Definition

Noun: A chain printer is a type of impact printer where the characters are located on a rotating chain. The chain spins horizontally. When the desired character on the chain aligns with the correct print position, a hammer strikes it against the ribbon and paper to form an impression.

Usage

The term chain printer is used specifically to describe a now largely obsolete technology in computer hardware and data processing history. - The mainframe's output was handled by a fast chain printer. - Compared to a drum printer, a chain printer offered more flexibility in typeface design.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Context: In discussions of legacy systems or the evolution of printing technology, chain printer is a precise term for a specific mechanical design.
  • The chain printer was notable for its speed but was eventually superseded by non-impact technologies like laser printing.

Variants and Related Words

• Chain: The continuous loop carrying the type slugs.
• Impact Printer: The broader category of printers that form characters by physically striking an inked ribbon against paper. A chain printer is a subtype.
• Line Printer: A class of high-speed impact printers that print an entire line at once. Many chain printers were line printers.

Synonyms

• Chain train printer (a less common variant name).
• Band printer (a similar technology where characters are on a rotating steel band instead of a chain).

Related Phrases/Idioms

(This term is a technical noun; it is not commonly used in idiomatic or phrasal verb constructions.)

Noun

1. an impact printer that carries the type slugs by links of a revolving chain