CONTINUOUS PLAYBACK DEVICE INCLUDING A PHONOGRAPHIC DISK PLAYER FOR USE IN DOLLS AND THE LIKE

Abstract: The continuous playback device particularly for disk record players incorporated to dolls and the like, comprises a shaped arm (2) supporting a loud-speaker (1), a stylus carrying arm (15), a disk record carrier plate (6), bored axially and provided with at least one bushing, a movable pawl, characterised in that said at least one bushing (7, 8) has a radial projection (9) along its edge, while the pawl has, on its bottom face facing the disk record carrier plate, a groove (13) adapted to removably engage with the projection (9) of the bushing, the pawl having a protrusion (14) on the top face thereof.

Description: This invention relates to a continuous playback device particularly for disk record players incorporated to dolls and the like. Known and currently employed are doll disk record players having a continuous playback device, namely a device operative to automatically bring the stylus carrying arm back to a disk record initial or starting position at the end of the disk record playing. A device of that kind is described in Italian patent application No. 21345 B/80, filed on larch 31, 1980 by these same Applicants, which comprises a displaceable pawl having an inclined surface on its bottom face and a groove on its top face. Said pawl is movable along the axis of the disk record carrier, plate which is bored centrally and provided with a cylindrical body. Said body includes a projection, extending on the interior thereof parallel with the axis of the disk record carrier plate, on which projection the inclined bottom face of the pawl is caused to bear; as the projection is rotated, it causes the pawl to move up and down. The record player loudspeaker is supported on a shaped arm which overlies the path of movement of the stylus carrying arm, while bearing thereon during the record playing. A spring biases the loudspeaker, and accordingly its arm, against the stylus carrying arm and inhibits the return of the latter by opposing the action of the arm return spring. The loudspeaker arm has, at a location corresponding to a position of the stylus carrying arm proximating the end of the disk record, a thinned out portion which allows said arm to drop down. moreover, it has a pin overlying the pawl groove, so that said pin will engage said groove upon the loudspeaker arm dropping down. Consequently to the pawl engaging with the pin on the loudspeaker arm, as the pawl is raised by the rotation of the projection of the disk record carrier plate cylindrical body, the loudspeaker arm is also raised. Thus, the stylus carrying arm, being no longer urged by the loudspeaker arm, is allowed to move back into the disk record initial position. Said device, while operating in a satisfactory manner, is of complex construction and requires the provision of a means; such as the pawl, which is only utilized with this device and is not common with other devices. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a continuous playback device particularly for disk record players incorporated to dolls, which is construction-wise simpler and can utilize ordinary elements and other devices, thus affording savings and reduced manufacturing, inventory and storage costs. This and other objects are achieved by a continuous playback device particularly for disk record players incorporated to dolls and the like, according to the invention, which comprises a shaped arm supporting a loudspeaker, a stylus carrying arm, a disk record carrier plate bored axially and having at least one bushing and one movable pawl, characterised in that said at least one bushing has a radial projection along its edge, and that said pawl has, on its bottom face adjacent said disk record carrier plate, a groove adapted to removably engage with said projection on said bushing, said pawl having a protrusion on its top face. Further features and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description of a continuous playback device particularly for disk record players incorporated to dolls and the like, according to the invention with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings, where: Figure 1 shows a prespective view of the loudspeaker and related supporting arm; Figure 2 shows in perspective the disk record carrier plate and pawl; Figures 3-7 show in side elevation this continuous playback device at various disk playing stages thereof; Figures 8-11 show in side elevation the whole disk record player, as incorporating this continuous playback device, at various disk record playing stages; and Figures 12 to 16 illustrate a modified outer configuration of the box-like casing, respectively in perspective, top plan, bottom plan, side and end views. With reference to Figure 1, there is indicated at 1 the loudspeaker, which is of conical shape and conventional type. Said loudspeaker 1 is supported on an arm, generally indicated at 2. The arm 2 has a raised portion 3 of circular shape at one end thereof, a second raised portion 4 formed with a pin 5 at the middle region thereof. In a conventional manner, and as shown in Figures 8-11, the arm 2 of the loudspeaker 1 overlies the path of movement of the stylus carrying arm 15, it bearing onto the latter during the record playing stage. A spring 16 biases the loudspeaker 1 and hence its arm 2, against the stylus carrying arm 15 and prevents