GB2310845A

GB2310845A - Cassette winding apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2310845A
Application number: GB9713768A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Jakeman; Robin Barnes
Original assignee: GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE AUTH; TOUCHSTONE PRODUCTIONS Ltd
Current assignee: GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE AUTH; TOUCHSTONE PRODUCTIONS Ltd
Priority date: 1993-08-26
Filing date: 1993-08-26
Publication date: 1997-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 2013-08-26
Also published as: GB9713768D0; GB2281288A; GB9317729D0; GB2310845B; GB2281288B

Description

CASSETTE WINDING APPARATUS The present invention relates to apparatus for re-winding a magnetic tape video cassette particularly of VHS format without removing it from a sealed container. However, the invention is applicable to any magnetic tape format including video, audio and computer data cassettes.

Magnetic tape video cassettes are being used extensively to record information which will for example subsequently be used as evidence in court proceedings. These cassettes must be stored in a sealed container, sometimes for a considerable period, and their integrity during this time must be preserved by keeping the seal of the container into which they are placed after they have been produced, unbroken. In addition, in order to preserve the magnetic image, the tape must be rewound in the cassette from time to time. This must be done without removing the video cassettes from the containers so that their integrity as evidence cannot be challenged. It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide (a) a cassette container in which a cassette may be sealed, with integrity, but which permits a tape disposed in it to be wound and rewound by the winding machine without disturbing the seal (b) a winding machine. The applicant's co-pending UK patent application number 9317729.3 is directed to a cassette container. The present application is directed to a winding machine.

The Cassette Container According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a container for holding a video magnetic tape cassette comprising a housing having an open end into which a cassette may be inserted and sealed in that position by means of a seal, the housing defining one or more apertures through which the driving spindles of a winding machine may be inserted to wind and re-wind the tape through which a prong member may be inserted into a brake release mechanism of the cassette the activation of which enables the tape to be freely wound and rewound and through which a light may be inserted, and further aperture disposed to enable a light signal from the light to escape from the container to activate one or more sensors which switch off the winding mechanism once the transparent lead-in tape at the end of a winding or rewinding is sensed in order to avoid the breaking of the tape at the end of the winding operation. The container may be used in conjunction with video magnetic tape cassettes which have an opaque plastic body but a transparent plastic protection flap.

In a preferred embodiment, the seal comprises a piece of paper or other material stuck down with a special glue which cannot be steamed open or otherwise removed without breaking the seal. The container may be made of a transparent synthetic plastic material such as polypropylene. The first mentioned aperture is preferably shaped to accommodate the winding machine spindles and the brake release mechanism.

Either one large aperture may be provided or several smaller ones; the former is preferred to save on tooling costs.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is further provided a winding machine for winding and/or re-winding a cassette comprising retaining means for retaining a cassette, a control and winding mechanism, switch means, one or more spindles, a light source, one or more sensors and a prong member, wherein activation of the switch means causes the control and winding mechanism to activate the prong member and the spindles so that the prong member is inserted into a brake release mechanism of the cassette and the spindles cause the tape within the cassette to be wound or re-wound and wherein when a light signal from the light source is detected by a sensor the control and winding mechanism is de-activated.

The invention further provides a cassette winding/re-winding apparatus comprising a winding machine and a cassette container of the invention.

Preferably the winding machine is incorporated within a case or similar enclosure for ease of transport. The retainign means may comprise two clamps; one fixed clamp and one moving clamp which may be spring-loaded. Alternatively, the retaining means may comprise a sleeve adapted to receive a cassette. The sleeve may be pivotally connected to part of the winding machine. One or more switches may be provided and each switch may have a corresponding sensor such that detection by a sensor of the light source causes the corresponding switch to change mode.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a winding apparatus of the invention showing one embodiment of winding machine and one embodiment of cassette container; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of cassette container according to the invention; Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the cassette container of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of a winding machine according to the invention; Figure 5 is a schematic front elevation of the winding machine of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a winding-machine of the invention; Figures 7 and 8 are further perspective views of the winding machine of Figure 6.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 3, the holder 1 is parallelepipedic in form and is made of a transparent synthetic plastic material such as polypropylene. The holder is appropriately dimensioned to receive a cassette 10. One end of the holder is closed at 2 and the other end is open at 3. One of the largest faces of the holder defines -an aperture 4. This aperture is substantially triangular in shape and has a smaller substantially rectangular extension 5. A small circular aperture 6 is formed in the closed end of the holder 1. The ends of the aperture 4 are rounded at 7 to facilitate the introduction of the spindles of a tape winding mechanism. The apex of the triangle at 8 permits the introduction of a metal prong tape brake which releases the mechanism intrinsic to the cassette C. Sensors placed adjacent the hole 6 and in the same postion at the open end 3 of the cassette containers are operative to pick up a light signal from a light source introduced through extension 5 to activate and de-activate the winding mechanism.

