US3892618A

US3892618A - Taping machine

Info

Publication number: US3892618A
Application number: US372265A
Authority: US
Inventors: Martin Griebat
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-06-21
Filing date: 1973-06-21
Publication date: 1975-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 1992-07-01

Abstract

A machine for applying a wide range of pressure sensitive adhesive transfer tapes to virtually any surface of virtually any size.

Description

[4 1 July 1, 1975 United States Patent [1 1 Griebat TAPING MACHINE 2,776,068 l/l957 3,181,988 5/l965 I r e g n 22 Filed: June 21, 1973 App]. No.: 372,265 Primary Examiner-Clifton B. Cosby Assistant Examiner-John E. Kittie .F e m ecl r r ww s y mn Pa f M a wsu T m C r w A 60 dt m m 8 3D- B Em A .mr l im a r. rt 6 aw S .mm md 33 7 me 5 W. II t 5 5 3 35 W63 5 20 59 ;M34 5 91 B4BO9M 51.500 3 434 6 0 5/ 5 1]. 44 l 36 3 5 3 5 B 2 6 0 353U6B 6 3 imi 1 6 wZ 4 "3J mum m 2 m DhWfi WSMRQJ w iw 55 .I 1MB C l 6 WM k U .mF 2 8 5 55 i (fl.

virtually any size.

I 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures TAPING MAcniNis BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The mechanized application of adhesive material to surfaces has in recent years had many appiications in the advertising, printing and packaging industries. The adhesive tape used may either be single or double, i.e., may either have adhesive coating one side only or coating both sides with a backing strip protecting the outer side until the tape is utilized. The non-tacky outer sur face of the backing strip permits pre-sticking of the backed tape on the sheet material on which the tape is used. The sheet material may then be stacked for storage purposes. When the sheet material is ready to be used, the backing material is removed therefrom, the sheet material is positioned properly, and pressure is applied thereto. Tape applying machines in accordance with the present invention may be used to apply a wide range of pressure sensitive tapes in any length in virtually any width to virtually any sized surface The machinery heretofore used to apply pressure sensitive tape has often been prohibitively expensive, frequently so expensive that individual printing companies often were forced to subcontract the work to be done. This caused an increase in the shipping costs, as well as considerable time delays. Thus, a need has long existed in the art for a tape applying machine which is both inexpensive to purchase and to use.

One attempt to solve this particular problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,181,988 to Engert. In Engert, tape is applied to sheet material by the utilization of a rather complicated, and costly, mechanical device. The machine disclosed in Engert has a number of disadvantages. The Engert machine has many moving parts which entail both large production costs and large servicing costs. The entire Engert machine is connected to the power source, which drives a common drive shaft on which all the other mechanical operations of the machine depend. The high cost of production of such a machine necessitated by the largely mechanical nature of its operation has made it prohibitively expensive for many small printers to purchase. Its largeiy mechan ical operation has occasioned frequent breakdowns and repairs. The fact that a common drive shaft was used, on which all of the somewhat complex mechanical operations were dependent, made it necessary to purchase not only the tape applying part of the machine, but the powering apparatus therefor as well.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Use of the present invention serves to minimize the problems associated with the prior art. No common drive shaft used with the present invention, the power for the taping operation being supplied by the sheet feeding means, which is separate and apart from the tape applying machine. The user, therefore, need not pay for unnecessary mechanical operations. Tape applying machines in accordance with the present invention, thus, are much cheaper to produce. The fact that no complex mechanical operations need be performed by the component parts of the present invention permils it to be produced at a lower cost. Furthermore, its operation is smooth and automatic. An associated ad vantage is the fact that, since no common drive shaft is used for laminating. units in accordance with the present invention may be simply placed on and used in conjunction with a conveyor for the materials to which adhesive is to be applied,

An even greater advantage over the prior art is the fact that the laminating roller itself raises and lowers during the applying operation. Therefore, very thick objects may be passed through the tape applying ma' chine for application, whereas with the Engert machine only relatively thin sheets of material could be lami nated. Since the laminating roller of the present invention is not driven by a common drive shaft, but moves up and down during the laminating operation, objects of considerable thickness may have tape applied to them.

