Abstract: A magnetic tape cartridge has a cartridge casing, a single reel around which a magnetic tape is wound and which is contained in the cartridge casing for rotation and a leader pin fixed to the leading end portion of the magnetic tape. The leader pin is provided at its opposite ends with engagement portions which are brought into engagement with a tape drawing mechanism of a recording and reproducing system when the magnetic tape cartridge is loaded in the recording and reproducing system. The end face of each engagement portion is provided with a recess at which the tape drawing mechanism chucks the leader pin.

Abstract: A magnetic tape cartridge includes a cartridge casing and a single reel which is contained in the cartridge casing for rotation. The reel has a reel hub in the form of a cylindrical member which has a bottom wall and is provided with an opening and a stopper gear formed on the bottom wall. A brake member is provided with a brake gear and is movable up and down between an operative position where the brake gear is brought into engagement with the stopper gear to prevent rotation of the reel and a retracted position where the brake gear is disengaged from the stopper gear to permit rotation of the reel. The brake member is normally urged toward the operative position and moved to the retracted position by a pusher member of a tape drive system which acts on the brake member through the opening in the reel hub when the magnetic tape cartridge is loaded in the tape drive system.

Abstract: A method of loading a tape from a single reel tape cartridge into a take-up reel. A guide arm decouples from a hub filler as the hub filler is moved into a take-up reel. This decoupling eliminates problems that occur from small misalignments of the hub filler axle with the axis of the take-up reel. The axle and drive arm are decoupled from the hub filler by the axle being lifted out of the hub filler upon insertion of the hub filler into the take-up reel, allowing for the take-up reel to rotate freely during winding and unwinding of the tape without interference from the axle.