Apparatus for centering and clamping a flexible magnetic recording disc

Apparatus for centering and clamping a flexible magnetic recording disc in a disc drive, comprising

• a spindle mounted to the end of a rotatable drive shaft and having at its outer end a face for supporting the associated recording disc and also a recess within said face, said recess being defined by an inner wall,
• a disc clamping element mounted to said disc drive for rotation about an axis and selective movement toward said spindle for engagement with said spindle and away from said spindle, said element including a central portion encompassing said axis with a plurality of resiliently deflectable fingers extending outwardly therefrom, each of such fingers extending outwardly from said central portion in a direction toward said spindle and said drive shaft, the outermost portions of said fingers including means for cooperation with said recording disc and said spindle to deflect said fingers radially outwardly for centering the associated recording disc with respect to the center of said spindle and drive shaft and for clamping said recording disc against said spindle face when said clamping element is brought into engagement with said disc and said spindle and said element central portion is moved toward said spindle, and
• means for selectively moving said clamping element toward and away from said spindle and into and out of releasable engagement with said recording disc and said spindle, whereby the engagement of the fingers with the recording disc and the spindle and configuration of the fingers and movement of the element central portion serve to center and clamp the recording disc against the spindle face.