Abstract: A friction tester is provided which can measure the friction provided by a surface at a slip speed independent to the speed of travel of the friction tester. The friction tester comprises a vehicle which can travel over a surface at a first speed, and a test element which is driven to a second speed, and a measuring device, wherein the second speed is independently controllable; test element is engaged with the surface; and the first and second speeds are different so that the test element slips over the surface with a slip speed.

Abstract: In a tape threading mechanism having a threading arm for moving a leader block from a tape cartridge to a take-up reel, the take-up reel is provided with a guide groove having an intrusion port in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the take-up reel so as to guide a leader block toward the take-up center of the take-up reel. One of side walls of the guide groove, against which the tip of the leader block abuts when the leader block intrudes into the guide groove, is formed in such a manner that the leader block can smoothly move into the take-up-center of the take-up reel.

Abstract: A tape drive (10) with a guide assembly (20) including a first roller (30) having a perimeter surface (56), a circumference (62), a longitudinal axis (50) and one or more of spaced apart, discontinuous grooves (32). The grooves (32) are disposed into the perimeter surface (56), with each groove (32) having a groove length (74) of less than the circumference (62) of the first roller (30), for venting air between a storage tape (26) and the first roller (30) in order to inhibit lateral tape motion and directional continuity shift. Further, the grooves (32) can be semi-randomly distributed over the perimeter surface (56), thereby decreasing the incidence of print through. Preferably, the grooves (32) of the first roller (30) are aligned substantially parallel to the circumference (62) of the first roller (30). With this design, the grooves (32) tend to inhibit the storage tape (26) from moving laterally, i.e. parallel to the longitudinal axis (50) of the first roller (30).

Abstract: A magnetic tape loading device for a tape recorder comprising a pole base assembly which moves along a deck chassis and takes a magnetic tape from a tape cassette during a loading of the magnetic tape, a guide rail which is mounted on the deck chassis to guide a movement of the pole base assembly during loading/unloading of the magnetic tape, and a movement prevention unit which prevents a movement of the pole base assembly during loading/unloading of the magnetic tape, and when the loading of the magnetic tape is completed.

Abstract: A helical scan transport apparatus for reading and writing data on to a magnetic recording tape which is wound on a supply reel rotatably mounted within a removable tape cartridge includes a chassis having a front end portion and rear end portion. An elevator assembly is mounted on the chassis at the front end. The elevator assembly is configured to receive the tape cartridge and to position the tape cartridge in a loaded position. A take-up reel assembly is coupled to the chassis at the rear end position. A helical deck is mounted on a central portion of the chassis between the elevator assembly and the take-up reel assembly. The helical deck includes a rotary read/write head, a substantially linear tape loading path between the elevator assembly and the take-up reel assembly, and a movable guide for the seizing the tape from the tape loading path and for at least partially wrapping the tape around the rotary head.

Abstract: A tape reel assembly (14). The tape reel assembly (14) includes three discrete components. The components include a top flange (40), bottom flange (50) and hub (60). Teeth (65) are operatively connected to the hub (65). The flanges (40, 50) are preferably made from metal.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cartridge has a cartridge casing, a single reel around which a magnetic tape is wound and which is contained in the cartridge casing for rotation and a leader pin fixed to the leading end portion of the magnetic tape. The leader pin is provided at its opposite ends with engagement portions which are brought into engagement with a tape drawing mechanism of a recording and reproducing system when the magnetic tape cartridge is loaded in the recording and reproducing system. The end face of each engagement portion is provided with a recess at which the tape drawing mechanism chucks the leader pin.

Abstract: A threading mechanism for a magnetic tape machine is contrived so as to obtain sufficient driving power when the threading arm is latched with a leader block at a position where the leader block is stopped in a cartridge or a machine reel, and is also contrived so as to avoid impact force based on a driving motor even when the threading arm stops suddenly at the stop position. The positions where the leader block is stopped in the cartridge and the machine reel are inside a track of the threading arm which swings around its pivoting point and the leader block is threaded therebetween. A driving arm for swinging the threading arm is motor-driven around a pivoting point of the driving arm itself. The driving arm causes the threading arm to work together between the positions where the leader block is stopped, and cancels the working with the threading arm in the direction of the trace over the disengaging positions, so as to be swung.

