Arrangement for playing recording on an endless tape in cartridges of different types

Claim 2

In a box-type tape record player for playing an endlessmagnetic tape cartridge, an aperture in said player adapted to slidingly receive said cartridge, said player comprising tape driving Means and playback means including a first playback head for the magnetic tape contained in said cartridge; an improvement comprising said aperture in said player being adapted to slidingly receive upon withdrawal of said cartridge, a converter having exterior geometrical dimensions and operative characteristics substantially corresponding to those of said endless-magnetic tape cartridge; said converter including an aperture dimensioned to receive and position a magnetic-tapecontaining cartridge of generally smaller exterior dimensions than said first-mentioned cartridge; a second playback head in said converter for reading the magnetic tape of the smallerdimensioned cartridge positioned therein; means in said converter for driving said last-mentioned magnetic tape, said tape driving means being connectable with the driving means of the player, said smaller dimensioned cartridge including a pair of rotatable spools, a magnetic tape containing said recordings being wound about said spools and extending therebetween, said tape being adapted to be wound and unwound respectively, from one spool to the other, said playback means comprising a capstan in said player rotatably driven by a motor positioned in said player along said aperture edge, drive roller means in said converter for imparting rotation to said spools, a longitudinally inextensible flexible belt in said converter drivingly interconnecting said roller means and said capstan for moving said tape along said second playback head, a pivotable lever on said converter, said lever having a rectilinear edge which in the operative position of said converter extends in proximity to said further cartridge, said second playback head and said drive roller means being mounted on said lever; and spring means urging said lever out of contact with the tape, said lever including a projection, a slope on said projection, said projection being adapted to make contact with the internal surface of the aperture formed in the player so as to cause said lever to pivot and the second head and roller means contact with the tape in said smaller-dimensioned cartridge upon insertion of the converter in said player.

Claim 3

An improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive roller means comprises a pair of spaced pulleys, said belt interconnecting and rotating said pulleys, said capstan being adapted to drive said belt upon said converter and being operatively positioned within said player aperture.

Claim 4

An improvement as claimed in claim 1, comprising lever means on said lever for automatically stopping movement of the tape of said further cartridge at the end of playback thereof, said lever means including three arms and being coaxially pivotable with said converter lever, a leaf spring acting on a first one of said arms, and a strip spring-mounted roller on said player adapted to engage a recess in said converter upon insertion of the latter into said player aperture, said roller cooperatingly engaging said leaf spring for actuation thereof.

Claim 5

An improvement as claimed in claim 3, comprising a helical spring acting on a second of said arms, said third arm having an extension adapted to cooperatively engage the magnetic tape of said further cartridge at the end of playback, said three-armed lever means being adapted to pivot so as to disengage from said strip spring-mounted roller, said roller correspondingly releasing said converter lever so as to pivot the latter and release said tape from driving thereof.

Claim 6

An improvement as claimed in claim 1, said means for moving the tape along said second playback head comprising a tape driving roller.

Claim 7

An improvement as claimed in claim 1, said belt being formed of synthetic plastic material.

Claim 8

In a box-type tape record player for playing an endless-magnetic tape cartridge, an aperture in said player adapted to slidingly receive said cartridge, said player comprising tape driving means and playback means including a first playback head for the magnetic tape coNtained in said cartridge; an improvement comprising said aperture in said player being adapted to slidingly receive upon withdrawal of said cartridge, a converter having exterior geometrical dimensions and operative characteristics substantially corresponding to those of said endless-magnetic tape cartridge; said converter including an aperture dimensioned to receive and position a magnetic-tape-containing cartridge of generally smaller exterior dimensions than said first-mentioned cartridge; a second playback head in said converter for reading the magnetic tape of the smaller-dimensioned cartridge positioned therein; means in said converter for driving said last-mentioned magnetic tape, said tape driving means being connectable with the driving means of the player, said smaller dimensioned cartridge including a pair of rotatable spools, a magnetic tape containing said recordings being wound about said spools and extending therebetween, said tape being adapted to be wound and unwound respectively, from one spool to the other, said playback means comprising a capstan in said player rotatably driven by a motor positioned in said player along said aperture edge, drive roller means in said converter for imparting rotation to said spools, a longitudinally inextensible flexible belt in said converter drivingly interconnecting said roller means and said capstan for moving said tape along said second playback head, a pivotable lever on said converter, said lever having a rectilinear edge which in the operative position of said converter extends in proximity to said further cartridge, said second playback head and said drive roller means being mounted on said lever, and spring means urging said lever out of contact with the tape, said lever including a projection extending into proximity with the internal surface of the aperture formed in the player; a leaf spring fastened to said converter contacting said projection; and a strip spring-mounted roller on said player adapted to engage a recess in said converter upon insertion of the latter into said player aperture, said roller engaging said leaf spring for actuation thereof.

Claim 9

In a box-type tape record player for playing an endless-magnetic tape cartridge, an aperture in said player adapted to slidingly receive said cartridge, said player comprising tape driving means and playback means including a first playback head for the magnetic tape coNtained in said cartridge; an improvement comprising said aperture in said player being adapted to slidingly receive upon withdrawal of said cartridge, a converter having exterior geometrical dimensions and operative characteristics substantially corresponding to those of said endless-magnetic tape cartridge; said converter including an aperture dimensioned to receive and position a magnetic-tape-containing cartridge of generally smaller exterior dimensions than said first-mentioned cartridge; a second playback head in said converter for reading the magnetic tape of the smaller-dimensioned cartridge positioned therein; means in said converter for driving said last-mentioned magnetic tape, said tape driving means being connectable with the driving means of the player, said smaller dimensioned cartridge including a pair of rotatable spools, a magnetic tape containing said recordings being wound about said spools and extending therebetween, said tape being adapted to be wound and unwound respectively, from one spool to the other, said playback means comprising a capstan in said player rotatably driven by a motor positioned in said player along said aperture edge, drive roller means in said converter for imparting rotation to said spools, a longitudinally inextensible flexible belt in said converter drivingly interconnecting said roller means and said capstan for moving said tape along said second playback head, a pivotable lever on said converter, said lever having a rectilinear edge which in the operative position of said converter extends in proximity to said further cartridge, said second playback head and said drive roller means being mounted on said lever, and spring means urging said lever out of contact with the tape, said lever including a projection extending into proximity with the internal surface of the aperture formed in the player; a leaf spring fastened to said converter contacting said projection; and a strip spring-mounted roller on said player adapted to engage a recess in said converter upon insertion of the latter into said player aperture, said roller engaging said leaf spring for actuation thereof.

