US2251680A - Phonograph - Google Patents

Description

L. z. LA FOREST PHONOGBAPH Aug. 5; 1941.

Filed July 8, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Louzs Z. ZA''es' ORNEY Patented Aug. 5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ,PHONOGRAPH Louis Z'. La ForeshMorris Plains, N. J., assignoto Thomas A. Edison, In'corporated, West Orange, N. J., a corporation of* New Jersey Application July 8, 1939, Serial No. 283387 '11 Claims.

This invention relates to phonographs; and more particularly to commercial phonographs or dictating machines. The invention is especially concerned with improved means and'- method for mounting a record on, and removing a record from, the machine, and with further means for performing automatic Operations on the machine as an incident or 'record mounting and record removal.

Dictatin'g machines commonly comprise a mandrel rotatably supported at on'e end and free at the other to receive a cylindrical record. This maridrel is provided with a record holding' and ejecting mechanism which may b'e conveniently controlled by a manipulatable member at the free end of the mandrel. Movable along the mandrel between start and terminal positions which positions may be respectively at the supported and free 'ends of the mandrel-is a carriage for supporting a sound translating device. This device is placeable into and out of operative relationship with respect tothe record and, during the operation of the machine, is moved steadily along the record by a feeding of the carriage in the direction towards it's terminal position.

Records, such as are customarily used with dictating machines, are made of wax-like material and provided with a highly polished surface adapted to receive a recordation in the form of a progressive modulated groove. Because of the wa'X-like character of the record material the polished surface of the record is easily scratch'ed or' marred through handling, as by contact of the record with foreign objects or parts of the machine. S'uch possible damage to the records is avoided during record storage by sto-ring the records in individual protective casings or cartons, but during record mounting and record i'e'm'oval the record-s are cu'stomar'ily handled while out of their cartons, leaving the records then unprotected and subject to possible da'rrage.

It is an object of my invention to render the process of record mounting and record removal more expeditious and yet free from risk of damage to the record.

It is another object of rny invention to effect automatic perations on the machine both as an incident to the mounting of a record on the machine and as an incident to the removal of a record from the machine, and yet without risk `of damage to the record.

It is another object of my invention to provide a protective casing for a record which is arranged so as to per-mit the record to be mounted on the machine while it is within its casing and to permit the casing to be removed from the record at the completion of record mounting.

Another object of my invention is to provide a protective casing which is manipulatable to pick up a record mounted on the' mandrel without obstructing the 'control of the record-ejecting mechanism during the picking-upoperation.

, It is another object ofmy invention to provide a container for a record 1 which is adapted to form a protectivecasing for the record both during record storage and also during record mounting and record removal; I v

It is another object of my invention to provide a protective casing or container 'having' improved means for releasably holding the record therein. v V

'It-is a feature' of 'my invention to cause the return of the carriage to start position by the impingent of the record casing on the carriage during record mounting and also by the impingement of the casing on the carriage during the manipulation of the casirg into position'toipick Figure 3 is a view of the open end of the record carton shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a view of the base 'of the carton above mentioned;

Figura 5 is a View of the base of a modified form of record carton; e

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the modified form of record carton, taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a. View of the open end of the modified form of record carton; and

Figure 8 is a side View of a portion of the modified form of record carton.

Reference being had to Figures 1 and 2 there will be seen a phonograph comprising a base plate having left and right vertical standards 2 and 3 and an intermediate vertical standard 4.

Journalled in the intermediate' standard 4 is a sh'aft 5 carrying a mandrel 6 for supporting a cylindrical record T. Carried by the standards 2 and 3 and in parallel relation to the shaft 5 are cross rods 8 and 9 on which there is slidably mounted a carriage n. This carriage is provided with an arm ll extending forwardly over the record and supporting a sound translating device l2. The sound translating devic may be of any suitable form for recording upon or reproducing from the record, or both. A typical form of translating device, such as is illustrated in Figure 1, is shiftable from an inoperative condition into respective operative conditions for recording 'and reproducing. When conditionecl for recording, the translating device is adapted to receive sound waves by way of a sound tube l3 on the translating device and impart a movement undulating in accordance with those waves to a recorder stylus !4, and, when conditioned for reproducing, to create sound waves in accordance with an undulating movement imparted to a reproducer stylus !5, as by the engagement of the reproducer stylus with a progressive modulated groove on the record 1. When the translating device is in inoperative condition I each of the styli !4 and !5 are maintained free of the record.

