Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for loading and releasing cassettes of magnetic tape for use in recording and playback equipment; a housing or carriage into which a cassette is introduced by a sliding movement in a plane parallel to its main face, is movably mounted on side frame means by lateral projections on the housing extending through L-shaped slots in the side frame means, so that the housing moves together with the cassette along an L-shaped path. Movable slotted guide members receiving the projections on the housing are supported on each side frame means and a gear set is provided on each side frame means, with one gear of each gear set fixed to a respective slotted guide member, together with a coupling between the gear sets to coordinate the movement of the movable slotted guide members on one side frame means with the movement of the movable slotted guide frame member on the other side frame means.