Abstract: An endless tape transport apparatus is comprised of a tape transport unit having a tape feeding device for transporting an endless tape, a tape compartment unit in which the endless tape is housed, the endless tape being transported around the tape transport unit and the tape compartment unit in a loop fashion, and a tape attracting device disposed near the tape feeding device at its position in which the tape attracting device contacts the endless tape, wherein the tape attracting device is driven to attract the endless tape when the endless tape stops running.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor is disposed in an opposing relation to a magnetic scale in which a flat surface scale base made of a glass is plated by a magnetic material and a resultant plated layer is magnetized at a constant grating pitch. The magnetic sensor includes two magnetoresistance effect element groups disposed symmetrically with respect to a common central line. Since the surface of the magnetic scale is smooth, a clearance between the magnetic sensor and the magnetic scale can be kept substantially constant. When the magnetic sensor is moved in an opposing relation to the magnetic scale, a rise of temperature in the magnetoresistance effect elements is compensated for by the above symmetrical layout of the two magnetoresistance effect element groups.

Abstract: A duplicator system is provided which transfers information signals such as video signals recorded on a mother tape to a copy tape. This duplicator includes a counting system to manage the life of a mother tape. The counting system is operable to count the number of traveling cycles of the mother tape traveling through a preselected tape path and records data indicative thereof on a preselected section of the mother tape. Thus, an operator can easily read out the data indicative of the total number of traveling cycles from the mother tape to confirm the remainder of the working life thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for making a hologram scale is comprised of a reference diffraction grating on which a light becomes incident and from or by which the incident light is emitted or reflected as a diffracted light, and a recording material, wherein at least two diffracted lights of the diffracted light are caused to interfere with each other as an object wave and a reference wave so as to form a hologram scale on the recording material. Further, an apparatus for making an assembled hologram scale, a hologram scale, an assembled hologram scale and a moving member having a hologram scale are also provided.

Abstract: A hologram scale having a base substrate, a hologram film with a diffraction grating of a desired pitch exposed thereon, adhered to the base substrate, and with a protective substrate to protect the hologram film is manufactured by the following method: a hologram of a laser produced diffraction grating is formed on a holographic film to act as a scale. This film is applied on a central portion of a base substrate. Adhesives having moisture resistance are applied between the base and the protective substrates to essentially surround the hologram film positioned on the base substrate. The protective and the base substrates are sealed integrally by the adhesives, securing the hologram film therein so as to protect it from ambient environmental conditions.

Abstract: A length of tape is drawn off a reel, passed over the cutting/connecting section of a splicer, passed through a temporary storage vessel and looped back so as to pass over the cutting/connecting section again. Tape clamps hold the two layers of tape on the cutting/connecting section which are then cut. One of the tape clamps is withdrawn while an applicator applies a piece of adhesive tape in a manner which splices a continuous loop of tape. To remove a superfluous portion of the tape from the continuous loop, the loop is moved to a position wherein one end of the superfluous length is located over the cutting/connecting section. The tape is clamped and cut. One of the two tape clamps then lifts the now open end of the loop clear and the superfluous portion is spliced to the tape on a supply reel. The reel is rotated in manner which winds the superfluous length thereonto until the other end of the superfluous length is drawn to the cutting/connecting section.

Abstract: A cutting/connection device of a tape splicer includes a fixed base member and a vertically displaceable member. The end portions of tapes to be spliced are overlaid one on top of the other on the device. A cutter severes the tapes so that the movable member can be vertically displaced in a manner which brings the free ends of the two tapes to the same level. Under these conditions a strip of adhesive tape is applied to splice the tapes together.

Abstract: A circuit and method for forming a pulse train output in response to a carry/borrow signal from a calculation of an input pulse train are disclosed in which a plurality of sign-less adders/subtractors and a pulse train output generating circuit are installed. The input pulse train has an interval corresponding to a reference input quantity (0.3517 .mu.m) which is less than a predetermined physical quantity (e.g., 1 .mu.m). Each pulse of the output pulse train has an interval corresponding to the predetermined physical quantity. The adder/subtractors carry out an addition or subtraction of two input numerical values, each numerical value corresponding to the reference unit quantity according to a direction of the input pulse train, whenever one input pulse is received.

