Automatic record player

Claim 2

In an automatic record player, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which said bottom stack of records may be seated during a playing cycle, automatic record playing means operative during an automatic cycle to deposit the bottom record of said stack onto said turntable, record sensing means including blade means mounted on said spindle and having an upper portion adapted to engage the edge of the centering hole of said bottom record seated on said shelf, and means operative during an automatic cycle for urging said upper portion of said blade means in the direction of said shelf with a sufficiently light force that said blade means is restrained by the edge of a record seated on said shelf without moving said record off of said shelf, said force being sufficient in the absence of a record on said shelf to move said blade means in said direction to a shut-off position.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, which includes means for rotating said turntable during a record playing cycle, and means responsive to movement of said blade means to said shut-off position for disabling said turntable rotating means.

Claim 4

In an automatic record changer, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which a stack of records may be seated during a playing cycle, automatic record changing means operative during a record changing cycle to deposit the bottom record of said stack onto said turntable, said automatic record changing means including a last record sensing blade mounted on said spindle and having an upper portion adapted to engage the edge of said bottom record in the vicinity of said shelf, and means operative during a record changing cycle for moving said upper portion of said blade in the direction of said shelf with a small force which is insufficient to enable said blade to eject a record if a record is seated on said shelf but is sufficient to move said blade to a shut-off position in the absence of a record on said shelf.

Claim 5

In an automatic record changer, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which a stack of records may be seated during a playing cycle, automatic record changing means operative during a record changing cycle to deposit the bottom record of said stack onto said turntable, said automatic record changing means including a last record sensing blade mounted on said spindle and having an upper portion adapted to engage the edge of said bottom record in the vicinity of said shelf, and means operative during a record changing cycle for moving said upper portion of said blade in the direction of said shelf with a small force which is insufficient to enable said blade to eject a record if a record is seated on said shelf but is sufficient to move said blade to a shut-off position in the absence of a record on said shelf.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 3, which includes means for rotating said turntable during a record playing cycle, and means responsive to movement of said blade to said shut-off position for de-energizing said turntable rotating means.

Claim 7

In an automatic record changer, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which a stack of records may be seated during a playing cycle, blade means mounted on said spindle, means operative during one portion of the record changing cycle for moving said blade means to a record ejecting position, whereby said blade means engages the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf and moves said bottom record off of said shelf, and last record sensing means operative during a different portion of the record changing cycle for moving said blade means in the direction of said shelf with a light force which is sufficient to move said blade means to a shut-off position when no record is positioned on said shelf, said light force being insufficient to move said blade means to said record ejecting position when a record is seated on said shelf.

Claim 8

In an automatic record changer, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which a stack of records may be seated during a playing cycle, blade means mounted on said spindle, means operative during one portion of the record changing cycle for moving said blade means to a record ejecting position, whereby said blade means engages the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf and moves said bottom record off of said shelf, and last record sensing means operative during a different portion of the record changing cycle for moving said blade means in the direction of said shelf with a light force which is sufficient to move said blade means to a shut-off position when no record is positioned on said shelf, said light force being insufficient to move said blade means to said record ejecting position when a record is seated on said shelf.

Claim 9

In an automatic record changer, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which a stack of records may be seated, a record ejector blade mounted on said spindle, means operative during one portion of the record changing cycle for moving said record ejector blade to a record ejecting position, whereby said record ejector blade engages the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf and moves said bottom record off of said shelf, a last record sensing blade mounted on said spindle and movable independently of said record ejector blade, and means operative during a different portion of the record changing cycle for moving said last record sensing blade in the direction of said shelf with a light force which is sufficient to move said last record sensing blade to a shut-off position when no record is positioned on said shelf, said light force being insufficient to move said last record sensing blade to said record ejecting position when a record is seated on said shelf.

Claim 10

In an automatic record changer, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which a stack of records may be seated, a record ejector blade mounted on said spindle, means operative during one portion of the record changing cycle for moving said record ejector blade to a record ejecting position, whereby said record ejector blade engages the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf and moves said bottom record off of said shelf, a last record sensing blade mounted on said spindle and movable independently of said record ejector blade, and means operative during a different portion of the record changing cycle for moving said last record sensing blade in the direction of said shelf with a light force which is sufficient to move said last record sensing blade to a shut-off position when no record is positioned on said shelf, said light force being insufficient to move said last record sensing blade to said record ejecting position when a record is seated on said shelf.

Claim 11

The combination set forth in claim 6, which includes means for biasing said ejector blade to a position in which said ejector blade engages the edge of the bottom record positioned on said shelf, said bias opposing the force exerted on the bottom record by said sensing blade.

Claim 12

The combination set forth in claim 5, which includes a base member, a control member movably mounted on said base member and in engagement with the lower end of said blade means, and means for moving said control member during said different portion of a record changing cycle so that the upper end of said blade means is moved in the direction of said shelf, the engagement of said control member with said lower end of said blade means being sufficiently light that said blade means slips with respect to said control member when said upper end encounters a record seated on said shelf.

Claim 13

The combination set forth in claim 8, wherein said control member is provided with a horizontal portion on which said lower end of said blade means rests, and means for urging said blade means into engagement with said horizontal portion to provide said light force.

Claim 14

The combination set forth in claim 9, wherein said control member is provided with a portion above said horizontal portion and having an opening therein, said lower end of said blade means extending through said opening, said control member moving said blade means to eject a record during said one portion of the record changing cycle by engagement of said blade means with the edge of said opening.

