Recording/reproducing apparatus including an auto changer for a disk-like recording medium

An auto player comprising:

• right and left tray stockers disposed adjacently and in parallel with each other, said right and left tray stockers having multistage guide grooves for storing a plurality of recording mediums;
• said multistage guide grooves configured so as to allow a tray accommodating a recording medium to be inserted from a front end thereof and to be extracted from a rear end thereof;
• a lifter disposed at said rear end of said right and left tray stockers for transporting a recording medium in a vertical direction;
• a tray extracting mechanism provided on said lifter for extracting two trays from said right and left tray stockers, said tray extracting mechanism including two disk clampers, and a slider slidable in a frontward and rearward direction of said right and left tray stockers, said slider having an engaging means for simultaneously engaging with two trays disposed at a same height in each of said right and left tray stockers when said slider is extended frontwardly toward said right and left tray stockers;
• record/reproduce means disposed below said lifter and shiftable to a position right below a selected recording medium for receiving and placing the selected recording medium in position for recording/reproducing;
• a shift mechanism defined by a rack and a partially geared pinion for shifting said record/reproduce means, said rack being formed on said record/reproduce means, said partially geared pinion being formed thereon with a geared portion, said geared portion meshing with said rack so as to drive said rack in response to a rotation of said partially geared pinion, and a non-geared portion, said non-geared portion disengaging said rack from said partially geared pinion;
• and
• a lock mechanism integrally shifting together with said partially geared pinion, said lock mechanism engaging with said record/reproduce means when said rack is disengaged from said partially geared pinion.

A recording/reproducing apparatus including an auto changer for a disk-like recording medium comprising:

• a plurality of trays, each structured for accommodating a recording medium;
• right and left tray stockers disposed adjacently and in parallel with each other, having multistage guide grooves storing said plurality of trays, said guide grooves being configured so as to allow a tray accommodating a recording medium to be inserted from a front end thereof and to be extracted from a rear end thereof;
• a lifter disposed at said rear end of said right and left tray stockers;
• a gate provided at the rear end of said right and left tray stockers so as to be displacable between an open position and a closed position, said gate preventing said tray from being extracted out of said right and left tray stockers toward said lifter when said gate is in said closed position and allowing said tray to be extracted toward said lifter when said gate is in said open position;
• a lock member linked with said gate to lock said lifter when said gate is opened;
• a tray extracting mechanism provided on said lifter for extracting a plurality of trays from said right and left tray stockers, said tray extracting mechanism including a plurality of disk clampers, and a slider slidable in a frontward and rearward direction of said right and left tray stockers, said slider having an engaging means for simultaneously engaging with plural trays disposed at a same height in each of said right and left tray stockers when said slider is extended frontwardly toward said right and left tray stockers;
• said plurality of disk clampers holding said plurality of trays extracted by said tray extracting mechanism and said lifter transporting said plurality of trays vertically downwardly;
• and
• record/reproduce means disposed below said lifter for receiving a selected recording medium from a corresponding one of said plurality of extracted trays for recording/reproducing.