Adjustable mounting arrangement for magnetic head

An adjustable mounting arrangement for mounting magnetic heads used for the recording and playback of information on magnetic tape. Vertical and azimuth adjustment utilizing a simple bracket facilitate optimization of head location.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to magnetic recording and more particularly 
to a mounting arrangement for a magnetic head which provides for vertical 
adjustment and azimuth alignment of the face of the transducer head. 
2. Background Art 
In the field of recording and in particular the field of information 
recording utilizing magnetic tapes, it is the conventional practice to 
support transducer heads utilized for recording, playback and erase in a 
manner so that the tape engaging faces of the respective heads are 
disposed in substantially parallel relation to the plane of the magnetic 
tape. It is highly desirable that the vertical axes of the respective 
heads be disposed parallel to the tape and in planes normal to the 
longitudinal axis of the tape, such relationship being known as the 
azimuth alignment of the transducer heads relative to the tape. Such 
head-to-tape relationship is essential to insure proper engagement between 
the tape and the heads and to further insure consistent positioning of the 
head relative to recorded tracks on the tapes. 
In the past, many attempts have been made to provide mounting brackets for 
transducer heads used in conjunction with magnetic tapes, which allow the 
transducer head to be adjusted relative to the tape. Such devices, 
however, failed to provide suitable transducer head mounting arrangements 
either in that they lacked the accuracy desirable in a tape-to-transducer 
head relationship or required a plurality of adjustments through adjusting 
screws, thereby requiring a lengthy period for making the needed 
adjustments. For example, where three or more adjusting screws, or their 
equivalent, are used in the prior art devices, adjustment of any one screw 
produces a skewing action which requires adjustment of one or more other 
screws. Consequently, the prior art devices do not lend themselves to 
rapid, efficient assembly line techniques, thereby substantially 
increasing the manufacturing costs associated therewith. Head mounting 
techniques of this sort are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,560,569; 
2,587,097; 2,678,971; 2,742,536; 2,897,288; 2,997,547; 3,137,772; 
3,190,970; 3,229,044; and 3,502,820. 
Another alternative to insure accurate mounting of the transducer heads is 
the use of precision instrumentation wherein the heads and their 
respective mounting units are machined to provide the proper mounting 
position. In the precision instrumentation technique the head is typically 
affixed on a precision holding fixture which positions the gaps and tracks 
in the proper position. The fixture and the head are then placed in a 
grinder or milling machine, etc., and the resulting surface is machined 
for proper fit to the face of the unit employing the magnetic head. Such a 
system obviously is very time consuming and costly to provide. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide 
an adjustable mounting arrangement for a transducer head and the like 
which greatly simplifies transducer head adjustment over the prior art 
devices, and more rapid adjustment during assembly resulting in reduced 
manufacturing costs. 
The present invention provides an adjustable mounting arrangement for a 
transducer head and the like which maintains the face of the tranducer 
head in a plane parallel to the plane of the tape travel and which also 
provides ready accurate adjustment of the azimuth alignment of the tape 
contacting face of the transducer head. Additionally, the present 
invention provides a transducer head adjustable mounting arrangement as 
described which includes means for adjusting the transducer head upward or 
downward relative to the longitudinal axis of the magnetic tape and 
includes novel means for adjusting the azimuth alignment of the tape 
contacting face without substantially affecting the upward or downward 
position of the head. 
In the present arrangement, a plastic head bracket is provided which may be 
affixed or fastened to a tape deck in any well known manner. Included in 
the bracket are tape guides and an opening slightly larger than the 
magnetic head to be employed, and in a plane perpendicular to that 
opening, a pair of spring clip receiving openings. Alternately, the 
bracket could be designed as an integral portion of the tape deck, not a 
separate element. Also included is a metal azimuth bracket consisting of a 
flat plate having an opening in its center and downward turned lips or 
guides which are slightly inclined towards the center of the opening, 
which extend from each of the edges of the opening. This opening is 
adapted on a friction-fit basis to receive the magnetic head. Also 
included may be a pair of circular openings which may be useful for 
affixing the azimuth bracket to the head bracket. 
