Cassette loading apparatus

Claim 2

A cassette loading apparatus comprising: a chassis; a cassette guide secured to said chassis for guiding a cassette into the apparatus; a pair of spaced apart side plates each of which has at least one portion engaging said cassette guide, at least another portion secured to said chassis, and guide means; said cassette guide having opposite end portions, and engaging means disposed at each of said end portions capable of receiving said at least one portions of said side plates while said cassette guide is secured to said chassis and said side plates are moved toward said chassis, said engaging means engaging said side plates once the at least one portions of said side plates are received by said engaging means; and a cassette holder disposed between said side plates for releasably holding a cassette, said cassette holder guidably supported by side plates by said guide means.

Claim 3

A cassette loading apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said engaging means comprises pawl means for securing said side plates to said cassette guide once the at least one portions of said side plates are received by the engaging means.

Claim 4

A cassette loading apparatus comprising: a chassis; a cassette guide secured to said chassis for guiding a cassette into the apparatus; said cassette guide having opposite ends, and a pair of leg portions projecting from said opposite ends, respectively, said leg portions each comprising a bearing portion defining a recess open to an upper portion of said leg portions, respectively, a bar rotatably supported by said cassette guide in the recesses defined by the bearing portions; a pair of spaced apart side plates each of which has guide means, and an engagement portion extending in a respective one of said recesses over said bar and engaged with said cassette guide; a cassette holder disposed between said side plates for releasably holding a cassette, said cassette holder guidably supported on said side plates by said guide means between an insertion position at which a cassette inserted in the apparatus is held by said cassette holder and a loaded position; and a pair of drive members each of which is mounted to a respective end of said bar so as to be synchronously displaceable therewith, said drive members operatively connected to said cassette holder for driving said cassette holder between said insertion and said loaded positions when synchronously displaced.

Claim 5

A cassette loading apparatus comprising: a chassis; a cassette guide secured to said chassis for guiding a cassette into the apparatus; said cassette guide having opposite ends, and a pair of leg portions projecting from said opposite ends, respectively, said leg portions each comprising a bearing portion defining a recess open to an upper portion of said leg portions, respectively, a bar rotatably supported by said cassette guide in the recesses defined by the bearing portions; a pair of spaced apart side plates each of which has guide means, and an engagement portion extending in a respective one of said recesses over said bar and engaged with said cassette guide; a cassette holder disposed between said side plates for releasably holding a cassette, said cassette holder guidably supported on said side plates by said guide means between an insertion position at which a cassette inserted in the apparatus is held by said cassette holder and a loaded position; and a pair of drive members each of which is mounted to a respective end of said bar so as to be synchronously displaceable therewith, said drive members operatively connected to said cassette holder for driving said cassette holder between said insertion and said loaded positions when synchronously displaced.

Claim 6

A cassette loading apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said side plates has a first pawl extending adjacent the engagement portion thereof, and said cassette guide has a pair of second pawls each of which extends adjacent a respective one of said bearing portions, said first and said second pawls respectively engaging each other when the engagement portions of said side plates are received in the recesses defined by the bearing portions of said cassette guide to secure said side plates to said cassette guide.