US2747879A

US2747879A - Talking machine with an automatic disc changing device

Info

Publication number: US2747879A
Application number: US266687A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bacher Eric
Original assignee: Paillard SA
Current assignee: Paillard SA
Priority date: 1951-07-07
Filing date: 1952-01-16
Publication date: 1956-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 1973-05-29

Description

May 29, 1956 E. BACHER 7 2,747,879

TALKING MACHINE WITH AN AUTOMATIC DISC CHANGING DEVICE Filed Jan. 16, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

INVENTOQ Eric Backer ATTORNEY May 29, 1956' BACHER 2,747,879

TALKING MACHINE WITH AN AUTOMATIC DISC CHANGING DEVICE Fi led Jan. 16, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOE Eric Backer.

ATTORNEY May 29, 1956 E. BACHER 2,747,879

TALKING MACHINE WITH AN AUTOMATIC DISC CHANGING DEVICE Filed Jan. 16, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VE/V TOR.

Eric Backer.

United States Patent 1 2,747,879 TALKING MACHINE WITH AN AUTOMATIC DISC CHANGING DEVICE Eric Bacher, Yverdon, Switzerland, assignor to Paillard S. A., Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, a Swiss company Application January 16, 1952, Serial No. 266,687 Claims priority, application Switzerland July 7, 1951 Claims. (Cl. 274-) Taking machines with a device for changing discs automatically are already known wherein a device introduces a time lag between the playing of two successive discs. These devices are, however, very complicated and consequently substantially increase the cost of the machine.

The object of the invention is to provide for a more simple construction and thus a less expensive talking machine provided with a device of this character. It relates to talking machine with an automatic disc changing device, provided with a device ensuring an interval of pause between the playing of two successive discs and a cyclic device for controlling the changing of discs.

The talking machine forming the subject of the present invention, comprises a mechanism producing, on the one hand, the stopping of the cyclic device during an operation of changing discs and, on the other hand, the setting in rotation of a shaft to which is secured one end of a wire, the wire being wound on the shaft during the rotation of the latter and acting on a control member for again engaging the cyclic device for terminating the said operation when a predetermined length of wire has been wound on to the shaft.

Two forms of construction of the subject of the invention are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2 show in plan a first form of construction of the subject of the invention in two different positions of operation.

Fig. 3 is a side view of a detail of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 shows in plan a second form of construction.

With reference to Fig. 1, the said talking machine is provided with a cyclic device provided with a control wheel 1, pivoted at 2 and provided with teeth over its entire periphery with the exception of two sectors 3:; and 3b which are not toothed. The wheel 1 is in engagement witha driving pinion 5 which is secured to the shaft 6 carrying the disc turntable (not shown). The control wheel 1 carries a cam 7 which co-operates with a finger 8 provided at the end of a lever 9 pivoted at 10. The arm 9 is subjected to the action of a spring 11, which is for the purpose of maintaining the finger 8 in contact with the cam 7.

A shaft 12 (Figs. 1 and 3) is pivoted in a bearing 13 of the arm 9 and carries a toothed wheel 14 having a hub 15 of cylindrical shape. A spring ring 16 prevents axial movement of the shaft 12 in the bearing 13. A pad 17 is provided so that, when the lever 9 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the hub 15 of the wheel 14 is caused to bear against the pad 17 by the action of the spring 11. In this position, a pin 18 secured to the pinion 5 comes into contact with the teeth of the toothed wheel 14 at each revolution of the pinion 5.

The control Wheel 1 carries two

stops

4a and 4b and two ramps 19a and 1%, which are adapted to co-operate with a lever 29 pivoted at 21 and of which the end 22 is bent towards the control wheel 1. The lever is subjected to the action of a spring 23 which tends to hold it pressed against a stop 24.

A tensioning device is formed by a lever 25, pivoted at 26, carrying a pulley 27 at one of its ends its other end carrying a finger 28 adapted to abut against a cam 29 pivoted' at 30. A pliant member formed by'a wire 31, is secured at one of its ends to the shaft 12, passes around the pulley 27 and is secured at its other end to the lever 20. The cam 29 is secured to a button for the manual adjustment of the duration of the pause. The lever 25 is subjected to the action of a spring 32 for constantly maintaining the wire 31 tensioned.

The wheel 1 makes a complete revolution on each changing of a disc and controls the various operations necessary for this change. When the non-toothed sector 3a is opposite the driving pinion 5, the pick-up is in position for playing a disc. The pinion 5 then turns without driving the wheel 1.

