GB2239344A - Phonograph for selectively producing various sounds - Google Patents

Abstract

Various sounds are produced by an acoustic phonograph for use eg; in a doll, a telephone toy, or other toy by setting an acoustic pickup 60 in a selected one of several grooves in a disk 21. A speaker cone 71 receives vibrations from the pick-up stylus 60 and directly produces a sound wave. A single push-up rod 73, controlled by a selected push-up rod controlling member Q1-Q6, pushes the speaker cone 71 away from the stylus 60 until the pick-up stylus 60 is in position above the selected groove on the recording disc by means of a tilting member (90) which is subsequently released by a projection (24 Fig 5) on the turntable as it rotates. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION PHONOGRAPH FOR SELECTIVELY PRODUCING VARIOUS SPEECH SOUNDS The present invention relates to a phonograph that is simple in construction to be used in an incorporated state in a doll, a telephone toy, etc. More particularly, the present invention relates to a phonograph capable of selectively producing various speech sounds.

A prior art phonograph is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 19753176. This known phonograph is provided with a turntable having a projecting piece formed on a peripheral edge thereof and having a recording disk placed thereon. The recording disk includes start points which are plural modulated grooves located at equal intervals along the peripheral edge of the disc. A pick-up is rotatably disposed on the recording disk.

A stylus, located at one end of the recording disc, moves from the peripheral edge of the recording disc toward the center thereof as the recording disc rotates. Also provided are control pieces which are protrudably retractable and are arranged at equal intervals in the rotational path of the projecting piece in corresponding relation to the modulated grooves. Each control piece is adapted to be pressed at a head portion and receive the projecting piece at a lower end thereof. This allows a desired start point of the corresponding modulated groove to be positioned just under the stylus of the pick-up when the rotation of the turntable is stopped. However, the following problems have been involved in the prior art phonograph.

In the above phonograph, the projecting piece formed on the peripheral edge of the turntable is received by any of the control pieces arranged at equal intervals in the rotational path of the projecting piece to thereby select a modulated groove.

Therefore, for positioning a desired start/end of the modulated groove just under the pick-up stylus, it is necessary to continuously project the control piece in the rotational path of the projecting piece until the projecting piece is positively received by the control piece. Unless the control piece is maintained in the rotational path of the projecting piece until the projecting piece is positively received by the control piece, the selected speech sound will not be output.

On the other hand, if the control piece is projected too much in the rotational path of the projecting piece, the rotation of the turntable will be stopped. In this case, there arises a problem that the motor races, or runs idle, and a load is imposed on the belt or the motor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a phonograph that is simple in construction and is capable of selecting a speech sound without imposing a load on a belt or motor.

The object of the present invention is attained by providing a phonograph which includes a turntable and a recording disc supported by the turntable. Modulated grooves having start points are formed on the recording disc at equal intervals along the peripheral edge of the disc. A motor rotates the turntable.

A pick-up bracket allows a pick-up stylus to follow the modulated groove formed on the recording disc. A speaker cone receives vibrations from the pick-up stylus and directly radiates a sound wave. First urging means urges the pick-up stylus to a side area spaced from the recording disc and also to a start-end position portion of the recording disc. Second urging means urges the pick-up to the recording disc side through the speaker cone against the first urging means. A switch turns OFF only when the pick-up stylus reaches a stop groove to stop the supply of electric power to the motor. A push-up rod positioned on the back side of the speaker cone is capable of assuming a push-up position for the speaker cone through an axial movement thereof.

Push-up rod controlling members are respectively disposed in positions corresponding to the modulated grooves. The push-up rod controlling members are constructed so that when a corresponding select button is operated, the selected controlling member causes the push-up rod to move axially to the push-up position. The selected push-up controlling member then pivots about the axis thereof in the push-up position and is selfengaged with a stationary part in a casing to hold the push-up rod in the push-up position. A projecting piece is attached to the turntable and functions to release the self-engagement of the self-engaged push-up rod controlling member upon rotation of the turntable.

Once a push-up rod controlling member is self-engaged with the stationary portion in the casing by operating a select button which corresponds to a speech sound to be selected, the selection of the corresponding modulated groove is automatically performed.

