Patent GB-1459234-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for recording or reproducing successively a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges
IPC: G11B15/68
Filed: 1973-12-18
Abstract: 1459234 Tape cartridge apparatus MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO Ltd 18 Dec 1973 [30 Dec 1972 (14)] 58659/73 Heading G5R In apparatus for recording or reproducing automatically and successively a plurality of tape cartridges A, B, C, Fig. 2, the cartridges are located in respective receiving spaces which have springs 45c, Fig. 6, biasing the cartridges to waiting positions in such spaces, and a plurality of locking levers 56a, 56b, 56c, Fig. 2, are operable by respective cams 61a, 61b, 61c on a cam shaft 59 to move respective cartridges from their waiting positions to transducing positions in the corresponding receiving spaces, shaft 59 being driven by the selective engagement of an idler 63 with a tape drive capstan 47. When a power switch 7, Figs. 1, 2, is manually switched on with cartridges A, B, C all in the waiting position, current flows via a switch 20 to a solenoid 18 to rotate cam-shaft 59 via idler 63 engaged by solenoid 18 with a hub of a flywheel 48 of capstan 47. A cam 61a thereby releases locking lever 56a so that a spring 58a acting thereon urges a roller 53a into a recess (55a), Fig. 4 (not shown), in cartridge A which is thereby drawn into a playback position. Shaft 59 rotates until switches 2, 17, 25, 28, 39, Fig. 1, in a combined switch 71, Fig. 2, operated by cam 68 on shaft 59 are in their (1) positions and switches 11 and 20 operated by cam 70 are respectively on and off, opening of switch 20 stopping shaft 59. Head 1a thereby reproduces the first programme of cartridge A and cartridge and programme indicating lamps 26a, 32-(1) are energized. Two- and four-channel indicating lights 29 (2), 29 (4) are operated by a detecting switch 27a, Fig. 1, which determines whether the cartridge is a 2 or 4-channel type and, via relay 30, connects the outputs of playback amplifier 3 appropriately to terminals 4. The foil at the end of the first programme of cartridge A is sensed by a switch 13a thereby energizing a solenoid 14 to lower the 4-track replay heads 1a, 1b, 1c by one track to play the second programme of cartridge A, the heads being carried by a rod 76, Fig. 3, moved up and down by a cam 79 rotated stepwise by solenoid 14. The solenoid 14 also steps control switches 22, 31 between positions thereof. At the end of the second programme, solenoid 14 raises the heads by one track and moves switches 22, 31 to contacts 22-3, 31-3. If the cartridge A is for fourchannel playback, relay 30 will have closed a switch 24 to discharge capacitor 23 through solenoid 18, thereby rotating cam-shaft 59 whereby cam 70 closes switch 20 to continue energization of solenoid 18 after capacitor 23 has discharged. Cam 61a therefore releases roller 53a from cartridge A which is thereby pushed by a spring (45a) to the waiting position and cam 61b allows spring (58b) to draw cartridge B to the playback position by means of roller 53b. If the cartridge A is for two-channel playback, relay 30 will not have been energized so that at the end of the second programme lamp 32-(3) and relay 34 are energized thus operating switches 5-(1), 5-(3) so that the outputs of amplifiers 3-(2), 3-(4) are selected in place of 3-(1), 3-(3) for playback of the third and then the fourth programme of cartridge A, whereafter cartridge changing is effected as above and cartridge B and then cartridge C are played back sequentially. At the end of cartridge C cam-shaft 59 operates to restart the playback cycle with the first programme of cartridge A. When a switch 36 is manually changed over from its position in Fig. 1, a stop solenoid 35 is energized by discharge of capacitor 23 at the end of the last programme on the currently played cartridge to open switch 7. Closure of a switch 37 energizes stop solenoid 35 by discharge of capacitor 38 at the end of the last programme of cartridge C. Opening of a switch 12 disables switches 13a, 13b, 13c, whereby repeated playback of the current programme is effected. Manual changeover of a switch 15 effects a programme changing operation and manual operation of a switch 21 effects a cartridge changing operation. Switches 16a, 16b, 16c detect the presence of cartridges A, B, C in their reproducing positions, being closed in the absence of a cartridge whereby if cartridge B is missing, for example, cartridge C is played after A without shut-off of the apparatus being caused by the absence of B. A switch 11 in parallel with switch 7 is operated by cam 70 and a switch 19 is ganged with switch 7 so that 19 is off when 7 is on and vice versa, whereby if switch 7 is manually turned off in the middle of an operating cycle the apparatus continues to be energized via switch 11 and solenoid 18 is energized by switch 19 for a period, until cam 70 opens switch 11, long enough to cause return of the currently playing cartridge to the waiting position. This switching arrangement similarly operates to leave the apparatus with all cartridges in the waiting position when stop solenoid 35 is operated to open switch 7. The apparatus may be adapted to allow recording in addition to playback.