Syquest Technology, Inc.

Memorex Corporation

Donald L Rolph

Herbert E Thompson

Dominic Mercurio

Albert J Guerini

A disc drive 20 includes a tray assembly 34 for positively seating and locking a cartridge 21 onto a spindle motor 82. The drive 20 includes heads 108, 110 mounted on a radial arm voice coil actuator assembly 112 and appropriate mechanisms including the arm control assembly 126 and the ratchet 124 and pawl projection 170 to ensure that the heads 108, 110 are properly loaded onto the disc 90 and that the cartridge 21 insertion and ejection process does not cause damage to the heads 108, 110 or the disc 90 contained in the cartridge 21. Further the drive 20 includes controls such as the cartridge load lever 32 and the release button 30 which are not exposed and cannot be accidentally tripped during data transfer operations.

Removable cartridge disc drive with radial arm voice coil actuator

A removable cartridge 20 for a disc drive includes a door 34 which is movable from a locked closed position to an open position by a shutter lever of the disc drive.

Removable cartridge with lockable access door

In a disc drive for use with an operator inserted flexible magnetic recording disc cartridge means are disclosed for preventing closing of the cartridge access door and the disc clamping means if a recording disc cartridge is only partially inserted.

Flexible magnetic recording disc drive with interlock to protect

Apparatus for centering and clamping a flexible magnetic recording disc in a disc drive comprises a spindle having on its outer end a face for supporting the associated recording disc and also has a recess within that face and a disc clamping element which cooperates with the spindle and includes a plurality of resiliently deflectable fingers extending in a direction both angularly outwardly of the axis and toward the spindle with means for deflecting the fingers radially outwardly for centering the associated recording disc with respect to the center of the spindle, and means for selectively moving the clamping element toward and away from the spindle and into and out of releasable engagement with the recording disc and spindle.

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Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Donald L Rolph