Page 4
United States Patent Office
Patented Ir. 24, 964
3,126,162
ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR ENDLESS
TAPE CARTRIDGES
Louis G. MacKenzie, 920 N. Inglewood Ave,
Inglewoofi, Calif.
Fflefi Dec. 24, 1955 Set. No. 782,836
4 Claims. (CI. 242--55.19)
My present invention relates to apparatus for support-
flag and actuating one or more endless tape cartridges.
Although my present invention is useful in connection
with all types of endless tapes upon which information
is stored, it has particular utility at present for support-
ing and actuating endless magnetic recordflag tape car-
tridges.
Endless magnetic recording tapes are useful for re-
cording and selectively playing back all types of record-
able information, including but not limited to audio and
video program material, music, various sounds and mes-
sages, computor information, automation control infor-
mation, and the like.
For convenience in handling, such endless recording
tapes are preferably stored n suitable cartridges, with a
section of the tape being fed through a suitable oper-
ating zone for recording or playing back the information
on the tape, as the case may be.
It wffl be apparent from the following description and
claims, and from the accompanying drawings, that my
present invention is not limited to any particular type of
endless tape cartridge. However, a cartridge vhich has
been found particularly useful for storing endless tapes is
shown and described in detail, and claimed, in my prior
United States Letters Patent No. 2,699,332, issued Janu-
ary 11, 1955 for a "Means for Actuating an Endless
Tape or the Like." Accordingly, the preferred embodi-
ment of my present invention herein shown and described
contains certain details of design that are particularly
adapted to accommodate my endless tape cartridge dis-
closed in my prior Patent No. 2,699,332. It vill be ap-
parent that these design details may be suitably modified
to accommodate other types of endless tape cartridges
without departing from the scope of my present inven-
tion.
Heretofore, the uses of such endless tape cartridges
have been very limited due to the lack of satisfactory ap-
paratus for properly controlling the storage on and re-
lease of information from such tapes, particularly where
a plurality of such endless tape cartridges are employed
either for selective individual use or for the combined re-
lease of information fi:om the plurality of cartridges either
concurrently or successively, or both.
Accordingly, it is an object of my present flaventlon to
provide apparatus for supportflag and actuating an end-
less tape cartridge in which the tape is selectively oper-
atively engaged with or disengaged from a continuously
moving drive means, for selectively moving the tape
through a suitable operating zone.
Aother object of my present invention is to provide
apparatus for supporting and actuating an endless tape
cartridge in which the tape is selectively moved into and
out of operative mechanical engagement with a con-
tinuously moving mechanical drive means, for selec-
tively moving the tape through a suitable oeratflag zone.
Another object of my present inventlonAis to provide
apparatus for supporting and actuating an endless tape
cartridge in which the cartridge is mounted on a support-
ing tray that is selectively mechanically movable to move
the tape into and out of operative engagement with a
continuously moving drive means.
Another object of my present invention is to pro-
vide apparatus of the character described in which the
endless tape is substantially instantaneously started and
stopped by my actuating mechanism, whereby none of the
signal recorded on the tape is lost or slurred either dur-
ing recording or during play-back, and whereby a plu-
rality of endless tape cartridges may be selectively actu-
5 ated to combine the flaformation therefrom without any
apparent interval between the messages on the respective
tapes.
Another obiect of nay present invention is to provide, in
apparatus of the character described, signal means on the
10 tape and operatively associated sensing means forming a
part of the actuatflag mechanism, for automatically cue-
ing in any operating mechanism, such as mechanism for
disengaging the mechanical drive connection with the
tape whereby the tape will stop, or actuating another
15 simffar tape cartridge, or other operating mechanism.
A further object of my present invention is to pro-
vide, in apparatus of the character described, a novel
solenoid actuating mechanism for causing the tape to be
operatively engaged with or disengaged from the tape
gO drive means, and a novel electrical circuit for operating
the solenoid.
Other objects and advantages of my present flavenfion
will be apparent from the following description and
claims, the novelty of my invention consisting in the fea-
25 tures of construction, the combinations of parts, the
novel relations of the members and the relative propor-
tioning, disposition and operation thereof, all as is more
completely described herefta and as is more particularly
pointed out in the appended claims.
80 In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of my
present specification:
FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view illustrating a
presently preferred embodiment of my apparatus for sup-
porting and actuating endless tape cartridges.
85 FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of my preferred em-
bodiment shown in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section along the line 3--3
in FIGURE 1, illustrating a presently preferred em-
bodiment of my actuating mechanism for actuating a
40 single endless tape cartridge, the unit illustrated in FIG-
URE 3 comprising one of five such substantially identical
units which are disposed in vertically stacked relation
in FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 4 is a fractional vertical section along the
45 line 4--4 in FIGURE 3, illustrating the construction of
my presently preferred cueing means.
