PURPOSE: To accomplish the discharge of a cassette directly from the temporary stop condition by providing both means for temporarily stopping the running operation of a tape and means for raising a cassette holder so as to discharge the cassette.

CONSTITUTION: When an eject button 2 is released, a pin 8 is locked on a retaining portion 2 in its returning way so that a tape recorder is brought into its temporary stopped condition. In case a cassette is discharged from the temporary stopped condition, it is sufficient to depress the eject button 2 in a second stroke until the cassette is popped up from its holder 7. At this time, the pin 8 passes through a passage 29, which is formed in a pause lock piece 21, until the cassette is discharged. When the eject button 2 is released, the pin 8 passes through the passage 29 of the lock piece 21, until it rides upon an inclined surface 28, so that it is returned to a play position while curving the lock piece 21.