Abstract: A tape cartridge assembly contains a spool of magnetic tape with a leader block on one end. The leader block inserts into take-up reel and the tape is initially wound at a higher than normal tension to create a small band of tightly wound tape on the reel. The band eliminates the effect of any mechanical distortion created by the leader block. The remainder of the tape is wound on top of the tight band at normal tension to form an outer band of distortion-free magnetic tape.

Abstract: A windup reel is formed at a step reel which has a small diameter section and a large diameter section. The large diameter section is formed in such a direction as to press a lower edge of photographic film against a guide pin. When a leader section of transported photographic film is wound on the windup reel, the leader section tries to fit the surface of the large diameter section. For this reason, the force is applied to the photographic film so that the photographic film can move toward the large diameter section. The photographic film moves toward the guide pin, and the edge of the photographic film is pressed against the guide pin. Thereby, the photographic film is transported along the guide pin.

Abstract: A scanning device for a tape cassette having a coupling element at an end of the tape which can be pulled from the cassette in a pull-out direction by a pull-out element in the device. The coupling element couples to the pull-out element as a result of relative movement of the cassette with respect to the pull-out element in a direction transverse to a main wall of the cassette, so as to form an assembly having a circular segment cross-section which can engage in a corresponding recess of a take-up reel in the device. The pull-out element is held in a standby position by a holder which is pivotably connected to the device housing.

Abstract: A magnetic tape loading device for a tape recorder includes a loading motor installed in a main base of a deck. A worm wheel is installed in the main base to be coupled with a worm fixed to an output shaft of the loading motor. A cam gear member, a coupled to the worm wheel, and has at least one cam hole. A first lever is installed in the main base to be pivotable while a first end of the first lever is coupled to the cam hole. A main slide member is installed in the main base to be capable of linearly reciprocating by the pivotal movement of the first lever. A pair of pole base assemblies is installed in the main base to be movable and is interlocked with the main slide member.

Abstract: A simple and compact opening and shutting apparatus for a film cartridge which has a cylindrical body. The apparatus includes an opening section projecting over the body. The opening section has a film opening and a film cover which opens and shuts the film opening. The apparatus also includes a chamber which holds the cartridge and has a loading opening for loading the cartridge into the chamber. A cartridge cover opens and shuts the loading opening, and there is provided a lock for the film cover. A driver couples the cartridge cover, and a connector connects the lock with the driver so that the film cover is opened when the cartridge cover is shut. The connector is arranged in a concave area which is formed by the surface of the cylindrical body of the cartridge and the opening section projecting over the body.

Abstract: A photographic printing apparatus is provided in which a plurality of film cartridges X stored in a cartridge storage 1 are unloaded and transferred one by one to a film table 5 and after reading image data from a film of the cartridge with a scanner module 6 using light from a light source module 4, and printing it on a photosensitive material PC placed on an exposure bed 3c by exposure of light through a lens unit 4b, returned back to the cartridge storage 1.

Abstract: A deck mechanism for a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, wherein its fixed base plate and its slide base are slidably coupled to each other without defining a space therebetween. Elements of a tape traveling system are arranged on upper and lower surfaces of the fixed base plate and the upper surface of the slide base. The upper surface of the fixed base plate is mounted with the head drum, a loading motor, a supply slant post assembly, a take-up slant post assembly, a stabilizer, pinch roller arm-driving and pressing mechanisms, a head cleaning mechanism, a capstan shaft of a capstan, all being upwardly protruded from the upper surface of the fixed base plate. The upper surface of the slide base is mounted with a supply reel table, a take-up reel table, a tension adjusting mechanism, and a brake, all being upwardly protruded from the upper surface of the slide base.

Abstract: A film transport apparatus for selectively advancing a film out of, or rewinding a film onto, a spool shaft of a cartridge. The apparatus has:a) a rotatable member which engages the spool shaft;b) a first drive assembly for pulling on film remote from the cartridge to assist in advancing the film out of the cartridge;c) a transmission assembly to thrust film from the spool shaft and rewind it onto the spool shaft, comprising:a rewind gear positioned to rewind the rotatable member, and a thrust gear positioned to advance the rotatable member through a directional clutch such that when film is pulled from the spool shaft by the first drive assembly the thrust gear will disengage from the rotatable member; anda gear train which selectively engages the thrust or rewind gear; andd) a drive to drive the first drive assembly and the gear train.

