U.S. patent number 3,798,811 [Application Number 05/262,224] was granted by the patent office on 1974-03-26 for program for automatic phonograph.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation. Invention is credited to Donald C. Rockola.
United States Patent |
3,798,811 |
Rockola |
March 26, 1974 |
PROGRAM FOR AUTOMATIC PHONOGRAPH
Abstract
A wall-mounted holder mounting a multiple section program for
use with coin-operated jukeboxes or phonographs wherein a plurality
of individual program tabs or cards, each identifying a single
musical selection, are mounted in individual holding pockets
provided on multi-faceted holders arranged in parallel rows for
simultaneous rotational movement between selected index positions.
In each index position for the holders, corresponding faces thereof
are commonly aligned to expose one section of the total program to
the viewer.
Inventors: |
Rockola; Donald C. (Chicago,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Rock-Ola Manufacturing
Corporation (Chicago, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22996684 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/262,224 |
Filed: |
June 13, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
40/505;
40/124.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F
17/305 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07F
17/30 (20060101); G07F 17/00 (20060101); G09f
011/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;40/68,68.4,77.4-77.8,36,44 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
103,113 |
|
Feb 1938 |
|
AU |
|
1,096,274 |
|
Jan 1955 |
|
FR |
|
1,360,357 |
|
Mar 1964 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Michell; Robert W.
Assistant Examiner: Wolff; J. H.
Claims
I claim:
1. A sectionalized program assembly for use with automatic
phonographs and the like comprising: an elongated open top support
tray adapted to be mounted in a protective housing and having a
planar bottom wall and parallel bearing walls rigidly affixed
across and intermediate the opposite ends thereof, a plurality of
like individual holder members arrayed in each of several parallel
rows extending lengthwise of said tray and having means whereby the
same are supported for rotational movement by said bearing walls,
each said holder member comprising a unitary molding of rigid
material defining an elongated body portion of substantially
triangular cross section having a longitudinal cylindrical interior
portion opening inwardly of one end thereof and a coaxially aligned
longitudinal stub shaft portion extending outwardly of the opposite
end thereof; said cylindrical portion being coaxially receptive of
a said stub shaft portion of an adjacent holder member in the
assembly of said rows with the said stub shaft and cylindrical
portions being provided with cooperating key and key way means for
interlocking the same against relative rotation; the exterior
surfaces of each said holder member defining three elongated planar
sides each of which is provided with a rectangular recessed area
bordered along three margins by overhanging lip portions for
retaining an individual indicia bearing program tab member
therebeneath, drive gear means coaxially coupled to the outer said
holder member of each of said rows adjacent one of said bearing
walls, belt means drivingly engaging said drive gear means,
manually operable drive means associated with one of said rows and
having means for positively rotating the drive gear means
associated therewith thereby to actuate said belt means and
simultaneously rotate each of said rows of holder members, and
detent means comprising a toothed star wheel having means whereby
the same is rotatable with one of said rows and engaged by
resilient spring means affixed to said tray for selectively
arresting said rows in three rotational index positions, in each of
which positions corresponding sides of individual holder members
are coplanar to display said tab members thereon in viewing
position.
2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said manually operable drive
means comprises a pair of manually engageable operating members
mounted over the outer ends of a drive shaft extending coaxially
through one of said rows of holder members and said bearing wall
means, each of said manually engageable members including clutch
means operable to afford movement thereof relative to said drive
shaft upon predetermined torque loading of the latter.
3. The combination of claim 1, and stop means affixed to said tray
and engageable with said star wheel to limit rotational movement
thereof and said rows to and between only two of said index
positions.
Description
This invention relates generally to automatic phonographs and more
particularly to improved means for presenting programs associated
therewith.
Automatic phonographs or "jukeboxes" as they are more commonly
termed, provide the customer-listener with a wide range of musical
selections, conventionally in the order of 100 or more individual
musical compositions. It is the usual practice to list such
selections in a single program display from which the viewer
chooses a desired selection, enters its identifying code in the
jukebox selector system and thus initiates the play cycle. It is
readily understandable that displaying a large number of selections
according to the above described conventional practice requires
rather extensive display areas. In still other instances,
particularly with respect to so-called wall-mounted selectors, the
program is combined with the selector mechanism remotely of the
coin-operated phonograph. Typical of such an installation is that
described and shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,268,868, issued Aug. 23,
1966, wherein the program is divided up into sections mounted on
individual pages or leaves, much as in a book, for the purpose of
conserving space. Under either of these practices, it is desirable
to present the program to the viewer in as convenient a fashion as
possible while conserving presentation area. It is to be
recognized, however, that leafing through of a number of pages,
each containing a section of the program as in U. S. Pat. No.