Claim 10

In a box-type tape record player for playing an endless-magnetic tape cartridge, an aperture in said player adapted to receive said cartridge, said cartridge including means for moving said endless tape along one edge thereof in proximity to said aperture, and playback means in said player adjacent said aperture edge for playing back recordings on said tape, the improvement comprising; said aperture being adapted to receive, upon withdrawal of said cartridge, a converter cassette having exterior dimensions corresponding essentially to said cartridge, an aperture in said converter cassette, a further cartridge of generally smaller dimensions and characteristic than said first-mentioned cartridge being positioned in said converter cassette aperture, means in said converter cassette cooperative with said playback means in said player for providing playback of recordings in said last-mentioned cartridge, said last-mentioned cartridge comprising a pair of rotatable spools, a magnetic tape containing said recordings being wound about said spools and extending therebetween, said tape being adapted to be wound and unwound respectively, from one spool to the other, said playback means comprising a first playback head for contact by the endless tape of said first-mentioned cartridge, a capstan rotatably driven by a motor positioned in said player along said aperture edge, a second playback head in said converter cassette for reading the spool-wound tape on said further cartridge, drive roller means in said converter cassette for imparting rotation to said spools, means in said converter cassette drivingly interconnecting said roller means and said capstan so as to move said tape along said second playback head, a pivotable lever on said converter cassette, said lever having a rectilinear edge which in the operative position of said converter cassette extends in proxImity to said further cartridge, said second playback head and said drive roller means being mounted on said lever, lever means for automatically stopping movement of the tape of said further cartridge at the end of playback thereof, said lever means including three arms and being coaxially pivotable with said converter cassette lever, a leaf spring acting on a first one of said arms, and a strip spring-mounted roller on said player adapted to engage a recess in said converter cassette upon insertion of the latter into said player aperture, said roller cooperatingly engaging said leaf spring for actuation thereof.

Claim 11

In a box-type tape record player for playing an endless-magnetic tape cartridge, an aperture in said player adapted to receive said cartridge, said cartridge including means for moving said endless tape along one edge thereof in proximity to said aperture, and playback means in said player adjacent said aperture edge for playing back recordings on said tape, the improvement comprising; said aperture being adapted to receive, upon withdrawal of said cartridge, a converter cassette having exterior dimensions corresponding essentially to said cartridge, an aperture in said converter cassette, a further cartridge of generally smaller dimensions and characteristic than said first-mentioned cartridge being positioned in said converter cassette aperture, means in said converter cassette cooperative with said playback means in said player for providing playback of recordings in said last-mentioned cartridge, said last-mentioned cartridge comprising a pair of rotatable spools, a magnetic tape containing said recordings being wound about said spools and extending therebetween, said tape being adapted to be wound and unwound respectively, from one spool to the other, said playback means comprising a first playback head for contact by the endless tape of said first-mentioned cartridge, a capstan rotatably driven by a motor positioned in said player along said aperture edge, a second playback head in said converter cassette for reading the spool-wound tape on said further cartridge, drive roller means in said converter cassette for imparting rotation to said spools, means in said converter cassette drivingly interconnecting said roller means and said capstan so as to move said tape along said second playback head, a pivotable lever on said converter cassette, said lever having a rectilinear edge which in the operative position of said converter cassette extends in proxImity to said further cartridge, said second playback head and said drive roller means being mounted on said lever, lever means for automatically stopping movement of the tape of said further cartridge at the end of playback thereof, said lever means including three arms and being coaxially pivotable with said converter cassette lever, a leaf spring acting on a first one of said arms, and a strip spring-mounted roller on said player adapted to engage a recess in said converter cassette upon insertion of the latter into said player aperture, said roller cooperatingly engaging said leaf spring for actuation thereof.

Claim 12

An improvement as claimed in claim 8, comprising a helical spring acting on a second of said arms, said third arm having an extension adapted to cooperatively engage the magnetic tape of said further cartridge at the end of playback, said three-armed lever means being adapted to pivot so as to disengage from said strip spring-mounted roller, said roller correspondingly releasing said converter cassette lever so as to pivot the latter and release said tape from driving thereof.

Claim 13

An improvement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said drive roller means comprises a pair of spaced pulleys, a belt interconnecting and rotating said pulleys, said capstan being adapted to drive said belt upon said converter cassette being operatively positioned in said player aperture.

Claim 14

An improvement as claimed in claim 8, comprising resilient spring means adapted to bias said lever into an operative position with said tape.

Claim 15

An improvement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said lever includes a sloped projection, said projection being adapted to contact the edge of the aperture of said player upon insertion of said converter cassette and effect pivoting of said lever, said pivoting motion causing contact between the second playback head and drive roller means and said tape in said further cartridge.

Claim 16

An improvement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said lever includes a rectilinear projection, and leaf spring means being fastened to said converter cassette for imparting a biasing force to said projection so as to pivot said lever.