US2862065A

US2862065A - Announcing machines

Info

Publication number: US2862065A
Application number: US378550A
Authority: US
Inventors: John L Franklin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-09-04
Filing date: 1953-09-04
Publication date: 1958-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 1975-11-25

Description

Nov. 25, 1958 J. L. FRANKLIN 2,862,065

ANNOUNCING MACHINES Filed Sept. 4. 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYJ' Nov. 25, 1958 J. L. FRANKLIN 2,852,065

ANNOUNCING MACHINES Filed Sept. 4. 1955 "r Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR ANN Filed Sept 4' 1953 NKLIN OUNCING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 25, 1958 J. L. FRANKLIN 2,862,065

ANNOUNCING MACHINES Filed Sept. 4. 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 iii ATTORNEYS INVENTOR k Nov. 25, 1958 J. L. FRANKLIN 2,352,065

ANNOUNCING MACHINES Filed Sept. 4. 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 a; //f. W /65 I ji 1 /fi7 ATTORNEYS United States Patent ANNOUNCING MACHINES John L. Franklin, Atlanta, Ga.

Application September 4, 1953, Serial No. 378,550

14 Claims. (Cl. 179100.2)

This invention relates to announcing machines, and particularly to the type of announcing machine described and illustrated in my Patent No. 2,285,425, granted June 9, 1942. The general object of the invention is to provide certain important improvements upon the machine disclosed in said patent.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an announcing machine of the general type referred to above, in which the message-bearing records, including both those which are used in announcing the time of day and those which bear the commercial or other message which may be alternated with the time announcements, are magnetic in nature, that is, are formed of magnetic material and have the said messages magnetically recorded thereon. In the time-announcing machine disclosed in the aforesaid patent, the messages have been recorded on film, in strip form, and it has been necessary to separately secure a large number of individual message records on a message drum or cylinder, a time-consuming and expensive operation. According to the present invention, the desired number of separate messages may be magnetically recorded on a single record, which may be readily installed on or removed from the machine as desired, thus greatly reducing the cost and improving the facility of changing the messages to be announced. A further advantage of this feature of the invention lies in the fact that the same record may be used over and over, by magnetically erasing the old messages and recording new ones, and this may be done while the record is on the machine.

A corollary of the aforesaid object is the provision of a novel method of preparing records for use on a machine of the character described. Another object is the provision, in a machine of the character described, of means whereby any one of a plurality of messages may be selected for continuous repetition (alternately with the time announcement), or, alternatively, each of the messages may bereproduced in turn, the entire series of messages being cyclically repeated. A feature of the structure enabling the aforesaid selective type of operation lies in the means whereby any given one of a group of messages recorded on a single record may be selected for constant repetition by manually indexing the record-bearing drum, Without removing the record from the machine and without interrupting the time-announcing operation of the machine. Another feature of this improvement consists in the fact that the message record may be changed without st0pping the machine or otherwise interfering with the announcement of time.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of a machine of the character described, in which the hour and minute records which, like the message record, are of magnetic character, are adjacent each other at the same end of the machine, and are reproduced during the same stroke of the reproducing mech anism, which arrangement enables improved announcement continuity, and also facilitates changing of the message record without interference with the time announcing operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a machine of the character described, of means for the quick manual setting of the time, i. e., the hour and minute records. Features of this structure consist in a clutch mechanism for ready disengagement of the time and hour record structure from the driving mechanism, novel means whereby the hour drum may be quickly advanced to the correct position according to the time of day, and means whereby the last-mentioned function may be performed without disturbing the synchronization between the hour and minute records.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby the duration of a full cycle of the machine may .be selectively varied, for example, the machine may quickly and easily be adjusted to perform either a 10-second cycle or a 15-second cycle (or any one of a reasonably small number of predetermined cycles). A feature of the structure making this adjustment possible is the provision of a single cam cylinder provided with a plurality of separate cam grooves each capable of controlling the operation of the machine during cycles of different durations.

A further object is the provision of means whereby the circuit closing and opening switches for connecting and disconnecting the reproducing mechanism of the machine into a listening circuit, for example a telephone circuit, may be adjusted relative to the cycle of the machine so that the connection and disconnection may he made at any desired points of the cycle.

