US3268230A

US3268230A - Dictating machine

Info

Publication number: US3268230A
Application number: US489603A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard K Walker
Original assignee: McGraw Edison Co
Current assignee: McGraw Edison Co
Priority date: 1965-09-23
Filing date: 1965-09-23
Publication date: 1966-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-23

Description

Aug. 23, 1966 R. K. WALKER DICTATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 23, 1965 FIG.

INVENTOR AGENT Aug. 23, 1966 R. K. WALKER DICTATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 1965 FIG. 4

INVENTOR RICHARD K. WALKER AGENT Aug. 23, 1966 R. K. WALKER DICTATING MACHINE Aug. 23, 1966 R. K. WALKER DICTATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 23, 1965 AGENT v 09 31 W m ud A wow 1 mm mom k n MW NQQN My MK a wow m l mw u: w W A M v A 07 W w m 2: m M

AL m 3m: F%h: +62 mm e\ F O h Unite States This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 253,133, filed January 22, 1963, and entitled Dictating Machine now Patent No. 3,222,074, dated December 7, 1965.

This invention relates to phonographic machines adapted for both recording and reproducing dictation. More particularly, the invention relates to improved drive and control mechanisms by which a dictator can listen back to selected portions of his recorded dictation and can resume his further recordlation of dictation in the fastest possible way with the use of improved drive mechanisms which can be operated selectively in forward direction at normal speed or in forward or reverse directions at above-normal speed.

The invention is herein illustrated in connection with a dictating machine using a record medium in the form of a wide flexible belt. In the normal forward drive of the machine the belt record is revolved at a normal speed and the carriage for the record-reproduce head is advanced at a proportionate speed to cause the head to define a helical track on the belt record. This operation of the drive system is herein referred to as a normal forward in-track drive. If the drive system is reversed both as to the belt record and the head carriage the head traverses the track in a reverse direction by what is herein referred to as a backspace movement. If the speed of each of these types of in-track drive movements is increased there is obtained a fast forward in-track drive and fast backspace respectively. In addition to the foregoing, the head carriage may be driven while the belt record is at standstill in either reverse or forward directions typically at an accelerated speed to move the head cross-track in what is referred to as back scan and forward scan.

In carrying out an operation of listening back to a selected portion of ones prior recording and returning the head to its prior position of farthest advance to resume the recording operation, each of the different types of drive movements above-mentioned are employed. It is important to bring the head precisely to its prior point of farthest advance after a backspacing operation so as neither to cause any overlap of recording or on the other hand any appreciable gap which would result in waste of record space.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved drive and control mechanisms for dictating machines by which after listening back to a portion of ones recording the head can be restored quickly and accurately to its prior position of farthest advance.

It is another object to provide improved drive systems for dictating machines which can be operated selectively to perform the aforestated different drive movements.

It is another object to provide improved drive mechanisms of the character mentioned which can be reversed rapidly and which are free of cyclic wow and flutter.

Another object is to provide respective drive mechanisms of the character mentioned which are adapted for operation by A.C. motors and by low inertia D.C. motors.

It is another object to provide improved drive mechanisms of the character mentioned which use self-eneraterrt Qt Patented August 23, 1966 gizing band clutches to reduce cost, actuation effort and size.

It is another object to provide an advance marker mechanism for marking the point of farthest advance of the head carriage during each backspacing operation, which is subjected to a selective drag only when the machine is in playback and returning to its prior point of advance. The purpose of this selective drag on the advance clutch mechanism is to compensate for backlash and for spring-back of the resilient stop element of the advance clutch mechanism so that when the head carriage is returned and the machine restored to recording condition the resumption of recording will be at least to or slightly beyond the last prior point of farthest advance.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

In the description of the invention reference is had 'to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view to enlarged scale of a drive and advance-marker mechanism for a dictating machine in accordance with the present invention, showing the drive mechanism of a character adapted for operation by a low inertia D.C. motor;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the drive mechanism of FIGURE 1 which produces the aforesaid in-track movements, showing by different arrows the respective drive paths of the mechanism for obtaining the different movements;

FIGURE 3 is a left hand elevational view of the drive mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view as seen from the broken line 44 of FIGURE 1 to show the pressure means for alternately engaging the drive clutches C2 and C4;

FIGURE 5 is a chart with reference to the drive mechanism showing the respective conditions of the drive clutches, the backspace solenoid and the drive and scan motors for the different in-track and scan movements of the drive system of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6a is a top plan view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing a drive and advance marker mechanism in accordance with the second embodiment of my invention wherein the drive mechanism is adapted for operation by an A.C. motor and an advance marker mechanism is provided with a selective drag operable during return of the head carriage from a backspaced position to its prior position of farthest advance;

FIGURE 6b is a fractional sectional view taken on the line 6b6b of FIGURE 6a;

FIGURE 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of the abovestated second embodiment of the present machine;

FIGURE 8 is a chart corresponding to FIGURE 5 but for the drive mechanism of my second embodiment; and

FIGURE 9 is a fractional view taken from the line 9-9 of FIGURE 6a showing the dual switch arrangement of the advance marker.

The three different in-track movements are produced by a drive motor DM, and the scan or cross-track movements are producted by a scan motor SM. Normal forward in-t-rack drive is produced by the motor DM through a step-down belt transmission to a pulley 11 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3. From the pulley 11 the transmission continues through the clutches C1 and C2, shaft 17 and mandrel 24 to drive the belt record R, and it continues from the shaft 17 through a gear train 28-30, differential gear mechanism 33, and shaft 31 to drive a feed screw 27 for the head carriage. This coupling path is partially indicated by the circuitous arrow N shown in FIGURE 2. Both fast backward in-track and fast forward in-track movements are produced by the drive motor DM running in a reverse direction. The coupling to the mandrel 24 for fast backward drive is via an intermediate pulley 13 of the aforementioned belt transmission, a shaft 46, collar 48, clutch C3, gear 49, double rgear 50-51, gear train 51-53, clutch C4, collar 55 and shaft 17. This coupling path is partially indicated by the arrow FB in FIGURE 2. The coupling to the mandrel 24 for fast forward drive is from the intermediate pulley 13 through the shaft 46, collar 48, clutch C3, sleeve 64a, gears 64-63, clutch C5, sleeve 20 and clutchC2 t the shaft 17. This coupling path is partially indicated by the arrow FF in FIGURE 2. During both of these fast in-track movements the coupling from the shaft 17 to the feed screw 27 remains the same. In the detailed description of these in-track drive movements which herein next follows, reference should be had also to the chart of FIGURE 5.

