A magnetic transducer support assembly includes parrallel flexure spring supporting elements which are of sufficient length to approximate linear motion over the length of translational displacement used. The flexures are formed of a single continuous length of flat spring material, and built-up portions on the spring stretches between the base member and transducer carriage are provided to resist twisting and other unwanted motions induced by vibration and similar influences. Displacement is achieved by cam actuation driven by a stepper motor which may control multiple such transducer mountings on a single side of a disk or on opposite sides of a disk.

In a system mounting a magnetic transducer on the end of a thin leaf for sweeping motion displacement laterally to a track on a record surface, the present invention utilizes elements arranged as reversely deflectable leaf portions so as to maintain the transducer in substantially undeviating (normal) orientation with respect to the record surface. In one embodiment, the cantilevered leaf is composed of inner and outer (inboard and outboard) piezoelectric ("bimorph") bender elements having opposite polarizations and being cross-wired to produce the reverse deflections desired. The electrodes of the elements may also be divided longitudinally and coupled to bias voltage sources to provide controlled correction of azimuth error.

A rotary head assembly, for example, for recording and/or reproducing video signals on a recording tape which is wrapped about at least a portion of the periphery of a tape guide drum, includes a support body moved in a circular path concentric with the guide drum, for example, by being secured to a rotated part of the latter, and having a radially outward directed portion, a plurality of parallel, resilient cantilevered support arms which are secured at one end to the radial body portion at spaced apart locations along the latter so as to extend from such body portion substantially at right angles to the latter, and a head member secured to the other ends of the resilient cantilevered support arms so that centrifugal movement of the head member through a gap of the guide drum and into engagement with the tape wrapped about the drum is resiliently resisted by flexing of the cantilevered support arms.

A cantilevered beam assembly with a maximum resonance frequency is adaptable for supporting a transducer for use with a random access flexible disk file. The cantilevered beam assembly includes a first cantilevered member and a second elongated member coupled at one end by a flexible joint to the free end of the first cantilevered member. When used with a flexible disk file system, a magnetic transducer is seated on the second end of the elongated member while said elongated member is restricted to flex in one plane only. A relatively thin, tapered, elongated protective structure having a relatively sharp, elongated leading edge contiguous with a relatively sharp front edge is rigidly connected to the first cantilevered member and surrounds the second elongated member in a plane orthogonal to the plane of flex.

To adapt a magnetic transducer for controlled positioning use where there is relative motion between the transducer and a magnetic recording surface, such as a magnetic tape, the transducer is mounted at the end of a thin leaf for sweeping motion displacement laterally to a track along the record surface and within a predetermined desired range of displacement across the record surface. The thin leaf is restrained against motion causing the transducer to move in any manner other than laterally to the track. In one embodiment, the leaf is a piezoelectric bender element, and in another embodiment the leaf is an electromagnetically responsive leaf element.