Automatic threading apparatus

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1; in which said leader is transparent and said tape-like member is opaque, and said tape sensing means includes a light source at one side of said tape path for directing light across the latter and a photosensitive element at the other side of said tape path for receiving light from said source.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 2; in which said tape-like member has a transparent portion at the end thereof remote from said leader and which is also distinguishable by said tape sensing means from said opaque tape-like member to provide a distinctive indicaTion, and said drive control means responds to the last mentioned distinctive indication independently of said timing means.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1; in which said tape-like member has a trailing end portion remote from said leader which is also distinguishable from said tape-like member by said tape sensing means to provide a distinctive indication, and said drive control means responds to the last mentioned distinctive indication independently of said timing means.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1; in which said tape drive means includes an electric driving motor; and said drive control means includes means for driving said motor at a relatively high speed in response to the distinctive indication from said sensing means corresponding to the presence of said leader at said location, and servo means for driving said motor at a controlled relatively slower speed in response to the distinctive indication from said sensing means corresponding to the presence of said tape-like member at said location.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 5; in which said drive control means includes means for deactivating said servo means upon the selection of said second mode of transportation so that said motor is driven at said relatively high speed in said second mode of transportation even when said tape-like member is at said location.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 1; further comprising supply and take-up reels between which said tape path extends, and detecting means for detecting the presence of a predetermined amount of said tape-like member wound on said take-up reel; and in which said drive control means includes means responsive to the detection by said detecting means of said predetermined amount of the tape-like member on said take-up reel for deactivating said tape drive means.

Claim 9

In an apparatus for automatically threading a tape-like member in a predetermined path from a supply reel on which the tape-like member is wound to a take-up reel on which the tape-like member is to be wound, and in which said tape-like member has a leader extending from one end and being distinguishable from said tape-like member; the combination of tape drive means for transporting said leader and tape-like member in succession along said path; tape sensing means for distinguishing between the presence, at a location adjacent said path, of said leader and said tape-like member and providing first and second indications, respectively; mode selecting means for selecting operation of said tape drive means in forward and rewind directions, respectively; drive control means including means for initiating operation of said tape drive means, and means activated upon the initiation of said operation of the tape drive means for continuing said operation; and timing means energized in response to said first indication from said sensing means and being operative to deactivate said means for continuing the operation of said tape drive means in the event that said first indication persists for longer than a predetermined time period following said initiation of operation of the tape drive means, said timing means including condenser means having a plurality of condensers connected in a parallel circuit when operation of said tape drive means in said forward direction is selected, means for disconnecting at least one of said condensers from said parallel circuit when operation of said tape drive means in said rewind direction is selected, means for charging said condenser means at a predetermined rate in response to said first indication from the sensing means and for causing discharge of said condenser means in response to said second indication from the sensing means, and means responsive to a predetermined charge level on said condenser means for deactivating said means for continuing the operation of said tape drive means so that said predetermined time period is relatively long, when said operation of the tape drive means in said forward direction is selected, and relatively short, When said operation of said tape drive means in said rewind direction is selected.

Claim 10

In an apparatus for automatically threading a tape-like member in a predetermined path from a supply reel on which the tape-like member is wound to a take-up reel on which the tape-like member is to be wound, and in which said tape-like member has a leader extending from one end and being distinguishable from said tape-like member; the combination of tape drive means for transporting said leader and tape-like member in succession along said path; tape sensing means for distinguishing between the presence, at a location adjacent said path, of said leader and said tape-like member and providing first and second indications, respectively; mode selecting means for selecting operation of said tape drive means in forward and rewind directions, respectively; drive control means including means for initiating operation of said tape drive means, and means activated upon the initiation of said operation of the tape drive means for continuing said operation; and timing means energized in response to said first indication from said sensing means and being operative to deactivate said means for continuing the operation of said tape drive means in the event that said first indication persists for longer than a predetermined time period following said initiation of operation of the tape drive means, said timing means including condenser means having a plurality of condensers connected in a parallel circuit when operation of said tape drive means in said forward direction is selected, means for disconnecting at least one of said condensers from said parallel circuit when operation of said tape drive means in said rewind direction is selected, means for charging said condenser means at a predetermined rate in response to said first indication from the sensing means and for causing discharge of said condenser means in response to said second indication from the sensing means, and means responsive to a predetermined charge level on said condenser means for deactivating said means for continuing the operation of said tape drive means so that said predetermined time period is relatively long, when said operation of the tape drive means in said forward direction is selected, and relatively short, When said operation of said tape drive means in said rewind direction is selected.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 8; in which said tape-like member has a trailing end portion remote from said leader and which is distinguished from said tape-like member in the same manner as said leader so that said sensing means also provides said first indication upon the presence of said trailing end portion at said location; and in which said drive control means further includes means independent of said timing means to deactivate said means for continuing the operation of said tape delivery means in response to said first indication from said sensing means by reason of said presence of said trailing end portion at said location.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 9; in which said leader and trailing end portion are transparent and said tape-like member is substantially opaque; and said tape sensing means includes a light source at one side of said tape path at said location, and a photosensitive element at the other side of said path for receiving light traversing said path from said source.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 8; in which said tape drive means includes an electric driving motor; and said drive control means further includes means for operating said motor at a relatively high speed in response to said first indication from said sensing means, servo means for operating said motor at a relatively slower speed in response to said second indication from said sensing means, and means for deactivating said servo means upon the selection of said rewind direction of operation of said tape drive means.

