MAGNETIC TAPE REPRODUCING DEVICE

• US 3,627,331 A
• Filed: 09/17/1965
• Issued: 12/14/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles E. Lyon Jr
• Original Assignee: Charles E. Lyon Jr
• Inventors: Lyon, Charles E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Forman, Leonard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dearing, Dennis A.
• Application Number:
  US04/487,996
• Time in Patent Office: 2,279 Days
• Field of Search: 179/1.2CA,1.2MI,1.2Z,100.11 242/55.19 274/4G
• US Class Current: 273/149.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers

Abstract

A system for automatically positioning the magnetic tape head of a cartridge-type player capable of playing different kinds of multitrack tape cartridges. Each cartridge has coded portions which indicate the number of tracks therein, and a bellcrank pivotally mounted to the tape player is responsive to the coded portion of the cartridge placed in the player to position a dual cam relative to a cam follower thereby positioning the head in accordance with the number of tracks in the particular cartridge.

Claims

1. A system for automatically positioning the magnetic tape head of a cartridge type tape player that is adapted to receive and play multitrack tape cartridges of different kinds which have tapes with different numbers of tracks recorded thereon, with the tape cartridges having coded means for identifying the number of tracks, said system including in combination, selector means responsive to the coded means on the tape cartridges, cam means including a plurality of cam portions each associated with one kind of cartridge, a cam follower in engagement with said cam means and connected to the tape head for positioning the same to cooperate with the tracks of a cartridge, and linking means connecting said selector means to said cam means, said selector means operating in response to placement of a tape cartridge in the tape player to determine the number of tracks in the cartridge and actuating said linking means in accordance therewith to position said cam means relative to said cam follower to render a predetermined cam portion operative, said cam follower cooperating with the operative cam portion to automatically position the magnetic tape head in accordance with the number of tracks of such cartridge.

2. Radio-receiving and tape-playing apparatus including in combination, a single supporting chassis, radio-receiving means on said chassis for producing audio signals, stereophonic cartridge-type tape playing means for receiving multitrack tape cartridges of different kinds which have therein tapes with different numbers of tracks recorded thereon, with each tape cartridge having means for identifying the number of tape tracks therein, said playing means including a magnetic head for deriving audio signals from the recorded tracks, audio amplifier means, electrical switch means, said switch means responding to the placement of a tape cartridge in the tape player for selectively connecting audio sigNals from the the radio-receiving means and from the tape-playing means to said audio amplifier means, selector means responsive to the cartridge-identifying means of a cartridge in the tape player, cam means including cam portions associated with the tracks of the different kinds of cartridges and a cam follower connected to the tape head for positioning the same, and linking means connecting said selector means to said cam means, said selector means operating in response to placement of a tape cartridge in the tape player to determine the number of tracks in the cartridge and actuating said linking means in accordance therewith, said linking means acting to position said cam means relative to said cam follower to render a predetermined cam portion operative, said cam follower cooperating with the operative cam portions to automatically position the magnetic tape head in accordance with the number of tracks of the cartridge in the player.

3. A system for automatically positioning the magnetic tape head of a cartridge type tape player that is adapted to receive and play multitrack tape cartridges of different kinds which have tapes with different numbers of tracks recorded thereon, and with the tape cartridge having shaped portions for identifying the number of tape tracks therein, said system including in combination, selector means integral with the tape player and being responsive to the kind of cartridge, cam means including cam portions associated with different kinds of cartridges, each of said cam portions having a plurality of cam surfaces thereon, a cam follower selectively contacting one of said cam surfaces on one of said cam portions and being connected to the tape head for positioning the same, and linking means connecting said selector means to said cam means, said selector means operating in response to placement of a tape cartridge in the tape player to determine the number of tracks in he cartridge and actuating said linking means in accordance therewith, said linking means acting to position one of said cam portions of said cam means so that said cam follower contacts one of said cam surfaces thereof to automatically position the magnetic tape head in accordance with the number of tracks in the cartridge.

4. A system for automatically positioning the magnetic tape head of a cartridge type tape player that is adapted to receive and play multitrack tape cartridges of different kinds which have tapes with different numbers of tracks recorded therein, said system including in combination, shaped portions integral with the tape cartridge for identifying the number of tape tracks therein, selector means integral with the tape player and being responsive to the shaped portion, a horizontally disposed shaft integral with the tape player and having a substantially cylindrical shaped cam coaxially mounted thereon, said cam including cam portions associated with the different kinds of cartridges, each said cam portion having a plurality of circumferentially disposed cam surfaces around the periphery of said cylindrical cam, a cam follower selectively contacting one of said cam surfaces on one of said cam portions and being connected to the tape head for positioning the same, and linking means connecting said selector means to said cam, said selector means operating in response to placement of a tape cartridge in the tape player to determine the number of tracks in the cartridge and actuating said linking means in accordance therewith, said linking means acting to position one of said cam portions of said cam so that said cam follower contacts one of said cam surfaces thereof to automatically position the magnetic tape head in accordance with the number of tracks in the cartridge.