. Other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the description which follows, read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical axial section of the machine;

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are transverse sections on lines 3-3, 44, 5-5, and 66, respectively, of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a plan View of the machine with the movable carriage and its associated mechanism and the upper half of the housing removed;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the clutch mechanism seen at the left-hand end of Figure 2;

Figure 9 is an elevation of the cam cylinder employed in a modified form of the invention;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the movable carriage of the said modification;

Figure 11 is a vertical section on line 1111 of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a transverse section through a portion of the machine illustrating a further modification;

Figure 13 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 12; and

Figure 14 is a fragmentary horizontal. section on line 1414 of Figure 12.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made to the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings-and detailed descriptive language is employed. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the invention is thereby intended and that various changes and alterations are contemplated such as would ordinarily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now to Figure l the machine comprises generally a roughly cylindrical housing 20 having

cylindrical extensions

21 and 22 projecting from either end thereof, the said cylindrical extensions being closed at their outer ends by disc-like closures 23 and 24, respectively. A synchronous motor 25 is provided adjacent one side of the housing 20 and a reciprocating carriage 26 i s movably mounted on rails 27 (Figure carried by the housing 20, by means of rollers 28 (Figure 6 journaled on the carriage 26. Magnetic reproducing heads 29 and 30 are mounted, by means hereinafter described, to reciprocate with the carriage 26, the heads 29 and 30 being adapted to be placed, alternately, in reproducing engagement with the records inside the

cylindrical extensions

21 and 22 through openings 31 and 32, respectively.

Reciprocating movement of the carriage 26 is produced through the engagement of a cam follower 33 (Figure 2) in the cam groove 34 of a cam cylinder 35 best illustrated in Figure 7, the cam cylinder 35 being driven at constant speed by the synchronous motor 2 5, through a drive mechanism seen in Figures 2 and 5 comprising a worm gear shaft 36 driven from the motor shaft 37 through a flexible coupling 38. The worm 39 meshes with a gear 40 secured on hub 41, the latter being journaled on the sleeve 42 projecting inwardly from an end plate 43 comprising a part of the cylindrical extension 21. The gear 40 is coupled through the medium of a rubber mounted pin 44 to the adjacent end plate 45- of the cam cylinder 35, and it will be readily understood that rotation of the latter, through the means just described, will cause cyclic reciprocation of the carriage 26 in accordance with the design of cam groove 34.

As in the machine of the aforesaid Patent No. 2,285,- 425, the hour and minute recordings, as well as the message recordings, are arranged spirally upon drums which are coaxial with, and driven through, the cam cylinder 35. The message record 50 (Figure 2) consists of a cylindrical member of magnetizable material, for example Neoprene rubber impregnated with iron oxides, which possesses some elasticity and is frictionally retained on the message drum 51 secured on a message drum hub 52. The latter is journaled on a sleeve 53 carried by the end plate 45 of the cam cylinder 35.

A second hub 54 is keyed to the sleeve 53, as at 55, and rotates therewith. The hub 54 is provided with a circular series of openings 56 corresponding to the number of messages recorded on the record 50, while the hub 52 carries an eccentric boss 57 which is apertured to receive a clutch rod 58. The latter is provided with three. annular grooves 59, 60 and 61, respectively, each of which is adapted to be engaged by the ball detent 62 carried in the boss 57. The outer end of the clutch rod 58 is. adapted to seat in a corresponding opening 63 in the arm 64 which is affixed by screws to a cylindrical block 65 pinned to the hollow shaft 66. A knurled handle 67 carried by the clutch rod 58 permits manipulation of the latter to engage any one of the grooves 59, 60' and 61 with the ball detent 62. When the groove 59 is so engaged, as seen in Figure 2, the outer end of the rod 58 will engage the opening 63 in arm 64, thus clutching the hub 52 to the hollow shaft 66. When, on the other hand the groove 61 of the rod 58 is engaged by the detect 62, the inner end of the rod 58 will extend into a selected one of the openings 56 in hub 54 and the outer end of rod 58 will be disengaged from the arm 64. The hubs 52 and 54 are thus clutched together. When the groove 60 is engaged by the detent 62, the hub 52 is not clutched to either the hub 54 or the arm 64 and is free to rotate independently, thus enabling manual indexing of the message drum to place a desired message in position for reproduction.

