Autochanger for storing and transferring multiple media items, such as tape cartridges, relative to a read/write mechanism

Apparatus for reading and/or writing signals on plural tapes each located in a separate cassette, each cassette having substantially the same shape and size, each cassette having a top and bottom that are generally parallel rectangular faces connected together by narrow side and end walls arranged so the tapes are accessible via one of the side walls, the apparatus comprising:

• a turntable having an axis of rotation,
• a read and/or write mechanism for the tapes, the mechanism including a drive for the tapes,
• a magazine for simultaneously holding a plurality of the cassettes, the magazine having an axis in a central region of the magazine, the magazine being positionable on the turntable so the axis of rotation of the turntable and the magazine axis are substantially coincident, the magazine including at least one level extending at a right angle to said axes for simultaneously receiving and positioning a plurality of said cassettes so while the plurality of cassettes are located at said level (a) a rectangular area is circumscribed and defined by the non-abutting exterior edges of the top faces of said plurality of cassettes and (b) said axes (i) pass between spaced adjacent parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, (ii) are coincident with a first center line of said rectangular area at a right angle to the top and bottom faces of said plurality of cassettes and (iii) intersect a second center line of said rectangular area that extends parallel to parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, the magazine having openings enabling each cassette on said level to be translated into and out of the magazine so the end walls of the cassettes move in the direction of cassette translation and cassettes on opposite sides of the second center line move in opposite directions relative to the magazine axis as they move into and out of the magazine along a path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism,
• a transport mechanism for transporting one of the cassettes at a time along the path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism so tapes in the cassettes can be driven by the tape drive, the transport mechanism being arranged for translating all cassettes at said level relative to the magazine along the same straight path, movement of cassettes along the straight path being at right angles to the side walls of cassettes in the magazine and in the direction of extent of the end walls of cassettes in the magazine, and the turntable turning the magazine about both said axes to position the plurality of cassettes on said level so they are at said path, said turntable, read and/or write mechanism, and the transport mechanism being in a housing having a wall with an opening dimensioned and positioned so the magazine can pass back and forth through the housing opening into the housing and onto the turntable so the magazine and turntable axes are substantially coincident.

Apparatus for reading and/or writing signals on plural DAT tapes each located in a separate cassette, each cassette having substantially the same shape and size, each cassette having a top and bottom that are generally parallel rectangular faces connected together by narrow side and end walls arranged so the tapes are accessible via one of the side walls, the apparatus comprising:

• a turntable having an axis of rotation,
• a read and/or write mechanism for the tapes, the mechanism including a drive for the tapes,
• a magazine for simultaneously holding six and no more than six of the cassettes, the magazine having an axis in a central region of the magazine, the magazine being positionable on the turntable so the axis of rotation of the turntable and the magazine axis are substantially coincident, the magazine including three and no more than three levels, each extending at a right angle to said axes for simultaneously receiving and positioning a plurality of said cassettes so while the plurality of cassettes are located at each of said levels (a) a rectangular area is circumscribed by the exterior edges of the top faces of said plurality of cassettes and (b) said axes (i) pass between spaced adjacent parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, (ii) are coincident with a first center line of said rectangular area at a right angle to the top and bottom faces of said plurality of cassettes and (iii) intersect a second center line of said rectangular area that extends parallel to parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, the magazine having openings enabling each cassette on said level to be translated into and out of the magazine so the end walls of the cassettes move in the direction of cassette translation and cassettes on opposite sides of the second center line move in opposite directions relative to the magazine axis as they move into and out of the magazine along a path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism,
• the magazine being arranged so there can be two and not more than two cassettes on each level, the cassettes being at the path when the turntable is at positions 180° apart from each other,
• a transport mechanism for transporting one of the cassettes at a time along the path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism so tapes in the cassettes can be driven by the tape drive, the transport mechanism being arranged for translating all cassettes at said level relative to the magazine along the same straight path, movement of cassettes along the straight path being at right angles to the side walls of cassettes in the magazine and in the direction of extent of the end walls of cassettes in the magazine, and the turntable turning the magazine about both said axes to position the plurality of cassettes on said level so they are at said path.

