Magnetic tape reproducing apparatus with solenoid actuated tape lifter

Abstract

In a magnetic tape reproducer, tape lifer bars are rectilinearly movable in one direction by activation of a solenoid to engage the tape and lift it from the heads. The bars are movable in the opposite direction by a biasing spring, when the solenoid is deenergized, so the tape can contact the heads. A cover gate is mechanically connected to the bars and acts as a handle to cause the bars to move the tape back and forth toward the heads. A control circuit includes a normally closed play switch and a resistor connected in series with the solenoid. A bypass conductor parallels the resistor and has normally open fast forward and rewind switches in parallel with one another and in series with a normally closed edit switch. The play switch automatically opens and deenergizes the solenoid, the biasing spring moves the bars out of engagement with the tape which runs forward at play speed while the signal on the tape is reproduced through audio output means. The fast forward or rewind switch automatically closes which fully energizes the solenoid through the bypass conductor and causes it to override the bias of the spring and move the bars to lift the tape off the heads while the tape runs at fast speed with the audio deactivated and the tape can be scanned at fast speed by concurrently opening the edit switch and activating the audio output means. This partially activates the solenoid through the resistor sufficiently to offset but not override the pull of the spring and enables the operator to adjust the listening volume of the audio output signal by manually moving the cover gate to adjust the proximity of the tape relative to the reproduce head.