Tape transport apparatus and circular cartridge therefor

Claim 2

In a tape transport apparatus of a type for feeding a pliable tape wrapped to form a supply roll and having an annular rotating drive body for engaging said tape to feed same to form a takeup roll, a cartridge container enclosiNg said supply roll, a window formed in one side of said cartridge container for said body to drive said supply roll, means supporting said cartridge container to advance and retreat relative to said body during feeding of said tape, and means for urging said cartridge container to move the supply roll towards said body during feeding of said tape.

Claim 3

In a tape transport apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a takeup hub for forming said takeup roll and disposed to advance and retreat with respect to said body during feeding of the tape, and wherein said means for urging said cartridge container further serves to urge said takeup hub toward said body during feeding of said tape.

Claim 4

In a tape transport according to claim 1 wherein said window accommodates entry of said body via same for driving said supply roll.

Claim 5

In a tape transport apparatus of a type for feeding a pliable tape wrapped to form a supply roll and having an annular rotating drive body for engaging said tape to feed same to form a takeup roll, and having a takeup hub for receiving and forming thereon said takeup roll, means supporting said supply roll to advance and retreat relative to said drive body during feeding of tape, means supporting said takeup roll to advance and retreat relative to said body during feeding of tape, means for yieldingly urging said supply and takeup rolls relatively toward said body during feeding of tape with first hand second forces respectively, the second force being greater than the first, the last-named means being variously adjustable in common with both of said supporting means to simultaneously vary both the first and second forces.

Claim 6

In a tape transport apparatus of a type for feeding a pliable tape wrapped to form a supply roll and having an annular rotating drive body for engaging said tape to feed same to form a takeup roll, and having a takeup hub for receiving and forming thereon said takeup roll, means supporting said supply roll to advance and retreat relative to said drive body during feeding of tape, means supporting said takeup roll to advance and retreat relative to said body during feeding of tape, means for yieldingly urging said supply and takeup rolls relatively toward said body during feeding of tape with first hand second forces respectively, the second force being greater than the first, the last-named means being variously adjustable in common with both of said supporting means to simultaneously vary both the first and second forces.

Claim 7

In a tape transport apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising an enclosed cartridge container carrying said supply roll for rotation therein, and said means urging the supply roll toward said body being arranged to act directly in contact against said container.

Claim 8

A tape transport apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said last-named means further includes first and second swing arms respectively acting to move said supply and takeup rolls relatively toward the body, said swing arms being pivotally disposed about a common pivot axis, friction plates on opposite sides of said swing arms, and means common to said pivot axis for compressing all said plates simultaneously to vary the friction of the plate acting upon said swing arms.

Claim 9

In a tape transport of a type for feeding a length of pliable tape wrapped to form supply and takeup rolls, a tape cartridge container enclosing the supply roll during feeding of tape, means for forming a takeup roll disposed outside the cartridge, means for feeding the tape from the supply roll to the takeup roll, and means serving to urge the cartridge container and supply roll to move relatively toward the feeding means during said feeding of the tape.

Claim 10

In a tape transport of a type for feeding a length of pliable tape wrapped to form supply and takeup rolls, a tape cartridge container enclosing the supply roll during feeding of tape, means for forming a takeup roll disposed outside the cartridge, means for feeding the tape from the supply roll to the takeup roll, and means serving to urge the cartridge container and supply roll to move relatively toward the feeding means during said feeding of the tape.

Claim 11

In a tape transport apparatus of a type for feeding a pliable tape from a supply roll to a takeup roll, a tape transport unit comprising means forming a generally planar support base, a resilient annular drive body rotatably carried by said base in substantially coplanar relation to the base, means forming a pair of loading zones each adapted to guide an associated one of a pair of tape roll containers in substantially coplanar relation to said body for feeding tape from within one of said containers into the other via a window in each container, means for urging said containers relatively towards said body to dispose the body in driving relation to rolls of tape within said containers via said windows, arcuate surface portions of said body being disposed for cooperating with an annular rotating drive member disposed in substantially coplanar relation to said body for driving the body to feed tape.

Claim 12

In a tape transport apparatus of a type for feeding a pliable tape from a supply roll to a takeup roll, a tape transport unit comprising means forming a generally planar support base, a resilient annular drive body rotatably carried by said base in substantially coplanar relation to the base, means forming a pair of loading zones each adapted to guide an associated one of a pair of tape roll containers in substantially coplanar relation to said body for feeding tape from within one of said containers into the other via a window in each container, means for urging said containers relatively towards said body to dispose the body in driving relation to rolls of tape within said containers via said windows, arcuate surface portions of said body being disposed for cooperating with an annular rotating drive member disposed in substantially coplanar relation to said body for driving the body to feed tape.

