US2192794A - Magazine phonograph - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1940. N 2,192,794

MAGAZINE PHONOGRAPH Filed Sept; 21, 1938 Inventor 5 man M fill Attorney:

PATENT OFFICE 2,192,794 mom mouocmrn George Stanley Mann, Ipswich, England Application September 21, 1938, set-m No. 231,083 in Great Britain September 29, 1937 H0 Claims.

This invention relates to magazine phonoraphs of the kind having means for automatically and successively transferring the records to be played from a magazine or pile to the turntable. With such arrangements each played record either remains on the turntable, which is depressed to permit receiving a fresh' record (such as the phonograph described in the specification of applicant's British Patent No. 472,135 published October 14, 1937 and sealed December 9, 1937) or is removed from the turntable to-a discarded well for played records (such as described in the specification of applicants British Patent No. 402,779 published January 4, 1934 and sealed November 8, 1934), the'magazine or record-storage platform being raised step by step as each top record is removed.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide simple but efiective means for determining and controlling the proper position of the top record on the record-storage platform and for locking or retaining said platform in position between successive lifting movements.

In order that the invention can be fully ap-' preciated, one preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows somewhat diagrammatically a plan view of a magazine phonograph according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows, also diagrammatically, a sectional elevation of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 shows a. schematic view of the hydraulic 35 shown in Figs. 1 and 2. 4 r

This particular embodiment of. the invention is carried out in connection with a magazine phonograph of the kind wherein the records are transferred to a depressible turntable 5 upon whichthe records are played and the played records stored, the arrangement being such as that described in applicant's British specification No. 472,135.

The records to be played are housed in a pile in a compartment or well of the phonograph cabinet and they rest upon a platform 6 mounted upon the upper end of a vertical guide sleeve 7 sliding over a central vertical rod 8 fixed at its lower end to the base of the cabinet. Said sleeve 1 is in twoscrewed-together adjustable parts to allow for alteration of its length and is suitably guided in a bearing 9 carried by a cross member II of the cabinet.

The upper end portion of the vertical rod I extends through the record-storage platform fluid system incorporated in the arrangement and forms a pin upon which records H are cen tered.

A coiled spring I! supported on the cross member Ill of the cabinet acts upon the underside of the platform 5 and tends to raise the 'said plat- 5 form and the records thereon.

The turntable 5 is adapted to be depressed to carry the played records II and is interconnected with the record-storage platform B so as to descend as said platform rises, being used 10 inconjunction with a single record-lifting or transferring device, such as a single horizontally swinging arm carrying an electro-magnet, as described in applicant's British specification No. 472,135 and as indicated at l3.

The turntable 5 is mounted 'withina well or, chamber of the phonograph cabinet and is carried by the upper end of a central vertical sleeve 14 which is slidable and rotatable over a vertical centre guide rod 15 fixed at its lower end to the base of the cabinet. The upper end of this rod I5 serves to receive the records ll. a r

The sleeve I4 is adapted to be rotated by a v I motor unit l6 through the intermediary of a sliding coupling device so that the turntable 5 can be driven while at any height.

The lower end of the turntable sleeve I4 is coupled, by a pin and slot connection, to one end of a two-armed lever system l'l the other arm of which is similarly coupled by a pin and slot connection to the lower end of the sleeve 7 of the record-storage platform 6.

The lever system I! is fulcrumed at its middle upon a bracket l8 and moves in a vertical plane.

It will bereadily appreciated that by reason of 'this lever connection, the turntable 5 descends to a distance equal to the thickness of a' record while the record-storage platform 6 rises a similar amount, said latter platform being constantly urged upwards by means of itsspring l2 assisted by the weight of any records such .as H" on the turntable 5.

In order to control the lifting of the platform 6 and the corresponding depression of the turntable 5 and also to determinethe correct position of the top record upon the platform 6, that arm of the lever system II which is nearest the turntable is connected by an upwardly directed link I! to the upper end of a piston rod 20 which carries at its lower end a piston 2| working within a vertical cylinder 22 adapted to be filled with oil or other suitable hydraulic fluid.

The upper and lower ends of the cylinder 22 are wnnected by a conduit 23 within the length of which there is provided a valve box 24.

