A cassette loading apparatus for transporting a tape cassette having one of a plurality of sizes from an insertion opening through which said tape cassette is inserted to a playing position, comprising:
- a holder for receiving said tape cassette having any one of said plurality of sizes, said holder having opposite side faces and three guide pins provided on each of the opposite side faces;
- a pair of side plates each having three L-shaped guides each of which has a horizontal guide portion for respectively guiding one of said three guide pins in a horizontal direction for moving said tape cassette received in said holder in said horizontal direction inwardly from said insertion opening and a vertical guide portion for respectively guiding said one of said three guide pins in a vertical direction for moving said tape cassette received in said holder vertically to the playing position after said tape cassette has been moved horizontally inwardly from said insertion opening;
- a pair of sliders each having an inclined guide which is inclined with respect to the horizontal guide portions and vertical guide portions of said L-shaped guides, each of said sliders further having two guide rollers arranged such that the two guide roller of each slider are guided by only one of said three L-shaped guides, each of said sliders being dimensioned so that it is shorter than said holder in a direction that is parallel to said horizontal direction in which said tape cassette is moved;
- driving means for driving said sliders in said horizontal direction with respect to the horizontal guide portions of said L-shaped guides;
- and
- an engaging element provided on each of the opposite side faces of said holder for engaging with the inclined guides of said sliders without engaging any of said three L-shaped guides to transmit to said holder a driving force transmitted to said sliders from said driving means;
- wherein said holder is moved in said horizontal direction integrally with said sliders by said driving force from said driving means until said guide pins reach end portions of the horizontal guide portions of said L-shaped guides and then said engaging elements move, upon further movement of said sliders in said horizontal direction, downwardly along the inclined guides of said sliders while said holder is moved downwardly under the guidance of the vertical guide portions of said L-shaped guides to transport said tape cassette in said holder to the playing position, wherein the arrangement of said three L-shaped guides in each of said side plates, the dimension of said sliders, and the arrangement of said guide rollers of said sliders and the arrangement of said guide pins and said engaging elements of said holder enable said holder to have a large operation stroke so as to enable said tape cassette having any one of said plurality of sizes to be properly accommodated in said playing position;
- and
- wherein the horizontal movement of said sliders is more than the horizontal movement of said holder and said cassette loading apparatus enables said horizontal movement of said sliders to be substantially accommodated when a space for said holder and the horizontal movement thereof so that said sliders project only a relatively small amount past said holder in the horizontal direction when said tape cassette is in said playing position.