US3739509A - Title display for a coin operated phonograph - Google Patents

Abstract

A title display for a coin operated phonograph provides easy access to record title strips and selective viewing of the record title strips. A matrix of individual frames, each of which is formed from raised ribs and borders a title strip, prevents the title strips from being visible to persons who are not immediately adjacent the coin-operated phonograph. Easy access to the record title strips for removal or replacement is provided by mounting the supporting assembly for the matrix of frames securely to the underside of a horizontally disposed cabinet lid, which may be raised by means of a hinge attached to the phonograph at the back edge of the lid (i.e., the edge furthest away from the front of the coin-operated phonograph). Removal of the title strips is effected by raising the cabinet lid and pivoting a program holder carrying the title strips upwardly 180* away from the supporting assembly until the title strips are facing the front of the coin-operated phonograph, thereby providing easy access to the title strips.

Description

[ 11 3,739,509 June 19, 1973 United States Patent [1 1 ONeil [54] TITLE DISPLAY FOR A COIN OPERATED Primary Examiner-R0bert W. Michell PHONOGRAPH Assistant Examiner-George M. Yahwak 75 Inventor: Robert A. ONeil, Glen Ellyn, Ill. A'mmekRonald The Seeburg Corporation of Delaware, Chicago, 111.

Sept. 10, 1971 gel, Daniel W. Vittum, Jr., Gomer W. Walters [73] Assignee:

ABSTRACT phonograph provides [22] Filed:

A title display for a coin operated easy access to record title strips and selective viewing of the record title strips. A ma [21] Appl. No.: 179

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posed cabinet lid which may be raised by means of a the phono UNITED STATES PATENTS hinge attached to graph at the back edge of oa ur. r .1 c y t am O00 w ekm aRn. ue ms .1 .S S S) e e a C h npmm n tnt r m m m w e 3.1 nw m 0 0 m. m a mom wmm m wmbe umm awmmm U m r e a n clmyf "f a r. m mwm mck aat t XRNRRRR Awnmmmm 5 fiaamwwww 4444 4 m m m n m y c fl hh nm .l ffU mu ofi PBJMHBH 6560327 6660233 9999999 1111111 l/ll/l/ 9225853 6 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures TITLE DISPLAY FOR A COIN OPERATED PHONOGRAPH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to coin-operated phonographs and, more particularly, to a record title strip display apparatus for a coin-operated phonograph.

2. Description of the Prior Art In a typical coin-operated phonograph, there may be as many as fifty to one hundred individual records available for selection by a customer, and a necessary part of every coin-operated phonograph is a record display setting forth all of the records and their locations.

in the phonograph. Further, in order to permit periodic changes of records in the phonograph, the title for each record in such a display must be individually removable. Typically, paper title strips are employed for this purpose.

One of the problems with the record title display apparatus of the prior art is that such displays frequently are difficult to service and maintain and record title strips are hard to remove from the display apparatus. Thus, changing records in the machine is time consuming and expensive.

Another problem with the record title display apparatus of the prior art is that in order to prominently display these record title strips to the operator of the coinoperated phonograph, the title strips also have been made visible to all other persons within view of the coin-operated phonograph, as well. This causes the coin-operated phonograph to lose much of its aesthetic attraction because the record title strips, which may be printed or typed or even written out long hand on a scrap of paper, have an unappealing appearance. Heretofore it has not been possible to make these record title strips visible to persons in a position to operate the machine, while making them invisible to all other persons positioned more than a few feet away from the phonograph.

In order to overcome the above-discussed deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention was evolved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The record title strip display apparatus of the present invention comprises a frame assembly mounted on a coin-operated phonograph in a generally horizontal psition and a program holder mounted on the underside of the frame assembly. The frame assembly comprises a plurality of individual frames that form a border for each title strip in the program holder, while the program holder comprises a plurality of individual slots for each title strip that correspond to each individual frame in the frame assembly.