FIGURE 5 is a fractional front elevation view taken
on the line 5--5 in FIGURE 3 illustrating my presently
preferred latch construction for one of my hinged trays
50 or gates which support the individual endless tape car-
tridges.
FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view showing
the details of construction of my presently preferred
hinged tray or gate also shown in FIGURES 3 and 5,
55 with an eudless tape cartridge provided in accordance
with my prior Patent No. 2,699,332, spaced upwardly
from the tray so that the structural details of the tray are
visible.
FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of the car-
00 tridge shown in FIGURE 6, inverted for convenience in
showing the internal details of construction thereof.
FIGURE 8 is a bottom plan view of the top portion of
the cartridge shown in FIGURE 6, illustrating the details
of construction thereof.
05 FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of the turntable portion of
the cartridge.
FIGURE 10 is a schematic diagram of an electrical
circuit which may be employed in connection with each
of the tape cartridge actuating units in my present invert-
70 tion.
FIGURE 11 is a top plan view illustrating an alterna-
tive embodiment of nay tray or gate in which the tray or
Page 5
316,162
gate is slideably moved into and out of the tape actuating
position instead of being hingedly moved as in the pre-
ferred embodiment best shown in FIGURES !, 3 and 6.
FIGURE 12 is a second alternative embodiment of my
tray or gate in which the tray remains stationary during 5
normal operation of the mechanism, with the tape ac-
tuating roller being selectively movable to move the tape
into and out of mechanical engagement with a rotating
drive shaft.
FIGURE 13 is a top plan view illustrating a plurality 10
of magnetic heads in operative engagement with the tape
of a single tape cartridge that is supported in my present
invention.
FIGURE 14 is a side elevation view illustrating an al-
ternative embodiment of my invention in which the driv- 15
ing shaft is horizontally disposed, with the cartridge sup-
porting tray or gate being hinged about a horizontal axis
to move the tape into and out of engagement with the
shaft.
Referring to my drawings, and at first particularly to P.0
FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof, i have there illustrated a
presently preferred construction in which five of my end-
less tape cartridge actuating units are vertically stacked
in such a manner that the tape of each unit may be selec-
tively operatively engaged with a common driving shaft or P.5
capstan.
I provide a suitable housing 10 having a front panel 12,
a top panel 14, side walls 16 and a rear wall I$.
Each of the tape cartridge supporting units comprises
a hinged tray or gate, the five hinged trays or gates 20, 80
22, 24, 26 and 28 being vertically stacked as best shown
in FIGURE 1.
Each of the trays includes a hinge member 30 at one
side, the hinge members 30 being mounted on a common
vertical hinge shaft 32 vhich is in turn mounted between 85
a pair of vertically spaced bosses 34 projecting outwardly
from the front panel 12. Suitable adjustable support col-
lars 33 are mounted on hinge shaft 32 to provide the
proper vertical positioning of the individual trays.
I provide a window 36 in top panel 14 within which 40
is mounted drive motor 38. Motor 38 has a suitable
mounting bracket 40 on its casing, bracket 40 being
hingedly coanected to the housing 10 by means of a suit-
able vertical pivot pin 42. A tension spring 44 engages
housing 10 and an ear 46 proiecting from motor 38, to 45
urge motor 38 in a clockwise direction about pin 42.
The vertically disposed motor shaft 48 proiects up-
vardty through window 36 and is provided vith drive
pulley 50 above top panel 14. Pulley 50 drives belt 52,
which in turn actuates driven pulley 54 which is opera- 50
tively connected to the top of a capstan or vertical shaft
56 which drives the tapes on all of the hinged trays 20,
22, 24, 26 and 28, in the manner hereinafter described.
Referring now particularly to FIGURES 3 and 6, I
have there illustrated a presently preferred construction 55
of one of my hinged trays for supporting an endless tape
cartridge of the type set forth in my prior United States
Letters Patent No. 2,699,332.
The tray 20 is provided vith a vertical front plate 58
and a horizontal base plate 0, which may merely com- O0
prise a continuation of e front plate 5 which is bent
back at the bottom of plate 58. I provide a horizontally
elongated window 62 in front plate 58 for viewing an
identifying label or the like on the tape cartridge which
is supported on tray 20. 05
A horizontal table or shelf 64 is spaced upwardly from
base plate t0 by means of suitable spacers t6, and is af-
fixed in this position by suitable screws t$. The construc-
tion of the table or shelf 64 is best shown in FIGURE 6
in which the tray 20 has been moved outwardly about 70
hinge shaft 32 through approximately 180%
At the left side of table or shelf t4 as pictured in FIG-
URE 6, I provide a vertical side wall 70 having a hori-
zontal flange 72 along its upper edge. Side wall 70 may
merely comprise an extension of the table or shelf 64, 75
4
bent upwardly therefrom. An ear 74 is provided at the
inner edge of side wall 70. I provide an upwardly ex-
tending aligning tab 76 along the other side edge of
table or shelf 64. My generally flat, rectangular con-
tinuous tape cartridge is easily slipped into and out of its
operative position on table 64 by merely slipping one
edge under flange 72 against side wall 70, with the oppo-
site edge sliding down into position against the tab 76.
