US3847402A

US3847402A - Phono disc playback

Info

Publication number: US3847402A
Application number: US00317067A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Shacklett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-12-20
Filing date: 1972-12-20
Publication date: 1974-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-12

Abstract

A playback machine for playing individual bands of a miniature phonograph disc has a carriage for a reproducing needle which can be set at any one of a number of different stations where the needle can be started at the beginning of a selected band. A hand-actuated multiple function actuating lever simultaneously places the needle on the disc and throws a switch to start the turntable motor. A relatively long arm extending transversely across the carriage has the needle mounted at one end and has a yieldable mounting at the other end. The other end of the arm overlies the center of a loud-speaker cone and when the arm is moved by the actuating lever to set the needle on the disc, the arm is simultaneously rested lightly on the center of the loudspeaker cone. Vibrations set up in the needle are in that way transferred mechanically to the loud-speaker cone to reproduce the sound track of the disc. When the needle reaches the end of the selected band it goes no further and then, upon manual release of the actuating lever, the carriage returns automatically to start position, whereby to play the same band over again, and for as many replays as the operator may wish.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Shacklett PHONO DISC PLAYBACK [76] Inventor: James T. Shacklett, 427 S.

' Manhattan Pl. No. 2048, Los

Angeles, Calif. 90005 [22] Filed: Dec. 20, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 317,067

[52] US. Cl. 274/14 [51] Int. Cl. ..G11b 17/06 [58] Field of Search 274/l.l, 15 R, 15 B, 14

[561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,961,242 11/1960 Zimmermann et al. 274/14 3,086,297 4/1963 Kay 1 3,610,638 10/1971 Castagna 274/14 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 441,299 1/1936 Great Britain 274/14 Primary ExaminerI-Iarry N. Haroian [57] ABSTRACT A playback machine for playing individual bands of a 1 Nov. 12, 1974 miniature phonograph disc has a carriage for a reproducing needle which can be set at any one of a number of different stations where the needle can be started at the beginning of a selected band. A handactuated multiple function actuating lever simultaneously places the needle on the disc and throws a switch tostart the turntable motor. A relatively long arm extending transversely across the carriage has the needle mounted at one end and has a yieldable mounting at the other end. The other end of the arm overlies the center of a loud-speaker cone and when the arm is moved by the actuating lever to set the needle on the disc, the arm is simultaneously rested lightly on the center of the loud-speaker cone. Vibrations set up in the needle are in that way transferred mechanically to the loud-speaker cone to reproduce the sound track of the disc. When the needle reaches the end of the selected band it goes no further and then, upon manual release of the actuating lever, the carriage returns automatically to start position, whereby to play the same band over again, and for as many replays as the operator may wish.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PHONO DISC PLAYBACK Most compact reproducing machines currently available are tape machines for both recording and replay, the more current of which make use of packaged tapes called cassettes. While such machines have distinct advantages for purposes such as the learning of languages, they lack one particular and very needful characteristic, namely, the capability of repeatedly playing selected phrases when the user wishes to memorize and learn the phrase. Also, they have the additional disadvantage of requiring an appreciable amount of time to select different items of information on the tape which may be appreciably removed one from another.-Not only is it time consuming to runthe tapebackwards or forwards even at accelerated rates, but it isalso difficult to accurately pick a particular section of tape where the information is contained.

Even though such tapemachines have been transis torized in order to keep them as compact as possible, they continue to need relatively complicated electronic circuits and intricate parts allof which contribute to make such devices relatively expensive and relatively heavy from the point of view of being easily carried about by hand,.pocket or purse of the user. It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved device for playing back information which makes use of thin interchangeable phonograph discs on which the information is setup in bands which are easy and quick .to locate andcapable of repeating the playback of information as often as may be desired.

Another object of the invention is-to provide a new and improved phono disc playback device whichis relatively inexpensive and particularly which is light in weight to the extent that'it presents no problem in being carried about either in the pocketor purse orby hand, and without need for provision of a carrying case.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved phono disc playback device which plays equally well in virtually any position and which is I so arranged that it can be directed readily toward some person other than the operator.

Still another object ofthe invention is to providea new and improved phono disc playback device which, except for the motor drive, depends on mechanical rather than electronic means for reproducing the vibrations on the phonograph disc.

Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improvedphono disc playback device provided with a turntable which permits discs to be readily removedeither for being inverted in order to play the opposite side of thedisc "or replaced with another comparable disc where other and different information is made readily available for use.

Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved phono disc playback device which can be quickly shifted-to play any selected band and which is so arranged that the playing of such band can be repeated virtually automatically as often as might be desired. I

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illus- FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional=view take n on v the line .44 of'FIG. -1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal'sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the device; in play position. I

In an embodiment of the inventionchosen for the purpose of illustration,.ther.e isshownaframei101here taking the form of a box-like structure having a bottom 11, side walls 12, end walls 14 and ISIand a top 16. Within the walls and intermediatethetop and bottom is a battery chamber 17 housingntwo dry ,cellbatteries ,18 and 19 and a larger chamberZO-Whichaccommodates a motor 21 connected to a turntable drive 22 which acts on a shaft 23. Aturntable24 istcarried by a column 25, journaled in aportion ofthe turntable drive 22 and-supported by aathrust bearinglfi. Aifriction band 27 extends around-the circumference of the turntable and is engaged-by the shaft2-3 serving as arim drive-shaft whereby-to simplify thezdrive for achieving approximately an optimum speed of rotation of the turntable. The turntable is designed to have-mounted thereon a phonograph disc 28 wherein the playing grooves are presented in

aplurality.ofindividualrbands

29, 30,31 and 32, of grooves separated by

ungrooved bands

33, 34 and 35.

There is a central opening 36 in the disc which is aligned with the axis-.ofrotation of :the turntable24,.the disc being held in place by a peg 37; The peg is atathe end of an arm 38, the arm being tiltably supportedon a pivot pin 39 in a block 40. A, release button4'l reciprocatably mounted in theblock 40 bears against an end 42 of the arm 38 and is adapted to move the end 42 downwardly against tension in aspring 43 whereby to lift the peg 37 clear of the phonograph disc 28 when the disc is to be removed and replaced'by another comparable disc. When the release button 41 is itself relieved, the spring 43 tilts the arm 38 in a direction pressing the peg 38 into the central opening 36 .of the disc 28 thereby to hold the disc on the turntable in all positions of the instrument. By having the outside diameter of the peg 37 slightly in excess of the diameter-of the central opening 36, a light pressure is applied to thephonograph disc 28 holdingit on the turntable evenathough the instrument be turned upside down during use.

On the frame is a guideway indicated generallybytthe reference character 50, the guideway comprisingaside

rails

51 and 52 on the inner faces of which are.-respective longitudinalgrooves 53 and 54.- ,The grooves slidably accommodate a shoe 55 which, can be moved. back and forth within the groove to anyone of a numberof selected positions. A'pinion 45-rotatablymountedin the shoe 55 meshes with a rack 46 in the groove-.534: A

shaft 47 non-rotatably secured to the pinion has on its.

open end a handle 48 which is turned toset the position of the shoe 55 in the guideway 50.

Connected to the shoe by means of a hinged connection 57 is a carriage 58 which supports a. tone" arm- 60 in a position permitting the carriage-to set thetone arm in any oneof a number of different chosen positions.

The carriage 58 and shoe 55 may aptly be made reference to as a carriage assembly inasmuch as the moving and setting of both of these parts is the mechanism by which the tone arm is placed in proper position.

Since the tone arm 60 is to be moved up and down to positions respectively comprising release position and play position an end 61 of the carriage 58 opposite from the hinged connection 57, is adapted to be moved, between the positions respectively of FIGS. 2 and 5. For moving the respective end 61 of the carriage use is made of an actuating lever 62 which, in the chosen embodiment is mounted upon a post 63 and the post reciprocatably mounted in a bore 64 of a vertical housing 65. In theactuating lever 62 is a channel 66 formed between a lower pair of bars 67, 67' and an upper pair of

bars

68 and 68. At the end 61 of the carriage 58 is a bracket 69 at the upper end of which is a sliding cross arm 70, the arm extending outwardly on one side to a position between thelower and

upper bars

67, 68 and on the other side between lower and upper bars 67' and 68'. The cross arm is madefree to slide longitudinally between the bars.

To retain the tone arm 60 in proper position on the carriage 58, there is provided a retaining finger 71 which is located parallel to and spaced from the carriage 58 by means of a boss 72. The finger 71 is so spaced from the carriage 58 as to provide a freely sliding retainment for the tone arm 60.

The tone arm 60 at one end 73 has mounted thereon a pickup needle 74 for vibrations imparted to it by grooves in the

various bands

29, 30, 31 and 32 of the phonograph disc 28. At the opposite end 75 of the tone arm is a downwardly facing rounded boss 76 within which is a bore 77 fitting loosely over a guide pin 78, the guide pin being mounted on a portion 16' of the top 16. A spring 79 acts between the portion 16 and the hollow collar 86 on a speaker cone 80. As previously described, the tone arm 60 extends from the guide pin 78 across the carriage 58 where it is confined by the finger 71.

For translating the vibrations from the phonograph disc into audible sound, use 'is made of the speaker cone 80, a circumferential rim 81 of which is confined between an annular washer 82 fastened to the underside of the top 16 and a retaining washer 83 on the opposite side of the rim. A screen 84 of conventional material extends across an outward opening 85 for the outward passage of sound waves from the speaker cone.

Centrally located at the small end of the speaker cone is the collar 86 upon which the end of the tone arm 60 is adapted to rest when the needle is in playing position on the phonograph disc 28. In this manner vibrations picked up by the needle 74 are passed to the tone arm and thence to the collar 86 whereby the speaker cone receives the vibrations translating them into sound waves which are projected from the speaker outwardly through the opening 85.

The spring may be dispensed with when pressure of the finger 71 is sufficient to hold the tone arm in playing position.

The tone arm 60 is normally held againsta stop 88 on the carriage 58 by action of a tie 89 which is fastened at one end to a tab 99 on the tone arm. The other end 91 'of the tie, as shown inFIG. 5, extends through and is anchored to the shoe 55. The tie, moreover, extends freely through an opening 92 in the carriage 58,

as shown also in FIG. 2, so that the tie slides freely within the opening.

By reason of there being a spring 95 acting between an extension 96 on the post 63 and the underside of the top 16 of the frame normally biased to lift the post 63 and the actuating lever 62, the end 61 of the carriage 58 will normally be lifted to the position of FIG. 2. In this position, and with the tie 89 being of fixed predetermined length, when the carriage is tilted upwardly tension is put on the tie 89 which pulls the tone arm 60 to its position against-the stop 88 as shown in FIG. 2. A slot 97 accommodates-the extension 96.

When the tone arm is to be placed in play position, which means that the needle 74 is at play position in the outermost groove of any one or another of the

bands

29, 30, 31 or 32, the shoe and accordingly the carriage 58 is moved to a selected position. Assuming, for example that the play is to commence on band 30, the shoe and carriage are moved to the position illustrated in FIG. 1 which is a position wherein the needle 74 will be at play position in the outermost of the grooves of the band 30. Thevshoe could be as readily shifted to accommodate anyone of the other bands. Preferably detents 98 may be provided along the guideway engageable with the shoe, there being a detent corresponding to each of the bands.

When positioned. as described, the instrument is ready for playing. This is accomplished by depressing the actuating lever 62 with the finger, as suggested in FIG. 5, moving the post 63 downwardly against tension in the spring 95 and, at the same time, moving the tone arm from the position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 4.

At the same time this is done, tension is released on the tie 89 so that it lies loose as shown in FIG. 5. The needle 74 then follows the grooves of band 30 of the phonograph disc and is allowed to move freely between the finger 71 and the carriage 58. There being very light resistance to movement, the other end of the tone arm and the boss 76 is allowed to rest lightly on the edge of the collar 86 while it is transferring vibrations set up in the tone arm by action of the needle to the collar and, accordingly, to the speaker cone.

Since the grooves of the band 30 do not lead into grooves of the next band 31, when the needle reaches the final groove in the band 30 it ceasesto transmit vibrations and playing stops at this finish position. Should the operator wish to repeat playing of the band 30, the only movement necessary is to release the actuating lever 62 permitting the spring to lift the actuating lever and accordingly the carriage 58 and tone arm 60. This lifts the needle from the phonograph disc and simultaneously by application of tension to the tie 89, the tone arm is drawn from its advanced position back to start play position against the stop 88. All that is necessary then for a repeat play is for the operator to again depress the actuating lever 62, and the same band 30 is played over again.

When the operator wishes to shift play to a different band, the only operation necessary to accomplish this is to shift the shoe 55 and accordingly the carriage 58 to one of the other positions accommodating any one of the other bands, 29, 31 or 32, whereupon by again depressing the actuating lever 62, play is commenced at the start groove of any one of the selected bands.

