PURPOSE: To make a platen roller smaller in size and prevent an error in the position of a transfer recording material from being generated in reciprocation of the material with the result of color misregistering or the like in transferred images, by providing pulleys for a timing belt for feeding the transfer recording material in contact with the outer periphery of the platen roller, and bringing a thermal head into contact with a part of the transfer recording material which part makes contact with the platen roller.

CONSTITUTION: When thermal transfer is started, a timing belt 2 is started for moving in the direction of an arrow B, a platen roller 20 is rotated in the direction of an arrow D, and a transfer material 8 making close contact with a transfer recording material 6 is fed in the direction of an arrow C, while an ink of the transfer material 8 is transferred to the transfer recording material 6 by a thermal head 1. When transferring is completed, the thermal head 1 is moved in the direction of an arrow E to be separated from the platen roller 20. The belt 2 is further fed in the direction of the arrow B, and a clamper 7 is returned to an initial position through the positions of pulleys 3a, 3b and 3c.