The front edge of the cartridge will rest against front
plate 58, and the rear edge will be held in position by the
ear 74. With the continuous tape cartridge in this posi-
tion, a loop of the tape will project outwardly from the
right-hand edge of the cartridge as shown in FIGURE 6.
The base plate 60 extends outwardly substantially be-
yond the right-hand edge of table 64 in FIGURE 6
(extending to the left of table 64 in FIGURE 3).
Mounted on this portion of base plate 60 is a notched
guide post 78 for guiding the tape as it comes out of
the cartridge. After leaving guide post ?õ the tape is
then engaged by a pressure pad õ0 of felt or other soft
material which is reslliently mounted on a suitable leaf
spring 82, vhich may be composed of any suitable ma-
terial, such as beryllium copper. The spring 82 is mounted
in a small housing 84 which also serves as a magnetic
head shield against extraneous magnetic disturbances.
After the tape leaves the pad õ0 it then passes over a
roller 86 having a resilient surface composed of rubber
or other suitable material. The roller 86 includes a ver-
tically oriented axial bushing õ$ that is rotatably mounted
on a fixed shaft }0 attached to the base plate 60.
Roller $6 is provided with an integral pulley 2 which
drives a belt 94 of rubber or other suitable material.
Belt 94 passes over an idler roller }6 mounted on base
plate 60' under the inner edge of table 64, the belt 94 being
in driving engagement with turntable drive member }õ
which is rotatably mounted on a vertical axis on base
plate 60.
The turntable drive member õ is provided with an
axial centering pin 100 and a radially oriented horizontal
drive pin 102. The turntable drive member 98 is ex-
posed through a central opening 104 in the table 64.
I provide a small wire spring 106 which is integrally
fastened to the hinged tray 20, and which operatively
engages a portion of the housing i0 in the manner here-
inafter described to normally urge the hinged tray 20 out-
wardly to a position in which the tape carried by tray 20
is unactuated.
My presently preferred endless tape cartridge, which is
set forth in my prior United States Letters Patent No.
2,699,332, is shown in some detail in FIGURES 6, 7, 8
and 9. The tape car'cridge 108 includes a base plate 110
having side flanges 112, and a central opening !14. An
upwardly extending guide pin 116 is provided between
opening 1t4 and one of the side flanges 112.
The cartridge housing member 115 is provided with
opposed side walls 120, rear wall 122 and front wall
124. Front wall 124 has tape inlet and outlet slots 126
and ][28, respectively, at its ends. The housing member
][I8 also includes a top wall 130, the front and rear walls
of housing 18 preferably merely comprising extensions
of the top wall ][30 which are bent downwardly therefrom.
I provide a mounting plate 132 within the housing
member 1][$ and spaced downwardly from top wall 130.
A plurality of circularly arranged rollers 134, composed
of nylon or other suitable material, are mounted on
mounting plate 132, extending downwardly therefrom.
A central feed opening 136 is provided in mounting plate
132 between the rollers 134, the tape moving ovor the
outside of the rollers 134 and around one of the rollers
134, and then curving upwardly through the central feed
opening 136 and between top wall 130 and mounting plate
132, and thence downwardly out of opening 138 through
an outer corner of mounting plate 132, and thence out of
the cartridge through outlet slot 128.
The tape 140 is continuous, forming a loop 142 out-
Page 6
8,1:$6,162
side of cartridge 105 between the outlet and inlet slots
I26 and 128, respectively. The tape 140 which enters
the cartridge 105 through inlet slot 126 leeds onto the
outside of tape roll 144, which is rotatable about the
rollers 134.
A guide post 146, and lubricating posts 147 and 149 of
graphite or other suitable lubricating material, are pro-
vided to give the tape a continuous lubrication.
The tape roll 144 rests on a turntable 148 which has
a central guide opening 150 engaged by the upwardly
extending centering pin [00, which forms a part of the
turntable drive member 98. A small drive pin 152 de-
pends from turntable 148 and is operatively engaged by
the horizontal drive pin 102 on turntable drive member
98. The turntable 145 has a plurality of annularly ar-
ranged projections 154 on its upper surface which func-
tion to continuously separate the turns of the tape roll
144 during rotation of the tape roll 144 in operation,
to prevent binding of the tape.
Having fully described the construction of a presently
preferred embodiment of my movable tray or gate, and
a continuous tape cartridge adapted to be supported
thereon, I will now describe my presently preferred appa-
ratus which is mounted in the housing 10 for actuating the
movable tray and the recording tape supported thereon.