3,268,868 does not display the entire program to the viewer as
conveniently as when the entire program is set forth in a single
display panel or mount therefor.
In order to meet the aforenoted difficulty and satisfy the need
which has arisen from past and present practice for an improved
means of displaying a program as conveniently as possible while
conserving the space requirements therefor, especially important in
automatic phonographs presenting programs of 100 or more
selections, the present invention has been devised.
In brief, the present invention is directed to an improved program
holder having means for conveniently sectionalizing the total
program and readily presenting such sections to the viewer, thus
conserving space and presentation area. The combination of this
invention is particularly characterized by its ability to be
located remotely of or in direct association with an automatic coin
operated phonograph and is marked by its simplicity of the
component arrangement, dependability of operation, and convenience
and accuracy in readily displaying multiple section programs to the
viewer. To this end the present invention comprises a holder
structure in which a plurality of individual program tabs, each
identifying a specific musical selection or the like, are displayed
on multi-faced holders each of which presents a plurality of
tab-holding pockets to accommodate the mounting of several program
tabs. A multiplicity of such holders are mounted in parallel rows
and are commonly associated with a manually-operated drive means
for conjointly rotating the several holder rows between selected
index positions; the drive means being actuated by the viewer. With
this arrangement corresponding tab-holding pockets of the several
holders may be indexed simultaneously into a substantially common
planar display position whereat the same are removably held by
detent means associated with the drive means. Each index position
of the holders presents a plurality of individual selections to the
viewer, comprising a section of the total program, with the
changing of such program sections being conveniently and readily
effected by the viewer.
An important object of this invention is to provide a new and
improved sectionalized program, particularly useful with automatic
phonographs and the like.
Another important object of this invention is to provide a program
holder accommodating a multiplicity of individual program items in
a presentation or viewing area which is substantially less than
that occupied by the entire program.
Still another important object of this invention is to provide an
improved combination of elements for displaying a plurality of
individual item identifiers with the capability of visually
presenting a selected number of items at one time.
An additional object of this invention is to provide an improved
combination for a holder, as set forth in the immediately preceding
object, having manually operable means for changing a particular
set of item identifiers at the selection of the viewer.
Having thus described this invention, the above and further
objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by
those familiar with the art from the following detailed description
of a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying
drawings; it being understood that while the same is herein
disclosed in association with a specific field of use, namely,
automatic phonographs, the inventive scope and ramifications of its
teachings are not so limited.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wall-mounted program holder
embodying the features of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the holder illustrated in
FIG. 1 with the housing cover thereof removed;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along vantage
line 3--3 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows
thereon;
FIG. 4 is another cross-sectional view taken substantially along
vantage line 4--4 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the
arrows thereon;
FIG. 5 is an elevational view with parts thereof shown in section
taken substantially along vantage line 5--5 of FIG. 2 and looking
in the direction of the arrows thereon;
FIG. 6 is another cross-sectional view taken substantially along
vantage line 6--6 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the
arrows thereon;
FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view taken substantially along
vantage line 7--7 of FIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the
arrows thereon;
FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the operating member
illustrated in FIG. 7 divorced from clutch means associated
therewith;
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the operating member shown in
FIGS. 7 and 8, taken substantially along the vantage line 9--9 of
FIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged view with parts thereof in cross section
showing the operating member and clutch means employed with the
drive means;
FIG. 11 is an end elevational view with parts in cross section
illustrating detent means associated with the drive means as viewed
substantially along vantage line 11--11 of FIG. 6 and looking in
the direction of the arrows thereon;
FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of a multi-faceted holder member
according to this invention; and
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the holder member shown in
FIG. 11, taken substantially along vantage line 13--13 of FIG. 12
and looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.
Turning now to the details of the specific embodiment of this
invention illustrated in the drawings, it will be appreciated from
FIG. 1 in particular, that the same is therein shown embodied in a
wall-mounted unit 20 adapted to be hung on a vertical wall or like
support 21.
