GB2093801A - An automatic cassette loading machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine for automatically loading a length of tape from a tape supply source (1) into a tape cassette (18) of the type having a leader following a required tape path within a casing of the cassette (18) has a pivotably mounted arm (38) with a pin for engaging under the leader in the cassette as the cassette is opened, and for pulling out a length of the leader, cutter means (60, 61, 62) for cutting the said leader into two portions at a point intermediate its ends and associated with splicing means (44) for splicing a free end of the length of tape from the tape supply source (1) to one portion of the leader (51) by means of adhesive tape, a spool drive mechanism for driving the spool which carries the said one portion of the leader (51) and control means for synchronising the operation of the cutting and splicing mechanisms to cut off the wound tape when a required quantity has been wound onto the spool by the spool drive mechanism and for splicing the trailing end of the tape to the other portion of the leader cut off from the loop drawn out from the cassette. The splicing means (44) comprises a fixed block (54) and two parallel blocks (57), (58) movable together in direction B, each block having an apertured surface (63) against which the tapes can be held by suction and the cutter (60) cutting the tape along a line (59) passing between the apertured surfaces of the fixed and movable blocks. The spool driving mechanism may have a transverse flange at the end of a hollow drive shaft, the flange carrying a sealing ring and vacuum being applied via the shaft to the recess in the spool hub to ensure firm engagement of the shaft. A lid on the cassette may be automatically opened by means carried on the support panel (41). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An automatic cassette loading machine The present invention relates to a cassette loading machine, and particularly to a machine which is operable automatically to load a predetermined length of tape into a cassette.

Cassettes of tape, particularly magnetic tape, are widely used both for sound and video recording and reproduction. Since the magnetic tape is manufactured conveniently in long lengths and with an entirely different manufacturing process from that of the casing and other mechanical parts of the cassette, it is convenient for the casing, the spools within the casing, and the tape guides within the casing to be assembled without the magnetic tape, and for this to be loaded subsequently into the casing of the cassette. To facilitate this a leader tape is threaded around the correct tape path within the cassette; leader tape is not magnetic and this therefore also serves as an end-of-tape indication in the cassette playing machine.

At present the loading of magnetic tape into a cassette necessitates the partial dismantling of an assembled cassette body to remove one of the spools onto which the magnetic tape is then wound. The loaded spool is then refitted to the cassette body and the cassette re-closed and sealed. The necessity for dismantling and subsequent re-assembly of the cassette body solely for the purpose of loading the magntic tape into it involves a considerable degree of handling, and a number of unnecessary operations on the cassette since if it could be loaded upon manufacture the original assembly and subsequent dismantling of parts of the cassette body could be avoided, thereby saving time and economising on the manufacture.However, because of the manufacturing processes involved it is not convenient to load the cassette bodies as they are being assembled, and the present invention seeks, therefore, to provide an automatic cassette loading machine which can operate on assembled cassettes without requiring to dismantle them.

According to the present invention a machine for automatically loading a tape cassette of the type having a leader following the required tape path within a casing thereof, with a length of tape from a tape supply source, comprises means for automatically withdrawing from the casing a length of the leader, means for cutting the said leader into two portions at a point intermediate its ends, means for splicing a free end of the said length of tape from the tape supply source to one portion of the leader, a spool drive mechanism for driving the spool which carries the said one portion of the leader, means for determining when a required length of tape has been wound onto the said spool, and means for controlling the cutting and splicing mechanisms whereby to cut off the tape and splice the other portion of the leader to the trailing end of the tape.

Preferably the tape supply comprises a roll of tape mountable on a spindle driven in synchronism with the said spool drive mechanism.

The means for determining when a required length of tape has been wound onto the spool may include an optical encoder driven with the spool drive spindle means for counting the pulses produced by the optical encoder whereby to generate a signal representing the length of the tape wound onto the spool.

The means for withdrawing a length of leader from the casing preferably includes an automatic mechanism for opening the lid of the casing as the casing is moved into position at a loading station of the machine. Likewise, it is preferred that the means for withdrawing a length of leader from the casing includes means for automatically engaging the leader as the cassette is moved into position at the said loading station.

