Printer having a variable interval between printing and carriage movement

A printer comprising:

• a type wheel having a plurality of types;
• hammer means for striking said types;
• carriage means having provision for mounting said type wheel and said hammer means;
• first table means for storing hammer driving time data corresponding to said plurality of types;
• first timer means for counting said hammer driving time data;
• second table means for storing waiting time data which represents a waiting time while said carriage means waits at each printing position, the waiting time being determined based on said hammer driving time data;
• second timer means for starting the counting of said waiting time data simultaneously with the start of counting by said first timer means;
• carriage moving means for moving said carriage means between the printing positions and providing a waiting state at each one of the printing positions;
• and
• control means for placing said hammer driving time data into said first timer means to initiate said first timer means and for performing hammer striking of said hammer means when said first timer means counts to a first predetermined value represented by said hammer driving time data, and for placing said waiting time data into said second timer means to initiate said second timer means and for obtaining said waiting state of said carriage means when said second timer means counts to a second predetermined value represented by said waiting time data wherein said control means initiates said carriage means in response to count completion of said second timer means.