When the disc has been played, the pick-up controls, by a mechanism not shown in the drawing, the engagement of the pinion 5 and the wheel 1, and the latter is driven until the sector 3b is opposite the pinion. At this moment the stop 4b abuts against the end 22 of the lever 20. in this position of the wheel 1, the pick-up is in the raised position so that the needle is not in contact with the disc.

The cam 7 allows the lever 9 to pivot under the action of the spring 11 until the hub 15 of the toothed wheel 14 abuts against the pad 17. In this position the wheel 14 is driven in jerks by the pin 18 of the pinion 5 and the wire 31 is wound around the shaft 12 whilst causing the lever 25 to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction. The hub 15', hearing against the pad 17, serves as a brake and prevents the toothed wheel 14 from turning rear- Wardly under the tension of the wire 31. On the other hand, the spring 23 is of sufiicient strength to press the lever 28 against the stop 24 in spite of the tension of the wire 31, which is determined by the spring 32.

When the finger 23 of the lever 25 abuts against the edge of the adjusting cam 29, the wire 31 pulls the lever 20 against the action of its spring 23 and causes it to pivot in such a manner that its end disengages the stop 4b and bears against the ramp 1911 so as to cause the wheel 1 to turn and engaging it with the pinion 5.

The cam 7, which is angularly secured to the wheel 1, then repels the lever 9 through the medium of the finger 8. As the hub 15 is no longer pressed against the pad 17, the wheel is released and the wire 31 is unwound under the action of the tensioning device 25, which returns to its initial position, as also lever 20, which again bears against the stop 24 under the action of its spring 23. The lever 20 is thus in a position for stopping the wheel 1 by its stop 4a at the moment at which the nontoothed sector 3a is opposite the pinion 5, that is to say when the pick-up is resting on the disc to be played.

When the pick-up reaches the centre of the disc, it controls, by a device not shown, the rotation of the lever 2t} for meshing the wheel 1 with the pinion 5 by engaging part 19a and the cycle of operations re-commences.

It will be seen that by more or less turning the cam 29 the distance between the finger 23 and the edge of the cam is varied that is to say the time between the beginning of the pause and the moment at which the lever 29 commences to pivot. in the case when it is desired to eliminate completely the time of pause b tween two discs, the lever 20 may be so positioned that its end does not stop the stop 4/); the wheel 1 will then pass the non-toothed sector 3b by reason of its movement.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the wire 31 passes around a pulley 33 which is pivoted on the arm 36 of a lever 34 and is anchored at a point 35a, of which the position may be adjusted (35b, 35c, 35d) by a man: ual control of the duration of the period of pause. The lever 34 is pivoted at 37 and has two

further arms

38 and 39. A spring 40, secured at one of its ends to the arm 36, maintains the wire 31 tensioned. The arm 39 has a bent end 41, adapted to co-operate with the stop 4b., whilst the arm 38 is adapted to co-operate with the ramp 1%. The operation of this modification is analogous to that of the first form of construction, but in this case, the same lever as serves for tensioning also produces the stopping of the wheel 1 by means of the stop 4b and engages the wheel 1 with the pinion 5 by means of the ramp 19b. As the position of rest of the lever 34 depends on the position 35 of the point of attachment of the wire 31, it is necessary that the bent end 41 of the arm 39 is of sufficient length so as to be capable of co-operating with the stop 4b for all possible positions of rest of the said lever, if necessary with the exception of the position 35d, so that for this position the wheel 1 is not stopped and passes the sector 31; without teeth on its movement.

Instead of providing a bent end 41 at the end of the arm 39, the finger 4b, forming a stop, may be replaced by a plate of which the main plane is perpendicular to the plane of the wheel 1 and directed along a radius of this Wheel. In this case it is possible to cause the end of a single arm to co-operate with this stop on the one hand and a ramp on the other hand, thus enabling the lever 34 to be of simpler shape.

The devices described permit of considerable gear reduction and the braking applied by the pad against the hub of the wheel 14 replaces with advantage the ratchet wheel and the pawl which are otherwise necessary. Further, the braking disappears automatically when the hub 15 is spaced away from the pad, which allows of great simplicity in the mounting described. Further, the wire allows of a simple and easy connection of the various elements, which are sometimes accessible with difliculty from the outside of a complicated mechanism whilst enabling the manual control for the duration of a pause to be placed at a very accessible position.

