US2830118A - Unitary self-contained entertainment system and lectern - Google Patents

Description

April'8, 1958 F. L. KOHLER UNITARY SELF CONTAINED ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM AND LECTERN Filed June 14, 1955 INVENTOR FREDERICK L, KOHL avw/ ww ATTORNEY Z,830,l l8 Fatented Apr. 8, 1958 UNITARY SELF-CONTAINED ENTERTAINMENT v SYSTEM AND LECTERN Frederick L. Kohler, Washington, D. C.

Application June 14, 1955, Serial No. 515,303

3 Claims. (Cl. 179-1) This invention relates to entertainment equipment and more particularly to an article of furniture incorporating a record player, microphone, amplifier, loud speaker, and timer to provide a self contained unitary entertainment system and in which the top wall of a cabinet forming the article of furniture provides a reading desk or lectern.

At the present time, it is customary at gatherings, such as banquets, lodge or club meetings and political rallies to utilize some sort of an amplifying or public address system and in instances where such a system is not permanently installed in the meeting place it has been customary to utilize separate components such as a microphone mounted on a stand, a separate amplifier and one or more loud speakers mounted in a suitable portable cabinet to be placed in convenient locations. All of these components are connected by cables which frequently are in the way and may well cause persons to trip thereover, sometimes resulting in personal damage and at best, such cables are very unsightly. There is also usually provided some sort of a speakers stand or lectern and such stand may either be placed directly on the floor or may be of such a size and design as to be mounted on a table. With these commonly used arrangements, it has been somewhat difiicult to provide suitable locations for one or more loud-speakers, since the same should be placed in such a position that the voice emanating therefrom appears to come from the speaker standing at the speakers stand. Where such a speakers stand is placed on a banquet table or similar support, it has not been convenient to place a loudspeaker directly in front of the same with the result that usually two loud-speakers are placed at the corners of the room to each side of the speaker. This has resulted, of course, in the unsightly and inconvenient arrangement of connecting cables and where it is desired to also utilize a record player, it has been necessary to provide an additional unit for this purpose with the consequent increase in the complexity and number of connecting cables.

Further, with these present arrangements, it has been necessary for a person, other than the speaker, to sit adjacent the amplifier in order to properly control the same to provide the proper volume of sound for different speakers and where a plurality of units are connected by separate exposed cables, frequent failures occur which often prove difficult to locate and repair.

Attempts have been made to remedy this situation to a certain extent by incorporating amplifiers and record players in a single portable cabinet, but this still necessitates providing a separate microphone and speakers with the necessary exposed connecting cables. As-a consequence, there has not been available a suitable self contained unitary portable entertainment system and lectern with the result that many small clubs or fraternal organizations who would normally have use for such a system have not bothered with the present haphazard arrangements with all their attendant difiiculties.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a unitary self contained entertainment system and lectern in which all of the components thereof are mounted in a single, easily transportable cabinet which may be conveniently placed on a banquet table or other support and in which the voice emanates directly from the front thereof and appears to come from the speaker himself.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a unitary self contained entertainment system and lectern incorporating a record player and suitable controls for both a microphone and record player, in order that both voice and music may be provided whenever desired.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a unitary self contained entertainment system and lectern in which the controls of the audio amplifier incorporated therein are conveniently accessible to the speaker or other person situated at the lectern thereby eliminating the necessity of a separate person for controlling the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a unitary self contained entertainment system and lectern which may be conveniently manufactured from readily available materials and which provides a cabinet of pleasing appearance of a size which may be conveniently transported and also conveniently stored in a minimum of space when not in use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a unitary self contained entertainment system and lectern including a cabinet containing all of the components and in which the top of such cabinet provides a lectern or reading desk and in which the cabinet providesa suitable bafile for the loud-speaker thereby providing good quality audio reproduction.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of the entertainment system and lectern constructed in accordance with this invention and with the rear panel removed to show the internal arrangement of the various components as well as the construction of the cabinet;

Fig. 2, a rear elevational view similar to Fig. l, but

with the rear panel in place;

Fig. 3, a side elevational View;

Fig. 4, a front elevational view showing the arrangement of the speaker opening in the front wall of the cabinet;

Fig. 5, a fragmentary elevational view with parts in section for greater clarity and showing the latching mechanism for preventing inadvertent withdrawal of the record player mounted in the cabinet; and

Fig. 6, a fragmentary top plan view of the latching mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

With continued reference to the drawing there is shown a self contained entertainment system and lectern which may well comprise a cabinet 10 having side walls 11 and 12, a front wall 13, a bottom wall 14 and a top wall 15. It is to be noted, that the top wall 15 is mounted on the side walls 11 and 12 at a rearwardly and downwardly extending incline and that the top wall 15 is provided, adjacent the rear edge thereof, with a transversely extending, upstanding rail 16 which serves to retain books or papers on the top wall 15, which due to the inclination thereof, provides a conveniently positioned reading desk or lectern. It is further to be noted, that the top wall 15 extends outwardly of the side walls 11 and 12 and also forwardly of the front wall 13, in order to provide a sufficient area on the upper surface thereof and, at the same time, maintain the dimensions of the cabinet 10 at a minimum.

