Low mass tricomplaint recording device for double sided floppy disk media

Claim 1

An improved magnetic head carriage and suspension apparatus, comprising: a carriage body including means for engaging said body, and a guide which defines a predetermined path over which said apparatus is to move relative to a floppy disk media, and means for attaching said body to a drive means for moving said apparatus along said predetermined path: a first magnetic read/write head; a first head support arm attached to said body and having means forming a first stop; first suspension means affixed to said first arm and adapted to carry said first head between a first limit position defined by engagement with said first stop, and a sprung position out of engagement with said first stop; a first load spring affixed to said first arm and adapted to resiliently engage said first suspension means and to exert a predetermined loading force thereupon tending to bias said first head towards said first stop; a second magnetic read/write head; a second head support arm pivotally attached to said body and rotatable between a media engaging position and a retracted position, said media engaging position being defined by a second stop means which limits motion of said second arm in one direction relative to said body, said second arm having means forming a third stop; second suspension means affixed to said second arm and adapted to carry said second head between a second limit position, defined by engagement with said third stop, and a sprung position out of engagement with said third stop; and a second load spring affixed to said second arm and adapted to resiliently engage said second suspension means and to exert a predetermined loading force thereupon tending to bias said second head toward said third stop; whereby when said second arm is in said retracted position, said first and second heads are respectively supported and biased into predetermined fixed positions relative to said first and second arms, as determined by engagement with said first and third stops, and when said second arm is in said media engaging position, said first and second heads are caused to engage opposite sides of said media and to be moved out of engagement with said first and third stops and into said sprung positions with loading forces determined solely by said first and second load springs.