Magnetic tape recorder with capstan cassette transport

A magnetic tape recorder means adapted to receive a generally rectangular cassette lengthwise in a longitudinal direction, said cassette containing a magnetic tape and a conveyor roller rotatably mounted adjacent to a recess of a longitudinal sidewall of said cassette and designed for moving said magnetic tape within said cassette, said tape recorder means comprising a locking mechanism for moving said cassette, as it is being inserted into the tape recorder means, from an intermediate rest position into a defined operating rest position and securing the same therein, said tape recorder means further comprising a capstan driven by a motor and engaging said conveyor roller upon locking of said cassette in said operating rest position, said motor, in addition, being operative to perform at least one of two steps of automatically moving said cassette into said intermediate rest position, upon employment of said capstan, following a partial manual insertion of said cassette into said tape recorder means, and ejecting said cassette a prescribed distance out of said intermediate rest position, upon employment of said capstan, following a partial ejection of said cassette out of said operating rest position into said intermediate rest position, upon manual release of said locking mechanism.