Abstract: An apparatus is provided for loading a head onto a spinning disk and unloading the head from the spinning disk so that contact between the head and the disk is essentially prevented. The apparatus includes a Whitney-size head joined to the flexure of a Whitney-type suspension arm. A triangular-shaped ramp is fixed to a face of the suspension arm for engagement with a stationary cam. The stationary cam is located along the path of movement of the head, suspension arm and flexure. The contact between the cam and ramp causes movement of the head relative to the disk. In the case of loading the head, this movement results in a desired approach of the head towards the disk and enhances loading of the head onto the disk.

Abstract: A magnetic disc cartridge, having a jacket which contains a rotatable magnetic disc, is loaded into a cartridge holder of recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing signals on the rotatable magnetic disc. The cartridge has a guide groove longitudinally extending in a direction in which the cartridge is inserted into the holder for receiving a guide element provided in the holder. A shutter is movable across a window provided in the jacket between a closed position and an opened position, and includes a projection extending into the guide groove to be contacted by the guide element when the cartridge is inserted properly into the holder. The guide element thus moves the shutter is from the closed position to the open position thereof when the cartridge is inserted in the cartridge holder.

Abstract: The diskette drive described herein reads and writes information on a flexible magnetic disk stored in a rigid diskette cartridge. The drive contains apparatus for loading and registering the cartridge in the drive without the assistance of a loading tray or cartridge carrier. The disk drive spindle, the recording head and cartridge position registration pins all protrude into the insertion path for the cartridge. The spindle and pins are shaped and positioned so that the cartridge will not strike the recording head as it is inserted. Spring fingers are provided to bias the cartridge down against the spindle and the registration pins. When the cartridge is fully inserted, it snaps into a registered position over the pins, the spindle and the recording head. In addition the cartridge contains a truncated corner that cooperates with a blocking member in the insertion path to prevent the cartridge from being improperly inserted.

Abstract: A disc drive cartridge arrangement includes a hub clamp for engaging a spindle of a disc drive which clamp has inwardly spiralling fingers to reduce the space required therefor and to firmly engage the spindle, and a door and aperture arrangement which allows the heads of the disc drive to enter the cartridge from the upper and lower surfaces of the cartridge. The hub to which the disc of the disc drive cartridge arrangement is mounted includes a labyrinth seal arrangement for preventing contaminants from entering the interior of the housing.

Abstract: A hub and spindle assembly for an interchangeable, removable disk of a disk drive. The spindle assembly includes means for driving the hub assembly, matingly attached and removably engaged thereto, so as to rotate the disk coupled to the hub. The hub assembly includes surfaces for engaging an accurately machined rotational surface of the spindle assembly and force engaging means for ensuring mating contact of the hub assembly surfaces with the spindle assembly and for ensuring removeable engagement. The hub and spindle assembly minimize runout such that the Read/Write heads track an essentially circular disk track, even if the disk is removed, reinserted or placed on a different spindle of the same type.

Abstract: A magnetic or optical disk load/unload device for automatically centering and clamping a disk to the spindle of an information storage device. The apparatus is comprised of a toggle arm, a toggle arm rotating device, a support base, a support hub having a centering stem and a concentric annular steel ring disposed on its mating surface, a member for clamping the hub to the support base, a spindle having a centering hole on its mating surface and a concentric magnetic material ring on its mating surface, and a spindle rotating motor. In operation, the toggle arm is rotated from a first bent position causing the support base hub and disk located thereon to advance toward the spindle, the hub slidably retained on the base by a of clamping member activated by a cam assembly. Upon full extension of the toggle arm, the hub and disk are centered on the spindle, clamped to same by the magnetic and steel rings.

Abstract: To prevent damage to magnetic storage disks from sliding of the magnetic heads over the disk surface during running-out of the disk to a stop, the disk is positively braked when its drive is de-energized, so as to shorten the running-out time.

Abstract: A magnetic recording disk cartridge comprises a recording disk and a causing for accommodating the recording disk. The cartridge is provided with a shutter member for closing the magnetic head receiving openings in the casing. The shutter member is mounted in the casing for pivotal movement along the inner surface of the casing between an operative position in which it closes the magnetic head receiving opening and an inoperative position in which it opens the same. The shutter member is provided with projections on the surface facing the inner surface of the casing and slides on the projections along the inner surface of the casing when it is moved between the operative position and the inoperative position.

