US582754A - District - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheep 1. T. H. MACDONALD.

COIN CONTROLLED GRAPHOPHO NE.

.Tnv 6707-071 .Patented May 18, 1897.

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2.

- T. H. MACDONALD.

OOIN CONTROLLED GRAPHOPHONE.

No. 582,754 Patented May 18,1897.

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00m CONTROLLED GRAPHOPHONE. No. 582,754. Patented May 18, 1897.

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(No Model.) 4SheetsSheet 4.

T. H. MACDONALD.

OOIN CONTROLLED GRAPHOPHONE. No. 582,754. Patented May 18,1897

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lllll-llllll 'geously applied to a spring-motor.

UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

THOMAS H. MACDONALD, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN GRAPHOPI-IONE COMPANY, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED GRAPHOPHONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,754, dated May 18, 1897.

Application filed February 6, 1897- Serial No. 622,358. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,THOMAS H. MAoDoNALD, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Graphophones, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specifica-' tion.

This invention has reference to mechanism for controlling the operation of a graphophone by deposit of a coin, though some of its features may be applied to controlling apparatus other than graphophones. Its main object is to produce a simple and effective control mechanism not liable with ordinary care to derangement and which can be advanta- By the improvements hereinafter described the mechanism is much simplified in construction and greater certainty of action insured. In the use of mechanism of this sort the following operations have to be performed upon the deposit of the proper coin: The motor is started and the carriage of the reproducer engaged with the feed-screw. The reproducer is lowered into operative contact with the recordtablet. When the carriage reaches the end of its travel, the motor is arrested, the reproducer raised, the carriage disengaged from the feed-screw and returned to its normal position.

According to the present invention a springmotor is employed to operate the graphophone, and this motor is provided with the usual crank-handle for winding the spring. A locking device is also provided whereby the operation of the crank-handle is prevented until by deposit of a coin in the coin-chute the locking device is released. The user can now Wind the spring until the limit-stop is reached. One of the gears of the winding mechanism carries or actuates a device which, when the spring is wound, raises the lever employed on ordinary commercial graphophones to throw the reproducer into and out of operative position and simultaneously to engage the carriage with or disengage it from the feed-screw. When the device (preferably a grooved or trough-shaped bar) which actuates said lever is raised, it is caught by a suitable latch, and the latter is released by contact of the reproducer-carriage when the latter reaches the end of its movement. The bar is now pulled down by a spring, raising the reproducer and disengaging the carriage, and the same movement applies a brake to the motor. As the carriage is advanced by the feed-screw it puts a spring under tension, which spring returns it to its normal position when disengaged from the feed-screw.

WVithin the principles of this invention the various parts may take many different forms. The construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings is deemed the best, because it can be applied to ordinary graphophones and spring-motors in common use without necessitating any material change therein.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a graphophone provided with the improved controlling mechanism. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation; and Fig.

fl: is a similar view, parts being broken away and other parts shown in section.

The graphophone shown is substantially like that illustrated in Letters Patent No. 569,290, dated October 13, 1896, and will not require particular description. The springmotor may likewise be of any approved form. Its arbors are supported in brackets depending from a bed-plate A of the machine. It is adapted to be wound by a crank-handle B through pinions 12 13 and spur-gear 14, the latter being on the arbor 15, to which the inner end of mainspring C is attached. Shaft 15 carries also a ratchet-wheel 16, upon which normally rests by gravity a detent 17, pivoted to the bracket A. This detent normally locks the winding-gear. The rear end 18 of the detent or look is bifurcated and embraces.

the lower end of the coin-chute B. The weight of a coin on this'end of the detent tilts it to the position shown in full lines, Fig. 4, unlocking the winding-gear. The detent does not tilt far enough to drop the coin, being arrested by contact of pin 19 on o the detent with the end of a pivoted stoparm 20, which is held by the tension of a spring 21. This spring is strong enough to resist the weight of the coin and consequently during the winding the parts remain in this position. When the motor is running, the

stop-arm is lifted against the pressure of its spring, so that the coin can drop, as shown in full lines, Fig. 4, and the detent 17 return to its normal position. This operation is effected by a pin 25 on the large spur-gear 26, which receives motion from a pinion 27 on arbor 15. \Vheels 26 27 are so proportioned that the former makes but one turn during the winding and unwinding of the spring. Arm carries a pivoted lug 28, which pin lifts and passes during the winding without disturbing the arm. During the reverse movement pin 25 in passing the lug 28 strikes the end thereof and lifts arm 20, permitting the detent to tilt further and drop the coin, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4.

