Apparatus including dual carriages for storing and retrieving information containing discs, and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for storing and retrieving information containing discs, comprising:
- (a) a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs;
(b) first carriage means on a first track for transferring an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments;
(c) second carriage means on a first track separate from said first carriage means for transferring an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; and
(d) means for moving said first and second carriage means independent of each other to transfer information-containing discs between said storage and drive compartments of said library such that said first carriage means transfers one disc into or out of one of said storage or drive compartments while said second carriage means is simultaneously used to independently transfer a second disc into or out of a different one of said storage or drive compartments, said means further being configured for cooperatively moving said first and second carriage means around each other such that all of said storage and drive compartments within said library are accessed by either said first or said second carriage means at any given time during operation of the apparatus.
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Abstract
A technique for storing and retrieving information-containing discs using two independently operated disc transferring carriages is disclosed herein. The two carraiges are used to transfer discs between storage compartments forming part of an overall disc and drive library and one or more disc drives disposed within their own drive compartments also forming part of the disc and drive library. In one specific embodiment, the two carriages are moved vertically and horizontally on separate tracks between two confronting library arrangements.
195 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for storing and retrieving information containing discs, comprising:
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(a) a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) first carriage means on a first track for transferring an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; (c) second carriage means on a first track separate from said first carriage means for transferring an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; and (d) means for moving said first and second carriage means independent of each other to transfer information-containing discs between said storage and drive compartments of said library such that said first carriage means transfers one disc into or out of one of said storage or drive compartments while said second carriage means is simultaneously used to independently transfer a second disc into or out of a different one of said storage or drive compartments, said means further being configured for cooperatively moving said first and second carriage means around each other such that all of said storage and drive compartments within said library are accessed by either said first or said second carriage means at any given time during operation of the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of storing and retrieving information-containing discs, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) providing first and second independent and separate carriage arrangement on separate tracks, each of which transfers an information-containing disc between any two of said storage and drive compartments included within said library; and (c) independently operating said first and second carriage arrangements, for movement around one another if necessary, for simultaneously and independently transferring a first disc between any two of said storage and said drive compartments while transferring a second disc between any two of the other storage and drive compartments, whereby said first carriage arrangement transfers said first disc into or out of one of said storage or drive compartments while said second carriage arrangement is simultaneously used to independently transfer said second disc into or out of any other storage or drive compartments. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of storing and retrieving information-containing discs, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) providing a first carriage which transfers an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; (c) moving said first carriage along a first track which extends into a maintenance area beyond said library for transferring a given disc between compartments of said library; (d) periodically moving said carriage on said track and into said maintenance area for servicing therein; and (e) providing a second carriage on a second track which extends into said maintenance area for independent operation with said first carriage, each of which transfers an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments, and each of which is independently movable into said maintenance area for servicing, whereby when one of said carriages is being services, the other is able to access all of said compartments.
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24. An apparatus for storing and retrieving information containing discs, comprising:
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(a) a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) a first carriage which transfers an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; (c) first means for moving said first carriage along a first track means which extends into said maintenance area beyond said library for transferring a given disc between compartments of said library; (d) first means for periodically moving said first carriage on said first track and into said maintenance area for servicing thereon; (e) a second carriage which transfers an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; (f) second means for moving said second carriage along a second track means which extends into said maintenance area beyond said library for transferring a given disc between compartments of said library; (g) second means for periodically moving said second carriage on said second track and into said maintenance area for servicing thereon; and (h) said first and second carriages providing independent operation to simultaneously transfer information containing discs between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification