Patent GB-1194767-A (GB)
Title: Improvements to Phonographs for Toys such as Dolls
IPC: G11B33/06
Filed: 1968-07-08
Abstract: 1,194,767. Toy phonographs. ETABS. CLODREY-POLIFLEX. 8 July, 1968 [6 July, 1967], No. 32542/68. Heading G5R. A phonograph intended to be mounted in a toy such as a doll and to be easily actuated comprises: a turntable carrying a disc, means for rotating the turntable, a conical diaphragm, an arm pivotable about an axis parallel to that of the turntable and carrying on the one hand a needle and on the other hand an arcuate portion slidable along the apex of the conical diaphragm, and means for disengaging the needle from its groove at the end of the groove and carrying it back to the beginning by pivoting of the arm in the sense inverse to the preceding one, is characterized in that: (a) the needle is mounted, not directly on the arm above-mentioned, but on a fore-arm itself mounted on this arm so as to be able to slide along an appropriate extension of it, (b) the region of sliding contact is inclined with respect to the plane of the disc, (c) contact is ensured by resilient means so that the needle is urged into its groove and the main arm is urged against the cone, and (d) the needle-disengaging means overcomes the resilient means. Construction.-As shown, the needle 9, Fig. 1, is accommodated in a fore-arm 11 which has a cross-pin 12 slidable in slots 13 in an arm 7. A compression spring 14 forces the outer end 15 (shown convex) of the fore-arm 11 against the inner surface of an extension 16 of arm 7. The arm 7 is formed at its outer end as a slide-arc 10, Fig. 2, which slides in contact with the apex of a conical diaphragm 6 forming a loudspeaker; the arm at its inner end is secured to a vertical spindle 8 provided at its lower end with a cam 20 which operates a switch 22 in the turntable motor circuit. The disposition of the surfaces 15, 16 is such that the spring 14 serves to exert a downward force 18 on the needle 9 and an upward force 19 on the slidearc 10, besides the contacting force 17. Thus a positive acoustic connection between the needle 9 and the loudspeaker 6 is provided. Despite the axial immobility of the turntable 2, the loudspeaker 6 and the arm 7, the needle may be raised from the record disc 3 (which is adhered to the turntable 2) in a manner to be described. Operation.-when the needle 9 is at the beginning of the groove the switch 22 is closed. Playback proceeds until the needle reaches the end of the groove, where the position of the arm is such that cam 20 opens switch 22. The phonograph may be re-started by pulling the free end of a cord 23, Fig. 4, which has its other end secured at 24 and passes over a fixed point 25 which is nearer to the disc axis, and higher, than the point 24. (Fig. 4, is a diagrammatic vertical cross-section of Figs. 1 and 2). The cord 23 passes under the arms 7, 11, Figs. 1, 2 and on pulling and holding it, forearm 11 is raised relative to arm 7 against the force of spring 14, whereby the needle 9 is raised from the disc 3; then the arms slide down the sloping cord, (see arrow 26, Figs. 2 and 4), and are thereby pivoted to bring the needle back to a position above the beginning of the groove, and cam 20 closes switch 22. When the cord 23 is released, spring 14 lowers forearm 11, causing needle 9 to re-enter the record groove. Preferably the arms 7, 11 are made of polystyrene to ensure good acoustic transmission; the phonograph may be energized by a battery.