Patent GB-383640-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to phonographs
Filed: 1931-02-24
Abstract: 383,640. Magazine gramophones. SPARKS-WITHINGTON CO., Jackson, Michigan, U.S.A.-(Assignees of Winchell, A. B.; 906, Oakridge Drive, Jackson, Michigan, U.S.A.) Feb. 24, 1931, No. 35340. Convention date, April 26, 1930. [Class 40 (ii).] A gramophone adapted to play records of different sizes supplied in succession from the bottom of a pile to a turntable, to deliver played records into a storage bin, and to return the pick-up arm to starting position, is controllable at will to repeat any desired record or to change a record at any time, and the electric driving motor has coils which may be connected in series during normal playing and in parallel at starting up or record changing when greater energy is required. The various movements of the machine are effected through a main clutch, the drive of the record feeding slide being transmitted through a second clutch which may be disengaged to permit repeat of a record. The turntable is moved vertically for record changing operations and lifts a newly applied record against the already positioned pick-up so as to raise it slightly and thereby maintain the motor circuit which is broken if no record has been supplied to the turntable so that the pick-up is not lifted. The turntable spindle 13, Fig. 9, provided with a spring supported centring pin 13<1> is supported on. a footstep bearing 86 and has splined engagement with a driving worm wheel 12 driven by a worm 11 connected through a spring 9, Fig. 7, with the motor 1. Record changing. The worm 11 driving the turntable also drives a.wheel 19 with which a clutch 22 may be engaged when a record is to be changed, thereby driving through worm gear 23, 24 a shaft 25 carrying a disc 26, supporting a pin 59 for positioning the pick-up arm, and a crown cam 82 for actuating a pivoted lever 83, Figs. 1 and 8, supporting the bearing 86 of the turntable spindle. The record-changing operation may be initiated automatically by the eccentric or rapid spiral terminal groove provided on known records, which groove causes an arm 50, Figs. 1 and 27, moving with the pick-up arm 40 to actuate a trip lever 39 so as to release a pivoted lever 30, Fig. 1, which now falls and moves the lever 27 to engage the clutch 22. The shaft 25 with disc 26 and cam 82 is thus driven for one revolution during which the turntable is lowered by lever 83 until the record bears on a rubber stop 92 and is swung about this contacting point by the rotation of the turntable to effect its delivery into a bin 183, Fig. 8. During this operation, the bottom record of a stack in a hopper 1131 is fed over the turntable, as described in Specification 383,940, by a slide 123, Fig. 7, actuated by an arm 118 from a shaft 108<1>, Fig. 8, which is rocked by a link 106<1> and lever 104 from a member 101 driven through a pivoted dog from the cam 82. The arm 118 drives the slide 123 through a bar 121 pivoted at one end 122 to the slide and at its other end to a slotted link 124 engaging a pin 127 on the slide. By this means the size of the bottom record can regulate automatically the feed movement of the slide for a 10-inch or 12-inch record ; if the record is of the larger size it operates on its forward movement to rock pivoted fingers 131, 132 on the hopper and the finger 131 rocks the link 124 so that the pin 127 on the slide is in the straight slot in the link which provides the necessary lost motion-: if the record is of the smaller size it passes the fingers without displacing them so that the pin 127 remains in the 'notched end of the slot. The inclined rear edges of the slide centre the record as they push it over the turntable, which is then raised by the cam 82 and lever 83 until the record engages the pick-up already positioned according to the size of record. When the disc 26 completes a revolution, a, notch therein opposite to the clutch lever 27 allows a spring 33 to open the clutch 22. When it is desired to repeat a record, a stud 108, Fig. 1, projecting through a slot in the casing is moved to rock a pivoted arm 109 and thereby move the pivot of the cam-influenced lever 83 so that this lever prevents the dog on the cam 82 from driving the member 101. In these circumstances, the slide is not operated to supply a new record and the member 101 presents a surface which prevents the lever 83 descending to its lowest position so that the played record is not lowered on to the rubber 92 and discharged. Record changing may be initiated at any time by depressing another stud on the casing, the stem 76, Figs. 1 and 33, of which then rocks a lever 75 to tilt the trip lever 39 whereupon the clutch 22 is engaged as described above. Pick-up arm, positioning and supporting. The pick-up arm 40, Fig. 27, having a pivoted counterweight 151 is movable about a horizontal pivot 45 on a bracket 46 movable about vertical pivots 47, 48 and carrying an arm 50 to which is pivoted a slotted link 51. engaging the stud 59, Fig. 1, on the disc 26. When the disc is rotated for record changing, involving lowering of the turntable clear of the pick-up, the pin 59 is carried against the inner end of the slot in link 51 and, through the lever 50, swings the pick-up arm outwards clear of the turntable, the continued rotation of the disc, during which a fresh record is placed on the turntable, finally causing the pin to engage the outer end of .the slot to bring the pick-up into correct starting position. To provide for automatic positioning of the piok-up for either a 10-inch or a 12-inch record, the outer end of the slot in link 51, Fig. 7, is divided to provide one termination longer than the other so that by slight rocking movement of the link on its pivot connection with the lever 50 the pin 59 will engage one or other 56, 57 of the terminations of the slot and consequently move the pick-up inwardly to either of two positions. This rocking adjustment is effected by the fresh record fed to the turntable which if of large size moves a pivoted trip lever 64 to release a weighted rod 63 connected by a cord 61 to the link 51 which is thereby rocked slightly so that the pin 59 engages the shorter termination of the slot, and the pick-up is moved inwardly to the lesser extent. Friction shoes 154, 155 prevent a too free movement of the pick-up arm. The movement of the needle inwards to the playing grooves is assisted by a weighted lever arm 190, Fig. 27. Driving. The circuit arrangement for the driving motor is arranged so that, at starting, the two motor coils 173, 178, Fig. 33, which are normally in series during playing, can be connected in parallel in the supply circuit to increase the torque. The arrangement is described in Specification 383,939. For this purpose, the button stem 76 which is depressed for starting can be moved sufficiently for a cone 80 to open contacts 79<1> and close contacts 80<1>, 81<1>. When the turntable is lowered in record changing the pick-up descends slightly and causes a pin 158, Fig. 27, to open a contact 160 and close a contact 161 which together with the contact 31<1> maintain the motor circuit. When the record change is completed and the turntable raised so that the record lifts the pick-up, a circuit is maintained to the motor through contact 160 and contact 31<1> is opened by a lug 29<1> on the lever 27 controlling the clutch 22.