GB1561448A

GB1561448A - Recording and reproducing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB1561448A
Application number: GB5425576A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Sony Corp
Current assignee: Sony Corp
Priority date: 1976-01-08
Filing date: 1976-12-29
Publication date: 1980-02-20
Also published as: FR2337915A1; JPS5843824B2; ATA5277A; DE2700590A1; DE2700590C3; FR2337915B1; NL7700186A; DE2700590B2; CA1089563A; AT349225B; JPS5285803A

Description

(54) RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS (71) We, SONY CORPORATION, a corporation organised and existing under the laws of Japan, of 7-35 Kitashinagawa-6, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to recording and reproducing apparatus.

According to the present invention there is provided a recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a first interlocking means for preventing the actuation of a record push-button and the change-over of the apparatus into the recording mode from the reproducing mode: and a second interlocking means for putting said first interlocking means into an inactive state with the change-over of the apparatus into the recording mode, said second interlocking means thereafter being put into an inactive state only with the change-over of the apparatus into the stop mode.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pushbutton assembly of a tape recorder and forming part of apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side-elevational view of the assembly of Figure 1; and Figures 3 to 6 are plan views of the tape recorder in the stop mode, the recording mode and the review mode, respectively.

Figure 1 shows a push-button assembly of a tape recorder, the assembly 1 comprising a rewind push-button 2, a stop push-button 3, a forward (reproducing) push-button 4, a fast forward puslz-button 5, and a record push-button 6. The push-buttons 2 to 6 are slidably supported by a frame 7, and are urged by respective springs (not shown) in the frame 7 in the outward direction to their respective inactive positions. The pushbuttons 2 to 6 carry respective similar lock projections 2a to 6a on the tops of the push buttons 2 to 6 within the frame 7.

Facing the lock projections 2a to 6a is a lock plate 9 which is rotatably supported by the frame 7 and urged by a coil spring 8a and a torsion spring 8b in the clock-wise direction shown by an arrow A in Figure 1.

The lock plate 9 defines detents 10 to 14, the detents 10, 12, 13 and 14 being engageable with the lock projections 2a, 4a, 5a and 6a to lock the push-buttons 2, 4, 5 and 6 in their respective active positions. Figure 1 shows the lock plate 9 open, so that these details can be seen, but normally the lock plate 9 is closed by the action of the spring 8a.

One arm of the torsion spring 8b engages with a pin mounted on the edge of the lock plate 9, and the other arm of the torsion spring 8b abuts the inner end of the record push-button 6 as shown in Figure 2. Therefore, when the record push-button 6 is pushed, the torsion spring 8b urges the lock plate 9 in the direction shown by the arrow A, while at other times the lock plate 9 is maintained in a semi-lock condition, due to the relatively small force of the coil spring 8a.

Of the detents 10 to 14, the detent 11 corresponding to the lock projection 3a is the longest, the detent 11 cannot lock the Sock projection 3a by normal predetermined pushing of the stop push-button 3. The detent 12 corresponding to the lock projection 4a is shorter than the detent 11, but is longer than the other detents 10, 13 and 14.

The detents 10 and 13 corresponding respectively to the lock projections 2a and Sa are shorter than the detents 11 and 12, but are longer than the detent 14. The detent 14 corresponding to the lock projection 6a is the shortest. Accordingly, the stop pushbutton 3 can release the lock of the lock projections 2cur, 4a, 5a and 6a which are respectively engaged with the detents 10, 12, 13 and 14. Moreover, the rewind pushbutton 2 or the fast forward push-button 5 can release the lock of the lock projection 6a engaged with the detent 14, but cannot release the lock of the lock projection 4a engaged with the detent 12, in the recording mode.

