US1372975A - Talking-machine - Google Patents

Description

J. M. NOEL.

TALKI NG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.-2T. 1919.

1,372,975. Patented Mal-29,1921.

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TALKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1919.

1,372,975. Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. NOEL, OF PORTAGE, PENNSYLVANIA.

TALKING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosnrH M. Noun, a citizen of the United States, residin at Portage, in the county of Cambria and btate of Pennsylvania, have invented 'a new and useful Talking-Machine, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention consists in certain new and useful improvements in phonographs of the type provided with rotary record tables.

The object which I have in view is the adaptation of the phonograph to the playing of a plurality of records in succession one or more times.

For the accomplishment of the above named purpose, I have produced a phonograph characterized by a plurality of rotary record tables each power driven and arranged in relation .to single sound arm, sound box and needle'or other record engaging member, means being provided whereby the sound groove engaging member is brought in turn into engagement with the sound groove of each record, the member} being automatically shifted from one record to the other. Means are also provided for adjusting the mechanism whereby the said member is caused to engage the sound groove of a record at the beginning of the sound recording portion of each groove and is removed from engagement with said groove at the end of the sound record.

Means are also provided for automatically stopping the machine when the desired operation has been completed.

Other novel features of construction and arrangement of parts will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which are however merely intended to illustrate a practical embodiment of the principles of my invention without limiting the see e of the latter to the constructionshown, ig. 1 is a plan view of a phonograph adapted for laying two records in. succession; Fig. 2 1s an elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail showing the brake trip; Fig. 4 is a detail in section showing the driving mechanism carried by the tone arm; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation showing a section of the track and the driven wheel running thereon; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the track showing "the method ofgsetting wthe same to raise ort lower the: driven Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

Application filed September 27, 1919. Serial No. 326,714.

wheel at the proper moment at the beginn ng or end of a record; Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the wheel engaging the track, and Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showlng the phonograph adapted to play four records in succession.

The following is a detailed description of the drawings.

10 represents the motor board of a phonograph upon the underside or beneath which is the usual driving motor which rotates a plurality of record tables 11. In Fi 1 two of such tables are shown while in ig. 8 I show four tables. It will be understood that any desired number of rotary record tables may be provided. Said tables may be rotated in unison as bymeans of pulleys 12 and belt or belts 13, one of said tables being driven in the usual manner by the motor.

14 is the tone arm of the machine upon the outer end of which the sound box 15 is mounted in the usual manner to be swung in a vertical plane. The tone arm 14 swings in a horizontal plane in the usual manner so that the needle or other record engagin member, mounted on the sound box, will follow the sound grooves of the records. The tone arm is arranged to swing freely in a complete circle, and the axes of the several record tables are preferably at the same radial distance from the axis of the tone arm. A small pulley 16, suitably driven from the motor, as by means of a vertically projecting shaft is preferably arranged beneath one of the tables and drives, as by means of a belt 17 a pulley 18 journaled on the base'of the tone arm and provided with a friction disk 19 secured on its upper face. 20 is a vertically disposed friction wheel engaging the upper face of the disk 19, and mounted on the inner end of a shaft 21 which is journaled in a substantially horizontal position, as, for instance, in a hearing tube 22 which is pivoted at 22' to the sound box 15. 23', is a spring secured to; the sound box and havin its free end bearing on the inner end of t e tube 22 to hold the wheel 20 in engagement with the (115k 19.

A loop 24' on the inner end of the tone eb fljsk 19. The nendwof said' shaftlex k tending axially from said'wheel forms a positioning pin 24 whose function will be later described.

Arranged concentric to the axis of the tone arm and shaft, is a track comprising a section 25 and a section'26, although it is to be understood that any number of such sections may be employed. These tracks are formed of flanged sheet metal secured to the cabinet as indicated at 27, the opposite ends of the section 25 being telescopically adjustable, the same being slotted as shown at 28 to adjustably receive a track end 29 which may be held in an adjusted position to vary the length of the track section by connecting means 30 engaged through the slots and track ends 29, but which simply exerts enough friction or clamping action to hold the end in adjusted position, while permitting free adjustment thereof with the positioning pin or projecting end of the shaft.

