MXPA00007408A - Horizontally oriented autoloader for data storage cartridges - Google Patents

Abstract

The horizontally oriented autoloader for data storage cartridges orients the data storage cartridges in a horizontally oriented loading bin, and occupies a vertical space consistent with the vertical dimensions of the associated cartridge drive. These features of the present autoloader thereby enable multiple autoloader equipped cartridge drives to be mounted in a vertical stack. This increases the effective utilization of the computer center floor space. In addition, the bookshelf design of the autoloader trays allows for easier loading and unloading of cartridges, with the data storage cartridges beingmaintained in the same order and orientation as they were in the manual storage racks from which they were removed. The horizontal data storage cartridge movement mechanism is spring loaded to attain higher performance without motor drive. Furthermore, smaller motors are used in the data storage loading mechanism than in the vertically oriented autoloader systems to implement the necessary autoloader functions while consuming less power.

Description

HORIZONTAL ORIENTATION SELF-CHARGER FOR CARTRIDGES DATA STORAGE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to self-loading systems that work to automatically and sequentially load data storage cartridges from a drawer to a cartridge unit without the intervention of an operator to allow the reading and writing of data in the medium of data storage that ^ is located inside the cartridges.

PROBLEM? S a problem in the field of self-loading systems, which work to load, automatically and sequentially, magnetic tape cartridges from a stack to a belt drive, providing storage densities per square foot of floor space of the customer that is consistent with the needs of the industry. The typical self-loading system currently on the market uses a strategy for loading the magazine that complicates the loading process. These self-loading systems vertically orient a stack of tape cartridges in a drawer (such as that shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,835,634) or a tape cartridge loader (such as that shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,041,929) which prevents stacking of belt drives, as is well known in belt drive technology, especially because of the range Repositioning movement to guide the contents of the magazine with the reception opening for the cartridge, in the belt drive. The vertical orientation cage or magazine prevents the provision of more than a single ribbon driver in a particular footprint in the center floor of the computer, inefficiently using the expensive floor space of the computer center. In addition, the effects of gravity prevent the selection of a random tape cartridge, since, in a vertically oriented stack loading autoloader, the weight of the magnetic tape cartridges pressing down on the tape cartridges introduces too much friction to allow random selection of a tape cartridge from a stack and, in a vertical orientation autocharger based on a magazine, the cost of providing drive motors having sufficient power to lift the loaded magazine is excessively expensive. In addition, U.S. Patent No. 5,157,564, issued October 20, 1992 to William L. Theobald et al., Discloses a DAT cassette changer that consists of a charger for storing a plurality of DAT cassettes and a set of rails 10, 12 along which the magazine moves in a horizontal direction past the opening of the module unit that receives the DAT cassette. A DAT cassette loader apparatus, consisting of the drive motor 20 and the piston rod 22, is mounted on one side of the module unit and functions to reach the interior of the loader to pull a DAT cassette towards the module unit. . In addition, the Patent of the United States No.

No. 5,069,597, issued December 3, 1991 to Louis J. Doctor, discloses an automatic loading and unloading mechanism of a flexible disk that provides a first and a second compartment vertically oriented to contain flexible disks to be loaded and unloaded, respectively, in an associated floppy disk drive in a personal computer. A sliding mechanism is mounted between the two compartments and moves perpendicular to the flexible disk unit and away from it to pull a flexible disk out of the flexible disk unit. Once the flexible disk is completely discharged from the floppy disk drive, a support member, which supports the stack of floppy disks in the first (upper) compartment, is cammed in a downward direction to force the P1067 flexible disk ejected into the second compartment (bottom) and to allow the flexible disk further down in the first compartment to be aligned with the floppy disk drive. The sliding mechanism is then operated to load the flexible disk further down towards the floppy disk drive. There is a cost transaction in the choice to use self-loading systems since the user must sacrifice the efficient use of floor space by reducing the operator's labor. further, the use of tape cartridge loaders can represent an additional labor cost since these loaders must be loaded and unloaded manually by the operators, which, in some way, counteracts the savings in the cost of the autocharger system.