the latter from returning toward the disk record initial or starting position, against the action of a spring (not shown). With reference to Figures 2-7, the disk record carrier plate 6, supporting the disk record 17, is bored centrally and has two bushings 7 and 8 of cylindrical shape and arranged concentrically. In a radial direction and bearing on the two bushings, there extends a projection 9. The pawl 10 comprises a leg or stem 11 which extends along the axis of the disk record carrier plate 6 internally to the bushing 8, and which is urged toward the arm 2 by a spring 30 acting, at its other end, against the box-like body of the record player. The pawl 10 comprises at the top a small disk 12 which has, on its bottom face, a radial groove 13 corresponding to the projection 9 and adapted to engage and rotatively entrain the pawl 10 to follow the disk record carrier plate 6 as the elastic bias of the spring 30 is overcome. On its top face, the small disk 12 has a protrusion 14 of variable height which, in the example shown1 has the form of an annulus. Said protrusion 14, when the pawl 10 is rigid with the disk record carrier plate 6 and rotates therewith, will interfere with the pin 5 on the loudspeaker arm, causing the latter to be raised and enabling the stylus carrying arm 15 to free itself and return to the record initial position. The device operation will be described with reference to Figures 3-11. Initially, when the stylus carrying arm 15 is at the record start position, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, the loudspeaker arm 2 presses on the stylus carrying arm 15 with its raised portion 3. During this stage, the arm 2 is in its raised position and applies no pressure to the pawl 10, which is then idle. As the stylus carrying arm 15 is advanced, it reaches the termination of the raised portion 3. The action of the spring 16 causes then the loudspeaker arm 2 to be lowered, which therefore continues to bias the stylus carrying arm 15. Following the lowering of the arm 2, the pin 5 begins to éxertua pressure on the pawl 10, which is moved downwards to overcome the bias of the spring 30, as shown in Figures 4 and 9. However, as in its rotation the projection 9 rigid with the disk record carrier plate 6 finds itself at the groove 13 on the pawl, the projection 9 will penetrate the groove 13, thus making the pawl 10 rigid with the disk record carrier plate 6 (see Figures 5 and 10). Thus, the pawl will begin to rotate until (Figure 6) the protrusion 14 interferes with the pin 5 on the arm 2, causing it to be raised (Figures 7 and 11). The stylus carrying arm 15, being no longer urged downwards by the arm 2, and thanks to the action of the arm return spring, will move back into a position corresponding to the start of the record. Thus, the record playing can be re-initiated. With reference to Figures 12 to 16 there is shown an embodiment comprising a compact box-like casing which advantageously includes an upper halfshell 20 and lower half-shell 21 which can be snap joined together. With a box-like casing of this type, it becomes possible to make the loudspeaker arm fixed, and to make axially movable, under the action of an elastic means, the disk record carrier plate 6, without altering the functional concepts set forth hereinabove. In practicing the invention, the materials used and the dimensions may be any selected ones, depending on individual applications.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A continuous playback device particularly for disk record players incorporated to dolls and the like, which comprises a shaped arm (2) supporting a loudspeaker (1), a stylus carrying arm (15), a disk record carrier plate (6) bored axially and having at least one bushing (7,8), and one movable pawl (10), characterised in that said at least one bushing (7,8) has a radial projection (9) along its edge, and that said pawl (10) has, on its bottom face adjacent said disk record carrier plate (6) a groove (13) adapted to removably engage with said projection (9) on said bushing (7,8), said pawl (10) having a protrusion (14) on its top face. 2. A device according to Claim 1 characterised in that said disk record carrier plate (6) has two coaxial cylindrical bushings (7,8). 3. A device according to Claim 1 characterised in that the pawl (10) comprises a stem (11) extending along the axis of the disk record carrier plate (6) within the innermost (8) of said bushings, and that the protrusion (14) on the top face of the pawl has a variable height and an annulus-like shape. 4. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that said shaped arm (2) of the loudspeaker (1) hassat one endwa raised portion (3) of circular shape, and, at the centre,a raised portion (4) having a pin (5) which interferes with said protrusion (14) on the pawl (10), said pawl (10) being rotatively rigid with said bushing (7,8). 5. A device according to the preceding claims, characterised in that it is accommodated within a box-like casing comprising an upper half-shell (20) and lower half-shell (21) arranged to be snap coupleable together. 6. A continuous playback device particularly for disk record players incorporated to dolls and the like, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

Inventors: BIASI, ADRIANO, BINAGHI, GIOVANNI
Applicants: BIASI, ADRIANO, BINAGHI, GIOVANNI
Application year: 1982
Main classification: G11B33
IPC codes: G11B3, G11B33