Automatic disc changer for retrieving a lowermost disc from a stack of stored discs and returning the disc to the top of the stack

An automatic disc changer comprising:

• a tray storage section for accommodating a stack of disc trays each having a disc support surface;
• a play section, adjoining said tray storage section, having an information pick-up unit disposed therein, said information pick-up unit being supported in said play section for movement up and down between elevated and lowered positions corresponding respectively to a play position and a stand-by position;
• a tray transport means movable between a tray receiving position within said tray storage section, and a tray delivery position within said play section, for transporting a lowermost disc tray, of a stack of the disc trays within said tray storage section, to the stand-by position immediately above said information pick-up unit as said tray transport means moves from the receiving position towards the delivery position, wherein remaining disc trays of the stack of disc trays within the tray storage section are lowered by the effect of gravitational force in a movement direction once the lowermost disc tray has been transported towards the stand-by position;
• a tray elevating means, carrying the information pickup unit and operable in response to arrival of said tray transport means at the delivery position, for elevating a disc tray, delivered to the stand-by position, towards the play position along with the information pick-up unit in a direction substantially parallel to the movement direction of the disc trays stacked within the disc storage section;
• a support means for supporting a disc tray, once transported to the play position by said tray elevating means, at the play position such that information recording or playback can take place while the disc tray is held at the play position by said support means;
• and
• a tray returning means for returning a disc tray from the play position back to the tray storage section in a position immediately above the stack of the disc trays remaining within the tray storage section after the information recording or playback has been completed.