Storage Technology Corporation

Harold A Lunka

Gregory D Volan

Christian P Marlowe

Richard G Sellke

August P Epina

George Reichenberg

Housing for magnetic tape cartridge magazine autoloader

The present invention is a magazine for retaining a plurality of magnetic cartridges (3480 style) for loading into a tape drive autoloader. The magazine comprises a series of cartridge slots having integral spring detents to retain the cartridges in the magazine. Integral gear racks are formed on the rear wall of the magazine to enable the autoloader to manipulate the magazine either sequentially or for random access to the cartridges. Horizontal slots are formed on the side wall of each cartridge slot so that the autoloader can directly engage the cartridges for loading into a tape drive. The magazine is formed of a one-piece molded plastic body having inherent lubrication properties.

Autoloader magazine for tape cartridges and method therefor

A magnetic tape drive unit for storage of digital data is disclosed which features vertically disposed supply and take-up reels, double long folded over buffer columns to permit rapid acceleration of the part of the tape in the vicinity of the magnetic head, and dual isolation pockets for additional motion control of the tape. In a preferred embodiment, the inner surfaces of the tape path are lined with glass beaded adhesive tape to prevent friction; fence posts may also be provided to prevent planar contact between the magnetic tape and the walls of the unit. A vacuum capstan is desirably used. In this way, high acceleration and tape speeds are made possible in a tape transport capable of being mounted in the industry standard 19 inch wide mounting rack.

Magnetic tape device

Growing community of inventors

Broomfield, CO, United States of America

Harold A Lunka