To operate the machine the mandrel 6 is rotated and the carriage I is concurrently fed along the mandrel from left to right-as from start to terminal positions along the mandrelby a driving motor not herein necessary to show. The coupling of the motor to the mandrel is by way of a clutch 19, partially shown in Figure 2, and of the motor to the c'arriage by way of a feed screw ll rotatably supported by the left and right standards 2 and 3 and geared to the mandrel shaft by a train of gears !8. The coupling of the carriage to the feed screw is effected by means of a feed nut !9 mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the feed screw 'as on a bracket pivoted to the carriage by a pivot rod 2I. Thus when the feed nut is in engagement with the feed screw a rotation of the mandrel will cause the carriage to be fed steadily along the mandrel.

The means for controlling the engagement of the feed nut IS with the feed screw IT, and for shifting the translating device between inoperative and operative conditions may comprise a control or shifting lever 22 pivoted on the cross rod 8 within the carriage and extending up through an opening 23 in the top of the carriage. The control lever 22 is provided, on a hub portion thereof, with a short downwardly extending arm 24 carrying a cross pin 25 which cams with a pair of upper and lower lifting arms 26 and 26' to control the translating device, and with a forwardly extending arm 21 of the bracket 20 to control the engagement of the feed nut with the feed screw. A detailed description of the control of the translating device is not herein necessary to` be giVen, it being sufiicient to say that when both lifting arms 26 and 26' are in their respective upward positions, as shown in Figure 1, the recorder and reproducer styli l4 and I 5 are each out of engagement with the record to place the translating device in inoperativecondition; that when both lifting arm 29 and 26' are in lower positions the recorder stylus !4 engages the record to place the translating device in condition for recording; and that when only the upper lifting arm 26 is in its upward position the reproducer stylus !5 engages the record to place the translating device in condition for reproducing. The lever 22 controls the lifting arms 26 and 26' so as to cause the translating device to be placed into inoperative condition when the lever is in its central position shown in Figure 1, and so as to cause the translating device to be placed in condition for recording and reproducing when the control lever 22 is moved forwardly and rearwardly from its central position. Moreover, when the control lever 22 is in central position, to effect the inoperative condition of the translating device, the feed nut 19 is maintained out of engagement with the feed screw I'I by the contact of the pin 25 with the arm 21; but when the control lever 22 is moved either forwardly or rearwardly, to effect either the recording or reproducing conditions of the translating device, the pin 25 is moved free of the arm 21 to permit the feed nut !9 to be moved into engagement with the feed screw l'I in response to a biasing of the bracket 20 as caused by a tension spring 28.

The mandrel 6 is provided with a record holding and ejecting mechanism, preferably of the type disclosed in Gramann Patent No. 2,010,717, issued August 6, 1935, and entitled Phonograph." This mechanism may be sufiiciently described in the present instance by the statement that it comprises a disk member 29 slidable along the mandrel shaft at the left end of the mandrel 6 and biased rightwardly by a spring 39. When a record is placed on the mandrel the left end of the record impinges against a flange 29' of the disk member 29 to move the member 29 leftwardly against its biasing. The record is held in mounted position on the mandrel, against the biasing of the disk member 29, by the expansion of a chuck 3! provided at the free end of the mandrel, the chuck being expanded as an incident to the leftward movement of the disk member 29 such as is caused by the placing of the record into mounted position relative to the mandrel. Thus, when a record is placed into mounted position relative to the mandrel the record becomes releasably held in such position. To remove a record from the machine the chuck 3| is contracted, this contraction of the chuck 31' being efiected by imparting an inward axial movement to a control member 32 provided at the free end of the mandrel as shown in Figure 2`. When the chuck 31 is contracted the record is released from the mandrel and also partially ejected therefrom in response to the biasing of the disk member 29.

The above described structure and mechanism are common to phonographs heretofore manufactured and used, and form a part of the present invention only in so far as they are related to or combined with other mechanism hereinafter described.