Abstract: A length of tape is drawn off a reel, passed over the cutting/connecting section of a splicer, passed through a temporary storage vessel and looped back so as to pass over the cutting/connecting section again. The free end is connected to a take up reel. Tape clamps bring the overlapping layers of tape down onto the cutting/connecting section and are then cut. One of the tape clamps is withdrawn while an applicator applies a piece of adheseive tape in a manner which splices a continuous loop of tape.

Abstract: A hologram scale is comprised of a hologram grating plate in which a hologram grating is formed, and a protecting substrate on which an origin and/or fixed point detecting scale of the hologram grating is formed, wherein the protecting substrate is bonded to the hologram grating plate so as to cover the hologram grating plate at its surface on which the hologram grating is formed. Also, a hologram scale is comprised of a hologram grating plate in which a hologram grating is formed, an origin and/or fixed point detecting scale substrate on which an origin and/or fixed point detecting scale of the hologram grating is formed, and a protecting substrate to which the hologram grating plate and the origin and/or fixed point detecting scale substrate are both bonded.

Abstract: Open spool reels (18) of magnetic tape (7) are recorded with a plurality of different programmes interspersed with recordings in a different form (typically as interruptions to the sync track), representing data information concerning the programme material and production history of the recording. The data (6) recorded on the tape (7) is read by a transducer (39) on a cassette loading machine (30) and used to control the operation of the loading machine, identifying the length of tape and the position on the tape where splices between the magnetic tape (7) and leader tape in cassette shells is to be made. The data (6) also controls a label printer (46) to produce a printed label, typically in bar code form, carrying information representing the programme material on the tape loaded into the cassette.

Abstract: An endless tape storage apparatus has a casing defining a chamber for storing the endless tape. The casing defines an inlet through which the tape is introduced and an outlet through which the tape is withdrawn. A movable section is associated with the inlet, storing the tape in folded form and transferring the tape toward the outlet. A stationary section is provided downstream of the movable section for decelerating the transfer speed of the tape and for adjusting accumulation of the transferred tape and feeding the tape toward the outlet in unfolded form.

Abstract: A scale arrangement is designed for monitoring relative displacement between first and second members. The scale arrangement comprises an elongated scale having end portions at both ends thereof, a pair of receptacles respectively receiving the end portions, a hollow member receiving the scale therein, the hollow member being formed into essentially quadrate cross section, a head slidingly mounted on the scale for axial movement therealong for reading scale to generate a read scale indicative signal, a head slider associated with the head for axial movement with the head, the end portions, the receptacles and the head sliders being positioned on respectively associated one of first and second members with respect to the end portions, position of the head slider being determined with respect to a reference plane set on the outer peripheral plane on the hollow member in relation to the end portion.

Abstract: An endless elongated strip storage apparatus includes a casing which defines a strip storage space. The casing has at least one peripheral wall which is oscillatable. Oscillation of the oscillatable wall contains a component in a tape feeding direction. The storage means includes means for exerting a force on the elongated strip including a component direction to the tape feeding direction for transferring the elongated strip, such as tape. The oscillatable wall is cooperative with the force exerting means to smoothly feed the tape from the inlet of the casing to the outlet of the casing.

Abstract: A magnetic linear scale unit comprises a magnetic scale and mounting blocks which are designed to be rigidly fixed to one of relatively displaceable mechanical components, about which magnitude or stroke of the relative thrusting displacement is to be measured. The magnetic scale has end sections to be mounted on the mounting blocks. The end sections have round peripheral portion mating with the mounting block. At least one of the end section also includes a structural component which allows pivotal movement of the magnetic scale relative to the mounting block for fine adjustment of the axis of the magnetic scale relative to the axis of relative movement of the mechanical components. A scale channel is free from the mounting block and simply serves as the magnetic shield. Therefore, the scale channel of the invention is substantially free from the accuracy requirement and production error of the scale channel and will never affect measurement of the displacement magnitude.

Abstract: A magnetic scaling device has a housing formed at least partly of non-magnetic material, such as aluminum or stainless steel. A magnetic scale is disposed on the housing, and a reading head is disposed within the housing and provides an output signal corresponding to relative linear displacement of the reading head and the magnetic scale. In addition, a reference magnetizing body can be disposed on the housing, and a reference magnetic detector can be disposed within the housing to provide a reference signal in response to linear displacement of the detector to a predetermined position corresponding to the position of the reference magnetizing body. At least one of the magnetic scale and the reference magnetizing body is disposed on the exterior of the housing on a non-magnetic portion thereof.