Record mode release mechanism

Claim 2

A tape player-recorder adapted to receive a cassette for recording and playing back information on a tape therein, including in combination; means for receiving said cassette, said means including a carriage member movable between a first, inoperative position and a second, operative position, actuator means coupled to said cassette receiving means and operable to move said carriage member between said first and second positions, mode selector means for selecting the mode of operation of said tape player-recorder, including a selector member movable between non-record and record positions, and mode selector release means coupled to said actuator means and movable to a release-ready position upon operating said acutator means to move said carriage member from said inoperative to said operative position and to a release position for engagement with said mode selector to move the latter from a record to a non-record position upon operating said actuator means to move said carriage member from said operative to said inoperative position.

Claim 3

A tape player-recorder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mode selector member is movable from a released, non-record position to a depressed, record position, and includes biasing means for biasing said member toward said non-record position, wherein said mode selector release means further includes a member movable in a first direction for engagement with said mode selector member upon depression of the latter to maintain said member in the record position and being movable in the opposite direction to release said mode selector member, and wherein said mode selector release means includes a lever arm member pivotal into engagement with said movable mode selector release member to move the latter in said opposite direction for releasing said mode selector member in response to the operation of said actuator means to move said carriage member from said operative to said inoperative position.

Claim 4

A tape player-recorder as claimed in claim 2 wherein said mode selector release means further include a slidable arm member coupled to said actuator means and movable in a first direction in response to the operation of said actuator means to move said carriage member from said inoperative to said operative position and movable in a second direction in response to the operation of said actuator means to move said carriage member from said operative to said inoperative position, said arm member including resiliently mounted projection means attached thereto for engagement with said lever arm member, said resiliently mounted projection means sliding across said lever arm member for movement into a predetermined relation with respect thereto upon movement of said slidable arm in said first direction and engaginG said lever arm member to pivot the latter for releasing said mode selector member upon movement of said slidable arm in said second direction.

Claim 5

A tape player-recorder as claimed in claim 3 further including, cassette eject means operable to an eject-ready condition upon movement of said carriage member from said first to said second position and including a holding solenoid energizable electrically upon operation of said eject means to said eject-ready condition to maintain said eject means in said last-mentioned condition and switch means operable from a first to a second condition for completing a circuit connection to said holding solenoid in response to the movement of said mode selector member to the record position, said circuit connection being interrupted by the release of said mode selector member to de-energize said solenoid, thereby to operate said eject means from said eject-ready condition to an eject condition, whereby said cassette is ejected from said player-recorder.

Claim 6

A tape player-recorder adapted to receive a cassette for recording and playing back information on the tape therein, including in combination; tape playing and recording instrumentalities for playing back and recording information on said tape, respectively, a carriage member for receiving a cassette inserted into said player-recorder, said carriage member movable between a first position whereat said cassette is in an operative position adjacent said instrumentalities and a second position whereat said cassette is located remotely from said tape playing and recording instrumentalities, actuator means including an actuator member coupled to said carriage and movable between first and second positions for moving said carriage to said first and second positions, respectively, mode selector means for selecting the mode of operation of said player-recorder including a pushbutton member depressible from a first, non-record to a second, record position, and a biasing spring coupled to said member for biasing the latter toward said non-record position, and mode selector release means for removing said mode selector member from said record position in response to the movement of said carriage member from said operable position to said remote position, said mode selector release means including a pivotal member engageable with said mode selector member upon moving the latter to the depressed, record position to maintain the mode selector member in said record position, an arm member coupled to said actuator member and movable therewith between a first position and a second position in accordance with the movement of said actuator member and a lever arm mounted for pivotal movement adjacent said movable arm member with a first end thereof positioned for engagement with said pivotal member of said mode selector release means, said movable arm member including a cam member mounted thereon, said cam member being moved into a predetermined relation with respect to said lever arm in response to the movement of said arm member to said first position and engageable with said lever arm to pivot the latter for engagement with said pivotal member to release said mode selector member in response to the movement of said arm member to said second position.

Claim 7

A tape player-recorder adapted to receive a cassette for recording and playing back information on the tape therein, including in combination; tape playing and recording instrumentalities for playing back and recording information on said tape, respectively, a carriage member for receiving a cassette inserted into said player-recorder, said carriage member movable between a first position whereat said cassette is in an operative position adjacent said instrumentalities and a second position whereat said cassette is located remotely from said tape playing and recording instrumentalities, actuator means including an actuator member coupled to said carriage and movable between first and second positions for moving said carriage to said first and second positions, respectively, mode selector means for selecting the mode of operation of said player-recorder including a pushbutton member depressible from a first, non-record to a second, record position, and a biasing spring coupled to said member for biasing the latter toward said non-record position, and mode selector release means for removing said mode selector member from said record position in response to the movement of said carriage member from said operable position to said remote position, said mode selector release means including a pivotal member engageable with said mode selector member upon moving the latter to the depressed, record position to maintain the mode selector member in said record position, an arm member coupled to said actuator member and movable therewith between a first position and a second position in accordance with the movement of said actuator member and a lever arm mounted for pivotal movement adjacent said movable arm member with a first end thereof positioned for engagement with said pivotal member of said mode selector release means, said movable arm member including a cam member mounted thereon, said cam member being moved into a predetermined relation with respect to said lever arm in response to the movement of said arm member to said first position and engageable with said lever arm to pivot the latter for engagement with said pivotal member to release said mode selector member in response to the movement of said arm member to said second position.

Claim 8

A tape player-recorder as claimed in claim 5 wherein the pushbutton member of said mode selector means includes a cam member mounted thereon for movement with said pushbutton member, said cam member including a peripheral extension portion thereon, wherein said pivotal member includes a projection engageable with the extension portion of said cam member upon depression of the pushbutton member to maintain the last-mentioned member in a record condition and wherein upon engagement of said pivotal member by said lever arm to release said pushbutton mode selector member, said projection is rotated away from said extension portion of said cam member to release said pushbutton for return to a non-record position.

Claim 9

A tape player-recorder as Claimed in claim 5 wherein the cam member of said movable arm member is mounted on a resilient member extending from said arm member, said cam member having a first inclined surface engageable with said lever arm upon moving said arm member to said first position, said cam member being slidable over said lever arm to avoid pivoting the latter and wherein said lever arm includes a notch formed therein into which said cam member is moved in response to the movement of said arm member to said first position, said cam member being moved out of said notch into engagement with said lever arm in response to the movement of said movable arm member to said second position for pivoting said lever arm.

Claim 10

A tape player-recorder as claimed in claim 7 wherein said lever arm includes a biasing spring attached thereto for biasing said lever arm normally out of engagement with said pivotal member, said biasing spring returning said lever arm to said normal position subsequent to pivoting the latter by said cam member.