Disc loading apparatus for use in a disc player

Claim 1

An optical disc loading apparatus for use in an optical disc player having a disc rotating device, comprising: arm means movably supported by a frame between first and second positions, an upper roller rotatably mounted on said frame, a lower roller rotatably mounted on said arm means for moving a disc toward a first direction parallel to a plane of said disc in cooperation with said upper roller when said arm means is in said first position, and then moves downwardly beyond a plane of said disc rotating device for putting said disc on said disc rotating device free to be rotated thereby as said arm means moves from said first position to said second position, a chassis having said disc rotating device and an optical head carried thereon and supported by resilient members relative to said frame, and locking means including an engaging member provided on said chassis and a locking member provided on said frame for locking said chassis to said frame to engage with said engaging member when said arm means is at an intermediate third position between said first position and second position, and means on said arm means acting when said lower roller is moved downwardly beyond said plane of said disc rotating device, for unlocking said chassis relative to said frame to release the chassis from said engaging member in response to the movement of said arm means to said second position from said intermediate position.