The invention is a new hub assembly for mounting magnetic tape supply reels for rotation on a selected axis, e.g. in a tape cassette loading machine. The hub assembly comprises a hub adapted to be mounted on a selected axis, a clamping element in the form of a resilient ring on the periphery of the hub, and camming means and cam followers for expanding the resilient ring outwardly of the periphery of the hub so that the hub can exert pressure on a reel mounted on the hub.

A mechanism for centering and locking a tape reel or a tape hub on a drive shaft in a tape drive. A mechanism which can be actuated manually to lock a reel or hub in place and to unlock the reel or hub and also which will automatically lock the reel or hub in place by centrifugal force. A housing with radial passages for balls, with the housing and a subplate mounted on a drive shaft, and a plunger in the housing spring loaded to a non-locking position and manually movable to a locking position, with a latching mechanism for holding the plunger in the locking position.

A transporter for lifting and transporting a paper reel having a central core. The transporter has an upright frame at the base of which are provided a pair of ground engaging wheels. A generally cylindrical mandrel, arranged to be received by the core of a reel to be lifted, projects from the front of the frame. The mandrel comprises a deflector member which is arranged to be deflected outwardly relative to the mandrel axis as the transporter frame is tilted backwards to cause the mandrel to take the weight of a paper reel. The deflector member is thus forced against the inside of the reel core, causing the mandrel to self-lock within the core.