SOLUTION The problems described above are solved and a technical advance is achieved by means of the present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges, as defined in the appended claims 1 and 12. The present autoloader 100, as shown in Figure 10, keeps the data storage cartridges C1-C8 in a mechanism for making a cartridge tail oriented horizontally, consisting of p? oe7 an inlet tray and an outlet tray, and occupies a vertical space consistent with the vertical dimensions of the associated cartridge unit 99. The cartridge loading mechanism 200 includes first and second openings, respectively placed on the first and second sides thereof, these openings can be opened and closed to thereby pass and block the passage, respectively, of a storage cartridge of data between the input and output trays and the inside of the cartridge loading mechanism. These characteristics of the present autoloader thus allow the HL1-HL6 cartridge units equipped with multiple autoloader to be mounted in a vertical stack in a CB cabinet, as shown in Figure 11. This increases the effective utilization of the central floor space of Computer. In addition, the bookshelf design of the self-loading trays allows easier loading and unloading of the cartridges, keeping the data storage cartridges in the same order and orientation they had when they were on the shelves for manual storage from where they were removed before of the self-loading. The movement mechanism of the horizontal cartridge is spring-loaded to achieve superior performance without being driven by a motor. In addition, smaller engines are used in the cartridge-loading mechanism, which in the systems vertical orientation forwarders to implement the necessary functions of autocargador consuming with this less energy being implemented at a reduced cost. The force required to move the data storage cartridges is greatly reduced in this architecture, since it is not necessary to overcome the severity and support the weight of numerous data storage cartridges in the autoloader. This load, significantly reduced, allows the autoloader to move data storage cartridges more quickly without the contact points found in the vertically oriented loaders where the operator may suffer damage to the fingers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION DB THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 illustrates a perspective drawing of the present horizontally oriented autoloader for data storage cartridges mounted in an associated cartridge unit; Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view, partially exploded, of the present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges; Figure 3 illustrates a perspective and exploded view of the cartridge-loading mechanism of the present horizontally-oriented autoloader for cartridges data storages; Figures 4 and 5 illustrate front and rear isometric views, respectively, of the cartridge-loading mechanism of the present horizontally-oriented autoloader for data-storage cartridges, - Figures 6 and 7 illustrate front and rear end views, respectively, of the loader mechanism of cartridges of the present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges; Figure 8 illustrates an exploded view of a portion of the cartridge loading mechanism of the present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges; Figures 9A, 9B illustrate, in flowchart form, the operation of the present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges; Figure 10 illustrates a perspective drawing of the present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges containing a plurality of cartridges; and Figure 11 illustrates a perspective drawing of a plurality of the present orientation forwarder. horizontal for data storage cartridges, as mounted on the associated cartridge units in a shelf mounting arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges is illustrated in the perspective view of Figures 1, 10 and in an exploded perspective view of Figure 2. The present horizontal orientation autocargador 100 for storage cartridges. The data comprises a cartridge loading mechanism 200 that is mounted substantially in the middle of the autoloader 100 that receives the data storage cartridges C1-C8 while they are loaded in the input tray 101 located on one side of the loading mechanism 200 of cartridge. The C1-C8 cartridges are serialized from left to right so that they maintain the storage order of the shelf from which they were removed in remote storage rooms for cartridges. The data storage cartridges normally used for this purpose are magnetic tape cartridges, such as the type 3480 magnetic tape cartridge that houses a single spool of magnetic tape that is used to store data for associated computer systems.

