Abstract: A disc playing apparatus is disclosed, which is simple, small in size and can be manufactured at a low cost of manufacture. In this disc playing apparatus, a first chassis with left and right movable guides and a second chassis with a disc drive and a playing unit are linked together such that they can be brought toward and away from each other. The movable guides are separated from a disc when the two chassis are brought toward each other, and are brought to a position to engage with the disc when the two chassis are brought away from each other. A selective close/away holding mechanism holds the two chassis in a close-to-each-other state or an away-from-each-other state. The two chassis are brought toward each other when the disc is inserted while pushing the selective close/away holding mechanism. The disc is pushed by the mechanism when the two chassis are brought away from each other by an eject lever.

Abstract: A disk playback apparatus comprises a stocker including a plurality of shelves for compact disks, a pallet disposed adjacent to the stocker, a lift stage for moving the stocker up and down so that a selected one of the shelves is located in a position higher than the pallet for a predetermined distance, a loader capable of reciprocating between an unloading position on the stocker side and a loading position on the pallet side, and a lifter in the loader. As the loader moves from the unloading position toward the loading position, the lifter lowers and feeds the disk on the selected shelf to the pallet while drawing out the disk from the stocker. As the loader moves from the loading position toward the unloading position, the lifter raises and returns the disk on the pallet to the selected shelf while pushing back the disk toward the stocker.

Abstract: A disk player assembly with withdrawable pallets including a pallet having a notch through which the selected disk contained in the disk stocker is passed, when the disk stocker and the disk playback mechanism are relatively moved up and down. The lower side of the pallet (14) is provided with a shielding member (91) which appears at a position at which the notch is kept out of sight in association with the drawing of the pallet out of the player assembly.

Abstract: A disc player has a disc receiver for supporting a disc thereon and a disc holder for directly holding a plurality of discs one over another at different heights with vertical intervals left therebetween without the need for movable disc trays or the like. The receiver is arranged in a disc reproducing position whereas the holder is disposed movably up and down adjacent to the disc reproducing position. A disc guide is also provided for linearly guiding desired one of the discs between the disc reproducing position and the corresponding height in the holder with the desired disc maintained at an outer periphery thereof in contact with the guide.

Abstract: The inventive reproducing and driving unit of a device for reproducing the data recorded in a disk record reduces the height and weight of the device and the power consumption for moving the turntable and pickup, and prevents the pickup from receiving excessive shock. The reproducing and driving unit comprises a support plate (1), a motor (2) fixedly arranged in the support plate, a turntable (4) axially moveable on the shaft (24) of the motor, and a common moveable link member (28) for reciprocally moving relative to the support plate (1) so as to cause the turntable (4) and pickup (5) to be taken nearer to and away from disk record (29).

Abstract: In a tape recorder, a tape tensioning device for tensioning the tape in a tape cassette comprises a movable member for causing a tension detection switch to open when the movable member is moved in a first direction, and a gear mechanism composed of first and second gears and a tensioning gear meshable with the first and second gears upon movement of the member in a second direction, to rotate one reel spindle. The tensioning gear is movable about the first gear upon inhibition of rotation of the spindle. The device further includes a brake for inhibiting rotation of the other spindle, and a retaining mechanism responsive to movement of the gear for further moving the member in the first direction to retain the member in such a position that the gear is moved away from the first and/or second gears, to release the other spindle from the brake mechanism and to return the member to the second direction upon unloading of a tape cassette.

Abstract: A tape recorder is provided with a device for eliminating any slack of a tape inside a tape cassette before initiation of a reproducing operation. In the state that forward movement of a head mounting plate is inhibited by a lock member and rotation of one of paired reel spindles is inhibited by a brake, a reel gear of the other reel spindle is driven via a slack eliminating gear supported on a movable member. When the tape inside the tape cassette has been taken up over a length equal to the slack on the other reel spindle and the other reel spindle has been stopped, the slack eliminating gear receives a reaction force from the reel gear to move the movable member. This movement of the movable member releases the lock member so that the head mounting plate is allowed to move substantially further and the brake is also disengaged from the one reel spindle to start a reproducing operation.

