US3698723A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Endless loop tape recorder
Assignee: McGraw Edison Co
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Filing: 1971-03-09
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Granted: 1972-10-17
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Expires: 1991-03-09
Abstract
Abstract A combined dictating and transcribing machine uses an endless magnetic tape of a length sufficient for several hours recording. The machine - herein referred to as an ''''endless tape recorder'''' - comprises separate dictating and transcribing units with independent tape driving mechanisms and a single storage bin or tank below these units to receive the inner and outer runs of the tape. Each run may comprise multitudinous loops folded back and forth on itself. A tank vibrator serves to overcome friction and static effects to keep the tape loops settled in the storage bin. A safety drive control and warning system comprises a first switch operated when the inner run is drawn taut and a second switch operated when the outer run is tensioned. A feature of the invention is that as the outer run is tensioned it will pick up the looped mass or bundle of the tape then constituting the inner run to operate the second safety switch and that when it has lifted the bundle to the top of the storage bin it operates also the first safety switch.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Kobler
- 👤 William F Fagan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:48
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/18; G11B15/26; G11B15/28; G11B15/29
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
In a machine for recording on and/or reproducing from a single record medium: the combination of an endless magnetic tape, a recording station including a recorder-reproducer head and a drive means engageable with the tape to feed the tape in either direction, a separate reproducing station horizontally in line with said recording station including a reproducer head and a drIve means engageable with the tape to feed the tape in either direction, said tape being led from the output of one of said stations via an inner run to the input of the other, and from the output of said other station via an outer run to the input of said one station, and said tape having a length causing said inner and/or outer runs to loop back and forth in the formation of bundles, a single bin for storing said inner and outer runs of the tape between said stations, said bin having a width greater only by clearance spacing than the width of said tape to confine said loops in a vertical formation, and safety control means comprising a first safety control switch operable by a tautening of the inner run of the tape between said stations and a second safety control switch operable by drawing the outer run of the tape taut sufficient to lift bodily the inner run of the tape.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
In a machine for recording on and/or reproducing from a single record medium: the combination of an endless magnetic tape, a recording station including a recorder-reproducer head and a drive means engageable with the tape to feed the tape in either direction, a separate reproducing station horizontally in line with said recording station including a reproducer head and a drIve means engageable with the tape to feed the tape in either direction, said tape being led from the output of one of said stations via an inner run to the input of the other, and from the output of said other station via an outer run to the input of said one station, and said tape having a length causing said inner and/or outer runs to loop back and forth in the formation of bundles, a single bin for storing said inner and outer runs of the tape between said stations, said bin having a width greater only by clearance spacing than the width of said tape to confine said loops in a vertical formation, and safety control means comprising a first safety control switch operable by a tautening of the inner run of the tape between said stations and a second safety control switch operable by drawing the outer run of the tape taut sufficient to lift bodily the inner run of the tape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The machine set forth in claim 1 including friction pads engaging said heads with a sufficient pressure to prevent slippage of the tape by the weight of said inner and/or outer runs when said drive means are disengaged from the tape.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The machine set forth in claim 1 including means operable by said second safety control switch for feeding an intermittent near-end warning signal to the recording station and for disabling a reverse drive of the tape at said reproducing station.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The machine set forth in claim 1 including means responsive to said safety control means at the start of pick up of said bundle of tape by a reverse drive of the tape at said reproducing station for generating a warning signal at said recording station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The machine set forth in claim 1, including means responsive to said safety control means at the start of pick up of said bundle of tape by a reverse drive of the tape at said reproducing station for stopping said reverse drive of the tape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The machine set forth in claim 1, including means responsive to said safety control means at the start of pick up of said bundle of tape by a forward drive of the tape at said recording station for generating a warning signal at said recording station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
The machine set forth in claim 1 wherein said bin has a height substantially greater than that required for storing said entire quantity of the tape, including means responsive to a lifting of said bundle of the tape to the upper portion of said bin by a forward drive of the tape at said recording station for stopping said forward drive.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The machine set forth in claim 1 including means operable by said first safety control switch for disabling the forward drive of the tape at said other station and a reverse drive of the tape at said one station.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The machine set forth in claim 1 including means for operating also said first safety switch when the bundle of the tape constituting the inner run is lifted to the top of said bin by a continued tautening of the outer run of the tape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The machine set forth in claim 9 including means rendered operable when both of said safety control switches are operated for feeding steady warning signals to the recording and reproducing stations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The machine set forth in claim 9 including means rendered operable when both of said safety control switches are operated for disabling both the forward drive of the tape at said recording station and the reverse drive of the tape at the reproducing station.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
232 words
