Tape cassette

A tape cassette comprising a housing of generally rectangular configuration containing a supply of tape and having top and bottom walls and a peripheral wall extending between said top and bottom walls along three of the sides of the latter so as to leave an opening along the fourth side of the housing through which the tape can be withdrawn, said tape cassette being insertable into a cassette holder in a selected one of at least two directions parallel to said fourth side and at right angles to the latter, respectively, a lid including an elongated front portion substantially coextensive in length with said fourth side of the housing and ears directed rearwardly from said front portion at the opposite ends of the latter, said ears being pivoted on said peripheral wall of the housing at the sides of the latter which extend at right angles to said fourth side for movement of said lid between a closed position covering said opening and an opened position exposing said opening, and latching means disposed in said housing adjacent said peripheral wall near a corner of the housing between said fourth side and a contiguous side of said housing;

• and in which said latching means is yieldably urged toward said peripheral wall to engage the adjacent one of said ears of the lid and lock the latter in said closed position thereof, and said housing has apertures therein adjacent said corner and respectively opening in said directions parallel to said fourth side and at right angles to the latter and through which said latching means can be selectively released from said lid to permit movement of the latter to said opened position upon insertion of the tape cassette into a cassette holder in the respective one of said directions.