The number of turns of the mainspring in winding and unwinding is limited by the action of a wheel 30. This wheel has a series of teeth extending part way round its periphery, one of which is engaged at each turn of the arbor 15 by a pin 31 011 the face of gear 14:. The number of these teeth fixes the number of turns that can be given the spring, since when pin 31 encounters the continuous portion of the wheel movement in that direction is arrested.

The driving-shaft 33 of the spring-motor is connected, as usual, by a belt 34 to a pulley on the mandrel-shaft 35 of the graphophone, and the latter shaft communicates motion to the feed-screw 36 in the usual way. The feed-screw is as usual inclosed in the slidetube (1, upon which slides the reproducer-earriage D, tube 61 being open on its under side to permit engagement of the nut with the feed-screw, as well understood.

E represents the handle or device by which the reproducer F is moved into or out of 0011- tact with the record-tablet G and the carriage simultaneously engaged with or disengaged from the feed-screw. These parts are all well understood, and being, moreover, described in the patent above referred to, call for no particular description.

The operations of the carriage D are effected through a tilting frame II, pivoted at 7t. The front bar h of this frame extends the entire length of the travel of the reproducer-carriage. It is U-shaped in cross-section, and the end of handle E extends into the recess. Hence by the tilting of frame II the handle may be thrown up or down. The frame has an arm 71, extending downwardly through a slot in the bed-plate and into the path of a pin 38 on the large spur-gear 26, pin 38 being on the opposite face to pin 25. As wheel 26 turns in winding the mainspring pin 38 makes contact with arm 7L2, gradually tilting the frame II against the pressure of a special spring 7L2. This movement raises the bar 7L and with it the handle E, so that before the winding is arrested the reproducer F is lowered into operative contact with the record and its carriage D connected with the feedscrew and ready to start. It is necessary to provide means for keeping the frame H in this position during the whole time determined for the forward movement of the re producer. This is effected by a spring-catch 7a in the form of a hub or boss attached to a rod it" by a set-screw 75", rod 7s being mounted to slide freely in a perforated stud m. Rod 7; carries another boss L loose thereon and attached to boss 7:" by a plate Between the boss 70 and stud m is a spring k Catch 70 normally rests against the side of a finger 71;, which is part of frame H; but when the latter is raised finger h moves to one side of the catch and the latter springs in front of it, being actuated by spring 70. Frame II is thus kept in its elevated position, notwithstanding the withdrawal of pin 38, while the motor is unwinding. As the carriage D approaches the end of its forward movement it makes contact with the end of the rod 70 and pushes the latch 70 from in front of finger h This releases frame II, which is immediately tilted back to its former position by spring 7L3. This movement reverses the handle E, lifting the reproducer and disengaging the carriage from the feed-screw. \Vhen so disengaged, the spring M returns the carriage to its starting-point. A buffer 11 is provided to prevent undue shock upon the return of I the carriage.

It is desirable to adjust the travel of the reproducer to the length of the sound-record at the time 011 the machine, these records being of variable length. To this end the pink can be adjusted with reference to the catch is by loosening the set-screw 76, so that the pin can be set forward or back, as may be re- (fuired. After the carriage has returned the motor may run on until arrested by the stopwhecl 30, as already explained; but it is preferable to arrest the motor the moment the carriage is released, and this is effected by the return movement of the bar 71/ of the frame II acting upon the usual brake-leverN of the spring-motor through a sliding frame H.

A flexible tube P runs from the reprod ucercarriage to an upright sound-eonveyin g tube 1 with which the horn or bearing-tubes are connected, as usual.

The operation will be readily understood. The user deposits the proper coin in the coinchuter It falls on the lock or detent 17 and tilts the latter, unlocking the wimling-gear. The user now winds the spring-motor until the movement of the winding-gear is arrested by the stop-wheel 30. Frame ll has by this time been tilted and latched in its elevated position, so that the carriage is ready to start as soon as the user lets go of the crank-handle. The carriage runs the distance determined by position of the latch-pin 76, upon reaching which latch 70 is actuated, releasing frame ll, which is immediately retracted by its spring, raising the reproducer and disengaging its carriage from the feed-screw, this movement of the frame also operating the The carriage is retracted by brake-lever.

its spring and the parts are all in position for i another operation. It is understood that the mechanism is properly boxed, so that access cannot be had to the working parts by unauthorized persons.