Preferably the tape splicing mechanism includes a tape end manipulator having means for retaining leading and trailing ends of the tape and/or of the leader after cutting to form said leading and trailing ends. It is this which makes it possible to wind the tape into a cassette without removing the spool. Preferably the tape end manipulator includes means defining at least two separate vacuum surfaces to which a vacuum can be applied through openings in the surfaces whereby to retain the leading and trailing end of the tape. As used herein the term "vacuum surface" will be understood to refer to a surface of an element having one or more apertures and/or surface topography adapted for the application of a vacuum through the openings to cause a tape or other laminar material to be retained in position by suction.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the tape end manipulator includes a fixed block and two movable blocks, each having vacuum surfaces for retaining tape ends. Preferably the movable blocks of the tape end manipulator are displaceable between a respective first and second position, the movement of each block between its first and its second position being in a direction transverse the general plane of the vacuum surface thereof.

The means for withdrawing a length of leader from the casing preferably includes an arm pivotally mounted at one end to a fixed part of the machine frame and having a pin extending from a point at or adjacent the free end in a direction parallel to the pivot axis at the said one end, the arm being displaceable between a first position in which the transverse pin thereof is located in a position such as to pass under the leader as a cassette is moved into position at the said loading station of the machine, and a second position in which the leader engaged by the pin is drawn into an elongate loop one branch of which lies closely alongside one of the said movable blocks of the tape end manipulator, the said other of the movable blocks acting to retain the leading end of the tape from the supply roll.

Thus, in operation of the machine, as the cassette is moved into position on the machine frame at the loading station, the lid of the cassette is automatically opened and the leader withdrawn and engaged with one of the movable blocks of the tape end manipulator. Preferably the said one of the movable blocks of the tape end manipulator lies, in its first position, with its vacuum surface substantially flush with the vacuum surface of the fixed block and there are provided cutter means operable to make a cut along a line passing between the vacuum surfaces of the fixed block and the said one movable block.

The said other movable block, in its second position, preferably lies with its vacuum surface flush with the said fixed block. Conveniently, the two movable blocks are linked for movement together so that as the said other movable block is moved to its second position the said one movable block is displaced away from the fixed block and in a direction transverse the plane of the tape.

Connection of the free end of the leader with the leading end of the tape is effected by the splicer mechanism which operates, when actuated, to position an element of adhesive tape over the two ends. Preferably the splicer mechanism is operative to introduce the said element of adhesive tape from a position laterally displaced with respect to the tape carried by the tape end manipulator. This enables the splicer mechanism to be operated using only a short leader without requiring any displacement of the loop of leader. In prior art splicing machines the element of adhesive tape is applied from the front of the tape so that if such a splicing mechanism were applied to the present invention it would be necessary to displace the intervening branch of the loop of leader in order to gain access to the junction point to be spliced.Since the leader, particularly for video cassettes, is of substantial width (in the ragion of 2tut) it would be impossible to displace a short length of leader without creasing and folding of the leader and this can cause difficulties in subsequent use of the cassette. By employing a splicer mechanism which acts from the side of the tape it is possible to introduce the adhesive element without causing this problem.

Preferably the splicer mechanism acts to separate an element of adhesive tape from a supply thereof and to hold this element for manipulation by a vacuum applied to the rear surface thereof, that is the surface opposite the adhesive surface prior to displacement of the adhesive element to its application position. The means on the splicer mechanism for holding the adhesive element is preferably shaped to enter between the two branches of the loop of leader passing over the said transverse pin of the arm of the leader extraction mechanism without contacting either said branch.

In order to ensure a stable contact between the drive spindle and the spool of the cassette on which the tape is to be wound, even at very high drive speeds, so that the mechanism can operate at a high loading speed, it is preferred that the spool drive shaft has means for automatically engaging a spool hub of the cassette as this latter is moved into position at the loading station of the machine. For this purpose the spool drive shaft may have a transverse flange adjacent the operative ends thereof, the drive shaft flange carrying a peripheral sealing ring engageable with the mouth of a recess in the spool hub; the drive shaft itself is hollow whereby to permit the application of a vacuum to the recess to hold the spool hub securely and firmly in engagement with the spool drive spindle.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic front view of the embodiment; Figure 2 is a side view looking in the direction of the arrow A of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross section, on an enlarged scale, of a detail of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a detail of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 5 is a scrap section, on an enlarged scale, of a detail of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2; and Figure 6 is a side view, on an enlarged scale, of a part of the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, seen in the direction opposite that of the arrow A Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus illustrated comprises only that part of the overall apparatus required for an understanding of the operation of the invention. In the apparatus shown a main support panel 41 is shown carrying the majority of the components. The support panel 41 would, of course, be carried in a practical embodiment on a suitable rack or frame, but such has not been illustrated.

