Remote rewind mechanism and control circuitry for a tape cassette

Abstract

In this magnetic tape cassette telephone answering device, remote controlled playout of previously recorded messages is facilitated by using a movable carriage to support the record/playback head and the pinch roller for the incoming message cassette. This carriage is normally spring biased into operative contact with the cassette tape. A mode selection knob includes a sector-shaped cam which engages a pin on the carriage so as to retract the carriage away from cassette engagement when the 'rewind' condition is manually selected. In the automatic 'answer' mode, the cam is disengaged from the pin so that the carriage is maintained in contact with the tape by operation of the bias spring. When message playback is remotely conditioned, a cam drive motor rotates an eccentric cam that is coupled to the carriage by a lost motion linkage. Cam rotation forces the carriage away from contact with the cassette tape, overcoming the spring bias of the carriage. Retraction of the carriage also transfers spindle drive from the takeup reel spindle to the supply reel spindle, so that rewind is conditioned when the carriage is retracted either by manual 'rewind' selection or by operation of the eccentric cam during the remote playout operation. The lost motion linkage arrangement permits manual movement of the carriage when the eccentric cam is in its rest position.