Abstract: A take-up reel for a single reel cartridge magnetic tape recording and playback apparatus includes a reel assembly with upper and lower flanges and a central hub. A leader pin gripper is formed to engage a leader pin at a free end of the magnetic tape on the cartridge and is movable along a tape transport path and into an inserted position in a slot in the central hub of the take-up reel. The leader pin gripper is movable to a fully inserted position within the hub core when engaged with the leader pin of the magnetic tape. When in the fully inserted position, the leader pin gripper is secured in this position by roller arms in the hub that engage a wedge on the gripper and by a magnet mounted either in the hub or the gripper that magnetically engages a magnet or a plate in the other of the gripper or the hub. The gripper is held at reference surfaces defining a predetermined position of the leader pin hook.

Abstract: A take-up reel for a single reel cartridge magnetic tape recording and playback apparatus includes a reel assembly with upper and lower flanges and a central hub. A leader pin gripper is formed to engage a leader pin at a free end of the magnetic tape on the cartridge and is movable along a tape transport path and into an inserted position in a slot in the central hub of the take-up reel. The leader pin gripper is movable to a fully inserted position within the hub core when engaged with the leader pin of the magnetic tape. When in the fully inserted position, the leader pin gripper is secured in this position by roller arms in the hub that engage a wedge on the gripper and by a magnet mounted either in the hub or the gripper that magnetically engages a magnet or a plate in the other of the gripper or the hub. The gripper is held at reference surfaces defining a predetermined position of the leader pin hook.

Abstract: A reel for windable tape-like material has generally parallel flanges connected by a hub on which the tape-like material is to be wound in a tape pack. One of the flanges has an air evacuator built into it which includes an air passage in that flange and a low pressure generator that interacts with air at the exterior of the flange as the reel is rotated, for producing a pressure at the exterior of the flange that is lower than the pressure at the interior region. An air flow thus is produced from the interior region to the exterior of the flange, so that less air is entrained between successive layers of the tape-like material as the tape-like material is wound on the hub. The packing density of the hub thus is increased.

Abstract: A tape drive has a motor-driven take-up reel therein with a fan assembly mounted to a bottom flange of the take-up reel for co-rotation with the take-up reel. The take-up reel with the fan assembly is mounted in the tape drive so that the fan assembly draws air into the interior of the tape drive through an opening in a wall of the tape drive housing next to the fan assembly.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a magnetic recording head in a tape drive, which receives a single-reel cartridge therein and from which magnetic recording tape is extracted and engaged with a take-up reel in the tape drive, the assembly used to extract the tape from the cartridge and engage it with the take-up reel has bristles thereon which pass by the magnetic recording head and brush the magnetic recording head during each threading and de-threading procedure between the cartridge and the take-up reel. The threading and de-threading can be uninterrupted, or can be paused at a point where the bristles are in contact with the magnetic recording head, and either of the bristles being caused to oscillate during the pause, or the magnetic recording head being moved during the pause, to brush the magnetic recording head to clean it. The magnetic recording head thus is cleaned automatically every time a cartridge is loaded into the tape drive.