Autoloader for magnetic tape cartridges

An autoloader, connected to an associated tape drive which includes a drive hub, for transferring magnetic tape cartridges between a magnetic tape cartridge magazine, that is movable bidirectionally in a vertical direction and that holds a plurality of preloaded magnetic tape cartridges in individual positions therein, and said drive hub comprising:

• means for loading a magnetic tape cartridge from an individual position in said magnetic tape cartridge magazine on to said drive hub;
• means for storing an ordered sequence identifying two or more of said individual positions in any selected order;
• engagement means for engaging said autoloader with a mating rack on said magnetic tape cartridge magazine, wherein said magazine is manually movable and manually insertable into said autoloader, for bidirectionally translating said magnetic tape cartridge magazine in a vertical direction such that each one of said individual positions identified in said ordered sequence is located in turn opposite said loading means for access to said magnetic tape located in said individual position;
• and
• means for activating said loading means to load said magnetic tape cartridge located in said individual position on to said drive hub.

In an autoloader connected to an associated tape drive having an opening therein through which said autoloader can access a drive hub located in said tape drive, a method of transferring magnetic tape cartridges between a magnetic tape cartridge magazine, that is movable bidirectionally in a vertical direction and that holds a plurality of preloaded magnetic tape cartridges in individual positions therein and said drive hub, comprising the steps of:

• storing data representative of an ordered sequence of two or more of said individual positions;
• bidirectionally positioning said magnetic tape cartridge magazine, in a vertical direction, either up or down, via a gear train in said autoloader which engages a mating rack on said magnetic tape cartridge magazine, wherein said magazine is manually removable and manually insertable into said autoloader, such that each one of said individual positions identified in said ordered sequence is located in turn opposite said opening in said associated tape drive;
• and
• loading said magnetic tape cartridge from said individual position in said magnetic tape cartridge magazine on to said drive hub.

A method of loading magnetic tape cartridges into a tape drive unit using a magazine holding a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges and an autoloader connected

• to said drive unit, wherein said magazine comprises a plurality of vertically-spaced cartridge receiving slots,;
• said autoloader comprises engagement means for engaging said autoloader with a mating rack on said magnetic tape cartridge magazine, wherein said magazine is manually removable and manually insertable into said autoloader, for vertically bidirectionally moving said magazine, means to directly engage said cartridges retained in said cartridge receiving slots and means to deliver said cartridges into said tape drive unit;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• a. inserting said magazine containing said plurality of magnetic tape cartridges into said autoloader;
• b. vertically translating said magazine to position a selected one of said magnetic tape cartridges juxtaposed to said engagement means;
• c. engaging said selected magnetic tape cartridges by said autoloader engagement means;
• d. delivering said selected magnetic tape cartridge from said cartridge receiving slot into said tape drive unit for use by said tape drive unit;
• e. returning said selected magnetic tape cartridge from said tape drive unit after use to said cartridge receiving slot;
• f. disengaging said autoloader engagement means from said selected magnetic tape cartridge;
• g. repeating steps b-f until all of said magnetic tape cartridges have been used or the system job is completed.

A method of loading magnetic tape cartridges into a tape drive unit using a magazine holding a plurality of magazine tape cartridges and an autoloader, wherein said magazine comprises a plurality of vertically-spaced cartridge receiving slots, access slots extending horizontally across one of the side walls in each of said cartridge receiving slots;

• said autoloader comprises engagement means for engaging said autoloader with a mating rack on said magnetic tape cartridge magazine, wherein said magazine is manually removable and manually insertable into said autoloader, for vertically bidirectionally moving said magazine, means to directly engage said cartridges retained in said cartridge receiving slots through said access slots and means to deliver said cartridges into said tape drive unit;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• a. inserting said magazine containing said plurality of magnetic tape cartridges into said autoloader;
• b. vertically translating said magazine to position a selected one of said magnetic tape cartridges juxtaposed to said engagement means;
• c. engaging said selected magnetic tape cartridge by said autoloader engagement means through said access slot;
• d. delivering said selected magnetic tape cartridge from said cartridge receiving slot to said tape drive unit for use by said tape drive unit;
• e. returning said selected magnetic tape cartridge from said tape drive unit after use to said cartridge receiving slot;
• f. disengaging said autoloader engagement means from said selected magnetic tape cartridge;
• g. repeating steps b-f until all of said magnetic tape cartridges have been used or until the system job is complete;
• h. removing said magazine from said autoloader.

A method of loading magnetic tape cartridges into a tape drive unit using a magazine holding a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges and an autoloader connected to said tape drive unit, wherein said magazine comprises a plurality of vertically-spaced horizontal cartridge receiving slots, detents formed in each cartridge receiving slot to retain said magnetic tape cartridges in said cartridge receiving slots after insertion into said cartridge receiving slots therein, access slots extending horizontally across one of the side walls in each of said cartridge receiving slots;

• said autoloader comprises engagement means for engaging said autoloader with a mating rack on said magnetic tape cartridge magazine, wherein said magazine is manually removable and manually insertable into said autoloader, for vertically bidirectionally moving said magazine, means to directly engage said cartridges retained in said cartridge receiving slots through said access slots and means to deliver said cartridges into said tape drive unit;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• a. inserting said magazine tape cartridges into said cartridge receiving slots until said magnetic tape cartridges are retained by said detents;
• b. inserting said magazine into said autoloader;
• c. vertically translating said magazine to position a selected one of said magnetic tape cartridges juxtaposed to said engagement means;
• d. engaging said selected magnetic tape cartridges by said autoloader engagement means through said access slot;
• e. delivering said selected magnetic tape cartridge to said tape drive unit for use by said tape drive unit;
• f. returning said selected magnetic tape cartridge from said tape drive unit after use to said cartridge receiving slot;
• g. disengaging said autoloader engaging means from said selected magnetic tape cartridge;
• h. repeating steps c-g until either all of said magnetic tape cartridges have been used or the system job is complete;
• i. removing said magazine from said autoloader.