Abstract: An automatic disc player including a housing having an elongated slot through which a disc is to be inserted into the housing, disc playback means accommodated within the housing, disc carrier means operative to convey the disc toward a predetermined position along a predetermined path within the housing after the disc is inserted through the slot in the housing, the disc carrier mechanism having a surface portion on which the a disc is to be placed, and alignment operative to move the disc correctly to the predetermined position after the disc is conveyed toward the predetermined position by the disc carrier means, wherein the alignment comprises a pair of position holding device disposed on both sides of the aforesaid predetermined path and engageable with an edge portion of the disc concurrently at at least two locations on a plane substantially parallel with the above mentioned surface portion of the disc carrier, and biasing device urging the locations to move toward the edge portion of the disc while th

Abstract: An automatic disc player including a housing having an elongated slot through which a disc is to be inserted, playback means accommodated within the housing and including a turntable to carry a disc during playback operation, disc carrier means to convey the disc toward a predetermined position with respect to the turntable after the disc is inserted through the slot in the housing, and disc clamp means to move the disc correctly to the predetermined position after the disc is conveyed toward the predetermined position by the disc carrier means, wherein the disc clamp means comprises a support member movable between a release position remoter from the turntable and a disc clamp position closer to the turntable, and a disc clamping member which is rotatably supported on the support member through an elliptical opening formed in the support member and which is cooperative with the turntable for having a disc clamped between the turntable and the disc clamping member when the support member is in the disc clamp

Abstract: A cassette recorder is equipped with a plunger operated mode selection unit featuring a plurality of independently selectible mode operating rods including lockable rods and a stop rod for releasing locking or retained rods. The plungers are solenoid operated devices which operate to bring a drive gear into engagement with a gear including a cam actuator for engaging a follower to depress a selected mode operation rod.

Abstract: A pinch roller actuator for use with a tape recorder includes a pinch roller holder and a play arm moved in association with tape recorder mode selection. The holder includes a cam surface slideably engaging a pin of the play arm, such that the holder is pivoted in response to movement of the pin.

Abstract: A cassette tape recorder is provided with mode selection levers which are selectively engageable and retainable to achieve operation in a plurality of recorder modes. Playback and record modes are released either by the operation of a stop lever or an eject lever. A pause mode is provided which may be associated with other modes, such as the record mode. When progressing from a record/pause mode to a stop mode, the record mode lever is released first, so as to avoid inadvertant operation in the record mode before achieving the stop mode.

Abstract: A malfunction prevention device for a tape recorder functions to place the recorder in a stop mode upon an erroneous manual operation such as the actuation of rewind and fast forward controls at the same time. The device operates in conjunction with a device stopping the recorder when the end of the tape is reached.

Abstract: A tape player for recording and reproducing sound. It is characterized in that it includes a first motor adapted to drive both a take-up reel and a capstan and a second motor which is selectively operated to drive said take-up or feed reel at high speed for fast forwarding or fast rewinding of the tape. Said selective operation is performed by gearing means including a second motor pulley, a sun gear, a second drive belt passed around the second motor pulley and the sun gear, a planet gear in mesh with the sun gear and a rocker arm to swing the planet gear between the feed and take-up reels. There is also provided a tape player having a group of feather touch type push buttons for recording, reproduction, fast forward and rewinding and switching off whereas only cassette ejecting operations are performed by mechanical means.

Abstract: A container for receiving a cassette of a cassette tape player houses a movable plate which is adapted to be moved, compressing a spring, by the cassette as the latter is inserted. A container driving plate is provided for moving the container to the playing position by the force of a spring. A locking plate is so associated with the movable plate and the container driving plate that one of these plates is locked by the locking plate by the operation of the other, while the other is released from the locking plate. A slide plate is adapted to be held by a solenoid through a retaining member when the solenoid is energized. However, the slide plate is released as the solenoid is deenergized, so as to urge the movable plate, thereby to make the latter eject the cassette from the container. Thus, the slide plate corresponds to the eject lever in the conventional cassette loading and unloading device.