US3752485A

US3752485A - Automatic and continuous cassette player

Info

Publication number: US3752485A
Application number: US00031153A
Authority: US
Inventors: K Okabe
Original assignee: Victor Company of Japan Ltd
Current assignee: Victor Company of Japan Ltd
Priority date: 1969-04-12
Filing date: 1970-04-23
Publication date: 1973-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-14

Abstract

An apparatus for playing a plurality of cassettes automatically and continuously in sequence. The apparatus plays a cassette taken out from a sequentially fed cassette case; and both forward and reverse channel tracks of a two track tape of each cassette are put to reproducing performance to play.

Description

Waite Stes Q 191 [11] 3,752,485 Oltabe Aug. 14, 1973 AUTOMATIC AND CONTINUOUS 3,359,665 12/1967 Gerry 274/4 F CASSETTE PLAYER 3,093,334 6/1963 242/189 3,240,550 3/1966 242/189 [75] Inventor: Katsuhiko ()kabe, Tokorozawa, 2,920,501 1/1960 74/ 1 Japan 2,307,886 1/1943 74/415 Assigneez victor p y of J p Ltd. 3,127,178 3/1964 Osborne 274/4 F Japan FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 1 Filed: p 1970 1,299,127 7/1969 Germany 274/4 F [21] App]. No.: 31,153

Primary ExaminerLouis R. Prince 30 Fore A Eamon Prior Data Assistant Examiner-Dennis A. Dearing 1 Apr 28 2 J ty 44/32924 Att0rney-Holman, Glascock, Downing and Seebold Apr. 28, 1969 Japan 44/39036 52 US. 01. 274/4 F, 179/1002 z [57] ABSTRACT 23 g i i An apparatus for playing a plurality of cassettes autol e 4 5 6 2 matically and continuously in sequence. The apparatus 353 5 32-84 plays a cassette taken out from a sequentially fed cassette case; and both forward and reverse channel tracks of a two track tape of each cassette are put to repro- [56] UNITE I D Z'EZ'TZS SZ FENTS ducing performance to play. 3,617,066 11/1971 Foekela 274/4 F 2 Claims, 27 Drawing Figures PAIENIEBMIG 14 an 3; 752.485

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INVENTOR k BY ATTORNEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an automatic and continuous cassette player, in other words, a cassette changer, and more particularly to an apparatus for playing automatically and continuously in sequence a plurality of cassettes each containing a web of tape.

2. Description of Prior Art A conventional automatic cassette player generally has a construction in which a number of cassettes piled up in a stack are shifted downwardly consecutively in the player and a cassette in the lowest position in the stack is first played and discharged from the player at the end of playing. Such type of a player has however the disadvantages that the operator cannot play but one channel track in the course of the forward travel of tape of each cassette, while, for playing the other channel track of each tape he is required to turn over all the cassettes in the stack; and moreoverif it is required to replay a formerly played cassette it is required to load the particular cassette in a predetermined position in the player. This may prove to be a disadvantage on occasions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the general object ofthe present invention to provide a novel automatic and continuous cassette player which is devoid of the disadvantages as encountered in a conventional player.

A primary object of the present invention is therefore to provide an automatic and continuous cassette player in which a plurality of cassettes can be played automatically and continuously in sequence, each of which can be automatically turned over to play both forward and reverse channel tracks of the tape.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic and continuous cassette player of the type described which comprises two units of playing means oppositely provided for sequentially playing both forward and reverse channels of a tape in a cassette, and a means for turning over the cassette once played by a first playing means to a position cooperating with the second playing means.

