GB2086640A

GB2086640A - An arrangement for receiving an endless loop of tape

Info

Publication number: GB2086640A
Application number: GB8131889A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Licentia Patent Verwaltungs GmbH; Licentia Oy
Current assignee: Licentia Patent Verwaltungs GmbH; Licentia Oy
Priority date: 1980-10-30
Filing date: 1981-10-22
Publication date: 1982-05-12
Also published as: GB2086640B; FR2493578B1; DE3040887C2; FR2493578A1; DE3040887A1

Abstract

In magnetic tape device 11 a disc 13 has a plurality of guide rollers 14', 14, 14'' around which passes a portion of an endless tape loop 17. The arrangement of the first and last rollers 14', 14'' is such that the loop is maintained tensioned by the torque of the motor for the right-hand spindle 3, when the tape device is in its playback mode of operation. Markings 15, 16 on the disc and on the tape device indicate operating range of angular positions of the disc 13. A similar disc may also be provided on the other spindle 3, but in a predetermined angular position. The invention allows the adaptation of a reel-to-reel tape transport with separate reel motors and a capstan 6 to operation with endless tape loops of various lengths. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An arrangement for receiving an endless loop of tape The invention relates to an arrangement for receiving an endless loop of tape and more particularly a magnetic tape device which is equipped to receive two tape spools or wind ing hubs, and which is provided with such an arrangement.

It is known to arrange a resilient tensioning lever on such a magnetic tape device for the ~ purpose fo accommodating an endless loop of tape, the loop of tape being guided over one of two tape spools or winding hubs depending on the design of the magnetic tape device.

Apart from the requirement for the additional tensioning lever, which may be a problem during normal operation of the device, this arrangement has the disadvantage that it can only be adapted to a limited extent to tape loops of different lengths.

An object underlying the present invention is to create an arrangement for accommodat ing an endless loop of tape which does not require any additional tensioning lever and which can be adapted simply to loops of tape of different length.

According to the present invention there is provided an arrangement for receiving an end less tape loop comprising a disc which is adapted to be fixed to a winding mandrel or entrainment plate of a tape device, a plurality of guide rollers being mounted on the disc, said plurality including a first guide roller and a last guide roller which are so positioned that a received endless tape loop may be ten sioned by torque applied to said mandrel or plate when the disc is in an operating posi tion.

The plurality of guide rollers make it possi ble to receive endless tape loops of differing lengths by selecting the rollers used accord ingly.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a tape device incorporating an arrangement as defined above and having recording and/or play back head means for a tape, the arrangement being such that the tape passes from said head means, is then guided round said first guide roller and said last guide roller and then passes back to said head means.

Markings which are assigned to each other may be arranged on the tape device and on the disc, these markings giving the range within which the relative angular position of the disc and the tape device are allowed to vary and the angular position which is to be achieved by using the guide rollers as di rected.

The device may have a further disc which is to be placed on a second winding mandrel or entrainment plate, said further disc supporting a number of guide rollers which are to be used and arranged in accordance with the first disc, and said further disc taking up a predetermined angular position which is independent of the length and tension of the tape loop. A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a schematic plan view of a magnetic tape device which is equipped to take two coils of tape on winding hubs.

Referring now to the drawing, the magnetic tape device 1 which is shown has two winding motors, the axles of which are each equipped with entrainment plates (not visible) for receiving a tape reel 2 and a winding hub 3 in each case. The latter are fixed to the axle by a common locking element 4 in each case.

The tape device 1 further comprises a covered head carrier 5 for the conventional magnetic heads, a sound shaft 6, a pivotally mounted pressure roller 7, three guide rollers 8, 9 and 10 and guide pins of sensing levers 11 and 1 2 for controlling the tension of the tape during the separate modes of operation.

It is assumed that the left hand winding motor of the magnetic tape device is only energised during rewind and the right hand motor is only energised during fast forward and the play mode, The left hand sensing lever 11 is connected to a tape brake for the left hand entrainment plates, said tape brake being effective during forward running, while the right hand sensing lever 12 is connected to a tape brake for the right hand entrainment plate, said tape brake being effective both during play mode - in order to reduce the tension on the tape - and during rewind.

