Turntable arrangement with automatic record changer spindle

Claim 2

A record changer spindle, comprising: a spindle housing of tubular shape and having a plurality of apertures therein; an inner hollow shaft; means positioned within said spindle housing and operable in response to the sliding movement of said inner hollow shaft for alternately clamping and releasing a stack of records mounted on said spindle, said inner hollow shaft positioned within said housing and slidable between upper and lower positions, said shaft being coupled to said clamping and releasing means and having an engagement hole formed adjacent a lower end portion thereof, the position of the engagement hole being selected for being withdrawn into said housing when said inner shaft assumes its upper position and extending below said housing when said shaft assumes an intermediate position; and means positioned adjacent the lower portion of said spindle housing, said means comprised of a lever member, one end thereof being pivotally mounted and the other end being positioned beneath said spindle housing and adapted To move between upper and lower positions, said lever member normally assuming said upper position, an upwardly projecting support member positioned on said lever member adjacent the free end thereof and adapted to contact said inner hollow shaft for support thereof when said lever member is in the upper position, a hook member pivotally mounted on said lever member adjacent said support member, said hook member extending upwardly from said lever member, and a spring member operatively coupled to said hook member for biasing said hook member toward said support member, said hook member thereby contacting the lower portion of said housing when said lever assumes its upper position, whereby downwardly pivoting said lever member terminates support of said inner shaft by said support member and said shaft moves downwardly and, when records are being supported, said shaft moves downwardly to said intermediate position such that said engagement hole extends from said housing, said hook member thereby engages said engagement hole and further downwardly moves said shaft and consequently operates said clamping and releasing means, whereby the lowermost record may be released from the stack.

Claim 3

A record changer spindle as recited in claim 1 wherein said housing is comprised of a curled metal strip having an upper end portion formed with at least three elongated and three short slots each extending in parallel to the longitudinal axis of said spindle housing; said means for alternatively clamping and releasing being comprised of a first holder block mounted on an upper end of said inner hollow shaft within said spindle housing, supporting members having a lower end portion pivotally carried by said first holder block and an upper end portion diagonally outwardly extending through the corresponding ones of said elongated slots in said spindle housing for supporting a stack of records mounted on said spindle, a compression spring positioned within said housing for upwardly urging said inner hollow shaft with said first holder block thereby causing said supporting members to radially outwardly expand through said elongated slots in said spindle housing, a stationary block fixedly housed within said spindle housing at a position substantially between said elongated slots and said short slots, a second holder block slidably housed within said spindle housing above said stationary block, clamping members having an upper end portion pivotally carried by said second holder block and a lower end portion adapted to substantially radially outwardly extend through the corresponding one of said short slots in said spindle housing for supporting the records in the stack except for the lowermost one of them only when said second holder block is downwardly shifted, a second compression spring for downwardly urging said second holder block thereby causing said clamping member to radially outwardly expand through said short slots in said spindle housing, and a connecting rod disposed between said first and second holder blocks through said stationary block.

