Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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BACKGROUNI) OF T~IE INVENT101`1
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic card recorder/
playback machine for transporting and converting audio signals to and
from magnetically stripped cards and particular to control features of
such device,
Description of the Prior ~rt
Magnetic card recording and/or reproducing apparatus
which utilize a card upon which magnetic tracks are mounted are useful
for educational and teaching purposes as, for example, studying foreign
languages. Machines of the prior art have not been capable of utilizing
the entire magnetic track on the card and have also been improperly
erased due to transverse motion of the erase head relative to the card
due to vibrations caused by movement of the card and varying thicknesses
of the card. Furthermore, prior art devices had very expensive vertical
head positioning and referencing means and have required that the card
be held and guided by hand so that it does not tilt relative to the
machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
~ so-called card recording and/or reproducing apparatus in
which the card carrles magnetic traclcs as, for example, for a teacher
and a student and with sounds corresponding to pictures or letters printed
on the card for use in educational and other training as, for example,
studying foreign languages. Such machines are very useful for story
telling for children, for example. It is an object of the present invention
to utilize the full length of the track during recording and/or reproduction
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because the full length of the tr~ck i9 limited to the length of the card
which might be about 19 cm and the full length of the track would give
4 to 8 seconds of audio signal.
With prior art machines, portions of the magnetic track on
the card cannot be erased or recorded completely because the erasing
head follows the record head and, generally, on the last portion of the
card the prior signal will remain and be reproduced with the new signal.
It is an object of the invention to provide erasing of the full
magnetic track on the card
It is another obiecL of the present invention to provide a
stand or rest or a handle which has a reference surface against which
the card may be placed so as to properly align the card as it is inserted
into the card machine. Wherein a handle is used, the handle can be
used for carrying the machine as well as for providing a reference plane
for inserting the card in the machine. The handle or stand should be
positioned so that it is slightly less than about L~2 where L is the
length of the card so as to prevent the card from tilting.
Another feature of the invention is to provide means for
posi~ioning the magnetic heads relative to two tracks on the card very
accurately and precisely with apparatus which is much less expensive
than that used by prior art devices. In the present invention, a lower
horizontal reference plane establishes the lower position of the magnetic
heads and an upper hori~ontal reference plane determines the upper
reference position of the magnetic heads and a springbiasedball and a
pair of inclined surfaces bias and hold the magnetic heads against the
upper or lower reference planes selectively to provide an inexpensive
detent positioning mechanism.
Yet another feature of the invention is to provide a floating
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head support mechanism for the erasing head which is mounted on
a sub-chassis mounted on the main head chassis and wherein the
eraslng head is spring bIased against the card. The advantage
of a floating erasing head is that it prevents the erasing head
from being effected by the card driving mechanism including the
pinch roller and capstan which could cause the erase head to
bounce and move transversely of the card due to varying thickness
in the card. As a practical matter, the card and magnetic
tracks have no uniform thickness due to the adhesives used
to attach the tape to the card and, thus, during driving of
' the card the main head chassis will fluctuate and move trans-
versely of the card and where the erasing head is carried on the
main head chassis the erasing head contact with the track will
fluctuate. This causes the erasing to be incomplete and
the Eloating sub-chassis for the erase head comprises a
substantial improvement in such machines so that the contact
between the erasing head and the track will not be affected by
variations of the main chassis.
More particularly, there is provided:
A magnetic card recording and/or reproducing
apparatus comprising: a card guide path for a card carrying
an elongated magnetic track; means for transporting said card
through said card guide path; a magnetic head chassis; a
recording head mounted on said magnetic head chassis to be
positioned in operative relationship with said magentic track
on said card; and an erase head movably mounted relative to
said recording head on said magnetic head chassis so as to main-
tain a predetermined relationship to said magnetic track as
said card is transported through the apparatus.
There is also provided:
A magnetic card recording and/or reproducing
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apparatus with card guide path ~or a eard having an elongated
magnetic track comprising: al a capstan for transporting said
card through said card guide path; b~ a main chassis pivotally
mounted on -the apparatus and being urged toward said card guide
path; cl a recording and/or reproducing head mounted on said
main ehassis in operative relat;onship with said magnetie
track on said card, and, d~ an erase head pivotably mounted
on said main chassis and being urged toward said card guide
path so as to maintain a predetermined relationship to said
magnetic track as said card moves through apparatus.
