Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to a record card-holding attachment
for use with a hand held apparatus for reproducing sound from a stationary
record such as disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,952,170.
United States Patent No. 3,952,170 discloses a hand-held micro-
phonograph unit which is used for playing a stationary record incorporated
on a stationary sheet, such as a page of a book. The record player device
of United States Patent No. 3,952,170 is described in detail in said patent
but will be described briefly herein. An indexing pin shown as 127 in
Figure 2 of United States Patent No. 3,952,170 is placed on top of the micro-
phonograph record, such as shown in Figure 9, so that the index pin is at ;
the center of the V- or delta-shaped centering element of the microphono-
graph record. Upon indexing pin 127 being so located, the unit is activated
and a transducer ca~tridge in contact with the grooves 69 of the record 68
rotates playing back the information prerecorded on the record 68.
Although the device of United States Patent No. 3,952,170 has great
and varied applications, it is difficult to use the apparatus without having
the record firmly supported, such as on a book or on a tabletop. Holding a
sheet containing the record makes alignment of the indexing pin with the
centering apparatus of the microphonograph difficult. In addition, the
record would have to be maintained steady during the entire playback pro- ~
cedure, which may be a matter of minutes. Maintaining two relatively move- ;
able objects stationary for such a sustained period of time is highly
difficult, especially for young children.
Devices such as disclosed in Japanese Tomy patent application
number 80766/1972, have attempted to resolve the problems of the prior art
devices by having a record mounted on a block which is to fit within an open-
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ing on top of a record player. There is no alignment element such as an
indexing pin involved in the Tomy device and movement of the block is not
contemplated. Such a device, therefore, would not be of assistance in simplify-
ing the operation of the aligning of a record player having an indexing pin
movable laterally with respect to a centering means located on a miniature
record.
The present invention provides a record apparatus, said apparatus
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comprising a substantially flat record holding member, said record/member
adapted for use with a record player, said record holding member having a sound
portion thereon, having a centering means, and means for cooperation with an
indexing pin on said record player, said centering means engaging said index
pin when moved in only one direction in the plane of the record holding member.
A microphonograph record player is provided with a base support which
cooperates with a specially designed card or record holding member having the
record as a part thereof or manufactured integral with the card. The base
support serves to automatically align the indexing means of the hand-held micro-
phonograph unit with the centering means of the microphonograph record. At the
same time, the base support assures that the record is supported stationary
relative to the microphonograph unit during the entire play back procedure of
the record. Accordingly, the device may be used by young children with a
minimum of difficulty.
The base support attachment also assures that the indexing pin of the
microphonograph unit will not be damaged during the playing of the record. It
is possible that excess force being applied to the indexing pin transverse to
its longitudinal axis will damage the indexing pin of the hand-held microphono-
graph unit. The base attachment assures that only the proper amount of tension
is applied to the indexing pin, to assure proper alignment, but not so much as
to result in any damage.
The disclosed hand-held microphonograph unit is simple to operate,
even by young children, and the base attachment facilitates the viewing of
information contained in association with the material contained on the record.
Objects of the present invention will become apparent from a study
of the following detailed description of the present invention along with the
accompanying drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 is a partial sectional prospective view of the card-holding
housing attachmen~;
Figure 2 is a bottom view of the main frame of the card-holding
housing attachment;
Figure 3 is a side sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a top view of ~he insert of the card-holding housing
attachment.
Figure 5 is a side sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of the insert
of Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a partial sectional side view of the basic record player
shown attached to the insert of the card-holding houæing~attachment;
Figure 7 is an illustration of the basic record player attached to the
card-holding housing attachment in its open position;
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Figure 8 is the basic record player attached to the card-holding
housing attachment in operation, with a card inserted, prior to alignment
of the card;
Figure 9 is a basic record player attached to the card-holding
housing attachment with the indexing pin of the basic record player in align-
ment with the record ready for operation;
Figure 10 is a perspective vie~ of the top side of ~he card and
record for use with the present invention.
Figures lOA and lOB are an enlarged sectional view of the centering
means on the record.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the reverse side of the record
mounted on a card for use with the present invention.
