Abstract: A transfer type thermal recording apparatus suitable for use in a facsimile machine and the like is provided. The apparatus includes a thermal print head and a sheet of recording paper is transported as pressed against the thermal print head with an ink sheet sandwiched between the recording paper and the thermal print head. An ink sheet cassette is detachably mounted in position and it includes a cassette case, a supply spool around which a roll of ink sheet is wound initially and a take-up spool to which the leading end of the ink sheet is fixedly attached. The cassette case is generally box-shaped and it has four pin receiving portions formed at a pair of opposite side walls of the case. The apparatus also includes a housing in which four pins are disposed in a predetermined arrangement. Thus, the ink sheet cassette can be properly set in position through engagement between the four pins of the housing and the four pin receiving portions of the cassette.

Abstract: An ink sheet/recording paper cassette for use in a thermal printer includes a case in which a roll of an ink sheet and a roll of recording paper are contained. A take-up spool is also provided in the case and the leading end of the ink sheet is fixedly attached to the take-up spool so that the ink sheet when supplied from the roll is used for recording information on the recording paper supplied from the roll and then wound around the take-up spool. The provision of a roll of an ink sheet and a roll of recording paper in the same cassette case significantly eases handling of expandable supplies of a thermal printer.

Abstract: A cassette tape recorder capable of manually switching the operation thereof to any one of a stop, a reproducing, a quick winding or a quick rewinding position.A swingable switching lever is coupled with an actuating lever, and a frictional driving wheel integral with a driving shaft mounted on the free end of the actuating lever. An idler friction wheel is located at a position opposite to a frictionally driven wheel with respect to the driving shaft. Either the driving shaft or the frictional driving wheel is held disengaged from the frictionally driven wheel or the idler friction wheel when the actuating lever is at the stop position. When the actuating lever is switched to the reproducing position, the switching lever urges the driving shaft to compressively contact with the frictionally driven wheel.

Abstract: Device for preventing the inadvertent erasure of a tape in a bi-directionally operable recording/reproducing apparatus for use with a tape cassette having a pair of detecting portions each provided with a removable lug and for the detection in the feeding of the tape in one direction and in the opposite direction, wherein the existence of the lug indicates that the erasure and recording of the tape are allowed while non-existence of the lug indicates that erasion of the tape is inhibited. The device has a pair of actuating levers urged to engage with the respective detecting portions so that each of the actuating levers is positioned in a first position when the detecting portion has a lug, whereas it is positioned in a second position when the detecting portion has no lug.