Brake device for coaxial reel tape recorders

摘要

A brake apparatus is provided for tape recorders, particularly of the coaxial reel type, in which a single brake pad, mounted on a brake arm, engages a pair of adjacent coaxially disposed drive wheels for coaxial tape reels. The brake arm is biased by a spring into braking engagement with the drive wheels. A solenoid is operable to withdraw the brake arm, thereby disengaging the brake, when energized. The solenoid is controlled to be energized whenever a drive motor for the tape reels is powered, and to be deenergized when the drive motor is not powered. The disclosed structure provides automatic braking for the tape reels whenever the drive motor loses power or is shut off, thus providing positive mechanical braking both in a power loss condition and in a parking condition for the tape reels.