A third object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described having a means for feeding a case containing a plurality of cassettes in arrangement so as to automatically and continuously play a preferred cassette sequentially in cooperation with the cassette case.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic and continuous cassette player of the type described having a novel switch means which make different switching operations in response to shifting and feeding of the cassette in two dimensional directions both longitudinally and transversely.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic and continuous cassette player having a means for detecting readily and automatically 3. termination of a tape in the cassette by use of a large tension of a tape at the termination of playing of a tape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of an embodiment'of an automatic and continuous cassette player according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the player showing a head plate portion, a switch mechanism and a cassette case feed mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the player showing a cam gear driving mechanism and a mechanism for driving capstans and reel discs;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are respectively a front view and a vertical sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a mechanism for taking out, shifting and turning a cassette;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are respectively a plan view and a bottom view of a cam gear;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a head plate sliding mechanism;

FIGS. 9A to 9C are schematically developed views of cam surfaces;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a back surface of a cassette case;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are respectively a front view and a bottom view of the cassette case shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating the feeding operation of the cassette case;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a switch mechanism;

FIGS. 14A, 14B and 14C are plan views respectively illustrating the operation of the switch mechanism as shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of a mechanism detecting a termination of tape;

FIGS. 16A and 16B are views respectively illustrating the detecting operation of the tape termination;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cassette case;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the player in use of the cassette case shown in FIG. 17; and

FIGS. 19A and 19B are respectively a perspective view and a front view of still another embodiment of the cassette case.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED INVENTIVE EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, a case guide 11 is provided on a chassis base 10. A cassette case 13, which is of a rectangular shape and houses in parallel arrangement a plurality of tape cassettes 12 each containing a recorded tape, is loaded from the right on FIGS. 1 and 4 onto the guide 11. The cassettes 12 are housed in the cassette case 13 with each front surface cooperating with the magnetic head turned upwards. The cassette case 13 is composed of partition plates 14 separating the cassettes from each other, side plates 15, a bottom plate 16 and reinforcing plates 17a, 17b as shown in FIGS. 10, 11A and 118. Each partition platel4 and each side plate 15 has a notch 18 of the same size. The bottom plate 16 is provided with a number of projections 19 for feeding a cassette case 13 as later described and a rack 20 for positioning the case. A cover may preferably be provided on the case 13 unless it obstructs the taking out of the cassette 12 as later described. The said cover or the reinforcing plates 17a and [17b may have desired titles of music to be played on the cassette. The cassettes accommodated in the case 13 can be assorted or classified as desired. The case 13 also can contain cassettes of the same kind or denomination representing a specified collection in a group. In addition it can serve for protecting of the cassettes.

A lever arm 21a of a lever 21 shown in FIG. 2 is positioned to be inserted into the notches 18 of the cassette case 13 laid on the case guide 11. Byleftward insertion of the cassette case 13 the cassette at the left end in the case 13 moves the lever 21 counterclockwise. By the movement of the lever 21, a microswitch 23 is closed ON by an actuator 22.

When the switch 23 is closed a plunger 24 shown in FIG. 3 is actuated to move a lever 25 clockwise against the force of a spring 26, whereby a lever 27 is released from the locking action of a pawl 25a. The lever 27 is turned counterclockwise about a shaft 29 by the force of a spring 28. A pin 30 projecting from the lever 27 rotates a lever 31 clockwise against force of a spring 33 about a shaft 32. A lever 34 by revolution of the lever 31 is released from engagement with a pin 35 of the lever 31. At the start of the operation a pin 36 provided on the lever 34 engages a recess 39 on cam surface 38 provided at the lower side of a cam gear 37 which can rotate about the shaft 32.

As the lever 31 revolves as described above, an idler 40 provided rotatably thereon contacts a motor shaft 42 of a motor 41 and receives a rotating force. A gear 43 integrally rotatable on the shaft of the idler 40 rotates in engagement with the cam gear 37 so that the cam gear 37 also receives a rotating force and is rotated. At the instant the lever 34 has been released from engagement with the lever 31, the pin 36 is released from the recess 39 by rotation of the cam gear 37 and engages with the cam surface 38. A cam gear 45 which meshes with a gear 44 integrally coaxially rotatable with the cam gear 37 is rotated accompanying the rotation of the cam gear 37.