Since the hub 54 is provided with a circular series of openings 56 adapted to receive the clutch rod 58, each opening corresponding to one of the messages of the message record, it is obvious that any desired one of the, for example 12, messages on the message record, may be indexed for constant repetition.

The hour record 70 and minute record'71 comprise cylindrical members of material similar to that of the message record 50, the hour record being frictionally retained on the hour drum 72 and the minute record similarly mounted on the minute drum 73. The latter is carried by the minute hub 74 which in turn is keyed as at 75 to the hollow minute shaft 76. The hour drum 72 is secured on an hour hub 77 journaled on the minute hub 74, the hub 77 being driven through the arm 78 to which it is secured by means of screw 79. The arm 78, in turn, is secured to the end of hour shaft 80 which extends axially through a hollow clutch shaft 81 which in turn extends within the hollow minute shaft 76. The hour shaft 80 is pinned to the stub shaft 82 which carries a worm gear 83 meshing with a worm secured on the shaft 84 of the hour index gear 85. The minute shaft 76 is connected through screws 86' and slots 87 to a collar 88. The latter is slidable axially of the machine by virtue of the aforesaid screw and slot connection with the minute shaft and is engageable and disengageable, through pin 89 and aperture 90, with a gear 91 journaled on the minute shaft. The gear 91 meshes with a worm 93 on the shaft of minute index gear 94.

The operations of the minute index gear 94 and hour index gear in indexing the minute and hour drums, respectively, are no diiferent from those of the equivalent members of the earlier machine described in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,285,425, and therefore will not be ex plained in detail. Suffice it to say that the minute index gear derives its motion from the revolution of the, cam cylinder 35, through the intermediation of the fixed circular rack 100, the meshing gear 101 mounted on stub shaft 102 carried by the cam cylinder, pinion 103 fast with gear 101, gear 104 meshing with pinion 103 and mounted on shaft 105 carried by the cam cylinder 35 and carrying pinion 106. The latter meshes with gear 108 secured to the hub of minute index cam 109, which in turn engages minute index gear 94.

An hour index cam 92 fast on the minute shaft 76 en-.

gages the hour index gear 85. The shaft 105 journaled in a boss 111 on the central web of the cam cylinder 35 carries a pinion 112 driving a gear 113 fast on one end of the hollow shaft 66.

As a result of the construction thus described, the minute shaft is rotated through a fraction of a revolution once each minute, to bring a new minute record under the corresponding reproducing head, while the hour shaft is rotated through a fraction of a revolution once each hour to bring a new hour record under the said reproducing head. By virtue of the drive transmitted through shaft 105, pinion 112 and gear 113, the hollow shaft 66 is rotated at a speed which is, for example, one-half revolution per minute greater than the rotative speed of the cam cylinder itself. Therefore, if the message record con tains, for example, twelve messages recorded in a helical path of proper pitch, and the message hub 52 is clutched to the cam cylinder by engaging the groove 61 of the clutch rod 58 with the ball detent 62 and if the speed of the rotating cam cylinder is 12 R. P. M., the same individual message on the message record will be repeated during each cycle of the machine. If, on the other hand, it is desired to announce each of 12 messages consecutively, the message drum is disengaged from the drive of the machine by engaging the groove 60 of the clutch rod 58 with the detent 62, the message record 50 is removed and a difierent message record is substituted, on which the messages have been recorded along slightly different helical paths corresponding to a rotative speed of 12 /2 R. P. M., and the message drum is then clutched to the shaft 66 by engaging the groove 59 with the detent 62 as illustrated in Figure 2. In this way, the beginning of each message period of a cycle of the machine finds a different message record beneath the appropriate reproducing head, the message drum having rotated 2 times during the 10 second cycle of the machine. When operating in this manner the message record may, if deired,be provided with seconds announcements in 'addition to, and at one end of, each commericalor other message.

