Clutch arrangement for tape transport

Claim 2

In a tape recorder having a take-up reel and a supply reel, a rotatable reel drive pulley, first and second slipping belts for drivingly connecting said reel pulley to the take-up and supply reels respectively, a pivotally supported arm having belt engagement means, and slip clutch means between said reel pulley and arm such that when the reel pulley is rotated in one direction the belt engagement means will move therewith into position to tension the first belt and when the reel pulley is rotated in the opposite direction the belt engagement means will move therewith into position to tension the second belt.

Claim 3

A tape recorder as defined in claim 1 wherein said arm is supported for pivotal movement about the axis of rotation of said drive pulley, and wherein said slip clutch means comprises a friction member carried by said drive pulley and slidingly engageable with said arm.

Claim 4

A tape recorder as defined in claim 2 including adjustment means operative on said arm to vary the torque applied to said arm by said slip clutch means.

Claim 5

A tape recorder as defined in claim 1 wherein said arm is supported for pivotal movement about the axis of rotation of said reel drive pulley, and wherein said belt engagement means comprises a roller carried by said arm, said roller being caused to selectively tension either of said first and second belts for driving the associated reel dependent upon the direction of rotation of said reel drive pulley.

Claim 6

A tape recorder as defined in claim 1 including a drive motor, capstan drive pulley means rotatably connected to said drive motor, and friction clutch means interconnecting said capstan drive pulley and said reel drive pulley, said friction clutch means being adapted to establish a higher driving torque on said reel drive pulley than the torque applied to said arm by said slip clutch means.

Claim 7

A tape recorder as defined in claim 5 including adjustment means operative to vary the driving torque between said reel drive pulley and said arm, and between said capstan drive pulley and said reel drive pulley.

Claim 8

In a tape recorder having a take-up reel mounting hub and a supply reel mounting hub, the combination of a reel drive pulley, a belt loosely fitting about said reel drive pulley and one of said reel mounting hubs, a pivotally mounted belt tensioner member, and friction clutch means disposed between said reel drive pulley and said pivotally mounted belt tensioner member adapted to pivot said belt tensioner member into engagement with the belt to tighten the same when the reel drive pulley is rotated in one direction so as to effect rotation of said one of said reel mounting hubs through said belt with said rotation of the reel drive pulley.

Claim 9

In a tape recorder having a take-up reel mounting hub and a supply reel mounting hub, the combination of a reel drive pulley, a belt loosely fitting about said reel drive pulley and one of said reel mounting hubs, a pivotally mounted belt tensioner member, and friction clutch means disposed between said reel drive pulley and said pivotally mounted belt tensioner member adapted to pivot said belt tensioner member into engagement with the belt to tighten the same when the reel drive pulley is rotated in one direction so as to effect rotation of said one of said reel mounting hubs through said belt with said rotation of the reel drive pulley.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7 wherein said belt tensioner member includes an idler arm supported for pivotal movement about the axis of rotation of said reel drive pulley, said friction clutch means frictionally engaging said idler arm and said reel drive pulley to effect rotation of said idler arm in the direction of rotation of said reel drive pulley, said idler arm having a roLler thereon engageable with the belt to tension the same upon rotation of said reel drive pulley in said one direction.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8 including adjustment means operative on said roller arm for varying the driving frictional relation between said reel drive pulley and said arm.

Claim 12

In a tape recorder having a take-up reel supporting hub and a supply reel supporting hub, the combination of a rotatable reel drive pulley and a belt loosely fitting about said reel drive pulley and one of said hubs, a motor-driven capstan drive pulley on one side of said reel drive pulley and a pivotally mounted belt tensioner member on the other side of said belt drive pulley, a first friction clutch means between said reel drive pulley and capstan drive pulley such that the reel drive pulley rotates with rotation of the capstan drive pulley, and a second friction clutch means disposed between the reel drive pulley and the pivotally mounted belt tensioner member such that in one direction of rotation of the reel drive pulley the belt tensioner member moves into engagement with the belt to effect rotation of said one of said reel supporting hubs through said belt with rotation of the reel drive pulley in said one direction.

Claim 13

In a tape recorder having a take-up reel supporting hub and a supply reel supporting hub, the combination of a rotatable reel drive pulley and a belt loosely fitting about said reel drive pulley and one of said hubs, a motor-driven capstan drive pulley on one side of said reel drive pulley and a pivotally mounted belt tensioner member on the other side of said belt drive pulley, a first friction clutch means between said reel drive pulley and capstan drive pulley such that the reel drive pulley rotates with rotation of the capstan drive pulley, and a second friction clutch means disposed between the reel drive pulley and the pivotally mounted belt tensioner member such that in one direction of rotation of the reel drive pulley the belt tensioner member moves into engagement with the belt to effect rotation of said one of said reel supporting hubs through said belt with rotation of the reel drive pulley in said one direction.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10 wherein said first friction clutch means is adapted to apply a greater rotational torque to said reel drive pulley from said capstan drive pulley than the torque applied to said belt tensioner member by said second friction clutch means.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 11 wherein said reel drive pulley and said capstan pulley are axially aligned, and wherein said belt tensioner member includes an idler arm supported for rotation about the rotational axis of said reel drive pulley, said first friction clutch means comprising an annular friction member engaging said capstan and reel drive pulleys, said second friction clutch means comprising an annular friction member engaging said reel drive pulley and said idler arm and establishing a smaller torque on said idler arm than the torque applied by said first friction clutch means to said reel drive pulley.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 12 including adjustment means operative on said idler arm to vary the torque applied by said first and second friction clutch means.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 12 wherein said belt tensioner member includes a roller carried by said idler arm for engagement with said belt to effect tensioning thereof.