Carriage translating apparatus for video disc player

Claim 1

A player for use with a disc record removably subject to occupancy of a protective caddy; said player comprising: (A) a housing having an input slot into which a caddy is inserted; (B) means for guiding caddy insertion into said housing along a path; (C) a turntable for centering and rotatably supporting a record; (D) means for removing a record from a caddy during caddy withdrawal subsequent to arrival of a record-carrying caddy at a fully inserted position in said housing, whereby a record is retained in said housing upon conclusion of such caddy withdrawal; (E) a platform mounted in said housing subject to motion between an elevated position and a depressed position (1) for supporting a retained record while occupying said elevated position, and (2) for effecting transfer of said retained record to said turntable during its motion toward said depressed position; (F) a signal pickup for recovering prerecorded information from a turntable-supported record during playback; (G) a carriage for supporting said signal pickup; (H) means for guiding said carriage in said housing along a second path parallel to said path of caddy insertion; said carriage guiding means including a pair of spaced, toothed rails fixedly mounted on said platform, and extending parallel to said paths; a gear shaft being rotatably secured to said carriage; a pair of spaced toothed wheels being mounted on said gear shaft adjacent to the respective ends of said carriage for engagement with the respective one of said toothed rails; and (I) means for translating said carriage during playback along said second path away from a starting position in correlation with the rotation of said turntable.