Abstract: A magnetic recording disk cartridge comprises a recording disk and a casing for accommodating the recording disk. The casing is provided with a pair of magnetic head receiving openings in the front and rear side walls thereof. The magnetic head receiving openings are normally closed and are opened when the cartridge is loaded in a recording-reproducing system. The shutter member for closing the magnetic head receiving openings is formed by bending a single plate material and comprises a pair of arm portions connected with each other by a bight portion. A pair of shutter portions for closing the respective magnetic head receiving openings are formed on the respective arm portions at an intermediate portion thereof. The free end portions of the arm portions respectively form bearing portions which are engaged with engaging ribs projecting inwardly from the front and rear side walls of the casing and support the shutter member for rotation about the ribs.

Abstract: A floppy disk drive including a pivotally mounted disk pack storing a plurality of floppy diskettes, a driver mechanism for rotating any one of the diskettes into a retrievable position, a picker mechanism for moving the one diskette between the retrievable position and an operative position at which the diskette is rotatable on a spindle, and a position control circuit for controlling the position of a recording head across the one diskette being in the operative position and for compensating for expansion, contraction, and eccentric rotation of the one diskette. The floppy diskettes are stored bent in the disk pack, but in the operative position the one diskette that had been retrieved from the retrievable position is stored only partially in the disk pack and parallel to the plane of rotation. A microprocessor controls the entire disk drive.

Abstract: In apparatus for loading a disc recorded with informations in a player of the type wherein a caddie containing the disc is inserted into the player along spaced parallel guide rails, a locking device is provided in the player which arrests the inserted disc, an empty caddie is withdrawn from the player leaving the arrested disc, and the informations in the inserted disc are then reproduced, there are provided a pair of spaced rollers urged against opposite side portions of the caddie, an electric motor for rotating the rollers in opposite directions for inserting or withdrawing the caddie into and out of the player, and first and second switches actuated by the caddie for driving the motor is one or opposite direction.

Abstract: A turntable secured to a bearing member is freely rotatable about a support post. The bearing member has radial slots through which the fingers of a segmented spindle protrude. The spindle is axially slidable on the post. A spring is disposed about the post for urging the spindle upward for engagement with the record center hole as a record is placed on the turntable.

Abstract: A centering and clamping device for a flexible foil includes an expanding cone which expands an expanding mandril via at least one resilient element, the force that can be transmitted to the expanding mandril by the resilient element at the location of the transition between the conical and the cylindrical portion of said mandril being greater than the force required for widening the opening in the foil but smaller than the force required for a substantial elastic deformation of the expanding mandril beyond the cylindrical inner bore of the hub, which bore terminates at an end surface. The expanding cone comprises a flange which urges the flange of the expanding mandril onto the foil.

Abstract: A pressure arm assembly is disclosed for use in a data recorder of the type employing a disc recording medium and a carrier supporting a magnetic head. The pressure arm assembly includes a bracket and an upper arm pivotally carried by the bracket for rotation about a transverse axis. A spring biases the arm into engagement with the head carrier. An automatic release lever is carried by the bracket and holds the upper arm in a first nonoperating position and releases the arm so that it may pivot under the action of the spring upon insertion of a disc into the data recorder.

Abstract: Apparatus in which a recording transducer is moved along a rotating record medium to develop a series of imprints which are phase-synchronized from track to track. The adjacent tracks are merged with the result that the imprints form a slanted pattern of generally continuous lines extending at an angle to the record tracks.More than one recording can coexist in the same medium surface by means of utilizing a plurality of such slanted patterns, each of a different slant. For multiple recordings, either a plurality of transducers are used to record and playback, or a single transducer can be used by rotating it to the appropriate orientation.Sound is recorded in the sync. intervals in the form of samples which form a staggered pattern of their own from track to track, so that only one sound sample may be read out at a time, even when the tracks have been heavily overlapped. Since the sound samples utilize a much smaller portion of the medium surface than the video, there is room in the sync.

