CA1045086A - Apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Disclosed are three embodiments of a hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels.
All the embodiments are disclosed as having a housing, a rigid, metal, frame plate mounted by the housing, a platen and a cooperating print head, a delaminator for delaminating printed labels from the web of supporting material on which the labels are carried, an applicator for applying the printed labels, a feed wheel having teeth for engaging and advancing the web, a manually operable actuator drivingly connected to the feed wheel and the printed head, a brake, and an ink roll for inking the print head. the apparatus also includes a feed wheel assembly having a feed wheel driven by a pawl and ratchet mechanism.
The pawl and ratchet mechanism is adjustably connected to the feed wheel and a rolling contact type one-way clutch prevents loss of tension in the web between the brake and the feed wheel. In one embodiment, the feed wheel and a drive wheel are selectively positionable by a clutch. In this embodiment, the drive wheel comprises a ratchet wheel, and the clutch com-prises a toothed clutch member secured to the ratchet wheel and a toothed member is secured to the feed wheel. By shifting the feed wheel and the ratchet wheel axially relative to each other against the action of a spring, the clutch can be declutched and while declutched the ratchet wheel can be rotated relative to the feed wheel. When the ratchet wheel and feed wheel are in the selected relative position, the spring can be allowed to again effect clutching.

Description

-Docket M-292-C ~S~86 Cross-Reference to Related Applications Certain subject matter disclosed in the present application is disclosed and/or clalmed in Canadian appli-cation Serial No. 202,635 filed June 17, 1~74, owned by the same assignee as the assignee of the present application.
Background of the Invention .
Field of the Invention , This invention relates to the art of label printing and applying apparatus.
Brief Description of the Prior Art The following U.S. patents are made of record:
U S. Patent No. Patentee Date 3,265,553 O. Kind et al August 9, 1966 3,420,172 Irving Kaplan Januar~ 7, 1969 153,440,123 P. H. Hamisch, Sr. April 22, 1969 3,526,189 Kenneth C. Allen September 1, 1970 3,656,430 Sture A. B. Olsson April 18, 1972 3,798,106 W. A. Jenkins et al March 19, 1974 3,800,701 William Martin April 2, 1974 Patent No. 3,798,106 discloses an arrangement for changing the positional relationship of the feed wheel relative to the delaminator and to the platen.

-2-~(J4S~ !36 Summary of the Invention There is provided label printing and applying apparatus having a cooperable pr:inting and platen members and a delaminator. A dr:ive wheel in the form of a ratchet wheel is used to dr:ive a -toothed feed wheel. The feed wheel is used to draw a web of sup-porting material around the delaminator to delaminate labels carried on the web. In order to change the position of the ratchet wheel relative to the feed wheel and the printing and platen members, there is providèd a quick~change clutch,and declutch mechanism ~;
that enables change of position between the ratchet wheel and the feed wheel so that the position to which the web is advanced relative to a platen and re- , ' lative to a delaminator can be changed without part-ially disassembling the apparatus. A specific embodi i ment of the mechanism utilizes a clutch spring to keep -the ratchet and feed wheels clutched during use, bu-t the ratchet and feed wheels are shiftable relatively ..~, .
axially against the action of the spring to enable the mechanism to be declutched. The frame of the apparatus -carries a post on which both the feed wheel and the ratchet wheel are mounted. The clutch includes toothed ~
clutch members secured respectively to the ratchet !' " ' and feed~wheels.
Brief Description of the Drawings FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of label printing and applying apparatus, together with a roll-type composite label web supply;
FIGURE 2 is a partly broken-away top plan view of the composite label web;
FIGURE 3 is a fragmen-tary elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE l;
~ -3-r 45~t86 FIGURE 4 is a framentary sectional view taken alone line 4-~4 o~ FIGURE 3 showing track structure .
for mounting a print head of the apparatus;

-3~_ 1~4S~6 Docket M-292 .
FIGUR~ 5 is an elllarged fraymentary elevational view . ~ . , .
o a feed wheel ~or the apparatus; :
, FIGUR~ 5~ is a vicw similar to FIGUl~ 5 but on a larger scale and sl-owiny a cured adherent coating;
FIGURr' G is an enlarged Eragmentary top plan view of the feed wheel shown in FIGURE 5;
- FIG~R~ 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of ',.
an alternative embodiment of the apparatus;
~IGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of label printing and appl,y:ing apparatus together :' ' with,an improved roll-type composite label web supply;
FIGURE 9 is a partly bxoken away top plan view of .-the compos~i-te label web; ,. :
FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view of the apparatus ~, , with one handle section and a removable housing section beiny removed for cla~ity; ~, . FIGUR~ 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of the other side of the apparatus shown in FIGUR~ 10;
,, . ~ -, ""~
~ '. - FIGUR~ 12 is a view taken generally along line 12--12 " ;-' of'FIGURE 10; ~, ~ . , ;: ,... .
.;, , FIGURE 13,is a fragmentary elevational view of another :'' handle section, showing means for locking the eccentric support ,.- `,',' in position; , ; ',''~'' ' ,'; '' ' ,. ,, ~ ' .,,,.',~ , ,, FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary end elevational view of a ' manually operable actuator and one end portion of the eccentric . -support; , ''~ ' . : "` ,", , ', . '`' .
, ~ ' ;; FIGUR~ 15 is a fragmentary.elevational view showing ;, the other side of the actuator from that shown in FIGURE 14 and the other end portion of the support; . ,~ ,: ,,' ' '' -. FIGU~ 16 is a fragmentary elevational view o~ the :,.
one handle section; , . ,; ,~:

,. .. . . , , .................. , , . ~ , . . , .;
- , , .. .. ~, .
.. .. .. . . .

Docket M-292 ~45~S6 ;~IG~I~E 17 is an exploded perspective view of a drive ;;
gear, a fe~d wheel, rolling-contact type one-way anti-backup .
clutch, a ratchet wheel s~lectively positionable with respect to the feed wheel, a clamp, and a drive pawl;
FIGURE 18 is a partly assembled view of the components shown in FIGURE 17;
FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the clutch is secured in the feecl wheel and clutched with an annular~support; . :
FrGURE 20 is a view simLlar to view 19 but showing the clutch unclutched as when the feed wheel is rotated in the ~.
direction of the arrow;
FIGURE 21 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the side of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 11 with certain parts omitted for clarity, the operative components being shown in FIGURL 21 in a position which facilitates loading of the apparatus;
- : FIGURl. 22 is a view similar to FIGI~RE 21 with thei i .. ; .
operative components being shown in a position caused by.a first actuation of the actuator following loading;
. FIGURE 23 is a view similar to FIGURES 21 and 22, showing many of the operative components thereof, the brake mechanism being in its effective braking position caused b~ ~:
return of the print head;
. FIGURE 24 is a fragmentary perspective exploded view of the locking mechanism for the removable housing section;
~ FIGURE 25 is a partly sectional view of khe locking~ 1 :. ,,, ,. . , , j:
mechanism in its assembled condition; . - ; .
FXGURE 26 is a ~ragmentary perspective exploded view o~ a resilient device and mounting structure therefor;

i FIGURE 27 is a fragmentarv perspective exploded view showin~ a delaminator and a portion of the platen;
FIGUR~ 28 is a sectional view showing in detail an ~ , ink roll of thc inking mechallism; l.:
.~ :
5-- .

' ~
..

: Docket M-292 ~0~5~6 ~ FIGURE 29 is a sectional view taken along line 29--29 of FIGURE 28;
~IGUR~ 30 is a left end eleva-tional view of the ink roll shown in FIGURE 2$; , . ;~ :
~- ~ ,d ~IGURE 31 is a sectional view showing fragmentary portions of one housing sec-tion and the ~rame plate and the - means for holding the same together;
FIGURE 32 is a sectional view of the reel;
~ FIGURE 33 is an elevational ~iew showing a fragmentary 10 portion of the apparatus to which a rewinder is connected; . -. ,,,, . ; , ,, -.
. - ~. FIGURE 34 is a side elevational view of an alternate :
form,of rewinder; : .'. ;.
~ .... FIGURE 35 is a sectional vlew taken along line 35~-35 ,`
of FIGU~E 34; . . . :~. ; .
15 . : FIGURE 36 is an enlarged sectional fragmentary vlew : ~.
of the feed wheel showing lands and intervcning gaps.~ ,~
FIGURE 37 is an exploded perspective view of the feed wheel together with a quick-change clutching and declutching ~ :
mechanism, with the axis curved for clarity;
FIGURE 38 is an end elevational view showing most of the components in FIGURE 37 in a position of partial assembly;
FIGURE 39 is an end elevational view of the quick- :.
change mechanism showing drive pawls moving toward their `.:: :~
retracted positions; ,, FIGURE 40 is a fragmentary elevational view showing toothed clutch members of the mechanism in one extreme selected position;
FIGURE 41 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the ::
clutch members declutched to enable rotation of the ratchet wheel relative to the feed wheel;
,' , ~ .

~045~86 Docket M-292 FIGURE 42 is a fragmentary elevational view partly in section showing the clutch members in clutched position; and FIGURE 43 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the inclinatlon at the drive end of one drive pawl relative to one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel.
Descr'ption of the Preferred ~mbodiments - The embodiments of FIGURES 1 and 3 through 6 and the embodiment of FIGUR~ 7 are adapted to utilize a composite label'web 30 illustrated in detail in FIGUl~ 2. The composite web 30 of label material 31 is xeleasably adhered to and carricd by supporting or backing material 32. The label material 31 is cut transversely by transverse cuts 33 extending all the way ; across the web 31 of label material to the side edges 3~ and 35 ,of the composite web 30. The cuts 33 known as "butt cuts"
separate the web 31 of label material i~-to a serie~ of elld-to-end labels 36. The underside of the web 31, of label material has a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive 37 which adheres strongly to the web 31 of label material. The web 32 of supporting material carries a thin film or coating (not shown) which alIows the'labels to be peeled from the web 32,of ;-supporting material.

-7- , .. ..

S~6 ~. Docket M-292 ` . :'; ;

.; ' . , ' `,, '- . , ' ! , , . ' . , ~
, ': , . , ' ' ~ . .
:; ~Groups 38 of cuts are provided ~t ~qually spaced- ~
, .. ...
. ~ apart intervals along the lenyth of the composite web 30.
'. ~ Each group 38 o~ cuts is shown to extend throuyh the supporting material as well as through the label material. Each group of cuts is shown to be made in a generall~ I-shaped configuration comprised of cuts 39S, 40S and 41S in the supporting material f,'', ' and aligned cuts 39L, 40L and 41L in the label material~ The.
r part of the web 32 between the one end of the cut 39S and the .:. .
cut 40S provides a rangible portion 43S and the part of the web 32 ~etween the other end.of the cut 39S and the cut ~
-~
provides frangible portion 42S. In.li]ce manner, the part of .~. . the label material between the end of the cut 39L and the cut ~ :
40L provides a frangible portion 43L and the part betwcen the ~.
- other end of the cut 3~L and the cut ~lL provides a franyible .
portion 42L.
With reference to the embodiment of FIGUR~S 1 and 3 throuyh 6, there is shown label printing and applying - - . apparatus generally indicated at 50. Tlle apparatus 50 has a frame yenerally indicated at 51 whic11 is SilOWn to include frame sections 52 and 5~ to which a cover section 53 is removably .
connected. ~ su~frame 55 in the form of a sinyle, rigid, metal .
~; plate is suitable secured to t~e frame section 52 as for example ., '. : '~

.: ' " .~ i . .; ' .; .' . . ' , ;: . ' '' " ' ' . ;

.. . .. .
.

