Basf Aktiengesellschaft

Heinrich Wittkamp

Klaus Schoettle

Karl Uhl

Lothar Gliniorz

Peter Dobler

Gerhard Rotter

Werner Grau

Roland Falk

Helmut Lewin

Peter Nagel

Friedrich Domas

Werner Senkpiel

Manfred Gehrung

Paul Willmann

Robert Gertz

Hermann Maier

The cartridge arrangement of the present invention enables recording and/or playback apparatus to be used with cartridges of various sizes, the cartridges being provided with releasable locking means and, after the release of such means, being able to be opened to permit the tape roll(s) to be rotated on the recording and/or playback apparatus. The cartridge arrangement is applicable to every type of recording medium in tape or strip form in systems employing cartridges in which there is a need for using cartridges of various sizes, especially in the case of the recording and playback of magnetic signals.

Cartridge arrangement comprising an adapter

The invention is directed to a tape transport mechanism for recording and playing back video signals comprising a contact winding mechanism with tape-guiding means at the capstan and a magnetic tape in which the substrate is a polyethylene terephthalate film. The coated side of the tape, during transport, is in contact with the guide surface of the guide means, and no part of the transport mechanism at which slip could occur during the tape transport is allowed to be in contact with the tape substrate. The tape is wound with its substrate on the inside and its coated side is preferably abrasive with respect to the guide surface, which latter may advantageously consist either of steel or a ceramic material. The bonding agent of the magnetic dispersion -- preferably a chromium dioxide dispersion -- may be prepared from a polyurethane/polyvinyl chloride mixture which imparts the desired hardness to the tape. The arrangement can be advantageously employed with any kind of record/playback apparatus for video signals which includes a stationary head and develops high tape advance speeds.

Tape transport mechanism for recording and playing back video signals

A cassette, particularly a cassette for a wide recording tape, consisting essentially of a lid-closable housing of plastics material, snap latch means being provided which interact between the long side of the lid and the wall of the housing opposite the lid hinge, which means consist, according to the invention, of cams on the lid and grooves in the wall of the housing, which cams and grooves engage each other to produce, when the cassette is opened, an initial closing force by deformation of the adjacent wall of the housing, in order to make opening of the cassette more difficult.

Cassette, particularly a cassette for a reel of wide recording tape

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a tape guide of large surface area for tape transport apparatus and to the tape guide manufactured thereby. In manufacturing the guide, a strip of material is elastically deformed, after which the deformation is maintained. One of the sides of the strip of material serves as guide surface for the magnetic tape. The strip can be located on the periphery of one or more bodies, if appropriate in a groove provided therein, and can be attached to the said bodies by suitable means, for example with the aid of integral hooks provided at the ends of the strip. The guide may be used for all types of tape transport apparatus. Since the guide of the invention offers extremely accurate tape guidance, it can be used particularly advantageously for magnetic tapes having a plurality of tracks and transported at a high speed, such as is usual, e.g., in video recording or in the recording of digital data.

Process for the manufacture of tape guides of large area for tape

A magnetic tape cartridge consisting essentially of two hollow boxes which are connected together, by means of a closing spring, with their single open sides facing each other so as to be pivotable in one plane, a closing force being exerted upon said hollow boxes by said spring. This magnetic tape cartridge is suitable for all applications where cartridge halves must be frequently pivoted relative to one another, while being economical to manufacture.

Magnetic tape cartridge

A high-speed roller system for transporting webs of sheeting, preferably for coating the same with a magnetic layer, comprising a suction roller for control of the speed of the web, which suction roller has a surface containing grooves, preferably rhombic grooves, in which the perforations for sucking the sheeting are disposed, preferably at the points of intersection, the ratio of the total cross-sectional area of the perforations to the total surface area of the roller being from 0.7 to 3%.

Roller system for continuous transport of webs of sheeting

The invention relates to a magnetic tape cassette and a tape recorder for use with such a cassette. More specifically, the invention relates to the provision of movable holding means within the cassette, which means -- in a first position -- prevent unwinding of the packs of tape and thus hold the magnetic tape taut and -- in a second position -- release the packs and the magnetic tape for operation in conjunction with guide, scanning and driving means on the recorder. The said holding means are in the form of spring elements which engage teeth in the hubs to prevent the packs from unwinding. In a special embodiment, the holding means are in the form of flat members, one on each side of the packs between the side surfaces thereof and the upper and lower walls of the cassette, individual springs being provided which resiliently support said members relative to the wall of the cassette and permit movement of said members from a first, pack-locking position to a second, pack-releasing position.

Tape recorder and magnetic tape cassette

A magnetic tape cassette comprises a housing open on one side and, movable therein, a sheath enclosing a magnetic tape roll. Detachable retaining means in the cassette hold the sheath and the roll in position while the cassette is not on the recorder. The retaining means are detachable by unlatching means when the cassette is fitted to the recorder, so that, following a movement of the sheath, the cassette is opened to allow the roll to emerge at least partially from the cassette and the circumference of the roll to be rotated by means of a recorder-associated capstan provided outside the cassette. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention concern the cassette and the recorder. The cassette of the invention and the recorder associated therewith can be employed in all fields of magnetic tape recording and reproduction. Its application to a magnetic tape system with a self-threading tape end entails advantages.

The invention relates to a cartridge for a recording medium in tape or strip form and a transport apparatus for use with such a cartridge, both being favorably matched to one another according to the invention. The cartridge consists essentially of a housing which is composed of parts pivotally connected to one another and, in the closed position, completely encloses a roll of tape wound on a hub. In the open position of the cartridge, at least part of the roll of tape is so exposed that the roll can be rotated and the tape or strip scanned on the apparatus. The transport apparatus is provided with appropriately designed means for receiving the cartridge which, when some of its components are pivoted, swings apart the parts of the cartridge, which is placed upon the apparatus in the closed position, and thus opens the cartridge.

Tape cartridge which is normally closed but is pivoted to open position

A container for a disc-shaped recording medium and a drive unit for use with the container, the drive unit being provided with means for increasing the distance between the lower and upper walls of the container, which latter comprises flexible elements. This design permits very high scanning speeds. The container/drive unit combination of the invention can be advantageously employed for recording and/or for reproducing data, video and instrumentation signals.

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Mannheim, Germany

Heinrich Wittkamp