A 45 rpm adapter (also known as a 45 rpm record insert, 45 rpm spindle adapter, spider, or 7-inch adapter in reference the usual size of a 45 rpm record) is a small plastic or metal insert that goes in the middle of a 45-rpm record so it can be played on the standard size spindle of a turntable. The adapter may be a small solid circle that fits onto the spindle (meaning only one 45 could be played at a time) or a larger adapter that fits over the entire spindle of a record changer, permitting a stack of 45s to be played. These larger adapters allowing multiple records to be played are often referred to as 45 spindles. A few manufacturers instead supplied a complete spindle change for 45s.
The first 45 rpm inserts were introduced by the Webster-Chicago Corporation, also known as Webcor. They were made of solid zinc, difficult to insert into a record, and almost impossible to remove without breaking the disc. A differently shaped, but similarly difficult-to-use metal adapter was made by Fidelitone. Capitol Records for a time produced what they called "Optional Center" or "O.C. 45" records. These had a triangular section molded in with an LP...