Patent IE-34097-L (IE)
Title: Cassette tape player
IPC: G11B15/675
Filed: 1970-04-16
Abstract: 1306861 Cassette tape recorders WARWICK ELECTRONICS Inc 16 April 1970 [6 June 1969] 18147/70 Heading G5R A reel-to-reel cassette player includes a rotatable drive member 37 intended to engage the tape where it is yieldably supported by a non- rotatable member in the cassette. As described the drive member replaces the usual capstan and is centrally located to co-operate with the usual felt pressure-pad in the cassette. The player is bidirectional and has an automatic tape reversing mechanism responsive to the supply reel stopping. Loading.-A push button 55 is depressed to rock a lever 57 coupled by link 59 to a retaining arm 50 to pivot the arm outwards and allow a cassette to be pressed against an ejection spring (51, Fig. 4, not shown) on to guides 52, 53 terminating in hooks 44, 45. The button 55 also rocks via link L (Fig. 3) a plate 65 carrying a flywheel shaft 64 normally engaged with the tape drive member 37. The member 37 is carried on a spring-loaded lever 70 movable between stops 72, 73 to reduce wear, and the flywheel is belt-driven 62 by a reversible motor 61. Button 55 therefore also disengages the drive member 37 and flywheel shaft 64, and upon release places the cassette in the operative position. Play.-Control member 95 is rocked in either sense to operate switches 98, 99 and 102 energizing the motor in the appropriate direction and selecting the appropriate head 33, 34. A pulley 68 on the flywheel shaft 64 drives a belt 69 to cause the appropriate one of two freely mounted rollers 75, 85 to be engaged with the belt and a respective wheel 79, 87 forming part of a clutch. Back-tension on the non-driven reel spindle is provided by resilient arms 90, 91. Fast wind and rewind.-Depressing either of levers 105, 106 causes rocker arm 95 to be moved by engagement with lugs 116, 133 to energize the motor in the appropriate sense, and causes depression of one of two buttons 122, 135 coupled by links 123, 140 to rotate the appropriate one of two rollers 120, 136 into engagement with the flywheel 63 and a clutch driving wheel 121, 137. Depression of levers 105, 106 also causes flanges 110, 130 to release the retaining arm 50 but the cassette is not ejected since an arm 111 or 131 is also lowered to hold the top of the cassette. Auto reverse is not effective during fast winding. Automatic tape reversal.-Suppose end 95b of rocker arm 95 is depressed to drive tape rightto-left in Fig. 3 with the flywheel 63 and reel drive wheels 121, 137 rotating clockwise. A pair of rollers 200, 201 are journalled on arms 270, 225 pivoted to wires 276, 227 wrapped about the wheels 121, 137. Wires 279, 229 pivoted to the rocker 95 normally hold the rollers 200, 201 as shown but depression of end 95b maintains roller 200 but allows roller 201 to drop. However, rotation of supply reel drive wheel 121 causes friction to hold roller 201 until the reel stops (at the end of play) whereupon roller 64a drives the roller 201 against a trip plate 220 to pivot the plate and pull a lever 235 downwards to rock the end 95a of arm 95 downwards, thereby reversing the motor and tape drive. The levers 235, 250 are positioned by spring wires 240, 255 so that only one is operable at a time. Neutral.-By depressing button 55 at any time the flywheel shaft 64 engages a flange 300 of the trip plate to cause the levers 235, 250 to centre the rocker arm 95.
[GB1306861A]