Extending at an angle of approximately 450 to the plane of the support panel 41 is a magazine 29 carrying a stack of assembled cassette casings 18.

As can be seen.a cassette casing has a rectangular form and these are stacked with their long edge horizontal and their short edge vertical. Stacking may be effected automatically, from the output of a casing assembly machine, or may be effected manually if casing assembly is undertaken at a remote station.

At the upper part of the panel 41 there is a tape supply spool 1 mounted on a spindle driven by a drive motor 4 via a coupling 3 and a brake 2. The motor 4 is supported from the support panel 41 by a frame 42. The tape 5 from the tape supply spool 1 is led over a guide roll 43, a counter wheel 6 and, via a further guide roll 10 to a tape end manipulator generally indicated 44. The counter wheel 6 is connected via a shaft to an optical encoder disc 9 which passes between a light source and photocell assembly 8 the electrical output of which is processed in a control circuit.

The free end of the tape 5 is held by the tape end manipulator in a manner which will be described in further detail below.

Cassette casings 18 from the stack on the magazine 29 are fed down by gravity to the lowermost position where they are retained by a stop plate 30 on a longitudinal guide 45 in the form of an angle section element secured to the face of the stop plate 30. Beneath the guide 45 is located a feed mechanism for displacing the cassette 1 8 at the lowermost end of the stack onto a slide 26 which will carry it to the loading station generally indicated 17. The cassette casing feed mechanism comprises a chain 32 passing over two chain wheels 36, 37 one of which is driven by a cassette feed motor 34. The chain 32 has a projection 35 extending radially of the chain wheels, shown in its initial position in Figure 1.

The slide 26 is mounted on a bracket 27 secured to the support panel 41 and projecting perpendicularly thereto. Displacement of the slide 26 along the bracket 27 is controlled by a pneumatic actuator 28. The slide 26 has two upright plates 25 defining a channel the width of a cassette casing 18, and the slide 26 can be displaced along the bracket 27 between a cassette-receiving position in which the plate 25 furthest from the support panel 41 is aligned with the stop plate 30 of the magazine 29, and a retracted position at which the cassette between the plates 25 is held in the loading station. In this retracted position the plate 25 carried by the slide 26 therefore define the loading station 17. For convenience, a cassette 18 at the loading station will also be identified by the reference numeral 1 7.

To transfer a cassette from the magazine 29 to the loading station 1 7, therefore, the actuator 28 is extended so that the outermost plate 25 is flush with the stop plate 30. The cassette feed motor 34 is then energised to drive the chain 32 via the chain wheels 36, 37 and the projection 35 is caused by this to move in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1 engaging the lowermost cassette 18 on the stack and driving it to the left as viewed in Figure 1. The length of the projection 35 is selected such that it will displace the cassette 18 fully into position as it passes over the chain wheel 36. Movement of the chain 32 is continued until the projection 35 has returned to the position illustrated in Figure 1, although this continued movement causes no further displacement of the cassette which is now between the plates 25 on the slides 26.

Termination of the movement of the chain 32 can be determined, for example, by microswitches located to be contacted by the projection 35 and turn off the motor 34 at the appropriate position.

Retraction of the actuator 28 is now effected causing the cassette 18 to be displaced into the loading station 17.

Figure 6 illustrates a cassette 18 in position on the slide 26 and about to be displaced into the loading station. As can be seen from Figure 6 the support panel 41 carries a catch-trip 25a and a lid-opener abutment 25b. The lid of a cassette 18 is of the flip-top variety, the junction line with the main body of the cassette being illustrated by the broken line in Figure 6. The catch which retains the lid in its closed position is housed in a deep recess in the lid to prevent inadvertent opening.

