Control for bidirectional drive responsive to gaps in recorded sound

In a tape transport having a bi-directional drive for movement of tape at playback speed and fast speed in either direction;

• a soundtrack pick-up head operatively positioned to engage the tape, said head having two sets of head channels for detecting recordings on respective sets of recording tracks on recording tape;
• switch means shiftable from one state to another for enabling one set or the other of said sets of head channels;
• signal detection circuit means for receiving audio signals from the enabled set of head channels and for producing actuating signals in response to a silence interval of predetermined minimum duration in said audio signals indicating a silence period between recordings on the corresponding set of recording tracks;
• drive control means including a reversing mechanism operable to reverse the drive for movement of tape at playback speed or fast rewind speed;
• and a fast rewind actuator;
• the improvements comprising:
• means connecting said reversing mechanism for said bi-directional drive to said switch means, including means having two states representing the respective directions of tape movement connected for shifting the state of said switch means and switching the enabled sets of head channels to accommodate the direction of tape movement upon reversal of said drive;
• means for disconnecting said connecting means from shifting the state of said switch means upon reversal of said drive for movement of the tape at fast rewind speed so as to maintain the same state of said switch means and enabled set of head channels;
• said connecting means being operable to shift the state of said switch means upon reversal of said drive for movement of the tape at playback speed;
• and
• means for connecting said actuating signals from said silence detection circuit means to operate said drive control means and actuate said reversing mechanism during movement of the tape by said drive at fast rewind speed.