Turntable direct-drive system

Claim 1

In a turntable direct drive system comprising: a base; a vertical turntable shaft extending upwardly from said base; rotatable means having a horizontal surface portion and a downwardly extending cylindrical peripheral lip, said means being mounted on said shaft and including a turntable surface adjacent said horizontal surface portion; a first stator core with a drive winding thereon adjacent said base within said peripheral lip and spaced a first predetermined distance from said lip; and a second stator core with a drive winding thereon adjacent said base outside said peripheral lip in juxtaposition with said first stator core and spaced a second predetermined distance from said lip, said stator cores and windings cooperating to be adapted to exert a driving force on said peripheral lip to cause said rotatable means to rotate about the axis of said shaft; the improvement wherein said rotatable means comprises (i) a cylindrical rotor of non-magnetic electrically conductive material having said horizontal surface portion and cylindrical lip, said rotor lip having an outwardly extending edge protruding from the bottom of said lip and extending beneath a portion of said second stator core to prevent movement of said rotor away from said base, (ii) a separate turntable coupled to said rotor for rotation therewith, said turntable being spaced apart from a major part of said horizontal surface portion of said rotor, said turntable having said turntable surface, the weight of said rotor being substantially less than the weight of said turntable, and (iii) coupling means between said rotor and said turntable for providing a rotational force to said turntable while isolating said turntable from vibrations of said rotor and from warping forces due to any warped condition of said rotor.