Tape storage devices

Claim 1

A TAPE STORAGE DEVICE COMPRISNG A STORAGE TAPE, SLOW AND HIGH SPEED TAPE FEEDING DEVICE, FIRST AND SECOND TAPE WINDING REELS, MEANS FOR COUPLING SAID HIGH SPEED DEVICE TO SAID TAPE AND TO SAID REELS TO FEED SAID TAPE FROM SAID FIRST TO SAID SECOND REEL AT A SPEED SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE MAXIMUM SPEED AT WHICH THE STORED INTELLIGENCE THEREON CAN BE RELIABLY SENSED, MEANS FOR SENSING A GIVEN SECTION ON SAID TAPE DURING OPERATION OF SAID HIGH SPEED DEVICE, FIRST BRAKING MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SENSING MEANS FOR INSTANTLY STOPPING THE MOTION OF SAID TAPE AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE THE SAID FIRST AND SECOND REELS UPON DETECTION OF SAID GIVEN SECTION, SECOND BRAKING MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SENSING MEANS FOR GRADUALLY STOPPING THE MOTION OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND REELS UPON DETECTION OF SAID GIVEN SECTION, FIRST STORAGE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FIRST REEL FOR STORING TAPE DUE TO THE GRADUAL STOPPING OF SAID FIRST REEL AND THE INSTANTANEOUS STOPPING OF SAID INTERMEDIATE POINT OF SAID TAPE, SECOND STORAGE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SECOND REEL FOR STORING TAPE DUE TO DIFFERENCES IN THE DIAMETERS OF THE TAPE ON SAID REELS DURING OPERATION OF SAID HIGH SPEED DEVICE, THIRD MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SENSING MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID FIRST BRAKING MEANS AT A PREDETERMINED TIME FOLLOWING ACTUATION OF SAID SECOND BRAKING MEANS, AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID THIRD MEANS FOR COUPLING SAID SLOW SPEED DEVICE TO SAID TAPE FOR FEEDING SAID TAPE STORED IN SAID FIRST STORAGE MEANS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SENSING THE INTELLIGENCE STORED THEREON.