Next, the change-over mechanism associated with the push-buttons 2 to 6 will be described with reference to Figure 3. A slidably supported recording slide 15 has one end abutting the inner end of the record push-button 6, whereby the slide 15 is moved when the push-button 6 is pushed. The other end of the slide 15 is connected to a lever 16 which is rotatably supported by a pin 17 and is urged by a torsion spring 18 in the counter-clockwise direction in Figure 3. One end of a rod 19 is connected to the lever 16, and the other end of the rod 19 abuts a projection on a detecting slide 20. This projection of the slide 20 defines a cut-out portion 21 which can receive the abutting end of the rod 19. The detecting slide 20 is slidably supported, and is urged by a spring 23 upwards in Figure 3 as shown by an arrow.

The slide 20 also defines a detecting member 22 for detecting a frangible tab in an aperture of the rear wall of a tape cassette. When the detecting member 22 detects and contacts the frangible tab of the tape cassette, the detecting member 22 prevents the slide 20 from sliding. Then, since the cut-out portion 21 is adjacent to the end of the rod 19, the record push-button 6 can be pushed and the tape recorder changed over into the recording mode.

On the other hand, if the frangible tab of the cassette has been removed from the aperture, the detecting member 22 enters this aperture, and the slide 20 is moved up in Figure 3 by the action of the spring 23.

In this case, the end of the rod 19 is not adjacent to the cut-out portion 21 of the detecting slide 20, and the movement of the rod 19 to the left in Figure 3 is prevented by the projection of the slide 20. Thereby, pushing of the recording push-button 6 is prevented, so preventing the inadvertent erasure of previously recorded information on the tape contained within the tape cassette.

The recording slide 15 defines a cut-out portion 24 near the centre thereof, and the slide 15 is connected to a connecting lever 25 which is connected to an intermediate lever 26 which in turn is connected to an intermediate arm 27. An erasing head 29 is supported by a supporting arm 30 which defines a downward projection in Figure 3.

An actuating lever 28, fixed to the intermediate arm 27, contacts this downward projection of the supporting arm 30. Accordingly, when the record push-button 6 is pushed and so the recording slide 15 moves downwards, the erasing head 29 moves to the active position through the connecting lever 25, the intermediate lever 26, the intermediate arm 27, the actuating lever 28 and the supporting arm 30.

A slidable fast forward slide 31 is disposed with one end abutting the inner end of the fast forward push-button 5, so that the slide 31 is moved when the fast forward pushbutton 5 is pushed. The fast forward slide 31 is connected to a connecting lever 32, one end of which is connected to an idler operating slide 33. This idler operating slide 33 is associated with an idler change-over mechanism. Therefore, when the fast forward push-button 5 is pushed, the slide 31 is moved to change over idlers (not shown) through the connecting lever 32 and the idler operating slide 33.

Abutting the inner end of the forward push-button 4 is a forward slide 34 having a projection which engages an edge of a head chassis 35. The head chassis 35 supports a recording-reproducing head 36 and a pinch roller 37. Therefore, when the forward pushbutton 4 is pushed, the forward slide 34 moves down in Figure 3 to slide the head chassis 35, so that the head 36 contacts the magnetic tape in the tape cassette, and the pinch roller 37 presses the magnetic tape against a capstan (not shown).

Abutting the inner end of the rewind push button 2 is a rewind slide 38 which defines a triangular cut-out portion 39 which receives a pin mounted at one end of an idler operating lever 40. The idler operating lever 40 is rotatably supported by a pin 41 and the other end of the idler operating lever 40 is connected to the idler operating slide 33. Accordingly, when the rewind pushbutton 2 is pushed, the rewind slide 38 moves down in Figure 3 to rotate the lever 40, and the movement of the idler operating lever 40 is transmitted to the idler operating slide 33 to change over the idlers.

