GB995011A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for recording data by magnetic means - Google Patents

Abstract

995, 011. Recording-apparatus. L. MOLYNEUX. Sept. 16, 1963 [June 29, 1962], No. 25034/62. Heading G1J. [Also in Divisions G4 and G5] An apparatus for recording data by electric or magnetic means comprises tape transport mechanism and at least one recording head or the like associated with a recording or indicating means so as to be adjusted thereby or therewith, means being provided for periodically energizing the head so as to record the adjustments thereof on the tape relative to a datum signal simultaneously or previously recorded on the tape. In Fig. 1 the depth of a river is recorded on a known recording drum 10 provided with a pen moving member 13 which also carries a magnetic recording loop 14; a second recording loop 15 is attached to a fixed part of the apparatus. A magnetic tape 16 is driven from a supply reel 17 to a take-up reel 18 by a clockwork motor 19, and reel 18 carries a peg 20 adapted to close a mercury switch for a short period in each rotation and thereby discharge a condenser through loops 14 and 15 in opposite polarities. The distance between the pulses thereby recorded on the tape thus corresponds to the depth of the river. On playback, Fig. 6, the capstan carries an optical or magnetic pattern 31 allowing timing pulses to be generated at a speed proportional to the speed of the tape. The pulses recorded on the tape act as start and stop pulses for a gate 36 so that the number of timing pulses passing through to a counter 35 is proportional to the depth of the river. The content of the counter can be read visually and/or punched out on paper tape in unit 37 for further analysis by a digital computer. If great accuracy is required, one track on the tape may have recorded on it pulses at a constant rate which are used, on playback, instead of the timing pulses produced from the capstan. The fixed loop 15 may be omitted if signals are pre-recorded on the tape at regular intervals of if a constant speed drive is used, when start pulses may be generated at regular intervals by the playback apparatus.