At a predetermined position during the lateral movement of a carriage 10, a gap switching mechanism 30 for switching a gap between a recording head 15 and a recording medium is provided. The recording head 15 is mounted facing downward on the carriage 10. A part close to one side on a lower end of the carriage is slidably and pivotably supported by a guide shaft 11 of a round shaft shape. A switching block member 13 provided with several abutment portions 52 and 53 with different heights, which are positioned so as to be opposed to a slide portion 12a at an upper end of a frame 12 extending in a vertical direction along a back of the carriage. The A switching block member 13 is pivotably supported by the carriage. A first pushing portion 56 is located at a left end of the frame so as to abut against the switching block member 13. A pivotal posture of the first pushing portion is changed due to the abutment to bring the abutment portion 53 into a slide contact relationship with the frame 12, so that a small gap is provided. A second pushing portion 57 is located at a right end of the frame so as to abut against the switching block member 13, a pivotal posture of the first pushing portion is changed according to the abutment to bring the abutment portion 52 into a slide contact relationship with the frame 12, so that a large gap is provided.