Referring now particularly to FIGURE 3 of the draw-
ings, ! provide a fixed vertical mounting plate 156 within
housing 10. A conventional playback or recording mag-
netic head 158 is mounted on plate 156, and the tape 140
is held tightly against head 158 by pressure pad 80 when
the hinged tray 20 is in its completely closed position as
shown in FIGURE 3 for actuating the tape 140, or when
it is in its slightly open position, with the tape unactuated
in the manner hereinafter described.
A vertical mounting flange 160 extends to the right of
plate 156 in FIGURE 3, and is provided with a slot 162
in its exposed edge. A continuously operating light 164
is mounted on one side of flange 160, and a small photo-
cell 166 is mounted on the other side of flange 160.
I provide a small segment of a reflective coating 16õ
on tape 140, this reflective coating being of any suitable
material, such as a thin strip of bright metal, a strip of
metallic paint, or other suitable coating.
The tape 140 passes along the outer edge of slot 162
in mounting flange 160, and when the reflective coating
168 reaches slot 162, light from the source 164 will be
reflected from coating 165, the light passing through the
slot 162 and being received by photocell 166 for stopping
the tape 140 in the manner hereinafter set forth, or for
accomplishing some other function. The region proxi-
mate slot 162 and recording magnetic head 155 comprises
an operating zone, this being the zone through which the
tape passes for the purpose of imparting light impulses
to photocell !6 and electromagnetic impulses to record-
ing head 15g.
A horizontally sliding bar [70, best shown in FIG-
URES 3 and 5, is provided with a horizontal slot 172
through which a pair of spaced bolts 174 pass to provide
a sliding mounting for the bar 170 on the front plate 58
of the tray at the side opposite the hinge. The right-hand
end of bar I70 is provided with a recess 176 which en-
gages over a horizontal latch .shaft 175 that is slideable
in a bushing lg0 mounted through the front housing 12
adjacent to the tray 20. A knob 182 is mounted on the
outer end of shaft 17g, knob 182 operatively engaging
the sliding bar 170 when the bar i70 is in its right-hand
position as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5. The bar
is thus engaged by knob ][82 for operation of the tray.
However, vhenever it is desired to swing the tray 20
clockwise about hinge shaft 32 in FIGURE 3 for replac-
ing continuous tape cartridge 10õ, all that is required is to
slide the bar 170 to the left out of engagement with knob
lg2, and swing the tray 20 clockwise to a position such
as that shown in FIGURE 6 of the drawings.
A stop member 184 is provided at the inner end of the
sliding shaft 173 ' to limit the amount of outward move-
ment of the shaft I78 and knob 182, and to correspond-
ingly limit the amount of travel of the tray 20 about hinge
shaft 32 during normal operation of the apparatus.
5 Stop member 184 is provided with suitable outwardly
facing padding 186, and has an eye member 188 extend-
ing inwardly therefrom to receive one end of a spring
190, the other end of which is attached to the end of
shaft 192 of a solenoid 194.
10 Solenoid 194 is mounted on a suitable mounting plate
!96 forming an integral part of housing 10.
I provide an extension 195 of solenoid shaft 192 which
extends to the rear of solenoid 194 into operative engage-
ment with a contact unit 200 mounted on plate 196 for
15 making and breaking suitable electrical contacts for pur-
poses hereinafter described.
In my presently preferred apparatus shown in FIGURE
1 I provide separate pre-amplifier units 202 for the re-
spective trays 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28. These pre-amplifier
20 units 202 are of conventional design, preferably of the
plug-in type which is removable and replaceable for serv-
icing. Accordingly, each of the pre-amplifier units 202
is constructed as a drawer, including a front plate 204
with a central knob 206 thereon, and suitable locking
25 screws 20õ at the edges of the plate 204.
In FIGURE 10 of the drawings I have illustrated a
suitable electric circuit for the presently preferred em-
bodiment of my invention shown and described herein.
It is to be understood, however, that the schematic dia-
S0 gram of FIGURE 10 is merely representative, and that it
may be varied in many ways to adapt my present inven-
tion for various purposes.
Any suitable som'ce 210 of direct current may be pro-
vided, with negative and positive lines 212 and 214, re-
85 spectively, attached thereto.
A lamp circuit 216 is operatively connected between
negative and positive lines 212 and 214, respectively, the
lamp drcnit including light 164 and a suitable resistor
21g in series.
