Method of and apparatus for tape cartridge duplication

Claim 2

In a machine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the sounds onto a blank tape cartridge, a plurality of cartridge receiving slots opening outwardly of the machine at one end for insertion of cartridges, a motor driven capstan common to the slots and extending alongside each for driving engagement of the tapes in cartridges in the slots, magnetic signal duplicating means including a pickup head associated with one slot and a recording head associated with each other slot for duplicating the magnetic signals from a tape cartridge received in said one slot to each tape cartridge received in each other slot, means associated with each slot for simultaneously establishing driving engagement between the capstan and all cartridges in the slots and releasably holding the individual cartridges in the aforesaid tape driving engagement with the capstan, and means responsive to the full cycling of the tape in individual cartridges for causing the cartridge holding means to release a full cycled cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan while an incompletely cycled tape cartridge remains in driving engagement with the capstan.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 characterized by the provision of means for discontinuing operation of the motor driven capstan upon completion of a full cycle by the last cartridge in tape driven engagement with the capstan.

Claim 4

The invention defined by claim 1 characterized in that one of said slots is provided with a magnetic pickup head responsive to magnetic signals on a prerecorded tape cartridge inserted in the slot, amplifier means connected to said head and including a magnetic transcribing head for each other slot disposed to impress magnetic signals on tape in a cartridge received therein, and means responsive to the presence of tape cartridges in all the slots for simultaneously actuating the cartridge holding means associated with each slot to simultaneously hold the cartridge in tape driven engagement with the capstan.

Claim 5

The invention defined by claim 1 characterized by the provision of control means connected to said motor driven capstan aNd to said cartridge holding means and responsive to the introduction of cartridges into the slots to initiate operation of the capstan and withhold the cartridges from driving engagement between the capstan and magnetic tape in the cartridges while the capstan attains operating speed and thereafter cause said holding means to establish driving engagement between the capstan and magnetic tape in all of the cartridges simultaneously.

Claim 6

The invention defined by claim 4 characterized in that said cartridge holding means includes a spring biased part for engaging a cartridge upon introduction into a slot and urging the cartridge into tape driven relation with the capstan, and said control means includes cartridge sensing means in each slot responsive to the initial introduction of a cartridge into the slot for momentarily actuating said cartridge holding means to cause release of the cartridge by said spring biased part from tape driving engagement with the capstan while the capstan attains operating speed and thereafter cause said spring biased part to shift the cartridge to re-engage the cartridge tape with the capstan.

Claim 7

The invention defined by claim 4 characterized in that said control means includes serially connected cartridge sensing means for the slots with the control means responsive only to the presence of cartridges in all the slots to initiate operation of the motor driven capstan.

Claim 8

In an automatic tape cartridge duplicating machine: a master tape cartridge receiving slot and a blank tape cartridge receiving slot, motor driven capstan means having a capstan common to and extending alongside the slots for driving the tapes of cartridges received therein at a common speed in excess of normal tape playback speed, cartridge engaging means associated with each slot to engage a cartridge in the slot and shift it into or releaae it from driving engagement with the capstan, magnetic signal transcribing means including playback and transcribing heads adjacent respectively the master and blank tape cartridge receiving slots for duplicating the magnetic signals of the master tape onto the blank tape, and a control system connected to the motor driven capstan means and the cartridge engaging means for controlling the sme through a cycle of operation comprising initiating operation of the motor driven capstan means and thereafter initiating the cartridge engaging means to simultaneously shift the cartridge into driving engagement with the capstan for duplication of the magnetic signals from the master to the blank cartridge tape and initiating the cartridge engaging means to release driven engagement of each cartridge with the capstan upon completion of one full cycle of its tape and initiating the motor driven capstan means to stop the capstan upon the release of all cartridges from driven engagement with the capstan.

Claim 9

In an automatic tape cartridge duplicating machine: a master tape cartridge receiving slot and a blank tape cartridge receiving slot, motor driven capstan means having a capstan common to and extending alongside the slots for driving the tapes of cartridges received therein at a common speed in excess of normal tape playback speed, cartridge engaging means associated with each slot to engage a cartridge in the slot and shift it into or releaae it from driving engagement with the capstan, magnetic signal transcribing means including playback and transcribing heads adjacent respectively the master and blank tape cartridge receiving slots for duplicating the magnetic signals of the master tape onto the blank tape, and a control system connected to the motor driven capstan means and the cartridge engaging means for controlling the sme through a cycle of operation comprising initiating operation of the motor driven capstan means and thereafter initiating the cartridge engaging means to simultaneously shift the cartridge into driving engagement with the capstan for duplication of the magnetic signals from the master to the blank cartridge tape and initiating the cartridge engaging means to release driven engagement of each cartridge with the capstan upon completion of one full cycle of its tape and initiating the motor driven capstan means to stop the capstan upon the release of all cartridges from driven engagement with the capstan.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 7 characterized in that said control system includes cartridge sensing means associated with each slot and responsive to the presence of cartridges in each slot for initiating said cycle of operation.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 8 characterized in that said means to engage a cartridge in each slot includes a spring loaded part yieldable to the insertion of a cartridge in the slot and cooperable with a recess in the cartridge to bias the cartridge into tape driven relation with the capstan, and said control system is operable to shift momentarily said spring loaded detent to release the cartridge from driven engagement with the capstan during starting of the motor driven capstan while the capstan attains operating speed.

