Automatic cassette loader

In combination with a machine for loading a selected supply tape into a cassette which includes two spools and a tape leader attached at its opposite ends to the two spools, said machine having cassette holding means for holding the cassette to be loaded, a splicing block assembly for supporting the leading end of the supply tape and the leader of the cassette to be loaded, leader extractor means movable relative to said splicing block assembly for withdrawing a leader from a cassette held by said cassette holding means and positioning said same leader on said splicing block assembly, cutting means for severing a supply tape or a leader tape that is supported by said splicing block assembly and extends across a predetermined cutting line, splicing means for splicing an end of the supply tape to an abutting end of a leader tape, drive means for rotating a selected spool of a cassette held by said cassette holding means so that a length of tape connected to a leader attached to said spool may be wound thereon, and means for operating said foregoing means in a predetermined sequence whereby automatically (a) a leader is withdrawn from a cassette held by said cassette holding means and positioned on said splicing block assembly, (b) the cassette leader tape on the splicing block assembly is severed into first and second leader sections, (c) the first leader section is spliced to the leading end of a supply tape supported by said splicing block assembly, (d) the first leader section and a predetermined length of the supply tape which is connected thereto are wound into the cassette held by said cassette holding means, (e) the supply tape is severed at the splicing block assembly so as to form a trailing-end for said predetermined length of supply tape, (f) splicing said trailing-end to the second leader section, (g) removing the second leader section from said splicing block assembly, and (h) removing the cassette from the cassette holding means so that another cassette to be loaded may be received by said cassette holding means, the improvement comprising means for positioning the withdrawn leader so that its midpoint is substantially at said cutting line, whereby that the severing of said leader into said first and second leader sections occurs substantially equidistant from the ends thereof.

A machine for loading a selected supply tape into a cassette which includes two spools and a leader tape attached at its ends to the two spools, said machine comprising cassette holding means for releasably holding a cassette to be loaded in a predetermined loading position, means for feeding a cassette to be loaded to said cassette holding means, a splicing block assembly for supporting the leading end of a supply tape and the leader of a cassette held at said loading position, cutting means for cutting along a predetermined cutting line a supply tape or a leader tape that is supported by said splicing block assembly and extends across said predetermined cutting line, leader extractor means mounted for reciprocal movement relative to said splicing block assembly for extracting a leader from a cassette held by said cassette holding means and positioning the withdrawn leader on said splicing block assembly, means for operating said leader extractor means and for causing said leader extractor means to release said leader after it has been positioned on said splicing block assembly, leader repositioning means for acting upon the leader released by said leader extractor means so as to (a) hold said leader on said splicing block assembly and (b) cause said leader to shift lengthwise relative to the splicing block assembly to the extent required to align the midpoint of the leader tape substantially at said cutting line, splicing means for splicing together abutting ends of the leader and supply tapes, drive means for rotating one of the spools of a cassette held at said loading station so as to wind tape onto said spool, and means for operating said foregoing means so that automatically (a) a cassette is fed to said cassette holding means and held in said loading position, (b) the leader is withdrawn from said cassette and positioned on said splicing block assembly, (c) the leader is repositioned on said splicing block assembly, (d) said leader is severed into two sections of substantially equal length, (e) one leader section is spliced to the leading end of the supply tape, (f) a length of supply tape and the one leader section are wound into the cassette onto the spool to which the one leader section is connected, (g) the supply tape is severed so as to form a trailing end for said length of supply tape on said splicing block assembly, (h) the other leader section is spliced to the trailing end of the severed length of supply tape, (i) the other leader section is wound into the cassette, and (j) the cassette containing the length of supply tape is discharged from the loading position and replaced by a new cassette.

Method for automatically loading a selected supply tape into cassettes of the type which includes two spools and a leader tape attached at its ends to the two spools, said method comprising the following steps:

• advancing a first cassette to be loaded from a magazine to a selected loading position, withdrawing the leader from said first cassette by a suction device and moving the suction device with the leader so as to position the withdrawn leader upon a splicing block assembly which is displaced from said loading position, releasing the leader from the suction device and repositioning the leader on the splicing block assembly so that the midpoint of the leader is substantially aligned with a predetermined cutting line, severing the leader along said cutting line into first and second leader sections each supported by said splicing block assembly, attaching said first leader section to the leading end of a supply tape of indefinite length, winding said first leader section and the supply tape attached thereto into said first cassette, terminating winding, severing said supply tape at a selected point so as to form a trailing end for the supply tape wound into said first cassette, splicing said trailing end to the second leader section, winding said trailing end and said second leader section into said first cassette, discharging said first cassette from said loading position and replacing it with a second cassette, and automatically repeating the foregoing steps in order to effect loading of said second cassette.