There are provided a cam groove 46 on the upper surface of the cam gear 45 as shown in FIG. 7A and a cam groove 47 on the lower surface thereof as shown in FIG.7B. A pin 49 on a lever 48 contacts the cam groove 47 of the cam gear 45. The lever 48 has at its end a long groove 51 fitted with a fixed pin 5. At the other end the lever 48 is pivotted on a lever 53 revolvable about a shaft 52 as shown in FIG.6. Therefore by rotation of the cam gear 45 the lever 48 is made to slide, thereby revolving the lever 53.

A developed view showing the cam surface of the cam groove 47 is provided in FIG.9A as indicated by a line I. While the cam gear 45 rotates through an angle 0, the lever 53 is revolves in a clockwise direction. A cassette pushing arm 54 having a pair of L-shaped

arms

54a and 54b has

pins

58 and 59 fitted to

elongated grooves

56 and 57 of a guide plate 55 as shown in FIGS.5 and 6. At the other end the lever 53 is provided with a U-shaped groove 60 in which engages the pin 58. Hence in response to the swing of the lever 53 the pushing arm 54 slides along the guide plate 55. At the start of rotation of the cam gear 45 the lever 53 is in a position as shown in F161 while the pushing arm 54 is not ready for pushing the cassette 12 in the cassette case 13. When, by rotation of the cam gear 45, the lever 53 is revolved clockwise about the shaft 52 on FlG.1, the pushing arm 54 is moved to right in FlG.5, pushes the cassette 12 and takes it out from the cassette case 13. As the lever 53 revolves to its farthest position the eassette 12 can be shifted and inserted and held securely in a cassette holder 61 as shown in FIG.6.

As shown in F1GS.2 and 6, a slide lever 64 has a rack 62 at its one end and a pin 63 at the other end in contact with the cam groove 46 of the cam gear 45. The lever 64 is stopped during rotation of the cam gear 45 through the angle 0, and slides leftwards in F162 along the cam groove 46 which has a developed surface shown by line 11 in FlG.9B, during rotation of the cam gear 45 moving from the angle 0, to an angle 6 A pinion 65 meshing with the rack 62 is rotated clockwise by sliding of the lever 64 as shown in FIG.6. In consequence, the cassette holder 61 which is holding the eassette 12 is rotated clockwise to descend on the right side. When the cassette holder 61 lies down horizontally,

reel discs

66 and 67 are inserted into the cassette 12 through

holes

68 and 69 on the cassette holder 61 and fitted to reel

holes

70 and 71 of the cassette 12.

It will be seen that as the cam gear 45 is rotated through the angle 0 a cam 72 provided at the lower surface of the cam gear 37 shown in F108 is rotated through an angle 0 on the developed cam surface as shown by line III in FIG.9C. The cam gear 37 is provided with a preferred number of teeth engageable with the cam gear 45 which is also provided with a preferred number of teeth such that the gear 37 makes three rotations while the gear 45 will make one rotation. Therefore, as the cam gear 45 makes one third rotation the cam gear 37 makes one rotation. While the cam 72 with the cam gear 37 rotates over the angle 0 and completes its rotation through an angle 360, a lever 74 having at its end a pin 73 contacting with the cam 72 is moved clockwise about a shaft 75. There is provided a U-shaped groove 76 at the other end of the lever 74, which is engaged with a pin 79 on the lower surface of a slide lever 78 integrated with a head plate 77. A rotatable connection lever 84 engages with a pin 80 on the lever 78 and a pin 83 on a slide lever 82 integrated with a head plate 1 paired with the head plate 77. Thus, the slide levers 78 and 82 slide in opposite directions relative to each other through the connection lever 84. By clockwise movement of the lever 74 the lever 78 and the head plate 77 slide to the right, the connection lever 84 is rotated counterclockwise and the lever 82 and the head plate 81 slide to the left.

