US3768814A — Cassette tape recorder

Claim 1

Independent Claim 342 words

In a cassette tape recorder for use with a tape cassette having openings in a front wall for receiving magnetic heads and a pinch roller of the tape recorder, openings in walls transverse to said front wall for receiving tape reel driving shafts and a capstan, and guide holes in said transverse walls for receiving latching guide pins of the tape recorder, the improvement which comprises: a. a base plate carrying said tape reel driving shafts and said capstan; b. a cassette loading plate mounted on said base plate for movement parallel to the axes of said tape reel driving shafts and said capstan, 1. said cassette loading plate extending in a plane transverse to said axes; c. spring means operatively interposed between said cassette loading plate and said base plate for biasing said cassette loading plate away from an operative position adjacent said base plate and outwardly of said tape recorder; d. latching guide pins mounted on said base plate for engaging said guide holes in a cassette loaded on said cassette loading plate when the cassette is moved inwardly of the tape recorder together with said cassette loading plate, and for releasably latching said cassette in the operative position of said cassette loading plate while said tape reel driving shafts and said capstan respectively engage tape reels and a tape in said cassette; e. a lever member carrying said magnetic heads and said pinch roller; f. pivot means connecting said member to said base plate for movement of said magnetic heads and said pinch roller transversely to the direction of movement of said cassette loading plate toward and away from said openings in said front wall; and g. means coupling said cassette loading plate to said member for moving the member in timed sequence with the movement of the cassette loading plate, and for thereby causing said magnetic heads and said pinch roller to be received in said openings in the front wall of a cassette loaded on said cassette loading plate when the latter enters said operative position thereof.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 342 words

In a cassette tape recorder for use with a tape cassette having openings in a front wall for receiving magnetic heads and a pinch roller of the tape recorder, openings in walls transverse to said front wall for receiving tape reel driving shafts and a capstan, and guide holes in said transverse walls for receiving latching guide pins of the tape recorder, the improvement which comprises: a. a base plate carrying said tape reel driving shafts and said capstan; b. a cassette loading plate mounted on said base plate for movement parallel to the axes of said tape reel driving shafts and said capstan, 1. said cassette loading plate extending in a plane transverse to said axes; c. spring means operatively interposed between said cassette loading plate and said base plate for biasing said cassette loading plate away from an operative position adjacent said base plate and outwardly of said tape recorder; d. latching guide pins mounted on said base plate for engaging said guide holes in a cassette loaded on said cassette loading plate when the cassette is moved inwardly of the tape recorder together with said cassette loading plate, and for releasably latching said cassette in the operative position of said cassette loading plate while said tape reel driving shafts and said capstan respectively engage tape reels and a tape in said cassette; e. a lever member carrying said magnetic heads and said pinch roller; f. pivot means connecting said member to said base plate for movement of said magnetic heads and said pinch roller transversely to the direction of movement of said cassette loading plate toward and away from said openings in said front wall; and g. means coupling said cassette loading plate to said member for moving the member in timed sequence with the movement of the cassette loading plate, and for thereby causing said magnetic heads and said pinch roller to be received in said openings in the front wall of a cassette loaded on said cassette loading plate when the latter enters said operative position thereof.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 154 words

In a cassette tape recorder as set forth in claim 1, yieldably resilient means biasing said lever member away from a position in which said magnetic heads and said pinch roller are received in the openings of a cassette loaded on said cassette loading plate in the operative position of the latter and for withdrawing said magnetic head and said pinch roller from said openings, said latching guide pins engaging said cassette loading plate in said operative position thereof and holding the same in said operative position when said guide pins engage said cassette, and release means for simultaneously releasing said guide pins from engagement with said cassette and with said cassette loading plate, said release means including an electromagnet, an armature attracted to said electromagnet when the same is energized, and connecting means operatively connecting said armature to said guide pins for releasing the same in response to the energizing of said electromagnet.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 82 words