Abstract: A video disc playback apparatus for recovering signal from disc records having radially aligned information fields is provided with multiple signal recovery transducers for interactive signal playback. The signal recovery transducers are independently translated to information fields having like synchronization signal components responsive to player program controls and recovered track identification signals. Synchronization signal components recovered by the various transducers are compared to generate an error signal for activating further transducer means to translate the signal recovery transducers tangentially along the prerecorded information tracks and thereby adjust the relative angular location of the signal recovery transducers to reduce the phase differential of the synchronization components of signal between the respective signals and thereby precluding the need for independent frame synchronization apparatus.

Abstract: A rotary recording medium reproducing apparatus reproduces a rotary recording medium accommodated within a case where the case comprises a jacket provided with a space for accommodating the rotary recording medium and an opening for allowing the rotary recording medium to go in and out of the jacket, and a lid member inserted through the opening of the jacket for closing the opening of the jacket.

Abstract: A disk drive comprising a first rotatable spindle for rotating removable flexible disks having magnetic surfaces for recording and retrieval of information and a motor for driving the spindle has an increased storage capacity by the addition of a second spindle driven by the motor in a direction opposite to the first spindle. The information storage capacity of the drive is further improved by increasing the track density of the disks while minimizing track seeking error of the magnetic read/write head associated with the disk. A stepper motor and lead screw are coupled to the magnetic read/write heads for radially positioning the heads to selected tracks of the received disks. The lead screw has a V-groove comprised of an alternating ramps and transition zones. As the lead screw rotates, a head carriage assembly having attached the first and second magnetic read/write heads is positioned radially by the transition zones while the ramps function to compensate for angular error of the stepper motor.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus reproduces a loaded disc-shaped recording medium derived from a case. The case comprises a jacket which has a space for accomodating the disc-shaped recording medium and an opening for allowing the disc-shaped recording medium to go in and out of the jacket, and a lid member inserted through the opening of the jacket for closing the opening of the jacket.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus reproduces a disc-shaped recording medium which is accommodated within a case comprising a jacket which has a space for accommodating the disc-shaped recording medium and an opening for allowing the disc-shaped recording medium to go in and out of the jacket, and a lid member inserted through the opening of the jacket for closing the opening of the jacket, where the lid member has cutouts and ride-over parts.

Abstract: A magnetic recording device for non-contact recording on a flexible disk employs a Bernoulli plate to stabilize the rotating disk. The plate is slightly concave and has a number of small orifices therein through which air is drawn by the disk rotation to produce a thin, cushion of air between the plate and the disk.

Abstract: A magnetic disk recording and/or reproducing device in which immediately before a flexible magnetic disk is located in the operative position; that is, the disk is mounted on a spindle, a spindle driving circuit is automatically energized so as to spin the spindle and after a predetermined time interval the driving circuit is automatically de-energized, whereby the step for locating and holding the disk in the operative position can be much facilitated, wear of rotating parts can be minimized and the power consumption can be reduced.

Abstract: An improved wet cleaning disk assembly for use in cleaning reading and writing transducers of a floppy disk drive. The cleaning disk assembly includes an envelope having apertures formed therethrough for receiving reading and writing transducers and a reinforced opening along one edge thereof for insertion of a cleaning disk thereinto. In use, a cleaning disk, presoaked with a liquid cleaning solution, is removed from a sealed package and inserted into the envelope to form the cleaning assembly which is then inserted into a floppy disk drive. A spindle within the drive passes through a central aperture therefor in the envelope and through a central aperture in the disk to thereby engage the disk and rotate it within the envelope. The envelope and cleaning disk also include sensing apertures adapted to permit optical sensing of disk rotation by the drive.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a record disk in fixed position on a turntable while the record is being played. The apparatus includes an air seal and a foraminous pad mounted on a turntable which engages the bottom of the record and a vacuum chuck with a rotatable fitting which is connected to a source of vacuum and is mounted on top of the record so that a vacuum is applied to the bottom of the record disk through the central opening by a fixture located above the record.

Abstract: A spindle construction for centering a disk hub in which the spindle includes a circumferential slot extending in the direction of the rotation axis of the shaft. The slot defines one or more fingers which compress inwardly when a hub is placed over the spindle. The outer peripheral shape of the finger generally matches the contour of the inside diameter of the disk.

