Compact disc handling mechanism

A disc handling mechanism for transferring a disc between a storage rack and a disc player, said disc handling mechanism comprising:

• a cartridge insertable into a disk player and movable between a first position adjacent the storage rack and a second position adjacent the disc player, said cartridge having a slot;
• a rotary arm cam operable for intermittent rotation in alternating directions that engages the slot of the cartridge and moves the cartridge between the first and second positions as the cam rotates;
• a disc feed mechanism engaged by the rotary arm cam for transferring a disc from the storage rack to the cartridge at the first position as the rotary arm cam rotates;
• and
• a disc extraction mechanism engaged by the rotary arm cam for transferring the disc from the cartridge at the first position to the storage rack as the rotary arm cam rotates.

A disc handling mechanism for transferring a disc between a storage rack and a disc player, said disc handling mechanism comprising:

• a rotary arm cam operable for intermittent rotation in alternating directions;
• disc feed means for transferring the disc from the storage rack to a cartridge, wherein the rotary arm cam engages the disc feed means during a first portion of its rotation to move the disc from the storage rack to the cartridge at a first position adjacent the storage rack;
• the cartridge movable between a first position adjacent the storage rack and a second position adjacent the disc player, wherein the rotary arm cam engages the cartridge during a second portion of its rotation to move the cartridge between the first and second positions;
• and
• disc extraction means for transferring the disc from the cartridge at the first position to the storage rack as the rotary arm cam rotates, wherein the rotary arm cam engages the disc extraction means during a third portion of its rotation to move the disc from the cartridge at the first position to the storage rack.

A disc handling mechanism for transferring a disc between a storage rack and a disc player, said disc handling mechanism comprising:

• a rotary arm cam operable for intermittent rotation in alternating directions;
• disc feed means for transferring the disc from the storage rack to a cartridge, wherein the disc feed means includes a pivotally-mounted feeder arm that contacts the disc and a scissors mechanism linked to the feeder arm, wherein the rotary arm cam engages the scissors mechanism during a portion of the rotary arm cam rotation in a forward direction to pivot the feeder arm to roll the disc from the storage rack to the cartridge at a first position adjacent the storage rack and engages the scissors mechanism during another portion of the rotary arm cam rotation in the forward direction to return the feeder arm to its original position;
• the cartridge movable between a first position adjacent the storage rack and a second position adjacent a disc player, wherein the cartridge includes a slot oriented transverse to the direction of movement of the cartridge, wherein the rotary arm cam engages the slot in the cartridge during a portion of its rotation in the forward direction to move the cartridge from the first position to the second position, and wherein the rotary arm cam engages the slot in the cartridge during a portion of its rotation in a reverse direction to move the cartridge from the second position back to the first position;
• and
• disc extraction means for transferring the disc between the cartridge at the first position and the storage rack, wherein the disc extraction means includes a disc extraction arm pivotally-mounted within the cartridge and a first gear affixed to the pivoted end of the disc extraction arm, wherein the disc extraction means further includes a second gear engaged by the first gear when the cartridge is at the first position, and wherein the rotary arm cam engages and rotates the second gear during a portion of its rotation in the forward direction to lower the disc extraction arm and guide the disc into the cartridge, and wherein the rotary arm cam engages and rotates the second gear during a portion of its rotation in the reverse direction to raise the disc extraction arm and roll the disc out of the cartridge and onto the storage rack.

A disc handling mechanism for transferring a disc between a storage rack and a disc player, said disc handling mechanism comprising:

• a cartridge movable between a first position adjacent the storage rack and a second position adjacent the disc player, said cartridge having a slot and an inclined plane;
• a rotary arm cam operable for intermittent rotation in alternating directions, wherein the rotary arm cam engages the slot of the cartridge and moves the cartridge between the first and second positions as the rotary arm cam rotates;
• a disc feed mechanism engaged by the rotary arm cam for rolling the disc from the storage rack to the cartridge at the first position as the rotary arm cam rotates, wherein the disc feed mechanism includes a feeder arm that contacts the disc and a scissors mechanism linked to the feeder arm, wherein the scissors mechanism is engaged by the rotary arm cam for opening and closing the scissors mechanism for respectively lowering and raising the feeder arm, and
• a disc extraction mechanism engaged by the rotary arm cam for rolling the disc from the cartridge at the first position to the storage rack as the rotary arm cam rotates, wherein the disc extraction mechanism includes an arm housed within the cartridge and pivoted at one end thereof, and includes means engaged by the rotary arm cam when the cartridge is at the first position and operative for raising the disc extraction arm and thereby rolling the disc out of the cartridge and onto the storage rack.