40 I provide a holding circuit 220 which is coupled in
series with the solenoid 194 to hold the solenoid 194 in
its actuated position as shown in FIGURE 3 of the draw-
ings once the solenoid has been actuated as hereinafter
described. This holding drcnit 220 takes advantage of
4 the characteristic o most solenoids that less electrical
current is required to hold the solenoid in the actuated
position once it has been actuated than is required for
the initial actuation. Accordingly, my holding circuit
220 is normally drawing current in both the unactuated
50 and actuated positions of solenoid 194, the current pass-
ing through holding circuit 220 and solenoid i94 not
being sufficient to actuate the solenoid 194 initially, but
being sufficient to hold the solenoid in the actuated posi-
tion once it has been provided with sufficient additional
55
current to actuate it.
Holding crcuit 220 includes a resistor 222 and a tran-
sistor 224 which are in series with the solenoid 194 be-
tween the negative line 212 and the positive line 214.
I provide a stop circuit 226, which may be either man-
O0 ually or automatically operated, the stop circuit 226 oper-
atively engaging the negative line 212 and the positive
side of the solenoid 194. Stop circuit 226 is normally
open, but is selectively closeable to short circuit the sole-
noid 1194 so that the solenoid is released from its actuated
05 position of FIGURE 3. Upon this release of solenoid
194, the tray or gate 20 will swing slightly outwardly to
its inoperative position.
Once the solenoid 194 has thus been released, the cur-
70 rent through holding circuit 220 is not sufficient to again
actuate the solenoid.
I provide a start circuit 228, which may be automati-
cally or manually operated, to provide the necessary ad-
ditional current to solenoid 194 to actuate the solenoid
75 194. Start circuit 228 merely comprises a selectively
Page 7
7
closeable electrical connection between positive line 214
and solenoid 194 to place the solenoid directly between
the positive and negative lines 214 and 212, respectively.
Once the solenoid 194 has thus been actuated, release
of the start circuit 228 will leave the holding circuit 220
in operation, to hold the solenoid in its operative position
until again released as heretofore set forth.
In the presently preferred embodiment of my invem
tion, the photocell 1t56 is operatively associated with the
holding circuit 220 in such a manner that when the re-
flective coating 168 on the tape causes l/ght to be re-
flected into the photocell 166, the current ia holding cir-
cuit 220 will be reduced to a point where the solenoid
194 will release the gate or tray 20. This is accom-
panied by operatively connecting the photocell 1156 and a
suitable resistor 230 in series between the negative line
2!2 and positive line 214, the positive side of the photo-
cell 166 being connected to the input of a current ampli-
fier transistor 232 through a suitable input condenser 234.
The transistor 232 is connected in series with a suitable
resistor 236 between the positive line 214 and the nega-
tive line 212. The output of transistor 232 is operatively
connected to the input of transistor 224 through an input
condenser 238, with the input of transistor 224 being
suitably bled to the negative line 212 through resistor
240.
Light impinging upon photocell 166 will provide elec-
trical current through resistor 230, which will reduce the
electrical potential at the input of transistor 232, this
signal being amplified by transistor 232 and applied to
transistor 224 to block the current through transistor
224, and hence to release the solenoid 194.
Having fully described the construction of the presently
preferred embodiment of my invention, I will now de-
scribe the preferred manner in which it operates.
All of the trays or gates 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 are
normally in their unactuated positions hinged slightly
outwardly from the closed position shown in FIGURE 3,
with the latching shafts 178 in their outermost positions
and stop members 184 against bushings lg0. Knob 152
engages slide bar 170 to hold each of the trays or gates
in this position.
Since all of the trays or gates have the same con-
struction and operation, the operation will be described
in detail in connection with tray or gate 20.
The small wire spring 106 abuts against mounting
flange 160 to urge the tray 20 outwardly in the unactu-
ated position. In this position of the tray, the resilient
roller 86 will be spaced to the right of capstan 56 in
FIGURE 3, so that capstan 56 will not be in driving
engagement with the resilient roller g6 and the tape 140.
Although the magnetic head 158 may be energized at
this time, since the tape 140 is not moving across head
155, there will not be any playback from tape 140 or
recording on the tape through head 158 at this time.
In this unactuated position of tray 20,, one of the con-
tacts in contact unit 200 associated with solenoid 194
may be made to short circuit the pre-amplifier associated
with tray 20, so that unwanted signals will not be released
from that unit to interfere with signals being played
back from one or more other units.
Upon actuation of the start circuit 228 to energize
solenoid 194, the solenoid shaft 192 will move inwardly
to move the latch shaft 178 and knob õ2 inwardly.
This instantaneously closes the gate or tray 20 to the
position shown in FIGURE 3, with the resilient roller
õ6 and the tape 140 carried thereby compressing against
the continuously rotating capstan 56 (which rotates anti-
clockwise in FIGURE 3). The surface speed of capstan
56 is the desired normal operating speed of the tape (for
exanple, 7« inches per second), and accordingly the
tape 140 is instantaneously accelerated from its rest posi-
tion to its normal operating speed.
The surface of roller g6 is preferably substantially
wider than the tape, whereby a substantial portion
of 7
roller 86 is directly engageable with the surface of the
rotating capstan 56 to directly drive the roller.
