Casette-type toy phonograph

Claim 1

An electrically operated toy phonograph comprising a housing having a top opening, a mechanism for reproducing sound from a spirally grooved record disposed within said housing, said mechanism including a motor connected in an electric circuit, a pick up arm pivoted at one end and having an upwardly pointed stylus at its other end, said stylus arranged to engage the groove of a record when said opening is closed, spring means biasing said pick up arm to dispose said stylus to a side of said opening and below said opening, a closure for said opening pivotally supported at one end of said opening, said closure having means on its unDerside for removably supporting a grooved record, spring means normally biasing said closure into an upwardly tilted position for positioning a record on said supporting means, latch means for selectively engaging said closure, a normally open switch in the circuit of said motor arranged to be closed upon movement of said closure into a closed position, means actuated by said pick up arm for actuating said latch means to release said closure upon movement of said stylus to the inner end of the groove of said record, wherein said latch means includes a U-shaped latch member having first and second arms, said latch member tiltably supported on said housing with its arms in vertically spaced alignment and directed over the other end of said opening, said latch member normally spring tensioned to maintain said first arm in horizontal position to overlie an edge of said closure, said latch member being tiltable in one direction for upwardly slanting said first arm for releasing said closure and being tiltable in another direction when said second arm is engaged by said closure edge as said closure is lowered into said closed position causing said first arm to overlie the edge of the closure to maintain the closure in its closed position, and wherein said means actuated by said pick up arm for moving said latch means includes a first extension disposed on the pivoted end of the pick up arm, a second extension extending from one of said latch arms and a rocker arm having a first end and a second end, said rocker arm mounted in said housing in a position to have its first end engaged by said first extension when said stylus is at the inner end of the record groove causing the second rocker arm end to move against said second extension thereby tilting said latch member in said one direction to release said closure.