Information recording and reproducing apparatus for automatically loading and unloading and manually unloading a recording medium

An information recording/reproducing apparatus for effecting at least one of information recording on and information reproducing from a recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

• a front panel having a first opening formed therein for allowing insertion and discharge of the recording medium and a second opening formed therein separately from and smaller than the first opening;
• a holder for receiving the recording medium inserted through the first opening in said front panel, and for transporting the recording medium from an insertion position in a horizontal transport direction and for then lowering the recording medium in a vertical loading direction to automatically load the recording medium to a loading position;
• a holder locking member for locking said holder in the insertion position when said holder receives the recording medium inserted through the first opening and when the recording medium is discharged from said holder through the first opening;
• a pushing member provided in said holder for pushing the recording medium from said holder by a pushing force;
• a recording medium locking member for locking the recording medium in said holder when said holder receives the recording medium;
• and
• a slidable member slidable in directions opposite to the transport directions of the recording medium in association with transport movement of said holder,
• wherein said holder locking member releases the lock of said holder and said recording medium locking member locks the recording medium in said holder when said holder receives the recording medium inserted through the first opening and against the pushing force of the pushing member, and then said holder transports the recording medium in the horizontal transport direction and lowers the recording medium in the vertical loading direction to load the recording medium to the loading position, said slidable member being positioned adjacent the second opening in said front panel when the recording medium is in the loading position in association with loading movement of said holder, and said holder being moved from the loading position to the insertion position by pushing said slidable member toward the loading position by inserting a rod-like member through the second opening in said front panel, said holder locking member locking said holder in the insertion position and said recording medium locking member releasing the lock of the recording medium to discharge the recording medium from said holder by said pushing member when automatic transportation of said holder is rendered impossible under an abnormal operating condition.

An information recording/reproducing apparatus for effecting at least one of information recording on and information reproducing from a recording medium, said apparatus comprising:

• a front panel having an opening formed therein for allowing insertion and discharge of the recording medium between an insertion position and a discharge position, respectively;
• a holder for receiving the recording medium inserted through the opening in said front panel, said holder automatically transporting the recording medium in transport directions from the insertion position to a loading position and from the loading position to the discharge position;
• a slidable member movable in the recording medium transport directions and engageable with said holder in the loading position, said slidable member maintaining engagement with said holder when moved;
• and
• a lever member integrally coupled to said slidable member and adapted to be pulled through said front panel for moving said slidable member toward the discharge position;
• and
• wherein the recording medium is transported from the loading position to the discharge position by manually pulling said lever member through said front panel when automatic transportation of said holder is rendered impossible under an abnormal operating condition.