Magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus

Claim 2

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a cylindrical tape guide drum, at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, tape supply means containing a magnetic tape, holder means spaced from said guide drum for receiving and positioning said tape supply means, tape engaging means movable from an inactive position, where it is engageable with said tape contained by said tape supply means positioned on said holder means, in an arcuate path that extends about said drum to an operative position for withdrawing a loop of said tape from said supply means and wrapping one side of said loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the drum, and tape guide means fixedly positioned about, and spaced outwardly from said periphery of the drum for engaging the other side of said loop of tape upon movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position and thereby holding said other side of the tape loop away from said drum, said tape guide means including an arcuate member extending about said periphery of the drum at a level between the opposite ends of said drum.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said tape guide drum has a circumferential slot along which said rotary magnetic head moves, and said level of said arcuate member of the tape guide means substantially coincides with said circumferential slot.

Claim 4

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a cylindrical tape guide drum, at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, tape supply means containing a magnetic tape, holder means spaced from said guide drum for receiving and positioning said tape supply means, tape engaging means movable from an inactIve position, where it is engageable with said tape contained by said tape supply means positioned on said holder means, in an arcuate path that extends about said drum to an operative position for withdrawing a loop of said tape from said supply means and wrapping one side of said loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the drum, and tape guide means fixedly positioned about, and spaced outwardly from said periphery of the drum for engaging the other side of said loop of tape upon movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position and thereby holding said other side of the tape loop away from said drum, said tape guide means including a plurality of fixed, upstanding guide posts at locations that are spaced apart about said periphery of the drum and which extend to a height that is intermediate the opposite ends of said drum.

Claim 5

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a cylindrical tape guide drum, at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, tape supply means containing a magnetic tape, holder means spaced from said guide drum for receiving and positioning said tape supply means, tape engaging means movable from an inactIve position, where it is engageable with said tape contained by said tape supply means positioned on said holder means, in an arcuate path that extends about said drum to an operative position for withdrawing a loop of said tape from said supply means and wrapping one side of said loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the drum, and tape guide means fixedly positioned about, and spaced outwardly from said periphery of the drum for engaging the other side of said loop of tape upon movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position and thereby holding said other side of the tape loop away from said drum, said tape guide means including a plurality of fixed, upstanding guide posts at locations that are spaced apart about said periphery of the drum and which extend to a height that is intermediate the opposite ends of said drum.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 3, in which said tape guide means further includes an arcuate member extending about said periphery of the drum and substantially engaging the upper ends of said guide posts.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 4, in which said tape guide means further includes guide rollers located below said arcuate member.

Claim 8

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a cylindrical tape guide drum, at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, tape supply means containing a magnetic tape, holder means spaced from said guide drum for receiving and positioning said tape supply means, tape engaging means movable from an inactive position, where it is engageable with said tape contained by said tape supply means positioned on said holder means, in an arcuate path that extends about said drum to an operative position for withdrawing a loop of said tape from said supply means and wrapping one side of said loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the drum, and tape guide means fixedly positioned about, and spaced outwardly from said periphery of the drum for engaging the other side of said loop of tape upon movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position and thereby holding said other side of the tape loop away from said drum, said tape engaging means including an elongated arm, means engaging one end portion of said arm and mounting the latter for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of said drum and for turning about the longitudinal axis of said arm with the other end of said arm projecting beyond said periphery of the drum, and a pin member extending from said other end of said arm at a substantial angle with respect to said longitudinal axis so that said turning of the arm about said longitudinal axis is effective to displace said pin member between a substantially erect position for engagement with the tape and a substantially prone position for release from the tape.

Claim 9

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a cylindrical tape guide drum, at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, tape supply means containing a magnetic tape, holder means spaced from said guide drum for receiving and positioning said tape supply means, tape engaging means movable from an inactive position, where it is engageable with said tape contained by said tape supply means positioned on said holder means, in an arcuate path that extends about said drum to an operative position for withdrawing a loop of said tape from said supply means and wrapping one side of said loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the drum, and tape guide means fixedly positioned about, and spaced outwardly from said periphery of the drum for engaging the other side of said loop of tape upon movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position and thereby holding said other side of the tape loop away from said drum, said tape engaging means including an elongated arm, means engaging one end portion of said arm and mounting the latter for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of said drum and for turning about the longitudinal axis of said arm with the other end of said arm projecting beyond said periphery of the drum, and a pin member extending from said other end of said arm at a substantial angle with respect to said longitudinal axis so that said turning of the arm about said longitudinal axis is effective to displace said pin member between a substantially erect position for engagement with the tape and a substantially prone position for release from the tape.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising drive means for advancing the tape, and in which said pin member is moved adjacent said drive means for engagement of the latter with the tape in response to movement of the tape engaging means to said operative position.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 7, in which said drive means includes a rotated capstan above which said pin member is located when said tape engaging means is at said operative position, and further comprising tape shifting means actuable to shift the tape axially between said pin member and said capstan with said tape engaging means at said operative position.