In a cassette tape recorder as set forth in claim 2, a casing, said base plate being fixedly mounted in said casing, said cassette loading plate carrying a plurality of guide shafts slidably received in said base plate, a bridge member connecting said guide shafts, said spring means being interposed between said base plate and said bridge member, said lever member having an arm located adjacent said bridge member for engagement thereby, said arm and said bridge member constituting said coupling means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 194 words

Cassette tape recorder according to claim 3, a swingable lever pivotally mounted at its intermediate portion iN the tape recorder with said armature and its one end mounting thereon one of said latching guide pins while the other end is formed with a shoulder engageable with said bridge member when said cassette loading plate is moved toward the inside of the tape recorder, spring means provided on said swingable lever to urge the same in the direction to move said one of said latching guide pins to its latching position with the mating guide holes of the cassette loaded on said cassette loading plate while said shoulder of said swingable lever is engaged with said bridge member to arrest the same when said cassette loading plate is moved toward the inside of the tape recorder, said electromagnet being provided adjacent to said other end of said swingable lever for rotating the same in the direction to disengage said shoulder from said bridge member and said one of said latching guide pins from the mating guide hole of the cassette when said electromagnet is energized so as to release said cassette from the tape recorder.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 85 words

Cassette tape recorder according to claim 3, further comprising a microswitch connected to the electric circuit of the tape recorder and located adjacent to said lever member so as to be closed when said L-shaped lever member is moved to bring said magnetic heads and said pinch roller to their operative positions with the tape in the cassette loaded on said cassette loading plate thereby permitting the tape recorder to be automatically operated when said cassette loading plate has been brought to its operative position.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 142 words

In a cassette tape recorder as set forth in claim 2, guide means guiding said cassette loading plate on said base plate in the direction of said axes, a casing, supporting means securing said base plate to said casing for movement in the direction of said axes, yieldably resilient means interposed between said casing and said base plate for biasing the base plate outward of said lever member having an arm abuttingly engaging said casing when said cassette loading plate and said base plate are moved inward of said tape recorder against the restraint of said spring means, another arm of said lever member carrying said magnetic heads and said pinch roller, said other arm being moved by abutting engagement of said one arm to insert said magnetic heads and said pinch roller into a cassette loaded on said cassette loading plate.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 37 words

In a cassette tape recorder as set forth in claim 6, said supporting means including hollow mounting posts secured to said base plate and supporting pins fixedly secured to said casing and slidably received in said posts.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 191 words

Cassette tape recorder according to claim 7, further comprising a lever pivotally mounted on said base plate and carrying one of said latching guide pins, said lever having a lug, an inclined stepped portion formed in said casing at a position adjacent to said lug so that said lug is moved along said stepped portion when said base plate is moved inwardly of the tape recorder so as to move said one of said latching guide pins to latchingly engage with the mating guide holes of the cassette loaded on said cassette loading plate, a bridge member secured to said hollow mounting posts, a swingable lever pivotally mounted in the tape recorder adjacent to the path of movement of said bridge member and urged by a spring toward said bridge member, said swingable lever having a shoulder adapted to engage with said bridge member when said base plate is moved inwardly of the tape recorder so as to latch said bridge member, and carrying said armature, said electromagnet being located adjacent to said swingable lever so as to attract the same to disengage said shoulder from said bridge member when energized.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 79 words

Cassette tape recorder according to claim 7, further comprising a normally opened microswitch connected to the electric circuit of the tape recorder and located adjacent to said lever member so as to be closed when said lever member is rotated as said base plate is moved inwardly of the tape recorder to latch the cassette thereby permitting the operation of the tape recorder to be automatically commenced when said cassette loading plate has been brought to its operative position.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-10-29	1977-04-30	1977-10-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-10-29	1981-04-30	1981-10-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-10-29	1985-04-30	1985-10-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Cassette tape recorder

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