Apparatus for reading and/or writing signals on plural tapes each located in a separate cassette, each cassette having substantially the same shape and size, each cassette having a top and bottom that are generally parallel rectangular faces connected together by narrow side and end walls arranged so the tapes are accessible via one of the side walls, the apparatus comprising:

• a turntable having an axis of rotation,
• a read and/or write mechanism for the tapes, the mechanism including a drive for the tapes,
• a magazine for simultaneously holding a plurality of the cassettes, the magazine having an axis in a central region of the magazine, the magazine being positionable on the turntable so the axis of rotation of the turntable and the magazine axis are substantially coincident, the magazine including a level extending at a right angle to said axes for simultaneously receiving and positioning a plurality of said cassettes so while the plurality of cassettes are located at said level (a) a rectangular area is circumscribed by the exterior edges of the top faces of said plurality of cassettes and (b) said axes (i) pass between spaced adjacent parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, (ii) are coincident with a first center line of said rectangular area at a right angle to the top and bottom faces of said plurality of cassettes and (iii) intersect a second center line of said rectangular area that extends parallel to parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, the magazine having openings enabling each cassette on said level to be translated into and out of the magazine so the end walls of the cassettes move in the direction of cassette translation and cassettes on opposite sides of the second center line move in opposite directions relative to the magazine axis as they move into and out of the magazine along a path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism,
• the magazine being arranged so there can be two and not more than two cassettes on each level, the cassettes being at the path when the turntable is at positions 180° apart from each other,
• a transport mechanism for transporting one of the cassettes at a time along the path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism so tapes in the cassettes can be driven by the tape drive, the transport mechanism being arranged for translating all cassettes at said level relative to the magazine along the same straight path, movement of cassettes along the straight path being at right angles to the side walls of cassettes in the magazine and in the direction of extent of the end walls of cassettes in the magazine, and the turntable turning the magazine about both said axes to position the plurality of cassettes on said level so they are at said path, the plural levels of the magazine being arranged so the openings on one level of the magazine are through first and second parallel side planes of the magazine and the openings on a second level of the magazine are through third and fourth parallel side planes of the magazine, the first and second planes being at right angles to the third and fourth planes.

Apparatus for reading and/or writing signals on plural tapes each located in a separate cassette, each cassette having substantially the same shape and size, each cassette having a top and bottom that are generally parallel rectangular faces connected together by narrow side and end walls arranged so the tapes are accessible via one of the side walls, the apparatus comprising:

• a turntable having an axis of rotation,
• a read and/or write mechanism for the tapes, the mechanism including a drive for the tapes,
• a magazine for simultaneously holding a plurality of the cassettes, the magazine having an axis in a central region of the magazine, the magazine being positionable on the turntable so the axis of rotation of the turntable and the magazine axis are substantially coincident, the magazine including a level extending at a right angle to said axes for simultaneously receiving and positioning a plurality of said cassettes so while the plurality of cassettes are located at said level (a) a rectangular area is circumscribed by the exterior edges of the top faces of said plurality of cassettes and (b) said axes (i) pass between spaced adjacent parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, (ii) are coincident with a first center line of said rectangular area at a right angle to the top and bottom faces of said plurality of cassettes and (iii) intersect a second center line of said rectangular area that extends parallel to parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, the magazine having openings enabling each cassette on said level to be translated into and out of the magazine so the end walls of the cassettes move in the direction of cassette translation and cassettes on opposite sides of the second center line move in opposite directions relative to the magazine axis as they move into and out of the magazine along a path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism,
• the magazine being arranged so there can be two and not more than two cassettes on each level, the cassettes being at the path when the turntable is at positions 180° apart from each other,
• a transport mechanism for transporting one of the cassettes at a time along the path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism so tapes in the cassettes can be driven by the tape drive, the transport mechanism being arranged for translating all cassettes at said level relative to the magazine along the same straight path, movement of cassettes along the straight path being at right angles to the side walls of cassettes in the magazine and in the direction of extent of the end walls of cassettes in the magazine, and the turntable turning the magazine about both said axes to position the plurality of cassettes on said level so they are at said path, the magazine including a plurality of said levels, said levels being parallel to each other, the magazine being arranged so there can be two and not more than two cassettes on each level, the cassettes being at the straight path when the turntable is at positions 180° apart from each other,
• the plural levels of the magazine being arranged so the openings on one level of the magazine are through first and second parallel side planes of the magazine and the openings on a second level of the magazine are through third and fourth parallel side planes of the magazine, the first and second planes being at right angles to the third and fourth planes.

