DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS A particularly preferred computer tape cassette archiving and retrieval system 10 is shown in accompanying FIG.
1 in schematic plan view.
As is seen, the system 10 generally includes a tape storage facility 12 comprised of individual tape storage carousels 14 aligned with one another in a row along a horizontal axis 16.
Positioned on each lateral side of the tape storage facility (i.
e.
, relative to the axis 16 along which the carousels 14 are aligned), there is provided a pair of tape drive sections 18, 20 each of which is preferably comprised of a number of individual tape drive units 22, 24, respectively.
Each of the individual tape drive units 22 and 24 accepts an individual tape cassette (a representative few of which are identified in FIG.
2 by reference numeral 30) via a slot defined in its front panel facing the tape storage facility 12.
The tape drive sections 18 and 20 are each spaced from the tape storage facility 12 so as to allow for the positioning of track pairs 26, 28 therebetween, respectively.
Robot transports 32, 34 are operatively associated with a respective track pair 26, 28 so as to be reciprocally movable therealong as indicated by arrows 36, 38.
The robot transports 32, 34 are preferably of the type described in greater detail in my copending U.
S.
application Ser.
No.
07/182,593.
In general, these robot transports 32, 34 include a carriage assembly 32a, 34a operatively coupled to a track pair 26, 28, respectively, for reciprocal movements therealong.
Suitable drive means 32b, 34b (e.
g.
, a reversible motor) is carried by each of the carriage assemblies 32a, 34b, respectively, so as to provide the necessary motive force.
A vertical column 32c, 34c is also carried by the carriage assemblies 32a, 34a and includes a vertically movable platform 32d, 34d upon which a robotic manipulator (not shown) is supported.
Preferably, each of the robotic manipulators supported upon a respective one of the platforms 32d, 34d is of the type described in my commonly owned and copending U
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