Electric actuation of the turntable motor 21 is conventional in that switch armatures 100 and ltltl respectively on the actuating lever 62 and frame top 16 are moved to closed position as shown in FIG. 5 for the circuit connecting the

batteries

18 and 19 with the motor 21. The circuit thus closed remains energized as long as the actuating lever is depressed which means that the turntable will rotate for as long as necessary to have the needle traverse all the groovesof a selected band. As promptly as the actuating lever 62 is released, the cireuit is deenergizedand rotation of the turntable ceases.

By making that portion of the frame which accommodates the

batteries

18 and 19 relatively narrow, it serves as a handhold for the operator permitting the operator to manipulate the instrument into virtually any position either facing outwardly toward some person removed from the operator or facing in an opposite direction toward the operator merely by reversing the grip. ln'either position the hand-hold is such that one finger or another or some part of the finger can be moved to a position overlying the actuating lever-62 in order to start play of any selected band on the phonograph disc. lnasmuch as the arm 38 effectively holds the phonograph disc 28 down on the turntable, the phonograph disc is not disturbed by moving the instrument about or inverting it. 7

While the invention has herein been shown andd'escribed in what is conceived to be a practical and effective embodiment it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claimsso as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. A phonograph disc playback device for use with a disc having bands of groovescomprising a frame, a motor actuated turntable on the frame, said frame including a guideway, a carriage slidably mounted on the guideway, a tone arm carried by the carriage and a needle on the tone arm having playing engagement positions relative to the disc, said carriage having a plurality of stations on the guideway corresponding to the respective bands of grooves on the disc, said tone arm having a path of travel on said carriage between start and finish play positions of a selected band, an actuating lever movably mounted on said frame for operation between operating and release positions, said actuating lever being operably connected with said tone arm at said stations, said tone arm being in play position with the needle in contact with the disc at start play position when said actuating arm is in operating position, there being a return mechanism on the carriage operably associated with the tone arm and operable to return the tone arm to start position, and a switch for activating the turntable responsive to movement of the actuating lever when the actuating lever is in operable position, whereby upon each movement of the actuating lever after return of said tone arm to start play position there is a repeat play of the needle on the selected band of the disc.

2. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein there. are yieldable detents corresponding to the respective bands on the disc operable between the carriage and the frame for locating the carriage at a selected band.

3. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein there is a stop on the carriage for said tone arm when the tone arm is in -start play position, said'tone arm having a stop position on the carriage when said tonearm is in finish play position.

4. A phonograph disc playbackdevice asin claim'l wherein the turntable is on one lateral side of the guide-.

way and there is a speaker cone on the other lateral side of the guideway and the central axes respectively of the'turntable and the speaker-are substantially parallel to each other.

5. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 4 wherein the needle is at one end of the tone arm and there is a movable support on the frame for the other end of the tone arm, a portion of the tone arm having a position of engagement with the speaker. cone at its center whereby to transmit vibrations picked ,up by the needle to the speaker for reproduction of sounds from the bands on the disc.

6. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein there is a longitudinally slidable engagement between'the actuating lever and the carriage during movement of the carriage in the guideway.

7. A phonograph disc playbaekdevice-as in claim 1 wherein said switch has a position relative to the actuating lever subject to being energized when;the .actuating lever is moved to a position whereintheneedle is on the disc at start play position for the respective band. v

8. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein means for holding the disc in position on the tumtable comprises a post. adapted to engage the disc at the center and resilientmeans acting betweenthe post and the frame, said post being movable between a disc holding position for holding the disc on the turntable and a release position wherein the disc can ,be removed for replacement.

9. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 4 wherein the output face of the-speaker is parallelto the turntable and faces a direction opposite to the side of the turntable on which the disc is located.

10. A phonograph disc playback-device as in claim 1 wherein return mechanism is automaticand comprises a connection between the tone armand the carriage which-is free of engagement while the needle travels from start play to finish and which is activiated to return the tone arm to start play position by action of the actuating lever when moving torelease position.

