Automatic continuous record/playback means for tape cassette loading tape recorder

Claim 1

For use in combination with a tape recorder having a housing in which a cassette can be loaded and unloaded: a pair of transversely opposite capstans driven in opposite directions to one another, a pair of transversely opposite reel shafts, a pair of transversely opposite idle pulleys each arranged between each set of capstan and reel shafts, and a movable base member adapted to be moved in said housing between operative and inoperative positions, said movable base member including thereon a magnetic head, a head channel-switching means, and a pair of transversely opposite pressure rollers; tape travel-reversing means comprising a pair of transversely opposite arm members pivotally mounted on said movable base member and respectively mounting said pressure rollers thereon for free rotation, resilient means acting on said arm members to urge the same yieldingly so that said pressure rollers are brought into engagement with their associated capstans, a pair of further transversely opposite arm members loosely mounted with respect to said base member for linear and rotational movement and mounting respective of said idle pulleys thereon for free rotation, further resilient means acting on the lattEr said arm members to urge the same in a direction in which said idle pulleys each come into engagement with its associated reel shaft and capstan, a pivotal rocker arm member extending transversely of the base member, said rocker member having first and second positions, said rocker arm member having first and second longitudinal edges and including at the first longitudinal edge a pair of transversely opposite legs integral with and protruding laterally outwardly from said rocker arm member, said pressure roller-supporting arm members each having a free end with a pin extending downwardly thereat and facing the second longitudinal edge of said rocker arm member such that, upon rocking movement of said rocker arm member from one position to the other, one of said pressure rollers is urged away from its associated capstan while the other pressure roller is released to freely move towards its associated capstan under the action of the associated resilient means, said supporting arm members for the idle pulleys including respective pins which face said legs in such relation that, upon rocking movement of said rocker arm member from one position to the other, one of said idle pulleys is urged away from its associated capstan and reel shaft while the other idle pulley is released so as to freely move into engagement with its associated capstan and reel shaft under the action of the associated resilient means, a tension spring connected to said rocker arm member at one end thereof to bias said rocker arm member to the first position, and means connected to the other end of said rocker arm member to pivotably move the latter from said first position to the second position, the latter means comprising a link lever pivotably connected at an intermediate location to said housing and connected at one end for pivotal movement to said other end of said rocker arm member, and an operating lever having one and pivotally connected to the other end of said link lever, said operating lever having a laterally-projecting lug at a lateral longitudinal edge thereof, said movable base member including a depending pin which is arranged such that, when the movable base member is moved towards said tape cassette to bring said magnetic head and pressure rollers into cooperation with an exposed tape portion and the capstans, said vertical pin engages said lug of said operating lever to turn said rocker arm member through said link lever to said second position, and means for disengaging said lug of the operating lever and the depending pin on the movable base member to enable said rocker arm member to be yieldingly returned to its first position by the action of said tension spring.