Magnetic tape duplicating apparatus

Claim 2

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus for simultaneously recording information from a master tape on a plurality of slave tapes comprising, in combination, a play-back assembly for alternately transporting a master tape in a forward and reverse direction along a tape path including transducer means to pick up information therefrom while such tape is traveling in either direction; and a pair of multiple recording slave banks for duplicating said recorded information on a plurality of slave tapes; said banks being alternately operable such that all of the slave tapes of one bank are simultaneously recorded in the forward direction of the master tape, and all of the slave tapes of the other bank are simultaneously recorded in the reverse direction of the master tape to maintain continuous multiple duplication in both master tape directions.

Claim 3

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an automatic direction control system to reverse the direction of the master tape and correspondingly switch from one slave bank to the other when the master tape has been fully advanced in either direction

Claim 4

A magnetic tape duplicating aparatus in accordance with calim 1, in which each slave bank comprises a plurality of individual recording stations for each slave tape, and an independent recording transducer disposed within each such station.

Claim 5

A magnetic tape duplicating aparatus in accordance with calim 1, in which each slave bank comprises a plurality of individual recording stations for each slave tape, and an independent recording transducer disposed within each such station.

Claim 6

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 3, further comprising a multiple amplification and recording circuit connecting the transducer means of the playback assembly and each of the independent recording transducers in both slave banks.

Claim 7

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the playback assembly comprises bi-directional take-up and feed reels; a reversible drive motor associated with each of said reels; and a clutch brake device linking each drive motor to its corresponding reel to control the take-up and feed speed of the master tape.

Claim 8

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 5, in which the clutch brake device are of the pneumatic type whereby the amount of air pressure feed thereto controls the drag placed upon the particular reel to which it is connected.

Claim 9

A magnetic tape duplicating appAratus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a common capstan drive means for the master tape playback assembly and both slave banks to simultaneously advance the master and slave tapes and to maintain speed synchronization therebetween.

Claim 10

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 7, in which the common capstan drive means comprises an elongated cylindrical shaft disposed centrally of the playback assembly and extending between the two slave banks; said shaft being operatively connected to a reversible drive motor to impart the desired rotational movement thereto.

Claim 11

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 8, in which the drive capstan shaft has a stepped up diameter in the playback assembly for advancing the master tape at a speed greater than the slave tapes.

Claim 12

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the playback assembly includes means for controlling the master tape speed and tension.

Claim 13

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 10, in which the means for controlling the master tape speed and tension comprises a pair of elongated vacuum plenums positioned along the master tape path, each having an open end adapted to receive therein a loop of master tape and a pressure port at a midpoint thereof; means connected to a closed end of each plenum to reduce the pressure therein; and pressure sensitive means connected to the pressure port of each plenum and responsive to the pressure therein which varies according to the position of the tape loops with respect to the pressure port; said pressure sensitive means being adapted to emit control signals to increase or decrease the tape loop sizes, and thus maintain a constant speed past the transducer means.

Claim 14

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 2, in which the master tape has a transparent leader attached to both ends; and the automatic direction control system comprises a pair of photo-electric cells each disposed in the tape path adapted to sense the transparent leader at both ends of said master tape.

Claim 15

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the master tape has at least two tracks, one of which is recorded in the forward direction and the other of which is recorded in the reverse direction; and the transducer means comprises a pair of heads, the first being adapted to pick up recorded information from the first track of the master tape when the tape is traveling in a forward direction and the other being adapted to pick up recorded information from the second track when the tape is traveling in the reverse direction.

Claim 16

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 8, in which the slave banks are arranged in parallel juxtaposition on opposite sides of the capstan shaft, so that the rotation of the capstan in one direction advances the slave tapes in one bank, and the rotation of the capstan in the other direction advances the slave tapes in the other bank.

Claim 17

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 14, in which a series of automatically operated pinch rollers are disposed in each slave bank in operative engagement with each slave tape to hold such tapes in contact with the capstan shaft when the particular bank in which such tape is located is in operation; said pinch rollers of each bank being alternately operable such that all of the slave tapes in one bank are held in contact with the capstan shaft while the master tape is traveling in one direction and all of the slave tapes in the other bank are held in contact with the capstan shaft while the master tape is traveling in the opposite direction.

Claim 18

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus for recording information from a master tape on a plurality of slave tapes comprising, in combination, means for alternately transporting a master tape in either a forward or reverse direction; means for retrieving recorded information from the maSter tape while the same is transported in either direction; means for automatically changing the transport direction of the master tape from forward to reverse and reverse to forward when such tape has been fully advanced in either direction; means for advancing a first plurality of slave tapes past a corresponding plurality of recording heads simultaneously with the transport of the master tape in the forward direction to record the information retrieved from the master tape on said first plurality of slave tapes; means for advancing a second plurality of slave tapes past a second corresponding plurality of recording heads simultaneously with the transport of the master tape in the reverse direction to record the information retrieved from the master tape on said second plurality of slave tapes; and control means activated by the means for automatically changing the master tape transport direction to alternately activate the means for advancing the first plurality of slave tapes and the means for advancing the second plurality of slave tapes to maintain continuous multiple duplication while the master tape is transported in both directions.

Claim 19

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus for recording information from a master tape on a plurality of slave tapes comprising, in combination, means for alternately transporting a master tape in either a forward or reverse direction; means for retrieving recorded information from the maSter tape while the same is transported in either direction; means for automatically changing the transport direction of the master tape from forward to reverse and reverse to forward when such tape has been fully advanced in either direction; means for advancing a first plurality of slave tapes past a corresponding plurality of recording heads simultaneously with the transport of the master tape in the forward direction to record the information retrieved from the master tape on said first plurality of slave tapes; means for advancing a second plurality of slave tapes past a second corresponding plurality of recording heads simultaneously with the transport of the master tape in the reverse direction to record the information retrieved from the master tape on said second plurality of slave tapes; and control means activated by the means for automatically changing the master tape transport direction to alternately activate the means for advancing the first plurality of slave tapes and the means for advancing the second plurality of slave tapes to maintain continuous multiple duplication while the master tape is transported in both directions.

Claim 20

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 16 in which the means for transporting the master tape, the means for advancing the first plurality of slave tapes, and the means for advancing the second plurality of slave tapes all include a common capstan drive means to advance and maintain speed synchronization between the master tape and each slave tape.

Claim 21

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 17 in which the common capstan drive means comprises an elongated cylindrical shaft mounted for bi-directional rotational movement and adapted to operatively engage the master tape and each slave tape.

Claim 22

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 16 further comprising a multiple recording circuit operatively connecting the means for retrieving recorded information from the master tape and the first and second plurality of slave tape recording heads.

Claim 23

A magnetic tape duplicating apparatus in accordance with claim 16 in which the means for transporting the master tape includes a vacuum chamber adapted to receive a loop of the master tape therein, and having pressure sensitive control means responsive to the internal pressure of the chamber, which varies according to the size of the loop, to maintain a constant master tape transport speed.