Unit 20, as illustrated, comprises a generally rectangular shaped
outer housing 22 having a front wall 23 distinguished by a central
viewing area 24 fully covered with glass or clear plastic to
disclose a plurality of underlying program tabs or cards 25 bearing
suitable identifying data, such as the title of a musical selection
and its code designation for entering a selection system of an
associated jukebox. Each of the tabs 25 is suitably held in unitary
holder members 26 of the program assembly indicated generally by
numeral 27 (see FIG. 2). Manually engageable operating members
28,28 are available at opposite sidewalls 29 and 30 of the housing
22 for changing the displayed program section visible to the viewer
through panel 24.
The program assembly 27 as best shown in FIG. 2, constitutes a
unitary combination protectively contained within the exterior
outer housing 22 illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown best in FIGS. 2
through 5, assembly 27 comprises a plurality of the individual
holder members 26 arrayed in parallel rows (six in the particular
illustrated embodiment) protectively carried in the hollow interior
of an open top tray element 35 (see FIGS. 3-5) preferably formed of
sheet metal, rigid plastic or the like. Tray element 35 is formed
with a substantially planar bottom wall 36 and two upturned margin
wall portions 37, 38 each integrally formed with the bottom wall 36
and interjoined with the latter by a curvilinear portion 39. The
two margin walls 37 and 38 lie along opposite longitudinal sides of
the generally rectangular bottom wall 36 and as oriented in
vertical posture illustrated in FIG. 2, for example, constitute top
and bottom border wall portions or margins for the tray
element.
It will be understood that the dimensional extent of the tray
element 35 may be varied widely, depending upon the size and number
of individual holder members 26 to be accommodated thereby, thus
providing selective versatility as to size and shape for a program
holder according to this invention.
Mounted transversely of the margin walls 37 and 38, at opposite
ends of the tray element 35 are a pair of parallel spaced end
bearing walls 40 and 41. A similar intermediate bearing wall 42 is
mounted substantially midway of the length of the tray member in
parallel relationship to the end wall members 40 and 41.
The three wall members 40, 41 and 42 are each rigidly affixed to
bottom wall 36 of the tray element, as by fastener screws 43,43
(see FIGS. 3-6) and are locked to and over the outer edges of
margin walls 37,38 by means of projecting ear portions 44 and 45
thereof located outwardly of the margin walls 37 and 38; the latter
having suitable slotted openings for this purpose. In this fashion
each of the walls 40, 41, 42 is rigidly held in a fixed position,
normal to the plane of bottom wall 36 of the tray element 35.
As will be noted best from examining FIG. 5 of the drawings, each
of the walls 40-42 is formed with a plurality of spaced cylindrical
openings 47,47 therethrough, there being seven such openings in
each of the walls in the particular seven row embodiment
illustrated. It will be appreciated that the openings 47 are
registeringly aligned when walls 40, 41 and 42 are assembled with
the tray element for purposes of supporting the several arrayed
holder members 26 in contiguous parallel rows as will be described
in greater detail presently. (See FIGS. 2 and 6).
Turning now to the features of the individual holder members 26,
reference is made specifically to FIGS. 6, 12 and 13 of the
drawings. As best illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, each holder
member 26 preferably comprises, according to the particular
illustrated embodiment, a unitary molding of rigid plastic material
formed with an elongated body portion 50 of polygonal
cross-sectional configuration, specifically shown as triangular in
FIG. 13. Body portion 50 is hollow to define an interior chamber 51
therewithin having one open end 52; a major cylindrical portion of
the chamber being defined by cylindrical surface segments 53 (see
FIG. 12) which are separated by intervening void areas 54 extending
radially outward from surface portions 53 toward the external
corners of the triangular shaped body 50. One interior cylindrical
surface segment 53 is distinguished by a longitudinally extending
rib 55 comprising a key for interlocking engagement with a keyway
56 formed in a cylindrical stub shaft portion 57 projecting from
one end 58 of the body 50 (the lefthand end as viewed in FIG. 13).
