daisywheel

Printing head in a computer printer or typewriter that consists of a small plastic or metal disc made up of many spokes (like the petals of a daisy). At the end of each spoke is a character in relief. The daisywheel is rotated until the spoke bearing the required character is facing an inked ribbon, then a hammer strikes the spoke against the ribbon, leaving the impression of the character on the paper beneath.

The daisywheel can be changed to provide different typefaces; however, daisywheel printers cannot print graphics nor can they print more than one typeface in the same document. For these reasons, they are rapidly becoming obsolete.