There is further provided:
A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus
with eard guide path for a eard having a pair of elongated
magnetic parallel traeks eomprising, means for dri~ing said
:~ eard, a maehine ehassis, a main head chassis, a reeording head
mounted on said main head chassis whieh is pivotally attached on
said machine chassis and biased by spring toward said card in
order to ~e in operative relationship with said magnetic traeks
on said eard, an erase head mova~ly mounted relative to said
reeording head on said main head ehassis so as to maintain a
~ predetermined relationship to said magnetie track as said card
; moves through apparatus, wherein said main ehassis is mounted
.~ for vertical movement between upper and lower positions wherein
. said magnetic head is aligned with one or the other of said
magnetic tracks, upper and lower horizontal stoppers engageable
with said main chassis such that said upper horizontal stopper
determines said upper position and said lower horizontal stopper
determines said lower position, and over-the-center spring
biasing means engageable with said main chassis with its center
position between said upper and lower positions such that it
~iases said main chassis upwardly against said upper horizontal
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stopper when the main chassis is above said center position andbiases said main chassis downwardly against said lower horizon-
tal stopper when said main chassis is below said center
positions.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will
be readily apparent from the following description of cercain preferred ~
embodiments thereof ~aken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
although variations and r~odifications may be effected w~thout departing
from the spirit and scop~ of ~he novel concepts of the disclosure and in
10 which:
BRIEF DESCR IPTION OF THE DRA WII~l GS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the card playing
machine of the invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of a card;
Figure 3 is a partiall~ cut-away view of the invention
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showing the double pawl actuator and the floating head suppo:rt for the
erase head;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the double pawl actuator;
Figure 5 illustrates the control mechanism for vertical
movement of the head deck;
Figure 6 is a perspective detail view illustrating the head
deck with the erase head floating deck;
Figure 7 illustrates the head positioning mechanism with
the head deck in the up position;
Figure 8 illustrates the head deck positioning mechanism
with the head deck in the lower position;
Figure 9 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the ball
detent of the head positioning mechanism, and
Figure 10 is an electrical schematic of the invention.
- DESCRIPIION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIME~TS
Figure 1 illustrates the magnetic playback and recording
; machine for a card having magnetic tracks thereon which has a micro-
phone 12 and a loudspeaker 11. The machine has a record button 13
an instructor playback button 14, a student playback button 16 and a
volume control 20. A card receiving slot 17 extends across the top of
the machine in the direction indicated by arrow 19 and is adapted for
receiving a card 18 shown in Figure 1 with its botLom edge 32 resting
against the bottom of the slot. The upper front portions 22 of the slot
;, 17 are provided with upper tapered surfaces and the outer elld toward the
right of Figure 2 of the slot is enlarged by the tapered portion 23 so as
to easily receive the card therein. A handle 24 has a center portion
and side portions 26 and ~7 which are slidably received in slots 28 and 29
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of the machine 10 and has an upper surface on the center portion
24 which lies in a plane with the bottom of the slot 17 such that
when the card 18 is inserted into the portion 23 of the slot 17 the
edge 31 of the handle 24 holds the card 18 level with the bottom
of the slot 17. The handle 24 when in its extended position
provides that the center portion 24 is a distance of L/2 or less
where L is the length of the card so that the card will not tilt
relative to the bottom of the slot 17. Although the handle 24 is
illustrated as the supporting means for the card it is to be
lO realized, of course, -that a stand or other suitable support means
can be used. When the machine is not keing utilized, the handle
24 can be depressed into the confines of the machine lO for
storage.
As illustrated in Figure 2, the card carries a pair of
magnetic tracks 34 and 36 which extend the length of the card and
the front upper corner 33 may ~e slanted so as to provide a
reference for indexing the card. The magnetic track 36 might be
the instructor track and the track 34 might be for the student.
A character 3~ which might ~e a foreign word, for example, and a
20 sentence using such word might be printed in the area 41 of the
card. A pic~ure 37 of the word is printed on the card and the
word is printed in another language in position 38 on the card.
A second character 42 with a sentence 43, a picture 46 and the
word printed in a different language at position 44 ma~ also
appear on the card 18.
In use, the user places the front end of the card in
the tapered portions 23 and 22 of the slot 17 with the ~ottom of
the card 32 resting on the portion 31 of the handle 24 and it
engages mechanism within the machine to be described hereafter for
30 dr-awing the card through the machine for recording o~ reproducing
the signal on the magnetic tracks 34 and 36.
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Figure 3 is a top ~lan view of the maclline l0 with the
top cover removed and illustrates the slot 17 ancl the double pawl
actuator 49 which is pivotally supported on a shaft S1 and which has a
pair of pawls 53 and 52 which are engageable by a card 18 as it passes
through the slot 17 and wherein the pawl portions 52 and 53 are separated
by a portion 54. ~ motor 57 drives a capstan 5$ mounted on the output
shaft 59 of the motor. A pinch roller 61 is loca~:ed under the main
magnetic head 93. The pinch roller 61 presses the card 18 against the
capstan 58 and the roller 61 is carried by a pivot arm 62 mounted on a
shaft 63. The pivot arm 62 has one end 66 connected $o a spring 64
which has its opposite end connected to the chassis 67 of the machine so
as to spring bias the pinch roller 61 against the card and capstan 58.
The double pawl actuator g9 is engageable with a stop 56 mounted on the
chassjs 67 of the machine and is engageable with a spring mounted
actuating switch contact 48 of a micro-switch 47 for energizing the drive
motor 57 and other portions of the machine.
Figures 3, 5 and 6illustrate the main head chassis 71 and
the main magnetic head 93 is connected to a bracket 94 which is attached
to one end of the main chassis 71 as shown. ~n erasing head 102 is
mounted on a bracket 103 which is attached to a sub-chassis 104 which
is pivotally connected to portion 73 of the main head chassis 71 by a
pivot shaft 106 and a spring 107 has one end that engages a vertical
portion 108 of the main chassis and another end which engages the sub-
chassis 104 to bias the magnetic hèad 102 toward the magnetic tracks on
the card 18.
Vertical openings 74 and 76 are formed through horizontal
portions 72 and 73 of the main head chassis 71 and a guide shaft 77 is
mounted on the chassis 67 of the machine and rotatably supports the main
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head chassis 7 l. .
A stop 99 is mounted on the machine chassis67 ancl a screw
101 is threadedly received in the head chassis 71 and is adjustable so
as to allow adjustment of the main chassis 71 relative to the stop 99.
~ spring 96 has one end connected to the end 98 of the main chassis 71
and the other end connected to an anchor 97 on the chassis 67 of the
machine so as to spring bias the main magnetic head 93 toward the card
18.
As is best shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, the main head
chassis 71 is also mounted so it can be placed in two vertical positions
so as to align the heads 93 and 102 with the tracks 34 and 36 on the
card 18.
A pair of vertical brackets 111 and 112 rotatably support a
member 114 on the shaft 113 and the student button 16 is mounted so as
to move the right side of member 114 downwardly relative to Figure 5
and the instructor button 14 is mounted so as to move the left side of
~he member 14 downwardly relative to Figure 5. ~ second pair of
brackets 122 and 123 rotatably support a linkage 119 which has an end
121 engageable in an opening 118 of the instructor button 14 and its
opposite end 124 is receivable in an opening 126 of the main head chassis
71. Thus, by depressing either the instructor button 14 or the student
button 16, will cause the main head chassis 71 to move to either a
top or bottom reference position to align the heads 93 and 102 with the
magne.tic tracks 36 and 34. By depressing the instructor button 14, the
heads will align with the upper track 36 on the card 18 and by depressing
the student button 16 the heads 93 and 102 will align with the student
track 34.
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The main chassis 7 I has horizontal reference members
72 and 73 as shown in Figures 7 and 8 separated by a vertical portion
81. The shaft 77 is formed with grooves 86 and 87 separated by a
portion 88 which has oppositely tapered surfaces 89 and 91 as illustrated
in Figure 9. ~ ball 82 is received in an opening 83 in the portion 81
and a leaf spring 8aI attached to the portion 81 engages the ball 82 to
bias it inwardiy toward the shaft 77. A lower horizontal reference
surface 92 is formed on the shaft 77 such that when the lower horizontal
portion 73 of the main head chassis 71 engages the surface 92 with the
ball 82 pressing against the tapered surface 91 after it has passed over
the high point 88 will place the heads 93 and 102 precisely aligned with
the lower magnetic track 34 on the card 18.
The shaft 77 is also provided with a groove 79 adjacent its
upper end so as to receive an E or C spring washer 78 therein. The
lower surface of the washer 78 establishes a reference position for the
upper horizontal portion 72 of the main chassis 71 with the ball 82
engaging the tapered surface 89 such that the heads 93 and 102 are aligned
with the track 36 on the card 18.
It is to be realized that the horizontal surface 92 and the
lower surface of the washer 78 accurately and precisely define the
lower and upper positions, respectively, for the main chassis 71 and,
thus, the posi~ion of the heads 93 and 102 and the ball and tapered sur-
faces 89 and 91 merely provide spring bias so as to hold the main chassis
71 in the upper or lower positions. This is significant because the
tolerance for machining ~he surfaces 89 and 91 is not critical because
the ball 82 can rest anwhere along the tapered surfaces 89 and 91 and
will take a position so as to cause the surfaces 72 and 73 to respectively
engage the washer 78 or the surface 92. The result is that the tolerance
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for the tapered surfaces 89 anci 91 need not be maintained very close
and such surfaces merely provicle the spring bias for the main chassis.