The stub shaft portion 57 is distinguished by a substantially
square cross-sectional shaped opening 59 extending axially
therethrough while the external diameter thereof is slightly less
than the cylindrical diameter between the surface portions 53,53 of
the body's interior. Thus it will be understood that adjacent
holder members 26 may be coaxially interlocked by inserting the
stub shaft portion 57 of one into the open end of an adjacent
holder member, so that a key 55 and keyway 56 interfit. In this
fashion lengthwise extending rows of holder members are formed by
interlocking a desired number of individual holder members 26 in
coaxial alignment. In the present instance each row of holder
members comprises four, interlocked, individual unitary members
26a, 26b, 26c and 26d (See FIGS. 1 and 2).
It will be recognized that the stub shaft portions 57 of members
26d and 26b are rotatably supported, respectively, in the openings
provided for that purpose in the lefthand end wall 41 and the
intermediate wall 42 fixed to the tray element. On the other hand,
the holder members 26a at the extreme right end of each row, as
viewed in FIG. 2, have their open ends 52 adjacent end wall member
40. Consequently there is no hub portion 57 to support members 26a
on wall 40. To overcome this difficulty, a plurality of drive gear
units 60 are provided, one affixed or interlocked with the
righthand end of each of the holder members 26a adjacent end wall
40 of the assembly.
As best shown in FIG. 6, each gear unit 60 comprises a molded or
machined member comprising a toothed driving spur gear portion 61
having a radial flange 62 at one end (i.e., inner end) of the gear
teeth. An integrally formed and related cylindrical hub portion 63
extends axially outwardly from the flange portion 62 of a diameter
to fit closely into the cylindrical interior chamber 51 of an
adjacent holder member 26a; hub portion 63 being provided with a
keyway 64 for interlocking engagement with the key 55 formed along
the hollow interior of the holder member (see FIG. 6). It will be
recognized that the hub portion 63 of each of the drive gear units
60 passes through an opening 47 in the righthand end wall 40
thereby to rotatably support the righthand end of a row of holder
members, for coaxial rotation in response to rotational movement of
the drive gear unit 60 associated therewith.
Externally, each holder member 26 is formed with a plurality of
like planar sides 65, each of which is provided with a recessed
mounting or holder pocket 66 for removably mounting and displaying
an individual program tab or card 25. It will be understood that
while the illustrated holder members 26 have three sides 65 in the
embodiment shown, the number of sides may be varied depending on
design requirements.
Each holder pocket 66 is open at one end 67 and has overhanging
flange portions 68,68 bordering its lateral margins and a similar
lip flange 69 overhanging the other closed end thereof. A friction
rib 70 depends centrally from lip flange 69 to frictionally grip a
tab card 25 therebeneath, thereby to hold the same in the holder
pocket 66.
The several drive gear units 60 for the rows of holder members
illustrated, are commonly interjoined by an endless drive belt 71
(see FIG. 3) which has teeth on its inner periphery engaged with
the teeth of the several spur gear portions 61. With this
arrangement movement of the drive belt serves to simultaneously
rotate the several drive gear units and thus the several rows of
holder members associated therewith.
With special reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, it will
be appreciated that each drive gear unit 60 is formed with a
substantially square cross-sectional shaped opening coaxially
therethrough as indicated by numeral 72. A small stub shaft 73 is
press fitted into opening 72 of the drive gear unit 60 associated
with the holder member 26a located at the upper righthand corner of
the array thereof illustrated in FIG. 2. A square drive shaft 74
(see FIG. 6) extends through wall 40 and the central opening of the
drive gear unit 60 (see FIG. 2) and openings 51 of all the holder
members in the lowermost row thereof, ultimately extending beyond
the lefthand wall member 41.
The manually engageable drive members 28,28 are mounted over the
outer projecting ends of shaft 74, being pinned thereto as by pin
means 76 outwardly of the end walls 40 and 41 (see FIG. 6).
A bracket means 80 is attached to the bottom wall 36 of the tray
element by fastener means 81 (see FIG. 3) to maintain a belt guard
82 in covering position over the belt means and the several drive
gear units. Belt guard 82 principally serves to maintain the drive
belt means in driving engagement with the teeth of the several
drive gear units. In this respect, as shown in FIG. 6 of the
drawings, the guard 82 is substantially C-shaped in cross section
having upper and lower flange portions 84 and 85 which extend over
the drive belt 71. The opposite ends of the guard cover 82 are
bifurcated and pass over the stub shaft member 73 and the drive
shaft 74. The right angular shaped bracket means 80 (see FIG. 2) is
interlocked with a projecting ear 86 formed on the guard cover; ear
86 fitting into an opening in the vertical wall portion 87 of the
bracket 80. This securely positions the guard cover over the drive
belt and gear units.
