Magnetic tape reproducing device

Claim 3

A cartridge-type tape player for playing first and second kinds of cartridges having magnetic tape therein, the first kind of cartridge having magnetic tape therein with a first predetermined number of groups of recorded tracks thereon, the second kind of cartridge having magnetic tape therein with a second predetermined number of groups of recorded tracks thereon, said firsT predetermined number of said groups being different than said second predetermined number of said groups, each of said first and second kinds of cartridges carrying identifying characteristic means representing respectively said first and second predetermined number of groups of tracks recorded on the tape therein, said tape player further including means for receiving each of said first and second kinds of cartridges, a magnetic tape head moveable between a plurality of transverse positions relative to said tape in the cartridge positioned in the player, said magnetic tape head including at least two magnetic transducer portions which must be registered to respective recorded tracks in each group of recorded tracks in each kind of cartridge in a manner to cause playback of said recorded tracks in each said group, cartridge sensing means on the tape player for sensing said identifying characteristic means of each kind of cartridge with the same being inserted into the tape player, means responsive to said cartridge sensing means for registering said at least two magnetic transducer portions to respective recorded tracks of one of the groups of recorded tracks on said tape in a manner to cause playback of the same, and means for moving said magnetic tape head between said transverse positions relative to said tape to cause playback of all said groups of recorded tracks on said tape in said cartridge so inserted into said player.

Claim 4

A cartridge-type tape player for playing first and second kinds of cartridges having magnetic tape therein, the first kind of cartridge having magnetic tape therein with a first predetermined number of groups of recorded tracks thereon, the second kind of cartridge having magnetic tape therein with a second predetermined number of groups of recorded tracks thereon, said firsT predetermined number of said groups being different than said second predetermined number of said groups, each of said first and second kinds of cartridges carrying identifying characteristic means representing respectively said first and second predetermined number of groups of tracks recorded on the tape therein, said tape player further including means for receiving each of said first and second kinds of cartridges, a magnetic tape head moveable between a plurality of transverse positions relative to said tape in the cartridge positioned in the player, said magnetic tape head including at least two magnetic transducer portions which must be registered to respective recorded tracks in each group of recorded tracks in each kind of cartridge in a manner to cause playback of said recorded tracks in each said group, cartridge sensing means on the tape player for sensing said identifying characteristic means of each kind of cartridge with the same being inserted into the tape player, means responsive to said cartridge sensing means for registering said at least two magnetic transducer portions to respective recorded tracks of one of the groups of recorded tracks on said tape in a manner to cause playback of the same, and means for moving said magnetic tape head between said transverse positions relative to said tape to cause playback of all said groups of recorded tracks on said tape in said cartridge so inserted into said player.

Claim 5

The cartridge-type tape player of claim 2 wherein said first kind of cartridge includes four groups of recorded tracks and said second kind of cartridge includes two group of recorded tracks.

Claim 6

The cartridge-type tape player of claim 3 wherein with said means responsive to said cartridge sensing means registering said at least two magnetic transducer portions to respective recorded tracks of one of the groups, said player plays back the tracks of said one of said groups, said player further including actuating means responsive to the completion of the playing back of the tracks of said one of said groups to actuate said means for moving said magnetic tape head which means moves said tape head to a different transverse position relative to said tape in said cartridge to cause playback of a group of recorded tracks different than said one of said groups.

Claim 7

The cartridge-type tape player of claim 4 wherein said actuating means is operated three times to move said magnetic tape head between different transverse positions subsequent to the playback of said one of said groups to cause the playback of all the groups on the magnetic tape in said first kind of cartridge and said actuating means is operable one time to move said magnetic tape head between different transverse positions subsequent to the playback of said one of said groups to cause the playback of all the groups on the magnetic tape in said second kind of cartridge.

Claim 10

Radio receiving and tape playing apparatus including in combination, a single supporting chassis, radio receiving means on said chassis for producing audio signals, stereophonic cartridge-type tape playing means for receiving multi-track tape cartridges of different kinds which have therein tapes with different numbers of tracks recorded thereon, with each tape cartridge having means for identifying the number of tape tracks therein, said playing means including a magnetic head for deriving audio signals from the recorded tracks, audio amplifier means, electrical switch means, said switch means responding to the placement of a tape cartridge in the tape player for selectively connecting audio signals from the radio receiving means and from the tape playing means to said audio amplifier means, selector means responsive to the cartridge identifying means of a cartridge in the tape player, cam means including cam portions associated with the tracks of the different kinds of cartridges and a cam follower connected to the tape head for positioning the same, and linking means connecting said selector means to said cam means, said selector means operating in response to placement of a tape cartridge in the tape player to determine the number of tracks in the cartridge and actuating said linking means in accordance therewith, said linking means acting to position said cam means relative to said cam follower to render a predetermined cam portion operative, said cam follower cooperating with the operative cam portions to automatically position the magnetic tape head in accordance with the number of tracks of the cartridge in the player.