A further disadvantage associated with Engert made less troublesome by use of the present invention is the fact that, while in Engert a positive pulling force ex erted by the applying head was used to pull the tape off the roll, machines in accordance with the present invention merely pivot the tape downward. Any positive pulling function is accomplished by the paper being transported forward under the laminating roller and pulling the tape along with it. The tape applying head itself, however, does not positively pull the tape off its spool. This fact permits the use of a tape applying head which need not be painstakingly manufactured, nor need it be of a complicated or expensive design to make it possible for the tape applying head to achieve a gripping function in order to pull the tape off its spool.

Other features and advantages are inherent in the present invention as disclosed and claimed, or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the fol lowing detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a table and control panel for use with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectionai view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 of a preferred embodiment of a machine in ac cordance with the present invention showing pressure sensitive transfer tape being applied to a sheet like surface;

FIG. 3 is an end view of a machine in accordance with the present invention, showing the tape support system, the solenoid, and the spring actuated secondary laminating roller;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of a machine in accordance with the present invention showing the reciprocating pivoting action of the tape applying and severing mechanism; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of an alternative embodiment of the present invention showing an alternative reciprocating action of the tape applying and severing mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. I, which is perspective view of a tape applying machine mounted on a control panel ta ble, indicated generally at 15, a spool of tape 55 rests and is supported by rollers inside cover plate 65. Solenoid 26 is mounted within cover plate 65 and protrudes therefrom. Cover plate 65 is supported by crossbar 67 mounted above control panel table 15. Sheet 10 enters the tape applying machine in the direction indicated by arrow B. If two strips of tape are to be applied to sheet 10, then two tape applying units are utilized, as shown in FIG. 1. Control box 17 is also mounted on control panel table [5.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, a sheet 10 to be laminated enters the tape applicator, shown generally at 12, and moves from the right to the left on conveyor l3, as shown by arrow A. Conveyor I3 is actuated and powered by a conveyor band 14 driven by two conveyor power rollers l6. 16'. It should be emphasized, however, that the conveyor is driven and powered completely separately from the tape applying machine, and although used in conjunction with the tape applying machine is not, per se, a part of it.

As sheet 10 enters the present invention, it is seized by an entry roller 18 which holds the sheet down and helps to move it smoothly forward.

Entry roller 18 is held firmly in contact with sheet H) by means of spring tension provided by an entry roller spring 20 and its supporting spring block mechanism 22. When the leading edge 11 of sheet [0 passes a synchronous sensing means 24, located between conveyor power rollers I6, 16', the solenoid 26 is actuated upwardly to bring the laminating head 28 in contact with the surface of sheet 10 and at the same time to move knife blade 30 reciprocally upwardly away from the surface of the conveyor. When the trailing edge 11a of sheet 10 passes synchronous sensing means 24, solenoids 26 is actuated in the opposite direction. Synchronous sensing means 24 may be a photoelectric cell, a microswitch or other suitable time delay device.

Laminating head 28 is attached by means of laminating head shaft to the terminal portion of roller arm 32, the other end 34 of which pivots about roller arm pivot shaft 36. Between laminating head shaft 35 and roller arm pivot shaft 36 a connecting link 38 is attached to roller arm 32 by means of connecting link shaft 40. To the opposite end of connecting link 38 a knife arm 42 is attached by means of connecting shaft 44, the opposite end of knife arm 42 having knife blade 30 projecting downwardly therefrom. A connecting rod 46 is attached to the lower edge of knife arm 42 by means of knife arm shaft 48. Between knife arm shaft 48 and connecting link shaft 44 is knife arm pivot shaft 50, about which knife arm 42 pivots.

