Mechanism for loading and unloading a cassette tape

A tape unit for a tape cassette comprising:

• a cassette mount section for detachably mounting the tape cassette therein, said cassette mount section having at least two reel bases for engagement respectively with two tape reels of the tape cassette;
• a cover movably supported on a chassis, said cover being movable in first and second strokes between a closed position for closing said cassette mount section and an open position for opening said cassette mount section, respectively;
• a cassette holder movably supported on said chassis, said cassette holder being movable between an ejection position for insertion and removal of the tape cassette and a cassette mounting position for mounting the tape cassette in said cassette mount section;
• a tape-loading means for drawing a portion of the tape out of the tape cassette mounted in said cassette mount section and causing the tape portion to pass through a predetermined path, said tape loading means movable between a tape loading position where a portion of tape drawn out of the tape cassette mounted in said cassette mount section passes through the predetermined tape path and an initial position where the tape portion is not drawn out of the tape cassette;
• tape takeup means capable of being releasably linked to one tape reel of the tape cassette and rotating said one tape reel in a tape takeup direction to thereby take up the tape portion drawn out of the tape cassette by said tape-loading means;
• and
• a link means for linking said cassette holder, said tape takeup means and said tape-loading means to said cover such that said first stroke of said cover from the closed position toward the open position brings said tape-loading means into the initial position and causes said tape takeup means to rotate said one tape reel to take up the portion of tape drawn out of the tape cassette, and said second stroke of said cover subsequent to said first stroke moves said cassette holder from said cassette mounting position to said ejection position.