Patent GB-345471-A (GB)
Title: Automatic sound reproducing machines
IPC: G11B17/02
Filed: 1930-03-07
Abstract: 345,471. Magazine gramophones. PEPIN, J. N., 6639, Engleside Avenue, Chicago, U.S.A. March 7, 1930, No. 7555. [Class 40 (ii).] A magazine gramophone has mechanism for transferring by a horizontal sliding movement the lowermost record of a stack of horizontally disposed records carried by a fixed reservoir to the turntable and after reproduction to return it in an inverted position to the top of the stack. Feeding record from magazine to the turntable. The records are confined within guides 38 and are supported on spaced guide-bars 50 secured to a platform 10 so that the lowest record is just above the level of the turntable 12. A bracket 43 which can be reciprocated on a bar 45 by an arm 54 carries a pivoted latch 41 having a projection 47 engaging the edge of the lowermost record of the stack. When the bracket 43 moves to the right, Fig. 3, the lowest record is ejected from the stack and passes between rollers 74, 77, Fig. 5, of yielding material and on to the turntable. On the return movement of the bracket 43 the latch 41 slides under the stack in an inclined position, the latch ultimately engaging a fixed lug 52 so that the projection 47 engages the edge of the record now lowest in the stack. The arm 54 is fixed to a pin 55 which passes through the platform 10 and carries a member 59, Fig. 4, having a ball-andsocket connection with a rod 63 which can be reciprocated by a pin 195 carried eccentrically by a disc 196, on a shaft 125. Between the record stack and the turntable 12 is a transverse partition 69, Fig. 5, which is adjustable and carries the roller 74 adjacent its lower edge and rollers 92 adjacent its upper edge. Removing played record from turntable to magazine. The diameter of turntable is smaller than that of the records. Located on each side of the turntable 12 is an elevating member 80 secured to a shaft 84 and having record-engaging blades 81. One of the members 80 is pivotally connected at 87 to a rod 88 guided for sliding movement in a bracket 89 and carrying a roller 91 disposed in the path of the bar 54. Movement of the rod 88 to the right, Fig. 1, moves the members 80 upwardly about the shaft 84. The elevating members 80 are returned to the initial position by a spring 101. A pair of levers 93 pivoted at 95 and which are normally retained in the position shown in Fig. 3 by springs 99, are simultaneously actuated by projections 83 on the members 80 so that the upturned edge 96 thereof engage the lower edge of the tilted record and urge it to the right so that the record is inverted during its passage over the partition 69. The returned record is aligned to the records in the stack by a pin 103 on a lever 104 secured to a post 105 having a link 107, Fig. 4, pivoted to a reciprocable rod 108, the latter being actuated by a cam 113 on the member 59. The record-changing apparatus is driven by an independent electric motor 115 which drives a shaft. 125 carrying cams 127, 128. The cam 127 controls a reciprocated rod 131 connected by a link 136 to one end of a bar 140 the other end of which is adjustably pivoted on a stud 142 in a slot 143 in the platform 10. The clockwise movement of the bar 140, Fig. 4, under the action of a spring 146 is limited by a strap 144. The free end of the bar 140 is forked, between the arms of which is a follower 149 carried by a link 150 which is fixed to a rod 151 about which the tone-arm 27 is pivoted. Oscillatory movement of the bar 140 thus moves the tone-arm 27 outwardly at the end of recording. The follower 149 is freely movable between the fork arm 148 to permit the stylus 34 to traverse the entire record groove during reproduction. A wire spring 152 engages the follower 149 so that the stylus is moved to engage the initial grooves of the record, free swinging of the tone-arm 27 towards the centre of the turntable being prevented by a spring 155 which frictionally engages the follower 149. The cam 128, Fig. 14, actuates a reciprocable rod 132 connected to a pivoted link 156. The end of the latter carries a screw 165 which engages the end of the rod 151. The pick-up arm 27 is pivoted on a horizontal pin 28 so that the cam 128 through the rod 151 lifts the stylus on and off the record as required. Circuits of the driving motors. The recordchanging motor 115 and the turntable motor 16 are controlled by a switch 170, Fig. 2, operated by the movement of the tone-arm 27 at the end of a reproduction, the switch being arranged to operate whether the final groove on the record is eccentric or spiral. The switch casing has an open top and carries fixed contacts 173, 174. A bar 179 pivoted at 180 carries a contact 178, and is connected to a link 182 pivoted to the casing at 183. The contact 178 is electrically connected to the motor circuits by a conductor 191. An extension 185 of the bar 179 protrudes through the open top of the casing 170 and is held by a spring 179a in yielding frictional engagement with a sector 187, Fig. 12, fixed to the underside of a plate 188 carried by the rearward extension of the tone-arm 27. The sector 187 has teeth 189, 190 arranged so that they slide over the extension 185 in one direction but upon slight reversal of motion of the tone-arm such as when the stylus engages an eccentric groove in the record the teeth throw the bar 179 over from one position to the other to engage the contact 178 with 173 or 174 and thus energize the motor 115 or 16. To enable the machine to deal with records having a spiral finishing groove 169 the plate 188 carries an adjustable stop 197, Fig. 1, which at the end of a reproduction engages a lug 199 fixed to the switch bar 179 to throw the latter over. A switch 201 is connected to both motorcircuits so that the reproducing mechanism or the record-changing mechanism may be operated when desired. Record-changing brake gear. To bring the record-changing gear to a stop after each recordchanging operation and after the motor 115 has been de-energized the motor shaft carries a disc 192 against which a friction member 193 is pressed. The member 193 is carried by a lever 194 secured to the sliding rod 132. Operation. During reproduction the motor 16 drives the turntable 12, the motor 115 being inactive. At the end of reproduction the toothed sector 187 or the stop 197 throws over the switch bar 179 to stop the motor 16 and start the motor 115. The cam 128 operates the rod 151 to lift the stylus from the record and the cam 127 then oscillates the bar 140 to swing the tone-arm backwardly beyond the periphery of the turntable The eccentric pin 195 then actuates the rod 63 to move the latch 41 towards the trip 52 and at the same time the bar 54 engages the roller 91 to elevate the members 81 which together with the links 93 lift the played record and invert it over the transverse plate 69. The rod 103 is then actuated so that the pin 103 or the rod 104 aligns the record to the stack. Meanwhile, the latch 41 engages the lowermost record in the stack and transfers it to the turntable and the cam 127 moves the stylus within the confines of the record, the spring 152 positioning the stylus into alignment with the initial turn of the sound groove. The reversal in the movement of the sound-box 26 throws over the switch bar 179 to stop the motor 115 and start the reproducing motor 16 and the friction member 193 engages the disc 192 to bring the record-changing gear stationary.