Tape recorder utilizing resilient tape and cartridge having no moving parts

Claim 1

In a tape recorder utilizing an endless tape and comprising a cartridge for holding said tape, together with a main assembly comprising a driving spindle adapted to project into said cartridge and drive said tape, a magnetic head and a pressure roller, the improvement according to which said tape is wound into a coil consisting essentially of radially contiguous turns, said coil having an innermost turn, an outermost turn, and a loop extending across the remaining turns of said coil to connect said innermost and outermost turns, said coil having a radius and said tape having a resilience such that any movement of the innermost turn is immediately transmitted to the outermost turn of the coil, and said cartridge comprises stationary pillar means located inside and cartridge and encircled by said tape, said pillar means being shaped to contact the innermost turn of said coil only at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points, and comprising a projecting part extending axially of said coil beyond one edge of said innermost turn for a distance at least equal to the width of said tape, with said connecting loop being looped about said projecting part, said cartridge further comprising a post separating the outermost turn of said coil from the remainder of said coil to form a space therebetween, and an outer wall defining openings for admitting said spindle into said space in a position parallel to said pillar and for admitting said magnetic head and pressure roller when said cartridge is in an operative position in said assembly, while said main assembly comprises a support carrying both said magnetic head and said pressure roller, said support being mounted to swing said pressure roller and magnetic head simultaneously into and away from positions urging said tape toward said spindle and post respectively.