~ ~ 1 ~5i~6 1 Dock~t M-274 ~ $' ;. by screws 56. The screws 56 pass through respective hol~s 57 .~' ''. in the subframe 55, and are threadably received in respective ,, ,... .bosses 58 in the.frame section 52. The frame 51 has a handle .~' . .~enerally indicated at 5,9 comprised in part of handle porti.on 60 .-.
~,of the frame section 52 and in part by the frame section 54. ' .,~
-.' The sections 53 and 54 are connected to the frame section 52 by !:
.. 'snap-fit connections'including generally snap-fitted ~lexible --',,'resilient members 61 engageable in undercut recesses 62 in 'the ,.-~' ;- housing sectio~ 52. ' .,'~,.''.. ,.,,~; ,.;-', -,: : :.: .... ~, : -10 -' ... '-~' .".. ;'.. ,The sub~rame ' 5.5 mounts a print head generally .. i:~
,..~''.'.. indicated at 63, a feed wheel 64, a xatchet wheel 65 (FIGURE 3) :... formed integrally with the feed wheel 64, a year or gear 1 segment 66 formed 1ntegrally with a lever 67, an applicator 68 . ~- : .............. ................... . .. ...
~ . in the form of a roll, a platen 69 and an integral guide 69', '~.' 15, a delmainator 70 provided by an edge of the platen 69, rollers ^~
. .. - -................ . ........................................... -~;. ~
~ ~ : ?1 and 72, a post or stud 73, a post or stud.74, a post or . ~
:.; -, ' , ' . ! ' . ' ' . ' ' '.' stud 75, and a stripper plate 76 and an integrally formed guide '' ;;
,~ ~~~' '.77. The handle portion 60.and th6 frame section 54 mount a .'~' ' . pivot 78~in respective bosses 79 and 80. The pivot 78 ~¦
'~0 pivotally mounts an actuator 81 shown to be in the form of a `- ,:
. '. '.lever. ~en the user grlps the handle 59, the actuator 81 . 'I
can be e'ngaged by the user's fingers, while the thumb passes `, .
, around the frame section 5~ (assuming the user grips the handle59 ,-t~
,' ~i.th the right hand~. The actuator 81 carrics a gear or gear !5 segmen~ 82 which meshes with the gear 6G. ~ spring as'sembly `~1 : .82'; includiilg a compressi.on spring 83, bears ayainst the handl~ portion G0 and tl~e ~c~ua~or Dl alld ur~es ~he actu~l 81 coun~crclockwi.se ~XGUR~S 1 and 3). . . . `

. .
... . . , . _g_ ., , . . .

,' , ~ocket M-274 1~45~8~

;J~ ' . ' ' -. '' . ~~':' ' Accordingly, the ,' ~ ' , " i aictuator 81 and the gear 82 are initially in the position ', ~'' - . shown by solid lines in FIGURE 3, but upon operation are ' , ,~
~:-'5 ~ moved to the position indicated by phantom lines 81'. The ',, ~.,.'.
~ eed wheel 6~, the ratcnet wheel 65, and the gear 66 are .; ;h ~ r~.' ," '' 40axially mounted on the post 74. The gear 66 carries a ,,''-~
,, .`., pawl 83 which is cooperable with the ratchet wheel 654 As -~.
:: :,'.,,," the actuator 81 move,s from the solid line position to the '''~
"~ 10 ; phantom line position in FIGU~E 3, the gear 66 rotates ','.. ' ' '.''. -' counterciockwise until the pawl 83 passes over a tooth 84 of ` ',' .. -; .i , , , , ", ;, , -.'' ' the ratchet wheel 65, and when the actuator 81 is released , ~
,the sprin~3 assembly 82' drives the gear 66 clockwise and , ~'-'',':
~ . causes the pawl 8'3 to drive the feed wheel 64 clockwise.
,,lS . Clockwise -otation o~ the ratchet wheel 65 and hence the feed -, ~,, ;~' '.'.~': wheel 64 is prevented by a flexible resilient pawl 84' which '~. '., cooperates with the'ratchet wheel 65. ' ~
'' c, .','The lever 67 lies in a plane whic~ is offset from ' '~;
' -,,' the plate ~f the gear 66. As best shown in FIGURE 1, a ,. ,, lateral portion 85 integrally connects the gear 66 and the ''~
, ~.lever 67. Th,e lateral portion 85 passes :throu~h an arcuate ' '~
' `,:slot 86' in the subframe 55. The lever 67 is connected to ''"' ~'''' ,. .,., the print head 63 ~y a pin-type connection generally indica~ed - ,i.,~
~ '. .,:'at 86. ~he pin-type connection 86 is a pin-and~slot connection ' '`~
,',2,5, and is shown to comprise an elongated slot 87 in the lever 67 , . and a pin 88 having a roller 89 xeceived in ~he slot 87. A ; ;;x ' ' ~'~ ':, ' ` ' ' ' ' . ' ' . . . . . . .

;¦ Docket M-274 . : :. washer 90 and a clip 91 hold the roller 89 on the pin 88 ~he pin 88 is secured to the print head 6~. As best shown ~.
... in PIGURES 1 and ~, the print head 63 is provided with a pair .. o~ elongated parallel ball tracks 92 and ~3. The su~
. . 5 frame 55 mounts a pair of ball tracks 94 and 95. Ball ,~;
: .bearing strips 96 and 97 are received in respective ball -"
.- ... tracks 92 and 94, and 93 and 95 - - `

.; The ball .tracks .. ;~
92 through 95 are considered to cor.lprise track structure .,. , .. . . , . . -, .
.~ - for mounting the print head 63 for reciprocating movement `. toward and away from the platen 69. The ball track 95 is : .. .: . . .. ~; , :. . mounted to move relative to the ball txack 93. Compression . .-.. .. . .
.~- springs 95' urge the ball track 95 toward the ball track 93 :~
.~.15and compensate for clearancc between the ball tracks 93 . .. -... and 95 , , ... . .. ~ - - - -The apparatus 50 provides what is known as a two- -.. t~
line machine, having two lines Ll and L2 of selectively settable printing bands 98 and.99. The bands 98 of iine Ll l~
20are selectively settable by manual operation of a knob 100 .i-.
'. ;. and the bands 99 of line L2 are selectively settable by . .
. .manual operation of a knob 101. The knobs 100 and 101 ~;;'.
. : project through an opening 53' in the cover section 53. .`~-~ A die roll 64a, having a groove 64b throu~h which ...
.~1, 25 the teeth 64' o the feed wheel 64 can pass, is rotatably . ~, ~ ' '. I ., . , ' , ,. ' . , 11 I, 1 ' ! ., , ,,, l~

10~5~86 ~
mounted on an arm 64c. The arm 64c is mounted on the post 73. The arm 64c has an integral lateral tab 64g which extends through a slot 64f in the subframe 55.
A tension spring 64d is connected to a post 64e secured to the subframe 55 and to the tab 64g. The spring 64d urges the die roll 64a, against the feed wheel 64. When the feed wheel 64 rotates, -the teeth 64' of the feed wheel 64 cooperate with the die roll 64a to break the frangible portions 42s and 43s in the suppor-ting material web 32, thus making feed holes in the supporting material web 32.
An inking mechanism 102 includes an arm 103 pivot-ally mounted on a pivot 104 secured to the subframe 55. A retainer 105 keeps the arm 103 on the pivot 104 `
The arm 103 carries a small diameter laterally extending pin 106 which mounts an ink roll 107. The pin 106 extends through an arcuate slot 108 in the subframe 55.
A tension spring lO9 acts at its one end on a la-teral tab 110 carried by the arm 103 and at its o-ther end on a pin 111 secured to the pring head 63. The loca-tions of the tab 110 and the pin 111 are selected so that there is substantially no extension or distention of the spring lO9 as the print head 63 moves during the printing stroke between the solid line position and ~' the phantom line (printing) position shown by phantom lines 63'. Likewise on the return stroke there is no substantial extension or distention of -the spring 109 as the print head 63 moves between these positions.
The Docket M-292 lO 4 S~ ~6 ~ ~

;
location of thc pivot 104 c~uses the ink roll 107 ~o be '-,"
pushcd from its solid linc position to the phantom linc ' ' ,, position indicated by phantom lines 107' during thc ' ' ~
printing stroke from which the ink roll 107 is returned to ' " ¦-the,solid line position during the return stroke of the print head 63. In -addition, the force of the spring 109 causes ' ' ~he ball track 92 to be urged toward the ball track 94, ~ t thereby compensating,for clearance.
. . .
' , : The composite label web in roll form can have . ~`~

10, , a circular cylindrical'core 112 composed of paperboard or -' , other suitabie material. 'A hub 113 composed of plastic or ~' ~ r~

' other suitable materials has three fle~ible resilient sections 114 onto'which the core can be snap-fitted and from which the ~- core 112 of a spent roll can be readily removed. The hub 113 is rotatably mounted on the post 75 and is retained by a clip - ;~' 113'.

, With reference to FIG~RES 5 and 6~ the periphery f t~

the feed wheel 64 is shown to have evenly spaced apart generally ' '~

V-shaped lateral grooves 115. These grooves 115 greatly reduce ~
the area o~ contact tilat the supporting material web 32 makes ~ , ;: ~; .
with the feed wheel 64. This greatly minlmlzes any tendency for gum which may be on the supportiny material web 32 to be ' . . . ~ . .
transferred to the feed wheel 64. Gum on the feed wheel 64 ' t ; can,cause problems in feeding the composite web 30. ~ands 116 . ~ .. .
25, at the periphery of the feed wheel 64 are about onc-fifth as ,,', . , . .: . ,,.:
long as the pitch distance d, and thus the grooves llS reduce ' ' '~
the area of contact by ~ighty percent over a eed wheel with a continuous, uninterrupted periphery.

,'' ' ' " ' ' `' ', . , .
, ' ' ' . ., ', ', ' .' ' ' ' ,, ' :'' ' ' ' : 'I . , ~13-. . :
., . .
, . . , ' , ' .

~145~
In loading the apparatus 50, the cover sec-tion 53 is unsnapped and removed, and the composite label web supply roll is snapped onto the hub 113. The die roll 64a and its are 64b are moved to the over-center position.
With the acruator 81 moved partly toward the phantom line position (FIGURE 3), the free end of the composite web 30 is passed between a brake roll 117 and a plate 118 secured to the subframe 55. The free end o~ the web 30 is passed under and partly around roller 71, over the platen 69, around the delaminator 70, under the platen 69, under and partly around the roller 71, partly around the roller 72, over ~nd partly around the feed wheel 64, over the stripper plate 76, and over the guide 77. Now the actuator 81 can be released, whereupon the brake roll 117 is contacted by the end of the print head 63, causing -~
the brake roll 117 to press the web 30 against the plate 118 to prevent paying out of the web 30 during the applic-ation of a label 36. The die roll 64a and its are 64c can now be moved to the position shown in FIGURE 3, and the cover section 53 can be snapped into place.
When it is desired to print and apply a label 36, the printing and feeding cycle is commenced with the actuator 81 is squeezed, and this causes the gear 82 to drive the gear 66 and hence the lever 67. Pivoting of the lever 67 causes the print head 63 to be driven into printing cooperation with the~platen 69 to print data on a label 36. When the actuator 81 is released, the pawl 83 drives the feed wheel 64 to feed the label 36 that was just printed into label applying posi-tion relative to the applicator 68, in this position the trail-ing : , ,,:: , , : . : . , 1t345a 86 edge of the label 36 is still adhered to the supporting material web 32. Also the ne~t successive label 36 is properly positioned on the platen 69 for printing during the next printing cycle. , In the embodiment of FIGURE 7 the same reference characters are applied to functionally similar parts as those disclosed in the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 3 through 6. Referring to FIGURE 7, the actuator 81 carries a pivot 130. A link 131 is pivotally connected to the pivot 130. A pivot 132 carried by the link 131 pivotally connects the link 131 and a lever 133. The lever 133 is pivotally mounted by the post 74. The lever 133 carries a pawl 134 which performs the sa~e function as the pawl 83 (Figure3). The pin-type con-nection 86 is provided by a pivot 135 secured to the pring head 63 which extends through a cylinder hole 136 in the lever 133. Instead of being provided with the trackstructure of the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 3 through 6, subframe 55 in the embodiment of FIGURE
7 has track structure provided by an elongated slot 137. The print head 63 carries a pin 138 which mounts a roller 139. The roller 139 is received in the slot 137. In that -the pivot 135 follows a slight arc RS
the lever 133 moves, the right end of the print head ~;
63 also travels in slight arc. The left end of the print head 63 has movement which is essentially reci-procating in that the roller 139 moves in straight line. When the prin-t head 63 is in the printing posi-tion, the pivot 135 is in the position indicated by phanotm lines 135' and in this position the print head 63 is perpendicular to the platen 69. When the actuator 81 is released the spring assembly 82' (FIGURE 1) causes the actuator 81 to pivot couterclock-wise which drives the lever 133 clockwise to return . - ., .. ,., , , ;; ., , . , . . ", . ,, ;, . .. , . . : "

1~)45~86 the print head 63 to the position shown in FIGURE
7, and at the same time the pawl 134 drives the feed - 15a - ~ ' ~1~)45~86 wheel 64 to advance the composite web 30 a distance equal to the length of one label 36. In the embodi-ment of FIGURE 7, the gear 82 has been eliminated from the actuator 81.
The apparatus of the embodiments of FIGURE 1 and 3 through 6, and 7, is constructed mainly of molded plastic material. The subframe 55 is preferably com-posed of steel. The actuator 81, the gear 66 and lever 67, the ratchet and feed wheels 65 and 64, a substantial portion of the print head 63, sections 52, 53 and 54, the hub 113, and tracks 94 and 95 are composed of a suitable molded plastic material. With reference to FIGURE 7, link 131 and lever 133 are also composed of 5 plastic material.
In practice it has been found that, in some ins- ` :
tances, minor amounts of gummy pressure-sensitive ad hesive remains on the supporting web 32 after the labels have been separated. If this occurs, when the support-ing web is contacted with the feed wheel 64 transfer -of this gummy substance to the feed wheel can be en-countered, which during continued use of the apparatus, may interfere with efficient operation.
The feed wheel 64 has a web contacting surfaces ~116 of both disclosed embodiments of -the inven-tion ~;
treated to provide a coating 116~ having non-stick or release properties sufficient to substantially re-tard or prevent transfer of gum or pressure-sensitive adhesive, which may be present on the suppor-ting web 32,to the feed wheel. Preferably the web contacting surface of the feed wheel should readily release a pressure-sensitive tape (e.g., 3M Transparent Tape ~5910) after the pressure-sensitive tape has been -applied to the feed wheel under 10 p.s.i. pressure for 2-5 seconds .; . , . , ; ., ' ' , . ' ;; ~ ', , , , , ' , ~45~6 , ~

Docket M-292-C

A particularly preferred met:hod Qf imparting enhanced rel~ase properties to the feed wheel, formed from a metal, or an organic polymeric plastic material, such as polyacetal resins, ~-polycarbonate resins, phenylene o~ides, nylons, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resins, unsaturated polyester molding resins and the like, is to apply to the supporting web contacting surfaces of the feed wheel an adherent continuous coating of a resi.nous coatin~ composition having a lower surface ~nergy than the substrate polymeric material from which th~ wheel is formed. The presently preferred coating compositions include those based on a material such as moisture cured, one component, all silicone resins theretofore utilized in the art for forr.ling aircraft and maintenance protective f1nishes, and solvent based -paper curable coating compositions based on silicone polymers herctofore described in the art as useful in forming xelease paper for pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions. Since the coating must have sufficient adhesion to the feed wheel so that it is not removed during use, it may be desirable to etch or otherwise slightly roughen the surface to be coated prior to applying and curing the coating.

