TAPE CARTRIDGE AND TRANSDUCING MEANS THEREFORE
First Claim
1. Magnetic tape transducing apparatus comprising in combination:
- a plurality of cartridges each having a housing containing magnetic tape and each including supply and take-up means for the tape supported within its housing, first means for aligning and supporting said cartridges in an array adjacent each other, said take-up means for each cartridge including reel means rotatably supported within the cartridge housing and means for guiding the tape of the cartridge from said supply means to said reel means, means for exposing a portion of said tape disposed between said supply means and said take-up means to the exterior of the cartridge housing, transducing means for transducing signals relative to the exposed portions of the tapes of the cartridges, second means for supporting said transducing means adjacent said array of cartridges, third means for effecting relative movement of said transducing and said array of cartridges to permit the operative alignment of a selected cartridge and said transducing means, means supported by said second means adjacent said transducing means for engaging and driving the reel of a selected cartridge when said cartridge is aligned with said transducing means to take the tape onto said reel and permit the scanning of said tape by said transducing means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for reproducing information recorded on magnetic tapes stored in a plurality of cartridges for the purpose of displaying or otherwise utilizing said information. In one form the cartridges are disposed side-by-side on a retainer which is moved with respect to a transducer to align a selected cartridge with said transducer to permit the transducing of information relative to the tape of the selected cartridge. In another form the transducer is moved past an array of cartridges and is stopped in alignment with a selected cartridge after which operative coupling is effected between the transducer and the tape of the selected cartridge. In a third form, both the array of cartridges and transducer are moved. Means are also provided for coupling a drive means associated with the transducer to a selected tape cartridge upon alignment of the two, to effect movement of the tape in the cartridge past the transducer for scanning selected portions of the tape. The apparatus also includes remote control and automatic control elements for the means selectively positioning the cartridges and transducer and driving the tape in the selected cartridges. In yet another form, cartridges are provided which are totally enclosed to protect the tape therein and an access door is opened to the cartridge upon aligning and coupling a selected cartridge and the transducer.
5 Citations
12 Claims
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1. Magnetic tape transducing apparatus comprising in combination:
- a plurality of cartridges each having a housing containing magnetic tape and each including supply and take-up means for the tape supported within its housing, first means for aligning and supporting said cartridges in an array adjacent each other, said take-up means for each cartridge including reel means rotatably supported within the cartridge housing and means for guiding the tape of the cartridge from said supply means to said reel means, means for exposing a portion of said tape disposed between said supply means and said take-up means to the exterior of the cartridge housing, transducing means for transducing signals relative to the exposed portions of the tapes of the cartridges, second means for supporting said transducing means adjacent said array of cartridges, third means for effecting relative movement of said transducing and said array of cartridges to permit the operative alignment of a selected cartridge and said transducing means, means supported by said second means adjacent said transducing means for engaging and driving the reel of a selected cartridge when said cartridge is aligned with said transducing means to take the tape onto said reel and permit the scanning of said tape by said transducing means.
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2. A magnetic tape reproduction apparatus in accordance with claim 1 having a shutter means movably supported by each cartridge and operable to serve as an openable closure for the opening in the wall of the cartridge, means for retaining each cartridge shutter means closing the opening in the wall of the cartridge when the cartridge is not in use and means supported adjacent the transducing means for moving the shutter means to expose the tape of the cartridge to the transducing means when the cartridge and transducing means are operatively aligned with each other to permit access of said transducing means to the tape of the cartridge.
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3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said means for moving said shutter means, said means for engaging and driving said reel and said transducing means are all mounted on a common support and means for moving said common support towards a cartridge aligned therewith to bring said moving means into engagement with said shutter means, said engaging means into engagement with said reel means and said transducing means immediately adjacent the tape of the cartridge.
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4. A magnetic tape apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first means for aligning and supporting said cartridges comprises means for supporting said cartridges in a substantially circular array adjacent each other and means for power rotating said first means to move said cartridges in a circular path adjacent said transducing means.
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5. A magnetic tape reproduction apparatus in accordance with claim 4 including means for controlling said power means to rotate and stop rotation of said rotary support with a selected cartridge aligned with said transducing means.
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6. A magNetic tape reproduction apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said rotary support comprises means for supporting said cartridges in a plurality of circular arrays with the cartridges of each circular array being rotatable with those of the other arrays about a common axis and means for relatively moving said support for said transducing means and said rotary support to bring a selected circular-array of cartridges and said transducing means into alignment with each other.
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7. A magnetic tape reproduction apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tape reel for each cartridge comprises an assembly which is at least partly exposed to the exterior of the cartridge, said means for engaging and driving a reel of a selected cartridge comprising a motor and coupling means driven by said motor, means for connecting said coupling means and the exposed part of the reel assembly of a cartridge aligned with said transducing means to permit said motor to drive the reel and take up the tape in the cartridge.
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8. A magnetic tape reproduction apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said reel assembly includes a hub rotatably supported by a wall of said cartridge and means supported by said hub projecting outwardly from said cartridge wall to be engaged by said coupling means for causing rotation of said hub and reel to take up the tape in the cartridge.
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9. A magnetic tape apparatus in accordance with claim 8 including a supply reel rotatably supported within each cartridge on a hub, coupling means supported by said supply reel hub and projecting outwardly from said cartridge and further power operated coupling means operable to engage said coupling means projecting outwardly from said supply reel hub to permit driving tape back onto said supply reel.
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10. A signal transducing apparatus comprising in combination with a plurality of cartridges each having at least one record tape disposed therein, each cartridge containing supply and take-up means for the tape thereof, means for guiding the tape of each cartridge from said supply to said take-up means and means located between said supply and take-up means for exposing a portion of the tape to the exterior of the cartridge to permit transducing operations to be effected on the tape, means for supporting said cartridges in a circular array, transducing means for transducing information relative to tapes in the cartridges, a support for locating said transducing means adjacent said means supporting said cartridges, a common support for said cartridge support and said support for said transducing means, means for power rotating said cartridge support, means for controlling said rotating means to bring a selected cartridge into alignment with said transducing means, first means operable upon aligning a selected cartridge with said transducing means for operatively coupling the transducing means and said portion of the tape exposed to the exterior of the cartridge to permit operation of said transducing means to transduce signals relative to said tape, second means operable when a selected cartridge is aligned with said transducing means for driving the tape of the cartridge past said transducing means from said supply to said take-up means.
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11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said second means comprises coupleable drive means supported adjacent said transducing means, said take-up means comprising a reel, and means for coupling said second means and the reel of a cartridge aligned with said transducing means to drive said take-up means to wind the tape on said reel.
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12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 11 including third means supported adjacent said transducing means for engaging said portion of the tape exposed to the exterior of the cartridge and driving said tape past said transducing means towards said reel.
Specification