Magnetic tape apparatus

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS OF THE TYPE USING A RECORD TAPE FOR RECORDING OR PLAY-BACK OPERATIONS, THE COMBINATION COMPRIS ING: A BASE MEMBER; GUIDE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER AND DEFINING A TAPE GUIDING SURFACE CONFORMING SUBSTANTIALLY TO A SECTION OF A CYLINDER, SAID SURFACE BEING INTERRUPTED BY A GENERALLY CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ORIENTED AXIAL GAP; ROTARY TRANSDUCER MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED TRANSDUCER HEADS OPERATING IN SAID GAP; A PAIR OF SUPPLY AND TAKE-UP REELS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER IN SPACED PARALLEL PLANES AND WITH THE ROTATIONAL AXES OF SAID REELS GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID CYLINDER SECTION; A PAIR OF GUIDE POSTS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID GUIDE MEANS AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID GAP, WITH SAID GUIDE POSTS BEING INCLINED AT OPPOSITE ANGLES TO THE AXIS OF SAID CYLINDER; AND MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID TAPE FROM SAID SUPPLY REEL TO A FIRST ONE OF SAID GUIDE POSTS IN A PATH FOLLOWING THE PLANE OF SAID SUPPLY REEL AND REVERSELY AROUND SAID FIRST GUIDE POST, THENCE IN A HELICOIDAL HALF-TURN AROUND SAID CYLINDRICAL GUIDE MEANS AND ACROSS SAID GAP TO THE SECOND OF SAID GUIDE POSTS, AND THENCE REVERSELY AROUND SAID SECOND GUIDE POST AND TO SAID TAKE-UP REEL IN A PATH FOLLOWING THE PLANE OF SAID TAKE-UP REEL.