Abutting the inner ends of the forward push-button 4, the rewind push-button 2 and the fast forward push-button 5 is a brakereleasing slide 42, at the inner end of which a brake lever 47 is rotatably supported. A pair of brake pads 45 and 46 are provided at respective ends of the brake lever 47, and the brake pads 45 and 46 are disposed adjacent to peripheral surfaces of respective reel drive tables 43 and 44. Therefore, when one of the forward push-button 4, the rewind push-button 2 and the fast forward pushbutton 5 is pushed, the brake-releasing slide 42 moves down in Figure 3, and the brake pads 45 and 46 are spaced from the peripheral surfaces of the respective reel drive tables 43 and 44.

Next, interlocking arrangements of the tape recorder will be described. The first interlocking arrangement comprises the cutout portion 24 defined on the recording slide 15, and a first interlocking slide 50 which extends transversely and is slidably supported by a pair of pins 48 located in respective oblong holes 49. One end of the first interlocking slide 50 is opposite to the cut-out portion 24 of the recording slide 15.

The second interlocking arrangement comprises a cut-out portion 51 defined on the first interlocking slide 50, and a second interlocking slide 52 which extends perpendicular to the first interlocking slide 50 and is slidably supported by a pin 54 located in an oblong hole 53. One end of the second interlocking slide 52 is adjacent to the cutout portion 51 of the first interlocking slide 50. The second interlocking slide 52 defines a triangular projection 55 having a slant surface 55a which contacts one end of a transversely extending interlock-releasing slide 58 which is slidably supported by a pair of pins 56 located in oblong holes 57 in the slide 58. The interlock-releasing slide 58 is urged by a spring 59 to the right in Figure 3.

A surface slant 60a of a bent actuating portion 60 of the interlock-releasing slide 58 engages with one end of a stop slide 61, the other end of which abuts the inner end of the stop push-button 3.

The first interlocking slide 50 is coupled to the forward slide 34 through a torsion spring 62 supported by a pin 63, to move the slide 50 to the right in Figure 3 when the forward push-button 4 is pushed. The second interlocking slide 52 is coupled to the recording slide 15 through a torsion spring 64 supported by a pin 65, to move the slide 52 in Figure 3 when the record push-button 6 is pushed.

The operation of the tape recorder will now be described.

Before dictation recording, the tape recorder is in the stop mode with none of the push-buttons 2 to 6 actuated, as shown in Figure 3.

In the stop mode, when the forward pushbutton 4 is pushed, the tape recorder is changed over into the forward or play-back mode. Due to pushing of the forward pushbutton 4, the forward slide 34 moves in Figure 4, and this movement of the slide 34 is transmitted to the first interlocking slide 50 through the torsion spring 62. Therefore, the first interlocking slide 50 slides to the right in Figure 4, and the end of the first interlocking slide 50 engages with the cut-out portion 24 of the recording slide 15.

Accordingly, the recording slide 15 is locked, and pushing of the record push-button 6 is prevented.

Next, the recording operation will be described. In the stop mode, when the forward push-button 4 and the record push- button 6 are simultaneously pushed, or when the record push-button 6 is pushed and then the forward push-button 4 is pushed, the tape recorder is changed over into the recording mode as shown in Figure 5. Due to the pushing of the record push-button 6, the recording slide 15 moves down in Figure 5. This movement of the recording slide 15 is transmitted to the second interlocking slide 52 to slide the second interlocking slide 52 up in Figure 5 through the torsion spring 64. Also due to the pushing of the forward push-button 4, the forward slide 34 moves down in Figure 5, and the first interlocking slide 50 moves to the right in Figure 3 through the torsion spring 62. Due to these movements of the second interlocking slide 52 and the first interlocking slide 50, the cut-out portion 51 of the first interlocking slide receives the end of the second interlocking slide 52. Therefore, engagement of the cut-out portion 24 of the recording slide 15 with the end of the first interlocking slide 50 is prevented. Accordingly, the reording slide 15 is not locked, and pushing of the record push-button 6 is possible unless the record push-button 6 is locked. When the lock of the record push-button 6 is released, the tape recorder is changed over into the forward mode from the recording mode.

