CA1190192A - Label peeling device for label issuing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

LABEL PEELING DEVICE FOR LABEL ISSUING MACHINE

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The disclosure concerns a label peeling device for use with a label issuing machine, such as a hand labeler or measuring printer. There is a feed unit for feeding a label web, which web comprises a plurality of labels tem-porarily adhered in series to a web of backing paper. A
peeling unit turns and deflects the backing paper web rear-wardly, as it is being fed by the feed unit, and the labels peel one by one from the backing paper at the line of deflec-tion due to the rigidity of the labels. An auxiliary label peeling member is arranged in the vicinity of that portion of the peeling unit at which the backing paper and the labels separate. In some embodiments, the auxiliary peeling member has a label abutment portion so placed, shaped and sized that any label which might fail to peel from the backing paper merely by the reverse turning of the backing paper web is moved to abut the label abutment portion until it is forcibly peeled from the backing paper. The auxiliary peel-ing member comprises a rotary member which is rotatable in , the advancing direction of the labels. Any label, which might otherwise fail to peel off, abuts and rides over the rotary member. In another embodiment a scraper recipro-cates toward the deflection line along the surface of the backing paper from which the labels are peeled for peeling any label off the backing paper web.

Description

l.L9~)~9~

LABEL PEELXNG DEVICE FOR L~BEL ~SSIJING MACHINE

BACKGROUND OF T~IE INVF.NTION
'rhe present invention relates to a label peeling device for use ~/ith a label issuin~ machine such as a lahel pxintinc~ and applying machine (hereafter called a hand ]~-S beler) or a measuring printer, and more particularly relatesto a label peelin~ device which aids in separating a lahel from its web of bac~in~ paper at ~he location where the backillg paper web is reversed ~or label peelin~.
Hand labelers~ measuring printers or other lahel is~uing machines may issue labels from a strip of labels adhered to a web o~ backing paper. Both the label strip an~
the bac~in~ paper web are of flexihle paper.
In order -to reduce the production cost ~or the entire label web, however, ef:Eorts have been made to use labels and bac~ing paper ~hich are comprised o-~ inexpensive .-and coarse material andlor oF thinner and ~hu~ more flexihle material. Such labels may be less likely to separate from the backin~ paper. In order to enable the labels to be ~ore easily peeled from their bac~in~ paper, moreo~er, other ~ attempts have been made to apply a thin anc~ rou~h l~yer of a parting agent to that side of the bac~ing }lapor to ~hich the ~1~3~9~

labels are te~porari.ly aclhered~ This is to be distinguished from the c~refully s~oothed, ~ppropriately thick parting a~ent layer that has prev:iously been required. But, because of the less care~ul.manner of app~.ying a parting a~ent that is now be.ing tried, the ri~idity o~ the labels themselYes have nonuniformly deteriorated. Further, the paritin~ agent soaks into the bac~in~ paper, because *his paper is coarse>' so that the parting agent layer becomes thinner, and s.till worse, the applied parting agent.'layer becomes irregul~r.
All of this has caused the label~ to frequently fail to ~e completely peeled frorn their backing paper web when this backing paper web is turned in the reverse direction at the label peelin~ unit. Labels which fail to be pe~eled from their'bac~ing paper web not only fail to be issued -rorn the machine but ~hey also stick to the feed passa~e in the ma-chine for the bac~ing paper and there~y ma1ce the macbine inoperative or cause problerns.
E.fEorts have been rnade in the past to lift labels, or the like, of~' a backing paper web. See U.S. Patents

2,912,1~0; 3,077~919;.and 3,1~9,~95. But assur d pe'eling~
~vithout resistance to label se~aration, is not provided by these prior produc-ts.

