Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette has an improved reel spring, slack limiter and tape guide. The reel spring has a generally rectangular shape with first and second parallel edges extending substantially along its entire length. A flat, central base portion of the spring is bounded by a pair of transition portions which extend at an angle out of the plane of the base. A pair of outer end portions set at a sharper angle to the base complete the spring configuration. A polypropylene slack limiter applies a preloaded tension on the magnetic tape. The polypropylene eliminates the need for laminating a separate bearing material to the slack limiter. The tape guide has a semi-cylindrical, stainless steel insert attached to a plastic mounting core. The core is fastened to the cassette housing.

Abstract: A reel spring for a magnetic tape cassette is formed from a thin, elongated strip of stainless steel. The side edges of the strip are folded over by stamping or rolling to form longitudinal stiffeners. The stiffeners effectively increase the thickness of the strip at the edges, allowing the use of less expensive raw material without sacrificing functionality.

Abstract: A reel spring for use in a magnetic tape cassette has an elongated central base portion and adjoining end portions extending out of the plane of the base. The spring has first and second parallel side edges and terminates at transversely extending tip edges. The tip edges are joined to the side edges by cutout edges such that the width of each tip edge is less than that of the overall spring. The method for making the reel spring includes the steps of feeding a continuous strip of spring material into a shaping die for cutting and forming the strip into a finished spring. An end portion of the continuous strip material is severed from the continuous strip to form an individual spring blank. This is done by removing a pair of facing cutouts from the side edges of the strip at the appropriate location and slitting the strip in the area of the two cutouts. The blank is then formed into a finished spring.

Abstract: A reel spring for a magnetic tape cassette is formed from an elongated strip of stainless steel. The strip defines first and second edges extending throughout its length parallel to a longitudinal centerline. The strip has a flat, central base portion terminating at a first pair of transverse crimp lines. The crimp lines define transition sections which extend out of the plane of the base portion at a first angle. A second pair of transverse crimp lines at the ends of the transition sections define end portions of the strip. The end portions extend at a second angle to the plane of the base portion. The width of the strip between the first and second edges is about 0.315 inches.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette has an improved reel spring, slack limiter and tape guide. The reel spring has a generally rectangular shape with first and second parallel edges extending substantially along its entire length. A flat, central base portion of the spring is bounded by a pair of transition portions which extend at an angle out of the plane of the base. A pair of outer end portions set at a sharper angle to the base complete the spring configuration. A polypropylene slack limiter applies a preloaded tension on the magnetic tape. The polypropylene eliminates the need for laminating a separate bearing material to the slack limiter. The tape guide has a semi-cylindrical, stainless steel insert attached to a plastic mounting core. The core is fastened to the cassette housing.

Abstract: A reel spring for a magnetic tape cassette is formed from a thin, elongated strip of stainless steel. The side edges of the strip are folded over by stamping or rolling to form longitudinal stiffeners. The stiffeners effectively increase the thickness of the strip at the edges, allowing the use of less expensive raw material without sacrificing functionality.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette has an improved reel spring, slack limiter and tape guide. The reel spring has a generally rectangular shape with first and second parallel edges extending substantially along its entire length. A flat, central base portion of the spring is bounded by a pair of transition portions which extend at an angle out of the plane of the base. A pair of outer end portions set at a sharper angle to the base complete the spring configuration. A polypropylene slack limiter applies a preloaded tension on the magnetic tape. The polypropylene eliminates the need for laminating a separate bearing material to the slack limiter. The tape guide has a semi-cylindrical, stainless steel insert attached to a plastic mounting core. The core is fastened to the cassette housing. Another form of tape guide has a corrugated surface to minimize contact with the tape.

Abstract: A method for making a reel-pressure spring for a magnetic tape cassette begins by feeding a strip of spring material from a traverse-wound coil into a first work station of a punch press. The strip material has a width equal to the width of the finished spring. A die pierces the strip material to form mounting holes. The strip material is then fed into a shaping die of a second work station. A cutoff punch severs a blank from the end of the strip material by cutting across the full width of the strip. A shaping die at the second work station shapes the blank into a finished spring, which is then ejected from the second work station to a discharge chute. Finished springs are stacked in the discharge chute in the order in which they are made in the second work station. The stack is packaged so as to maintain the stack intact until such time as the springs are assembled into a cassette.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette has an improved reel spring, slack limiter and tape guide. The reel spring has a generally rectangular shape with first and second parallel edges extending substantially along its entire length. A flat, central base portion of the spring is bounded by a pair of transition portions which extend at an angle out of the plane of the base. A pair of outer end portions set at a sharper angle to the base complete the spring configuration. A polypropylene slack limiter applies a preloaded tension on the magnetic tape. The polypropylene eliminates the need for laminating a separate bearing material to the slack limiter. The tape guide has a semi-cylindrical, stainless steel insert attached to a plastic mounting core. The core is fastened to the cassette housing. Another form of tape guide has a corrugated surface to minimize contact with the tape.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette has an improved reel spring, slack limiter and tape guide. The reel spring has a generally rectangular shape with first and second parallel edges extending substantially along its entire length. A flat, central base portion of the spring is bounded by a pair of transition portions which extend at an angle out of the plane of the base. A pair of outer end portions set at a sharper angle to the base complete the spring configuration. A polypropylene slack limiter applies a preloaded tension on the magnetic tape. The polypropylene eliminates the need for laminating a separate bearing material to the slack limiter. The tape guide has a semi-cylindrical, stainless steel insert attached to a plastic mounting core. The core is fastened to the cassette housing.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cassette has an improved reel spring, slack limiter and tape guide. The reel spring has a generally rectangular shape with first and second parallel edges extending substantially along its entire length. A flat, central base portion of the spring is bounded by a pair of transition portions which extend at an angle out of the plane of the base. A pair of outer end portions set at a sharper angle to the base complete the spring configuration. A polypropylene slack limiter applies a preloaded tension on the magnetic tape. The polypropylene eliminates the need for laminating a separate bearing material to the slack limiter. The tape guide has a semi-cylindrical, stainless steel insert attached to a plastic mounting core. The core is fastened to the cassette housing.