US 3,962,727 A · Magnetic rotary head recorder with automatic tape loading and unloading

Abstract

In a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a tape guide drum, at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path coinciding with the circumferential surface of the drum for scanning a magnetic tape wrapped about at least a portion of that surface, a tape supply such as, a cassette containing reels on which a magnetic tape is wound, a capstan spaced from the guide drum, a holder for receiving and positioning the cassette at a location spaced from the guide drum, and a tape loading and unloading device which comprises a support ring rotatable around the drum between inactive and operative positions in a substantially horizontal arcuate path that extends adjacent the capstan and the holder, a tape engaging member including a pinch roller extending upwardly from the support ring and being movable with the latter in the aforementioned arcuate path for projecting from below into an opening of the cassette positioned by the holder and engaging the tape extending across such opening with the support ring in its inactive position and for withdrawing a progressively extended loop of tape from the cassette and wrapping one side of the extended tape loop about at least a portion of the guide drum circumference in response to movement of the support ring from the inactive to the operative position at which the pinch roller is located within the tape loop adjacent the capstan with the tape of the loop therebetween; the support ring of the tape loading and unloading device is formed of first and second arcuate parts which are pivotally connected to each other in end-to-end relation to permit swinging of the first part relative to the second part between a raised position coplanar with the second part and a depressed position in which the first part is inclined downwardly from the second part, the first part of the support ring carries all of the tape engaging members and extends toward the cassette holder in the inactive position of the support ring, and the support ring is carried by a plurality of rollers spaced apart about the arcuate path with each one of the rollers carrying the first part of the support ring in the inactive position of the latter being substantially vertically movable to move the first part between its raised and depressed positions. By reason of the foregoing, the cassette holder may have a fixed horizontal base over which the cassette can be slidably moved to and from an operative cassette position with the first part of the ring in its depressed position to dispose the tape engaging members below the holder base. With the cassette in its operative position, the first part of the support ring can be moved to its raised position for projecting the tape engaging members into the cassette opening. Further, reel drive members are movable axially between depressed positions below the holder base and raised or operative positions in which the reel drive members project through the holder base for engagement with the reels in a cassette operatively positioned on such base, and a control mechanism is provided for simultaneously moving the first part of the support ring and the reel drive members between their respective depressed and raised positions.

Claims11

Dependent claims

In a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus that includes a cylindrical tape guide drum with at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, a cassette holder spaced from said guide drum for receiving and positioning a tape cassette having a housing with an access opening and containing a magnetic tape which is wound on reels within the housing and extends between the reels across said opening, and a tape loading and unloading device comprising an annular support means rotatable around said drum between first and second positions in an arcuate path that is substantially planar and extends adjacent said holder, and tape engaging means mounted on said support means so as to extend substantially normal to the plane of said arcuate path and being movable with said support means for extending into said opening of the housing of a cassette positioned by said holder and engaging the tape extending across said opening with said support means in said first position and for withdrawing a progressively extended loop of said tape from the cassette housing and wrapping one side of the tape loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the guide drum in response to movement of said support means from said first position to said second position thereof;

the improvement comprising said annular support means including at least first and second arcuate parts, means joining said first and second parts for movement of said first part relative to said second part generally in the directions normal to said plane of the arcuate path, said tape engaging means being mounted on said first part for movement with the latter in said directions normal to said plane of the arcuate path, said first part extending towards said holder in said first position of the support means, and means rotatably carrying said support means and maintaining said first and second parts of the latter in said plane of the arcuate path during movements of said support means between said first and second positions, said means rotatably carrying said support means including means operative to displace said first part in said directions normal to said plane of the arcuate path when said support means is in said first position so as to insert and withdraw said tape engaging means in respect to the opening of a cassette housing positioned by said holder.

In a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus that includes a cylindrical tape guide drum with at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, a cassette holder spaced from said guide drum for operatively positioning a tape cassette having a housing which contains a magnetic tape wound on reels and extending between the latter across an opening of the housing which faces downwardly and generally toward said guide drum when the cassette is operatively positioned, and a tape loading and unloading device comprising an annular support means rotatable around said drum between first and second positons in an arcuate, substantially horizontal path that extends under said opening of a cassette housing operatively positioned by said holder, and tape engaging means projecting upwardly from said support means and being movable with the latter for extending into said opening of a cassette housing operatively positioned by said holder and engaging the tape extending across such opening with said support means in said first position and for withdrawing a progressively extended loop of said tape from the cassette housing and wrapping one side of the tape loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the guide drum in response to movement of said support means from said first position to said second position thereof;

the improvement comprising said holder including a base fixedly disposed substantially in a horizontal plane and adapted to have the cassette housing slidably moved to and from the operative cassette position in said holder, said annular support means including first and second arcuate parts pivotally connected to each other in end-to-end relation for swinging of said first part relative to said second part between a raised position coplanar with said second part and a depressed position in which said first part is inclined downwardly from said horizontal path, said first part extends toward said holder in said first position of said support means and has said tape engaging means mounted on said first part for swinging with the latter relative to said second part, means rotatably carrying said support means including substantially vertically movable means carrying said first part in said first position of said support means for effecting movement of said first part between said depressed position, in which said tape engaging means are below said base of the holder to permit the sliding movement of the cassette housing to and from said operative cassette position, and said raised position, in which said tape engaging means project above said plane of the base to extend into said opening of a cassette housing operatively positioned thereon.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Magnetic rotary head recorder with automatic tape loading and unloading

Life of this patent

Magnetic rotary head recorder with automatic tape loading and unloading

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11