Record-changer spindle

Claim 1

A spindle for a record changer having a control mechanism, said spindle comprising: a drive shaft, a spindle shell surrounding said drive shaft, said spindle shell being formed with windows, said drive shaft adapted to move vertically in said shell and rotate in either direction in response to operation of the control mechanism of the record player, a lower pawl support mounted on said drive shaft, said lOwer pawl support being keyed to said spindle shell to allow vertical movement relative thereto, but prevent rotational movement relative thereto, lower pawls for supporting records, said pawls being pivotally connected to said lower pawl support and being movable to open and closed positions, means cooperating with said lower pawl support for biasing each of said lower pawls to an open position, a first cam engaged with said drive shaft and engageable with said lower pawls to move them to a closed position in response to rotation of said drive shaft, an upper pawl support mounted on said drive shaft, means for biasing said upper pawl support in a downward direction, a spindle shell surrounding said drive shaft, a second cam fixed to said spindle shell below said upper pawl support, and upper pawls for supporting records, said upper pawls being mounted on said upper pawl support and being movable to an open position by engagement with said second cam when said drive shaft moves downwardly and said upper pawl support is in its lower position, said upper pawls being movable to a closed position by engagement with said spindle shell when said drive shaft is moved upwardly and said upper pawl support is in its upper position said upper and lower pawls are projected through said windows in said open position and retracted through said windows in a closed position.