Connecting rod 46 is attached on its upward end to solenoid mounting block 51, which is actuated by dou' ble action spring return solenoid 26, by solenoid connecting shaft 52. Thus, when sheet 10 passes sensing device 24, solenoid 26 is actuated upwardly thereby moving connecting rod 46 in an upward direction. This upward motion of connecting rod 46 pivots knife arm 42 about knife arm pivot shaft 50 pulling knife blade 30 also in an upward direction away from the surface of conveyor 13. As the knife end 43 of knife arm 42 swings upwardly, its other end 4] pivots reciprocally downwardly. pushing connecting link 38 downwardly as well. When connecting link 38 is pushed down wardly, roller arm 32, which pivots about roller arm pivot shaft 36 of necessity is pushed downwardly until laminating head 28 is in contact with the surface of sheet 10. This is the point at which tape 54 is applied to the surface of sheet 10.

The tape 54, which is threaded through the tape guide chute 56 disposed on the under side of roller arm 32, is threaded over friction reducing roller 58 which serves to prevent tape 54 from hanging down and fouling the mechanism. Tape spool 55 rests on several tape spool support rollers 60, which are suspended above the other moving parts of the present invention and turn as tape is dispensed from spool 55. When double action solenoid 26 actuates upwardly, thereby bringing laminating head 28 into tape applying position as is shown in FIG. 2, tension is applied to lower solenoid return spring 62 which serves the function of returning solenoid 26 to its original position. After a leading edge I] of tape 54 has been applied to sheet 10 by laminating head 28, sheet 10 continues along conveyor 13 and passes under tape guide bar 64 which holds tape 54 in contact with the surface of sheet [0. Sheet 10 and the laminated tape 54 applied thereto then pass along conveyor 13 between laminating roller 66 and conveyor power roller 16', thus firmly laminating the pressure sensitive tape to the surface of the sheet. Laminating roller 66 is held firmly in contact with the surface of sheet 10 by means of

springs

68, 68 on either side and their associated spring block mechanism 69. Solenoid 26 is mounted to cover plate 65 of the machine by means of solenoid mounting block 27. Cover plate 65 is mounted to crossbar 67, as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, which shows an end view of a tape applying machine, cover plate 65 is supported by crossbar 67. Mounted within cover plate 65 are tape spool support rollers 60 mounted on tape spool support roller shafts 59. Resting on tape spool support roller 60 is tape spool 55. Spool guides 53, 53' keep spool 55 and tape 54 in proper position while being dispensed. Solenoid 26 is mounted on solenoid mounting block 27. Beneath solenoid 26 is laminating roller 66 urged into intimate contact with conveyor 13 by coil springs 68, 68' and their supporting coil spring block mechanism 69.

Referring now to FIG. 4, which shows the details of the reciprocating tape applying and cutting mechanism, knife blade 30 is shown in solid lines cutting tape 54 with laminating head 28 in retracted position. The phantom lines show the respective positions of knife blade 30 and laminating head 28 in the tape applying positions. Thus, objects of considerable thickness may have pressure sensitive tape applied to their surfaces merely by increasing the distance between entry roller 18 and laminating roller 66, and the surface of conveyor 13. This may be done quite easily since both the machine and conveyor system are independently powered and operated. lt is also apparent that neither laminating head 28 nor tape guide chute 56 exerts any pinching force on tape 54, the pulling of the tape being done by conveyor 13 as sheet 10 and laminating tape 54 pass between laminating roller 66 and conveyor power roller 16'.

