Carriage reset apparatus for disc record player

Claim 2

In a player having a pickup means for recovering prerecorded information from a record disposed on a turntable; said pickup means being supported in a carriage which is subject to translatory motion along a path from a starting position toward the turntable center during playback; said record being subject to removable occupancy of a protective cover adapted for insertion into said player; carriage reset apparatus comprising: (A) a first member secured to said carriage and subject to disposition in an operative position and an inoperative position; (B) means for selectively latching said first member in said operative position when said carriage is disposed at a position other than said starting position; said first member, when latched in said operative position, being subject to engagement with said cover during said cover insertion to effect travel of said carriage toward said starting position; and (C) means, responsive to the arrival of said carriage at said starting position, for defeating said latching means to permit disposition of said first member in said inoperative position; said first member, when disposed in said inoperative position, being ineffective to cause further carriage travel during further cover insertion.

Claim 3

The carriage reset apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first member is mounted on said carriage for motion between said operative position, where a portion of said first member protrudes into the path of said cover during insertion thereof, and said inoperative position, where said portion of said first member is disposed out of said cover insertion path; and wherein said carriage reset apparatus further includes means for biasing said first member toward said operative position.

Claim 4

The carriage reset apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said latching means comprises a second member disposed on said carriage for motion between a first position and a second position; wherein said carriage reset apparatus is provided with means for urging said second member toward said first position; said second member, when disposed in said first position, being subject to engagement with said first member to lock said first member in said operative position.

Claim 5

The carriage reset apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said latch defeating means comprises a stop element disposed in said player for causing said second member to move to said second position in response to the arrival of said carriage at said starting position; said second member, when disposed in said second position, freeing said first member from interference by said second member.

Claim 6

The carriage reset apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the position of said stop element is subject to adjustment to allow variation in the location at which said stop element causes actuation of said second member.

Claim 7

The carriage reset apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first member is mounted on said carriage for motion between said operative position, where a portion of said first member protrudes into said cover insertion path, and said inoperative position, where said portion of said first member is disposed out of said cover insertion path; wherein said carriage reset apparatus further includes means for biasing said first member toward said operative position; wherein said latching means comprises a second member disposed on said carriage for motion between a first position and a second position; wherein said carriage reset apparatus is provided with means for urging said second member toward said first position; said second member, when disposed in said first position, being subject to engagement with said first member to lock said first member in said operative position; wherein said latch releasing means comprises a stop element disposed in said player for displacing said second member to said second position in response to the arrival of said carriage at said starting position; said second member, when disposed in said second position, freeing said first member from interference by said second member.

Claim 8

The carriage reset apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the position of said stop element is subject to adjustment to allow variation in the location at which said stop element actuates said second member.

Claim 9

In a player having a pickup stylus for recovering prerecorded information from a record disposed on a turntable; said stylus being supported in a carriage which is subject to translatory motion along a path from a starting position toward the turntable center during playback; said record being subject to removable occupany of a protective cover; said player having a record extraction mechanism for removing the enclosed record from said cover for retention in said player during cover withdrawal subsequent to the insertion of a full cover into said player along a further path disposed substantially parallel to said carriage path; wherein an empty cover is inserted into said player along said further path for retrieving said record; carriage reset apparatus comprising: (A) a first member secured to said carriage and subject to disposition in an operative position and an inoperative position; (B) means for selectively latching said first member in said operative position when said carriage is disposed at a position other than said starting position; said first member, when latched in said operative position, being subject to engagement with said cover during said cover insertion to effect travel of said carriage toward said starting position; and (C) means, responsive to arrival of said carriage at said starting position during said travel of said carriage, for releasing said latching means to allow disposition of said first member in said inoperative position in response to further insertion of said cover into said player; said first member, when disposed in said inoperative position, allowing further cover insertion without causing further carriage travel.

Claim 10

In a player having a pickup stylus for recovering prerecorded information from a record disposed on a turntable; said stylus being supported in a carriage which is subject to translatory motion along a path from a starting position toward the turntable center during playback; said record being subject to removable occupany of a protective cover; said player having a record extraction mechanism for removing the enclosed record from said cover for retention in said player during cover withdrawal subsequent to the insertion of a full cover into said player along a further path disposed substantially parallel to said carriage path; wherein an empty cover is inserted into said player along said further path for retrieving said record; carriage reset apparatus comprising: (A) a first member secured to said carriage and subject to disposition in an operative position and an inoperative position; (B) means for selectively latching said first member in said operative position when said carriage is disposed at a position other than said starting position; said first member, when latched in said operative position, being subject to engagement with said cover during said cover insertion to effect travel of said carriage toward said starting position; and (C) means, responsive to arrival of said carriage at said starting position during said travel of said carriage, for releasing said latching means to allow disposition of said first member in said inoperative position in response to further insertion of said cover into said player; said first member, when disposed in said inoperative position, allowing further cover insertion without causing further carriage travel.