5. A system for automatically positioning the magnetic tape head of a cartridge type tape player that is adapted to receive and play multitrack tape cartridges of different kinds which have different numbers of tape tracks therein, said system including in combination, a tape deck, fIrst and second tape cartridges each having different shaped portions thereon for indicating the number of tape tracks therein, selector means integral with the tape player and being responsive to the shaped portions, a shaft mounted on said tape deck and having a cam slidably mounted thereon, said cam having first and second cam portions and first and second positions on the shaft, a cam follower engaging said first cam portion with said cam in said first position on said shaft and said second cam portion with said cam in said second position on said shaft, said cam follower being connected to the tape head for positioning the same, bias means resiliently biasing said cam in said first position on said shaft, and linking means connecting said selector means to said cam for sliding the same to said second position on said shaft against said bias means, said selector means being responsive to said shaped portion of said first tape cartridge when received in the tape recorder to move said bias means to hold said claim in said first position, and said selector means being responsive to said shaped portion of said second cartridge to slide said cam to said second position on said shaft, whereby said cam follower cooperates with said first and second cam portions to automatically position the magnetic tape head in accordance with the number of tracks in said first and second cartridges.

6. In a cartridge tape recorder having a head, a capstan and a plate on which are mounted cartridge guides, a head-supporting pin, a camshaft slidably positioned under said pin, a plurality of cams fixedly mounted on said camshaft, a spring coupled to said cam shaft tending to slide said camshaft in one direction, a pivotally mounted lever engaging one end of said camshaft and means operable by the insertion of the cartridge on said plate for pivoting said lever and sliding said camshaft against said spring whereby one of said cams support said pin and changes the position of said head relative to the tape.

7. A cartridge-type tape player system for playing cartridges with magnetic tape therein having a number of recording tracks, comprising;

a magnetic head being movable between a plurality of transverse positions, said head having at least two magnetic transducer portions formed thereon to be in registry with a corresponding group of recording tracks formed on a tape within a given cartridge which is inserted into the tape player, said tape having a plurality of such groups of recording tracks, each of which requires alignment of said magnetic transducer portions, and the number of such groups of recording tracks being indicated by identifying characteristic means formed on the given cartridge;

sensing means on the tape player for sensing the identification characteristic means on the cartridge inserted therein; and

means responsive to said sensing means for adjusting said magnetic head to a predetermined one of said transverse position for aligning said magnetic transducer portions to a predetermined group of recording tracks in response to the identification characteristic means of the given cartridge inserted into the tape player to cause playback of the recording tracks in registry with said at least two magnetic transducer portions.

8. The cartridge-type tape player of claim 7 wherein said sensing means includes a lever which is actuated by a housing portion which forms said identifying characteristic means on one type of cartridge, and which lever is not actuated as a result of the absence of said housing portion which forms said identification characteristic means on another type of cartridge.

9. The cartridge-type tape player system of claim 7 wherein said means responsive to said sensing means for actuating said magnetic head includes a cam operable to move the head between said groups of recording tracks on the tape.

10. A head shift mechanism in a tape recorder or playback machine for handling magnetic tapes having different numbers of recording tracks, compriSing:

a record or playback head;

means supporting said head for vertical movement above a top deck of said machine;

cam means including at least two sets of cams and a support shaft for carrying said sets of cams;

cam follower means connected to said head for engaging one or the other of said sets of cams to raise and lower said head between two pluralities of different vertical positions with a turning of said shaft;

selectively operable means for shifting said cam follower means relative to said cam means to engage one or the other of said sets of cams; and

selectively operable means for turning said shaft between a plurality of preselected positions.

11. The mechanism of claim 10 including means supporting said shaft against axial movement.

12. The mechanism of claim 11 wherein said sets of cams are separate rings of cams and said shaft is coaxial with said rings of cams.

13. Radio-receiving and tape-playing apparatus including in combination, a single supporting chassis, radio-receiving means on said chassis for producing audio signals, stereophonic cartridge-type tape playing means for receiving multitrack tape cartridges of different kinds which have therein tapes with different numbers of pairs of stereo tracks recorded thereon, with each tape cartridge having means for identifying the number of tape tracks therein, said playing means including a magnetic head for deriving audio signals from the recorded pairs of stereo tracks, audio amplifier means, electrical switch means, said switch means responding to the placement of the tape cartridge in the tape player for selectively connecting audio signals from the radio-receiving means and from the tape-playing means to said audio signal amplifier means, selector means responsive to the cartridge-identifying means of a cartridge in the tape player, a shaft having a substantially cylindrical cam coaxially and slidably mounted thereon, said cam including first and second cam portions, each cam portion having a plurality of different cam surfaces around the periphery thereof, each different cam surface being associated with a pair of stereo tape tracks, a cam follower selectively contacting one of the cam surfaces and being connected to the tape head for positioning the same, linking means connecting said selector means to said cam, said selector means operating in response to placement of the tape cartridge in the tape player to determine the number of tracks in the cartridge and actuating said linking means in accordance therewith, said linking means acting to position said cam on said shaft to position one of said cam portions of said cam so that said cam follower contacts one of said surfaces thereof to automatically position the magnetic head in accordance with the number of tracks in the cartridge, actuating means connected to said shaft for rotating the same upon the completion of playing of one of the different pairs of stereo tracks on the tape, thereby positioning a different cam surface into contact with said cam follower to automatically position the magnetic tape head to play a different pair of tracks of the multitrack tape.