In use the end 3 of the holder will be partly sealed but not to the degree that the passage of light to the sensor is obstructed once a cassette has been inserted, by a piece of paper or similar material 9 which will be stuck down with special glue which cannot be steamed open or otherwise removed without breaking the seal. When a cassette is inserted, the person inserting it will sign the piece of paper or similar material which sticks it down and it will not, therefore, be able to be removed without breaking this seal and, therefore giving evidence that it has been broken and the tape removed.

Referring now to Figure 2, an alternative embodiment of cassette container 11 has three closed sides 12 and an open side 13 which, in use, is sealed by a piece of paper or the like (not shown). A small circular aperture 16 is formed in one of the closed sides 12. Two circular apertures 17 are provided in one face of the container to facilitate the introduction of the spindles of a winding machine. Two further circular apertures 15 and 18 are provided in the same container face. Aperture 18 permits the introduction of a metal prong which releases the tape brake mechanism of the cassette. A sensor placed adjacent aperture 16 is operative to pick up a light signal from a light source introduced through aperture 15 to activate and de-activate the winding machine. Once the cassette container has been sealed, in order to rewind the tape, the winding mechanism spindles 27 and the prong 28 which releases the brake release mechanism inside any conventional cassette are inserted through aperture 4 or apertures 17 and 18 respectively of the cassette container.

Winding Machine Referring to Figures 1, 4 and 5 a winding machine of the invention comprises a fixed clamp 22 and a spring-loaded moving clamp 23 upstanding from a surface 30 of the winding machine 21. The moving clamp 23 allows the cassette container 1, 11 to be inserted between said clamps 22, 23 as shown in Figure 1. The spindles 27 of the control and winding mechanism 24 provided beneath the surface 30 are accommodated by the apertures 7, 17 of the cassette container 1, 11. A light source 25 transmits light through aperture 5, 15 of the cassette container, when in use.

Thus, when the winding machine 21 is put into operation by pressing one of the two start buttons 29, the light sensor 26 which relates or corresponds to the appropriate start button first recognises transparent lead tape when the winding operation begins and then opaque tape as the operation continues. When the sensor 26 next recognises transparent tape (i.e. at the end of the winding operation) the winding mechanism immediately slows down and then stops in such a way as to prevent the tape from breaking.

Referring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8, a further embodiment of winding machine 31 comprises two cassette retaining sleeves 32. The sleeves 32 are pivoted at 33 so that cassettes can be received by the sleeves which are then pivoted to lie along the surface 40 of the winding machine case.

Spindles 37 of the control and winding mechanism provided beneath the surface 40 are accomodated by the apertures of a cassette container in a similar fashion to that described for the embodiment of Figure 1. Light sources and sensors are also provided and the overall operation of the winding machine is as described in respect of Figure 1.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A winding machine for winding and/or re-winding a cassette comprising retaining means for retaining a cassette, a control and winding mechanism, switch means, one or more spindles, a light source, one or more sensors and a prong member, wherein activation of the switch means causes the control and winding mechanism to activate the prong member and the spindles so that the prong member is inserted into a brake release mechanism of the cassette and the spindles cause the tape within the cassette to be wound or re-wound and wherein when a light single from the light source is detected by a sensor the control and winding mechanism is de-activated.

2. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the machine is incorporated within a case or similar enclosure.

3. A winding machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the retaining means comprises two clamps.

4. A winding machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein one clamp is fixed and the other clamp is movable.

5. A winding machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said movable clamp is spring-loaded.

6. A winding machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the retaining means comprises a sleeve adapted to receive a cassette.

7. A winding machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the sleeve is pivotally connected to part of the machine.

8. A winding machine as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said switch means comprises one or more switches.

9. A winding machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein a sensor is provided to correspond with the or each switch such that detection by the sensor of a light signal from the light source causes the corresponding switch to change mode.

10. A container for holding a video magnetic tape cassette comprising a housing having an open end into which the cassette may be inserted and sealed in that position by means of a seal, the housing defining one or more apertures through which the driving spindles of a winding machine may be inserted to wind and re-wind the tape through which a prong member may be inserted into a brake release mechanism of the cassette the activation of which enables the tape to be freely wound and rewound and through which light may inserted, and further aperture disposed to enable a light signal from the light to escape from the container to activate one or more sensors which switch off the winding mechanism once the transparent lead-in tape at the end of a winding or rewinding is sensed in order to avoid the breaking of the tape at the end of the winding operation.

11. A container as claimed in claim 10 wherein the seal comprises a piece of paper or other material stuck down with a special glue which cannot be steamed open or otherwise removed without breaking the seal.

12. A container as claimed in claim 10 or 11 wherein the container is made of transparent synthetic plastic material such as polypropylene.

1 3. A container as claimed in claim 10, 11 or 12 wherein the aperture through which the driving spindles may be inserted is shaped to accommodate the spindles and the brake release mechanism.

14. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

15. Awinding machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

16. A cassette winding and/or re-winding apparatus comprising a winding machine as claimed in any preceding claim and a container as claimed in any preceding claim.