Abstract: A tape threading apparatus (20) includes a tape guide arm (22) having a spring-biased elbow (32). The arm (22) is coupled for rotation with a rotatable shaft (24). The shaft is provided with a barrel cam (76, 92) for a third dimension of movement. A drive mechanism includes two gears (88, 90) that overlap to permit vertical slippage in the third dimension of movement. An arm guide cam slot (102) provides a directional orientation for movement of the arm (22) along a tape travel pathway (100).

Abstract: A film cartridge case which holds and carries therein a group of film cartridges for feeding sheets of undeveloped film loaded in their respective film cartridges to the development unit of an automatic photographic film development processor apparatus includes a plurality of cartridge pockets. Each pocket has a mispositioning preventing projection provided on one side of an inner wall thereof for engaging with a barcode readout window in the film cartridge upon the film cartridge being placed in the cartridge pocket in a correct orientation. The case includes holding members for detachably holding the film cartridges in their respective cartridge pockets. A conveyor element is arranged to be engaged by a conveying device. Film sheets can be loaded to and unloaded from respective film cartridges installed in the cartridge pockets.

Abstract: A simple and compact opening and closing apparatus for a film cartridge which has a cylindrical body. The apparatus includes an opening section projecting over the body. The opening section has a film opening and a film cover which opens and closes the film opening. The apparatus also includes a chamber which holds the cartridge and has a loading opening for loading the cartridge into the chamber. A cartridge cover opens and closes the loading opening, and there is provided a lock for the film cover. A driver couples the cartridge cover, and a connector connects the lock with the driver so that the film cover is opened when the cartridge cover is closed. The connector is arranged in a concave area which is formed by the surface of the cylindrical body of the cartridge and the opening section projecting over the body.

Abstract: A take-up chamber for receiving an elongated filmstrip having a predetermined width between the longitudinal edges thereof and an image area less than the width. The take-up chamber has a chamber housing for accommodating the filmstrip within the chamber. The housing has first and second side walls spaced apart to accommodate the width of the filmstrip, a lateral wall extending between the first and second side walls, and a slit extending through the lateral wall and between the first and second side walls through which the filmstrip may be introduced or withdrawn from the chamber. Two parallel laterally spaced generally circular guides extend the inside of said chamber from adjacent one side of the slit to the other side of the slit. Each guide has a substantially continuous inner surface, to contact only respective longitudinal edges of a filmstrip and cause the filmstrip to wind into a roll within the chamber as the filmstrip is advanced through the slit.

Abstract: A film carrier including a cartridge in a cartridge loading section, wherein a photographic film is wound around a cartridge winding shaft; a base section for processing the photographic film at a predetermined printing position on the photographic film; a transporting mechanism for transporting the photographic film on the base section after the photographic film as been pulled from the cartridge; and a film accommodating section provided downstream from the base section, with respect to the cartridge loading section, where the photographic film is accommodated.

Abstract: A method for loading an unexposed photographic film in a lens-fitted photographic film unit, the method including the steps of: providing a cartridge storing the unexposed film therein, and a film supplying spool having a film winding part around which the film is wound, a portion defining a suction hole for film-attraction formed on the film winding part, and a portion defining a hollow hole for air-suction formed concentrically with the supplying spool; thrusting out the film from the cartridge; sucking air from the hollow hole so that the film thrust out from the cartridge is attracted to the suction hole; winding up the film by a predetermined length to the supplying spool while attracting the film to the suction hole; and loading the cartridge and the supplying spool in a main body of the lens-fitted photographic film unit.

Abstract: A magnetic tape drive for driving a magnetic tape stored in a cartridge for writing and reading data as an external storage device of a computer, etc., and equipped with a leader block at a distal end thereof, comprises a file reel having the cartridge fitted thereto, and a machine reel rotating in the same direction as the file reel while the leader block is fitted to a hub thereof, and taking up the magnetic tape, wherein data is written/read to and from the magnetic tape in a travelling path between the file reel and the machine reel. In this construction, the magnetic tape is wound at an initial tension lower than a normal tape tension at the start of winding of the magnetic tape by the machine reel until a predetermined number of turns of the magnetic tape is wound on the machine reel, and thereafter the tape is wound at a greater tension.