In the arrangement of the present invantion, instead of the right hand tape reel a disc 13 is placed on to the right hand entrainment plate by means of the lock 4 and a winding hub 3, a number of guide rollers 14 being rotatably fixed to the disc 13. A first guide roller 14' and a last guide roller 14" are preferably arranged inside a sector of a maximum of approximately 1 60'. In an advantageous manner the disc 1 3 is provided with markings 15 for the purpose of identifying its permitted angular position in relation to the magnetic tape device and a fixed reference mark 16 is associated with these markings 15.

The endless tape loop 17 which is to be accommodated by the magnetic tape device 1 is guided round the first guide roller 14', the last guide roller 14" and any desired number of further guide rollers 14, the rollers selected depending on the length of the tape loop.

This choice of rollers is made so that there results an angular position (operating position) of the disc 13 in relation to the magnetic tape device 1, in which position the fixed reference mark 16 lies between the markings 15 of the disc. The guide rollers 14' and 14" have such a position in relation to the magnetic tape device that the endless loop of tape 17 can run on and off freely and is tensioned by means of these guide rollers by the torque of the right hand winding motor.

The tape loop 1 7 is guided through the sensing lever 12 in the drawings. This may be advantageous but is not essential to the invention.

The tape loop 1 7. shown by broken lines 17' may be guided over the left hand winding hub 3 and the sensing lever 11 (approximately in position 11') with the aid of a further guide roller 18 arranged on the magnetic tape device 1.

If endless loops of tape of even greater length are to be accommodated then as a modification of this embodiment a further disc could be arranged instead of the left hand winding plate 2 said further disc supporting a number of features which have the same purpose as the first disc 13 but taking up a predetermined angular position which is independent of the length and tension of the tape loop.

Magnetic tape devices are also known in which the tape tension is produced and controlled during forward running of the tape by the unwinding spool, by arranging for the relevant (i.e. usually left hand) winding motor to produce a coresponding counter torque. In such devices it is possible with appropriate guidance of the tape loop to provide the arrangement described above on the left hand instead of the right hand winding mandrel or entrainment plate. The above-described arrangement and its modifications can also be used for example, in those magnetic tape devices which have a so called three-pronged or trident take up for tape spools, which is in contrast to the embodiment shown. In the case of three-pronged take up the disc 13 replaces the lower spool flange and its centre portion is formed so as to approximately correspond to the centre portion of a tape spool.

The arrangement in accordance with the invention has the advantage that it is easy to change from normal operation to operation with an endless loop of tape, that the tension of the tape in the endless loop of tape is produced by means of the torque of a motor which is already present without any additional design or operating features or measures. In addition it is possible to take up tape loops with different tape lengths, even with relatively large differences, inside the area availabie on the magnetic tape device.

Claims

CLAIM?:

1. t' #### arrangement for receiving an endless tCsp loop co:nprisin# a disc which is adapted cm be fixed to a winding mandrel or entrainrnent plate of a tape device, a plurality of guide lollers being mounted on the disc, said plurality including a first guide roller and a last guide roller which are so positioned that a received endless tape loop may be ten sioned by torque applied to said mandrel or plate when the disc is in an operating posi tion.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the disc is adapted to be exchangea ble with a tape reel or a tape spool on said winding mandrel or entrainment plate.

3. A tape device incorporating an arrange ment as claimed in claim 1 or 2 and having recording and/or play back head means for a tape, the arrangement being such that the tape passes from said head means, is then guided round said first guide roller and said last guide roller and then passes back to said head means.

4. A tape device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the received endless tape loop is tensioned by the torque of a motor acting on said mandrel or plate during the "play back" mode of operation of the tape device.

5. A tape device as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein associated markings are provided on the device and on the disc, said markings indicating the range within which the relative angular position of the disc and the device are allowed to vary.

6. A tape device as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5 which includes a further disc which is placed on a second winding mandrel or entrainment plate, a further plurality of guide rollers being mounted on said further disc, the arrangement being such that said further disc takes up a predetermined angular position which is independent of the length and tension of a received endless tape loop.

7. A tape device as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6 which is a magnetic tape device.

8. A tape device as claimed in any of claims 3 to 7 which is arranged to be capable of receiving two tape reels or tape spools.

9. An arrangement for receiving an end less tape loop substantially as herein de scribed with reference to the accompanying drawing.

10. A tape device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.