Portable electrocardiographic recorder

Abstract

A portable recorder has a pinch roller moved to engage a capstan, a recording head brought into a recording position and a motor to power the recorder switched on through the sliding movement of a slide assembly in engagement with the case of the recorder near a hinge between bottom and top portions of the case. The capstan is rotated about an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the case by a pulley arrangement driven by the motor with an axis substantially within a plane parallel to the case. The recording head is mounted to the slide assembly which includes a roller attached to the back thereof for rotating engagement with the case when it is opened and closed. Rotating movement of the roller causes the slide assembly to move back and forth within the case as the top of the case is opened and closed causing the recording head to move near or away from the tape. A spring mounted to the case and the slide assembly biases the slide assembly to a remote position when the case is opened. A roller spring attached to the slide assembly engages the pinch roller biasing it into engagement with the capstan when the case is closed but a pawl member portion of the slide assembly is adapted to engage the pinch roller and move it away from the capstan when the case is opened. A roller spring disengagement mechanism is provided to keep the roller spring from engaging the pinch roller if the case is empty when closed.