Recording web transport apparatus

Claim 2

In a recorder-reproducer system, first and second spaced rotatable shaft means having substantially parallel rotation axes, means mounting said first and second shaft means for relative movement thereof transverse of said rotation axes toward and away from each other, elastic belt means passed about said first and second shaft means for rotational coupling thereof, said belt means having a thickness which varies inversely with the strain in said belt means, drive means coupled to one of said first and second shaft means for providing a controlled rotational velocity thereof, and means by which a record medium can be urged into motion imparting relation with one of said first and second shaft means for movement of said record medium at a velocity determined by the relative spacing of said first and second shaft means and therefore the resulting thickness of said elastic belt means.

Claim 3

The combination with a recorder-reproducer system including variable speed apparatus for transporting an elongated record medium, comprising; first and second spaced rotatable shaft means having substantially parallel rotation axes, one of said first and second shaft means adapted to cooperate with said record medium for movement thereof, means mounting said first and second shaft means for relative movement thereof transverse of said rotation axes toward and away from each other, a continuous elastic belt means wrapped about said first and second shaft means for rotational coupling thereof, said belt means having a thickness which varies inversely with the strain in said belt means, drive means coupled to one of said first and second shaft means for providing a substantially constant rotational velocity thereof, and means for urging said record medium into contacting relation with the one of said first and second shaft means adapted to cooperate therewith for movement of said record medium at a velocity determined by the relative spacing of said first and second shaft means and therefore the resulting thickness of said elastic belt means.

Claim 4

The combination with a recorder-reproducer system including variable speed apparatus for transporting an elongated record medium, comprising; first and second spaced rotatable shaft means having substantially parallel rotation axes, one of said first and second shaft means adapted to cooperate with said record medium for movement thereof, means mounting said first and second shaft means for relative movement thereof transverse of said rotation axes toward and away from each other, a continuous elastic belt means wrapped about said first and second shaft means for rotational coupling thereof, said belt means having a thickness which varies inversely with the strain in said belt means, drive means coupled to one of said first and second shaft means for providing a substantially constant rotational velocity thereof, and means for urging said record medium into contacting relation with the one of said first and second shaft means adapted to cooperate therewith for movement of said record medium at a velocity determined by the relative spacing of said first and second shaft means and therefore the resulting thickness of said elastic belt means.

Claim 5

The combination with a recorder-reproducer system including variable speed apparatus for transporting an elongated record medium, comprising; first and second spaced rotatable shaft means having different diameters and substantially parallel rotation axes, one of said first and second shaft means adapted to cooperate with said record medium for movement thereof, means mounting said first and second shaft means for relative movement thereof transverse of said rotation axes toward and away from each other, a continuous elastic belt means wrapped about said first and second shaft means for rotational coupling thereof, said belt means having a cross-sectional area which varies inversely with the strain in said belt means, drive means coupled to one of said first and second shaft means for providing a substantially constant rotational velocity thereof, and means for urging said record medium into direct contacting relation with the one of said first and second shaft means adapted to cooperate therewith for movement of said record medium at a velocity determined by the relative spacing of said first and second shaft means and therefore the resulting thickness of said elastic belt means.

Claim 6

The combination with a recorder-reproducer system including variable speed apparatus for transporting an elongated record medium, comprising; first and second spaced rotatable shaft means having different diameters and substantially parallel rotation axes, one of said first and second shaft means adapted to cooperate with said record medium for movement thereof, means mounting said first and second shaft means for relative movement thereof transverse of said rotation axes toward and away from each other, a continuous elastic belt means wrapped about said first and second shaft means for rotational coupling thereof, said belt means having a cross-sectional area which varies inversely with the strain in said belt means, drive means coupled to one of said first and second shaft means for providing a substantially constant rotational velocity thereof, and means for urging said record medium into direct contacting relation with the one of said first and second shaft means adapted to cooperate therewith for movement of said record medium at a velocity determined by the relative spacing of said first and second shaft means and therefore the resulting thickness of said elastic belt means.

Claim 7

In an apparatus for transporting an elongated recording web in tension between a pair of spaced rotatable web moving means each having a given diameter and shaft means rotatable about an axis intermediate said web moving means with said shaft means having a diameter different from the given diameter of said web moving means, the combination comprising; first and second elastic belt means each coupling said shaft means in substantially non-slipping driving relation with respective ones of said pair of web moving means, each of said belt means having a thickness which varies inversely with the strain of said belt means, and means mounting said shaft means for movement of the rotation axis of said shaft means toward one and away from the other of said web moving means, with the position of said shaft means with respect to said respective web moving means determining the thickness of said first and second belt means and therefore the relative rotational velocity of said web moving means.

Claim 8

In an apparatus for transporting an elongated recording web in tension between a pair of spaced rotatable web moving means each having a given diameter and shaft means rotatable about an axis intermediate said web moving means with said shaft means having a diameter different from the given diameter of said web moving means, the combination comprising; first and second elastic belt means each coupling said shaft means in substantially non-slipping driving relation with respective ones of said pair of web moving means, each of said belt means having a thickness which varies inversely with the strain of said belt means, and means mounting said shaft means for movement of the rotation axis of said shaft means toward one and away from the other of said web moving means, with the position of said shaft means with respect to said respective web moving means determining the thickness of said first and second belt means and therefore the relative rotational velocity of said web moving means.

