Tape speed switching device in cassette tape recorder-player

Claim 2

A tape speed switching device in a cassette tape recorder-player capable of selecting a tape transport speed for recording and playback among a plurality of different speeds, one of which is a standard speed, the device comprising: a holder for containing a tape cassette; means for moving said cassette holder between a locked position and an open position; multi-position switch means for energizing an electrical drive circuit to move the tape in the cassette at a selected one of said plurality of speeds when the holder is in its locked position; and means operably interconnecting said switch and said moving means to set said switch to effect said standard tape speed when the cassette holder is moved from its locked position to said open position.

Claim 3

The tape speed switching device of claim 1 in which said moving means comprises: a trigger lever for opening said cassette holder; a first link movable in one direction by the operation of said trigger lever; a second link connected at one end to said cassette holder to be movable with said holder, and having a protrusion at its other end, said first link releasably engaging said second link when said cassette holder is in its locked position to inhibit movement of said second link; and a third link coupled to said cassette holder and biased to urge said cassette holder to its open position when said first link is moved in said one direction to release said second link.

Claim 4

The tape speed switching device of claim 2, in which said switch means comprises: a fourth link selectively movable among a plurality of switch positions each of which corresponds to one of said plurality of tape speeds, and being biased to one of said switch positions corresponding to said standard a fifth link which is movably supported and has one end portion releasably engageable with said fourth link at each of a plurality of locations, each of said locations corresponding to one of said switch positions, the other end portion of said fifth link being engageable with said protrusion of said second link when said cassette holder is moved to its open position, thereby to disengage said fifth link from said fourth link to permit the bias in said fourth line to move said fourth link to said one switch position corresponding to said standard tape speed.

Claim 5

A device as claimed in claim 3, in which said first link has one end portion abutted against one end portion of said trigger lever, and the other end portion having a bent portion which is engageable with said second link, said first link being energized in a direction opposite to said one direction by elastic means coupled thereto.

Claim 6

The tape speed switching device of claim 4 in which said second link comprises an engaging groove adapted to receive the bent portion of said first link when the cassette holder is in its locked position.

Claim 7

A device as claimed in claim 3, in which said fourth link is biased by elastic means coupled thereto, and said fifth link is energized toward said fourth link by elastic means coupled to said fifth link.

Claim 8

A device as claimed in claim 6, in which the biasing force of said elastic means coupled to said fourth link is so selected that when said fourth link is disengaged from said fifth link, said fourth link moves to said one position corresponding to said standard tape speed.

Claim 9

A device as claimed in claim 7, in which the energizing force of said elastic means adapted to energize said fifth link is greater than that of said elastic means adapted to bias said fourth link.

Claim 10

A device as claimed in claim 3, in which said one end portion of said fifth link, which is adapted to engage with said fourth link, is tapered and rounded.

Claim 11

The tape speed switching device of claim 9 in which said fourth link comprises an engaging groove at each of said locations, the configuration of each of said grooves coinciding with that of said one end portion of said fifth link.

Claim 12

A device as claimed in claim 3, in which said fourth link is actuated by an intermediate rotary lever, an auxiliary lever, and a switching operation lever, said intermediately rotary lever having one end portion rotatably mounted on the upper end portion of said fourth link, said auxiliary lever being interconnected between the other end portion of said intermediate rotary lever and one end portion of said switching operation member, respectively.