US1843401A - Needle changing device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2,1932. w. .R. OYSTON 1,843,401

' NEEDLE CHANGING DEVICE Original Filed March 12, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 2, 1932. w. R. OYSTON 1,843,401

NEEDLE CHANGING DEVICE Original Filed March 12, 19 28 4 Shegts-Sheet 2 Feb. 2, 1932. w. R. OYSTON NEEDLE CHANGING DEVICE Origifial Filed March 12, 1928 QSheets-Shee't s Feb. 2, 1932. 'w,-R, bysToN 1,843,401

NEEDLE CHANGING DEVICE Original Filed March 12, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb; 2, 1932 COMPANY Original application filed March 12, maaseriaino. 260 ,378,- and in era e Britain March-12, was.

and this application filed- May 24, 1329-. Serial No. 365,675. r

This invention relates to an improved nee dle. changing device for sound reproducing apparatus, more particularly talking ma chines of the magazine player type said device being of the kind wherein the movement of the sound box or reproducer to and from a playing position. also controls the automatic changing the needle;

The invention ,consists in a needle chang-Q for sound reproducing apparatus;

ing device more. particularly automatic talking ma.- chines in which means are provided where- .by the movement, of the sound reproducer from a playing'to 'a non-playing-position produces the'releaseof'the used needle for discharge. fromv its supporting housing, whereupon a new needle fed automatically from a magazine and substituted for the used needle is clamped, in thehousing d'uringthe return movement of the sound reproducer to: playing; position andpriorto the engagement of the needle with the record to be played. V r i Means are also provided for supporting the. new needle in its housing until clamped therein; said supporting meansbeing brought into'operative position bythe needle clamping means ai'ter the'used needle has beensreleased and discharged.

' The invention will. now' described with.

reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the needle changing device according to the in-' vention as applied to a talking machine I wherein the records are played in a vertical" position that is to say, on edge. Such a tallring machine is described and-illustrated in detail in the specification of my pending application Serial No. 260 578, filed March 12th; 1928, of which this application'is a divisio 'i and in consequence thereof only the essential.

parts'of the talking machine necessary to illustrate the function the device in accordance with thisinvention areshown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 1s a perspective view of a talking machine sound. bot; provided with needle clamping and releasing means. v FBTLHQS 2 and .3 are elevational views iillus- 29 i t z r playing position respectively.

r'ARK- ZILLE, vrcronra, AUSTRALIA, Assrenon r conrrnuous. s-nanornonns LrMIrEn. on Lon-non, nnerzann, A Bnrrrsn JoInr-srooK:

NEEDLE CHANGING DEVICE Divided trating the sound box in a non-playing and 'Figure 4 is a detail perspect've view of the needle housing and the members co-operating therewith to clamp and to release; the needle. Figure 5 is a perspectiveview of the needle, magazine. i 'f,

Figure 6 is a sectional plan thereof. 7

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation on the line 7,'Zf of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of'the means for moving thesound box to and from a playing position and for simultaneously*actuat ing the means controlling the supply oi; new needles from the magazines Referring to the drawings, the stylus bar 1 of a loosely supported sound box 2 carries at its outer end an open ended housing 3 into which is led the free; end of a flexible tubing 4- having its other endin communication with the needle. magazineb; Pivotally attached to; the sound box 2 is an arm 6 having at its outer end a. pivotal cradle 7 adapted to oscillate about its pivot, against the tension o t-a. spring *8, When the sound box2 islocated in a journal or non-playing position, the

cradle 7'is juxtaposed to the open end of the housing 3 (Figure 2), and upon a needle 9 passing downwardly through the tubing 4: and into the housing 3, thepointed end of the needle rests in the cradle Loosely sup rate portions ofthe housing 3 and because the point ofthe' needle rests in the cradle 7 the arm .6 will be'caused to move together with the sound box. During such combined move-v ment, the'needle 9 contacts with the lug 11 thereby causing the fingerlO alsoyto .move with the sound box against the actionof its coil spring 13, the tension of which spring.

causesthe lug 11 to hold the needle firmlyin position in the housing 3. As the movement of the sound box continues the arm 6 is stopped by contact with the record 16, and the continued movement of the sound box causes the needle 9 to oscillate the cradle 7 about its pivot against the tension of the spring 8 shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, which pivotal movement enables the needle 9 to free itself from the cradle 7 and to move into operative contact with the playing surface of the record 16.

