Tape pad support assembly for use in magnetic tape cassettes

In a magnetic tape cassette having a window slot formed centrally in the front end face of the cassette for receiving a pinch roller, a pair of window slots located symmetrically on the opposite sides of the first mentioned window slot for receiving magnetic heads, and an aperture located in the cassette toward said front end face in alignment with the window slot for the pinch roller for receiving a capstan, said cassette also including a tape supply hub carrying a length of magnetic tape disposed thereon and a tape take-up hub on which the tape is taken up after it has run along the respective window slots with its plane disposed parallel to the plane of the window slots;

• a tape pad support assembly comprising a spring abutment integrally formed with the cassette and located immediately behind the capstan aperture, a pad carrying leaf spring formed of a resilient sheet material and disposed on the rear side of the tape which runs along the respective window slots, the spring including a central portion on which a pair of nipples or dowels are formed for abutment against the spring abutment to define a pair of fulcrums, the spring also including a detent member located adjacent to the central portion and adapted to engage the spring abutment, and the spring further including a pair of end portions which extend from the central portion to positions behind the respective window slots associated with the magnetic heads, and a pair of tape pads secured to the end portions of the leaf spring for urging the tape against a magnetic head or heads as the latter is advanced into the associated window slot or slots.