Tape side and track direction indication

Claim 1

In a magnetic recording tape for reel-to-reel usage and adapted for recording thereon of a first track of information progressing from adjacent one end of the tape toward the other end thereof and of a second track of information progressing from adjacent the other end of the tape toward the one end thereof, the tape having opposite edges extending along the length tHereof, the improvement comprising indicia visibly carried by the tape at spaced locations along one edge of the tape for indicating which one of the first and second tracks will be played back when the tape is run against a sound head, the indicia being spaced along the tape so that (1) when the tape is wound on a reel with the one end of the tape at the outer end of the winding, the indicia are cooperatively ordered and associated to define an intelligible symbol, and (2) when the tape is wound on a reel with the other end of the tape at the outer end of the winding, the indicia are insufficiently ordered and associated to define said symbol, said symbol being visible when the wound tape is viewed along the axis of the reel rather than toward the edge of the reel.