Normal forward in-track drive During this normal drive operation, the drive motor DM rotates the drive pulley 11 in a forward direction (clockwise as viewed from the left end of the motor in FIGURE 1) at a speed of 30 r.p.rn. through a speed-reduction non-reversing coupling which proceeding from the motor comprises a belt 12, step pulley 13, belt 14, step pulley 15 and belt 16. The pulley 11 is free to journal on the shaft 17, and the shaft 17 is in turn journaled in bearings in

side frame members

18 and 19. Traversing the bearing of the shaft 17 in the frame 18 is a sleeve 20 coupled during forward drive of the motor DM by the one-way spring clutch C1 to the pulley 11. The other end of the sleeve 20 is now coupled by the one-way spring clutch C2 to a collar 23 pinned to the shaft 17. The oneway spring clutch C2 is of the type held normally engaged by a pressure roller 61 journaled on a rocker 57 itself spring biased by a tension spring 62 as shown in FIGURE 4. Thus, the shaft 17 is driven in a forward direction in unison with the pulley 11. At its far end the shaft 17 is directly coupled to the mandrel 24. The belt record R is trained around this mandrel and a second mandrel 25 as shown in FIGURE 1. Three precise revolutions of the drive mandrel 24 are required to provide one complete revolution of the belt record. Thu-s the belt record is driven in a forward direction at a speed of 10 rpm.

During recording and reproducing the drive motor also rotates the feed screw 27 at a speed of 2 r.p.m. to provide five track convolutions on the belt record for each revolution of the feed screw. The drive coupling to the feed screw is taken from a pinion gear 28 pinned to the shaft 17. This pinion gear is coupled through a step gear 29 to a spur gear 30 journaled on the shaft 31. I The spur gear 30 has a crown gear 32 connected thereto, which forms part of a planetary gear mechanism 33 (FIGURES 1 and 6a). The planetary gear mechanism comprises a sec-0nd crown gear 34 secured to the shaft 31. Intercoupling the two crown gears are two planetary gears 35 journaled on a yoke 36, which is secured to a sleeve 37 rotatable on the shaft 31. The sleeve 37 is coupled by a gear train 38 (FIGURE 1) to a shaft 39 journaled also in the frame 18. The shaft 39 is in turn coupled by a pulley 40 and belt 41 to the drive pulley 42 of the scan motor SM. During recording the scan motor is at standstill to hold the yoke 36 stationary. The step-down gearing 28-30 has a ratio of 15 to 1 to drive the \gear 30 at 2 r.p.m. Since the planetary gear mechanism is now constrained against planetary movement, the two crown gears 32 and 34 are driven at the same speed but in opposite directions to cause the feed screw 27 to be driven also at 2 rpm. but in a direction reversed from that of the gear 30.

A head carriage 44 is mounted slidably on a cross rod 45 for movement along the

mandrels

24 and 25. The carriage has a feed nut (not shown) in mesh with the feed screw 27. As the belt record is driven in a forward direction, the carriage is advanced proportionately from left to right as it appears in FIGURE 1. Mounted on the carriage is a record-reproduce head 46 typically of a magnetic type, having pole pieces engaging a magnetic coating on one side of the belt record R to define a helical track thereon. The pitch of the threads of the feed screw are typically .100" to give a track pit-ch on the belt record of .020".

Fast backward in-track drive (backspace) The belt record and feed screw can be driven at an accelerated rate to drive the head carriage 44 backward at a fast speed with the head moving in-track. During this backspacing the drive motor is reversed. Because of the reverse movement of the drive motor the one-way clutch C1 is disengaged to remove the drive connection from the pulley 11 to the sleeve 20'. However, the shaft 46 journaled in the side standards 47 and 47' and to which the intermediate step pulley 13 is pinned has the collar 48 secured to its outer end portion coupled to the adjacent pinion gear 49 on the same shaft by the one-way spring clutch C3 now held engaged because of the reverse drive of the motor DM. The pinion gear 49 meshes with one section of the intermediate double gear 56-51 journaled on a stud 52 carried by the standard 19. The other setcion of the double gear 5051 meshes with a gear 53 journaled on the shaft 17 to turn this gear in a reverse direction relative to the forward direction of the shaft 17. The gear 53 has a hub extension adjacent to the collar 55 pinned to the shaft 17. Between the hub extension and collar 55 there is the one-way spring clutch C4. When a backspacing solenoid 58 is energized it moves forwardly a link 58a (FIGURE 1) to turn the rocker 57 against the force of the tension spring 62 in a counterclockwise direction (FIGURE 4) firstly to withdraw the presure roller 61 from the clutch C2 and secondly to press a roller 56 on a second arm of the rocker 57 against the spring clutch C4 to couple the gear 53 to the shaft 17. The belt record R is therefore now driven in a reverse direction. The coupling from the shaft 17 via the gears 2830 and the differential gear mechanism 33 to the feed screw 27 is retained to cause the head carriage 44 to be also driven in a backward direction in accordance with the fast backward rotation of the belt record. Thus, the record reproduce head 46 now defines a backward in-track movement at a fast speed.

Securedto an end portion of the stud 52 is a collar 59. Between this collar and the gear 50 there is a one- Way spring clutch C6. During the fast backward movement just described the gear 50 is turned in a direction causing the spring clutch C6 to be disengaged. However, during normal forward advance of the drive system hereinbefore described the spring clutch C6 acts as a one-way brake to secure the intermediate gear 50 to the stationary collar 59 and to prevent then any possible rotation of the gear 53.

