Signal pickup return mechanism

In a playback system including a base and a cover, a turntable mounted for rotation relative to said base, said turntable having a surface adapted for receiving a disc record, said disc record having a spiral groove with information recorded therein, a support housing carrying a signal pickup, and said signal pickup subject to positioning in relation to said spiral groove for scanning said information;

• a signal pickup return mechanism comprising:
• bearing means for supporting reciprocal motion of said support housing toward and away from a rest position;
• said bearing means being oriented so that said reciprocal motion of said housing results in motion of said signal pickup along a path radially disposed with respect to the center of said turntable;
• selectively actuated drive means for causing motion of said support housing on said bearing means only in a direction away from said rest position;
• said driving means providing, when actuated, radially inward travel of said signal pickup to effect said scanning of said information;
• extendible cord means having its ends respectively secured to said base and said cover;
• wherein said cord means extend as said cover is lifted away from said base;
• and
• engaging means affixed to said extendible cord means to the exclusion of said support housing;
• said engaging means subject to motion between first and second locations along a path lying parallel to said radially disposed signal pickup path in response to movement of said cover with respect to said base;
• said engaging means occupying said first location when said cover is in a closed position and occupying said second location when said cover is in an open position;
• the location of said path for said engaging means being disposed relative to said support housing in such manner that said engaging means:
• (1) is subject to engagement with said support housing during motion of said engaging means from said first location to said second location, when said cover is moved from said closed position to said open position in the instance of absence of said support housing from said rest position, to cause movement of said support housing toward said rest position;
• (2) is subject to disengagement from said support housing during motion of said engaging means for said second location to said first location, when said cover is moved from said open position to said closed position, so that closure of said cover may be effected without disturbance of the position of said support housing;
• and (3) remains disengaged from said support housing during radial inward travel of said support housing under closed cover conditions, until the terminal portion of such travel.