International Business Machines Corporation

Leonard J Rigbey

Michael R Hatchett

David MacWilliams

A chute for gravity feeding a plurality of like electrical components (1) to a pick-up station of a robotic controlled automatic assembly system comprises guide rails (2,3) down which components slide with their pins (13) extending between the rails. The rails are shaped to provide a downwardly inclined straight track (5) leading into a horizontal track (6) comprising the pick-up station from which the components are taken by the robot. The transition from the inclined track (approximately 30 degrees to the horizontal) to the straight track, although smooth, is quite abrupt and ensures that the next component is successfully fed from the inclined to the horizontal section of the chute each time its predecessor is removed from the pick-up station. Since the length of the horizontal track is such that only one component can be accommodated at a time, accurate positioning of the component in the pick-up station for access by the robot is guaranteed.

Gravity feed chute

Flexible disk record storage apparatus has a chordally perturbed backing plate for inducing a dynamic stiffness in a flexible recording disk rotating immediately adjacent the plate. A head radially movably disposed between the chordal perturbations provides reliable recording and playback. A web portion of the backing plate has a predetermined flatness circumscribing a transducing location for enhancing recording and playback quality.

Flexible record disk signal storage apparatus

A record disk cartridge has a single internal shutter for opening and closing a head access port adjacent a spindle access member in one wall. A further aperture allows the shutter to be actuated to an open position as the cartridge is moved into a playing position. The shutter also brakes the disk against movement when the cartridge apertures are closed. A magnetic coupling enables rotation of the disk inside the cartridge.

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Winchester, United Kingdom

Leonard J Rigbey