. .

;~

1045~186 With reference to the emodiment of FIGURES 8 and 10 through 36, there is shown label printing and apply-ing apparatus generally indicated at 150. The appara-tus 150 has a frame generally indicated at 151 which is shown to comprise a frame or housing having housing section 152, 153 and 154 and a subframe comprising a single, rigid~ metal frame plate 155. The housing is ~ .
essentially closed. The frame 151 has a handle gen-erally indicated at 159 comprised in part of a handle :
portion 160 and in part of the frame secti.on 154. The f--housing section 154 is secured to the housing section ~:.
152 by screws 161 received in respective threaded holes 162. The frame section 153 is positioned in front of a lip 163 of the secti~ 154 and projections .. :-164 on the section 153 extend behind a wall 165. The section 153 is connected to the section 152 by snap- ~'.
fit connections including generally snap-shaped flex- ~:~
ible resilient members 166 engageable in respective undercut recesses 167 in the section 152. The sec- , ~.
tion 153 is also provided with locating studs 168 :.
received in respective recesses 169 of the section 152. ;
The frame plate 155 mounts a print head 170, a feed wheel 171, a gear or gear segment 172, an , applicator 173 shown to be in the form of a roll, a platen 174, a delaminator 175, a mounting pin 176 and a plurality of rollers 177, mounting pos-ts 178, 179 180 and 181 and a support 236. ;
The frame plate 155 is provided with -two spaced- :
apart precisely located rectangular holes 182 in which respective square - 18 - ~;

' `~ Docket M-292 l~J45~8~ ;
.. . . .
mating locating pins or studs 183 are received. The holes 182 .,. , .; , . , ~ extend at right angles to each other and tho two opposed side - i faces of each stud contacts the correspondiny long sides of the respective rectangular hole 182. The pins 183 are cooperable ;~
with the respective holes 182 to locate the frame plate 155 ;. ..
.~ previsely relative to the housing section 152. There are three identical hold-down connections which secure the frame plate 155 to the housin~ section 152, although only one is shown in detail -:
in FIGURE 31. rrhe frame plate 155 has three enlarged holes or 10 . cutouts 184. The housing section i52 has pins or studs 185 .;which extend through the cutouts 184. With reference to FIGURE
31, a retainer in the form of a grip ring 186 grips a stud 185.
: A compression spring 187 received about the stud 185 bears against -~ the frame plate 155 and against the retainer 186i With age and .
continued use of the apparatus the stud 185 tends to elongate. .
.~ The.spring 187 insures that the plate 155 will always be held `~
solidly against the housing section 152. ~n that the stud 185 -:
- is considerably smaller in diameter than the cutout 184, location .
of the frame plate 155 relative to the housing section 152 remains to be accomplished b~ the pins 183 in respective recesses 182.
The frame plate 155 has a pair o~ elongated cutouts or open ended slots 188 and a pair of oppositely ~acin~ elonga-ted cutouts or open ended slots 189. The slots 188 and 189 .
communicate with larger respective cutouts 190 and 191.
:25 Oppositely facing ball tracks 192 and 193 are received in respective ClltOUts 190 and 191. The print head 170 comprises a print head frame 194 having a pair of oppositely facing . ball trac]cs 195 and 196. A ball bearing strip 197 is received " , . . ~ , .

.. . .. .

: --19-. .
. . ' .

~045~ ` ~
;I Docket M-274 `~ in mating ball bearing tracks 192 and 195 and a ball bearing . ......
` .- strip 198 is received in mating ball bearing tracks 193 and 196. ' The ball tracks 192 and 193 are shown to be generally channel~

~, shaped in construction. When the ball tracks 192 and 193 are in the position as shown in FIGURES 10 and 11, the ball tracks ,, . ~, .
192 and 193 are received by the frame plate 155. Threaded : fasteners 199 extend through the cutouts 188 and are threadably - received in holes 199' in the ball track 192. Similarly, - ~s3 ' '~

threaded fasteners 200 extend through cutouts 189 and are 10 threadably received in holes 200' in the ball track 193. The ' - :, .. ~ , ................. . . . . .
print head 170 is capable of printing two lines of data in that ,.

the print head 170 has two lines of printing bands-, .~: .

` ~ It is important to printing quality that the print ~-head 170 move relatively to the platen 174 such that the characters on the pxinting bands 201 contact the label 207 on ;the platen uniformlyD If the print head 170 is improperly aligned `~
, :,, .;
~ with the platen 174, some of the selected characters will be ; , , - ~; -~
printed and others will not be printed at all or will only be faintly pxinted. In that the cutouts 188 and 189 are larger - than the diameters of fasteners 199 and 200 which extend therethrough, the ball tracks 192 and 193 can be preciscly positioned during manufacture of the apparatus so that the ,.,~
print head 170 is precisely aligned with the platen 174 and so ?5 that clearance betw~en the ball tracks and their respective ~;
ball hearing strip is held to a minimum. Print head framc 194 .and the ball tracks 195 and 196 which are molded intcgxally therewith and the ball tracks 192 and 193 are composed of .. . . . ....... . . . . . ...

~ 20~
.

~ SV~6; ;. . ~,`
~' , Docket M - 274 ~ . , rL

plastics material. The balls of the ball strips 197 ana 198 ,~"
..... . , . " ~':.'::

~ . are compxised o~ a hard material ,l~
'' ~' ' such as steel. ;As shown diagrammatically in FIG~RES 21 . . :~. i~
'' 5 through 23, the type characters or faces 202 extend parallel'to the plate'n 174. The print head 170 is caused to f,~ .
move in a straight line because all the ball tracks 192 ;.,~
through 195 are straight. Consequently, for quality printing , ~ '.'.,.the print head 170 should move perpendicularly with respect to .~.
.'' 10 'the piaten 174. Thexe is thus provided means whereby the travel ..' . .of the print head into printing cooperation with the labels of ,. - the composite web can be adjusted during manufacture or even ` .
7r subsequent.thereto to insure precise alignment of the print head .
"' 170 with the platen 174. .................... ' . .: ' . ~1 ,. .
.-. 15 " The apparatus 150 is shown to utilize a composite web .', '.
,, ;. ~. .
. .. ..'' 203. The composite web 203 of label material 204 is releasably , , ..., 'adhered to supporting a backing material 205. The label material '.~ ' 204 is cut transversely by bar cuts or slits 206 extending all t-, , ~
. ..', ~he way across the web 204 of label material, thereby separating i,~
: 20 the label material 204 into a series of end-~o-end labels 207.
.. , - '- The composite web 203 is wound onto a circular cylindri.cal core `''.
,~'' '' 208 composed of paperboard or other suitable material. The . ;;.~
'. , composite web roll is mounted on a reel generally indicated at ., 209. The reel 209 is comprised of a generally flat'disc 210 . 25 ,haying a central,hole 211. Disc 210 has a plurality of e~ually ~:.;.spàced-apart pins 212 disposed at e~ual distances rom the ' .

, Docket M-292 , !
., : , .

central hole 211. The disc 210, the hole 211 and the integral ; ~ , ; pins 212 are formed when the disc 210 is molded in an injection ,'' molding machine~ 'rhe reel 209 also includes a hub generally indicated at 213. ,The hub,213 has a central tubular hub~portion 5' 214 joined to an end wall 215. The pins 212 are received in ,~
, ' matlng holes 212' in the end ~all, thereby keying the,disc 210 ~ ' - ';, - and the hub 213 for rotation together as a unit. Spaced out- , ' ~' wardly from the hub portion 214 and joined integrally to the end ', _ ,, wall 215 are a plurality of flexible, resilient, cantilever ~ ' mounted fingers 216. Tile fin~ers 216 extend slightly outwardly , and away from each other while the core 208 is disposëd thereon.
- ~he free ends of the fingers 216 have projections 217. Each of the projections 217 has a pair of sloping faces 218 and 219.
The,face 218, facilitates loading of the label roll onto the - "
15 hub 213, and the face 219 provides a r~np which prevents , , ~'~
acc1dental shil-ting of the roll off from the hub 213, but enables the spent core 208 to be readily removed by the user. When the ~ , supply roll is loaded onto the reel 209 and when the spent core 208 is remo~ed, the fingers 216 deflect inwardly. The post or 20 shaft 181 extends through the hole 211 in the disc 210 and ' ,'~
through a bore 220 in the hub portion 214. A retainer 221 re- ' ceived by;the mar~inal end of the shaft 181 prevents the reel ~''' ' ' 209 from shifting off the post or shaft 181 and prevents the hub ~' , , 213 from separating from the disc 210 so that the pins 212 ,do not loose engagement with the lloles 212'. The hub 213 is also injection ,;
molded. The disc 210 defines one edge of the feed path so that ; ,' the composite web 203 which is paid out of the roll starts in ',;~, ' precise alignment with the platen 174 and the feed wheel 171. ,'' , ~ , . ,, , , ,,.., .. , : :
. .

. ..
~ , .. . . . . . . .
~22-' '' . ' , , '. :~. ' ' - ~V~5~)~6 ~
Dvcket M-274 ~1,~ ' '. : ;.................... ' .'. : . ~",-, aA;

' .;'.. ,~;',~ , , An actuator gcnerally indic:ated at 222 is shown to .'.:
.. , ~ . . , , , .~ , '.' take the form of a pivotally operatecl lever mounted by support .~
., ., structure generall~ indicated at 222s including a pivot pin ;- .
; 223 received in,.an eccentric 224 in the form of a sleeve. The '~
actuator 222 is urged in a counterclockwise direction (FIGURES
' ,8 and 10) by a spring assembly 225. . '- . :.,,' .