In order to avoid possible damage to the record during the handling thereof, I provide a protective casing or carton for containing the record at all times except during the actual use of the record on the machine. Thus, in accordance with my invention, the record is both mounted on and removed from the machine While within its carton, the carton being removed from the record at the completion of record mounting and being first placed over the record to pick the same up upon a record removal. During manipulation of the record onto and from the machine the record is held within its carton; the carton is, however, so arranged as to permit it to be readily removed from the record, as at the completion of record mounting, and to be readily passed over the record to pick up the same, as at start of record removal, Moreover With this arrangement I may cause automatic Operations to be performed on the machine, by means of the carton, as an incident of record mounting and of record removal, without risk of damage to the record.

Reference being had to Figure 2, there will be seen a carton 33 comprising an outer relatively thick cylinder 34 and an inner relatively thin cylinder35, each of which may be made of cardboard. The inner 'cylinder extends from the open or left end of the carton throughout substantially the length thereof and is covered with a relatively soft cloth or flannel 36 which is glued to the cylinder. The base of the carton is formed by inserting a disk 31 into the carton, as by a press fit, curling an end portion 38 of the cylinder 34 inwardly against the disk 31 and gluing the same to the disk, and then fitting a ferrule 39 over the right end of the cylinder 34 to strengthen the carton and to aid in holding the parts in place. The ferrule 39 is provided with a central opening 39' and the disk 31 with a central opening 40; through these openings thechuck 3l and control member 32 of the record holding and ejecting mechanism may pass when the carton is placed over the mandrel. At the left or open end of the carton the flannel 33 is extended to form a slack portion 4l and is then turned back and Wedged between the inner and outer cylinders 34 and 35 by means of a metal ring 42 which is pressed between the cylinders, the portion of the flannel between the cylinders and the ring 42 being then glued to firmly hold the parts in place. In the slack portion 4! of the flannel 36 there i pro- Vided a closed rubber band 43 which caused the slack portion 4| to be pulled radially inwardly to form an expansible opening 44. By this means a record is yieldably held in the carton with sufl'lcient force to prevent the record from being accidentally thrown out of the carton during handling. I-Iowever, by reason of the expansible character of the opening 44, a record may be readily inserted in the carton and likewise readily removed therefrom.

To m ount a record on the mandrel 6 both the carton 33 and the record are passed over the mandrel by way of the free end thereof, the chuck 3! and control member 32 passing through the opening 46 in the base of the carton, When the record reaches a fully mounted position relative to the mandrel, the chuck 3| expands to hold the record on the mandrel. The carton 33 is then removed from the record, the opening 44 being expanded by the record to permit the record to pass therethrough. To remove a record from the mandrel the carton 33 is first passed over the record until the record is fully contained therein, the control member 32 is manipulatedto release the record from the mondrel, and then the carton is removed from the machine. As the carton is so removed it picks up the record and carries it therewith, the record being retained in the carton by the inwardly extending slack portion 4| of the flannel 36.

With the above arrangement I may conveniently cause the carriage to be automatically returned to start position as an incident either of record mounting or of record removal and without risk of damage to the record. This may be simply done by the provision of a bracket 45 which is adjustably Secured to the carriage by a screw and slot connection 46 and which is provided with a downwardly extending arm 45' which extends into the path of the passing of the carton 33 over the mandrel. Thus if the carriage is out of start position when a 'carton is passed over the mandrel, either t'o efiect a record mounting or to pick up a mounted record as upon a record removal, the carton will be impinged upon the bracket to thereby automatically return the carriage to start position.