Next, the review operation of the tape recorder by rewinding the tape will be described. When the rewind push-button 2 is pushed, the record push-button 6 locked by the detent 14, which is shorter than the detent 10 corresponding to the rewind pushbutton 2, is released by the slight rotation of the lock plate 9 caused by pushing of the rewind push-button 2, as shown in Figure 6. However, the forward push-button 4 is not released, because the detent 12 which locks the forward push-button 4 is longer than the detent 10. Moreover, the action of the torsion spring 8b against the lock plate 9 is released with release of the lock of the record push-button 6. Then, the lock plate 9 is urged only by the coil spring 8a, the action of which is balanced with the frictional force between the lock projection 4a of the forward push-button 4 and the detent 12. Accordingly, the lock plate 9 is kept in a mid-way position (semi-locking condition), and does not rotate completely in the direction shown by the arrow A in Figure 1. Therefore, the forward push-button 4 corresponding to the longer detent 12 is locked, but the rewind push-button 2 corresponding to the shorter detent 10 is not locked, so the tape recorder is changed over into the review mode.

In the review mode, the tape in the tape cassette is rewound, and the cue signal is monitored by the recording-reproducing head 36. When the starting position, whereon the recording starts, is detected by the cue signal, the finger is removed from the rewind push-button 2, which is thereupon released and restored to the inactive position, because it is not locked by the lock plate 9.

The tape recorder is then changed over into the forward or play-back mode. In the forward mode, the end of the second interlocking slide 52 is received in the cut-out portion 51 of the first interlocking slide 50, and so the first interlocking arrangement does not function to lock the recording slide 50. That is, the end of the first interlocking slide 50 cannot be received by the cut-out portion 24 of the recording slide 15, and the recording slide 15 is not locked. Accordingly, when the record push-button 6 is pushed in the forward mode, the tape recorder is directly changed over into the recording mode. On pushing the record push-button 6, the torsion spring 8b urges the lock plate 9 in the direction shown by the arrow A in Figure 1, so the record push-button 6 is locked by the lock plate 9 as shown in Figure 2.

In a conventional tape recorder, the recording mode cannot be achieved directly from the forward mode by the pushing of the record push-button 6. But in the tape recorder described above, the recording mode can be achieved directly from the forward mode simply by pushing the record push-button 6, while the second interlocking arrangement is in the active state. Therefore, the described tape recorder is very convenient particularly for dictation.

In the recording mode, when the stop push-button 3 is pushed, the lock plate 9 rotates against the action of the coil spring 8a and the torsion spring 8b, and locking of the forward push-button 4 and the record push-button 6 is released, so that the tape recorder is changed over into the stop mode.

Moreover, on movement of the stop slide 61, the end of the stop slide 61 pushes the slant surface 60a of the interlock-releasing slide 58 to move the releasing slide 58 to the left in Figure 6 against the action of the spring 59. Then, the end of the interlock-releasing slide 58 is withdrawn from the projection 55 of the second interlocking slide 52.