As shown in F162, the

head plates

81 and 77 are provided respectively with reproducing

magnetic heads

85 and 86,

pinch rollers

87 and 88, tape

termination detecting pins

89 and 90, and

microswitches

91 and 92. In FIG. 3 is shown a belt 95 tensioned between a pulley 93 on the shaft 42 of the motor 41 and a pulley 94. A belt 98 is tensioned between

pulleys

96 and 97 and contacting to

pulleys

94, 99 and 100. The

pulleys

96 and 97 are respectively provided with

capstans

101 and 102 projecting from

openings

103 and 104 of the

head plates

81 and 77. When the cassette 12 descends to the right with the holder 61, the capstan 101 engages the inside of a tape in the cassette from an opening 105.

Reel discs

106 and 107 are also provided on the opposite side of the head plate 77. The pulleys 99 and have respectively reel

disc drive shafts

108 and 109 in contact with the

reel discs

66 and 106. Normally, the forward ends of bent arms 78a and 82a of the

levers

78 and 82 will push

pins

110 and 111 which are movable integrally with the

drive shafts

108 and 109.

Therefore the

shafts

108 and 109 are detached from the

reel discs

66 and 106.

When with the clockwise movement of the lever 74, the lever 82 and the head plate 81 are moved slidably to the left through the

levers

78 and 84, the pinch roller 87, the head 85 and the pin 89 approach the front face of the cassette 12 and are laid down with the holder 61 and fitted to the

reel discs

66 and 67. The pinch roller, head and pin fit into the cassette 12 respectively through openings 1 12, 1 l3 and 114 at the front surface of the cassette as shown in H015 and contact a tape in the cassette 12. At the same time, the pin 110 is released from engagement with the arm 78a and the drive shaft 108 contacts the outer periphery of the reel disc 66. The reel disc 66 is rotated by the drive shaft 108 rotated by the force of the motor 41 transmitted through the pulley 94 and the belt 98. The pinch roller. 87 fitted in the cassette 12 and the capstan 101 hold the tape therebetween to run the tape by the rotating the capstan 101. Thereby a reproducing performance of the first channel track of forward travel of the tape in the cassette is made by means of the head 85.

When the cam gear 37 is rotated through an angle of 360, the pin 36 of the lever 34 is again engages the recess 39 of the cam gear 37; the lever 31 is rotated counterclockwise by the tension of the spring 33; the idler 40 is detached from the motor shaft 42; and the cam gears 37 and 45 are stopped. Then the cam gear 45 is in a position rotated by 120. During rotation of the cam gear 37 by the angle 0 the lever 27 having at its end a pin 1 l8 contacting the cam 72 is rotated counterclockwise and again locked to the lever 25.

The detecting pin 89 is always urged to fit into the cassette 12 by a spring 115 as shown in FIG. 15, the rear end of the pin 89 contacts a switch button 116 of the microswitch 91 and the forward end contacts a tape 117 in the cassette 12 as shown in FIG. 16A. Normally during the tape reproducing time the compressive force of the spring 1 is greater than the tension force of the tape 117 so that the pin 89 with its end tends to push the tape 1 17 to loosen it and the rear end of the pin 89 is out of contact with the microswitch 91 which therefore is opened and maintained in its OFF position. As the forward travel of the tape 1 17 in one direction and playing of the first forward channel tracks of the tape reach their end, the tension in the tape is increased by force of engagement with a supply reel and by the driving force of the capstan and the pinch roller so that the pin 89 is depressed rearwards by the tension force of the tape 117 against the force of the spring 115 as shown FIG.16B. Therefore the rear end of the pin 89 depresses the microswitch 91 which is closed to its ON position. By suitable adjustment of urging force of the spring 1 15 it is possible to regulate the detecting operation to become stable.

As the microswitch 91 is switched ON, the plunger 24 is again actuatedso as to release the lever 27 so that as described before the cam gears 37 and 45 start their rotations. The rotation of the cam 46 of the cam gear 45 is started at a position of 120 as shown in H098 and the rotation of the cam 72 of the cam gear 37 is started at a position of 360 as shown in FIG.9C. While the cam gear 37 makes its rotation from a position of 360 to a position of an angle of 0 the lever 74 is rotated counterclockwise by the pin 73 contacting with the cam 72. Accompanying this rotation of the lever 74, the lever 78 and the head plate 77 slide leftwards and the lever 82 and the head plate 81 slide rightwards causing the pinch roller 87, the head 85 and the pin 89 to be detached from the cassette 12. At the same time the pin is depressed with the end of the arm 78a and thereby the drive shaft 108 is detached from the reel disc 66 and the rotation of the reel disc 66 is therefore stopped.

