Abstract: A thermal printer having a take-up spool for taking up a print ribbon, an elongate normally stationary member disposed parallel to a direction of movement of a carriage along a platen, and a power transmitting mechanism supported on the carriage, for engagement with the normally stationary member, to rotate the take-up spool when the carriage is moved relative to the normally stationary member. The normally stationary member is held stationary by a frictional resistance applied thereto, but is movable in its longitudinal direction when a load applied to the take-up spool exceeds a predetermined limit. The normally stationary member and the power transmitting mechanism may be replaced by an immovably disposed stationary member, and a rotatable member rotatably supported on the carriage for engagement with the take-up spool for rotation of the spool. In this case, the rotatable member is rotated due to frictional engagement with the stationary member when the carriage is moved relative to the stationary member.