Apparatus for reading and/or writing signals on plural tapes each located in a separate cassette, each cassette having substantially the same shape and size, each cassette having a top and bottom that are generally parallel rectangular faces connected together by narrow side and end walls arranged so the tapes are accessible via one of the side walls, the apparatus comprising:

• a turntable having an axis of rotation,
• a read and/or write mechanism for the tapes, the mechanism including a drive for the tapes,
• a magazine for simultaneously holding a plurality of the cassettes, the magazine having an axis in a central region of the magazine, the magazine being positionable on the turntable so the axis of rotation of the turntable and the magazine axis are substantially coincident, the magazine including a level extending at a right angle to said axes for simultaneously receiving and positioning a plurality of said cassettes so while the plurality of cassettes are located at said level (a) a rectangular area is circumscribed by the exterior edges of the top faces of said plurality of cassettes and (b) said axes (i) pass between spaced adjacent parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, (ii) are coincident with a first center line of said rectangular area at a right angle to the top and bottom faces of said plurality of cassettes and (iii) intersect a second center line of said rectangular area that extends parallel to parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, the magazine having openings enabling each cassette on said level to be translated into and out of the magazine so the end walls of the cassettes move in the direction of cassette translation and cassettes on opposite sides of the second center line move in opposite directions relative to the magazine axis as they move into and out of the magazine along a path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism,
• the magazine being arranged so there can be two and not more than two cassettes on each level, the cassettes being at the path when the turntable is at positions 180° apart from each other,
• a transport mechanism for transporting one of the cassettes at a time along the path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism so tapes in the cassettes can be driven by the tape drive, the transport mechanism being arranged for translating all cassettes at said level relative to the magazine along the same straight path, movement of cassettes along the straight path being at right angles to the side walls of cassettes in the magazine and in the direction of extent of the end walls of cassettes in the magazine, and the turntable turning the magazine about both said axes to position the plurality of cassettes on said level so they are at said path, the magazine being selectively translated to and from the turntable along a second path in a direction at right angles to the turntable axis of rotation.

Apparatus for reading and/or writing signals on plural tapes each located in a separate cassette, each cassette having substantially the same shape and size, each cassette having a top and bottom that are generally parallel rectangular faces connected together by narrow side and end walls arranged so the tapes are accessible via one of the side walls, the apparatus comprising:

• a turntable having an axis of rotation,
• a read and/or write mechanism for the tapes, the mechanism including a drive for the tapes,
• a magazine for simultaneously holding a plurality of the cassettes, the magazine having an axis in a central region of the magazine, the magazine being positionable on the turntable so the axis of rotation of the turntable and the magazine axis are substantially coincident, the magazine including a level extending at a right angle to said axes for simultaneously receiving and positioning a plurality of said cassettes so while the plurality of cassettes are located at said level (a) a rectangular area is circumscribed by the exterior edges of the top faces of said plurality of cassettes and (b) said axes (i) pass between spaced adjacent parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, (ii) are coincident with a first center line of said rectangular area at a right angle to the top and bottom faces of said plurality of cassettes and (iii) intersect a second center line of said rectangular area that extends parallel to parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, the magazine having openings enabling each cassette on said level to be translated into and out of the magazine so the end walls of the cassettes move in the direction of cassette translation and cassettes on opposite sides of the second center line move in opposite directions relative to the magazine axis as they move into and out of the magazine along a path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism,
• the magazine being arranged so there can be two and not more than two cassettes on each level, the cassettes being at the path when the turntable is at positions 180° apart from each other,
• a transport mechanism for transporting one of the cassettes at a time along the path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism so tapes in the cassettes can be driven by the tape drive, the transport mechanism being arranged for translating all cassettes at said level relative to the magazine along the same straight path, movement of cassettes along the straight path being at right angles to the side walls of cassettes in the magazine and in the direction of extent of the end walls of cassettes in the magazine, and the turntable turning the magazine about both said axes to position the plurality of cassettes on said level so they are at said path, a housing for the turntable, the read and/or write mechanism, the transport mechanism and the magazine when the magazine is positioned on the turntable;
• the housing including a panel having a door arranged and sized for enabling the magazine to translate along a second path between opposite sides of the panel, the opposite sides of the panel being respectively inside and outside of the housing.