When the cam gear 37 has rotated by the angle 0 the cam gear 45 has been rotated by an angles 0 While the cam gear 45 continues further rotation up to an angle 0 the lever 64 slides rightwards by the pin 63 contacting with the cam groove 46. Thereby the cassette holder 61 revolves counter-clockwise, rises up together with the cassette 12 to a vertical position, continues its turning movement and descends leftwardly and horizontally. Since the cassette holder 61 has been laid down to left the

reel discs

106 and 107 are fitted into the cassette 12 through holes on the cassette holder 61.

When the cam gear 45 has rotated through the angle 0 the cam gear 37 has been rotated through an angle 0 During rotation of the cam gear 37 by an angle 720 over the angle 0-, the lever 78 and the head plate 77 slide rightwards by same action as described above. As the cam gear 37 reaches the position of the angle 720 the cam gears 37 and 45 will stop their rotation. Then there is provided the reproducing performance of the second channel track for the reverse travel of the tape by means of the head 86. Having ended the reproducing performance for the reverse channel track the pin 90 detects the tape termination. Consequently, the microswitch 92 is switched ON, the plunger 24 is again actuated to rotate the cam gears 37 and 45. While the cam gear 37 reaches an angle 0 the head plate 77 slides leftwards so that the pinch roller 88, the head 86 and the pin 90 are detached from the cassette 12.

While the cam groove 46 of the cam gear 45 revolves from an angle 0 to angle 0 the lever 64 is urged to slide to left and the cassette holder 61 holding the cassette 12 is erected upright. At this instant the cam groove 47 also has been rotated by the angle 0 During the rotation of the cam 47 in the angle from 0 to 0, the lever 48 does not slide but it slides while the cam groove 47 travels the angle 360 over the angle 0, and the lever 53 revolves in the counterclockwise direction. By the rotation of the lever 53 the cassette 12 in the cassette holder 61 is pushed back by the arm portion 54b of the arm 54 and brought back in the cassette case 13.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14A to 14C, the lever 21 has

lever arms

21a and 21b pivotally supported with a lever by a shaft 119. When the cassette 12 is out of contact with the lever arm 21a, the lever arm 21b is tensioned by a spring 121 causing the lever 21 located at a position shown in F1G.l4A with the lever 120 engaged to a pin 122. As the cassette 12 is pushed back in the direction of an arrow Y into cassette case 13 as described above, a side of the cassette 12 will push the end of the lever 21 as shown in FlG.l4B, with the result that the lever 120 will rotate about a shaft 123. Then a microswitch is depressed by an actuator 124 provided at the lever 120 and is switched ON. Accordingly, the switch mechanism which includes the

levers

21, 120 and the

switches

23, 125 actuates in response to movements respectively in two dimensional directions both transversely and longitudinally of the eassette.

Since the microswitch 125 is ON a plunger 126 shown in FIG.2 is actuated so as to rotate the lever 127 clockwise against the bias of a spring 128 and release a lever 129 from locking with a pawl 127a. The lever 129 released from the locking is rotated counterclockwise about a shaft 131 by tension of a spring 130 causing a lever 133 to rotate in the clockwise direction about a shaft 134 against a force of a spring 135. By the rotation of the lever 133 a lever 136 is released from engagement wit the lever 133 by its with 137 and made free to rotate. At the start of the described operation a pin 138 on the lever 136 is made to engage in a recess 141 on a cam surface 140 at the lower surface of a gear 139.

