Dual magnetic tape cassette transport and carrousel apparatus

Claim 2

A magnetic tape cassette transport combination comprising: means for holding said cassette in operative relationship with said transport with the reel-to-reel tape run of said cassette exposed to said transport on one side of said cassette; vacuum column means for drawing a takeup loop of said tape substantially normal to said one side of said cassette; capstan and magnetic transducing means positioned at one side of said takeup loop and out of contact therewith; and means, forming part of said vacuum column means, for drawing said one side of said takeup loop toward said capstan and into transducing relation with said transducing means to define an operating loop for said tape.

Claim 3

A magnetic tape cassette transport combination comprising: means for holding said cassette in operative relationship with said transport with the reel-to-reel tape run of said cassette exposed to said transport on one side of said cassette; vacuum column means for drawing a takeup loop of said tape substantially normal to said one side of said cassette; capstan and magnetic transducing means positioned at one side of said takeup loop and out of contact therewith; and means, forming part of said vacuum column means, for drawing said one side of said takeup loop toward said capstan and into transducing relation with said transducing means to define an operating loop for said tape.

Claim 4

A magnetic tape cassette transport combination comprising: means for holding said cassette in operative relationship with said transport with the reel-to-reel tape run of said cassette exposed to said transport on one side of said cassette; vacuum column means for drawing a takeup loop of said tape substantially normal to said one side of said cassette; capstan and magnetic transducing means positioned at one side of said takeup loop and out of contact therewith; and means, forming part of said vacuum column means, for drawing said one side of said takeup loop toward said capstan and into transducing relation with said transducing means to define an operating loop for said tape.

Claim 5

The combination recited in claim 1 wherein: said vacuum column means also includes means for drawing a supply loop of said tape between said cassette and said transducing means.

Claim 6

The combination recited in claim 2, wherein: said capstan is a differential-pressure capstan retractable to free said operating loop, and movable to an operating position to cause frictional engagement of said tape on the concave side of said operating loop, between said transducing means and said takeup loop.

Claim 7

The combination recited in claim 3, wherein: spindle and motor drive means are provided for engaging the reel of said cassette in said operative relationship thereof; control means are provided for said motors, capstan and vacuum column means; said control means having a thread mode programmed therein for retracting the capstan and then locking the cassette supply reel while unwinding the cassette takeup reel to produce the supply loop, the operating loop, and the takeup loop in that order; and a sensing device is provided for producing a signal to said control means when said operating loop has been formed; said control means in said threading mode being further programmed to move said capstan to said operating position upon receipt of said operating loop means and to differentially pressurize said capstan to cause said frictional engagement of tape and capstan.

Claim 8

The combination recited in claim 4, wherein: said control means also has a rewind mode programmed therein in which said capstan is retracted with said operating and supply loop means disabled, and the takeup loop means and reel drive means above operating, to rewind said tape at high speed and out of contact with said transducing means.

Claim 9

The combination recited in claim 5, wherein said transducing means includes: a transversely scanning rotating head drum means and motor and female guide means therefore, said female guide means being of the type that is retractable to clear a lateral loading path for the tape; and longitudinal head means arranged on a first curved path downstream from said rotating head so as to provide substantial wrap of said tape on said longitudinal heads between said rotating head and said capstan; said female guide being coupled to said control means for retraction and operative positioning concurrently with said capstan.

Claim 10

The combination recited in claim 6, wherein: electromagnetic shielding means is provided for said longitudinal head means on a second curved path substantially concentric with said first curved path and spaced therefrom to permit passage of said tape between said longitudinal heads and said shielding means; said shielding means being also retractable to clear a lateral loading path for said tape and being coupled to said contRol means for conjoint movement with said capstan and female guide between the retracted and operating positions thereof.

Claim 11

The combination recited in claim 2, wherein; a rotating carroussel is provided for holding a plurality of said cassettes and for selectively positioning one cassette at a time at a discharge point lying on a path parallel to the axis of said carroussel and leading to said means for holding the cassette in said operative relationship with said transport; and means are provided for moving said cassette along said path in either direction between said carrousel and said holding means.

Claim 12

The combination recited in claim 8, wherein: the orientation of said cassette in said carroussel at said discharge point and in movement along said path to said holding means and in said holding means is such that the axis of each reel is perpendicular to said path between the carroussel and holding means; the orientation of said transport being such that said reel driving spindles are also perpendicular to said path between said carrousel and holding means and are aligned with said reels when said cassette is in said holding means.

Claim 13

The combination recited in claim 9, wherein said holding means includes: fixed and yielding track means positioned to carry said cassette in sliding movement along said path and into and out of a first position of non-contact alignment of the reels and spindles, the yielding trace means being on the same side of the cassette as the spindles; and positioning means for engaging the cassette on the side thereof opposite the spindles and for pushing the cassette away from the fixed track means and into operative engagement of the reels and spindles.

Claim 14

The combination recited in claim 10, wherein said positioning means also includes: means mounting a pair of freely rotating counterspindles for axial movement to engage the cassette reels at the ends thereof opposite the drive spindles, said counterspindles cooperating with the drive spindles to suspend the reels in precision alignment independently of the cassette housing and substantially out of frictional contact therewith.

Claim 15

The combination recited in claim 11, wherein: said cassette side engaging means is springloaded toward the second operating position with a force sufficient to cause yielding of said yielding track means, but is restrained in the first retracted position by said counterspindle mounting means; the relative travel dimension of said cassette side engaging means and counterspindles being such that said side engaging means engages and moves said cassette substantially to second operating position before said spindles and counterspindles release said cassette reels from said frictional contact with said cassette housing.

Claim 16

The combination recited in claim 12, wherein: said counterspindle mounting means is moved to retracted first position by an air pressure cylinder means; whereby said cassette remains in operating second position upon operative failure of the air-pressure cylinder means.

Claim 17

The combination recited in claim 13, wherein: each reel of said cassette is formed in two parts each defining one axial end of the reel and springloaded apart to bear frictionally against the walls of the cassette housing to prevent unwinding of the reels when the cassette is not in the transport; the operative second position of said counterspindles being such that the two parts of each reel are compressed together and are freed from engagement with the cassette walls for unhampered rotation during operation; the counter spindle mounting means being springloaded toward second operating position with a force sufficient to overcome the springloading of said reel parts when said air pressure cylinder means of not operating.

Claim 18

The combination recited in claim 8, wherein: two of said transports are provided on opposite axial sides of said rotating carrousel; said two transports havIng a common cassette loading path through said carrousel discharge point; and said cassette moving means being selectively operable to move said cassette along said common path in either direction between said discharge point and either of said transports.