Abstract:
A standard 9-track, half-inch, 300-foot mini-reel of magnetic tape, having a relatively large endless polyethylene belt loosely encircling the tape, is inserted into a cartridge have a U-shaped vacuum column portion. The side walls of the vacuum column converge as they extend away from the reel, and an opening is formed in the back surface of the vacuum column. The reel mounts on a vacuum activated reel latch to accurately position the reel and loosely position the cartridge adjacent to reference plate. When the reel is so positioned, the open back of the vacuum column is held against the reference plate by the vacuum opening in the reference plate. A vacuum source both actuates the reel latch, to couple the tape reel to a reversible drive motor, and pulls the endless belt into the vacuum column. Forward rotation of the motor causes a fundamental band of magnetic tape, of increasing layer thickness, to be established in the vacuum column, the inner surface of the endless belt establishing the outer layer of the fundamental band. A magnetic transducer is mounted on the reference plate in a position to contact with the inner layer of the fundamental band. A spring provides a light contact force to oppose the frictional force between the cartridge, and the reference plate and to cause slight rotation of the cartridge about the reel axis when a rewind mode is initiated, to allow high speed rewind with the tape out of contact with the transducer.
Abstract:
A magnetic head having a plurality of read/write tracks, each track being formed of a single continuous lamina of highpermeability magnetic material which is wrapped around the edge of a support substrate and extends through an opening in the substrate. A coil encircles one leg of each of the lamina, the coils being alternately placed on opposite sides of the substrate to allow minimum space between the tracks. A magnetic gap extends less than the complete distance across each individual lamina parallel to the edge of the substrate. The electrical characteristics of each individual magnetic gap are monitored as the gap is cut. The cutting operation is terminated in accordance with the value of an electrical characteristic to obtain uniform gap characteristics for each of the gaps. The lateral position of the cut is adjusted in accordance with the value of an electrical characteristic to obtain longitudinal alignment of all of the gaps.