System for scanning information recorded on a plurality of magazine contained filmstrips

In an electro-optical scanning system employing filmstrips containing tandem arrays of image frames supported in a plurality of magazines which magazines are fixedly arrayed with respect to each other and an electro-optical scanning means for scanning selected frames of the filmstrips of selected magazines, the improvement comprising:

• a conveying means,
• filmstrip drive means supported by said conveying means and including a drive motor,
• means for automatically operating said conveying means to bring said filmstrip drive means into alignment with a selected filmstrip of a selected magazine,
• means for operatively coupling said filmstrip drive means with the filmstrip with which it is aligned,
• means for controlling operation of said filmstrip drive means motor to cause the filmstrip to which said filmstrip drive means is coupled to be driven along a fixed path,
• first scanning means for scanning individual frames of the filmstrip driven along said fixed path and means operatively connected to said first scanning means for visually presenting monitorable images of the frames scanned by said first scanning means,
• second scanning means for scanning said filmstrip as it is driven and generating signals with the movement of said filmstrip which signals are indicative of the movement of said filmstrip along said fixed path and the movement of the individual frames of said filmstrip past said first scanning means,
• means for receiving and utilizing the signals generated by said second scanning means to control the movement of said filmstrip along said fixed path and to align a selected frame of said filmstrip with said first scanning means to permit said first scanning means to scan said selected frame.

An apparatus for storing and viewing information comprising in combination:

• a plurality of magazines each containing a filmstrip having a tandem array of frames of recordings provided along its length,
• first means for retaining said magazines in a predetermined side-by-side array adjacent to each other,
• second means for engaging the filmstrip of a selected magazine and driving said filmstrip,
• third means for effecting controlled relative movement between said second means and said first means to bring said second and first means into alignment with each other and to align the filmstrip of a selected magazine with said second means,
• fourth means for controlling said second means to operatively engage the filmstrip of a selected magazine when said second means is aligned with said filmstrip,
• fifth means associated with said second means and movable therewith for power driving said second means and causing said second means to move said filmstrip in a fixed path,
• sixth means for scanning said filmstrip as it is moved in said fixed path by said second means, said sixth means being modulateable by the recordings along said filmstrip for generating output energy representative of said filmstrip information, and
• seventh means for receiving said output energy and displaying information recorded on said filmstrip in a visually monitorable form.