Abstract: A data storage apparatus includes a housing having an entrance slot for the insertion and withdrawal of a record medium, such as a flexible magnetic disk cartridge, to and away from a data transfer position within the housing. A disk clamp mechanism including a rotary, flanged centering cone is mounted within the housing for clamping the loaded record medium onto a motor driven hub for joint rotation therewith. Disposed in the vicinity of the entrance slot is a disk loading handle pivotable between an open position for holding the entrance slot open and a closed position for blocking the entrance slot against the insertion or withdrawal of the record medium. The disk loading handle further functions, while being pivoted through a predetermined angle from the open toward the closed position, to push the record medium fully to the data transfer position.

Abstract: A device for the recording and/or reproduction of data with use of a flexible magnetic disk, or a floppy disk, having information bearing surfaces on both sides. A pair of transducer heads are disposed on both sides of the rotatably supported disk for movement substantially in its radial direction in data transducing contact with its opposite surfaces. One of the heads is gimbal mounted on a carriage slidably mounted on guide rails whereas the other head is gimbal mounted on a carrier arm which is spring mounted on, and biased toward, the carriage. A vibration control system is mounted on the carrier arm in order to minimize its audible resonant vibration due to the data transducing contact of the transducer heads with the magnetic disk. Typically the vibration control system comprises a metal-made, inverted-U-shaped shielding plate mounted on the carrier arm via bodies of rubber or the like in overlying relation to the transducer head carried by the carrier arm.