Manual tape apparatus with generator for providing electrical power

A sound reproduction apparatus for manual operation comprising:

• pickup means for detecting prerecorded information on a recording medium;
• manually driven drive means for providing relative motion between a recording medium and said pickup means;
• a sound reproducing device and an electrical amplifier coupled between said pickup means and said sound reproducing device for electrically amplifying signals detected by said pickup means and providing an accoustical output thereof;
• generator means coupled to said drive means for generating electrical power when said drive means is manually operated and to said electrical amplifier to provide operating power for said electrical amplifier;
• and
• wherein said drive means comprising a tape capstan and means positioning a tape in pressure relationship to said capstan, said capstan including a drive shaft and crank means coupled to said drive shaft for manual rotation of said drive shaft, first means coupling said drive shaft to said generator and second means coupling said drive shaft to said tape capstan wherein said first coupling means includes clutch means coupled to said drive shaft and first gear means coupling said clutch means to said generator.

A manually operated tape playback apparatus comprising:

• support means for supporting the operative components of the tape playback apparatus, a control arm and means for mounting said control arm on said support means for movement between playback and rewind positions;
• tape carrier means mounted on said support means including a pair of spaced drive spindles and a capstan;
• a tape pickup head coupled to said control arm for movement between tape engaging and nonengaging positions when said control arm is in the playback and rewind positions respectively;
• manually driven drive means positioned on said support means and coupled to said control arm and to said spindles and resiliently coupled to said capstan for tape playback and rewind modes of operation;
• generator means coupled to said drive means for generating electrical power when said drive means is manually operated whereby said apparatus provides electrical power when in use which can be employed to provide operating power for an electrical amplifier;
• and
• flywheel means and additional resilient coupling means coupling said flywheel to said generating means and wherein said flywheel is further resiliently coupled to said capstan.

A manually operated tape playback system comprising:

• support means including a pair of rotatable spindles for receiving tape containing reels;
• pickup means for detecting information on a tape transported between reels on said spindles;
• a capstan rotatably mounted to said support means;
• a manually driven drive shaft;
• a generator including a rotor concentrically positioned over said capstan and including first means coupling said rotor to said drive shaft for the generation of electrical power when said drive shaft is rotated;
• a flywheel concentrically mounted to said capstan, resilient coupling means coupling said flywheel to said capstan;
• second means coupling said flywheel to said rotor to be driven by said rotor;
• and
• drive means selectively coupling said drive shaft to one of said spindles to transport tape between reels positioned on said spindles.