US3674609A

US3674609A - Labeling devices

Info

Publication number: US3674609A
Application number: US67708A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kurt Schrotz; Werner Becker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-09-04
Filing date: 1970-08-28
Publication date: 1972-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-04
Also published as: DE1944857A1; FR2060841A5; GB1327057A; DE1944857C2; JPS5022923B1

Abstract

A labeling device for labels which adhere to a support or carrying tape, which is provided with recesses or cut-away marginal portions which are arranged with a spacing correspondence to the spacings between the front edges of the label, and the device is equipped with a transport roller drawing off the support tape step-by-step for the advance of a label, the transport roller being arranged to bring the label in a dispensing position which is to be held precisely and on its periphery is provided with projections which fit into the recesses or cut-away marginal portions of the carrier tape and can be driven in steps at a constant angle and is provided with a non-reversing ratchet, characterized in that a transport part is arranged so as to swing about the axis of rotation of the transport roller and a gripping piece which lies resiliently against the periphery of the transport roller is so pivotally mounted that on movement of the part a driving abutment, of the gripping piece, which is located adjacent to the projections located on a periphery of the transport roller, strikes against the projection and thus presses the gripping piece against the support tape lying on the periphery of the transport roller and drives the transport roller and drives the transport roller with the support tape through a distance determined by the pivoting angle of the part and in that on movement of the part against the transport direction of the driving abutment slides over the projections and raises the gripping piece from the support tape.

Description

July 4, 1972 K. scHRoTz ETAL LABELING DEVICES 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 28, 1970 K .QL

July 4 1972 K. scHRo-rz TAL 3,674,609

LABELING DEVICES Filed Aug. 28, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 4, 1972 K. scHRorz EI'AL 3,674,609

LABBLING DEVICES Filed Aug. 278, 1970 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3

July 4, 1972 K, SCHROTZ EI'AL' 3,674,609

LABBLINGDEVICES Filed Aug. 28, 1970 4 sheets-sheet 4 'United States Patent Oihce 3,674,609 Patented July 4, 1972 3,674,609 LABELING DEVICES Kurt Schrotz, Brentanostr. 29B, and Werner Becker, Hauptstr. 25, both of Hirschhorn (Neckar), Germany Filed Aug. 28, 1970, Ser. No. 67,708 Claims priority, application Germany, Sept. 4, 1969, P 19 44 857.8 Int. Cl. B65c 11/00 U.S. Cl. 156-577 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A labeling device for labels which adhere to a support or carrying tape, which is provided with recesses or cutaway marginal portions which are arranged with a spacing corresponding to the spacings between the front edges of the label, and the device is equipped with a transport roller drawing oit the support tape step-by-step for the advance of a'label, the transport roller being arranged to bring the label in a dispensing position which is to be held precisely and on its periphery is provided with projections which t into the recesses or cut-'away marginal portions of the carrier tape and can be driven in steps at a constant angle and is provided with a non-reversing ratchet, characterised in that a transport part is arranged so as to swing about the axis of rotation of the transport roller and a gripping piece which lies resiliently against the periphery of the transport roller is so pivotally mounted that on movement of the part a driving abutment, of the gripping piece, which is located adjacent to the projections located on a periphery of the transport roller, strikes against the projection and thus presses the gripping piece against the support tape lying on the periphery of the transport roller and drives the transport roller with the support tape through a distance determined by the pivoting angle of the part and in that on movement of the part against the transport direction of the driving abutment slides over the projections and raises the gripping piece from the support tape.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION (l) Field to which invention relates The present invention relates to a novel transporting device for the feed of labels stuck to a carrying tape in label dispensing arrangements.

(2) The prior art Arrangements in which the new transport device can be used with advantage are described for example in the U.S. patent specifications 2,522,224, 2,656,063 and 3,265,- 553.

