US1227334A - Automatic stop for phonographs. - Google Patents

Description

J. E. SOONS.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 36, 1916.

Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES /N 1/5 N TOR cf i'daww mm m A TTOR/VEYS J. E. SOONS.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGHAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. l6, IQIG- Patented May 22, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES EDWARD SOON S, 0]? NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF SET! ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO EDWARD CA'IEBSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGBAPHS.

in this specification by the term phonograph.

I wish it to be understood also that while I show and describe a record disk having spirally arranged record grooves or lines,-

the advantages and adaptations of the invention are such that it may be applied to records of other types, so long as there is a record line or groove formed thereon. For convenience of descr1pt1on, therefore, I w1ll use the term disk as referring to the body I on which the grooves or lines are formed and the lines or the grooved portion of the disk will be regarded as a record as distinguished from the disk as a physical body.

I am aware that various devices have been proposed for accomplishing the broad purpose of this invention, but so far as I am aware the devices now in use all depend upon the setting of the devices according to the extent of each individual record or the length of the radius therefrom to the center of the turntable.

Among the objects, therefore, of this invention is to provide an automatic stop for phonographs which -Will be truly automatic in 'its nature, requiring no ad ustment or other attention on the part of the operator either for starting or stopping the operation of the disk. I

Another object of the invention is to provide an. automatic stop that will be operative to stop the turntable either when the end of the record is reached or when the reproducer at any time is thrown over into its inoperative position irrespective of the portion of the record that may have been rendered.

Another object of the invention is to provide devices including a brush operating Patented May 22, 1917.

Application filed October 16, 1916. Serial No. 125,823.

adjacent to the needle, but in spaced relation thereto, while the record is being played, but which, when the reproducer is turned over to its inoperative position, will drop automatically out of the way of the needle so that it will not interfere with the usual exchange of needles. As a corollary to the object just stated, I provide a device including a brush which, operating in the record groove ahead of the needle, serves to clear the same from any dust or other extraneous matter which would tend to interfere with the proper musical effect.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic stop for phonographs, in which there is employed an electromagnet in a circuit having a plurality of gaps or openings, at least one of which gaps is normally open, so that the energy for the magnet is expended only momentarily for the purpose of throwing the brake, the other gap being then automatically opened.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose. of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in

which like reference characters designate the same parts in the severalviews, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a phonograph equipped with my improvement, a portion of the mechanism being broken away to better indicate the location of the brake controlling devices;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the brake casing and parts therein in released position;

Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 2, but indicating the brake in locked position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line 44: of Fig. 2; I

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the phonograph casing on the line 55 of *ig. 6 is a front elevation of the reproducer and brush attachment thereon in normal running position, though with the gap,

' pose of stopping e Fig. 8 is a viev s of the reproducer turned over into" its idle position and -with the drawings,'I showat 15 aconventional form with respect to the radius of the disk, be- P tween the needle and the automatic stop brush somewhat exaggerated;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to' Fig. 6, but.

showing the approach of the needle to the brush at the end of the record for-the purbrush dropped by gravity into that position, whereby the brake will be stopped auto matically and the brush will be out of the 'way of the operators fingerswhen manipu lating the needle; 1 r

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail on the hue 99 of Fig.6, indicating the upper end of the brush armin plan'view andits relation to the hollow post in which it is supported; and Y Fig. 10 is a diagram indicating the electromagnet and the contacts controlling the circuit therethrough.

Referring now more particularly to the of phonograph cabinet or casing having a floor 16 therein, through which the shaft 17 of the turntable 18 projects in the usual manner. This turntable is shown as intended for supporting and rotatinga disk 19, the record on which isindicated at 20.

The tone arm-is indicated at 21 and the reproducer at 22, to which is secured a needle 23of any suitable character. i

.The brake mechanism includes a brake.

lever 24, the end or shoe 25 of which is adapted to bear against the periphery of the turntable 18 in the usual manner. a The lever 24 is pivoted at 26 within the brake casing 27 and upon a cross bar 28 secured to or constituting a part of a frame 29 anchored in place within the casing by any suitable means, such as screws 30. A spring .31 is connected at one end' at 32 to the brake lever and has its other end suitably anchored so'that the normal tendency of the spring is to throw the brake into stopping position. The lever 24 has an extension 24 on the other side of the'pivot 26 which carries a tail piece 33 and coiiperates with a contact spring 34 when the brake lever is remote fI'OlIL' the turntable or in running position. The contact 34, however, isspaced from the lever when the brake is set, see Fig. 3. When the brake lever is thrown to its running position, the end pr v the tail piece 33 snaps-over the end of a trigger 35 held normally against the end of an adjustment'screw' 36 by means of a light spring 37. This trigger 35 is pivoted at 38 and constitutes in effect the armature of a small electromagnet 39 secured to or within the frame 29 as by'means of a bindingscrew 40. v e J The brake casing 27'may be located at any.

