Safety switch device for a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus of the sheet type

Claim 2

In magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprising a. a housing having an upper surface for supporting a magnetic recording sheet in a stationary position; b. means for performing magnetic recording and reproducing operations on a downwardly facing surface of a recording sheet supported on said housing upper surface; c. manually operable means for actuating said recording and reproducing means; and d. a plate, having a first end hingedly connected to said housing and a second, free end, said plate being hingedly movable downwardly into and upwardly away from a sheet-holding position for overlying said housing upper surface to hold down a recording sheet disposed thereon; the improvement which comprises: e. a safety switch for permitting actuAtion of said recording and reproducing means by said manually operable means only when said safety switch is actuated; f. a hook projecting downwardly from said plate adjacent the free end thereof; g. said housing having an opening through which said hook projects when said plate is in sheet-holding position; h. a member for engaging said hook within said opening to retain said plate in sheet-holding position; and i. a lever mounted within and shielded from external manual access by said housing for actuating said safety switch and disposed to be engaged and moved by said hook, when said hook is inserted through said opening, to actuate said safety switch.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including means for biasing said lever away from a safety-switch-actuating position such that the safety switch is actuated only while the hook projects through the opening.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said plate comprises a major portion including said first end and a minor portion, including said second end and carrying said hook, hingedly connected to said major portion for pivoted movement relative thereto to facilitate disengagement of said hook from said member for release of said plate for upward movement.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, further including an element disposed to project through said housing upper surface and movable between first and second positions depending on presence and absence, respectively, of a recording sheet on said upper surface; and wherein said lever bears a centrally pivoted arm having opposite ends respectively engageable by said hook and said element such that said lever is moved to switch-actuating position only when said element is in said first position and said hook is inserted in said opening at the same time.

Claim 6

In magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprising a. a housing having an upper surface for supporting a magnetic recording sheet in a stationary position; b. means for performing magnetic recording and reproducing operations on a downwardly facing surface of a recording sheet supported on said housing upper surface; c. manually operable means for actuating said recording and reproducing means; and d. a plate, having a first end hingedly connected to said housing and a second, free end, said plate being hingedly movable downwardly into and upwardly away from a sheet-holding position for overlying said housing upper surface to hold down a recording sheet disposed thereon; the improvement which comprises: e. safety switch means for permitting actuation of said recording and reproducing means by said manually operable means only when said safety switch means is actuated; f. a hook projecting downwardly from said plate adjacent the free end thereof; g. said housing having an opening through which said hook projects when said plate is in sheet-holding position; h. a member for engaging said hook within said opening to retain said plate in sheet-holding position; i. an element movable between first and second positions in response to presence and absence, respectively, of a recording sheet on said housing upper surface; and j. means, operatively engageable by said hook and said element, for actuating said safety switch means only in response to simultaneous occurrence of the two conditions that said element is in said first position and said hook is projecting through said opening.

Claim 7

In magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprising a. a housing having an upper surface for supporting a magnetic recording sheet in a stationary position; b. means for performing magnetic recording and reproducing operations on a downwardly facing surface of a recording sheet supported on said housing upper surface; c. manually operable means for actuating said recording and reproducing means; and d. a plate, having a first end hingedly connected to said housing and a second, free end, said plate being hingedly movable downwardly into and upwardly away from a sheet-holding position for overlying said housing upper surface to hold down a recording sheet disposed thereon; the improvement which comprises: e. safety switch means for permitting actuation of said recording and reproducing means by said manually operable means only when said safety switch means is actuated; f. a hook projecting downwardly from said plate adjacent the free end thereof; g. said housing having an opening through which said hook projects when said plate is in sheet-holding position; h. a member for engaging said hook within said opening to retain said plate in sheet-holding position; i. an element movable between first and second positions in response to presence and absence, respectively, of a recording sheet on said housing upper surface; and j. means, operatively engageable by said hook and said element, for actuating said safety switch means only in response to simultaneous occurrence of the two conditions that said element is in said first position and said hook is projecting through said opening.