SU~5~,IARY 0~ THE INVENTION
Xt is, thereore, an ohject of -the present inven-tion to provide such a label peeling device for use with a label issuinC~ machine which avoids the above-described prob-lems. '-Another object oE the present invention is to pro-vide a label peelin~ devlce ~Yhich peels label~ ~rorn their b~c~ing paper wlthout fail.
It is a further object of the invention to pro~ride such a label peeling device which i.s useful with flexi'nle, nonuniforrn labels, ~nd i.f the labt-~l weh is prod~lced ~t low cost, or if there is varyin~ and somewhat unpredictable temporary adhesion between the labels and the backing paper~ -In order to achieve those objects, the present in- -vention provides a label peeling device for a lahel issuing machine. That machine includes a supply unit ~or supplying a label web comprising a strip of a plurality o~ lahels tem- -porarily aclhered in series to a continuous web of backing paper. The label peelin~ device colnprises a ieed unit ~or feeding the label web ~ro.m the supply uni-t and comprises a peelin~ unit for deflecting and particularly for reverely turnin~r the bac~ing paper web, ~Yhich is being advanced in the reverse direction. This should peel the labels one by one from the bac~ing pa~er at the turnin~ location~ due to the rig.idity of the labels themselves. Since the labels may not always separate fr~rn the hæc~i.ng paper web as they sho~lld, an auxili.ary label peeling member is arranged in th~ vicinit~
of the peelin~ unit for effecting separation o:E the labels ~rom the backing paper ~eb, by acting upon the labels from below.
In some embodiments, the auxiliary pee:ling me~ber comprises a label abutment which is positioned, shapecl and sized so that any label, ~hich might other~vise fail to be peeled off merely by the reverse motion of the bac~in~ paper~
is moved to abut the label abutment portion of said auxili-ary peeling member as the label ~veb is advanced, and the undersur-face of the ].abel, which carries adhesi~e, rides over the abutment portion. The con-tac-t of the lahel with the abutment portion ~orcibly peels the label irom the back-ing paper, .
In one preferred embodimen-t, t~e auxiliary peeling member comprises a rotary member, which is ro-tatable.in the advancing direction of the label web so th~t a label, ~1hich fails to be peeled off the backinc paper, al-uts and ri~es oYer the rotary rnember and callses the ro-ta~ rnember to ro-tate as the label a~vances over it until the label is peeled 9'~

off the back:in~t paper ~ieb. The rotary membe~ rot,ates ~reely without any eEPect.ive re~istance to rotation ~o~ ~idin~
advance oE the peeled O~:e label and also avoiding bending, wrinkling or adhering of the lahel on the rotary memher. , -' The spacing between the direction reversal or deflec-tion line of the bac~inO paper ~veb and the auxiliary peelin~ ' member shc>uld be small enough that a label will not be able' to travel around with the bac~ing paper around the direction reversal line without con-tacti.ng the auxiliary label peelin~
device~
In a further aspect o~ the invention, the l~bel strip is indexed b~ the label -Eeed unit so that at the con-clusion of each ad~rance of the label we~) by one la~ei, the leadint end portion o~ the next label to be separated f~om t~le bac~in~t strip is at, OJ' iS abutting and has just perhæps begun to pass o~Ter, the a~lxi3iary label peelin~,~ tlevice.
Then at the next lahel web advance, that label will separ~,t~
~Erorn the backing strip with certainty.
In a further eml~odiment, the auxiliary label peel-ing device comprises a scraper ~Jhich is reciprocated ~long the sur~ace o:E the bac.~ing paper web Erom a position away ,Erom the de-Election line toward -the label de~lection line, -Eor scrapin~ any labels ofE the backin~ paper web which fail to peel of~ the bac~ing paper and instead travel around the cle~lection line wi-th the backin~ paper.

BRIEF DES~RIPTION OF TIIE DRAWINGS
Ot~ler objec-ts alld features o:E the presen~ inven~ion -, will become ap~arent -Erom the -Eo3.10wing description of va~
ous etnbodiments oE the invention with re-Eerence to the accom-panyin~ drawinzs, in which:
Fi~. 1 is a pers~)ective view showin~ one exam~le ~fa label web with which the invention may be used;
Figs~ 2-5 show a -first embodiment o~ the prèscnt invention, in which Fig. 2 is a parti~l, lon~ituclin,ll sec-~3~

