Record player with spring-assisted pick-up arm return

A record player having a pick-up arm which is pivotable about a vertical axis and a horizontal axis;

• a vertically movable arm support;
• and means for moving the arm from a rest position towards and away from a record by horizontal pivotal movement, and lowering onto the record or lifting by vertical movement of said arm support, said means including a cam for lifting and lowering the arm support;
• a member coupled to the pick-up arm for rotation therewith about said vertical axis, comprising at least one finger arranged such that movement of the finger rotates the member about the vertical axis;
• and an arm-return spring which is tensioned when the arm is lowered onto the record, energy stored in the spring being used to lift and return the arm to its rest position,
• characterized in that said means comprises:
• a toggle lever to which the arm-return spring is attached, tension force of said spring being transmitted through said lever for lifting and returning the arm;
• said toggle lever being pivotable about an axis, disposed with respect to said spring such that a lever dead-center position is defined, and
• means for moving the toggle lever in response to movement of the cam during lowering of the arm onto a record, arranged such that the toggle lever is moved from a rest position in which the lever is free of engagement with said finger past dead center, and the spring force then rotates the lever to a loaded position in which a part of said lever is disposed in a position to engage said finger thereby enabling a further movement of the lever to rotate the member and return the arm toward the rest position.