Cassette tape recording and reproducing apparatus with compact

Abstract

A cassette tape recording and reproducing apparatus comprises a first movable head support that takes selectively an operative position in which it causes a recording and reproducing head supported thereby to come into contact with a tape contained in a tape cassette through an opening formed in a case of the tape cassette and an inoperative position in which it holds the recording and reproducing head on the outside of the tape cassette. A second movable head support takes selectively a first position in which it causes an erase head supported thereby to come into contact with the tape contained in the tape cassette through the opening formed in the case of the tape cassette together with the recording and reproducing head and a second position in which it holds the erase head on the outside of the tape cassette. A first operational mode selector sets a reproducing operational mode by causing the first and second movable head supports to take the operative position and the second position, respectively. A second operational mode selector sets a recording operational mode by causing the first and second movable head supports to take the operative position and the first position, respectively.