Patent GB-1309114-A (GB)
Title: Automatic player for tape cassettes
IPC: G11B15/68
Filed: 1970-07-27
Abstract: 1309114 Cassette changers MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO Ltd 27 July 1970 [28 July 1969 (15)] 36329/70 Heading G5R A cassette changer includes a mount in which the cassettes are sorted radially with head and pinch roller insertion openings facing outwards, and a carrier by which the cassettes are transferred to and from a playing section adjacent the mount. General.-The cassettes la are placed in U- shaped holders 90 and held between pairs of plates 33a 1 , 33a 2  &c. on a magazine 2 loadable on to a rotatable housing 3 accommodating a bank of lamps or photo-cells co-operable with a stationary photo-cell or lamp forming part of a selected cassette detector. A slide 40, movable in directions A, B, carries a pair of transport mechanisms 15a, 15b having bevel gears 54, 65 engageable with a motor-driven bevel gear 77 to feed the tape in opposite directions. Slidable transversely to the plate 40 in slots 109, 110 is a U-shaped bracket 112 having arms 113, 114 each carrying a head 118 and pressure roller 115. The bracket 112 is driven fore-and-aft by a cam 125 (Fig. 22), and the slide 40 right and left by a pin 131 on the cam. The shaft 26 for the housing 3 also carries a wheel 152 formed with notches 187  engageable by a locking pawl 184 associated with a brake 189 to slow and stop the magazine in the correct position. Various switches operated by the moving parts of the mechanism control its operation.  Operation.-A push-button is depressed to operate a self-holding relay to light the lamp in the detector 3 corresponding to the selected cassette. When a play button is depressed a motor 10 and solenoid 149 are energized to swing a roller 12 into engagement with a wheel 185 to cause a pin 188 to rotate a plate 182 carrying the locking pawl 184 to free the wheel 152 and allow it to be driven by the roller 12. When the detector senses that the cassette la is in position the solenoid is de-energized and the magazine is braked and locked in position. The roller 12 then drives an idler 148 having a pin 167 engaged in a slot 168 in an arm 154 coupled 156, to a slide 165 carrying a bracket 172 so as to transport the cassette along guide 175 to a playing position. Switches 191, 192 are operated by the slide 165 to stop it at the limits of its travel, to de-energize motor 10 and to energize a motor 16 (Fig. 22) driving the cam 125. The slide 40 is thus driven to the left so as to engage transport mechanism 15a with the cassette and bevel gear 77 and the head and pinch roller are inserted into the cassette. A switch 195 is operated by the slide 40 to stop the motor 16 and energize a motor 19 driving the bevel gear 77. The tape is played through until a ser sor detects cessation of supply spool rotation so as to stop motor 19 and start motor 16 again to shift the slide 40 to its other extremity to play the other "side" of the cassette. At the end of this playing, the slide is returned to its central position and a lug 201 on the shaft 124 of cam 125 operates a switch 199 to initiate return of the cassette to the magazine. The lamp is extinguished sufficient to allow the magazine to begin rotation to the next selected cassette then is relit. A cancel button is provided to erase the selector memory. A "sequential" button is provided which lights all the lamps so that all the cassettes are played in succession, the play switch being bypassed. Modifications (Fig. 27, not shown).-The motor 10 driving the magazine and cassette loading mechanism may be coupled to the cam 125 in place of the separate motor 16 by energizing a solenoid (237) to press a roller against a cam roller (133) and to shift the drive roller 12 to a neutral position. The cam 125 may carry a spring-loaded slide (241, Fig. 28, not shown) carrying the pin (245) for shifting the heads so that the heads are inserved into the cassette after a delay and when the cassette is properly positioned. The slide 241) operates switches (195, 196) repla cing these operated by the slide 40. The cassette instead of the mechanisms 15a, 15b may be movable. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 1,189,797.