Claim 12

The invention defined by claim 7 characterized in that said cycle of operation of the control system includes momentary actuation of the cartridge engaging means to release each cartridge from driven relation with the capstan during starting of the motor driven capstan while the same attains operating speed.

Claim 13

In a machine for automatically and rApidly duplicating multitrack magnetic tape cartridges each of which has window means at one end exposing a length of the tape: at least two cartridge receiving slots, one for a master cartridge and another for a blank cartridge, with each slot arranged to receive a cartridge thereinto window-end-first, a motor driven capstan common to and extending across the inner ends of the slots for driving engagement with tape in cartridges received in the slots, and operable to drive the tapes at a common speed substantially in excess of normal playback speed, a magnetic signal duplicating system including pickup head means at the inner end of said one slot for engagement with precorded tape through the master cartridge window means and recording head means at the inner end of the other slot for engagement with tape through the blank cartridge window means, said pickup and said recording head means each having a magnetic signal transducer for each magnetic track of the tape such that upon a single passage of the tape all tracks of the tape will be presented in signal transfer relation with the head means and the signals of all tracks on the master duplicated on corresponding tracks of the blank, cartridge holding means for releasably holding the cartridges in tape driven engagement with the capstan, a starting circuit for the motor driven capstan including means responsive to the presence of a cartridge in each of the slots for enabling starting of the capstan motor, and tape splice sensing means at the inner end of each slot connected to the respective cartridge holding means of such slot and responsive to the passage of a tape splice at the window means of a cartridge inserted in the slot for causing the holding means to release such cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan.

Claim 14

In a machine for automatically and rApidly duplicating multitrack magnetic tape cartridges each of which has window means at one end exposing a length of the tape: at least two cartridge receiving slots, one for a master cartridge and another for a blank cartridge, with each slot arranged to receive a cartridge thereinto window-end-first, a motor driven capstan common to and extending across the inner ends of the slots for driving engagement with tape in cartridges received in the slots, and operable to drive the tapes at a common speed substantially in excess of normal playback speed, a magnetic signal duplicating system including pickup head means at the inner end of said one slot for engagement with precorded tape through the master cartridge window means and recording head means at the inner end of the other slot for engagement with tape through the blank cartridge window means, said pickup and said recording head means each having a magnetic signal transducer for each magnetic track of the tape such that upon a single passage of the tape all tracks of the tape will be presented in signal transfer relation with the head means and the signals of all tracks on the master duplicated on corresponding tracks of the blank, cartridge holding means for releasably holding the cartridges in tape driven engagement with the capstan, a starting circuit for the motor driven capstan including means responsive to the presence of a cartridge in each of the slots for enabling starting of the capstan motor, and tape splice sensing means at the inner end of each slot connected to the respective cartridge holding means of such slot and responsive to the passage of a tape splice at the window means of a cartridge inserted in the slot for causing the holding means to release such cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan.

Claim 15

In a machine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the sounds onto a blank tape cartridge, a plurality of cartridge receiving slots opening outwardly of the machine at one end for insertion of cartridges, motor driven capstan means for the slots for driving engagement of the tapes in cartridges in the slots, magnetic signal duplicating means including a pickup head associated with one slot and a recording head associated with each other slot for duplicating the magnetic signals from a tape cartridge received in said one slot to each tape cartridge received in each other slot, means for initiating operation of the capstan means, means associated with each slot for releasably holding the individual cartridges in the aforesaid tape driving engagement with the capstan means and operable upon initiation of the capstan means to withhold tape driving engagement between the cartridges and capstan means until the capstan means has attained operating speed and thereafter establish tape driving engagement of all cartridges simultaneously, and means responsive to the full cycling of the tape in individual cartridges for causing the cartridge holding means to release a full cycled cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan means while an incompletely cycled tape cartridge remains in driving engagement with the capstan means until it has been fully cycled.

Claim 16

In a machine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the sounds onto a blank tape cartridge, a plurality of cartridge receiving slots opening outwardly of the machine at one end for insertion of cartridges, motor driven capstan means for the slots for driving engagement of the tapes in cartridges in the slots, magnetic signal duplicating means including a pickup head associated with one slot and a recording head associated with each other slot for duplicating the magnetic signals from a tape cartridge received in said one slot to each tape cartridge received in each other slot, means for initiating operation of the capstan means, means associated with each slot for releasably holding the individual cartridges in the aforesaid tape driving engagement with the capstan means and operable upon initiation of the capstan means to withhold tape driving engagement between the cartridges and capstan means until the capstan means has attained operating speed and thereafter establish tape driving engagement of all cartridges simultaneously, and means responsive to the full cycling of the tape in individual cartridges for causing the cartridge holding means to release a full cycled cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan means while an incompletely cycled tape cartridge remains in driving engagement with the capstan means until it has been fully cycled.

