Apparatus for recording and/or reading information

Claim 2

A read/write apparatus for selectively reading and writing information on a document comprising: at least one head for a selected one of said reading and writing said document in an interaction region of said apparatus; means for providing a document transport path through said interaction region; document drive means for driving said document along said transport path; means for rotatably securing the head between at least two head positions; guide means for guiding the document along said path including a guide slide displaceable along said path; and displacement means for displacing the guide slide to a first slide position at said interaction region for guiding said document at said interaction region and for displacing the guide slide to a second slide position for exposing the interaction region to said at least one head to permit said selected one of said reading and writing of said document at said interaction region in one of said at least two head positions, said displacement means including common drive means for rotating said head to said two head positions and for displacing said guide slide to said two slide positions.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said common drive means includes means for simultaneously rotating said at least one head while displacing said guide slide.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said displacement means includes a cradle for rotatably supporting the head, said drive means including a drive shaft and connection means secured to said shaft and engaged with said guide slide for displacing said guide slide in response to rotation of said shaft and cradle rotating means coupled to said cradle and to said shaft for rotating the cradle in response to said shaft rotation.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said connection means comprises a body having a circular cylindrical peripheral surface eccentrically secured to said shaft, a circular cylindrical ring slidably secured to the peripheral surface of the body, a projection member secured to and extending from said ring and articulated means including an arm pivotally mounted at one end and engaged with said slide at its other end, said arm being coupled to and responsive to displacement of said projection in response to rotation of said shaft for displacing said guide slide.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cradle has opposing ends, said slide has opposing edges parallel to the displacement direction of the slide, further including first and second connection means at each of said opposing edges engaged with the slide at said edges, said cradle rotating means including first and second rotating means coupled to the cradle at said cradle opposing ends.

Claim 7

A read/write apparatus for selectively reading and writing information on a document comprising: at least one head for a selected one of said reading and writing said document in an interaction region of said apparatus; means for providing a document transport path through said interaction region; document drive means for driving said document along said transport path; means for rotatably securing the head between at least two head positions; guide means for guiding the document along said path including a guide slide displaceable along said path; and displacement means for displacing the guide slide to a first slide position at said interaction region for guiding said document at said interaction region and for displacing the guide slide to a second slide position for exposing the interaction region to said at least one head to permit said selected one of said reading and writing of said document at said interaction region in one of said at least two head positions, said displacement means including drive means for simultaneously rotating said head to a selected one of said two head positions while displacing said guide slide to a selected one of said two slide positions.

Claim 8

A read/write apparatus for selectively reading and writing information on a document comprising: at least one head for a selected one of said reading and writing said document in an interaction region of said apparatus; means for providing a document transport path through said interaction region; document drive means for driving said document along said transport path; means for rotatably securing the head between at least two head positions; guide means for guiding the document along said path including a guide slide displaceable along said path; and displacement means for displacing the guide slide to a first slide position at said interaction region for guiding said document at said interaction region and for displacing the guide slide to a second slide position for exposing the interaction region to said at least one head to permit said selected one of said reading and writing of said document at said interaction region in one of said at least two head positions, said displacement means including drive means for simultaneously rotating said head to a selected one of said two head positions while displacing said guide slide to a selected one of said two slide positions.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said displacement means includes a cradle for rotatably supporting the head, said slide drive means including a drive shaft and connection means secured to said shaft and engaged with said guide slide for displacing said guide slide in response to rotation of said shaft and cradle rotating means coupled to said cradle and to said shaft for rotating the cradle in response to said shaft rotation.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said connection means comprises a body having a circular cylindrical peripheral surface eccentrically secured to said shaft, a circular cylindrical ring slidably secured to the peripheral surface of the body, a projection member secured to and extending from said ring and articulated means including an arm pivotally mounted at one end and engaged with said slide at its other end, said arm being coupled to and responsive to displacement of said projection in response to rotation of said shaft for displacing said guide slide.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cradle has opposing ends and the slide has opposing edges parallel to the displacement direction of the slide, further including first and second connection means at each of said opposing edges engaged with the slide at said edges, said cradle rotating means including first and second rotating means coupled to the cradle at said cradle opposing ends.