Carousel-type magnetic tape library system

摘要

An improved carousel-type magnetic tape library system including a pivotable cartridge-receiving door for facilitating the insertion and removal of cartridges into the system and a cylindrical magazine carried by a turntable rotatably mounted to a turntable plate secured to a base casting. The turntable includes a sprocket wheel that is engaged by a drive belt or chain connected to a stepper motor affixed to the base plate. Affixed to the sprocket is a shutter plate having a plurality of notches in its perimeter for detection by an optical-indexing sensor. The apparatus also includes a carousel-indexing sensor and a cartridge-in-carousel and cartridge-orientation sensor. Disposed within the central cavity of the carousel magazine unoccupied by cartridges is a cartridge-onloading/offloading mechanism which is rotatably mounted concentric with the carousel turntable. Disposed on a side of the carousel opposite the door is a dual tape drive assembly including modular tape drive units mounted to the base plate. The apparatus further includes a power supply, an associated electronic subsystem, and a cooling fan.