Fast forward ill-track drive During fast forward in-track drive of the record medium and head carriage, the drive motor DM is again operated in a reverse direction causing the clutch C1 to be again disengaged and the clutch C3 to be engaged; however, the backspace solenoid 58 is now dropped out to engage the clutch C2, to couple the sleeve 20 to the shaft 17, and to disengage the clutch C4. Although the gear 49 again drives the gear 50-51 which in turn drives the gear 53, this is without effect because the clutch C4 is disengaged. Journaled on the sleeve 20 is a gear 63 which is in direct mesh with a pinion gear 64 connected by a sleeve 64a to the gear 49. There being no intermediate gear between the gear 64 on the shaft 46 and the gear 63 on the shaft 17, as there is between the gear 49 on the shaft 46 and the gear 53 on the shaft 17, the gear 63 is driven in a direction reverse to that of the gear 53. Between the gear 63 and the sleeve 20 is a one-way spring clutch C5 which is engaged when the gear 63 is driven clockwise. Since the clutch C2 is now engaged, as just explained, the shaft 17 is now driven in a forward direction at an increased speed direct from the shaft 45 via the clutch C3, gear 64-, gear 63, clutch C5, sleeve 20, clutch C2 and collar 23. Again there is maintained the same coupling between the shaft 17 and the feed screw 27 to cause the head carriage to be advanced at a fast speed in proportion to the increased speeed of the belt record with the head again moving in-track.

Back and forward scan In describing the back and forward scan movements of the drive system reference should again be had to the chart of FIGURE 5. These scan movements are produced by driving the head carriage at an accelerated speed while the drive motor DM and the belt record are at standstill causing thus the magnetic head 46 to be moved cross-track. When the scan motor is driven in a forward directiona direction counterclockwise as viewed from the pulley 42it drives the pulley 40 via the belt 41 in the same direction, which in turn drives the sleeve 37 likewise in a counterclockwise direction through the gear train 38. Since the drive motor DM is now at standstill, the crown gear 32 is held stationary. Rotation of the sleeve 37 planetates the gears 35 to drive the feed screw in the same direction. Thus, the feed screw is driven in a direction to advance the head carriage. The speed ratio from the pulley 40 to the sleeve 37 is 2 /2:1 step-down and from the sleeve 37 through the differential gear mechanism 33 to the feed screw 27 is 2:1 step-down giving a total step-down ratio of 5:1 from the pulley 41 to the feed screw. A /5 turn of the feed screw advances the head carriage by exactly one track pitch distance. It follows therefore that each turn of the pulley 41? produces a movement of the head 4-6 from one track to the next. This is important in stopping the head in-track, or in centralizing the head as it is otherwise herein described, after each scan movement, as will appear.

The coupling from the scan motor SM to the pulley 40 is about 3:1 step-down giving a total step-down from the scan motor to the feed screw 27 of about 15:1. The scan motor turns at 3000 rpm. to drive the feed screw during scanning at about 200 r.p.m. Since each revolution of the feed screw produces .100" advance of the head carriage, the latter is driven during cross-track scanning at a speed of about /3 per second.

In the first embodiment of the drive system abovedescribe-d, the use of a low inertia DC. motor DM having :a quick-start capability in either direction permits the selection between normal forward drive and fast drive in either direction to be made automatically through over-running clutches according to the direction of drive of the motor. The term over-running as here employed is used to mean a clutch which is automatically operative in one direction of the power source and inoperative in the other direction. The over-running clutches which are operative automatically when the motor is reversed are the clutches C3, C5 and C6. When the motor is running in the reversed direction the selec tion between fast forward and backspace is made according to whether the clutch C2 or C4 is engaged.

In the second embodiment of drive system herein next described there is used an A.C. motor 166. Since such a motor does not have the capability of starting quickly in either direction, the over-running clutches C3 and C6 of the first embodiment are replaced by the solenoida-ctuated band clutches CM and C641, and the selection between normal forward drive and a fast drive in either direction is determined by whether another solenoidcontrolled band clutch C7 or the clutch C311 is engaged. Preferably, the clutch C7 is of the single-revolution type wherein the clutch spring grips the hubs tightly the instant an interposer is removed from an arresting tang of the clutch spring, as is later described.

The A.C. drive motor 166 has a drive pulley 167 coupled by a belt 168 to a pulley 169 to rotate the pulley in a clockwise direction as seen from the left end thereof as it appears in FIGURE 6a. The pulley 169 is pressfitted'onto a hub 170 journaled on a shaft 171 (FIG- URE 6b). The shaft 171 is journaled near its left end in a flanged bearing 172 supported in a frame plate 173 and at its right end in a bearing 174 supported in a frame plate 175. The drive shaft 17 and the pulleys and gears mounted thereon are the same as in the first embodiment above-described. However, the different selective drive transmission from the motor to the shaft 17 is required for the reasons above-mentioned.

During normal forward drive the pulley 169 is coupled through the clutch C7 and shaft 171 to an end pulley 176. As will appear, the end pulley 176 and the intermediate pulley 169 correspond when in a coupled rela tionship to the stepped pulley 13 of the first embodiment in that the end pulley 176 is coupled by the belt 14, intermediate step pulley 15 and belt 16 to the drive pulley 11 on the shaft 17 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The clutch C7 comprises a coil spring 177 having one end secured to a collar 178 held by a set screw 179 to the shaft 171, and having the other end portion enveloping a sleeve extension 170a of the hub 170 and terminating in a radial tang 177a. The tang is controlled by an anmature 178a of a slow-forward solenoid 178b (FIGURE 7). When the solenoid is not energized the armature blocks the tang and causes the frictional contact of the sleeve extension 1700 with the spring 177 to expand the spring and uncouple the pulley 169 from the shaft 171. However, the instant the solenoid 17% is energized to remove its armature or interposer from the tang 177a the spring 177 is freed to grip the hub 1711a in response to its natural resilience and the drive resistance of the shaft 171 whereby to connect the pulley 169 instantly to the shaft 171. The pulley 11 is then driven from the pulley 176 through the train 14-16 as above-motioned. In the normal forward drive the over-runnirng clutch C1 is engaged automatically and the backspace solenoid 58 is not energized to cause the clutch C2 to be engaged whereby to complete the drive coupling to the shaft 17. The drive roller 24 for the belt record R is then rotated in a slow forward direction and concurrently the feed screw 27 is driven from the shaft 17 through the gear train 28-30, the differential gear mechanism 33, shaft 31 and reversing gears 18% and 189 to feed the head carriage 44 across the record R.