During the described revolution of the lever 133, an idler 142 rotatably provided on the lever contacts the motor shaft 42 and receives a force of rotation. By rotation of the idler 142 a gear 143 provided rotatably integrally with the idler 142 rotates in meshing with the cam gear 139. Therefore, the cam gear 139 also receives a force of rotation. At this juncture, the lever 136 is released from engagement so that the pin 138 is released from the recess 141 rotation of the cam gear 139 and moves along the cam surface 140. By rotation of the cam gear 139 a gear 145 is rotated which is in mesh with a gear 144 rotatably provided coaxially and integrally with the cam gear 139.

There is a pin 146 provided on the upper surface of the gear 145. The pin 146 is in contact with the projection 19 at the bottom plate 16 of the cassette case 13 as shown in FIGJZ. By rotation of the gear 145 the pin 146 is rotated in the clockwise direction as shown by an arrow in FIG.12. A first half rotation from a point P to a point Q is made along a semi-circular portion 19a of the projection 19. In a second half rotation from the point Q to the point P the pin 146 will push a side of a rectangular portion 19b of the projection 19, which is carried together with the case 13 to a position shown by broken lines. Accordingly, the cassette case 13 will be moved and fed leftwards in one pitch by one rotation of the pin 146. Therefore a cassette adjacent to the cassette brought back to the case 13 after end of playing performance will come to a position opposite to the pushing arm 54. The

gears

144 and 145 have the same diameter and the same number of teeth. When the gear 144 has made one rotation the pin 138 will fit to the recess 141 so that the gear 144 will stop its rotation and accordingly the pin 146 after one rotation will stop its movement.

As soon as the cassette case 13 has been moved by one pitch to the left as described above, the lever 21 with an end inserted into the cassette case 13 from the notch 18 returns to a position shown in FIG. 14A together with the lever 120 by its fall between adjacent cassettes 12 through tension of the spring 121 as the cassette with which it is in contact is carried leftwards. Thereafter only the lever 21 is pushed leftwards by the adjacent cassette 12 carried from the right to rotate counterclockwise in the direction of an arrow X as shown in FIG. 14C whereby the microswitch 23 is closed. When the lever 21 is brought back to the position shown in FIG. 14A the microswitch 125 is opened. As the lever 120 remains in the same condition as in FIG. 14C the microswitch 125 is being opened.

When the microswitch 23 is switched ON by the newly fed cassette 12' the plunger 24 shown in FIG.3 is again actuated so as to repeat the above described operation from the start of playing performance of the cassette 12'. Thus the same automatic and continuous playing performance is similarly, carried out in sequence.

A modified embodiment of the cassette case according to the invention is now shown in FIG.17, in which a case 150 as modified has a cylindrical shape. The case 150 is composed of a circular bottom plate 151, a plurality of partition plates 152 vertically and radially provided on the bottom plate and having recesses 159, a reinforcing plate 153 provided on the upper periphery of the partition plate 152 and a cylindrical reinforcing plate 154. The cassettes 12 in plurality are housed in radial arrangement between each partition plate 152. FIG.18 is a plan view showing the cassette case 150 also applied in the player apparatus. The feeding means of the case is identical with that in the above embodiment, in which the projections 19 provided radially at the lower surface of the bottom plate 151 are fed by the pin 146 of the gear 145. The case 150 is fed and rotated in one pitch after one cassette is played and brought back in to the case. The case 150 is intermittently revolve in one direction in sequence and the cassette carried to a determined position is played in sequence for automatic continuous playing.

FIGS.19A and 19B illustrate still an other embodiment which includes a cylindrical cassette case 155. The cassette case according to the embodiment is composed of a central cylinder 156, a plurality of partition plates 157 fixed radially at the outer periphery of the central cylinder 156, and a reinforcing plate 158 of a cylindrical shape fixed at the outer periphery of the partition plates. The cassettes 12 are housed in the case such that their front openings for the tape are directed outwardly of the radial arrangement of the cassettes.