The catch-trip 25a comprises a generally cylindrical mount 46 through which projects a shaft 47 having a spigot 48 of narrower diameter projecting axially from the operative end. Secured to the rear end of the shaft 47 by means of a screw 48 is a transverse arm 49 carrying one end of a spring 50 the other end of which is secured to the panel 41. As the actuator 28 is retracted, therefore, to cause the slide 26 to move along the bracket 27 towards the support panel 41 the cassette 18 is moved into engagement with the spigot 48 on the shaft 47 thus releasing the lid catch. As the cassette casing 18 engages the shoulder at the root of the spigot 48 the shaft 47 is pushed through the cylindrical support 46, this movement being allowed by the extension of the spring 50 which retains adequate pressure on the spigot 48 to hold the catch open.Towards the end of its movement the cassette 18 comes into contact with the lid opener abutment 25b causing it to swing open into the position illustrated in Figure 2.' After the lid has been pushed open, but before the actuator 28 is fully retracted, that is with the cassette 18 still fully in the loading station, the leader tape within the cassette casing, now exposed with the lid open, is engaged by a transverse pin 38a on the end of a leader thread arm 38 as illustrated in Figure 5. The cassette 18 is shown cut away in Figure 5, and as can be seen the pin 38a passes under the leader tape at a position adjacent a guide 52 over which the leader tape 51 passes.The leader thread arm 38 is pivoted at the end remote from the transverse pin 38a on a pivot pin 39 and its angular movement about the pin 39 is controlled by a pneumatic linear actuator 40 connected to the leader thread arm 38 by a connector pin 40a passing through an arcuate slot 53 in the support panel 41. When the actuator 40 is fully extended the leader thread arm 38 is in its lowermost position at which the transverse pin 38a is positioned to lie under a leader tape 51 of a cassette being introduced into the loading station 1 7. Upon retraction of the actuator 40 the arm 38 is caused to turn clockwise through about 300 bringing the pin 38a up to a position adjacent the tape end manipulator 44 ready for connection of the tape 5 from the supply roll 1 to the leader in a manner which will be described in more detail below.

The tape end manipulator 44 is illustrated in more detail in Figure 4 which is a perspective view from above and one side.

Referring now to Figure 4 the tape end manipulator 44 is illustrated in the position occupied when the leader thread arm 38 has just arrived carrying the loop of leader tape 51. For convenience in Figure 4 the leader tape and the magnetic tape have been illustrated as being transparent in order not to obscure underlying components. The tapes would not, however, necessarily be transparent. The tape end manipulator comprises two main components, namely a fixed block 54 and a movable assembly 55.The movable assembly 55, comprises a support plate 56 carrying two movable blocks 57, 58 which are identical with and parallel to one another and secured at one end to the movable plate 56 so that their remote ends lie closely adjacent the fixed block 54 with a narrow gap 59 to receive a cutter blade 60 carried on a cranked arm 61 secured to a plunger arm 62 which is slidable within the fixed block 54.

The fixed block 54 has a shallow channel 62 in the face adjacent to the gap 59 and the bottom of the channel 62 is formed with a plurality of openings 63 leading to passages within the fixed block 54 which communicate with a vacuum pump (not shown). The bottom face 64 of the channel 62 thus constitutes the above defined vacuum face of the fixed block 54. The movable blocks 57, 58 have respective channels 65, 66 therein each of which, like the channel 62, have apertures 63, shown in Figure 4 as an array of small dots, in the lower faces 67,68 of the channels respectively.

The movable assembly 55 is displaceable between a first position where the vacuum face 68 of the first movable block 58 is flush with the vacuum face 64 of the fixed block 54, and a second position where the vacuum face 67 of the second movable block 57 is flush with the vacuum face 64 of the fixed block 54.

As shown in Figure 4 the leading end of the magnetic tape 5 is laid in the channel 65 and held in position by a vacuum applied to the vacuum face 67 through the openings 63 which, like the openings in the fixed block vacuum face 64 are in communication, via passages within the movable block 57, with a vacuum pump (not illustrated).

The same is true of the apertures in the active face 68 of the first movable block 58, communication with the vacuum pump for all of the apertures being selectively made by means of a distributor valve (not shown) which is operated under the control of the control system of the machine. As the leader thread arm 38 arrives in the position illustrated in Figure 4 vacuum is applied both to the two movable blocks 57, 58 and to the fixed block 54 so that the left hand branch of the loop of leader tape 51 is drawn into the channels 62, 66 and held against the vacuum faces 64, 68 by the vacuum. The control system then causes the plunger arm 62 to retract causing the cutter blade 60 to be drawn across the leader tape 51 at the gap 59, which later accommodates the blade 60 as it cuts the tape.The plunger arm 62 then advances to return the cutter blade to the position illustrated in Figure 4 and the movable assembly 55 is moved to the right, in the direction shown by the arrow B of Figure 4, after the arm 38 has been swung out of the way in the direction of the arrow C of Figure 4. This movement of the movable assembly 55 continues until the vacuum surface 67 of the second block 57 comes into alignment with the vacuum surface 64 of the fixed block 54.

