Abstract: A guide means for tapes to be transported, in particular in tape cassettes or tape apparatus, comprises a support element and a flexible guide strip, in particular one made of metal foil, fixed on this, and at least one holding element for the end sections of the flexible guide strip. The guide strip possesses a predetermined thickness and may be drop-shaped or pear-shaped in the operating position. The tape guide means may also comprise a support element whose surface is at least partially cylindrical and a flexible guide strip which is fastened thereon. As a separable unit which can be preassembled, the tape guide means can therefore also be employed for automatic manufacture. The tape guide means can be used for tape guides which are either stationary or movable within limits, in the field of tape-like recording media, such as films, magnetic tapes, punched tapes, etc.

Abstract: A transparent window member for a tape cassette, which together with a reel pressure spring, forms a subassembly of the cassette. The reel pressure spring has a U-shaped central portion, the bight of the U being parallel to the plane of the spring arms, and the reel pressure spring having a longitudinal edge with two transverse slits spaced the same as the legs of the U of the central portion of the pressure spring. The central portion may thus be transversely inserted in the longitudinal edge of the window member and it thus forms a locating element for the pressure spring.

Abstract: An adjusting means for tape guide elements or magnetic heads effects adjustment exclusively in a plane at right angles to a reference surface. A fine adjustment mechanism, in particular a micrometer screw device, provides high accuracy of adjustment over a sufficiently wide range. The adjusting means can be used in any kind of magnetic tape cassette. Advantageous embodiments of such magnetic tape cassettes also form part of the present invention. By using the novel adjusting means, azimuth and skew losses can be compensated for in a simple manner.

Abstract: A tape cassette is provided with a pressure plate spring which has a tape-length indication comprising indicator elements which have been cut in or cut out mechanically. Advantageously, both long arms possess such indicators, which may even be of different types. In a particularly advantageous spring shape, one long spring arm has an edge possessing incisions and the other long spring arm has an edge possessing projections, as a result of which the springs can be arranged for punching in such a way that waste is avoided.

Abstract: A packaging container (1) for a tape reel device, e.g. a tape cassette, which has one or more reel-locking elements (9, 10) possesses on at least one of these elements (9, 10) a friction element (14), e.g. of rubber, for holding and, if necessary, clamping the reel of the tape reel device. The element (14) can be annular, rib-shaped or knob-shaped, and can be used for any type of tape reel, inside or outside audio, video or film cassettes.

Abstract: A plate spring for tape cassettes advantageously consists of two long and two short spring arms whose shapes and dimensions are optimized to achieve minimum wastage of material during punching from a sheet-metal strip. The length of the fastening arms is preferably about the same as the width of the ends of the long spring arms or less or at most 1.5 times the width. The spring can be used for all types of tape cassettes, regardless of whether they contain magnetic tape, film or other recording media. A tape cassette possesses a plate spring which has this form and is fastened by welding.