Selective viewing of record title strips in display apparatus is provided by forming each of the individual .frames from raised ribs that extend from the program holder upwardly, so that the record title strip appears to be recessed in the frame assembly. Whenever a person more than a few feet away from the coin-operated phonograph looks at the display apparatus, the ribs will obscure the view of the title strips and will thereby make the title strips invisible to that person. However, as the person approaches the coin-operated phonograph, the person s angle of viewing changes so that the ribs no longer pose an obstacle to the visibility of the title strips, and such person can see the title strips for purposes of selecting a record from the phonograph.

Easy access to the record title strips for purposes of replacement or substitution is provided by mounting the frame assembly securely to the underside of a horizontally disposed cabinet lid, which is pivotally mounted to the coin-operated phonograph along the back edge thereof. The cabinet lid is provided with a transparent viewing surface, so that the title strip display apparatus is visible through the cabinet lid. The program holder is pivotally mounted to the underside of the frame assembly along the front edge of the frame assembly (i.e., the edge adjacent the front of the phonograph) and is held against the frame assembly by releasable latches positioned along the back edge thereof. In order to remove or replace title strips in the display, the cabinet lid is raised to an upright position, the latches are released, and the program holder is pivoted away from the frame assembly until it is in an upright position facing the front of the coin-operated phonograph. In this position, the title strips may easily be removed and replaced by a serviceman in the course of changing record selections in the phonograph, thereby saving both time and money.

Notwithstanding, the many advantages of the present apparatus, the structure of the apparatus remains quite simple and inexpensive, thereby providing further cost savings in the construction and operation of the coinoperated phonograph. I

Accordingly, it is one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a title strip display apparatus for a coin-operated phonograph wherein the record title strips are invisible to persons distant from the coinoperated phonograph, yet are visible to persons operating the coin-operated phonograph.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a record title strip display apparatus for a coinoperated phonograph that is simple to operate, easy to service.

Still another object of the present inventionv is to provide a record title strip display apparatus having the foregoing advantages that is simple and inexpensive to construct, maintain and operate.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will hereinafter appear, and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, a preferred embodiment of the subject invention is described below and illustrated in the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a coinoperated phonograph employing the title strip display apparatus of subject invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the frame and program holder of the: present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the title strip display apline 88 of FIG. 3, showing the front and back edges of the apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line l010 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 11 is a partial rear view showing the latching apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line l2l2 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the latching apparatus shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, with the latch being shown in its released position.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1414 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a coin-operated phonograph showing the title strip display apparatus of the present invention as it is being removed from the underside of a raised cabinet lid.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a coin-operated phonograph showing the cabinet lid and attached title strip display apparatus in a raised position, with the program holder being pivoted away from the frame assembly in position for servicing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, a title strip display apparatus 20 embodying the subject invention is shown mounted in a coinoperated phonograph 22. Display apparatus 20 is mounted in the coin-operated phonograph in a substantially horizontal position, so that record title strips 24 mounted thereon are positioned in a horizontal positron.

Display apparatus 20 comprises a flat, rectangular frame assembly 26 and a program holder 28, which are pivotally connected by means of a hinge assembly 30 formed along the front edge (i.e., the edge that is adjacent the front of the coin-operated phonograph) of each member. Program holder 28 may be pivoted into and away from contact with frame assembly 26 (as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16). A pair of releasable latches 32 (shown in detail in FIGS. 11-14) are employed to hold the program holder against the frame assembly when the program holder is pivoted into contact with the frame assembly.

Frame assembly 26 comprises a matrix of rectangular individual frames 34, arranged in symmetrical rows and columns. Each individual frame is adapted to border an individual title strip held in the program holder immediately below the frame assembly.

Individual frames 34 comprise raised ribs 36 that extend upwardly from program holder 28 a fixed distance above title strips 24. The bottom portion of raised ribs 36 are wider than the top portions, with convave side wall extending between the bottom and top portion. Raised ribs 36 preferably are formed of a resilient plastic and extend upwardly a distance sufficient to prevent the title strips and program holder from being visible to persons standing more'than a few feet away from the coin-operated phonograph, while permitting the title strips to be seen by anyone close enough to the coinoperated phonograph to make a record selection. These distances are shown as B and A respectively, in FIG. 1, with corresponding viewing angles of B and A shown in FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment of the subject invention, raised ribs 36 are about A inch high, which is a sufficient distance to prevent anyone more than about 7 feet away from the coin-operated phonograph from seeing the record title strips.