Claim 13

In a tape transport apparatus of a type for feeding a pliable tape from a supply roll to a takeup roll, a tape transport unit comprising means forming a generally planar support base, a resilient annular drive bOdy rotatably carried by said base is substantially coplanar relation to the base for engaging and driving supply and takeup rolls at positions flanking said drive body including means forming a pair of loading channels disposed and adapted for respectively receiving an associated one of two individual tape roll containers having annular tape roll means therein, said channels serving to guide said containers to advance and retreat with respect to said body substantially in the plane of said body, means carried by said base for readily releasably engaging and urging said containers toward said body, and arcuate surface portions of said body being disposed and adapted both to carry tape wrapped therearound to cooperate with transducer means and to engage rotary drive means for driving said body to feed tape from one container to the other.

Claim 14

In a tape transport apparatus of a type for feeding a pliable tape from a supply roll to a takeup roll, a tape transport unit comprising means forming a generally planar support base, a resilient annular drive bOdy rotatably carried by said base is substantially coplanar relation to the base for engaging and driving supply and takeup rolls at positions flanking said drive body including means forming a pair of loading channels disposed and adapted for respectively receiving an associated one of two individual tape roll containers having annular tape roll means therein, said channels serving to guide said containers to advance and retreat with respect to said body substantially in the plane of said body, means carried by said base for readily releasably engaging and urging said containers toward said body, and arcuate surface portions of said body being disposed and adapted both to carry tape wrapped therearound to cooperate with transducer means and to engage rotary drive means for driving said body to feed tape from one container to the other.

Claim 15

A tape transport machine comprising a frame, a plurality of tape deck assemblies carried by the frame, each said deck assembly including a support base, a resilient annular capstan body rotatably carried by the base, means forming loading channels flanking the capstan body for guiding tape roll containers to advance and retreat relative to said body, and means for urging a pair of tape roll containers along said channels towards said body to dispose rolls carried within the containers to cooperate in driving relation with said body, rack means for disposing said deck assemblies in spaced planes, means readily releasably holding said assemblies individually to said rack means for selectively removing individual ones of said assemblies from said rack means, and means for respectively rotating a plurality of said capstan bodies to feed tape.

Claim 16

A tape transport machine comprising a frame, a plurality of tape deck assemblies carried by the frame, each said deck assembly including a support base, a resilient annular capstan body rotatably carried by the base, means forming loading channels flanking the capstan body for guiding tape roll containers to advance and retreat relative to said body, and means for urging a pair of tape roll containers along said channels towards said body to dispose rolls carried within the containers to cooperate in driving relation with said body, rack means for disposing said deck assemblies in spaced planes, means readily releasably holding said assemblies individually to said rack means for selectively removing individual ones of said assemblies from said rack means, and means for respectively rotating a plurality of said capstan bodies to feed tape.

Claim 17

A tape transport machine as in claim 10 wherein the last-named means includes a rotatably disposed plurality of annular drive wheels each respectively serving to engage an associated one of said capstan bodies, said rack means serving to dispose said deck assemblies with each of said bodies resting respectively on an associated on of said drive wheels.

Claim 18

A tape transport machine as in claim 10 wherein the last-named means includes rotary drive means common to all said deck assemblies, said rotary drive means including individual annular drive portions respectively disposed to engage and drive associated ones of the capstan bodies, and means for simultaneously and independently operating a plurality of said drive portions selectively in common or different directions.

Claim 19

In a tape transport machine of a type having a plurality of tape deck assemblies, each including an annular drive capstan and means for disposing supply and takeup rolls for transfer of tape from one to the other via said capstan, rotary tape drive means comprising a plurality of first annular drive elements and means supporting same for continuous rotation in a first predetermined direction, a plurality of second annular drive elements and means supporting same for continuous rotation in a second predetermined direction opposite to said first direction, a plurality of third annular drive elements selectively operable to be driven by either said first or second elements and serving to rotate said capstan selectively in one of two opposite directions in response thereto, a reversible electric motor for driving said elements and means serving to selectively couple said motor to drive said first and second elements in their respective predetermined directions at a first or second speed in response to operation of said motor in its forward or reverse mode of operation respectively.

Claim 20

In a tape transport machine of a type having a plurality of tape deck assemblies, each including an annular drive capstan and means for disposing supply and takeup rolls for transfer of tape from one to the other via said capstan, rotary tape drive means comprising a plurality of first annular drive elements and means supporting same for continuous rotation in a first predetermined direction, a plurality of second annular drive elements and means supporting same for continuous rotation in a second predetermined direction opposite to said first direction, a plurality of third annular drive elements selectively operable to be driven by either said first or second elements and serving to rotate said capstan selectively in one of two opposite directions in response thereto, a reversible electric motor for driving said elements and means serving to selectively couple said motor to drive said first and second elements in their respective predetermined directions at a first or second speed in response to operation of said motor in its forward or reverse mode of operation respectively.

Claim 21

In a tape transport machine as in claim 13 further including means for selectively braking the third drive elements to prevent inertial continuation of rotation thereof and of said capstan.