US2097288A - Automatic phonograph - Google Patents

Description

@CL 262 1937. J. 'R- MITCHELL AUTOMAT I C PHONOGRAPH Filed April 5, 1935 6 sheets-sheet 1 IIIHII J. MITCHELL 2,097,288

AUTOMATIC IHONOGAPH Filed April 5. 1935 6 Shxeets-Sheet 2 Oc. 26, E937. J. R. MITCHELL AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Invenor) orngy.

Filed April 5, v1935 Oct. 26, 1937. 1 R M|THELL 2,097,288

AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPHl Filed April 5, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 w! q W nv/v' zh' m g mi@ ne;

i gmhmq, @M afb JQR. MITCHELL AUTOMATIC PaonosxAP'n Filed Aprii's., 1955 6 Snelste-Sheet 5 msx Hft? ey# J. R. MITCHELL'.

AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH Filed April 5, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Tuffy- Patented' 26, 1937 UNITED STATES animas PATENT o OFFICE l avremmo rnonocasrn A `lohn R. Mitchell, Dallas. Tex., assigner, by menne '4 assignments, to The Rudolph lWurlitzer Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. a corporation of-Ohio Application April s, 1935, smal' No'. 14,886

e zo claim. (ci. 274-16) This invention relates generally4 to'phonographs and more particularly to an automatic phonograph designed toY selectively play a plul arating the stack above therecord selected and effecting the elevation of those records in thestack above a pre-selected record and which is provided with an automatically-adjustable tonearm movable in the space between the split portions of the stack for operative engagement with the selected record.

Another object of the invention is the provision of simple, compact, eicient and reliable means for effecting the separation of the stacklto play the selected record,`in'conjunction with control means for initiating the automatic return of the tone arm to its inoperative position and the lowering of the elevated records of the stack to their normal position 'preparatory tothe selection of another record.

A further object is the provision of simple and effective means fjor governing the vertical adjustment of the tone arm to a playing position in line with the record selected.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described-and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. z

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation ofthe automatic selective phonograph embodying my invention, the parts being in playing position and playing No. 1 record. Figure 2 is a side view thereof. Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same. Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken substantially on line 4 4, Figure 3. Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5 5, Figure'4. l Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section taken substantially in the plane of line,6 6. Figure 3. Figure 7 is a perspective view of the tone arm fand its associated parts. Figureli is a fragmentary perspective view of the trip mechanism for iritiating the return of the tone arm toits initial position after playing a record. Figure 9 is a cross section taken on line 9 9, Flgure. Figure 10 is a fragmentary seetionalelevation takenV in the plane of. line'lli lli,-

Figure 6, and'showing the position of the selector mechanism after selecting a record for play.1

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In its general organization, this improved phonograph consists .of a turntable including an axially-disposed post upon which a stack or plu- 5 ralityof superposed records is supported; a. laterally-swinging tone arm adjustable vertically for registration with a pre-selected record of the stack; combined tone-arm elevation and recordselective means operatively connected with the 10 tone arm to adjust it for registration with the N record selected and including elevating carriages having retractible supporting ngers or ledges and which are adapted to engage beneath and support those records of the stack'immediately vabove the selected record; means for actuating the elevating carriages to split the stack vertically and raising those records above the stack as 20 a unit a suiiloient distance to afford an operating or head clearance for the tone arm of the phonograph during the playing ofthe selected record; means for eifecting the automatic return of the tone arm from the end of its playing position to 25 a position outside of the stack preparatory to playing the next record: means actuated at a predetermined time during the return of the tone arm to its initial position for controlling the operation of the elevating carriages to lower the 30 raised portion of the stack to its initial position; and drive means for. controlling the actuation of the several parts. l

Referring now to the drawings, showing more particularlythe chassis of the-phonograph, 2t 35 indicates a supporting platform or frame upon which the working parts of the phonograph are mounted and which platform is, in practice, mounted in a cabinet of appropriategiesign. The

turntable 2l is mounted on an uprg'ht'rotatable 4ml -shaft zz'journaled insuitable bearingst', the

lower or drive end'of the shaft extending below the platform and the upper end of the' shaft con--1 stituting a pointed post or extension 24 which rises above the turntable and functions as a cen- 45 tering guide ior a plurality of records 25. As shownin' Figures 1 and 2, these records are ar- 2 accusa tween them. These plates are somewhat largerl a vertically adjustable yoke 29 to swing laterally over the turntable after a record has been selected and it embodies the usual stylus 30 and reproduc'er 3|.

