Abstract: An arrangement for varying the tape tension in a magnetic-tape apparatus includes a pivotably supported sensing lever (15) whose free end is pressed against the magnetic tape (14) under the influence of a spring (16) and, upon deflection from a neutral position (15'), is reset to its neutral position (15') by a control device (17, 18) through a variation of the tape tension. In order to enable the tape tension to be rapidly reduced for operation in the stand-by mode, an actuating mechanism (20) can be activated separately and includes a resilient actuating lever (22) which extends into the pivoting range of the sensing lever (15) upon activation of the actuating mechanism (20) and causes this sensing lever to be deflected in opposition to the force acting on the sensing lever (15).

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising a guide roller for guiding and diverting a magnetic tape. The guide roller includes a roller member, which is rotatably and pivotably mounted on a shaft, and a guide flange for the magnetic tape, which guide flange is disposed near the shaft bearing location, the lower edge of the magnetic tape being pressed against the guide flange. In order to reduce the force exerted on the lower edge of the magnetic tape a stationary roller member is interposed between the rotatable roller member and the guide flange, and the two roller members are movable relative to one another in the direction of the bisector of the wrapping angle of the magnetic tape.

Abstract: A device for moving and guiding a motion-picture film through the film gate of a telecine scanner is proposed, which serves for exactly positioning a film frame. It comprises a carriage which is rectilinearly reciprocated in a guide perpendicular to the optical path of the film gate, on which carriage each film frame is immobilised during the uniform forward movement. The drive means for the carriage comprises a motor-driven cam having a sawtooth-shape with sinusoidal transitions and two latching positions.

Abstract: In a magnetic tape transport device having supply and take-up reels and tape guide elements, as well as a scanner, there is engaged with the tape on each side of the scanner a tape tension roller on the free extremity of a tape tension lever which is subjected to torque at its pivot by a d.c. motor for maintaining the desired tension of the tape. An angular position indicator is connected to the pivot of the lever and a regulation loop is provided for controlling the tape tension in a manner consistent with the tape speed. A capstan drive of the tape is not necessary.

Abstract: A method of recording and/or playing back a data signal, in an apparatus in which a tape helically encircles a drum containing a headwheel, and the heads scan oblique tracks on the tape, features reduction of the tape velocity by a factor 1/n where n is a positive integer. Along with the tape velocity change, the static tracking angle between the tape and drum is correspondingly adjusted so that the heads will continue to scan along a standard track pattern or format. The data rate of data signals retrieved from the tape (e.g. high-date rate satellite transmissions) or of incoming data signals can be converted to a different data rate by intermediate steps of writing to a digital memory and reading back at a more desirable data rate.

Abstract: A scanning device for a magnetic tape recording and playback equipment of the oblique track type has a drive shaft (9) for a rotary head wheel (4) mounted in a duplex ball bearing (10) centered on the orbit plane of the magnetic heads which revolve on the circumference of the head wheel between the two halves of a tape-guiding drum. A support bearing (19) is affixed in the bottom of a housing (17) which houses the drive motor and is held in a downward extending socket at the bottom of the lower half of the drum. The housing can be tilt-shifted slightly for shifting the support bearing and then held, by three screws accessible from below, in the correct position for aligning the orbit of the magnetic heads in the gap between the two halves of the drum.

Abstract: For setting of the static track angle by the adjustment of the tape pitch with respect to the scanning midplane in an initializing playback operation of a magnetic tape recording and playback equipment the course of signal amplitude over a track exhibited by an envelope signal derived from recorded signals is first used to regulate a capstan servo system so as to place an envelope maximum at a track middle. Then the tape pitch is adjusted by means of the tape guide rollers adjacent to the rotary scanning device so as to bring the envelope signals at the track ends up to the value of the maximum previously placed at the track middle. No special magnetic head is needed for this adjustment method.

