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CHAPTER 2

GETTING TO KNOWYOUR PRINTER
Subjects we’ll cover in Chapter 2 include
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•Parts of the printer
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what they’re for and how to use them;
•Paper selection and loading;
•Adjustment.
CONTROLS AND PARTS OF THE PRINTER
Parts of the printer
First, we’ll go over the parts of the printer. You saw most of these when you
unpacked your printer. Now we’ll give you a brief explanation of what they do.
(For details on the initial set-up of this printer, with all components in place, see
Chapter 1.)
PRINTER COVER
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This protects the ribbon and the print head from dust and
dirt, and cuts down the sound of the printer.
PAPER GUIDE
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As you’ve guessed, this flat plastic molding guides the paper
during printing (it is raised for single sheets and lies flat for sprocket-feed paper).
POWER CORD
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This cord connects the printer to its power souce, usually a
wall outlet. It’s located at the left rear of the printer.
PRINT HEAD
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This is the unit that does the actual printing. Like the strike
lever in a typewriter, tiny, stiff wires in the print head hit the paper through a
ribbon.
TRACTOR FEED UNIT
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The drive gear and sprockets of the tractor feed unit
move sprocket-feed paper through the printer.
PLATEN
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This is the rubber cylinder that carries paper to the print head.