Walter J Mahnken

US Patent:

43479952, Sep 7, 1982

Filed:

Dec 22, 1980

Appl. No.:

6/218954

Inventors:

Walter J. Mahnken - Littleton CO

Assignee:

Honeywell Inc. - Minneapolis MN

International Classification:

G03B 104
G11B 1532

US Classification:

242204

Abstract:

A bidirectional tape reel brake has a spring loaded movable plate coaxially encircling a motor shaft and arranged to exert a braking force on the motor shaft in proportion to the spring pressure on the brake plate. A brake pad support plate is attached to an end of the motor shaft to position brake pads on the support plate between the movable plate and a fixed brake plate. A first spring is arranged to urge the movable plate toward the brake plate to clamp the brake pads therebetween. A plurality of supplementary or second springs are arranged to exert a supplementary braking force by providing additional spring pressure to the brake plate. The supplementary springs are selectively positionable between a spring position in which the supplementary springs act against the brake plate in a first angular orientation to produce a first spring force and to a second position in which the supplementary springs act against the brake plate in a second angular orientation to produce a second spring force which is less than the first spring force.