US3770902A — Interlock system for tape transport

Claim 1

Independent Claim 258 words

In a tape transport of the type having a base plate, a rotary head assembly mounted on the base plate, a support for moving a tape cartridge into an operative position adjacent to the base plate and aligned with the rotary head assembly, a shiftable arm mechanism having tape guide means thereon for moving a stretch of magnetic tape out of the cartridge and partially about the rotary head assembly when the cartridge is in its operative position, spindle structure rotatably mounted on the base plate and adapted to be coupled with the reels of the tape cartridge when the latter is in its operative position, and means coupled with the spindle structure for rotating the same relative to the base plate, the combination with the support and the arm mechanism of: control means adapted to be coupled with the base plate and having a shiftable control member movable from an initial location into either of a pair of operating locations corresponding to respective operative modes of the tape transport for causing sequential actuation of the rotating means and the arm mechanism when the control member is in one of said operating locations and for actuating the rotating means when the control member is in the other operating location; and means adapted to be shiftably mounted on the base plate and responsive to the movement of the control member for locking the support against movement when the support places a tape cartridge in its operative position and when said control member is in either of said operating locations.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 258 words

In a tape transport of the type having a base plate, a rotary head assembly mounted on the base plate, a support for moving a tape cartridge into an operative position adjacent to the base plate and aligned with the rotary head assembly, a shiftable arm mechanism having tape guide means thereon for moving a stretch of magnetic tape out of the cartridge and partially about the rotary head assembly when the cartridge is in its operative position, spindle structure rotatably mounted on the base plate and adapted to be coupled with the reels of the tape cartridge when the latter is in its operative position, and means coupled with the spindle structure for rotating the same relative to the base plate, the combination with the support and the arm mechanism of: control means adapted to be coupled with the base plate and having a shiftable control member movable from an initial location into either of a pair of operating locations corresponding to respective operative modes of the tape transport for causing sequential actuation of the rotating means and the arm mechanism when the control member is in one of said operating locations and for actuating the rotating means when the control member is in the other operating location; and means adapted to be shiftably mounted on the base plate and responsive to the movement of the control member for locking the support against movement when the support places a tape cartridge in its operative position and when said control member is in either of said operating locations.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 1, wherein the control means includes a number of actuators capable of being activated, and means locking certain of the actuators against activation when one of the actuators is activated.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 53 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control means includes a latching relay capable of being actuated to releasably hold the control member in either of said operating locations, said control means including stop structure for deactuating the relay to return the control member to its initial location.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 68 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control means has a number of shiftable actuators corresponding to the record, playback, fast-forward and rewind modes of said tape transport, and interlock means coupled with said actuators for locking certain of the actuators against movement when one of the actuators has been moved to cause the tape transport to be in a predetermined operative mode.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 55 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included a feedback linkage coupled with the arm mechanism and responsive to the operative location of the same with respect to said rotary head assembly, said locking means being coupled with said feedback linkage and being actuated in response to the movement thereof.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 66 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 1, wherein the arm mechanisM moves from a first location with the tape guides thereof adjacent to said tape stretch when the latter is in the tape cartridge to a second location with said tape guides adjacent to said rotary head asembly, said locking means being actuated when the arm mechanism is out of said first position.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 60 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 6, wherein is included a feedback linkage coupled with said arm mechanism and movable in response to the movement of the arm mechanism away from said first location, said feedback linkage being coupled to said locking means for actuating the latter as a function of the movement of said feedback linkage.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 63 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 6, wherein said rotating means is capable of being releasably maintained in driving relationship to said spindle structure, an actuatable interlock device for releasably maintaining said rotating means in said driving relationship, and a feedback linkage responsive to the movement of the arm mechanism out of said first location for actuating said interlock device.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 70 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 6, wherein is included a reel brake coupled with the spindle structure and capable of being releasably actuated to cause said spindle structure to be in a stopped condition, an actuatable interlock device for releasably actuating the reel brake, and a feedback linkage responsive to the movement of the arm mechanism out of the first location for actuating the interlock device.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 245 words

