Printing apparatus with a carriage and a printing means holder movable relatively to the same

A printing apparatus, comprising:

• a platen;
• a carriage movable in a carriage transfer direction along a printing line extending along the longitudinal direction of the platen;
• printing means including a type carrier movable with the carriage and having a number of type elements, said type elements being located selectively at a printing point on the platen for printing operation;
• a holder bearing at least part of the printing means thereon and swingable between a printing position, situated close to the platen, in order to allow the printing means to perform the printing operation, and a retracted position which is situated wide apart from the platen;
• said carriage and said holder being slidably supported on a common guide shaft extending in the carriage transfer direction, said swingable movement of said holder being effected around said common guide shaft;
• coupling means for connecting the holder and the carriage, said coupling means causing the holder to move as one with the carriage, in the carriage transfer direction along the printing line, and allowing the holder to move relatively to the carriage, in a direction transverse to the carriage transfer direction between the printing position and the retracted position;
• said coupling means including a coupling plate attached to one of the holder and the carriage and having a surface substantially parallel to the carriage transfer direction, an opening formed in the coupling plate, and a plate like engaging member attached to the other of the holder and the carriage and extending transverse to the carriage transfer direction so as to engage the opening:
• said engaging member having a surface extending along the carriage transfer direction and a predetermined width along the carriage transfer direction;
• and
• said opening of said coupling plate having a width in the carriage transfer direction substantially equal to the width of the engaging member.