Mode control device for tape recorders

A mode control device for a tape recorder comprising:

• an electric source operation lever and a slide plate, said electric source operation lever being slidably mounted upon said slide plate;
• locking means for retaining said electric source operation lever at ON, OFF and eject positions thereof;
• a first engagement pin rigidly coupled to a side portion of said electric source operation lever;
• a rotational member rotatably supported upon said slide plate, said rotational member being rotatable in a plane parallel to a plane of said electric source operation lever, an arm of said rotational member abutting against said first engagement pin when said electric source operation lever is moved from said OFF position to said eject position thereby rotating said rotational member to a predetermined rotational position;
• a rotatable arm rotatably in a plane perpendicular to said plane of said electric source operation lever, said rotatable arm being disposed to rotate in response to rotation of said rotational member wherein a tape cassette is ejected when said electric source operation lever is moved from said OFF position to said eject position;
• a spring for biasing said rotational member in a direction toward the position of said rotational member when said electric source operation lever is in said OFF position;
• a rotatably mounted pinch lever;
• a pinch roller rotatably mounted on said pinch lever;
• a second engagement pin engaged with a cam surface formed on one side of said electric source operation lever in said OFF position of said electric source operation lever and disengaged from said cam portion of said electric source operation lever is said ON position of said electric source operation lever;
• a spring for urging said second engagement pin into engagement with said cam portion of said electric source operation lever, said pinch roller being located close to a capstan but slightly removed from said capstan in said ON position;
• a magnetic head plate slidably mounted to slide in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which said electric source operation lever is slidable;
• a recording and playback head and an erasing head mounted on said magnetic head plate;
• said magnetic head plate having a first engagement portion engaged with an end portion of said pinch lever and a second engagement portion engaged with a cam surface formed on one side of said pinch lever wherein, when said electric source operation lever is in said ON position, said pinch lever is in a position such that said heads are in contact with the surface of a magnetic tape;
• a function lever for changing between recording, stop, playback and rewinding modes, said function lever being slidably mounted in the same direction as said electric source operation lever, said function lever having an upper corrugated cam;
• a roller fixedly mounted upon a chassis upon which said slide plate is mounted, said roller being resiliently engaged with said corrugated cam of said function lever to retain said function lever in positions corresponding to recording, stop and playback modes, said function lever having a corrugated cam portion formed on an end portion thereof;
• a third engagement pin rigidly coupled to said pinch lever and engaged with said corrugated cam portion of said function lever;
• a fourth engagement pin for engaging a concave portion formed in said head plate to prevent lateral movement of said function lever in said OFF position of said electric source operation lever whereby rotational movement of said pinch lever is restricted to prevent said pinch roller from contacting against a capstan in said OFF position;
• a locking lever and fixed plate with said fixed plate being rigidly connected to said slide plate and said locking lever being rotatably supported by said fixed plate, said locking lever having a projecting end portion for engaging with a concave area of said function lever in said stop mode position and said locking lever having an engagement member blocking a fifth engagement pin rigidly coupled to said electric source operation lever to prevent operation of said electric source operation lever when said function lever is in one of said recording, playback and rewinding mode positions;
• a fast-forward lever for setting tape drive means in and out of a fast-forward mode, said fast-forward lever being slidably mounted upon said chassis;
• and a locking plate coupled to said function lever for preventing operation of said fast-forward lever except when said function lever is in one of said stop and playback mode positions.