The resilient roller 86 will drive belt 94 to drive the
turntable 148 in cartridge 108.
5 Since the motor 38 and its drive train, including the
capstan 56, are continuously functioning, and only slight
shifting of the tray is required to actuate tape 14, the
time interval between the impressing of the actuating
signal upon the solenoid 194 and the normal output of
10 information from tape 140 through head 158 or record-
Jng of information from head 158 onto tape 140 is in-
consequential. The inertia of the tape itself and of the
resilient roller 86 and its mechanically coupled parts is'
very small and does not have any substantial delaying
15 effect.
The tape 140 will continue to pass over head .158 in
this manner until the solenoid 194 is released by actua-
tion of the stop circuit 226, either manually, or auto-
matically by some remote actuating mechanism, or by
20 the reflective coating 168 passing through the slot 162 to
energize photocell 166. This .release of solenoid 194
instantaneously releases the holding force on the latch
shaft 178 and .knob .1.82, whereby the resilient compres-
sion of roller 86 against capstan 56 will bounce the tray
9.5 out to its inoperative position.
Even though the tray 20 is thus instantaneously bounced
outwardly to its inoperative position, the pressure pad 80
still firmly holds the tape 140 against the head 158. This
relatively tight frictional engagement ,between the pres-
30 sure pad and head .and the tape causes the instantaneous
stopping of the tape upon release of the solenoid .194. In
fact, with the pressure pad leaf spring 82 oriented in the
position shown in FIGURES 3 and 6, leaf spring 82 be-
ing affixed to .the small housing 34 on the leading side
35 of the area of contact between pressure pad 80 and
tape, 140, the pressure pad will impart a slight backward
movement to the tape upon the out. ward swinging of tray
20, which will completely counteract will forward move-
ment of .the tape which would otherwise be caused by
,tO the small amount of inertia associated with the tape.
This instantaneous starting and stopping of the tape
is of vital importance in most uses of continuous tape
cartridges, and is particularly important where a plurality
of the cartridges are operated simultaneously or succes-
,t5 sively to synthesize messages.
Although I have shown my reflective coating and as-
sociated light and photocell means for cueing the stopping
of the tape, it will apparent that any other cueing means
may .be provided, such as a particular signal or absense
50 of signal on the tape. Also, my photocell and reflective
coating cue/ng means may be used for other purposes than
stopping the tape, such as for the purpose of cueing in an-
other one of the tape cartridges to be either combined
with the one that is playing, or to succeed the one that is
55 playing, for synthesizing information. Similarly, my
reflective coating and photocell and light .cueing means
may be .used to trip separate visual displays or other de-
vices associated with the information on the tape.
While the tray or gate 20 is in its operative posit,ion as
60 shown in FIGURE 3, the contact unit 200 associated with
the solenoid shaft extension ,198 vill be so actuated that
the pre-amplifier associated with tray 20 will not be short
circuited, and will properly amplify with pass on the in-
formation received from tape 140 by head 158. Similarly,
65 if desired, contacts may be provided in contact unit 200 so
that when the tape is actuated as in FIGURE 3, a remote
indicating device, such as a lamp, an annunciator, or the
like, will be actuated to show that the unit is operating.
Such contacts would again be opened upon release of
70 the solenoid 194 to stop the unit. It will be apparent
that any number of contacts may be provided in the
contact unit 200 ,for coupling any desired external action
with actuation or release of the solenoid.
Although I have disclosed solenoid means for actuating
the continuous tape cartridges, it will be apparent that
Page 8
other means can be used, such as hydraulic, pneumatic,
mechanical or other suitable means .not shown herein.
If such other actuating mean were used to move the tape
into the operative position, this other actuating means
could be de-actuated by a solenoid associated with photo-
cell 16t5, if desired.
Referring now to FIGURE 13 of the drawing, I have
there illustrated the use of a plurality of magnetic heads,
such as a record and playback head 242, and an erase
head 244. Although separate pressure pads like the pad
89 heretofore described may be used, I have illustrated
a single pressure pad 246 which holds the tape against
both of the heads 242 and 244, pad 246 being backed
up by a suitable compression spring 248 mounted on
a mounting member 251). It will be apparent that any
desired number of magnetic heads may be associated
with the tape in my present invention.
Referring now to FIGURE 11 of the drawings, I have
there illustrated an alternative embodiment of my inven-
tion in which the tray 252 in slideable into and out of its
operative positions instead of being hingeally mounted
as in the preferred embodiment of my invention. The
tray 252 may be slideably mounted between a plurality
of rollers 254, being normally held in its outer, inopera-
tive position by means of a compression spring 256. The
tray 252 is selectively moved from this outer position to
its inner, operative position, by actuation of solenoid
258, the shaft 215t) of which is operatively connected to
tray 252 by a suitable .llnk 262.