tional, sicle cl.evat,ionc~'l. view sl)o~YinO tiliS ernbodilnent o~ the presen-t invention applied to ~ hand la~e].er; Fi~. 3 is a perspective Vit?W sho~ing an e.ssential portion of the inven-tion, including an a~lxi,liary peelinv member; Fig~. ~ is a sectional side elevationa'L view showirlg the operating stat~
of the inven-tion, includi.ng an auxiliary peelirlO mernber; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a modification oE an auxiliary peeling member, Figs. 3, 4 ~ 5 appearing wi~h Fig. l;
Figs. 6-8 show a second embodi.rnent of the present invenion, in which Fig. ~ is a ~artial, longitudinal, sec-tional, side elevat.ional view sho\ving this t-~mhodiment of th~?
present inventioll a~plied to a hand labeler; Fig. 7 is a per-spective view sllowinO an essential portion of the invention, includi.ng an auxiliary peeJ.ing device; ancl Figs. 8A, 8B and ~C are scher,natic side elevational views secluentially sho~Ying the operating states Or this em~odimen-t;
, Figs. 9-12 show a third embotliment of tne present invention, in ~Jhich Fig. 9 is a partial, longitudinal, sec-tional, sidt-~ elev~tiona:l vi~w showlng thi~ embodiment oE the present invention applied to a prillter; Fig. 10 is a perspec-tive vie~l showing an a~l~iliary peelin~ member of thi.s embodi-m~nt; and Figs. ll and 12 are respoctive ~ront an~l side ele-vational views showing moclifications oE the auxiliary peeling member , Figs. 9 ~ 10 a~pearing with Fig~ 7, ' ~igs. 13-19 show a Eourtil em~odi.ment of the present invention, of which Fig. 13 is a partial, lon~itudinal sec-tionnl, side elevational view ,sho~villg this embotliment o~ the present invention appl:ied to a printer; Fig. 1~ is a perspec tive view sho\vlng an allxiliary peeling member o:E -this embodi-mt-~nt; Fig. 15 is a bloc~ cliagraln showin~ a ci.rcuit for drivillv nnd controlling the printer; Fi~t. 1~ is ca timing c:hart showing the oper.--tions of esse:ltial. portiorls o~ the l>rin-ter; nnd ~igs.
17-19 are sicl~ elevational views sho~Ying modificntions of the allx:ili.ary pet?l:ing mt-?,nb~?r o:f' -this e!nl)odirnt?rlt antl ~howi2l~r a ~5 constrllction f'or drivi.ng the samt?;

G

~ -igs. 20-26 show a :Eifth embodiment o~ the present invention, o~ which l`i~. 20 is a p~rtial, l()n~it~ldin~l se~-tional, side elevational view showing this emboclir~ent o:E the present invention npplied to a hand labeler; ~ig ~1 is ~
pers~ect:ive vie~/ sho\vin~ an essential portion of this er.~bodi-ment; ~ig. 22 is a longitudi.nal sectional, side elev~tonal view showing the operating state; and Figs. 23-26 are front elevational views showing modifications of an auxilia~y . peeling device in the form of a rotary member ~i.gs. 21 & 22 appearlng wi-th Figs. 17, I8 & 19;
Yigs. 27--29 show a sixth em~ocliment of the present invention, of ~hich ~i~. 27 is a partial, longltudinal sec-tional, side elevational view showing this e~n~odiment of the presen-t invention applied to a printer; Fig. 28 i5 a perspec-. 15 tive view sho~ing an all~iliary peeling device in the form o~
a rotary member; ancl Fig. 29 is a longitucli)l-1, sectional, side elevational view sno~.ving the operating state.

DES~RIPTI~N OF THE PREFE~RE~ ~,IBOI)IP~ENTS
Fig. 1 shows one form o~ a label web 1 ~Yhich m~y be used in conjunction with the present invent.ion~ The label weh 1 is comprised of an elon~ate web of bac~ing paper 2 and a plurality of separate labels 3 which are tcmporari.ly adhered in series to the backing paper 2. To that side of the backing paper 2 tv which thè labels 3 are temporarily adhered~ there is applied a layer o~ parting a~rent 4 wlich is rnade of a sili-cone resin, or the like, so as to Inake it easy for the lahels

