Control circuit for multiple tape cartridge playing apparatus

Claim 1

In a multiple tape cartridge playing apparatus having a rotatable carriage on which a plurality of endless magnetic tape cartridges are mounted, carriage driving means for rotatably driving said carriage, carriage latch means for preventing rotation of said carriage to selectively position a cartridge in a predetermined play position, a reciprocally movable deck, a rotatable capstan on said deck and adapted to abut against a pinch roller within the cartridge in the play position, a magnetic head on said deck, deck latch means for retaining said deck in a predetermined reproducing position where said capstan engages the cartridge in the play position and in a predetermined retracted position where said capstan is disengaged from the cartridge in the play position, and deck driving means for reciprocally moving said deck between the reproducing position and the retracted position in response to disengagement of said latch means from said deck, the improvement which comprises a control circuit for controlling operation of the playing apparatus comprising an electrical power source for said playing apparatus; rotary switching means having a plurality of switches corresponding in number to the number of the cartridges mounted on said carriage, said swItching means being operable to close said switches successively in response to rotation of said carriage, one of the switches in said switching means being closed and the remainder being opened when said carriage moves one cartridge to the play position; a cartridge selecting switch group for designating the cartridge to be played and having a plurality of manually operated switches correspondingly connected in series with said switches of said rotary switching means, each of said manually operated switches having a first and a second selectively closed stable position, said manually operated switches having a relationship so that when one is manually operated to be in the second stable position the remainder assume the first stable position; a first switch connected in series with the manually operated switches in the first stable position, said first switch being adapted to be actuated and closed by said deck when said deck is in said reproducing position; a second switch connected in series with said manually operated switches in the second stable position, said second switch being adapted to be actuated and closed by said deck when said deck is in said retracted position; a first solenoid for controlling operation of said deck latch means, said first solenoid being connected through said rotary switching means, said cartridge selecting switch group, and said first switch to the power source, said first solenoid being also connected through said rotary switching means, said cartridge selecting switch group, and said second switch to the power source; a third switch connected in series with said manually operated switches in the first stable position and said cartridge selecting switch group, said third switch being adapted to be actuated and closed by said deck when said deck is in the retracted position; a second solenoid for controlling operation of said carriage latch means, said second solenoid being connected through said rotary switching means, said cartridge selecting switch group and said third switch to said power source, said control circuit being operable to cause said deck to move from said reproducing position to said retracted position by operating one of said manually operated switches of said cartridge selecting switch group, said carriage being rotatably driven upon operation of said manually operated switch to bring the designated cartridge in the play position during the time that said deck is retained in said retracted position, said deck being moved from the retracted position to the reproducing position after the designated cartridge is brought to the play position to initiate the play of the designated cartridge.