US3617650A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic threading mechanism using three tape loops
Assignee: DIGITAL INFORMATION DEVICES
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Filing: 1968-12-04
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Granted: 1971-11-02
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Expires: 1988-12-04
Abstract
Abstract Referred apparatus employs a cartridge in the form of a narrow casing containing a supply of magnetic tape on and between a supply reel and takeup reel. The cartridge is inserted from above into a well in a support housing which is hinged along a bottom edge to move out from the console for loading and unloading and back to the console for cooperation with a tape drive. The tape reel supporting structure engage and center on drive hubs, and a vacuum system, including ports through the hubs, holds the reel supporting structure to the drive hubs. Automatic threading is then accomplished. Tape is withdrawn by vacuum through an opening in an edge of the cartridge through a vestibule into the middle one of three loop boxes opening into the vestibule. When in the middle loop box a pickup and recording head is moved across the box within the loop. Thereupon the vacuum is released in the middle box and imposed on each of two outer loop boxes opening into the vestibule each side of the middle box. This latter action pulls the tape around driving capstans in position to operate.
Inventors
- 👤 Herbert Morello
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 17:46
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/675; G11B23/00; G11B23/02; G11B23/04; G11B23/08; G11B23/087
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
267 words
An automatic loading mechanism comprising hubs for tape supply and takeup reels, respectively, drive means for at least one of said hubs whereby an excess of tape between the two reels may be generated and tape may depart from a defined tape path between the two reels, an enclosed tape deck area including a vestibule area adjacent to the two reels and the tape path into which an excess of tape may move, a pair of outer tape loop boxes having openings into the vestibule area, a middle tape loop box having an opening into the vestibule area between the openings of said pair of outer tape loop boxes, tape drive means within said enclosed tape deck area between at least one of said outer tape loop box openings and said middle tape loop box opening to have tape drawn into operative position on the drive means by the vacuum means, vacuum means having communication with said middle tape loop box, retractable head means in said middle tape loop box and retractable from said middle tape loop box and retractable from said middle tape loop box whereby the vacuum means may draw a loop of tape past the position of said retractable head means when retracted, and further vacuum means having communication with each of the pair of outer tape loop boxes for drawing tape loops into each of said pair of boxes, after the retractable head means has been repositioned in the middle tape loop box whereby the tape is drawn into a fixed tape path around said retractable head means and said tape drive means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
267 words
An automatic loading mechanism comprising hubs for tape supply and takeup reels, respectively, drive means for at least one of said hubs whereby an excess of tape between the two reels may be generated and tape may depart from a defined tape path between the two reels, an enclosed tape deck area including a vestibule area adjacent to the two reels and the tape path into which an excess of tape may move, a pair of outer tape loop boxes having openings into the vestibule area, a middle tape loop box having an opening into the vestibule area between the openings of said pair of outer tape loop boxes, tape drive means within said enclosed tape deck area between at least one of said outer tape loop box openings and said middle tape loop box opening to have tape drawn into operative position on the drive means by the vacuum means, vacuum means having communication with said middle tape loop box, retractable head means in said middle tape loop box and retractable from said middle tape loop box and retractable from said middle tape loop box whereby the vacuum means may draw a loop of tape past the position of said retractable head means when retracted, and further vacuum means having communication with each of the pair of outer tape loop boxes for drawing tape loops into each of said pair of boxes, after the retractable head means has been repositioned in the middle tape loop box whereby the tape is drawn into a fixed tape path around said retractable head means and said tape drive means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The automatic loading mechanism of claim 1 in which the drive means includes a pair of capstans, respectively between different ones of the outer tape loop boxes and the middle tape loop box.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
213 words
