Matrix printer incorporating intermittent ink ribbon transport

A matrix printer for cooperation with an associated record carrier which comprises:

• a record carrier transport for moving the record carrier in one direction, a printing head which is movable along the record carrier in a direction transverse to said one direction of the record carrier and which includes a number of straight, mutually parallel recording pins for printing characters which are composed of matrix points, an ink ribbon which is arranged parallel to the printing line direction, a plurality of electromagnets carried by said head, one end of each of said recording pins being connected to the armature of one of said electromagnets, each of said recording pins being in one line substantially parallel to the printing line direction, a ribbon transport device including means for the intermittent movement of the ink ribbon parallel to the movement direction of the record carrier, said ribbon transport device including a unidirectional coupling comprising a bidirectional means and a unidirectional means, said bidirectional means driving said ribbon in said one direction and opposite said one direction and said unidirectional means driving said record carrier in said one direction.