Tape drive apparatus for cassettes

Claim 2

In a drive system for magnetic information storage tape having a magnetic head operatively engageable with said tape and drive means for moving the tape past the magnetic head, the improvement of: pinch roller means engageable with said tape after reaching said magnetic head to engage the tape with said drive means and create tension on said tape causing its movement past the magnetic head, tension means movably mounted on and carried by said pinch roller means in constant engagement with said tape before the tape reaches said magnetic head and movable relative thereto to forcibly engage the tape and maintain a constant tensioning force on said tape, and spring means movably urging said tension means into constant engagement with said tape.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1 and wherein said tension means comprises a member centrally pivotally mounted on said pinch roller means for pivotal movement relative to said tape, one end of said member engaging said tape, and the other end of said member being spring biased to force said other end of said member into continuous engagement with said tape.

Claim 4

The invention as defined in claim 1 and said tape being mounted in a cassette having an opening for receiving said tension means, and said tension means being pivotally mounted externally of said cassette and extending into said opening.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 1 and wherein said tension means comprises a single piece of formed wire mounted on the pinch roller means of said drive system and having: a pair of parallel leg portions adapted to straddle said roller means, a tape abutment portion at one end of said leg portions engageable with said roller means in a fully retracted position and movable outwardly therefrom to variably spaced tensioning positions, a spring attachment loop at the opposite end of said leg portions beyond said pivotal loop portions, and a spring attached at one end to said roller means and at the other end to said spring attachment loop to bias said tape abutment portion toward the tensioning positions.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 4 and wherein said tape abutment portion having an abutment sleeve mounted thereon.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 5 and wherein said abutment sleeve comprises a non-magnetic inner support portion and an anti-friction tape engaging outer portion.

Claim 8

In a magnetic tape drive system, having a pair of movable pinch roller means alternately operative for pulling magnetic tape past a recording head, the improvement of tensioning means mounted on and carried with said pinch roller means and movable relative thereto and continuously engaging said tape and being biased into engagement with said tape so as to maintain continuous tension on said tape.

Claim 9

In a magnetic tape drive system, having a pair of movable pinch roller means alternately operative for pulling magnetic tape past a recording head, the improvement of tensioning means mounted on and carried with said pinch roller means and movable relative thereto and continuously engaging said tape and being biased into engagement with said tape so as to maintain continuous tension on said tape.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 7 and wherein said tensioning means comprises a single piece lightweight formed wire member.

Claim 11

In a drive system for magnetic information storage tape carried in a cassette by spaced reels on which the tape is wound and between which the tape is transferable with an unwound length of the tape extending between the reels, the system comprising a recording head engageable with a portion of the unwound length of tape, a forward driving capstan and a reverse driving capstan located on opposite sides of said recording head adjacent one side of the unwound length of tape, a pinch roller located adjacent each capstan on the opposite side of the unwound length of tape and being movable relative thereto between an idle position in spaced relationship thereto and a drive position holding the unwound portion of the tape in driven engagement with the adjacent capstan to pull the tape from one of the reels across the recording head, the improvement of: tape tensioning means mounted on and movable with and relative to said pinch roller and operative in the idle position to engage a portion of the unwound length of tape prior to reaching the recording head to maintain substantially constant uniform tension on and speed of the tape across the recording head.

Claim 12

In a drive system for magnetic information storage tape carried in a cassette by spaced reels on which the tape is wound and between which the tape is transferable with an unwound length of the tape extending between the reels, the system comprising a recording head engageable with a portion of the unwound length of tape, a forward driving capstan and a reverse driving capstan located on opposite sides of said recording head adjacent one side of the unwound length of tape, a pinch roller located adjacent each capstan on the opposite side of the unwound length of tape and being movable relative thereto between an idle position in spaced relationship thereto and a drive position holding the unwound portion of the tape in driven engagement with the adjacent capstan to pull the tape from one of the reels across the recording head, the improvement of: tape tensioning means mounted on and movable with and relative to said pinch roller and operative in the idle position to engage a portion of the unwound length of tape prior to reaching the recording head to maintain substantially constant uniform tension on and speed of the tape across the recording head.

Claim 13

The invention as defined in claim 9, and wherein said tape tensioning means comprises an elongated arm member pivotally mounted on said pinch roller, tape engaging means on one end of said arm member, and spring means on the other end of said arm member continuously biasing said tape engaging means against the unwound portion of said tape.

Claim 14

The invention as defined in claim 9 and wherein said elongated arm member being made from a single piece of relatively lightweight wire material so as to be substantially instantaneously responsive to changes in tape tension to maintain a substantially constant tensioning force on said tape.