convenient place either above or below the the wire 46.

menses floor 16, depending upon the'internal con struction'of the phonograph casing. When located] beneath the floor, the brake lever I 24 maybe bent upwardly and project through a slot 41 in said floor. '42 indicates a battery of any ordinary *commercial type housed preferably within the casing 27 and has its contact springs43 and 44 communicating electrically Zwith circuit wires 45 and 46. The wire 45 leads to the magnet 39, kthence throughthe magnetand wire- 47 to the circuit breaker spring 34 in normal contact with the brake lever,

the circuit being continued through the brake lever and frame 29 to a wire 48, WlllCll emerges from the casing 27 close to directed along the tone arm to the reproducer, the wire 46 leading to a fixed contact 49 and the wire 48 leading to the brush support 50 through. a metal band 51, whereby the brush support and contact 49 are secured to the reproducer.

52 indicates a brush arm of electri'c'material, preferably of metal, and mounted in the brush arm support 50'for free endwise movement for a distance approximating the length of the average needle. The extent of endwlse movement of the arm 52 is determlned bythe coiiperation between the laterally'extending lug 52 at its upper end and .upper and lower pins 53 and 54, arrangedin vertical alinement with each other within These wires 46 and 48 are the side of the hollowbrush arm support opposite from the block of insulation 55, to which the contact screw 49 is secured. The arm 52, except for the laterally projecting lug, 1s straight and preferably polygonal in cross section to prevent rotation thereof in the support 50.- When the reproducer is :lifted from the disk, the arm 52 drops freely by gravlty until stopped by engagement with the pin 54, and the arm thus is -A brush 56, of camels hair or the like, is

or to the lower end of the arm 52,

the ml of the brush being adapted to be re ce'ved in a record groove when the'reproducer is lowered straight down in the act of applying the needle 23 to the beginningof the record. It will thus be seen that the axes of the brush arm and the needle are normally parallel, as viewed from the front or'at right angles to the radius drawn from the needle to the center of the disk, and the brush is spaced inwardly from the needle toward the center of the disk to a distance equal to one or more turns of the groove. As

viewed from the side, however, as'in Fig. 5,

it will be noted that the brush arm is sub stantially vertical while in operation, Whereby the brush arm is supported normally only'by the stiffness of the bristles or hairs constituting the brush. In this connection, it will be observed that the brush-accommodatesitself freely and readily to any length of needle which may be used.

'With the device constructed and arranged as indicated in Fig. 6, the operator will bring the needle into playing position on the beginning of the record with the brush located slightly inwardly therefrom toward the center of the disk, and the brake will then bereleased in the usual manner to start the motor or, if desired, the motor may be started to initiate the rotation of the disk preliminary to the lowering of the needle.

In either event, the brush will maintain its uniform spaced relation with respect to the needle throughout the playing of the record,

and the circuit being. open between the arm 52 and fixed contact 49, the magnet will be idle and the brake will'be held open byv the trigger 35 cooperating with the tail piece 33. When the needle 23 approaches the end of the record, the brush will be received and retained in the last turn of the groove, see Fig. 7, and thereby the brush arm 52 will be tilted outwardly at the bottom due to the fact that the needle continuing in the spiral groove will cause the reproducer and tone arm to continue their movement toward the center of the disk. This lateral deflection of the brush arm serves to cause said arm to engage the fixed contact 49 when a record is completely played, and by completing the circuit through these fixed and movable contacts, the magnet 39 will be energized momentarily, withdrawing the armature trig-- ger 35 from beneath the tail piece 33 and the brake will then be applied instantly by force of the spring 31. The circuit then will be broken at the contact 34, as shown in Fig. 3, so that no energy will be lost from the battery unnecessarily, the magnet having served its purpose when it actuates the armature to release the brake.

In the form shown, the brake remains. in said position until subsequently manipulated by the operator. The reproducer may remain in the position indicated in Fig. 7 until another record is to be played. At the time desired, the operator will lift the reproducer and turn it up and over in the usual manner for the purpose of clearing the disk and changing the needles. In this position of the reproducer, the brush arm 52 rocks freely by gravity until the lug 52' thereof strikes against the pin 53, whereby the brush arm will tilt automatically into position to engage the fixed contact'49, :11-

erators fingers. In this connection, I- wish to emphasize the importance of this action of the brush arm with respect to the automatic stogpingofthe motor at any part of the recor For example, when a record has been started and the operator desires to stop the same, either for the purpose of substituting another record, or for any other reason, all he is required to do is to turn the reproducer up and over to the position of Fig. 8 and the brake will be automatically apphed. When the record is to be proceeded with, the operator may then return the needle to its p ace at any part of the record and the motor will start when the brake is released. The device is simple and comparatively cheap in its construction and is easily applied to the reproducer of any ordinary machine and has proved to be absolutely reliable as a result of a number of months actual use for any and all of the purposes above enumerated.