Accordingly, the second interlocking slide 52 is moved down in Figure 6 by the torsion spring 64, and the end of the second interlocking slide 52 and the cut-out portion 51 of the first interlocking slide are disengaged from each other. In this way the second interlocking arrangement is changed over into the inactive state.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a first interlocking means for preventing the actuation of a record push-button and the change-over of the apparatus into the recording mode from the reproducing mode; and a second interlocking means for putting said first interlocking means into an inactive state with the change-over of the apparatus into the recording mode, said second interlocking means thereafter being put into an inactive state only with the change-over of the apparatus into the stop mode.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first interlocking means comprises a first sliding member and an engaging portion formed on said record push-button or on a member associated with said record push-button, said first sliding member being moved to an active position for engagement with said engaging portion to prevent the actuation of said record push-button with the actuation of a reproducing push-button.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said engaging portion is a cut-out portion, and one end of said first sliding member is received by said cut-out portion, when said first sliding member is moved to the active position thereof.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 said second interlocking means comprises a second sliding member and another engaging portion formed on said first sliding member, said second sliding member being engaged with said other engaging portion to put said first interlocking means into the inactive state, with the change-over of the apparatus into the recording mode.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said other engaging portion is a cut-out portion, and one end of said second sliding member is received by said cut-out portion, when said second sliding member is moved to an active position thereof.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein there is provided a releasing means to be operated with actuation of a stop pushbutton, said second sliding member being moved back to the original position thereof to be disengaged from said other engaging portion of said first sliding member, with the operation of said releasing means, whereby said first interlocking means is no longer prevented frorn being put into the active state thereof.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a lock plate having detents corresponding to said record pushbutton, a stop bush-button and other operating push-buttons, said detent corresponding to said record push-button being the shortest, whereby the locking of said record pushbutton is released by the actuation of any of the other operating push-buttons.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said detent corresponding to a reproducing push-button is the longest except for that of said stop push-button, whereby the locking of said reproducing push-button is not released by the actuation of any of the other

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. cue signal, the finger is removed from the rewind push-button 2, which is thereupon released and restored to the inactive position, because it is not locked by the lock plate 9. The tape recorder is then changed over into the forward or play-back mode. In the forward mode, the end of the second interlocking slide 52 is received in the cut-out portion 51 of the first interlocking slide 50, and so the first interlocking arrangement does not function to lock the recording slide 50. That is, the end of the first interlocking slide 50 cannot be received by the cut-out portion 24 of the recording slide 15, and the recording slide 15 is not locked. Accordingly, when the record push-button 6 is pushed in the forward mode, the tape recorder is directly changed over into the recording mode. On pushing the record push-button 6, the torsion spring 8b urges the lock plate 9 in the direction shown by the arrow A in Figure 1, so the record push-button 6 is locked by the lock plate 9 as shown in Figure 2. In a conventional tape recorder, the recording mode cannot be achieved directly from the forward mode by the pushing of the record push-button 6. But in the tape recorder described above, the recording mode can be achieved directly from the forward mode simply by pushing the record push-button 6, while the second interlocking arrangement is in the active state. Therefore, the described tape recorder is very convenient particularly for dictation. In the recording mode, when the stop push-button 3 is pushed, the lock plate 9 rotates against the action of the coil spring 8a and the torsion spring 8b, and locking of the forward push-button 4 and the record push-button 6 is released, so that the tape recorder is changed over into the stop mode. Moreover, on movement of the stop slide 61, the end of the stop slide 61 pushes the slant surface 60a of the interlock-releasing slide 58 to move the releasing slide 58 to the left in Figure 6 against the action of the spring 59. Then, the end of the interlock-releasing slide 58 is withdrawn from the projection 55 of the second interlocking slide 52. Accordingly, the second interlocking slide 52 is moved down in Figure 6 by the torsion spring 64, and the end of the second interlocking slide 52 and the cut-out portion 51 of the first interlocking slide are disengaged from each other. In this way the second interlocking arrangement is changed over into the inactive state. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a first interlocking means for preventing the actuation of a record push-button and the change-over of the apparatus into the recording mode from the reproducing mode; and a second interlocking means for putting said first interlocking means into an inactive state with the change-over of the apparatus into the recording mode, said second interlocking means thereafter being put into an inactive state only with the change-over of the apparatus into the stop mode.

operating push-buttons except said stop push-button.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said lock plate is urged in the locking direction by first and second urging means, said lock plate being maintained in semi-lock condition selectively to lock at least one of the actuated operating push-buttons by said first urging means only, and siad lock plate being maintained in complete lock condition by said first and second urging means.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said lock plate is always urged by said first urging means, and said second urging means functions to urge said lock plate when said record push-button is actuated.

11. A recording and reproducing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.