Indexing device for a sound reproducing toy

Claim 2

In a sound reproducing device for use in a toy or the like including: A. a record member movably mounted on said device and having recorded thereon a plurality of discrete sound sequences, arranged to be separately reproduced; B. driving means mounted on said device and drivingly connected to said record member for moving said record member in a first direction an amount to reproduce any one of said sound sequences, individually; C. movable sound reproducing means on said device mounted for engaging said record member, when said movable sound reproducing means is in a first position, for reproducing one of said discrete sound sequences recorded thereon, as said record member is moved in said first direction and said movable sound reproducing means remain in engagement with said record member while moving from said first position to a second position; D. record member indexing means for selectively indexing said record member to control the point of engagement thereof with said movable sound reproducing means when the latter is in said first position, thereby to control the discrete sound sequence out of said plurality of sequences which is reproduced; E. energy storing means for moving said driving means in said first direction with energy stored in said energy storing means to drive said record member in said first direction to reproduce a selected one of said discrete sound sequences; and F. manually operable means for moving said driving means in a second direction for storing energy in said energy storing means, the improvement comprising: clutch means coupled to said driving means for selectively engaging said record member to move it in said second direction, said indexing means including means for controlling the amount said record member is moved in said second direction, thereby to control the point of engagement of said record member with said movable sound reproducing means when the latter is in said first position.

Claim 3

In a sound reproducing device for use in a toy or the like, the arrangement comprising: a record member movably mounted on said device and having recorded thereon a plurality of discrete sound sequences, arranged to be separately reproduced; driving means mounted on said device and drivingly connected to said record member for moving said record member in a first direction an amount to reproduce any one of said sound sequences, individually; movable sound reproducing means on said device mounted for engaging said record member, when said movable sound reproducing means is in a first position, for reproducing one of said discrete sound sequences recorded thereon, as said record member is moved in said first direction and said movable sound reproducing means remain in engagement with said record member while moving from said first position to a second position; record member indexing means for selectively indexing said record member to control the point of engagement thereof with said movable sound reproducing means when the latter is in said first position, thereby to control the discrete sound sequence out of said plurality of sequences which is reproduced; energy storing means for energizing said driving means with energy stored therein to drive said record member in said first direction to reproduce a selected one of said discrete sound sequences; manually operable means for storing enerGy in said energy storing means; said manually operable means including means for moving said energy storing means in a second direction opposite said first direction to store energy therein, said means for moving including clutch means for selectively engaging said record member to move it in said second direction an amount controlled by said record member indexing means thereby to control the point of engagement of said record member with said movable sound reproducing means when the latter is in said first position; said first and second directions being a first direction of rotation and a second direction of rotation opposite said first direction, respectively, said energy storing means comprising a windable power spring and said manually operable means including a rotatable member coupled to said spring; a drawstring coupled to said rotatable member for winding up said spring by rotating said rotatable member and said spring in said second direction when said drawstring is drawn to store energy in said spring, sufficient to cause said spring to unwind when said drawstring is released, to rotate said record member in said first direction, said clutch means being coupled to said rotatable member for controlling the rotation of said record member in said second direction an amount, controlled by said record member indexing means without impeding the continued rotation in said second direction of said rotatable member and spring coupled thereto, to store sufficient energy therein, said clutch means including means for securely engaging said rotatable member to said record member when said spring rotates said rotatable member in said first direction to continuously rotate said record member therewith; said record member being supported for rotation on a turntable, said record member indexing means including means for engaging said turntable at any one of a plurality of positions about its periphery to control the rotation of said turntable and the record member supported thereon in said second direction; and said record member indexing means including at least one tab extending from said turntable for engaging a stop member in any one of a plurality of positions.

