Tilt rack video tape library and VCP to multiple subscriber system

A self contained tilt rack video cassette library cabinet containing multiple VCP units with an XYZ motion tape cassette selection and delivery system to computer directed insertion in a subscriber VCP and return after play to a tilt rack library storage bin. The system includes activation means, movie selection means and a TV set at each subscriber location, an address mechanism in the system and a telephone line connection through a duplex modem to a computer having a monitor and keyboard with computer controlling XYZ carrier movement pick up of cartridges from and return to video cassette storage bins, insertion and extraction of selected video cassettes to and from subscriber dedicated video cassette players (VCP). Each VCP has an audio and video output connection to respective modulators each output connected to a combiner mixer. There is also a character-modulator loop connection, and a computer to combiner mixer address transmitter loop along with a character generator modulator loop, with the mixer output connected to address control circuits.

Referring to the drawings: 
The cable TV systems 20A-F of FIGS. 1A-F are shown to have a TV signal 
receiving antenna 21 feeding an amplifier section 22 having an output line 
23 connection to a signal combiner mixer circuit 24. The output line 25 of 
the combiner mixer circuits 24 in FIGS. 20A and 20B are shown to each be 
output connected to an addressable home-run switching network 26 with 
network 26 also receiving an input through line 27 from address 
transmitter circuit 28. The output lines 29A-Z (or cables) from 
addressable home-run switching network 26 are connected to a plurality of 
television sets 30A-H plus that are positioned at multiple subscriber unit 
locations in apartments, condomiums and/or hotels. Cable (or line) 31 has 
branch connections 31A-H to telephones 32A-H and in the system embodiment 
20A of FIG. 1A also on to the movie selector key board units 33A-H on the 
subscriber side, and on the control movie selection and playing side cable 
31 is connected to a duplex modem circuit 34 and a voice generator circuit 
35 for generation of voice responses to the subscriber telephones 32A-H. 
The duplex modem circuit 34 is connected to computer 36 through line 38. 
Computer 36 is also connected through line 39 with branches 39A and 39B to 
monitor circuit 40 and keyboard 41, respectively. Computer 36 output line 
42 is connected to the video cassette players 43, that are held in tilted 
VCP bins 44A-I in a lilt rack video cassette library cabinet 45, through 
branch 42A to address transmitter circuit 28 and through branch 42B to 
character generator circuit 46. The output line 47 of circuit 46 is 
connected to a modulation circuit 48 that is output connected through line 
49 to combiner mixer 24. There is also a branch 42C from computer line 42 
that extends to XYZ cassette carrier mechanism 50. 
The tilt rack video cassette library cabinet 45 with multiple VCP unit bins 
44A-I, or more, and multiple video cassette tilt storage bins 52 in 
vertical columns 53A-Z and XYZ carrier 50 that under computer 36 direction 
picks up video cassette cartridges delivering them to available VCP units 
and then, after use, returning them to respective video cassette tilt 
storage bins 52. Each VCP unit 43 has two output lines 54 and 55 connected 
as inputs to respective modulator circuits 56 that have output lines 57 to 
combiner mixer circuit 24. The tilt rack video cassette library system 
with multiple VCP units mounted in bins and multiple video movie cassettes 
stored in tilt storage bins and at least one XYZ carrier under computer 
direction to pick up video cassette cartridges in response to subscriber 
selection and delivers them to available VCP units is at the heart of the 
various video subscriber select TV movie play system embodiments of FIGS. 
1A-F. 
With the subscriber select TV movie play system embodiment of FIG. 1B the 
difference from the FIG. 1A embodiment is that the movie selector key 
board units 33A-H of FIG. 1A are omitted with movie selection accomplished 
via phones 32A'-H'. 
The FIG. 1C system embodiment having a series (loop) wired facility with 
addressable switch and telephone order entry boxes differs from the FIG. 
1A system embodiment in that the voice generator circuit 35 of FIG. 1A is 
omitted along with addressable home-run switching network 26. The combiner 
mixer circuit 24 output line 25' is connected to a plurality of 
addressable switch (TYP) units 58 each connected to a respective 
subscriber television set 30A-30H. 
The FIG. 1D system embodiment has a series (loop) wired facility with 
set-top addressable converters 59 in place of the addressable switch (TYP) 
units 58 of the FIG. 1C system embodiment but is otherwise the same. 
The FIG. 1E system embodiment having a series (loop) wired facility with 
set top addressable converters 59 like the FIG. 1D system embodiment also 
employs a voice generator 35 like in the FIG. 1B embodiment. 