The right hand branch of the loop of leader tape 51 is carried away from the fixed block by the same movement. After this a splicing mechanism is operated to introduce an element of adhesive tape through a splice aperture 68 and apply it across the joint between the leader tape and the magnetic tape. The splicing mechanism is not illustrated in detail herein, but a detailed description will be found in my copending British Patent Application No.

Once the splicing mechanism has made a joint between the magnetic tape 5 and the leader tape end held on the fixed block 54 the vacuum to the second movable block 57 and to the fixed block 54 is removed and tape is wound into the cassette by driving the spool to which the leader tape is attached. For this purpose a spool drive mechanism is provided, this spool drive mechanism comprising a frame 69 secured to the support panel 41 and carrying a drive motor 24 which is linked by a rubber belt 22 to a pulley 70 on a drive spindle 23 which is linked via a brake 21 to a hollow drive shaft 19. The hollow drive shaft 19 has a radial flange 71 adjacent its end, this flange having a peripheral groove 72 housing an O-ring seal 73.The hub of the spool onto which the tape is to be wound has a cup-shape recess 74 which is sealed by the O-ring seal 73 as the cassette is introduced into the loading station 17.

When the spindle 19 is to be driven a vacuum is applied to the interior to evacuate the closed chamber defined by the recess 74 and the O-ring seal 73 causing the drive shaft 19 to be securely connected to the spool to avoid instability when driving at high speed.

The spool is then driven by the motor 24 to take up a length of the magnetic tape. The motor 24 is, in fact, merely supplied with an adequate current to maintain tape tension and the motor 4 controlled by the control mechanism to select the driving speed and the amount of tape to be fed into the cassette. While the tape is being wound into the cassette the length of tape is determined by the encoder disc 9 and photocell assembly 8, the disc 9 being driven by the counter wheel 6 over which the tape passes between the supply reel 1 and the cassette casing into which it is being wound. When a required amount of tape has been wound onto the cassette spool the brakes 2 and 21 are applied to stop the spools and the tape end manipulating unit is again actuated. First vacuum is applied to the second, movable block 57 and to the fixed block 54 to hold the tape in the respective channels, and then the cutter blade 61 is advanced by retraction of the plunger arm 62 in order to cut the tape. The movable plate 56 is then returned to its original position, in the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow B in Figure 4 so that the two movable blocks readopt the position illustrated in Figure 4 so that the right hand portion of the loop of leader tape 51 is brought into registration with the trailing end of the magnetic tape. The tape splicing mechanism is then activated to introduce an element of adhesive tape through the splice aperture 68 and secure together the trailing end of the magnetic tape and the leading end of the remaining portion of the loop of leader tape 51.A further short pulse of current to the motor 24 draws the leader tape into the cassette casing at the loading station 17, the vacuum being removed from the first movable block 58 and the fixed block 54 to facilitate this, but being retained on the second movable block 57 to retain the leading end of the magnetic tape.

The vacuum is also removed, after the leader tape has been withdrawn, from the drive spindle 19 and the actuator 28 is advanced to move the slide 26 along the bracket 27 releasing the cassette 18 from the catch trip mechanism 25a and the lid opener 25b allowing the lid of the cassette casing 18 to close. Advancement of the actuator 28 continues until the loaded cassette is aligned with the next empty cassette casing at the bottom of the stack 29. The machine is then ready to perform another complete cycle by driving the motor 34 to advance the next empty cassette casing by means of the projection 35, at the same time ejecting the loaded cassette from the slide 26. A further loading cycle then continues automatically.

The supply motor 4 driving the supply spool 1 is controlled by a closed loop velocity servo under the control of the signals generated by the optical encoder 9 and photocell assembly 8 driven by the counter wheel 6.

All the pneumatic components of the machine are controlled by solenoid switched air pilot spring return spool valves, the solenoid control signals being generated electronically according to a predetermined programme. The construction and arrangement of the electronic control means in order to generate the required signals for operating the pneumatic components in the required order does not form part of the present invention and may be constructed using conventional techniques.

