes might result in particles of glass being thrown with great force causing serious injury. To eliminate this danger, a transparent protecting plate is required in front of the screen or face of the cathode ray tube. This presents a problem as dust or other foreign materials accumulate between the face of the tube and the transparent protecting plate, and it is necessary to remove either the tube or the plate so that the surfaces thereof can be cleaned and the foreign matter thereby removed. It is also desirable to provide a resilient mounting for the tube so that the television receiver can be moved or shipped without removing the tube from the cabinet. This would, of course, eliminate special packing for the tube which would be required if the tube is shipped separate from the receiver.

- It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved cabinet for a television receiver.

A further object of this invention is to provide a television receiver cabinet including a resilient mounting for the cathode ray tube of the receiver.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved means for protecting the cathode ray tube of a television receiver and means for sealing the space between the tube and the protecting means to prevent entry of foreign material therein.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a protecting plate for the face of a television receiver which also functions as a lens to improve the picture produced by the tube.

A feature of this invention is the provision of a television receiver cabinet having a one-piece front plate thereon including apertures for the admission of sound from the speaker of the receiver and a curved window which protects the face of the cathode ray tube of the receiver and improves the picture appearing thereon.

A further feature of this invention is the provision of a television receiver including a resilient gasket between the face of the cathode ray tube and the protecting plate therefor which forms a resilient mounting for the tube and prevents entry of foreign material between the face of the tube and the protecting plate.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of a television receiver in which the cathode ray tube and loud speaker are mounted on the receiver cabinet and the chassis for the receiver is removably supported in the cabinet independently of the tube and speaker.

A still further feature of this invention is the provision of a television receiver including a rectangular cabinet having a height not substantially greater than the diameter of the cathode ray tube, a width not substantially greater than the sum of the diameters of the cathode ray tube and the loud speaker, and a depth not substantially greater than the length of the cathode ray tube.

Further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the receiver cabinet in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the cabinet along the lines 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view along the lines 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the cathode ray tube;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view through the loud speaker;

Fig. 6 is an exploded view illustrating the manner in which the front plate is supported in the cabinet; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are detailed views illustrating a modified mounting for the bottom rail of the cabinet.

In practicing the invention there is provided a cabinet for a television receiver which is of rectangular configuration and of minimum size to contain a cathode ray tube with the screen of the cathode ray tube and a loud speaker posijtioned adjacent the front wall of the cabinet. A one-piece plastic front plate is provided which covers substantially the entire front wall of the cabinet and contains a window in front of the screen of the cathode ray tubes and apertures in front of the loud speaker. A resilient gasket is supported on the front wall of the cabinet in engagement with the front plate and forms a resilient mounting for the front end of the cathode ray tube. The neck of the cathode ray tube is supported fromthe top of the cabinet so that the tube is supported entirely by the cabinet. A chassis is provided for the television receiver which rests on the bottom wall of the cabinet and is removable therefrom independently of the cathode ray tube and the loud speaker.

In Figs. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a television receiver in accordance with the invention including cabinet l having a front wall H, top wall i2, bottom wall l3 and side walls it. The front wall II includes a top rail i and a removable bottom rail it which support therebetween a front plate H as will hereinafter be described. The front plate ll may be of one-piece plastic construction including a transparent window portion 1.8 and apertures i9. As .is apparent from the drawings, the window is is positioned in front of the face of the cathode .ray tube 2-5, and the apertures H! are positioned in front of the loud speaker .21.v The cathode ray tube is supported at the front end in a resilient gasket 22 supported in the front wall I i, and the neck thereof is supported by a bracket 23 which is mounted on the top wall 12 of the cabinet. The loud speaker 2i is also supported on the front wall ll of the cabinet and includes a diaphragm 2 (Fig. 2) which is positioned adjacent an aperture 25 in the front Wall. A suitable .gril-le cloth 26 is positioned on support 27 to be immediately back of the openings l 9 in the front plate ll.

As previously stated, the front end of the oathode ray tube is supported by resilient gasket 22 which is mounted on the front wall i i of the cabinet. As best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the gasket has a tube supporting surface 30 of the same general configuration as the front end of the tube. The gasket also includes an outer annular groove 3! adapted to fit over the edge of an annular opening 32 in the front wall to hold the gasket on the front wall. The resilient mounting for the .tube permits the receiver to be shipped with the tube in place. This is a .distinct advantage asseparate shipment of the tube requires packing thereof and installation of the tube after shipment of the receiver. The gasket 22 fits tightly against the front plate l .and includes an opening 29 slightly larger than the window I8 but of generally the same shape. The front plate I! includes a .ribbed section 33 around the window l8 which cooperates with the resilient gasket to provide a tight seal between the gasket 22 and the front plate l'l. This is for the purpose of preventing foreign material from entering the space between the front of the tube and the window which would produce an unattractive I loud speaker.

