Magnetic tape transport system

Claim 1

A TAPE TRANSPORT SYSTEM INCLUDING A PAIR OF VACUUM CAPSTANS ON SPACED AXIAL CENTERS FOR SUPPORTING A TAPE TO BE MOVED OVER AND WITH CAPSTAN SURFACES; A SOURCE OF VACUUM; A PAIR OF PINCH ROLLERS WITH EACH PINCH ROLLER LOCATED ADJACENT TO ONE OF THE VACUUM CAPSTANS AND HAVING THE TAPE LOCATED INTERMEDIATE EACH OF THE PINCH ROLLERS AND ITS CORRESPONDING VACUUM CAPSTAN; MEANS OPERATIVELY COUPLED TO THE PAIR OF PINCH ROLLERS FOR PROVIDING SELECTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL ONES OF THE PINCH ROLLERS WITH ITS CORRESPONDING VACUUM CAPSTAN; A STATIONARY ELEMENT HAVING A VACUUM SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE TAPE AND TO BE HELD TO SLIDING MOTION OVER SUCH SURFACE BY THE VACUUM, THE STATIONARY ELEMENT BEING DISPOSED AND DIMENSIONED TO LEAVE A SHORT SPACE TO THE ADJACENT CAPSTAN WITHIN WHICH THE TAPE WILL BE UNSUPPORTED; AND MEANS OPERATIVELY COUPLED TO THE PAIR OF VACUUM CAPSTANS, THE STATIONARY ELEMENT, AND THE SOURCE OF VACUUM TO CONTINUOUSLY COUPLE THE SOURCE OF VACUUM TO EACH OF THE PAIR OF VACUUM CAPSTANS AND THE STATIONARY ELEMENT.