Abstract: Can ends are ejected from a tool station by a lifter ring and air currents in an ejector chute provided by a curved nozzle assembly adjacent an opening in the lower edge of the chute. It entrains can ends in air current across the die station and over a knife edge in the lower opening of the chute. The lower wall of the chute is positioned on top of the blanking die during the can end entrainment. The punch assembly moves down through the lower opening and through a larger opening in the chute. After can end clears the tooling and continues down the chute with air streams that are augmented by nozzles in the upper wall, the chute is lifted. Double-acting cylinder actuators lift the chute. Side walls of the chute taper inwardly to align the can ends for precise release from the discharge end. Sensor emitters sense passage of the can ends. Solenoid valves control application of fluid pressure to opposite ends of the actuator cylinders.

Abstract: A multiplicity of independently operating disk drive subsystems are coupled to a read/write interface containing error circuitry and data organizer circuitry. The data organizer circuitry organizes read/write data for read/write communication with the disk drive subsystems via the error circuitry such that the overall system appears as a large, high capacity disk drive system having an unusually high fault tolerance and a very high bandpass. Caching is additionally provided in the read/write interface in a manner which takes advantage of the organization provided by the data organizer to significantly improve overall performance. Advantage is also taken of the conventionally provided error detection capability of each disk drive subsystem to enhance the capability of the error circuitry.

Abstract: A relatively large plurality of relatively small, independently operating disk subsystems are coupled to a read/write interface containing error circuitry and data organizer circuitry. The data organizer circuitry organizes read/write data for read/write communication with the disk subsystems via the error circuitry such that the overall system appears as a large, high capacity disk system having an unusually high fault tolerance and a very high bandpass.