International Business Machines Corporation

Guillermo S Robles

Steven L Felde

Paul Y Hu

Don G East

James Lee Lentz

Douglas W Johnson

David C Graves

Dale A Christiansen

Michael L Sendelweck

Kenneth Dean Cummings

Donald Ernest Lockett

Guy F Hudson

Kenneth J Lusk

Robert R Sidebotham

An automatic cartridge feeder includes a magazine slot that receives a cartridge magazine and includes a priority slot that directly receives single cartridges. The automatic cartridge feeder can receive a cartridge through the priority slot regardless of the condition of the cartridge magazine. In an automatic mode, cartridges are taken sequentially from the magazine and are processed. Any cartridge placed in the priority slot by an operator will be processed immediately after any in-progress cartridge processing. In an accumulate mode, cartridges are received through the priority slot for processing and are returned in sequence to an empty cartridge magazine.

Automatic cartridge feeder with priority slot

A new generation magnetic tape cartridge of the type having a leader block is provided along with a new generation leader block pin so as to prevent interlocking with respect to prior art leader blocks and leader block pins. The magnetic tape cartridge is a generally rectangular container which has four corners. One of the corners of the container is beveled and is provided with a well to receive the new generation leader block in a nested position. The new generation leader block has a notch which has top, bottom and middle portions. A cross section of the middle portion of the notch is smaller than the cross section of the bottom portion of the notch, and the cross section of the top portion of the notch is smaller than the cross section of the middle portion of the notch. The cross section of the bottom portion of the notch is defined by a circular arc of more than 180.degree. for receiving and capturing a new generation leader block pin. The top portion of the notch in the block is fashioned to confine the new generation leader block pin to a predetermined amount of lateral movement. The configurations of the notch of the new generation leader block and the new generation leader block pin are fashioned to prevent interlock with prior art reader blocks and leader block pins.

Magnetic tape cartridge with second generation leader block and leader

A tape cartridge having a solid metal mount plate including a plurality of surfaces thereon simultaneously machined to the same plane. Tape reels and tape guides are affixed to the mount plate, thereby ensuring precise alignment to each other. A portion of at least one of the surfaces is exposed to the outside of the tape cartridge by recesses in the tape cartridge cover. Upon seating the tape cartridge in a tape drive, guides are inserted into the recesses, thereby ensuring precise alignment of the tape to a tape head in the tape drive.

Tape cartridge with mount plate

A tape cartridge having a high performance tape path therein. The tape cartridge includes one or more gas bearing tape guides and/or one or more recesses in an edge of a gas/tape bearing surface. The gas bearing assemblies include a plenum having a metal foil gas bearing surface bonded thereto using a die-cut adhesive sheet. The compliant members are each inserted into a recess adjacent the edge of the bearing surface to permit edge guiding while providing lateral support for the tape immediately before and after the recesses in the direction of tape movement.

Tape cartridge tape path

A tape cartridge access door includes a body having two flanges and a pseudo-head therebetween. In the open position, the access door permits a tape head to be mated with the tape in the cartridge. In the closed position, the body and flanges close openings in three adjacent walls of the tape cartridge. Also in the closed position, the pseudo-head occupies the space otherwise occupied by the tape head when the tape head is mated with the tape. The pseudo-head thus prevents the tape from being drawn taut straight when the access door is closed. The access door may pivot or slide between the open position and the closed position.

Tape cartridge door with pseudo-head for maintaining tape tension

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Guillermo S Robles