Selectively reversible video cassette

A selectively reversible video cassette tape includes a housing with a supply reel and a take up reel rotatably mounted therein. A video tape is connected at one to the take up reel and at the other end to the supply reel and is operable therebetween. Apparatus is mounted within the housing to prevent counterclockwise rotation of the reels, yet permit clockwise rotation of the reels, to thereby prevent rewinding of the video tape. Apparatus is also provided which will selectively permit the rewinding of the video tape.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates generally to video cassette tapes, and more 
particularly to a modified video cassette tape adapted for only selective 
reversing capabilities. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Conventional video cassette tapes are designed to allow the audio visual 
material recorded on the tape to be viewed as often as desired. This 
occurs merely by rewinding the tape and replaying those portions as 
desired. 
The video cassette rental industry has been burdened by the large number of 
tapes which must be acquired and stored for the renting public. In order 
to retain a wide selection of titles and a variety of subject matters, the 
video rental store must attempt to predict the number of renters who will 
desire to rent a given tape on a given date. If the rental store rents out 
its complete inventory of a single tape, it must turn away potential 
additional renters. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a modified 
video cassette tape which may be viewed only once by a customer. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a selectively 
reversible video cassette tape which permits the rental store to rewind 
the tape for subsequent viewing or recording. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a tape which 
selectively prevents more than one viewing of the audio visual material 
recorded on the tape. 
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The selectively reversible video cassette tape of the present invention 
includes a housing with a supply reel and a take up reel rotatably mounted 
therein. A video tape is connected at one to the take up reel and at the 
other end to the supply reel and is operable therebetween. Apparatus is 
mounted within the housing to prevent counterclockwise rotation of the 
reels, yet permit clockwise rotation of the reels, to thereby prevent 
rewinding of the video tape. Apparatus is also provided which will 
selectively permit the rewinding of the video tape. 
In one embodiment of the invention, a pawl is pivotally mounted adjacent 
one reel, and teeth project from the reel which will engage the pawl when 
the reel rotates in a counterclockwise direction, so as to prevent 
rewinding of the tape. The pawl is mounted such that a pin may be inserted 
through an aperture to raise the pawl and disengage it from the reel, to 
selectively permit counterclockwise rotation of the reels. 
In a second embodiment of the invention, a gear is rotatably mounted within 
the housing which will engage the teeth on a reel. The gear is mounted on 
a shaft which is slidable within a slot parallel to a portion of the 
circumference of the reel. Rotation of the reel in a counterclockwise 
direction will slide the gear into a stop which will engage the gear and 
prevent further counterclockwise rotation of the reel. Clockwise rotation 
slides the gear to the opposite end of the slot and permits free rotation 
of the gear. The gear shaft has an aperture therein into which a pin may 
be journaled to prevent sliding of the gear shaft, and thereby selectively 
permit counterclockwise rotation of the reel. 
A third embodiment of the invention includes an elongated band affixed at 
one end adjacent a reel and extending around the reel such that the ends 
overlap. A link is pivotally connected between the ends of the band. 
Counterclockwise rotation of the reel causes the band to tighten and to 
frictionally engage the reel to prevent further counterclockwise rotation. 
Clockwise rotation of the reel loosens the band and permits further 
clockwise rotation of the reel. The link has an aperture therein which 
will receive a special wrench which will prevent pivotal movement of the 
link, so as to selectively permit the band to maintain its loosened 
condition and permit counterclockwise rotation of the reel. 
In a fourth embodiment of the invention, the video tape may be played and 
rewound, but a magnet is provided to erase the tape after it has been 
played and during the rewinding process.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the drawings, in which similar or corresponding parts are 
identified with the same reference numeral, and more particularly to FIG. 
1, the video cassette tape of the present invention is designated 
generally at 10 and includes a housing 12 within which a pair of rotatable 
reels 14 and 16 are mounted for recording or playing tape 18. 
A forward door 20 is pivotally mounted at each end to a forward edge 22 of 
housing 12. Door 20 is pivotal up and away from edge 22 to allow access to 
tape 18 once mounted within a video cassette player or the like. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, reels 14 and 16 include reel hubs 24 and 26 
respectively upon which tape 18 is wrapped or unwrapped upon rotation of 
the reels. Each reel 14 and 16 also includes a large diameter disk 28 and 
30 respectively having a plurality of teeth 32 projecting around the 
circumference thereof and associated with a device which selectively locks 
the reels from rotation (not shown). 
For purposes of description, reel 14 will be identified as the take up reel 
and reel 16 will be identified as the supply reel, such that movement of 
tape from reel 16 to reel 14 permits the audio visual material on tape 18 
to be viewed or recorded, and movement of the tape from reel 14 to reel 16 
occurs during rewinding of the tape. 