appearance and would partially obstruct the view of the cathode ray tube. The gasket 22 may be made of a resilient material such as sponge rubber and should be of a relatively light color so that a shadow is not causedon the face of the tube adjacent the gasket. The gaskets'hould preferably be of 'a color substantially the same as that of the face of the cathode ray tube. As previously stated, the tube 20 is supported at the neck portion thereof by bracket 23 mounted on the top 'wall 12 of the cabinet. As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the bracket includes a block 35 having a bottom surface 36 thereof curved to conform to the shape of the tube. A U-shaped strap 3-1, supported adjacent the top of the cabl net by bolts 38, holds the tube against the block 35 so that the neck portion of the tube is firmly supported to the top wall of the cabinet.

A chassis All is provided on the bottom wall I3 of the cabinet and is supported completely independently of the mounting of the cathode ray tube and the loud speaker so that the chassis can be removed from the cabinet without changing the position of either the cathode ray tube or the Control knobs M are removably positioned on shafts 42 which project from the chassis l0. The knobs M may be easily removable so that the shafts 42 can be withdrawn when it is desired to remove the chassis ll] from the cabinet It. The chassis 40 includes electrical components such as vacuum tubes '43, coils 44,

and power supply B5 which may be connected in from the cabinet. In order to provide ventilation of the components of the-receiver on the chassis, openings 46 are provided in the bottom wall l3 to allow circulation of air about the chassis (Fig. 2). Openings are also provided in the side walls of the cabinet adjacent the top thereof as illustrated in Fig. 6. These openings have been found to provide sufficient ventilation to remove the heat produced by a television receiver and thereby prevent over-heating of the various components of the receiver,

Referring now more particularly to the front plate 11, this plate may be constructed of transparent material which can be formed into the desired configuration. A transparent plastic material such as methyl methacrylate has been found to be particularly satisfactory, but it is to be-noted that any other material which is completely clear to form ahighly transparent window may be used. The material used should not be so soft that it scratches easily so that the front plate and particularly the window would be easily defaced. As .is apparent from Figs.'3 and 4, the portion of the front plate in front of the tube 20 is curved, and in addition to providing a window for viewing the tube, also serves as a protector.

for the front of the tube. For this reason a very strong plastic material is preferable so that the protective qualities will be great. The curve in the plate also increases the strength of the plate. Tests have indicated that plates made from methyl methacrylate will absorb very heavy direct blows. Further, if the plate does crack, splinters will not be producedas with safetyglass or other transparent materials. Methyl methacrylate is also a very clear material so that the brilliance of the tube is not materially reduced thereby. The window I8 may also be formed as a lens so that the picture which is produced on the curved screen on the face of the cathode ray tube 20 appears as a flat image. Further, the lens formed in front of the screen may be effective to enlarge the image produced on the screen of the tube so that it is easier to view the image. As previously stated, the front plate I? also cooperates with the resilient gasket 22 to seal the space between the window and the face of the cathode ray tube against the entry of foreign particles. This eliminates the need for making the window removable so that the face of the tube as well as the window can be cleaned. The portion of the front plate extending in front of the loud speaker includes apertures as previously described and the apertures may be in the form of louvers as illustrated to provide a pleasing appearance. The portions of the front plate other than the window I8 should preferably be opaque and this can be accomplished by painting the back side of the plate over the entire surface thereof with the exception of the window I 8. The use of a gold lacquer spray has been used and provides a very pleasing appearance.

In Fig. 6 there is illustrated the manner in which the front plate I! is secured to the cabinet I0. As previously stated, the plate is supported between the top rail I5 and the movable bottom rail I6. It is to be noted from Fig. 6 that the front plate I! includes ribs 50 on the top and bottom edges thereof. These ribs are adapted to fit in grooves BI and 52 in the rails is and I6, respectively. The front plate I? is slightly bowed when it is formed and spaced along the ribs 50 thereof are wedge-shaped projections 53. It will, therefore, be seen that when the rib 5G is placed in the groove 5I in the rail I5, the straightening of the plate to fit in the groove will cause the plate to remain in a predetermined position. The projection 53 will wedge into the edge of the groove to further hold the plate I I in position. The bowing of the plate will cause the ends 54 thereof to bear firmly against the sides I 4 of the cabinet to thereby provide a very neat appearance. After the front plate I I is in place the movable rail I6 can then be positioned in place with the groove 52 therein engaging the bottom projection 50 of the front plate. The wedge-shaped projections will hold the front plate securely in position with respect to the rail as described with regard to the engagement of the plate I? at the top with rail I5. The movable rail I6 may then be secured to the cabinet as by screws 55 Which extend through the front wall I I of the cabinet into the rail I6.