An automatic loading mechanism comprising hubs for tape supply and takeup reels, respectively, drive means for at least one of said hubs whereby an excess of tape between the two reels may be generated and tape may depart from a defined tape path between the two reels, an enclosed tape deck area including a vestibule area adjacent the two reels and the tape path into which an excess of tape may move, three tape loop boxes having openings into the vestibule area, selectively actuatable vacuum means in communication with each of said tape Loop boxes for selectively drawing tape loops into the middle or the outer pair of tape loop boxes, retractable head means within the middle tape loop box retractable from said box to permit tape to be drawn into said middle tape loop box past the retracted head, said head being replaceable within the tape loop thereafter, a capstan between the middle and each of the respective outer tape loop boxes and within the vestibule area in position to have tape drawn into an operative position against said head means in the middle tape loop box and said capstans when the tape loops are drawn into said pair of outer boxes, and means to selectively drive the capstans in opposite directions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
213 words
An automatic loading mechanism comprising hubs for tape supply and takeup reels, respectively, drive means for at least one of said hubs whereby an excess of tape between the two reels may be generated and tape may depart from a defined tape path between the two reels, an enclosed tape deck area including a vestibule area adjacent the two reels and the tape path into which an excess of tape may move, three tape loop boxes having openings into the vestibule area, selectively actuatable vacuum means in communication with each of said tape Loop boxes for selectively drawing tape loops into the middle or the outer pair of tape loop boxes, retractable head means within the middle tape loop box retractable from said box to permit tape to be drawn into said middle tape loop box past the retracted head, said head being replaceable within the tape loop thereafter, a capstan between the middle and each of the respective outer tape loop boxes and within the vestibule area in position to have tape drawn into an operative position against said head means in the middle tape loop box and said capstans when the tape loops are drawn into said pair of outer boxes, and means to selectively drive the capstans in opposite directions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
169 words
An automatic tape drive loading mechanism comprising hubs for supply and takeup reels respectively, drive means for at least one of said hubs whereby an excess of tape between the two reels may be generated, an enclosed tape deck area including a vestibule area adjacent to the two reels and the tape path into which an excess of tape may move, and a middle and two outer tape vacuum loop boxes having openings into the vestibule side by side, separated from the takeup reels by the vestibule, retractable head means in the middle tape loop box such that the head means may be retracted to permit the tape to enter the middle tape loop box past the retracted head and thereafter the retracted head means replaced within the tape loop, means for drawing tape loops into selected loop boxes, such that tape first drawn into the middle loop box after the retractable head means is retracted may be drawn into the replaced head means in said middle tape box.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
169 words
An automatic tape drive loading mechanism comprising hubs for supply and takeup reels respectively, drive means for at least one of said hubs whereby an excess of tape between the two reels may be generated, an enclosed tape deck area including a vestibule area adjacent to the two reels and the tape path into which an excess of tape may move, and a middle and two outer tape vacuum loop boxes having openings into the vestibule side by side, separated from the takeup reels by the vestibule, retractable head means in the middle tape loop box such that the head means may be retracted to permit the tape to enter the middle tape loop box past the retracted head and thereafter the retracted head means replaced within the tape loop, means for drawing tape loops into selected loop boxes, such that tape first drawn into the middle loop box after the retractable head means is retracted may be drawn into the replaced head means in said middle tape box.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
The automatic loading mechanism of claim 4 which retraction means is provided for the head means in the middle tape loop box moving the head upon actuation of the retraction means alternatively to retract the head from the plane of the tape loop to permit a tape loop to pass and to replace the head in said plane of the tape loop, after the loop is past.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
85 words
The automatic loading mechanism of claim 5 in which the means for drawing tape loops into the middle tape box is port means communicating with said middle tape loop box with vacuum pump producing means selectively actuatable to draw a tape loop into the middle box while the retractable head means is retracted from the middle tape loop box and to release that loop once the retractable head means is repositioned to enable the loop to be drawn back toward the vestibule into the head.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
83 words
The automatic loading mechanism of claim 6 in which the means for drawing tape loops into each of the outside tape loop boxes is port means communicating with said outside tape loop boxes and connected with vacuum producing means selectively actuated to draw tape loops into each of said outside tape loop boxes and thereby draw the tape into the retractable head means after it is repositioned in the middle tape loop box as well as providing storage loops in the outside boxes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