While the contact 49 is described herein for convenience as fixed, this term will be understood as being relative only with respect to the movable contact 50. It will be noted, however, that the contact screw 49 is adjustable for the purpose of determining the precise relation between the brush and the needle in practice, or rather the extent of relativemovement between the needle and 95 the brush before the contact for the circuit is completed.

I claim:

1. In an automatic stop for phonographs, the combination with a needle holder, a brake, and power means to set the brake, said power means including a normally open electric circuit, of a pair of normally spaced contacts in said circuit carried by the needle holder, the movable contact 105 aforesaid being mounted for free vertical endwise slidable movement and positioned by gravity in spaced relation to the fixed contact and being tiltabl laterally into engagement with the fixe contact when the 110 end of the record is reached.

2. In an automatic stop for phonographs, the combination of a brake, power means tending to set the brake, electric devices tending to initiate the action of the power 5 means aforesaid, an electric circuit associated with the electric devices, said circuit including a pair of relatively fixed and movable normally spaced contacts, the movable contact comprising a straight metal 129 bar supported for free endwise up and down movements and adapted for lateral tilting to engage the fixed contact irrespective of its relative vertical position in its support, said contact devices being adapted to 12 be inverted and to meet when they are so inverted.

3. The herein described means for automatically setting a brake, the same comprising an electric circuit, a vertical tubular 130 axis .into inverted idle position, a contact contact support, a contact fixed to the support, a .relatively movable contact carried within the support and movable freely therein in 'endwise directions and alsO'laterally with respect to the fixed contact, said. 7

movable contact being adapted to drop by gravity int o position spaced from the fixed contact but being movable laterally by normal operation of the machine into position to engage the fixed contact.

4. The herein described means for auto matically applying a brake, the same including an electric circuit, a contact support for the circuit, one branch of the circuit the end of the record, and means carried bythe contact support to limit the endwise movements of the movable contact therein.

5. In an automatic stop for phonographs, the combination of a tubular contact support, means to secure said support in a vertical position to a reproducer, an electric circuit, relatively fixed and movable contacts carried by the" contact support, the fixed' contact being adjacent the lower end of the support, the movable contact being slidable freely endwise within thelsupport by the action of gravity, spaced means within the upper portion of the support coopcrating with the upper end of the movable contact to limit the movements of the movable contact and serving thereby to determine the position of the movable contact with respect to the fixed contact, and brake devices set into operation by the closing of the circuit. 3

6. In an automatic stop for phonographs, the combination with a reproducer adapted to be swung upwardly around a transverse support secured rigidly-t0 the reproducer, relatively fixed and movable contacts carried by the support, said movable contact dropping freely bygravity into a position i spaced from the fixed contact when the re producer is down, and means cooperating with the movable contact when the reproducer' is inverted in idle position to cause' the movable contact to gravitate into engagement with the fixed contact.

7 In an automatic stop for phonographs,

the combination with a reproducer movable from its operative position upwardly into idle position, of a contact support carried by the reproducer and having fixed relation thereto in an positions of the reproducer,

relatively fixed and movable normally spaced contacts carried by the support, the movable contact being movable automatically by gravity into its normal position when the reproducer is lowered to operating position, and means carried by the contact support serving to cause the movable contact to drop automatically by gravity into engagement with the fixed contact when the reproducer is moved into its idle position.

8. In an automatic stop for phonographs,

the combination with a reproducer movable fromoperative to idle position, of a contact support secured in rigid position upon the reproducer, an electric circuit, a pair of normally spaced contacts for said circuit carried by the support, said movable contact being held from rotation with respect to the support, but being movable endwise' and laterally with respect to the fixed contact, said movable contact having a lateral projection at one end, and means carried by the contact support cooperating with said projection and serving thereby to automatically' position the movable contactspaced from the fixed contact when the reproducer is in operative position and against the fixed contact when the reproducer is in idle position. I

9. In an automatic stop for phonographs, the combination with a brake and electric power means tending to set the brake, of a pair of normally spaced contacts carried by the reproducer, said contacts being brought automatically into engagement, either by the reaching of the end of the record or the inverting of the reproducer into idle position, for initiating the action of the.

power means aforesaid, and means coiipcrating directly with the brake to automatically break the circuit when the brake is thrown.

JAllLCES EDWARD SOONS.

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