Program holder 28 comprises a flat, rectangular member having a matrix of individual rectangular slots 37 for each title strip in the display, with the slots being arranged in symmetrical rows and columns so as to be disposed beneath corresponding individual frames in the frame assembly.

Program holder 28 includes a backing 38 and a retaining means 40, which comprises a vertically disposed ridge 42 that extends upwardly from the backing and a horizontal projection 44 that extends outwardly from the top end of the ridge so as to cover the edge of title strip 24. When arranged in the program holder, the retaining means has a T-shaped cross section, with the vertical member of the T being ridge 42 and the horizontal members of the T being projections 44 extending to each side to cover the edges of the adjacent title strips.

Retaining means 40 is formed on three sides of each title strip, leaving an opening for insertion or removal of title strips on the right hand side of each frame. (FIGS. 3, l5 and 16 orientation).

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the program holder is molded from plastic in sections comprising single columns 45 of title strip slots (see FIG. 7), and the title strip sections are then joined and glued together to form a complete program holder.

The construction of hinge assembly 30 is best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 8. A plurality of flat brackets 46 formed along the front edge 47 of frame assembly 26 depend downwardly therefrom, with each hinge bracket 46 being roughly triangular in shape and having transverse opening 48 therein. Corresponding to each bracket on frame assembly 26 is a bracket on the front edge 49 of program holder 28. Bracket 50 also are provided with openings 52 therein, which are of the same diameter as and in vertical alignment with openings 48 in brackets 46 when the program holder and frame assembly are connected together. A rod 54 extends through openings 48 and 52 in all of the brackets and is held in place in the title display apparatus by suitable fasteners 56 removably mounted on each end of the rod.

The structure of the pair of releasable latches 32 employed to hold the program holder against the frame assembly is shown in FIGS. 6 and 11-13, the latches being shown in their latched positions in FIGS. 6, 11 and 12 and their unlatched positions in FIG. 13. Each latch 32 comprises a plastic latching member 58, pivotally mounted in an opening in the back edge 51 of frame assembly 26, and a resilient spring 60 that is mounted on an L-shaped metal reinforcing member 53 that runs along back edge 51 of the frame assembly and bears against the back edge of the latch so as to urge the latch inwardly through opening 55 to its latching position. Latch 58 comprises a longitudinal shaft 62 having a lip or latching surface 64 formed at the head of the shaft and a transverse rod 66 formed at the base of the shaft. Rod 66 rides in a corresponding groove 68 in member 53, which forms a bearing surface therefor. Lip 64 fits over the back edge 70 of the program holder to releasably hold the program holder against the frame assembly. A projection 73 extends outwardly from lip 64 in order to facilitate manual release of the latch.

In order to provide a corresponding latching surface in the program holder for latches 58 in the frame assembly, the back edge 70 of the program holder comprises a metal channel member 72 that fits into slots 74 in the back end 76 of the plastic portion of program holder 28. A flat latching surface 78 is provided in metal channel member 72 so as to provide a compatible latching surfacefor lip 64.

The subject title display apparatus, as mounted in a coin-operated phonograph is shown in FIGS. 1, l5 and 16. Coin-operated phonograph 22 is provided with a flat horizontally disposed cabinet lid 80 that is pivotally mounted on the coin-operated phonograph by means of hinges 82 at the back edge of the cabinet lid. Thus, the cabinet lid may be raised or lowered by lifting the front edge of the cabinet lid with respect to the coinoperated phonograph. The cabinet lid is provided with a transparent viewing surface 84, which may be formed of clear or colored glass and may be illuminated by various colored lights in order to produce any desired lighting or appearance effects to persons positioned at a distance from the coin-operated phonograph.

