Automatic player for tape cassettes

Claim 2

An automatic player for magnetic tape cassettes each of which contains a supply reel and a take-up reel and a tape wound between the reels therein, comprising a rotatable cassette mounting means adapted to hold a plurality of cassettes radially each in such a position that a head insertion hole and a pinch roller insertion hole are located outwardly with respect to the center of said cassette mounting means, a cassette playback means provided adjacent said cassette mounting means, a cassette selection detecting means associated with said cassette mounting means for selectively detecting a specific one of said cassettes during the rotation of said cassette mounting means, said detecting means coacting with a stop means for the cassette mounting means for stopping the rotation thereof in accordance with the actuation of said detecting means, a cassette carrying means for carrying the specific one of said cassettes from said cassette mounting means horizontally with respect to said cassette playback means, and cassette return means associated with said cassette carrying means for returning the selected cassette being mounted on the playback means to the original position in said cassette mounting means upon completion of the playing.

Claim 3

An automatic player according to claim 1, wherein said cassette selection detection means comprises: a plurality of relay operated memory means at least equal in number to the number of cassette mounting positions on said cassette mounting means; a plurality of switching means coupled to said relay operated memory means for selEctively and individually energizing said memory means; and means for detecting said selectively energized memory means for actuating said stop means to stop the rotation of said cassette mounting means at a point such that said cassette carrying means engages a cassette mounted at a position correspondng to the detected energized memory means.

Claim 4

An automatic player according to claim 2, wherein said cassette selection detection means further comprises: further switching means for simultaneously energizing all of said memory means corresponding to an automatic play mode of operation of said player; and still further switching means for deenergizing all of said memory means.

Claim 5

An automatic player according to claim 1, wherein said stop means comprises: a cam member mounted for rotation with said cassette mounting means and having a plurality of locking grooves formed therein at least equal in number to the number of mounting positions on said cassette mounting means; a locking member mounted for pivotal movement relative to said cam member, said locking member having a locking leg which engages a cooperating locking groove in said cam member to lock said cam member against rotational movement; means normally biasing said locking member into locking engagement with said cam member; solenoid operated means for pivoting said locking member out of locking engagement with said cam member to permit rotation of said mounting means; and means for deenergizing said solenoid operated pivoting means upon actuation of said detection means to cause said biasing means to return said locking member into locking engagement with said cam member.

Claim 6

An automatic player according to claim 2, wherein said memory means comprises a plurality of light sources mounted on said cassette mounting means in correspondence with respective cassette mounting positions; and said detection means comprises a photodetector fixed relative to said rotatable mounting means and mounted for optical coupling with the light source which corresponds to the cassette mounting position located in cooperating relationship with said cassette carrying means, said photodetector being coupled to said stop means for stopping rotation of said mounting means when an energized light source is detected by said photodetector.

Claim 7

An automatic player according to claim 5, wherein said solenoid operated pivoting means comprises a shifting member coupled to a solenoid and mounted for pivotal movement and having a lug mounted thereon, said lug engaging said locking member to urge said locking member out of locking engagement with said cam member when said shifting member is pivoted in a first direction when said solenoid is energized, said lug being disengaged from said locking member when said solenoid is deenergized, thereby pivoting said shifting member in a second direction and permitting said locking member to return to locking engagement with said cam member.

Claim 8

An automatic player for tape cassettes comprising a rotatable mount adapted to hold a plurality of cassettes radially each in such a position that a head insertion hole and a pinch roller insertion hole are located outwardly with respect to the axis of rotation of said cassette mount; a cassette playing section provided adjacent said cassette mount and radially of the rotary axis of the mount, including a sliding plate coplanar with said mount having thereon a pair of similar opposed tape playing mechanisms which are slidably mounted on a support for movement perpendicular to the rotary axis of the mount; a cassette carrier for carrying a selected cassette from an indexed position of the cassette mount; means for slidably moving the selected cassette radially outward in the same plane as that of said mount so as to quickly be brought into said cassette playing section; a cassette selection detecting means operatively connected with said cassette mount for selectively detecting a specific one of the casSettes during the rotation of said cassette mount, said detecting means coacting with a stop means for the cassette mount for stopping the rotation thereof in association with the actuation of said detecting means; and cassette return means associated with said cassette carrier for returning the selected cassette being mounted on the playing section to the original position in said cassette mount upon the completion of the playing.

Claim 9

An automatic player for tape cassettes comprising a rotatable mount adapted to hold a plurality of cassettes radially each in such a position that a head insertion hole and a pinch roller insertion hole are located outwardly with respect to the axis of rotation of said cassette mount; a cassette playing section provided adjacent said cassette mount and radially of the rotary axis of the mount, including a sliding plate coplanar with said mount having thereon a pair of similar opposed tape playing mechanisms which are slidably mounted on a support for movement perpendicular to the rotary axis of the mount; a cassette carrier for carrying a selected cassette from an indexed position of the cassette mount; means for slidably moving the selected cassette radially outward in the same plane as that of said mount so as to quickly be brought into said cassette playing section; a cassette selection detecting means operatively connected with said cassette mount for selectively detecting a specific one of the casSettes during the rotation of said cassette mount, said detecting means coacting with a stop means for the cassette mount for stopping the rotation thereof in association with the actuation of said detecting means; and cassette return means associated with said cassette carrier for returning the selected cassette being mounted on the playing section to the original position in said cassette mount upon the completion of the playing.