US 4,363,054 A · Apparatus and method for oscillating the tape of a tape player

Abstract

Apparatus and method for causing the tape of an audio tape player to oscillate at the point of contact of the tape with the read head of the tape player. The apparatus includes first and second guide members disposed on either side of the read head at locations where the tape may be placed in contact with and about the guide members. The first guide member is mounted on a support member which is arranged to move in an oscillatory manner generally toward and away from the read head. The support member is caused to oscillate by a camming structure which, in turn, is driven by a variable speed motor. The second guide member is mounted on one end of a resilient element, the other end of which is fixed. This resilient element biases the second guide member against the tape to maintain the tape in a taut condition at the point of contact of the tape with the read head. When the support structure is caused to oscillate, the first guide member also oscillates to thereby cause the tape to oscillate. Such oscillation is useful for enabling the location of particular sounds on a tape and this, in turn, facilitates editing and splicing together segments of a musical composition.

Claims7

Dependent claims

Tape oscillating apparatus for use in combination with a tape player adapted to reproduce sounds recorded on tapes when the tapes are moved past the tape player's playback head, said apparatus comprising

first support means located on one side of the playback head and mounted to move in an oscillatory fashion,
first guide means disposed on the first support means in a position to allow the tape of the tape player to continuously contact and extend about a portion of the guide means,
drive means for causing said first support means and first guide means to repetitively oscillate in a continuous fashion to thereby alternately pull the tape in one direction past the playback head and allow return of the tape in the other direction to thus cause the tape to repetitively and continuously oscillate longitudinally at the playback head,
second movable support means located on the other side of said playback head and including a resilient element biased to return to a rest position when moved from such position, and
second guide means disposed on said second support means in a position to allow the tape to continuously contact and extend about a portion of the guide means so that when the tape is pulled by the first guide means in said one direction the second guide means maintains a tautness of the tape while alternately allowing movement of the tape in said one direction and causing the tape to return in the other direction.

2 more elements

first support means located on one side of the playback and mounted to move in an oscillatory fashion,
first guide means disposed on the first support means in a position to allow the tape of the tape player to contact and extend about a portion of the guide means,
wherein said first support means comprises an elongate member mounted to pivot at one end thereof, the other end including a finger element, said first guide means being disposed on said other end of the elongate member,
drive means for causing first support means and first guide means to oscillate to thereby cause the tape to oscillate longitudinally at the playback head,
second movable support means located on the other side of said playback head and biased to return to a rest position when moved from such position,
second guide means disposed on said second support means in a position to allow the tape to contact and extend about a portion of the second guide means so that when the tape is oscillated by the first guide means, the second guide means maintains the tautness of the tape while oscillating in synchronism therewith, and
wherein said drive means comprises
cylinder means having a camming raceway formed in the exterior wall thereof for receiving and guiding said finger element, said cylinder means being mounted to rotate about its cylindrical axis so that when rotated, the finger element is guided to oscillate back and forth to thereby cause said elongate member to oscillate, and
motor means coupled to said cylinder means to cause said cylinder means to rotate.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for oscillating the tape of a tape player

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for oscillating the tape of a tape player

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7