In Figs. 7 and 8 there is illustrated a modified construction for securing the movable bottom rail I6 to the cabinet. In this construction an L-shaped bracket 60 is secured to the mov able rail I6 by screws BI. This bracket extends on the inside of the side Walls I 4 of the cabinet and has a threaded opening 62 aligned with an opening 63 in the side wall. A screw 64 is pro vided in a recess 65 in the side wall I4 and threadably engages the opening 62 in bracket 60 to thereby hold the rail IS in position on the cabinet. Brackets as disclosed will be provided on either end of the rail I6 to engage the two side walls of the cabinet. The recesses 65 may be covered as by buttons 66 to provide a more attractive appearance.

The portion of the front plate I I in front of the tube 20 is curved to conform generally with the'contour of the tube. This allows the tube to project through the front wall II of the cabinet and. to be positioned very close to the extreme front surface of the cabinet. As presently available cathode ray tubes are relatively long and as it is desired to provide the receivers in relatively small cabinets, it will be apparent that this construction permits the use of cabinets of minimum depth. The height of the cabinet in the structure shown is also limited b the size of the cathode ray tube, the cabinet being of only slightly greater height than the diameter of the cathode ray tube. This is accomplished by providing the cut-out 49 in the chassis 40. The Width of the cabinet is limited by the sum of the diameters of the cathode ray tube 20 and the loud speaker 2| and. is not substantially greater than this sum. In order to Provide a realistic effect in television receivers, it is essential that the soundbe directed from a point closely adjacent to the screen and be directed toward the persons who are viewing the screen. To fulfill these conditions, the speaker must be mounted on the front wall of the cabinet along with the screen of the tube and; therefore, it is essential that the front wall of the receiver be of sufficient size to accommodate both the front of the picture tube and the loud speaker which reproduces the sound. In a cabinet actually constructed for housing a receiver including a cathode ray tube with a screen seven inches in diameter, the over-all height of the cabinet was approximately 9% inches, the width was approximately 16% inches, and the over-all depth was approximately 16% inches.

It is, therefore, seen that there is provided a television receiver in which the components are arranged so that they may be housed in a cabinet of minimum size. The cabinet is of simple rectangular configuration having a one-piece front plate which covers substantially the entire front of the cabinet. The front plate forms a window for the screen of the cathode ray tube of the receiver and serves as a protector for the tube and also improves the picture appearing thereon. The resilient gasket for supporting the front end of the tube provides a satisfactory support for the tube even during shipment so that the receiver can be shipped with the tube in place thereby eliminating special packing for the tube and the installation of the tube in the cabinet after shipment. The resilient gasket also prevents entry of dust in the space between the protector and the front of the tube to eliminate the need of cleaning the surfaces.

Although there have been disclosed certain embodiments of our invention, it is obvious that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the intended scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1.111 a television receiver, a cabinet, a plate extending across the front of said cabinet of said receiver including a transparent section and an opaque ribbed border about said transparent section, a cathode ray tube supported in said cabinet and having the face thereof positioned adjacent said transparent section, a resilient gasket supported on said cabinet and positioned between said face of said tube and said plate, said gasket forming a resilient mounting for sealing antenna face of; said tube and said plate to prevent, entry of foreign material therebetween, said gasket being of substantially the same,v color as said face of said tube and forming with said opaque border a mask about said face of said tube...

2. In a television receiver having a cabinet with an opening across thefront thereof and havingwithin the cabinet sound-producing means and a cathode ray tube with a curved front face, the combination including a, onepiece plate of molded plastic material mounted at the opening across the cabinet front and including a closed transparent portion in front of said tube-front-face and an apertured por-. tion in front of said sound producing means, said transparent portion being curved to conform to the contour of the tube-front-face, and resilient gasket means intermediate the plate and said tube at the, curved front face, said gasket being of such a size to form a border at said front face and forming a resilient mount,- ing for the front of the tube. V

3. In the television receiver as defined in claim 2 said closed transparent portion being of such a configuration as to form a lens for enlarging and flattening the picture indication visible at said tube-front-face.

th sp c between. sa d 4. In electronic apparatus including means with a screen for producing visual indications and including means for producing sound, the.

combination comprising a cabinet for enclosing said apparatus including at the front thereof a front plate mounted in the cabinet and having a transparent portion positioned in front of .said screen and a perforated portion in front of said sound producing means, resilient gasket means at the periphery of said screen and maintained between said periphery and said front plate, said plate being slightly curved longitudinally of said cabinet front and including a rib along at least one longitudinal edge, thereof, and a rail removably mounted on said cabinet at the front having a straight depression therein engaging said rib of said platev to straighten said rib and the plate to tension the same and hold the plate,

securelyin the cabinet.

