Reelable magnetic tape having edge marked cue indicia for direct viewing in the reeled condition

Claim 2

In combination with a recordable web wound on a rotatable reel, the improvement comprising; means for visually locating desired segments of the total tape length in the wound condition of the tape during winding and unwinding of the tape from the reel including a plurality of cue markings along, and confined substantially only to, a side edge of said wound web defining a plurality of circular bands substantially concentric with the axis of rotation of said rotatable reel; and each said circular band being radially spaced from a next adjacent band by an unmarked length of said web side edge whereby each spaced cue band comprises a cue reference mark relative to and contrasted with the adjacent unmarked web length, the appearance and disappearance of said circular bands during winding and unwinding respectively comprising an indication of the desired segment.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said cue markings are substantially equally spaced along the length of said web.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 wherein said recordable web includes a plurality of recorded intervals spaced by non-recorded intervals along the length thereof; and different ones of said cue markings associated with different ones of said intervals.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 wherein said cue markings are associated with at least some of said non-recorded intervals.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 wherein said cue markings are associated with at least some of said recorded intervals.

Claim 7

A reeled web having means for visually locating desired segments of the total tape length in the wound condition of the tape during winding and unwinding thereof; said locating means comprising a plurality of indicially marked portions spaced along the length of the web and integral with the remainder of said web; said web including a recordable surface, an opposed surface and opposite side edges; said indicially marked portions being exposed along at least one of said side edges and separated by visually contrasted portions of said one side edge whereby said reeled web presents concentric bands defined by the exposed portions of said marked portions, distinguished from said visually contrasted portions, along at least said one side edge, the appearance and disappearance of said concentric bands during winding and unwinding respectively comprises a visual indication of the desired segment; and said indicially marked portions being confined substantially only to the side edge of the web.

Claim 8

A reeled web having means for visually locating desired segments of the total tape length in the wound condition of the tape during winding and unwinding thereof; said locating means comprising a plurality of indicially marked portions spaced along the length of the web and integral with the remainder of said web; said web including a recordable surface, an opposed surface and opposite side edges; said indicially marked portions being exposed along at least one of said side edges and separated by visually contrasted portions of said one side edge whereby said reeled web presents concentric bands defined by the exposed portions of said marked portions, distinguished from said visually contrasted portions, along at least said one side edge, the appearance and disappearance of said concentric bands during winding and unwinding respectively comprises a visual indication of the desired segment; and said indicially marked portions being confined substantially only to the side edge of the web.

Claim 9

The reelable web of claim 6 wherein said remainder of said web is of substantially a single color; and said indiciaLly marked portions are a contrasted color.

Claim 10

The reelable web of claim 6 wherein said indicially marked portions comprise a finite tape interval having a color characteristic distinct from said remainder of said web; and said color characteristic extending into the body of said web.

Claim 11

The reelable web of claim 6 wherein said indicially marked portions extend throughout the width and thickness of said web.

Claim 12

A reeled tape of the type comprising a reel and a magnetic tape wound thereon of substantially uniform thickness throughout the length thereof and having a recordable surface of substantially uniform record and playback fidelity throughout the length thereof, the improvement comprising; means for visually locating desired segments of the total tape length in the wound condition of the tape during winding and unwinding of the tape from the reel; said means comprising a plurality of spaced indicial marking positioned intermediate the length of said tape along and confined substantially only to a side edge thereof; the length of each said indicial marking exceeding the circumference of its wound position on the reel; and said indicial markings being spaced along the length of said tape by unmarked tape segments whose length is great in comparison to the length of said indicial markings.

Claim 13

A reeled tape of the type comprising a reel and a magnetic tape wound thereon of substantially uniform thickness throughout the length thereof and having a recordable surface of substantially uniform record and playback fidelity throughout the length thereof, the improvement comprising; means for visually locating desired segments of the total tape length in the wound condition of the tape during winding and unwinding of the tape from the reel; said means comprising a plurality of spaced indicial marking positioned intermediate the length of said tape along and confined substantially only to a side edge thereof; the length of each said indicial marking exceeding the circumference of its wound position on the reel; and said indicial markings being spaced along the length of said tape by unmarked tape segments whose length is great in comparison to the length of said indicial markings.