A dual capstan tape transport mechanism having a magnetic tape trained along a path for movement successively between an upstream capstan and pressure roller, past record and play heads, and between a downstream capstan and pressure roller. A motor drives the downstream capstan directly and drives the upstream capstan indirectly, and slightly slower, through an overrunning clutch. Separate solenoids move the pressure rollers to press the tape against the respective capstans. The mechanism is selectible to play either an improved dual capstan type cartridge with both capstans, or to play a conventional single capstan type cartridge with the downstream capstan alone. Tape guide posts, aligning the tape and providing wrap around the heads, and a shield engageable with the backside of the tape opposite the play head, are movable with the upstream pressure roller through openings in the housing of the dual capstan cartridge.
A paper feeding device for automatic drafting machine in which paper is fed in a predetermined direction by drive rollers and pressure rollers that are in resilient contact with the drive rollers. A writing implement is shiftably disposed in a right angle direction to the feeding direction of the paper, and the writing implement abuts on the paper. A predetermined pattern is drawn on the paper by mutual operations of the transfer of the writing implement and the transfer of the paper in the feeding direction. Underlay rollers are disposed in parallel to the transfer path immediately below the transfer path of the writing implement. The direction of drive and rotation of the underlay rollers is identical with that of the drive rollers, and a circumferential speed of the surfaces of the underlay rollers is set slightly higher than a circumferential speed of the drive rollers.
This invention relates to an improvement in a dual capstan drive unit for a reversible tape recorder. A dual capstan drive unit has means to generate variable frequency signals varying in their frequencies corresponding to the revolution speed of first and second capstans which serve to transport a magnetic tape. A single clock oscillator feeds two frequency dividers to produce first and second slightly different reference frequency signals to produce a slight difference between the peripheral speeds of upstream and downstream capstans to maintain tape tension for both tape directions. Control means to controls the revolution of the first and second capstans and compares the detected frequency signals with the respective reference frequency signals so that the revolution of the first and second capstans have a predetermined value. In this invention, the first and second capstans have an outer diameter different from each other and the generated frequency signals have equal frequencies when the peripheral speeds of the two capstans are equal.
A label printer for printing both human readable and machine readable indicia on the end label in a strip of perforated label stock includes a drum printer providing printing at a print station and label advancing rollers for advancing the label stock from a supply through the print station. Human readable indicia are printed on the end label during this advancement. Label tensioning rollers are provided on the opposite side of the print station from the label advancing rollers and engage the end label after a portion of the label has been transported past the print station. When the label tensioning rollers have engaged the end label, the machine readable indicia are printed on the label, as well as any additional human readable indica. The label tensioning rollers provide for tensioning of the label during printing of the machine readable indicia so as to enhance the resolution of the printed indicia. A label bursting arrangement is provided which includes label bursting rollers between the label tensioning rollers and a label output.