.- . .
.;, , . - '- -- ' , ,, . , Briefly stated, ~', .. '.~ the spring assembly 225 includes a compression spring 226. , `~
;10 ' : The actuator 222 carries a gear or gear section 227 j -'haYing an opening 228 provided b~ a,missing tooth. The gear .,'' ' ' ~' section 227 is in meshing.'engagement with the gear section 229 ' . , , of the gear 172. The gear section 229 has one large tooth ~?
~ 230 which meshes with the teeth adjacent the space 228. In 15 that the tooth 230 can only fit into the opening 228, the ''.'-. actùator 222 can only be assembled in the proper relative '.
~ - , . . ~ .
position with respect to the gear 172. The gear 172 also has , "~
. . a gear section or segment 231 in meshing engagement with the A~.
.,. gear section or rack 232 formed integrally with the print head : 20 frame 194. The gear section 231 has an opening 233 provided by .'.
~ a missing tooth and the gear section 232 has one large tooth ',~
.... : ' 234 received in the opening 233 so that the print head 170 can `!~
," -onl~ be assembled in the proper relative position with respect ,~.
' to t~e gear 172. ~ssuming the handle 159 is being held in the .
user's hand, the,user's fingers can operate the actuator 222 to ,. pivot the actuator 222 cloc~ise t~IGUR~S 8 and 10) a~ainst.
.: the'Iorce of'the spring 226 in the spring device 225, thercby '',.
,,, .. : , . . ... . ., , - :~

~ .; ,; 23 , , , ,, ": .. "
~,~ ; . .
," .' ' ' - ' ,' ', . . . .
. . . ~ , : . :~;

~ Docket M-292 1 , ,, i ;" ` 10~5~8~
. ...
~: causing khe gear 172 to rotate counterclockwise to in turn , . ' drive the print head 170 into printing cooperation with a . ' . '' ' label 207 which is disposed in overlying relationship on the ~ ~ platen 174. Release of the actuator 222 enables the spring :~-; ': . 5 226 to return the actuator 222, the gcar 172, and the print , ,,, .':
. .,, head 170 as well as other:.components to be described below, ' . ., . . to their initial positions. Sections 152 and 154 have stops 151' . , ' .' . ~.. - A drive shaft 235 is molded integrally with the .
- 10' gear 172. A support 236 in the form of a tube or tubular bearing `,' . ..is.suitably secured in a hole 237,'in the frame plate 155 as best . .
- ,: shown in FIGURE 18. The feed wheel 171 has a plurality of pairs ' .:
;of transversely spaced-apart teeth 171' which engage the , . supporting material web 205, as is described below in greater '~.
15 'detail. The teeth 171' are shown exaggeratedly in FIGURE 21 . . to be inclined in the forward direction so as to catch the ;. . .~
feed edges in the web 205. The feed wheel 171 is shown to ~ ,. ..
include a rim 238 to which the teeth 171' are integrally joined.
The rim 238 is comprised of annular peripheral web engageable ', 20. sections or beads 238'.and an intervening space or gap provided ,'~
by an annular section 238" having a reduced or lesser diameter ,'`
~than the sections 238'. As shown.in FIGURE 36, the sections 238' . having lands 116a which are shown to comprise.relatively sharp .. ' , ridges so as to provide essentially line contact between the web '.
25 205 and the lands 116a. Gaps in the form of grooves 115a between ~.
,the lands 116a and the section 238" reduce the contact area to a ver,y small percentage, less than fifty percent and as illustrated ,, . ~

" , ,' ~;. : ' '' ' ` ' '' , . .

. . . -~
.. . . .. .

~' Docket M-292 ~ g S ~ ~

;: . . , , , ;, , , ,~ ' ; preferably less than ten percent of the peripheral area which ' would otherwise constitute the surface area of the feed wheel . . : . , . . :
' ' 171~ Some adhesive, gum or the like that adheres to the feed ~. . . .
wheel 171 will collect in the gaps llSa, but because of this,' the external diameter of the feed wheel 171 as defined by the ' ' ' lands 116a will not increase; such an increase in diameter would be detrimental in that it would increase the len~ths of the web which the feed wheel 171 would feed upon ea'ch actuationg of ' actuator 222. By way of example not limitation, the depth of ' ' the gaps 115a is about 0.025 inch and each section 238' has ';
one hundred nineteen lands 116a. Although the lands 116a are ~ ' -charac'eri~ed as being sharp they do not cut into the web 205 ` ~ ~eeding is brought about through engagement of the teeth 171' ' 'with the web. The feed wheel being comprised at least at its ~; 15 periphery of plastics material -(which inherently has a low ' coefficient of friction~. Additionally, the peripheral surface ^' of the feed wheel 171 is preferably coated with either a liquid or a permanent coating of a material that tends to retard khe '~
accumulation of adhesive, gum or the like, or to incorporate a suitable lubricant along with the plastics material from which the feed wheel 171 is molded. An annular wall 239 joins the rim 238 ;and a hub portion 240. The hub portion 240 has a bore portion 241 ; ' which merges into a larger bore portion 242. The bore portion 242 ~ is provided with projections comprised of a great number of grooves and ridges or flutes 244 which extend in the axial direction. A
rolling contact type one-way clutch 243 is r~ceived in the bore portion 242. The initial internal diameter of the bore portion 242 defined by the crests of the projections, that is, rid~s ' ''' 244 is less than the outer diameter of the clutch 243. The '. ' ~ ' . : . . ', ' ; , ' ' . ' :
, -25- ~
. ' , . . .

,' .

`` l~)~SQ86 . ~.` : .
Docket M-292-C

.
clu~ch 243 is assembled into the feed wheel 171 by iorcin~ the cl.utch 243 into the bore portion 242 and the ridges 244 yield slightl~ and frictionally hold the cllltch 243 in the position shown in FIGURE 18. The clutch 243 has a plurality of rollers 245`which contact the outer circular c:ylindrical surface ?46 of the support 236. The one-way c1utch 243 acts as a bearing and enables the feed whe~l 171 to rotate clockwise as viewed in . .:
FIGURES 8 and 17 but prevents counterclockwise movement. By s~ .
way o~ example not li.mitation, a specific embodiment of a clutch which is useful in the pxesent invention is made by Ths Torrington Company, Torrington, Connectïcut 067gO U.S~. and is described in their catalog RC-6, Copyright 1969, and is xeferrsd to as a roller clutch, catalog No. RC-081208~
A fragmentary portion of the clutch 243 is shown in :. - . . ,, . -FIGU~ES 19 and 20. In the p~sition shown in FIGURÆ 19, the~lutch 243 is preventing the feed wheel 171 rom rotating counter-aloc~wise in that the rollers 245 are in wedging contact with respective inclined surfaces 247, whereas in FIGUR~ 20 the feed wh~el 171 is shown to be rotating in the direction of axrow A and the rollers 245 are not binding between the surfaces 247 and the surface 246. The clutch ~43 is spring loaded in that springs-diagrammatically indicated at 243 urge the rollers ..
245 continuously against both the sur~aces 246 ~md 247 so that any backlash of the clutch 243 is negligible and is substantially .
less than in the event a pawl is used~ The.feed wheel 171 al~o includes webs 249 which join the rim 238, the wall 239, and the hub 240. The innel: peri~hcry of the , .

-26- .

5~t~6 ~ Docket M-292 : rim 238 on one side o~ the wall 239 has a plurality of grooves 250 and ridges 251 in an annular arranc3ement. The grooves 250 .. .
and ridges 251 extend in the axial direction. A ratchet wheel generally indicated at 252 has a plurality of ratchet teeth 253. ~ ;
5 The teeth 253 are formed integrally with one side of a wall 254.
- An annular wall or flange 255 sllown to have a plurality of - equally spaced-apart openings 256 has a plurality of grooves 257 and ridges 258. Tlle grooves 250 and ridyes 251 and the grooves ~257 and ridges 258 have the same pitch and are complementary 10 with respect to each other. The-ratchet wheel 252 also has an annular hub 259 with an internal bore 260. The support 236 is adapted to extend into the bore 260 to a position in which ; ~ the end of the hub 259 contacts one end of the clutch 243. In ~ this position, the ridges 258 and grooves 257 of the ratchet "j 1J ~-heel 252 are received respectively in the complementar~
... . .
xespective grooves 250 and ridges 251 of the feed wheel 171.
By moving the ratchet wheel out of its assembled position to the position shown in FIGURE 18, the position of the ratchet wheel 252 relative to the feed wheel 171 can be selectively changed. Such a change will result in a change of registration of the label 207 at the printing zone between the print head 170 - and the platen 174 and in a change in position to which the web 205 and the leading label 207 are advanced relative to the delaminator 175. The mechanism by which this is accomplished is similar in some respects and different in others from that disclosed in U.S. patent No. 3,783,083.
" ~
~ The grooves 250 and ridges 251 cooperable with respective ridges 258 and grooves 257 key the feed wheel 171 and the ratchet wllcel 252 togethex against relative rotation.
-30 Also the feed w]leel 17]. and the ratcllet wheel 252 can rotate only ~ , , .
in one dir~ction du~ to the act~ll of the clutcll 2~3 j Docket M-292 Q45~86~ I

, ., , . ,: , .... , . , . . ' . , :' :
Drive shaft 235 is rotatably mounted in a circular cylindrical bore 261 in the support 236. ~he drive shaft 235 .
receives a split yieldable hub 263 of pawl structure generally indicated at 264. The pawl structure 264 includes a pawl 265 which is cooperable wîth the teeth 253 one-at-a-time as seen ._ . . . . . . .
for example, in FIGURE 10. Like the year 172, the ~eed wheel - 171 and the ratchet wheel 252, the pawl structure 264 is composed of molded plastics material. The split hu~ 263 has an internal bore 266 with a flat 267 which is received against a flat 262 on the shaft 235. A cla~p 268 is received about the hub 263.
~ . . ~ - ., .
The clamp 268 places the split hub 263 under hoop compression so that the pawl structure 26~ is securely and reliably but : i removably mounted on the shaft 235. Because of the cooperable flats 262 and 267 and because the drive shaEt 235 is formed integrally with the gear 172f the pawl structure 264 and th~ gear 172 rotate as a unit. When the operator 222 is pivoted clock-wise, as ~iewed in FIGUR~S 8 and 10, the gear 172, as previously :
described, rotates countercloc]cwise. Counterclockwise rotation - -of the gear 172 causes the pawl structure 264 to also rotate 20 counterclockwise, thereby bringing the pawl 265 into driving -, . , relationship with the next successive tooth 253. Upon release of the actuator 222, the return sprinq 226 causes the gear 172 .
and the pa~l structure 264 to rotate clockwise. Accordingly, the drive end 269 o~ the pawl 265 drives the ratchet wheel 252 and the ~eed wheel 171 in a clockwise direction, thereby causing adYance of the composite web 203.

" . . .; . :
, ' ', , ; '' ,' ' ' :

.. . .
', ' ', ' ' ' ' ~ ' , . .
..
.. . . . .

! ~ .

' ' ' : : ~ , . ..

r:' ' i Docket M-292 104508~ .

.With reference to FIGURES 21 through 23 there is shown a brakc mechanism generally indicated at 270. The brake mechanism 270 includes a brake member 271 and an arm 272 integrally joined by a hub 273. ~he hub 273 is pivotally .. .
mounted on a stud 273' secured to the frame plate 155. The bra]ce member 271 includes a flexible resilient brake shoe 274 for applying a braking force against the composite web 203. A
tension spring 275 (FIGURES 8 and 11~ is connected at one end ~.
to a.turned-up tab 276 of the frame plate 155 and at its other end to a post 277 formed integrally with the brake member 271.
The post 277 extends through an arcuate slot 278 in the frame plate 155 and the spring 275 connects the tab 276 and the post 277 on the front side of the frame plate 155 as viewed in FIGURE
11. The tab 276 and the post ?77.are so situated relative to the a~is.o~ the stud 273' that the sprin~ 275 normally urges the brake member 271 and the arm 272 into one of two overcenter ..
positions. In FIGU~E 23, the spring 275 is exerting a spring force along centerline 279.
The print head 170 is shown to be provided witll a pair o~ spaced-apart abutments 280 and 281. In the retracted position o~ the print head 170 shown in FIGURE 23, the arm 272 is against the abutment 280 and the brake shoe 274 is in contact with the composite web 203 upstream of the platen 174. Upon operation of the actuator 222, the print head 170 is driven from the retracted , . position shown in FIGURE 23 to the extended position shown in ', FIGURE 22, causing abutment 281 to contact and pivot the arm 272 ,_ , , , :

,;i ! . , .; ,:, . - , , , ~ . . . . . .
.. . . . .
' " ' ' '' , ~i " .
. ; ' '' , ', .: ~29 : ' ; : i -, , ., ~ , , Docket M-292 104S~36 ,: . ; : . . . ..
: . , ,, , ` . . . . .i ..
nd-to consequently pivot the brake member 271 to the position illustrated in FIGVRE 22, and thus movin~ the brake shoe 274 : out of braking cooperation with the composite web 203. In : the position as shown in FIGURE 22, the spring 275 exerts a . . _.
;. 5 -force along centerline 282 which is now on the other side of .:

:. the ~xis of the stud 273'. The arm 272 and the brake member ; 271 remain in the position shown in FIGUR~ 22 until such time '. ~ as the print head moves far enough away from the platen 174 ~--,; toward its retracted position to enable the abutment 280 to :

contact the arm 272. When the abutment 280 contacts the arm .- ~ 272, the arm 272 and the brake member 271 are pivoted so that ~, .
the spring orce is again exerted along centerline 279, thereby `. causing the arm 272 and the brake member 271 to remain in the `:
. .
position shown in FIGVRE 23, until the next cycle, when the print head 170 again moves toward the platen 174 and the arm 272 : is contacted by the abutment 281. .~ .
- . Due to the overcenter arrangement, the arm 272 and the brake member 271 remain in the position shown in FIGURE 22 until : almost the ver~ end of the movement of the print head 170 to 20. its retracted position (FIGVRE 23). During the retracting move- ;
ment of the print head 170, the pawl 265 drives the ratchet wheel 252 and the feed wheel 171 to advance the composite web 203.
-, . .
The brake 270 is effective substantially simultaneously with the completion of feeding of the web 203.