The front wall 13 is provided with an opening 17 of any suitable size or configuration and such opening 17 is covered by a sheet 13 of ornamental porous material, such as commercially available grille cloth. This cloth 3 is of a texture to hide objects situated behind the opening 17, but is sufficiently porous to permit the passage of sound waves therethrough without materially reducmg the :volume .or quality: of such sound. xMounted on ,the

front ;wall, 13 within the'cabinet T ,is'a loudspeaker19 The shelf,21 serves to support a record player which i may well comprise a turntable 22, a .drivingrmotor23 and a pickup arm 24 provided with the usual pickup cartridge and stylus or-record engaging needle 25. Since theapparatus of this inventionisportable in nature and may .be frequently transported from place to place, an upstanding ;post 26 is'1rn0unted on-the shelf 21 and such post 26 is provided with a slot 27 or other suitable means therein to receive a knob or button 28 on the pickup arm 24 to lock such arm in place during non-use thereof,

. 4 v upon the upper end of such support 47 is a suitable microphone 48.. If desired, the microphone 48 may be provided with a suitable coupling to permit convenient detachment thereof to be held in the hand of the user.

and with a sufiicient length of cable to permit movement within a limited distance from the cabinet 10.

The microphone 48 and-record player will, of course, be connected by suitable electrical cables within the cabinet 10 to the amplifier 38'and from the amplifer 38 a suitable cablewill lead to the loud-speaker 19. The

only exterior connection necessary will 'be a single cable to supply electrical ,power to the amplifier and record player "and, of course, such power supply cable may be connected to any convenient electrical outlet.

A removable rear panel 49 is provided and such panel may terminate at its upper end 50 slightly below the v shelf 21, and there is also provided a cut out portion 51 thereby preventing damage or breakage during transportation. The shelf 21 and recordplayer carried thereby is located .in the upper portion of the cabinet 10 and is at a convenient height for a person standing behind such cabinet to manipulate the same and change or play any desired :records.

A timer T vis diagrammatically illustrated, and this may take any conventional form, either video or audio.

During transportation .of the apparatus of this inven- ,tion, it is highly desirable that the shelf 21 and record player carried thereby remain within the cabinet 10 in order to prevent damage thereto and for this purpose, there is provided a latching mechanism, which, as best shown in .Figs. 5 and 6, may well comprise a lever .29 pivotally mounted at 300m :the side wall 12 of the cabinet10land such lever 29 is provided at its forward end, with a downwardly projecting extension 31 which, as shown in .full lines in Fig. 5, engages ,the rear edge of the shelf 21 when such a shelf is positioned within the cabinet 10 and prevents inadvertent outward movement 7 thereof. The lever 29 and extension 31 maybe held in latching position by a suitable spring 32 having one end 33 engaging a screw or other suitable fastening means 34 in the side wall 12 and with the opposite end 35 of the spring engaging the. lever 29 to urge thesame in'counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5. When it is desired to draw the shelf 21 on the rails 20 from the cabinet 10, it is only necessary to move the lever 29 and extension 31 upwardly to the dotted line position, as shown in Fig. 5, whereupon convenient outward movement of the shelf 21 and record player carried thereby is permitted.

Mounted in the cabinet 1.0 .below the shelf 21 is a second shelf 36 which may well be supported on rails 37 secured to the side walls 11 and 12 and carried by the shelf 36 is a conventional audio amplifier 38 incorporating the usual transformer .39, condenser 40 and vacuum tubes 41. Also provided on the amplifier 38 are suitable controls 42 which may be arranged along the rear edge thereof and such controls would normally include volume which permits inward and outward movement of the shelf 21 andlrecord-playertcarried thereby when the rear panel 49-is inplace on the cabinet 16. The panel 49 may be provided with suitable fastening means 52, preferably of the resilient variety, which serve to releasably engage complementary fastening means 53 secured to the sidewalls 11 and 12 of the cabinet 10. The rear panel 49 may also be provided with an opening 54 to permit convenient access to the controls 42 on the amplifier 38. The cabinet 10 is of such a size as to provide a suitable acoustic baflle for the loud-speaker 19, thereby permitting relatively good sound quality from such loud-speaker.