Abstract: A bi-directional tape recorder wherein abrasion of portions of a magnetic head on the opposite sides of the air gap is reduced and "soil" sticking to a tape contacting face of the magnetic head is automatically removed to attain elongation of the life of the magnetic head. The magnetic head is changed over between a pair of positions inclined with respect to a fixed axis perpendicular to the tape feeding direction by a shiftable member which is shifted in one or the other direction in response to reversing operation of the tape feeding direction. The magnetic head is connected to be moved in a widthwise direction of a magnetic tape by the shiftable member to allow reproduction of a pair of regenerative tracks of the magnetic tape. A pair of azimuth adjusting mechanisms are provided on the opposite sides of the magnetic head for making azimuth adjustment of the magnetic head independently of each other, and one of them is associated with the shiftable member.

Abstract: A mechanism for detecting stopping of rotation of a normally rotating member which mechanism can be minimized in its axial direction and reduced in production cost. The mechanism comprises a normally rotating member normally rotating in one direction around a fixed axis, and a detecting member for detecting stopping of rotation of the normally rotating member. One of the two members has a resilient contacting portion for resiliently contacting and fitting with the other member under a radially acting resilient force of the same thereby to produce a contact pressure between the two members. The detecting member is urged in a direction by the normally rotating member when the normally rotating member is rotating, and the detecting member detects stopping of rotation of the normally rotating member from disappearance of the urging force by the normally rotating member.

Abstract: An automatic stop mechanism for a tape recorder is described. When a magnetic tape has been wound up fully on a reel, slipping takes place between a gear and reel shaft so that the reel shaft stops. As a consequence, a contact portion of a cam follower is caused to separate from a cam surface and a cam is brought into contact with the contact portion. Since the fulcrum of the cam follower is fixed, a turnable lever is caused to turn clockwise so that a gear is separated form the gear. By the turning motion of the turnable lever, its bent end portion presses a lug of a lock member from the right, thereby shifting the lock member leftwards. A head mounting plate is hence released from its engagement with the lock member and is allowed to return to its non-operated position, whereby a magnetic head is allowed to return to its stop position.

Abstract: A dubbing tape recorder includes first and second tape drive units having independent recording or playback functions and mechanical portions of substantially the same structure and dimensions and nmounted respectively on separate chassis of substantially the same structure and dimensions. The drive units are arranged side by side as unitary subassemblies and are both driven by a common motor to drive their associated tapes. A common switch adapted for the actuation of the motor is disposed at a left or right end portion of the tape recorder. A switch operating mechanism which is actuated in the same manner no matter which one of the tape drive units is operated to actuate the motor is also arranged extending over both of the tape drive units. The switch is changed over by the switch operating mechanism to actuate the motor.

Abstract: An automatic stopping mechanism for a tape feeding device which can detect an end of a tape to operate while the tape feeding device is in any of reproducing, recording, fast feeding and rewinding modes. In any operation mode, a driving route from a motor to a reel receiver is effective to tend to continuously rotate the reel receiver. Upon stopping of the reel receiver by an end of a tape, a rockable member is rocked to and remains at a position at which rotation of an cam disk interposed in the driving route is stopped by the rockable member and then a releasing member on which the cam disk is mounted is pivoted to move the cam disk out of the driving route, thereby stopping rotation of the reel receiver.

Abstract: A tape running direction changeover mechanism suitable for use in a tape recorder is described. The mechanism includes a tape running direction changeover member, a pinch roller changeover member responsive to each changeover of the tape running direction changeover member, a pair of azimuth alignment screw support members provided on both sides of a magnetic head and interlocked with the pinch roller changeover member, and azimuth alignment screws screwed in a pair in each of the support members. In accordance with movements of the pair of azimuth alignment screw support members, one or the other alignment screws supported on the respective support members are brought into contact with the corresponding sides of a magnetic head support strip relative to the magnetic head so as to control the vertical position and inclination of the magnetic head.

