Patent GB-1509081-A (GB)
Title: Automatic record player
IPC: G11B19/02
Filed: 1975-03-27
Abstract: 1509081 Record player MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO Ltd 27 March 1975 [29 March 1974 6 Dec 1975] 13070/75 Heading G5R In an automatic record player, the mechanism can be set for a fixed number of playings which can be the sequential play of the same number of records when such a number is stored on a turntable spindle or, when a lesser number is stored the sequential play of the records made up by repeats of the last record, or made up of repeats of a single record. On movement of start switch lever 1 in direction A switch plates 12 and 13 are moved in direction D so that pin 18 engages pin 19 to rotate a repeater cam member 14 in direction E. The repeater cam is associated with a number of plays setting knob and can be moved from its 0 to 1 position by lever 1 or to any number of plays by the setting knob. The movement of the cam allows an arm 16 to move in the direction E and rotate switch lever 20 switching on turntable drive motor M. The movement of the start switch lever 1 also moves a stop plate in direction C into side contact with a spring 28 thereby rotating levers 25 and 26 about pivot 27 so that via starting link 31 a friction link 32 is rotated about shaft 33 on the usual cam gear 29 until it engages tooth 36 rotating with pinion 34 and the turntable and thus moves the cam gear into engagement with the pinion. During the 360 degree rotation of the cam, pin 110 located in a cam groove reciprocates a sliding cam member 106 acting on a cross member 105 connected to a vertically movable shaft 104 which is coupled to a shaft movable in the turntable centre spindle to thereby activate a record release mechanism. The spindle extends in a shaft 35 secured via a frame 79 to the base-plate of the player and turntable 96 is mounted via a tapered coupling on shaft 90 which is supported on frame 79 and shaft 35 by bearings 88. The shaft 90 is releasably coupled to pinion 34. Rotation of the cam gear also reciprocates a drive plate 44 which on moving in direction O activates a pick up arm lift shaft 48 via lift cam 49, pivots on plate 54 mounted on the drive plate by its engagement with a part of arm 16, moves pawl 51 over one tooth of ratchet gear 53, moves auxiliary plate 64 which via spring 65 moves index plate 62 in direction Z until a part 63 thereon engages a shoulder a, b or c in dependence on the position of selecting lever 66 set by record size knob coupled to selecting cam 59 pin 45 engages spring member 28 to return levers 24, 25 and step plate 6 to their initial positions. When plate 44 moves in the opposite direction R the plate 54 engages a pin 41 on a plate 39 movable with the pick up arm so that the arm is moved inwards until part of the plate 39 abuts a position d, e or f in index plate 62 in dependence on record size. On further movement of the plate 44 the plate 54 pivots out of engagement with pin 41 and the index plate pivots in direction T leaving the pick up arm to be lowered at the record start position by lowering lift shaft 48. The movement of the plates also rotates the ratchet gear 53, which is coupled to repeater cam member 14, one position to thereby reduce by one the number of record plays. Near the end of play a pin 40 on plate 39 engages lever 25 which moves lever 24 in direction H to initiate a change cycle at the end of record play during which a projection on plate 44 as it moves in its first direction 0, engages pin 41 to move the pick up arm to its rest position.  At the end of each record play the ratchet gear 53 is moved one position until when returned to the zero position arm 16 is moved upwards so that at the subsequent change process the switch 10 is switched off.