Means for bringing capstan into engagement and disengagement for automatic playing apparatus utilizing a plurality of endless tape cartridges

Claim 2

In an automatic tape playing apparatus having a plurality of endless tape cartridges mounted on a casing, the casing being rotatable to bring the cartridges into playing position in a predetermined sequence, means for bringing a capstan into engagement with and disengagement from a tape cartridge in the play position comprising a pivotally movable deck, a capstan and a capstan driving means on said deck, the capstan being adapted to forcedly abut on a pinch roller in one of the tape cartridges held in the play position in response to movement and location of the casing supporting the plurality of endless tape cartridges; a magnetic head on said deck; bias means for normally urging said deck in the direction of a cartridge in the play position; deck driving means for pivotally moving said deck against the bias of said bias means and retracting said capstan and said magnetic head from the tape and said pinch roller in the cartridge in the play position; end mark search means for searching an end mark on the tape, means responsive to said end mark search means for actuating said deck driving means when the end mark is sensed, said responsive means including an electromagnet adapted to be energized when said end mark is sensed, and said deck driving means including an actuator movable by said energized electromagnet for causing the deck to move against said bias means when said electromagnet is energized; and delay means operative to lock said deck after it has been retracted from the cartridge in the play position by said deck driving means, to retain said deck in the retracted position against the bias of said bias means for a delay period longer than the period for positioning the next indexed cartridge in the play position, and to release the deck at the end of said delay pEriod, said bias means being operative when said deck is released from the delay means to automatically swing the deck toward and into engagement with a cartridge in the play position.

Claim 3

In an automatic tape playing apparatus having a plurality of endless tape cartridges mounted on a casing, the casing being rotatable to bring the cartridges into playing position in a predetermined sequence, means for bringing a capstan into engagement with and disengagement from a tape cartridge in the play position comprising a pivotally movable deck, a capstan and a capstan driving means on said deck, the capstan being adapted to forcedly abut on a pinch roller in one of the tape cartridges held in the play position in response to movement and location of the casing supporting the plurality of endless tape cartridges; a magnetic head on said deck; bias means for normally urging said deck in the direction of a cartridge in the play position; deck driving means for pivotally moving said deck against the bias of said bias means and retracting said capstan and said magnetic head from the tape and said pinch roller in the cartridge in the play position; end mark search means for searching an end mark on the tape, means responsive to said end mark search means for actuating said deck driving means when the end mark is sensed, said responsive means including an electromagnet adapted to be energized when said end mark is sensed, and said deck driving means comprising an actuator movable by said energized electromagnet and a cam coupled to a flywheel for said capstan driving means, said electromagnet when energized by the output of said end mark search means being adapted to magnetically attract said actuator into the range of rotation of said cam, said deck being swingably moved by the reaction of said cam when it impinges on said actuator, and delay means operative to lock said deck after it has been retracted from the cartridge in the play position by said deck driving means, to retain said deck in the retracted position against the bias of said bias means for a delay period longer than the period for positioning the next indexed cartridge in the play position, and to release the deck at the end of the delay period, said bias means being operative when said deck is released from the delay means to automatically swing the deck toward and into engagement with a cartridge in the play position. 3 Means in accordance with claim 1 wherein said delay means comprises a ratchet claw mounted on said deck, a ratchet wheel mounted adjacent said deck, and a governor claw coupled through gear trains to said ratchet wheel, said deck being adapted to be swung by said deck driving means and to interfere with the engagement of said ratchet claw and said ratchet wheel such that the deck cannot be restored to its original position even under influence of said bias means, and a mechanical governor for gradually returning the deck to its original position.

Claim 4

In an automatic tape playing apparatus having a plurality of endless tape cartridges mounted on a casing, the casing being rotatable to bring the cartridges into playing position in a predetermined sequence, means for bringing a capstan into engagement with and disengagement from a tape cartridge in the play position comprising a pivotally movable deck, a capstan and a capstan driving means on said deck, the capstan being adapted to forcedly abut on a pinch roller in one of the tape cartridges held in the play position in response to movement and location of the casing supporting the plurality of endless tape cartridges; a magnetic head on said deck; bias means for normally urging said deck in the direction of a cartridge in the play position; deck driving means for pivotally moving said deck against the bias of said bias means and retracting said capstan and said magnetic head from the tape and said pinch roller in the cartridge in the play position; end mark search means for searching an end mark on the tape, means responsive to said end mark search means For actuating said deck driving means when the end mark is sensed, said responsive means including an electromagnet adapted to be energized when said end mark is sensed, and said deck driving means including an actuator movable by said energized electromagnet for causing the deck to move against said bias means when said electromagnet is energized; and magnetic delay means including means for magnetically locking said deck after it has been retracted from the cartridge in the play position by said deck driving means and for magnetically retaining said deck in the retracted position against the bias of said bias means for a period longer than the period for positioning the next indexed cartridge in the play position, and means for deactivating said magnetic locking means at the end of the delay period to release said deck, said bias means being operative when said deck is released from the delay means to automatically swing the deck toward and into engagement with a cartridge in the play position.

