Tape duplicating system

In combination for duplicating the image of a master tape on a slave tape where the master tape has magnetizable properties and the slave tape has thermomagnetic properties and has a Curie temperature above which any magnetic information on the slave tape is destroyed and below which the magnetic information on the master tape is transferrable to the slave tape and where the slave tape has a spring effect during its movement,

• first means for providing a transfer of the magnetic information on the master tape to the slave tape,
• second means disposed upstream from the first means in the direction of the movement of the slave tape for heating the slave tape to a temperature above the Curie temperature, the second means being disposed relative to the slave tape to guide the slave tape toward the first means,
• third means constructed to hold the slave tape in a wound condition and rotatable in a direction to unwind the slave tape from the third means,
• fourth means for unwinding the slave tape from the third means and for providing a movement of the unwound slave tape to the first means for the transfer by the first means of the magnetic information on the master tape to the slave tape,
• fifth means disposed between the third means and the second means for guiding the movement of the slave tape to the second means, and
• sixth means operatively coupled to the slave tape at a position between the fifth means and the third means for absorbing energy in the spring action of the slave tape and for compensating for stretching of the slave tape by the heater means.

In combination for duplicating the image of a master tape on a slave tape where the master tape has magnetizable properties and the slave tape has thermomagnetic properties and has a Curie temperature above which any magnetic information on the slave tape is destroyed and below which the magnetic information on the master tape is transferrable to the slave tape,

• first means for transferring the magnetic information on the master tape to the slave tape,
• heater means disposed upstream from the first means in the direction of movement of the slave tape for heating the slave tape above the Curie temperature,
• second means disposed upstream from the heater means in the direction of movement of the slave tape for providing for a movement of the slave tape to the heater means, and
• third means disposed between the second means and the heater means for adjusting the tension of the slave tape for differences in stress produced in the slave tape from a particular value during the movement of the slave tape to the third means.

In combination for duplicating the image of a master tape on a slave tape where the master tape has magnetizable properties and the slave tape has thermomagnetic properties and has a Curie temperature slave above which any magnetic information on the slave tape is destroyed and below which the magnetic information on the master tape is transferrable to the slave tape,

• means for moving the master tape,
• means for moving the slave tape,
• means disposed at a particular position in the movement of the master tape and the slave tape for providing a transfer of the information on the master tape to the slave tape,
• a heater disposed near the position of information transfer for heating the slave tape to a temperature above the Curie temperature for the destruction of any magnetic information on the slave tape before the movement of the slave tape to the transfer position,
• guide means disposed upstream from the heater in the direction of movement of the slave tape and upstream from the information transfer position and having an external surface with a bevelled configuration and a ledge below such external surface to dispose the slave tape in a particular vertical relationship to the master tape at the information transfer position,
• the guide means having an external surface with a planar configuration in the vertical direction at a position downstream from the external surface with the bevelled configuration and near the information transfer position to provide at the information transfer position for an abutting relationship between the master tape and the slave tape across the lateral width of the slave tape.

In combination for duplicating the image of a master tape on a slave tape where the master tape has magnetizable properties and the slave tape has thermomagnetic properties and has a Curie temperature above which any magnetic information on the slave tape is destroyed and below which the magnetic information on the master tape is transferrable to the slave tape,

• first means for providing for a transfer of the information on the master tape to the slave tape,
• guide means disposed upstream from the first means in the direction of movement of the slave tape for guiding the movement of the slave tape to a particular position on the first means for an accurate transfer of the magnetic information on the master tape to the slave tape,
• heater means disposed between the guide means and the first means for heating the slave tape to a temperature above the Curie temperature before the movement of the slave tapes to the first means, and
• second means disposed in co-operative relationship with the heater means for adjusting the position of the heater means relative to the first means to assure the movement of the slave tape to the particular position on the first means.

In combination for duplicating the image of a master tape on a slave tape where the master tape has magnetizable properties and the slave tape has a thermomagnetic layer and the thermomagnetic layer has a Curie temperature above which any magnetic information on the slave tape is destroyed and below which the magnetic information on the master tape is transferrable to the slave tape,

• first means associated with the master tape and the slave tape for transferring the magnetic information on the master tape to the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape,
• heater means disposed upstream from the first means in the direction of movement of the slave tape for receiving and guiding the slave tape with the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape facing the heater means,
• second means associated with the heater means for obtaining a heating by the heater means of substantially only the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape to a temperature above the Curie temperature,
• the heater means being contiguous to the first means to prevent the temperature of the slave tape from cooling below the Curie temperature during the movement of the slave tape from the heater means to the first means, and
• pneumatic guide means disposed upstream from the heater means in the direction of movement of the slave tape for regulating the tension of the slave tape before the movement of the slave tape to the heater means.