5. In a television receiver, a cabinet having a front Wall with a transparent section therein, a

cathode ray tube supported in said cabinet and having the face thereof positioned adjacent said transparent section, a resilient gasket supported by said cabinet entirely inside said front wall engaging said face and providing a resilient mounting for said face of said tube, said gasket having a front thin. edge abutting said front wall of said cabinet and positioned between said face of said tube and said wall so that said tube face extends closely adjacent said wall, said gasket having an enlarged portion at the back thereof with a groove therein, and means ongaging said groove for supporting said gasket inside said cabinet.

6. A television receiver having a cabinet with walls, at, the top, bottom and front thereof, said front wall including a closed transparent portion, a cathode ray tube in said cabinet, supporting means secured to said top wall, resilient means engaging the inside of the front Wall of said cabinet adjacent said closed transparent portion,

said cathode'ray tube having the front face thereof positioned at said closed transparent portion and engaging said resilient; means, said supporting means and said, resilient means combining to 8 supportsaid cathode, ray tube in said cabinet, and

a chassis including circuit components of; said television receiver, said chassis: being supported on said bottom wall of said cabinet andremovs, I able therefrom independently of the cathode: ray

tube. I 7. A television receivercom-prising a, cathode.

ray tube having an enlargedfront portion, loudspeaker with a front face portion, a rectan gular walled cabinet the inside vertical dimension of which is substantially the same as the vertical dimension of said enlarged front portion} and the inside horizontal dimension of. which is approximately equal to the sum of the horizontal dimension across said enlarged portion and the] horizontaldimension across the face of said loud speaker, said'eabinet having a frontv wall witha closed transparent portion on one side and an apertured portion on the other side,,a receiver chassis supported on the bot om wall of said cabinetand covering substantially the entire area of said bottom wall, said chassis having a cut-out portion therein on the side adjacent said trans-' parent portion of said front wall, said chassis including asection on the side opposite to said cut out portion adjacent said front wall, components on said chassis section having controls extending through openings in said front wall of said cabinet to be operated at the front of said cabinet,

said loudspeaker being positioned above said chassis section at said apertured portion, and said cathode ray tube being positioned in said cabinet with said enlarged front portion at-said closed transparent portion of said front wall and ex tending into said cut-out portion of said chassis.

8. A television receiver employinga cathode ray tube and comprising a walled cabinet correspond? ing in vertical dimension substantially to the largest vertical dimension of a' cathode ray tube" therein, said cabinet having a front wall with a closed transparent portion and a portion with openings therein, a chassissupported on the-bottom wall of said cabinet, said chassis having a cut-out portion on one side thereof adjacent'said front wall, adjustable circuit components mounted on the side of said chassis opposite to said one side adjacent said front wall, said. adjustable components having operating controls extending through said openings in said cabinet front wall for operation from the front of said cabinet, and a cathode ray tube in-said cabinet having an enlarged portion and a screen therein positioned adjacent said closed transparent portion of said cabinet front wall, said cathode ray tube enlarged portion extending in the space provided by said cut-out portion of said chassis-and corresponding in its largest vertical dimension substantially to the inside vertical dimension of the cabinet. I r

9. A television receiver comprising a cathode ray tube having an enlarged front portion, 'a walled cabinet the inside vertical dimension of which is substantially the same as the diameter of said enlarged portion of said tube, said cab-inet having a front wall with a closed transparent portion and a portion with openings therein, a

resilient mask engaging said front Wall and p01 sitioned about said transparent portion, a re ceiver chassis supported on the bottom'wall of said cabinet, said chassis having a cut-out portion therein on the side adjacent said transparent portion of said cabinet front wall, and circuit components mounted onsaid chassis on the other a side thereof adjacent said front wall of saidcabinet, said components having controls extend'- ing through said openings in said front of said cabinet, said cathode ray tube being positioned in said cabinet with the enlarged end portion thereof extending into said cut-out portion of said chassis and engaging said mask.

VERNON A. KAIVHN.

LAWRENCE J. MATTINGL-Y.

RAYMOND R. WINGERT.

REFERENCES CITED Number Date 1,624,042 Duggins Apr. 12, 1927 1,737,824 Brower Dec. 3, 1929 1,922,504 Smith Aug. 15, 1933 Number Number Name Date Flaherty July 7, 1936 Flaherty May 31, 1938 Busch Dec. 10, 1940 Blechman July 15, 1941 Edme Feb. 10, 1942 Young Apr. 18, 1944 Patterson Nov. 13, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Nov. 24, 1936 Great Britain Aug. 25, 1937 Great Britain Apr. 23, 1937 Great Britain Dec. 4, 1940 France May 22, 1939 France May 12, 1941

Images