A first guide roller 34 is rotatably mounted adjacent front edge 22 within 
housing 12 to guide tape 18 from supply reel 16 to an orientation parallel 
and adjacent forward edge 22. A second guide roller 36 is mounted adjacent 
forward edge 22 spaced apart from guide roller 34, such that tape 18 
extends substantially entirely along the forward edge 22 of housing 12. 
Second guide roller 36 will direct tape 18 to take up reel 14 in a 
conventional fashion. A tensioner roller 38 is mounted between supply reel 
16 and first guide roller 34, and a similar tensioner roller 40 is mounted 
immediately adjacent second guide roller 36. All of the above described 
elements are conventional components of prior art video cassette tapes. 
The inventor herein has modified this conventional cassette tape by 
operably mounting a bar magnet 42 within housing 12 adjacent tensioner 
roller 40. Bar magnet 42 is operable between the solid line position of 
FIG. 2, with edge 42a immediately adjacent tape 18 on roller 40, and the 
broken line position with forward edge 42a moved to a position spaced away 
from tape 18 and roller 40. 
In those situations where recording equipment is available which can record 
audio-visual material onto videotape during the process of rewinding the 
tape, it would not be necessary to provide a movable magnet 42. Rather, 
magnet 42 could be permanently fixed in place. Similarly, guide roller 36 
and/or tensioner roller 40 could be magnetized so as to erase videotape 
18, so that no separate magnet 42 would be necessary. 
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2 showing the bar magnet in 
more detail. FIG. 4 is a sectional view specifically showing bar magnet 42 
and the adjacent roller 40. A pair of pins 44 project upwardly from the 
bottom of housing 12, which will retain bar magnet 42 in its position 
adjacent roller 40. A second pair of pins 46 project from the bottom of 
housing 12 and are positioned to retain bar magnet 42 in a position with 
forward edge 42a spaced away from tape 18. In order to move bar magnet 42 
from the solid line position to the broken line position, a hexagonal tool 
46 is inserted through an aperture 48 in the bottom 12a of housing 12 into 
a hexagonal aperture 50 in the leg 52 extending downwardly from bar magnet 
42, as shown in FIG. 5. In this way, bar magnet 42 may be raised upwardly 
so that an upper pin 54 slides within a sleeve 56 to allow bar magnet 42 
to move upwardly past pins 44. Bar magnet 42 may then be pivoted on leg 52 
and pin 54 and lowered between the second pair of pins 46. 
In operation, bar magnet 42 is pivoted to the broken line position shown in 
FIG. 3 utilizing a hexagonal tool 46 as described hereinabove. The desired 
audio visual material may then be freely recorded on tape 18 and rewound 
onto supply reel 16. The hexagonal tool is then utilized to move the bar 
magnet from the broken line position to the solid line position of FIG. 3 
in proximity to tape 18 so as to erase any material thereon as the tape 
passes by bar magnet 42. In this way, once the tape has been viewed, it is 
automatically erased during the viewing period and is prepared for 
rerecording. 
Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, a second embodiment of the invention is 
designated generally at 100 and includes all of the components of a 
conventional video cassette tape. These components, as described above, 
include take up and supply reels 14 and 16, tape 18, a forward door 120 
and forward edge 122 on a housing 112, disks 128 and 130 attached to reels 
114 and 116, teeth 132 on disks 128 and 130, guide rollers 134 and 136, 
tensioner rollers 138 and 140, all operable in a conventional fashion. The 
second embodiment 100 differs from the first embodiment 10 in the use of a 
ratchet mechanism, designated generally at 160. Ratchet mechanism 160 
prevents rotation of disk 130 in the counterclockwise direction 
(designated by broken arrow 162) by the pivoting movement of a pawl 164 
against a stop 166 so as to catch a tooth 132 on disk 130. This is shown 
by the broken line position of pawl 164 in FIG. 7. Rotation of disk 130 in 
the clockwise direction, as shown by arrow 168 in FIG. 7, is not 
prevented, since movement of teeth 132 in the clockwise direction will 
pivot pawl 164 and allow the disk teeth 132 to slip by. 
Pawl 164 has a lower leg 170 rotatably journaled within a sleeve 172 upon 
which hole 164 will pivot. An upper pin 174 projects from the top of pawl 
164 into an upper sleeve 176 such that pawl 164 pivots between sleeves 172 
and 176. An aperture 178 in the housing bottom 112a is coaxial with lower 
leg 170 such that a tool may be inserted in aperture 178 to raise pawl 164 
above the teeth 132 of disk 130, to a position clear of teeth 132, as 
shown in FIG. 8. In this way, disk 130 and reel 116 are freely rotatable. 