The entrance tray 101 includes a slide mechanism 208 mounted on the end of the entrance tray 101 and functioning to push the data storage cartridges loaded in the entrance tray 101 into the cartridge loading mechanism 200. The autoloader 100 is also equipped with an output tray 102 located on the other (second) side of the cartridge loading mechanism 200 to receive data storage cartridges that are processed by the cartridge loading mechanism 200. The output tray 102 is also equipped with a sliding mechanism 209 that moves away from the cartridge loading mechanism 200 by moving the data storage cartridges into the output tray 102 while these cartridges exit the mechanism 200. of cartridge loaded. In this form, the autoloader 100 is equipped with a mechanism 101, 102 for making a cartridge tail comprising the input tray 101 and the output tray 102 for waiting for cartridges to be loaded to the cartridge loading mechanism 200 and for the wait for cartridges that are ejected from the cartridge loading mechanism 200. The autoloader 100 includes a control panel 215 mounted on the front thereof to allow the user to select various functions of the autoloader 100.

ViBta in AutoLoader Exploded View The autoloader 100 is constructed on an L-shaped frame 202, having therein formed an aperture 216 which is aligned with a corresponding entry aperture in the cartridge unit 99 to allow the mechanism Cartridge magazine 200 loads a data storage cartridge into the associated cartridge unit 99 and to receive the data cartridge from the associated cartridge unit 99 when the cartridge unit 99 has completed reading / writing data in the cartridge cartridge 99. same. The frame 202 has, mounted thereon, two plates 208, 209 which are connected to a bearing sliding mechanism 210,211 which allows the smooth horizontal movement of the end plates 208, 209 on the rods 214. Motors are not used for the movement of the storage cartridge, since a pair of cables 212,213 loaded by spring provide the driving force. These spring-loaded cables 212, 233 exert a force on the end plates 208, 209 to deflect the end plates 208, 209 in the direction of the cartridge loading mechanism 200. There is no inertia or gravity to overcome in this sliding mechanism, thus, the spring loaded cables 212, 213 function to counteract the friction of the movement of the P1067 cartridges for storing data along the entrance tray 101 and the exit tray 102. The end of each cable is connected to one of the bearing slides 210, 211 associated, thus, the end plates 208, 209 which is attached is pulled towards the cartridge loading mechanism 200. The sliding surface of the data storage cartridge comprises two sets of plates, one set comprising a pair of plates 204, 205 mounted on the base of the frame 202 to provide a horizontally oriented surface on which the data storage cartridges travel. This set of plates 204, 205 also covers the spring-loaded cable mechanism 212, 213 and the circuit card 203 having mounted on it, the control electronics for the autoloader system 100. The other set of plates comprises a pair of vertically oriented plates 206, 207 which provide a back surface against which the data storage cartridges travel.

Exploded View of the Cartridge Loading Mechanism Figure 3 illustrates an exploded, perspective view of the cartridge loading mechanism 200 of the present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges 100 and Figures 4 and illustrate front and rear isometric views, respectively, of the mechanism 200 of the present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges 100. The cartridge loading mechanism 200 comprises two sets of rectangular shaped gates 301, 302, mounted in a separate relation oriented in parallel. The gates 301, 302 are oriented to receive a data storage cartridge in the interior space of the frame from the input tray 101 and to eject a cartridge towards the output tray 102. The data storage cartridges are loaded into the storage tray. entry 101 in group. The end plate 208 and the linked spring-loaded wire 212 deviate to the leftmost data storage cartridge, against the right side of the rightmost gate mechanism 301, which functions to block the movement to the left of the data storage cartridge until the input gate mechanism 301 is activated to move the data storage cartridge into the interior space of the frame. The mechanisms forming the input gate 301 and the output gate 302 are symmetrical and operate in synchronization. The inlet gate motor 306 drives the inlet gate 301 while the motor P10S7 307 of output gate drives the output gate 302. The operation of the motors 306, 307 is synchronized so that horizontal indexing can be allowed or not allowed, as required. A pair of graduated rods 304A, 304B is provided and driven, via their joined gears 305A, 305B, by the indexed motor 309. The graduated rods 304A, 304B have a dual function, they drive out the old cartridge from the inner space of the frame to the output tray 102 and guide / control the next cartridge from the input tray 101 to the position between the inlet and outlet doors 301, 302. Also included in this mechanism are the drive motors 401, 402 which are used to operate the driving wheels 701, 702 (Figure 7) that function to drive the data storage cartridge to the cartridge unit 99. In addition, a single cartridge loading opening 503 is provided on the front side of the mechanism 200 of loading cartridges to allow a user to place a single data storage cartridge directly into the cartridge loading mechanism 200 without having to use the cartridge 301 input gate mechanism.