`' . , , '':
._ . . . . .. .
.. . ...
.

, ., ~ , ' .
.. : 30 , ...... . . . . .
:; ' ' . . . .
., .

~ Docket M-292 l~S~86 ....
!. .. . ~ . . .
With reference to FIGURE 22 initiall~v, the brake mechanism 270 is also shown to include a brake member 283 which ; has a brake shoe 284 composed of a flexible resilient materlal.
.
During use of the apparatus, the brake member 283 is stationary in the position shown in FIGURE 22. l~owever, during loading of ~ ~~ the composit~ web 203, the brake member 283 can be moved manuall~
to its ineffective position shown in FIGUR~ 21. The brake member 283 is integrally joined by a hub 285 to a slotted arm 286. The hub 285 is pivotally mounted on the post 178. The arm 286 has an elonga~ed slot 287. A slide 288 has an elongated slot 289 which receives the post 178 and a pin 290 secured to the .. . " . - ~ , ~ arm to provide a pin-and-slot connection. The slide 288 has a ., . ; .
fin~er-engageable projection 288' by which the slide 288 can c be moved between the position shown in FIGUR~ 22 and the -~
position shown in FIGUR~ 21. As the slide 288 moves from the , . .
position sllowrl in ~'IGURE 22 to the position shown in FIGURE 21, the pin 290 cooperates with the slot 287 to pivot the arm 286 and the brake member 283 counterclockwise so that the brake member 283 is in its inef~ective position shown in FIGUR~ 21. A shaft 291 extends through a bore 292 in the slide 288. Because of the position of the axis of the shaft 291 as viewed in FIGURE 21, in which the arm 286 is counterclockwise of the position shown "
in FIGUR~ 22, the brake member 283 is in its ineffective position.
When the shaft 291 has moved to the position shown in FIGURES
22 and 23, the arm 286 has moved cloc]swise and hence the brake member 283 is in its effective position. Wi-th reference to FIGUR~ 23, due to the inclination of the bra]ce membcr 271 and the location of the'brake shoe 274 relative to the brake shoe .. . . .
, ., .

: A ` --' --___.. _ .;_ _.. _,___"___ 109~5~8~; ~
284 the brake 270 is self-engergizing. Thus, when a label 207 is being applied, the tug tha-t the label exerts on the web 203 upstream of the delamina-tcr175 causes the brake 270 to exert an even greater braking force on the web 203.
The shaft 291 mounts a roll generally indicated at 293 comprised of a roll member 294 on one side of the slide 288 and a roll member 295 on the other side of the slide 288. The shaft 291 also passes through an elongated arcuate slot 296 of an arm 297 which is pivotally connected to a pin 298 (FIGURES 8,17 and 21) ~-of the gear 172. A washer 299 (FIGURE 8) is disposed on the shaft 291 between the roll member 294 and the ~-arm 297 and a retractable guide 300 is disposed on the shaft 291 between the roll member 295 and a retainer 301 secured to the marginal end of the shaft 291.
Guide section 312 has an integral pin 300' received ; ~ -in an elongated slot 300" in the guide 300. In the position shown in FIGURE 10 in w~hich the guide 300 is shown in its retracted solid line position, the guide 300 is out of guiding relationship with res-pect to the side edge of the composite web 203. In the position shown in phantom lines 300PL in FIGURE
10, the guide 300 is in its effective guiding pos-ition.
The shaft 291 is secured to an arm 302 (F~GURES
21 through 23) pivotally mounted on a stud 303 carried by the frame plate 155. A tension spring 304 is connected at its one end to a tab 305 formed inte-grally with the arm 302 and at its other end to a pin 306 secured to the frame pla-te 155. In the position shown in FIGURE 22, the roll 293 is in cooperation :, , :, , ~ , : , .

., Docket M-292 lO~S086 with the feed whee.l 171 and the arm 302 is in its most clock-: wise position. In this position of the arm 302, the spring 304 exerts a force alony centerline 307 on one side of axis . . ;~
308 o~ the stud 303 tending to urge the arm 302 and the roll 293 which it carries into their most clockwise positions best ''t"' . , shown.in FIGURE 22. In FIGURE 21, the arm 302 and the.roll 293 are in th.eir most.counterclockwise positions and the spring 304 exerts a force along centerline 309 on the ot-her side of the axis 308 to hold the arm 302 and the roll 293 in the position .. . , . ~ "
; . .10 shown.
-., . . :. With reference to FIGVRE 10, it is apparent that the user can shift the slide 288 into the posi-tion shown b~
exerting a force to the left on the pro~ection 288'. Not only . are the roll 293, the guide 300, the arm 302 which it carries, 15 the associated arm 286, and the brake men~er 283 moved to the position shown irl FIGUR~ 10 and hence the roll ~93, the guide ..
.
. 300, and the brake 270 are deactivated, but the spring 304 tFIGURE 21) holds these components in that position for easy .
loading of the apparatus 150. It is noted in FIGURE 10, that the shaft 291 is at one end of the slot 296 in the arm 297.
Assuming the apparatus has been threaded with the label supply, upon the first actuation of the actuator 222, the arm 297 acting : on the shaft 291 will cause the ann 302 to be pivoted counter-clockwise (FIGURE 10) so that the roll 293 is returned to co-; . 25 operation with the supporting material web 203 and the feed . wheel 171, so that the guide 300 is moved into guidiny ..
. .
. . cooperation with the side edge of the web 203, and so that the . brake member 233 is moved to its effective position as shown in ,~ . ..
' ' . ; ' .. . ...
~ 33~
. .

' `- j 1~5~6 ~
I Docket M-292 . .
: . ." .,. ., : ;. ' .
,, . ~ , . ....
,......... . :, . . - .
~IGUR~ 23. Subsequent operation of thc actuator 222 will cause ,.

the'arm 297 t'o move relative to the shaft 291 but because o~
.
the slot'296 tlle arm 297 will have no e~ect on the shaft 291. ',' ~.

.' . Optionally, the slide 288 and the operatively associated . ' '':
, _ . . . .
components can be returned from the position shown in FIGVR~S ' ,, , 10 and 21 to the position.shown in FIGUI~ 23 by pushing the ',' proJectlon 288' to the right as viewed in FIGURE 10. .;,-_ . ~; From the place where the composite web 203 is paid .
out of the roll, it passes over and in contact with a resilient '.~ 10 device 310 in the form of a curved leaf spring. The resllient ' ,device 310 deflects when the ~eed wheel 171 is,advancing the :~

composite web 203 and af,ter the brake 270 is applied the device 310 gradual.ly,returns as additional web 203 is caused to be , " " . i ~
,',; . pa.Ld out of the supply roll. Track structure generally indicated .;"~
. 15 at 311 includes guide track sections 312, 313 and 314. The ' ;~.' track section'312 has a forked end 315 which is received by .

marginal end 316 of an extension 318 of the platen 174. The '~
track section 312 has a short tubular portion 319 which is received by the post 179. Accordingly, the track section 312 ~... .
20 is.securely held in position relative to the frame plate 155 by :',' the marginal end 316 and by the post 179. A~ter passing in , .' contact with the resilient device 310, the composite web 203 .
! ' enters a first zone Zl above the track structure 312 and bélow the print head 170. The print head 170 carries a roll 320 25 comprised of a plurality of for example, three rollers 321' .
,'rotata~ly mounted on a shaft 322 mounted on the print head 170. ., The rollers 321 deflect the composite web 203 into contact . ":; . . . .. ...
'. with thc track section 312 as the,print head 170 moves bctwcen : ' .''' ' '.' ~' '', . .
. . . ,, 3~
'~

.

;' I Docket M-292 ~0~5~86 ..
. . .
its retracted pOSitiOII shown in solid lines in FIGUR~ 10 and the printiny position shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 10.
The roll 320 reduces to a minlmum th frictional force which would otherwise exist if the composite web 203 would be rubbed by the print head 170. In that there are a plurality of rollers 321 there is no tend~ncy to bind on the shaft 322 as if only one long roll (not shown) were provided. From the zone Zl the composite web 203 passes partly around a roll generally indicated at 323 which is comprised of a plurality, for example - 10 three, rollers 177. The rollers 177 can rotate freely on the post 176. In that a plurality of rollers 177 are provided, - there is no tendency of these rollers 177 to bind on the post -176 as if only one lony roll (not shown) were provided. ~fter the composite web 203 passes around thc roll 323, a label 207 lS of the ~-omposite web 203 is disposed bet~en the platen 174 and the print head 170. FIGURE 10 shows one of the labels 207 as being almost entirely delaminated from the supportiny material :
web 205 and ready to be applied by applicator 173. The applicator 173 is shown to comprise a roll rotatably mounted on a post 325 secured to the ~rame plate 155, althouyll other types of applica-tors can be used instead if desired. A removable retainer 326 maintains~the applicator 173 on the post 325. In the loadiny position shown in FIGUR~ 10, the composite web 203 passes partly around an end of the slide 288 and partly around the roll 293 and rom there partly around the feed wheel 171. Thc shaft 178 carries a roller 327 (FIGURE 8) between the hub 285 and ....
the frame plate 155 and a roller 328 disposed between the slide 288 and a retainer 329. Wh~n the slidc 288 is in thc : , ''','; :

, '.';'' , i ~35-` Docket M-292 lO~S~86 ;;

position shown in FIGURE 22, for example, the web 205 is ln sliding contact with the end of the slide 288 and in rolling contact with the rollers 327 and 328.
- .' : The track section 313 cooperates with the track . . ~ :
_ 5 .section 314 to provide a discharge chute at a zone Z2 through . .
which the supporting material web 205 exits. The track section ,.~
313 has a pair of spaced-apart tubular portions 330 and 331 .~;
. recei~ed respectively by posts 179 and 180. The track section . -- 313 has an integrally formed curved retaining bracket 332 which passes partly around a flange 333 of a post 334. Thus, the track section 313 is secured to the frame plate 155.and to the housing section 152. The track section 313 includes a channel-shaped portion 335 to which the connector 332 is joined. : ;
The track section 314 has an o~fset flange 336 which ~its into 15 the channel-sh~ped portion 335 to interloc~ the track section 314 . . -with the track section 313. The track section 314 also has a ~:
cur~ed retaining bracket 337 which extends partly around the flange 333 and has a pair o~ spaced-apart offset flanges 338 .
and 339 which fit against the outside of the channel-shaped porti.on 20 335. A tubular portion 330' secures one end of the track section .
31~ to the frameplate and the flanges 336, 338 and 339 interlock .the track~sections 313 and 314. The tubular portion 319 is.
recei~ed by the post 179 between the tubular portion 330 and 330'.
The track structure 311 also includes a stripper 3~0 which en-gages the smootll annular outer surace 171a of the feed wheel 171. The stripper.340 is provided with a pair of offset flanges 341 and 342 which fit respectively into grooves 343 and 344 in the track s~ction 313. ~he post 179 is lonyex than the com-bined leng~hs of tl~e tu~ular portions 31~, 330 and 330' an~

.
-36- . J
., . . ; .

"
.. . .. . . , ~ ~ , . . . .

