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US4991041A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for moving a cassette between storage and receiving locations

Assignee: Datatape Inc
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Filing: 1989-06-02
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Granted: 1991-02-05
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Expires: 2009-06-02
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Abstract

Abstract Disclosed is a magnetic tape cassette handling apparatus which is compact and reliable and which handles cassettes gently and firmly. The handling apparatus includes (a) a pusher member for gently moving a cassette forwardly into a cassette receiving location, and (b) clamping members for firmly clamping a cassette while moving the cassette rearwardly out of the cassette receiving location. The cassette handling apparatus is preferably located in a central opening of a cassette storage ferris wheel structure which is mounted adjacent to a magnetic tape recorder/player. Thus, the cassette handling apparatus loads and unloads a cassette from the ferris wheel structure into and out of the magnetic tape recorder/player.

Inventors

  • 👤 Frederic F. Grant

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 15:54
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B15/00; G11B15/675; G11B15/68; G11B15/6845; G11B15/685; G11B15/686

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim 205 words
In a magnetic tape cassette system having a cassette storage location and a cassette receiving location, magnetic tape cassette handling apparatus comprising: pushing means located adjacent to said cassette storage location for pushing a cassette; a slide member spaced from said pushing means; a pair of clamping members for clamping a cassette, said clamping members being pivotally mounted on said slide member and being pivotally linked to said pushing means; means for biasing said clamping members together; means for movably mounting said pushing means and said slide member; and actuating means coupled to said slide member for causing said slide member and said pushing means (1) to move in a first direction wherein said pushing means moves a cassette between a storage location and said cassette receiving location, wherein said pushing means and said slide member are spaced apart and said clamping members are retracted out of clamping engagement with said cassette, and (2) to move in a second opposite direction, wherein said pushing means and said slide members are moved adjacent to one another and said clamping members are extended to clamp a cassette located at said receiving location, so as to move said cassette between said receiving location and a cassette storage location.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 205 words
In a magnetic tape cassette system having a cassette storage location and a cassette receiving location, magnetic tape cassette handling apparatus comprising: pushing means located adjacent to said cassette storage location for pushing a cassette; a slide member spaced from said pushing means; a pair of clamping members for clamping a cassette, said clamping members being pivotally mounted on said slide member and being pivotally linked to said pushing means; means for biasing said clamping members together; means for movably mounting said pushing means and said slide member; and actuating means coupled to said slide member for causing said slide member and said pushing means (1) to move in a first direction wherein said pushing means moves a cassette between a storage location and said cassette receiving location, wherein said pushing means and said slide member are spaced apart and said clamping members are retracted out of clamping engagement with said cassette, and (2) to move in a second opposite direction, wherein said pushing means and said slide members are moved adjacent to one another and said clamping members are extended to clamp a cassette located at said receiving location, so as to move said cassette between said receiving location and a cassette storage location.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-02-04 1994-08-06 1995-02-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-02-04 1998-08-06 1999-02-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-02-04 2002-08-06 2003-02-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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