Magnetic tape cassette recorder having a slidably and tiltably mounted cassette holder and a latch interlock mechanism
AssigneeDatatape Incorporated
InventorsRafn Stefansson, Merle Westover
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic tape cassette recording/reproducing apparatus includes a magnetic tape cassette loader which allows easy insertion and removal of a cassette relative to the apparatus and which positively locks the cassette within the apparatus during recording and reproducing operations. The magnetic tape cassette loader includes a cassette holder that is tiltable and slidable relative to the recorder to permit easy insertion and removal of a cassette therein; a handle and latch assembly for handling and latching the cassette holder in the recorder; and an interlock mechanism for locking and unlocking the latch mechanism in response to actuation by a magnetic tape threading apparatus.
Claims5
A magnetic tape cassette recorder comprising:
- a recorder frame;
- magnetic tape cassette holding means for releasably holding a magnetic tape cassette;
- mounting means on said recorder frame for slidably mounting said magnetic tape cassette holding means for linear sliding movement between a first position spaced from said frame and a second position within said frame, said mounting means including means for tilting said holding means, relative to said linear sliding movement when in said first position for facilitating insertion and removal of a magnetic tape cassette with respect to said cassette holding means;
- cooperative latch means on said recorder frame and on said holding means for latching said holding means in said recorder frame when said holding means is in said second position;
- interlock means coupled to said latch means for selectively locking and unlocking said latch means;
- and
- wherein said recorder includes tape threading means mounted on said recorder frame for removing tape from a cassette held by said holding means at said second position within said frame, wherein said threading means (a) deactuates said interlock means to lock said latch means to prevent movement of said cassette holding means from said second position when said threading means has been actuated and removed tape from a cassette, and (b) actuates said interlock means to unlock said latch means to allow movement of said cassette holding means from said second position when said threading means has been deactuated and tape is returned to said cassette.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.