Fluidic controlled cartridge ejector

A magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus including a housing, a cassette support frame movably mounted on said housing for movement between a first loading position and a second recording and/or reproducing position with respect to said housing;

• means for normally urging said support frame from said second position to said first position;
• releasable latch means for holding said frame in said second position against the bias of said urging means, and an automatic speed control means operatively engaged with said frame for reducing the speed of movement of said frame from said second to said first position against the bias of said urging means without effecting movement of said frame from the first to the second position thereof, said control means comprising an air impeller rotatably mounted on said housing and transmission means operatively connected between said impeller and said frame for rotating said impeller when the frame moves from said second to said first position, but not when the frame is moved from said first to said second position.

A magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus including a housing, a cassette support frame movably mounted on said housing for movement between a first loading position and a second recording and/or reproducing position with respect to said housing;

• means for normally urging said support frame from said second position to said first position;
• releasable latch means for holding said frame in said second position against the bias of said urging means, and an automatic speed control means operatively engaged with said frame for reducing the speed of movement of said frame from said second to said first position against the bias of said urging means without effecting movement of said frame from the first to the second position thereof, said control means comprising a dash pot having a piston thereon and a piston rod extending therefrom, one of said dash pot and piston rod being operatively connected to said frame.

In a magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus including a housing, a cassette holder movably mounted in the housing for movement between a first loading position and a second operating position in the housing for recording and/or reproducing information on a cassette in the holder, spring means for normally urging said cassette holder from said second position to said first position and releasable latch means for holding said cassette holder in said operating position against the bias of said spring means, the improvement comprising unidirectional fluidic resistance means operable to exert a retarding fluid resistance force;

• and a linkage for coupling said cassette holder to said fluidic resistance means to operate the latter substantially only when said cassette holder moves from said second position to said first position and retard such movement of said cassette holder thereby to reduce the speed of movement of said cassette holder from said operating position to said loading position, and for permitting said cassette holder to be moved from said loading position to said operating position against the bias of said spring means without any substantial resistance from said unidirectional fluidic resistance means.

In a magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus including a housing, a cassette holder movably mounted in the housing for movement between a first loading position and a second operating position in the housing for recording and/or reproducing information on a cassette in the holder, spring means for normally urging said cassette holder from said second position to said first position and releasable latch means for holding said cassette holder in said operating position against the bias of said urging means, the improvement comprising an air impeller rotatably mounted on said housing and transmission means operatively connected between said impeller and said cassette holder for rotating said impeller when the cassette holder moves from said second to said first position, but not when the cassette holder is moved from said first to said second position, thereby to reduce the speed of movement of said cassette holder from said operating position to said loading position, and for permitting said cassette holder to be moved from said loading position to said operating position against the bias of said spring means without any substantial resistance from said air impeller.

In a magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus including a housing, a cassette holder movably mounted in the housing for movement between a first loading position and a second operating position in the housing for recording and/or reproducing information on a cassette in the holder, spring means for normally urging said cassette holder from said second position to said first position and releasable latch means for holding said cassette holder in said operating position against the bias of said urging means, the improvement comprising a dash pot having a piston thereon and a piston rod extending therefrom, one of said dash pot and piston rod being operatively connected to said cassette holder, thereby to reduce the speed of movement of said cassette holder from said operating position to said loading position, and for permitting said cassette holder to be moved from said loading position to said operating position against the bias of said spring means without any substantial resistance from said dash pot.