Tape deck having improved tape path

Claim 1

In a magnetic tape handling system including having a vacuum source and a capstan drive means, an improved tape deck comprising: a machine reel for receiving tape wound thereon; a file reel having tape wound thereon, the axes of said machine and file reels lying in a vertical plane; a first vacuum column having a first sidewall and a paralleled second sidewall, having a semi-circular wall closing one end, the other end being opened, at least one vacuum port communicating with the first column adjacent the semi-circular end wall; a tape roller at the outer end of said first vacuum column first sidewall; a second vacuum column having a first sidewall and a paralleled second sidewall, having a semi-circular wall closing one end, at least one vacuum port communicating with said second column adjacent said semi-circular end wall, the second sidewall being of length longer than said first sidewall, and a transverse end wall extending from said second sidewall at the end thereof opposite said semicircular wall, the outer end of said transverse sidewall and the end of said first sidewall forming a side opening into said second vacuum column, at least one vacuum port being positioned adjacent the intersection of said second column second wall and said transverse wall; a capstan at the end of said second vacuum column first sidewall, the peripheral surface of said capstan being substantially coincident with the plane of said second vacuum column first sidewall, tape being extended from said file reel, within said first vacuum column, past said capstan, within said second vacuum column and to said machine reel; and a first hydrodynamic bearing at the outer end of said first vacuum column second sidewall; a second hydrodynamic bearing, positioned between said capstan and said first hydrodynamic bushing, a portion of the tape path lying in a plane from said second hydrodynamic bearing and said first hydrodynamic bearing, such tape path plane and the plane of said first column second sidewall intersecting at an obtuse angle; a head having an active surface positioned to slightly deflect tape in the position of the tape path from said first to said second hydrodynamic bearing whereby tape moving in such tape path engages the head; a third hydrodynamic bearing at the outer end of said transverse end wall; and at least one vacuum port communicating with said second column adjacent the intersection of said second column second sidewall and said transverse wall.