During assembly the azimuth bracket is placed over the head bracket in a 
manner so that the opening in the azimuth bracket lies over that in the 
head bracket. A pair of spring clips then fit into the openings in the 
head bracket and which ride over the azimuth bracket, to retain the 
azimuth bracket in contact with the head bracket. The magnetic head is 
then placed within the opening in the azimuth bracket. 
Because of the downward turning lips or projections, a friction fit is 
possible and the proper depth of penetration (vertical adjustment) can be 
made between the pole pieces of the magnetic head and the top of the 
azimuth bracket, thus insuring proper contact with the tape which is 
typically employed as the recording medium. Once proper placement is 
achieved, either by mechanical or electronic means, as far as vertical 
orientation is concerned, the head may be cemented in that proper location 
to the azimuth bracket. 
At this time, the azimuth bracket may be adjusted manually to provide for 
proper orientation of the magnetic head in the lateral direction relative 
to the path of the recorded tape. Because of the spring clips that retain 
it, the azimuth bracket and head assembly are movable under pressure 
relative to the position of the head bracket. The adjustment is relatively 
simple being performed best under high power magnification, with various 
mechanical techniques employable to secure the proper orientation. After 
proper orientation has been made, again the azimuth bracket may be 
cemented to the head bracket insuring the proper relationship between the 
tape and the head inasmuch as the head bracket also serves as a tape guide 
insuring a proper path for the tape.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, there is provided a head mounting bracket 
constructed in the preferred embodiment of plastic and designated as item 
10. Contained within the bracket, and obvious as seen in FIG. 2, is an 
opening 11 of substantial size to receive head 30 and allow some lateral 
and vertical motion within said opening to provide for proper depth of 
penetration and lateral or azimuth adjustment. Also a part of the head 
mounting bracket 10 is the inclusion of two openings 12 and 13, as seen in 
FIG. 3, which are designed to accept spring retention clips 27 and 28 
which retain the azimuth or head holding bracket 20 in contact with head 
mounting bracket 10. The design of spring clips 27 and 28 is such that 
adequate pressure is applied to retain the head mounting bracket in 
contact with the azimuth bracket unless a deliberate force is exerted to 
one or the other to provide the necessary azimuth or lateral adjustment. 
Head mounting bracket 10 also includes tape guides 14 and 15 mounted 
thereon to insure proper movement of recording tape past the recording 
head. 
The head holding or azimuth bracket 20 includes therein, as may be seen by 
reference to FIG. 4, an opening of approximately the same dimension as 
that of the magnetic transducer head 30. The edges 22, 23, 24 and 25 of 
opening 21 in the azimuth bracket 20 include downward turned lips which 
project inward, in slight angular relationship to the top of the azimuth 
bracket. These lips provide the necessary friction contact with head 30 
when it is placed in position within the azimuth bracket. 
Once transducer head 30 is placed within the opening 21 of azimuth bracket 
20, vertical adjustment may take place on a manual basis, or by any other 
convenient means, so as to determine the proper positioning of the head in 
a vertical plane relative to the surface of the transducer head. After the 
proper vertical adjustment or penetration has been determined, a small 
amount of cement applied to the juncture points where the azimuth bracket 
20 and the transducer head 30 are in contact will insure its remaining in 
that position. 
The head 30 and azimuth bracket 20 are then placed on head bracket 10 with 
the head portion extending into the opening 11 and the azimuth bracket 20 
being in contact with the upper surface of head bracket 10. At this time 
two spring clips 27 and 28 are slid into position with the lower portion 
engaging the openings 12 and 13, respectively; the upper portion in 
contact with the upper surface of the azimuth bracket 20, thus retaining 
the azimuth bracket 20 in relatively fixed contact with the head bracket 
10. 
At this time, azimuth adjustment insuring that the pole pieces of head 30 
are properly oriented relative to the direction motion of a recording tape 
takes place. This adjustment is usually made mechanically but can be made 
by other means and once proper alignment is secured, the azimuth bracket 
20 may be secured to head bracket 10 by means of application of small 
amounts of cement. Inasmuch as the head holding bracket 10 also is useful 
in directing the path of the tape, the tape and head are properly placed 
in relationship to each other for maximum effectiveness in recording or 
playback of information on the tape by means of the associated head 30. 
While but a single embodiment of the invention has been shown, it will be 
obvious to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications can be 
made without departing from the spirit of the present invention which 
should be limited by the scope of the claims appended hereto.