Abstract: A recording system of the type wherein the information is recorded on a spiral track on a disk-shaped recording medium, which is rotated by a signal transducer which is moved radially with respect to the recording medium. Both the rotational speed or angular velocity of the recording medium and the velocity of the radial movement of the signal transducer are so controlled, in response to the radial position of the signal transducer or the time elapsed after the recording was started, that the relative velocity of the signal transducer with respect to the recording medium may be always maintained constant.

Abstract: A front loading type record player comprises a first and a second turntable, the second table being slidably detachable from the first table, and a means for outwardly feeding the second table from the record player frame.

Abstract: Discloses a system for stabilizing thin flexible foil recording discs (such as TV recordings) against axial fluctuation when rotated at high speeds (1500-5000 rpm). May include stationary guide plates formed and disposed to confine the rotating disc in such manner that the rotating disc pumps a uniform, radially moving and stabilizing layer of air outwardly between the rotating disc and each guide plate. May also include windows to optically scan the recording disc, as needed. Discloses alternate kinds of suitable recording discs.

Abstract: A dual lock mechanism for a magnetic disc drive whereby rotation of the disc spindle and translation of the carriage assembly can be prevented. A first lock arm is pivotally mounted whereby one end can engage the spindle drive motor. A connector link is operated in response to rotation of the first lock arm and pivots a second lock arm within the housing into engagement with the carriage assembly.

Abstract: A selectively openable closure mechanism for a magnetic recording disc cartridge for cooperating with a probe member connected to a disc drive unit provides for selectively opening access through an aperture in the cartridge to the interior thereof when the cartridge is inserted into the drive unit and the closure-actuating probe member is received into the cartridge and for closing access to the aperture when a cartridge is removed from the drive unit and the probe member is withdrawn from the cartridge, the mechanism including an arcuate guide track formed in at least one of the top or bottom panels of the cartridge, at least one arcuate door slidably carried by the guide track for selective movement between a closed position and an open position and structure connected to the door for engaging and capturing the probe member upon its reception into the cartridge and for driving the door from the closed position to the open position and back to the closed position upon insertion and withdrawal of the probe w

Abstract: An apparatus for recording binary information on a flexible magnetic disk of small dimension, comprises a rotatable hub connected to a plate on a first surface of which is formed a spiral guide. The hub has a cylindrical portion engageable accurately with a corresponding central hole of the disk and it is provided with a radial driving dog engageable on the fly, and with play, with a corresponding radial notch opening out of the central hole. A recording head is mounted at the end of an arm which has an element cooperating with the spiral guide of the plate for being moved, radially with respect to the disk, in synchronism with the rotation of the plate and of the same disk.

Abstract: A magnetic recording or reproducing apparatus comprising a rotatable magnetic body for recording or reproducing information detachably mounted on a rotating support which is driven by a motor, a magnetic head for magnetically transmitting the information to or from said magnetic body, said magnetic head being adapted to move in association with a cam mounted on a member for detecting the position of said magnetic head, said position detecting member including portions which are arranged, respectively, to start and turn off means for driving the apparatus and a portion which does not drive said driving means while a sensor is located on said portion, and means for recording the information to be stored in said magnetic body or for reproducing same stored therein.

Abstract: An improvement to allow easier detaching of a disk memory module from its magnetic attachment to the spindle of a front loading disk drive. In one such type of drive, manually pulling a door open actuates a track-mounted carrier which lifts the disk module from the spindle, breaking the magnetic attraction between them, and transporting the module to the open door for manual removal. To reduce the force necessary to break the magnetic attraction, this invention employs an actuator fixed to the carrier which engages a crank mechanism when the carrier is being pulled to the opening. The crank mechanism pushes against the underside of the module and assists its breaking loose from the spindle. A spring holds the crank assembly in position to re-engage the actuator when the carrier is in the module-detached position.

Abstract: A loading-unloading mechanism for magnetic heads used with a double-sided, rotating, flexible, magnetic disk is disclosed wherein the mechanism raises or lowers the heads for respectively executing a read/write operation or non-operation.