The invention is not limited in application only to the embodiments as hereinabove described. It may be apparent that many modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic and continuous cassette player comprising:

a cassette case having a plurality of compartments,

each of which compartments stores a cassette containing a winding of recorded tape, said cassette case being formed in aligned relation with notches,

through which the adjacent compartments are connectedto each other;

case guide means for guiding a motion of the cassette case in a known direction;

cassette shifting means for taking out in a direction transverse to said known direction and shifting a cassette to a first predetermined position from one of the compartments of the cassette case, said one of the compartments being at a second predetermined position; means for playing a cassette which lies at the first predetermined position;

means for detecting the completion of the winding of recorded tape in the cassette being played by said playing means;

cassette restoring means responsive to the detection of the end of the winding operation by said detecting means for moving and restoring the cassette from the first predetermined position into said one of the compartments in the second predetermined position;

restoration detecting means for detecting the restoration of said cassette into said one of the compartments, said restoration detecting means including a first lever, an end of which is inserted into the notch of the cassette case in the compartment lying in said second predetermined position, a second rotatable lever pivotally mounting the first lever at an end, biasing means including a resilient member for biasing said first lever in a direction parallel to the direction of taking out of the cassette by said cassette shifting means, a first switch to open and close by rotation of the second lever, and limiting means for limiting an extent of the insertion of said first lever into the cassette case so that the inserted first lever is pushed back against said biasing means by the cassette restored by said cassette restoring means and closes said first switch through the second lever to detect the restoration of said cassette;

cassette case moving means responsive to closing of said first switch for moving said cassette case in the direction guided by said case guide means so that a subsequent cassette in the cassette case reaches said second predetermined position; and

a second switch operable to open and close by rotation of said first lever;

said cassette shifting means being actuated in response to closing of said second switch by rotation of said first lever due to a contact with a moving cassette.

2. An automatic and continuous cassette player comprising:

a cassette-case having a plurality of adjacent compartments each storing a cassette containing two reels, on one of which a recorded tape is wound, said cassette-case being formed in aligned relation with notches, through which the adjacent compartments are connected to each other;

case guide means for guiding a motion of the cassette-case in a known direction;

cassette shifting means for taking out in a direction transverse to said known direction and shifting a cassette to a first predetermined position from one of the compartments of the cassette-case, said one of the compartments being at a second predetermined position;

first cassette-playing means for playing the tape to be wound from the one of two reels to the other reel in the cassette which lies at the first predetermined position;

first completion-detecting means for detecting a completion of the winding of the tape from the one of two reels to the other reel in the cassette being played by said first cassette-playing means;

cassette moving means responsive to the detection of the completion of the winding by said first completion-detecting means for moving the cassette from the first predetermined position to a third predetermined position;

second cassette-playing means for playing the tape to be wound from the other reel to the one of two reels in the cassette which lies at the third predetermined position;

second completion-detecting means for detecting a completion of the winding of the tape from the other reel to the one of two reels in the cassette being played by said second cassette-playing means;

cassette restoring means responsive to the detection of the completion of the winding by said second completion detecting means for moving and restoring the cassette from the third predetermined position into said one of the compartments in the second predetermined position;

restoration detecting means for detecting the restoration of the cassette into said one of the compartments, said restoration detecting means including a first lever, an end of which is inserted into the notch of the cassette case in the compartment lying in said second predetermined position, a second rotatable lever pivotally mounting the first lever at an end, biasing means including a resilient member for biasing said first lever in a direction parallel to the direction of taking out of the cassette by said cassette shifting means, a first switch operable to open and close by rotation of the second lever, and limiting means for limiting an extent of the insertion of said first lever into the cassette case so that the inserted first lever is pushed back against said biasing means by the cassette restored by said cassette restoring means and closes said first switch through the second lever to detect the restoration of the cassette;

cassette case moving means responsive to closing of said first switch for moving said cassette-case in the direction guided by said case guide means so that a subsequent cassette in the cassette-case reaches said second predetermined position; and

a second switch operable to open and close by rotation of said first lever, said cassette shifting means being actuated in response to closing of said second switch by rotation of said first lever due to a contact with a moving cassette.