The self-engagement of the push-up rod controlling member is then automatically released and the device is immediately in an operating state. Therefore, the rotation of the turntable is not impeded and a load is not imposed on the motor or the belts during the selection of a modulated groove. In addition, the selection of a desired modulated groove is ensured by merely depressing a corresponding select button.

By operating a desired select button, the push-up rod moves axially through a push-up rod controlling member, whereby the speaker cone is pushed up and away from the pick-up stylus. When the push-up rod is in the push-up position, the push-up rod controlling member is self-engaged with a stationary part in the casing of the phonograph and the push-up rod is held in that push-up position by the action of a push-up rod urging means. When the speaker cone is held in the push-up position, the pickup stylus is released from the urging force of the second urging means and moves to the start position. During this process, this switch is turned ON and the turntable is rotated by the motor.

With the rotation of the turntable, the projecting piece attached thereto releases the self-engagement of the push-up rod controlling member. This allows the push-up rod to retreat from the push-up position and the pick-up stylus is brought into abutment with a desired modulated groove on the recording disc by the action of the second urging means.

These objects, together with other objects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, and wherein:: FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a phonograph according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a top view of a recording disc used in the phonograph shown in FIG. 1, according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base and related parts in the phonograph of the present invention shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an inner surface of a back cover used in the phonograph of the present invention shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a turntable used in the phonograph of the present invention shown in FIG. 1; and FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B) are side views for explaining the operation of a push-up rod and a push-up rod controlling member in the phonograph of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.

An embodiment of the phonograph according to the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 10 denotes a casing. The casing 10 is composed of a base 11 to which are mounted various components, an upper cover 12 and a lower cover 13. The interior of the casing 10 is partitioned by the base 11 into an upper compartment 10a and a lower compartment lOb. The upper-lower distinction is only for the convenience of explanation of this embodiment, and does not always coincide with an upper-lower relation in a state of actual use.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the surface of a recording disc 21 on which modulated grooves corresponding to six kinds of speech sounds are formed. Start points P1 through P6 of the modulated grooves are formed at equal intervals along the peripheral edge of the recording disk 21. A turntable 20 supports the recording disk 21 and is rotatably pivoted to the back of the base 11. By mounting the lower cover 13 to the base 11, the turntable 20 is disposed within the lower compartment lOb. The peripheral surface of the turntable 20 is formed with a pulley groove 20a.

A motor 30 rotates the turntable 20 and is mounted to the upper side of the base 11 so that a shaft 30a thereof projects into the lower compartment lOb. A belt 22 is wound around both the shaft 30a of the motor 30 and the pulley groove 20a of the turntable 20. Thus, both the motor 30 and the turntable 20 are connected together through the belt 22.

A battery 40 supplies the electric power to the motor 30 and is disposed outside the casing 10, as shown in FIG. 3. The battery 40 and the motor 30 are connected together to a variable resistor 51 and a latter-described switch 100, as shown in FIG.

3.

A pick-up bracket 61 (FIGS. 1 and 3) allows a pick-up 60 to follow the modulated grooves formed on the recording disc 21 and is pivotally secured to the upper side of the base 11 so as to be rotatable toward the center of the turntable 20. A crescentshaped, elongated hole lla (see FIG. 3) is formed in the upper surface of the base 11 along the rotating path of the pick-up stylus 60. Contact is made between the pick-up stylus 60 and a desired modulated groove on the recording disc 21 through the crescent-shape elongated hole lla.

A torsion coil spring (first urging means) 62 (FIGS. 1 and 3) is mounted to the pick-up bracket 61, whereby the pick-up stylus 60 is urged to both a side area space from the recording disc 21 and a start-end position side of the recording disc 21.

On the upper side of the base 11, mounted through a pivot shaft 71a, a speaker cone 71 receives vibrations from the pick-up stylus 60 and directly radiates a sound wave. In FIGS. 1 and 3, reference numeral 72 represents a mounting plate for supporting the pivot shaft 71.

