Patent GB-349967-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to gramophones and like machines
IPC: G11B33/02
Filed: 1930-02-28
Abstract: 349,967. Gramophones. KENNEDY, E. N., 170, Piccadilly, London. Feb. 28, 1930, No. 6729. [Class 40 (ii).] A portable gramophone is provided with an expanding lid 30 and a collapsable horn as shown in Fig. 12 so that a record may be played with the lid in the closed and expanded position, the tone arm of the soundbox being adapted, when the machine is out of use and in the collapsed condition, to be housed substantially within the horn and beneath the motorboard. The collapsable horn comprises, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, one of the side walls b of the cabinet a, a substantially quadrant-shaped plate c integral therewith and slidable into the case, and a flap e adapted to extend over the said plate or to be folded over the turntable q. The side wall b is hinged on a vertical axis, and the flap e and plate c constitute the top and bottom walls respectively of the extension. The flap e is mounted by spring hinges f which tend to maintain it in extended position, and in its folded position an aperture r in the flap engages the top of the turntable spindle s. In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 the horn d surrounds the motor and at its smaller end receives a slidable tubular extension h which is slotted to engage pins k connecting a saddle-piece m with the extension h. A ball-and-socket union for the tone arm p is mounted on a flange o on the extension h. The wall b in its closing movement engages the flange o and pushes the extension h back into the horn d. The tone arm is then swung downwardly and inwardly and housed within the collapsed horn and beneath the motorboard g. When the parts b, c, e are extended as shown in Fig. 4, a rib n on the plate c engages the saddle-piece m on the tube h so as to extend the latter into operative position. A sliding clip, which overlies the edge of the flap e so as to hold it in the folded position, is engaged by the tone arm p and released when the latter has been swung clear of the flap e. In the modification shown in Fig. 9 the smaller end of the horn d is connected with a tone arm 21 having a swan neck 22. The flap e is cut away at 25 and has an upwardly projecting tongue 26 which is engaged by the tone arm as the latter is swung into folding position so as to effect turning of the flap e into folded position on the turntable q. The swan neck 22 is then turned into the collapsed horn. A spring 27 swings the tone arm outwardly when the side wall b is opened and thus releases the flap e which turns into extended position. The winding key 24, Fig. 9, is foldable so as to lie within the case. The lid 30 may be mounted with expanding hinges and hinged hasps 32 of the kind described in Specifications 181,170 and 213,722, [both in Class 44, Fastenings, Lock &c.]. To prevent closing of the lid except to its expanded position when a record is being played, an automatically-acting strut may be provided, or the winding-key 24, Fig.12, projects from the case to prevent such closing action. A sector-shaped needle box t is pivoted in the front wall of the case as shown in Fig. 6 and is held in its closed position within the case by a spring u. The ends v, x of a U-shaped lever engage respectively the box t and a projection z on the plate c so that when the latter is opened the box t is pushed into its outer position. Alternatively, the limb x of the lever coacts with the edge of the plate c and is formed with a nose to fit into a notch in such plate when the latter is fully extended. The Provisional Specification describes also the outlet end of the horn as constituted by a slidable drawer-like structure co-operating with a telescopic portion on the adjacent main part of the horn. The slidable structure comprises a fixed front, side and bottom walls and is provided with a pivotallymounted false side wall and a false top, which may be spring-influenced, so that they serve in extended position respectively as a side of the mouth of the horn and an inclined reflecting wall above the larger end of the horn.