The invention is a tape cartridge including a single tape reel around which a length of magnetic tape is wound and which is turnably held within a housing. The beginning of the tape is fixed to a leader so that it can be drawn out through an opening formed in the housing by a tape drawing-out member of a recorder which has an end capable of engaging the tape end. The leader includes a metallic center pin member on which the beginning of the tape is wound and a pair of engaging members of synthetic resin joined to upper and lower ends of said pin member so as to engage the tape drawing-out member of the recorder. The engaging members are molded together integrally with the upper and lower ends of the pin member.
1. A tape cartridge including a single tape reel around which a length of magnetic tape is wound and which is turnably held within a housing, a beginning of the tape being fixed to a leader so that it can be drawn out through an opening formed in the housing by a tape drawing-out member of a recorder which has an end capable of engaging the tape end, said leader comprising a metallic center pin member on which the beginning of the tape is wound and a pair of engaging members of synthetic resin joined to upper and lower ends of said pin member so as to engage the tape drawing-out member of the recorder, wherein the engaging members are molded together integrally with the upper and lower ends of said pin member, said upper and lower ends having a non-circular cross-section.
2. The tape cartridge of claim 1 , wherein said non-circular cross-section of the upper and lower ends of said pin member is an irregular cross-section.
3. The tape cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the pair of engaging members are elongated tabs formed with engaging recesses in a mirror symmetric pattern which are adapted to be engaged with the drawing-out member of the recorder.
4. The tape cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the engaging members are molded from a material chosen from the group consisting of polyacetal resin, polyamide, polycarbonate, and polyacetal resin, polyamide, and polycarbonate with addition of a reinforcing material selected from glass fiber, metal and metal oxide.