HELICAL SCAN TAPE RECORD APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

MAGNETIC TAPE SCANNING APPARATUS An apparatus for transferring information to or from a magnetic tape has the tape wound and advanced along a helical path on the outer cylindrical surface of a rotatable drum. Tape is supplied to the helical path on the drum from within the drum, and the drum has an annular groove on its outer surface which extends along the helical path and is perpendicular to the axis of the rotation of the drum. A system for reading and/or writing information on the tape is positioned entirely on the outside of the drum and is stationary relative to the rotation of the drum and movement of the tape thereon. The system includes at least one magnetic head which is in contact with the magnetic tape opposite the annular groove. The drum and tape thereon are rotated at a high rate relative to the stationary read/write head, and the tape is advanced along the helical path at a relative slow rate.