Disc memory head arm lift mechanism

Claim 1

A head arm of the type to be attached to the carriage of a disc memory at one end, and supporting a transducing head pad having a flying surface at the other end thereof, comprising in combination (a) a rigid body adapted to mate with the disc memory carriage, and having an edge; (b) a pad support having a pair of relatively long dimensions and a relatively thin dimension transverse to the long dimensions, said support resiliently flexible about axes parallel to the long dimensions and relatively resistant to bending about axes parallel to the thin dimension, said support attached in cantilever fashion to, and having one long dimension extending past the body's edge and generally perpendicular thereto, said support carrying the pad at its free end with the plane of the pad's flying surface generally parallel to the support's long dimensions; (c) a relatively rigid load arm having first and second ends; (d) means for supporting the load arm at a first end adjacent the body in a position placing the load arm's second end adjacent the side of the pad opposite the flying surface, said load arm supporting means including resilient bias means forcing the load arm's second end toward the pad with predetermined force; (e) a bracket attached to the pad and encircling the load arm adjacent its second end; (f) a lifting surface carried on the load arm intermediate its ends; and (g) lifting means pivotably attached to the body and including an actuation area, for pivoting into engagement with the lifting surface on the load arm and shifting the load arm in opposition to the bias produced thereon by the bias means, when force is applied to the actuation area to rotate the lifting means through at least a preselected angle.