The roller 23 is provided with a projection or hump 31 on the periphery thereof adapted to insure rolling engagement of the wheel or roller 23 with the track, the latter being prdvided with offset bracket 32 which is secured to the track and which'is provided with a notched vertical extension 33. By placing the pin 24 in these notch extensions the tracks can be adjusted longitudinally until the needle or stylus is brought above the end convolutions of the respective records-whereupon the tracks canbe secured in place by the fastening means 30. Thus the tracks will be accurately positioned to be engaged by and to be released from the wheel 23 as it travels in a circle, so that the bump or projection on the wheel will engage thevnear ends of the respective tracks and lift the wheel onto the tracks successively as the needle or stylus arrives at the inner ends of the grooves of the respective records. Accordlngly the wheel will travel along the tracks on which it is deposited until the tone arm has been brought to position with its stylus or needle directly above the outer convolutionsof one of the records whereupon the wheel will pass ofi of the track and cause the needle to, engage the record thereunder.

' Thisis due to the fact that the track ends .29 may be accuratel adjusted by first placing the records on t e turn tables and then movlng the tone arm together with the tube and shaft mounted thereon, so that the positlonmg pm or projecting end of the shaft 21,

as designated at 24, .may belocated in the notch or recess, and thereby permit the extension ends of the track to be so positioned take the track and lift-the needle from the record at the 'time the record playingis completed, and

after traversing-the intervening. track, to drop the needle '11 on the record succeeding the one just playe after having moved over the diametrically opposite side of the first named record out of contact therewith. Of course the initial adjustment of the track is made to cause the disengagement of the needle at the proper time after the machine is started, and thus' of the track ends, by the initial adjustment as specified above, whereby the roller will engage the track or disengage from the same at the proper time, both at the starting of each record and at the completion or finish of each record.

It will be understood that the relation of the reproducer and the end of the track and the positioning pin and the positioning notch is such that when the positioning pin is placed in the positioning notch and the adjustable track is moved to position the reproducer over the finishing or blank grooves of the record, the track will be set to en age the roller and lift the reproducer out 0 contact with the record when the record is finished. Means are also provided to bring the machine to a stop automatically and consists of a brake rod 34 slidably mounted in the bearings 35 upon the top of the cabinet, one end of the rod cooperating with the brake shoe 36 and the other end of the rod as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 6 bearing against a catch 38 and adapted to be released from said catch by contact of the arm extension 22 with the upper end of the catch. An expansible coiled spring 39 is mounted on the brake rod 34 between the bearing 35 and a collar 40 and when the catch 38 is'engaged with the rod the shoe 36 is inoperative and the spring 39 is compressed, ut upon the catch being released, the spring acts to cause shiftin of the brake rod whereby the shoe 36 is forced against the peripheral edge of the turn table to bring the latter to a stop when the record is completed. The machine is then set with the brake in an inoperative position and by returning the tone arm in its initial position the device may again be op- ,erated to play the records.

In the form of the invention employing four records which are indicated at 41 all of the records being arranged concentric to the axis of the tone arm, said tone arm 42 is designed to cooperate with any one of the series of records mounted on the turn tables. Each turn table is provided with a pulle 43 and a belt 44 is'engaged around the pn leys to drive all of them simultaneously in the same direction, aS is also the case of the pulleys. 12 heretofore explained. The track sections between the turn tables correspond to the track section 25 heretofore explained, except that one of the track sections corresponds to the track' section 26 in order to the catch 38, or if desired, said catch may be provided with an upper end portion 45 which is pivoted by an elbow joint as shown at 4:6 and adapted to be swung downwardly to a horizontal position in order to permit the tone arm to pass thereover and continue its swinging movement. Thus the records can be played successively without inter' ruption except between the records. By turning said pivot member ,515 to a vertical position rigid with the catch, it will serve as an abutment to release the catch and bring the machine to a stop.