The FIG. 1F system embodiment has a series (loop) wired facility with 
addressable switch units 58 like the embodiment of FIG. 1C also and 
telephones 32A'-H' like the embodiment of FIG. 1B feeding back to duplex 
modem circuit 34 and voice generator circuit 35 with communication back 
and forth there between. 
Referring now to the combination video cassette tilt bin library rack and 
video cassette player tilt bin rack cabinet 45 as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 
4 and also to FIGS. 5A-C for further detail of the XYZ video cassette 
carrier mechanism 50 picking video cassettes 60 from respective video 
cassette 60 tilt storage bins 52 that are generally tilted at an angle 
approximating forty five degrees down toward the front video cassette 
retaining lip 61. The video cassette tilt storage bins 52 may be tilted at 
an angle in the range of approximately forty degrees to sixty degrees so 
that the video cassettes 60 slide down toward the front of tilt storage 
bins 52 until stopped by video cassette retaining lip 61. The bins 52 may 
retain two video cassettes in the uppermost bin 52 to as much as five or 
more cassettes per library storage bin 52. It should be noted that the XYZ 
video cassette carrier mechanism 50 is tilted at substantially the same 
angle as the tilt angle of the tilt storage bins 52 in order to pick up 
video cassettes 60 and holding them at the same tilt angle while being 
carried by the XYZ mechanism 50 for delivery to an available VCP 43 
mounted at the same tilt angle in a tilted VCP bin 44A-I in the tilt rack 
video cassette library cabinet 45. Further, as shown in phantom in FIGS. 2 
and 3 tilt rack video cassette library 45 could be extended to much 
greater size with more video cassette tilt bin storage capacity, more VCP 
tilt mounting rack bins 44 in an additional vertical column or more of 
rack bins 44, and possibly an additional xyz video cassette carrier 
mechanism 50 or more to meet expanded system requirements. 
Referring also to FIG. 6 the XYZ video cassette carrier mechanism 50 is 
equipped with a video cassette pickup plate 62 that is moveable from a 
retracted position to an extended position beneath the forward edge 63 of 
a video cassette 60 and then upward to lift the forward facing edge 63 
above the top of the front video cassette retaining lip 61 so that the 
cassette 60 is free to slide down into the XYZ video cassette carrying 
state from the state of FIG. 5A to the state of FIGS. 5B and 5C. The 
selected video cassette 60 is carried by the XYZ carrier mechanism 50 to 
an available VCP 43 and inserted therein as indicated in FIG. 8. A 
standard prior art VCP 43' as shown in FIG. 7 is altered with a cassette 
60 friction hold release plate 64 of FIG. 9 mounted therein with a 
downwardly angled tab 65 thereon that is engaged by an opposite matingly 
angled tab 66 of friction hold structure 67 and thereby release a cassette 
60 from friction hold as it is moved toward the release state so that it 
moves outward to XYZ carrier mechanism 50 for return to its specific tilt 
rack cassette 60 storage bin 52. 
The VCP unit bins 44 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 8 each have a tilted bottom 68 
with openings 69 and 70 therein receiving feet 71 and 2 therein to hold a 
VCP in place and has an upturned lip 73 at the lower front to retain a VCP 
43 if the feet 71 and 72 thereof had not entered the bottom openings 69 
and 70. The tilted bottoms 68 also have a vent opening 74, and each VCP 
bin also has a rear vent opening 75 in rear wall 76 of the rack 45. The 
transverse spacing of the opposite side walls 77L and 77R of VCP bins 44 
is substantially twice the transverse spacing of the opposite side walls 
78L and 78R of cassette storage bins 52. 
Referring again to FIGS. 4, 5A-C and 6 the video cassette pick up plate 62 
is provided with two forwardly extended opposite side projections 79L and 
79R, having leading edge bottom bevels 80, that are moved forward to 
beneath the forward portion of a video cassette 60. Opposite sides of the 
bottom plate 81 of each video cassette storage bin 52, that is also the 
top of the bin 52 there below, is provided with cut out sections 82L and 
82R that also shortens the retaining lip 61 from each end in each bin 52. 
