Back to results
US 4,049,278 AGranted
Automatic record changer
OwnerJames T. Dennisinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
OwnerJames T. Dennisinventor
Estimating the term…
An automatic record changer is provided in which either 7-inch records or 12-inch records are supported at the edge thereof by an adjustable platform and at the center by a flat blade spindle having no moving parts, the platform being moved bodily toward the spindle in either the 7-inch or 12-inch position thereof to eject the bottom record from the flat blade spindle. The speed of the turntable is adjusted to 45 rpm in response to the positioning of a large hole record spindle at the center of the turntable in place of the flat blade spindle. Provision for automatic shut off is made either substantially instantaneously in response to movement of the tone arm beyond the rest post position during a playing cycle or at the end of an automatic record changing cycle if the control knob is turned to OFF during a record changing cycle. A spindle stub is provided at the center of the turntable which may be adjusted vertically to provide a manual speed control for the turntable, this stub also acting as a centering spindle stub for automatic playing of a single record which is deposited manually on the turntable with automatic shut off after the single record has been played once. In the alternative, the single record may be played repeatedly in response to the positioning of a hold down arm in a repeat play position.
In an automatic record changer, a rotatable turntable, means for rotating said turntable, a record supporting spindle positioned at the center of said turntable for supporting records having a relatively small centering aperture, said spindle having means defining a record supporting shelf on which a stack of small centering aperture records may be placed, a record supporting platform positioned to support the edge of the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf, means for ejecting the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf and supported on said platform, a record hold down member arranged to engage the top record of a stack of records supported on said platform, and at last record sensing member operable independently of said hold down member and movable in a generally vertical plane, means operable during the record changing cycle for moving said sensing member into engagement with the outer edge of a record held on said platform by said hold down member, and means responsive to inward movement of said sensing member when no record is positioned on said platform for de-energizing said turntable rotating means.
In an automatic record changer, a rotatable turntable, means for rotating said turntable, a record supporting spindle positioned at the center of said turntable for supporting records having a relatively small centering aperture, said spindle having means defining a record supporting shelf on which a stack of small centering aperture records may be placed, a record supporting platform positioned to support the edge of the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf, a hold down member positioned adjacent said platform and movable into engagement with the top record of said stack at a point adjacent said platform and remote from said spindle, means for moving the bottom record of said stack off of said shelf and onto said turntable, a last record sensing member operable independently of said hold down member and movable in a generally vertical plane, means operable during the record changing cycle for moving said sensing member into engagement with the outer edge of a record held on said platform by said hold down member, automatic shutoff means responsive to inward movement of said sensing member when no record is positioned on said platform for de-energizing said turn-table rotating means, and means responsive to movement of said hold down member to a repeat play position for disabling said automatic shutoff means.
In an automatic record changer, a rotatable turntable, a turntable stub positioned at the center of said turntable for centering a record manually deposited on said turntable, said stub having a vertically extending slot therein, means for preventing said turntable stub from rotating, a flat blade spindle positionable in said slot and provided with a record supporting shelf, a platform positioned to support the edge of the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf and aligned with said vertically extending slot in said turntable stub, and means operative during a record changing cycle for moving the bottom record of said stack off of said shelf and onto said turntable stub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.