Claims

1. An automatic and continuous cassette player comprising: a cassette case having a plurality of compartments, each of which compartments stores a cassette containing a winding of recorded tape, said cassette case being formed in aligned relation with notches, through which the adjacent compartments are connected to each other; case guide means for guiding a motion of the cassette case in a known direction; cassette shifting means for taking out in a direction transverse to said known direction and shifting a cassette to a first predetermined position from oNe of the compartments of the cassette case, said one of the compartments being at a second predetermined position; means for playing a cassette which lies at the first predetermined position; means for detecting the completion of the winding of recorded tape in the cassette being played by said playing means; cassette restoring means responsive to the detection of the end of the winding operation by said detecting means for moving and restoring the cassette from the first predetermined position into said one of the compartments in the second predetermined position; restoration detecting means for detecting the restoration of said cassette into said one of the compartments, said restoration detecting means including a first lever, an end of which is inserted into the notch of the cassette case in the compartment lying in said second predetermined position, a second rotatable lever pivotally mounting the first lever at an end, biasing means including a resilient member for biasing said first lever in a direction parallel to the direction of taking out of the cassette by said cassette shifting means, a first switch to open and close by rotation of the second lever, and limiting means for limiting an extent of the insertion of said first lever into the cassette case so that the inserted first lever is pushed back against said biasing means by the cassette restored by said cassette restoring means and closes said first switch through the second lever to detect the restoration of said cassette; cassette case moving means responsive to closing of said first switch for moving said cassette case in the direction guided by said case guide means so that a subsequent cassette in the cassette case reaches said second predetermined position; and a second switch operable to open and close by rotation of said first lever; said cassette shifting means being actuated in response to closing of said second switch by rotation of said first lever due to a contact with a moving cassette.

2. An automatic and continuous cassette player comprising: a cassette-case having a plurality of adjacent compartments each storing a cassette containing two reels, on one of which a recorded tape is wound, said cassette-case being formed in aligned relation with notches, through which the adjacent compartments are connected to each other; case guide means for guiding a motion of the cassette-case in a known direction; cassette shifting means for taking out in a direction transverse to said known direction and shifting a cassette to a first predetermined position from one of the compartments of the cassette-case, said one of the compartments being at a second predetermined position; first cassette-playing means for playing the tape to be wound from the one of two reels to the other reel in the cassette which lies at the first predetermined position; first completion-detecting means for detecting a completion of the winding of the tape from the one of two reels to the other reel in the cassette being played by said first cassette-playing means; cassette moving means responsive to the detection of the completion of the winding by said first completion-detecting means for moving the cassette from the first predetermined position to a third predetermined position; second cassette-playing means for playing the tape to be wound from the other reel to the one of two reels in the cassette which lies at the third predetermined position; second completion-detecting means for detecting a completion of the winding of the tape from the other reel to the one of two reels in the cassette being played by said second cassette-playing means; cassette restoring means responsive to the detection of the completion of the winding by said second completion detecting means for moving and restoring the cassette from the third predetermined position into said one of the compartments in the second predetermined position; restoration detecting means for detecTing the restoration of the cassette into said one of the compartments, said restoration detecting means including a first lever, an end of which is inserted into the notch of the cassette case in the compartment lying in said second predetermined position, a second rotatable lever pivotally mounting the first lever at an end, biasing means including a resilient member for biasing said first lever in a direction parallel to the direction of taking out of the cassette by said cassette shifting means, a first switch operable to open and close by rotation of the second lever, and limiting means for limiting an extent of the insertion of said first lever into the cassette case so that the inserted first lever is pushed back against said biasing means by the cassette restored by said cassette restoring means and closes said first switch through the second lever to detect the restoration of the cassette; cassette case moving means responsive to closing of said first switch for moving said cassette-case in the direction guided by said case guide means so that a subsequent cassette in the cassette-case reaches said second predetermined position; and a second switch operable to open and close by rotation of said first lever, said cassette shifting means being actuated in response to closing of said second switch by rotation of said first lever due to a contact with a moving cassette.