Referring to Figure 1, a partial sectional perspective view of the
card-holding housing attachment 10 is shown. The card-holding housing
attachment 10 consists of a main frame 12 and an insert frame 14 movably ~`
mounted within the perimeters of the main frame 12. The main frame 12 and
insert frame 14 are connected to one another by biasing spring 16. The main
frame 12 is shown in greater detail in Figures 2 and 3.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the generally rectangular shaped
main frame is shown having a transparent portion 18 forming substantially
the entire bottom of the main frame, side walls 20 and 22, rear wall 24 and
a front wall 26 which defines a slot entrance 28 at the lower portion of
the front wall 26. The transparent portion 18 has a slight recess thereon,
forming a guide 31. The transparent portion 18 may be of any material, such
as plastic or glass. In the preferred embodiment, the material is made out
of transparent plastic in order to minimize the chances of breakage.
Extending from the lower portion of the rear wall 24 internal of -
the space defined by the side walls 20 and 22, rear wall 24 and front wall
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26, is a biasing means 30. The biasing means 30 consists of a projection 32
substantially centrally located on the rear wall 24 and perpendicular to the
surface of the rear wall 24 along its bottom edge. Extending perpendicular
to the projection 32 are a pair of spring elements 34 and 36, one on each
side of the perpendicular projection 32. The spring elements 34 and 36 are
movable in a plane parallel to the bottom transparent portion 18 about their
ends 38 and 40 fixed to the perpendicular projection 32. Stop elements 42
and 44 restrict the rearward movement of the spring elements 34 and 36. The
free ends of spring elements 34 and 36 project towards the front wall 26 be-
yond the forwardmost point 46 of perpendicular projection 32.
A pair of main spring posts 48 and 50 are positioned on the inside
surfaces of side walls 20 and 22 proximate the intersection of side walls 22
and 20 and the bottom transparent portion 18 towards the front wall 26. The
main spring posts 48 and 50 are so designed as to fixedly hold one end of a
coil spring as will be discussed further in the following description.
Lug elements 45 and 47 project inwardly from the rear portion of
side walls 20 and 22 terminating above the transparent bottom portion 18 a
sufficient distance to accomodate the width of the rear walls of the insert ~-
frame 14.
Located substantially directly above the main spring posts 48 and
50 are a pair of notched elements 52 and 54. The notched elements 52 and 54 ~`
each have one notch 56 and 58, the notch facing the front wall 26 of the main .
frame and having a flat portion 60 for engaging a complementary element on
the insert frame 14. A portion of the front wall is bevelled 62 proximate
the slot entrance 28 to facilitate the placing of a card member in slot 28.
A portion of the main frame 12 is covered by cover 64. The cover
64 has an insert stop member 66 for restricting excessive lateral movement ~;
of the insert frame.
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Referring to Figures 4 and 5 the insert frame 14 is shown in
greater detail. Figure 4 is a top view of the insert frame 14 while Figure
5 is a sectional side view taken along section lines 5-5 shown in Figure 4.
The insert frame 14 has a generally rectangular configuration having front
wall 68, rear wall 70 and side walls 72 and 74. The insert frame does not
have any bottom or top walls and is of such dimensions to fit snugly within
the interior of the main frame 12.
The interior surface of the insert frame bounded by walls 68, 70,
72 and 74 is of such dimension so as to accomodate the basic record player as
sho~ in Figure 6. Projecting lip 76, projecting along the bottom edge of `
rear l~all 70, supports the bottom rear portion of the record player while
lip 78 fits over the front top portion of the record player. Side lips 81
and 83 also serve to grip the side surfaces of the record player.
The side wall 72 and 74 of the insert frame 14 taper slightly so
that the length of the front wall 68 is slightly less than the length of the
rear wall 70. Extending perpendicularly from the outer surfaces of side walls
72 and 74 are a pair of lugs having an angular projection 84 and 86 facing
the rear wall 70. Each lug 80 and 82 has a hole 88 and 90 which is designed
to fixedly hold one end of a coil spring 16. The angular projections 84 and ;
86 are so designed as to complement and engage the notches 56 and 58 in the
main frame 12. --~
Referring to Figure 1 the interconnection of the main frame 12 and
the insert frame 14 may be seen. The insert frame generally, is fitted with-
in the main frame 12. Rear wall 70 and the rear portion of side walls 72
and 74 fit beneath lug 47 in the space provided. The front wall 68 of the
insert 14 is itted beneath the cover 64 of the main frame 12. Notched
elements 52 and 54 are so positioned as to be slightly rearward of the
angular projections 84 and 86 projecting from lugs 80 and 82 when the insert
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frame is positioned within the main frame 12. One end of coil spring 16 is
13 attached fixably to main spring posts 48 and 50 and the other end of coil
spring 16 is attached to the openings 88 and 90 in the lugs 80 and 82. The
insert frame 14 is thus biased towards the rear wall 24 of main frame 12.
