Abstract: Apparatus is provided for supporting and positioning a record/playback transducer with respect to a record medium in a record and/or playback device. The transducer is supported on a mounting plate which is guided for bi-directional sliding movement to position the transducer in engagement, disengagement and partial engagement with the record medium in response to motive power provided by a selectively energizable motor. Energizing power is supplied to the motor in response to the actuation of a respective function control switch, and the motor remains energized until the mounting plate moves the transducer into the appropriate position by which the selected function may be carried out. In one embodiment, the motor rotates a cam whose cam surface is in contact with a portion of the mounting plate. The position of the plate and, thus, the transducer, is sensed as a function of the angular position of the cam.

Abstract: A thumb-sized tape cassette having a rectangular housing with top, bottom, front, back and side walls. The front wall is provided with a center opening and side openings disposed on opposite sides of the center opening. A tape member, which runs between supply and take-up reels within the cassette, is guided in a run behind the front wall and is accessible through the front wall openings. A pressure-pad spring is supported on a post within the housing, this spring being formed as an integral continuous-surfaced leaf spring having only two bends therein to define a central section between the two bends and a leg extending from each of the respective bends. A pressure pad is secured to each leg; and the central section is supported on the support post. A pair of fulcrum posts is provided within the housing on either side of the support post to contact a surface of the leaf spring and provide a respective fulcrum for each leg.

Abstract: A thumb-sized tape casette having a rectangular housing with top, bottom and peripheral walls and supply and take-up reels within the housing. A tape member runs between the reels and extends to a tape run parallel to and behind the front peripheral wall. The front wall has a center opening and side openings positioned on either side of the center opening through which the tape run is accessed. Holes in the top and bottom walls are coaxially aligned and are positioned behind the center opening of the front wall. A pair of notches is disposed in the top and bottom walls of the housing on opposite sides of the side openings of the front wall and spaced remotely from the center opening, these notches extending rearwardly into the housing from the front wall in respective parallel planes that are substantially perpendicular to the tape run. Each notch is operative to receive the tape guide that normally is mounted with the transducer of a tape record/reproducing device.

Abstract: Display apparatus is provided for a recording and/or playback device of the type having a movable record medium upon which cue signals may be recorded to indicate an end of "letter", an "instruction" or the like. A linear array of light indicating elements is selectively energized to provide a cursor indication of the present position of the record medium as it is moved relative to a reference position. Selected ones of these elements also are energized in response to the recording or playback of a cue signal to indicate the relative locations of the cue signals on the record medium. In one embodiment, a numerical display also is provided to indicate a time-related quantity of record medium which has been transported during a recording or playback operation. If the record medium is, for example, a magnetic tape transported from a supply reel to a take-up reel, motion pulses are generated as the tape is transported.

Abstract: To record an indicating signal on a record medium, the actuation of a cue signal recording switch is detected, and then the count of a cue signal cycle counter is sensed to determine if it has reached a preselected count. This counter is incremented by one count until the preselected count has been reached, whereupon it is reset to an initial count, and a cue counter is incremented by one count. Then, the count of the cue counter is sensed to determine if it is less than a particular count and, if so, a cue signal is recorded. If the cue count is not less than the particular count, the recording of the cue signal is terminated, thus representing one type of indicating signal. Recording of the cue signal continues until the cue counter reaches its particular count, even if the cue signal recording switch is deactuated. The foregoing steps are repeated substantially periodically in accordance with the programmed instructions of a processor.

Abstract: A machine, such as a dictation/transcription machine, is provided with a processor that is programmed to cycle through a set of instructions for selecting and controlling predetermined operating conditions. The actuation of one of a number of selector switches is sensed, and it is determined whether the machine exhibits the operating condition associated with the actuated switch. If so, that condition is terminated; but if not, the machine is disposed in the associated condition. If the aforementioned switch is not actuated, the actuation of a second switch associated with the same condition is sensed. If that second switch is actuated, the machine is disposed in the associated condition; and when that second switch subsequently is deactuated, the associated condition is terminated. These steps are cyclically repeated.

Abstract: In a central dictation system of the type having a plurality of recorders, a plurality of dictate stations are adapted to seize individual ones of the recorders, and a plurality of transcribe stations assignable to transcribe the dictated messages, a display device displays information identifying predetermined parameters related to the messages being recorded, including the status of such messages, immediately following the seizure of respective recorders by corresponding dictate stations, whereupon messages are dictated onto such recorders. The display device displays information associated with respective messages in corresponding lines, the displayed lines being segregated into areas as a function of the particular status of the associated messages. Depending upon a change in the status of an associated message, the line of displayed information may be transferred from one segregated area to another.