Abstract: A record caddy, suitable for use with a video disc player, includes a sleeve and a record retaining spine removably located therein. Disposed on the spine are latch members for releasably locking the spine to the sleeve. Latch defeat fingers, disposed in the player, are wedged between the respective spine latch fingers and interior portions of the sleeve during a caddy arrival at a fully inserted position in the player, so that the spine latch fingers are deflected in a manner freeing the spine from the sleeve. The latch defeat fingers carry extensions which are subject to reception in pockets disposed on the spine latch fingers to lock the spine to the player when the caddy is fully inserted into the player, whereby the spine, freed from the sleeve and secured to the player, is removed from the sleeve and retained in the player resting on a platform along with an associated record during subsequent sleeve withdrawal.

Abstract: A record caddy, suitable for use with a video disc player, comprises a jacket and a record retaining spine removably located therein. Disposed on the spine are lateral latch fingers for releasably locking the spine to the jacket. The spine has a pair of slots into which a locating member disposed in the player is received to assure accurate location of the spine in the player. A pair of cutouts are disposed in the spine in which gripper members of the record extracting mechanism are received to lock the spine to the player so that the record/spine assembly is retained in the player during subsequent jacket withdrawal.

Abstract: For driving a video record on a video player use can be made of a clamping device which comprises a drive spindle on which record supporting means are disposed which inter alia comprise: a centering member, having a centering surface whose transverse dimension varies from smaller than to greater than the diameter of the record hole, which centering surface, also during operation, co-operates with the edge of a record hole; a record loading device which during operation presses the edge of the record hole against the centering surface; and record carrying means which frictionally co-operate with the video record and which are disposed at some radial distance from the centering member.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording binary information on a flexible magnetic disk of small dimension, comprises a rotatable hub connected to a plate on a first surface of which is formed a spiral guide. The hub has a cylindrical portion engageable accurately with a corresponding central hole of the disk and it is provided with a radial driving dog engageable on the fly, and with play, with a corresponding radial notch opening out of the central hole. A recording head is mounted at the end of an arm which has an element cooperating with the spiral guide of the plate for being moved, radially with respect to the disk, in synchronism with the rotation of the plate and of the same disk.

Abstract: A three part cone member assembly is provided for positioning a flexible disk on a drive hub. The three parts are, a disk with annularly arranged apertures, a plastic trunketed cone established by oblique arms and feet which stick in the apertures thereby determining the cones geometry; the third part is a metallic member with resilient arms, positioned in the plastic cone whereby each metal spring arm urges a plastic arm against the outer surface of the respective aperture.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus for a disk-shaped recording medium, wherein a pickup detects signals from a rotating disk-shaped recording medium in contact with the latter. The reproducing apparatus is so constructed that vertical and horizontal movements of the pickup can be selectively made by actuating only one control knob, and that the horizontal movement of the pickup is prevented when the latter is in contact with the disk-shaped recording medium, even if the control knob is erroneously or accidentally actuated.

Abstract: A video disc player is provided with a stabilizing disc which during playing is disposed at a small distance above the video disc, air being admissible through an inlet restriction between the stabilizing disc and the video disc so that locally a sub-atmospheric pressure is produced as a result of the centrifugal pumping action of the video disc. In order to prevent the video disc from being drawn along when the stabilizing disc is moved upwards, an air by-pass passage is provided which via air-valve means can be opened when playing of the video disc is terminated, so as to admit an increased air stream between the stabilizing disc and the rotating video disc in order to at least substantially eliminate the prevailing sub-atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A transducer feeding mechanism in an apparatus for recording and reproducing a signal on and from a rotary recording medium by means of a transducer fed over the recording medium in the radial direction thereof comprises a rotational motive power source having a rotary shaft and a pinion provided on the shaft, a rack meshed with said pinion and fed in translational movement by the rotation of the pinion, at least two guide bars extending parallelly in the direction of feeding of the transducer, a first feeding carriage on which the rack is mounted and which is guided by one of the guide bars, biasing means provided on the first feeding carriage and functioning to contact another guide bar in an elastic manner and to urge the first feeding carriage in a direction to cause the rack to mesh further with the pinion, a second feeding carriage on which the transducer is mounted, and which is guided by said other guide bar, a guide member mounted on the second feeding carriage and contacting in a rotationally displa

Abstract: The apparatus of this invention has an electric motor assembled integrally with a motor brake for rotating a magnetic disc, a rocking arm fitted at its tip end with a magnetic head, and a rotary solenoid to shift the magnetic head by getting engaged with the rocking arm, energized by a spring so as to rock in one direction, and is so constructed as to stop and lock the electric motor and the magnetic disc by operation of the motor brake, when power is cut off, and to turn the rocking arm until the rocking portion of the rotary solenoid is rotated in said one direction by the force of the spring to shift and lock the magnetic head to a landing zone defined within the magnetic disc, thus preventing the magnetic head and the magnetic disc from rubbing or running against each other when the power is cut off.