Claim 4

A record changer spindle, comprising: a spindle housing of tubular shape and having a plurality of apertures therein; a first record support means slidably positioned within said housing for movement between upper and lower positions and portions thereof adapted to extend out of said housing through some of said apertures for supporting a stack of records when in the upper position and adapted to withdraw said portions into said housing to allow records to descend when in the lower postion; a second record support means slidably positioned within said housing for movement between upper and lower positions and portions thereof adapted to extend out of said housing through some of said apertures when in the lower position, all but the lowermost record in the stack being thereby supported, said portions of said second record support means adapted to be withdrawn into said housing when in the upper position; means positioned wiThin said housing for downwardly biasing said second record support member; connecting means operatively connecting said first and second record support members for simultaneous movement of said members; an inner hollow shaft positioned within said housing and slidable between upper and lower positions, said shaft being coupled to one of said support means and having an engagement hole formed adjacent a lower end portion thereof, the position of the engagement hole being selected for being withdrawn into said housing when said inner shaft assumes its upper position and extending below said housing when said shaft assumes an intermediate position; and means positioned adjacent the lower portion of said spindle housing, said means comprised of a lever member, one end thereof being pivotally mounted and the other end being positioned beneath said spindle housing and adapted to move between upper and lower positions, said lever member normally assuming said upper position, an upwardly projecting support member positioned on said lever member adjacent the free end thereof and adapted to contact said inner hollow shaft for support thereof when said lever member is in the upper position, a hook member pivotally mounted on said lever member adjacent said support member, said hook member extending upwardly from said lever member, and a spring member operatively coupled to said hook member for biasing said hook member toward said support member, said hook member thereby contacting the lower portion of said housing when said lever assumes its upper position, whereby downwardly pivoting said lever member terminates support of said inner shaft by said support member and said shaft moves downwardly and, when records are being supported, said shaft moves downwardly to said intermediate position such that said engagement hole extends from said housing, said hook member thereby engaging said engagement hole and further downwardly moving said shaft and consequently said first and second support means, whereby the lowermost record may be released from the stack.

Claim 5

A record changer spindle, comprising: a spindle housing of tubular shape and having a plurality of apertures therein; a first record support means slidably positioned within said housing for movement between upper and lower positions and portions thereof adapted to extend out of said housing through some of said apertures for supporting a stack of records when in the upper position and adapted to withdraw said portions into said housing to allow records to descend when in the lower postion; a second record support means slidably positioned within said housing for movement between upper and lower positions and portions thereof adapted to extend out of said housing through some of said apertures when in the lower position, all but the lowermost record in the stack being thereby supported, said portions of said second record support means adapted to be withdrawn into said housing when in the upper position; means positioned wiThin said housing for downwardly biasing said second record support member; connecting means operatively connecting said first and second record support members for simultaneous movement of said members; an inner hollow shaft positioned within said housing and slidable between upper and lower positions, said shaft being coupled to one of said support means and having an engagement hole formed adjacent a lower end portion thereof, the position of the engagement hole being selected for being withdrawn into said housing when said inner shaft assumes its upper position and extending below said housing when said shaft assumes an intermediate position; and means positioned adjacent the lower portion of said spindle housing, said means comprised of a lever member, one end thereof being pivotally mounted and the other end being positioned beneath said spindle housing and adapted to move between upper and lower positions, said lever member normally assuming said upper position, an upwardly projecting support member positioned on said lever member adjacent the free end thereof and adapted to contact said inner hollow shaft for support thereof when said lever member is in the upper position, a hook member pivotally mounted on said lever member adjacent said support member, said hook member extending upwardly from said lever member, and a spring member operatively coupled to said hook member for biasing said hook member toward said support member, said hook member thereby contacting the lower portion of said housing when said lever assumes its upper position, whereby downwardly pivoting said lever member terminates support of said inner shaft by said support member and said shaft moves downwardly and, when records are being supported, said shaft moves downwardly to said intermediate position such that said engagement hole extends from said housing, said hook member thereby engaging said engagement hole and further downwardly moving said shaft and consequently said first and second support means, whereby the lowermost record may be released from the stack.

Claim 6

A record changer spindle as recited in claim 3 wherein the apertures of said housing are a plurality of short and long slots therein, said first record support means being comprised of a first holder block movable within said spindle housing, said portions thereof comprised of a plurality of supporting members pivotally carried by said first holder block and adopted for projecting diagonally radially outwardly through a corresponding number of said long slots formed in said spindle housing, said supporting members being outwardly projected for supporting thereon a stack of records, said second record support means being comprised of a second holder block movable within said spindle housing in association with said first holder block for said supporting members, and said portions thereof comprised of a plurality of clamping members pivotally carried by said second holder block and having the tip portions thereof adapted for radially outwardly projecting through the corresponding number of said short slots formed in said spindle housing, said clamping members being outwardly projected for retaining the records in the stack, except for the lowermost one of them.