The arrangementseen in Figure 3 permits the hour drum to be speedily indexed, manually, to set the machine properly for the commencement of operation at any time of day. Thus, the screw 79 may be loosened and the hour drum indexed to the desired position, and the screw 79 will be secured in the corresponding threaded opening 79 of the hour hub, there being 12 such threaded openings. This operation indexes the hour drum relative to the drive mechanism without disturbing the relationship of the minute drum to the drive mechanism or, in other words, is a means of rapidly changing the hours only. In order to set the entire time announcing structure relative to the drive mechanism, the time announcing structure is disconnected from the drive by moving the minute shaft 76 axially to disengage the pin 89 from the opening 90 of the collar 88. This movement of the minute shaft 76 is produced by means now to be described.

Referring to Figures 2 and 8, it will be seen that a cup-like clutch operating member 120 is secured against axial motion on the minute shaft 76 by spring rings 121, but is free to rotate relative to the minute shaft 76. Within the clutch operating member 120 and secured to the clutch shaft 81 by means of screws 122, extending through slots 123 in minute shaft 76, is clutch drum 124. Oil eals 125 and 126 are provided between the clutch drum 124 and minute shaft 76. The outer cylindrical surface of the drum 124 is formed to provide cam slots 127 (Figure 8) into which project cam followers 128 secured to the clutch operating member 120. It will be understood that by rotating the member 120, by means of the knurled collar on the outer end thereof, the clutch shaft 81 is caused to be moved axially to disengage the pin 89 from the hole 90 in collar 88, as mentioned before. When this has been done, the entire time announcing structure may be indexed relative to the driving mechanism so as to bring the appropriate minute record under the reproducing head. To facilitate the indexing action the gear 91 is provided with a ball detent 130 which is adapted to engage in any one of an appropriate circular series of depressions formed in the adjacent face of the collar 88.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 the arrangement for alternately reproducing a time announcement and a commercial or other message includes the two magnetic reproducing heads 29 and 30, which are pivotally supported, one at either end of the carriage 26, on

anti-friction pivots

131, 132. Preferably, the messages (hour, minute and commercial) are recorded to be reproduced as the particular head is travelling inwardly, i. e., toward the cam cylinder, hence the construction is such that each head is lifted from its associated record at the end of its inward travel, and replaced on the record at the end of its outw-ard travel. To accomplish this sequence of operations, the carriage is provided at either end with transversely extending crankshafts 133, 134 mounted in bearings fixed in the transverse

semi-cylindrical bosses

135, 136 of the carriage 26. Each crankshaft 133, 134 carries an arm 137 and projecting crank

138, 139 at one end,

for co-operation with

adjustable stops

140, 141, 142, 143, and at its other end each crankshaft carries an arm 144, 145 and

146, 147 for engaging one of the pins 148, 149 associated with the pivoted reproducing heads. The crankshafts are provided with suitable friction means to cause each of them to remain in the position to which it is shifted by engagement with a stop member 140143. As the carriage moves leftward beyond the position shown in Figure 1, for example, the pin 139 will engage the stop member 143 and the crankshaft will be rocked counterclockwise. This causes pin 147 to lower, permitting the head 30 to engage the hour record 70, and as the carriage moves to the right, to reproduce first a message from the hour record 70 and then a message from the minute record 71.

Similarly, engagement of the crank pin 139 with stop member 142 will cause a reverse movement of crankshaft 134 and head 30, and the counterparts of these movements are brought about, in a similar manner, by engagement of the pin 138 with the stop members and 141.

It is necessary, of course, that the reproducing heads 29 and 30 be electrically connected and disconnected, at the proper times, with a listening circuit (not shown), for example a telephone circuit, and for thispurpose a cut-through switch 150 and cut-out switch 151 are provided, together with switch actuating means as seen in Figures 1 and 6. In the illustrated embodiment the