The frame assembly and program holder of the present invention are mounted on the underside of cabinet lid 80 such that the title strips are visible through viewing surface 84. Frame assembly 26 is mounted securely to cabinet lid 80 by means of brackets 86 attached to i the frame assembly at the corners of reinforcing member 53 and are secured to the back of the cabinet lid by metal screws 88 or other such suitable fasteners. The front edge of the title strip display apparatus is held to the cabinet lid by means of spring retaining clips 90 (shown in FIG. 15). In order to remove the entire display apparatus from the coin-operated phonograph, first the cabinet lid is raised, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, then the fasteners are removed from brackets 86, so that the rear portion of the display apparatus may be pulled away from the cabinet lid, and then the display apparatus is pulled downwardly as shown in FIG. 15 so as to slide the display apparatus away from retaining clips 90.

Without removing the display apparatus from the coin-operated phonograph, the title strips displayed in the program holder may be removed or substituted very easily by raising the cabinet lid, releasing latches 58, and pivoting program holder 28 away from the frame assembly into an upright position, as shown in FIG. 16. In this position, the title strips face the front of the machine and may be removed easily through the openings along the right hand edges of each individual title strip slot. A typical title strip 24' is shown partially removed in FIG. 16.

When constructed in the above-discussed manner, the apparatus of the present invention provides numerous advantages over title strip display apparatus of the prior art. First, the present invention provides only selected viewing of title strips. The angle of viewings of any person close enough to the coin-operatedphonograph to operate the machine will be such that the title strips will be visible through the individual frames that surround each title strip. However, for persons positioned more than a few feet from the coin-operated phonograph, the angle of viewing decreases to such an extent that the frames obscure the title strips from view. Thus, such persons will not see the title strips but will see instead the frames or the viewing surface that covers the title strip display apparatus. This feature greatly enhances the aesthetic appeal and, hence, the saleability, of the coin-operated phonograph.

Another important featureof the present invention is the easy accessibility that is provided for the title strips held in the titlestrip display apparatus. As described above, by raising the cabinet lid and pivoting the program holder away from the frame into an upright position, the title strips are positioned almost at eye level and facing the front of the machine. Thus, the serviceman can easily and effortlessly remove or substitute title strips in the display apparatus. This feature greatly facilitates servicing of coin-operated phonographs and reduces substantially the amount of time required for changing record selections in such machines.

Still another important aspect of the present invention, is that the advantages of selective viewing and easy access are provided with a structure that is simple and inexpensive, and most of the parts, particularly the frame assemby and the program holder may be molded easily out of inexpensive plastic. Thus, the advantages of the present invention may be achieved without the expenditure of substantial extra money in form of complex machinery.

It should be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary of the preferred practices of the present invention and that various changes, modifications, and variations may be made in the arrangements, operations, and details of construction of the elements disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. Title strip display apparatus for a coin'operated phonograph comprising:

a plurality of title strips;

a program holder having a flat backing surface to support said title strips;

a plurality of raised ridges having horizontally extending projections located on said backing surface and forming three-sided compartments for said title strips;

a frame assembly located over and parallel to said program holder, the bottom edge of said program holder being pivotally connected to said frame assembly;

raised ribs formed on said frame assembly to surround each title strip and prevent said title strips from being visible to a person beyond a certain distance from the coin-operated phonograph; and

a normally horizontally disposed cabinet lid pivotally mounted on the coin-operated phonograph and having a transparent viewing surface through which said title strips may be seen, said frame assembly being mounted on the bottom of said cabinet lid,

whereby said cabinet lid may be pivoted to a vertical position and said program holder may be rotated with respect to said cabinet lid and said frame assembly to display said title strips in an easily readable and readily accessible position.

