Front drive cartridge-tape player system with fast forward and reverse modes

Abstract

A fast forward cartridge tape player includes the conventional cartridge receiving cavity and cylindrical capstan. The capstan is rotatably driven about its vertically positioned longitudinal axis by a motor actuated flywheel, and it is located to forcibly engage the cartridge pressure roller on cartridge insertion into the cavity. Crescents, having a concave face, a convex face, and a vertical dimension are positioned to rotate about the capstan. The concave face encircles greater than 180.degree. of the capstan circumference while revealing a substantial arc on the capstan surface. The convex face is of predetermined curvature providing a desired fast forward speed/normal speed ratio. The vertical dimension of each crescent is fixed to allow each crescent access to the pressure roller. In the normal mode play a means decouples capstan rotation from the crescents and aligns the crescents to allow the pressure roller access to the revealed capstan surface. In the fast forward mode the crescents are sequentially rotatably locked to the capstan whereby, when viewed from above in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis the convex faces form a substantially circular configuration about the capstan thereby effectively increasing the capstan diameter and driving the pressure roller at an increased speed. Also, the increased capstan diameter forces the cartridge away from the heads and guides in the tape player, thus avoiding deleterious wear between cartridge tape and player components during the fast forward mode.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.