~V451~86 thus a projection 345 formed integrally with the strip~
per 340 can fit snugly into the end of the tubular portion 331.
As best shown in FIGURE 26, the resilient device 310 has a marginal end 346 having a pair of holes 347.
A connector 348 includes a plate section 349, a pair of upstanding aligned members 350 which lie in one plane, and a member 351 which lies in a plane parallel to the plane of members ~50. Each member 350 includes a tapered stud 352. The device 310 can be assembled onto the connector 348 by passing the marginal por-tion 346 between the members 350 and 351 until the studs 352 are received in the holes 347; -the marginal end 346 flexes slightly to allow this to happen. The member 351 retains the spring device 310 in the assembled position relative to the connector. The connector 348 `
is received in an undercut recess 353 in the track section 312 as shown in FIGURE 10. The housing is shown to have an opening 354 (FIGURE 10) having relatively sharp external edges 355 and 356 which can serve as cutting edges for removing the excess web 205. The knife 355 can cut the web 205 by drawing the web 205 upwardly and the knife 356 can cut the web by pulling the web downwardly.
The housing section 153 mounts a lock generally indicated at 357 best shown in FIGURES 24 and 25. The lock 357 includes a slide member 358 received in an elongated pocket 359 in the housing section 153. The slide 358 includes a manually engageab]e projection 360 for moving the slide 357 agains-t the force of a ~;
compression spring 361. The spring 361 bears against a flange 362 and the end of the slot 363. The slide , Docket M~292 ~a4so86 ,,; . . - , . , ., ¢
: . i , ;. ; , . :~
;'l 358,includ~s a pair o~ spaced apar,t, generally parallel ~lexible , ', resilient arms 364 having respective pro~ections 365 and ' tapered faces 366. In assembling the slide 358 onto the :''' ''housing section 153! the slide is manually pressed,into the:slot , . . . . . .
: 5' 363; th~s ~auses tlle arms 364 to yield resiliently and to rcturn once their projections 365 are a~ainst the inside of the housing section 153 as shown in FIGURE 25. A block 367 disposed , between and spaced from the arms 364 has a blind hole 368 for receiving the other,end portion of the spring 361. In its assembled condition, the spriny 361 urges on the block 367 ' ' ' i toward end 369 of the slot 363. When the housing sectlon 153 is in the position to be locked, a curved tip or retaining edgc 370 of the block 367 is recei~ed in an annular recess 371 in ' , . -~
the post 179, thereby locking the section 153 in place. To un~
lock the lock 357 and remove ~he housing section 153, the pro- :'!, "' jection 360 is pushed generally to the left as viewed in ~IGUR~ ~ .
24, thereby moviny the tip 370 out of the recess 371 and compressing the spring 361, and thereupon the section 153 can be unsnapped ,'-`,;;
,from the remainder of the housiny. When it is desired to replace the housing section 153, the housing section 153 is positioned so that t,he flanges 164 (FIGURE 8) are behind the flange 165 and .~.. I .
then the housing section 153 is simply snapped into its ~inal locked position~ ~n so doing, the members 166 snap into recesses ~;' 167 and the lo~k 35~ lock ~utomatically. This automatic locking of the lock 351 i s feasible because of the'cam face 372 on the block 367 which coope~atcs ~with a chamfered or cam face 373 l~ , :' ' , ~ , . , ' ' , ' ' .j ': ' , ' . . ! , ,' : ¢¢-3~

, .
...... ~.. ,._.__. _ .. ;

~ 0~5~86 Docket M-292 , ,,' !~ ' ' ' , ~, '~. !
~, ''on the post 179. As the housing section 153 is pushed into ,'' '~
place the cam ~ace 372 cooperates with the c~m face 373 to cause the slide 358 to ~e moved,gener~lly to tlle left (l~IGUR~
24~ away from end 369 o~ the slot 363. When th~, housing , r ~' ' ~_,; 5 secti,on 153 is snapped into place, the tip 370 moves into alignment with the recess 371, and this allows the entire ' sllde 358 to move generally to the right (FIGURE 24) to cause the tip 370 to be received in the recess 371, thereby locking , the housing section 153 in place.
- ~ . ., ;,. , :
, :,, - It is conducive to smooth operation of the gear, ,, ;, '' section 227 and the gear section 229 of the gear 172 to have ,~
precise meshing engagement in spite of manufacturing variations. ~`,' , This is especially true in that the gear 172 is mounted by a , support 236 secured to the frame plate 155 and the actuator , ,~
222 is mounted in the llandle 159 o~ the frame 151 at a ;, considerable distance from the axis of the support 236. The ~
eccentric 224 has an outer circular cylindrical surface and an , ' ,, eccentric internal bore 376. The pin 223 is received in the bore 376. The housing section 154 has a boss 379. A hole ~}~' 20 generally indicated at 380 extends tllxough the housing section ' 154 and lts hoss 379. The hole is stepped so as to provide a , shoulder 381. A sel~'-tappiny screw 382 passes through the hole ;' 380 and is threadably received in an elongated hole 223' in the pin 223. As the screw 382 is tightened, the end of the pin ' ,~ ; '' ~, 223 is drawn agains~ the shoulder 381 by the head of the screw 382. The housing section 160 has a boss 383 with a great 1 .

'~ ,, 1 ' ~

;, - Doeket M-292 1~5086 i ~

., .. , .. . . .. ,. .. . .. _ ,. . .
... .
number of ridges 384 and ~rooves 385 as besk shown in FIGURE 13.
The eecentrie 224 has external ridges 386 and grooves 387 arranyed~concentrically with respect to the eceentrie hole 223'.
A hol~ generally indieated at 388 extends throu~h the housing S seetion 160 and its boss 383. The ho:Le 388 is of redueed diameter . at a shoulder 389. A sel~-tapping screw 390 bears against the shoulder 389 and is threaded into the hole 223' in the sleeve 223. It is apparent that by loosening the serew 382 and removing the housing section 154 and by shifting the eecentric 224 on the sleeve 223 so that the ridges 386 and grooves 387 loose .. ;~
.. .. . . .
contact with the respective grooves 385 and ridges 384, the eccentric 224 ean be manually rotated relative to the housing - seetion 160 on the sleeve 223 until the eecentric 224 is at the ~
selected position and then the eccentric 224 can be shifted back ~ :
into the hole 388 so that its ridges 386 and grooves 387 are .
:j ;.
again in locking engagement with respective grooves 385 and . ~;
ridges 384. In this manner the meshing engagement of the gear seetions 227 and 229 can be initially precisely adjusted and maintained in adjustment during use. As an aid to rotating the `' eccentric 224 while making the adjustment, the eccentric 224 . .
is provided with a knurled section 391 whic}l can be easily :
gripped by the assembler's fingers.
, i . .
ith reference to FIGURE 27 there is shown the delaminator 175. The delaminator eomprises an injection molded one-piece support 392 h~aving a pair of for]ced end sections 393, a plate-li]ce retainer portion 394, and a cliannel-shaped end portion 395. The ~orked portions 393 are received in respective eutouts 396 of the platen 17~ and the channel-sllaped portion 395 is ;,:
,, " !
'I

i~, ~ .
. . , ' ' ' . . '' ,: ,.

..

Docket M-292 - . 10~ 6 ^. .
. ., . . , . , . , ,, ,` . .
, j . . .
received undcr a marginal end 397 of the platen 17~. The portion 394 is flexible and resilient so as to enable a pro- ~ ;
jection 398 to snap int~ a hole 398' in the platen 174 as shown in FIGURE 27. The hole 398' is disposed so that between the i ~- 5 places where the printlng bands 201 contact the platen 174 50 , that the hole 398' will not interfere with the printing function.
A plurality of small diameter rollers 400, for examplc, seven in number, are rotatably mounted on a rod 399. It is preferred that the diameter of the rollers 400 be as small as possible so that the supporting material web 205 is caused to undergo a very sharp change in direction. By way of example, not limitation, the outer diameter of the rollers 400 is about 0.08 inch, the inslde diameter is about 0.05 inch, and the length is about O.lS0 inch. The outside diameter of the shaft 399 is about 15 - 0.04 inch. There are a plurality of relatively small rollers -~
400 in that the rollers 400 rotate considerably more freely than would a roll having a combined length of all the rollers 400.
With reference to FIGUR~ 11, in]c roll 401 is shown ,;
to be rotatably mounted on a post 401' secured to an arm 402. - -20 The arm 402 is pivotally mounted on a post 403 secured to the '~
frame plate 155. A tension spring 404 is connected at one end to an upstanding tab 405 on the arm 402 and its other end to a post 406 mounted on the frame plate 155. The arm 402 and the ink roll 401 are shown in one extreme position b~ solid lines in which the print head is in its retracted position and by :, . , - , :.

,. .
. .
' " ~,;;

, -41- i - ~oc~et M-2Y2 - ~O~SV86 pha~tom lines in wllicl~ tlle print hea~ 170 i5 in its extcndcd or printing position. The slla~t 401 extends throuyh an arcuate slot 407 in the frame plate 155. With re~erence to FIGU~E 28 thc ink roll 401 is shown to comprise a hub generaily indicated at 408. T}lc hub ~08 i5 shown to include .
a pair of hub portions 409 and 410 having respective bores 411 .
and 412 aligned with respect to each other. The shaft 401 is shown to be received in the bores 411 and ~12 The hub portion 409 has a reduced-diameter continuous annular projection 413 __ 10 received in a continuous annular socket 414. The projection 413 has a continuous annular external groove 415 and the hub portion 410 has a continuous annular interr~l bead or pro-~ection 416. The groove 415 is shallow and the mating bead 416 is relatively small so that the projection 413 can be snap-.. .. .. ... .. . .. _ _ _ . . . .. ...... _ . . . . . . .
15 fitted into the socket 414 as the flexible resilient materi~l ~
. ~
o which the hub portions 409 and 410 is composed yields. It ~-is a feature of the invention that the bead 416 in the socket 414 provides an ink-tight seal so that ink conlain~ in a porous roll 417 received about the hub 408 cannot see~ into the bores 411 and 412 to cake or gum up which would interfere with the free rotation of the ink roll 40I on the shaft 401 .
The hub portions 409 and 410 have respective annular outwardly extending flanges 418. The flanges 418 bear against bearing surfaces 419 at each side of the print head 170. The groove 41S and the mating bead 416 obviate the need for a separate seal member (not shown?. A washer 420 is received by the shaft 401 between the hub section 410 and the frame platc 155. I-lub section 409 has an integrally ~ormed flexible resilient finger or projection 421 shown to be received in a continuous annular .; ~ .
groove 422 ncar the ~ree end of the shaft 401 . As the ink roll 401 is inserted onto the shaft 401 the finger 421 yields .
.
-~2 ; ; ! ~ ;

Docket M-2~2 -` 1045~S6 and then is received in the groove 422 to removably hold ;~
the roll 401 on the shaft 401'. The hub portion 409 also has an extension 423 and an obstruction 424 in the form of a rid~je which extends into alignment with the boreS 411 and 412. The obstruction 424 prevents the ink roll 401 from being inserted onto the shaft 401' in the wron~ direction in which event the resilient finger 421 would not be able to cooperate with the groove 422 and the ink roll401 might shift off the shaft 401'.
--- 10 ~eferring to FIGURE 9 there is shown the composite web 203 which constitutes an improvement over U.S. patent No. 3,783,083. Groups 425 of bar cuts or slits are provided at ~longitudinally spaced-apart intervals along the length of the -~ composite web 203. ~lthough there are sllown to be two spaced-part groups 425 of cuts disposed between the butt-cuts 206 which define the end edges of each label 207, one or more than two groups 425 can he provided in each label 207, and altllouyh the groups 425 are shown to be generally centrall~ located - between the`end edges of the respective labels 207, the group 425 can be at other locations. Each group 425 of cuts is shown to be in a generally T-shaped configuration and to comprise a transversely aligned pair of bar cuts or slits 426L in and preferably through the label material 204 and a transversely aligned pair of bax cuts or slits 426S in the supporting material 205. The respective pairs of cuts 426L and 426S are separated by respective lands 427L and 4275. Longitudinally extending bar cuts or slits 428L and 428S are shown to extend in and preferably ',;

,, , , , : `:
, , ~ 1 ' ~ 1 , , 1, , -~3~
. . '' 1 ' .

:-- , , . ! .

,~ .. , . , . , .. . , , . , , . , : ,i :.

1~)45~

through the label material 204 and through supporting material 205 respectively to the respective lands 427L
and 427S. There are also two longtitudinally extending bar cuts or slits 429 which extend in and preferably through the label material 204 across each of the butt-cuts 206 into the~marginal ends of the labels 207. The cuts 429 however extend only through the label material 204. The two cuts 426S and the cut 428S of a group are aligned with respective two cuts 426L and the cut 428L~of the group. When the teeth 171' of the feed wheel 171 engage the supporting mat-erial 205 at the cuts 428S, the portion of the web between the adjacent ends of both cuts 426S and the cut 428S tears or ruptures to form a hole in the supporting material web 205. A tooth 171' is pre-ferably almost as wide as the combined length of ad-jacent cuts 426S and the intervening land 427S so that a substantial portion of the length of each cut 426S
provides a drive face.
In order to load the apparatus 150, the housing section 153 is,first removed by moving the projection 360 generally to the right (FIGURE 8). Nest the pro-jec-tion 288' is moved generally to the left as viewed in FIGURE 10 to cause`brake member 283, roll 293 and guide 300 to move to their ineffective positions. If there is a spent core 208 on the reel 209, then the core 208 is removed manually and a new supply roll is pushed onto the hub 213. The leading end of the com-posite web 203 is passed over the resilient device 310 and pushed into the zone Zl as best shown in FIGURE
10. From there the web 203 is passed around roll 323 and around the delaminator 175, and from there the web 203 is passed around the end of the slide 288 and under the roll 293. From there the web 203 is passed partly around , :

1 Docket. M-292 ' , , ._ )45~8~ f , the f~ed whecl 171 and throu4h the zone Z2. The entire threadiny of the composite web 203 just described can be accomplished without removing any of the labels 207 from the supporting material web 205. Now the print head 170 can be set to print the selected indicia on the label 207 which is registered with , , ' the platen 174. Upon the first actuation of the actuator 222, ';
' the gear 172 causes the' arm 2~7 to pu:Ll slide 288 to the xight ' '~ ,~
as viewed in FIGURE 10, thereby causing the roll 293 to move into cooperation with the web 203 and the feed wheel 171, - io to cause the brake member 283 to move into its effective position ~as shown in FIGURE 23, and to cause the guide 300 to move to its : `
effective position shown by phantom lines 300PL. In'that the ,first actuation of the actuator 222 from its initial position : `
' ' drives the gear 172 to in turn drive the print head 170 into .,' printing cooperation with the platen 174, the label 207 at ,the printing position or zone will be printed. When the ' ~' print head 170 is in printin~ cooperation witll the platen 174, '!'~;' ~' ' .
. ., , ' ~ .
the drive end 269 of the pawl 265 has moved into position adjacent ';,' the next successive tooth 253 of the ratchet wheel 252. Upon , release of the actuator 222,' the spring 226 of the assembly ,!' 225 will cause the actuator 222 to pivot countercloc]cwise , '~
i (FIGURE lO) thereby causing'the gear 172 and the pawl 265 to .
, move clock,wlse. This mo~ement of the pawl 265 causes the feed ,' wheel 171 to rotate clockwise. In that the feed wheel 171 and 25 the roll 293 are in cooperation the teeth 171'will break through '',' the portion of the supporting material 205,between the ends of i' " the bar-cut 428S and the adjacent ends of the bar-cuts 426S. (~
.. ..
The'teeth 171'engage the drive ~aces formed by the bar-cuts 426S to advance the web 203 whell the feed wheel 171 is rotated. -'~,, . .
.. .

