PURPOSE: To eliminate the need of a clutch gear, which is usually required, for downsizing and cost reduction by a method wherein a power transmission member that transmits the driving force of a driver to a carriage has a movable construction and the driving force is transmitted to a recovery device through the power transmission member.

CONSTITUTION: A carrier motor pinion 20 is mounted on an output spindle 25 of a carrier motor 5 by fitting it on a protruding thread 25d in a key groove so that it is able to slide in the axial directions. During printing, the carrier motor pinion 20 is pushed toward a carriage by a plate spring 25 so that it is engaged with a lead gear (not shown) on a lead screw. On the other hand, when the carrier motor 5 is reversed to move the carriage to the waiting position, the carrier motor pinion 20 is pushed toward the motor 5 side by three pressing pins provided on the side face of the carriage so that it is engaged with a timing gear 24, that is a component, of a recovery device, via a trigger teeth. A plunger 22 is reciprocated by the rotation of the timing gear 24 via a stroke gear 30, so that waste ink in a recording head is sucked and discharged.