DELAY LOOP TAPE CARTRIDGE

• US 3,645,539 A
• Filed: 03/19/1969
• Issued: 02/29/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John Paul Jenkins
• Original Assignee: John Paul Jenkins
• Inventors: Jenkins, John Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Forman, Leonard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dearing, Dennis A.
• Application Number:
  US04/808,584
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 274/4R,11R,4BC,11B,11C,11E 242/55.19A,186,189,190 179/1.2RE 35/35C
• US Class Current: 360/7
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/06 for housing endless webs or filaments

Abstract

A tape delay cartridge device having a continuously moving closed loop of magnetic tape passing adjacent to a record head and subsequently adjacent to a playback head. A secondary loop of the tape is formed between the record head and the playback head such that there is an excess of length therebetween. This excess of length or loop provides a delay in the playback of information recorded by the record head. In this way, information being recorded can be continuously monitored, and the tape can be stopped before any bit of information reaches the playback head to delete certain portions thereof such as may be required in censoring telephone conversations or the like which are to be broadcast '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'live.'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' The delay loop may be of a variable length in that the magnetic tape is wound a plurality of times around a reel prior to passing adjacent to the playback head. A flywheel is provided to stabilize the motion of the tape as it passes from the record head to the playback head through the delay reel and loop assembly. The entire magnetic tape takes the form of a closed loop, and it is wound about a storage reel which may include any variable length of the magnetic tape thereby providing a long tape and avoiding the splice problems associated with a small closed loop wherein the splice passes beneath the playback head in rapid succession.

Claims

1. A delay tape cartridge device comprising:

a cartridge frame, a record head and a playback head disposed in fixed relation to said frame and being spaced apart, a magnetic tape having the form of a closed endless loop, means for passing the tape against both the record and playback heads, an endless loop reel mounted for rotation in said cartridge frame, a delay loop being formed in the length of tape which extends between the record and playback heads by a plurality of windings of the tape around said endless loop reel such that the length of tape extending between the heads is substantially greater than the straight line distance therebetween, and means moving the tape in a direction from the record head, to and around the endless loop reel and from the endless loop reel to the playback head.

2. A delay tape cartridge in accordance with claim 1 wherein a flywheel is rotatably mounted on said frame and wherein the tape which is wound on said delay loop reel is passed against said flywheel, thereby stabilizing the movement Of the tape from the record head to the playback head.

3. A delay tape cartridge in accordance with claim 2 wherein a second reel is provided on said frame and wherein said closed loop of tape is wound a plurality of times around said second reel, thereby providing a variable length closed loop apart from and in addition to the variable length of the delay loop reel.

4. A delay tape device comprising:

a cartridge frame having guide means for guiding a closed loop of tape in continuous travel thereon, playback and record heads spaced apart and positioned in fixed relation to said cartridge frame, an endless loop delay reel rotatably positioned on said cartridge frame, a closed loop of tape supported by said guide means and forming a continuous path of travel, a delay loop formed in the tape by a plurality of windings around the endless loop delay reel, said path of travel being adjacent to both said record and playback heads and around said delay reel, a flywheel rotatably positioned between the record and playback heads and the delay reel, means causing the closed loop of tape to pass from a point adjacent to the record head to and against the flywheel, around the delay reel and to a point adjacent to the playback head, and said tape having a substantial frictional engagement with said flywheel.

5. A delay tape cartridge device in accordance with claim 4 wherein the tape passes against the surface of the flywheel both in its travel from the record head to the delay reel and in its travel from the delay reel to the playback head.

6. A delay tape cartridge device in accordance with claim 5 wherein first and second of said guide means are positioned intermediate said record and playback heads and wherein said flywheel has a diameter which is greater than the spacing between said first and second guide means thereby causing the path of travel of the tape to flare outwardly from said guide means to allow a greater degree of wrap of the tape about said flywheel.