Cassette type tape recording and reproducing apparatus

Claim 2

A cassette type tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame comprising: lifting means for disengaging a cassette containing magnetic tape from said driving means, reversing means for turning over said cassette about an axis parallel to a major surface of said cassette and normal to the traveling direction of said tape within said cassette, said reversing means including a cassette guide member of generally semicircular shape and a rotatable cassette receiving means for slidably engaging said cassette, said rotatable cassette receiving means having an axis of rotation lying outside said cassette guide member, control means in operable relationship with said driving means for driving said lifting means and said reversing means in a predetermined relationship, such that said cassette is first disengaged from said driving means and then turned over, carrying means driven by said driving means for transporting said cassette from a position at which it cooperates with said driving means to a position at which it cooperates with said reversing means, connecting means for coupling said control means to said driving means when said tape is completely wound on one reel of said cassette, an electromagnetic transducer operatively engageable with said tape, and, positioning means for placing said electromagnetic transducer in operative engagement with said tape only when said tape recording and reproducing apparatus is in a recording or reproducing mode.

Claim 3

A cassette type tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 1, wherein said lifting means comprises: a flat panel having upstaNding walls on at least two sides thereof and including a pair of apertures cooperating with said driving means and an additional aperture spaced from said pair of apertures and sufficiently large to permit a cassette to be rotated therein.

Claim 4

A cassette type tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 1, wherein said rotatable cassette receiving means comprises: a pair of F-shaped sheets jointed together at one edge thereof to form a cassette receiving zone between said F-shaped sheets, and, a plurality of rollers mounted on said F-shaped sheets for engaging said cassette.

Claim 5

A cassette type tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 1, wherein said control means further comprises: a plurality cams secured to a shaft in spaced relationship with respect to one another, a main gear secured to said shaft, said main gear having a toothed outer periphery for cooperating with said electric driving means, a notch in said toothed priphery for providing a neutral position, a camming groove in one face of said main gear for controlling said carrying means, and a projection on said face for cooperating with said connecting means.

Claim 6

A cassette type tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 1, wherein said carrying means further comprises: a cassette engaging member slidably mounted within said lifting means, an elongated sliding plate coupled to said cassette engaging member and having a pair of racks formed intergrally therewith, a pinion gear drivingly coupld to said electric driving means and selectively engageable with said racks, and, a cam follower assembly coupled to said pinion gear to cause selective engagement with said racks in accordance with the operation of said control means.

Claim 7

A cassette type tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises: a solenoid coupled to a pivoted lever assembly for selectively engaging said control means to start the operation thereof.

Claim 8

A cassette type tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 1, wherein said positioning means comprises: a head mount for supporting said electromagnetic transducer, said head mount pivotally mounted to said main frame, biasing means coupled to said head mount for biasing said head mount toward an inoperative position, a cam actuated lever assembly pivotally mounted to said main frame for selectively locking said head mount in an operative position, and, solenoid operated means engaging said head mount for selectively moving said head mount to its inoperative position.

Claim 9

An automatic cassette reversing tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame comprising: lifting means for disengaging a cassette containing magnetic tape from said driving means, reversing means for turning over said cassette about an axis that is parallel to a major surface of said cassette and normal to the traveling direction of said tape within said cassette, discharging means for ejecting said cassette from said tape recording and reproducing apparatus, wherein said discharging means includes cam means for providing a camming action, clutch means engageable with the driving means coupled to said cam means, and, a rack and pinion selectively engageable with one another through said camming action; actuating means for selectively operating said reversing means and said discharging means, control means including a plurality of cams in operable relationship with said driving means for driving said lifting means and said reversing means in a predetermined relationship, such that said cassette is first disengaged from said driving meanS and then turned over, an electromagnetic transducer operatively engageable with said tape, positioning means for placing said electromagnetic transducer in operative engagement with said tape only when said tape recording and reproducing apparatus is in a recording or reproducing mode, loading means driven in synchronism with said discharging means for loading fresh cassettes into said tape recording and reproducing apparatus, said loading means including a pair of cassette holding members rotatably driven in cooperation with said discharging means, each cassette holding member including a first holding portion for holding the lowermost cassette of a stack of cassettes to be fed into said tape recording and reproducing apparatus and a second holding portion adapted to be inserted between said lowermost cassette and the next cassette in said stack, said second holding portion integral with said first holding portion and including an arcuate face which joins said first and second holding portions, and wherein said first and second holding portions pivot about an axis which is located at the center of curvature of said arcuate face; carrying means driven by said driving means for transporting said cassette from a position at which it cooperates with said driving means to a position at which it cooperates with said reversing means, and, interlocking means for rendering said carrying means inoperable during operation of said discharging means.