In order to obtain either a fast forward or backspace drive the slow forward solenoid 178 is deenergized to disengage the clutch C7 and the clutch C3a is engaged to couple the pulley 169 to a pinion 179. The hub 170 of the pulley 169 has a rightward sleeve extension on the shaft 171 provided with a reduced-diameter end portion 17% onto which is journaled a leftward sleeve extension 179a of the pinion 179. Similarly, the pinion 179 has a rightward sleeve extension provided with a reduced diameter end portion 17% which is journaled internally on a sleeve extension 174a of the bearing 174 but out of contact with the shaft 171. Surrounding the hub 170 and the sleeve extension 179a of the pinion 179 is a wire spring band 180 of the clutch C311 and surrounding the hub of the pinion 179 and the sleeve 174a of the bearing 174 is another wire spring band 181 of the clutch 06a. The wire spring bands 180 and 181 are secured respec tively to the pulley 169 and pinion 179 and are controlled at their outer end portions by

respective pressure members

182 and 183. The two pressure members are intercoupled and controlled by an in-track solenoid 184 (FIG- URE 7). When the in-track solenoid 184 is not energized the pressure member 183 bears against the wire band 181 to engage the clutch 06a whereby to grip the bearing sleeve 174a to the pinion 179 and hold'the pinion at standstill. This is a condition which exists when the clutch C7 is engaged for normal forward drive. On the other hand, when the in-track solenoid 184 is energized, the pressure member 183 is disengaged to free the pinion 179 from the bearing 174, and the pressure member 182 is engaged to cause the band spring 180 to grip the sleeve extension 179a and couple the pinion 179 to the pulley 169. It is to reduce cyclic friction due to the radial reaction forces which arise when the clutch bands cross in a coupled relationship from one hub to the other that the pinion 179 is separately journaled on the hub of the pulley 169 and the bearing 174 in and out-of-contact relationship with the internal shaft 171. The in-track solenoid 184 is energized for both fast forward and backspace operations while the A.-C. motor 166 continues to run in a forward direction, as is herein next described.

Meshing with the pinion 179 is a gear 185 secured to a shaft 186. Meshing also with the pinion 179 is the gear 53 on the shaft 17. The

gears

185 and 53 are therefore driven in reverse, counterclockwise directions when the in-track solenoid 184 is energized. The shaft 186 is journaled at its ends in the

frame plates

173 and 175. Secured also to this shaft is a gear 187 that meshes with the gear 63 journaled on the sleeve 20. The gear 63 is therefore driven in a forward, clockwise direction. The clutch C between the hub of the gear 63 and the sleeve 20 is an over-running type which is engaged automatically during the fast forward drive of the gear. When the backspace solenoid 58 is not energized the clutch C2 is engaged by the pressure roller 61 under influence of the :bias spring 62 to complete the drive coupling for fast forward in-track drive through sleeve 20, collar 23 and shaft 17. On the other hand, when the backspace solenoid 58 is energized, the clutch C2 is disengaged to uncouple the gear 63 from the shaft 17, and the clutch C4 is engaged by the pressure roller 56 to couple the reversely driven gear 53 through the. collar 55 to the shaft 17 whereby to effect a backspace or fast rearward in-track drive. The chart in FIGURE 8 shows the different clutch conditions to obtain the different modes of drive operation in the second embodiment of drive system according to my invention.

During normal forward drive as well as during fastforward drive and backspace, the scan motor SM is at standstill and the scan pulley 40 is held latched by a single-tooth latch 66-68 as is described in the parent application. When a manual scan switch for the motor SM is released to off position, power to the motor is maintained until the latch 66-68 is engaged, causing the scan pulley 40 to be stopped always in the same position. Since each scan operation is started as the latch 66-68 is disengaged and is stopped as this latch is reengaged, and each revolution of the pulley 40 corresponds to a single track pitch distance on the record medium, it follows that the head 46 is always stopped in an in-track position at the end of each scan operation.

An advance marker 74 described in detail in the parent application is driven from the shaft 31 through the set of reversing gears 188 and 189 and thence via a pulley 190, belt 191, pulley 192, shaft 193, gear 194 and the gear 82 on the shaft 83 of the marker. The gear 82 is staked to a sleeve '84 on the shaft 83. The sleeve 84 has a collar 85 at its far end forming the body of a oneway clutch MC for coupling the sleeve to a surrounding cylinder 87 of the marker. The cylinder 87 is provided with a central hub 88 journaled on the shaft 83. The collar 85 is provided with a peripheral flat 86. Between this flat and the cylinder 87 is a loosely mounted roller 89 held wedged between one end of the flat and the cylinder by a torsion spring 90. The torsion spring is disposed in a peripheral slot 85a in the clutch collar 85 in such manner that one end is connected to the collar and the other end bears slidably against the roller 89 within a peripheral slot therein. Under influence of the torsion spring the clutch MC is held normally engaged to drive the cylinder 87 in a clockwise direction as seen from the right end of the marker in FIGURE 6a.