Referring to Figure 10 a card designed for use with the present
invention is illustrated. The card 100 has a generally rectangular configur-
ation, having a width of substantially the distance between card guide ele- `
ments 29 and 31 and a length substantially that of the main frame. A portion
of the front wall 26 of the main frame 12 is recessed so that the card 100
may be grasped and removed from the card-holding housing attachment when
desired.
The card 100 has a record 102, either integrally fixed to the card
100 during manufacture of the card or placed on the card by other means
following manufacture of the card 100. The record 102 has a centering ele-
ment 104, which in the preferred embodiment of the present invention is a
raised V-shaped element, as shown in Figure lOA, the line bisecting the V- ~`
shaped element being on line with the position of the indexing pin of the
basic record player, such as shown in Figure 6. A recessed V-shaped element ;
as shown in Figure 10B may also be used. The V-shaped element points in the
direction of the rear of the card-holding housing attachment. On the side
of card 100 opposite that surface having the microrecord 102 is contained
descriptive literature relating to the contents of the information contained
on the microrecord 102, such as shown in Figure 11.
The operation of the card-holding housing 10 in cooperation with
card 100 may be seen from inspection o Figures 7 through 9. The basic
microphonograph R i5 placed in the card-holding housing attachment 10 such
as shown in Figure 11. The lips 76, 78, 81 and 83 restrain the microphono-
graph R in place. As shown in Figure 7, the insert frame 14 has i*s angular
projections 84 and 86 fitted within complementary notches 56 in notched ele-
ments 52 and 54. Due to the bias of spring 16 projection 84 remains immobile
within notch 56. In the position shown in Figure 7 the insert frame 14 has
its front end slightly raised relative *o its rear end portion. The basic
record player RJ in such a position, has its indexing pin P raised slightly
from the transparent bottom portion 18 sufficiently so as to not interfere
with the passage of a card 100 beneath the indexing pin P.
Following the insertion of a card 100 within the slot 28 in the
front wall 26 of the main frame 12 the card 100 pushes against the card
spring elements 34 and 36 compressing such spring elements until the card
presses against the most forward point 46 of projection 32. At this point,
the complete main frame 12 moves in a rearward direction relative to the `
record player R and the inser~ frame 14. As the main frame 12 continues to
move rearward the projections 84 and 86 disengage from notches 56 and 58 and
the coil springs 16 pull the projections 84 and 86 downwardly so that pro-
jections 84 and 86 no longer engage notches 56 and 58. The travel of the
main frame 12 is restricted by the insert stop member 66 coming into contact
with the front wall 68 of the insert frame 14. ~ -
The operator then releases the card 100 and the main frame housing
12 allowing the tension from the main springs to pull the housing up and ~`
forward so that the microphonograph R now has its indexing pin P in contact
with the top surface of the microrecord 100 on line with the bisecting line
of the centering means 104. As the spring elements 34 and 36 push the card
100 forward the indexing pin P engages the sides of the raised "V" element `~
or the groove or opening on the record 102 thereby automatically guiding and
positioning the card 100 in the proper orientation for operation by the
record player R. ~.
Since the record player R is capable of operating in any orientation
the entire unit may be turned over and the accompanying literature or pictorial
information relating to the information stored on the reverse side of the
record 102 may be viewed through the transparent bottom portion 18.
After the record player R has completed playing the record 102 the
operator pushes the main frame 12 downward and slightly forward until the
projections 84 and 86 once again engage the notches 56 and 58 in the main
frame 12. The projecting indexing pin P is thus removed from the path of ,
movement of the card 100 and the card may now be removed.
Employment of the card spring elements 34 and 36, or some other
equivalent spring biasing means for biasing the card in a forward direction -
upon release of the card permits readily operating the hand-held microphono-
graph unit. The spring elements 34 and 36 are so designed as to avoid plac-
ing too much pressure on the indexing pin P, as well as automatically align- -~
ing the indexing pin in the centering means 104 of the microrecord 102. ,
The precise positioning of the microrecord and the indexing means
will of course depend on the location of the indexing pin o the microrecord
as well as the orientation of the record playing unit in the card-holding
housing attachment 10. For example, it may be possible that the record player -
R has an indexing pin not on the record playing portion of the equipment.
In such instance, the centering means of the record 102 will not be position
ed approximate the center of the microrecord 102.
~ Yhile the present invention was described with regards to the
preferred embodiment, it is of course recognized that variations from the
particular embodiment may be made without departing from the basic concept `
of the invention.
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