Abstract: A lifting apparatus for magnetic tape cartridges in a tape transport system or tape autoloader has a lifting platform supported by threaded lead screws. The threaded lead screws extend through threaded nuts held in the platform by floating mountings. A preferred embodiment has three lead screws and three types of floating mountings. The first restricts lateral and rotational motion, the second restricts rotational motion and lateral motion in one direction while permitting motion in a transverse direction, and the third floating mounting permits rotational and lateral motion, to a limited extent. A toothed belt over cog wheels drives the threaded lead screws to move the platform vertically.

Abstract: In a recording tape cartridge, and a drive unit therefor, for extremely wide magnetic recording tape, the recording tape cartridge has a housing containing two tape hubs each rotationally mounted in the housing with the magnetic recording tape wound thereon in respective tape packs, so that the tape can be wound and unwound between the two hubs in a tape transport direction, thereby resulting in an increase in the diameter of the tape pack on one of the hubs. The housing is composed of housing parts which are movable relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to the tape transport direction to expand the housing in the direction perpendicular to the direction of tape transport, to accommodate the increase in the diameter of the tape pack.

Abstract: A holder for wide magnetic recording tape has a frame with four generally rectangular sides and an open top and an open bottom, with a frame height extending between the open top and the open bottom. Magnetic recording tape is wound in tape packs respectively on two hubs that are rotatably mounted between opposite sides of the frame. Because of the open structure of the frame, during a write/read operation the tape pack on one of the hubs can have a diameter which exceeds the height of the frame, thereby allowing substantially all of the magnetic recording tape to be wound on one of the hubs, if necessary.

Abstract: A magnetic data transfer system includes a tape drive with a magnetic tape cartridge insertable in a cartridge receptacle in the tape drive, and a magnetic data transfer head having at least two data transfer elements disposed in succession along a transport direction of the tape drive. The vertical position of the magnetic data transfer head in the tape drive is adjustable along a vertical adjustment direction. The data transfer elements monitor a monitored feature of the magnetic tape, such as a tape edge, a reference track or a servo track, and generate respective signals which are supplied to a controller circuit. The controller circuit, dependent on a difference between these signals, generates a control signal which is supplied to an adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: In a drive system and a magnetic tape cartridge for use therewith, the magnetic tape cartridge contains a number of magnetic tapes, and the drive system contains at least a like number of read/write heads. The drive system includes a mechanism which is engageable with all of the magnetic tapes in the cartridge for simultaneously extracting all of the magnetic tapes from the cartridge and moving all of the magnetic tapes so that each tape engages with at least one of the read/write heads. Data can then be simultaneously transferred between the engaged tapes and read/write heads, so that the time needed to access data in a read mode, and the time needed to write data in a record mode, are correspondingly reduced by a multiple which is dependent on the number of tapes. All of the tapes are wound onto a single take-up reel.

Abstract: In a data recording system utilizing multiple channels and data blocks wherein the data blocks are read subsequent to being written so as to check for errors, the data blocks are rewritten according to a method to provide for rewriting only the defective data blocks. The blocks may be rewritten on other than their original channels. Channels for rewriting are determined by selecting a channel with a highest current block number so that data is rewritten in a channel which has been able to write and verify the most of its original blocks. Error checking is continued in a channel even after finding of an error in that channel. Data blocks of the frames may be skewed between the channels at a beginning of the frame. A ring counter output is applied to break a deadlock where a block is continously rewritten on a failing channel.

Abstract: A multi-tape cartridge has a number of tapes therein which are either wound in common on a single hub, or are wound individually on respective hubs, and proceed in the housing along respective tape paths from the commonly wound hub, or the individual hubs, to respective take-up hubs also disposed in the housing. One of the sidewalls of the housing has openings therein so as to expose the respective tape paths, followed by the tapes, to an exterior of the housing, thereby allowing data transfer heads to be inserted into the opening so as to engage the magnetic tapes to read data therefrom or write data thereon.

