A pressure device for applying pressure to a web-like image-receiving material, such as a continuous paper web in the transfer station of a non-mechanical printer or copier, has a C-shaped pressure bar which extends over the width of the image-receiving material and is open on a side adjacent to the image-receiving material and which is pivotable about a point disposed above the pressure bar, and a solenoid having a movable plunger which is connected via a linkage to a pin carried on the rear of the pressure plate such that when the solenoid is in a normal rest condition the pressure bar is forced against the image-receiving material such that the image-receiving material presses against the surface of a rotating intermediate image carrier having an electrostatically held toner image thereon for transferring the image to the image-receiving material. When the solenoid is actuated, the plunger retracts thereby pulling the pressure bar away from the image-receiving material by rotating the pressure bar about its pivot point. The pressure bar may also include an eccentric disc having a pin engaging the linkage so that the movement of the pressure bar is retarded as the pressure bar moves toward or away from the image-receiving material.