Partition of high performance floppy pack and associated means

Claim 1

A method of providing for the controlled pneumatic separation of a stack of thin flexible sheet-like record disks, aligned along a prescribed stack radius, the method being adapted to provide for the selective pneumatic partitioning of this stack, this method comprising the steps of: stacking said flexible disks together with intermediate radially-apertured, rigid separator rings so as to form a disk pack with the inner periphery of the disks retained together to define a center-bore, and so as to permit the pack to be parted between any selected pair of adjacent disks, the pack being adapted to engage high speed rotation means; providing partition-jet body in this bore; this body comprising axially-translatable pneumatic partition-jet means arranged to project a jet of partitioning pressurized gas radially-out between selected records; providing for delivery of said pressurized air to jet means; providing related actuate means adapted to selectively translate said body along this bore, whereby to dispose said jet for a selected partition; and partitioning said stack by rotating said stack sufficient to induce a prescribed pumping between all disks so as to draw-in ambient air about said body, then out through all said rings and disks.

Claim 2

A method of providing for the controlled pneumatic separation of a stack of thin flexible sheet-like record disks, aligned along a prescribed stack radius, the method being adapted to provide for the selective pneumatic partitioning of this stack, this method comprising the steps of: stacking said flexible disks together with intermediate radially-apertured, rigid separator rings so as to form a disk pack with the inner periphery of the disks retained together to define a center-bore, and so as to permit the pack to be parted between any selected pair of adjacent disks, the pack being adapted to engage high speed rotation means; providing partition-jet body in this bore; this body comprising axially-translatable pneumatic partition-jet means arranged to project a jet of partitioning pressurized gas radially-out between selected records; providing for delivery of said pressurized air to jet means; providing related actuate means adapted to selectively translate said body along this bore, whereby to dispose said jet for a selected partition; and partitioning said stack by rotating said stack sufficient to induce a prescribed pumping between all disks so as to draw-in ambient air about said body, then out through all said rings and disks.

Claim 3

A method of arranging and manipulating an array of flexible recording disks stacked along a prescribed axis with intermediate radially-vented separator means between each disk, this method comprising: arranging gas-driven partition means in cooperative relation with the disk array so as to effect disk separation by directing one or more streams of air between selected disks and through the associated separator means; and adapting said array to include isolation separator means adapted to introduce an isolating air stream through each spacer means to be projected radially out between all adjacent disks and thus maintain the non-selecting separation thereof pneumatically; said disk stack being rotated so as to render the flexible disks self-flattening and "self-pumping" whereby to draw-in such isolating air.

Claim 4

A method of arranging and manipulating an array of flexible recording disks stacked along a prescribed axis with intermediate radially-vented separator means between each disk, this method comprising: arranging gas-driven partition means in cooperative relation with the disk array so as to effect disk separation by directing one or more streams of air between selected disks and through the associated separator means; and adapting said array to include isolation separator means adapted to introduce an isolating air stream through each spacer means to be projected radially out between all adjacent disks and thus maintain the non-selecting separation thereof pneumatically; said disk stack being rotated so as to render the flexible disks self-flattening and "self-pumping" whereby to draw-in such isolating air.