Suspended from the platform 20 is an electric motor 32 operatively connected to theturntable 2i for turning it and preferably including suitable reduction gearing disposed within the housing 33 and having its driven gear 34 connected to companion opposing pinions 35, 36 which in turn mesh with a gear 31 fixed on the lower .end

of the turntable shaft 22. The pinions 35, 95 are loosely mounted on a horizontal shaft 38 journaled in bearing blocks 39 depending from the platform 2U, saidshaft' constituting the drive shaft for actuating the record-elevating or carriage means and the pinions acting asA clutch elements having clutch-pins 40 thereon' engage"- able with companion pins 4I on corresponding shiftable clutch collars 42, 43 feathered on the shaft 38, whereby the latter is selectively rotated in one direction or the other for raising or lowering the record-elevating means. The turntable runs constantly during such time as the motorcircuit is closed. Disposed at diametrically opposite sides. of th turntable` and alongside the stack of records borne thereby'jare the elevating means or carriages for governing the selection of a given record and the subsequent elevation of that portonof the stack of records above the onewhich has been pre-selected. Each of these carriages preferably consists of a vertically-,shiftable cross-head 44 guided on an upright post 45 .which extends above and below the platform 20 andv which is bolted or otherwise secured to a bracket 4B dependingfrom such support. This post may terminate at its upper end at a point substantially in horizontal alinement with the tapered end of the turntable shaft' extension 24. De-

pending from this cross-head is a rack 4.1 which meshes with a companion gear 48 xed onthe adjoining end of a horizontal shaft 49 journaled in suitable bearings 58 mounted on vthe underside of the platform 20. Pivoted at 5I to the cross-head at opposite sides of its guide post 4,5 for horizontal movement into and out of' the spaces between the records are record-engaging fingers or supports 52 which terminate at their free ends in lugs 53 disposed substantially ra` dially of the turntable and which are. preferably beveled so as to freely enter the spaces between adjoining record-plates 25 during. the act of pre-A selecting a record. A spring 54 is connected to these fingers inwardly of their pivots and tends constantly to exert a slight tension on themin a direction toward the turntable.

The means for actuating the carriage crossheads ll4` to selectively, position the record-engaging fingers 52 at a predetermined elevation relative to the stack of records,` consists of va manually-actuated selector-shaft 55 journaled in suitable bearings 55. and free to slide axially thereof into and out of selective position, and a' gear 51 fixed on said shaft and-adapted to mesh with the companion rack-'actuating gear 48 when the selector-shaft is pulled outwardly to 'the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 5. The front end of this shaft is provided with an actuating handle or knob 55'and also carries a pointer 58 arranged to traverse a record-indicating dial 59. The' facetofthis dial is provided with identifying characters, such as numerals, which correspond to the records in the stack. Upon turning the selector-shaft in onefdirection or the other to register its pointer with a desired record, the cross-heads 44 are accordingly raised or lowered to bring their fingers 52 to the lcorresprocket chain construction, the opposite end of.

this connection being fastened to a depending post 62' carried by the vertically-shiftable tone arm carrying yoke 29. This flexible connection is guided from the pulley to the yoke-post 52 around horizontal and vertical sprocket wheels 63 and 64, respectively, whereby upon' turning the selector-shaft to a position to select a desired recordmotion;i`s transmitted to the cable and sprocketchain 6I to in Yturn elevate the tone arm to an elevation corresponding to that vof the selected record. Upon thecompletion of these pre-selecting operations' which are effected manually by theuser or operator, the selectorshaft is pushed inwardly to its originalposition released from the rack-engaging pinion 48 and is held 'against turning in such position by a xedx pawl 55. which engages the selector-shaft gear 51 and which latches the pulley against turning and holds the tone arm in its elevated posi- 'tion for registration with and playing the selectedrecord. As shown in Flguresl and 3, the tonearm yoke is guided in. an'uprig'ht channel 66 formedin the guide bracket 51 mounted on the top side of the platform 20.