While the cabinet 10 has been shown of a suitable size to be positioned upon a banquet table or other support, it is, of course, to be understood that such cabinet may be made of a 'size to rest upon the floor with the top wall 15 at a convenient height and the particular dimensions or size, of course, form no part of the instantinvention. Obviously, the device of this invention may be conveniently transported from place to place without danger of damage to the various components contained therein and, of course, if desired, the microphone 48 and support 47 may be removed and stored'within the cabinet during transportation or periods of non-use and, as a consequence, there is provided a convenient unitary self contained system and lectern or reading desk which may be conveniently transported from place to place and installed merely by positioning the same on a banquet table or other support and operation of the electrical components may be had simply by connecting a single electric supply cable to a convenient electrical outlet. The controls for operating both' the microphone and the record player are at a convenient height to be operated by the speaker or other person standing or seated behind the cabinet and since the loudspeaker 19 is located in the front wall of the cabinet, the sound emanating therefrom will appear to come directly from the speaker and such sound, be it voice or music, will be suitably dispersed throughout the room in front of the cabinet 10.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that vari ous changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and'described in the specification, but only controls for both therecord player and a microphone t as well as a tone control and likewise, if desired, an outlet 43 may be provided to which a separate loudspeaker may be connected and a power lineoutlet 44 may be provided for supplying power tothe record player or to any other desired component. Below the shelf 36 and above the bottom wall 14 there is provided a storage space 45 which may be utilized to store a record album 46 or for any other desired purpose.

Mounted on the top wall 15 adjacent to the forward edge thereof is an adjustable support or gooseneck 47 andthis may be of the usual flexible variety and mounted as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: v

l. A unitary self contained portable entertainment system and lectern comprising a cabinet having side walls, a front wall, a removable rear panel, a bottom Wall and a top wall inclined downwardly and rearwardly, said top Wall extending beyond said side and front walls and provided Witha transversely disposed upstanding rail adjacent the rear edge to provide a lectern, an opening in said'front Wall, a covering for'said opening of ornamental p'or ousmateriah' a"loud-speaker mounted on said front wall within said cabinet and behind said opening, anti-friction sliderailsmounted on said side walls, a

shelf carried by said slide rails for movement into and out of said cabinet from the rear, a record player mounted on said shelf, latch means comprising a lever pivotally mounted on one side wall, a downwardly projecting extension on said lever for engagement with the rear edge of said shelf to prevent inadvertent outward movement thereof and spring means for urging said lever and extension into latching position, a second shelf mounted on said side walls below said first shelf and above said bottom wall to provide a storage space between said second shelf and said bottom wall, an audio amplifier mounted on said second shelf, an upstanding adjustable support on said top wall adjacent the front edge thereof,

a microphone mounted on said support, electrical connections from said microphone and said record player to said amplifier and then to said speaker, controls on said amplifier, said rear panel terminating below said first shelf to permit movement of said record player into and out of said cabinet, an opening in said rear panel providing access to said controls, said opening in said rear panel being located a short distance above said bottom wall, and releasable fastening means for removably holding said rear panel in place.

2. A unitary self contained portable entertainment system and lectern comprisinga cabinet having side walls, a front wall, a removable rear panel, a bottom wall and a top wall inclined downwardly and rearwardly, said top wall being provided with a transversely disposed upstanding rail adjacent the rear edge to provide a lectern, an opening in said front wall, a loudspeaker mounted on said front wall within said cabinet and behind said opening, a shelf slidably mounted in said cabinet for movement into and out of said cabinet from the rear, a record player mounted on said shelf, latch means to prevent inadvertent outward movement of said shelf, a second shelf mounted on said side walls below said first shelf, an audio amplifier mounted on said second shelf, an upstanding adjustable support on said cabinet, a microphone mounted on said support, electrical connections from said microphone and said record player to said amplifier and then to said speaker, controls on said amplifier, said rear panel terminating below said first shelf to permit movement of said record player into and out of said cabinet, an opening in said rear panel providing access to said controls, said opening in said rear panel being located a short distance above said bottom wall.

'3. A unitary self-contained portable entertainment system and lectern comprising a cabinet having side walls, a front wall, a bottom Wall, and a top wall, an opening in said front wall, a loudspeaker mounted on said front wall within said cabinet and behind said opening, a shelf slidably mounted in said cabinet, said shelf being accessible to a person standing behind said cabinet so that the same may be easily withdrawn from said lectern, latch means to prevent inadvertent outward movement of said shelf, a second shelf mounted on said side Walls within said cabinet and below said first shelf, an audio V amplifier mounted on said second shelf, an upstanding adjustable support on said top wall, a microphone mounted l References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,063,224 Bowles Dec. 8, 1936

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