switches

150 and 151 are of the magnetic mercury type and the switch actuating device comprises a permanent magnet 152 mounted on a bell crank lever 153. The latter is pivoted on the carriage 26 by means of a suitable friction mounting 154 seen in Figure 6, so that the bell crank lever 153 willremain in any set position during its travel with the carriage 26, until it encounters a stop member at either end of such travel when its position is altered. The stop members 1.55 and 156 (Figure 1) are secured to the rail 27 (Figure 6), which, of course, is fixed in position. When the carriage 26 approaches its left-hand position (Figure 1) the lever 153 encounters the stop member 155 and is swung to the dotted line position as seen in Figure 1. In this position of the lever 153 the magnet 152 upon the return of the carriage to the right-hand position in Figure 1, will be sufficiently far from the switch 150 so that the latter will not be actuated, but at the right-hand extremity of the travel of carriage 26, the lever 153 encounters stop member 156 as a result of which it swings into the full line position shown in Figure 1. At this point the magnet 152, being closely adjacent to the cut-out switch 151 will cause the latter to be actuated, disconnecting the reproducing heads from the listening circuit to which they have been connected during the preceding cycle, and as the carriage 26 moves to the left, the magnet 152 now follows a path which carries it close to cut-through switch 150, causing the latter to be actuated to connect the reproducing heads into the listening circuit again. It is presumed that the listening circuit now includes a new group of telephone lines, for example, the electrical means and circuits by which the individual subscribers are connected into the listening circuit being beyond the scope of the present invention.

The

switches

150 and 151 are supported on brackets 157 and 158, respectively, by means of spring clips 159, the brackets 157 and 158 being adjustable lengthwise of a support 160 mounted on the housing 20. The exact points of the cycle at which the reproducing circuit may be connected and disconnected with the listening circuit may therefore be adjusted as desired, depending, for example, on whether or not the message record carries seconds announcements as mentioned above, and whether such announcements are to be made at the beginning or end of each commercial or other message.

A modification of the time announcing machine described above is illustrated in Figures 9, 10 and 11, in which a cam cylinder 161 corresponding to the cam cylinder 35, is provided with two

separate cam grooves

162 and 163, corresponding, for example, to 10 and 15- second cycles, respectively. The cam groove 162 is similar to that illustrated in Figure 7 while the cam groove 163 is designed on the same principles, but describes three complete revolutions of the cam cylinder which, if the latter rotates, for example, at 12 R. P. M., represents a cycle time of 15 seconds. It will be noted that the low pitch portion of the groove, corresponding to the message portion of the cycle, has been extended for a full revolution of the cylinder, whereas the high pitch portion of the groove, corresponding to the time announcement period, is of the same circumferential length as that of the 10-second groove 1.62. Of course, it is necessary in this modification to provide two cam followers'one for each: of. the twogrooves, which may be selectively engaged. This construction is seenin Figures 10 andvll', in WhlClllthC cam follower 164 is shown engaged with the groove 163. while the .cam follower 165,.engageable with the groove 162, is shown in itsretracted position.

In order to: prevent simultaneous engagement of both cam followers with their respective grooves, which, of course, would bring about damage to the machine, a stop bar 166 is slidably mounted on the carriage 26' between thecamfollowers 164 and 165, the bar 166 being adapted to engage: beneath the knurled head 165' of the cam follower 165 or the. corresponding knurled head. 164' ofthe cam. follower-164;. As shown in Figure 11, the bar 166v is engaged beneath the head 165 ofv cam, follower 165 and, in order to advance the latter into engagement with the. groove 162, it is first necessary to lift cam follower. 164- out of engagement with groove 163 and then to slide the bar 166. tothe right in Figure 11, in which position it.will.engage beneath the head 164 and prevent the. cam follower 164. from being advanced again into engagement with groove 163. As an additional safeguard, the heads. 164', 165 may each be provided with a catch 167, adaptedtoengage between the head of a screw '168 and a collar 168' carried by the screw 168, which is threaded into the carriage 26, so that neither cam follower may be retracted until its associated catch 167 is disengaged from the corresponding screw 168 by loosening the screw and then rotating the cam follower head. An indicator 169 may be provided on the stop bar 166. forindicating the duration of the cycle for which the machine is set, in either position of the stop bar.