Pivotally and slidably mounted on the sleeve 84 is a trip member 91 coacting with cone-shaped cam studs 93 mounted on the clutch collar to cause the trip member to be turned slightly in relation to the collar when it is pressed theretowards. On the trip member is a pin 95 which disengages the clutch collar 89 from its wedging relationship with the cylinder 87 as the trip member is so turned relative to the collar. Upon the clutch being so disengaged when the marker is in an operated position, the cylinder 87 is propelled counterclockwise to home position by a clock spring 96 within the left end portion of the cylinder 87. This clock spring has its outer end connected to the cylinder 87 (and its inner end connected to the shaft 83.

Projecting out at the left end of the cylinder 87 from the hub 88 in parallel relation to the shaft 83 is an arm 98. This arm extends slidably through a slotted portion of a measuring member 100 which is threaded on the left hand portion of the shaft 83. The clock spring 96 normally holds the measuring member in home position defined by abutment of an arm 102 of the measuring member against an arm 103 of an advance clutch switch 104. In response to the force of the clock spring the advance clutch switch 104 is normally held in an operated position. In this home position of the measuring member the same is nearest the cylinder 87. The advance clutch switch has a first set of contacts 104a which are held normally closed (FIGURE 9) and a second set of contacts 10411 (referred to as the early advance clutch switch) which are held normally open by the arm 102 under influence of the clock spring 96. The first contacts 104a are opened the instant the head carriage is backspaced from a position of farthest advance. When the carriage has been backspaced through the distance of about one track pitch on the record the second contacts 1041) are closed. As the advance clutch is returned from a backspaced position this order of operation of the two sets of contacts is reversed.

The stationary one of the two contacts 104a is backed by :a relatively stiff stop arm 104s. Some resilience in this stop arm is needed so that it will yield to the impact force of the arm 102 and reduce strain on the marker mechanism when the arm reaches the end of run down following release of the marker clutch MC while the marker is in an actuated position. Although the stop arm 104s yields only slightly to the static force of the clock spring 96 when the arm is resting in home position, such slight deflection as occurs will represent typically about .001 of backspace movement of the carriage. This slight static deflection of the stop arm causes the switch 104a to shift the machine back to recording slightly before the prior position of farthest advance is reached with the result that a slight clipping of 1a syllable of the last prior recording can occur. Also, backlash in the coupling mechanism from the shaft 31 to the shaft 83 may increase the extent of this clipping action.

A feature of the invention is to provide a selective drag force on the shaft 83 which is operative only when the carriage is being returned from a backspaced position to its prior position of farthest advance. The purpose of this drag force is to compensate for the spring-back of the stop 104s and for backalsh in the coupling mechanism. This drag is adjusted so that when the carriage is backspaced and then returned to its prior position of advance the machine will not be shifted back into recording condition until the carriage has passed the prior position of farthest advance by about one-quarter second time interval. This selective drag is obtained by the binding action of a flexible cord wrapped once around a pulley 196 secured to one side of the gear 82. The cord is secured at one end through a tension spring 197 to the eye of an adjustable screw 198, secured to a bracket 199 by a pair of nuts 200 of which one is locked tight against the other. The other end of the cord is led around a small guide roller 201 and attached to a lever 202 itself pivotally connected at 203 to the armature 204a of a clutch drag solenoid 204. The control of the clutch drag solenoid 204 will be apparent from the description of the operation of the machine with respect to the schematic drawing of FIGURE 7, which herein next follows.

The machine is connected to a 115 volt, 60 cycle, power source indicated by the reference number 205. From this power source connection is made through an on-off switch 206 to the A.C. drive motor 166. The coils of this motor are herein utilized as a power transformer through which connection is made to a rectifier 207 and thence through a regulator 208 to a pair of plus and minus terminals designated 209. When the machine is to be used for recording dictation, a dictate-transscribe switch DT is thrown to its dictate position wherein its two pole members 1 and 2 are in their upper positions as shown. This completes a power circuit from the minus terminal through switch 119 upper contact, playback end switch PE, pole 2 and upper contact of scan relay 73, pole 1 and upper contact of dictate-transcribe switch DT, advance clutch switch 104a, and coil of RR relay 111 back to the plus terminal 209. The RR relay 111 is thus held operatezd causing its pole members 1 and 2 to he retained in their downmost positions. To start the machine the operator closes the switch 106 with its upper contact. This establishes a circuit from the minus terminal 209 through the record end switch RE, pole 1 and upper contact of the scan relay 73, pole 2 and lower contact of the RR relay 111, switch 184a of the in-track solenoid 184, slow forward solenoid 17812 and back to plus terminal 209. The resultant energization of the slow forward solenoid 178b engages the clutch C7 and starts the machine running in the forward direction at normal speed. The dictator can now speak into the microphone (not shown) to activate the head 46 and record on the record R in the normal way.

If the dictator or a secretary should want to backspace in-track for any distance to use the machine only for playback they would first throw the dictate transcribe switch DT to the lower transcribe position to drop back the RR relay 111 to playback position. Upon next pressing the backspace switch 158 into closed position a circuit is completed from the minus terminal 209 through the switch 158 and the backspace solenoid 58 to plus terminal. Operation of the backspace solenoid 58 engages the clutch C4. At the same time, another circuit is completed from the minus terminal 209 through the backspace switch 158, diode D, and in-track solenoid 184 to plus terminal 209. Operation of the in-track solenoid 184 engages the clutch CM and disengages the brake clutch GM to complete the drive connection from the motor 166 for a fast drive intrack operation in the reverse direction. Also, operation of the in-track solenoid 184 opens the switch 184a to disable the slow forward solenoid 178 to prevent accidental engagement of the clutch C7 during the backspace operation. During such secretarial backspace the pole 2 of the dictate-transcribe switch DT is closed with its lower contact to short out the early advance clutch switch 10%.

At the end of the backspace operation the opeartor releases the backspace switch 158 and closes the start switch 106 to cause the machine to run forward at the normal sped as above-described. The RR relay 111 is maintained in playback position because of the dictate transcribe switch DT being in transcribe position with the result that the machine will now play back the recorded dictation.