'Ihe means for jointly actuating the elevating carriages to 'effect the raising of those records of the* stack'above the recordvselected and to thereby vprovide a head clearance for the move-v ment of the tone arm `during the playing of the yselected record, consists of `upright screws 58 --fixedl at their .upper ends inv corresponding brackets or yokesv 69 guided for vertical movement on the opposite sidevfaces of the 'companion posts 45. Rising from these-brackets between the turntable and the posts are bars' 10 which ar'e adapted to move alongside the stack in accordance, with the raising and low-v .ering movements of the elevating screws and which are provided in their upper portions with a vertical row of notches or teeth 1| with which the toothed fe'nds 12 vof the companion record-A engaging fingers 52 are adaptedv to'enga'ge for controlling the projection of those fingersinto and out of the spaces between the records.

Guided in a vertical groove 18 in each post 45 is a bar .14 connected by a screw 15 with the 'l cross-head 44 and provided with a verticalfrow Q I of perforations 15 with one or another of which 7 5 i accusa a latch pin or dog-'11-normally engages for coupling the cross-headfcarrying Abar 14 with the screw-actuatedbar During the operation of Y selecting a record itis necessary that the latch pins 11 of the respective carriage mechanisms be released from the companion perforated bars 14- so as to permit the movement of the cross-heads 44 with their racks 41 independent of the brackets 69, elevating screws 88 and notched bars 10 connected therewith. This is accomplished during the act of shifting the selector-shaft 55 to its outward slectiveengaging position and spe-v cifically through the medium of a horizontallyswinging rock lever 18 pivoted intermediate itsy ends at 19 to the underside of the platform 20 and having the arms thereof connected by-linlxs 80 with companion vertically-swinging levers 8| L pivoted to the Aunderside of the platform and adapted to engage tappets 82 carried by vertically-swinging arms 83 pivoted at their upper ends at 84 to the corresponding bars 10 and connected at their lower free ends to the companion coupling pins 11. One of the arms of the rock' lsponding bars 14.1 When the selector-shaft is pushed inwardly after the pre-'selection has been made by turning said shaft to elevate the crossheads 44 and bring the record-supporting iingers 52 to a predetermined point immediately above the record selected, the rock lever 18 is free to return to its initial position and restore the coupling pins 11` with the corresponding alined perforations in' the respective bars 14 to couple or interlock the latter with the companion notched bars 10, springs 81 associated with the levers 83 urging the several parts to their initial positions.

As seen in Figure 4, the edges of the bar-notches 1|, over which the inner ends of the supporting fingers 52 ride din'ing the act of selecting a given record, are preferably rounded so that said nger-ends are free to travel in a ratchet-like fashion over the notches and alternately control the projection and retraction of the finger-lugs 53 into the spaces between the records and outward- 1y thereof to clear the peripheries of the record- 'spacer-plates 26, respectively, during the elevating movements of the cross-heads 44.

'I'he screws'68 of the respective carriages are raised and lowered to correspondingly move that portion of the stack of records above the selected record to an elevated spaced position relative thereto for playing, and to return them in connuts for the screws and being held against axial displacement between their companion bevel the screws 68 up. or down through the medium of the shii'table clutch collars 42, 43,l the collar .42 when coupled with. the gear 35 causing the shaft to turn in a direction to raise the screws and the couplingv of the clutch-collar 43 with the gear 36 causing the shaft to turn in the opposite direction to lower the screws. 'I'ne clutch vcollars t2, 43 are selectively shiftable through the medium of a clutch-control lever 92 pivoted at 93to swing horizontally beneath the platform 20 and connected by'a pin and slot 94 with a laterally-shiftable bar-95 `connected by yokes 98 with the respective clutch collars. In its normal neutral position, during which time a selected record is being played, the clutch lever 92 assumes the position shown in Figure 3and the full line position seen in Figure 5, with both clutch collars -in their-.released position so that :the drive from the motor is only to the turn' table shaft 22.4 This clutch lever is shifted manually by the operator to the right, to engage the clutch collar 42, when it is desired to raise the screws 68 to split the recordstack for playing the selected record, and after a pre-selectionv has been made.