Claim 5

In an automatic tape playing apparatus having a plurality of endless tape cartridges mounted on a casing, the casing being rotatable to bring the cartridges into playing position in a predetermined sequence, means for bringing a capstan into engagement with and disengagement from a tape cartridge in the play position comprising a pivotally movable deck, a capstan and a capstan driving means on said deck, the capstan being adapted to forcedly abut on a pinch roller in one of the tape cartridges held in the play position in response to movement and location of the casing supporting the plurality of endless tape cartridges; a magnetic head on said deck; bias means for normally urging said deck in the direction of a cartridge in the play position; deck driving means for pivotally moving said deck against the bias of said bias means and retracting said capstan and said magnetic head from the tape and said pinch roller in the cartridge in the play position; end mark search means for searching an end mark on the tape, means responsive to said end mark search means For actuating said deck driving means when the end mark is sensed, said responsive means including an electromagnet adapted to be energized when said end mark is sensed, and said deck driving means including an actuator movable by said energized electromagnet for causing the deck to move against said bias means when said electromagnet is energized; and magnetic delay means including means for magnetically locking said deck after it has been retracted from the cartridge in the play position by said deck driving means and for magnetically retaining said deck in the retracted position against the bias of said bias means for a period longer than the period for positioning the next indexed cartridge in the play position, and means for deactivating said magnetic locking means at the end of the delay period to release said deck, said bias means being operative when said deck is released from the delay means to automatically swing the deck toward and into engagement with a cartridge in the play position.

Claim 6

Means in accordance with claim 4, wherein said actuator is an electromagnetic plunger for swinging said deck against the bias of said bias means when said plunger is energized to move the deck away from the cartridge in the play position.

Claim 7

Means in accordance with claim 5 wherein said delay means comprises a permanent magnet secured to the deck, said permanent magnet having a magnetically attractive yoke, a second electromagnet secured adjacent the deck, said permanent magnet and said second electromagnet being so located that they are adjacent when the deck is fully retracted, an exciting coil disposed on said second electromagnet in a manner such that its current direction is able to erase the magnetic flux of said permanent magnet, a supply source for energizing said exciting coil for said second electromagnet, a resistor connected in series between said supply source and said exciting coil for said second electromagnet, a condenser coupled in parallel with said exciting coil, and a switch provided between said supply source and said exciting coil and positioned to be closed by said deck when the deck is retracted from a cartridge in the play position, whereby said deck is retained in the retracted position by magnetic attraction between said permanent magnet and said second electromagnet, and said attraction between said permanent magnet and said second electromagnet is demagnetized by the magnetic flux generated in said second electromagnet after time lag defined by said resistor and said condenser, whereby said deck is automatically returned to its original position by the bias of said bias means.

Claim 8

Means in accordance with claim 5 wherein said delay means comprises a magnetizable plate secured to the deck, a second electromagnet being secured adjacent the deck and having a yoke including a first normally energized exciting coil and a second exciting coil, said second electromagnet attracting said plate thereto by the flux generated in said first normally energized exciting coil and retaining said deck in the retracted position where said deck is away from the cartridge, a supply source for applying current to the second exciting coil in a direction to demagnetize the flux generated in the first exciting coil, a switch provided between said supply source and said second exciting coil and adapted to be closed by said deck for the period that said deck is retained by magnetic attraction between said plate and said yoke, and a time constant circuit provided between said supply source and said second exciting coil and having a condenser and a resistor generating in said second exciting coil the flux to demagnetize the flux generated in first exciting coil after a predetermined time lag when said switch is closed, whereby magnetic attraction between said electromagnet and said plate is demagnetized after time lag defined by said time constant circuit while said deck is automatically returned to its normal position by the bias of said bias means.

Claim 9

Means In accordance with claim 5, wherein the magnetic delay means includes an electromagnetic relay energized and defined by the end mark search means when searching the end mark on the endless tape, and a self-preserve circuit for said electromagnetic relay constituted through a resistor, a condenser, and a contact which is closed when said electromagnetic relay is energized, the electromagnetic plunger being energized by the other contact of said electromagnetic relay, whereby the electromagnetic plunger is held in energizing condition for the time lag which is defined by the resistor and condenser incorporated in said self-preserve circuit for said electromagnetic relay so that said deck is moved and held in the position being away from the cartridge and is automatically returned to its normal position by the bias of said bias means after said time lag.