Automatic reverse tape recorder with means for stopping the automatic reverse operation during recording

#This invention relates to an automatic reverse tape recorder and more particularly to an automatic reverse tape recorder, allowing for not only reproduction but also recording.

#An automatic reverse tape recorder which is provided with forward and reverse magnetic heads and allows for the reproduction of sounds from a compact cassette tape in either the forward or reverse direction is already known in the form of a car stereophonic system. This conventional tape recorder is only arranged for reproduction but not for recording. With the customary cassette tape, the prescribed level can be accurately defined only on the A side of the cassette tape recorder, but not on the B side thereof. Therefore, recording has to be made on the A side alone. Recording can not be effected on the B side with proper tone qualities. Where recording is carried out on one side of a cassette tape, the other side of which is already supplied with, for example, musical tones which should not be erased, then an erroneous automatic reverse operation at the end of recording on said one side sometimes tends to erase the required musical tones already recorded on said one side. At any rate, it is practically preferred that the automatic reverse operation be stopped during recording. To date, however, there has not yet been provided an automatic reverse tape recorder which not only allows for both reproduction and recording, but also permits the automatic reverse operation only during reproduction and stops it during recording.

#With the automatic reverse tape recorder, a program button, for example, is sometimes pressed by error during recording to execute a program (that is, manual reversion). Such erroneous operation during recording undesirably causes recording to be shifted from, for example, the A side of the cassette tape to the B side thereof, thereby preventing proper recording from being carried out on the A side and causing unnecessary recording to be made on the B side. Particularly where a necessary musical piece is already recorded, then there is the possibility that irremediable difficulties arise. To avoid such event, there has been proposed a cassette tape recorder which is designed to lock a program button during recording to prevent it from being pressed, thereby stopping the execution of a program during recording. However, this known tape recorder which requires a mechanism for locking a program switch during recording has the drawback that the recorder unavoidably has a complicated arrangement and involves an increased number of parts.

#FIG. 1 is a plan view of an automatic reverse tape recorder embodying this invention, with a case taken off;

#FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a reel rest;

#FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an assembled reel rest;

#There will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing an automatic reverse tape recorder embodying this invention.

#Referring to FIG. 1, a cassette tape of the automatic reverse tape recorder of this invention comprises a movable chassis 16 rotatably fitted to a fixed chassis 14 by means of a pair of rotation pins 11, 12. As in the Staar system, the movable chassis 16 rises upward in a rotated state when a locking mechanism 20 is released by the insertion of a cassette 18. When the movable chassis 16 rises, the cassette 18 is supported on a reel mechanism 22. A rotation torque is transmitted from a motor 24 to the reel mechanism 22 by means of a motive power-transmitting mechanism 26. A head-supporting board 30 carrying a pair of recording-reproduction heads 27, 28 is rotatably fitted to the fixed chassis 14. There paired recording-reproduction heads 27, 28 may be each of the 4-track 2-channel type and are spaced from the rotation center of a head-supporting board 30 at the same distance. A rotatable cam board 32 designed to rotate the head-supporting board 30 for the alternate push of the paired recording-reproduction heads and a plunger mechanism 34 are also mounted on the fixed chassis 14. A rotatable pinch roller-supporting board 40 is also mounted on the fixed chassis 14 at a point above the head-supporting board 30. This pinch roller-supporting board 40 is provided at one end with a pinch roller 38 for clamping a tape with the aid of a capstan shaft 36 set on the movable chassis 16. A tape FF lever 42 is also provided on the fixed chassis 14. When the pinch roller-supporting board 40 is rotated to retract the pinch roller 38, then the tape FF lever 42 effect the quick run of a cassette tape. An erase head 44 is retractively set on the fixed chassis 14, which is also fitted with an erase head changeover mechanism 46 for controlling the forward and backward movements of the erase head 44. In addition to the above-mentioned mechanical parts, a head circuit changeover switch 48 and motor polarity changeover switch 50 are mounted on a printed circuit board (not shown) disposed below the fixed chassis 14. Further, a tape running direction-instructing switch 52 is mounted on the fixed chassis 14. There will now be described the constituent parts of the aforesaid various mechanisms and other mechanisms.

#Now, viewed from the direction in which the cassette is inserted into the tape recorder, that is, the right side of FIG. 1, the direction in which a tape is run from the left to the right is referred to as "a forward direction". The opposite direction in which the tape travels from the right to the left is referred to as "a reverse direction".