In combination for duplicating the image of a master tape on a slave tape where the master tape has magnetizable properties and the slave tape has a thermomagnetic layer and the thermomagnetic layer has a Curie temperature above which any magnetic information on the slave tape is destroyed and below which the magnetic information on the master tape can be transferrable to the slave tape,

• first means associated with the master tape and the slave tape for transferring the magnetic information on the master tape to the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape,
• heater means disposed upstream from the first means in the direction of movement of the slave tape for receiving and guiding the slave tape with a thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape facing the heater means, and
• second means associated with the heater means for obtaining a heating by the heating means of substantially only the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape to a temperature above the Curie temperature,
• the heater means being contiguous to the first means to prevent the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape from cooling to a temperature below the Curie temperature during the movement of the slave tape from the heater means to the first means,
• the heater means being disposed relative to the first means to provide for a disposition of the slave tape on the heater means with the thermomagnetic layer facing toward the heater means and a disposition of the slave tape on the first means with the thermomagnetic layer facing away from the first means, and
• third means associated with the heater means and the second means for providing a greater heating of the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape at the upstream portion of the heater means than at the downstream portion of the heater means in the direction of movement of the slave tape,
• the heater means being shaped at its upstream and downstream ends to provide for a disposition of the slave tape on the heater means without the creation of air pockets between the slave tape and the surface of the heater means,
• the heater means being adjustable in position to provide for an accurate positioning of the slave tape on the first means at a particular position relative to the master tape on the first means.

In combination for duplicating the image of a master tape on a slave tape where the master tape has magnetizable properties and the slave tape has a thermomagnetic layer and the thermomagnetic layer has a Curie temperature above which any magnetic information on the slave tape is destroyed and below which the magnetic information on the master tape can be transferrable to the slave tape,

• first means associated with the master tape and the slave tape for transferring the magnetic information on the master tape to the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape,
• heater means disposed upstream from the first means in the direction of movement of the slave tape for receiving and guiding the slave tape with a thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape facing the heater means, and
• second means associated with the heater means for obtaining a heating by the heating means of essentially only the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape to a temperature above the Curie temperature,
• the heater means being contiguous to the first means to prevent the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape from cooling to a temperature below the Curie temperature during the movement of the slave tape from the heater means to the first means,
• the heater means being disposed relative to the first means to provide for a disposition of the slave tape on the heater means with the thermomagnetic layer facing toward the heater means and a disposition of the slave tape on the first means with the thermomagnetic layer facing away from the first means,
• the heater means being pivotable to a position for facilitating the disposition of the slave tape on the first means.

In combination for duplicating the image of a master tape on a slave tape where the master tape has magnetizable properties and the slave tape has a thermomagnetic layer and the thermomagnetic layer has a Curie temperature above which any thermomagnetic information on the slave tape is destroyed and below which the magnetic information on the master tape is transferrable to the slave tape,

• first means for transferring the magnetic information on the master tape to the slave tape,
• heater means disposed upstream from the first means in the direction of movement of the slave tape for heating the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape to a temperature above the Curie temperature,
• the heater means being disposed relative to the first means to prevent the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape from cooling to a temperature below the Curie temperature during the movement of the slave tape from the heater means to the first means, and
• second means associated with the heater means for adjusting the disposition of the heater means relative to the first means to provide for a particular disposition of the slave tape on the first means.

In combination for duplicating the image of a master tape on a slave tape where the master tape has magnetizable properties and the slave tape has a thermomagnetic layer and the thermomagnetic layer has a Curie temperature above which any thermomagnetic information on the slave tape is destroyed and below which the magnetic information on the master tape is transferrable to the slave tape,

• first means for transferring the magnetic information on the master tape to the slave tape,
• heater means disposed upstream from the first means in the direction of movement of the slave tape for heating the thermomagnetic layer on the master tape to a temperature above the Curie temperature,
• the heater means being disposed relative to the first means to prevent the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape from cooling to a temperature below the Curie temperature during the movement of the slave tape from the heater means to the first means, and
• means associated with the heater means for providing for a greater heating of the thermomagnetic layer of the slave tape at the upstream portion of the heater means than at the downstream portion of the heater means in the direction of movement of the slave tape.

In combination for duplicating the image of a master tape on a slave tape where the master tape has magnetizable properties and the slave tape has a thermomagnetic layer and the thermomagnetic layer has a Curie temperature above which any thermomagnetic information on the slave tape is destroyed and below which the magnetic information on the master tape is transferrable to the slave tape,

• first means for transferring the magnetic information on the master tape to the slave tape,
• heater means disposed upstream from the first means in the direction of movement of the slave tape for heating the thermomagnetic layer on the master tape to a temperature above the Curie temperature,
• the heater means being disposed relative to the first means to prevent the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape from cooling to a temperature below the Curie temperature during the movement of the slave tape from the heater means to the first means,
• means associated with the heater means for providing for a greater heating of the thermomagnetic layer of the slave tape at the upstream portion of the heater means than at the downstream portion of the heater means in the direction of movement of the slave tape, and
• means associated with the heater means for adjustably positioning the heater means to provide for the movement of the slave tape from the heater means to a particular position on the first means.

A method of transferring magnetic information from a magnetizable layer on a master tape to a slave tape where the slave tape has a thermomagnetic layer with a Curie temperature above which any magnetic information in the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape is destroyed and below which any magnetic information on the magnetizable layer of the master tape is transferrable to the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape, including the steps of:

• passing progressive portions of the slave tape over an external surface of a guide member,
• producing a pneumatic force on the external surface of the guide member to regulate the tension of the slave tape,
• thereafter passing the progressive portions of the slave tape over an external surface of a heater with a thermomagnetic layer of the slave tape abutting the external surface of the heater,
• heating the heater to raise the temperature of the thermomagnetic layer on the slave tape above the Curie temperature, and
• thereafter passing the progressive portions of the slave tape over an external surface of a capstan to obtain a transfer of the image on the master tape to the slave tape.