It willbeunderstood, of course, that in shifting from the. 10,-second cycle, of groove 162 to the l-second cycle of groove 163, or vice versa, it will be necessary to change the message. record accordingly. Moreover, it will be readily understood that by means of. suitable physical modification of the machine, a cam cylinder having three or more diiferent cam grooves may. be employed, enabling the machine to operate with cycles of three or more different periods;

A further modification of the machine is illustrated in Figures 12, 13. and 14,.wherein a' magnetic erasing head 170 is provided on the message end of the machine, to engage the message record 50.:in addition to the regular reproducing head 131. The erase head 17 h is mounted on the. carriage 26 in the same manner heretofore described in connection with'the heads 13% and 131 and is adapted to be lifted and lowered by the crank shaft 133 in the same manner heretofore described, the crankshaft beingprovided with a' further crank 171 for that purpose. In addition, means are provided for retaining the erase head 170 out of engagement with the record notwithstanding the position of the crankshaft 133, such means consisting in a relay 172, thearmature 173 of whichcarriesan arm 174 which is adjustably cor nected to the head 170 by means of the; vertical link 175. When it is desired to engage the erase head 1769 with the record, so as.to erase the previously recorded messages,preparatory to recording new messages on the record, the relay 172 is energized. The'armature 173 is thus attracted to the full line position seen in Figure 12, thus lowering the head 17% onto the record. When the erasing operation has been completed, the relay 172 is de-energized, allowing the spring 176-toswing the armature 173 to the dotted line position seen in Figure 12, which results in raising thehead 170. from the record.

In re-making a record with the aid of the feature just described, the machine is operated with both heads in engagement with the message record, a constant frequency erasing signal being impressed upon the magnetic erasing head 170, which thus serially erases the existing messages on the record asthe latter is indexed, either manually or automatically, relative to the cam cylinder as; previously decribed. Simultaneously, a new message may be recorded at a different position on the record (the old message having previously been erased from that position) by employing the reproducing head 131 as a recording head. The technique of magnetic recording and reproduction is well known and forms no part of the present invention, and therefore it is deemed unnecessary to describe the details of the reproducing and. eraseheads. It will be understood, of course, that thedirection of rotation of the machine is such that the old messa e is magnetically erasedfrom any given spiral path on. the cylindrical record before that portion of the record is indexed to the position in which the head 131, acting as a recording head, acts to record a new message thereon.

Due to the adjustability of the cut-through and cut out switches, the aforesaiderasing and recording operation may be carried out without removing the machine from time-announcing service.

Having-thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An announcing machine comprising a cam cylinder, a motor drivingly connected to said cam cylinder, 21 message drum, sound reproducing means including a head operatively connected to be reciprocated length- Wise of said message drum by rotation of said cam cylinder, means for operatively .connecting said message drum directly to said cam cylinder, alternate means including change speed gearing for operatively connecting said message drum to said cam cylinder, and clutch means for selectively engaging said message drumwith one of said connecting means or disengaging said message drumfrom both said connecting means.

2. A machine according to claim 1, said message drum being formed to provide aplurality of alternative means of engagement with said clutch means'whereby said message drum may be manually indexed relative to said cam cylinder.

3. An announcing machine comprising a cam cylinder, a motor drivingly connected to said cam cylinder, a message drum, an hour drum and a minute drum all coaxial with said cam cylinder, said hour and minute drums being arranged at one end of said cam cylinder and said message drum at the opposite end thereof, sound reproducing means including-two reproducing heads operatively connected to he reciprocated, one lengthwise of said message drum and the other lengthwise of said hour and minute drums, by rotation of said cam cylinder, means including a clutch operatively connecting said minute drum to said cam cylinder, and. means operatively connecting said hour and minute drums.

4. An announcing machine comprising a cam cylin der, a motor drivingly connected to said cam cylinder, a message drum, an hour drum and a minute drum all coaxial with said cam cylinder, said hour and minute drums being arranged at one end of said cam cylinder and said message drum at the opposite end thereof, sound reproducing means including two reproducing heads operatively connected to be reciprocated, one lengthwise of said message drum and the other lengthwise of said hour and minute drums, by rotation of said cam cylinder, means including a clutch operatively connecting said minute drum to said cam cylinder, and means operatively connecting said hour and minute drums, said last means including a member for quick engagement and disengagement with said hour drum so that the latter may be manually indexed independently of the minute drum and cam cylinder.

5. An announcing machine comprising a cam cylinder, a motor drivingly connected to said camcylinder, a message drum, an hour drum and a minute drum all coaxial with said cam cylinder, said hour and minute drums being arranged at one end of said cam cylinder and said message drum at the opposite end thereof, sound reproducing means including two reproducing 9 heads operatively connected to be reciprocated, one lengthwise of said message drum and the other length- Wise of said hour and minute drums, by rotation of said cam cylinder, and means operatively connecting said drum with said cam cylinder.

6. Time announcing machine comprising drive means, a minute drum, an hour drum, means including a minute index ring, a minute index gear, and a minute shaft operatively connecting said drive means and said minute drum, said last means including a clutch between said minute index gear and said minute shaft, and means operatively connecting said hour drum and said minute drum.

7. Announcing machine comprising a cam cylinder, a motor drivingly connected thereto, and at least a message drum, said cam cylinder having a plurality of cam paths formed thereon, each of a diflerent circumferential length, sound reproducing means including a head adapted to be reciprocated lengthwise of said message drum, and means for selectively operatively connecting said head with one of said cam paths.

8. Announcing machine according to claim 7, said cam paths being formed, respectively, on axially displaced portions of said cam cylinder.

9. Announcing machine according to claim 7, said cam paths being formed, respectively, on axially displaced portions of said cam cylinder, said means operatively connecting said head with one of said cam paths comprising a carriage adapted to reciprocate lengthwise of said cam cylinder, and a plurality of cam followers operatively associated with said carriage and each adapted for engagement with one of said cam paths.

10. A time announcing machine comprising a cam cylinder, a motor drivingly connected thereto, a time drum and a message drum operatively connected to said cam cylinder, sound reproducing means including a head adapted to reciprocate lengthwise of each of said drums, means including a cam follower operatively connecting said head and said cam cylinder, and means for connecting and disconnecting said heads with a listening circuit, said last means being adjustable to connect and disconnect said heads with said circuit at desired points in the cycle of said machine.

11. Machine according to claim 10, said last means comprising a pair of electrical switches independently adjustable parallel to the axis of said cam cylinder, and means driven from said cam cylinder for successively actuating said switches.

12. An announcing machine comprising a cam cylinder, a motor drivingly connected to said cam cylinder, a message drum coaxial with said cam cylinder, means operatively connecting said message drum to said cam cylinder, a carriage supported for reciprocation parallel to the axis of said cylinder and drum, means including a cam follower operatively connecting said carriage and said cam cylinder a magnetic sound recording and reproducing head supported on said carriage and adapted to engage said message drum, a magnetic erasing head supported on said carriage and adapted to engage said message drum, and means for selectively disengaging said erasing head from said drum while the recording and reproducing head is engaged therewith, or engaging both heads with said record.

13. A time announcing machine comprising a cam cylinder, a motor drivingly connected thereto, a time drum and a message drum in alignment with and operatively connected to said cam cylinder, magnetic records carried by said time and message drums, means including a cam follower operatively connecting said head and said cam cylinder, a carriage adapted to reciprocate lengthwise of said cam cylinder, sound reproducing means including two magnetic reproducing heads pivoted on said carriage, one of said heads being adapted to engage the record on said time drum and the other head being adapted to engage the record on said message drum, and means for automatically pivoting each head into engagement with its associated record at one end of the travel of said carriage and for pivoting the same head out of said engagement at the other end of said travel.

14. A time announcing machine comprising a cam cylinder, a motor drivingly connected thereto, a time drum and a message drum in alignment with and operatively connected to said cam cylinder, magnetic records carried by said time and message drums, means including a cam follower operatively connecting said head and said cam cylinder, a carriage adapted to reciprocate lengthwise of said cam cylinder, sound reproducing means including two magnetic reproducing heads movably mounted on said carriage, one of said heads being adapted to engage the record on said time drum and the other head being adapted to engage the record on said message drum, and means for automatically moving each head into engagement with its associated record at one end of the travel of said carriage and for moving the same head out of said engagement at the other end of said travel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,111 Franklin June 13, 1939 2,144,625 Herman Jan. 24, 1939 2,285,425 Franklin June 9, 1942 2,364,147 Jones Dec. 5, 1944 2,530,029 Pond June 13, 1950 2,643,130 Kornei June 23, 1953 2,670,212 Heller Feb. 23, 1954