If the dictator wants to listen back to some prior portion of his recorded dictation and then resume his further recording of dictation, he will leave the dictate transcribe switch DT in dictate position and press the backscan switch 117 to closed position. A circuit is then completed from the minus terminal 209 through the backscan switch 117, backscan limit switch BS, diode D2, and coil of scan relay 73 to plus terminal 209. Also, a circuit is completed from the minus terminal 209 through the backscan switch 117, the backscan limit switch BS, diode D3, and reverse relay 112 to plus terminal 209. This completes a con nection from the minus terminal 209 through run switch 119, playback end switch PE, pole 2 lower contact of scan relay 73, and pole 1 lower contact of reverse relay 112 to bottom contact of the scan motor SM. Since the reverse relay 112 is now operated the upper contact of the scan motor SM is connected through pole 2 lower contact of the relay 112 direct to the plus terminal 209. The scan motor is therefore driven in a reverse direction to move the head carriage rearwardly in a cross-track relationship to the stationary record R. In the initial backscan movement the advance clutch switch 104a is opened and upon a rearward movement of the head carriage through a one track pitch interval on the record the early advance clutch switch 104!) is closed. The opening of the switch 104a drops the RR relay 111 to return the machine to playback condition. The closing of the early advance clutch switch 10412 has no immediate effect.

Upon release of the backscan switch 117 the scan relay 73 is dropped to return the drive system to normal forward drive and the advance clutch switch 104a remains open leaving the machine still in playback condition to play back the recorded dictation. The circuit for the drive system now runs from minus terminal 209 through run switch 119, playback end switch PE, pole 2 upper contact of scan relay 73, pole 1 upper contact of RR relay 111, diode D5, switch 184a of in-track solenoid 184, coil of slow forward solenoid 178 and back to plus terminal 209. The machine will thus continue in normal playback of the recorded dictation either until the prior position of farthest advance is reached or until the dictator presses the start switch 106 to place the machine into a forward scan condition.

When the machine is playing back the prior dictation recorded on the record R the drag solenoid 204 is energized from minus terminal 209 through run switch 119, playback end switch PE, pole 2 upper contact of scan relay 73, pole 1 upper contact of RR relay 111 and coil of drag solenoid 204 to plus terminal 209. A drag is therefore now being applied to the advance clutch gear 82 to retard it slightly as before-described.

If the dictator presses the start switch 106 while the head carriage is in a backspaced position a circuit is completed from the minus terminal 209 through start switch 106, record end switch RE, early advance clutch switch 104b, and scan relay 73 to plus terminal 209. As a result of operating the scan relay 73, a circuit is completed from the minus terminal 209 through the run switch 119, playback end switch PE, pole 2 lower contact of scan relay 73, and pole 2 upper contact of reverse relay 112 to upper contact of scan motor SM. At the same time the lower side of the scan motor is connected through pole 1 upper contact of the reverse relay 112 to the plus terminal 209. The scan motor therefore runs in its normal forward direction. During this time the record R is at standstill and the machine remains in playback condition because the advance clutch switch 104a is still open. Also the drag solenoid 204 continues to be energized during this forward scan by a connection from the upper terminal of the scan motor SM through diode D6 to the drag solenoid.

When the carriage is returned from its background position to within one track pitch distance from its prior position of farthest advance the early advance clutch switch 10 1b is opened. This drops the scan relay 73 and returns the machine to fast forward in-track drive by the circuit running from minus terminal 209 through st-art switch 106, record end switch RE, pole 1 upper contact of scan relay 73, pole 2 upper contact of RR relay 111, and in-track solenoid 184 to plus terminal 209. The energization of the in-track solenoid 184 opens switch 184a to prevent slow forward relay 178 from being operated and it engages the clutch C3a to complete the fast forward in-track drive. Also, the drag solenoid 204 continues to be operated during this fast forward in-track drive by a circuit running from minus terminal 209 via run switch 119, playback end switch PE, pole 2 upper contact of scan relay 73, pole 1 upper contact of RR relay 111 and drag solenoid 204 to plus terminal 209.

When the head carriage reaches its prior position of farthest advance the advance clutch switch 104a is closed. This completes a circuit from the minus terminal 209 through the run switch 119, playback end switch PE, pole 2 upper contact of scan relay 7 3, pole 1 upper contact of dictate transcribe switch DT, advance clutch switch 104a, RR relay 111, and back to plus terminal 209. This operates the RR relay to put the machine back into record condition. The operation of the RR relay opens the circuit to the in-track solenoid 184 at its pole 2 upper contact to stop the fast forward drive and activates the slow forward solenoid 178 at its pole 2 lower contact to put the drive back into normal forward drive. The machine is now ready to resume recording whenever the start switch 106 is closed.

If when the head carriage is in a backspaced position, the dictator wants to re-record all of the recorded dictation in advance of the head carriage he presses the run switch 119 downwardly momentarily to edit position and then presses the start switch 106 to continue his dictation. The efiect of so pressing the run switch to edi position is to activate an edit solenoid from plus terminal 209 via switch 119 second pole lower contact to minus terminal of rectifier 207. The operation of the edit solenoid disengages the advance clutch MC to cause it to run down to home position responsive to the clock spring 96. The resultant closing of the advance clutch switch 104a activates the RR relay 111 to record position and prepares the circuit through start switch 106 to activate the slow forward solenoid 178 via pole 1 upper contact of RR relay 111 and switch 184a so that the machine will operate in normal record condition when the start switch 106 is next closed.

The embodiments of my invention herein particularly shown and described are intended as being illustrative and not necessarily limitative of my invention since the same are subject to changes and modifications without departure from the scope of my invention which I endeavor to set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A drive mechanism for a phonographic machine adapted for recording and reproducing dictation comprising a rotatable record supporting device, a shaft coupled to said record supporting device and adapted to be driven selectively at normal and at above-normal speeds, a drive motor, a drive wheel journaled on said shaft, a sleeve journaled on said shaft, a first drive gear journaled on said sleeve, means for rotating said drive wheel by said motor in a forward direction at a normal speed, selectively operable means for causing said first gear to be driven by said motor in a forward direction at above-normal speed, a first one-way clutch for coupling said drive wheel to said sleeve, a second one-way clutch for coupling said first gear to said sleeve, and a third one-way clutch for coupling said sleeve to said shaft whereby when said first and third clutches are engaged said shaft is driven forwardly at normal speed and when said second and third clutches .are engaged said shaft is driven in a forward direction at above-normal speed.

