Tachograph having a printing device

Tachograph having a printing device, which has a thermal print head and a support, which can be moved out of the front side of the housing of the tachograph, for reloading a ribbon which forms the stock of printing material, and a feed roller which is actively connected, in a force-fitting manner, to the thermal print head, with the printing material between them and is driven by a drive mechanism, characterized in that the thermal print head (29) and the feed roller (35, 47, 58, 66) can be spatially separated from one another as a result of the support being moved out of the housing (2) of the tachograph (1), and in that the thermal print head (29) and the feed roller (35, 47, 58, 66) are associated with one another in such a manner that, after a ribbon (32, 41, 54, 68) has been inserted into the support, as the support moves back into the housing (2) a starting section (38, 45, 60, 72) of the printing material, which section projects over a suitable length from the ribbon (32, 41, 54, 68), is automatically clamped between the thermal print head (29) and the feed roller (35, 47, 58, 66) and, once the support has moved back successfully, this starting section is situated between a front panel (17, 50, 57, 65), which delimits the support at the front side, and the front wall (3) of the tachograph (1).