Claim 12

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a cylindrical tape guide drum, at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, tape supply means containing a magnetic tape, holder means spaced from said guide drum for receiving and positioning said tape supply means, tape engaging means movable from an inactive position, where it is engageable with said tape contained by said tape supPly means positioned on said holder means, in an arcuate path that extends about said drum to an operative position for withdrawing a loop of said tape from said supply means and wrapping one side of said loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the drum, and tape guide means fixedly positioned about, and spaced outwardly from said periphery of the drum for engaging the other side of said loop of tape upon movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position and thereby holding said other side of the tape loop away from said drum; and in which said tape supply means includes reels having said magnetic tape wound thereon and tape guide members guiding a run of said tape between said reels to extend at a substantial angle to the plane of rotation of said head when said tape supply means is positioned by said holder means, said tape engaging means is engageable, in said inactive position, with said run of the tape so that said loop of tape drawn from said tape supply means by movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position has its opposite sides originating at different levels with respect to said plane of rotation of said head, and said tape guide means includes a plurality of fixed upstanding guide posts at locations that are spaced apart about said periphery of the drum and which extend to a height that is between said levels where the opposite sides of the tape loop originate so that said guide posts are engaged only by said other side of the tape loop.

Claim 13

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a cylindrical tape guide drum, at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, tape supply means containing a magnetic tape, holder means spaced from said guide drum for receiving and positioning said tape supply means, tape engaging means movable from an inactive position, where it is engageable with said tape contained by said tape supPly means positioned on said holder means, in an arcuate path that extends about said drum to an operative position for withdrawing a loop of said tape from said supply means and wrapping one side of said loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the drum, and tape guide means fixedly positioned about, and spaced outwardly from said periphery of the drum for engaging the other side of said loop of tape upon movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position and thereby holding said other side of the tape loop away from said drum; and in which said tape supply means includes reels having said magnetic tape wound thereon and tape guide members guiding a run of said tape between said reels to extend at a substantial angle to the plane of rotation of said head when said tape supply means is positioned by said holder means, said tape engaging means is engageable, in said inactive position, with said run of the tape so that said loop of tape drawn from said tape supply means by movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position has its opposite sides originating at different levels with respect to said plane of rotation of said head, and said tape guide means includes a plurality of fixed upstanding guide posts at locations that are spaced apart about said periphery of the drum and which extend to a height that is between said levels where the opposite sides of the tape loop originate so that said guide posts are engaged only by said other side of the tape loop.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 9, in which said reels of the tape supply means are superposed one above the other with said tape run slanting downwardly from said one reel to said other reel when said tape supply means is positioned by said holder means.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 9, in which said tape guide means further includes an arcuate guide member extending about said drum with clearance therebetween and engaging the upper ends of said guide posts so that said other side of the tape loop engages below said arcuate guide member and is held by the latter against upward removal from said guide posts.

Claim 16

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a cylindrical tape guide drum, at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, tape supply means containing a magnetic tape, holder means spaced from said guide drum for receiving and positioning said tape supply means, tape engaging means movable from an inactive position, where it is engageable with said tape contained by said tape supply means positioned on said holder means, in an arcuate path that extends about said drum to an operative position for withdrawing a loop of said tape from said supply means and wrapping one side of said loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the drum, and tape guide means fixedly positioned about, and spaced outwardly from said periphery of the drum for engaging the other side of said loop of tape upon movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position and thereby holding said other side of the tape loop away from said drum; and in which said tape engaging means includes a pin member movable along said arcuate path and also being displaceable between ar erect position for engagement with the tape and a prone position for release from the tape, means urging said pin member to said erect position, and means displacing said pin member to said prone position in response to the presence of said tape engaging means at said inactive position.

Claim 17

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a cylindrical tape guide drum, at least one rotary magnetic head moved in a circular path substantially coinciding with the periphery of said drum, tape supply means containing a magnetic tape, holder means spaced from said guide drum for receiving and positioning said tape supply means, tape engaging means movable from an inactive position, where it is engageable with said tape contained by said tape supply means positioned on said holder means, in an arcuate path that extends about said drum to an operative position for withdrawing a loop of said tape from said supply means and wrapping one side of said loop about at least a portion of said periphery of the drum, and tape guide means fixedly positioned about, and spaced outwardly from said periphery of the drum for engaging the other side of said loop of tape upon movement of said tape engaging means to said operative position and thereby holding said other side of the tape loop away from said drum; and in which said tape engaging means includes a pin member movable along said arcuate path and also being displaceable between ar erect position for engagement with the tape and a prone position for release from the tape, means urging said pin member to said erect position, and means displacing said pin member to said prone position in response to the presence of said tape engaging means at said inactive position.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 14, in which said tape shifting means further includes ejecting means operable to strip the tape from said guiding element.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 15, in which said guiding element has a cylindrical surface and is rotated about its central axis to constitute at least part of tape drive means by which the tape is advanced while having said portion thereof wrapped about the drum periphery.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 17, in which said additional tape guiding mEans includes a plurality of upright guide members spaced from each other and from said periphery about said drum and an arcuate guide member joined to the upper ends of said upright guide members and being located approximately at the level of the plane of rotation of said head for holding said other portion of the withdrawn tape on said upright guide members while the first mentioned portion of the withdrawn tape can pass over said arcuate guide member for engagement with the drum periphery.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 18, in which said supply and take-up reels are superposed one above the other.