- .
,. , I,. , Docket M-292 1045~86 : The cycle ol~er~tion is complete when the actuator 222 has .
r~turned to its i~itial position. Duriny continued operatlon o~ the app~ratus 150, labels Z07 are successively delaminated f~om the su~pprti~ material web 205. It is apparent that upon each actuation and release o~ the actuator 222, the print head 170 i5 first ~oved into pri~ting cooperation with a label 207 and tllexe~fte~ that label is aduanced to a position shown in FIGURE 10 in which the leading label 207 is shown almost entirely delaminated from the supporting material web 205. The leading label 207 is thus lightly adhered to the web 205 at its trailing . .
~ end until it is applied to an article.
, j . , , Referring to FIGUR~S 8 and 33, a rewinder 440 i5 shown to include a unitary body 441 having a generally annular portion , 442 de~ining a compartment 443. The body 441 has an inlet 15 portion or inlet 444 with an inlet slit or narrow slot 445.
The annular portion 442 is open at its one side as shown and has a side wall 446 closing off its other side. The inlet 444 has a connector 447 including a pair of notches 448 and 449 adjacent flanges 450 and 451. The rewinder 440 is removably 20 connected to the apparatus 150 by sliding the connector 447 1l through the open end of the opening 354. As the supporting 1-materialAweb 205 passes through zone Z2 it enters the inlet slot 445 and winds into a roll as shown in FIGURE 33. The inside of the annular portion 442 is provided with a scalloped configura-25 tion defined by ridges 335 and intervening grooves 336. - As the web 205 cont~cts only the ridges 335 there is ver~ little ', ! , , , ' ' ' ~

' " ' " ' . ' ,- ' ' ;' .. . , .
.. , ', ,, .
'' ' ' ' ''' . , ~46- 1;

.
. .

,, ~- vvr~ ~ c M~
8~;
... . .
friction between thc portion of the wcb 205 and thc ridges 335. In addition, the inside of thc compartmcnt 443 can bc coatcd witll a suitable lubricant such as silicone. Viewing both FIGURES 10 and 33, it is noted that the web 205 is wound 5 up in the rewinder 440 in the same direction of curl of the . .
web 205 caused by the web 205 being wound on the roll R. This facilitates rewinding. The end o~ the inlet slot 445 terminates at a cutting edge or knife 457 by which the portion of the web ; -- 2û5 in the compartment 443 can be severed from the remainder of 10 the web 205 simply by reaching into the open side of the compartment 443 and pulling the web 205 against the knife 457. ~
In the embodiment of FIGUI~I:S 34 and 35, a rewinder ~ ~ -460 is shown to include a unitary body 461 having a generally annular portion 462 defining a compartment 463. The body 461 .... . .
15 has an inlet portion or inlet 464 with an inlet slit or narrow slot 445. The annular portion 462 has a siae wall 466 closina off one side. 'rhe inlet 464 has a connector 467 identical to the connector 447. The inside of the annular portion 462 is provided with a scalloped configuration like that of the ¦
20 rewinder embodiment of FIGURES 8 and 33. The inlet 464 terminates at a cutting edge or knife 477. A shaft 478 is formed -integrally with the wall 466 and rotatably mounts a spool or , reel 479. The reel 479 includes a hub 480 integrally joined to a disc 481. A compression spring 482 received about the shaft i~
25 478 bears against the side wall 466 and a shoulder 483 inside the hub 480~ A shat 484, snap-itted into spaced-apart holders `
485j is joined to an annular portion 486. The annular portion 486 seats ~ ~lcxiblc resilient O-ring or othcr suitable ;;~
' '' ' .' ' ' ' ' " ' ` ' . ' ' ' '." ' ' -47- `
.' ' I ' ,. " ,, ' , . '''' ' ,. . , ,. ~

~ocket M-292 ~45~86 , , ~ - r~ L
' . ~rictional drive mcmber 487. The drive mel~er 4~7 is in frictional contact with the disc 481 and the disc 210.. The~, dri,ve member 487 contacts.a radiused annular portion:488 of.
the.~disc~481 and the surface of disc 210. The holders ,,. . .~ ~
485,have respective annular portions 489 which extendjthrough slightly more than 180 so that'the shaft 484 can be snapped ~' ,' into the annular portions 489 or removed therefrom if desired. ~ .1, A compression spring 490 received about the shaft 484 exerts ' a force on one of the holders'485 and the annular portion 486. ~ :
10 The,force exerted by the sprlng 490,is.greater than the force ;.;~ F~:
exerted by the spring 482.so the drive member 487 is always~
urged into contact-with the disc 210,and the drive member 487 is always urged into contact with the disc 481. . L ~-, A finger 491 is.formed integrally with the disc 481 ~ .
.15 and`extends generally parallel to the hub 480. Marginal end ~~, 205'. of the supporting material web 205 is received between the ¦
hub 480 and the finger 491. The annular portion 486 and the drive member 487 constitutes an idler or idler wheel generally i . ., indicated at 492. It is apparent that the reel 209 is drivingly f coupl~ed to the reel 479. As the apparatus 150 is operated the disc 210 turns, thereby driving the idler wheel 492 which in l~ , turn drives the reel 479.-, The purpose of the idler wheel 492 1 .
is to cause the reel 479 to rotate in the direction of the ~ ~' natural curl of the web 205 on the roll R. In the illustrated embodiment the reel 479 turns in -the same direction as thc reel 209, ' ' ' '1 r "

-48~
~ 11 , 1i~

~ocket M-292 1~45~86 With reference ini-tially to FIGURE 37, theré is shown the feed wheel 171 which is secured against relative rotation to the rolling-contact type one-way clutch 243. The feed wheel ', 171 has a hub portion 500 which differs slightly from the hub ~' portion 240 shown in FIGURE 18 for example. The hub portion 500 ,, has an annular flange 501 against which one end of the clutch ,' 243 abuts. The feed wheel 171 also differs from the feed wheel ,~
shown in FIGURE 18 for example, in that it is provided with a -plurality of equally spaced-apart toothed segments 502 arranged in an annular row and disposed in a,common plane. The toothed segments ", 502 have a plurality of teeth formed by ridges 503 and intervening grooves 504. A drive wheel is shown to comprise a ratchet wheel ''~
505 having a plurality of teeth 506 disposed at equally spaced-apart intervals. The ratchet wheel 505 has a hub portion 505' both ,~
axially slidably and rotatably mounted on outer circular cylindrical ' surface 246 of the support 235. Hence the feed wheel 171 and the ', ratchet wheel 505 are coaxially mounted for relative axial shifting ~ -and rotational movement. The ratchet wheel 505 has a plurality of equally spaced-apart toothed segments 507 arranged in an annular row and disposed in a common plane. The toothed segments 507 have ,'~
ridges 508 and intervening grooves 509. The annular extent or width of the segments 507 is slightly less than the annular extent ~' or width of the segments 502. The number of segments 507 is equal ' ~ to the number of segments 502, and the pitch of the ridges 503 and '~, grooves 504 is equal to the pitch of the ridges 508 and grooves 509. , Accordingly, the ratchet wheel 505 and the feed wheel 171 can be ' readily assembled as will be described below in greater detail.
A helical,compression,clutch spring 510 is shown to be disposed about hub portion 505' of the ratchet wheel 505 and to ;

, . . , ., ~

~-` 11)45q~8~
-~ocket M-292 ' be received in a recess 511. One end of the clutch spring 510 abuts against an annular flange 512 of the ratchet wheel 505 and the other end of the clutch spring 51~ abuts against one ,;~
end of the clutch 243. The spring 510 normally urges the clutch member 507 into clutching engagement with the clutch member 502 as shown in FIGURE 42. However, to effect change of position of the ratchet wheel 505 relative to the feed wheel 171, the user uses his fingers to push on the knurled bead 513 on the outer surfaces of the ratchet wheel 505 and pushes the ratchet wheel from the position shown in FIGURE 42 to the position shown in FIGURE 41, thereby compressing th,e clutch spring 510. In this axially shifted position of the ratchet wheel 505 relative to the feed wheel 171, the user can rotate the ratchet wheel 505 relative : ,-to the feed wheel 171 to a new position of adjustment, and when in this position the user simply stops pushing on the bead 513 and the spring 510 will thereupon urge the ratchet wheel 505 axially until , the toothed members 507 clutch with the toothed member 502 in the new selected position. A change of position of the feed wheel , ~ , and the ratchet wheel relative to each other will change the position to which the composite web 203 is advanced relative to the platen 174 and relative to the delaminator 175.

In order to prevent the ratchet wheel 505 and the feed ':
wheel 171 from being moved to relative posi-tions in which respec-tive toothed members 502 and 507 are out of alignmen-t and are dis-assembled from each other hy the force exerted by the clutch spring 510, the embodiment of FIGURES 37 through 43 is provided with stop device 514 having a pair of stops 515 and 515'. The stops 515 and 515' extend Ln an axial direction and are secured to a hollow body ;~

516 received by the feed wheel 171. The stops 515 and 515' extend through slots or holes 171h in webs 171w which join the hub portion 518 and rim 238, thereby preventing rotation o the stop device 514 relative to the feed wheel 171. An annular ring 517 secured ~)ocket M-292 ~45~86 to the body 516 is received about a hub por~ion 51~ of tlle ~ee(l wheel 171. 'l'he ring 517 has a plural:Lty oE flexible reciilicl~L
fingers 519 each of which has a respective projection 520. The spring fingers 519 prevent movement o:E the stop member 514 toward the plate 155 to a position in which stops 515 and 515' would be :~
out of the path of the toothed members 507 in the position shown in FIGURE 41. As best shown in FIGURE 40, in which the clutch members 507 are in one extreme position relative to the clutch members 502, the stop 515' prevents further clockwise movement of the clutch members 507 relative to the clutch members 504. When :
a side surface of the clutch member 507 which is disposed between the stops 515 and 515' contacts the stop 515 it will prevent further counterclockwise movement of the ratchet wheel 505 relative to the feed wheel 171, thereby preventing axial mis~
alignment of clutch members 507 and 502. .
The clutch members 502 extend radially inwardly from rim 238 of the feed wheel 171 and the respective ridges 503 and :
grooves 504 are inclined in one direction relative to the axis of the feed wheel 171 as best shown in FIGURES 41 and 42. The clutch members 507 are shown to be secured to a web 521 joined to the annular wall 512, and the clutch members 507 extend in a radial ,.
outward direction. The ridges 508 and grooves 509 are inclined relative to the axis of the feed wheel 171 but in the same j :
direction as the ridges 503 and the grooves 504. When the ratchet ;.
wheel 505 is in the position with respect to the feed wheel 171 shown in FIGURE 42, the clutch members 502 and 507 are clutched ~ :
together by the action of the clutch spring 510.

~.~

.