Abstract: A rotatably supporting structure is composed in combination of a raised portion and its matching annular recess. The raised portion is provided on either the outer circumferential surface of a shaft, which is adapted to be fixed at one end thereof on a fixed part, or the inner circumferential surface of a central bore of a member to be supported rotatably. The annular recess is formed in either the outer circumferential surface or the inner circumferential surface and is adapted to receive the raised portion therein. A tapered or curved surface is formed on at least one of the raised portion and a portion of the shaft or rotatably supported member defining the annular recess, which portion is brought into contact with the raised portion upon assembly of the rotatably supporting structure. The rotatably supported member is supported at both sides of the raised portion.

Abstract: A cassette holding device for a tape recorder wherein the shock resistance thereof can be assured sufficiently with a simple construction during transportation and during normal use of the tape recorder and protection of a cassette holder, capstan shafts and a tape cassette and reduction in cost and facility in use of the entire tape recorder can be attained. The device comprises an ejecting member which holds, when it is at advanced position, an arresting member to an advanced position in which a cassette holder can receive therein a tape cassette inserted into the tape recorder. When the arresting member is at a retracted position, the ejecting member is prevented from moving from a retracted position to the advanced position, but when the arresting member is moved form the retracted to the advanced position, the ejecting member is allowed to move from the retracted to the advanced position to eject a tape cassette from the tape recorder.

Abstract: An auto-reverse tape recorder has an FF(fast forward) control, rewinding control and restraining members. The FF control member is movable forward so that when a magnetic head and a pinch roller are at operating positions, the head and roller are once caused to retreat toward their stop positions. The FF control member causes the head and roller to return to their operating positions when the FF control member returns to its non-operated position. The rewinding control member is movable forward so that when the head and roller are at the operating positions, the head and roller are once caused to retreat toward stop positions. The rewinding control member causes the head and roller to return to the operating positions when the rewinding control member returns to its non-operated position.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an automatic reverse mechanism for a tape recorder. The mechanism can automatically reverse the A and B sides of a magnetic tape. Rotary forces from capstans provided on both sides of a magnetic head are transmitted to their corresponding reel shafts, which are provided in a pair symmetrically relative to a magnetic head, by way of their corresponding rotation transmitting members. Based on results of a detection by a mechanical detector capable of detecting a stop of one of the reel shafts, a rotary force is transmitted to the other reel shaft via its corresponding rotation transmitting member by a changeover bar so that the running direction of the magnetic tape is reversed automatically.

Abstract: A tape recorder wherein stopping of a reel receiving member in a reproduction or recording operating mode of the tape recorder is detected assuredly to activate a particular mechanism of the tape recorder such as an automatic stopping mechanism or an automatic reversing mechanism without a high contacting pressure of a pinch roller to a capstan while assuring a high stability of running of a tape. The tape recorder comprises a detecting member frictionally engaged with the reel receiving member so that while the reel receiving member is rotating, the detecting member produces an urging force in a direction.

Abstract: A cassette holding device for a tape recorder wherein the shock resistance thereof can be assured sufficiently with a simple construction during transportation and during normal use of the tape recorder and protection of a cassette holder, capstan shafts and a tape cassette and reduction in cost and facility in use of the entire tape recorder can be attained. The device comprises an ejecting member which holds, when it is at advanced position, an arresting member to an advanced position in which a cassette holder can receive therein a tape cassette inserted into the tape recorder. When the arresting member is at a retracted position, the ejecting member is prevented from moving from a retracted position to the advanced position, but when the arresting member is moved .[.form.]. .Iadd.from .Iaddend.the retracted to the advanced position, the ejecting member is allowed to move from the retracted to the advanced position to eject a tape cassette from the tape recorder.