The automatic loading mechanism of claim 5 in which sequencing means is provided to control the sequence of operations of the vacuum producing means including port means into the middle loop box, the retraction means to retract and restore the retractable head means from and to the plane of the tape, and vacuum producing means to draw tape loops into each of the outside loop boxes.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
The automatic loading mechanism of claim 8 in which sensing means is provided to sense when a tape loop has entered the middle tape loop box sufficiently to assure clearance of the head.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The automatic loading mechanism of claim 9 in which the sensing means sensing entry of a tape loop into the middle tape loop box actuates the drive means to restore the retracted head.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
48 words
The automatic loading mechanism of claim 9 in which the means drawing tape loops into each of the outside loop boxes is vacuum producing means having ports into each of the outside loop boxes, said means being actuated by sensing means, once the head is in operating position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The automatic loading mechanism of claim 11 in which the sequencing means provides that the vacuum producing means in the middle loop box is discontinued in order to make the vacuum producing means in the outside loop boxes effective to draw the tape in the middle loop box into the tape head and tape loops into the outside boxes.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
130 words
The method of automatically threading a tape deck comprising providing a supply of tape; drawing a first loop from the tape supply past a position for introduction of a tape head retracted from operating position and out of the plane of the tape, returning the tape head to operating position in the plane of the tape, and drawing two additional loops on each side of the first loop thereby drawing the tape back into contact with the tape head and into contact with drive means to define a fixed tape path around the tape head to the drive means as the tape is drawn into the two additional loops such that force is maintained on the first loop to hold the tape in a fixed path relative to the head.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
130 words
The method of automatically threading a tape deck comprising providing a supply of tape; drawing a first loop from the tape supply past a position for introduction of a tape head retracted from operating position and out of the plane of the tape, returning the tape head to operating position in the plane of the tape, and drawing two additional loops on each side of the first loop thereby drawing the tape back into contact with the tape head and into contact with drive means to define a fixed tape path around the tape head to the drive means as the tape is drawn into the two additional loops such that force is maintained on the first loop to hold the tape in a fixed path relative to the head.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
162 words
The method of automatically threading a tape deck from a tape supply which tape deck includes a vestibule, a middle tape loop box, a pair of outside tape loop boxes having openings into a vestibule chamber, capstans close to the openings of the loop boxes and respectively between the middle and each of the other loop boxes, and a retractable head structure in the middle loop box, comprising providing a supply of tape from the tape supply to form a loop in the tape deck, drawing a tape loop into the middle loop box while the head is retracted, returning the head to operating position in the plane of the tape, and drawing the loop from the middle into the outside loop boxes and at the same time drawing the tape into a fixed tape path against the head and the capstans and maintaining the pull on the loops in the outside loop boxes during operation to maintain the fixed tape path.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
162 words
The method of automatically threading a tape deck from a tape supply which tape deck includes a vestibule, a middle tape loop box, a pair of outside tape loop boxes having openings into a vestibule chamber, capstans close to the openings of the loop boxes and respectively between the middle and each of the other loop boxes, and a retractable head structure in the middle loop box, comprising providing a supply of tape from the tape supply to form a loop in the tape deck, drawing a tape loop into the middle loop box while the head is retracted, returning the head to operating position in the plane of the tape, and drawing the loop from the middle into the outside loop boxes and at the same time drawing the tape into a fixed tape path against the head and the capstans and maintaining the pull on the loops in the outside loop boxes during operation to maintain the fixed tape path.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 14 in which the loop is successively drawn into the middle and outer loop boxes by vacuum sequentially applied first to the middle and then to the outer loop boxes for that purpose.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-01 | 1975-05-03 | 1975-11-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-01 | 1979-05-03 | 1979-11-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-01 | 1983-05-03 | 1983-11-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |