US1484965A - Tractor phonograph - Google Patents

Description

'f Feb., 26 ,f 1924., 1,484,965-

w. RITTER TRACTOR FroNoGRAPH Filed Feb. 27 4. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTOR Feb. ze 1924., 1,484,965

W. RITTER TRACTOR PHONOGRAPH Filed Feb. 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :hij

l /NVE MVr-17. w

, f? By t X A TTU/ME Y Patented Feb. 26, 1924i.

STATES WARREN RITTER, QF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

Timo'roia. PHONOGRAPH.

Lpplicationnled February 27, 1922. Serial No. 539,365.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WARREN RITTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Tractor Phonograph, of which the following'is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to produce musical sounds in correspondence with the movement of a vehicle; to provide a simplified construction .for operating phonographs and instruments of similar character; to adapt the tractor mechanism of a vehicle for producing musical sounds when the vehicle is moved; to provide a hand-moved vehicle with a driving mechanism for a turn table for transmitting power to said table constantly in one direction for both travel directions of said vehicle; and to provide ak simplified sound transmitting mechanism.

.Dra/M0298.V

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofv a phonograph of the character mentioned, constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, the near side wheel and the portion of the box being removed to show the construction otherwise hidden thereby.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a' horizontal section on enlarged scale, the section being taken' ason the line 3--3 in Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a section of the driving shaft of the tractor, the section being taken as on the line v4--4 in Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a section takenas on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Figure 6 is a detailed view showing an end fragment of the tone arm and kmeans for mounting the same in service on the sound box.

Description.

As seen in the drawings the tractor phonograph herein described is associated with a trundling toy which embodies tractor wheels 11, an operating handle 12, bail 13, box body 14, and axle 15. y

These elements are arranged and inverted to form the support and soundubox for a phonograph instrument having aturn-table 16, a tone arm 17, a stylus lug 18, and a sound box 19.4`

As shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the sound producing vibrations formed in the record disky 20 of usual construction is transferred by means ofthe stylus 21 of usual construction, tok the tone arm 17 to be thence delivered tothe sound box 19 which is formed by the top and sides of thebody 14 and an inclined sounding board 22.

As shown best in Fig. 6 of thev drawings,

the Atone arm 17 is pivotally mounted on the body 14 by means of a ring thimble 23 which overhangs an annular f1ange24 set out from the tone arm. Freedom of movement is providedin the engagement of the thimble 23 with the body 14 to permit the body 14 to ro? tate withinthe thimble 23 freely. In the cheaper form of apparatus which the drawings disclose, I have not shown a friction reducing bearing between the body 14 and the flange 24. This is sometimes employed by me to facilitate the' swing of the tone arm 17. The thimble 23 is permanently secured in service by fastening devices 25.

As best seen in Figure 5, each needle or stylus 21 is installed in service by being insertedy through perforations in the tabs 26. The tabs 26 are integral with and struck up from the lug `18, which is preferably integral with the tone arm 17. The end of the tone arm 17 adjacent the lug 18 is preferably open.

The vibration of the column of air within the tone arm 17 is transmitted to the volume of air in the sound box 19, the sounding board 22 operating `to, deflect the sound waves through the open end of the sound box.

The table 16 is rotatively mounted on the vertical shaft 27, the upper end of which is reduced to provide the pintle 28, over which the record disk 20 is placed. A thimble 29 forms a bearing for the shaft 27, the collar 30 serving to support the said shaft, as well as the table 16.

At the lower end of the shaft 27, the wheel 31 is rigidly mounted, having a rubber tire 32. The tire 32 serves as a friction element when the wheel is engaged by either of the friction disks 33 and 34.

As seen best in Fig. 3 of 'the drawings I and the said disks.

tion 39 or uit Said' 'Sp1-ing "extend einen@ tho Said porforotioos at o ,fodooboloirfho end of. the'sliaft 27,r The extremities tho Sad Spring are passedI through perforations y40fin the axle 15 and 'then overturned to preventfthern being withdrawn therefrom.

`As shown best in Fig. y1,theb'ail'13 is slidablyfmounted on the body a plurality of longitudinally dispcsed slots 41 .and ,42. Passin'g'through 'the slots 4l are they shanks of screws 43. The'slot 42 issiifiicient-,1y wide to encompass' the axle 15. The sides ,of the bail 1,3 are outwardly bowed as at 44.y Each of the bows has ,a vearn 45.

The cams`45 are oppositely disposed, filiranged to alternately engage and deiiect laterally the'collarsB andthe axle 15v and.

parts n*connected therewith, including the disks 33 `and 34. It is ,obvious that when the wheels 11 engage the ground, the operation of the cams 44 on the collars `3,6 is to shift the. body 14 and parts connected therewith on theaxle, rather vthan as above stated, the axle and parts connectedtherewith, on

. ,the body.