In operation, the cassette tape 100 is placed within a special recording 
apparatus to record the desired audio visual material. The recording 
apparatus has a pin which will be inserted through aperture 178 so as to 
push pawl 164 upwardly out of engagement with teeth 132. Thus, the video 
tape may be rewound after the recording operation. The video tape may then 
be rented to a consumer who can view the tape, since supply reel 116 will 
rotate in a clockwise direction during play of the video tape. However, 
the consumer will not be able to rewind the tape so as to play it again, 
due to the action of ratchet mechanism 160. 
Referring now to FIGS. 9-11, a third embodiment of the invention is 
disclosed, which has all the basic features of the first embodiment 10. 
These features include a housing 212, reels 214 and 216, video tape 218, a 
forward door 220 pivotally mounted to a forward housing edge 222, a pair 
of disks 228 and 230 mounted on reels 214 and 216 respectively, teeth 232 
on disks 228 and 230, guide rollers 234 and 236, and tensioner rollers 238 
and 240. A selective locking mechanism is designated generally at 280 and 
is operably mounted adjacent tape up reel 214, as shown in the figures. 
Selective locking mechanism 280 includes a gear 282 mounted on a shaft 284, 
the shaft projecting through an elongated slot 286 such that gear 282 is 
slidable and rotatable. An annular flange 288 retains shaft and gear 284 
and 282 in rotatable slidable position on the housing bottom 212a. A small 
projecting stop 290 is mounted adjacent one end of slot 286, and has a 
projecting hook-shaped lip 292 designed to correspond with the teeth 282a 
of gear 282, as shown in FIG. 11. 
A longitudinal aperture 294 is formed in the bottom of shaft 284 and is 
designed to receive a corresponding pin 296 so as to prevent slidable 
movement of gear 282 along slot 286. In operation, a prerecorded tape is 
leased or rented to a consumer who will place it in their video cassette 
player so as to view the tape. The tape may be played, since reel 214 will 
rotate in a clockwise direction (as shown in FIG. 10) and gear 282 will 
freely rotate at one end of slot 286. However, if the consumer attempts to 
rewind the tape, take up reel 214 will rotate in a counterclockwise 
direction, such that disk 228 will rotate in a counterclockwise direction 
sliding gear 282 along slot 286 and into journaled position with stop 290. 
In this position, gear 282 will be prevented from rotating, and will 
journal within teeth 232 of disk 228 to prevent counterclockwise rotation 
of reel 214. In order to be permitted to rewind the tape, and thereby 
reuse the tape, the video cassette recorder must have a special feature 
with a pin 296 to retain gear 282 in a rotatable position spaced from stop 
290. 
Referring now to FIGS. 13-16, a fourth embodiment of the invention is 
designated generally at 300 and includes all of the standard components of 
the first embodiment of video cassette tape 10, except for teeth on disks 
28 and 330, as will be described in more detail hereinbelow. The fourth 
embodiment of video cassette tape 300 includes a selective locking 
mechanism designated generally at 302 which will selectively allow 
rotation of disk 330 in the clockwise direction, and prevent rotation in 
the counterclockwise direction. Locking mechanism 302 includes a flexible 
band 304 extending completely around disk 330 and having a pivotal link 
306 pivotally connected to each end of band 304. One end of link 306 has a 
shaft 308 projecting downwardly therefrom through an aperture in the 
bottom 312a of housing 312, to serve as a pivotal axis for link 306. Shaft 
308 has a hexagonal aperture 309 therein adapted to receive a hexagonal 
wrench or the like to allow selective pivoting of link 306. 
In operation, the playing of a video tape will cause disk 330 to rotate in 
a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 14, the rotational movement 
pivoting link 306 so as to loosen band 304 around disk 330. However, 
rotation of disk 330 in a counterclockwise direction will frictionally 
engage band 304 pivoting link 306 to a position generally tangent to disk 
330, as shown in FIG. 15. This is turn causes band 304 to tighten around 
disk 330 and prevent further rotational movement. In order to prevent 
tightening of band 304 on disk 330, it is necessary to utilize a piece of 
recording equipment having a hexagonal tool adapted to fit hexagonal 
aperture 309, the tool being rotated to maintain link 306 in the position 
shown in FIG. 14, thereby maintaining loop 304 in a loosened condition. 
Whereas the invention has been shown and described in connection with the 
preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that many 
modifications, substitutions and additions may be made which are within 
the intended broad scope of the appended claims. There has, therefore, 
been shown and described a modified video cassette tape which accomplishes 
at least all of the above-stated objects.