Video disc player having carriage drive apparatus

In a player for recovering prerecorded signals from a turntable-supported disc record by means of a signal pickup when pickup/record relative motion is established during playback;

• said signal pickup being disposed in a translatable carriage;
• a carriage drive apparatus comprising:
• (A) an input shaft rotatably mounted in said player;
• (b) a first member loosely mounted on sand having a first clutch portion;
• said first member being coupled to said carriage;
• (c) a second member consisting of a second clutch portion disposed at one end of a sleeve portion;
• said second member being loosely mounted on said shaft such that said clutch portions are juxtaposed;
• said sleeve portion having an elongated slot disposed in a direction parallel to said shaft;
• (d) a pin fixedly secured to said shaft and extending through said elongated slot in said sleeve portion for coupling the rotational motion of said shaft to said second member without interfering with the axial location of said second member relative to said shaft;
• (E) a spring disposed between said pin secured to said shaft and said second member rotatably coupled to said shaft for biasing said clutch portions in engagement with each other;
• (F) means for rotating said input shaft at a speed such that said carriage, coupled to said first member, follows the motion of said signal pickup across said record;
• and
• (G) means for selectively displacing said second member in a direction causing said clutch portions to disengage to permit motion of said carriage with freedom from hindrance by said carriage drive apparatus.