As the arm 6 is loosely mounted upon the Sound box, the release of its cradle 7 from the needle 9 allows the said arm 6 to move out of contact with the record 16. vi hen the sound box 2 is being returned to a non-playing position the lug 12 meets the set screw 14 of the needle chute 15 thereby preventing further movement of the finger 10, and thus, the continued movement of the sound box 2 releases the needle 9 from its engagement with the lug 11, so that the said needle will fall into the needle chute 15 after striking against the cradle 7. During the playing of the record the pressure thereof on the needle 9 additionally ensures that the latter will be locked in the housing 3.

The needle magazine 5 (Figures 5, 6 and 7) is divided into two compartments 5 and 5 one for soft tone needles and the other for loud tone needles which compartment-s are mounted upon a common inclined base plate 17 secured to a bracket 18 which is rigidly attached to a rod 19 firmly supported by a stationary part of tne talking machine. 7 The compartments 5 and 5 have a plurality of louvered partitions 20 adapted to prevent the needles from gathering at the delivery end of the compartments. In the bottom of the compartments 5 and 5 and slidably mounted on the base plate 17 are a pair of sliding plates 21 and 22 each having an opening 23 adapted to accommodate a single needle 9. Each of the openings 23 is adapted to register with separate openings 24 having V-shaped or tapered ends and provided in the base plate 17 in a position above chutes 25. Such chutes are rigidly attached to the base plate 17 and are open to the flexible tube 4 which constitutes the means of communication between the said chutes 25 and the housing 3 of the stylus bar 1. The openings 24 are shaped to ensure that the needles 9 entering such openings will pass into the chutes 25 in a pointforemost position.

Sliding movement of the plates 21 and 22 agitates the needles 9 located in the compartments 5 and 5 so that such needles are regularly and evenly fed from the said compartments to the openings 23 and from thence to the openings 24.

The sliding plates 21 and 22 can be operated separately and selectively through a bell crank lever 26 slidably mounted on a rod 27 rigidly attached to the bracket 18; for this purpose each sliding plate is provided with a recess 29 adapted to be separately engaged by the said lever 26. The engagement of the bell crank lever 26 with either of the recesses 29 is accomplished by manually sliding a transverse plate 30 provided with an opening 31 adapted to receive one limb of the bell crank lever 26. The transverse plate 30 can only be moved when the sound box 2 is in a playing position, as both the sliding plates 21. and 22 are then in a backward position.

The bell crank lever 26 is operated by a connecting rod 32 (Figure 8) resiliently connected to a radial arm 33 rigid with a shaft 34 adapted to be oscillated by any suitable means.

The shaft 34 is also adapted to effect the movement of the sound box 2 to and from a playing position, and for this purpose a bracket 35 (Figure 1) is rigidly attached to the sound box 2, which bracket is provided with an arm 36 to which one end of a connecting link 37 is pivotally attached while the other end of the said link is loosely supported in a jaw 38 (Figure 8) of a block 39 slidable on a fixed rod 40, which block is connected by a link 41 to a bell crank lever 42 rigidly connected to the oscillatory shaft 34.

Assuming that a needle 9 is positioned in the housing 3 and that the bell crank lever 26 has been manually moved to engage the recess 29 in the sliding plate 22, the operation of the device is as follows WVhen it is desired to play a record the shaft 34 is turned in the direction of the arrow (Figure 8) so that the bell crank lever 42 through the link 41 will cause the block 39 to slide outwardly on the rod and thereby pull down the link 37 so as to turn the sound box 2 (with the needle in position) into engagement with the record to be played. During such movement of the sound box 2 the needle 9 will be firmly clamped in the housing 3 as hereinbefore described. The aforesaid movement of the shaft 34 not only moves the sound box 2 into a playing position but also causes its arm 33 to raise the connecting rod 32' so as to rock the bell crank lever 26 into the position shown in dotted lines in F ig- E ure 7, thereby drawing the slide 22 inwardly ready-to receive a new needle in the slot 23.

The return movement of the sound. box 2 to a non-playing position is effected by a return movement of the shaft 34 to its original position, which return movement of the shaft nomantomatic; that the construction of the various elementsconstituting: the: device. canzbe; modified Without departingfromi the scope.ofthesappended;claims.