Apparatus for storing plural DAT cassettes and for transferring the plural DAT cassettes to and from a mechanism for reading and/or writing to the DAT cassettes, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage area for storing six and no more than six DAT cassettes so that the six and no more than six of said DAT cassettes are simultaneously spaced around and along a common axis of rotation for said DAT cassettes, said mechanism for reading and/or writing being fixedly located adjacent to said storage area and displaced from said storage area along said axis so that said axis passes through said reading and/or writing mechanism;
• a drive for rotating the stored DAT cassettes as one body about said axis so as to permit access to any of the DAT cassettes from only one direction transverse to said axis;
• a transfer mechanism operable to collect said DAT cassettes from said one direction and to transfer said DAT cassettes between the storage area and said mechanism for reading and/or writing;
• the apparatus being located in a housing including said reading and/or writing mechanism, said housing being configured to fit within a space for a standard 5¼″ peripheral form factor housing used in peripheral devices for storing computer data.

Apparatus for storing six and no more than six DAT cassettes and for transferring the DAT cassettes to and from a mechanism for reading and/or writing to the DAT cassettes, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage area for storing six and no more than six DAT cassettes so that the six and no more than six DAT cassettes are simultaneously spaced around and along a common axis of rotation for said DAT cassettes, said mechanism for reading and/or writing being fixedly located adjacent to said storage area and displaced from said storage area along said axis so that said axis passes through said reading and/or writing mechanism;
• a drive for rotating the stored DAT cassettes as one body about said axis so as to permit access to any of the DAT cassettes from only one direction transverse to said axis;
• a transfer mechanism operable to collect said DAT cassettes from said one direction and to transfer said DAT cassettes between the storage area and said mechanism for reading and/or writing;
• the apparatus and said reading and/or writing mechanism being in a housing having a standard 5¼ inch peripheral form factor.

Apparatus for storing plural items of recording media and for transferring the plural media items to and from a mechanism for reading and/or writing to the media items, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage area for storing a plurality of media items so that there are a plurality of said media items simultaneously spaced around a common axis of rotation for said media items and there are a plurality of said media items simultaneously spaced along said axis, said mechanism being fixedly located adjacent to said storage area and displaced from said storage area along said axis so that said axis passes through said reading and/or writing mechanism;
• means for rotating the stored media items as one body about said axis so as to permit access to any of the media items from only one direction transverse to said axis;
• transfer means operable to collect said media items from said one direction and to transfer said media items between the storage area and said mechanism;
• and
• means for storing media items in staggered formation spaced around said axis of rotation.

Apparatus for storing plural items of recording media and for transferring the plural media items to and from a mechanism for reading and/or writing to the media items, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage area for storing a plurality of media items so that there are a plurality of said media items simultaneously spaced around a common axis of rotation for said media items and there are a plurality of said media items simultaneously spaced along said axis, said mechanism being fixedly located adjacent to said storage area and displaced from said storage area along said axis so that said axis passes through said reading and/or writing mechanism;
• means for rotating the stored media items as one body about said axis so as to permit access to any of the media items from only one direction transverse to said axis;
• transfer means operable to collect said media items from said one direction and to transfer said media items between the storage area and said mechanism;
• and
• a turntable for rotating the media items;
• the turntable being mounted on the underside of the top plate of a housing for the apparatus.

Apparatus for storing six and no more than six DAT cassettes containing recording media and for transferring the cassettes to and from a mechanism for reading and/or writing to the cassettes, each of the cassettes having parallel rectangular faces connected to each other by rectangular side walls that are much shorter than the lengths and widths of the faces of the cassettes, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage area for storing six and no more than six DAT cassettes so that six and no more than six of said cassettes are simultaneously spaced around and along a common axis of rotation for said cassettes so that the side walls of the cassettes extend in the direction of the axis and the faces extend in planes at right angles to the axis, said mechanism being fixedly located adjacent to said storage area and displaced from said storage area along said axis so that said axis passes through said reading and/or writing mechanism;
• a drive for rotating the stored cassettes as one body about said axis so as to permit access to any of the cassettes from only one direction transverse to said axis;
• a transfer arrangement operable to collect said cassettes from said one direction and to transfer said cassettes between the storage area and said mechanism;
• the transfer arrangement comprising a platform configured to transport one of the cassettes at a time between the storage area and the mechanism, and a picker device which is movable relative to the platform to move the cassettes onto and off the platform the storage area, drive, transfer arrangement and picker device being in a housing have a 5¼″ form factor.

