Tape cartridge loading mechanism
AssigneeNorthwestern Technology, Inc.
InventorErnest C. Burkhart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carousel provides a plurality of standard tape cartridges on demand at a tape loading station. At the tape loading station a transfer mechanism grasps the cartridge and pulls it forwardly into a freely movable play position. In the play position a standard pinch roller is swung into the play position holding the tape against a capstan. A unique feature of the transfer mechanism is that the cartridge is moved by a roller carriage in such a manner that the cartridge travels a much greater distance than the roller carriage to accellerate the speed of travel for rapid insertion and retraction of cartridges and more importantly to minimize the travel of the transfer mechanism while gaining substantial travel of the cartridge.
Claims9
A tape cartridge loading mechanism for moving one of a plurality of tape cartridges to a playback station for engagement by a tape actuating drive and playback head, comprising:
- a tape cartridge conveyor for carrying a plurality of tape cartridges to a loading station, said conveyor having means for holding a plurality of cartridges each with an end exposed at the loading station,
- carriage means positionable at said loading station for moving a cartridge out of said cartridge holding means and into said playback station, said carriage means including a set of opposed grasping rollers moveable toward one another into engagement with opposite sides of the exposed end of said cartridge for grasping the cartridge, actuating means for advancing said rollers along a path toward said playback station, and means for moving the rollers into engagement with the cartridge at the loading station and out of the engagement from the cartridge at the playback station for releasing the cartridge to the tape actuating drive.
A tape cartridge loading mechanism for moving one of a plurality of tape cartridges of the type having opposite smooth sides and an exposed tape end to a playback station for engagement by a tape actuating drive and playback head comprising:
- tape cartridge storage means for holding a plurality of tape cartridges,
- transfer and delivery means separate from said storage means and operable for engaging a cartridge in said storage means, delivering the cartridge to said playback station, and completely releasing the cartridge at said playback station,
- said transfer and delivery means including means reciprocably extendible along said opposite sides of said cartridge adjacent said exposed tape end and movable toward each other for grasping the smooth sides and advancing the cartridge exposed tape end first into a released playback position at said playback station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.