P1067 Operation v Structure of the Gate Mechanism and Graduated Rods Figures 6 and 7 illustrate front and rear end views, respectively, of the cartridge loading mechanism 200, while Figure 8 illustrates an exploded view of a portion of the mechanism. 200 of cartridge loading of the present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges 100. The operation of the inlet and outlet gates 301, 302 is shown in Figure 6, where the inlet gate 301 is in a first position or open position to present a reach opening O to thereby allow the cartridge DSC data storage pass through the input gate 301 while the output gate 302 is in a second position or closed position to present a range aperture C to thereby prevent the cartridge from DSC data storage passes through the output gate 302. The input and output gates 301, 302 include fingers 601A, 601B and 602A, 602B, respectively, which are equipped with knife elements 611. The movement of the fingers in a vertical direction, it dimension the aperture either to block or pass the DSC data storage cartridge. The blade elements 611 work for P10S7 separating the DSC data storage cartridge from a data storage cartridge which is located juxtaposed to the data storage cartridge DSC on the other side of the input gate 301 or of the output gate 302. In addition, each of the fingers 60-LA, 601B, 602A, 602B is formed with a declining feature 612 that functions to center the DSC data storage cartridge between the input gate 301 and the exit gate 302 when both are closed, aligning thereby, the DSC data storage cartridge with the opening 216 on the back of the autoloader 100 and thereby, in alignment with a corresponding entry aperture formed in the cartridge unit 99 to allow the cartridge to enter the unit of cartridge 99. Separate gate drive motors 307,309 are used to control the movement of the inlet gate 301 and the outlet gate 302. The The electronic control located on the circuit board 203 controls the synchronization of the operation of the various mechanisms in this case. Alternatively, the operation of the inlet gate 301, the outlet gate 302, the dipsticks, 304A, 304B are coordinated by the use of a set of gears shown in Figure 8. A single drive motor 309 P1067 it works to activate this mechanism. In particular, the drive motor 309 causes the gears 305A, 305B to rotate, thereby moving the graduated rods 304A, 304B through a range of motion that is defined by their particular shape and mounting location in the drive gears 305A , 305B. The particular movement of the graduated rods 304A, 304B is described below. In addition, the gear 305A has, formed on the upper surface thereof, cam characteristics 8OYA, 80IB that function to activate the input gate 301 and the output gate 302 in the appropriate sequence and time relationship. In this way, the opening and closing of the inlet gate 301, the movement of the graduated rods 304A, 304B and the opening and closing of the outlet gate 302 are controlled by the movement of the drive gears 305A, 305B.

AutoLoader Operating Method Figures 9A, 9B illustrate, in flowchart form, the operation of the present horizontal orientation autoloader for data storage cartridges 100. In step 901, the user places a plurality of data storage cartridges C1-C8 in the input tray section 101 of the queue mechanism 101, 102 to read and / or write data in the storage medium.