2. Title strip display apparatus for a coin-operated phonograph comprising:

a cabinet lid pivotably mounted along a back edge to the coin-operated phonograph, said cabinet lid normally positioned in a first horizontal position and being pivotable to a second vertical position, and said cabinet lid further including a transparent 7 8 viewing surface therein through which the title wherein said view restricting means comprises raise strips are viewable; ribs mounted on said frame assembly surrounding each a frame assembly mounted on said cabinet lid immetitl stri and extending upwardly a distance sufficient diately below Said Cabinet lid; to prevent the title strips from being visible to any perapl'ogram holder means Pivotably moumed along the sons positioned more than a few feet from the coinfront edge thereof to the front edge of said frame operated phonograph assembly, said program holder means including retaining means for holding the title strips;

releasable latches mounted on the frame assembly releasably holding said program holder means 10 against the underside of said frame assembly, said releasable latches being releasable when said cabinet lid is pivoted to its second vertical position so that said program holder means can be pivoted 180 with respect to said frame assembly;

whereby the title strips may be removed or replaced by pivoting said cabinet lid to its second position 5. Title strip display apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said program holder means comprises:

a backing;

raised ridges formed on said backing, said ridges positioned on three sides of each title strip leaving the fourth side open and having projections formed thereon that extend over the edge of each title strip thereby holding the title strip between said backing and the projections on said ridges so that said title strips may be removed and inserted through the and pivoting said program holder means 180 with P f respect to Said cabinet 6. Title strip display apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, 3. Title strip display apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, further Comprising: further comprising view restricting means to prevent fastener means removably Q mg the ack edg of the title strips from being visible to any persons posi- Said frame assembly Said cabinet and tioned more than a few feet from the coin-operated resilient retaining lip means holding the front edge of phonograph. said frame assembly to said cabinet lid.

4. Title strip display apparatus, as claimed in claim 3,

Claims (6)

1. Title strip display apparatus for a coin-operated phonograph comprising: a plurality of title strips; a program holder having a flat backing surface to support said title strips; a plurality of raised ridges having horizontally extending projections located on said backing surface and forming threesided compartments for said title strips; a frame assembly located over and parallel to said program holder, the bottom edge of said program holder being pivotally connected to said frame assembly; raised ribs formed on said frame assembly to surround each title strip and prevent said title strips from being visible to a person beyond a certain distance from the coin-operated phonograph; and a normally horizontally disposed cabinet lid pivotally mounted on the coin-operated phonograph and having a transparent viewing surface through which said title strips may be seen, said frame assembly being mounted on the bottom of said cabinet lid, whereby said cabinet lid may be pivoted to a vertical position and said program holder may be rotated 180* with respect to said cabinet lid and said frame assembly to display said title strips in an easily readable and readily accessible position.

2. Title strip display apparatus for a coin-operated phonograph comprising: a cabinet lid pivotably mounted along a back edge to the coin-operated phonograph, said cabinet lid normally positioned in a first horizontal position and being pivotable to a second vertical position, and said cabinet lid further including a transparent viewing surface therein through which the title strips are viewable; a frame assembly mounted on said cabinet lid immediately below said cabinet lid; a program holder means pivotably mounted along the front edge thereof to the front edge of said frame assembly, said program holder means including retaining means for holding the title strips; releasable latches mounted on the frame assembly releasably holding said program holder means against the underside of said frame assembly, said releasable latches being releasable when said cabinet lid is pivoted to its second vertical position so that said program holder means can be pivoted 180* with respect to said frame assembly; whereby the title strips may be removed or replaced by pivoting said cabinet lid to its second position and pivoting said program holder means 180* with respect to said cabinet lid.

3. Title strip display apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, further comprising view restricting means to prevent the title strips from being visible to any persons positioned more than a few feet from the coin-operated phonograph.

4. Title strip display apparatus, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said view restricting means comprises raise ribs mounted on said frame assembly surrounding each title strip and extending upwardly a distance sufficient to prevent the title strips from being visible to any persons positioned more than a few feet from the coin-operated phonograph.

5. Title strip display apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said program holder means comprises: a backing; raised ridges formed on said backing, said ridges positioned on three sides of each title strip leaving the fourth side open and having projections formed thereon that extend over the edge of each title strip thereby holding the title strip between said backing and the projections on said ridges so that said title strips may be removed and inserted through the open fourth side.

6. Title strip display apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: fastener means removably holding the back edge of said frame assembly to said cabinet lid; and resilient retaining lip means holding the front edge of said frame assembly to said cabinet lid.

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