Method and apparatus for unloading slide projector trays

摘要

A computer-controlled slide projector tray unloader for use with a slide archival storage system. A slide magazine (10) is placed below a slide gate (7). A tray (9) is held above the slide gate such one of the compartments coincides with the slide gate. A transporting mechanism (30) at the slide gate (7) transports a slide from the selected one compartment of the tray such that the slide drops into the magazine (10). An advance mechanism is provided for advancing the tray to position a particular compartment to coincide with the slide gate. A Tray Table maintained by software running on the computer associates a unique location number for each one of the plurality of compartments of the tray with a previously assigned serial number, each serial number identifying a slide stored in a compartment of the tray. A Current location number generator operative in connection with the advancing mechanism generates a current location number which represents the unique location number of the slide compartment currently coinciding with the slide gate (7). The tray is advanced until the generated location number matches the location number in the Tray Table corresponding to the desired slide.