11. A system for the selective playing of separate recorded bands on a phonograph-disc comprising adisc having concentric bands of sound reproducing grooves and a smooth non-grooved annular area onithe-gdisc separating said bands,

a frame having a rotating. turntable receptive of said disc, a guideway on theframe, Y

a carriage slidably mounted on the guideay,

a tone arm carried by the carriage and a needle on v the tone arm having playing engagement positions relative to the disc,

said carriage having a plurality of stations on the guideway,

said disc having bands equal in number to the stations 'on the guideway,

said tone arm having a path of travel limited to a distance between outermost grooves of .therespeetive bands,

in contact ,with the disc at start-play position when said actuating arm is in operating position, there being a return mechanism on the carriage operably associated with the tone arm for a distance corresponding to the width of eachrespective band and operable to return the tone arm to start play position, and a switch for activating the turntable responsive to movements of the actuating lever when the actuating lever is in operable position, whereby upon each movement of the actuating lever after return of said tone arm to start play position there is a repeat play of the needle on the selected hand ofthe disc.

Claims

1. A phonograph disc playback device for use with a disc having bands of grooves comprising a frame, a motor actuated turntable on the frame, said frame including a guideway, a carriage slidably mounted on the guideway, a tone arm carried by the carriage and a needle on the tone arm having playing engagement positions relative to the disc, said carriage having a plurality of stations on the guideway corresponding to the respective bands of grooves on the disc, said tone arm having a path of travel on said carriage between start and finish play positions of a selected band, an actuating lever movably mounted on said frame for operation between operating and release positions, said actuating lever being operably connected with said tone arm at said stations, said tone arm being in play position with the needle in contact with the disc at start play position when said actuating arm is in operating position, there being a return mechanism on the carriage operably associated with the tone arm and operable to return the tone arm to start position, and a switch for activating the turntable responsive to movement of the actuating lever when the actuating lever is in operable position, whereby upon each movement of the actuating lever after return of said tone arm to start play position there is a repeat play of the needle on the selected band of the disc.

2. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein there are yieldable detents corresponding to the respective bands on the disc operable between the carriage and the frame for locating the carriage at a selected band.

3. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein there is a stop on the carriage for said tone arm when the tone arm is in start play position, said tone arm having a stop position on the carriage when said tone arm is in finish play position.

4. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein the turntable is on one lateral side of the guideway and there is a speaker cone on the other lateral side of the guideway and the central axes respectively of the turntable and the speaker are substantially parallel to each other.

5. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 4 wherein the needle is at one end of the tone arm and there is a movable support on the frame for the other end of the tone arm, a portion of the tone arm having a position of engagement with the speaker cone at its center whereby to transmit vibrations picked up by the needle to the speaker for reproduction of sounds from the bands on the disc.

6. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein there is a longitudinally slidable engagement between the actuating lever and the carriage during movement of the carriage in the guideway.

7. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein said switch has a position relative to the actuating lever subject to being energized when the actuating lever is moved to a position wherein the needle is on the disc at start play position for the respective band.

8. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein means for holding the diSc in position on the turntable comprises a post adapted to engage the disc at the center and resilient means acting between the post and the frame, said post being movable between a disc holding position for holding the disc on the turntable and a release position wherein the disc can be removed for replacement.

9. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 4 wherein the output face of the speaker is parallel to the turntable and faces a direction opposite to the side of the turntable on which the disc is located.

10. A phonograph disc playback device as in claim 1 wherein return mechanism is automatic and comprises a connection between the tone arm and the carriage which is free of engagement while the needle travels from start play to finish and which is activiated to return the tone arm to start play position by action of the actuating lever when moving to release position.

11. A system for the selective playing of separate recorded bands on a phonograph disc comprising a disc having concentric bands of sound reproducing grooves and a smooth non-grooved annular area on the disc separating said bands, a frame having a rotating turntable receptive of said disc, a guideway on the frame, a carriage slidably mounted on the guideay, a tone arm carried by the carriage and a needle on the tone arm having playing engagement positions relative to the disc, said carriage having a plurality of stations on the guideway, said disc having bands equal in number to the stations on the guideway, said tone arm having a path of travel limited to a distance between outermost grooves of the respective bands, an actuating lever movably mounted on said frame for operation between operating and release positions, said actuating lever being operably connected with said tone arm at all stations, said tone arm being in play position with the needle in contact with the disc at start play position when said actuating arm is in operating position, there being a return mechanism on the carriage operably associated with the tone arm for a distance corresponding to the width of each respective band and operable to return the tone arm to start play position, and a switch for activating the turntable responsive to movements of the actuating lever when the actuating lever is in operable position, whereby upon each movement of the actuating lever after return of said tone arm to start play position there is a repeat play of the needle on the selected band of the disc.