PURPOSE: To attain a compact and light-weight structure and to simplify the loading and unloading operations of the tape driving device, by providing a loading means for a cassette tape within the main body of a tape recorder, and an inserting part where a tape and a tape driving device are loaded and unloaded at the front side of the tape recorder.
CONSTITUTION: The main body 1 of a tape recorder contains a cassette loading means which loads a cassette tape into a tape driving device 3. This loading means consists of a cassette shift plate, a cassette shift arm, a cam device, a driving motor, etc. An inserting part 1a for cassette tape and an inserting part 1b for device 3 are provided at the front side of the main body 1 and at the same level. Thus it is possible to exclude the tape loading device when the device 3 is unloaded from the main body 1 and then used with another power supply. This attains a compact and light-weight structure of the device 3. Furthermore, the loading and unloading operations can be facilitated between the tape and the device 3.