Claim 17

A high speed cartridge-to-cartridge duplicating machine for multitrack magnetic tape cartridges: a master cartridge receiving slot and a blank cartridge receiving slot, capstan means for each slot for driving engagement with the tape contained in a cartridge in the slot, motor means connected to the capstan means for driving the same at identical rates sufficient to cause driving of tape engaged with the capstan means substantially faster than normal tape playing speed, magnetic signal duplicating means for duplicating in a single pass all magnetic track signals from a master tape cartridge to a blank tape cartridge, said duplicating means including a pair of fixed pickup heads for the master cartridge slot and a pair of recording heads for the blank cartridge slot with each hEad having a plurality of magnetic track signal transducers spaced apart across the width of the tape to receive signals from alternate tracks with each pair of heads arranged in offset spaced relation along the tape presented by each cartridge to interleave the signal transducers such that each track of the tape mates with a transducer, cartridge holding means for each slot for holding a cartridge therein in driving engagement with the capstan means and releasing the cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan means, and control means connected to said motor means and to said cartridge holding means and including serially connected cartridge sensing means in the slots for enabling operation of the motor means only when there is a cartridge in each slot in a ready to duplicate position, with said control means operable to actuate the cartridge holding means upon full cycling of the magnetic tape in a cartridge to release such cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan means while the other cartridge remains in driving engagement with the capstan means until it is fully cycled.

Claim 18

A high speed cartridge-to-cartridge duplicating machine for multitrack magnetic tape cartridges: a master cartridge receiving slot and a blank cartridge receiving slot, capstan means for each slot for driving engagement with the tape contained in a cartridge in the slot, motor means connected to the capstan means for driving the same at identical rates sufficient to cause driving of tape engaged with the capstan means substantially faster than normal tape playing speed, magnetic signal duplicating means for duplicating in a single pass all magnetic track signals from a master tape cartridge to a blank tape cartridge, said duplicating means including a pair of fixed pickup heads for the master cartridge slot and a pair of recording heads for the blank cartridge slot with each hEad having a plurality of magnetic track signal transducers spaced apart across the width of the tape to receive signals from alternate tracks with each pair of heads arranged in offset spaced relation along the tape presented by each cartridge to interleave the signal transducers such that each track of the tape mates with a transducer, cartridge holding means for each slot for holding a cartridge therein in driving engagement with the capstan means and releasing the cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan means, and control means connected to said motor means and to said cartridge holding means and including serially connected cartridge sensing means in the slots for enabling operation of the motor means only when there is a cartridge in each slot in a ready to duplicate position, with said control means operable to actuate the cartridge holding means upon full cycling of the magnetic tape in a cartridge to release such cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan means while the other cartridge remains in driving engagement with the capstan means until it is fully cycled.

Claim 19

In a machine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the sounds onto a blank tape cartridge, a plurality of cartridge receiving slots opening outwardly of the machine at one end for insertion of cartridges, motor driven capstan means for the slots for driving engagement of the tapes in cartridges in the slots, magnetic signal duplicating means including a pickup head associated with one slot and a recording head associated with each other slot for duplicating the magnetic signals from a tape cartridge received in one slot to each tape cartridge received in each other slot, cartridge holding means associated with each slot for releasably holding the cartridges in the aforesaid tape driving engagement with the capstan, and means connected to the motor driven capstan means and to the cartridge holding means for controlling the same through a cycle of operation comprising initiating operation of the motor driven capstan means while simultaneously with-holding driving engagement between the cartridge tapes and capstan means by said cartridge holding means until the capstan means has attained operating speed and thereupon initiating operation of the cartridge holding means to establish tape driving engagement between the capstan means and all the tape cartridges simultaneously and thereafter initiate operation of the cartridge holding means to selectively release the cartridges from tape driving engagement with the capstan means as each is fully cycled.

Claim 20

In a machine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the sounds onto a blank tape cartridge, a plurality of cartridge receiving slots opening outwardly of the machine at one end for insertion of cartridges, motor driven capstan means for the slots for driving engagement of the tapes in cartridges in the slots, magnetic signal duplicating means including a pickup head associated with one slot and a recording head associated with each other slot for duplicating the magnetic signals from a tape cartridge received in one slot to each tape cartridge received in each other slot, cartridge holding means associated with each slot for releasably holding the cartridges in the aforesaid tape driving engagement with the capstan, and means connected to the motor driven capstan means and to the cartridge holding means for controlling the same through a cycle of operation comprising initiating operation of the motor driven capstan means while simultaneously with-holding driving engagement between the cartridge tapes and capstan means by said cartridge holding means until the capstan means has attained operating speed and thereupon initiating operation of the cartridge holding means to establish tape driving engagement between the capstan means and all the tape cartridges simultaneously and thereafter initiate operation of the cartridge holding means to selectively release the cartridges from tape driving engagement with the capstan means as each is fully cycled.