Helical scan magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus.

摘要

The apparatus uses a motor driven rotating drum (22A) for supporting on its periphery a magnetic tape (2) which has a 180 DEG wrap on the rotating drum following a skewed or helical path with respect to the plane of rotation of a plurality of magnetic heads (32, 34), i.e., the magnetic heads follow a helical scan path on the magnetic tape recording surface. The rotating heads (32, 34) are mounted on a separate ring (44) having a pivotable connection (50, 52) with a motor drive shaft (6) whereby the rotating heads are pivotable independently of the rotating drum (22A) to provide a variable angle between the plane of rotation of the magnetic heads (32, 34) and the surface of the magnetic tape. This variable angle changes the angle of the helical scan path on the magnetic tape and is preset for a particular tape speed to produce a maximum packing density of the recorded information by utilizing an entire tape scan path.