Cartridge drive

Claim 2

A deck for a cartridge having a tape mounted on two reels which are driven to rotate by the rotation of a drive puck located at the front end of the cartridge, said deck comprising a magnetic head, a base structure and a bed plate assembly, a pair of side guides on said bed plate, each of said guides having a side wall and a top wall for cooperating with said bed plate to guide a cartridge into an operative position with respect to said magnetic head, a motor support means extending upward from the top surface of the base structure nearest a loaded cartridge, a drive motor, a capstan on the shaft of said drive motor, means for pivotably mounting said drive motor on said support means to extend downwardly toward said surface of said base structure and bed plate so that said capstan will be opposite the drive puck of a loaded cartridge and biasing means for urging said drive motor to pivot toward a loaded cartridge whereby said capstan is in forced contact with the drive puck of a loaded cartridge.

Claim 3

The deck of claim 1 wherein the cartridge is provided with a notch in each of its side walls near the front end of the cartridge for acceptance by said side guides, said deck further comprising stop means near one end of the bed plate for engaging the front end of a loaded cartridge, two roller means, each of said roller means being pivotably mounted in said base structure and bed plate assembly in the region of said side guides, means for biasing said roller means to pivot upward from the top surface of said bed plate, the diameter of said roller means being greater than the length of said notches so that said roller means engage the notches in the side walls of a loaded cartridge to urge it simultaneously against said stop means and against the lower walls of said side guides.

Claim 4

The deck of claim 2 further comprising a ball mounted in said bed plate remote from said one end and extending beyond the top surface of said bed plate, and means for upwardly biasing said ball for urging a loaded cartridge against the lower walls of said side guides.

Claim 5

The deck of claim 2 further comprising a release lever pivotably connected to the bottom surface of said base structure and bed plate assembly, said assembly being provided with a slot in the region of said one end and a finger extending upward through said slot for engaging the front end of a loaded cartridge so that a pivoting of said release lever retracTs such loaded cartridge to the point where said roller means disengage from the notches of the loaded cartridge.

Claim 6

The deck of claim 1 further comprising at least one printed circuit board having a cut out region, and means for mounting said printed circuit board above the top surface of said base structure and bed plate assembly such that said motor support means occupies the cut out region of said printed circuit board.

Claim 7

A deck for a cartridge having a tape mounted on two reels which are driven to rotate by the rotation of a drive puck located at the front end of the cartridge and having side walls, each provided with a notch, said deck comprising a magnetic head, a bed plate, a pair of side guides on said bed plate each of said side guides having a side wall and a lower wall for cooperating with said bed plate for the accepting of the side walls of the cartridge for guiding the front end thereof into an operative position with respect to said magnetic head, stop means near one end of said bed plate for engaging the front end of a loaded cartridge, two roller means, each of said roller means being pivotably mounted in said bed plate in the region of said side guides, near said one end of said bed plate, means for biasing said roller means to pivot upward from the top surface of said bed plate, the diameter of said roller means being greater than the length of said notches so that said roller means engage the notches in the side walls of a loaded cartridge to urge it simultaneously against said stop means and against the lower walls of said side guides, and means for rotating said drive puck.

Claim 8

A deck for a cartridge having a tape mounted on two reels which are driven to rotate by the rotation of a drive puck located at the front end of the cartridge and having side walls, each provided with a notch, said deck comprising a magnetic head, a bed plate, a pair of side guides on said bed plate each of said side guides having a side wall and a lower wall for cooperating with said bed plate for the accepting of the side walls of the cartridge for guiding the front end thereof into an operative position with respect to said magnetic head, stop means near one end of said bed plate for engaging the front end of a loaded cartridge, two roller means, each of said roller means being pivotably mounted in said bed plate in the region of said side guides, near said one end of said bed plate, means for biasing said roller means to pivot upward from the top surface of said bed plate, the diameter of said roller means being greater than the length of said notches so that said roller means engage the notches in the side walls of a loaded cartridge to urge it simultaneously against said stop means and against the lower walls of said side guides, and means for rotating said drive puck.

Claim 9

The deck of claim 6 further comprising a ball mounted in said bed plate remote from said one end and extending beyond the top surface of said bed plate, and means for upwardly biasing said ball for urging a loaded cartridge against the lower walls of said side guides.

Claim 10

The deck of claim 6 further comprising a release lever pivotably connected to the bottom surface of said bed plate, said bed plate being provided with a slot in the region of said one end and a finger extending upward through said slot for engaging the front end of a loaded cartridge so that a pivoting of said release lever retracts such a loaded cartridge to the point where said roller means disengage from the notches of the loaded cartridge.

Claim 11

The deck of claim 6 further comprising an escutcheon connected to the other end of said bed plate, said escutcheon being provided with a first opening for receiving a cartridge.

Claim 12

The deck of claim 9, further comprising mounting lugs on the rear surface of said escutcheon.