Optical disc drive for organ

Claim 2

Apparatus which utilizes a disc record with tracks that define sounds to be produced comprising: a housing having a doorway for receiving said disc record; disc supporting means within said housing; a door mounted on said housing for moving between a first position covering said doorway and a second position uncovering it; pickup means responsive to said disc record for generating signals representing the sounds defined by said tracks in said disc record; a backup roller positioned on a first face of a disc supported by said disc supporting means; motor means including a driven output shaft; drive wheel means including an axle pivotally mounted on said housing and carrying a rotatable member said axle pivotable between a first position wherein said rotatable member bears against said output shaft and against a face portion of said disc opposite said backup roller and a second position wherein said rotatable member is spaced from said output shaft and said disc; and means responsive to movement of said door between said first and second position for moving said axle of said drive wheel means between said first and second positions thereof.

Claim 3

The apparatus described in claim 1 including: an on-off switch coupled to said motor means to control energization thereof, said switch having an operating portion in the path of said axle for operating said switch to an off state when said axle is moved to said second position thereof.

Claim 4

Apparatus which utilizes a disc record with tracks that define sounds to be played comprising: a housing having a doorway through which said disc record can be received; stationary disc supporting means for rotatably supporting said disc record within said housing; an electric motor having an output shaft; on-off switch means coupled to said motor for controlling the energization of said motor, said switch means including a knob which can be manually moved between on and off positions to control the state of said switch means; a backup roller positioned on a first face of a disc record which is supported on said disc supporting means; a drive wheel; a drive wheel axle having an inner portion and an outer portion, said drive wheel rotatably mounted on said outer portion, and said inner portion of said axle pivotally mounted on said housing to allow said outer portion to move between a first position wherein said drive wheel is engaged with a second face of said disc record opposite said first face thereof and with the output shaft and a second position wherein it is disengaged from said second face of said disc record and from the output shaft; and first link means responsive to movement of said knob of said on-off switch means between on and off positions for moving said drive wheel axle from said first position to said second position, respectively, while said disc supporting means remains stationary.

Claim 5

Apparatus which utilizes a disc record with tracks that define sounds to be played comprising: a housing having a doorway through which said disc record can be received; stationary disc supporting means for rotatably supporting said disc record within said housing; an electric motor having an output shaft; on-off switch means coupled to said motor for controlling the energization of said motor, said switch means including a knob which can be manually moved between on and off positions to control the state of said switch means; a backup roller positioned on a first face of a disc record which is supported on said disc supporting means; a drive wheel; a drive wheel axle having an inner portion and an outer portion, said drive wheel rotatably mounted on said outer portion, and said inner portion of said axle pivotally mounted on said housing to allow said outer portion to move between a first position wherein said drive wheel is engaged with a second face of said disc record opposite said first face thereof and with the output shaft and a second position wherein it is disengaged from said second face of said disc record and from the output shaft; and first link means responsive to movement of said knob of said on-off switch means between on and off positions for moving said drive wheel axle from said first position to said second position, respectively, while said disc supporting means remains stationary.

Claim 6

The apparatus described in claim 3 including: a door mounted on said housing for movement between a first position covering said doorway and a second position uncovering it; and second link means responsive to movement of said door between said first and second positions for moving said drive wheel axle from said first position to said second position.

Claim 7

The apparatus described in claim 4 wherein: said on-off switch means includes a switch for interrupting the flow of current to said motor, said switch having an operating member positioned in the path of said outer portion of said drive wheel axle which maintains said switch in an off state when said drive wheel axle is in said second position.

Claim 8

Apparatus which utilizes a disc record with a hole at its center and with tracks that define sounds to be produced comprising: a housing having a doorway for receiving said disc record and having a ramp; disc supporting means within said housing for supporting a disc at a position above said ramp, including a spindle for projecting into said central hole of said disc record; a door mounted on said housing for moving between a first position covering said doorway and a second position uncovering it; means for rotatably driving a disc on said disc supporting means; means for generating sounds defined by said tracks in said disc record; a disc lifting member mounted on said housing including a ramp engaging portion lying on said ramp and an inner portion; and means responsive to movement of said door between said first and second positions and coupled to said disc lifting member for raising and lowering said disc engaging portion of said disc lifting member, including a lever pivotally mounted on said housing and a link coupling said door to said lever to pivot said lever in first and second directions as said door is opened and closed, said inner portion of said disc lifting member being pivotally coupled to said lever to move said lifting member up and down said ramp as said lever pivots in said first and second directions.