In this respect it is a question of devices with which adhesive labels can be dispensed or can be applied to articles to be labeled. 'I'he labels can also be printed on their Way from a supply roll to a dispensing position. These arrangements can be constructed as arrangements which are t0 be manually operated or they can also be constructed as automatically operating machines. The labels can be stuck with spaces between them on a support tape, though they can also be separated partially or completely from each other by scoring or perforations. It is also possible to use label tapes which consist of a support tape and a paper tape adhering to it in the form of a strip. In this case after printing the labels and after the detachment from the support tape the individual label must be cut from the strip.

In the case of these devices there is a particular problern which resides in that the transport arrangement engaging the support tape has to be controlled in such a manner that on each feed movement a label is brought into a precisely dispensing position and possibly another label is brought into a printing position which has to be precisely kept to. In the case of the known arrangements label tapes are used which for control of the transport devices are provided with cut-away edges or with recesses which are arranged with a spacing between them and correspond exactly to the spacing of the front edges of the labels. These recesses are sensed mechanically by means of sensing means or feelers. The feelers control the draw off path or movement of the transport device engaging the support or carrying tape.

The German patent specication 649,833 refers to a transport device in the form of a gripping slide which, when a feeler is actuated, holds the label tape to be transported fast on a slide which can be moved in translation so that the tape is entrained through a distance which is precisely dened.

These known arrangements, have the disadvantage that the feelers must be extremely sensitive in order to sense the label tape because the recesses lor perforations in the label tape only exert small forces on the feelers. Moreover the threading of the label tape in arrangements is difficult which are provided with transport devices controlled in this manner.

The German Gebrauchmuster specification 1,997,251 describes a device for the dispensing of labels in which the labels are attached adhesively in a row on a support tape which'is provided with recesses or marginal cut-away portions set with a spacing between them so as to correspond with the spacings of the iront edges of the labels. The device is characterised in that use is made of a transport roller which is moved in steps through a constant angle and has on its periphery projections with a peripheral pitch corresponding to the feed or advance angle. The projections fit with clearance into the recesses or marginal cut-away portions of the support tape and in order to achieve a suticiently high frictional force between the carrier tape and the transport roller the carrier tape is wrapped around the transport-.roller so as to extend for an angle of more than This known device has, however, the disadvantage that the pulling force exerted by the transport wheel on the label tape depends upon the frictional-forces between the carrying tape and the transport roller. These frictional forces can be reduced considerably for example owing to the surface lof the transport roller becoming dirty.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION One aim of the invention is to provide a transport device for label tapes which does not have the disadvantages of the known devices and makes possible an easy threading in of the label tape and a precise transport of label tape Vwhich is both rapid and reliable. p

The starting point of the invention is a known device for printing and/or dispensing self-adhesive labels, which as a tape or individually with an equal spacing adhere to a support or carrying tape, which is provided with recesses or cut-away marginal portions which are arranged with a spacing corresponding to the spacings between the front edges of the labels, and the device is equipped with a transport roller drawing ot the support tape step-by-step for the advance of a label, the. transport roller being arranged to bring the label in a printing and/or dispensing position which is to be held precisely and on its periphery is provided with projections which lit into the recesses or cut-away marginal portions of the carrier tape and can be driven in steps at a constant angle and is provided with a non-reversing ratchet yand the device in accordance with the invention is characterised in that a transport part is arranged so as to swing about the axis of rotation of the transport roller and a gripping piece which lies resiliently against the periphery of the transport roller is so pivotally mounted that on movement of the part a driving abutment, of the gripping piece, which is located adjacent to the projections located on a periphery of the transport roller, strikes against the projection and thus presses the gripping piece against the support tape lying on the periphery of the transport roller and drives the transport roller with the support tape through a distance determined by the pivoting angle of the part and in that on movement of the part against the transport direction of the driving abutment slides over the projections and raises the gripping piece from the support tape.

LIST OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS In the following description an embodiment of the invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. l of the drawings is a side view of the device for printing and applying labels with a label transport means in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the transport device on a larger scale.

