Magneto-optical translator

Claim 1

AN OUT-OF-CONTACT SYSTEM FOR RECORDING AND REPRODUCTING DATA COMPRISING: A MOVABLE RECORD MEMBER HAVING A THIN FILM RECORD SURFACE OF FERROMAGNETIC MATERIAL PROVIDING THEREON, SAID THIN FILM RECORD SURFACE HAVING A THICKNESS NOT EXCEEDING 1,000 ANGSTROMS; A MAGNETIC RECORDING HEAD DISPOSED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAID RECORD SURFACE FOR MAGNETICALLY RECORDING DATA IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO SAID SURFACE IN PREDETERMINED PORTIONS THEREOF AS EACH PREDETERMINED PORTION PASSES UNDER SAID HEAD; MEANS FOR DIRECTING A POLARIZED LIGHT BEAM ONTO PREDETERMINED PORTIONS OF SAID SURFACE SO THAT THE POLARIZATION OF THE LIGHT BEAM AFTER REACTION WITH SAID RECORD SURFACE VARIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DATA RECORDED THEREIN; MEANS FOR SENSING THE VARIATIONS IN THE POLARIZATION OF THE REACTED LIGHT BEAM AS SAID PREDETERMINED AREAS ARE SCANNED; AND MEANS COUPLED TO HE OUTPUT OF SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRICAL SIGNALS IN RESPONSE TO THE VARIATIONS IN THE POLARIZAION OF THE REACTED LIGHT BEAM.