Magnetic tape recorder employs a single capstan for simultaneously driving the supply and take-up reels in such a manner that the tape passing between the reels is kept under a predetermined constant tension. This recorder operates with little power and is sufficiently rugged to withstand the severe stresses encountered in high-altitude balloon flight tests

Uber, P. W.

English

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Unequal Deformation
December 1967	 Brief 67-10646 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Improved Magnetic Tape Recorder 
Take-up Reel
Supply Reel
Carriage 
Lntl
Take-up R 
Magnetic Tape
Force Spring
A magnetic tape recorder, which has been designed, 
is of simple, rugged construction and operates with 
relatively little power. 
Conventional direct drive mechanisms for magnetic 
tape recorders incorporate a friction brake for the 
supply reel, which tends to increase power consump-
tion and is subject to failure due to wear and severe 
environmental conditions. In alternative designs, 
endless belts employed to avoid friction braking of 
the supply reel are subject to fatigue failure and non-
uniform strains along their lengths, which result in 
nonuniform driving of the reels. 	 - 
The new tape recorder design employs a single 
capstan for simultaneously driving the supply and 
take-up reels in such a manner that the tape passing 
between the reels is kept under a predetermined 
constant tension. This recorder operates with little 
power and is sufficiently rugged to withstand the 
severe stresses encountered in high-altitude balloon 
flight tests. 
The capstan hai a resilient, deformable cylindrical 
drive surface (such as rubber) which directly couples
and simultaneously drives the supply and take-up 
reels by frictional surface engagement with the outer 
layer of tape carried on the periphery of each reel. 
The reels are supported on slidable carriages (carriage 
for take-up reel not visible in illustration). Non - 
cumulative force springs (only one of two visible in 
illustration) control the movement of the carriages 
with respect to the capstan. The first non-cumula-
tive force spring (illustrated) directly couples the two 
carriages to maintain the tape reels in driven engage-
ment with the capstan, even if unbalancing forces are 
encountered during recorder operation. The second 
spring maintains a greater contact force between the 
capstan and the tape carried on the take-up reel than 
on the supply reel, resulting in the unequal deforma-
tion of the capstan surface shown in the auxiliary 
view. This unequal deformation results in a differen-
tial in speed between the two reels so that the tape 
transferred to the take-up reel is subjected to a pre-
determined constant tension. Power consumption is 
reduced because of the absence of a conventional 
friction brake for the supply reel. (continued overleaf 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States 	 will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19670000645 2020-03-11T21:32:19+00:00Z
Notes: 
1. By providing additional force springs for each tape 
reel with a means to selectively disconnect the 
springs, a machine having both recording and play-
back capabilities will be obtained. 
2. Inquiries concerning this invention may be di-
rected to:
Technology Utilization Officer 
Goddard Space Flight Center 
Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 
Reference: B67-10646
Patent status: 
Inquiries about obtaining rights for the commercial 
use of this invention may be made to NASA, Code 
GP, Washington, D.C. 20546.
Source: Paul W. Uber 
(XGS-0S259) 
Brief 67-10646	 Category 01


An improved magnetic tape recorder

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