Ejection mechanism for tape player

Claim 1

An ejection mechanism for a tape player, comprising: a pack guide into which a tape pack can be inserted in an insertion direction and means supporting said pack guide for movement in directions transverse to said insertion direction between an insertion position and a loaded position; a pack stopper and means supporting said pack stopper for movement relative to said pack guide in directions approximately parallel to said insertion direction along a path of movement between first and second positions so that, when said pack guide and said pack stopper are respectively in said insertion and first positions, a tape pack inserted into said pack guide will engage said pack stopper and move it toward its second position, wherein as said pack stopper moves from its first position to its second position it passes through a third position located between said first and second positions; a swing plate and means supporting said swing plate for rotation relative to said pack guide between a normal position and an eject position; a movable, manually operable ejection lever and means operatively coupling said ejection lever to said swing plate for effecting movement of said swing plate between its normal and eject positions in response to movement of said ejection lever; inversion means for yieldably urging said pack stopper toward said first position when said pack stopper is between said first and third positions and when said swing plate is in said normal position, for yieldably urging said pack stopper toward said second position when said pack stopper is between said second and third positions and when said swing plate is in said normal position, and for yieldably urging said pack stopper toward said first position when said swing plate is in said eject position, said inversion means including an inversion spring operatively connected to said pack stopper and to said swing plate; an eject lock arm and means supporting said eject lock arm for pivotal movement relative to said pack guide so that a first end of said eject lock arm moves along the path of movement of said pack stopper in the region of said second position of said pack stopper, said first end of said eject lock arm being engageable with a side of said pack stopper facing in said insertion direction; a movable lock plate operatively coupled to a second end of said eject lock remote from said first end for movement therewith, said lock plate being moved between a locking position and a release position in response to movement of said eject lock arm, wherein as said lock plate moves to its release position said first end of said eject lock arm moves in said insertion direction, said lock plate having means for releasably locking said pack guide in said insertion position when said lock plate is in said locking position and for permitting said pack guide to move freely between said insertion and loaded positions relative to said lock plate when said lock plate is in said release position; a lock spring yieldably urging said lock plate toward said locking position; and check means provided on said eject lock arm and engageable with said pack stopper for limiting movement of said pack stopper away from said second position in a direction opposite said insertion direction until said pack guide is in its insertion position and said lock plate is in its locking position.