When that portion of the stack above the se.

lected record has been elevated to a predetermined position to provide clearance therebelow u for the movement of the tone arm 21 across the record, automatic means are provided for arresting such movement by disengaging the clutchicollar 42 and at the completion of the playing of the 68 governs a trip mechanism to shift the clutch lever 92 to neutral position, this trip mechanism being shown in Figure 6 and preferably consisting 'of a vertically-swinging rock lever 91 pivoted at 98 to a bracket 99 depending from the platform 20 and having one of its arms connected to a link |00 pivoted to a lug |0| carried by the adjoining screw 68. The other arm of the rock lever is in the form of a double-ended tappet |02 which is adapted to encounter a lateral projection |03 on the clutch lever, so that in response to the screw travelling upwardly when raising the recordstack, one of such tappet ends approaches said projection and ultimately shifts the clutch lever from its engaged position, shown by full linesin Figure 6, toits released position seen by dotted lines in said gure, at which time the moving stack is brought to rest and so held during the playing of the selected record. The dotted circle at the extreme right of Figure 6 indicates the position the clutch lever projection |03 assumes when the clutch lever 92 is in position to lower the elevated stack.

'Ihe tone arm 21 is so mounted that when the clearance space above the selected record has been provided in the manner just described, it will swing inwardly by gravity over the record to be played and when its stylus 30 is over the outer end of the record groove, the reproducer 3| is so mounted as to drop by gravity and bring its stylus -in contact with the record groove. Whenthe machine is at rest or not playing, the tone arm is held to 'one side of the record stack by a re# leasable stop arm |04 pivoted at |05 to the platform 20 adjacent the pivoted end of the tone arm and having a spring |06 connected thereto for constantly urging it into the path of a rod |01 depending from the inner end of the tone arm and extending through an arcuate slot '|08 in said 4 b Vsapevate ible connection |08 with the rock lever 18 which,

aspreviously described, is actuated during the reciprocation of the selector-shaft 55. Thus, when the selector-shaft is pulled outwardly to bring its gear 56 into mesh with-the companion rack-engaging gear 48 for elevating the recordengaging fingers to a predetermined height in accordance with the recordto be selected, the

lever 18 is rocked in a direction to exert a pull on the flexible connection |09 to shift the stop arm out of abutting engagement at its end with the tone arm rod |01.

The reproducer 3| isfulcrumed at its rear end on a horizontal pivot ||0 at the free end 'of the tone arm 21 to swing into and outof engagement with a record and projecting rearwardly from this reproducer is a latch bar which engages at its rear or free end beneath a hook-like member ||2 xed on the tone arm'yoke 28 for releasably holding the reproducer 4in its elevated position. This hook-like member is of a predetermined length so that when the tone arm swings inward- 4sus tion to a position outside of the stackpreparatoryl to being released for playing the next selected record, and for automatically engaging the clutch collar 43 to effect the lowering .ofthe elevated portion of the record-stack to its initial position, is preferably constructed' as follows:-

. Y Mounted on the depending post m1 of thetone arm to turn relatively thereto but move therewith during its elevating movement is a sleeve I3 'having a radial. arm ||4 projecting therefrom connected by a link il! with the outer arm ofa horizontally-swinging bell-crank lever.||3 pivotedat ||1 to the underside of the platform, the other or inner arm oi' the bell crank lever being connected by a link I8 with a horizontallyswinging rock lever ||8 pivoted fat |20 to the underside ofthe platform adjacent the turntable shaft 22, as, shown in Figure 5.. Pivoted intermediate its-ends at |2| -to the lever Il! to swing vertically is a normally latched tappet .|22 whose outer end is weighted, as indicated -at |23, and

