PURPOSE: To prevent a tape from being given with excessive tension by loosening a band brake, arid giving tension in a range of preset torque of an electromagnetic clutch in a tape feed system.

CONSTITUTION: When a main hollow shaft 12 is rotated, turning force is transmitted to a tape pad holder 16 through a pulley belt means 48, input shaft 34, electromagnetic clutch 38, output shaft 54, pulley belt means 52, transmitting hollow shaft 50 and a gear means 56, but a brake is applied to the tape pad holder 16 by a spring 72 of a brake mechanism 46, so that a slip is generated in the electromagnetic clutch 38 without rotating the tape pad holder 16. Tension is applied to a tape 18A by winding the tape 18A on a wound linear unit 14, but when the tape tension is excessively increased to exceed a preset value of the spring 72, a brake band 112 is loosened, so that predetermined tension is maintained by giving feed force to the tape 18A in a range of torque, set by the clutch 38, by the holder 16.