Consequently, although the piston 2| .is con-,

stantly urged downwards by reason of its connection with the lever system II, it cannot descend and displace the fluid below it so long as the valve 25 remains closed and thus the platform 6 cannot rise.

In order to move the valve 25 from its co.- operating seating when the top record on the storage platform 6 is removed, a horizontal control arm or lever 21 is provided and is adapted to rest upon the top record on the platform 6. This control arm 21 is pivoted at its inner end to a bracket 28 mounted on the phonograph cabinet and such as to turn in a vertical plane. The outer or free end of this control arm, which lies over the top record near the centre thereof, is weighted so that the arm rests on said record.

Furthermore, near the pivoting point of the I said control arm 2'! is provided an adjustable screw 29 which is adapted to abut against the upper end of a vertical push rod 30 whose lower end extends into the valve box 24 and is adapted to engage with the valve 25.

So long as the top record on the platform 6 is at its correct height, the control arm 21 resting thereon occupies a relatively raised position and the push rod 30 merely rests lightly on the valve 25 without any pressure being applied to it by the arm.

When, however, the top record has been transferredto the turntable through the intermediary of the transfer arm indicated at Hi, the control arm 2! falls on the next record and in doing so its weight thrusts the push rod 30 downwards against the valve 25 which is thus forced from its seating against the action of the spring 25. Thus, the conduit 23 is opened to permit the passage of fluid from one end to the other of the cylinder 22 and allow the piston 2| to descend a short distance in its cylinder and the platform to rise.

The control arm 21 will also be raised by the next top recordand when this record reaches its predetermined correct height for transfer the control arm will have risen to its initial position and, relieving the pressure on the push rod 30.

' will release the valve 25 which, under the action of the spring 26, will again close the conduit 23, thus preventing further movement of the piston 2i and consequently further upward movement of the platform 6.

It should be noted that the piston 2i is provided with a through passage controlled by a springloaded ball valve 3| that closes the passage during downward movement of the piston but is capable of opening said passage if the piston is moved upwards.

When all records have been removed from the record-storage platform 6 the piston 21 will be at the bottom of its stroke, the oil from beneath having been transferred to the top of the cylinder 22 past the control valve 26. v

To re-load the storage platform 6, said platform is depressed (after removal of the played records from the turntable 5), causing the piston to rise to the top of its cylinder, thus transferring the oil from'the top of the cylinder to the space beneath the piston past the ball valve 3|.

There is indicated at 32 a pick-up arm mechanism which is preferably of the kind described in the specification of applicants co-pending British patent application No. 26,381/37 although it is of course to be understood that any suitable pickup or tone-arm device can be provided in con- Junction with the turntable 5.

The invention is not limited to the precise forms or details of construction described, as these may be varied to suit particular cases without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America is:

1. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movable record-storage platform, means for raising said platform to bring the top record thereon to a predetermined level, a chamber adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a member operatively connected to the platform and forming a movable wall of the said chamber, a passage-way to allow such fluid to flow from said chamber, a valve device for controlling the flow of such fluid from the chamber, movable means for contacting with the top record on the platform and a connection between said contacting means and the valve device so that upon the top record being removed from the platform the contacting means moves into contact with the next record on the platform and as a consequence opens the valve to permit the flow of hydraulic fluid from the chamber whereby the movable wall member, under the action of the means for raising the platform, can bring about a flow of hydraulic fluid from the chamber and said flow will continue until such time that the said next record has been raised to a predetermined level, whereupon the contacting means will have moved to close the valve to terminate the flow of fluid and consequently prevent further movement of the movable wall member and further raising of the platform connected thereto.

2. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movable record-storage platform, means for raising said platform to bring the top record thereon to a predetermined level, a cylinder adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a piston member arranged within said cylinder and operatively connected to the movable record-storage platform, a passageway to allow hydraulic fluid to flow from the cylinder, a valve device for controlling the flow of such fluid from the cylinder, movable means for contacting with the top record on the platform and a connection between said contacting means and the valve-device.

3. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movable record-storage platform, means for raising said platform to bring the top record thereon to a predetermined level, a cylinder adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a piston member arranged within said cylinder and 0peratively connected to the platform, a passageway located towards one end of the cylinder to allow such fluid to flow from the cylinder, a passageway located towards the other end of the cylinder to allow such fluid to flow to the cylinder, said passageways leading to opposite sides of a valve device which is adapted to control the flow of the fluid from one side of the piston member to the other when the said member moves in one direction.

4. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movable record-storage platform, means forv rais ng said platform to bring the top record thereon to a predetermined level, a cylinder adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a piston member arranged within said cylinder and operatively connected to the platform, a passageway located towards one end of the cylinder to allow such fluid to flow from the cylinder, a passageway located towards the other end of the cylinder to allow such fluid to flow to the cylinder, said passageways leading to opposite sides of a valve device which is adapted to control the flow of the fluid from one side of the piston member to the other when the said piston member moves in one direction and a one-way valve means located in the piston member so that upon movement of the piston member in the other direction fluid can pass from one side of the piston to the other.

5. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movable record-storage platform, means for raising said platform to bring the top record thereon to a predetermined level, a chamber adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a member operatively connected to the platform and forming a movable wall of the said chamber, a passageway to allow such fluid to flow from said chamber, a valve device for controlling the flow of such fluid from the chamber, a pivoted arm whose outer end is adapted to rest upon the top record on the platform and a mechanical connection between said pivoted arm and the valve device.

6. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movable record-storage platform, a movable turntable upon which records are adapted to be played and such played records stored, a two-armed lever system interconnecting said platform and the turntable, means for raising the platform and consequently lowering the turntable in order to bring the top records thereon to a predetermined level, a chamber adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a member operatively connected to the platform and forming a movable wall of the said chamber, a passageway to allow .such fluid to flow from said chamber, a valvedevice for controlling the flow of such fluid from the chamber, movable means for contacting with the top record on the platform and a mechanical connection between said contacting means and the valve device.

'7. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movable record-storage platform, a movable turntable upon which records are adapted to be played and such played records stored, a two-armed lever system interconnecting said platform and the turntable, means for raising the platform and consequently lowering the turntable in order to bring the top records thereon to a predetermined level, a cylinder adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a piston member arranged within said cylinder and operatively connected to the two-armed lever system, a passageway to allow hydraulic fluid to flow from the cylinder, a valve device for controlling the flow of such fluid from the cylinder, a pivoted arur whose outer end is adapted to rest upon the top record on the platform and a mechanical connection between said .pivoted arm and the valve device.

8. A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a movable record-storage platform, a movable turntable upon which records are adapted to be played and such played records stored, a two-armed lever system interconnecting said platform and the turntable, means for raising the platform and consequently lowering the turntable in order to bring the top record on each to a predetermined level, a chamber adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a member forming a movable wall of said chamber and mechanically connected to the two-armed lever system so that said movable wall member constantly exerts a pressure on the hydraulic fluid in the chamber, a passageway to allow hydraulic fluid to flow from the chamber, a valve device for controlling the flow of such fluid from the chamber, movable means for contacting with the top record on the platform and a mechanical connection between said contacting-means and the valve device.

9.- A magazine phonograph comprising, in combination, a two-armed lever system, a movable record-storage platform connected to one arm of said lever system, a movable turntable connected to the other arm of the said lever system and upon which turntable records are adapted to be played and such played records stored, means for raising the platform and consequently, as a result of the two-armed lever system, lowering the turntable in order to bring the top record on each to a predetermined level, a cylinder adapted to contain a hydraulic fluid, a piston member arranged within said cylinder and mechanically connected to the two-armed lever system so thatsaid piston constantly exerts a pressure on the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder, apassageway located towards one end of the cylinder to allow hydraulic fluid to flow from the cylinder, a passageway located towards the other end of the cylinder to allow such fluid to flow to the cylinder, said passageways communicating through the intermediary of a valve device which serves to control the flow of fluid from one side of the piston member to the other when the said piston member moves in one direction, a pivoted arm whose outer end is adapted to rest on the top record on the platform, a mechanical connection between said pivoted arm and the said valve device, and a one-way valve means located in the piston member so that upon movement of the piston'member in the other direction fluid can pass from one side of the piston to the other independently of the first-mentioned valve device.

10. A magazine phonograph as claimed in claim 1, including spring means for exerting a raising influence on the movable record-storage platform.

GEORGE STANLEY MANN.

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