P1067 of data contained within each of the data storage cartridges by the cartridge unit 99. In step 902, the cartridge loading mechanism 200 opens the input gate 301 of the cartridge loading mechanism 200 to allow thereby a first cartridge (the one furthest to the left) of the plurality of data storage cartridges loaded in the entrance tray 101 of the cartridge glue mechanism 101, 102 is presented to be loaded into the interior of the cartridge loading mechanism 200. This is done in step 903 by operating the graduated rods 304A, 304B to relocate the graduated rods 304A, 304B to move the graduated rods 304A, 304B a first predetermined distance in the leftward direction, from a location juxtaposed to the input gate. 301 towards the inner portion of the cartridge loading mechanism 200. This first indexing movement of the cartridge loading mechanism 200 functions to place pressure on a data storage cartridge that is located on the inner portion of the cartridge loading mechanism 200, having been ejected therein by the cartridge unit 99. In step 904, the cartridge loading mechanism 200 opens the outlet gate 302 of the cartridge loading mechanism 200 and, in step 905, moves the graduated rods 304A, 304B to the left, P10S7 a second predetermined distance. This movement of the graduated rods 304A, 304B forces the data storage cartridge that was placed inside the cartridge loading mechanism 200 out of the output gate 302 and allows, simultaneously, that the next data storage cartridge to enter. to the interior space of the cartridge loading mechanism 200. By closing the input gate 301 of the cartridge loading mechanism 200 in step 906, this selected cartridge is separated from the rest of the data storage cartridges placed in the input tray 101 of the mechanism for making a cartridge tail 101, 102 by the operation of the blade elements 611 which are positioned in the upper and lower part of the input gate mechanism 301. In step 907, the cartridge loading mechanism 200 displaces the graduated rods 304A, 304B to the left, a third predetermined distance and closes the exit gate 302 of the cartridge loading mechanism 200 in step 908, where the knife elements 611 which are positioned at the top and bottom of the output gate 302 separate this data storage cartridge data storage cartridge being loaded in the cartridge unit 200. In step 909, the 200 loading mechanism P1067 cartridge feeds the data storage cartridge from the cartridge loading mechanism 200 to the cartridge unit 99 by activating the feed motors 401, 403 so that the drive supply wheels 701, 702 couple and drive the data storage cartridge through the opening 216 in the rear of the autoloader 100 to the corresponding inlet opening of the cartridge unit 99. The closing of the inlet and outlet doors 301, 302 couple the drive supply wheels 701, 702 with the DSC data storage cartridge located in the cartridge loading mechanism 200. In step 910, the cartridge loading mechanism 200 returns the graduated rods 304A, 304B to the source location juxtaposed with the input gate 301 to prepare to process the next data storage cartridge and / or the storage cartridge of the cartridge. data that is currently loaded in the cartridge unit 99. The data is read from the data storage medium or written to the same medium contained within the data storage cartridge that has been loaded into the cartridge unit 99 in step 911. Once the data processing has been completed, in step 912 the cartridge unit 99 ejects the data storage cartridge towards the mechanism P1067 200 of cartridge loading and, in step 913, a determination is made as to whether another data storage cartridge is to be loaded in the cartridge unit 200. If another data storage cartridge should be loaded in the cartridge unit 200. , the processing returns to step 902 and repeats the process of steps 902-913. If not, the data storage cartridge located in the cartridge loading mechanism 200 must be ejected therefrom and thus, in step 914, the cartridge loading mechanism 200 opens the output gate 302 of the loading mechanism 200. cartridge and, in step 915, the cartridge loading mechanism 200 indexes the graduated rods 304A, 304B to the left the full distance to push the data storage cartridge through the exit gate 302 toward the exit tray 102 of the mechanism 101, 102 to make a tail of cartridges. In step 916 the cartridge loading mechanism 200 closes the exit gate 302 of the cartridge loading mechanism 200 and returns to the inactive state.

Summary In this way, the present autoloader allows multiple cartridge units equipped with autoloader to be mounted in a vertical stack keeping the data storage cartridges in a P1067 mechanism for making a horizontally oriented cartridge tail, consisting of an inlet tray and an outlet tray, to occupy a vertical space consistent with the vertical dimensions of the associated cartridge unit. This increases the effective use of floor space in the center of the computer. In addition, the design of the bookshelf of the self-loading trays allows easier loading and unloading of the cartridges, keeping the data storage cartridges in the same order and orientation as those on the manual storage shelves from which they were stored. They were removed before the self-loading.

