Patent GB-526803-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in automatic phonographs
IPC: G11B17/28
Filed: 1938-12-20
Abstract: 526,803. Magazine gramophones. ANDREWS, E. F. Dec. 20, 1938, No. 37082. Convention date, Dec. 20, 1937. [Class 40 (ii)] A magazine gramophone comprises a fixed magazine containing records side by side and a turntable mechanism movable alongside the magazine to the position of a desired record. As shown, the magazine comprises a pair of transverse horizontal bars 111, 112, Figs. 1 and 5, for supporting the records 114 vertically side by side, and a pair of transverse horizontal tubes 118, 119 are provided for supporting the turntable mechanism, which can be moved along these tubes to the position opposite the desired record determined by push buttons 104, the. record being then transferred from the magazine to the turntable, played, and returned to the magazine, the mechanism allowing the playing of either side or both sides of the record. The turntable mechanism is mounted on a frame comprising two main end plates 140, 141, driven along the tubes 118, 119 by a motor 147 on the frame. Notches such as 121 at the ends of the tubes cause a switch to reverse the direction of motion, so that the frame can move alternately in one direction and the other in front of the magazine when driven by the motor 147. The push buttons 104 are provided in the front wall 102 of the casing in two superimposed staggered rows, one button in one row for one side of each record and one button in the other row for the other side of each record. The desired records and their side or sides are selected by pressing the corresponding button inwards. Each button remains inwards until the corresponding record side has been played. After the desired buttons have been pressed, a starting switch is closed by a button 105. The turntable frame is moved along the tubes 118, 119 by the motor 147 until a pawl 249 is arrested by a stem 103 of a button 104. When this occurs, a lever 182 is rocked, the drive of the frame stops, a pawl 184, Fig. 7, engages a notched disc 297, and the motor 147 then transmits movement to a cam shaft 240 and the mechanisms for extracting the record from the magazine, playing the record, and returning the record to the magazine. While the record is playing, the pawl 184 is held off the notched disc 297 and the rotation of the cam shaft temporarily suspended. After the return of the record to the magazine, the motor again drives the frame along the tubes 118, 119 until another selected button arrests the frame, when another selected record is played, and so on. A push button 106 is provided to stop the operation. Magazine mechanism.-The records 114, which may be of mixed sizes and rest vertically side by side on the horizontal bars 111, 112 are spaced apart by inverted U-shaped members 115. The desired record is lifted by a pivoted arm 360, carried by the turntable frame, which has been brought opposite the desired record. The record in rising rolls over the front bar 111 out of the spacing members 115 and on to arms 367, 370, Fig. 4, on the turntable frame which arms hold them until the turntable spindle 199 has been inserted in the central hole of the record and the record has been clamped between two discs constituting a small vertical turntable 191. After the record has been played it is rolled back into the magazine by the arm 370. The movements of the arms co-operating with the record are controlled by the cam shaft 240. Pick-up arm arrangement.-The pick-up arm 207, Fig. 11, is pivoted on a vertical pivot 208 on a bracket 209 pivoted to a yoke 214 by a horizontal trunnion 212 in the plane of the record 114 on the turntable, and the yoke 214 is carried by a horizontal trunnion 224 in a boss 225. The pivotal movements are balanced. The pivot 208 allows movement of pick-up toward and away from record under control of a cam 220 on a slidable shaft 217, and the trunnion 224 allows the pick-up to track the record. The trunnion 212 allows the pick-up arm to be turned bodily to one side or the other of the record, both sides of which are exposed. The operations following the playing of one side of the record is determined by the final movement of the pick-up arm. A cam 271, Figs 5 and 48, follows the movement of the pick-up arm. When the pick-up begins to play the record the pawl 184 is put out of the notched disc 297 after this has made about half a revolution during which the record was fed. During play, a pawl 338 or 339 bears on the cam 271. At the end of the play the pawl passes beyond the cam, or the reverse movement of the cam bv an eccentric groove on the record causes the deflection of the pawl. In either case, a member 337 carrying the pawls 338, 339 is released and is rocked by a spring 340 to bring a notch 342 opposite a detent 301, which releases the pawl 184 which is on a sleeve 296. The pawl 184 then engages a notch in a disc 297, and motion is transmitted to the various mechanisms until the pawl 184 is disengaged by an abutment 293 on the lever 182, when the parts are all again in the initial position.