3 to be peeled off. To -the back of each l~hel 3, on the other halld, -there is applied a layer of ~dhesive 5 by which the label 3 is temporarily aclhered to the backin~ paper 2. At a pitch equal to the :Length of each label 3, the label web 1 is Lo1mc-~cl w:ith feeding per~orations 6 which extend throu~h both the l~acking~ p~per ~ and the respective labels 3 Figs. 2-5 show the first em~odiment of the present in~ention, in which the label p~elin~ ~levice accorcling to the prc~sent invenl:ion is applied t- the h.l.lld l~>e~lel-. In 3~3~

th.is embodiment, an auxili~ry peeling member 33 is arranged in a stationary position in the vicinity of a label peeli~ -unit 30, At the rear o~ the labeler body 11, a grip 12 i5 formed which integrally extends ~rom the body 11. Belo~l-the grip, a hand lever 13 is hinged to both opposite side pl~tes lla and llb of the body by a pivot pin 1~. -Integrally extending fronl the front portion of the hand lever 13, there is a bifurcated actuating lever 15 which holds a printing head 1~ at its front end. :This printing head 16 includes a plurality of type wheels 17, each ~ormed ~.Jith types 17a on its o~lter ci.rcllmference. The ~heels 17 are juxtaposed so that the ~ypes 17a bearing the desirecl inclicia to be prin-ted can be selected by turning the respective type ~iheels 17. Before the printing operation ink is applied to the selected types 17a of the respective type wheels 17 by an inking roller 18.
Spring anchoring rnembers 19 and 20 are for~ed respec-tively a-t the rear p~rtion inside of the ~ril~ 12 and at the upper portion of -the front end of the hand lever 13. Between those spring anchoring rnembers 19 and 20, a tensioned return s~ring 21 ,iS allChOred 9 which always urges the hand lever 13 and the actuating lever 15 to pivot clock-vise, ~s viewed in Fig. 1, Above the body 11, there is an integral attached supply unit 22 for the label ~veb 1, which holds -the label web 1 in rolled form. This label web 1 held on the supply unit 22 is unrolled and supplied to a lahel peeling device 2~..
. The label peelin~ device 23 includes a -feecl unit 24 for suitably feedin~ the label web 1 from the supply unit 22 to the printing head 1~, the peeling uni-t 30 for deflectin~ .--the backing paper by turning the then forwardly ~ovin~ web of bucking paper 2 rearuardlY> in the vic:ini.ty of the lower end of the front portion o~ -the bod~ This should peel 3S the labels 3 frorn the bac~;ing paper 2 due to the rigidi-ty o~

....... ..

30~9~

~he labels themselves~ This peeling is assure~ by the ~uxil-i~y peeling member 33 which is arran~ed in the ~icinity of the peeling unit.
Th~ feed unit 2~ is equipped with a feed drum ~, which is rotatably supported on an a~le 25 that is supported between the side plates lla and llb oE the body 11. The feed drum 26 has a plurai*y of feed pins 2~a formed on its outer circumference, which are equidistantly spaced to en-gage in the respective correspondingly spaced perforations 6 of the label web 1. One lateral side o~ the drurn 26 car-ries engagement pins 2~b which are the same in number as the feed pins 26a. rhe pins 26b are engaged b~ a hoo~. 27.
One end of the hook 27 is hinged to the mo~a~le actuating lever 15 by a pivo~ pin 2~. The other end of the hoo~ 27 engages one o~ the engagement pins 26b to suitably turn the feed druin ~ in accordance with the reciprocating s~ings of the actuatin~ lever 15 thereby to advance and ~eed the lahel web 1. A spring 29 urges the hoo~ 27 toward the enga~emènt pins 26b.
2U As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the peeling unit 30 is equipped ~ith upper regulating rnembers 31, ~vhich are respec-tively ~ormed integrally with the side plates 1la and llb ~-the body 11, and with a lower regulating member 32 ~vhich is mounted on a bottom cover 3~ that is hin~ed to the body 11 by a pivot pin 34 at the front o~ the body. The u~per regu-lating members 31 an~ the lower regulating member 32 are juxtaposed to define a small gap in whicn the web o* ~acXing paper 2 of the label web 1 is turned rearwardly so that the labels 3 are peeled one by one from the bacl~ing paper 2 due to the rigidity of the labels. ~-The auxiliary peelin~ mernber 33 is arranged in the vicinity of the peeling unit 30 as sho~vn in ~igs. ~ and 3.
It is either integral with the bottom cover 35 or is fi~ed to it by rneans of an adhesive or scre~vs. The au~iliary peeling mernber 33 is integral~y for~e~ at its upper portion ~IL19~
3 , with a label abutment portion 33~, which is cornposed o~ a plurality o~ rid~es so as to reduce its contact area with the labels 3. The label abutment portion 33a has its lead-ing u~stream tips positioned in the vicinity o~ the r~nt of S t~le peelin~ unit 30, at which the labels 3 are to be peeled rrom the backing paper 2. The auxiliary peeling rnember 33 pre~erably has at least its label abutment pc>rtion 33a coate~
with a silicone resin, or the like, so as to prevent the labels 3 from stic~ing to it. -~ -Guide members 36 above the drum 26 guide the per-forations 6 of the label web 1 as a-whole,hefore -th~ labels ~eel off and guide members 37 beloYI the drum 26 guide the perforations 6 o~' only the backin~ paper 2 af-ter lahel peel-ing in their respective engagements with,the fee~ pins 26a of -the feed drum 26~ ~ platen 38 receives the prin-tin~
pressure of the printing llead lG. There is a temporary holdin~ me~ber 39 just forward of the line of de~lection ol -the bac~ing paper for temporarily holding the lahel 3 that has just been peeled. An applying roller 40 forY/ard o~ the holding member 39 is ro-ta-tably carried on the pivo~t pin 34 for applying the label 3 that is being temporarily held on the temporary holdin~ member 39 to a commodity, or the like, to be labeled.
Ne~t, the oper&tion of the foregoing embodiment is -~5 explained~ When the hand lever 13 is squee~ed toward the ~rip 12, it is moved counterclo~k~ise (as viewed in Fig. ~) togetller with the ac-tuating lever 15 against the ~orce,of - the return spring 21. The rotational motion of the actu-, ating lever 15 carries the prin-ting head 16 down so that the selected types 17a of -the respective type wheels 17 receive ' in~ rom -the inking roller 18 ancl then print the lahel 3 ~hat is lyin~ on the platen 38.
~Yhen the hand lever 13 is released, t~le hand lever 13 an~ th* actuating lever 15 are rota-ted clockwise, as ~iewe~ in Fi~. 2, by the return SprinK 21. This carries the ~1 ~9~
. .

