Locking device for tone arms

Claim 1

A locking device for a tone arm for a record player or the like comprising: a turntable mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, a tone arm mounted adjacent said turntable and pivotable about a vertical axis and a horizontal axis from a position of rest adjacent the turntable to a position of play on the turntable, a vertically movable arm lifter having a lifting plate underlying said tone arm for contact therewith, an arm rest fixed to said record player and having a seating plate underlying said tone arm at a longitudinal position spaced from said lifting plate when said arm is pivoted to the side of said turntable, the outer end portion of said lifting plate being formed with a curved hook-like portion, the end of which is remote from said turntable being bent inwardly, the seating plate of said arm rest being provided with a rising curved portion, at least at its inner side relative to said turntable, whereby, when said tone arm is retracted from a playing position, the tone arm comes to rest on said arm lifter in an uppermost position with the tone arm resting within said hook-like portion, whereupon said arm lifter is lowered to seat said tone arm on said arm rest, the hook-like portion of said lifting plate and the rising portion of said seating plate then forming an aperture having a restricted opening between the outer end of said hook-like portion and the top of said seating plate rising portion with the dimension of the opening being less than the diameter of the tone arm.