Abstract: A system for calibrating a plurality of weighing installations of the kind having a working configuration of at least one working load cell (14) with a fixed side and a load-bearing sides, a support (16) for the fixed side, and a load (12) operatively mounted on the load-bearing side, comprises portable apparatus moveable between installations to be calibrated, and fixed apparatus at each installation. The portable apparatus includes a reference load cell (30) and a fluid ram (32), the fixed apparatus includes anchorage means (22) fast with the working load cell support (16), and the reference cell and the ram are removably connectable between the anchorage means and the load-bearing side of the working load cell to apply calibrating loads to the working load cell in its working configuration. As many rams and reference cells may be provided as there are working load cells for any weighing installation.

Abstract: A lateral tape sensor for a tape drive having a tape head that is not capable of moving vertically as quickly as tape media, wherein the sensor senses lateral movement of tape media as it moves along a tape path between a storage reel and a take-up reel. The lateral tape motion sensor comprising a means for sensing the position of at least one edge of the tape media and a means for comparing the at least one edge position to predetermined thresholds to determine if the tape media moved laterally. When the lateral movement exceeds predetermined thresholds, the tape drive processor and control circuits respond to prevent accidentally overwriting data previously written on an adjacent track during a write operation, to adjust the tape head to locate data being read following lateral tape motion that occurs during a read operation or to warn the user of poor tape media quality.

Abstract: The forced air cooling fan comprises a flat disk surface having a series of circumferentially spaced apertures each including a V-shaped fan blade connected across the aperture perpendicular to the periphery of the disk-shaped surface. The V-shaped fan blade includes a pivoting device having a first blade member of one side and a second blade member of the opposing side of the pivoting device. In one position of the V-shaped fan blade, the first blade member covers a first portion of the aperture and the second blade members directs the flow of air downwardly through a second portion of the aperture. V-shaped fan blades allow the direction of the forced air to remain relatively constant when the rotational direction of the drive mechanism is reversed.

Abstract: The forced air cooling fan comprises a flat disk surface having a series of circumferentially spaced apertures each including a V-shaped fan blade connected across the aperture perpendicular to the periphery of the disk-shaped surface. The V-shaped fan blade includes a pivoting device having a first blade member of one side and a second blade member of the opposing side of the pivoting device. In one position of the V-shaped fan blade, the first blade member covers a first portion of the aperture and the second blade members directs the flow of air downwardly through a second portion of the aperture. V-shaped fan blades allow the direction of the forced air to remain relatively constant when the rotational direction of the drive mechanism is reversed.

Abstract: A lateral tape sensor for a tape drive having a tape head that is not capable of moving vertically as quickly as tape media, wherein the sensor senses lateral movement of tape media as it moves along a tape path between a storage reel and a take-up reel. The lateral tape motion sensor comprising a means for sensing the position of at least one edge of the tape media and a means for comparing the at least one edge position to predetermined thresholds to determine if the tape media moved laterally. When the lateral movement exceeds predetermined thresholds, the tape drive processor and control circuits respond to prevent accidentally overwriting data previously written on an adjacent track during a write operation, to adjust the tape head to locate data being read following lateral tape motion that occurs during a read operation or to warn the user of poor tape media quality.

Abstract: The invention includes apparatus and methods for forming a tape pack on a drum or the like in aligned formation. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention can include at least one alignment member. The tape pack, as it is formed, can be periodically passed by the alignment member to facilitate substantially aligned formation thereof. A method in accordance with the present invention includes rotating a tape pack, winding a length of tape around the tape pack, and periodically passing the tape pack past a localized, stationary contact point where outermost windings of the tape pack are urged into aligned formation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to storage systems for computer data and relates particularly to diagnosis of errors and status monitoring of such a system. The invention provides a system for storing computer data in which different error messages are generated according to how many times a specified low-level error has occurred. In the particular embodiment, different combinations of error messages are generated according to how many times a particular low-level error has occurred.

Abstract: A controller of a storage system for computer data enables diagnosis of errors and status monitoring of the storage system. The controller is enabled to categorize errors according to severity and to analyze low-level errors so as to trigger a combination of high level error conditions.