Apparatus for bulk loading magnetic tape
AssigneeMitchell C. Radov
InventorAnthony E. Benes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic bulk loading apparatus loads bulk magnetic tape from a cartridge onto an empty cassette of a standard format. The loading apparatus includes a monitoring and control panel for selecting a desired amount of tape to be loaded for particular applications. Both the cartridge and the cassette are oriented to face the operator for ease of use. An automatic control circuit receives information concerning the desired quantity of tape and also monitors the amount of tape loaded onto the cassette. The circuit controls a drive motor in response to these parameters.
Claims30
An apparatus for loading bulk magnetic tape from a bulk cartridge into a cassette having a tape leader attached to a rotatable reel, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing adapted to receive the cartridge and cassette thereon, the housing including (i) a cassette stage means formed by the housing for closely receiving the cassette at a first position allowing for a first leader to extend in a first direction from an opening in the cassette and (ii) a cartridge stage means formed by the housing for closely receiving the bulk cartridge at a second position allowing for an end of the bulk magnetic tape to extend from an opening int eh cartridge in a second direction substantially in parallel alignment with the first direction;
- driving means for selectively engaging the rotatable reel when the cassette is received on the housing;
- and,
- monitoring means for monitoring the amount of bulk magnetic tape loaded/fed into the cassette, the monitoring means comprising
- tape tracking means for tracking progression of the bulk magnetic tape when spliced with said tape leader and spooled onto the rotatable reel as the reel rotates;
- light generating means on the housing for generating a light beam;
- light intercepting means connected to the tape tracking means for intercepting the light beam and generating a periodic light beam as the tape tracking means tracks the progression of the bulk magnetic tape;
- optoelectronic receiver means on the housing for receiving the periodic light beam and converting the received periodic light beam into an electronic signal;
- and,
- counter means on the housing and responsive to the electronic signal for counting said amount of the bulk tape loaded.
An apparatus for loading magnetic tape from a magnetic tape cartridge onto a magnetic tape cassette having a first leader attached to a first rotatable reel and a second leader attached to a second rotatable reel, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- cassette stage means formed by the housing for closely receiving the magnetic tape cassette at a first position allowing for the first and second leaders to extend in a first direction from an opening in the cassette;
- first stage means formed by the housing for closely receiving the magnetic tape cartridge at a second position allowing for an end of the magnetic tape to extend from an opening int eh cartridge in a second direction substantially in parallel alignment with the first direction;
- drive means for selectively engaging the first rotatable reel when the cassette is in the first position;
- motivation means, connected to the drive means, for urging the first rotatable reel into rotational motion when the drive means is engaged;
- p1 follower means for tracking progression of the magnetic tape when spliced with the first leader and spooled onto the first rotatable reel as the reel rotates;
- and,
- optoelectronic counter means, responsive to the follower means, for counting a quantity of the bulk tape loaded as an incremental value.
An apparatus for loading magnetic tape from a magnetic tape cartridge onto a magnetic tape cassette having a first leader attached to a first rotatable reel and a second leader attached to a second rotatable reel, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- cassette stage means formed by the housing for closely receiving the magnetic tape cassette at a first position allowing for the first and second leaders to extend in a first direction from an opening in the cassette;
- first stage means formed by the housing for closely receiving the magnetic tape cartridge at a second position with an end of the magnetic tape extending from the cartridge substantially in parallel alignment with the first direction;
- drive means for selectively engaging the first rotatable reel when the cassette is in the first position;
- motivation means, connected to the drive means, for urging the first rotatable reel into rotational motion when the drive means is engaged;
- follower means for tracking progression of the magnetic tape when spliced with the first leader and spooled onto the first rotatable reel as the reel rotates;
- light generating means on the housing for generating a light beam;
- light intercepting means connected to the follower means for intercepting the light beam and generating a periodic light beam as the follower means tracks the progression of the magnetic tape;
- receiver means on the housing for receiving the periodic light beam and converting the received periodic light beam into an electric signal;
- and,
- counter means on the housing and responsive to the electric signal for counting a quantity of the bulk tape loaded as an incremental value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.