Capstan housing assembly for a cartridge tape player

Claim 2

In a tape deck for a cartridge tape player including a cartridge receiving housing having a base wall and a pair of side walls extending therefrom in spaced, parallel relation with respect to each other, and a front opening through which a cartridge is received in said housing, a capstan drive shaft housing assembly for mounting a capstan drive shaft rotatably on said tape deck, including in combination: a capstan support bracket of sheet metal construction having first and second spaced legs extending substantially parallel to said base wall and a main body portion joined to and extending between said legs, a first one of said legs being attachable to said base wall for mounting said bracket on said tape deck, the other of said legs extending from said main body portion in a direction opposite said first leg and haVing an aperture therein, a first bearing member mounted in said aperture for receiving said capstan shaft, said bearing member being positioned in spaced alignment with a similar bearing member provided in said base wall upon attaching said bracket to said base wall, said capstan shaft being receivable in said bearing members and supported therein by said support bracket for rotational movement.

Claim 3

A capstan drive shaft housing assembly as claimed in claim 1 further including a stop member for said capstan drive shaft, said stop member being attachable to the surface of said base wall opposite said cartridge receiving opening, in alignment with said apertures in which said bearing members are received, for engagement with a first end of said capstan shaft received in and extending through said bearing members.

Claim 4

A capstan drive shaft housing assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said stop member is of sheet metal construction and includes a pair of spaced parallel legs and a main body portion interposed therebetween and joined to said legs, a first one of said legs being attachable to the surface of said base wall opposite said cartridge receiving housing with said second leg extending away from said first leg and in alignment with said bearing member receiving apertures, and being spaced predeterminedly from said base wall for positioning said capstan shaft axially in said support bracket.

Claim 5

A capstan drive shaft housing assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said capstan support bracket is formed of a single piece of sheet metal material, bent to a generally Z-shape, and wherein upon mounting said bracket on said base wall, said first leg extends away from said front cartridge receiving opening and said second leg extends toward said front opening, said second leg being predeterminedly spaced from said base wall to accommodate a tape cartridge inserted into said front opening between said second leg and base wall.

Claim 6

A tape deck for a cartridge tape player including in combination: a sheet metal cartridge receiving housing having a base wall and a pair of side walls extending from said base wall in a first direction substantially at right angles thereto, said housing having a front cartridge receiving opening and a housing assembly for mounting a capstan drive shaft on said tape deck, said capstan housing assembly including, a support bracket constructed of a single piece of sheet metal and bent to form first and second spaced, parallel, legs extending in opposite directions and a main support member extending therebetween, the first leg of said support bracket member being fastened in parallel alignment to said base wall so that said second leg extends toward the front cartridge receiving opening of said housing and is spaced a predetermined distance from said base wall, a first toroidal bearing member mounted in an aperture provided in said second leg for receiving a capstan drive shaft to position the latter substantially perpendicular to said base wall, a second toroidal bearing member mounted in an aperture in said base wall positioned in alignment with said first aperture, also for receiving said capstan drive shaft and a capstan stop member attached to said base wall on the surface thereof opposite the surface on which said support bracket is mounted, a portion of said stop member being in alignment with said first and second bearing members and spaced from said opposite surface of said base wall a predetermined distance for engagement with a first end of said capstan shaft extending through said base wall in said second bearing member to position said capstan shaft for axial rotation in said support bracket.

Claim 7

A tape deck for a cartridge tape player including in combination: a sheet metal cartridge receiving housing having a base wall and a pair of side walls extending from said base wall in a first direction substantially at right angles thereto, said housing having a front cartridge receiving opening and a housing assembly for mounting a capstan drive shaft on said tape deck, said capstan housing assembly including, a support bracket constructed of a single piece of sheet metal and bent to form first and second spaced, parallel, legs extending in opposite directions and a main support member extending therebetween, the first leg of said support bracket member being fastened in parallel alignment to said base wall so that said second leg extends toward the front cartridge receiving opening of said housing and is spaced a predetermined distance from said base wall, a first toroidal bearing member mounted in an aperture provided in said second leg for receiving a capstan drive shaft to position the latter substantially perpendicular to said base wall, a second toroidal bearing member mounted in an aperture in said base wall positioned in alignment with said first aperture, also for receiving said capstan drive shaft and a capstan stop member attached to said base wall on the surface thereof opposite the surface on which said support bracket is mounted, a portion of said stop member being in alignment with said first and second bearing members and spaced from said opposite surface of said base wall a predetermined distance for engagement with a first end of said capstan shaft extending through said base wall in said second bearing member to position said capstan shaft for axial rotation in said support bracket.

Claim 8

A tape deck as claimed in claim 5 wherein said capstan stop member is of one piece sheet metal construction, bent to form a pair of spaced parallel legs and a main body portion interposed therebetween, a first one of said legs being attached to said base wall in parallel alignment therewith, at the surface thereof opposite said cartridge Receiving housing with said second leg extending away from said first leg and in alignment with said apertures receiving said bearing members, and being spaced predeterminedly from said base wall for engagement with an end of said capstan shaft to position said shaft axially in said support bracket.