Apparatus for storing six and no more than six DAT cassettes containing recording media and for transferring six and no more than six cassettes to and from a mechanism for reading and/or writing to the cassettes, each of the cassettes having parallel rectangular faces connected to each other by rectangular side walls that are much shorter than the lengths and widths of the faces of the cassettes, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage area for storing six and no more than six DAT cassettes so that the six and no more than six of said cassettes are simultaneously spaced around and along a common axis of rotation for said cassettes so that the side walls of the cassettes extend in the direction of the axis and the faces extend in planes at right angles to the axis, said mechanism being fixedly located adjacent to said storage area and displaced from said storage area along said axis so that said axis passes through said reading and/or writing mechanism;
• a drive for rotating the stored cassettes as one body about said axis so as to permit access to any of the cassettes from only one direction transverse to said axis;
• a transfer arrangement operable to collect said cassettes from said one direction and to transfer said cassettes between the storage area and said mechanism;
• the transfer arrangement comprising a platform configured to transport one of the cassettes at a time between the storage area and the mechanism, and a picker device which is movable relative to the platform to move the cassettes onto and off the platform, wherein the picker device comprises opposed fingers for engaging one of the cassettes on or adjacent the sidewalls thereof,
• the storage area, drive, transfer arrangement and picker device being in a housing have a 5¼ form factor.

Apparatus for storing plural items of recording media and for transferring the plural media items to and from a mechanism for reading and/or writing to the media items, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage area for storing a plurality of media items so that there are a plurality of said media items simultaneously spaced around a common axis of rotation for said media items and there are a plurality of said media items simultaneously spaced along said axis, said mechanism being fixedly located adjacent to said storage area and displaced from said storage area along said axis so that said axis passes through said reading and/or writing mechanism;
• a drive for rotating the stored media items as one body about said axis so as to permit access to any of the media items from only one direction transverse to said axis;
• a transfer arrangement operable to collect said media items from said one direction and to transfer said media items between the storage area and said mechanism;
• the transfer arrangement comprising a platform configured to transport a media item between the storage area and the mechanism, and a picker device which is movable relative to the platform to move the media items onto and off the platform, the picker device including opposed fingers for engaging a media item on or adjacent respective sides thereof, the picker fingers being biassed inwardly, a deflector for automatically deflecting the picker fingers outwardly, the picker fingers being pivotably mounted the deflector comprising two rods movable in the same direction by a deflecting member so that each rod abuts one of the picker fingers and deflects it outwardly.

Autochanger apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a 5¼ form factor;
• a head arrangement for reading and/or writing data on tape in DAT cassettes, the head arrangement being positioned at the base and rear of the housing and having an opening facing forwardly in the housing for receiving the cassettes;
• a storage area located above the head arrangement for storing six and not more than six DAT cassettes;
• a transfer arrangement positioned at the front of the housing for transporting the cassettes between the storage area and the head arrangement so that the cassettes move forwardly from and out of the storage area, then downwardly to a first level where the head arrangement is located and then rearwardly into the head arrangement and move forwardly from the head arrangement then upwardly to a second level where the storage area is located then rearwardly into the storage area, and
• a drive for rotating stored cassettes as one body so that all stored cassettes are accessible to the transfer arrangement.

Apparatus for reading and/or writing signals on plural tapes each located in a separate cassette, each cassette having substantially the same shape and size, each cassette having a top and bottom that are generally parallel rectangular faces connected together by narrow side and end walls arranged so the tapes are accessible via one of the side walls, the apparatus comprising:

• a turntable having an axis of rotation,
• a read and/or write mechanism for the tapes, the mechanism including a drive for the tapes,
• a magazine for simultaneously holding a plurality of the cassettes, the magazine having an axis in a central region of the magazine, the magazine being positionable on the turntable so the axis of rotation of the turntable and the magazine axis are substantially coincident, the magazine including a level extending at a right angle to said axes for simultaneously receiving and positioning a plurality of said cassettes so while the plurality of cassettes are located at said level (a) a rectangular area is circumscribed by the exterior edges of the top faces of said plurality of cassettes and (b) said axes (i) pass between spaced adjacent parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, (ii) are coincident with a first center line of said rectangular area at a right angle to the top and bottom faces of said plurality of cassettes and (iii) intersect a second center line of said rectangular area that extends parallel to parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, the magazine having openings enabling each cassette on said level to be translated into and out of the magazine so the end walls of the cassettes move in the direction of cassette translation and cassettes on opposite sides of the second center line move in opposite directions relative to the magazine axis as they move into and out of the magazine along a path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism,
• the magazine being arranged so there can be two and not more than two cassettes on each level, the cassettes being at the path when the turntable is at positions 180° apart from each other,
• a transport mechanism for transporting one of the cassettes at a time along the path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism so tapes in the cassettes can be driven by the tape drive, the transport mechanism being arranged for translating all cassettes at said level relative to the magazine along the same straight path, movement of cassettes along the straight path being at right angles to the side walls of cassettes in the magazine and in the direction of extent of the end walls of cassettes in the magazine, and the turntable turning the magazine about both said axes to position the plurality of cassettes on said level so they are at said path, the magazine and turntable being arranged so that the magazine can be positioned on and removed from the turntable at will after assembly of the apparatus.