' ! " , '. ,', ' . :: , , ' " ' ~ ; ' ' ' ~)45~
Docket M-292 ':
Pawl structure 522 is shown to include a hub 523. ~he hub 523 has a non-circular hole 524 with a flat 525. The hub 523 is received by the shaft 235 which has a flat 262 which faces the flat 525. A grip ring 526 is received by the drive shaft 235 and retains the pawl structure 522 in position. It is noted that end portion 527 of the ratchet wheel 505 abuts annular face 528 (FIGURE 41) of the pawl structure 522 when the clutch members 502 and 507 are in meshing engagement as shown in FIGURE 42. The pawl structure 522 includes a pair of arms 529 and 530 secured to the hub 523. The arms 529 and 530 carry respective drive pawls 531 and 532. The drive ends 533 and 534 simultaneously engage '~
respective teeth 506 as best shown in FIGURE 38. In driving the -~
feed wheel 171, the pawl structure 522 is initially in the position shown in FIGURE 38. Thereafter, as the drive shaft 235 is rotated, the pawl structure 522 moves through a transitory position shown in FIGURÆ 39 until drive ends 533 and 534 move into engagement ;
with the next successive pair of teeth 506. Upon rotation of the drive shaft 235 in the opposite direction, the drive pawls 531 and 532 cause the feed wheel 171 to pull the supporting material web ;~
205, thereby advancing the composite web 203 through a distance equal to one label length. The change of position to which the composite web is advanced can be changed as described above.
When the feed wheel 171 has advanced the composite web 203 followin~
the printing operation, only the trailing marginal edge of the leading label 207 is adhered to the web 205. The quick-change clutching and declutching mechanism enables the user to vary the width of the trailing marginal edge of the label which is adhered to the web 205 and also changes the registration of the leading ~(~45~86 ~
ocket M-292 label 207 relative to the platen 174 and the print head 170. It ' ;
is noted that in the illustrated embodiment there are seven c~ually spaced-apart -teeth on the ratchet wheel 505. Accordingly, the drive ends 533 and 534 of pawls 531 and 532 are not diametrically opposite each other as they could be if an even number of ratchet wheel teeth were provided. Nevertheless, the torque distribution from the pawl structure 522 to the ratchet wheel 525 is improved by the double pawl arrangement over what it would be in a single pawl arrangement.
In FIGURE 38, the stop member 514 has been omitted for the sake of clarity to show the toothed members 502 and 507 in misalignment, that is, out of alignment with each other. In assembling, the feed wheel 171, the clutch 243, the ratchet wheel 505 and the pawl structure 522, the clutch 243 is first press-fitted into the hub 500. Thereafter, the ratchet wheel 5~5 is positioned axially relative to the feed wheel 171 with the clutch members 507 in misalignment with the clutch members 502. With the clutch spring 510 in the position shown, the clutch members 507 ~ -are moved past the clutch members 502 to the position shown in FIGURE 41, and rotated into the position shown in FIGURE 39.
Thereafter, the stop member 514 is positioned so that the body portion 516 is received by the feed wheel 171 and stop members 515 and 515' extend to a position on opposite sides of one of the toothed members 507O This subassembly is then assembled onto the post or support 236. Then the gear 172 (E'IGURE 8) and its in- ~}-tegrally formed shaft 235 are positioned such that the shaft 235 is rotatably received in the bore 261 of the support 236. The pawl structure 522 is then positioned such that its hub 523 is received by the free marginal end of the shaft 235, as shown in : '' - '' ~ '~

1~)45~1~6 ocket M~292 FIGURE 41, and thereafter the grip ring 526 is moved in-to gripping engagement with the shaft 235. When thus assembled, ~:
the ratchet wheel 505 and the feed wheel 171 can be moved relative to selected positions by the procedure described above.
With reference to FIGURE 43l there is shown a portion of one of the pawls 531 with its drive end 533 engayed with a tooth 506 of the ratchet wheel 505. The tooth 506 is inclined so that as the pawl 531 drives the ratchet wheel 535, the drive end 533 is cammed generally inwardly toward the axis of the ratchet ;~
wheel 505. This prevents the pawl 531 from accidentally slipping off the tooth 506 after repeated use and wear on the drive end '~
533. A11 of the teeth 506 have an inclination like that shown in ~
FIGURE 43 and the drive end 534 of the pawl 532 is likewise in- ~:
clined so that the drive end 534 of the pawl 532 will also be cammed toward the axis of the ratchet wheel 505.

.
, 45~36 Docket M-292 By way of example, not limitation, the apparatu~ Or the disclosed embodiments is constructed mainly of molded ;~
plastics material. In the embodiments of FIGURES 8 and 10 through 43, all the components are cornposed of molded plastics `~
material, except the frame plate 155 and the platen 174 which are preferably composed of a rigid metal such as steel, the metal posts 325, 176, 178, 179, 180, 181, 291, 273 and 401, the metal support 236, the steel rod or shaft 399, the steel springs ;,~
187, 304, 361, 404, 226, 482, 496 and 510, the spring steel resilient device 310, the steel arms 297 and 402, the spring steel clamp 268, the spring steel retainers 301, 326, 329, steel . _ . _ . _ _ . .. _, _ , , , . . . . , .. ~ .
grip rings 186 and 526, clutch 243, the flexible resilient applicator 173 and the frictional member 487 composed of rubber, the ball bearing strips 197 and 198, the porous ink roll 417 composed of a suitable, porous, rub~er, vlnyl or rubber-modified ;
plastics material, and fasteners 199, 200, 161, 382 and 390. A
small number of components of the print head 174 are also con-structed of metal.
The hand-held apparatus 150 of the embodiment of FIGURES 8 and 10 through 36 is rugged in construction but is also light weight so that it can be used for extended periods of time, namely the apparatus weighs about 1.6 pounds without a label supply roll and without the rewinder 440 or 460. The rewinder 440 ~;
weighs about 0.08 pounds. In any event the apparatus of the various , .

~ 104Sl)86 embodiments of the invention is of the type that we~ghs less than about three pounds and -this distinguishes it from bulky or stationary apparatus which are not prac~
tical to be hand held and operated. It is, however, readily apparent that many of the features of the invention can also be used in stationary type apparatus.
Moreover, it is apparent that certain of the features of the invention are also applicable -to apparatus that imprints and dispenses labels, tags or the like but that does not apply them and that other features of the invention are also applicable to apparatus that applies labels but which does not print them.
Other embodiments and modificationsof thi-s inven-tion will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of -thse as come~within -the spirit of this invention are included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.

Claims (21)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Label applying apparatus, comprising: means for delaminating pressure-sensitive labels from a web of supporting material, a feed wheel having teeth at its periphery engageable with the web for drawing the web about the delaminating means, means for driving the feed wheel comprising a drive wheel coaxial with the feed wheel and shiftable axially relative to the feed wheel, a plurality of first spaced-apart toothed segments secured against rotation relative to the feed wheel, a plurality of second spaced-apart toothed segments secured against rotation relative to the drive wheel, the first and second toothed segments being capable of being clutched in one axial position of the drive wheel relative to the feed wheel and being capable of being unclutched in another axial position of the drive wheel relative to the feed wheel, and means for mounting the drive and feed wheels for both axial shifting movement and rotational movement relative to each other, the size and spacing of the first and second toothed segments being such as to allow assembly of the drive and feed wheels when their first and second toothed segments are misaligned, but the first and second toothed segments can be clutched when rotated into alignment on the mounting means.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the drive wheel is a ratchet wheel.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including spring means for urging first and second toothed segments into clutched relationship.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein there is clearance between the first and second toothed segments so that when the toothed segments on the respective drive and feed wheels are out of alignment the drive and feed wheels can be assembled by axial movement past each other and thereupon the drive and feed wheels can be rotated relative to each other and brought into alignment in a selected rotational position.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means for limiting the rotational movement between the ratchet and feed wheels to prevent misalignment between the first and second segments during use of the apparatus.

6. Label applying apparatus, comprising: a frame, means mounted on the frame for delaminating pressure-sensitive labels from a web of supporting material, a feed wheel, the feed wheel having teeth at its periphery engageable with the web for drawing the web about the delaminating means, means including a ratchet wheel and a cooperable drive pawl for driving the feed wheel, a clutch member secured against rotation relative to the ratchet wheel and another clutch member cooperable therewith and secured against rotation relative to the feed wheel, means for urging the clutch members into clutching engagement with respect to each other, and means including a post secured to the frame for mounting the feed wheel for rotational movement and for mounting the ratchet wheel for shiftable axial and rotational movement relative to the feed wheel to enable the urging means to move the clutch members into clutched engagement in one axial position and to enable the clutch members to be shifted relatively apart axially against the force of the urging means to an unclutched position and rotated while the clutch members are mounted on the post to effect change in position of the ratchet wheel relative to the feed wheel to vary the position to which the web is advanced by the feed wheel relative to the delaminating means.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, including a rolling-contact type one-way clutch secured to the feed wheel and mounted on the post for enabling the feed wheel to rotate in one direction but preventing rotation of the feed wheel in the opposite direction; the urging means comprising a spring exerting opposite forces on the one-way clutch and on the ratchet wheel.

8. Label applying apparatus, comprising: means for delaminating pressure-sensitive labels from a web of supporting material, a rotatably mounted feed wheel, the feed wheel having teeth at its periphery engageable with the web for drawing the web about the delaminating means, a drive wheel, a clutch member secured against rotation relative to the drive wheel and another clutch member cooperable therewith and secured against rotation relative to the feed wheel, means for urging the clutch members into clutching engagement with respect to each other, and means including post means mounting the feed wheel for rotational movement and for mounting the drive wheel for shiftable axial and rotational movement relative to the feed wheel to enable the urging means to move the clutch members into clutched engagement in one axial position and to enable the clutch members to be shifted relatively apart axially against the force of the urging means to an unclutched position and rotated while the clutched members are mounted on the post means to effect change in position of the drive wheel relative to the feed wheel to vary the position to which the web is advanced by the feed wheel relative to the delaminating means.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the urging means includes a compression spring.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the drive wheel comprises a ratchet wheel having a plurality of teeth.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the drive wheel comprises a ratchet wheel having plurality of teeth disposed at its outer periphery, and a drive pawl having a drive end engageable with one ratchet wheel tooth at a time, wherein the drive end of the pawl and the teeth are inclined relative to the axis of the ratchet wheel such that as the pawl drives the ratchet wheel the drive end is cammed inwardly toward the axis.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the drive member and its related clutch member are integrally constructed of molded plastics material, and wherein the feed wheel and its related clutch member are intergrally constructed of molded plastics material.

13. Label applying apparatus, comprising: a frame, means mounted on the frame for delaminating pressure sensitive labels from a web of supporting material, a feed wheel, the feed wheel having teeth at its periphery engageable with the web for drawing the web about the delaminating means, means including a ratchet wheel and a cooperable drive pawl for driving the feed wheel, a clutch member secured against rotation relative to the ratchet wheel and another clutch member cooperable therewith and secured against rotation relative to the feed wheel, means for urging the clutch members into clutching engagement with respect to each other, and means mounting the feed wheel for rotational movement and mounting the ratchet wheel for shiftable axial and rotational movement relative to the feed wheel to enable the urging means to move the clutch members into clutched engagement in one axial position and to enable the clutch members to be shifted relatively apart axially against the force of the urging means to an unclutched position and rotated to effect change in position of the ratchet wheel relative to the feed wheel to vary the position to which the web is advanced by the feed wheel relative to the delaminating means.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, including a rolling-contact type one-way clutch secured to the feed wheel for enabling the feed wheel to rotate in one direction but preventing rotation of the feed wheel in the opposite direction;
the urging means comprising a spring exerting opposite forces on the one-way clutch and on the ratchet wheel.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, including means for limiting rotational movement of the feed and ratchet wheels relative to each other.

16. Label applying apparatus, comprising: means for delaminating pressure-sensitive labels from a web of supporting material, a rotatably mounted feed wheel, the feed wheel having teeth at its periphery engageable with the web for drawing the web about the delaminating means, a drive wheel, a clutch member secured against rotation relative to the drive wheel and another clutch member cooperable therewith and secured against rotation relative to the feed wheel, means for urging the clutch members into clutching engagement with respect to each other, and means mounting the feed wheel for rotational movement and mounting the drive wheel for shiftable axial and rotational movement relative to the feed wheel to enable the urging means to move the clutch members into clutched engagement in one axial position and to enable the clutch members to be shifted relatively apart axially against the force of the urging means to an unclutched position and rotated to effect change in position of the drive wheel relative to the feed wheel to vary the position to which the web is advanced by the feed wheel relative to the delaminating means.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the urging means includes a compression spring.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 16, including means for limiting rotational movement of the feed and drive wheels relative to each other.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the drive wheel comprises a ratchet wheel having a plurality of teeth.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the drive wheel comprises a ratchet wheel having a plurality of teeth disposed at its outer periphery, and a drive pawl having a drive end engageable with one ratchet wheel tooth at a time, wherein the drive end of the pawl and the teeth are inclined relative to the axis of the ratchet wheel such that as the pawl drives the ratchet wheel the drive end is cammed inwardly toward the axis.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the drive member and its related clutch member are integrally constructed of molded plastics material, and wherein the feed wheel and its related clutch member are integrally constructed of molded plastics material.