[78-L] The 1941 RCA player: it plays both sides

[Stephen Davies]

Did this model die off because it was impractical, rather than just too
expensive?  Did it ever have a name?  Sorry, I can't find a picture of it.

from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,765910,00.html

(c)Time magazine

<<<
New Record Changer
Monday, Aug. 11, 1941

RCA Victor last week made the biggest phonographic news of the year by
putting out a machine that could play both sides of a record without
flipping it over. Up to now, record changers have been of two types: 1) the
"drop" type, which plays a stack of records butter-side up only; 2) the
Capehart, which flips records like flapjacks on a griddle. Drawback of the
drop type: it cannot play alternate sides in sequence. Drawback of the
Capehart: it is expensive.

The new record changer has a double tone arm, shaped like a big tuning
fork, whose prongs, each equipped with a needle and pickup, swing out over
both sides of the record at once. Records are dropped from the stack on to
a miniature turntable which leaves the grooved surface of both sides
exposed. The upper side of the record is played by the upper prong. Then
the record automatically begins to turn backward, and the lower prong plays
the lower side. Then the record slips down a chute, and No. 2 drops into
place.

A special feature of the new phonograph is the pickup mechanism of the two
prongs, so light that it exerts less pressure (1 oz.) than the weight of
the record. Like the Capehart, RCA Victor's new phonograph is expensive
($450). But with both on the market, competition may do a little price
regulating.
>>>

I like the butter side up analogy.  I just can't figure out how they
clamped the record down to balance it.

Stephen D
Calgary
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