U.S. patent number 3,809,827 [Application Number 05/205,575] was granted by the patent office on 1974-05-07 for multiple cartridge tape recorder/reproducer head shifting assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pioneer Electronic Corporation. Invention is credited to Takashi Oyaba.
United States Patent |
3,809,827 |
Oyaba |
May 7, 1974 |
MULTIPLE CARTRIDGE TAPE RECORDER/REPRODUCER HEAD SHIFTING
ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A multiple cartridge tape recorder/reproducer supporting a
plurality of independent cartridges has a single transducer fixed
to a head plate which is mounted to a rotary plate for rotation
about the axis of a feed screw passing through the rotary plate and
threadably coupled to the head plate for shifting the head plate
and thus the transducer head from transducing position and a second
rotary shifted head non-transducing position. A friction wheel
mounted to the rotary plate moves into contact with a flywheel to
drive the feed screw shaft while axially shifting the transducer
head from one cartridge to the other subsequent to simultaneous
shifting of the pinch roller from the drive capstan for the tapes
and movement of the transducer head to non-transducing position. A
lock release cam driven through a gear train from the movable
friction wheel pivots the lock plate terminating rotation of the
feed screw and permitting pivoting of the rotary plate to a first
transducing position allowing the pinch roller to contact the
capstan and the transducing head to contact the magnetic tape of
the new cartridge.
Inventors: |
Oyaba; Takashi (Yokohama,
JA) |
Assignee: |
Pioneer Electronic Corporation
(Tokyo, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
14800574 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/205,575 |
Filed: |
December 7, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
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Dec 7, 1970 [JA] |
|
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45-121011[U] |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
360/251;
G9B/15.143; 360/92.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B
15/684 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G11B
15/68 (20060101); G11b 021/02 (); G11b
021/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;274/4A,4B,4F,4G,11A,11B
;179/1.2CA,1.2Z |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Konick; Bernard
Assistant Examiner: Moore; David K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn &
Macpeak
Claims
1. In a magnetic tape recorder/reproducer having a stacked array of
independent cartridges for magnetic recording and reproducing, in
turn, the improvement comprising:
a rotary plate,
a feed screw passing through said rotary plate and defining a pivot
axis for the same,
a head plate fixedly supporting a transducer head and mounted on
said rotary plate for common rotation therewith about said feed
screw shaft axis, said feed screw shaft being threadedly coupled to
said head plate for effecting axial shifting of said head plate to
raise and lower said transducer head relative to said stacked array
of cartridges,
a lock plate for holding said rotary plate in a first head
transducing position and a second head non-transducing position
rotated therefrom,
means responsive to rotation of said rotary plate to said second
position for driving said feed screw to an extent resulting in
axial shifting on said head plate from alignment with one cartridge
to alignment with the next, and
means automatically responsive to such axial shifting of said head
plate to release said lock plate permitting said rotary plate to
move from said second position to said first position, placing said
transducing head in
2. The recorder/reproducer as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising: a constantly rotating capstan extending the length of
the stacked array of cartridges and wherein each cartridge includes
a movable pinch roller, and said recorder/reproducer further
includes means responsive to rotation of said rotary plate to said
second position to pivot said pinch rollers to
3. The recorder/reproducer as claimed in claim 2, further
comprising:
a rotary drive friction wheel supporting said capstan and rotating
with the same,
a driven friction wheel, mounted for rotation about its axis and
supported on said rotary plate for movement therewith about the
axis of said rotary shaft, so as to contact said driving friction
wheel when said rotary plate is in said second non-transducing
position,
a gear train coupling said driven friction wheel to said feed screw
for raising and lowering said head plate, said gear train further
including a low speed driven gear having a lock release cam
thereon, said lock release cam being operatively positioned with
respect to said lock plate to pivot said lock plate to release said
rotary plate from said second non-transducing position for rotation
to said first head transducing position upon axial shifting of said
transducer head from vertical operative alignment with one
cartridge to vertical operative alignment
4. The recorder/reproducer as claimed in claim 2, further
comprising:
a spring biased plunger,
a pivotable lever, and
means coupling one end of said lever to said plunger and said other
end of said lever to said rotary plate,
whereby depression of said plunger against the bias of said spring
pivots said rotary plate from said first head transducing position
to said second
5. The recorder/reproducer as claimed in claim 4, further
comprising:
a rotary drive friction wheel supporting said capstan and rotating
with the same,
a driven friction wheel, mounted for rotation about its axis and
supported on said rotary plate for movement therewith about the
axis of said rotary shaft, so as to contact said driving friction
wheel when said rotary plate is in said second non-transducing