Claim 4

In a sound reproducing device for use in a toy or the like, the arrangement comprising: a record member movably mounted on said device and having recorded thereon a plurality of discrete sound sequences, arranged to be separately reproduced; driving means mounted on said device and drivingly connected to said record member for moving said record member in a first direction an amount to reproduce any one of said sound sequences, individually; movable sound reproducing means on said device mounted for engaging said record member, when said movable sound reproducing means is in a first position, for reproducing one of said discrete sound sequences recorded thereon, as said record member is moved in said first direction and said movable sound reproducing means remain in engagement with said record member while moving from said first position to a second position; record member indexing means for selectively indexing said record member to control the point of engagement thereof with said movable sound reproducing means when the latter is in said first position, thereby to control the discrete sound sequence out of said plurality of sequences which is reproduced; energy storing means for energizing said driving means with energy stored therein to drive said record member in said first direction to reproduce a selected one of said discrete sound sequences; manually operable means for storing enerGy in said energy storing means; said manually operable means including means for moving said energy storing means in a second direction opposite said first direction to store energy therein, said means for moving including clutch means for selectively engaging said record member to move it in said second direction an amount controlled by said record member indexing means thereby to control the point of engagement of said record member with said movable sound reproducing means when the latter is in said first position; said first and second directions being a first direction of rotation and a second direction of rotation opposite said first direction, respectively, said energy storing means comprising a windable power spring and said manually operable means including a rotatable member coupled to said spring; a drawstring coupled to said rotatable member for winding up said spring by rotating said rotatable member and said spring in said second direction when said drawstring is drawn to store energy in said spring, sufficient to cause said spring to unwind when said drawstring is released, to rotate said record member in said first direction, said clutch means being coupled to said rotatable member for controlling the rotation of said record member in said second direction an amount, controlled by said record member indexing means without impeding the continued rotation in said second direction of said rotatable member and spring coupled thereto, to store sufficient energy therein, said clutch means including means for securely engaging said rotatable member to said record member when said spring rotates said rotatable member in said first direction to continuously rotate said record member therewith; said record member being supported for rotation on a turntable, said record member indexing means including means for engaging said turntable at any one of a plurality of positions about its periphery to control the rotation of said turntable and the record member supported thereon in said second direction; and said record member indexing means including at least one tab extending from said turntable for engaging a stop member in any one of a plurality of positions.

Claim 5

In a phonograph toy having a first member movable in first and second opposite directions of rotation and a second member movable in said first and second opposite directions of rotation, an arrangement for controlling the relative motions of said first and second members, comprising: a first clutch element fixedly coupled to said first member to move therewith in said first and second directions; a second clutch element disposed between said first clutch element and said second member, said second clutch element being engageable by said first clutch element as said first clutch element moves in said first and second directions, said second clutch element, when moving in said first direction, applying a force in a selected direction to said second member to cause said second member to move in said first direction until said second member is inhibited from moving in said first direction by a second force applied thereto, with said second clutch element continuing to move in said first direction together with said first clutch element, said second clutch element when moving in said second direction effectively coupling said first clutch element to said second member to continuously move the latter in said second direction as said first member is moved therein; said first clutch element having at least one first surface portion which engages said second clutch element when said first clutch element rotates in the first direction to apply to said second clutch element a substantially rotational force so as to cause the second clutch element to rotate in said first direction without subjecting it by said first clutch element to a radial force, said second clutch element having at least one first surface in engagement with said second member, as a function of a radial force, sufficieNt to maintain said at least one first surface thereof in frictional engagement with said second member to cause the latter to rotate in said first direction until its rotation is inhibited by a second force, with said at least one first surface of said second clutch elements slipping with respect to said stopped second member, each of said first and second clutch elements having at least one second surface portion which is engageable when said first clutch member rotates in said second direction to effectively mechanically lock said first and second members together so that said second member continuously rotates in said second direction together with said first member; and said first member comprising a power spring spindle of the type rotatable in said first direction to wind up a power spring coupled thereto, said power spring spindle rotating in said second direction when said power spring is enabled to unwind, and said second member comprising a turntable for supporting a record member having at least one sound sequence recorded thereon which is reproduced when said record member is rotated, the turntable rotating in said second direction.

