US3915407A — Tape or film transport

Claim 1

Independent Claim 99 words

Apparatus for the transport of a record-carrying tape comprising means for feeding the tape between a delivery spool and a storage spool, means for rewinding the tape on to the storage spool, means for the automatic threading of the tape off the delivery spool to the storage spool, non-contact scanning means for scanning the tape during movement to the storage spool and for generating an output signal dependent on the speed of the tape, and means controlled by the scanning means for initiating operation of the rewinding means in the absence of said output signal from the scanning means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 99 words

Apparatus for the transport of a record-carrying tape comprising means for feeding the tape between a delivery spool and a storage spool, means for rewinding the tape on to the storage spool, means for the automatic threading of the tape off the delivery spool to the storage spool, non-contact scanning means for scanning the tape during movement to the storage spool and for generating an output signal dependent on the speed of the tape, and means controlled by the scanning means for initiating operation of the rewinding means in the absence of said output signal from the scanning means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 121 words

Apparatus for the transport of a record-carrying tape between a delivery spool and a storage spool, comprising first drive means for the automatic withdrawal of the leading end of a tape from a delivery spool and for feeding it to a storage spool, clamping means on said storage spool automatically to receive and clamp the leading end of said tape, rewind means for rewinding the tape on to said delivery spool, non-contact scanning means for scanning the tape upstream of said storage spool and for generating a pulse signal output dependent on the tape speed, and logic circuit means, controlled by said scanning means for initiating operation of said rewind means in the absence of pulse signals from the scanning means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 121 words

Apparatus for the transport of a record-carrying tape between a delivery spool and a storage spool, comprising first drive means for the automatic withdrawal of the leading end of a tape from a delivery spool and for feeding it to a storage spool, clamping means on said storage spool automatically to receive and clamp the leading end of said tape, rewind means for rewinding the tape on to said delivery spool, non-contact scanning means for scanning the tape upstream of said storage spool and for generating a pulse signal output dependent on the tape speed, and logic circuit means, controlled by said scanning means for initiating operation of said rewind means in the absence of pulse signals from the scanning means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 59 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said first drive means for withdrawing the leading end of the tape are connected to said logic circuit means, said logic circuit means including means responsive to the absence of pulses from said scanning means within a prescribed period of time after initiation of said drive means to energize said rewinding means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 64 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the tape being transported is perforated parallel to a longitudinal edge thereof and in which said scanning means comprise a radiation source on one side of the tape path and directed to the perforations, and a radiation-sensitive device on the other side of the tape path for receiving pulses of radiation through the perforations of said tape.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 137 words

Apparatus according to claim 4, in which said scanning means further comprise circuit means for deriving from said pulse output signals of the radiation-sensitive device, first and second control signals which vary with the output and which differ from one another by a substantially constant potential difference, said circuit means having an integrating circuit to which the first control signal is applied and which rectifies the peak voltage to produce a reference level, a differential amplifier having a first input to receive said second signal, and wherein the sense and magnitude of the potential difference being such that an output pulse is generated at the output of said differential amplifier by the peak voltage of the second signal, which exceeds the reference level and which is generated on each passage of a perforation past said light source.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 31 words

Apparatus according to claim 5, in which said circuit means includes a transistor operated in the conductive direction and followed by a voltage divider to develop said substantially constant potential difference.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 49 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, in which said first drive means comprise a driving element for the tape and a stripper finger both mounted on a slide which is movable towards the delivery spool to bring the driving element and the stripper finger into contact with the tape thereon.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 37 words

Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the driving element comprises a belt extending around a deflector pulley and a driving pulley both of which are mounted on the slide and a motor for the driving pulley.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 95 words

Apparatus acording to claim 8, in which the slide has second driving means comprising a force accumulator acting on said slide and urging it towards said delivery spool, a traction device secured at one end of said second driving means and is wound at the other to a driving shaft of said second driving means and which holds said slide in position whereby, when the driving motor is actuated, the belt rotates and said traction device is unwound to permit said slide to move towards said delivery spool under the action of the force accumulator.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 45 words

Apparatus according to claim 9, in which said driving shaft of the motor carries a winding drum on which said traction device is wound and which incorporates a free wheeling mechanism permitting the winding drum to come to rest when the belt engages the tape.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus according to claim 7, in which the stripper finger is resiliently mounted on the slide.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 76 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, in which said rewinding means comprise a friction roller engageable against flanges of said delivery spool, a lever on which the friction roller is mounted and which is pivotable about a pivot disposed between the shafts of said friction roller and said delivery spool, an intermediate roller on the pivot, an electric motor, and a belt drive driving said friction roller from the electric motor and passing around the intermediate roller.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 39 words

Apparatus according to claim 12, in which a stop is provided to limit the pivoting movement said lever in one direction and to define a position of rest in which said friction roller is disengaged from said delivery spool.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 29 words

Apparatus according to claim 12, in which said friction roller has two contact rings tapering in opposite directions and adapted to engage between said flanges of the delivery spool.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 38 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, in which a suction device is connected to said storage spool to rotate therewith and to generate between the flanges of said storage spool a current of air directed towards the rotation axis.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 44 words

Apparatus according to claim 15, in which said suction device consists of blades of the centrifugal-pump type, mounted on the outside of one of the flanges of the storage spool and enclosed at the top, and of sunction intake orifices in the said flange.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 29 words

Apparatus according to claim 15, in which the motor for the storage spools delivers a torque which is low but which is almost independent of its speed of rotation.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 87 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the storage spool has a constant torque motor which is connected to a motor rotation speed scanner generating a pulse output dependent on the speed of rotation and connected with said Logic circuit means which compares the pulse outputs of the motor speed scanner and the tape scanner and which is arranged to activate said rewinding means if a prescribed relation of the pulse trains has not been obtained within a given time after the withdrawal means have been actuated.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 43 words

Apparatus according to claim 18, in which the rotation speed scanner comprises a light source directed towards alternating black and white markings on a rotor of constant torque motor and a light sensitive device arranged to receive light reflected from said white markings.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-10-27	1979-04-28	1979-10-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-10-27	1983-04-28	1983-10-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-10-27	1987-04-28	1987-10-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Tape or film transport

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