Abstract: In a method for writing data on a data carrier tape, a central region of the tape is positioned adjacent a data recording head, data are supplied to the data recording head, and data are transferred from the data recording head to the tape, beginning at the center region of the tape, while moving the tape along a longitudinal direction of the tape. The tape transport direction can be alternatingly reversed at the opposite ends of the tape so data are recorded successively on adjacent data recording tracks on the tape, with data transfer being inhibited each time the center region of the tape passes by the data recording head. A data carrier tape for implementing the method has a hole pattern in the central region of the tape, which identifies the central region of the tape to allow positioning of the tape at the central region, and to allow recognition of the central region for inhibiting data transfer when the central region of the tape is adjacent the data recording head.

Abstract: In a magnetic tape cartridge, the tape is transported so as to be wound and unwound from two hubs disposed in a housing by direct contact of said tape with a drive puck. A roller wheel is disposed on an opposite side of said drive puck, with the tape disposed between the drive puck and the roller wheel, so as to maintain the tape in contact with the drive puck during rotation of the drive puck. A braking force can be applied to one or both hubs during winding and unwinding, so as to tension the tape. The components can be dimensioned to make the cartridge compatible with various existing drives for existing cartridge formats.

Abstract: A pivotable door for a tape cartridge minimizes door opening space to be allocated within a tape drive and maximizes useable space within a tape cartridge closed by the door. The door may be an articulated two panel door having a top panel to be slid backward on a top cover of a cartridge with a lower panel which can be pivoted and drawn upwardly through arcuate channel guides to open a front and a top of the cartridge. A bottom panel can be slid into a retracted position on a bottom cover of the cartridge to expose a bottom opening of the cartridge. Alternatively, a one-piece pivotable door may be provided which is slid and pivoted along an axle on the top of the one-piece door on a top cover of the cartridge and guided by an arcuate edge guiding surface within the cartridge.

Abstract: A system and a method are provided for making magnetic recording servo tracks with inherent dropout robustness and with encoded track set information, longitudinal position information and other information recorded during tape or disk manufacture. A tape is provided having at least two servo tracks of opposite polarity recordings separated by a transition region. Servo data signals are produced for recording on the at least two tracks of the tape during a single pass during manufacture of the tape. The servo data signals are derived from MR elements that determine the polarity of the servo data signals.

Abstract: Access time to data recorded on a tape in a tape cartridge is improved in a multi-tape cartridge and a drive for the multi-tape cartridge wherein a number of tapes having data recorded thereon are wound around hubs in the cartridge, and the tapes are separated as they traverse an opening in the cartridge. The drive system has multiple data transfer heads which are insertable into the opening in the cartridge and respectively engage the tapes in the cartridge. Data can be simultaneously transferred between the tapes and the heads. In comparison to a single tape having a given length, the multiple tapes in the cartridge can be shortened in length by a factor equal to the number of tapes, and the access to data recorded on the tapes is correspondingly faster by the same factor.

Abstract: A multi-tape cartridge has a housing containing a central hub on which a number of magnetic tapes are wound in overlapping fashion, and a like number of peripheral hubs in the housing to which the tapes are respectively connected. The tapes proceed from the central hub to the respective peripheral hubs along respective tape paths, and the housing has a number of openings therein which respectively provide access to the tape paths from an exterior of the housing. A multi-head tape drive for use with the cartridge has a central drive motor and peripheral drive motors which are respectively engageable with the central hub and the peripheral hubs of the cartridge.

Abstract: A tensioning device loaded tape transversal tension control device and method are provided to equalize tape tension across a transverse cross-section of a tape to provide a more stable tension throughout the tape such that a reduction in maximum tape tension can be achieved. The device includes a central tensioning device and an outer tensioning device for rotationally balancing tape tension by pivoting the device under tensioning device force to press onto or retract from portions of the tape.