Referring now to FIG. 5, which shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the leading edge of the tape is placed directly into nip 70 of the laminating roller 72 by tape guide chute 74. This is done when a double action air cylinder 76 actuates into a retracted position. lt is contemplated that other types of fluidic cylinders or solenoids may be used as well. The phantom lines in FIG. 5 show the machine in tape cutting position with piston 77 of cylinder 76 in extended position. After the leading edge of tape 78 has been placed directly into nip 70 of laminating roller 72 by tape guide chute 74. sheet 80 and tape 78 move between laminating roller 72 and conveyor power roller 81', squeezing tape 78 into intimate contact with the surface of sheet 80. When the surface of sheet 80 has passed synchronous sensing means 24a, cylinder 76 actuates moving piston 77 from retracted position to extended position. Knife arm 82, connected at end 84 to supporting arm 86 by supporting arm shaft 87, then is caused to pivot about pivot shaft 88 downwardly. Once the sheet has passed between entry roller 71 and conveyor power roller 81 after having passed synchronous sensing means 24a, the cylinder retracts by air and knife arm return spring 94 returns air cylinder piston 77 to its retracted position. When this occurs, knife arm 82 is pivoted about pivot shaft 88 pulling knife blade 90 upwardly away from the surface of sheet 80. The retraction of piston 77, in addition to causing the pivoting of knife arm 82 about pivot shaft 88, also pulls support bar 92 downwardly until tape guide chute 74 has placed the leading edge of the tape into nip 70 of laminating roller 72. Support bar 92 pivots about support bar pivot shaft 98. Support bar return spring 100 exerts a downward force on the end of support bar 92 to move in an upwardly direction. This motion removes tape guide chute 74 from nip 70 of laminating roller 72 and aids cylinder 76 in attaining the extended position of piston 77. Cover plate 102 is supported by transverse mounting bar 96.

Roller bracket 73 presses entry roller 71 and laminating roller 72 firmly into contact with sheet 78 by means of yoke 79 actuated by coil spring 83. When an object having substantial thickness passes through nip 70 of entry roller 71 and conveyor 75, yoke 79 which is attached to roller bracket 73 by shaft 91 pivots about yoke pivot shaft 85 flexing coil spring 83. When the thick object has passed through the tape applying machine coil spring 83 contracts and yoke 79 pivots about pivot shaft 85 to exert a downward force on roller bracket 73 and thereby to place entry roller 71 and laminating roller 72 firmly in contact with the conveyor. When this has occurred, the back edge of the sheet laminated passes synchronous sensing means 240, cylinder 76 is actuated into extended position, and knife blade 90 severs tape 78.

The moving parts of a taping machine in accordance with the present invention are made of metal, although high density polyethylene may be used for parts not involving much wear.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as modifcations will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for applying a predetermined length of transfer tape to an object surface, said machine comprising:

conveying means for conveying said object to which tape is to be applied to a surface;

synchronous sensing means for sensing the presence of said object to which tape is to be applied;

a laminating head disposable adjacent said object;

a roller arm having said laminating head disposed at a first end thereof including means for pivotally mounting the second end of said roller arm;

a connecting link, said connecting link attached at a first end thereof to said roller arm between said means for pivotably mounting second end of said roller arm and said laminating head;

a knife arm including a pivot shaft;

means for pivotably mounting said knife arm about said knife arm pivot shaft;

means for connecting said second end of said connecting link to a first end of said knife arm;

a knife blade projecting from the second end of said knife arm;

a tape guide chute mounted to the side of said roller arm for receiving said transfer tape and guiding same between said laminating head and said conveying means;

means for laminating said tape;

means in cooperation with said synchronous sensing means, for moving said knife arm away from the surface of said conveyor means and for moving said knife arm towards the surface of said conveyor means, whereby when said synchronous sensing means senses the presence of an object to which tape is to be applied, said knife blade is moved away from the surface of said conveyor means and said knife arm pivots about said knife arm pivot shaft moving said first end of said knife arm toward the surface of said conveyor means, moving said connecting link toward the surface of said conveyor means and said roller arm in the same direction therewith, until said laminating head having an end of said roll of said transfer tape thereunder contacts the surface of said object to which transfer tape is to be applied moving on said conveyor means to thereby apply said transfer tape.

2. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim I further including:

means for holding a spool of tape.

3. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said knife arm comprises:

a solenoid;

a solenoid connecting rod;

a solenoid connecting block, said solenoid connecting block connecting said solenoid with a first end of said solenoid connecting rod and transmitting its force thereto;

said second end of said solenoid connecting rod connected to said knife arm, including means responsive to actuation by said synchronous sensing means for moving said knife arm.

4. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said synchronous sensing means comprises a photo electric cell.

5. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said synchronous sensing means comprises a microswitch.

6. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said laminating head comprises a cylindrical roller.

7. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said laminating means comprises a cylindrical roller mounted downstream from said laminating head; and means for keeping said roller firmly in contact with said object.

i i l

Claims

1. A MACHINE FOR APPLYING A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF TRANSFER TAPE TO AN OBJECT SURFACE, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING: CONVEYING MEANS FOR CONVEYING SAID OBJECT TO WHICH TAPE IS TO BE APPLIED TO A SURFACE, SYNCHRONOUS SENSING MEANS FOR SENSING THE PRESENCE OF SAID OBJECT TO WHICH TAPE IS TO BE APPLIED, A LAMINATING HEAD DISPOSABLE ADJACENT SAID OBJECT, A ROLLER ARM HAVING SAID LAMINATING HEAD DISPOSED AT A FIRST END THEREOF INCLUDING MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING THE SECOND END OF SAID ROLLER ARM, A CONNECTING LINK, SAID CONNECTING LINK ATTACHED AT A FIRST END THEREOF TO SAID ROLLER ARM BETWEEN SAID MEANS FOR PIVOTABLY MOUNTING SECOND END OF SAID ROLLER ARM AND SAID LAMINATING HEAD, A KNIFE ARM INCLUDING A PIVOT SHAFT, MEANS FOR PIVOTABLY MOUNTING SAID KNIFE ARM ABOUT SAID KNIFE ARM PIVOT SHAFT, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID SECONE END OF SAID CONNECTING LINK TO A FIRST END OF SAID KNIFE ARM, A KNIFE BLADE PROJECTING FROM THE SECOND END OF SAID KNIFE ARM, A TAPE GUIDE CHUTE MOUNTED TO THE SIDE OF SAID ROLLER ARM FOR RECEIVING SAID TRANSFER TAPE AND GUIDING SAME BETWEEN SAID LAMINATING HEAD AND SAID CONVEYING MEANS, MEANS FOR LAMINATING SAID TAPE, MEANS, IN COOPERATING WITH SAID SYNCHRONOUS SENSING MEANS, FOR MOVING SAID KNIFE ARM AWAY FROM THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND FOR MOVING SAID KNIFE ARM TOWARDS THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, WHEREBY WHEN SAID SYNCHRONOUS SENSING MEANS SENSES THE PRESENCE OF AN OBJECT TO WHICH TAPE IS TO BE APPLIED, SAID KNIFE BLADE IS MOVED AWAY FROM THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND SAID KNIFE ARM PIVOTS ABOUT SAID KNIFE ARM PIVOT SHAFT MOVING SAID FIRST END OF SAID KNIFE ARM TOWARD THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, MOVING SAID CONNECTING LINK TOWARD THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND SAID ROLLER ARM IN THE SAME DIRECTION THEREWITH, UNTIL SAID LAMINATING HEAD HAVING AN END OF SAID ROLL OF SAID TRANSFER TAPE THEREUNDER CONTACTS THE SURFACE OF SAID OBJECT TO WHICH TRANSFER TAPE IS TO BE APPLIED MOVING ON SAID CONVEYOR MEANS TO THEREBY APPLY SAID TRANSFER TAPE.

2. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 further including: means for holding a spool of tape.

3. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said knife arm comprises: a solenoid; a solenoid connecting rod; a solenoid connecting block, said solenoid connecting block connecting said solenoid with a first end of said solenoid connecting rod and transmitting its force thereto; said second end of said solenoid connecting rod connected to said knife arm, including means responsive to actuation by said synchronous sensing means for moving said knife arm.

4. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said synchronous sensing means comprises a photo electric cell.