2. The drive mechanism set forth in claim 1 including a second drive gear journaled on said shaft, means controlled by said selectively operable means for driving said second gear in a reverse direction at above-normal speed concurrently as said first gear is driven, a fourth one-way clutch for coupling said second drive gear to said shaft, and a unitary clutch control means for said third and fourth clutches operable in one direction to disengage said fourth clutch and concurrently engage said third clutch and operable in a reverse direction to dis- 12 engage said third clutch and concurrently engage said fourth clutch whereby to drive said shaft in a reverse direction at above-normal speed upon said selectively operable means being in operated condition.

3. The drive mechanism set forth in claim 2 including a first drive clutch between said motor and said drive Wheel, a second drive clutch between said motor and said first and second drive gears, clutch control means selectively operable to engage said first drive clutch and disengage said second drive clutch whereby to rotate said shaft in a forward direction at normal speed, said unitary clutch control means being operable in a reverse direction to disengage said first drive clutch and engage said second drive clutch whereby to enable said shaft to be rotated selectively in either forward or reverse directions at above-normal speed under control of said first-mentioned unitary clutch control means.

4. The drive mechanism set forth in claim 3 wherein said first and second drive clutches are of a wire spring type, including solenoid means for controlling said drive clutches.

5. The drive mechanism set forth in claim 2 including a reversible drive motor operable in a forward direction to rotate said drive wheel forwardly at a normal speed, and a drive transmission including a fifth one-way clutch between said drive motor and said first and second drive gears operable when the motor is rotated in a reverse direction for rotating said gears respectively in forward and reverse directions at above-normal speed.

6. The drive mechanism set forth in claim 5 including a brake clutch operative automatically when said drive motor is rotated in a forward direction for holding said drive gears against rotation.

7. A drive mechanism for a phonographic machine adapted for recording and reproducing dictation comprising a rotatable record supporting device, a shaft coupled to said record supporting device and adapted to be driven in either direction selectively at normal and at above-normal speeds, a one-Way drive motor, a drive wheel journaled on said shaft, first and second drive gears journaled on said shaft, a first drive clutch for coupling said motor to said drive wheel, a second drive clutch for coupling said motor to said first and second drive gears to rotate the gears at above-normal speed respectively in forward and reverse directions, means for coupling said drive Wheel and said first and second gears selectively to said shaft, said first and second drive clutches being solenoid-controlled and being of a Wire spring band type, and said first drive clutch being further torsionally biased into an engaged condition and having a radial tang at one end of the coil spring and a respective solenoid for controlling said first drive clutch having an armature which when the solenoid is deenergized blocks said tank to cause the coil spring to be retained frictionally in an open condition by the rotating motor-driven shaft.

8. The drive mechanism set forth in claim 7 wherein the drive coupling between said motor and said drive gears comprises a pulley coupled to said motor, a drive pinion coupled to said pulley via said second drive clutch, said pinion being in direct mesh with said second drive gear, intermediate gearing coupling said pinion to said first drive gear, a brake clutch for said pinion, and an interco-upling between said second drive clutch and said brake clutch causing the brake clutch to be engaged when said second drive clutch is disengaged and causing the brake clutch to be disengaged when said second drive clutch is engaged.

9. The drive mechanism set forth in claim 8 wherein said drive pulley and said pinion are mounted for rotation on a common shaft, including a bearing for said shaft, said pinion being rotatably mounted at one end on a hub of said pulley and at the other end on said bearing in out-of-contact relationship with said shaft, and wherein said second drive clutch traverses the hub of said pulley and the hub of said pinion and wherein said brake 13 clutch traverses the hub of said pinion and a sleeve extension on said bearing.

10. A drive mechanism for a phonographic machine adapted for recording and reproducing dictation comprising a rotatable record supporting device, a shaft coupled to said record supporting device and adapted to be driven in either direction selectively at normal and above-normal speeds, a reversible drive motor, a drive wheel journaled on said shaft, a step-down transmission between said motor and drive wheel including an intermediate wheel driven at an intermediate speed, a sleeve journaled on said shaft, a first one-way clutch between said drive wheel and sleeve operative during forward driven movement of said motor, a second one-way clutch between said sleeve and said shaft, clutch control means for engaging said second clutch during forward drive of said motor to advance said record support at normal speed, a reversing drive transmission between said intermediate wheel and said sleeve for driving said shaft forward at above-normal speed when said drive motor is reversed and said second clutch is engaged, and a non-reversing drive transmission between said intermediate wheel and said shaft including a third one-way clutch controlled by said clutch control means causing the third clutch to be engaged when said second clutch is disengaged for driving said shaft in a reverse direction at abovenormal speed during reverse drive of said motor.

11. A drive mechanism for a phonographic machine adapted for recording and reproducing dictation comprising a rotatable record supporting device, a shaft coupled to said record supporting device and adapted to be driven in either direction selectively at normal and above-normal speeds, a reversible drive motor, a drive wheel journaled on said shaft, a step-down transmission between said motor and drive wheel including an intermediate wheel driven at an intermediate speed, a sleeve journaled on said shaft, a first one-way clutch between said drive wheel and sleeve operative only during forward driven movement of said motor, a second one-way clutch between said sleeve and said shaft, clutch control .means for engaging said second clutch during forward drive of said motor to advance said record support at normal speed, a reversing drive transmission between said intermediate wheel and said sleeve including third and fifth one-way clutches operative only during reverse drive of said motor for driving said shaft in a forward direction at an above-normal speed when said second clutch is engaged and said motor is reversed, and a non-reversing drive transmission between said intermediate wheel and said shaft including said third one-way clutch and a fourth one-way clutch controlled by said clutch control means to cause said fourth clutch to be engaged when said second one-way clutch is disengaged for reversely driving said shaft at above-normal speed during a reverse drive of said motor.

