Mechanical relay apparatus

Claim 2

The apparatus according ro claim 2, above, further including reset-actuating means coupled to said pivot arm for applying said resetting force to said mechanical means.

Claim 3

Mechanical relay apparatus comprising the combination of: rotational drive means having an axis of rotation; a pivot arm pivotally supported about a pivot axis in axial parallelism with said axis of rotation; means normally maintaining said pivot arm in a first position about said pivot axis; a shaft attached to said pivot arm at a predetermined distance from said pivot axis and in axial parallelism therewith; and gear means urgeable into driving engagement with the rotational drive means for being rotatably driven by the drive means through a predetermined rotational angle, said gear means including cam means in cooperative relation with said shaft for urging said pivot arm to a second predetermined position aBout said pivot axis when said gear means is rotatably driven through said angle.

Claim 4

Mechanical relay apparatus comprising the combination of: rotational drive means having an axis of rotation; a pivot arm pivotally supported about a pivot axis in axial parallelism with said axis of rotation; means normally maintaining said pivot arm in a first position about said pivot axis; a shaft attached to said pivot arm at a predetermined distance from said pivot axis and in axial parallelism therewith; and gear means urgeable into driving engagement with the rotational drive means for being rotatably driven by the drive means through a predetermined rotational angle, said gear means including cam means in cooperative relation with said shaft for urging said pivot arm to a second predetermined position aBout said pivot axis when said gear means is rotatably driven through said angle.

Claim 5

The apparatus according to claim 4, above, wherein said gear means is responsive to a resetting force applied to said shaft, when said pivot arm is in said second position, for resetting said pivot arm to said first position.

Claim 6

The apparatus according to claim 5, above, further including reset-actuating means coupled to said pivot arm for applying said resetting force to said shaft.

Claim 7

In a tape transport system including a pinch roller and a capstan, apparatus for stopping transport by the capstan when driven of a tape interposed between the capstan and the pinch roller, comprising the combination of: a shaft supporting the pinch roller for rotation of the pinch roller about the shaft; pivotable means supporting said shaft in axial parallelism with the capstan and normally in a first position whereby the pinch roller is engaged with the capstan; and gear means eccentrically positioned with respect to said shaft and translationally urgeable into engagement with the driven capstan for being rotatably driven by the capstan through a predetermined rotational angle, said gear means including cam means in cooperative relation with said shaft for urging said shaft to a second position when said gear means is rotated through said angle whereby the pinch roller is retracted from the capstan.

Claim 8

In a tape transport system including a pinch roller and a capstan, apparatus for stopping transport by the capstan when driven of a tape interposed between the capstan and the pinch roller, comprising the combination of: a shaft supporting the pinch roller for rotation of the pinch roller about the shaft; pivotable means supporting said shaft in axial parallelism with the capstan and normally in a first position whereby the pinch roller is engaged with the capstan; and gear means eccentrically positioned with respect to said shaft and translationally urgeable into engagement with the driven capstan for being rotatably driven by the capstan through a predetermined rotational angle, said gear means including cam means in cooperative relation with said shaft for urging said shaft to a second position when said gear means is rotated through said angle whereby the pinch roller is retracted from the capstan.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 7, above, wherein said gear means is responsive to a resetting force applied to said shaft for being released from engagement with the driven capstan and for being rotationally and translationally reset with respect to said shaft.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 8, above, further including reset-actuating means coupled to said pivotable means for applying said resetting force to said shaft.

Claim 11

Mechanical relay apparatus comprising the combination of: a spindle adapted to be rotatably driven; an arm member pivotable about a pivot axis; a shaft secured to said pivot arm in parallelism with said pivot axis; a friction gear eccentrically positioned on said shaft and normally responsive to a first translational force applied to said gear toward said spindle for being displaced into engagement with said spindle when driven whereby said gear rotates through a predetermined rotational angle, said shaft being displaced from a first position to a second position with respect to said spindle upon rotation of said gear through said angle; means maintaining said shaft in said first position before said rotation of said gear means; and means responsive to a second translational force applied to said shaft away from said spindle for resetting said shaft to said first position and said gear to be responsive to said first applied force.

Claim 12

Mechanical relay apparatus comprising the combination of: a spindle adapted to be rotatably driven; an arm member pivotable about a pivot axis; a shaft secured to said pivot arm in parallelism with said pivot axis; a friction gear eccentrically positioned on said shaft and normally responsive to a first translational force applied to said gear toward said spindle for being displaced into engagement with said spindle when driven whereby said gear rotates through a predetermined rotational angle, said shaft being displaced from a first position to a second position with respect to said spindle upon rotation of said gear through said angle; means maintaining said shaft in said first position before said rotation of said gear means; and means responsive to a second translational force applied to said shaft away from said spindle for resetting said shaft to said first position and said gear to be responsive to said first applied force.

Claim 13

In a web transport system, the combination comprising: a support; a pivot arm, pivotally mounted to said support about a pivot axis; a spindle for being rotational driven in parallelism with said pivot axis; a friction gear for being rotatably driven by said spindle through a predetermined rotational angle when in engagement therewith, said friction gear having an eccentric aperture therein; stop means on said friction gear for restraining rotation thereof after said friction gear has been rotatably driven through said angle; a shaft having a diameter smaller than said gear aperture and situated therein, said shaft being carried by said pivot arm in parallelism with said spindle and at a predetermined distance from said pivot axis; means supporting said friction gear for translational and rotational movement with respect to said shaft; first biasing means for biasing said shaft toward said spindle; means for restricting proximity of said shaft with respect to said spindle to a predetermined distance; second biasing means for biasing said friction gear rotatably and translationally in an unactuated position when said gear is disengagEd from said spindle; means for translationally moving said friction gear to an actuated position for engaging said spindle; and means for disengaging said friction gear from said spindle; means for disengaging said friction gear from said spindle.

Claim 14

In a web transport system, the combination comprising: a support; a pivot arm, pivotally mounted to said support about a pivot axis; a spindle for being rotational driven in parallelism with said pivot axis; a friction gear for being rotatably driven by said spindle through a predetermined rotational angle when in engagement therewith, said friction gear having an eccentric aperture therein; stop means on said friction gear for restraining rotation thereof after said friction gear has been rotatably driven through said angle; a shaft having a diameter smaller than said gear aperture and situated therein, said shaft being carried by said pivot arm in parallelism with said spindle and at a predetermined distance from said pivot axis; means supporting said friction gear for translational and rotational movement with respect to said shaft; first biasing means for biasing said shaft toward said spindle; means for restricting proximity of said shaft with respect to said spindle to a predetermined distance; second biasing means for biasing said friction gear rotatably and translationally in an unactuated position when said gear is disengagEd from said spindle; means for translationally moving said friction gear to an actuated position for engaging said spindle; and means for disengaging said friction gear from said spindle; means for disengaging said friction gear from said spindle.

Claim 15

The apparatus according to claim 11, above, wherein said stop means includes a partial bearing for bearing engagement with said driven spindle upon rotation of said friction gear through said angle.

Claim 16

The apparatus according to claim 11, above, wherein said means for restricting proximity of said shaft member with respect to said spindle includes a pinch roller rotatably supported by said shaft and in rolling engagement with said driven spindle when said friction gear is in said unactuated position.