Patent GB-612417-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to automatic phonographs
IPC: G11B17/02
Filed: 1945-04-27
Abstract: 612,417. Magazine gramophones. TRIGGS, W. W. (Farnsworth Television & Radio Corporation). April 27, 1945, No. 10694. [Class 40 (ii)] In an automatic gramophone, a stack of records is normally supported on a shoulder 24, Fig. 2, on a vertical spindle 22 and peripheral supports 80 are provided to support the stack free of the shoulder, whilst the lowermost record is pushed into alignment with the spindle below the shoulder. The spindle is raised to separate the stack from the record, which drops to the turn-table when the supports 80 are withdrawn. The lowermost record engages a ledge 32 or 33 on a bracket 30 which is rotatable by hand so that either ledge can be used according to the size of the record. A record moving member 35, Figs. 2 and 8, is provided with auxiliary ledges 38, 39 which can be projected beyond the corresponding ledges 32, 33 on the bracket to push the lowermost record into alignment with the spindle. The record moving member is controlled by a lever 54, Figs. 6, 7 and 8, pivoted at 55 in a pedestal 31, which lever is in turn operated by a lever 60. The spindle 22 is moved vertically within the hollow shaft of the turn-table by a lever 70 pivoted to an ear 72 on a plate 73 fixed to the base-plate. A spring 76 biasses the lever 70 so that the spindle 22 is raised' when the last record is dropped. The two peripheral supports 80 are provided at their lower ends with crank members 82, Fig. 6, and are rotatable by means of a tie rod 83 and a lever 85 engaging the cam surface 89, so as to engage the stack. Record-changing cycle. A pinion 142 fixed to the turn-table shaft drives a cam gear 140 carrying cam surfaces 71, 89, 100, 107. One complete turn of the wheel 140 accomplishes the change of one record: The wheel 140 has a mutilated portion 143, Fig. 7, and does not mesh with the pinion 142 whilst the record is playing. The pinion and the wheel are brought into mesh at the end of a record by a tap-tap mechanism including a lever 132 connected to the tone-arm by a friction clutch 136, a lever 145 and a striking pin 144. The lever 145 is reset during the revolution of gear 140 by a disc (not shown) mounted on the stud-carrying lever 60. The stud 128 resets lever 132 and operates the record moving member later. Cam 107, Fig. 6, operates lever 105 to elevate the pin 103 and the tone-arm 16. Cam 100 rotates lever 95 to engage the pin 93 and to swing the tone-arm beyond the edge of the record. At the same time, cam 71 operates lever 70 and raises the spindle 22 carrying the record stack. Cam 89 rotates the supports 80 to a position beneath the stack which is then lowered upon them. The pin 128, Fig. 7, on the gear 140 engages lever 60 to operate lever 54 and to push the lowermost record into alignment with spindle 22. The stack, less the lowermost record, is again raised on spindle 22 before the supports 80 and the record moving member 35 are withdrawn to drop the record on to the turn-table. The tone-arm and the stylus are brought into engagement with the initial playing groove by cams 100, 107 and levers 95, 105 respectively. When the last record is dropped, spindle 22 is raised by the biassing spring 76 and a rotatable plate (not shown) mounted on gear 140 is set as it passes lever 70 so as to engage the switch arm 124 and stop the motor 19. The switch 130 can be used to set the apparatus for manual or automatic operation by adjusting the rod 156 and hooked portion 158 either to engage the edge of the aperture 160 to prevent any automatic record changing operation, or to allow full movement of the arm. By turning the switch so as to bring the hooked portion 158 against the inside edge of the aperture 160, a change cycle can be initiated whilst a record is playing, the record thereby being rejected. Alternative arrangement. In a modification, Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the record stock is raised by the peripheral supports 80 comprising bevelled shelf surfaces 165A and 165B adapted to support 10 in. and 12 in. records. The supports are mounted on shafts 163 and are rotated by rack-and-pinion devices, so as to engage and lift the record stack, the rack 171 being controlled by a lever 180 and a cam 178.