US3911491A — Automatic tape loading recording-reproducing appa…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 241 words

An automatic tape loading recording-reproducing apparatus of the rotation drum type, said apparatus comprising: a rotatable guide drum means having at least one magnetic head mounted to rotate unitarily with said guide drum; power driving means for positively driving said guide drum at a predetermined rotational speed; means for drawing a magnetic tape out of a tape cassette when placed in the apparatus; means for moving said tape drawing out means to a predetermined position; tape pulling around means for intercepting the tape thus drawn out and for pulling the tape around the cylindrical surface of said guide drum and thereby load said tape in a conformable contact with the surface of said drum with a wrap around a specific angular extent of said drum; driving means responsive to the arrival of said tape drawing out means at the predetermined position for stopping said moving means and driving said tape pulling around means; and means for starting the operation of said power driving means at a time between the time when said driving means begins to operate and the time when the tape is brought into conformable contact with one part of said surface over a slight angular extend thereof responsive to said tape pulling around means; said guide drum being driven in rotation by the driving power means and forming an air film between the drum cylindrical surface and the tape thus pulled around by the tape pulling around means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 241 words

An automatic tape loading recording-reproducing apparatus of the rotation drum type, said apparatus comprising: a rotatable guide drum means having at least one magnetic head mounted to rotate unitarily with said guide drum; power driving means for positively driving said guide drum at a predetermined rotational speed; means for drawing a magnetic tape out of a tape cassette when placed in the apparatus; means for moving said tape drawing out means to a predetermined position; tape pulling around means for intercepting the tape thus drawn out and for pulling the tape around the cylindrical surface of said guide drum and thereby load said tape in a conformable contact with the surface of said drum with a wrap around a specific angular extent of said drum; driving means responsive to the arrival of said tape drawing out means at the predetermined position for stopping said moving means and driving said tape pulling around means; and means for starting the operation of said power driving means at a time between the time when said driving means begins to operate and the time when the tape is brought into conformable contact with one part of said surface over a slight angular extend thereof responsive to said tape pulling around means; said guide drum being driven in rotation by the driving power means and forming an air film between the drum cylindrical surface and the tape thus pulled around by the tape pulling around means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 82 words

An automatic tape loading recording-reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said guide druM comprises a rotating upper guide drum having at least one rotary head and drivin in rotation by the power driving means and a stationary lower guide drum separated slightly from the upper guide drum, said upper and lower guide drums forming a cylindrical surface, and said tape pulled around by the tape pulling around means being brought into initial conformable contact with the upper guide drum.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 155 words

The automatic tape loading recording-reproducing apparatus of rotation drum type as claimed in claim 1 in which said tape pulling around means comprises a revolving annular member surrounding the guide drum and mounted to revolve with an inclination relative to the rotational plane of the rotary head of the guide drum, a tape guide member fixed to the revolving annular member and operating to engage the means for drawing the tape out and to pull around the tape in concert with the revolution of the revolving annular member; and said means for starting the operation of the power driving means comprising a switch in a specific position in the vicinity of the revolving annular member, said switch operating to open and close the circuit of the driving power means and an actuating means on the revolving annular member operating interrelatedly with the revolution of the revolving annular member to press against and close the switch.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 113 words

The automatic tape loading recording-reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which actuating means is fixed to and extends over a specific extent of the revolving annular member in a manner to operate interrelatedly with the revolution of the revolving annular member to press against and close the switch during the period beginning when said driving means operates and continuing while the tape is being pulled around the tape guide member and is brought into conformable contact with a slight extent of one part of the cylindrical surface of the guide drum, the period ending at the time when the tape thereafter fully contacts the guide drum conformably and is thus loaded.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 126 words

The automatic tape loading recording-reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which said actuating means is fixed to a surface of the revolving annular member, said actuating means having an arcuate shape over an extent such as to operate interrelatedly with the revolution of the revolving annular member to close the switch during the time period beginning when said driving means operates and continuing while the tape is being pulled around by the tape guide member and brought into conformable contact with one part of the cylindrical surface of the guide drum, said actuating means continuing to keep the switch closed even after the revolving annular member thereafter revolves to a position corresponding to a completion of a tape loading process and there it stops.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 105 words

An automatic tape loading device for a magnetic recorder having a guide drum with a revolving ring surrounding said drum, an arcuate activating means carried by said ring, said device comprising a source of tape, means for taking up tape drawn from said source, means interposed between said source and take-up means for drawing said tape from said source, means positioned on said ring for pulling said tape drawn from said source around said drum, said arcuate actuating means for starting said guide drum to rotate before said tape touches said drum, said rotated drum forming an air film between said drum and said tape.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 105 words

An automatic tape loading device for a magnetic recorder having a guide drum with a revolving ring surrounding said drum, an arcuate activating means carried by said ring, said device comprising a source of tape, means for taking up tape drawn from said source, means interposed between said source and take-up means for drawing said tape from said source, means positioned on said ring for pulling said tape drawn from said source around said drum, said arcuate actuating means for starting said guide drum to rotate before said tape touches said drum, said rotated drum forming an air film between said drum and said tape.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 34 words

The tape loading device of claim 6 and a cassette for holding said source and take-up means and said drawing means comprises a lever system for reaching into said cassette and extracting said tape.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

The tape loading device of claim 7 and annular guide means surrounding said drum and cooperating with said lever system for partially wrapping said tape around said drum.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-10-06	1979-04-07	1979-10-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-10-06	1983-04-07	1983-10-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-10-06	1987-04-07	1987-10-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automatic tape loading recording-reproducing apparatus of drum rotation type

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