US 4,049,169 AGranted

Crescent silencing reset mechanism for fast forward 8-track cartridge

AssigneeMotorola, Inc.

InventorRobert Henry Houf, Jr.

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Abstract

A fast forward drive for a cartridge tape player comprises upper and lower crescents which increase the effective capstan diameter in the fast forward mode. At normal playing speed the crescents index with respect to a received tape cartridge such that the capstan's surface forcibly engages the cartridge's pressure roller. When the fast forward mode is desired a clutch couples the upper crescent to the capstan for rotation therewith. Rotational drive of the upper crescent is coupled to the lower crescent, at a predetermined phasing relationship, through a pin and trough arrangement, whereby fast forward is effected. On return to the normal play speed the upper crescent is fixedly indexed, resulting in a decreased lower crescent rotational drive and thus an increased chance of improper lower crescent alignment. To promote lower crescent indexing a second spring clutch is mounted on the capstan between the lower crescent and the housing which actively drives the lower crescent to its indexed position. In this manner a positive force operates on the lower crescent for proper indexing. The improvement provides a bistable pivot member which selectively engages the lower spring clutch in the normal speed mode, thereby declutching the lower crescent, and totally disengages the spring clutch in the fast forward mode thereby providing a silent fast forward mode of operation.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An interlock mechanism for a cartridge tape player comprising;

a cylindrical capstan rotatably driven about its longitudinal axis by a motor actuated flywheel, the longitudinal axis being located in a vertical plane and predeterminedly positioned to forcibly engage the tape and pressure roller of a tape cartridge to be played;
a plurality of crescents vertically stacked on, and rotatable about, the capstan, each crescent having an inner face, an outer face and a vertical dimension, the inner face encircling greater than 180.degree. of the capstan circumference while revealing a substantial arc on the capstan surface, the outer face of predetermined curvature, the vertical height predeterminedly fixed;
first means coupling the uppermost crescent to the capstan for rotation therewith in a first mode;
means coupling each crescent to the crescent beneath it in the first mode, including means aligning the crescents such that the outer faces form a substantially circular configuration as viewed from a point above the axis of the capstan;
means decoupling the uppermost crescent from the capstan in a second mode and indexing the uppermost crescent such that it reveals the capstan to the pressure roller;
and
second means coupling rotational drive of the capstan to the lowermost crescent actively driving it to index at a position such that it exposes the capstan to the pressure roller when the player is activated from the first to the second mode, the second means comprising means for disengaging the lowermost crescent upon activation to the first mode and forcibly engaging the lowermost crescent on activation to the second mode.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.