Compact cassette tape transport with direct capstan and torque motor drives

Claim 2

In a cassette tape transport having a housing with a control panel, a compact mounting for a direct drive capstan motor and Direct drive torque motors comprising: a motor supporting frame mounted in said housing on said control panel having external cassette mounting and aligning means to hold a cassette in operating position; a capstan motor in said housing mounted on said supporting frame and having an elongated shaft with a capstan engageable with tape in a cassette when in said operating position; and a pair of torque motors in said housing mounted on said supporting frame alongside said elongated shaft, disposed between said capstan motor and said cassette mounting and aligning means in space comprising an axial projection of said capstan motor toward said cassette mounting and aligning means, said torque motors having shafts with spindls directly engageable with reels in cassette when in said operating position.

Claim 3

In a cassette tape transport having a housing with a control panel, a compact mounting for a direct drive capstan motor and direct drive torque motors comprising: a motor supporting frame having an upright forward wall associated with said control panel and an upright rearward wall spaced from and parallel to said forward wall; cassette mounting and aligning means on the front side of said forward wall to hold a cassette in operating position; a capstan motor in said housing mounted on the back side of said rearward wall and having an elongated shaft extending through both of said walls and having a capstan engageable with tape in a cassette when in said operating position; and a pair of torque motors in said housing mounted on the back side of said forward wall, disposed between said walls alongside said elongated shaft in space comprising a longitudinal projection of said capstan motor, said torque motors having shafts extending through said forward wall and spindles engageable with reels in a cassette when in said operating position.

Claim 4

In a cassette tape transport having a housing with a control panel, a compact mounting for a direct drive capstan motor and direct drive torque motors comprising: a motor supporting frame having an upright forward wall associated with said control panel and an upright rearward wall spaced from and parallel to said forward wall; cassette mounting and aligning means on the front side of said forward wall to hold a cassette in operating position; a capstan motor in said housing mounted on the back side of said rearward wall and having an elongated shaft extending through both of said walls and having a capstan engageable with tape in a cassette when in said operating position; and a pair of torque motors in said housing mounted on the back side of said forward wall, disposed between said walls alongside said elongated shaft in space comprising a longitudinal projection of said capstan motor, said torque motors having shafts extending through said forward wall and spindles engageable with reels in a cassette when in said operating position.

Claim 5

In a cassette tape transport having a housing with a control panel, a compact mounting for a direct drive capstan motor means and a direct drive torque motor means comprising: a motor supporting frame having a pair of spaced parallel walls one of which is associated with said panel and is adapted to support a cassette in operating position on the outside thereof, the other of said walls being inside said housing in fixed spaced parallel relation with said one wall; one of said motor means being mounted on the back side of said other wall and having shaft means extending through both of said walls into operating relation with a cassette in said operating position; the other of said motor means being mounted on the back side of said one wall and having shaft means extending therethrough into operative relation with a cassette in said operating position; and said other motor means being disposed between said walls alongside the shaft means of said one motor means in space comprising a longitudinal projection of said one motor means.

Claim 6

In a cassette tape transport having a housing with a control panel, a compact mounting for a direct drive capstan motor means and a direct drive torque motor means comprising: a motor supporting frame having a pair of spaced parallel walls one of which is associated with said panel and is adapted to support a cassette in operating position on the outside thereof, the other of said walls being inside said housing in fixed spaced parallel relation with said one wall; one of said motor means being mounted on the back side of said other wall and having shaft means extending through both of said walls into operating relation with a cassette in said operating position; the other of said motor means being mounted on the back side of said one wall and having shaft means extending therethrough into operative relation with a cassette in said operating position; and said other motor means being disposed between said walls alongside the shaft means of said one motor means in space comprising a longitudinal projection of said one motor means.

Claim 7

In a cassette tape transport having a housing with a front panel, a compact mounting for a direct drive capstan motor and a pair of direct drive torque motors comprising: a motor supporting frame having a forward wall associated with said front panel and a rearward wall spaced from said forward wall, and means rigidly interconnecting said walls; said motor supporting frame having first, second and third mounting surface means in spaced parallel relation to one another; said first mounting surface means being on the front side of said forward wall and adapted to support and align a cassette in operating position, said second and third mounting surface means being on the rear sides of said forward and rearward walls respectively; said capstan motor being mounted on said third surface means and having a forwardly elongated rotating capstan shaft extending through said rearward and forward walls and terminating in a capstan extending forwardly from said forward wall to engage tape in a cassette in said operating position; and said torque moTors being disposed between said forward and rearward walls alongside said forwardly elongated shaft in space comprising a forward projection of said capstan motor, said torque motors being mounted on said second surface means and having shafts extending forwardly through said forward wall and terminating in spindles extending forwardly from said forward wall to engage reels in a cassette in said operating position.

