Magnetic recording system with overlapping tracks of high and low frequency information

Claim 1

In a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, the combination of guiding means for guiding a magnetic tape, first and second magnetic recording and reproducing heads moved relative to said tape adjacent a surface of the tape for respectively tracing first and second parallel tracks on said tape with said second track overlapping only a portion of said first track with said first head preceding said second head in the relative movement of said hands with respect to said tape, said second head having a core gap extending transversely at right angles to the longitudinal direction of said second track, said first head having a core gap that is substantially wider than the core gap of said second head and extending transversely across said first track at an acute angle with respect to the direction of said core gap of the second head, recording circuit means operable to apply a first signal to said first head for recording by the latter in said first track to a substantial depth in said tape from said surface of the latter and to apply to said second head a second signal having a substantially higher frequency than said first signal for recording of said second signal in said second track only adjacent said surface of the tape, whereby said second signal erases only so much of said first signal as appears adjacent said surface of the tape in the overlapping portions of said first and second tracks, and reproducing circuit means operable to cause said first and second heads to reproduce said first and second signals recorded in said first and second tracks, respectively, at a substantial depth from said surface and adjacent said surface, respectively.