position,
a gear train coupling said driven friction wheel to said feed screw
for raising and lowering said head plate, said gear train further
including a low speed driven gear having a lock release cam
thereon, said lock release cam being operatively positioned with
respect to said lock plate to pivot said lock plate to release said
rotary plate from said second non-transducing position for rotation
to said first head transducing position upon axial shifting of said
transducer head from vertical operative alignment with one
cartridge to vertical operative alignment
6. The recorder/reproducer as claimed in claim 2, wherein said
means for pivoting said pinch roller to non-capstan contact
position comprises a spring biased push rod, said pinch roller is
supported by a spring biased, pivotable pinch roller holder, said
head plate including an abutment, said push rod tends to move said
pinch roller holder to non-capstan contact position, and said
abutment contacts said push rod to move the push rod away from said
pinch roller holder during pivoting of said head and to
7. The recorder/reproducer as claimed in claim 6, further
comprising:
a rotary drive friction wheel supporting said capstan and rotating
with the same,
a driven friction wheel, mounted for rotation about its axis and
supported on said rotary plate for movement therewith about the
axis of said rotary shaft, so as to contact said driving friction
wheel when said rotary plate is in said second non-transducing
position,
a gear train coupling said driven friction wheel to said feed screw
for raising and lowering said head plate, said gear train further
including a low speed driven gear having a lock release cam
thereon, said lock release cam being operatively positioned with
respect to said lock plate to pivot said lock plate to release said
rotary plate from said second non-transducing position for rotation
to said first head transducing position upon axial shifting of said
transducer head from vertical operative alignment with one
cartridge to vertical operative alignment
8. The recorder/reproducer as claimed in claim 6, further
comprising:
a spring biased plunger,
a pivotable lever, and
means coupling one end of said lever to said plunger and said other
end of said lever to said rotary plate,
whereby depression of said plunger against the bias of said spring
pivots said rotary plate from said first head transducing position
to said second
9. The recorder/reproducer as claimed in claim 8, further
comprising:
a rotary drive friction wheel supporting said capstan and rotating
with the same,
a driven friction wheel, mounted for rotation about its axis and
supported on said rotary plate for movement therewith about the
axis of said rotary shaft, so as to contact said driving friction
wheel when said rotary plate is in said second non-transducing
position,
a gear train, coupling said driven friction wheel to said feed
screw for raising and lowering said head plate, said gear train
further including a low speed driven gear having a lock release cam
thereon, said lock release cam being operatively positioned with
respect to said lock plate to pivot said lock plate to release said
rotary plate from said second non-transducing position for rotation
to said first head transducing position upon axial shifting of said
transducer head from vertical operative alignment with one
cartridge to vertical operative alignment with the next adjacent
cartridge.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a multiple cartridge, multi-layer tape
recorder/reproducer, and more particularly to a mechanism for
shifting the transducer head from cartridge to cartridge in an
automatic manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a tape recorder/reproducer having a
plurality of cartridges in multi-layer form in which sound is
automatically reproduced from the tapes carried by the cartridge by
moving the magnetic transducer head in turn from cartridge to
cartridge.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a plurality of independent cartridges in terms of a stacked array
which permits recording and reproducing in turn within the
multi-layer, multiple cartridge tape recorder/reproducer. The
transducer head is fixed to a head plate which in turn threadably
engages a feed screw shaft for moving the head plate along the axis
of the screw shaft. A rotary plate supports at one end the feed
screw shaft and permits the rotary plate and the head plate to
rotate together under the operation of a plunger about the axis of
the feed screw shaft. A lock plate holds the rotary plate in a
first transducing position and in a second non-transducing
position. A movable friction wheel which is supported by the rotary
plate transmits rotation of the fly wheel to a gear system which in
turn is provided with a release cam for releasing the rotary plate
from the second non-transducing position for movement to the
transducing position. The release cam associated with the gear
means is operated under control of the feed screw shaft such that
during the time that the movable friction wheel contacts the
flywheel and the time the release cam releases the locking plate,
the transducing head has shifted axially along the axis of the feed
screw from one cartridge to the other and is properly positioned
with respect to the new cartridge to reproduce the sound carried
thereby. A guide is provided for accurately holding the head plate
with respect to the cartridge for proper transducer action. A push
rod responsive to rotation of the rotary plate and the head plate
from the first position to the second position separates the pinch
roller in the cartridge from the capstan at the same time that the
transducer head on the head plate moves away from the cartridge
when the rotary plate and the head plate are rotated jointly about
the axis of the feed screw shaft by a plunger.
Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will
become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the multi-layer,
multiple cartridge tape recorder/reproducer of the present
invention in operating state.
FIG. 2 is a similar perspective view of that portion of the
recorder-reproducer illustrated in FIG. 1 under non-transducing
operation with the transducer head in retracted position, during
axial shifting of the transducer head plate.
FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the gear train forming a portion
of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 4 is a plan view, partially in section, of the plate forming a
portion of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein the dotted line
position of the rotary plate illustrates the state where the
transducer head is in retracted position.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the head plate of the apparatus
illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, in conjunction with one of the tape
cartridges, the dotted line position being the head retracted
position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of a multiple cartridge,
multi-layer tape recorder/reproducer incorporating the present
invention is illustrated in terms of the components thereof
pertinent to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a pin 7 at the outer
end of a movable rod 1' acts to couple a hook 3 thereto for
rotating a rachet 2, while the same pin 7 is coupled in turn to one
end of a lever 5 which rotates about a shaft 4 intermediate of its
ends. Plunger 1, when depressed, causes lever 5 to rotate
counterclockwise about pin 4 against the bias of a compression
spring 1". As shown best in FIG. 4, a pin 12 which is fixed to the
lower surface of rotary plate 11 and depends therefrom, is received
within an elongated hole 8 at the opposite end of lever 5 from pin
7. In turn, the rotary plate 11 is supported by a rotary shaft 10
for pivotable movement about shaft 10, the shaft 10 being provided
with a feed screw portion 9. The rotary plate 11 is therefore
pivoted about the axis of the rotary shaft 10 by movement of lever
5. As further shown in FIG. 4, a pin 13 which is also fixed to the
lower surface of rotary plate 11 is selectively received within
notches a and b of a spring biased pivotable locking plate 31
mounted for pivoting at the end of the lock plate 31 beyond the
tension spring, opposite that carrying the notches a and b. A rod
15 acts in conjunction with a block carried by head plate 14 to
form a slider guide 15 for elevational movement of head plate 14 in
the direction of the axis of shaft 10. A guide rail 16 fixes the
head plate 14 at a predetermined position and an arm 17' supports a
shaft which in turn carries a movable friction wheel 17. The
U-shaped arm 17' is fixed to the rotary plate 11 and rotates
therewith about the axis of shaft 10 so as to cause the friction
wheel 17 to contact a driving friction wheel 25' from which capstan
24 extends and which in turn is coaxial with and fixed to driven
flywheel 25. As illustrated best in FIG. 3, a gear train includes
gear 18 which is integral with the driven friction wheel 17, gear
18 engaging a gear 19 fixed to the lower portion of feed screw
rotary shaft 10, gear 19 in turn engaging intermediate gear 20, a
small diameter intermediate gear 21 engaging a low speed rotary
gear 20 which carries a lock release cam 22 which is spring biased
as illustrated. Means not shown are provided for continuously
driving the flywheel 25, the driving friction wheel 25' and capstan
24.
As seen in FIG. 5, a transducer head 14' is fixed to the head plate
14 which extends between the feed screw portion of shaft 10 and the
rod-like guide 15 whose bottom end is fixed to the rotary plate 11.
At the right end of the head plate 14 is provided an abutment 27
which controls the projected position of a spring biased push rod
26 which controls the depression of a spring biased pinch roller
holder 30, the pinch roller holder 30 rotatably carrying a pinch
roller 29 which acts to press the tape T into contact with the
continuously driven capstan 24, thus driving the tape past the
transducer head 14' for recording and/or reproduction purposes. A
recess 16' within the vertical guide rail 16 permits a spring
biased ball 14" to be partially received thereby to stop the head
plate 14 at a correct height after being driven to the same by the
rotating shaft 10 and in particular the feed screw portion 9 by the
upper end of the same. There is some play in the engagement of the
head plate 14 with the feed screw portion 9 of shaft 10; as
illustrated in FIG. 5, a cartridge lies opposite to the head 14',
the cartridge supporting the pinch roller 29 on the pinch roller
holder such that the push rod 26 depresses the holder and thus the
pinch roller 29 to the dotted line position when released by the
abutment 27 under the spring bias of the compression spring 26'.