Claim 8

In a cassette tape transport having a housing with a front panel, a compact mounting for a direct drive capstan motor and a pair of direct drive torque motors comprising: a motor supporting frame having a forward wall associated with said front panel and a rearward wall spaced from said forward wall, and means rigidly interconnecting said walls; said motor supporting frame having first, second and third mounting surface means in spaced parallel relation to one another; said first mounting surface means being on the front side of said forward wall and adapted to support and align a cassette in operating position, said second and third mounting surface means being on the rear sides of said forward and rearward walls respectively; said capstan motor being mounted on said third surface means and having a forwardly elongated rotating capstan shaft extending through said rearward and forward walls and terminating in a capstan extending forwardly from said forward wall to engage tape in a cassette in said operating position; and said torque moTors being disposed between said forward and rearward walls alongside said forwardly elongated shaft in space comprising a forward projection of said capstan motor, said torque motors being mounted on said second surface means and having shafts extending forwardly through said forward wall and terminating in spindles extending forwardly from said forward wall to engage reels in a cassette in said operating position.

Claim 9

In a cassette tape transport, a compact mounting for a direct drive capstan motor and a pair of direct drive torque motors, the combination of claim 4 in which: said capstan motor has a forward mounting surface assembled in abutment with said third mounting surface means by fastening elements acting between said rearward wall and said capstan motor; and said torque motors having forward mounting surfaces assembled in abutment with said second mounting surface means by fastening elements acting between said forward wall and said torque motors.

Claim 10

In a cassette tape transport, a compact mounting for a direct drive capstan motor and a pair of direct drive torque motors, the combination of claim 4 in which: said capstan motor has an axial bearing support member enclosing said forwardly elongated shaft and extending through said rearward wall to said forward wall and having a forward bearing rotatably journaling said forwardly elongated shaft adjacent said capstan.

Claim 11

In a cassette tape transport having a housing with a front panel, a direct drive mounting for a capstan motor and a pair of torque motors comprising: a rigid U cross-section motor supporting frame having an upright forward wall associated with said front panel, an upright rearward wall spaced behind said forward wall, and a bottom wall rigidly interconnecting said forward and rearward walls; said motor supporting frame having first, second and third surfaces in spaced parallel relation to one another; said first surface being on the front side of said forward wall and adapted to support and align a cassette in operating position; said second and third surfaces being on the rear sides of said forward and rearward walls respectively; said capstan motor being mounted on said third surface and having a forwardly elongated shaft extending through said rearward and forward walls and terminating in a capstan extending forwardly from said first surface to engage tape in a cassette in said operating position; and said torque motors being disposed between said forward and rearward walls alongside said elongated shaft forwardly of said capstan motor, said torque motors being mounted on said second surface and having shafts extending forwardly through said forward wall and terminating in spindles extending forwardly from said first surface to engage reels in a cassette in said operating position.

Claim 12

In a cassette tape transport having a housing with a front panel, a direct drive mounting for a capstan motor and a pair of torque motors comprising: a rigid U cross-section motor supporting frame having an upright forward wall associated with said front panel, an upright rearward wall spaced behind said forward wall, and a bottom wall rigidly interconnecting said forward and rearward walls; said motor supporting frame having first, second and third surfaces in spaced parallel relation to one another; said first surface being on the front side of said forward wall and adapted to support and align a cassette in operating position; said second and third surfaces being on the rear sides of said forward and rearward walls respectively; said capstan motor being mounted on said third surface and having a forwardly elongated shaft extending through said rearward and forward walls and terminating in a capstan extending forwardly from said first surface to engage tape in a cassette in said operating position; and said torque motors being disposed between said forward and rearward walls alongside said elongated shaft forwardly of said capstan motor, said torque motors being mounted on said second surface and having shafts extending forwardly through said forward wall and terminating in spindles extending forwardly from said first surface to engage reels in a cassette in said operating position.