Apparatus for reading and/or writing signals on plural tapes each located in a separate cassette, each cassette having substantially the same shape and size, each cassette having a top and bottom that are generally parallel rectangular faces connected together by narrow side and end walls arranged so the tapes are accessible via one of the side walls, the apparatus comprising:

• a turntable having an axis of rotation,
• a read and/or write mechanism for the tapes, the mechanism including a drive for the tapes,
• a magazine for simultaneously holding a plurality of the cassettes, the magazine having an axis in a central region of the magazine, the magazine being positionable on the turntable so the axis of rotation of the turntable and the magazine axis are substantially coincident, the magazine including a level extending at a right angle to said axes for simultaneously receiving and positioning a plurality of said cassettes so while the plurality of cassettes are located at said level (a) a rectangular area is circumscribed by the exterior edges of the top faces of said plurality of cassettes and (b) said axes (i) pass between spaced adjacent parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, (ii) are coincident with a first center line of said rectangular area at a right angle to the top and bottom faces of said plurality of cassettes and (iii) intersect a second center line of said rectangular area that extends parallel to parallel side walls of a pair of said cassettes, the magazine having openings enabling each cassette on said level to be translated into and out of the magazine so the end walls of the cassettes move in the direction of cassette translation and cassettes on opposite sides of the second center line move in opposite directions relative to the magazine axis as they move into and out of the magazine along a path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism,
• the magazine being arranged so there can be two and not more than two cassettes on each level, the cassettes being at the path when the turntable is at positions 180° apart from each other,
• a transport mechanism for transporting one of the cassettes at a time along the path between the magazine and the read and/or write mechanism so tapes in the cassettes can be driven by the tape drive, the transport mechanism being arranged for translating all cassettes at said level relative to the magazine along the same straight path, movement of cassettes along the straight path being at right angles to the side walls of cassettes in the magazine and in the direction of extent of the end walls of cassettes in the magazine, and the turntable turning the magazine about both said axis to position the plurality of cassettes on said level so they are at said path, the magazine and turntable being arranged so that the magazine can be positioned on and removed from the turntable at will along a second path that extends in the same direction as movement of the cassettes into and out of the magazine.

Apparatus for storing plural items of recording media and for transferring the plural media items to and from a mechanism for reading and/or writing to the media items, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage area for storing a plurality of media items so that there are a plurality of said media items simultaneously spaced around a common axis of rotation for said media items and there are a plurality of said media items simultaneously spaced along said axis, said mechanism for reading and/or writing being fixedly located adjacent to said storage area and displaced from said storage area along said axis so that said axis passes through said reading and/or writing mechanism;
• a drive for rotating the stored media items as one body about said axis so as to permit access to any of the media items from only one direction transverse to said axis;
• a transfer mechanism operable to collect said media items from said one direction and to transfer said media items between the storage area and said mechanism for reading and/or writing;
• and
• the storage area being arranged for storing media items in staggered formation spaced around said axis of rotation.

Apparatus for storing plural items of recording media and for transferring the plural media items to and from a mechanism for reading and/or writing to the media items, said apparatus comprising:

• a storage area for storing a plurality of media items so that there are a plurality of said media items simultaneously spaced around a common axis of rotation for said media items and there are a plurality of said media items simultaneously spaced along said axis, said mechanism for reading and/or writing being fixedly located adjacent to said storage area and displaced from said storage area along said axis so that said axis passes through said reading and/or writing mechanism;
• a drive for rotating the stored media items as one body about said axis so as to permit access to any of the media items from only one direction transverse to said axis;
• a transfer mechanism operable to collect said media items from said one direction and to transfer said media items between the storage area and said mechanism for reading and/or writing;
• and
• a turntable for rotating the media items;
• the turntable being mounted on the underside of the top plate of a housing for the apparatus.