Claims (20)

1. A machine for automatically loading a length of tape from a tape supply source into a tape cassette of the type having a leader following the required tape path within a casing thereof, comprising means for automatically withdrawing from the casing a length of the leader, means for cutting the said leader into two portions at a point intermediate its ends, means for splicing a free end of the said length of tape from the tape supply source to one portion of the leader, a spool drive mechanism for driving the spool which carries the said one portion of the leader, means for determining when a required length of tape has been wound on to the said spool, and means for controlling the cutting and splicing mechanism whereby to cut off the tape and splice the said other portion of the leader to the trailing end of the tape.

2. A machine as claimed in Claim 1, in which the tape supply comprises a roll of tape mountable on a spindle driven in synchronism with the said spool drive mechanism.

3. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the means for withdrawing a length of the leader from the casing includes means for automatically opening the lid of the casing.

4. A machine as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, in which the means for withdrawing a length of the leader from the casing includes means for automatically engaging the leader as the cassette is moved into position at a loading station of the machine.

5. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the tape splicing means includes a tape end manipulator having means for retaining leading and trailing ends of the tape and/or leader after cutting to form said leading and trailing ends.

6. A machine as claimed in Claim 5, in which the tape end manipulator includes at least two separate surfaces to which a vacuum can be applied through openings in the said surfaces, whereby to retain the leading or trailing end of the tape.

7. A machine as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, in which the tape end manipulator includes a fixed block and two movable blocks each having active surfaces to which a vacuum can be applied through openings in a surface thereof.

8. A machine as claimed in Claim 7, in which each of the movable blocks of the tape end manipulator are displaceable between a respective first position, and a respective second position, the movement of each block between its first and its second position being in a direction transverse the general plane of the active surface thereof.

9. A machine as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 8, in which the means for withdrawing a length of leader from the casing includes an arm pivotally mounted at one end to a fixed part of the machine frame and having a pin extending from a point at or adjacent the free end in a direction parallel to the pivot axis at the said one end, the arm being displaceable between a first position in which the transverse pin thereof is so located as to pass under the leader as a cassette is moved into position at the said loading station of the machine, and a second position in which the leader engaged by the pin is drawn into an elongate loop one branch of which lies closely alongside one of the said movable blocks of the tape end manipulator, the said other of the movable blocks acting to retain the leading end of the tape from the supply roll.

10. A machine as claimed in Claim 8, in which the said one of the movable blocks of the tape end manipulator lies, in its first position, with its active surface substantially flush with the active surface of the fixed block, and the cutter means is operable to make a cut along a line passing between the active surface of the fixed block and the said one movable block.

11. A machine as claimed in Claim 10, in which the said other movable block, in its second position, lies with its active surface flush with the said fixed block, the said one movable block being displaced from the fixed block in a direction transverse the plane of the tape between its first and second positions.

12. A machine as claimed in Claim 11, in which the splicer mechanism operates, when actuated, to position an element of adhesive tape over the active surface of the fixed block and the active surface of whichever of the said two movable blocks is flush therewith at the time.

13. A machine as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 12, in which the splicer mechanism is operative to introduce the said element of adhesive tape from a position laterally displaced with respect to the tape carried by the tape end manipulator.

14. A machine as claimed in any of Claims 2 to 13, in which the splicer mechanism acts to separate an element of adhesive tape from a supply thereof and to hold this element for manipulation by a vacuum applied to the rear surface thereof, that is the surface opposite the adhesive surface, prior to displacement of the adhesive element to its application position.

1 5. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the means on the splicer mechanism for holding the adhesive element is shaped to enter between the two branches of the loop of leader passing over said transverse pin of the arm of the leader extraction mechanism without contacting either said branch.

16. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the spool drive mechanism includes a spool drive shaft having means for automatically engaging a spool hub of the cassette as this latter is moved into position on the loading station of the machine.

17. A machine as claimed in Claim 16, in which the spool drive shaft has a transverse flange adjacent one end thereof carrying a peripheral scaling ring engageable with the mouth of a recess in the spool hub, and the drive shaft itself is hollow whereby to permit the application of a vacuum to the said recess, to hold the spool hub securely and firmly in engagement with the spool drive spindle.

18. A method of loading tape into a cassette having a leader following the required path within the cassette, comprising the steps of drawing a loop of leader from the cassette, cutting the loop at a point intermediate its ends into two portions, splicing a leading end of tape to one portion of the leader, driving the spool carrying the said one portion of the leader to wind on tape until a required length has been wound on, cutting the tape and splicing the trailing end of the tape wound on the spool to the other portion of leader.

19. An automatic cassette loading machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A method of loading tape into a cassette, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.