whose inner end |24 is movable toa projected p0- sition into the path of a trip pin |25. applied to a ldriven gear |23 in constantmesh witha driving gear |21 fixed on the turntable shaft 22. .The

tappet lever |22 is normally'held in itsllatched position by a'displaceabie catch'l28 also applied to the rock lever ||0,shown in Figures 8. and 9,

and-the displacement of this catch at a predetermined point in the movement of said rock lever is effected by'a stationary abutment |29 disposed in its path oi! travel.. Upon being. released from its catch, the tappet by reason of its weighted end is swung-about its pivot to bring its inner end |24 'into thepath of the revolving gear-pin |25, which causes the rock-lever ||9 to swing from the full 4line to the dotted line position seen in Figure 5,

and its respective connections to promptly .re-

turn the tone arm to its initial position'at one side of the turntable. During the initial portion of this return movement, the released tappet encounters a restoring cam member |30 which acts to swing the same to its latched position with the catch |28.

Simultaneously with this return movement, and adjacent the end of its stroke, the outer arm of the bell-crank lever ||6 encounters a'projection |3| on the clutch -lever 92 and shifts the same in a'direction to engage its clutch collar 43 with the companion gear 36. This effects the rotation of the shaft 38 in a reverse direction to accordingly lower the record-supporting carriages 44 and the records carried thereby to their initial position in readiness'for selecting the next record.

Means are provided for automatically swinging or lifting the reproducer 3| to bring its stylus 30 from contact with the record'after playing, and

this is likewise accomplished by the mechanism which governs the return of the tone arm to its initial position. This-lifting of -the reproducer takesv place during the forward part of the return stroke of the tone arm and is preferably effected by a cam member |32 applied to the upper end of the post-sleeve 3 and overhanging the free end of the reproducer latch'bar By this construction, the moment the gear-actuated rock lever-H8 is shifted to swing the tone arm outwardly, the sleeve-arm 4 is promptly turned and imparts a smart thrust to the cam member |32 to depress the free end of the latch bar and raise the reproducer to bring its stylus clear of the yrecord and at the same time direct such free end of the latch bar beneath the hook-like memberl ||2 to retain the reproducer in such elevated position until such time as another record is selected for play.

Instead of mounting the tone arm 21 in such a manner, as to have the force of gravity swing it inwardly vover the vrecord selected for play, a spring |33 may be provided to accomplish the same end.

In practice, this phonograph may be used with orwithout a coin control mechanism.

The operation of this machine is as follows:-

Assume vthe parts to be in the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 5 with the stack of records supportedupon the turntable 2|; also assume the motor 32 to' be running and the clutch collars 42, 43 in theirv released position with the clutch lever in the corresponding neutral position shown in Figure 3 and by full lines in Figure 5; and the tone arm 21 to be'in its latched position at one side of the turntable with the stop arm |04 abutting the tone arm rod |01, as depicted by dotted lines in Figure 5 and .by full lines in Figure '1.

To selecta record, the operator-grasps the knob -55 and pulls .the selector-shaft 35 outwardly from latched engagement with the pawl Il (shown by dotted lines in Figure 1) to bring its gear I1 into .mesh with the rack-actuating gear 48. Simultaneously with the pull of the selectorshaft, the'rock lever 13 is shifted from the full line to the dotted line position shown -in Figure 5 to accordingly 'release the tone arm from the stop arm |04 and to likewise retract the coupling pins 11 from the perforated bars 14, so as tounlcouple the latter from the companion elevating screws. 88 and Aassociated parts and permit of the Vindependent movement of the cross heads 44 and their record-engaging supports 02 in response to the movements of the racks 41 actuselector-shaft knob is then turned in a direction accuse tion shownbyfu'lllinesinll'lgure 5, or from the ated by the turning of the selector shaft l5. The

to bring its pointer 5l in register with a given number on the dial 59 corresponding to the record desired to be played, the turning 'of the -sev lector shaft to such position 'simultaneously elevating the carriages 44, with the record supports 52 ratchetlng over the notched bars 10 to alternately retract and project said supports into and out oi' the spaces between the intervening record ,plates 26, to an elevation opposite that of the for play, the operator pushes the selectorshaitinwardly to its initial position in engagement with `the latching pawl 85.' Coincident with this return of the selector-shaft. the coupling pins 11 are returned to coupling engagement with the companion perforated bars 14, whereby the notched bars 1| and associated parts are again coupled with the perforated bars so that these several elements of the elevating carriage are connected as alunit.