printing head 16 up into its Lnitial position~ Thi~ also rotates the feed drurn 2~ of the ~eed unit 2~ counterclock-wise, which feeds the la~el web 1 along the upper circumfer-ence of the feed drum and feeds the turned back backing paper 2 along the lo-~er circumference o~ the ~eed drum.
The label ~eb 1 thus being fed by the feed unit 2~
has only its backing paper 2 deflec-ted or turned rearwardly at the peelincr unit 30. As a res~ll-t, the printed lahel 3 ~eels frorn the backing paper 2 hy its o~vn rigidity and the label is temporarily held on the temporary holding mernher 39 until it is applied ~o a commoclity, or the likef by applyin~
roller 40.
Sometimes, not all of -the labels 3 are completely peeled rom the backing paper 2 as the ~ac~ing paper 2 is 1~ turned rearwardly at the peeling unit 30. Insteacl, some -labels turn to~ether with the backing paper 2~ ~his is because -the labels 3 may have low rigidi-ty due to their material and/or they may be temporaril~ adnereq to the bac~-ing paper 2 excessively firmly due to th~ qua]ities or ap-plied states o- the peeling agenk 4 and the a(lhesive 5, ~vhich are applied respectively to the bac~ing paper 2 ancl the labels 3.
The auxiliary peeling member 33, Eormed with -the label abutment portion 33a, is therefore pro~Tided. Any Z~ label 3, which is not completely peeled :Erom -the ~ackig paper 2 but instead attempts to turn together wi-th the back-inC~ paper 2, is peeled oEf because its leading ent~ portion abllts agrainst the label abutment portion 33a of -the auxili- -ary peeling member 33, as seen -rom ~ig. 4.

The perforationS 6 are so placed in the la~el web ~
with respect to the equally spaced leading encls of the lahels alld the clrum has i-ts pins 2~a, 2~;b so plzced that the l~bels are indexed during each s~ueeze of -the handle 12 so tha-t ater a la~el has been fed to t~-e applying roller, the next 3~ label is positioned so that its lea~ g eclge o~erlies or is 3~