What; L. claim 1. In a; sound reproducing. apparatus hav:

ing; ai stylus-needle mounted; on asound 1'.e'

producer :movable from a playing: to l a non.- playing. position and vice; versa,.fa needle changing: device comprising -means" for: clamping the needle in operative-position, said clampingmeans being. automatically re leased uponlmovement of saidsound reproducer away from the playing. position; means for feedingv a freshneedle. to-sai'd sound re.-

producer within reach of said clamping nation ofa:needle-housingvmeans for feedmg fresh. needles successively .iZO SiLld. house.

in means for clam in needle. in 303itionin. said housing, means for synchroniz mg the release ofsaid clamping means W1tl1" the movement of said sound reproducer away from the playing position, and means; for synchronizi ng the. feed of a fresh needle With themovement of said sound reproducer to noneplaying position, said clamping means 7 being automaticallyv reengaged during movementof said sound reproducer backto the playing position 3. In .talkingmachine having a'sty'lusneedlemounted} on a. sound reproducer mov-;

able from a: playing. to a non-playing 'posi tion and vice versa, ,thecombination of a. needleshousingsecured; to the actu'ator of'u said sound '.reproducer,.a guide tube adapted. to =fedafreslr needlei'nto said housing, support j for. said. fresh needle in said housclamp. amounted ing, a spring-operated upon saidsound reproducer. and adapted to engage the needleawhen supported. in. posi-- tion in'saidhousing,.andmeans .vvhereby the usedn'eedle is releasedfrom said clamp for,

discharge during movement of said sound reproducer away from the playing position,

said 'lneans'lallowingthe reengagement ofsaid spring-operated clamp during the-return movement of said" sound reproducer.

4. In a: talking machine liav ng a sound roprodu'cer movable from'a-playing to anonplaying position ZLDdQVlCG 'versa, thecomloina- 5 tion of. a needle-housing se curedto the actuator of: said sound rfeproducen. a; guide tube magazine, means for," feeding fresh needles one at iaqtime from. said magazine to :Withinadaptedto feed a freshzneedle. into said housmg, a cradlea cting. temporarily to'support' the fresh needle in. said; housing: ivhilesaid .i sound reproducer isin. the. noneplayi'ng position, a;-spring-operated clamp mounted. upon S id: sound reproducer' and adapted to engage 'the needle when supported in position in: saidhousing," andImeans whereby the used needle; is released from. said. clamp for dis-* charge during. movement of; said sound reproducer awayffrom. the playing position, said: means allowing, therreengagement of said spring-operated. clamp. during-the returnm'ovement of said sound reproducer and before thefresh needle. loses the support of saidioradle.

5.- Inna talking machine having a stylus: needlezmounted onv a sound-reproducer moveablefroma playing to a non-playing posi-' tion and vice versa, a needle-changing device comprising: springeoperated means for clampingsa needle in operative positionupon said sound.;reproducer, means for releasing.

said. needle-clamping; means: during movene'nt fofi said. sound reproducer avvayv from: the. playing position, a :needlehmagazine, means; for feeding fresh. needlesv one at. a; time: and? always point-foremost from said magazine. to Within 'reachof said. clamping.v

means, theafiesh. needle bein'gisupplied. after release. of the used needle and in the non?" playingiposition of said sound rep'roducer, andmeans allowing theengagement; of sand fresh 'needle'by said clamping.meansduring the return movement of said sound repro ducer. towards the. playingspos-itionp 6;;In; a talking machine liavingz a stylus-..

needle :mounted. on1a sound reproducer. movable. from; a playingtto. a non-playing; posi tion andvice versa; a nee'dle-changing; device comprising spring -operated. means for:

clamping a. needle. in, operative position,

sin liuL means for releasing said needle-clamping,

meansduring movement. of said sound reproducer away. from {the playing position, a

needle magazine adapted to contain; fresh needles of differentvarieties,means; for selecting the-variety of: needle. suppliedby' said magazine, means for i feeding. thefresh needles ofzseleetedvariety one at atime from said magazine.to withinreaoh of saidclamping. means,the fresh needle being; supplied after, .release'; of the. used? needle 5 and in the nonplaying position-pof; said sound repro-- 7.21

ducer,. and; meansallowing. the engagement of said fresh-needle by said-clamping means during'the return :moveinent of! said sound reproducer towardsthe playing position.

- '7; In: a talking machine having a stylus I needlemountedion a rotatable-soundreproducer, a needle-changing device comprising means for clamping needle-in 0-perative position," means for releasing. saidneedle' clamping. means during rotation of; said sound reproducer in one direction, a needlereach of said clamping means, the fresh used needle and about the end of said rotation of said sound reproducer, and means for temporarily supporting said fresh needle in operative position until engaged by said clamping means during rotation of said sound reproducer in the reverse direction.

8. In a talking machine having a sound box movable from a playing position toa non-playing position and vice versa, the combination of a needle-housing secured to the sound box actuator, a guide tube adapted to feed a fresh needle into said housing, an arm pivoted upon said sound box and adapted to contact with the record disk as said sound box approaches the playing position, a spring-controlled cradle pivoted upon said arm and adapted temporarily to support the fresh needle fed into said housing, a spring-operated clamp pivotally mounted upon said sound box and adapted to engage said needle while supported in said housing, and a fixed stop against which said clamp abuts as said sound box moves towards the non-playing position, said clamp being released for discharge of the used cradle by its abutment against said stop, and said cradle being rocked by the continued movement of the fresh needle clamped in said housing after the contact of said arm with the record disk, said arm then falling clear of said record disk. 7

9. In a sound reproducing apparatus having an automatic needle-changing device, a magazine adapted to contain a plurality of different varieties of fresh needles, means for selecting the variety of needle supplied by said magazine, and means for feeding needles of the selected Variety one at a time and point-foremost from said magazine towards the sound reproducer, said feeding means operating for either of the selected varieties. I i

10. In a talking machine having an automatic needle-changing device,'a magazine adapted to contain a plurality of different varieties of fresh needles, said magazine comprising a plurality officompartments for said different varieties, a slidable bottom plate in each of said compartments, each said slidable plate having an opening adapted to receive one needle at a time from the respec tive compartment, a base plate having openings adapted to register with the respective openings in said slidable plates, selective means for operating either of said slidable plates whereby to bring its opening from the interior of the respective magazine compartment into register with an opening in said base plate, and means for guiding the fresh needle from said last mentioned opening towards the sound reproducer.

11. In a talking machine having an automatic needle-changing device, a magazine adapted to contain two different varieties of fresh needles, said magazine comprising two compartments for said different varieties, a slidable bottom plate ineach of said compartments, each said-slidable plate having an opening adapted to receive one needle at a time from the respective compartment, a base plate having openings adapted to register with the respective openings in said slidable plates, a bell crank lever adapted to operate either of said slidable plates whereby to bring its opening from the interior of the respective magazine compartment into register with one of the openings in said base plate, said slidable plates being formed with gaps on their contiguous edges and said bell crank lever being slidable on its axis for engaging one of its arms with either of said gaps, and a common chute adapted to receive the fresh needle delivered through either of the openings in said base plate and to guide it towards the sound reproducer.

12. In a talking machine having an automatic needle-changing device, a magazine adapted to contain two different varieties of fresh needles, said magazine comprising two compartments for said different varieties, a plurality of partitions across each of said compartments, said magazine being inclined to the horizontal and said partitions includ-' ing louvers similarly inclined to the horizon-' tal, a slidable bottom plate in each of said compartments, each said slidable plate having an opening adapted to receive one needle at a time from the respective compartment, a base plate having openings adapted to register with the respective openings in said slidable plates, a bell crank lever adapted to operate'either of said slidable plates whereby to bring its opening from the interior of the respective magazine compartment into register with vone of two openings in said base plate, said slidable plates being formed with gaps on their contiguous edges and said bell crank lever being slidable on its axis for engaging one of its arms with either of said gaps, and a manually operated selector device engaging said bell crank lever for sliding movement.

13. In an automatic talking machine having an oscillating shaft for controlling its operations, and having a needle-fitted sound reproducer movable from a playing to a nonplaymg position and vice versa in controlled relation to the movements of said oscillating shaft, an automatic needle-changing device which includes means for clamping a needle in operativeposition upon said sound reproducer, said clamping means being automatically released upon movement of said sound reproducer away from the playing position, aneedle-magazine, means for feeding needles one at a time from said magazine to within reach of said clamping means, the fresh needle being supplied after release of the used needle, means for temporarily signature.

supporting said fresh needle in operative position until engaged by said clamping means, and means for controlling the release and engagement of said clamping means and the operation of said feeding means in relation to the movements of said oscillating shaft. I V I In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my WILLIAM ROB RT OYSTON.

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