Abstract: A magneto-optical readout head for reading out magnetically stored data has a high optical quality substrate and a transducer applied to the substrate formed by a Faraday rotator and a Kerr rotator, with the Kerr rotator facing the magnetic storage medium. The substrate can be provided with a shape for magnifying the domain structures of the Kerr rotator and the Faraday rotator. Linearly polarized light is passed through the substrate and the polarization vector thereof is rotated by the Faraday rotator upon passage through the Faraday rotator and the light is reflected at the Kerr rotator, and is provided with an additional rotation upon reflection.

Abstract: An apparatus, such as a cassette or a cartridge, for storing a continuous tape medium in reeled form has first and second hubs contained in a housing having a base, with a continuous tape medium wound on said hubs, with a portion of the tape medium wound on one hub and another portion wound on the other hub. The hubs are respectively mounted on axles allowing rotation of the hubs. The axles are rotatably mounted in a platform which is slideable within an opening in the base of the housing so as to allow the axles to exhibit a translational movement, in tandem, in a direction parallel to the base as the tape medium is transferred between the hubs. As the diameter of reeled tape increases on one of the hubs due to the tape transfer, the platform, and the axles and the hubs, will move in a direction toward the housing sidewall closest to the hub having the smaller amount of tape reeled thereon, thereby increasing the spacing between the other hub and the other sidewall to accommodate the increasing diameter.

Abstract: A speed servo control for a tape drive comprising a take up reel having tape wound therearound, the tape extending to a supply reel and wound therearound. A flutter roller is arranged to press said tape that extends between the take up reel and the supply reel to rotate with circulation of the tape. A first tachometer is connected to said take up reel to rotate therewith. A second tachometer is connected to the flutter roller to rotate therewith, the first and second tachometers connected to a servo system for controlling the speed of the take up reel drive motor according to the select speed of the tape. The second tachometer from the flutter roller normally controls the servo for controlling the take up reel speed. A mechanism is provided for ignoring a tachometer signal from the second tachometer and controlling using the first tachometer, until the tape is tensioned against the flutter roller after start up.

Abstract: An apparatus for sensing the position of a tape edge of a magnetic tape sliding against a magnetic head which includes a light transmitter positioned on one side of the magnetic tape and a light receiver arranged on the same side, and a reflective surface arranged on an opposite side of the tape for receiving light from the light transmitter and for reflecting light back to the light receiver. The amount of light reflected from the transmitter to the receiver depends on the amount of interference by the interposition of the magnetic tape so as to sense the edge of the tape. A light signal from the receiver is used to control the relative position of the head to the tape to correct for tape wander. One pair of light transmitters/receivers can be used, or more than one pair such as four pairs of light transmitters/receivers and corresponding reflective surfaces, to accurately position a tape head with respect to a magnetic tape, by determining a dynamic position of the tape edge.

Abstract: A floating support for a tape cartridge inserted into a tape drive, the floating support holding a magnetic head and resiliently supported off stationary structure in the tape drive. The floating support resiliently clamps portions of the cartridge against stationary portions of the tape drive which sets the reference positions of the cartridge with respect to the magnetic head. The floating support prevents the transmission of unwanted forces to the magnetic head support structure which would otherwise end to deform such structure. A floating bridge holding a magnetic head is provided having three leaf springs which engage a bottom wall of a tape cartridge to resiliently clamp the bridge to the cartridge to set the corresponding zenith and azimuth references for the magnetic head. The floating references also makes it possible to separate the cartridge fixing points and the cartridge reference points, in order to make the cartridge holding less sensitive to shock and vibrations.

Abstract: A spring loaded tape transversal tension control device is provided to equalize tape tension across the transverse cross-section of a tape to provide a more stable tension throughout the tape such that a reduction in maximum tape tension can be achieved. The device includes a central spring and an outer spring for rotationally balancing tape tension by pivoting the device under spring force to press onto, or retract from portions of the tape.