Tape transport assembly

Claim 2

A tape transport system comprising a supply reel, a takeup reel, a series of roller members for guiding movement of a tape between said reels including a brake roller movable into engagement with at least one of said supply and takeup reels, said supply and takeup reels being coaxially mounted for rotation about a common axis, and a cartridge enclosing said rollers and reel members, means correlating rotation of said supply and takeup reels as the tape is advanced therebetween, and braking means selectively activated to advance said brake roller into braking engagement with one of said reels whereby to stop rotation of said supply and takeup reels.

Claim 3

A tape transport system according to claim 1 in which a drive capstan is engageable with the tape, said brake roller defined by a pivotal pressure roller biased against the capstan to advance said tape between said supply and takeup reels, and said brake means selectively activated to engage said pressure roller and pivot same away from said capstan into engagement with said supply reel while simultaneously locking said pressure roller against rotation.

Claim 4

In a tape transport system having coaxial supply and takeup reels and means correlating rotation of said reels for advancement of a tape under constant tension therebetween, the combination therewith of guide roll means for guiding movement of the tape between said reels including at least one roller pivotally mounted for movement between a position in the guide path of advancement of the tape and a position contacting an outer peripheral edge of at least one of said reels, means normally urging said one roller away from contact with the reels, and braking means associated with said one roller being selectively activated to urge said one roller against one of said reels to lock said reels against rotation.

Claim 5

In a tape transport system having coaxial supply and takeup reels and means correlating rotation of said reels for advancement of a tape under constant tension therebetween, the combination therewith of guide roll means for guiding movement of the tape between said reels including at least one roller pivotally mounted for movement between a position in the guide path of advancement of the tape and a position contacting an outer peripheral edge of at least one of said reels, means normally urging said one roller away from contact with the reels, and braking means associated with said one roller being selectively activated to urge said one roller against one of said reels to lock said reels against rotation.

Claim 6

In a tape transport system according to claim 3, further including a tape cartridge enclosing said reels and said guide roll means, said guide roll means arranged at spaced intervals within said cartridge on axes parallel to the reel axis and further arranged to guide the tape across an opening along an open end of said cartridge, said one pivotal roller defined by a pressure roller mounted within said cartridge for movement between a position normally engaging the tape as it is advanced between said guide rollers and a position pivoted away from the tape into engagement with an outer peripheral edge of one of said supply and takeup reels for braking rotation of said reels.

Claim 7

In a tape transport system according to claim 4, said braking means including a pivotal arm member disposed externally of said cartridge and having a slotted free end portion movable inwardly through the open end of said cartridge past said tape into engagement with said pressure roller.

Claim 8

In a tape transport system according to claim 5, said brake arm being solenoid-controlled to urge said pressure roller into braking engagement with said supply reel without interrupting said capstan drive.

Claim 9

In a tape transport system having a tape cartridge, and coaxial supply and takeup reels mounted for rotation about a common axis within said cartridge for advancement of a tape therebetween, the combination therewith of a capstan drive engageable with the tape to advance same between the reels, guide rolLers at spaced intervals within said cartridge arranged to guide the tape to and from said capstan drive in a path of travel parallel to its direction of travel in passing onto and from said takeup and supply reels, said guide rollers having tape-contacting roller surfaces for guiding advancement of the tape internally of said cartridge along a first inclined path of travel from said supply reel into a guide path parallel to said reels along said capstan drive and a second inclined path of travel onto said takeup reel.

Claim 10

In a tape transport system having a tape cartridge, and coaxial supply and takeup reels mounted for rotation about a common axis within said cartridge for advancement of a tape therebetween, the combination therewith of a capstan drive engageable with the tape to advance same between the reels, guide rolLers at spaced intervals within said cartridge arranged to guide the tape to and from said capstan drive in a path of travel parallel to its direction of travel in passing onto and from said takeup and supply reels, said guide rollers having tape-contacting roller surfaces for guiding advancement of the tape internally of said cartridge along a first inclined path of travel from said supply reel into a guide path parallel to said reels along said capstan drive and a second inclined path of travel onto said takeup reel.

Claim 11

In a tape transport system according to claim 7, said guide rollers including guide rollers on opposite sides of said capstan drive having tape-contacting roller surfaces disposed at an angle to the reel axis of rotation to guide the tape along the inclined paths leading into and away from the guide path across said capstan drive.

Claim 12

In a tape transport system according to claim 7, said tape cartridge being of generally flat rectangular configuration with an open end portion at one end opposite the point of removal and return of the tape on said supply and takeup reels, respectively, said guide rollers establishing the first inclined path of travel for the tape from the supply reel into a guide path along the open end of said cartridge parallel to said reels and the second inclined guide path from the open end of said cartridge onto said takeup reel, and said capstan drive being engageable with the tape along the open end of said cartridge.

Claim 13

In a tape transport system according to claim 7, said guide rollers including a guide roller at each corner of said tape cartridge having tape-contacting roller surfaces disposed at an angle to the reel axis whereby to establish the inclined paths of travel into and away from the guide path along the open end of said tape cartridge.

Claim 14

In a tape transport system according to claim 10, there being a pair of corner guide rollers in the path of travel between each reel and the guide path along the open end of said tape cartridge, each of said roller pairs being disposed for rotation about an axis parallel to the reel axis and the rollers of each pair having conical tape-contacting roller surfaces tapered in opposite directions to one another to cause the tape to undergo successive changes in direction of travel between said reels.