12. In a phonographic machine including a rotatable record-supporting device and a record cooperable translating device, one of said devices being mounted for advance and backspace traveling movement relative to the other: the combination of a device for measuring the backspace movement of said one device from a position of farthest advance including a control switch having a yieldably mounted back contact, a movable control member for said switch biased to normally hold said switch operated against said back contact and a transmission including an advance clutch engageable to couple said control member to said one device to cause the control switch to be moved to an unoperated position in the initial backspace movement of said one device and to be returned to operated poistion as said one device is returned after a backspacing thereof to its prior position of farthest advance, means for backspacing said one device and shifting the machine into playback condition, means under control of said measuring device for automatically shifting the machine into record condition when said one device after a backspacing thereof is returned to its prior position of farthest advance, and means operative only when said one device is being returned from a backspaced position to its prior position of farthest advance for placing a drag resistance on said movable control member whereby to delay the shifting of said machine back to recording condition until said one device is moved slightly past its prior position of farthest advance.

13. The phonographic machine set forth in claim 12 including a dictate-transcribe control device placeable in a dictate position to render said measuring device operative and in a transcribe position to render said measuring device inoperative, and means rendered operative when said dictate-transcribe control device is in dictate position and said machine is in playback condition for placing said drag resstance on the movable control member of said measuring device.

14. The phonographic machine set forth in claim 12 including means for advancing said one device from a backspaced position while said record supporting device is stopped against rotation, including means for causing said drag resistance to be placed on said movable control member of said measuring device while said one device is being so advanced.

15. The phonographic machine set forth in claim 12 including means operative while said one device is in a backspaced position for rotating said record supporting device in a forward direction at above-normal speed and concurrently advancing said one device at a corresponding speed to produce an in-track fast-forward advance of said translating device, including means to cause said drag resistance to be placed on said movable control member of said measuring device during said fast-forward in-track movement of the translating device.

16. A phonographic machine including a rotatable record supporting device and a translating device mounted for traveling movement, drive means for rotating said supporting device and concurrently moving the translating device to produce an in-track engagement of the translating device with a record medium on said supporting device, means for backspacing said translating device and shifting the machine from a record toreproduce condition to enable playback of portions of previously recorded dictation, a device for measuring the backspace movement of said translating device from a position of farthest advance, means controlled by said measuring device for shifting the machine automatically to record condition when the translating device is returned to its prior position of farthest advance, and means for placing a friction load on said measuring device during its return to a position of farthest advance whereby to retard the measuring device and cause the machine to be shifted to record condition when the translating device has been advanced slightly past its prior position of farthest advance.

17. In a phonographic machine including a rotatable record supporting device and a record cooperable translating device mounted for traveling movement relative to the supporting device: the combination of a drive mechanism for rotating said supporting device and concurrently advancing said translating device to produce an in-track movement of the translating device on a record medium carried by said supporting device, selective control means for said drive mechanism to produce a backspace movement of said translating device from a position of farthest advance whereby to enable portions of recorded dictation to be played back, a measuring device having a home position, intercoupling means between said translating device and said supporting device effective during a backspace movement of said translating device for measuring the backspaced movement of the translating device from a position of farthest advance, and selectively operable means for placing a friction load on said measnring device only during the return movement of the translating device to its prior position of farthest advance whereby to compensate for backlash in said intercoupling means and cause the translating device to be returned at 15 least to its prior position of farthest advance when the measuring device reaches home position.

18. The phonographic machine set forth in claim 17 including means for shifting said phonographic machine from record to reproduce condition when said translating device is backspaced from a position of farthest advance, means controlled by said measuring device and operative at the end of return movement of said translating device from a backspaced position for shifting the machine back to record condition, and means for render- 10 said translating device has been advanced slightly past its prior position of farthest advance.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,961,243 11/1960 Schueler 274 41 3,021,143 2/1962 Whitney 274 22 X 3,197,213 7/1965 Taylor 274-22 3,222,074 12/1965 Walker 274-11 NORTON A'NSHER, Primary Examiner.

C. B. PRICE, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A DRIVE MECHANISM FOR A PHONOGRAPHIC MACHINE ADAPTED FOR RECORDING AND REPRODUCING DICTATION COMPRISING A ROTATABLE RECORD SUPPORTING DEVICE A SHAFT COUPLED TO SAID RECORD SUPPORTING DEVICE AND ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN SELECTIVELY AT NORMAL AND AT ABOVE-NORMAL SPEEDS, A DRIVE MOTOR, A DRIVE WHEEL JOURNALED ON SAID SHAFT, A SLEEVE JOURNALED ON SAID SHAFT, A FIRST DRIVE GEAR JOURNALED ON SAID SLEEVE, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRIVE WHEEL BY SAID MOTOR IN A FORWARD DIRECTION AT A NORMAL SPEED, SELECTIVELY OPERABLE MEANS FOR CAUSING SAID FIRST GEAR TO BE DRIVEN BY SAID MOTOR IN A FORWARD DIRECTION AT ABOVE-NORMAL SPEED, A FIRST ONE-WAY CLUTCH FOR COUPLING SAID DRIVE WHEEL TO SAID SLEEVE, A SECOND ONE-WAY CLUTCH FOR COUPLING SAID FIRST GEAR TO SAID SLEEVE, AND A THIRD ONE-WAY CLUTCH FOR COUPLING SAID SLEEVE TO SAID SHAFT WHEREBY WHEN SAID FIRST AND THIRD CLUTCHES ARE ENGAGED SAID SHAFT IS DRIVEN FOR WARDLY AT NORMAL SPEED AND WHEN SAID SECOND AND THIRD CLUTCHES ARE ENGAGED SAID SHAFT IS DRIVEN IN A FORWARD DIRECTION AT ABOVE-NORMAL SPEED.