just be~inning to ride over the label ahutment portion ~3a.
This assures separation of -the nex-t label ~rom the backin~
paper on the next label web advance.
Although the auxiliary peeling member 33 is shown ~ormed inte~rally with the label abutment portion 33a, the auxiliary peelin~ meml~er 33 may be moclified to the ~orrn of an auxiliary peeling mem~er ~1 of Fi~. 5, wherein a coiled element ~ade o:E ~etal wire provides the label abutment por- - -tion ~la and is wound oa the intermediate portion o-E a gen-erally C-shaped pin ~lb. This alternative is further de~el-oped as the ~ifth embodilnent of Figs. 20-26. Alt~rnativèly, the auxiliary peelin~ member may have the pin 41h serve directly as the label abutment portion.
In the second embodiment o~ label peeiin~ device shown in Fi~s. 6-~, an auxiliary peeling melnber G5 in the vicinity o~ the peelin~ unit 30 ~eciprocally move~ in ac-cordance with the operations of the hand lever 13. The elements of this embodiment correspondin~ to elements of the ~irst embodim~-nt are not.explained again, but are instead indicated by the same reference numera.ls as those o:E the foregoing first embodiment.
As shown in Figs..6 and 7, a co~7er 45 i.s disposed laterally outside of and at a suitable spacing from one side -pla~e llb o~ the labeler body 11. Laterally inside of the cover 45, there is a link mechanism 4~ which is co~nprised of three levers 47, 52 .and 54, an arm 4~ and a hook 57. At the inner side of the cover.~5, there is a pivot pin 46 to which one end of the lever 47 is hin~ed. The other end of the lever ~7 is pivotally joined to one end o~ the arm 49 by a pin 48. The intermediate portion o-~ the lever ~7 has a slot ~7a ormed in it, ln whi.ch a pin 50 is slidably f.itted. One end of the pin 50 is anchored at the actuatin~ lever 15 and extends throu~h a slot ~not shown) o:E tlle side plate 11 illtO the slot ~7b of the lever ~7.

i~9~J19'~
1~ .

Tne other end oE the arm ~9 is pivotally joined by a pin 51 to one e~d of the lever 52. The other end of the lever 52 is pivota'~ly joined by a pin 53 to the L-shaped lever 54 anct its middle portion is hinged by a pivot pin 55 S to ~he co~er 45. The other end o~ the lever 54 is pivotally joined by ~ pin 5G to the hoo~ 57, while the middle portion o~ the lever 54 is hinged by a pivot pin 53 to the cover 45.
The other ~nd of the hook 57 has an inclined carn sur~ace 57a. The intermediate portion o-f the hook is for~ed with a retaining porkion 57b at its lower portion. The hook 57 is biased countercloc~iwise in Fig. 6 by a s~ring 59 so that its cam surface 57a is always forced into partial contact with a pin 60 which is anchored at the cover 45~ ' A sliding member 61 on the o~tward side o~ the side plate 116 is arran~ed belo~, the hook 57~ The memher 61 has an integral upstanding pro-trusion 61a that can be brought into and out of enga~ement with the do~vn~Jardly extending retaining portion 5~b of the hook 57. The sliding melnber 61 is slidable forwærdly toward the line o~ deflection of the label web and rearward]y, guided by a pair o-f guide pl~tes 62 which are mounted on the cover 45. The sliding member 61 is urged rearwardly by a sprin~ 63, ~vhich is mountecl under tension between the sliding member 61 ancl the back of the cover 45. Rear~ard mo-tion of the sliding metnl~er is usually Z~ stop~ed when its rear end ahuts against a stopper 6~ on the cover`45. , , The sliding member 61 on the outward side'of the side plate 116 is integrally attached through -the elongate slot llc in the plate 116 with the plate-shaped, horizon-tally oriented, auxiliary peeling member 65, ~hich extendsfor~ardly from behind the peelin~ unit 30 to the vicinity of the peeling unit 30 below -the platen 38 and ~elotY -the sllrface of the backing paper from which the labels are peeled. The frollt end of the all~iliary peeling mer~ber 65 is formecl in-3~ tegrally wi~h a label abutment portion 65a including two 3~
~3 teeth. When the ~uxiliary peeling member ~5 is rnoved ~or ~ard to~ether Witil the sliding member G1, the teeth ~Sa m~ve forward to the position where the backing paper 2 leaYes the labels 3, i.e. the line of de~l~ction of the backing paper.
The printing of the labels 3, the Peedin~ of the label web 1 etc. are identical to those of the first embodi-ment. With reference -to Figs~ 8A, 8B and BC, the operatic)ns of the auxiliary peeling member 65, which is reciprocally movable back and ~orth in accordance with the operations of 1~ the hand lever 13 is descril~ed.
In the released state of the hand lever 13, the auxiliary peeling member 65 is stopped in its rearward posi--tion sho~vn in ~ig. 8A. When the hand lever 13 is squeezec1 and the label 3 is printed, the pin 50 on the hand lever is moved down and the lin~ mechanism 44 moves in the directions of ~rrows in Fig 8B, which retracts the hook 57 rearwardly.
~lean:~hile, both the sliding member 61 and the auxiliary peeling member ~ are left inoperative in their rearward -position.
~ When the hand lever 13 is ne~t released, the label web 1 is fed by the feed drum 26 to start the peelin~ opera-tion of the label 3. Also this raises the pin 50. The rise of the pin 50 moves the lin~ mechanism ~ components in the return directions shown by the arrows in ~ig. ~C. The 2~ hook 57 ac3vances while its lower retaining portion 57b en-gages the upraised protrusion 61a of the sliding member 61.
This also advances the auxiliary peeling member 65 against the biasing ~orce of the spring ~3~ The label abutment portion G5a of the auxiliary peeling member 65 scrapes of~`
and pushes upon the leading end portion o~ any label 3, w~ich has not completelY peeleci from the bac~ing paper ~ but is insteacl about to turn rearwarc31y with the bac~ing paper 2. I-t peels that label 3 from its bac~in~ paper 2 to tem-porarily hold the label on the temporary holding ~ember 39.