This provides clearance for projections 79L and 79R of pick up plate 62 in 
its operation of being moved forward for projections 79L and 79R to extend 
under the forward edge of a selected cassette 60 lifting it up to clear 
the top of the bin 52 retaining lip 61 for the cassette 60 to slide into 
the XYZ carrier mechanism 50. The XYZ carrier mechanism 50 is mounted for 
vertical Y movement up and down along left and right vertical rail members 
83L and 83R with carriage flange 84 mounted grooved wheels 85U and L and 
86U and L riding along opposite edges of rail member 83R, and with 
carriage mounted grooved wheels 87F and 87B riding along opposite edges of 
rail member 83L. Rail members 83L and 83R are part of an X direction 
moveable frame 88 suspended from the top with grooved wheels 89 that roll 
along top rail 90. A Z direction in and out power drive unit 91 is mounted 
on XYZ carrier mechanism 50 that drives video cassette pickup plate 62 in 
and out and through its various cassette 60 lifting and other movements as 
initiated by computer 36 direction. Movement of the carrier mechanism 50 
up and down in the Y direction is accomplished by cleated drive belt 92, 
that has an upper end fastened to anchor member 93 mounted on the top of 
carrier mechanism 50 and a lower end fastened in like manner to the bottom 
of carrier mechanism 50, as driven by motor 94 and cleated drive pulley 95 
as directed by computer 36. Transverse X direction movement of frame 88 
and carrier mechanism 50 is accomplished by two belts 96 and 97, one 
having opposite ends connected to the top of frame 88 and the other having 
opposite ends connected to the bottom of frame 88, as driven by cleated 
drive pulleys 98 and 99 both driven in common by drive motor 100 as 
control directed by computer 36. 
The XYZ carrier mechanism 50 has a pivotally mounted cassette 60 tap down 
blade 101 mounted on opposite end pivot arms 102L and 102R pivoted about 
mounting pins 103 that is operated to tap a following cassette 60 down, as 
the leading cassette is being removed, for proper retention by bin lip 61. 
There is a compound lever structure 104 that drives the cassette tap down 
blade 101 cyclically each time a cassette 60 is picked up by the carrier 
mechanism 50. The video cassette pickup plate 62 is provided with a left 
side projection 105 that extends through slot 106 in left side carrier 
side plate 107 that in rearward motion engages the bottom front 108 of a 
lever member 109 pivot pin 110 mounted on a pivot member 111 mounted by a 
pivot pin 112 at the upper innermost end to a side plate 113, generally 
coplaner with side plate 107, and that has a depending arm 114 with ramp 
cam surface 115 at the bottom. Lever member 109 is pivot pin 116 connected 
to the rear end of link member 117 that is pivot pin 118 connected at the 
forward end thereof to pivot arm 102L for pivotal movement thereof and 
downward tapping of cassette tap down blade 101. A return tension spring 
119 is connected between opening 120 in the rear end of link member 117 
and opening 121 in the rear end of alignment strap 122 rivet 123 (or bolt) 
mounted in spaced relation to side plate 107 maintaining alignment of the 
compound lever structure 104. The bottom front 108 of lever member 109 is 
engaged by the rear edge of the left side projection 105 of cassette 
pickup plate 62 as it is moved to the rear. Then with continued rearward 
motion of plate 62 and projection 105 the lever member 109 is pivoted 
about its pivot pin 110 mounting and the compound lever structure is 
driven through its sequential states from FIG. 5A through 5C driving the 
tap down blade 101 through its cassette tap down action. Thereafter with 
continued rearward motion of plate 62 projection 105 moves into contact 
with ramp cam surface 115 that rides up on projection 105 raising pivot 
member 111 and much of compound lever structure 104 higher including lever 
member 109. Then as bottom front 108 clears the rear of projection 105 the 
resilient force of spring 119 returns the compound lever structure 104 to 
the tap down blade 101 retracted state like shown in FIG. 5A with pivot 
arm 102L in contact with return limit bumper 123 mounted by bracket 124 on 
the top of the carrier mechanism 50. At this time the bottom of lever 109 
is resting on the top of projection 105 and the ramp cam surface 115 and 
pivot member 111 have ridden up on projection 105. When projection 105 is 
moved forward, as plate 62 is moved forward in the next cycle of 
operation, and clears the ramp cam surface 115 of pivot member 111 and the 
bottom of lever member 109 they fall down to the state of FIG. 5A ready 
for another operational tap down cycle. Arms 125L and 125R are part of the 
cassette 60 holding and ejecting mechanism of XYZ cassette carrier 
mechanism 50. 
Whereas this invention has been described with respect to a single 
embodiment thereof, it should be realized that various changes may be made 
without departure from the essential contributions to the art made by the 
teachings hereof.