Patent GB-1475388-A (GB)
Title: Recording and/or reproducing apparatus and record assembly for use therein
IPC: G11B15/67
Filed: 1974-08-27
Abstract: 1475388 Recording on flexible sheets SONY CORP 27 Aug 1974 [8 Sept 1973] 37430/74 Heading G5R A recording and/or playback apparatus is constructed for use with a record assembly 200R, Fig. 34, including a cover 200C and a flexible record sheet which is movable relative to the cover between a stored position, in which the record sheet is substantially enveloped and protected by the cover, and an operative position in which a portion of the sheet remains in the cover and a portion of the sheet is withdrawn from the cover for recording/ playback on said withdrawn portion, the apparatus comprising sheet driving means 267, Fig. 48B, to move the record sheet relative to the cover between the stored and operative positions, rotary signal transducer means 268, Figs. 34, 35, 48A, movable in a circular path about an axis at right angles to the direction of movement of the record sheet between the stored and operative positions, means 284a, 284b, Fig. 35, receiving the record sheet during such movement and guiding the withdrawn portion of the sheet in an arcuate path substantially coinciding with at least part of the circular path of the rotary transducer means, and translating means 306 for moving the record assembly and rotary transducer means relative to each other in directions parallel to the rotational axis of the transducer means so that the latter scan successive parallel record tracks on said withdrawn portion of the record sheet when in said arcuate path with said record sheet remaining stationary relative to its cover 200C and the sheet guide means 284a, 284b. The apparatus may be designed for use with record assemblies comprising one, two or more magnetic rectangular sheets in a cover, the sheets being of different widths or of different widths and lengths when there are a plurality, Figs. 32, 33, 44, 45 (not shown). In apparatus using a twin sheet record assembly with a cover 200C, Fig. 34, on a base 200P, on mounting the assembly on a table 271 so that the leading edge of base 200P engages stop 275b and a slider 215, catches 205a, b are spring biased into notches (203), Fig. 36 (not shown), in base 200P which may be provided with one or more removable tabs 200P, Fig. 34, the absence of which can be sensed by a photoelectric device 231 to prevent recording but allow playback. The major portions of the two sheets are simultaneously removed from cover 200C by driving rollers 278, 279, Fig. 48B, engaging through openings 200A, Fig. 48A, in cover 200C and base 200P, the two sheets being separated by a separator 204 so that one sheet has its edges guided into opposed arcuate grooves 289a, Fig. 35, in end walls 284a, b of a carriage 269 and the other sheet is fed into similar arcuate grooves 289<SP>1</SP>a. The grooves may be adjustable to ensure that the opposed grooves of each pair are parallel, may include means in one groove of each pair to resiliently engage the corresponding sheet edge, and may be arranged so that the distance between the opposed grooves in each pair is shortened slightly when the carriage 269 moves away from its starting position, Figs. 20 to 27 (not shown). The loaded sheets are curved about respective rotary transducer assemblies 268, 268<SP>1</SP> whereby, as carriage 269 is moved, parallel tracks are recorded or reproduced on each sheet. One sheet may be used for video recording/playback, using frequency or phase modulated signals recorded in overlapping tracks so that the track width is less than the video head gap width and each track is one field with the horizontal and vertical sync. signals of the tracks aligned, Fig. 57A (not shown), while the other sheet is simultaneously used for audio record/ playback. Alternatively video signals may be be recorded or replayed on one sheet as the carriage moves from its starting to its terminal position and video signals recorded or replayed on the other sheet as the carriage moves back to its starting position. The head and record sheet drive arrangement has a motor 292, Fig. 48A, driving video head drum 290 directly and driving audio head drum 290<SP>1</SP> at a lower speed via pulleys 704, 709 and belt 711, and driving a feed screw 306 via a clutch, Fig. 54 (not shown), and gears 710, 712, from the shaft 309 of drum 290<SP>1</SP>. The carriage 269 is moved laterally by a split nut 307 on screw 306 and may be stopped for still-picture playback on operating a lever 724 to disengage said clutch, a manually rotatable wheel 738<SP>1</SP> then being operable to move carriage, e.g. for slow-motion playback. A motor 774, Fig. 48B, rotates shaft 280 carrying sheet loading roller 278 and also rotates camshaft 783 whereby a frame 778 is oscillated to intermittently drive roller 279 from shaft 280 via gears 776, 777 thereby providing an intermittent drive for removing the record sheets from cover 200C, such a drive preventing build-up of pressure of either edge of each record sheet against the corresponding arcuate groove. Cam-shaft 783 also controls switches 791, 797, 798 which together with a reversing switch 796 for motor 774, a normally open switch 795, Fig. 48A, closed by carriage 269 in the starting position thereof, and a switch 790 which is closed on locating record assembly 200R on table 271, provide for automatic operation. Thus, when, after a manually operable lever 743, Fig. 488, is pulled forwardly to a record/playback position, record assembly 200R is placed on table 271, switch 790 closes whereby rollers 278, 279 drive the record sheets to their loaded positions, motor 774 being stopped by cam 802 opening switch 797, and motor 292 is energized to rotate transducer 268, 268<SP>1</SP> and move carriage 269. On completion of record loading the movement of carriage 269 will have opened switches 790, 795 but motor 292 is maintained energized by switch 791. When carriage 269 arrives at its terminal position a control rod 737 is automatically rotated through 90 degrees to thereby move lever 743 to STOP, change over reversing switch 796, and disengage split nut 307 from screw 306 whereby spring 310 returns carriage 269 to its starting position under the control of a damping arrangement 740, 741, 742 whereupon switches 790, 795 are closed and motor 774 is rotated in reverse. The record sheets are therefore driven back into the cover 200C and the rotation of cam-shaft 783 opens switch 798 to de-energize motor 774, opens switch 791, and acts via links 806, 811, 814, 820, Fig. 48B, and links 212, 208, 209, Fig. 48A, to disengage catches 205a 205b from the notches (203) of record assembly base 200P, allowing a spring 219 to operate the slider 215 to partially eject the record assembly 200R, whereupon switch 790 opens to de-energize motor 292. Lever 743 may also be manually returned to STOP to interrupt a record/playback operation and initiate return of carriage 269, record sheet unloading and record sheet ejection. A record assembly having two pairs of selectively usable record sheets, Fig. 42 (not shown), has cut-outs located in its cover (400C) and in the record sheets (400S 1 ) to (4008 4 ), such that on locating the assembly one way up in the apparatus one pair of sheets (400S 1 ), (400S 2 ) is withdrawn by the unloading arrangement, and on inverting the record assembly the other pair of record sheets (4008 3 ), (4008 4 ), is withdrawn. Apparatus for recording/playback on one record sheet at a time may simultaneously record audio and video signals by using a rotary drum in which the transducing gaps of the audio heads are at an angle to those of the video heads, or by providing an audio head drum coaxially with and axially spaced from a video head drum so that audio signals are recorded on a γ Fe 2 O 3  coated section of the sheet while video signals are being recorded on a CrO 2  coated section of the sheet. Such apparatus may be used with a record sheet assembly wherein a cover (100C), Fig. 43 (not shown), contains a plurality of record sheets intended to be used individually and having tabs (100T) laterally offset from one another so as to be selectively driven by the rollers of the unloading device (167) by laterally moving one or both rollers to engage the tab of the selected sheet. The record sheets and apparatus may be arranged for electro-optical recording/playback using variations in light transmission or reflection, or electrostatic capacitive recording/playback, or for recording/playback using signals recorded as surface undulations of the record sheet, Figs. 59-61 (not shown).