Having thus selected the record desired for playing, the operator now shifts the clutch 'lever 92 to the right, viewing Figure 2, to bring the clutch collar 42 into engagement with the companion gear 35 to cause the elevation ofthe screws 68 and recordsupports 52 to the position shown by full lines in Figures 1, 2 and 4, whereby a head clearance over the selected record is provided for the playing engagement of the tone arm with the selected record. The stoppage of the upper split portion ofthe record stack at a predetermined elevation is automatically effected by the engagement of the lever 91 with the clutch lever projection |03 which results in the clutch lever 92 being shifted to its neutral position, or

from 'full line to the dotted lineposition shown in Figure 6. 'I'he moment the overhead clearance is provided, the tone arm swings laterally by gravity or under the action of the spring |33 over the selected record, and when in this posltion the latch bar of the reproducer 3| isreleasedfrom engagement with the hook-like mem- 4ber or keeper ||2 to enable -the reproducer to drop by gravity to bring its stylusiao into en.-

gagement with the playing groove of the record. vWhen the playing of the record is completed,

` the trip mechanism, including the tappet |22 and associated parts, is actuated from the leverage'connections III, Ill, IIS. il! and ||9 through the medium of the swinging of the tone arm inwardly over the record to ultimately effect the ,lifting of the reproducer from the record by the action of the cam member |32 in depressing the latch bar beneath the keeper |I2, and to 'eff iect the automatic shifting of theclutch lever 92 from the full line to the dotted line position -svhown in Figure 5 to engage the clutch collar I3 and actuate the screws 08 to lower the -elevatedportion of the record-stack to its initial position over the record just played. Upon the return of the tone arm 21 to its initial position, the

stop arm I shifts behind the tone arm rod |01 to latch thetone arm against swinging inwardly. 'I'he lowering of the elevated portion of the stack to its initial positiontis automatically arrested by the bifurcated end |l2 of the screw-actuated lever '91 encountering the clutch lever projection lll 8nd shifting clutch lever t0 its R081- right-hand dotted line position to the medial dotted line position seen in Figure 6. The parts are now in .their respective positions for effecting while supported. thereon, and selectively controlled elevating means movable generally parallel to the turntable-axis and having elements l thereon engageable with one or another of the records for splitting the stack axially to'expose a pre-selected record-for lplay and for supporting those records in the stack, 'above the selected record, in spaced relation to such record.

2. `Inan automatic phonograph, a turntable for supporting a stack of records to be repro-v duced while supported thereon, record-engaging elevating means movable generally parallel to the turntable-axis for splitting the stack axially at a point above a pre-selected record to expose the latter for play and for supporting that portion oi' the stack above the selected record during play,- ing, and record-selected means for predeterminingthe position of said elevating means in accordance .with the record selected.

while supported thereon, a tone arm mounted for elevational adjustment relative to the turntable for selective playing engagement with one orv another of the records, means for eiecting such adjustment in accordance with a record selected for play. and selective record-engaging means for supporting and elevating those records above a record selected for play to provide an overhead clearancespace therefor and expose the selected record for playing engagement with the tone arm.

4. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable adapted to support a plurality of superposed records thereon, selective record-engaging-means for supporting and elevating those records above a record selected for play to provide an overhead clearance space therefor, and a sound-reproducing unit movable in saidspace-inplaying en- 4 the record selected, and means for actuating said adjustable means as a unit afterarecord selection ,is made for splitting the stack of records to expe the selected record for play.