The speaker cone 71 urges the pick-up stylus 60 toward the recording disc 21 under the action of a coil spring (second urging means) 72a disposed between the speaker cone and the upper cover 12. The downward urging force of the coil spring 72a is stronger than the upward urging force of the torsion coil spring 62. Therefore, the pick-up 60 is normally in abutment with the desired modulated groove on the recording disc 10.

A push-up rod 73 is provided which extends through the center of the turntable 20 into both the upper and lower compartments 12 and 13. The upper end of the push-up rod 73 is in abutment with the back of the speaker cone 71 in a position which is biased toward the pivot shaft 71a side from the center of the speaker cone 71. A disc 73a is mounted to the lower end of the push-up rod 73. A coil spring 74 is interposed between the disc 73a and the turntable 20. The coil spring 74 is an auxiliary spring for projecting a later described button B to the exterior of the casing 10.

Push-up rod controlling members Q1 through Q6 ("Q" will be used hereinafter when these controlling members are generically named) are provided on the inner surface of the lower cover 13.

The construction and layout of the push-up rod-controlling members Q is shown in FIG. 4. The number of push-up rod controlling members Q is equal to the number of modulated grooves on the recording disc 21. The front end side of the push-up rod controlling member Q extends to the lower side of the disc 73a so that it can push-up the disc 73a from below. The rear end side of the push-up rod controlling member Q is vertically supported, movably and rockably, through a shaft by a pair of right and left mounting plates 91 erected on the inner surface of the lower cover 13. A retaining piece 90 (see FIGS. 4 and 6) is erected on the rear end of the push-up rod controlling member Q. At the upper end portion of the retaining piece 90, there is provided a sideways projecting pawl 90a which is engageable with the rear and upper ends of one of the mounting plates 91.An abutting piece 92 inside the retaining piece 90 is also mounted on the push-up rod controlling member Q.

The push-up rod controlling member Q constructed as mentioned above is operated by a select button B (B1 through B6 will be used when each individual button is to be indicated) which is integrally formed with or separately from the control member Q. Each select button B corresponds to a different speech sound to be selected. upon operation of the corresponding button B, the push-up rod controlling member Q rises along the rear end of the mounting plate 91 against the urging forces of the coil springs 72a and 74, thereby causing the push-up rod 73 to move toward the push-up position.After the push-up rod 73 has moved to the push-up position, the engagement between the pawl 90a of the push-up rod controlling member Q and the rear end of the mounting plate 91 is released, so that the control member Q becomes pivotable about the shaft 90b and is pivotally moved by the force of the coil spring 72a, etc., which urges the push-up rod 73 downward until it is self-engaged with the upper end of the mounting plate 91.

FIG. 5 is rear perspective view of the turntable 20. On the back of the turntable 20 is formed one arcuate projecting piece 24. At the rear end of the projecting piece 24 in the rotating direction of the turntable 20, there is formed a pawl 24a which projects slightly outward. When the turntable 20 rotates in a self-engaged state of the push-up rod controlling member 90 with the upper end of the mounting plate 91, the pawl 24a of the projecting piece 24 comes into abutment with the abutting portion 92. Thereafter, the push-up rod controlling member Q moves pivotally about the shaft 90 in the direction opposite to the engaging direction along the shape of the pawl 24a of the projecting piece 24, whereby the self-engagement is released.

The phonograph of this embodiment is provided with the switch 100 (FIG. 3) which turns OFF only when the pick-up 60 has reached a stop groove on the recording disc 21 to stop the supply of electric power to the motor 30. The switch 100 canprises a contact piece 101 formed by a metallic elastic (or spring metal) member, a contact 102 and a switch actuating piece 103. The contact piece 101 is urged in a direction of abutment with the contact 102 by virtue of its own elasticity. When the pick-up stylus 60 has reached the stop groove on the recording disc 21, the switch actuating piece 103 is pressed by the pick-up bracket 61 and is thereby moved pivotally about a pivot shaft 103a, acting to move the contact piece 101 away from the contact 102.

The entire operation of this simple phonograph will be described below.

