Cassette tape cleaner

A tape cleaning device, particularly for cleaning tape contained in cartridges, cassettes or analogous receptacles, comprising:

• a housing shaped to receive and hold a receptacle accommodating tape which is to be cleaned;
• means in said housing for advancing the tape in the receptacle past an opening in the receptacle through which a tape playing or recording device normally engages the tape, and past a cleaning station in the housing;
• and
• tape cleaning means in said housing at said cleaning station in a position to engage and clean the tape through the opening as the tape is advanced past said cleaning station, said tape cleaning means comprising more than two spaced apart, upstanding posts disposed closely adjacent the path of the tape being advanced, each post having a longitudinal axis extending transverse to the direction of movement of the tape and parallel to the plane of the tape at said station, and a sleeve-like tape cleaning pad replaceably mounted on each said post for successive engagement with the tape as the tape moves past the posts for cleaning the tape as the tape advances past the cleaning pads, said cleaning pads on successive posts performing discrete functions and being normally stationary on said posts but being selectively rotatable on the posts to bring successive portions of the pad into engagement with the tape, and said pads being removable from the post for replacement with a fresh pad, whereby a fresh section of cleaning pad may be selected for engagement with the tape.