Sound track changeover device for automatic playing apparatus having a plurality of endless tape cartridges

Claim 2

A sound track changeover device for an automatic playing apparatus for use with a plurality of endless tape cartridges, comprising a plurality of pushbutton rods such that each cartridge has associated therewith a number of pushrods corresponding to the number of sound tracks on the tape within the cartridge, said pushrods being movable from a normally raised position to a depressed indexing position, a stop member mounted on a cabinet for the device, said stop member being adapted to be engaged with a depressed pushrod, sound track changeover control means including an operating rod passing through said stop member and being adapted to be depressed by a depressed pushrod when the pushrod is engaged with the stop member, a swingable deck including a magnetic head and a capstan for playing the tape stored in the cartridge in the play position when a depressed pushrod is engaged with the stop member, and pushrod return means having a return lever which is coupled to the deck for returning the depressed pushrods in succession to their normal position when the deck is swung to thereby disengage the pushrod from the stop member.

Claim 3

A sound track changeover device for an automatic playing apparatus for use with a plurality of endless tape cartridges as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating rod of said sound track changeover control means is the operating rod of a microswitch connected between a reproducing amplifier and a pickup coil, a plurality of pickup coils being included in the magnetic head corresponding to the number of sound tracks of the tape in the cartridge, said return lever is vertically movable into engagement with a depressed pushrod to raise said depressed rod out of engagement with said stop member, and said pushrod return means comprises a lever of which one end thereof is adapted to be engaged with the deck and the other end is adapted to move the return lever vertically into engagement with a depressed pushrod, and a spring normally urging said return lever downwardly to a normal position below a depressed pushrod with which the stop member is engaged.

Claim 4

A sound track changeover device for an automatic playing apparatus for use with a plurality of endless tape cartridges as claimed in claim 2 wherein the plurality of pushrods associated with each cartridge are angularly arranged with respect to the stop member such that the stop member is engaged by only one pushrod at a time.

Claim 5

A sound track changeover device for an automatic playing apparatus for use with a plurality of endless tape cartridges as claimed in claim 2 wherein two pushrods are associated with each cartridge and are arranged in parallel with the stop member, one of said pushrods having a larger diameter than that of the other and being provided with an inclined portion, the return lever being adapted to be retained by said inclined portion away from the stop member when said return lever is raised, whereby, when both rods are depressed, the pushrod having the inclined portion is first engaged by said return lever and is returned to its normal position prior to the restoration of the pushrod having the smaller diameter to its normal position.

Claim 6

A sound track changeover device for an automatic playing apparatus for use with a plurality of endless tape cartridges as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sound track changeover control means comprises an eccentric cam for controlling the vertical movement of the magnetic head, a rotary solenoid for rotating said cam, a conductive cylinder mounted on the rotative shaft of said rotary solenoid, a plurality of pairs of brush contacts in contact with said conductive cylinder, insulating pieces arranged in offset relation to each other over the surface of the conductive cylinder and corresponding to the pairs of said brush coNtacts, the insulating pieces being arranged such that only one such piece at a time contacts its associated pair of brush contacts, switch means having a contact which is opened at the end of the rotation of said rotary solenoid, and microswitch means having said stop member operating rod as its operating rod, a power supply circuit for said rotary solenoid containing said microswitch means, said conductive cylinder, said brush contacts and said switch means; whereby current supply to the rotary solenoid is interrupted when an insulating piece contacts its associated pair of brush contacts to control the position of the magnetic head.

Claim 7

A sound track changeover device for an automatic playing apparatus for use with a plurality of endless tape cartridges as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pushrod return device comprises a rotatable lever of which one end thereof is adapted to engage the deck, the return lever having an inclined portion and being adapted to be vertically and rotatably moved, said return lever being coupled through a shaft to said lever for rotation by said lever towards and into engagement with a depressed rod to raise said rod out of engagement with said stop member, a spring normally urging said return lever to rotate around said shaft, said return lever having an inclined portion, a pin arranged to engage the inclined portion of the return lever for controlling rotation of the return lever, and said return lever having a portion thereof engageable with a depressed pushrod which is engaged with the stop member, whereby the pushrod which is depressed is thus returned to its normal position by upward movement and rotation of the return lever in response to the swingable movement of the deck.

Claim 8

A sound track changeover device for an automatic playing apparatus with use of a plurality of endless tape cartridges as claimed in claim 6 wherein said sound track changeover control means comprises switch means consisting of a plurality of contacts corresponding in number to that of the sound tracks and being arranged on an insulating base plate, a movable contact pivoted at one end thereof to the insulating base plate and adapted to be moved into contact with each of the first mentioned contacts, and lever means provided with a plurality of abutting steps corresponding to the number of the stop member operating rods and arranged such that each abutting step is engageable with a corresponding operating rod when the stop member operating rod is depressed by a pushrod engaging the stop member, and spring means urging said lever means toward the stop member, the stop member operating rods and said lever means being arranged such that movement of said lever means is arrested by abutment of said abutting steps against a depressed stop member operating rod whereby the stop member operating rods control the changeover of the contact of the movable contact with the first mentioned contacts; and said switch means is arranged between said plurality of magnetic head pickup coils corresponding to the endless tape sound tracks and a reproduction amplifier.

Claim 9

A sound track changeover device for an automatic playing apparatus for use with a plurality of endless tape cartridges as claimed in claim 6 wherein said sound track changeover control means comprises switch means consisting of a plurality of contacts corresponding in number to that of the sound tracks and being arranged on an insulating base plate, a movable contact pivoted at one end thereof to the insulating base plate and adapted to be moved into contact with each of the first mentioned contacts, and lever means provided with a plurality of abutting steps corresponding to the number of the stop member operating rods and arranged such that each abutting step is engageable with a corresponding operating rod when the stop member operating rod is depressed by a pushrod engaging the stop member, and spring means urging said lever means toward the stop member, the stop member operating rods sand said lever means beinG arranged such that movement of said lever means is arrested by abutment of said abutting steps against a depressed stop member operating rod, whereby the stop member operating rods control the changeover of contact of the movable contact with the first mentioned contacts; and said switch means is arranged in the power supply circuit for a rotary solenoid causing rotation of an eccentric cam which controls the vertical movement of the magnetic head.

Claim 10

A sound track changeover device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said sound track changeover means comprises a slide lever mounted on said deck for sliding movement in a lateral direction, the operating rods of said stop member being arranged such that the lateral movement of the slide lever is arrested by said stop member operating rod when the stop member operating rod is moved to its depressed position when a depressed pushrod engages the stop member, a rack formed on a portion of the slide lever, a pinion engaging said rack, a shaft mounted on said pinion for rotation therewith, an eccentric cam mounted on said shaft, a leaf spring engaging said cam and having said magnetic head mounted thereon, whereby sliding movement of said slide lever results in vertical movement of the magnetic head to effect changeover of the sound track.