Claim 11

Radio receiving and tape playing apparatus including in combination, a single supporting chassis, radio receiving means on said chassis for producing audio signals, stereophonic cartridge-type tape playing means for receiving multi-track tape cartridges of different kinds which have therein tapes with different numbers of tracks recorded thereon, with each tape cartridge having means for identifying the number of tape tracks therein, said playing means including a magnetic head for deriving audio signals from the recorded tracks, audio amplifier means, electrical switch means, said switch means responding to the placement of a tape cartridge in the tape player for selectively connecting audio signals from the radio receiving means and from the tape playing means to said audio amplifier means, selector means responsive to the cartridge identifying means of a cartridge in the tape player, cam means including cam portions associated with the tracks of the different kinds of cartridges and a cam follower connected to the tape head for positioning the same, and linking means connecting said selector means to said cam means, said selector means operating in response to placement of a tape cartridge in the tape player to determine the number of tracks in the cartridge and actuating said linking means in accordance therewith, said linking means acting to position said cam means relative to said cam follower to render a predetermined cam portion operative, said cam follower cooperating with the operative cam portions to automatically position the magnetic tape head in accordance with the number of tracks of the cartridge in the player.

Claim 16

Radio receiving and tape playing apparatus including in combination, a single supporting chassis, radio receiving means on said chassis for producing audio signals, stereophonic cartridge-type tape playing means for receiving multi-track tape cartridges of different kinds which have therein tapes with different numbers of pairs of stereo tracks recorded thereon, with each tape cartridge having means for identifying the number of tape tracks therein, said playing means including a magnetic head for deriving audio signals from the recorded pairs of stereo tracks, audio amplifier means, electrical switch means, said switch means responding to the placement of the tape cartridge in the tape player for selectively connecting audio signals from the radio receiving means and from the tape playing means to said audio signal amplifier means, selector means responsive to the cartridge identifying means of a cartridge in the tape player, a shaft having a substantially cylindrical cam coaxially and slidably mounted thereon, said cam including first and second cam portions, each cam portion having a plurality of different cam surfaces around the periphery thereof, each different cam surface being associated with a pair of stereo tape tracks, a cam follower selectively contacting one of the cam surfaces and being connected to the tape head for positioning the same, linking means connecting said selector means to said cam, said selector means operating in response to placement of the tape cartridge in the tape player to determine the number of tracks in the cartridge and actuating said linking means in accordance therewith, said linking means acting to position said cam on said shaft to position one of said cam portions of said cam so that said cam follower contacts one of said surfaces thereof to automatically position the magnetic head in accordance with the number of tracks in the cartridge, actuating means connected to said shaft for rotating the same upon the completion of playing of one of the different pairs of stereo tracks on the tape, thereby positioning a different cam surface into contact with said cam follower to automatically position the magnetic tape head to play a different pair of tracks of the multi-track tape.

Claim 17

Radio receiving and tape playing apparatus including in combination, a single supporting chassis, radio receiving means on said chassis for producing audio signals, stereophonic cartridge-type tape playing means for receiving multi-track tape cartridges of different kinds which have therein tapes with different numbers of pairs of stereo tracks recorded thereon, with each tape cartridge having means for identifying the number of tape tracks therein, said playing means including a magnetic head for deriving audio signals from the recorded pairs of stereo tracks, audio amplifier means, electrical switch means, said switch means responding to the placement of the tape cartridge in the tape player for selectively connecting audio signals from the radio receiving means and from the tape playing means to said audio signal amplifier means, selector means responsive to the cartridge identifying means of a cartridge in the tape player, a shaft having a substantially cylindrical cam coaxially and slidably mounted thereon, said cam including first and second cam portions, each cam portion having a plurality of different cam surfaces around the periphery thereof, each different cam surface being associated with a pair of stereo tape tracks, a cam follower selectively contacting one of the cam surfaces and being connected to the tape head for positioning the same, linking means connecting said selector means to said cam, said selector means operating in response to placement of the tape cartridge in the tape player to determine the number of tracks in the cartridge and actuating said linking means in accordance therewith, said linking means acting to position said cam on said shaft to position one of said cam portions of said cam so that said cam follower contacts one of said surfaces thereof to automatically position the magnetic head in accordance with the number of tracks in the cartridge, actuating means connected to said shaft for rotating the same upon the completion of playing of one of the different pairs of stereo tracks on the tape, thereby positioning a different cam surface into contact with said cam follower to automatically position the magnetic tape head to play a different pair of tracks of the multi-track tape.

Claim 18

A head shift mechanism in a tape recorder or playback machine for handling magnetic tapes having different numbers of recording tracks, comprising: a record or playback head; means supporting said head for vertical movement above a top deck of said machine; cam means including at least two sets of cams and a support shaft for carrying said sets of cams; cam follower means connected to said head for engaging one or the other of said sets of cams to raise and lower said head between two pluralities of different vertical positions with a turning of said shaft; selectively operable means for shifting said cam follower means relative to said cam means to engage one or the other of said sets of cams; and selectively operable means for turning said shaft between a plurality of preselected positions.

Claim 19

A head shift mechanism in a tape recorder or playback machine for handling magnetic tapes having different numbers of recording tracks, comprising: a record or playback head; means supporting said head for vertical movement above a top deck of said machine; cam means including at least two sets of cams and a support shaft for carrying said sets of cams; cam follower means connected to said head for engaging one or the other of said sets of cams to raise and lower said head between two pluralities of different vertical positions with a turning of said shaft; selectively operable means for shifting said cam follower means relative to said cam means to engage one or the other of said sets of cams; and selectively operable means for turning said shaft between a plurality of preselected positions.

Claim 20

The mechanism of claim 11 including means supporting said shaft against axial movement.

Claim 21

The mechanism of claim 11 wherein said sets of cams are separate rings and said shaft is coaxial with said rings of cams.

Claim 22

A cartridge-type tape player system for playing cartridges with magnetic tape therein having a number of recording tracks, comprising: a magnetic head being movable between a plurality of tranSverse positions, said head having at least two magnetic transducer portions formed thereon to be in registry with a corresponding group of recording tracks formed on a tape within a given cartridge which is inserted into the tape player, said tape having a plurality of such groups of recording tracks, each of which requires alignment of said magnetic transducer portions, and the number of such groups of recording tracks being indicated by identifying characteristic means formed on the given cartridge; sensing means on the tape player for sensing the identification characteristic means on the cartridge inserted therein; and means responsive to said sensing means for adjusting said magnetic head to a predetermined one of said transverse positions for aligning said magnetic transducer portions to a predetermined group of recording tracks in response to the identification characteristic means of the given cartridge inserted into the tape player to cause playback of the recording tracks in registry with said at least two magnetic transducer portions.

Claim 23

A cartridge-type tape player system for playing cartridges with magnetic tape therein having a number of recording tracks, comprising: a magnetic head being movable between a plurality of tranSverse positions, said head having at least two magnetic transducer portions formed thereon to be in registry with a corresponding group of recording tracks formed on a tape within a given cartridge which is inserted into the tape player, said tape having a plurality of such groups of recording tracks, each of which requires alignment of said magnetic transducer portions, and the number of such groups of recording tracks being indicated by identifying characteristic means formed on the given cartridge; sensing means on the tape player for sensing the identification characteristic means on the cartridge inserted therein; and means responsive to said sensing means for adjusting said magnetic head to a predetermined one of said transverse positions for aligning said magnetic transducer portions to a predetermined group of recording tracks in response to the identification characteristic means of the given cartridge inserted into the tape player to cause playback of the recording tracks in registry with said at least two magnetic transducer portions.

Claim 24

The cartridge-type tape player of claim 14 wherein said sensing means includes a lever which is actuated by a housing portion which forms said identifying characteristic means on one type of cartridge, and which lever is not actuated as a result of the absence of said housing portion which forms said identification characteristic means on another type of cartridge.

Claim 25

In a cartridge tape recorder having a head, a capstan and a plate on which are mounted cartridge guides, a head supporting pin, a cam shaft slidably positioned under said pin, a plurality of cams fixedly mounted on said cam shaft, a spring coupled to said cam shaft tending to slide said cam shaft in one direction, a pivotally mounted lever engaging one end of said cam shaft and means operable by the insertion of the cartridge on said plate for pivoting said lever and sliding said cam shaft against said spring whereby one of said cams support said pin and changes the position of said head relative to the tape.

Claim 26

In a cartridge tape recorder having a head, a capstan and a plate on which are mounted cartridge guides, a head supporting pin, a cam shaft slidably positioned under said pin, a plurality of cams fixedly mounted on said cam shaft, a spring coupled to said cam shaft tending to slide said cam shaft in one direction, a pivotally mounted lever engaging one end of said cam shaft and means operable by the insertion of the cartridge on said plate for pivoting said lever and sliding said cam shaft against said spring whereby one of said cams support said pin and changes the position of said head relative to the tape.

Claim 27

The cartridge-type tape player system of claim 16 wherein said means responsive to said sensing means for adjusting said magnetic head includes a cam operable to move the head between said groups of recording tracks on the tape.