P1067

Claims (17)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A self-loading device for automatically loading data storage cartridges in an associated cartridge unit via a cartridge entry opening formed in the cartridge unit, the auto-loading device comprising: a cartridge-loading means that is fixedly mounted in front of the cartridge inlet opening, the magazine means having a first side and a second side, for receiving a data storage cartridge via the first side and for loading the data storage cartridge in the unit of associated cartridge via the cartridge inlet opening, the first side and the second side are located on opposite sides of the cartridge magazine means along a horizontal axis, this horizontal axis is in the same plane as an axis that passes to through the cartridge entry opening and is perpendicular to the same axis, towards the associated cartridge unit; a means for making a cartridge tail, oriented along the horizontal axis and juxtaposed both on the first side and on the second side of the cartridge loading means, for receiving the data storage cartridges and storing the data storage cartridges, the means for make a queue of cartridges comprises: means for presenting a plurality of data storage cartridges stacked in the middle to make a cartridge queue, one at a time, to the cartridge loading means on the first side thereof. means for receiving a plurality of data storage cartridges that have been ejected, one at a time, from the cartridge-loading means to the medium for making a cartridge row on the second side thereof; and wherein the cartridge-loading means comprises: first opening means formed on the first side of the cartridge-loading means and which can be operated to controllably present an opening to allow one of the data-storage cartridges to pass through from the first side of the cartridge magazine means from the medium to present a plurality of data storage cartridges to an inner portion of the cartridge loading means and to block the passage of one of the data storage cartridges through the first side of the loading medium of media cartridges for presenting a plurality of data storage cartridges to an inner portion of the cartridge-loading medium, a second opening means formed on the second side of the cartridge-loading medium and which can P1057 operating to controllably present an opening to allow one of the data storage cartridges to pass through the second side of the cartridge loading means, from an inner portion of the cartridge magazine means to the medium to receive a plurality of cartridges data storages and to block the passage of one of the data storage cartridges through the second side of the cartridge loading means, from the inner portion of the cartridge-loading medium to the medium for receiving a plurality of data-storage cartridges. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge-loading means further comprises: a drive roller means operable to drive the data storage cartridge from the inner portion of the cartridge-loading medium to the cartridge unit, via the cartridge entry opening. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the driving roller means can operate to remove the data storage cartridge from the cartridge unit to the inner portion of the cartridge-loading medium. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second opening means P1067 comprise: a gate means that can operate to switch between a first position, which creates a sufficient range (0) opening to allow one of the data storage cartridges to pass through the opening, and a second position, which creates a range (C) opening, insufficient to allow one of the data storage cartridges to pass through the opening. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the gate means comprises: means for indexing cartridges for separating a data storage cartridge from at least one adjacent cartridge located in the middle to present a plurality of data storage cartridges on the first side of the cartridge half magazine. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the gate means further comprises: means for locating cartridges in order to center the data storage cartridge on the inner portion of the cartridge-loading medium, to align the storage cartridge of the cartridge. data with the cartridge entry opening. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cartridge-loading means further comprises: P1067 a graduated rod means that can be operated in synchronization with the gate means for pushing a data storage cartridge located in the inner portion of the cartridge-loading means through the opening created by the gate means located on the second side of the cartridge. half cartridge magazine that is in the first position. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for making a glue of cartridges comprises: the first means for moving the cartridge, located on the first side of the cartridge-loading means and which can be operated to force a plurality of cartridges data storages placed in the medium to present a plurality of data storage cartridges against the first side of the cartridge-loading medium; and a second means for moving the cartridge, located on the second side of the cartridge magazine means and which can operate to receive a plurality of data storage cartridges that have been ejected into the medium, to receive a plurality of data storage cartridges. from the second side of the cartridge magazine medium. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first and second means for the movement of the cartridges comprise: P10S7 a spring-loaded cartridge slider means for exerting a force of predetermined magnitude against the plurality of data storage cartridges placed in the medium for making a cartridge tail. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge-loading means comprises a bidirectional feeding mechanism wherein the cartridge-loading means can also operate to receive a data-storage cartridge, via the second side, to load the cartridge of data storage inside the associated cartridge unit via the cartridge entry opening. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cartridge-loading means further comprises: a single-cartridge charging means for receiving a single data storage cartridge in the inner portion of the cartridge-loading medium via an aperture formed in the cartridge. half magazine of cartridges, exclusive of the first and second means of apexture. A method for operating a autoloader apparatus that automatically loads data storage cartridges in an associated cartridge unit, via a cartridge entry aperture formed in the cartridge unit, wherein the autoloader comprises a cartridge-loading mechanism mounted on a cartridge unit. P10S7 fixed way in front of the cartridge entry opening, having a first side and a second side, for receiving a data storage cartridge via the first side and for loading the data storage cartridge in the associated cartridge unit via the Cartridge inlet opening, the first side and the second side are located on opposite sides of the cartridge loading mechanism, along a horizontal axis that is in the same plane as an axis that passes through the inlet opening of the cartridge. cartridge and that is perpendicular to the same axis, towards the associated cartridge unit, the method comprises the steps of: loading a plurality of data storage cartridges into the medium to make a tail of cartridges oriented along the horizontal axis and juxtaposed both on the first side as on the second side of the cartridge-loading mechanism and comprising the steps of: presenting a plurality of data storage cartridges stacked in the middle p to make a queue of cartridges, one at a time, towards the cartridge-loading mechanism on the first side thereof, and to receive a plurality of data-storage cartridges that have been ejected, one at a time, from the cartridge-loading mechanism, to store the data storage cartridges on the second side of the P1067 same; and operate a first opening formed on the first side of the cartridge-loading mechanism to present, in controllable form, an opening for allowing one of the data storage cartridges to pass through the first side of the cartridge-loading mechanism from the middle to make a cartridge tail to an inner portion of the cartridge-loading mechanism and to block the cartridge. passing one of the data storage cartridges through the first side of the cartridge-loading mechanism, from the middle to make a cartridge tail to an inner portion of the cartridge-loading mechanism; operating a second opening formed in the second side of the cartridge-loading mechanism to present an opening and allowing one of the data-storage cartridges to pass through the second side of the cartridge-loading mechanism, from an inner portion of the cartridge-loading mechanism to the means for making a queue of cartridges, and for blocking the passage of one of the data storage cartridges through the second side of the cartridge-loading mechanism from an inner portion of the cartridge-loading mechanism to the medium for making a glue of cartridges . 13. The method according to claim 12, in P1067 wherein the method further comprises the step of: operating a drive roller to drive the storage cartridge, data from the inner portion of the cartridge-loading mechanism to the cartridge unit, via the cartridge entry opening; And operate the drive roller to remove the data storage cartridge from the cartridge unit to the inner portion of the cartridge-loading mechanism. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of: separating a single data storage cartridge from at least one adjacent cartridge located in the middle to make a cartridge tail on the first side of the cartridge loading mechanism and allow a single data storage cartridge to pass through the first opening. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of: centering the data storage cartridge on the inner portion of the cartridge loading mechanism to align the data storage cartridge with the cartridge entry opening. 16. The method according to claim 12, which P1067 further comprises the step of: pushing a data storage caput located in the inner portion of the cartridge-loading mechanism through the opening in the second side of the cartridge-loading mechanism. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of: pushing a plurality of data storage cartridges located in the middle to make a cartridge queue, against the "first side of the cartridge-loading mechanism, and receiving a plurality of of data storage cartridges that have been ejected into the middle to make a queue of cartridges from the second side of the cartridge loading mechanism. P1067