Claim 14

In an apparatus for automatically threading a tape-like member in a predetermined path from a supply reel on which the tape-like member is wound to a take-up reel on which the tape-like member is to be wound, and in which said tape-like member has a leader extending from one end and being distinguishable from said tape-like member; the combination of tape drive means for transporting said leader and tape-like member in succession along said path; tape sensing means for distinguishing between the presence, at a location adjacent said path, of said leader and said tape-like member and providing first and second indications, respectively; first relay means which is energized and deenergized in response to said first and second indications, respectively, from said sensing means, and which has at least first and second switch contacts; second relay means having first and second switch contacts; circuit means for initiating the operation of said tape drive means by way of said first and second switch contacts of said second relay means when the latter is energized; circuit means for continuing the operation of said tape drive means by way of said first switch contacts of said second relay means and said second switch contacts of said first relay means when said first and second relay means are deenergized and energized, respectively; mode selecting means for selecting operation of said tape drive means in at least a normal forward mode and a rewind mode; and timing means energized by way of said first switch contacts of said first relay means when the latter is energized and being operative to deenergize said second relay means and thereby halt the operation of said tape drive means in the event that said first indication from the sensing means persists for longer than a predetermined time period following the initiation of operation of said tape drive means, said timing means including a plurality of condensers connected in a parallel circuit when said normal forward mode is selected, means for disconnecting at least one of said condensers from said parallel circuit when said rewind mode is selected, means for charging the condensers in said parallel circuit through said first switch contacts of said first relay means when the latter is energized with the time required for said charging of the condensers to a predetermined charge level being dependent upon the number of condensers connected in said parallel circuit, and means responsive to said predetermined charge level on the condensers being charged for deenergizing said second relay means.

Claim 15

In an apparatus for automatically threading a tape-like member in a predetermined path from a supply reel on which the tape-like member is wound to a take-up reel on which the tape-like member is to be wound, and in which said tape-like member has a leader extending from one end and being distinguishable from said tape-like member; the combination of tape drive means for transporting said leader and tape-like member in succession along said path; tape sensing means for distinguishing between the presence, at a location adjacent said path, of said leader and said tape-like member and providing first and second indications, respectively; first relay means which is energized and deenergized in response to said first and second indications, respectively, from said sensing means, and which has at least first and second switch contacts; second relay means having first and second switch contacts; circuit means for initiating the operation of said tape drive means by way of said first and second switch contacts of said second relay means when the latter is energized; circuit means for continuing the operation of said tape drive means by way of said first switch contacts of said second relay means and said second switch contacts of said first relay means when said first and second relay means are deenergized and energized, respectively; mode selecting means for selecting operation of said tape drive means in at least a normal forward mode and a rewind mode; and timing means energized by way of said first switch contacts of said first relay means when the latter is energized and being operative to deenergize said second relay means and thereby halt the operation of said tape drive means in the event that said first indication from the sensing means persists for longer than a predetermined time period following the initiation of operation of said tape drive means, said timing means including a plurality of condensers connected in a parallel circuit when said normal forward mode is selected, means for disconnecting at least one of said condensers from said parallel circuit when said rewind mode is selected, means for charging the condensers in said parallel circuit through said first switch contacts of said first relay means when the latter is energized with the time required for said charging of the condensers to a predetermined charge level being dependent upon the number of condensers connected in said parallel circuit, and means responsive to said predetermined charge level on the condensers being charged for deenergizing said second relay means.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 12; in which said first relay means has third switch contacts, and said tape drive means includes an electric driving motor operated at a relatively high speed in response to simultaneous energization of said first and second relay means; and further comprising servo means energized by way of said third switch contacts of said first relay means when the latter is deenergized for operating said motor at a relatively slower speed, and means for deenergizing said servo means when said rewind mode is selected.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 12; in which said tape-like member has a trailing end portion remote from said leader and being distinguished in the same manner as the latter from said tape-like member so that said sensing means also provides said first indication when said trailing end portion is at said location to cause deenergizing of said second relay means by said timing means at the conclusion of said predetermined time period; and further comprising detecting means for detecting the presence of a predetermined amount of said tape-like member wound on the take-up reel, and means for halting the operation of said tape drive means well before the end of said predetermined time period in response to the energizing of said first relay means by said first indication from the sensing means while said detecting means simultaneously detects said predetermined amount of the tape-like member wound on said take-up reel.