Mass storage and retrieval system for magnetic tape cartridges

Claim 1

A storage and retrieval system for magnetic tape cartridges, comprising: a rack for supporting a plurality of removable drive and storage modules wherein storage capacity can be readily increased or decreased by adding or removing storage modules; at least one drive module supported in the rack including a tape drive for having a magnetic tape cartridge loaded therein; at least one storage module supported in the rack including the drive module and including at least one carousel for removably receiving a plurality of magnetic tape cartridges in radially extending positions and means for rotating the carrousel to present a selected cartridge to a withdrawal and replacement position; the drive module and the storage module each having integral track segments which are alignable in an end-to-end relation; robot means for carrying the selected cartridge between the carrousel and the tape drive including a carriage mounted for traveling along aligned track segments, means for driving the carriage along the track segments, and extensible gripper means mounted to the carriage for gripping and releasing the selected cartridge, first actuator means for causing the gripper means to grip and release the selected cartridge and second actuator means for causing the gripper means to move between an extended position and a retracted position; and control and sequencing circuit means for causing the carrousel to rotate to present the selected cartridge to the withdrawal and replacement position, for causing the carriage to travel to the replacement and withdrawal position, for causing the gripper means to move to its extended position, for causing the gripper means to grip the selected cartridge, for causing the gripper means to move to its retracted position, for causing the carriage to travel along the track segments to the drive module, and for causing the gripper means to move to its extended position to load the tape cartridge into the tape drive.