Manual scanning mechanism for video disc player

Claim 1

A player for use with a disc record; said player comprising: (A) a turntable for centering and supporting a record; (B) means for rotating said turntable; (C) a pickup stylus for recovering prerecorded signals from a turntable-supported record during playback; (D) A carriage for supporting said pickup stylus; (E) means for causing motion of said pickup stylus relative to said carriage between a depressed position, permitting stylus/record engagement, and an elevated position, precluding stylus/record engagement; (F) common carriage translating means including a first endless drive belt disposed about a first pair of pulleys; (G) means for securing said carriage to said first endless drive belt; (H) first means for utilizing said common carriage translating means for translating said carriage toward the center of said turntable at a speed correlated to the speed of rotation of said turntable while said stylus motion causing means permits said stylus/record engagement; wherein said first utilizing means includes a second endless drive belt disposed about a second pair of pulleys; one of said second pair of pulleys being disposed coaxially with one of said first pair of pulleys; and (I) second means for utilizing said common carriage translating means for translating said carriage toward and away from said turntable center at a speed independent of the speed of rotation of said turntable while said stylus motion causing means allows said stylus/record engagement; wherein said first utilizing means includes a slip clutch means interposed between said common carriage translating means and said one of said second pair of pulleys, whereby wresting of control of said common carriage translating means from said first utilizing means by said second utilizing means is permitted by said slip clutch means upon activation of said second utilizing means.