from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
friction feed
<printer> A method some {printers} and {plotters} use to move
paper by rotating one or both of a pair of spring-loaded
rubber-coated rollers with the paper sandwiched between them.
Friction feed printers are notorious for slipping when the
rollers wear out, but can take standard typing paper.
For printers with a {sheet feeder}, friction feed is more
appropriate than {sprocket feed} which requires the holes in
the paper to engage with the sprockets of the feed mechanism.
(1997-07-09)