It will thus be seen that when the device is once set, a plurality of records can be played without requiring the attention of an attendant or necessitating manual stopping of the machine after each record is played. The device is therefore specially desirable for dance music or otherwlse.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. The combination with a plurality of rotary record tables, a tone arm movable thereover and a sound box carried by the arm and capable of up and down movement, of a series of tracks concentric with the axis of movement of the tone arm, each of said tracks being adjustable to different lengths, to conform with the distance between the inner convolutions of one record and the outer convolutions of the next adjoining record, and means movable with the tone arm for successively engaging and travelmg along the tracks to support the sound with the axis of movement of the tone arms,

a power transmittin member movable with the tone arm, a whee carried thereby, means revoluble with the wheel for enga ing the ends of the tracks when the soun box is brought to position above the inner end convolution of a record, said tracks being proportioned to be disengaged by. the wheel when the sound box is brought to position above the outer convolutions of a record, driving mechanism, and means operated by the elevation of the wheel onto a track for coupling the transmitting mechanism to the driving mechanism thereby to propel the driving mechanism and the tone arm over the space between the innerconvolutions of V J one record and the outer convolutions of the plurality of tracks concentric with the axis of movement of the tone arm, means for adusting the length of each track, means op- -erated by the power transmitting mechanism for engaging the ends of the tracks to lift said mechanism onto the track and sup port the tone arm out of contact with the records, and driving mechanism, said trans mitting mechanism being coupled to the driving mechanism then positioned on a track to propel the tone arm over the space between the inner convolutions of one record and the outer convolutions of the next adjoining record.

1-. The combination with a plurality of revoluble record tables, a tone arm mounted to swing thereover, power transmitting mechanism'movable with the tone arm and driving mechanism, of a track concentric with the axis of movement of the tone arm,

and means coupled to the transmitting mechanism for engaging one end of the track to elevate said mechanism onto the track and propel it alon the track thereby to lift the tone arm ant carry it over the space between the inner convolutions of one record and the outer convolutions of the next adjoining record.

5. The combination with a plurality of revoluble record tables, of a tone arm mount ed to swin thereover, a track concentric with the axis of movement of the tone arm, means adjustably connected to the ends of the track for varying the length of the track, gage brackets carried by said means a member connected to and movable with the tone arm, and, means carried by said member for engagin adjust the length 0 the track in proper proportion to the distance between the inner convolutions of one record and the outer convolutions of the next adjoining record.

6. The combination with rotatable record tables, a tone arm mounted to swing thereover, a sound box carried thereby, and a needle or stylus connected to the sound box, of a member movable with the tone arm, a track concentric with-the axis of movement of the tone arm, gage brackets mounted upon the end portions of the tIflCk, Il1Gll'lS upon the member on the tone arm adapted to be seated in the respective brackets, and means for extending or shortening the track to move the engaged bracket toadjust the tone arm with the needle or stylus in either the outer or the inner convolutions of a record.

the gage brackets to 7. The combination with a plurality of revoluble record tables, a tone arm mounted to swing thereover, and a sound box carried by the arm, of a track concentric with the axis of movement of the tone arm, a spring actuated brake shoe, a catch for holding the shoe norm-ally against movement and out of active position, a member movable with the tone arm and onto and off of the track to In testimony that I claim the fore oing raise the tone arm, swing it from position as my own, I have hereto afiixed my slgna- 10 above one record to osition above another ture in the presence of two' witnesses.

record, said member eing movable. against 5 the catch after the sound box has been moved JOSEPH NOEL from above the sound reproducing part of .Witnesses: one of the records, to release the brake shoe L. J. NOEL, to stop the rotation of the tables. ARTHUR J. NOEL.

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