In a tape transport of the type having a base plate, a rotary head assembly mounted on the base plate, a support for moving a tape cartridge into an operative position adjacent to the base plate and aligned with the rotary head assembly, a shiftable arm mechanism having tape guide means thereon for moving a stretch of magnetic tape out of the cartridge and partially about the rotary head assembly when the cartridge is in its operative position, spindle structure rotatably mounted on the base plate and adapted to be coupled with the reels of the tape cartridge when the latter is in its operative positions, and means coupled with the spindle structure for rotating the same relative to the base plate, the combination with the base plate, the arm mechanism and the support of: control means coupled with the base plate and having a shiftable control member movable from an initial position into either of a pair of operating locations corresponding to respective operative modes of the tape transport for causing sequential operation of said rotating means and said arm mechanism when the control member is in one of said operating locations and for actuating the rotating means when the control member is in the other operating location; an actuatable interlock device for holding the support against movement when the tape cartridge carried thereby is in an operative position; and means responsive to the position of the arm mechanism for actuating the interlock device.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 245 words

In a tape transport of the type having a base plate, a rotary head assembly mounted on the base plate, a support for moving a tape cartridge into an operative position adjacent to the base plate and aligned with the rotary head assembly, a shiftable arm mechanism having tape guide means thereon for moving a stretch of magnetic tape out of the cartridge and partially about the rotary head assembly when the cartridge is in its operative position, spindle structure rotatably mounted on the base plate and adapted to be coupled with the reels of the tape cartridge when the latter is in its operative positions, and means coupled with the spindle structure for rotating the same relative to the base plate, the combination with the base plate, the arm mechanism and the support of: control means coupled with the base plate and having a shiftable control member movable from an initial position into either of a pair of operating locations corresponding to respective operative modes of the tape transport for causing sequential operation of said rotating means and said arm mechanism when the control member is in one of said operating locations and for actuating the rotating means when the control member is in the other operating location; an actuatable interlock device for holding the support against movement when the tape cartridge carried thereby is in an operative position; and means responsive to the position of the arm mechanism for actuating the interlock device.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 56 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 10, wherein said actuating means includes a feedback linkage coupled with the interlock device and shiftably mounted on the base plate for movement in response to the movement of the arm mechanism in a direction corresponding to the removal of the tape stretch from the tape cartridge.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 78 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 10, wherein is included a second interlock device coupled with the rotating means for holding the same in driving relationship to the spindle structure, said actuating means including a feedback linkage coupled to the first-mentioned and second interlock devices for simultaneously actuating the same in response to the movement of the arm mechanism in a direction corresponding to the removal of the tape stretch out of the tape cartridge.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 72 words

In a tape cartridge as set forth in claim 12, wherein is provided a reel brake coupled to the spindle structure and capable of being releasably maintained in braking relationship thereto, and including a third actuatable interlock devicE for releasably maintaining the reel brake in said braking relationship, said feedback linkage being coupled to the third device for actuating the latter simultaneously with the actuation of the first-mentioned and second interlock devices.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 93 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 12, wherein said control member is movable in one direction into a play position and movable in the opposite direction into a rewind position, and including a fourth interlock device actuatable to releasably prevent the control member from moving into the rewind position when said arm mechanism has moved in a direction corresponding to the removal of the tape stretch from said cartridge, the feedback linkage coupled with the fourth device for actuating the latter simultaneously with the first, second and third interlock devices.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 35 words

In a tape transport as set forth in claim 10, wherein the interlock device is coupled with the control member and being actuated in response to the movement thereof into either of said operating locations.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-11-05	1977-05-07	1977-11-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-11-05	1981-05-07	1981-11-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-11-05	1985-05-07	1985-11-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Interlock system for tape transport

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