Patent GB-399088-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to automatic gramophones
IPC: G11B17/16
Filed: 1933-02-16
Abstract: 399,088. Magazine gramophones. CAPEHART, I. V., 501, Oakdale, Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S.A.-(Assignee of Mitchell, J. R. ; 1049, Shore Avenue, Fort Wayne, and Lannerd, P. U. ; 636, Main Street, Huntington, both in Indiana, U.S.A.) Feb. 16, 1933, No. 4814. Convention date, June 23, 1932. [Class 40 (ii).] Automatic record-changing mechanism in a gramophone comprises a longitudinally fixed pin to which the turntable is secured and upon which a stack of records is centred, means being provided for engaging and removing the uppermost record from the stack when it has been played, irrespective of its position relatively to the top of the pin, the record next below it being thereby exposed in readiness for being played. As shown in sectional elevation in Fig. 2, the turntable spindle 13 is driven by a motor 12 and a stack of records 15, each of the same diameter, is positioned over the spindle 13, the records after playing being discharged into a reservoir 16. Secured to the spindle 13 is a cam 20 rotatable within an opening 21 in the motor board 10, as shown also in plan view in Fig. 3. The cam 20 is adapted, during the record-changing operation, to engage a lever 22 fulcrummed at 23 and having a pin 24 thereon engaging normally, through the influence of a spring 27, with a notch 25 in an arm 26 which serves to tilt the reproducer arm 17. One end of the arm 26 is turned downwardly at 28 through an opening 29 in the motor board 10. The other end of the arm is provided with ears 30 and is pivoted on a pin 31, as shown in perspective view in Fig. 4, so that it may tilt vertically and swing horizontally. A plate 32 disposed directly below the arm 26 is pivotally mounted at 33 and carries a toothed rack 34 and an upstanding pin 35 which lies within a notch 37 in the arm 26. The free end of:the plate 32 has a recess 38 in which a pin 39 secured to the under-surface of the arm 26 is adapted, to seat. The reproducer arm 17 is provided with an ear 43 positioned to extend over a dashpot plunger 40 when the arm 17 is swung out to the periphery of a record and a stop member 44, pivotally connected to the reproducer arm, enables the arm to be set at the commencement of a 10-inch or 12-inch record according to whether the member 44 is rotated to bring a forward shoulder 46 or a rear shoulder 47 into engagement with the plunger 40. The reproducer arm 17 is also provided with a U-shaped support 48 having a roller 49 in engagement with the arm 26. On the lower leg of the support 48 is a trip pin 50 which rides over the rack 34 to engage therewith and rotate the plate 32 when the reproducer needle, enters an eccentric run-off groove. Alternatively, the plate 32 is rotated by engagement of the pin 35 by the lower leg of the support 48 when the needle enters a spiral run-off groove. Rotation of the plate 32 forces the pin 39 and the arm 26 outwardly to disengage the pin 24 and release the lever 22 which swings inwardly into the path of the cam 20 under the influence of a leaf spring 51. The pointed end of the lever 22 is thus swung in the direction of rotation of the turntable and the opposite end swings outwardly against the downwardly curved portion of the arm 26 which is tilted about the bearings 30, whereupon the roller 49 rolls down the inclined arm 26 to swing the reproducer outwardly to be.lowered by the dashpot plunger 40 upon the commencement of the next record. Movement of the lever 22 also causes an arm 56 to turn about its pivotal mounting 55, Fig. 3, through the medium of a rod 58. The arm 56 carries an upturned end 63, Figs. 3 and 8, and is pivoted at 55 for both horizontal and vertical swinging action. Thus, through the medium of the upturned end 63, the arm 56 becomes. elevated to the plane of the uppermost record which is grasped between the end 63 and a spring 64. Continued movement of the arm 56 causes a finger 60 to engage a pin 61 so that the arm 56 is swung vertically to lift one edge of the topmost record which, under the centrifugal force of the rotation of the remaining records, is thrown outwardly into the reservoir 16. Immediately the cam 20 has passed the lever 22 a spring 59 causes relatching of the lever 22 in readiness for the next operation. When the last record on the stack 15 has been reproduced the arm 56 will fail to engage it for removal so that reproduction of the last record will be repeated indefinitely until the motor is stopped.