Dictaphone Corporation.

James C Whitney

Willy M Sander

Anthony Ciaraldi

Leslie N Wilder

Andre T Debaudringhien

Gary Matison

An electronic control system for controlling the sequential operations in a multiple cassette record and/or playback apparatus of the type having a supply of tape cassettes, a motor-driven conveyor for conveying individual cassettes from the supply to a record/playback station and thence to an output store, the record/playback station having a motor-driven deck for loading and unloading a cassette, and the output store having a motor-driven elevator for loading a recorded cassette into the output store. Monitors are provided for monitoring the operation of each of the motor-driven conveyor, deck and elevator to sense when a cassette has been conveyed to the record/playback station, when a cassette has been loaded onto the deck and when a cassette has been loaded into the output store. Logic circuitry is responsive to the monitors for energizing motor-drive circuitry in accordance with a predetermined sequential cycle of operation. Malfunction detection apparatus is provided to detect if a sequential cycle is not completed within a predetermined time and to prevent the initiation of a subsequent sequential cycle in the event of a malfunction.

Electronic control system for multiple cassette record and/or playback

Braking apparatus for a web transport system to move a web between rotary members wherein at least one motor is provided for moving the rotary members to drive the web. One of the rotary members is coupled to and drives a first mechanism; and another movable member is coupled to and drives a second mechanism which mechanisms exert retarding forces on the respective rotary members such that when the driving force from the motor is removed and the rotary members are no longer driven, the retarding forces exerted thereon act to brake the rotary members. In an embodiment wherein the shoeless braking apparatus is used in a tape recording and/or playback device, one motor drives a take-up reel rotary member. In addition, a second motor may be provided to selectively drive the take-up reel rotary member in a 'fast-forward' direction and to selectively drive the supply reel rotary member in a 'rewind' direction. When the driving forces exerted by the respective motors are removed from the supply and take-up rotary members, the drag from the driven mechanisms coupled thereto is sufficient to brake the rotary members without the assistance of brake shoes. In one example, such driven mechanisms are indicators for providing indications of the amount of tape which has been transported and the relative position of the tape then being moved with respect to the total length of tape.

Braking apparatus for a web transport system

A cassette changer apparatus for use in a multiple cassette record and/or playback system. An input magazine stores a stack of cassettes, preferably in a vertical stack, each cassette housing magnetic tape therein. An output magazine is spaced from the input magazine and stores a stack of cassettes; and a record/playback station is disposed intermediate the input and output magazines. A fresh cassette is conveyed by an endless conveyor from the input magazine to the record/playback station, and thence to the output magazine whereat an elevator loads the cassette into the stack in the output magazine. A record/playback deck is pivotally driven at the record/playback station from a first position that is spaced from a cassette conveyed to the station to a second position that is in operative relation with respect to such a cassette so that a record and/or playback operation can be performed. Thereafter, the deck is pivoted back to its first position to permit the cassette to be unloaded and conveyed to the output magazine.

Cassette changer apparatus

Apparatus for selectively imparting rotary motion to two spaced apart rotary members which may be used in a web or tape transport mechanism to bi-directionally transport a web or tape. In a preferred embodiment, this apparatus is used as a tape transport in a magnetic recording and/or playback machine. A drive roll in the tape transport mechanism selectively contacts one of the rotary members. The drive roll is coupled to a bi-directional drive motor and includes an extending shaft segment. A string member, tensioned at each end, has an intermediate portion thereof deployed about the extending shaft segment of the drive roll. Upon rotation of the drive motor in one direction, the drive roll and shaft segment rotate and the frictional forces between the string member and the shaft segment cause the shaft segment to traverse the string in a corresponding direction so as to bring the drive roll into contact with one of the rotary members. When the drive motor is reversed, the shaft segment rotates in the opposite direction causing the drive roll and extending shaft segment to traverse the string in the opposite direction to urge the drive roll into contact with the other rotary member. In the embodiment wherein this apparatus is used in a tape transport system, the respective rotary members are supply and take-up reel disc members, respectively, and depending upon the direction of rotation of the drive shaft, tape is transported from the supply reel in a fast foward mode, and is rewound on the supply reel in a fast rewind mode.

Bi-directional rotary drive mechanism

Head support apparatus for a recording and/or playback apparatus including a pivotable support member upon which the head is mounted. The support member is pivotally coupled to a pivot rod and pivots in a plane substantially normal to the movement of tape past the record and/or playback head with the pivotal movement of the support member controlled to selectively place the head in contact with the tape. In one embodiment, the tape is stored in a housing which is supported within the recording/playback apparatus, the tape and tape housing being loaded and unloaded with the assistance of a tray. A second support member adjacent the first-mentioned support member is pivotally coupled to the same pivot rod. A spring is coupled between the tray and the second support member to bias the tray toward a receiving position for receiving a tape housing and to bias the second support member toward the tray. A latching member on the second support member cooperates with a detent on the tray to releasably lock the tray in an operative position. An erase head is mounted on the second support member to be inserted into the tape housing when the tray is locked in its operative position.

Head support and eject mechanism for recording and/or playback apparatus

Apparatus for indicating the location of particular information, such as instructions, represented by predetermined signals previously recorded on a record medium. An array of light emitting sources is selectively energized to indicate the position of the particular information relative to the length of the record medium while the array is scanned in synchronism with the scanning of the record medium to detect the presence of such predetermined signals. Indexing means sequentially conditions each of the light emitting sources to be energized during scanning; and a temporary storage circuit stores a representation of a detected predetermined signal, until a light emitting source is conditioned.

Instruction indicating apparatus for a record and/or playback device

Indexing apparatus for use with dictating and transcribing systems, such as a tape recorder or the like, which provides a cumulative indication of the amount of tape awaiting an operation such as transcription of dictated material. The indexing apparatus is coupled to an apparatus such as a dictating and transcribing apparatus and indicates the quantity of tape upon which dictation has been made. As a transcriptionist transcribes dictation from the tape, the indexing apparatus reflects the quantity of tape transcribed so that at all times the indexing apparatus indicates the amount of tape ready to be transcribed to provide an indication of the load level of material waiting to be transcribed. Thus, as transcription is accomplished without further dictation the indicating apparatus will revert to a zero indication.

Indexing apparatus for dictating and transcribing systems

A dual speed tape drive system for a dictating and transcribing system is provided with means for recording and transcribing and including a single-bin, random-wind tape storage magazine to store an endless loop of magnetic tape in random folds. The tape is drawn from the magazine at one side, passed over the top of the apparatus, back into the magazine and out of the magazine through a dictate-playback station. After passing through the dictate-playback station the tape is returned to the magazine where it may be stored in random-wound folds until a transcribe station is activated to draw the tape from the magazine through the transcribe station and back into the magazine where it is stored awaiting further dictation. Both the dictate-playback station and the transcribe station are provided with bidirectional tape drive capability and one tape drive system at each station is provided with dual speed tape drive capability to allow for tape drive at normal recording or transcribing speed as well as a fast forward speed.

Growing community of inventors

Fairfield, CT, United States of America

James C Whitney