Claim 15

In an automatic record changer, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, means for rotating said turntable during a record playing cycle, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which a stack of records may be seated, automatic record changing means operative during a record changing cycle to deposit the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf onto said turntable, last record sensing means including blade means mounted on said spindle and having an upper portion adapted to engage said bottom record, a pivotally mounted member, said blade means normally blocking movement of said pivotally mounted member, means for exerting a light force on said blade means tending to move said upper portion thereof toward said shelf, whereby said blade means is moved to a shut-off position in the absence of a record on said shelf, means responsive to movement of said blade means to said shut-off position for moving said pivotally mounted member to an off position, and means responsive to movement of said pivotally mounted member to said off position for disabling said turntable rotating means at the end of the same record changing cycle.

Claim 16

In an automatic record changer, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, means for rotating said turntable during a record playing cycle, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which a stack of records may be seated, automatic record changing means operative during a record changing cycle to deposit the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf onto said turntable, last record sensing means including blade means mounted on said spindle and having an upper portion adapted to engage said bottom record, a pivotally mounted member, said blade means normally blocking movement of said pivotally mounted member, means for exerting a light force on said blade means tending to move said upper portion thereof toward said shelf, whereby said blade means is moved to a shut-off position in the absence of a record on said shelf, means responsive to movement of said blade means to said shut-off position for moving said pivotally mounted member to an off position, and means responsive to movement of said pivotally mounted member to said off position for disabling said turntable rotating means at the end of the same record changing cycle.

Claim 17

In an automatic record changer, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, means for rotating said turntable during a record playing cycle, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which a stack of records may be seated, a main cycling gear, means for rotating said gear one revolution during a record changing cycle, automatic record changing means responsive to rotation of said gear for depositing the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf onto said turntable, last record sensing means including blade means mounted on said spindle and having an upper portion adapted to engage said bottom record, a cam on said gear and having a notch therein, a pivotally mounted cam follower member, means for biasing said member into engagement with said cam, said blade means being normally positioned to prevent said cam follower member from following said notch when a record is positioned on said shelf, means for exerting a light force on said blade means tending to move said upper portion thereof toward said shelf, whereby said blade means is moved to a shut-off position in the absence of a record on said shelf, said light force being insufficient to move said blade means to said shut-off position when a record is positioned on said shelf, said blade means when in said shut-off position being positioned to permit said cam follower member to enter said notch, and means responsive to movement of said cam follower member into said notch for disabling said turntable rotating means.

Claim 18

In an automatic record changer, the combination of, a rotatable turntable, means for rotating said turntable during a record playing cycle, a centering spindle positioned at the center of said turntable, means defining a shelf on one side of said centering spindle on which a stack of records may be seated, a main cycling gear, means for rotating said gear one revolution during a record changing cycle, automatic record changing means responsive to rotation of said gear for depositing the bottom record of a stack of records seated on said shelf onto said turntable, last record sensing means including blade means mounted on said spindle and having an upper portion adapted to engage said bottom record, a cam on said gear and having a notch therein, a pivotally mounted cam follower member, means for biasing said member into engagement with said cam, said blade means being normally positioned to prevent said cam follower member from following said notch when a record is positioned on said shelf, means for exerting a light force on said blade means tending to move said upper portion thereof toward said shelf, whereby said blade means is moved to a shut-off position in the absence of a record on said shelf, said light force being insufficient to move said blade means to said shut-off position when a record is positioned on said shelf, said blade means when in said shut-off position being positioned to permit said cam follower member to enter said notch, and means responsive to movement of said cam follower member into said notch for disabling said turntable rotating means.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 12, wherein said turntable rotating means is disabled at the end of the same record changing cycle in which said blade means is moved to said shut-off position.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 13, which includes means operative after said cam follower member has passed said notch in said cam for moving said blade means to push a record seated on said shelf off of said shelf.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 12, which includes a control member having a surface in frictional engagement with the bottom end of said blade means, and means for moving said control member during said record changing cycle, thereby to exert said light force on said blade means by virtue of said frictional engagement with the bottom end thereof.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 15, which includes a lost motion connection between said control member and said blade means, said lost motion connection providing a positive drive connection between said control member and said blade means after said frictional engagement thereof which exerts a relatively large force on said blade means which is sufficient to move the bottom record off of said shelf.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 16, wherein said lost-motion connection comprises means defining an opening in a portion of said control member above the end of said blade means, said light force being exerted on said blade means during the portion of movement of said control member in which said blade means is not engaged with said portion of said control member having said opening therein.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 12, wherein said cam follower member includes a pin in engagement with said cam, a shut-off latch pivotally mounted on the axis of said pin, said disabling means includes manually operable on-off lever means, means for interconnecting said shut-off latch and said on-off lever means in response to movement of said pin out of said notch, and means operative near the end of the record changing cycle for moving said interconnected shut-off latch and on-off lever means to a position in which said lever means is moved to the off position thereof.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 18, wherein said last named means includes a projection on said cam, a fixed pivot for said on-off lever, said interconnected shut-off latch and on-off lever being moved in one direction as said pin engages said projection so that said on-off lever is moved into alignment with said fixed pivot, said shut-off latch moving said on-off lever into engagement with said pivot as said pin moves out of engagement with said projection, said shut-off latch becoming disengaged from said on-off lever as said pin continues to move away from said projection, thereby permitting said on-off lever to rotate about said fixed pivot to an off position.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 12, wherein said cam follower member includes a pin in engagement with said cam, said disabling means including shut-off latch means pivotally mounted on the axis of said pin and operative near the end of the record changing cycle to disable said turntable rotating means.

Claim 27

The combination of claim 20, wherein said cam also has a detent notch therein, and said disabling means is responsive to movement of said pin into said detent notch near the end of the record changing cycle for disabling said turntable rotating means.