A ribbon feed device for a ribbon in a cartridge, comprises means for supporting the cartridge with spools therein engaged on hubs of the device, guide means for guiding a length of ribbon looped out of the cartridge, and a single control member operable from a normal position to an operated position to shift the guide means transversely of the length of the ribbon to a position of greater accessibility for fitting the ribbon therein. The ribbon feed device is capable of accepting either an inked ribbon cartridge or a carbon coated cartridge and includes a pair of sensing levers urged by a spring adapted to sense the inked ribbon wound on the two spools respectively through apertures in the inked ribbon cartridge and to control means for effecting reversal of the movement of the inked ribbon. Moreover, the feed mechanism includes a feed roller and counter-roller for unidirectionally feeding the carbon coated ribbon. The control member withdraws the sensing levers from contact with the ribbon and the counter-roller from the feed roller. The inked ribbon cartridge includes a first aperture enabling the sensing levers to contact the inked ribbon wound on the two spools and a second aperture in which the feed roller and the counter-roller are freely rotatable, externally to the path of the inked ribbon in the cartridge. The carbon coated ribbon cartridge includes an aperture which engages the sensing levers and sets the mechanism to wind in the corresponding spool the ribbon fed thereto from the feed roller and counter-roller.