Abstract: A support arm for use in a pen plotter having a platen with a platen extension in front of it spaced to provide a slot therebetween to rotatably support a pinch roller above the platen to prevent the edges of plotting media inserted between the platen and the pinch roller from entering the slot. The arm is slidably supported under the platen on one end and passes through the slot to rotatably support a pinch roller above the platen on the opposite end. The arm has a bridging finger extending horizontally in the slot from a point adjacent the opposite end towards the plotting media from a side edge thereof. Preferably, the bridging finger is of a width substantially equal to the width of the slot and has a top surface at the same level as a top surface of the platen.

Abstract: In a magnetic tape drive in which the supply reel is contained within a cartridge, the tape is automatically threaded from the supply reel within the cartridge past a magnetic head assembly to the take-up reel by a vacuum source coupled via apertures in the hub of the take-up reel to a generally enclosed continuous flowpath extending between the supply and take-up reels. The vacuum source causes air to flow into the cartridge through air inlet ports and around the opposite sides of the supply reel to an opposite tape exit port communicating with the flowpath so as to pull the leading end of a length of magnetic tape wound on the supply reel through the flowpath and onto the take-up reel.

Abstract: A connector arrangement for making connections between printed circuit boards and connectors located on parallel side panels such as the side panels of a card cage of a computer central processing unit. The printed circuit boards are part of modules which include a retractable connector arrangement. The connectors are moved to a retracted position in which their width is less than the spacing between connectors on the side panels to facilitate their insertion between the side panels. Once in position, the modules are moved to an extended position and connections are made between the modules connectors and those on the side panels. The connectors provide low cost, high reliability, high density connections and facilitate close center-to-center spacings between adjacent modules.