Mechanism for controlling the displacement of a positioner cone relative to a floppy disc

A mechanism for lowering a positioner cone device onto a floppy disc and associated spindle at a central axis and thereafter effecting secure clamping comprising:

• a pivotable assembly mounted about a pivot axis spaced apart from and perpendicular to the central axis, the free end of the pivotable assembly lowering or raising along the central axis as the assembly pivots and being coupled to support the positioner cone device, the pivotable assembly including an intermediate member having an arcuate guide surface and an offset member in fixed relation thereto in the plane of the pivot axis;
• spring means having one fixed end and an opposite end engaging the offset member;
• and
• control element means engaging the guide surface and movable therealong, the control element means and guide surface being arranged to pivot the assembly about the pivot axis in one region of the guide surface and act against the spring in another region of the guide surface.

A system for centering and clamping a floppy disc having a central aperture that is to be rotated about a central axis, comprising:

• means including a rotatable central spindle having a terminal annular surface concentric with the central axis for providing a reference surface against which the floppy disc may be engaged and driven;
• positioner cone means disposed adjacent the annular surface and concentric with the central axis, the positioner cone means being rotatable about the central axis and having a conical side surface converging at an inert end receivable within the annular surface, the positioner cone means having multiple petal segments having an outer flange for engaging the annular surface;
• means coupled to the positioner cone means and rotatable therewith for engaging the petal segments against the central spindle to clamp the floppy disc;
• and
• loading arm means including gimbal means coupled to control and guide the positioner cone means so as to maintain parallelism with the central axis during insertion into the floppy disc.

A support and clamping control system for a positioning and clamping cone mechanism to be engaged against a center spindle in a floppy disc drive system comprising:

• a pivotable yoke mechanism mounted to pivot about an axis that is spaced apart from the central axis of the floppy disc drive and including a pair of arms having spacedapart ends at the opposite end from the pivot axis;
• gimbal means coupling the cone mechanism to the pair of arms such that the cone mechanism can pivot about an axis that is perpendicular to the central axis and parallel to the plane of the floppy disc;
• and
• means coupled to the yoke mechanism and the cone mechanism for controlling the attitude of the cone mechanism about the gimbal axis during movement toward and away from the center spindle to maintain the cone mechanism in non-tilted relation to the floppy disc.

A mechanism for controlling the lowering and clamping of a positioner cone on a floppy disc and associated spindle, comprising:

• a transverse support positioned above the spindle and movable toward and away from the spindle, the positioner cone being carried by the transverse support;
• a pivotable assembly having a free end coupled to the transverse support to lower the support, the pivotable assembly including a guide slot;
• a rotatable shaft having a control lever at one end and a crank arm at the other end;
• a control pin extending from the crank arm into the guide slot, the control lever being adapted to rotate the rotatable shaft and move the control pin through an arc to lower the transverse support, the control pin being movable to an overtravel, toggle position in the guide slot to effect clamping of the floppy disc between the positioner cone and the spindle.