Ball bearing cam assembly

Claim 2

A cam assembly comprising: at least one reference surface, at least one cam follower member, and cam means including at least first and second ball bearings having diameters for selectively positioning said cam follower member at a plurality of different predetermined distances with respect to said reference surface by selectively positioning said first and second ball bearings between said cam follower member and said reference surface, said plurality of different distances being related to the diameters of said first and second ball bearings.

Claim 3

A cam assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first ball bearing diameter is different from said second ball bearing diameter.

Claim 4

A cam assembly according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of different distances are equal to the diameters of said first and second ball bearings.

Claim 5

A cam assembly according to claim 3 which includes spring means for mechanically biasing said cam follower member and said reference surface towards each other.

Claim 6

A cam assembly according to claim 4 wherein said cam means includes means for selectively changing the position of at least one of said ball bearings with respect to said cam follower member.

Claim 7

A cam assembly according to claim 5 wherein said changing means provides for rotating the positions of said ball bearings about an axis and wherein said cam follower member and said reference surface are positioned in substantially fixed rotary positions with respect to said axis.

Claim 8

A cam assembly according to claim 6 wherein said cam means includes means which cooperates with said reference surface for captivating said ball bearings.

Claim 9

A cam follower assembly according to claim 6 wherein said moving means includes a ratchet assembly having linearly moveable pawl members and at least one rotatable ratchet wheel rotated in response to the linear movement of said pawl members.

Claim 10

A cam assembly according to claim 8 wherein said moving means includes a solenoid having an armature mechanically coupled to said pawl members for inparting linear movement to said pawl members in response to solenoid actuation.

Claim 11

A cam assembly according to claim 9 wherein said ratchet wheel is rotatably mounted on a stud which coincides with said axis and wherein said reference surface is contained on a stationary disc which is also mounted on said stud.

Claim 12

A cam assembly according to claim 7 wherein said captivating means includes structure having through-hole openings corresponding to each of said ball bearings, each opening comprising a portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the corresponding ball bearing, said ball bearing being positioned substantially between said smaller diameter portion and said reference surface.

Claim 13

A cam assembly according to claim 11 wherein said captivating means includes spacing means for determining the distance between said reference surface and said smaller diameter poriton of said captivating means.

Claim 14

A cam assembly according to claim 12 wherein said reference surface is substantially planar.

Claim 15

A cam assembly according to claim 13 wherein said reference surface lies substantially in a single plane.

Claim 16

A cam assembly according to claim 14 wherein said reference surface is contained on a generally disc shaped member which is adjustably mounted on a structure for being adjustably positionable in directions parallel to said axis.

Claim 17

A cam assembly according to claim 15 which includes an additional spring means for biasing said captivating means toward said reference surface.

Claim 18

A cam assembly according to claim 16 wherein said position changing means includes a ratchet assembly having a linearly moveable pawl member and at least one rotatable ratchet wheel rotated in response to the linear movement of the pawl member.

Claim 19

A cam assembly according to claim 17 wherein said moving means includes a solenoid having an armature mechanically coupled to said pawl member to impart linear motion thereto in response to the actuation of said solenoid.

Claim 20

A cam assembly according to claim 18 wherein said ratchet wheel is rotatably mounted on a stud which coincides with said axis.

Claim 21

A multi-track tape player/recorder including a chassis, a magnetic tape head adaptable for sensing several tracks of a magnetic tape, drive apparatus for moving magnetic tape past the tape head and selection apparatus for adjusting the position of the magnetic tape head with respect to the magnetic tape so that one of the several tape tracks is selected for sensing by the head, the improvement comprising a cam assembly including; at least one reference surface, at least one cam follower member means for controlling the track position of said tape head with respect to said tape, and cam means including at least first and second ball bearings having diameters for selectively positioning said cam follower member means at a plurality of different predetermined distances with respect to said reference surface by selectively positioning said first and second ball bearings between said cam follower member means and said reference surface, said plurality of different distances being related to the diameters of said first and second ball bearings, whereby the selection of different positions for said cam follower member means results in the selection of different tracks of the magnetic tape by changing the relative position of the magnetic tape head with respect to the magnetic tape and the chassis of the tape player.

Claim 22

A multi-track tape player/recorder including a chassis, a magnetic tape head adaptable for sensing several tracks of a magnetic tape, drive apparatus for moving magnetic tape past the tape head and selection apparatus for adjusting the position of the magnetic tape head with respect to the magnetic tape so that one of the several tape tracks is selected for sensing by the head, the improvement comprising a cam assembly including; at least one reference surface, at least one cam follower member means for controlling the track position of said tape head with respect to said tape, and cam means including at least first and second ball bearings having diameters for selectively positioning said cam follower member means at a plurality of different predetermined distances with respect to said reference surface by selectively positioning said first and second ball bearings between said cam follower member means and said reference surface, said plurality of different distances being related to the diameters of said first and second ball bearings, whereby the selection of different positions for said cam follower member means results in the selection of different tracks of the magnetic tape by changing the relative position of the magnetic tape head with respect to the magnetic tape and the chassis of the tape player.

Claim 23

A multi-track tape player/recorder according to claim 20 wherein said first ball bearing diameter is different from said second ball bearing diameter.

Claim 24

A multi-track tape player/recorder according to claim 21 wherein said plurality of different distances are equal to the diameters of said first and second ball bearings.

Claim 25

A multi-track tape player/recorder according to claim 22 which includes spring means for mechanically biasing said cam follower member means and said reference surface towards each other.

Claim 26

A multi-track tape player/recorder according to claim 23 wherein sid cam means includes means for selectively changing the position of at least one of said ball bearings with respect to said cam follower member means.

Claim 27

A multi-track tape player/recorder according to claim 24 wherein said changing means provides for rotating the positions of said ball bearings about an axis and wherein said cam follower member means is positioned in a substantially fixed rotary position with respect to said axis.

Claim 28

A multi-track tape player/recorder according to claim 25 wherein said reference surface is adjustably mounted on a structure for adjustably positioning the reference surface with respect to the chassis.

Claim 29

A multi-track tape player/recorder according to claim 20 wherein said cam means includes means for moving said ball bearings with respect to both said reference surface and said cam follower during the selective positioning thereof.

Claim 30

A multi-track tape player/recorder according to claim 27 wherein said ball bearing moving means includes a rotatable captivating structure having through-hole openings corresponding to each of said ball bearings, each opening comprising a portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the corresponding ball bearing, said ball bearing being positioned substantially between said smaller diameter portion and said reference surface.

Claim 33

A method for selectively positioning a cam follower member according to claim 29 wherein said first and second distances are equal to said first and second diameters, respectively, and wherein said ball bearings are contacted by said cam follower member and pressed against said reference point on said reference surface to determine said first and second distances.

Claim 34

A method for selectively positioning a cam follower member according to claim 29 wherein the positioning of said cam follower member at said first and second predetermined distances occurs by rotating said first and second ball bearings about an axis while maintaining said cam follower member and said reference point on said reference surface in substantially fixed rotary positions with respect to said axis.

Claim 35

A method for selectively positioning a cam follower member according to claim 31 wherein said first and second distances are equal to said first and second diameters, respectively, and wherein said ball bearings are contacted by said cam follower member and pressed against said reference point on said reference surface to determine said first and second distances.