Abstract: To guide magnetic tape, particularly tape used in video tape recording, and especially for digital video signals for self-centering of the tape with respect to a datum (41) of a roller system, two coaxially journalled frusto-conical rollers are provided, which are independently rotatable with respect to a shaft (4) having a shaft axis (40) and, further, tiltable about tilt axes (13, 14) which extend at right angles to the shaft axis (40) and intersect the intersection point of the then existing axes of rotation (7, 8) of the respective rollers with the shaft. Upon drift or creep of the tape (1) from symmetrical positioning with respect to the rollers, return forces will be applied to the tape tending to return the tape to centered, symmetrical position, independently of the running direction of the tape.

Abstract: To place superposed tape reels (14, 15) located in a cassette (10, 11) in a tape receiver (2) of a tape transducer system, which includes means to pull out tape from the cassette for threading in the system (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,922), a lever and cam system (32, 33, 34; 16, 31, 40, 41) is provided in which a cam follower (31) is located on the housing (11) of the cassette to engage a cam track (40) in a transfer lever (32) secured to the receiver. The transfer lever (32) has a second cam track (41) which is spaced farther from the pivot point (35) of the lever, the second cam track engaging a pin (16) coupled to a slidable carrier plate (12) in the cassette, and supporting the reels (14, 15) therein. Upon insertion of the cassette in the receiver, the cam follower (31) engages the cam track (40) of the transfer lever which, by lever action multiplication, upon engagement with the pin 16, will pull the carrier plate (12) out of the cassette, thus removing the reels from the cassette housing (10, 11).

Abstract: A mechanism for receiving and handling magnetic tape for the purpose of information recording and retrieval, especially from magnetic tape stored in two-reel cassettes. The mechanism includes movable tape handling and tape guide elements which engage the tape in a threading process without the application of tangential stresses and place it in a predetermined path. The tape is handled by the drive capstan of the apparatus which, in the threading operation and the tape removal operation, is temporarily engaged by mechanical linkages that are powered by the rotation of an external carrying handle.

Abstract: To improve smoothness of tape transport in a spiral path over a guide cylinder, the guide rollers located immediately adjacent the guide cylinder, and journalled to rotate about an axis inclined with respect to the axis of the guide cylinder, can rotate about respective axes of rotation which are variable with respect to the axis of inclination defined by the bearing means journalling the guide rollers to permit self-balancing and self-adjustment of the spiral path of the tape about the cylinder during operation of the apparatus in dependence on the forces applied by the tape on the immediately adjacent rollers. Variation of the axis of rotation can be obtained by providing a central bearing for the roller about its axis of rotation, the bearing having a slight amount of play, and being offset with respect to the center of the tape passing around the roller to direct the edge of the tape against a guide surface and provide a fixed bias force on the bearing.

Abstract: To decrease forces acting on the edge of magnetic tape, typically wide tape (25.4 mm-1"), and thus prevent damage to the edge, the surface of deflection guide rollers is formed to be resilient and permitting axial deflection, but returning to the nominal radial position when not deflected or deformed by axial forces applied thereto by the magnetic tape. The surface may be formed by bristles extending radially, ring-shaped foam strips, ball bearing-supported rings in which the bearings have slight axial play, or resiliently deflectable sheet metal rings, the axial restoring forces of ball bearing-supported rings being provided by centrifugal forces tending to align the bearing in a plane exactly transversely to the axis of rotation. The forces then acting between the magnetic tape and diametrically projecting guide flanges are reduced since slight axial deflection, in the order of about 0.001 mm, in permitted.

Abstract: Flat items, such as envelopes, having some degree of inherent resiliency are prepared for dispensing by releasably fastening them to one side of a support tape along the length thereof, in a manner such that successive items are fastened at successive sections along the tape, by then folding the tape to place the items in a single stack, and by placing this stack in a storage shaft with one end of the tape protruding from the shaft, and the items are dispensed by pulling the successive sections of the tape out of the shaft, starting with such one end, deflecting each such successive section of the tape over a guide surface in a manner to deflect the tape away from the item fastened at the point within that section, and guiding the item in a manner to cause the deflection of the tape away from the item to result in release of the item from the tape.