A removable holder 264, having a forwardly projecting
handle 266 thereon, is mounted on the slideable tray 252,
and may be completely removed from the .tray 25 by
disengaging latch 267 in order to remove and replace the
continuous tape car.tridge 108 thereon. The cartridge
108 will be seated on the removable holder 264 in sub-
stantially the same manner .as he cartridge was seated on
the tray in the preferred embodiment of my invention,
and the removable holder .will support the resilient roller
86 and the other tape guide structures shown and de-
scribed in detail in connection with the hinged tray 20.
In this sliding embodiment of my tray .or gate shown
in FIGURE 11, the resilient roller 86 and the tape car-
ried thereby are moved rearwardly into compressire en-
gagement against the capstan 56 to operate the ape, and
moved forwardly out of engagement with the capstan
56 .to stop the tape.
Referring now to FIGURE 12 of the draings, I have
there illustrated a second alternative embodiment of my
invention in which the tray 268 is hinged on shaft 32 in
much the same manner as .the tray 21) in the pre-
ferred embodiment, but with the tray normally being fully
closed vith the sliding latch engaging a fixed latch but-
ton 270 on the panel '12. The tray 26õ will will only
be hinged o.utvardly for removal and replacement of the
cartridge 108 thereon.
In the construction shown in FIGURE 12, the tape
!40 from cartridge I08 passes over a resilient roller 272
like roller 86 in the preferred embodiment, this roller
272 being rotatably supported on a lever arm 2?4 that
is pivotally mounted on the tray 2158 by a suitable pin
276. The roller 272 is normally held out of operative en-
gagement with capstan 56 by means of a tension spring
278.
A lug or flange 280 on the shaft 282 of solenoid 284
engages the lever arm 2?4 upon actuation of solenoid 284
to move roller 272 and the tape 140 into operative en-
gagement with capstan 56.
It will be apparent that the embodiment of my inven-
tion shovrn in FIGURE 12 involves less inertia in moving
the tape into and out of operative engagement with the
capstan 56 by moving only the roller and not the entire
tray and cartridge, for the quickest possible starting and
stopping of the tape.
In FIGURE 14 of the drawings I have illustrated still
another embodiment of my invention in which .a horizon-
tal capstan 286 is provided. The gate or tray 288 is
hingeally mounted on a horizontal hinge pin 290, and is
provided with latch and solenoid actuating means sub-
stantially the same as those shown in the preferred era-
5 bodiment of my invention.
In FIGURE 14 I have shown a simple type of continu-
ous tape cartridge 292 in which the tape 294 is merely
stacked at random in the cartridge 292, with the cartridge
292 acting as a simple receptacle. The tape 294 passes
10 over a suitable guide. post 296, and past the magnetic
head 298, the tape passing over a resilient roller 300 vhich
is compressed with the tape against the horizontal cap-
stan or shaft 286 when the solenoid is actuated to close
the gate or tray 288.
15 It will be noted in the embodiment of FIGURE 14 that
I have shown the resilient roller 300 as being rotatably
mounted within the cartridge itself, with a portion of
the roller 300 projecting out of the edge of the cartridge.
It will be apparent that such a construction could be used
20 in connection with any continuous tape cartridge, and
could be used in connection with the preferred tray and
cartridge construction heretofore described with relatively
little modification and with substantially the same mode
of operation.
25 A presently preferred use of my invention is to feed
recorded sounds, such as messages, music, audio program
material, or the like, to the audio circuitry of speaker
systems, radio .and television studios for further transmis-
sion, or the like.
80 Several examples of uses for my present invention,
which are not intended to be in any way limiting as to
either the uses or the detailed construction of my inven-
tion required for the various uses, are as follows:
(1) My invention may be used for re-creating the
85 sounds of a baseball game in a radio or television studio
as follows: A first continuous tape unit mounted on one
of the gates or trays may have recorded thereon the gen-
eral noisy atmosphere of a baseball stadium. This first
tape may be playing continuously to provide this back-
40 ground. A second tape, mounted on a second one of my
gates or trays, may be selectively manually actuated, by
a suitable button, to play back a recorded sound of the
crack of a bat against a baseball, and the medium roar
of the crowd. A third tape unit may contain the recorded
45 sound of the crack of the bat against the ball, together
with a large roar from the crowd to indicate a home run,
this third tape, like the second tape, being selectively
manually operable by a button or the like to fit in with
50 .whatever the radio or television station announcer is talk-
ing about. This can create a very realistic atmosphere
for the announcer's presentation.
