Tape drive machine for selectively reading a plurality of recording tape cartridges

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to a tape drive machine of the type comprising a tape deck having a drive hub, a magazine for storing a plurality of tape cartridges, and means for transferring a selected one of the cartridges between the magazine and the deck.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

#FIG. 1 is a perspective sketch of a magazine in the form of a carousel, used in one embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the carousel, transfer mechanism and tape deck in the first embodiment of the invention;

#FIG. 3 is a perspective sketch of the transfer mechanism and tape deck in the first embodiment of the invention; and

#Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the carousel 10 comprises an upright inner cylinder 12 having at its lower end a circular flange 14. The flange 14 is formed with a circular array of generally rectangular radial slots, each extending from a closed end adjacent the inner cylinder 12 to an open end at the outer edge of the flange 14. In one example, there are twenty-eight such radial slots 16, which therefore leave between them twenty-eight radial fingers 18. A vertically and radially extending partition wall 20 is formed on each radial finger 18. Each partition wall extends radially inwardly from the outer end of the respective finger 18 to, or near to, the inner cylinder 12. A vertical lip 22 extends along the radially outwardly vertical edge of each partition wall, and the spacing A between adjacent lips 22 is generally equal to the spacing B between the radially inwardly vertical edges of adjacent partition walls 20, and is approximately 1 inch (25 mm). The radial distance between the inner cylinder 12 and the lips 22 is slightly less than 41/4 inches (108 mm), and the height of each partition wall 20 is about 5 inches (127 mm). The carousel 10 can therefore hold twenty-eight IBM 3480 single reel tape cartridges 24, each standing on end with its longer side dimension vertical, and with its shorter side resting on the edges of a pair of the radial fingers 18. The carousel 10 can be rotated about its vertical axis 26 by a stepper motor or servo motor 28 under control of a control system 30.

#Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the transfer mechanism 32 comprises a shaft 34 extending tangentially to the carousel 10 and spaced slightly from the carousel 10 and approximately level with the lower flange 14 of the carousel 10. A carriage 36 is mounted on the shaft 34 and has, as seen in FIG. 3, a horizonal arm 38 and a vertical arm 40. The shaft 34 can be rotated by a stepper motor or servo motor 42, under control of the control system 30, through 90.degree. so that the arm 38 becomes vertical and the arm 40 becomes horizontal, the arm 40 passing between an outer cheek plate 44 and an inner cheek plate 46. A tape deck 48 is disposed to the other side of the inner cheek plate 46 and has a drive hub 50 with a horizontal axis facing towards the cheek plates 44,46. The transfer mechanism motor 42 can also be operated to translate the cheek plates 44,46 and carriage 36 in the direction of the shaft 34 towards and away from the drive hub 50 of the tape deck 48. Alternatively, a separate motor may be provided for translating the cheek plates 44,46 towards and away from the drive hub 50. The inner cheek plate 46 has a cut-out 51 so that a tape reel of a cartridge 24 disposed between the cheek plates 44,46 can be engaged by the drive hub 50. Although the carousel 10 is not shown in FIG. 3, the carousel is mounted next to the transfer mechanism so that, with the pivoting carriage 36 in the position shown in FIG. 3, the arm 38 extends beneath the circular flange 14 of the carousel 10, and the width of the arm 38 is slightly less than the width of the radial slots 16 in the flange 14 of the carousel 10, so that, as the carriage 36 is pivoted in the direction shown by the arrows in FIG. 3, the arm 38 can rise through an aligned one of the radial slots 16 and engage the shorter edge of the respective cartridge 24.

#In operation of the machine, in loading one of the cartridges 24, the carousel motor 28 is operated by the control system to rotate the carousel so that the radial slot 16 for the required cartridge 24 registers with the arm 38 of the carriage 36. The transfer motor 42 is then operated by the control system 30 to pivot the carriage 36 in the direction shown by the arrows in FIG. 3. The arm 38 therefore rises up through the radial slot 16 for the selected cartridge 24, and the arm 38 engages the shorter edge of that cartridge. The cartridge is therefore tipped out of the carousel 10, with the shorter edge of the cartridge 24 resting on the arm 38, and with the longer edge of the cartridge 24 resting on the arm 40 of the carriage 36, and the cartridge 24 becomes sandwiched between the cheek plates 44,46 after the carriage 36 has been pivoted through a right angle. The motor 42 is then operated by the control system 30 to translate the carriage 36 and the cheek plates 44,46 towards the drive hub 50 so that the tape reel of the cartridge 24 engages the drive hub 50. The tape of the cartridge 24 can then be loaded into the tape deck 48 in a known manner.