In Figure's 5, 6, 7 and 8 there is shown a modified form of carton 41 comprising outer and inner cylinders 34 and 35, and a flannel 36 which covers the inner cylinder 35, the same as in the carton 33. However, the open and base ends of the carton 41 are modified from those of the carton 33. At the open end of the carton the end portion of the flannel 36 is now turned back tightly about the outer edge of the inner cylinder 35 and is retained between the cylinders 34 and 35 and held in place by gluing. At the base end of the carton there is provided a ferrule 48 Secured to the carton, as by crimping, and having a flat disk 49 provided with a central opening 49', such as the opening 40 in the carton 33. Slidably and pivotally connected to the disk 49 is a disk 50 having also a central opening 5! of a diameter of the opening 40 above referred to and suitably provided with a bead 52 along the periphery thereof which fits the ferrule 48. The connection of the disk 50 to the disk 49 is effected by means of the screws '53, 54 and which pass respectively through circumferential slots 53', 54' and 55' in the disk '50 and through respective spacers, such as the spacers 54" and 55" for 'the screws 54 and 55, to thread into the disk 49. By this means the disk 50 is permitted to turn relative to the disk 45 through a limited angular distance. Extending lengthwise of the carton on opposite sides thereof between the cylinders 34 and 35 are rods 56 and 51. At the base of the carton these rods pass through the disk 49 to terminate into inwardly extending cranks 56' and 51' which respectively pass through radially extending slots 58 and 59 provided in the disk 50. At the open end of the carton the rods 56 and '51 terminate in right-angle end portions or obstructing arms 56" and 51".

In the arrangenent just described the rods 56 and 51 are caused to be turned about their longitudinal axes upon turning the disk 50 relative to the disk 49, this turning being eected by the engagement of the cranks 56' and 51' with the respective slots 58 and 53. When the disk 50 is turned in clockwise direction, as the carton is viewed from the base thereof, the rods 56 and 51 are turned to bring their respective obstructing arms 56" and 51" into substantially circumferentially extending positions wherein the arms respectively lie in recesses 60 and 6! provided by cutting away portions of the outer edge of the inner cylinder 35 and of the flannel 35. When the obstructing arms are in their respective recesses a record may be freely inserted in and removed from the carton. However, when the disk 58 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction the rods 56 and 51 are each turned to move their respective arms 56" and 51" into inwardly extending or obstructing positions (such as are shown in Figu're 7) wherein they are efiective to hold the record in the carton. Thus when the disk 53 is removed in clockwise and counterclockwise positions the carton is effectively opened and closed to the record. These respective positions of the disk 50 may be designated by position oi an indicator 62, provided on the rim of the disk, relative to a scale 63 on the carton, such as is shown in Figure 8. Except for the manner of releasing the record from the carton which release is effected by opening the carton in the manner above described-the use of the carton 41 is the same as that of the carton 33 and need not be further explained.

Although I have herein shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention it will be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of my invention and not limitative thereof since the embodiments herein shown and described are subject to many changes and modifications Without departure from the scope of my invention, which I undertake to eX- press according to the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a phonograph comprising a record-supporting mandrel having a free end by way of which a cylindrical record may be mounted thereon and removed therefrom: the combination of a carriage movable along said mandrel; a record holder adapted to be passed over said mandrel both to place a record into a mounted position relative to the mandrel and to pick up a mounted record upon the removal of the same from the mandrel; and means, associated with said carriage and operated by the record holder in the passing of the same over said mandrel, for causing said carriage to be moved along the mandrel.

2. In a phonograph comprising a record-supporting mandrel having a free end by way of which a cylindrical record may be mounted thereon and removed therefrom: the combination of a carriage for a translating means of the phonograph, movable along said mandrel between start and terminal positions; an open-ended container for holding the record during record mounting and record removal, said container being passed over said mandrel to place the record in mounted position and being also passed over the mandrel to pick up a mounted record upon the removal of the same from the mandrel; and means impinged upon by said container when the latter is passed over said mandrel to cause said carriage to be returned to start position.

3. In a phonograph comprising a record-supporting mandrel having a free end by way of which a cylindrical record may be mounted thereon and removed therefrom: the combination of a carriage for a translating means of the .phenograph, movable along said mandrel between a start position and a terminal position at the free end of said mandrel; an open-ended container for holding the record during record mounting and record removal, said container being passed over said mandrel both to place the record in mounted position and to pick up the record from mounted position upon record removal; and a member on said carriage, projecting into the path of the passing of said container over said mandrel, for causing said carriage to be returned to start position by the impingement of said container upon said member.

4. In a phonograph comprising a record-supporting mandrel having a free end by way of which a cylindrical record may be mounted thereon and removed therefrom: the combination of a carriage movable along said mandrel; an openended container for holding the record during record mounting and record removal, said container being passed over said mandrel to place the record in mounted position and being also passed over the mandrel to pick up a mounted record upon the removal of the same from the mandrel; and means, adjustably connected with said carriage and impinged upon by said container when the same is passed over said mandrel,

for causing a predetermined movement of said carriage.