(2) A second example of the use of my present inven-
tion is in a television production. A first tape would
55 provide outdoor backgound noises. A second tape would
have recorded thereon the sounds of horses' hooves. A
third tape would carry recorded pistol shot sounds. A
fourth tape would carry recorded sounds of a woman
screaming. A fifth tape might carry suitable background
O0 music. It will be apparent that any number of such
tapes may be used, according to the requirements. The
studio operator may then start and stop, and combine,
the outputs of these tapes in such a manner as to pro-
duce a wide variety of very realistic program effects. If
05 desired, a sixth tape could carry the applause of an au-
dience purportedly watching the program.
(3) Another example is the recording of a plurality of
different types of laughs on the respective tapes. For ex-
ample, five different types of laughs may be recorded on
70 five separate tape units, these laughs being fed together
simultaneously or successively to provide several dozen
overall types of laughs.
It will be apparent that my tape cartridge units can
be actuated by any desired means, including but not lim-
75 ired to manual actuation of the cartridges, operation of
Page 9
3,126162
the cartridges by a tinhe clock, the successive actuation of
a plurality of my cartridges by each other, or by other
means.
I have found that my present invention is ideal for
synthesizing messages where a large number of messages
will have many common parts. For example, in an-
nouncing the arrival and departure of aircraft at an air-
port, many of the messages will have such things in com-
mon as the airline name, the departure and arrival gates,
the departure and .arrival times, and the like. Accord-
ingly, by having each common statement recorded on a
separate cartridge, relatively few such cartridges may be
used to announce a very large number of messages, with
the cartridges being successively played in various orders
to synthesize these messages. Such synthesizing can be
accomplished either manually or by suitable automatic
means that may be triggered manually or by a time clock
or otherwise.
It will also be apparent that my present invention will
be useful in the controlled storage and release of informa-
tion in connection with computer.
Although I have described my present invention in
detail in connection with endless tape cartridges contain-
ing magnetic recording tapes, it is to be understood that
my present invention may be employed in connection
with other types of endless tapes, such as film tapes,
grooved tapes adapted to receive a phonograph record
type of recording and others.
It is to be uncterstood that the form of my invention
herein shown and described is my preferred embodiment
and that various changes in the shape, size and arrange-
ment of parts may be resorted to without departing from
the spirit of my invention, or the scope of my appended
claims.
I claim:
1. In apparatus for actuating am enctless tape cartridge,
the combination comprising; a housing; a continuously
rotating annular drive member mounted in said housing;
a magnetic head mounted in said housing; hinge means
mounted on said housing; a movable support mounted on
sakt hinge means for movement relative to said housing;
said movable support supporting said endless tape cartridge
and having an idler roller mounted thereon, the tape of
said tape cartridge engaging said ktler roller; said mov-
able support being movable from a first position at least
partially without said housing to a second position within
said housing; said idler roller and tape being out of en-
gagement with said drive member when said support is
in said first position, said idler roller causing said tape to
operatively engage said drive member when said support
is in said second position whereby said tape is driven
past said magnetic head; and electromagnetic means cou-
pled to said support and operable to move said support
from said first position to said second position.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a spring loaded
pad is mounted on said support, said pad frictionally en-
gaging said tape and causing said tape to engage said
head in either support position whereby movement of said
tape will cease instantaneously upon movement of said
support from said second position to sa,d first position, and
wherein means are provided for biasing said support in
said first position.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said electronhag-
netlc means is a solenoid and'wherein said solenoid is
5 actuated by an electrical circuit including a source of
electrical power, operative connections between said source
of power and said solenoid to normally provide a hold-
ing current through said solenoid sufficient to hold the
solenoid in its actuated position in which the support is
10 in said second position but insufficient to actuate the sole-
noid initially, a start circuit operatively connecting said
solenoid and said power source to provide sufficient elec-
trical current to said solenokt to initially actuate the sole-
noid, and a stop circuit operatively connected to the sole-
15 noid to block off the holding current from the solenoid
whereby said support can return to said first position.
4. In apparatus for actuating a plurality of endless tape
cartridges,-the combination comprising; a housing; a con-
tinuously rotating drive shaft mounted in said housing; a
P.0 plurality of magnetic heads mounted in said housing; a
plurality of hhge means mounted on said housing; a plu-
rality of movable supports mounted on said hinge means
for movement relative to said housing; each of said mov-
able supports supporting one of said plurality of tape car-
25 'tridges and having an idler roller mounted thereon, the
tape of said tape cartridge engaging said idler roller; each
of said movable supports being movable from a f'st posi-
tion at least partially without said housing to a second
position within said housing; the idler roller and tape car-
80 tied by each of said supports being out of engagement
with said drive shaft when the support is in said first
position; each idler roller causing its associated tape to
operatively engage said drive shaft when its respective
support is in said second position whereby said tape is
85 driven past a corresponding one of said magnetic heads;
and a plurality of electromagnetic means, at least one of
said electromagnetic means being coupled to each of
said movable supports and being operable to move said
support from said first position to said second position.
40
References Cited in the file of this patent
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