In a machine for recording on and/or reproducing from a single record medium: the combination of an endless magnetic tape, a recording station including a recorder-reproducer head and a drive means engageable with the tape to feed the tape in either direction, a separate reproducing station horizontally in line with said recording station including a reproducer head and a drive means engageable with the tape to feed the tape in either direction, said tape being led from the output of one of said stations via an inner run to the input of the other, and from the output of said other station via an outer run to the input of said one station, and said tape having a length causing said inner and/or outer runs to loop back and forth in the formation of bundles, a single bin for storing said inner and outer runs of the tape between said stations, said bin having a width greater only by clearance spacing than the width of said tape to confine said loops in a vertical formation, and said bin having a depth greater than that required for storing the entire quantity of said tape between said stations looped on itself in a bundle, and a plurality of safety control switches respectively operable by a lifting of the inner run of the tape by said outer run to predetermined different heights in said bin.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
232 words
In a machine for recording on and/or reproducing from a single record medium: the combination of an endless magnetic tape, a recording station including a recorder-reproducer head and a drive means engageable with the tape to feed the tape in either direction, a separate reproducing station horizontally in line with said recording station including a reproducer head and a drive means engageable with the tape to feed the tape in either direction, said tape being led from the output of one of said stations via an inner run to the input of the other, and from the output of said other station via an outer run to the input of said one station, and said tape having a length causing said inner and/or outer runs to loop back and forth in the formation of bundles, a single bin for storing said inner and outer runs of the tape between said stations, said bin having a width greater only by clearance spacing than the width of said tape to confine said loops in a vertical formation, and said bin having a depth greater than that required for storing the entire quantity of said tape between said stations looped on itself in a bundle, and a plurality of safety control switches respectively operable by a lifting of the inner run of the tape by said outer run to predetermined different heights in said bin.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
203 words
In a machine for recording and/or reproducing from a single record medium: the combination of an endless magnetic tape, recording and transcribing stations each including a translating head, a drive motor having a drive capstan and a pressure roller for engaging the tape with said capstan to advance the tape in a forward direction at a recording speed, a scan motor, a pair of drive friction rollers coupled to said scan motor and pressure rollers for selectively engaging the tape with said drive rollers to advance or backspace the tape at a scanning speed, said tape being lead between said stations via inner and outer runs, a bin for holding the tape looped on itself in a bundle between said stations, said bin having a width sufficient only to receive the tape with a clearance fit whereby to confine the tape loops in a vertical formation, and control means for said machine operatively associated with the tape in said bin and differently operable by a tensioning of said inner run, by a lifting of the whole bundle of the tape from the bottom of said bin and by the lifting of the whole bundle of the tape to the top of said bin.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
203 words
In a machine for recording and/or reproducing from a single record medium: the combination of an endless magnetic tape, recording and transcribing stations each including a translating head, a drive motor having a drive capstan and a pressure roller for engaging the tape with said capstan to advance the tape in a forward direction at a recording speed, a scan motor, a pair of drive friction rollers coupled to said scan motor and pressure rollers for selectively engaging the tape with said drive rollers to advance or backspace the tape at a scanning speed, said tape being lead between said stations via inner and outer runs, a bin for holding the tape looped on itself in a bundle between said stations, said bin having a width sufficient only to receive the tape with a clearance fit whereby to confine the tape loops in a vertical formation, and control means for said machine operatively associated with the tape in said bin and differently operable by a tensioning of said inner run, by a lifting of the whole bundle of the tape from the bottom of said bin and by the lifting of the whole bundle of the tape to the top of said bin.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a machine for recording and/or reproducing from a single endless magnetic tape medium: the combination of record and reproduce stations, each of said stations including a normal forward drive engageable at will with the tape and forward and reverse scan drives, each of said forward and reverse scan drives including forward and reverse drive wheels and respective pressure rollers for frictionally engaging the tape with said drive wheels, solenoids for engaging the reverse pressure rollers at said stations, spring means for holding said reverse pressure rollers disengaged when the respective solenoids are not energized, and solenoids for engaging the forward pressure rollers at said stations, said latter solenoids being vertically positioned to cause their armatures to weight bias the forward pressure rollers lightly to take up the tape ahead of said normal forward drives when the latter are engaged.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a machine for recording and/or reproducing from a single endless magnetic tape medium: the combination of record and reproduce stations, each of said stations including a normal forward drive engageable at will with the tape and forward and reverse scan drives, each of said forward and reverse scan drives including forward and reverse drive wheels and respective pressure rollers for frictionally engaging the tape with said drive wheels, solenoids for engaging the reverse pressure rollers at said stations, spring means for holding said reverse pressure rollers disengaged when the respective solenoids are not energized, and solenoids for engaging the forward pressure rollers at said stations, said latter solenoids being vertically positioned to cause their armatures to weight bias the forward pressure rollers lightly to take up the tape ahead of said normal forward drives when the latter are engaged.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The machine set forth in claim 14 including an intercoupling between said reverse and forward scan drives at said stations for removing said bias on the forward scan pressure rollers when the respective reverse scan pressure rollers are engaged.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
57 words
The machine set forth in claim 14 including friction means associated with each scan drive for placing a drag resistance on the tape when the respective scan drive is disengaged, each of said friction means being associated with the tape adjacent the respective scan drive at the side of the scan drive away from the respective station.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The machine set forth in claim 14 including means associated with each scan drive to bow the tape crosswise thereof and impart stiffness to the tape to cause the tape to be propelled positively from the respective scan drives.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-17 | 1976-04-17 | 1976-10-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-17 | 1980-04-17 | 1980-10-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-17 | 1984-04-17 | 1984-10-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |