Tape transport vacuum chamber

Claim 1

IN A TAPE TRANSPORT SYSTEM WHEREIN LOW INERTIA TAPE LOOPS ARE FORMED IN THE TAPE PATH BETWEEN THE TAPE STORAGE MEANS AND THE TAPE DRIVING MEANS, AN IMPROVED VACUUM CHAMBER BUFFER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ENCLOSURE HAVING A CLOSED END AND AN OPEN ENTRY END FOR RECEIVING A TAPE LOOP, A VACUUM SOURCE COUPLED TO SAID ENCLOSURE THROUGH A FIRST OPENING AT THE CLOSED END OF THE CHAMBER, ONE OF THE WALLS OF THE CHAMBER SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF THE TAPE LOOP DEFINING A SECOND OPENING ADJACENT THE ENTRY END OF THE CHAMBER, SAID SECOND OPENING BEING OPEN TO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND ADAPTED TO BE SELECTIVELY CLOSED, TAPE LOOP SENSING MEANS FOR DETECTING DESIRED TAPE LOOP LENGTHS BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND OPENINGS, AND MEANS FOR DISPOSING A LENGTH OF TAPE TO FORM A SUBSTANTIAL PRESSURE SEAL ACROSS SAID ENTRY END SO THAT MOMENTARY CLOSURE OF SAID SECOND OPENING ESTABLISHES A VACUUM WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE TO PULL THE TAPE INTO SAID CHAMBER TO FORM A LOOP OF THE DESIRED LENGTH.