Claim 10

An automatic cassette reversing tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame comprising: lifting means for disengaging a cassette containing magnetic tape from said driving means, reversing means for turning over said cassette about an axis that is parallel to a major surface of said cassette and normal to the traveling direction of said tape within said cassette, discharging means for ejecting said cassette from said tape recording and reproducing apparatus, wherein said discharging means includes cam means for providing a camming action, clutch means engageable with the driving means coupled to said cam means, and, a rack and pinion selectively engageable with one another through said camming action; actuating means for selectively operating said reversing means and said discharging means, control means including a plurality of cams in operable relationship with said driving means for driving said lifting means and said reversing means in a predetermined relationship, such that said cassette is first disengaged from said driving meanS and then turned over, an electromagnetic transducer operatively engageable with said tape, positioning means for placing said electromagnetic transducer in operative engagement with said tape only when said tape recording and reproducing apparatus is in a recording or reproducing mode, loading means driven in synchronism with said discharging means for loading fresh cassettes into said tape recording and reproducing apparatus, said loading means including a pair of cassette holding members rotatably driven in cooperation with said discharging means, each cassette holding member including a first holding portion for holding the lowermost cassette of a stack of cassettes to be fed into said tape recording and reproducing apparatus and a second holding portion adapted to be inserted between said lowermost cassette and the next cassette in said stack, said second holding portion integral with said first holding portion and including an arcuate face which joins said first and second holding portions, and wherein said first and second holding portions pivot about an axis which is located at the center of curvature of said arcuate face; carrying means driven by said driving means for transporting said cassette from a position at which it cooperates with said driving means to a position at which it cooperates with said reversing means, and, interlocking means for rendering said carrying means inoperable during operation of said discharging means.

Claim 11

An automatic cassette reversing tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 8, wherein said discharging means further comprises: a discharging member coupled to said rack and movable therewith for engaging one edge of a cassette and for linearly sliding said cassette as said rack is driven by said pinion until said cassette has been ejected from said tape recording and reproducing apparatus.

Claim 12

An automatic cassette reversing tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 8, wherein said cam and clutch means further comprise: a rotatable shaft, a cam device having a plurality of peripheral camming surfaces rotatably mounted to said shaft, a first clutch portion, rigidly mounted to said cam device, and, a second clutch portion coupled to said shaft so as to permit longitudinal but not rotational motion with respect to said shaft, said second clutch portion engaging said first clutch portion for imparting rotational motion thereto upon operation of said actuating means.

Claim 13

An automatic cassette reversing tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 8, wherein said actuating means comprises: a sleeve engaging at least a portion of said clutch means, said sleeve having at least one shoulder formed thereon, a stepped sliding plate slidably mounted to said main frame and engaging said shoulder, and, solenoid means coupled to said stepped sliding plate for imparting movement thereto whereby said stepped sliding plate moves said sleeve.

Claim 14

An automatic cassette reversing tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 8, wherein said carrying means comprises: a second rack and pinion assembly, wherein said pinion is selectively engageable with said rack.

Claim 15

An automatic cassette reversing tape recording and reproducing apparatus including an electric driving means and a main frame as in claim 12, wherein said interlocking means comprises: a solenoid and lever assembly for engaging said pinion and selectively moving it out of engagement with said rack.