Claim 6

In a phonograph toy having a first member movable in first and second opposite directions of rotation and a second member movable in said first and second opposite directions of rotation, an arrangement for controlling the relative motions of said first and second members, comprising: a first clutch element fixedly coupled to said first member to move therewith in said first and second directions; a second clutch element disposed between said first clutch element and said second member, said second clutch element being engageable by said first clutch element as said first clutch element moves in said first and second directions, said second clutch element, when moving in said first direction, applying a force in a selected direction to said second member to cause said second member to move in said first direction until said second member is inhibited from moving in said first direction by a second force applied thereto, with said second clutch element continuing to move in said first direction together with said first clutch element, said second clutch element when moving in said second direction effectively coupling said first clutch element to said second member to continuously move the latter in said second direction as said first member is moved therein; said first clutch element having at least one first surface portion which engages said second clutch element when said first clutch element rotates in the first direction to apply to said second clutch element a substantially rotational force so as to cause the second clutch element to rotate in said first direction without subjecting it by said first clutch element to a radial force, said second clutch element having at least one first surface in engagement with said second member, as a function of a radial force, sufficieNt to maintain said at least one first surface thereof in frictional engagement with said second member to cause the latter to rotate in said first direction until its rotation is inhibited by a second force, with said at least one first surface of said second clutch elements slipping with respect to said stopped second member, each of said first and second clutch elements having at least one second surface portion which is engageable when said first clutch member rotates in said second direction to effectively mechanically lock said first and second members together so that said second member continuously rotates in said second direction together with said first member; and said first member comprising a power spring spindle of the type rotatable in said first direction to wind up a power spring coupled thereto, said power spring spindle rotating in said second direction when said power spring is enabled to unwind, and said second member comprising a turntable for supporting a record member having at least one sound sequence recorded thereon which is reproduced when said record member is rotated, the turntable rotating in said second direction.

Claim 7

A sound reproducing device as recited in claim 3 wherein said first and second directions are a first direction of rotation and a second direction of rotation opposite said first direction, respectively, said energy storing means comprising a windable power spring connected to said driving means and said manually operable means includes a drawstring coupled to said driving means for winding up said spring by rotating said driving means in said second direction when said drawstring is drawn to store energy in said spring.

Claim 8

A sound reproducing device as recited in claim 3 wherein said record member includes circumferentially spaced lead-in grooves and is supported for rotation on a turntable and wherein said means for controlling the amount said record member is moved in said second direction includes means for engaging said turntable at any one of a plurality of positions about its periphery to control the rotation of said turntable and the record member supported thereon in said second direction.

Claim 9

In a phonograph device including: A. a record member having interleaved grooves with lead-in portions circumferentially spaced about a peripheral portion thereof; B. drive means coupled to said record member for rotating said record member in a first direction; C. sound reproducing means engageable with said grooves for reproducing sounds recorded therein, said sound reproducing means including a tone arm member having an initial position adjacent said peripheral portion of said record member; and D. indexing means for controlling the rotated position of said peripheral portion with respect to said initial position of said tone arm member, the improvement comprising: i. first control means connected to said drive means to reverse said drive means to reverse said drive means for rotating said record member in a second direction opposite to said first direction; and ii. second control means connected to said drive means for interrupting rotation of said record member in said second direction when a predetermined lead-in groove portion arrives at a position adjacent said initial position of said tone arm member.

Claim 10

In a phonograph device including: A. a record member having interleaved grooves with lead-in portions circumferentially spaced about a peripheral portion thereof; B. drive means coupled to said record member for rotating said record member in a first direction; C. sound reproducing means engageable with said grooves for reproducing sounds recorded therein, said sound reproducing means including a tone arm member having an initial position adjacent said peripheral portion of said record member; and D. indexing means for controlling the rotated position of said peripheral portion with respect to said initial position of said tone arm member, the improvement comprising: i. first control means connected to said drive means to reverse said drive means to reverse said drive means for rotating said record member in a second direction opposite to said first direction; and ii. second control means connected to said drive means for interrupting rotation of said record member in said second direction when a predetermined lead-in groove portion arrives at a position adjacent said initial position of said tone arm member.

Claim 11

The improvement stated in claim 6 wherein said second control means includes: slip clutch means connected to said drive means for breaking the coupling between said record member and said drive means when said record member encounters a predetermined resistance; and stop means positionable in the path of travel of said record member for engaging said record member when said predetermined lead-in groove portion arrives at said adjacent position.

Claim 12

The improvement stated in claim 6 wherein said drive means includes: a spindle; motor means connected to said spindle for imparting rotation thereto; and clutch means connecting sAid spindle to said record member.

Claim 13

The improvement stated in claim 8 wherein said motor means is a spring motor and wherein said first control means is a drawstring connected to said spindle for rotating said spindle in said second direction to wind said motor.

Claim 14

The improvement stated in claim 9 wherein said second control means includes: slip clutch elements on said clutch means for breaking the coupling between said record member and said drive means when said record member encounters a predetermined le resistance; and stop means positionable in the path of travel of said record member for engaging said record member when said predetermined lead-in groove portion arrives at said adjacent position.