the printer an ink jet printing mechanism fig3 is contained inside the housing a melted ink transporting apparatus collects melted ink from a melting element and delivers the melted ink to the printing mechanism the melted ink transporting apparatus is contained under the top surface of the printer housing the top surface of the housing includes a hinged ink access cover 20 that opens as shown in fig2 to provide the user access to the ink feed system in the particular printer shown in fig2 the ink access cover 20 is attached to an ink load linkage element 22 so that when the printer ink access cover 20 is raised the ink load linkage 22 slides and pivots to an ink load position the ink access cover and the ink load linkage element may operate as described in u s pat no 5 861 903 for an ink feed system issued jan 19 1999 to crawford et al as seen in fig2 opening the ink access cover reveals a key plate 26 having keyed openings 24 a d each keyed opening 24 a 24 b 24 c 24 d provides access to an insertion end of one of several individual feed channels 28 a 28 b 28 c 28 d of the solid ink feed system a color printer typically uses four colors of ink yellow cyan magenta and black ink sticks 30 of each color are delivered through one of the feed channels 28 a d having the appropriately keyed opening 24 a d that corresponds to the shape of the colored ink stick the operator of the printer exercises care to avoid inserting ink sticks of one color into a feed channel for a different color ink sticks may be so saturated.