Patent GB-1223691-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record steadying means for gramophone record changers
Inventor: SAY ALAN WILLIAM
IPC: G11B17/08
Filed: 1967-04-20
Abstract: 1,223,691. Record-disc steadying devices. GARRARD ENG. Ltd. 8 April, 1968 [20 April, 1967], No. 18114/67. Addition to 1,172,245. Heading G5R. The invention provides a record-steadying device for gramophone record changers which comprises edge support means for supporting the edge of the lowermost record of a stack of records held on a shouldered centre spindle of an automatic record changer, the edge support means being provided with a hook-like member for clamping the stack of records and urging it slightly downwardly on to an edge-support shelf. The hook-like member may be guided, in use, to follow an approximately rectangular path in a vertical plane, the guide means being arranged in a vertical column whose upper end forms the edge support; the column may be lowered against spring means through the record-changer base to an inoperative position, releasable locking means being provided for retaining the column selectively in its operative and inoperative positions. Fig. 1 shows the device in the retracted position where the lower face of a platform 5 at the upper end of a column 4 almost rests on the base moulding 2. To permit the device to rise to the position of Fig. 5, a button 13, Figs. 1 and 2, is pressed, whereupon a tapered portion 14 at the base of the button forces a locking lever 6 clockwise against the pressure of a spring 8 to release an edge 10 from engagement with a slot 11 in column 4. A spring 19 thereupon rotates a lever 15 counterclockwise; the lever has a pin-and-slot connection (see Fig. 5) with the bottom of the column 4, which is thereby raised until locking lever 6 engages in a slot 22 in column 4 (not as shown in Fig. 5). The platform 5 constitutes a shelf for supporting the edge of the lowermost disc of a stack, and in the operative position is level with the shoulder in the record changer spindle (not illustrated), while a claw 25 may be raised against the force of a spring 27 to rest on the topmost disc, Fig. 5. The path taken by claw 25 is governed by co-operation of a cam rail 30, on the tail 26 of the claw, with a pin 35 extending inwards from the top of column 4: when the claw is manually raised, surface 31 engages pin 35; when the claw is above the maximum intended height of stack, it is allowed to move inwards so that the lower surface 34 passes over pin 35; when the claw is lowered on to the topmost disc, surface 32 engages pin 35, and continues to do so whilst discs are being removed from the bottom of the stack for playing, until the upper end of cam rail 30 reaches pin 35 once more. After release of the last disc the front edge 25a of claw 25 is withdrawn from the front edge 5a of the platform 5 by engagement of a cam edge 26b with an inclined recess 5b. To move the column to its retracted position without depressing button 13, claw 25 is pressed further down until a nose 26a at the lower end of tail 26 travels down an inclined cam surface 41, Fig. 5, to push the lever 6 out of slot 22, Fig. 5; with further pressure, column 4 is moved down until lever 6-engages the upper slot 11. The lever 15 may be fixed on a rotatable shaft extending through one of the lateral walls of the player housing, so that the column may be retracted by rotation of the shaft. When the column is retracted, the recordchanger centre spindle may be replaced by a short plain centre spindle to enable the player to be used as a transcription unit for playing single discs.