Auto-loading cartridge tape drive

A cartridge tape drive for a rectangular cartridge having an access door along an edge thereof which operates by pivoting about an axis substantially perpendicular to a base plate of the cartridge to expose a portion of a magnetic tape within the cartridge, comprising:

• a housing having an opening dimensioned to receive the cartridge endwise and containing a means for supporting the cartridge within said housing;
• a magnetic head mounted in said housing in a manner which prevents horizontal movement of said head with respect to said housing;
• means for sensing the presence of at least a portion of the cartridge within said housing at a first position;
• means responsive to said sensing means for moving the cartridge from said first position at least partially laterally to a second position in operative engagement with said magnetic head;
• and
• means for opening the access door of the cartridge as the cartridge is moved from said first position to said second position;
• wherein said access door opening means further comprises means for pivotably engaging the access door, and
• said engaging means further pivoting about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the cartridge access door.

A cartridge tape drive for a rectangular cartridge having an access door along an edge thereof which is operable to allow access to a magnetic tape within the cartridge, comprising:

• a housing having an opening dimensioned to receive the cartridge endwise and means for supporting the cartridge within said housing;
• a magnetic head in said housing;
• means for sensing the presence of at least a portion of the cartridge within said housing at a first position;
• means comprising a motor and a first gear driven by said motor responsive to said sensing means for automatically moving the cartridge from said first position at least partially laterally to a second position in operative engagement with said magnetic head;
• means for opening the access door of the cartridge as the cartridge is moved from said first position to said second position;
• and
• means comprising a second gear positionable in an engaged position with said first gear and a means for manually rotating said second gear for manually moving the cartridge out of operative arrangement with said magnetic head and partially retracting the cartridge from said housing;
• and
• said second gear being further moveable between said engaged position and a disengaged position in which said second gear does not engage said first gear.

A cartridge tape drive for a rectangular cartridge having an access door along an edge thereof which is openable to allow access to a segment of a magnetic tape within the cartridge, comprising:

• a housing having an opening dimensioned to receive the cartridge endwise and containing means for supporting the cartridge within said housing;
• a magnetic head fixed to said housing to prevent lateral movement of said head with respect to said housing;
• means for sensing the presence of at least a portion of the cartridge within said housing at a first position;
• means responsive to said sensing means for moving the cartridge from said first position in a lateral plane to a second position in operative engagement with said magnetic head;
• means for opening the access door of the cartridge before the cartridge reaches said second position;
• and
• means fixed to said housing for positioning said cartridge in said second position so that the relative position between said cartridge and said head is accurately defined.

A cartridge tape drive for rectangular cartridge having an access door along a side thereof which is openable to allow access to a magnetic tape within the cartridge, comprising:

• a housing having an opening dimensioned to receive the cartridge endwise and a means for supporting the cartridge within said housing;
• a magnetic head fixed to said housing to prevent lateral movement of said head within respect to said housing;
• means for sensing the presence of at least a portion of the cartridge within said housing at a first position;
• means responsive to said sensing means for automatically moving the cartridge from said first position in a lateral plane to a second position in operative engagement with said magnetic head;
• means for opening the access door of the cartridges before the cartridge reaches said second position wherein said moving means comprises a motor and a first gear driven by said motor;
• means for manually moving the cartridge out of operative engagement with said magnetic head and partially retracting the cartridge from said housing
• said manually moving means comprising a second gear positionably in an engaged position with said first gear and means for manually rotating said second gear, and
• said second gear being further movable between said engaged position and a disengaged position in which said second gear does not engage said first gear.

A cartridge tape drive for a rectangular cartridge having an access door along an edge thereof which is openable to allow access to a magnetic tape within the cartridge, comprising:

• a housing having an opening dimensioned to receive the cartridge endwise and a means for supporting the cartridge within said housing;
• a magnetic head fixed to said housing to prevent lateral movement of said head with respect to said housing;
• means for griping the cartridge in a first position in said housing;
• means for operatively coupled to said gripping means for transporting the cartridge from said first position in a lateral plane to a second position in operative engagement with said magnetic head;
• means operative with said transporting means for opening the access door of the cartridge before the cartridge reaches said second position;
• and
• means fixed to said housing for positioning said cartridge in said second position so that the relative position between said cartridge and said head is accurately defined;
• said positioning means further engaging the cartridge as the cartridge is moved from said first position to said second position when said cartridge is nearly in said second position;
• said positioning means further comprising means for resiliently engaging the cartridge in a direction perpendicular to said lateral plane;
• said resilient engaging means further defining three points and a plane for an accurate and repeatable second position for the cartridge;
• and
• said resilient engaging means further comprising a surface fixed to said housing, a ball bearing displaying a predetermined distant away from said surface, and a spring resiliently urging said ball bearing toward said surface whereby the cartridge in said second position is resiliently engaged between said surface and said ball bearing.

A cartridge tape drive for an elongate, rectangular cartridge having an access door along an edge thereof which operates by pivoting about an axis substantially perpendicular to a base plate of the cartridge to expose a portion of a magnetic tape within the cartridge, said cartridge tape drive comprising:

• a housing dimensioned to fit within a space having a height of no more than three and one-quarter inches and a width of approximately five and three-quarter inches and having a frontal opening dimensioned to receive the cartridge endwise and containing means for supporting the cartridge within said housing;
• a magnetic head mounted in said housing in a manner which prevents horizontal movement of said head with respect to said housing;
• means for sensing the presence of at least a portion of the cartridge within said housing at a first position;
• means responsive to said sensing means for moving the cartridge from said first position at least partially laterally to a second position in operative engagement with said magnetic head;
• and
• access door opening means comprising means for pivotly engaging the access door, said engaging means further pivoting about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the cartridge access door and operative with said moving means for opening the access door of the cartridge as the cartridge is moved from said first position to said second position.