5. In a phonograph having a mandrel on and from which a record may be mounted and removed: the combination of a carriage movable along said mandrel; an open-ended carton for holding a record during record mounting and record removal, said carton being telescoped over said mandrel to place a record in mounted position and also to pick up a mounted record upon the removal of the same from the mandrel; and means on said carriage impinged upon by the edge of the carton at its open end when the carton is telescoped over the mandrel to cause the carriage to be moved along the mandrel.

6. In a phonograph comprising a mandrel having a free end by way of which a record may be mounted thereon and removed therefrom: the combination of an open-ended container for a record including means outside the bore of a contained record for yieldably retaining the record therein, said container being adapted to be passed over said mandrel to place the record in mounted position and to be passed over said mandrel to pick up the mounted record when the record is removed from the mandrel; and means on the mandrel operated by the record incidental to the placing of the record in mounted position for holding the record on the mandrel, said holding means providing a retaining force on the record in excess of that of said retaining means of the container to cause the record to be held positively in mounted position against the retaining force exerted on the record by the container when the container is removed from the mandrel.

7 In a phonograph comprising a mandrel having a free end by way of which a record may be mounted thereon and removed therefrom: the combination of a manually operable record ejector at the free end of said mandrel; and an open-ended container for a record including means manipulatable to hold the record in and to release the same from the container, said container being passed over said mandrel to place the record in mounted position and also being passed over the mandrel to pick up the mounted record when the record is removed from the mandrel, the base of said container having an opening to expose said ejector when the container is in position to pick up the record from the mandrel and said manipulatable means being positioned on the base portion of the container so as to render said ejector and manipulatable means simultaneously operable, when the container is in position to pick up the record, by a single manipulation of the hand.

8. In a phonograph comprising a mandrel having a free end by way of which a cylindrical record may be mounted thereon and removed therefrom: the combination of an open-ended record container adapted to be passed over said mandrel both to place a record into a mounted position relative to the mandrel and to pick up a mounted record upon the removal of the same from the mandrel, said container including means effective to yieldably retain a record therewithin, said retaining means being disposed at the open end of the container in position to permit free passing of the container over the mandrel; and means at the free end of said mandrel controllable to apply to the record a retaining force predominating over that of the retaining means of said container whereby to cause the record to be positively held on the mandrel when the container is removed from the mandrel subsequent to record mounting.

9. In a phonograph comprising a mandrel having a free end by way of which a cylindrical record may be mounted thereon and removed therefrom: the combination of a record holder adapted to be passed over' said mandrel both to place a record into a mounted position relative to the mandrel and to pick up a mounted record upon the removal of the same from the mandrel; means, associated with said holder and having a path of movement at least partially outside the central bore of a record supported by said holder, for yieldably retaining a record in the holder; and a. record retaining means on said' mandrel predomin'ating over the record retaining means of said holder and rendered effective by the record incidental to record mounting.

10. In a phonograph comprising a mandrel having a free end by way of which a cylindrical record may be mounted thereon and removed therefrom: the combination of a record holder adapted to be passed over said mandrel both to place a record into a mounted position relative to the mandrel and to pick up a mounted record upon the removal of the same from the mandrel; means for yieldably retaining a record on the holder, positioned on the holder outside the bore of a retained record; and record-retaning means on said mandrel operable to exert on the record a retaining force predominating over that of the retaining means of the holder.

11. In a phonograph comprising a mandrel having afree end by way of which a cylindrical record may be mounted thereon and removed therefrom: the combination of releasable means for holding a record in mounted position relative to said mandrel including a manipulatable control member; an open-ended container for a record having a restricted opening in its base and adapted to be passed over said mandrel both to place a record in mounted position and to pick up 'a mounted record upon the removal of the same from the mandrel; and releasable means on said container for holding a record therewithin also including a manipulatable control member, said first-mentioned control member being mounted on the free end of the mandrel in position to project through said restricted opening in the base of the container as the container is passed over the mandrel, and said second-mentioned control member being mounted on the base portion of said container so as to be in juxtaposition with said first-mentioned control member when the container is over the mandrel.

LOUIS' Z. LA FOREST.

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