Abstract: A dial pulse restorer for receiving and restoring telephone dial pulses which may be distorted, and also for discriminating telephone-hang-up pulses which may be applied to a telephone line when a remote telephone coupled to the telephone line hangs up. A particular use for such a dial pulse restorer is to control the functions of dictation apparatus operatively coupled to one end of the telephone line in response to the operation of the dial mechanism at the remote telephone. The dial pulse restorer comprises a transition pulse generator for generating transition pulses in response to telephone pulse transitions that are received over the telephone line, such telephone pulse transitions being received either in response to telephone dial pulses or to a telephone hang-up pulse. A window generator is responsive to a transition pulse to generate a window pulse of predetermined duration and substantially centered on the expected time of occurrence of the next following transition pulse.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for operating a dictation unit as a telephone-answering device. The dictation unit has a movable record medium upon which an announce message is recorded at a predetermined portion. Switching circuitry is selectively operable to condition the dictation unit to operate as a telephone-answering device, and a line coupler connects the dictation unit to a telephone line. An activate arrangement is operable when the dictation unit is conditioned to operate as a telephone-answering device to respond to an incoming ringing signal on the telephone line for activating the movable record medium to advance at a playback speed so as to transmit the announce message over the telephone line and, at the conclusion of the announce message, to advance to the next available recording portion thereon to record an incoming message.

Abstract: Apparatus for displaying the relative locations of particular information recorded on a movable record medium, such as a magnetic tape, the particular information being represented by a predetermined signal. Electronic pulses are generated corresponding to the movement of predetermined amounts of the record medium past a reference position. A bidirectional counter counts these pulses so as to derive a count representing the amount of medium which has been moved past the reference position, and also representative of the relative position of that record medium which then is juxtaposed the reference position. An indicating signal is produced in response to the predetermined signal; and a memory, having a plurality of storage locations corresponding to the counts of the counter, stores an indicating signal at a storage location which corresponds to the present count of the counter at the time that the indicating signal is produced.

Abstract: Telephone answering apparatus adapted to be coupled to a telephone line and having a first storage medium, such as a first magnetic tape, for storing announcement information and remote telephone number information, and a second storage medium, such as a second magnetic tape, upon which are recorded messages which are received via the telephone line. In response to an incoming telephone call, the first tape is driven so as to transmit the prerecorded announcement, and at the conclusion of this announcement the first tape is stopped and the second tape is driven so as to record an incoming message. A timing circuit is actuated for the duration of the incoming message so as to determine whether it exceeds a minimum duration. At the conclusion of the incoming message, a calling circuit is actuated to resume driving the first tape so that the remote telephone number information is transmitted, thereby dialing a remote telephone station.

Abstract: An electronic control system for controlling the sequential operations in a multiple cassette record and/or playback apparatus of the type having a supply of tape cassettes, a motor-driven conveyor for conveying individual cassettes from the supply to a record/playback station and thence to an output store, the record/playback station having a motor-driven deck for loading and unloading a cassette, and the output store having a motor-driven elevator for loading a recorded cassette into the output store. Monitors are provided for monitoring the operation of each of the motor-driven conveyor, deck and elevator to sense when a cassette has been conveyed to the record/playback station, when a cassette has been loaded onto the deck and when a cassette has been loaded into the output store. Logic circuitry is responsive to the monitors for energizing motor-drive circuitry in accordance with a predetermined sequential cycle of operation.

Abstract: A cassette changer apparatus for use in a multiple cassette record and/or playback system. An input supply of magnetic tape cassettes is spaced from an output store, with a record/playback station disposed intermediate the input supply and output store. A fresh cassette is conveyed from the input supply to the record/playback station, and thence to the output store whereat an elevator normally loads the cassette into the output store. A cassette eject mechanism comprised of a discharge chute is positioned beneath the elevator. The chute is adapted to receive a conveyed cassette but the elevator is normally conditioned to intercept such a cassette and prevent it from reaching the chute. Priority control circuitry selectively displaces the elevator before a conveyed cassette is intercepted thereby, whereby the cassette is received by the chute, slides therealong and is ejected.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for use in a recording system wherein messages are recorded on a recording medium of fixed length, to variably select the recording capacity of the medium. Signals, which are produced when messages are recorded, are counted to accumulate an indication of the amount of recording medium that has messages recorded thereon. In one embodiment, the signals that are counted are representative of incremental lengths of the recording medium so that the accumulated indication represents the total length of recorded messages. A comparator compares the accumulated indication a preselected capacity and, when the preselected capacity has been attained, a corresponding output signal is generated. This output signal may be used to produce a perceptible indication and, in a preferred embodiment, may be used to replace the recording medium with a fresh recording medium.

Abstract: A combined specific ion and reference electrode structure having an air gap, gas permeable membrane and in which the active, conducting solution has a surface tension and boiling point which are great enough that with equal ambient pressures on both sides of the membrane the active solution will neither leak nor evaporate rapidly through the membrane at the temperature range over which the electrode structure is operated, namely -40.degree. C to 60.degree. C. In the preferred embodiment, the active solution solvent as well as the reference solution solvent are selected from among the class consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethyleneglycol, hexylene glycol, propylene carbonate, dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl formamide.