Claim 9

Apparatus which utilizes a disc record with a hole at its center and with tracks that define sounds to be produced comprising: a housing having a doorway for receiving said disc record and having a ramp; disc supporting means within said housing for supporting a disc at a position above said ramp, including a spindle for projecting into said central hole of said disc record; a door mounted on said housing for moving between a first position covering said doorway and a second position uncovering it; means for rotatably driving a disc on said disc supporting means; means for generating sounds defined by said tracks in said disc record; a disc lifting member mounted on said housing including a ramp engaging portion lying on said ramp and an inner portion; and means responsive to movement of said door between said first and second positions and coupled to said disc lifting member for raising and lowering said disc engaging portion of said disc lifting member, including a lever pivotally mounted on said housing and a link coupling said door to said lever to pivot said lever in first and second directions as said door is opened and closed, said inner portion of said disc lifting member being pivotally coupled to said lever to move said lifting member up and down said ramp as said lever pivots in said first and second directions.

Claim 10

The apparatus described in claim 6 wherein: said disc lifting member includes a wire which has an outer end that extends from said ramp-engaging portion substantially forwardly towards said doorway, to define an upward incline when said disc lifting member is raised.

Claim 11

Apparatus which utilizes a disc record with tracks that define sounds to be played comprising: a housing having a doorway through which said disc record can be received; disc supporting means for rotatably supporting said disc record within said housing; an electric motor having a tapered output shaft; on-off switch means coupled to said motor for controlling the energization of said motor, said switch means including a knob which can be manually moved between on and off positions to control the state of said switch means; a backup roller positioned on a first face of a disc record which is supported on said disc supporting means; a drive wheel; a drive wheel axle having an inner portion and an outer portion, said drive wheel rotatably mounted on said outer portion, and said inner portion of said axle mounted on said housing to allow said outer portion to move between a first position wherein said drive wheel is engaged with a second face of said disc record opposite said first face thereof and a second position wherein it is disengaged from said second face of said disc record; first link means responsive to movement of said knob of said on-off switch means between on and off positions for moving said drive wheel axle from said first position to said second position, respectively; anD means for movably mounting said motor so that different diameter portions of said output shaft can contact said drive wheel to rotate it at different speeds; said drive wheel shaft being mounted to move said drive wheel against and away from said motor output shaft when said drive wheel shaft is moved between said first position and said second position, whereby to enable firm engagement of said drive wheel with said motor output shaft at all positions of said output shaft.

Claim 12

Apparatus which utilizes a disc record with tracks that define sounds to be played comprising: a housing having a doorway through which said disc record can be received; disc supporting means for rotatably supporting said disc record within said housing; an electric motor having a tapered output shaft; on-off switch means coupled to said motor for controlling the energization of said motor, said switch means including a knob which can be manually moved between on and off positions to control the state of said switch means; a backup roller positioned on a first face of a disc record which is supported on said disc supporting means; a drive wheel; a drive wheel axle having an inner portion and an outer portion, said drive wheel rotatably mounted on said outer portion, and said inner portion of said axle mounted on said housing to allow said outer portion to move between a first position wherein said drive wheel is engaged with a second face of said disc record opposite said first face thereof and a second position wherein it is disengaged from said second face of said disc record; first link means responsive to movement of said knob of said on-off switch means between on and off positions for moving said drive wheel axle from said first position to said second position, respectively; anD means for movably mounting said motor so that different diameter portions of said output shaft can contact said drive wheel to rotate it at different speeds; said drive wheel shaft being mounted to move said drive wheel against and away from said motor output shaft when said drive wheel shaft is moved between said first position and said second position, whereby to enable firm engagement of said drive wheel with said motor output shaft at all positions of said output shaft.