Ratchet head tape mover

Abstract

A molded plastic unit in the form of a frame surrounds a rotatably mounted ratchet wheel. Oppositely directed ratched engaging arms extend from inner walls of the frame each at an angle approximately equal to the slope of the top of a ratchet wheel tooth. The frame, when moved reciprocally, engages the ratchet wheel via one of the ratchet engaging arms imparting on the ratchet wheel a portion of one revolution of motion during the first half of the reciprocation. In a similar manner, a like portion of one revolution is imparted on the ratchet wheel in the same direction by the other ratchet engaging arm on the return half of the reciprocation. One of the ratchet engaging arms urges against the top of one of the ratchet wheel teeth to hold the ratchet wheel immovable between reciprocations. In the first and second embodiments, a cam is mounted with the ratchet wheel on a shaft for coaxial rotation. A cam follower connected to a slidably mounted tape head support member engages the cam to vary the elevation of the tape head support member with cam rotation. In the third embodiment, an eared wheel is mounted with the ratchet wheel on a shaft for coaxial rotation. The ears of the eared wheel act in a tapered slot formed in a tapered slot body which is rigidly connected to a slidably mounted tape head support member. As ears of the eared wheel part into the tapered slot, the tapered slot body is forced upward or downward thereby charging the elevation of the slidably mounted tape head support member. The azimuth alignment angle of the tape head in the first and third embodiments is adjustable through rotation of a single screw which acts to flex a portion of the tape head support member. In the second embodiment, azimuth angle adjustment is accomplished by pivoting a guide pin upon which the head support member is constrained to move.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.