Pause control mechanism for a cassette changer

Claim 1

In a cassette changer apparatus for cassettes having a pair of tape reels between which a tape is wound or unwound, the combination comprising a magazine for storing a series of cassettes, means for automatically shifting said magazine and for releasing the cassettes therein for transfer to a playback or recording operative position in said cassette changer, means for transporting individual ones of said cassettes from said magazine to said operative position and including a shiftable chassis having tape spindles for penetrating the tape reels and tape capstans for positioning adjacent the tape, a transducer head for operative association with said tape, forward and reverse tape pinch members each selectively positionable with one of said capstans for causing the tape to be transported in a forward or a reverse direction, a shiftable carrier carrying sAid transducer head and said tape pinch members between an inoperative standby pause position in which said transducer head and pinch members are spaced from said tape and an operative position for association with said tape, means biasing said carrier to said operative position, control means positionable in a first position to hold said carrier in a normal standby pause position against the urging of said biasing means, said control means being positionable in a second position to allow said biasing means to shift said carrier to said operative position, a first manually operable push button selector depressible to a depressed condition for causing a playback or recording operation and for positioning said control means in said second position to allow said biasing means to shift said carrier to the operative position, a manually operable push button pause selector depressible for shifting said control means to said first position while said first selector remains in its depressed condition thereby shifting said carrier to said standby pause position, said manually operable pause selector being releasible and said first selector holding said control means at said second position to resume playback or recording as said first selector is still in its depressed condition, said control means comprising a control lever means connected to said carrier and operable by said pause push button selector to shift said carrier to said standby position against the urging of said carrier biasing means, a play lever means operably connected to said control lever means and to said first push button selector, and an overriding biasing means of greater force than said carrier biasing means connected to said play lever means and operable through said control lever and said play lever means to shift said carrier to the standby position when said first push button selector is released from its depressed position, said first push button selector in its depressed condition actuating said play lever means to a position to remove from said control lever means the force of said overriding biasing means and allowing said carrier biasing means to shift said carrier to its operative position, said pause push button selector operating said control lever means, upon depression thereof, to force said carrier to said standby position independently of the position of said play lever means and said first push button selector.