Method and means for playing back or moving of records or tapes substantially free of electrostatic charges

Apparatus for delivering moisture to and for forming a relatively thin layer of moisture on a surface portion of a recording medium constructed of an electrically non-conducting material preparatory to the passage of such surface portion past a reading/recording station, the apparatus comrpising:

• a housing defining a chamber for holding a body of liquid;
• means for flowing liquid into the chamber, means for interrupting the flow of liquid into the chamber after the liquid has reached a predetermined level therein, and means for sensing the level of the body of liquid in the chamber;
• the housing further defining a mist compartment in fluid communication with the chamber, and a membrane defining a wall of the compartment and positioned so that the membrane is in contact with liquid in the compartment;
• an ultrasonic oscillator operatively coupled to the membrane for subjecting the membrane to ultrasonic pulses sufficient to atomize at least a portion of the liquid in the compartment into a mist comprising relatively small liquid droplets;
• blower means for generating a flow of pressurized air;
• conduit means fluidly connecting a station of the mist compartment holding the mist with the blower means so as to entrain the mist in the airflow generated by the blower means and thereby form a pressurized aerosol stream comprising air and liquid droplets dispersed therein;
• delivery means fluidly connected with the conduit means and the blower means for flowing the aerosol stream towards the surface portion of the recording medium;
• and discharge means fluidly connected with the delivery means for flowing the aerosol stream over the surface portion of the recording medium to establish a liquid film thereon and to thereby eliminate the electrostatic charges on the surface portion before the surface portion passes the station.