It will be evident that substantial parts of the control mechanism described can be applied to motors other than spring-motors, although specially adapted to the latter. It will also be evident that modifications may be made in the construction of different parts of the mechanism without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the mainspring of a spring-motor, and with apparatus driven thereby, of an arbor to which one end of said mainspring is attached, winding-gear connectedwith said arbor and including a ratchetwheel, a coin-chute, and a detent normally locking said wheel, but adapted to be disengaged by the deposit of a coin in said chute, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the mainspring of a spring-motor, and with apparatus driven thereby, of an arbor to which one end of said mainspring is attached, winding-gear connected with said arbor and including a ratchetwheel, a coin-chute, a detent normally looking said wheel, but adapted to be disengaged by the deposit of a coin in said chute, and a stop limiting the number of turns given said mainspring in winding, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a spring-motor, and with a graphophone driven thereby, of a winding-gear for said motor,a coin-controlled lock for said winding-gear, starting mechanism for the graphophone, and connections for operating said mechanism from said winding-gear, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a springmotor, and with a graphophone driven thereby, of a winding-gear for said motor, a coin-controlled lock for said winding-gear, starting mechanism for the graphophone, connections for operating said mechanism from the windinggear, whereby the reproducer-carriage of the graphophone is connected with the motor when wound, and means for disengaging and returning the reproducer-carriage on reaching the end of its advance movement, substantially as described.

5. In a coin-controlled graphophone, the combination with a motor, a feed-screw driven thereby, the reproducer carriage, and the handle for engaging said carriage with said feed-screw and for disengaging it therefrom, of a movable frame controlling said handle, mechanism controlled by the deposit of a coin, for moving said frame in one direction, means actuated by the reproducer-carriage on reaching the end of its forward movement for returning said frame to its normal position, and

means for returning the reproducer-carriage when disengaged from the feed-screw, substantially as described.

6. In a graphophone, the combination with the m otor, the feed-screw, and the reproducercarriage, of coin-controlled mechanism for starting the motor, connections operated upon the starting of the motor for engaging the carriage with the feed-screw, means operated by the carriage on reaching the end of its forward movement for disengaging said carriage from the feed-screw, and a spring for returning the carriage when disengaged, substantially as described.

7. In a coin-controlled graphophone, the combination with a motor, a feed-screw driven thereby, the reproducer carriage, and the handle for engaging said carriage with said feed-screw and for disengaging it therefrom, of a movable frame controlling said handle, mechanism controlled by the deposit of a coin, for moving said frame in one direction, means actuated by the reproducer-carriage on reaching the end of its forward movement for returning said frame to its normal position, means for returning the reproducer-carriage when disengaged from the feed-screw, and 'a brake for arresting the motor operated by the return movement of said frame, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the motor, the feedscrew, the reproducer-carriage, and the handle for engaging the carriage with and disengaging it from the feed-screw, of a movable frame controlling said handle, coin-controlled mechanism for moving said frame in the direction to engage the carriage with the feedscrew, a spring-latch for holding the frame in its operative position, said latch having a part acted upon by the carriage on reaching the end of its movement to disengage it from said frame, and a spring for returning the frame and releasing the carriage, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a spring-motor, of winding-gear therefor, a coin-chute, a latch for locking said winding-gear having an end projecting into the chute, so that the weight of a coin tilts the latch and unlocks the driving-gear, a stop to prevent the latch tilting so far as to drop the coin, andconnections operated by said motor to remove said stop and permit the dropping of the coin, substantially as described.

10. In combination with the spring-motor and winding-gear, a lock for said gear adapted to be released by the deposit of a coin, a stopwheel having a series of teeth in part of its periphery, and a' pin on onevof the wheels of the winding-gear for engaging at each turn one of the teeth of the stop-Wheel, substantially as described. I

' 11. The combination with the spring-motor, the feed-screw and the reproducer-carriage having a handle for connecting the carriage and disconnecting it from the feed-screw, of

a tilting frame controlling said handle, coin- In testimony whereof I have signed this controlled Winding-gear for said motor, eonspecification in the presence of two snbscrib- Ic nections from said Winding-gear to tilt said ing Witnesses.

flame so as to connect the ecuna e 1th the T. IL MACDONALD 5 feed-screw, means for dlsconnectlng the earriage from the feed-screw, and means for re- 111105503:

turning the carriage to its stnvrting-poin t, snb- ALICE I K EoU (1H,

stantially as described. L. GORDON.

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