PURPOSE: To assure adsorption of the extra length of a magnetic tape in a vacuum, by providing a tape shift damping function of vacuum adsorption on a magnetic tape traveling surface of a guide member which is set into a magnetic tape traveling path.

CONSTITUTION: The sucking port 6b of a channel 6a is connected to a vacuum pump via an air valve 24. A magnetic tape is sucked into a column 8, and pressure detectors 8-0 and 8-1 detect the atmospheric pressure and the vacuum pressure respectively. Under such conditions, a control part actuates the valve 2 and the magnetic tape is limited for its upward and downward movements on the tape traveling surface of the channel 6a. Therefore the magnetic tape is adsorbed assuredly into a column 7 by turning a feed reeel 1 in the FWD direction to roll out the magnetic tape at the 2nd step of an automatic loading action. This prevents abnormal suction of the magnetic tape into the 2nd vacuum column 8 having already column-in due to a slip caused by the soil on the surface of a capstan roller.