It will be noted that whenever the person operating the apparatus shoves the same by means of the handle l2, thenthe cam 45 oii the leftfof ,thefmiachine as vseen in Fig. 3 rests above the collarA 36 at'tlie'left yof lthe said figure, drawing the body 14 and parts connected therewith, i including the wheel 31 over, until the tire 32 of the said wheel frictionally engages `the'fdisk 34. In this4 posi- -tion the shaft 27 will be rotated clock-wise,

and the table 16 and record disk 20 will be correspondingly rotated clockwise.

vvWhen now the operator pulls the apparatus Vin the opposite direction, the cam 45 at the left of Fig. 3 lof the drawings is drawn from engagement with the adjacent collar 36, while the :cam45 at theoppositeside of .the apparatus Y engages the collar 36 adjacentthereto, with the result Lthat the axle l5 and the disk 33 mounted thereon are shifted to the left of the position shown in Fig. 3 :until the wheel 31 is engaged thereby. It will now` be noted that the rotation of the shaft` 27 and parts mounted thereon continues in .the clockwise directiom'though 'the rotary direction Iof the axle 15 and of the disks 33 and34 has been reversed. j

In'tliis .ina-nner 'the rotary direction Yof the Lacasse recdrd disk 20` is constantly maintained, irrespective of the direction in which the apparatusl is moyed. v

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mounted; an audible `reproducing n'iecha-` nism operable by said record rdisk; and means Operably Connectingv said wheels and said table for rotating lsaid'table, said means einbodying a transmission adapted for maintaining the rotary directionl of said table, Y

constantly in one rotary vdirection, lirrespective ofthe movement .of said wheels, said transmission embodying a plurality 4of driv-v ing members carried by said axle and spaced apart, and a-diiviiig member connected with thesupporting shaft said table and interposed between said 4.di'iying members; and means for changing the disposition of said driven member with reference to said driv-v ingniembeis Ifor successivelyL engaging said` driving members. v Y

2. An apparatus as characterized comprising La plurality of carrying Wheels; a horizontal axle carrying-said wheels; a rotary table adapted for supporting a phonograph record, a supporting shaftfor said table positioned vertically and rotatably mounted;

an audible reproducing mechanism operable by said record disk.; and means oper-ably connecting said wheels and said table for rotating s aid table, said means embodying a transmission adapted for maintaining the rotary direction of said table, constantly in one rotary direction, irrespective of theV movement of .said wheels, said transmission embodying a plurality ,of driving members carried by said axle and spaced apart, kand a driving member connected with the .sup-

Vporting shaft of said table Vand interposed between said driving members; and means for changing the disposition of said driven member with reference to said driving members for successively engaging said driving members, said means embodying a resilient connection between said wheels and said table for absorbing the shock of initiatory movement of said wheels in transmission to said table. i

3. An apparatus as characterized comprising a plurality ofcarrying wheels; manipulativey means for rotating said wheels; a rotary-table adapted for supporting a phonograph record and having a vertically disposedrotatable supporting shaft; an audible reproducing mechanism Vvoperable' by said record disk; means operably connecting said wheels and the vertically disposed shaft of said table for rotating said table/said means embodying a transmission adapted for maintaining the rotary direction of said table, constantly in one rotary direction, irrespective of the movement of said Wheels, said transmission embodying an axle carrying said Wheels a plurality of driving members carried by said axle and positioned at the opposite sides of said vertical shaft, and a gear disk connected with the driving shaft of said table and interposed between said driving members, means for moving said axle longitudinally to bring said driving members successively into engagement With said gear disk, and a resilient connector interposed between said axle and said driving members for yieldingly transferring the ibnovement of said axle to said driving memers.

4. An apparatus as characterized comprising a box-like body; a vertical rotary shaft mounted thereon; a turn-table mounted on said shaft for supporting a record disk, an audible reproducing mechanism operable by the record disk, a transmission disk carried by said shaft; a plurality of carrying Wheels supporting said body; an axle ixedly attached to one of said Wheels and movable transverse of said body; drive disks carried by said axle upon opposite sides of said transmission disk, a handle for manipulating said apparatus slidably connected With said body; and means carried by said handle for connecting said handle and said axle for shifting said axle in said body and selectively bringing the drive disks into engagement With said transmission disk and cause rotation of the vertical shaft in the same direction when the axle is rotating in either direction.

5. An apparatus as characterized comprising a box-like body; a vertical rotary shaft mounted thereon; a turn-table mounted on said shaft; a plurality of carrying Wheels supporting said body; an axle fixedly attached to one of said Wheels and movablel transverse of said body; a handle for manipulating said apparatus operatively connected with said body; means forconnecting said handle and said axle for shifting said axle in said body; a plurality of driving members mounted on said axle in spaced relation and at opposite sides of said vertical shaft for engaging said shaft to rotate the same successively in correspondence With the movement of said axle; and means for shifting said axle and said driving members in correspondence with the movement of said apparatus.

6. An apparatus as characterized comprising a box-like body; a vertical rotary shaft mounted thereon; a turn-table mounted on said shaft; a plurality of carrying Wheels supporting said body; an axle ixedly attached to one of said Wheels and movable transverse of said body; a handle for manipulating said apparatus operatively connected with said body; means for connecting said handle and said axle for shifting said axle in said body; a plurality of driving members mounted on said axle in spaced relation and at opposite sides of said vertical shaft for engaging said shaft to rotate the same successively in correspondence with the movement of said axle; and means for shifting said axle and said driving members in correspondence With the movement of said apparatus, said means embodying a slidable bail, said bail being adapted to shift said axle in opposite directions in correspondence With the opposite impulse imparted by said bail to said apparatus.

WARREN RITTER.

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