First, if a desired select button B is operated in the state shown in FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B), the push-up rod 73 moves axially through the push-up rod controlling member Q, whereby the speaker cone 71 is pushed up in a direction away from the pick-up stylus 60. In the push-up position of the push-up rod 73, the push-up rod controlling member Q is self-engaged with the mounting plate 91 by the action of the coil springs 72a and 74 which urge the push-up rod 73 in a push-up position as shown in FIG. 6(B). As a result, the speaker cone 71 leaves the pick-up stylus 60, whereupon the pick-up stylus 60 is released from the urging force of the coil spring 72a and moves to the start position by virtue of the torsion coil spring 62. During this process, the switch 100 is turned ON and the turntable 20 is rotated.When the turntable 20 rotates, the arcuate projecting piece 24 formed on the turntable 20 abuts the push-up rod controlling member Q. As a result, the self-engagement of the push-up rod controlling member Q is released and the push-up rod 73 retreats from its push-up position as shown in FIG. 6(A). Then, the pick-up stylus 60 is brought into abutment with a desired modulated groove on the recording disc 21. Thus, the modulated groove corresponding to the depressed select button B is selected. A stylus falling position is set a small amount to one side of the start point of a desired modulated groove, as shown in FIG. 2.

According to the phonograph of the embodiment of the present invention constructed as above-mentioned, the push-up rod controlling member Q is self-engaged with a stationary part (mounting plates 91) in the casing 10 by operating a select button B corresponding to the speech sound to be selected. The self-engagement of the push-up rod controlling member Q is released a small amount to one side of the starting point of the desired modulated groove by the arcuate projecting piece 24 formed on the turntable 20, and an immediate shift is made to an operating state. Thus, the selection of a modulated groove is automatically made when the push-up rod controlling member is self-engaged. After the selection of the modulated groove, the self-engaged push-up rod controlling member Q is automatically released. During modulated groove selection, therefore, the rotation of the turntable 20 is not impeded and a load is not imposed on the motor 30 or the belt 22. Moreover, selecting a desired modulated groove is easily performed merely by depressing the corresponding select button B.

Claims (5)

1. A phonograph having select buttons in a casing for selecting a sound, comprising: a turntable; a motor for rotating said turntable; a recording disc located on said turntable, said recording disc having modulated grooves having start points formed at equal intervals along a peripheral edge; a pick-up stylus; a pick-up bracket coupled to said pick-up stylus for allowing said pick-up stylus to follow the modulated grooves formed on said recording disc; a speaker cone adapted to receive vibrations from said pick-up stylus and directly radiate a sound wave; first urging means for urging said pick-up stylus to a side area spaced from said recording disc and also to a start-end position side of said recording disc; second urging means for urging said pick-up stylus to said recording disc through said speaker cone against said first urging means;; switching means for turning OFF the supply of electric power to said motor when said pick-up stylus reaches a stop groove on said recording disc; push-up rod means positioned on a back side of said speaker cone and capable of assuming a push-up position for said speaker cone by way of said second urging means through an axial movement thereof;; push-up rod controlling means, for controlling said push-up rod means, disposed in positions corresponding to the modulated grooves, the number of said push-up rod controlling means being the same as that of the modulated grooves and the select buttons, when a corresponding one of the select buttons is operated for selecting one of said push-up rod controlling means, said push-up rod means moves axially up to the push-up position, then pivots about an axis thereof in the push-up position and is selfengaged with a stationary part in the casing to hold said push-up rod in the push-up position; and a projecting piece attached to said turntable for releasing the self-engagement of said selected one of said push-up rod controlling means upon rotation of said turntable.

2. A phonograph according to claim 1, wherein said first and second urging means comprise coil springs.

3. A phonograph according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said switching means comprises: a contact piece formed of a metallic elastic (or spring metal); contact means for contacting said contact piece; and switching actuating means for moving said contact piece away from said contact means.

4. A phonograph according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of said push-up rod controlling members comprise: a pair of mounting plates; a retaining piece mounted on one end of said push-up rod controlling means and having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, a sideways projecting pawl being provided on said upper end portion and engageable with one of said pair of mounting plates; and abutting means adjacent said retaining piece for abutting said projecting piece.

5. A phonograph substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.