Patent GB-458026-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in phonographic announcing mechanism
IPC: G09F25/00
Filed: 1935-05-08
Abstract: 458,026. Optical sound reproducing apparatus. FRANKLIN, J. L., 30, Ivy Road, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. May 8, 1935, No. 13514. [Class 40 (ii)] [See also Group XXXIX] Phonographic apparatus, more particularly for automatic telephonic time announcing and advertising purposes, comprises a plurality of separate sound records of equal length disposed on the surface of a record carrier in parallel disposition, means to effect relative displacement of said record carrier and a sound reproducer whilst maintaining the relative disposition of said reproducer and any individual record constant for the purpose of reproducing a record and means to effect periodically a relative displacement of the record carrier and sound reproducer at right angles to said first movement in order to change a record. As shown in Fig. 1, an hour announcing cylinder 27 and a minute announcing cylinder 28 are rotatably mounted on a base 25, the cylinder 27 carrying twelve and the cylinder 28 sixty interlaced spiral film sound records 74 respectively. The records are reproduced by light from lamps 79 reflected on to light sensitive cells 80, the reproducer heads being mounted on a common carriage slidable on rods 76 and provided with a pivotally mounted shoe adapted to engage in cam grooves 82, 83 in a motor driven cylinder 84. The arrangement is such that the shoe engages in groove 82 on the outward travel of the carriage and in the groove 83 on the return travel, a switch system being provided whereby one of the lamps 79 is excited on the outward travel to reproduce from the hour record cylinder 27 and the other lamp is excited on the return travel so as to reproduce from the minute record cylinder 28. Record changing means is also provided whereby cylinder 27 is rotated one-twelfth of a revolution once each hour and cylinder 28 one sixtieth of a revolution once each minute, the arrangement being such that these record-changing movements of the cylinders cannot occur during reproducing movement thereof and vice versa. The grooves in the cylinders 27, 28 are either chromium-plated or have a thin ribbon of chromium-plated metal in the bottoms thereof. The phonographic reproducing apparatus is located at a private telephone substation provided with say fifteen sets, two of which are shown at T in Fig. 23, the fifteen lines being listed as one number in the directory. A subscriber calling this number is connected to the first idle line and the ringer of that line affects the microphone 111, the currents from which operate relay 118 which operates a second relay 128 to close the circuit of a motor 98. The shaft of this motor carries a number of cams which during one revolution of the shaft raise the receiver of the set T, locks motor 98 for one revolution, locks relay 128 and starts the main driving motor 49 for the phonographic apparatus. When circuit of motor 49 is closed, switch B closes to lock motor 49 for one revolution, switch A opens to prevent operation of record shifting motor 43 and switch G opens to prevent other calls energizing their relay 128. Calls made whilst motor 49 is running are stored until the reproduction then in progress is completed. The record shifting motor 43 is energized at the end of each minute from a timing motor 48 and in the event of switch A being open, it rotates a bit and stops until this switch is closed. When motor 43 operates it closes switch E to prevent motor 49 being started whilst motor 43 is in motion. The arrangement is so designed that should record shifting become due whilst calls are stored, the record shifting takes place before the calls are completed. A modified arrangement for making advertising instead of time announcements is described, Fig. 24 (not shown).