Otherwise, the pinch roller 29 is urged resiliently towards the
capstan to press a tape T against the same.
In operation, when the plunger 1 is depressed, the ratchet wheel 2
is operated by hook 3 so that movement of the head is indicated by
means (not shown) and at the same time the lever 5 rotates
counterclockwise about shaft 4 to rotate rotary plate 11 clockwise
about shaft 10 by means of pin 12 in such a manner that pin 13 is
removed from notch a of the lock plate 31 permitting rotation of
the rotary plate 11 to the dotted line position, FIG. 4, with pin
13 moving into notch b of the lock plate 31 and to terminate
further rotation of the rotary plate 11. When the rotary plate 11
is rotated clockwise to the dotted line position as shown in FIG.
5, the transducer head 14' fixed to the head plate 14, is separated
from the tape T and moved away from the cartridge as indicated in
the dotted line position, while at the same time the abutment 27
moves forward in conjunction with the pivot axis defined by rotary
shaft 10 (toward the bottom of the drawing), FIG. 5, so as to urge
the end of the pinch roller holder 30 to the dotted line position,
thus separating the pinch roller 29 from the capstan 24. Further,
shaft 17" which supports the movable friction wheel 17 on the end
of arm 17' shifts due to rotation of rotary plate 11 in the
direction designated by arrow A, FIG. 3, by clockwise rotation of
rotary plate 11 to the point where the friction wheel 17 moves into
contact with the driving friction wheel 25' integral with flywheel
25. Friction wheel 17 in turn receives the rotary effort of the
flywheel such that the gear 19 fixed to the bottom of shaft 10
rotates to rotate the feed screw portion 9 defining the upper
portion of shaft 10 and to thereby raise, that is, axially shift
head plate 14 to elevate the transducer head 14'. The gear 19
through intermediate gears 20 and 21 rotates the low speed rotary
gear 23 to cause the lock release cam 22 to contact the end of lock
plate 31 to release the pin 13 from notch b and allow it to move to
notch a, the rotary plate 11 rotating counterclockwise due to the
pressure of compression coil spring 1", pin 13 engaging notch a to
stop the rotation of the rotary plate 11 in the full line position,
FIG. 4. During counterclockwise rotation of plate 11, the movable
friction wheel 17 separates from the driving friction wheel 25' to
terminate rotation of the feed screw portion 9 and to thus
terminate the elevation of the head plate 14. However, the spring
biased ball 14" of the head plate 14 engages recess 16' of the rail
and thus stops the head plate 14 at a new position directly
opposite the next cartridge so that the magnetic transducer head
14' is correctly disposed at a height which corresponds to the
magnetic tape of the new cartridge. The play between the feed screw
portion 9 and the head plate insures proper engagement of ball 14"
with recess 16'. The low speed rotary gear 23 rotates one full
revolution while the head plate 14 is raised one cartridge
position. Simultaneously, during rotation of the rotary plate 11
counterclockwise, head 14' is advanced towards the next cartridge
28 to contact the tape T while at the same time the push rod 26 of
the next cartridge is retracted so that the pinch roller 29
interleaves the tape T between the roller 29 and the capstan 24 to
permit the playing of the tape of the new cartridge. After all of
the multi-layer cartridges, that is, the complete stacked array,
are played in turn, from the lowest one to the uppermost one, the
plunger 1 is operated so that the head 14' is separated from the
last plate cartridge, the flywheel 25 is then inversely rotated so
that the head 14' is lowered to the lowermost cartridge. The lock
release cam 22 on the surface of the pivotable arm carried by the
rotary gear 23 is drawn to such a position by the tension spring as
indicated in FIG. 3 as to be located against a stop with the result
that when it inversely contacts the lock plate 31 it does not act
as a cam in the earlier sense, and lock plate 31 is not adversely
affected during this inverse operation of the apparatus, that is,
during return of the transducer head to its lowest position.
From the above description and according to the present invention,
it is obvious that the cartridges are, in turn, played by axially
shifting the magnetic head without the necessity of moving any of
the cartridges and a number of cartridges are automatically played
in turn in the order in which they are mounted within the
recorder/reproducer.
* * * * *