THE MORPHOLOGY OF SYNAPSES

To load a record into a player a record caddy is inserted into the player housing through an input slot. The player is equipped with rails for guiding caddy insertion along a path. A record extracting mechanism mounted in the player removes the enclosed record from the caddy during subsequent caddy withdrawal. A platform mounted in the housing is subject to motion between an elevated position and a depressed position. The record is transferred to a turntable for rotation therewith when the platform is depressed. The player is further equipped with a second set of rails for guiding a signal pickup carriage along a second path disposed parallel to the caddy path. A translating apparatus drives the pickup carriage along the carriage guiding rails. Both the caddy guiding rails and the carriage guiding rails are integrally secured to the platform. To ensure that the carriage path lies radially of a turntable-supported record throughout the operating range, a pair of parallel racks are fixedly mounted on the platform. A shaft, carrying a pair of pinions, is rotatably secured to the carriage. A respective one of the pinions engages a respective one of the racks to assure radial disposition of the carriage path.