Abstract: A positioner for precisely and quickly locating a magnetic head structure relative to a selected track on a disc file utilizes an electromagnetic device such as a brushless DC motor for pivoting a directly coupled arm and head mount through a small arc about a pivot axis. The motor, which may advantageously be mounted outside an hermetic enclosure for the discs and the arm and head structure of the positioner, comprises a multi-pole magnetic rotor whose mass is concentrated at the pivot axis, and whose periphery is closely encompassed by a stator. Energizing coils on the stator are wound in close magnetic coupling to the rotor to provide substantially uniform field distribution throughout the limited arc of movement of the rotor.

Abstract: A magnetic transducer for use with a flexible disk and having inner and outer portions of respectively less and greater convex sphericity providing a central spherical surface zone within a surrounding spherical surface zone. The magnetic gap is centrally located in the central surface zone. The radius for the outer portion has a center on the center line of the transducer, and the center of curvature of the inner portion is spaced from the center line of the transducer in the direction of motion of the disk across the transducer so that most of the central zone faces the direction of disk movement.

Abstract: A data storage apparatus having a thin flexible disk with magnetic recording surfaces on both faces and a carriage embracing the disk and carrying a pair of transducers in contact with opposite faces of the disk. Each of the transducers is mounted on a relatively weak gimbal spring. Relative rigid load arms bear on dimples located at the centers of the transducers to form universal joint connections with the transducers. The gimbal springs and universal joint connections allow the transducers to pitch and roll with wobbling movements of the flexible disk without movement of the load arms. The load arms are mounted on relatively stiff gimbal spring portions for applying a predetermined force to the transducers holding them in engagement with the disk while allowing yielding movement of the transducers in directions normal to the disk engaging faces of the transducers.

Abstract: A pair of mutually-offset, selectively-engageable transducers read and write information on opposite surfaces of a flexible disk magnetic recording medium. Operative contact between each transducer and the flexible surface is established by one of an offset pair of pressure pads which ride on the opposite side of the disk from and directly aligned with the corresponding transducer. The selective engagement of each transducer with the flexible medium results from the selective activation of control devices which pull one or the other of the spring-loaded pressure pads away from the disk surface.

Abstract: A Bernoulli disk storage apparatus includes an elongated slot or groove having a substantial radial elongated portion for movably receiving a transducer. On either side of the groove are air bearing means which induce a pull down force on the record storage disk as it passes over the groove. By varying selected parameters, the medium-to-transducer spacing is held substantially constant throughout the radial extent of a desired recording area. Further, flutter usually associated with a Bernoulli disk at its outer radial portion is eliminated.

Abstract: A video disc player utilizable with a flexible foil-type information carrier disc adapted to be rotated at its center at a relatively high speed while hovering on a rotation-induced air cushion above a stationary platform. The video disc player has a table structure including the platform and a disc receiving chamber designed such that, even if the video disc is inserted thereinto together with a disc envelope accommodating the video disc therein, the disc is drawn out of the envelope and subsequently fed onto the platform and that the video disc, which has been resting on the platform, can be fed into the envelope as the empty envelope is inserted into the disc receiving chamber.

Abstract: A disc recorder includes a rotating disc and a transducer for coacting with the disc. A guide member has a guide surface extending transversely of the rotating disc and including a groove extending parallel to the disc. A carriage means for mounting the transducer is positioned generally parallel to and movable along the guide surface. A friction reducing pad is mounted on the carriage means and is movable along the guide surface. Friction reducing cylindrical bearing means are also mounted on the carriage means in spaced relation to the pad and are movable in the groove. A locating member having a locating surface is positioned substantially parallel to the guide surface. A loading means is mounted on the carriage means and engages the locating surface to bias the carriage means toward the guide surface such that the bearing pad engages the guide surface and the cylindrical bearing means engage the groove.