Shiftable spindle for tape transport

Claim 2

In a tape transport: a base plate; a shift plate pivotally mounted on the base plate and having spindle structure thereon for movement therewith from one operative position to a second operative position; means biasing the shift plate into one of said positions; a support for mounting a cartridge for movement adjacent to the base plate so that the spindle structure can be received within the cartridge and coupled to a tape reel therein; a linkage shiftably connected to the support and coupled with the shift plate for moving the latter into the other operative position when the linkage moves with the support; and means responsive to the size of a cartridge on the support for rigidly connecting the linkage thereto, whereby the shift plate can be moved into said other operative position when the support moves relative to the base plate.

Claim 3

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 1, wherein said connecting means includes an arm pivotally mounted on the support and coupled to the linkage, said arm having an opening therein and a pin movable into the opening of the arm to prevent relative movement between the support into the arm when a cartridge of a particular size is received within the support and as the support moves relative to the base plate.

Claim 4

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 2, wherein said opening is at one end of a slot and is enlarged relative thereto, said slot being concentric to the axis about which the arm pivots relative to the support, and means biasing the pin away from said opening.

Claim 5

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 2, wherein is included a spring in the path of movement of a cartridge onto the support for moving the pin into the opening of said arm, said support being movable from an inclined position to a vertical position and then along a rectilinear path toward the base plate.

Claim 6

In a video reproducer and/or recorder the combination of: a base plate; a bucket adapted individually to receive cartridges of various sizes, each cartridge having a reel including a driven element; mounting structure for moving said bucket between ready and operative positions with respect to the base plate; a spindle drive; an adjustable mount for the spindle drive so arranged that the position of the spindle may be adjusted in elevation relative to the base plate; a sensing device which responds to the insertion of a cartridge of one size in the bucket but is non-responsive to the insertion of a cartridge of another size; and a linkage which is controlled by the sensing device to determine the position of said spindle so that when the bucket is moved into operative position the spindle drive registers with the driven element of the cartridge.

Claim 7

In a video reproducer and/or recorder the combination of: a base plate; a bucket adapted individually to receive cartridges of various sizes, each cartridge having a reel including a driven element; mounting structure for moving said bucket between ready and operative positions with respect to the base plate; a spindle drive; an adjustable mount for the spindle drive so arranged that the position of the spindle may be adjusted in elevation relative to the base plate; a sensing device which responds to the insertion of a cartridge of one size in the bucket but is non-responsive to the insertion of a cartridge of another size; and a linkage which is controlled by the sensing device to determine the position of said spindle so that when the bucket is moved into operative position the spindle drive registers with the driven element of the cartridge.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 5 and further comprising a spring which normally biases the spindle mount into its elevated position, the sensing device being arranged to be non-responsive to the presence of a relatively short cartridge, the linkage between the sensing device and the spindle mount therefore reMaining open, so that as the bucket is placed in operating position the spindle drive remains in elevated position to register with the driven element of the relatively short cartridge.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 6 wherein said linkage includes a clutch and said sensing device responds to the insertion of a relatively long cartridge in the bucket to close said clutch so that movement of the bucket toward operating position actuates said linkage to depress the spindle drive into its lower position, whereby the spindle drive registers with the driven element of the relatively long cartridge as the bucket reaches operating position.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 7 wherein the sensing device comprises a spring positioned in the bucket to be mechanically stressed by a long cartridge but to be out of the path of a short cartridge, and the clutching device comprises a pin actuated by said spring to close said clutch and a link pivotally mounted on the bucket so that when it is closed it turns with the bucket.

Claim 11

In a tape transport: a base plate; a shift plate pivotally mounted on the base plate and having a spindle drive thereon for movement therewith from one operative position to a second operative position; a spring for biasing the shift plate into one of said positions; a carriage for mounting a cartridge for movement relative to the base plate so that the spindle structure can be received within the cartridge and coupled centrally to a tape reel therein; a linkage capable of being clutched to the carriage and coupled to the shift plate for moving the latter into the other operative position when the linkage moves with the carriage; and a clutch responsive to one size of a cartridge on the carriage for coupling the linkage to the carriage.

Claim 12

In a tape transport: a base plate; a shift plate pivotally mounted on the base plate and having a spindle drive thereon for movement therewith from one operative position to a second operative position; a spring for biasing the shift plate into one of said positions; a carriage for mounting a cartridge for movement relative to the base plate so that the spindle structure can be received within the cartridge and coupled centrally to a tape reel therein; a linkage capable of being clutched to the carriage and coupled to the shift plate for moving the latter into the other operative position when the linkage moves with the carriage; and a clutch responsive to one size of a cartridge on the carriage for coupling the linkage to the carriage.

Claim 13

In a tape transport, the combination according to claim 9, wherein said linkage includes an arm pivotally mounted on the carriage and coupled to the shift plate, said arm having an opening therein, and the clutch comprises a pin movable into the opening of the arm to prevent relative movement between the carriage and the arm as the carriage moves relative to the base plate, said pin moving into said opening when a cartridge of a particular size is received within the carriage.

Claim 14

In a tape transport, the combination according to claim 10, wherein said opening is at one end of a slot and is enlarged relative thereto, said slot being concentric to the axis about which the arm pivots relative to the carriage, the pin being normally biased away from said opening.

Claim 15

In a tape transport, the combination as set forth in claim 10, wherein is included a spring in the path of movement of a cartridge within the carriage for moving the pin into the opening of said arm.

Claim 16

In a tape transport: a base plate, reel-driving spindle structure mounted on the base plate for movement from a first operative position to a second operative position, a cartridge support shiftably mounted on the base plate, and means coupling said support to said spindle means for shifting the latter from the first operative position to the second operative position during movement of the support relative to the base plate, said coupling means including a linkage shiftably mounted on the support, and means on the support for contingently coupling the linkage thereto as a function of the size of a cartridge on the support.

Claim 17

In a tape transport: a base plate, reel-driving spindle structure mounted on the base plate for movement from a first operative position to a second operative position, a cartridge support shiftably mounted on the base plate, and means coupling said support to said spindle means for shifting the latter from the first operative position to the second operative position during movement of the support relative to the base plate, said coupling means including a linkage shiftably mounted on the support, and means on the support for contingently coupling the linkage thereto as a function of the size of a cartridge on the support.