Tape player having motor-driven tape-pack loading mechanism

Claim 1

A magnetic tape recording/playing apparatus having a motor-driven tape-pack loading mechanism, comprising: a chassis; a push member supported on said chassis for reciprocal movement between first and second positions in directions substantially parallel to a first direction in which a tape-pack can be manually inserted into said apparatus, said push member having means engageable with a tape-pack manually inserted into said apparatus for limiting movement of the tape-pack in said first direction relative to said push member so that the tape-pack moves said push member from said first to said second position as the tape-pack is inserted; first resilient means yieldably urging said push member toward said first position in a second direction opposite said first direction; a tape-pack holder supported for movement in directions generally transverse of said first direction between a loading position and a playing position, said tape-pack holder being adapted to receive a tape-pack inserted into said apparatus in said first direction when said tape-pack holder is in said loading position; a magnetic tape head supported for movement between a playing position and a non-playing position in which said head is respectively engaging and spaced from a tape in a tape-pack disposed in said tape-pack holder when said tape-pack holder is in its playing position; second resilient means yieldably urging said head toward its playing position; locking means for releasably holding said head in its non-playing position; means for causing said locking means to release said head when said tape-pack holder has moved from its loading position into its playing position; a motor; first means driven by said motor and adapted to move said tape-pack holder from its loading to its playing position when said push member is in its second position, said first means including a rack provided on and extending approximately parallel to the direction of movement of said tape-pack holder, a gear which is rotatably supported on said push member and operatively engages said rack when said push member is in said second position, second means for drivingly coupling said motor to said gear when said push member is in said second position so that said motor effects rotation of said gear, and third means for interrupting said engagement between said gear and said rack when said tape-pack holder is in its playing position; and further locking means for releasably holding said push member in said second position, and wherein said third means causes said further locking means to release said push member when said tape-pack holder has reached said playing position.