A deep slot cell configured to house a plurality of tape cartridges. The deep slot cell includes a front side of the deep slot cell configured to allow insertion and removal of a locking tape cartridge of the plurality of tape cartridges by a robotic mechanism. The deep slot cell includes a depth side of the deep slot cell configured with an opening to engage a locking mechanism that prevents a biasing spring mechanism of the deep slot cell from advancing a rearmost tape cartridge of the plurality of tape cartridges forward toward the front side of the deep slot cell. The deep slot cell includes a front air gap at the front side of the deep slot cell that prevents the robotic mechanism from reaching a front-most tape cartridge of the plurality of tape cartridges after the robotic mechanism removes the locking tape cartridge from the deep slot cell.

A deep slot cell configured to house a plurality of tape cartridges. The deep slot cell includes a front side of the deep slot cell configured to allow insertion and removal of a locking tape cartridge of the plurality of tape cartridges by a robotic mechanism. The deep slot cell includes a depth side of the deep slot cell configured with an opening to engage a locking mechanism that prevents a biasing spring mechanism of the deep slot cell from advancing a rearmost tape cartridge of the plurality of tape cartridges forward toward the front side of the deep slot cell. The deep slot cell includes a front air gap at the front side of the deep slot cell that prevents the robotic mechanism from reaching a front-most tape cartridge of the plurality of tape cartridges after the robotic mechanism removes the locking tape cartridge from the deep slot cell.

A magnetic-tape storage apparatus having a simple structure and being able to surely store magnetic tapes on each of which valuable data are recorded and the recorded data on them at a low cost and over a long period in a small space, a magnetic-tape storage apparatus comprises a housing, a cartridge storage part, a magnetic tape drive, a cartridge transfer device [18] to selectively transfer a plurality of cartridges stored in the cartridge storage part to the magnetic tape drive and to return to the original position, a cartridge data reading device to selectively and contactlessly read data retained in each memory chip of the cartridges stored in the cartridge storage part and a computer to control them and to rewind the cartridges timely.

An object of the invention is to provide a magnetic-tape storage apparatus having a simple structure and being able to surely store magnetic tapes on each of which valuable data are recorded and the recorded data on them at a low cost and over a long period in a small space.

A magnetic-tape storage apparatus comprises

a housing,

a cartridge storage part,

a magnetic tape drive,

a cartridge transfer device to selectively transfer a plurality of cartridges stored in the cartridge storage part to the magnetic tape drive and to return to the original position,

a cartridge data reading device to selectively and contactlessly read data retained in each memory chip of the cartridges stored in the cartridge storage part, and

a computer to control them and to rewind the cartridges timely.