Sound card and sound apparatus for multi-channel use

Claim 2

Audio apparatus including a card having a sound track thereon extending parallel to a longitudinal edge of the card, a frame having a guide along which said edge of the card travels during relative movement of the card and frame, the frame having a portion by which the apparatus is gripped and held by one hand of an operator during use of the apparatus, the card extending beyond the frame and the guide for gripping and holding by the other hand of the operator, a sound head, carried by the frame, located over the sound track, a pair of opposed rollers carried by the frame located along the guideway in position to grip and advance the card at a predetermined speed after the card has been moved into the grip of the rollers by hand manipulation of the card and frame, and characterized by the rollers being located at a different distance frm said longitudinal edge of the card than are the track and sound head, said rollers being at a location lengthwise of the guideway substantially the same as that of the sound head so that as the card is advanced along the guideway by hand manipulation, the rollers grip and continue the advance of the card from substantially the time that the card reaches the location at which the sound head operates on the track and at which speed of the card movement becomes significant in the operation of the apparatus, and said pair of rollers continuing the advance of the card until the trailing end of the card is substantially at the sound head.

Claim 3

Audio apparatus having a card with a substantially straight longitudinal edge along one side thereof, a sound track on the card extending parallel to said edge, a frame having a portion that is shaped to fit the grip of one hand of an operator holding it during use, a channel shaped guideway at one end of the frame facing away from the portion that is gripped in one hand, said channel shaped guideway having top and bottom guide surfaces having portions that extend to the end of the frame remote from the grip portion and that cover the portion of the card inward from said longitudinal edge, including the sound track, and with a mid-surface of the guideway between the top and bottom guide surfaces thereof in angular relation to the top and bottom guide surfaces and with which said longitudinal edge of the card contacts to guide the card during relative movement of the card and frame lengthwise of the sound track, the guideway being substantially shorter than the card in the direction of relative movement of the card and guideway, a sound head carried by the frame with a portion that projects through the top guide surface of the guideway into working relation with the sound track when the edge of the card is against the mid-surface of the channel, the card being substantially greater in width than the part that extends into the guideway whereby most of the card is visible beyond the guideway and there is a wide card area beyond the end of the guideway that can be gripped by the other hand of an operator who is holding the grip portion with his first hand.

Claim 4

Audio apparatus having a card with a substantially straight longitudinal edge along one side thereof, a sound track on the card extending parallel to said edge, a frame having a portion that is shaped to fit the grip of one hand of an operator holding it during use, a channel shaped guideway at one end of the frame facing away from the portion that is gripped in one hand, said channel shaped guideway having top and bottom guide surfaces having portions that extend to the end of the frame remote from the grip portion and that cover the portion of the card inward from said longitudinal edge, including the sound track, and with a mid-surface of the guideway between the top and bottom guide surfaces thereof in angular relation to the top and bottom guide surfaces and with which said longitudinal edge of the card contacts to guide the card during relative movement of the card and frame lengthwise of the sound track, the guideway being substantially shorter than the card in the direction of relative movement of the card and guideway, a sound head carried by the frame with a portion that projects through the top guide surface of the guideway into working relation with the sound track when the edge of the card is against the mid-surface of the channel, the card being substantially greater in width than the part that extends into the guideway whereby most of the card is visible beyond the guideway and there is a wide card area beyond the end of the guideway that can be gripped by the other hand of an operator who is holding the grip portion with his first hand.

Claim 5

The audio apparatus described in claim 2 characterized by there being two pairs of rollers spaced from one another lengthwise of the guideway, endless belts passing around corresponding rollers of both pairs, the card being gripped between said belts and advanced by direct contact with the belts.

Claim 6

The audio apparatus described in claim 2 characterized by a motor and rollers carried by the frame, said rollers being in position to grip the card and to move it through the channel at a controlled speed after the card has been advanced into the channel by hand manipulation, the rollers being driven by said motor.

Claim 7

The audio apparatus described in claim 4 characterized by the rollers having their axis canted with respect to the direction of travel of the card along the channel, the canting being in a direction that hold the edge of the card in contact with the center surface of the channel.

Claim 8

Audio apparatus as described in claim 2, the frame having a guideway extension through which the card passes during said relative movement, guide surfaces at opposite sides of the guideway extension for guiding contact with the longitudinal edges of the card, the guide surfaces of the guideway extension being spaced from one another by the width of the record and of sufficient longitudinal length to maintain the card with the sound track under the head.

Claim 9

The audio apparatus described in claim 6 characterized by the guideway extension having a shallow depression therein under the sound track into which the sound head distorts the card to maintain a pressure between the sound head and the card by virtue of the elasticity of the card.

Claim 10

The audio apparatus described in claim 6 characterized by, said guideway extension extending across the bottom surface of the card and then up above both edges of the card, and the guideway extension being open at the top of the card whereby the top surface of the card is visible as it passes through the guideway extension.

Claim 11

The audio apparatus described in claim 8 characterized by the guideway extension having top portions that extend for a short distance over the top of the card but leaving most of the width of the card uncovered, each of said top portions, with the adjacent side and part of the guideway extension bottom, constituting a channel into which a longitudinal edge of the card extends.

Claim 12

The audio apparatus described in claim 9 characterized by the card having a multi-channel sound track with the channels parallel to one another and along the same edge portion of the card, and means for adjusting the relative positions of the guideway extension and card transversely of the sound track to bring the sound head selectively into operative relation with different channels of said track.

Claim 13

The audio apparatus described in claim 10 characterized by the guideway extension being movable with respect to the frame to shift the card transversely of the sound head, and means for holding the guideway extension in different positions to which it is shifted.