Precision turntable rotation in a vacuum atmosphere

Apparatus to provide precision rotation of a disc suitable for storing information thereon comprising:

• a vacuum chamber;
• a turntable situate within said chamber;
• bearing means for supporting said turntable in said vacuum chamber;
• apparatus for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid coupled to said bearing means for providing hydraulic fluid thereto to support said turntable;
• at leastt one jet means coupled to said source of hydraulic fluid and located adjacent to said turntable for causing pressurized hydraulic fluid to impinge upon and cause rotation of said turntable;
• control means responsive to rotational velocity of said turntable and coupled to said jet means for adjusting the flow of hydraulic fluid through said jet means to thereby control said rotational velocity;
• pressure regulating means coupled to said fluid supplying apparatus for providing hydraulic fluid at a relatively constant pressure;
• fluid diverting means coupled to said regulating means for controllably diverting the flow of said hydraulic fluid therethrough to first and second paths;
• and wherein
• said jet means includes a first jet coupled to said regulating means and a second jet coupled to said first path.

Apparatus to provide precision rotation of a disc suitable for storing information thereon comprising:

• a vacuum chamber;
• a turntable situate within said chamber;
• bearing means for supporting said turntable in said vacuum chamber;
• apparatus for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid coupled to said bearing means for providing hydraulic fluid thereto to support said turntable;
• at least one jet means coupled to said source of hydraulic fluid and located adjacent to said turntable for causing pressurized hydraulic fluid to impinge upon and cause rotation of said turntable;
• and
• control means responsive to rotational velocity of said turntable and coupled to said jet means for adjusting the flow of hydraulic fluid through said jet means to thereby control said rotational velocity;
• wherein said control means includes a velocity detecting means for determining the speed of said turntable;
• and
• fluid diverting means is coupled to said velocity detecting means for carrying away a selected portion of hydraulic fluid from said jet means.

Apparatus for providing rotation and translation of a disc suitable for recording information thereon comprising:

• a vacuum chamber;
• a turntable situate within said chamber;
• bearing means for supporting said turntable in said chamber;
• translation means coupled to said bearing means for providing translation of said turntable in a predetermined direction;
• apparatus for supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid coupled to said bearing means and to said translation means for providing a fluid surface upon which said turntable is supported for translation and rotation;
• at least one jet means coupled to said source of hydraulic pressure and located adjacent said turntable for causing pressurized hydraulic fluid to impinge upon and cause rotation of said turntable;
• fluid collecting means arranged to receive hydraulic fluid spent within said chamber for providing said fluid to said source of pressurized hydraulic fluid;
• velocity detecting means for providing electrical signals responsive to the speed of said turntable;
• and
• control means responsive to signals from said velocity detecting means for adjusting the flow of fluid through said jet means.