FIG. 3 is a view on the section line III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the transport roller.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the transport part with a gripping piece.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the gripping piece.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the gripping piece in accordance with a modified embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With the device shown in FIG. 1 self-adhesive labels 1, which are attached in a row on a support or carrying tape 2, are printed as they pass from the label supply roll 3 to the label dispensing position by a printing mechanism which can be moved against a printing plate 5 and the support or carrying tape 2 is drawn in steps around a guide means 10 by a transport device, which comprises a transport roller 4 and a transport part with a pivotally attached gripping piece 8, for removal of the labels. The label 1 in the dispensing position which has already been printed and to a large extent is detached from the support tape 2 is still held gently at its rear edge, while its front edge lies under the pressing roller 9, with which it can be rolled on to an article to be labeled.

IThe parts of the device provided for prin-ting the labels and for the transport of the labels step-by-step are accommodated in a housing 40 which has a handle 11. A hand lever 13 which can be swung about the pin or axis 12 on the housing can be swung into the handle 11 against the force of a spring 14. On swinging in the hand lever 13 the printing mechanism 6, which is attached to an arm 15 connected rigidly with the hand lever 13, is moved towards the printing platen 5. During the movement of the printing mechanism 6 towards the printing platen 5, the inking mechanism 16 is actuated. In the rest position of the device the inking mechanism presses an inking pad against the printing type of the printing mechanism 6.

On swinging the hand lever 13 the transport part 7 which can be swung about the axis or shaft 18 of the transport roller 4 is moved with the pivotally mounted gripping part 8 in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the transport roller 4 in such a manner that a driving abutment 20 of the gripping piece 8 its over a projection from the periphery of the transport roller 4. On releasing the hand lever 13 the hand lever is swung back owing to the action of the spring 14 and the transport part 7 together with the transport roller 4 are turned through an angle which bring about an advance of the label tape through a distance corresponding to one label 1.

lIn order to ensure that the transport roller 4 cannot turn in a direction opposite to the transport direction on swinging in the hand lever 13, a non-reversing ratchet is provided which is made up of a resilient piece of sheet metal 21 whose free edge acts against teeth 22 arranged on the periphery of the transport roller 4.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 4 the teeth 22 or grooves are arranged in the middle of the transport roller 4 at the bottom of an elongated recess 23. The out-away parts on the edges of the support tape 2 and the projections 25 fitting into these cut-away parts, on the periphery of the transport roller 4 are formed by an undulated surface whose pitch corresponds to the distance between sequentially following front edges of labels 1. The projections 25 iitting into the cut-away edge portion of the support tape 2 have the purpose of bringing the transport roller 4 into such a position in relation to the transport roller that a label 1 becoming detached from the support tape at the label dispensing position comes tulie in a precisely dened dispensing position and, in those cases such as the present case in which the device is also provided with a printing mechanism, the labels are brought into a precisely dened printing position. The transport roller 4 is driven in steps to a constant angle by the transport part 7 with the gripping piece 8. The angle corresponds to the pitch as a projection 25 on the periphery of the transport roller 4. Since the support tape 2 lies in a dened manner above the transport roller 4 a precise advance or feed movement of the labels 1 is ensured.

In the arm 15 rigidly connected with the hand lever 13 a guide slot 17 is arranged into which a pin 19 ts. This pin is vattached to the transport part 7. If the hand lever 13 is swung inwards, the pin 19, the transport part 7 and the gripping piece 8 assume the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. If now the hand level 13 is released, the spring 14 draws the arm 15 and thus also the transport part 7 back into the original position. During this movement the two driving abutments 20 to the sides of the gripping piece 8 drop into the gaps 24 between two adjacent projections 25 and entrain the transport roller 4. Simultaneously the gripping piece 8 locks the support tape 2 against the periphery of the transport roller 4 so that substantial tension forces can be exerted on the support tape 2.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 5, on the gripping part 8 a rail or strip 26 of elastomeric material, for example Vulkollan is arranged which in the gripping position presses the transport tape 2 against the transport roller 4. In order for this rail or strip 26 to become released from its clamped position on the swinging back of the transport part 7, it must always be ahead, in terms of the transport direction, of the line connecting the pivot axis 18 of the transport part 7 and the axis 29 of the gripping piece 8. The driving abutment 20 is so constructed that it snaps or fits reliably between the projection 25 into the gaps 24 between them. The transport part 7 is made up of two lateral pieces of sheet metal and a :bridge piece or connecting part 27 screwed between these pieces of sheet metal. The connecting part 27 is made of plastics material. On its front side, that is to say in the transport direction, the bearing hole 28 for the attachment of the gripping piece are arranged. The gripping piece 8 is pressed by a helical torsion spring 30 against the periphery of the transport roller.

