Abstract: An automated cassette loader system includes a front loading tape drive mounted in a standard height enclosure with a removable magazine including cassettes stored in front to rear alignment in two levels. The cassettes are pushed between entry and exit positions by pushing one cassette out of a push position in one level and then pushing a cassette from a push position in the other level. The cassette pushed out of the magazine is transported to the front loading tape drive and, when removed therefrom, transported to the intake of the other level of the magazine.

Abstract: A mechanical interlocking is provided between a bidirectional swinging access door with a moveable part of a tape cassette or magazine loading mechanism such that the door remains unlatched as the moveable part moves from its forward loading/unloading position to its rearward operational position and the door remains latched as the moveable part moves in the forward direction from its operational position to its loading/unloading position.

Abstract: A control system having proportional and integral functions for controlling the rotational speed of a motor. The system includes a self-limiting integrator for avoiding or limiting integral wrapup, a problem commonly associated with integral control. The self-limiting integrator includes an integrator, limit comparator, OR gate, delay circuit, and sign reversal circuitry. The integrator reverses direction of integration when an error limit is realized. The error limit, a preestablished and adjustable value, can be used to determine the rise and settle time of the speed of the motor independently of the gain.

Abstract: An improved actuator switch for transmitting a function to a PC board that is not directly attached to the actuator switch. The actuator switch provides a large amount of alignment tolerance without loss of function. Further, the actuator switch is easy to assemble, requiring no assembly tools because the entire mechanism snaps together.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing compressed data on DAT media. The data is stored into a standard DDS group format prior to compression, and after compression, the group is stored into a variable number of frames for recording onto the DAT media. If the compression does not meet a predetermined standard of efficiency, then the group is stored in a fixed number of frames and recorded onto the DAT media without compression.

Abstract: A data transfer system using cassettes with a tape drive is configured with a number of removable cassettes stored in front to rear alignment adjacent one side (e.g. the bottom) of the tape drive. Cassettes in a removable cassette tray in a magazine are disposed in two levels, and shifted between entry and exit regions of the cassette tray after each successive cassette is derived from the tape drive and a new one is supplied. A transporter moves the individual cassette between the cassette tray and the tape drive. Advantageously, this system is configured to fit into the form factor of a standard height enclosure, with a high density DAT format tape drive occupying the upper half and the cassette tray and magazine occupying the lower half.