Datatape Incorporated

John P Grant

Frederic F Grant

Henry M Martija

Ionel Mondocea

George E Mosher

A helical scan magnetic tape recorder includes tape threading and guiding apparatus for threading magnetic tape from a two reel cassette about a rotary magnetic head scanner and for tensioning the tape during tape transport. The threading and guiding apparatus includes supply and take-up compliance elements which are mounted for movement between (1) cassette loading positions behind a tape span in a magnetic tape cassette; (2) tape vacuum loading positions in which the elements draw tape out of the cassette and partially contact it with the rotary head scanner; and (3) operating positions in which the elements draw tape around the respective supply and take-up capstans and tension the tape during tape transport past the rotary head scanner.

Magnetic tape threading and compliance element guiding apparatus

A magnetic tape cassette transport/accessor assembly for use in a system including magnetic tape cassette storage and magnetic tape cassette record/reproduce apparatus. The cassette transport/accessor assembly transports cassettes between locations in the system in a gentle and reliable manner. The magnetic tape cassette transport/accessor assembly includes upper and lower carriages having spring-biased, V-grooved wheels, which travel on spaced, parallel, upper and lower V-shaped horizontal rails located at the top and bottom of the cassette storage and record/reproduce apparatus. An accessor platform travels on two vertical rails rigidly mounted on the upper and lower carriages. The accessor platform supports two accessor assemblies which travel laterally on lead screws to effect insertion and extraction of magnetic tape cassettes. The transport/accessor assembly is lightweight since no actuating motors or motor supports are mounted on it. Thus, the assembly is easy to remove and replace, requires minimal maintenance and has a long operating life.

Apparatus for transporting a magnetic tape cassette

In a magnetic tape cassette storage and magnetic tape cassette record/reproduce system, disclosed is an accessor which inserts or extracts a cassette from a storage location or a record/reproduce device. The accessor includes a cassette gripper assembly which handles different sizes of cassettes. Lateral motion of the accessor (a) actuates the gripper assembly to grip and ungrip a cassette and (b) effects locking and unlocking of the gripper assembly. A pair of accessors are mounted on an accessor platform so that one accessor can insert a cassette while the other accessor extracts a cassette, either at the same location (record/reproduce device) or at different locations (storage compartments).

Apparatus for transporting magnetic tape cassettes of different sizes

An electro-optical signal transmission module for transmitting an information signal between stationary and moving objects (such as the stationary and moving components of a rotary magnetic head scanner). The module has complementary mating structure to facilitate the stacking of a plurality of modules together, so that a plurality of separate information signals may be transmitted between relatively moving bodies.

Multiple channel rotary magnetic head scanner having stackable

Disclosed is magnetic tape cassette transport apparatus for use with a magnetic tape cassette storage and utilization system. Magnetic tape cassettes are transported between locations in the system by means of a cassette transport/accessor assembly, which is actuated by a belt drive system using stationary drive motors. This drive system eliminates the need to mount drive motors on the transport assembly, thus effecting a lighter weight, less complex assembly. The transport/accessor assembly includes two vertical rails rigidly mounted on upper and lower wheel carriages which travel on spaced horizontal rails adjacent to the cassette storage and utilization system. An accessor platform travels vertically on the vertical rails. The accessor platform supports a pair of cassette accessor assemblies which insert and extract a cassette from a location in the cassette storage and utilization system. The power for driving the cassette transporter/accessor assembly is provided by stationary motors coupled to the transport/accessor assembly through sprocket driven, high-yield stainless steel belts. Separate motor and belt drive systems provide selective movement of the transport/accessor assembly in horizontal, vertical and lateral directions.

Belt drive system for a magnetic tape cassette transport/accessor

Rotary scanner apparatus includes a magnetic head on the periphery of a rotatable headwheel having a central axis of rotation, and an off-axis light source for projecting a collimated beam of information-bearing light obliquely onto a planar photodetector on the axis of the headwheel. To optimize electro-optical 'action', and thereby enhance signal-to-noise ratio, optical apparatus, interposed between the light source and the photodetector, has an optical characteristic for shaping the light beam, to cuase the size and shape of its cross section, at a plane of incidence coinciding with the photodetector, to correspond substantially to the size and shape of the light-sensitive surface of the photodetector. Preferably, the optical apparatus includes a prism pair of performing anamorphic beam contraction, to convert the beam shape to circular, in its plane of incidence.

Growing community of inventors

Downey, CA, United States of America

John P Grant