Magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus

Claim 2

A magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus comprising: a. a housing having a bottom wall and peripheral front, rear and side walls and having at least one aperture in the front peripheral wall and an aligned aperture in the rear peripheral wall; b. a three dimensional, spring-biased cleaning arm, said cleaning arm having a handle portion disposed through the aperture in said rear peripheral wall and cleaning means for cleaning the magnetic tape head disposed through the aperture in said front peripheral wall; and c. means for coupling said arm to the bottom wall within said housing in a manner to permit bodily translation and rotation of said arm relative to said bottom wall.

Claim 3

A magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus for use with a magnetic tape transport having a magnetic head assembly and rotating capstan comprising: a. a cartridge housing having a bottom wall and front, rear and side peripheral walls normal to said bottom wall, said front wall having first and second apertures disposed in said front peripheral wall and a third aperture disposed in said rear peripheral wall, said second and third apertures being in axial alignment with each other and with said bottom wall; b. a pivot extended upwardly from said bottom wall in alignment with said second and third apertures; c. a spring-biased member having a center portion slidably coupled about said pivot in a manner to permit bodily translation and rotation of said member relative to said pivot, a handle portion extending through said third aperture and a clamp extending through said second aperture; and d. cleaning means for cleaning the magnetic tape assembly coupled to the clamp of said spring-biased member.

Claim 4

A magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus for use with a magnetic tape transport having a magnetic head assembly and rotating capstan comprising: a. a cartridge housing having a bottom wall and front, rear and side peripheral walls normal to said bottom wall, said front wall having first and second apertures disposed in said front peripheral wall and a third aperture disposed in said rear peripheral wall, said second and third apertures being in axial alignment with each other and with said bottom wall; b. a pivot extended upwardly from said bottom wall in alignment with said second and third apertures; c. a spring-biased member having a center portion slidably coupled about said pivot in a manner to permit bodily translation and rotation of said member relative to said pivot, a handle portion extending through said third aperture and a clamp extending through said second aperture; and d. cleaning means for cleaning the magnetic tape assembly coupled to the clamp of said spring-biased member.

Claim 5

A magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said apparatus includes: a. an upwardly depending wall member normal to sAid bottom wall and in parallel, spaced relation with said front peripheral wall, said member being substantially adjacent to said first aperture; and b. an absorbent pad mounted between said upwardly depending wall member and from said peripheral wall and extending laterally beyond said first aperture whereby the capstan of the magnetic tape transport is contacted by a cleaning surface.

Claim 6

A magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said cleaning means is removably coupled to said clamp and comprises an absorbent pad of substantially the same height as said clamp and uniformly extending beyond said peripheral wall whereby the magnetic tape head assembly of the magnetic tape transport is contacted.

Claim 7

A magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said spring-biased member is resiliently moved upon contact with the magnetic tape assembly and is pivotable about said pivot through a predetermined angular distance.

Claim 8

A magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus for use with a magnetic tape transport having a magnetic head assembly and capstan comprising: a. a cartridge housing having a bottom wall and front, rear and side peripheral walls normal to said bottom wall, said front wall having first and second apertures disposed in said front wall and a third aperture disposed in said rear peripheral wall, said second and third apertures being in axial alignment with each other and said bottom wall; b. a pivot extending upwardly from said bottom wall in alignment with said second and third apertures; c. a cleaning arm comprising: i. a central channel having side walls in parallel, spaced relation slidably mounted about said pivot; ii. a cleaning member extending from said channel to said second aperture; iii. a clamp depending from said cleaning member and extending to said front peripheral wall; iv. a handle member depending from said channel and in alignment with said cleaning member, said handle member extending through said third aperture and beyond said rear peripheral wall; d. resilient means coupled to said handle member substantially adjacent said channel for resiliently urging said cleaning arm toward said front peripheral wall; and e. an absorbent pad coupled to said clamp, said absorbent pad being substantially the same height as said clamp and uniformly extending beyond said front peripheral wall whereby the magnetic head assembly of the magnetic tape transport is contacted.

Claim 9

A magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus for use with a magnetic tape transport having a magnetic head assembly and capstan comprising: a. a cartridge housing having a bottom wall and front, rear and side peripheral walls normal to said bottom wall, said front wall having first and second apertures disposed in said front wall and a third aperture disposed in said rear peripheral wall, said second and third apertures being in axial alignment with each other and said bottom wall; b. a pivot extending upwardly from said bottom wall in alignment with said second and third apertures; c. a cleaning arm comprising: i. a central channel having side walls in parallel, spaced relation slidably mounted about said pivot; ii. a cleaning member extending from said channel to said second aperture; iii. a clamp depending from said cleaning member and extending to said front peripheral wall; iv. a handle member depending from said channel and in alignment with said cleaning member, said handle member extending through said third aperture and beyond said rear peripheral wall; d. resilient means coupled to said handle member substantially adjacent said channel for resiliently urging said cleaning arm toward said front peripheral wall; and e. an absorbent pad coupled to said clamp, said absorbent pad being substantially the same height as said clamp and uniformly extending beyond said front peripheral wall whereby the magnetic head assembly of the magnetic tape transport is contacted.

Claim 10

The magnetic head cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said cleaning arm is pivotable about said pivot through a predetermined angular distance.

Claim 11

A magnetic tape head cleaning apparatus as defined in claim 6 including: a. a wall member depending upwardly from and normal to said bottom wall and being in parallel spaced relation with said front peripheral wall, said upwardly depending wall member being substantially adjacent to said first aperture; and b. an absorbent pad mounted between said upwardly depending wall member and said front peripheral wall and extending laterally beyond said first aperture whereby the capstan of the magnetic tape transport is contacted by a cleaning surface.