Ultra-thin tape cassette transport

Abstract

An ultra-thin streaming tape cassette transport has its magnetic read/write head assembly mounted on a rigid transverse beam. The front wall of the transport through which a cassette is loaded is fixedly spaced in front of that beam and tracks exist between the front wall and the transverse beam for guiding the cassette to locating surfaces on that beam so that the cassette is positioned precisely vertically relative to the head assembly. A base plate which supports the drive spindles and cassette locating pins is hingedly mounted relative to the transverse beam and front wall so that it is movable between a position wherein the spindles and locating pins intercept the plane defined by the tracks to precisely position the cassette in the other two directions relative to the head assembly and a loading position wherein the spindles and pins are disposed below that plane permitting the cassette to be inserted into and withdrawn from the transport. This construction enables the transport to be unusually thin or short so that two such transports can be received in a receptacle that normally houses a single such transport or disk drive. A transport head assembly is also disclosed which enables the transport to operate on many cassette tape tracks without interference between tracks.