PURPOSE: To prevent the ink ribbon from being creased, by spreading the ribbon like an unfolded fan from the longitudinal center of a ribbon spreading rod when the ink ribbon is moving in contact with the groove of the rod.

CONSTITUTION: When the ink ribbon 4 is moving in the direction of an arrow (a), the ribbon spreading rod 10a is inclined by motion resistance in a direction to come into contact with a stopper 13a. The ink ribbon moves in contact with the hammer- side spreading surface 15a of the rod 10a when the rod is inclined. At that time, the ink ribbon moves along an oblique groove 16a on the spreading surface 15a. As a result, the ribbon is spread perpendicularly to its moving direction, from the longitudinal center of the ink ribbon. Since a ribbon spreading rod 10b is inclined in the direction to come into contact with a stopper 12b, the ink ribbon 4 is spread by a spreading surface 14b at the side of a winding shaft.