Bi-directional rotary drive mechanism

Apparatus for selectively imparting rotary motion to two spaced apart rotatable members, comprising:

• drive roll means having a drive shaft and a drive portion for contacting a mating portion of a selected one of said rotatable members;
• bi-directional drive means coupled to said drive roll means;
• a tensioned string member having an intermediate portion thereof deployed about the drive shaft of said drive roll means, said drive shaft and said drive roll means being displaced along a predetermined path from a first position in driving contact with one of said rotatable members to a second position in driving contact with the other of said rotatable members when said drive means changes the direction of rotation of said drive shaft by slipping relative to said string member deployed thereabout, and a stop member selectively interposed into said predetermined path for preventing said drive shaft from being sufficiently displaced to urge said drive roll means into contact with either rotatable member, said stop member comprising a yoke member terminating in a bifurcated end portion, said yoke member being movable between a first position with said end portion positioned to limit lateral displacement of said drive shaft to preclude contact with said rotatable members and a second position with said end portion displaced away from said drive shaft such that said drive shaft may be laterally displaced.

Apparatus for selectively imparting rotary motion to two spaced apart rotatable members, comprising:

• drive roll means having a drive shaft and a drive portion for contacting a mating portion of a selected one of said rotatable members;
• bi-directional drive means coupled to said drive roll means;
• and a tensioned string member having an intermediate portion thereof deployed about the drive shaft of said drive roll means, said drive roll means being laterally movable between a first position in contact with one of said rotatable members when said drive means drives said drive roll means in one direction and a second position in contact with the other of said rotatable members when said drive means drives said drive roll means in the opposite direction;
• and wherein said drive roll means and said rotatable members are dimensioned and geometrically arranged such that rotation of said drive roll means when in contact with a selected one of said rotatable members utilizes surface friction to more intimately move said drive roll means into contact with said selected one of said rotatable members.

Apparatus for bi-directionally moving a web of material between first and second reels, comprising:

• a first spindle for driving said first reel in a first direction;
• a second spindle for driving said second reel in an opposite direction;
• a first rotary member on said first spindle having a rim adapted to be frictionally driven;
• a second rotary member on said second spindle having a rim adapted to be frictionally driven;
• drive roll means having a drive shaft and a peripheral surface for selectively contacting said rim of said first rotary member on said first spindle and said rim of said second rotary member on said second spindle;
• means for selectively bi-directionally driving said drive shaft;
• and a tensioned string member having an intermediate portion thereof deployed about said drive shaft, said drive shaft being laterally movable between a first position in driving contact with said rim of said first rotary member on said first spindle to a second position in driving contact with said rim of said second rotary member on said second spindle, said lateral movement of said drive shaft between said first and second positions being responsive to the direction of rotation of said selectively bi-directional driving means thereby to drive said first spindle in one direction when said drive shaft is in said first position and to drive said second spindle in the opposite direction when said drive shaft is in said second position.

Apparatus for bi-directionally moving a web of material between first and second reels, comprising:

• a first spindle for driving said first reel in a first direction;
• a second spindle for driving said second reel in an opposite direction;
• a first rotary member on said first spindle having a rim adapted to be frictionally driven;
• a second rotary member on said second spindle having a rim adapted to be frictionally driven;
• drive roll means having a drive shaft and a peripheral surface for selectively contacting said rim of said first rotary member on said first spindle and said rim of said second rotary member on said second spindle;
• means for selectively bi-directionally driving said drive shaft, said bi-directional driving means comprising a bi-directional motor coupled to said drive shaft for rotating said drive shaft in one and opposite directions, respectively;
• a tensioned string member having an intermediate portion thereof deployed about said drive shaft, said drive shaft being displaced along said string member toward a first position in driving contact with said rim of said first rotary member on said first spindle when said drive shaft is rotated in said one direction and toward a second position in driving contact with said rim of said second rotary member on said second spindle when said drive shaft is rotated in said spindle opposite direction thereby to drive said first spindle in one direction when said drive shaft is in said first position and to drive said second spindle in the opposite direction when said drive shaft is in said second position;
• a solenoid having an armature;
• a link member coupled to said armature and movable therewith;
• and stop means coupled to said link member and selectively disposable in the displacement path of said drive shaft to prevent said drive shaft, when said stop means is disposed in the displacement path of said drive shaft, from being displaced for said drive roll means to effectively drive said first and second spindles.

In a tape recording and/or playback machine of the type wherein tape is driven in a fast-forward mode from a supply reel to a take-up reel and in a rewind mode from said take-up reel to said supply reel, and wherein said machine includes a single multi-purpose tape controlling solenoid energizable to a first or second condition, apparatus for selectively controlling the movement of said tape, comprising a rotatable supply reel disc member and a rotatable take-up reel disc member;

• drive roll means having a drive shaft and a peripheral surface for selectively contacting a peripheral surface on said supply reel and take-up reel disc members;
• means or bidirectionally driving said drive shaft;
• a tensioned string member having an intermediate portion deployed about said drive shaft;
• and control means coupled to said solenoid and operative when said solenoid is in said first condition to maintain said drive roll means out of contact with said supply reel and take-up reel disc members, and operative when said solenoid is in said second condition to displace said control means such that said drive roll means is free to selectively contact one of said supply reel and take-up reel disc members, whereby rotation of said drive shaft in one direction displaces said drive shaft along said string member to move said drive shaft and drive roll means into driving contact with said supply reel disc member and rotation of said drive shaft in the opposite direction displaces said drive shaft along said string member to move said drive shaft and drive roll means into driving contact with said take-up reel disc member.

In a tape recording and/or playback machine of the type wherein tape is driven in a fast-forward mode from a supply reel to a take-up reel and in a rewind mode from said take-up reel to said supply reel, and wherein said machine includes a single multi-purpose tape controlling solenoid energizable to a first or second condition, apparatus for selectively controlling the movement of said tape, comprising a rotatable supply reel disc member and a rotatable take-up reel disc member;

• drive roll means having a drive shaft and a peripheral surface for selectively contacting a peripheral surface on said supply reel and take-up reel disc members;
• means for bi-directionally driving said drive shaft;
• a tensioned string member having an intermediate portion deployed about said drive shaft, whereby rotation of said drive shaft in one direction displaces said drive shaft along said string member to move said drive shaft and drive roll means into driving contact with said supply reel disc member and rotation of said drive shaft in the opposite direction displaces said drive shaft along said string member to move said drive shaft and drive roll means into driving contact with said take-up reel disc member;
• and control means coupled to said solenoid and operative when said solenoid is in said first condition to maintain said drive roll means out of contact with said supply reel and take-up reel disc members, and operative when said solenoid is in said second condition to displace said control means such that said drive roll means is free to selectively contact one of said supply reel and take-up reel disc members, said control means comprising a yoke member having detent means for contacting said drive shaft to thereby prevent said drive roll means from being displaced into contact with said supply reel or take-up reel disc members;
• and link means for mechanically linking said yoke member to the armature of said solenoid, whereby said link means displaces said yoke member to move said detent means away from said drive shaft when said solenoid is in said second condition;
• thereby enabling said drive shaft and said drive roll means to be displaced into selected contact with one of said reel disc member.