In a modification a toothed pinion of very small diameter may be provided on the shaft 6 of the pinion 5, the toothed wheel 14 being capable of being placed directly in gear with this pinion, so that the braking or" the hub against the pad 17 may be omitted. The shaft 6 may also carry a worm, the toothed wheel 15 being then located in a plane parallel to that of the said shaft 6.

It will be understood that the clutch device of the cyclic device described has been selected as an example and that the wire 31 may be used for controlling a clutch of any type.

Further, it is not necessary for the shaft 6 to be that which carries the disc turntable. In fact any shaft driven in rotation by the motor for driving the disc turntable may constitute the shaft 6.

I claim:

1. In a talking machine with an automatic changing device, an apparatus for insuring a pause between the playing of two succeeding records and comprising, a cyclic mechanism means for controlling the change of records, said means including a control wheel and a cam positioned on said control wheel, a pinion means operatively associated with said control wheel for intermittently driving said cyclic mechanism including said control wheel, a first pivoted lever positioned in operative relationship with said control wheel, said lever having a finger member at one end thereof, a first spring means for urging said finger member on the end of said lever against said cam, said spring means being operatively connected to said lever at the other end thereof, a shaft journaled in said lever at the end thereof and adjacent to the point at which said spring means is operatively connected thereto, a wheel fixed to said shaft and engageable with said pinion, said cam controlling the position of said first lever and thereby the engagement of the wheel with said pinion, a second pivoted lever positioned in operative relationship with said control wheel, a second spring means operatively connected to said second lever at one end thereof for urging said second lever to a position for stopping said control wheel, stop means positioned on said control wheel for engaging said second lever at one end thereof, ramp means positioned on said control wheel adjacent said stop means for engaging said second lever at one end thereof after said end disengagcs the said stop means, a flexible member having one end attached to said shaft, said flexible member being wound on said shaft during engagement of said wheel with said pinion, said flexible member being operatively associated with said second lever, whereby said second lever is moved for restarting said cyclic mechanism including the control wheel when a predetermined length of said flexible member has been wound on said shaft.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pinion drives a turntable and carries a pin, and the wheel fixed to said shaft has teeth engageable with said pin during a predetermined operating phase of said cam, and the wheel fixed to said shaft has a hub attached thereto, and a friction shaft is provided and is engageable by said hub to brake the shaft, and wherein said control wheel of said cylic mechanism comprises a gear partly toothed and having two toothless sectors, and said pinion is intermittently in mesh with the gear and disengaged therefrom when opposite one of said toothless sectors, whereby said spring urged second lever may be caused to swing and be urged against a stop member thereby being swung to a position for stopping the control wheel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control wheel of said cyclic mechanism comprises a gear partly toothed and having two toothless sectors, and the pinion is intermittently in mesh with the gear and disengaged therefrom when opposite one of the toothless sectors, and wherein said stop means comprises a pair of stop members and said ramp means comprises a ramp adjacent each of said stop members, whereby said spring urged second lever may be caused to swing and be urged against a stop member thereby being swung to a position for stopping the control wheel and whereby said flexible member may cause said second lever to engage a ramp means and to cause the meshing of the geared control wheel with said pinion to restart said cyclic mechanism including the control wheel when one of the toothless sectors is opposite the pinion, and wherein said apparatus also comprises an adjustable yieldable device operatively associated to said flexible member, whereby the duration of the pause may be controlled.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control wheel of said cyclic mechanism comprises a gear partly toothed and having toothless sectors, and the pinion is intermittently in mesh with the gear and disengaged therefrom when opposite one of the toothless sectors, wherein said second spring urged lever comprises at least two arms engageable when the pinion is opposite one of the toothless sectors, one of said arms being engageable with a gear stop for stopping the gear and the other arm engageable with a gear ramp for meshing the gear with the pinion to restart the gear, and wherein the two-arm lever carries a pulley guiding the flexible member and the other end of same is secured to a stop of variable position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including a shaft to which said pinion is fixed, a turntable on said shaft, a pin on said pinion, and said wheel engageable with said pinion having teeth for so engaging said pinion at the said pin thereof during a predetermined operating phase of said cam, a friction pad, and a hub attached to said wheel, said pad being engageable by the said hub to brake said shaft journaled in said first lever.

2,559,117 Falk July 3, 1951 Alexandersson Sept. 30, 1947'