At the other end of the connecting part 27 a guide part 31 is attached which serves, in substance, to facillitate the threading of the label tape into the device. On introducing a

new label tape

1, 2 the beginning end of the label tape is introduced, after swinging the hand lever 13 in an inward direction, into the gap 32 which narrows in a funnel-like manner between the guide part 31 and the transport roller 4. The guide part 31 guides the label tape in such a manner that it lies between the edge rails 33 of the transport roller 4 on the roller. The projections 25 engaging the marginal cut-away portions of the

label tape

1, 2 on the roller are in a position to draw on the label tape further. The roller 4 can be turned by hand until the front end of the label band has passed the gripping piece 8. The device is now ready for use.

j FIG. 6 shows the gripping part 8 of FIG. 5 in front view. The lateral driving abutments 20 of the gripping piece 8 are so shaped that they drop with a certain clearance reliably into the arcuate gaps 24 between the projections 25.

FIG. 7 shows a modified embodiment of the gripping piece 8'. The lateral driving abutments 20 of the gripping piece 8 are constructed in the form of fingers. Between these driving abutments 20' and the central gripping piece 8 recesses 33 are provided by means of which guide parts 31 rigidly iixed in the housing 40 of the device are passed. These guide parts extend with a small clearance over the periphery of the transport roller and have a function similar to the guide part 31 attached to the transport part 7.

We claim:

1. A labeling device for labels which adhere to a support or carrying tape, which tape is provided with recesses or cut-away marginal portions which are arranged with a spacing corresponding to the spacings between the front edges of the label, and the device is equipped with a transport roller drawing oi the support tape step-bystep for the advance of a la'bel, the transport roller being arranged to bring the label in a dispensing position which is to be held precisely and on its periphery is provided with projections which fit into the recesses or cut-away marginal portions of the carrier tape and can be driven in steps at a constant angle and is provided with a non-reversing ratchet, characterised in that a transport part is arranged so as to swing about the axis of rotation of the transport roller and a gripping piece which lies resiliently against the periphery of the transport roller is so pivotally mounted that on movement of the part a driving abutment, of the gripping piece, which is located adjacent to the projections located on a periphery of the transport roller, strikes against the projection and thus presses the gripping piece against the support tape lying on the periphery of the transport roller and drives the transport roller with the support tape through a distance determined by the pivoting angle of the part and in that on movement of the part against the transport direction of the driving abutment slides over the projections and raises the gripping piece from the support tape.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that on both sides of the gripping piece driving abutments are arranged which t into gaps between the projections on the periphery of the transport roller.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that on the free end of the gripping piece a rail acting against the support tape is arranged which is made of rubber-elastic material.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that with a small spacing the guide rod is arranged over the part, accepting the support tape, of the periphery of the transport roller and this guide part extends over an angular range of above and forms a gap narrowing in a funnel-like manner with the transport roller on the inlet side.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4 characterised in that the guide rod is arranged on the connecting part of the transport part.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1 characterised in that as a non-return ratchet for the transport roller use is made of a resilient piece of sheet metal which cooperates with grooves arranged on the bottom of an elongated recess arranged on the periphery of the transport roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,231,446 1/1966 Satas 156-384 3,265,553 8/1966 Kind et al. 156-384 3,308,002 3/1967 Hurwich et al. 156-577 3,440,123 4/ 1969 Hamisch 156-384 ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner R. A. DAWSON, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 156-384, 579, 584