International Business Machines Corporation

Winfield S Weaver

Wayne Isami Imaino

A David Erpelding

Ronald Robert Labby

Various embodiments relate to methods for loading and unloading a tape storage medium. According to one embodiment, a method for loading a tape storage medium includes positioning a mechanized take-up reel with respect to a tape supply reel, positioning a feature coupled to a tape storage medium on the tape supply reel with respect to the mechanized take-up reel, rotatably decoupling an inner hub of the mechanized take-up reel from an outer hub of the mechanized take-up reel, extending a tongue of the mechanized take-up reel, engaging the tongue with the feature, retracting the tongue and feature into the outer hub, and nonrotably coupling the inner hub with the outer hub.

Mechanized take-up reel and method for loading and unloading a tape storage medium

Various embodiments relate to apparatuses and methods for loading and unloading a tape storage medium. In one embodiment, an apparatus for such purpose includes a mechanized take-up reel. The mechanized take-up reel includes an inner hub, an outer hub being selectively nonrotatably coupleable with the inner hub (where at least one of the hubs is coupled to a rotating mechanism), a tongue coupled to the inner hub, and a slot in the outer hub for permitting the tongue to extend beyond a periphery of a tape engaging surface of the outer hub upon relative rotation between the inner and outer hubs.

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Gilroy, CA, United States of America

Winfield S Weaver