King Instrument Corporation

Raytheon Company

Quantum Corporation

Richard A McGrail

George M Woodley

William W Ross

Stephen J Powers

Frank Osowski

Tom Drechsler

The technology is directed to an energy storage and release system that stores energy and enables a repeatable and accurately timed release of energy. A shaft member supports a drive assembly, a locking assembly and a lever member there between. The lever member and locking assembly are attached to the shaft. The drive assembly rotates freely about the shaft and loads energy into a torsion spring in communication with the lever member. The torsion spring connects at one end to the drive assembly and at the other end to the lever member without contacting the shaft member. The locking assembly provides a triggered release mechanism for selective release of stored energy from the torsion spring that accordingly rotates the lever member. The system can automatically reload the torsion spring once a signal is received from any number of events including, when the rotating lever member contacts a stop member or limit sensor that signals the end of travel for the lever member in either rotational directions.

Energy storage and release system

A tape drive ( ) adapted for use with a cartridge ( ) that includes a storage tape ( ) having a cartridge buckle component ( ). The tape drive ( ) includes a cartridge receiver ( ), a take-up reel ( ), a drive buckle component ( ), and a drive leader ( ). The drive buckle component ( ) engages the cartridge buckle component ( ). The drive leader ( ) secures the drive buckle component ( ) to the take-up reel ( ). Importantly, the drive leader ( ) includes a first layer ( ), a second layer ( ) and a third layer ( ) that are secured together. Further, the second layer ( ) includes a plurality of interwoven strands ( ). The drive leader ( ) has improved flexibility characteristics. As a result thereof, the drive leader ( ) is better able to flex to conform to the tape path. This reduces the amount of wear between the drive leader ( ) and the components along the tape path and reduces the amount of contamination created by the drive leader ( ). Additionally, the drive leader ( ) has improved strength and durability characteristics. This improves the useful life of the drive leader ( ) and the reliability of the tape drive ( ).

Multi-layered drive leader for a tape drive

A splicing block assembly and a splicing tape dispenser applicator for a cassette-loading machine. The splicing block assembly comprises a first splicing block having a first tape guide located in a selected plane, a second splicing block having a second tape guide located in said selected plane in alignment with said first tape guide, said second block being mounted for reciprocal movement along a selected axis extending parallel to said first and second tape guides between a first position in which said second block is adjacent to said first block and a second position in which said second block is spaced from said first block, a third splicing block having a third tape guide that extends parallel to said selected axis, and said third splicing block being mounted for reciprocal movement between (1) a first position in which said third splicing block is spaced from said first and second splicing blocks and (2) a second position in which said third splicing block is located between said first and second splicing blocks and said third tape guide is located in said selected plane in alignment with at least one of said first and second tape guides. The dispenser-applicator is a transfer type device comprising a dispensing mechanism for dispensing and cutting a splicing tape into pieces of preselected lengths, and an applicator mechanism for transferring the pieces of splicing tape to a splicing block.

Tape loading machine

A new and improved splicing block assembly and a novel splicing tape dispenser applicator for a cassette-loading machine are disclosed. The improved splicing block assembly comprises a first splicing block having a first tape guide means located in a selected plane, a second splicing block having a second tape guide means located in said selected plane in alignment with said first tape guide means, means mounting said second block for reciprocal movement along a selected axis extending parallel to said first and second tape guide means between a first position in which said second block is adjacent to said first block and a second position in which said second block is spaced from said first block, a third splicing block having a third tape guide means that extends parallel to said selected axis, and means mounting said third splicing block for reciprocal movement between (1) a first position in which said third splicing block is spaced from said first and second splicing blocks and (2) a second position in which said third splicing block is located between said first and second splicing blocks and said third tape guide means is located in said selected plane in alignment with at least one of said first and second tape guide means. The new dispenser-applicator is a transfer type device comprising dispensing means for dispensing and cutting a splicing tape into pieces of preselected lengths, and applicator means for transferring the cut pieces of splicing tape to a splicing block assembly that is a substantial distance from the dispensing means.

Splicing head assembly for tape loading machines

The invention relates to an improved form of shift block assembly for a cassette tape loading machine. The shift block assembly is of the type that comprises first, second and third shift blocks mounted for sliding and rotating motion on a common axis. Each of the shift blocks has a guideway for aligning tape to be spliced and also is provided with means for applying suction to hold a tape in position in the guideway. The three blocks are disposed in tandem along the common axis, and the first and second shift blocks are used to hold the two leaders, while the third shift block is used to hold the tape to be loaded. Means are provided for shifting each block axially along and additional means are provided for rotating each block relative to the other on the axis.

Growing community of inventors

Worcester, MA, United States of America

Richard A McGrail