Figure 10 is an electrical schematic and illustrates the
microphone 12 connected to an amplifier 127 and to a terminal engageable
by a switch 129 when in the record mode. Switch 129 is connected
to a terminal of a switch ~7b which is connected to the movable member
of switch 132 that can be connected to amplifiers 133 or 134. The
output of amplifier 133 is connected to a record contact engageable with
a switch 136 which is connected to the main magnetic head 93. The
amplifier 134 is connected to a playback contact of switch 136. The
motor 57 is connected through switch 47a to a battery 143 which has its
other side connected to ground. The erase head 102 is connected to
an AC source 137 which has its other side connected through switch
138 to an open terminal in playback mode and to a terminal R in the
record mode which is connected to a terminal of switch 47c which has
its movable contact connected to ground.
The double pawls 52 and 53 are engaged by the card as,
for example, when the card is inserted into the machine the front edge
of the card ellgages pawl 53 which closes contacts 47a, 47b and 47c so
as to apply power from the battery 143 to the motor 57 and, thus, cause
the capstan 58 to be driven. If the switches 129, 132, 136 and 138 are
in the piayback mode they will be in the positions illustraLecl in Figure 10
and the magnetic head 93 will detect the magnetic track and pass the signal
through amplifier 134 switches 132, 47b, 129 and amplifier 128 to the
speaker 11. ~fter the rear end of the card 18 has passed the pawl
portion 53 the switch 47 will remain closed because the pawl portion 52
engages the card 18 and, thus, the motor 57 will remain energized to
drive the card until it is beyond the pawl portion 52 after which the
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actuator 49 can move counterclockwise relative to Figure 3, thus,
allowing switch 47 to open to stop the motor 57. The double pawl
portions 52 and 53 are arranged so that they fali on opposite sides of
the recording llead 102 and, thus, all of the magnetic tracks 34 and 36
can be erased with the present machine. It is also desirable that the
main head 93 be placed closely adjacent the pawl portion 52 which
assures that at least all of the front portion of the magnetic tracks 36
and 34 receive a recorded message and also only a very small or short
portion at the end of the tracks receives no recorded signal from magnetic
head 93. When the pawl portions 52 and 53 are mounted on opposite
sides of the erase head, the only portion which is not recorded on the
end of the card would be the distance from the pawl 52 to the main head
93 and this can be made very short.
Alternatively, the pawl portions 52 and 53 can be positioned
so that both the main head 93 and the erase head 102 fall between them
and for this condition all of the magnetic tracks are erased and recording
can occur on the entire magnetic track.
In either of these conditions, distance between the pawl
portion 52 and the main head 93 can be made very short so substantially all
of the magnetic tracks 34 and 36 can be completely erased and completely
recorded.
During record mode, the linkage 144 moves switches 129,
132, 136 and 138 upwardly relative to Figure 10 such that the microphone
12 supplies a signal through amplifier 127, switch 129, switch 47b,
switch 132, amplifier 133 and switch 136 to the main head 93 for
recording thereon. The erase head 102 receives a signal from AC
generator 137 because the switch 138 is grounded through switch ~7c to
energize the AC source 137.
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l~lthough the invention has been described with a single
actuator 49 having two spaced pawl portions 52 and 53 which èngage the
card and wherein when the switch 47 is closed by the pawl 53 the
machine is actuated and furthermore when the card passes pawl 53 but
is still in engagement with pawl 52 the switch remains closed until
the card has passed pawl 52. The switch remains closed even though
the card no longer engages pawl 53. When pawl 52 no longer engages
the card then the switch 47 will open and the motor 57 will turn off.
It is to be realized, of course, that the actuator 49 with two pawls 52
and 53 which actuate a single switch could be replaced by a pair of
switches and two independent actuators such that switches are connected
in parallel and if either of the switches is closed the circuit will be
energized to drive motor 57.
It is to be realized that the double pawl actuator 49 or the
alternative two switch and two actuator embodiment provide time delay
functions corresponding to the movement and position of the card and,
thus, allow grealer portions of the magnetic tracks 36 and 34 to be
utilized than in the prior art which utilizes only one actuator or one
switch and wherein such structure provides no time delay function.
It is seen that the present invention provides an improved
magnetic card reproducing or recording machine and although it has been
described with respect to preferred embodiments it is not to be so limited
as changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the
full intended scope as defined by the appended claims.
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