Abstract: A tape drive machine is provided with a magazine to store a plurality of tape cartridges. The magazine may be in the form of a circular carousel or a linear magazine. A selected one of the tape cartridges is transferred from the magazine to a tape deck by a pivoting carriage. In order to produce a compact design of the carousel, the cartridges are stored in the carousel on end, with their longer sides vertical.

Abstract: Auto-loader apparatus for tape cartridges comprises a cartridge deck having an exposed or exposable supply hub; a device that moves a cartridge along a first, preferably linear, path from an initial position in a cartridge rack and moves the cartridge along a second path which passes through the supply hub of the cartridge deck until the cartridge engages the exposed supply hub.

Abstract: In order to enable a tape drive machine to be constructed in a housing (30) with low height, a hub (36) which in operation projects from a drive motor (34) into a tape cartridge (10) is retractable into the motor (34) to permit the cartridge (10) to be slid out from the machine in the edgewise direction. In an alternative embodiment, the motor and hub can be slid part-way out of the housing (30). A tape drive machine also discloses indexing of a tape drive head, a path for the tape, threading of the tape, the drive motor, construction of a motor stator, and detection of the beginning and end of tape.

Abstract: A hub drive assembly includes three pairs of pivoted arms, each supporting a friction pad, which may be clamped against the inner cylindrical surface of a tape supply reel. The assembly also includes a central sleeve, rotatably driven by a motor, and a second sleeve concentric with the central sleeve. The second sleeve is provided with gear teeth, which couple with gear teeth of one arm, which in turn couple with gear teeth of the other arm of each pair. Means are also provided to rotate the two sleeves relative to each other, thereby causing rotation of the arms about their pivot points via the gear couplings, so as to bring the frictional pads into, and out of, frictional engagement with the reel.

Abstract: A tape tension arm arrangement for selectively disposing a pair of tension rollers supported by respective tension arms in positions appropriate for tape loading or tape drive. Each tension arm is mounted on a pivoted rocker member which is coupled to a driving crank member by a connecting rod. The connecting rod engages the rocker member in such a manner that in the tape drive position the tension arm may move against a resilient bias towards the tape threading position, in response to an increase in the tension of the tape. A tape transport system is also described which includes a tape tension arm arrangement of the type described above and a reel mounting device for supporting a reel having an internal support surface. The reel mounting device includes three resiliently coupled reel mounting members each supported between symmetrically disposed pivot points.