6. In an automatic phonograph, al turntable adapted to support a plurality of Superposed records thereon; means for supporting and elevatingthose records above a record selected for play to provide van overhead clearance 'space therefor,

of said elevating means in accordance with the record selected, and a sound reproducing unit movable in the space provided over the selected record for playing engagement therewith.- i

selector means f or'predetermining the position 'I-.Inanautomatic phonograph, a turntable adapted to support a plurality of superposed records thereon.' a sound-reproducing unit adjustable vertically for selective playing engagement with one oranother of said records, means selec-y ftiveiy movable to an elevation corresponding to a selected record for engagementwith therecords surmounting the pre-selected one, and

means for elevating said selective supporting means to provide' a clearance space over the record-selected for'the operative engagement of the sound-reproducing unit with such record.

8. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable. a stack oi records disposed on the turntable for axial displacement relative thereto, pre-selection means for governing the axial displacement of the records at'the junction of the record selected and for releasably supporting that portion oi the stack above the selected record, the record selected and' any below it being supported on the turntable, and means for raising and lowering said pre-selection means to accordingly shift the upper portion of the stack to and from a position A to expose the selectedrecord for playing.

"to and from a position to expose the vselected record for playing, a tone arm engageable with controlled means operative to lower the elevated the selected record, and means governed Aby the tone arm for initiating the lowering oi the preselection means at the completion of the playing of the'l record.

10. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable adapted to support a stack of records thereon, a vertically-reciprocating carriage having record-engaging supports thereon, selecting means for actuating said carriage to pre-set its, recordsupports at an elevation immediately above the record selected and insupporting engagement with-the records above it, a tone arm movable at 'a predetermined timeinto and out oi operative engagement Iwith a pre-selected record, and means for elevating the carriage to bring the stack oi' records supported thereby to a position clear of the selected record to admit the tone arm therebelow for operative engagement with such record.

1l. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable adapted to support a stack of records for rela' tive axial displacement to expose a selected record in the stack for play. a tone arm arranged for operative engagement with the ected record, pre-'selection means for governing the axial dis- .placement of the records at the junction of the record :selected and for releasably supporting that portion of the stack above the selected record, means for elevating said pre-selection means to raise such upper portion o! the stack to a predetermined elevation above the record selected.` clutch-controlled means for actuating said elevating means, and-'means governed by said tone j arm for automatically rendering the clutchportion of the stack to its initial position.'

adapted to support a stack of records for rela- -tive axial displacement to expose a selected record in the stack for play, a tone'arm arranged for operative engagement with the selected record. pre-selection means for governing the axial displacement of the records at the junction oi the= record selected and for releasably supporting that portion of the stack above the selected record,

means for elevating said pre-selection means to raise such upper portion ot'the stack to a pre-- 12. In an automatic phonograph, a vturntable determined elevation above the record selected' clutch-controlled means for actuating said elevating means, means for automatically effecting the return oi the tone arm to its initial position after the playing of a record, and means initiated by such return movement of the tone arm for automatically rendering the clutch-controlledv means operative to lower the elevated portion of y the stack to its initial position.

- 13. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable adapted to support al plurality of superposed records, a vertically adjustable tone arm, verticallyadjustable, vrecord-selective means disposed for releasable supporting engagement with those rec'- ords above the one selected, operator-actuated means for simultaneously actuating said tone arm and said selectiveA means to an elevation for playing a given record selected, and power-actuated means for elevating said record-selective lmeans to a predetermined position to provide an overhead clearance over the `selected record for the operative engagement of the tone arm therewith.

14. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable having a guide post rising axially therefrom, a plurality of superposed records mounted on the turntable inguiding engagement with its post, means disposed adjacent the periphery of said turntable and adjustable'vertically to a plurality of selective elevations to engage one or another of the records, and means for actuating said record-engaging means to raise and lower the records sustained thereby to and from a position spaced-axially from the next adjoining record therebelow to expose it for play.'

15. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable,

a stack oi records mounted thereon for axialA selective movementto expose one or another of the records for play, means for splitting the stack axially at a point immediately over the record 'desired to be played, selector means for pre-setting said stack-splitting means at an elevation corresponding to the selected record, a tone arm adjustable vertically to aplurality of selective elevations to 'engage one or another of the records, and means for operatively connecting said tone armwith saidselector means for simultaneously pre-lsett'ing the tone arm at an elevation to playthe record selected.

16. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable, a plurality of 'superposed records disposed axially over the turntable and having intervening plates therebetween of somewhat larger diameter than the records, and selectively controlled means engageable beneathv one or another oi' said plates for supporting and elevating those records and interveningplates above the selected record to an elevation for exposing the latter for play.

17. In an automatic phonograph, aturntable.

a4 stack of records mounted thereon for axial selective movement to expose one or another of the records iior play, verticallyfreciprocating carriage means adjoining the periphery of the turntable and having record-engaging supports thereon, manually-controlled selector means for actuating said carriage means to record-selecting.`

position, power-driven means including a control element for elevating said carriage means with the records supported thereby to a position A clear of the selected record and for returning the same to initial stack position after the playing of the selected record, a vertically adjustable tone arm operatively connected to said selector means for actuation thereby to an elevation for engagement with the record selected, automatic means governed by the carriage means for actuating the control element of said power-driven means to a released position to arrest the reciprocating movements of said carriage means, means for effecting the automatic return of the tone arm to its initial position upon the completion of playing the selected record, means actuated by said tone-arm-returning means for actuating the control element of the power driven means to an engaged position to lower the elevated portion of the stack to its initial position, and means governed by said selector means for releasably retaining the tone arm in its inoperative position.

18. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable adapted to support a stack of records thereon, vertically-reciprocating carriages disposed at diametrically opposite sides of the turntable and each having relatively shiftable record-engaging supports thereon projectable between the Inar-l ginal edges of a pair of adjoining records to sustain the upper record of the pair and any records surmounting it, manually selective means operatively connected` to said shiftable record-engaging supports for moving them to an elevation substantially in line with the record selected and in sustaining engagement with those records of the stack above the selected record, means for releasably coupling the shiftable supports with their companion carriages to reciprocate in unison therewith, elevating means for raising the carriages to bring the records supported thereby in vertically spaced relation to the selected record during the playing thereofv and to lower the same after the playing of the record is completed, a laterally-swinging ytone arm adjustably mounted to assume varying elevations in accordance with the record selected, means operatively connected to said selective means for effecting the elevation of the tone arm simultaneously with that of said record-engaging supports, clutch-controlled drive means for Y actuating said carriage-elevating means to raise and lower the records surmounting the selected record of the stack, a clutch-actuating lever manually shiftable to a position to effect the raising of the carriage, means for automatically shifting said clutch lever to a neutral position when the carriage reaches a predetermined elevation, means for automatically swinging the tone arm to its initial position after the selected record is played, and means connected with said clutch lever and governed by said tone-armswinging means for automatically shifting the clutch lever to a position to effect the lowering of the carriage and the records supported thereby to their initial position.

19, In an automatic phonograph, a turntable, a tone arm having a reproducer hinged thereto for movement into and out of engagement with a record, a latch bar projecting from said reproducer, means engageable with the latch bar for holding the reproducer in an elevated position when in non-playing position, said means being borne by the tone arm and being released from said latch bar when the tone arm is swung to a position for engaging the record, and automatic means for effecting the reengagement of said means with the latch bar to raise the reproducer to its elevated position upon the completion of the playing of the record, said automatic means including a part actuated in response to the outward swinging of the tone arm to engage and depress the latch bar to elevate the reproducer and direct said bar beneath said means for holding the reproducer in an elevated position.

20. In an automatic phonograph, a turntable, a laterally-swinging tone arm having a repro-a ducer hinged thereto for movement into and out of engagement with a record, a latch bar projecting from the reproducer, a fixed keeper with which said latch bar normally engages for retaining the reproducer in its raised position and from which it is released for playing a record, and automatically-actuatedrotatable camlike means applied to the tone arm and engageable with said latch bar at a predetermined time in the` return movement of the tone arm for moving the latch bar into engagement with the keeper for restoring and retaining the reproducer to and in its raised position upon the completion of playing of the record;

' JOHN R. MITCHELL.

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