Claim 9

Apparatus for controlling the tension of an elongated recording web driven thereby, comprising: drive means; drive shaft means associated with said driving means with said shaft having a given diameter; first and second capstan means in spaced relation one to the other and arranged for cooperating with said web; first and second pulley means each associated with a respective one of said capstan means, with the diameter of said pulley means being different from the diameter of said drive shaft means; a pair of elastic belt means, each of said elastic belt means being formed of a material whose thickness decreases with increasing strain in said belt means, one of said belt means being wrapped about said drive shaft means and said first pulley means with the other of said belt means wrapped about said drive shaft and said other pulley means, for transmitting from said drive shaft means a substantially non-slipping rotational driving motion in the same given direction to each of said first and second capstans; and means mounting said drive shaft means intermediate said pulley means for selective movement of said drive shaft means in a direction toward one and away from the other of said pulley means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for controlling the tension of an elongated recording web driven thereby, comprising: drive means; drive shaft means associated with said driving means with said shaft having a given diameter; first and second capstan means in spaced relation one to the other and arranged for cooperating with said web; first and second pulley means each associated with a respective one of said capstan means, with the diameter of said pulley means being different from the diameter of said drive shaft means; a pair of elastic belt means, each of said elastic belt means being formed of a material whose thickness decreases with increasing strain in said belt means, one of said belt means being wrapped about said drive shaft means and said first pulley means with the other of said belt means wrapped about said drive shaft and said other pulley means, for transmitting from said drive shaft means a substantially non-slipping rotational driving motion in the same given direction to each of said first and second capstans; and means mounting said drive shaft means intermediate said pulley means for selective movement of said drive shaft means in a direction toward one and away from the other of said pulley means.

Claim 11

In combination with transport apparatus including a pair of spaced rotatable driving members for transporting an elongated recording web in cooperative relation with signal transducing means disposed therebetween, an arrangement for providing tension control of said web between said driving members comprising; motor means including a driving shaft with a given diameter, means mounting said motor means between said web driving means for movement toward and away from said respective web driving means, first and second pulley means each one of which is coupled to a different one of said web driving means for rotation thereof by said pulley means, said first and second pulleys having a diameter different from said given motor shaft diameter, a pair of elongatable belt means, one of said belt means being disposed about and linking one of said web driving means and said motor shaft, with the other of said belt means being disposed about and linking the other of said web driving means and said motor shaft, and means coupled to said motor mounting means and responsive to a signal applied thereto to position said motor driving shaft toward one and away from the other of said web driving means.

Claim 12

In combination with transport apparatus including a pair of spaced rotatable driving members for transporting an elongated recording web in cooperative relation with signal transducing means disposed therebetween, an arrangement for providing tension control of said web between said driving members comprising; motor means including a driving shaft with a given diameter, means mounting said motor means between said web driving means for movement toward and away from said respective web driving means, first and second pulley means each one of which is coupled to a different one of said web driving means for rotation thereof by said pulley means, said first and second pulleys having a diameter different from said given motor shaft diameter, a pair of elongatable belt means, one of said belt means being disposed about and linking one of said web driving means and said motor shaft, with the other of said belt means being disposed about and linking the other of said web driving means and said motor shaft, and means coupled to said motor mounting means and responsive to a signal applied thereto to position said motor driving shaft toward one and away from the other of said web driving means.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 6 wherein said recording web includes a control signal information track thereon; and further including first and second signal transducing means including output means, said transducing means bEing mounted in spaced relation between said web driving means for cooperation with said control signal information track, means coupled to said first and second signal transducing means for providing an error signal in response to detected difference between the output thereof, and means coupled to said motor mounting means and responsive to said error signal for establishing the position of said motor means driving shaft with respect to said first and second pulley means.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 6, wherein: said motor mounting means include, means mounting said motor means with the axis of rotation of the driving shaft of said motor means substantially parallel to the axes of rotation of said first and second pulley means and lever means coupled to said motor means for providing pivotal movement of said driving shaft transverse of its rotation axis; and means coupled to said lever means and responsive to said web tension signal for positioning said driving shaft in relative spaced relation with said first and second pulley means.

Claim 15

The combination with a recorder-reproducer system including variable speed apparatus for transporting an elongated record medium, comprising; first and second spaced rotatable shaft means having substantially parallel rotation axes, means mounting said first and second shaft means for relative movement thereof transverse of said rotation axes toward and away from each other, elastic belt means wrapped about said first and second shaft means for rotational coupling thereof, said belt means having a thickness which varies inversely with the strain of said belt means, drive means coupled to one of said first and second shafts for providing a substantially constant rotational velocity thereof, and means for urging said record medium into contacting relation with the portion of said belt means wrapped about one of said first and second shaft means for movement of said record medium at a velocity determined by the relative spacing of said first and second shaft means and therefore the resulting thickness of said elastic belt means.

Claim 16

The combination with a recorder-reproducer system including variable speed apparatus for transporting an elongated record medium, comprising; first and second spaced rotatable shaft means having substantially parallel rotation axes, means mounting said first and second shaft means for relative movement thereof transverse of said rotation axes toward and away from each other, elastic belt means wrapped about said first and second shaft means for rotational coupling thereof, said belt means having a thickness which varies inversely with the strain of said belt means, drive means coupled to one of said first and second shafts for providing a substantially constant rotational velocity thereof, and means for urging said record medium into contacting relation with the portion of said belt means wrapped about one of said first and second shaft means for movement of said record medium at a velocity determined by the relative spacing of said first and second shaft means and therefore the resulting thickness of said elastic belt means.

Claim 17

The invention according to claim 9, wherein said second shaft means includes rotatable pulley means about which said belt means is disposed, said mounting means for said second shaft means includes a movable arm disposed for movement toward and away from said first shaft means, and means mounting said second shaft means to said arm.

Claim 18

The invention according to claim 9, wherein the diameter of said first shaft means is different from the diameter of said second shaft means.

Claim 19

The invention according to claim 9, wherein the diameter of said first shaft means is substantially equal to the diameter of said second shaft means.