Locking and ejection device

Claim 2

Apparatus for recording and/or playing back magnetic recordings on and/or from a recording tape accommodated in a cassette, comprising a loading holder having an insertion opening for receiving the cassette, said holder mounted on said apparatus for movement in a direction parallel to itself between an inoperative position in which the cassette can be inserted in the holder through the insertion opening and an operative position in which tape spools provided in the cassette are coupled to driving means of the apparatus, latch members carried by said apparatus for holding the loading holder in its inoperative position, means for disconnecting the latch members so as to release said holder from the inoperative position, resilient elements connected to said holder for moving said holder to the operative position on disconnection of the latch members, manually operable means for moving the holder from the operative position to the inoperative position against the action of the resilient elements, ejection means adapted for displacement in one direction by the cassette upon insertion of the cassette into said holder, biasing means for urging said ejection means in the opposite direction of insertion of the cassette, locking means for locking said ejection means from displacement in said opposite direction when said holder is in the operative position and for freeing said ejection means for movement in said opposite direction when the holder is moved from the operative position to the inoperative position, so that under the influence of said biasing means acting on the ejection means the cassette is at least partially ejected from the holder, and a spring acting on said ejection means for return movement of said ejection means and said cassette carried by the holder when said holder is locked in the inoperative position from an extreme position reached when the cassette has been completely inserted through a distance which is small compared with the dimensions of the holder in a direction opposite to that of insertion, during said return movement the ejection means actuates said means for disconnecting the latch members.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for disconnecting the latch members is provided on said ejection element.

Claim 4

Apparatus for recording and/or playing back magnetic recordings on and/or from a recording tape accommodated in a cassette, comprising a loading holder having an insertion opening for receiving the cassette, said holder mounted on said apparatus for movement in a direction parallel to itself between an inoperative position in which the cassette can be inserted in the holder through the insertion opening and an operative position in which tape spools provided in the cassette are coupled to driving means of the apparatus, latch members carried by said apparatus for holding the loading holder in its inoperative position, means for disconnecting the latch members so as to release said holder from the inoperative position, resilient elements connected to said holder for moving said holder to the operative position on disconnection of the latch members, manually operable means for moving the holder from the operative position to the inoperative position against the action of the resilient elements, ejection means adapted for displacement in one direction by the cassette upon insertion of the cassette into said holder, biasing means for urging said ejection means in the opposite direction of insertion of the cassette, locking means for locking said ejection means from displacement in said opposite direction when said holder is in the operative position and for freeing said ejection means for movement in said opposite direction when the holder is moved from the operative position to the inoperative position, So that under the influence of said biasing means acting on the ejection means the cassette is at least partially ejected from the holder, and a spring acting on said ejection means for return movement of said ejection means and said cassette carried by the holder when said holder is locked in the inoperative position from an extreme position reached when the cassette has been completely inserted through a distance which is snall compared with the dimensions of the holder in a direction opposite to that of insertion during said return movement the ejection means actuates said means for disconnecting the latch members, said latch members comprising a latch lever supported in the apparatus, said lever being mounted for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the direction of insertion of the cassette and to the direction of movement of the holder, said lever projecting through an opening in the holder, and a recess provided in said lever facing away from the insertion opening in the holder, said recess engaging a wall portion of the holder adjoining the holder opening when said holder is in the operative position, and spring means for urging said lever in a direction so that said recess will engage said wall portion.

Claim 5

Apparatus for recording and/or playing back magnetic recordings on and/or from a recording tape accommodated in a cassette, comprising a loading holder having an insertion opening for receiving the cassette, said holder mounted on said apparatus for movement in a direction parallel to itself between an inoperative position in which the cassette can be inserted in the holder through the insertion opening and an operative position in which tape spools provided in the cassette are coupled to driving means of the apparatus, latch members carried by said apparatus for holding the loading holder in its inoperative position, means for disconnecting the latch members so as to release said holder from the inoperative position, resilient elements connected to said holder for moving said holder to the operative position on disconnection of the latch members, manually operable means for moving the holder from the operative position to the inoperative position against the action of the resilient elements, ejection means adapted for displacement in one direction by the cassette upon insertion of the cassette into said holder, biasing means for urging said ejection means in the opposite direction of insertion of the cassette, locking means for locking said ejection means from displacement in said opposite direction when said holder is in the operative position and for freeing said ejection means for movement in said opposite direction when the holder is moved from the operative position to the inoperative position, So that under the influence of said biasing means acting on the ejection means the cassette is at least partially ejected from the holder, and a spring acting on said ejection means for return movement of said ejection means and said cassette carried by the holder when said holder is locked in the inoperative position from an extreme position reached when the cassette has been completely inserted through a distance which is snall compared with the dimensions of the holder in a direction opposite to that of insertion during said return movement the ejection means actuates said means for disconnecting the latch members, said latch members comprising a latch lever supported in the apparatus, said lever being mounted for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the direction of insertion of the cassette and to the direction of movement of the holder, said lever projecting through an opening in the holder, and a recess provided in said lever facing away from the insertion opening in the holder, said recess engaging a wall portion of the holder adjoining the holder opening when said holder is in the operative position, and spring means for urging said lever in a direction so that said recess will engage said wall portion.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said ejection element comprises a plate-shaped lever supported on the outer surface of a wall of the holder, a pivot pin mounted on said wall for supporting said element for pivotal movement, a bent lug carried by said element, a slot (29) formed in said wall of said holder through which said bent lug projects for engagement by a cassette being inserted, an inclined abutment part bent from the plate-shaped lever of said ejection element for running over an abutment face said latch lever when the cassette is being inserted into the holder with consequent pivotal movement of the lever, said inclined abutment part striking said abutment face for disconnecting said latch lever when said ejection element returns.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said spring acting on said ejection means is a helically coiled spring surrounding said pivot pin permitting a deflection movement of the ejection element in a direction at right angles to the pivotal movement.

Claim 8

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said latch lever is plate-shaped and further comprises a bent over part at right angles to the plate and an end face of which projects through the holder opening forming the abutment face for the inclined abutment part of the ejection element, said bent over part forms a locking member for the ejection element when the holder is in the operative position.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said bent over part of the latch lever comprises a lug bent out of its plane adapted to cooperate with the inclined abutment part of the ejection element, so that when the holder is being moved into the operative position contact between said bent lug of the ejection element and the cassette is broken.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 characterized in that when the holder is moved from the operative position to the inoperative position it may be moved beyond the inoperative position and hence the inclined abutment part of the ejection element may be moved beyond the abutment face of the latch lever, the locking of the ejection element being removed, enabling this element to perform its ejection function under the influence of the spring force exerted on it.