Multi-tape cartridge and multi-head drive for concurrent data transfer to/from multiple tapes

A multi-head tape drive comprising:

• a base plate having a central region and a peripheral region surrounding said central region, said peripheral region including a plurality of peripheral projections extending from said central region alternating with a plurality of peripheral gaps;
• a central drive motor having a rotatable drive shaft projecting therefrom and extending through said central region of said base plate, said base plate being rotatable around said drive shaft of said central drive motor;
• a plurality of peripheral drive motors respectively mounted in said peripheral gaps of said base plate, each of said peripheral drive motors having a rotatable drive shaft projecting therefrom substantially parallel to said drive shaft of said central drive motor;
• a plurality of data transfer heads mounted on said base plate respectively at said peripheral projections, each of said data transfer heads projecting from said base plate substantially parallel to said drive shaft of said central drive motor;
• and
• a plurality of pairs of tape guides respectively mounted adjacent said data transfer heads at the respective peripheral projections of said base plate, each pair of tape guides straddling the data transfer head adjacent thereto.

A multi-head tape cartridge and drive system comprising:

• a housing having a top and a bottom connected by a plurality of sidewalls, and containing a central region surrounded by a peripheral region;
• a central hub rotatably mounted in said central region in said housing;
• a plurality of magnetic tapes wound in overlapping fashion on said central hub, each of said plurality of magnetic tapes having a free end;
• a plurality of peripheral hubs, equal in number to said plurality of magnetic tapes, rotatably mounted in said peripheral region of said housing at respective locations between said central hub and said sidewalls, the free ends of said plurality of magnetic tapes being respectively connected to said peripheral hubs with said magnetic tapes proceeding along respective tape paths from said central hub to the respective peripheral hubs;
• a plurality of openings in said housing, equal in number to said plurality of magnetic tapes, respectively disposed at locations exposing the respective tape paths to an exterior of said housing;
• a base plate having a central region and a peripheral region surrounding said central region, said peripheral region including a plurality of peripheral projections extending from said central region alternating with a plurality of peripheral gaps;
• a central drive motor having a rotatable drive shaft projecting therefrom and extending through said central region of said base plate, said base plate being rotatable around said drive shaft of said central drive motor;
• a plurality of peripheral drive motors respectively mounted in said peripheral gaps of said base plate, each of said peripheral drive motors having a rotatable drive shaft projecting therefrom substantially parallel to said drive shaft of said central drive motor;
• a plurality of data transfer heads mounted on said base plate respectively at said peripheral projections, each of said data transfer heads projecting from said base plate substantially parallel to said drive shaft of said central drive motor;
• a plurality of pairs of tape guides respectively mounted adjacent said data transfer heads at the respective peripheral projections of said base plate, each pair of tape guides straddling the data transfer head adjacent thereto;
• and
• said drive shaft of said central drive motor being engageable with said central hub and the respective drive shafts of said peripheral drive motors being respectively engageable with said peripheral hubs and said plurality of data transfer heads and said plurality of tape guides extending respectively into said openings when said central drive motor and said central hub, and said peripheral drive motors and said peripheral hubs, are engaged, with said data transfer heads respectively adjacent the respective tape paths of said plurality of magnetic tapes.