From the foregoing, it will be understood that the several rows of
holder members and their respectively associated drive gear units
are co-related to simultaneously rotate in response to actuation of
the drive belt. Movement of the belt is effected by manually
rotating the operating members 28,28 mounted at opposite ends of
shaft 74 as heretofore noted.
As best shown in FIGS. 6 through 10 of the drawings, each operating
member 28 comprises a generally cylindrically shaped, manually
engageable outer shell portion 90 preferably molded of plastic or
the like to include a central cup portion 91 extending inwardly of
its rearward or inner face 92 (see FIGS. 8 and 10). It will be
noted in particular that the cup portion 91 is cylindrical and open
on its side adjacent the inner face 92 of the shell member 90.
Bottom wall 93 of the cup portion is distinguished by three
projections 94,94 circumferentially spaced at 120.degree.
intervals, in the particular illustrated embodiment, for purposes
which will appear presently.
In addition to the outer shell portion 90, each member 28 includes
a hub assembly 95 comprising a cylindrical clutch member 96 having
an integral mounting hub portion 97 adapted for the inserted
reception of one end of the drive shaft 74 and passage of the pin
means 76 therethrough. The clutch portion 96 (see FIG. 9) has an
inner face 98 provided with a plurality of diametrically extending
channel grooves 99 to slidingly receive the projections 94
associated with the shell portion 90. An annular plate spring 100
is fixed to the shell portion 90 by drive screws or rivets 101; the
spring member 100 extending across face 92 of the outer shell 90
and overlapping the clutch portion 96 of the hub assembly 95. In
this fashion, the grooves or channels 99 are resiliently held in
contact with the projections 94 to provide a clutch means between
the outer shell portion 90 and the hub assembly 95 which is affixed
to the drive shaft 74. Thus, if for any reason drive shaft 74 is
prevented from rotating, the operating members 75 may rotate
relative thereto and shaft 74 without damaging the drive train.
This clutching arrangement is particularly desirable and necessary
to avoid damage to the structure as may normally occur when
twisting the two operating members 75 in different or opposite
directions.
In order to moderate the free rotational movement of shaft 74 and
maintain the separate display areas of the arrayed holder members
in removably fixed index position until positively removed
therefrom, a detent means is provided, as indicated generally at
105 (see FIGS. 2, 5, 6 and 11). As shown best in FIG. 5, for
example, such detent means comprises a three-toothed star wheel 106
mounted on shaft 74 between end wall 41 and the adjacent operating
knob 28. A loop leaf spring 107 is mounted to engage the teeth of
the star wheel 106, such being held to the tray element 35 by
bracket means 108. It will be noted that the spring element 107 is
disposed to position the holder members 26 with one of their
display area faces upwardly when two teeth of the star wheel 106
are engaged therewith. As best shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, one
tooth 110 of the star wheel is foreshortened and spaced away from
wall 41 for the purpose of providing two-positional movement for
the several holders 26. This latter function is accomplished by
means of a stop bar 111 normally mounted on end wall 41 in a
non-interfering position with the star wheel 106, but capable of
being disposed in an interfering position as is illustrated in FIG.
5 of the drawings. In its interfering position, the two longer
teeth of the star wheel, i.e., the teeth other than the
foreshortened tooth 110, each abuttingly engage the stop bar 111 to
limit rotation of shaft 74 to the angular interval therebetween. In
this fashion only two faces 65 of the holder members may be
positioned for viewing.
From the foregoing those familiar with the art will readily
appreciate the novel aspects and unique departure of the present
invention over prior known program display devices. It further is
to be recognized that within the scope and purview of this
invention, the number of display areas or faces on the individual
holder members may be varied to provide a convenient means for
sectionalizing a total program to any desired number of sections.
Additionally as to the number of holder members in the array
thereof, greater or fewer than those illustrated herein may be
accommodated depending upon the extent of the total program
involved. Of like consequence is the obvious expedient or variation
from the illustrated embodiment of providing unified elongated
program holders instead of the individual holders described herein.
Therefore, while this invention has been described in association
with a particular preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be
recognized that the same is not limited in its scope and concept
except as may appear in the following appended claims.
* * * * *