9~ .

As the hook 57 aci~ances, it is turned slightly ~Loc~-tvise, as v;ewed in Fig. 8, by the coaction bet~een itx in-clined cam sur~ac~ 57a and the pin 60. The retaining por-tion 57b is eventually raised off the pro~rusion 61a of t'ne sliding member 61 imrnediately a-fter the label abutment por-tions 65a of the auxiliary peeling mern~er 65 has pushed the label 3~ The now free~ sliding rnember 61 is retracted by the biasing force of the spring ~3 until its rear end abuts . aOainst -the stopper G4. At the same time, o~ course, the 10 auxiliary peeling member 65 is also retracted. ~,~oreover, ~'nen the hand lever 13 is returned to its initi~l position, the link m~chanism ~ is also restored to its initial p~si-tion shown in Fig. 8A.
Al-ternatively, the auxi:Liary peeling rnember 65 og tne second embodiment may be modi-Eie~ so th~t it is norm~
positioned in a forward position> is r~trac-tecl rearwardly by s~ueezing o- the hand lev~r 13, and is returned to the front position, simultaneously with the -eeding o-E the label web 1, b~ the release of the hand lever 13. W7ith this construction, 2~ the auxiliary peelinv member 6S helps peeling of the label 3, vhile the memI~er 65 is being returned to i-ts front posi-tion, and the mernber temporarily holds the labels 3 when it returns to its iront position. On the other hand, all of the link mechanism 44, sliding member 61, au~ ry pee3.ing member 65, etc. thus far described may be assemble~ together with the cover ~5 into a unit which may be removably attachecl with ease to one side of the hand la~eler by means o scre~-s, or the li~e.
Although the peeling uni-t 30 o-f ho-th embodiments is comprised o the upper regulatin~ members 3t and the lower regulat.ing membèr 32, this cons~ruction can be simpli~ied~
for exarn~le, such that the leading e~ge of the pl~ten 38 ;3eines tiIe peeling unit 30 around wnich the backin~ paper 2 r~ be turned. ~'ith this simpliEie~ construc-tion, the Feed-3~ inO ol the l~lbel web 1 and the peeLing o~ the labels 3 ~n ~e .. ... .. .. .. . ~.. . ~ ~ .......... .

iLl~ 9~
:l5 effected i.f the feed drum 2~ ~erely pulls t~le b~ckin~ paperafter it has been turned.
The third embodiment o~ the present inven-tion is no~v described with reference to Figs. 9-12~ The la~el peel-ing device is applied to a printer, such as a measllring printer,and there is a stationary peelin~ ~ember ~3.
In ~ig. 9, a supply unit 71 is attached to a printer body 70 ior holding the label web 1 in a rolled ~orm. .The label web 1 supplied from the unit 71 is guided by a ~uicle roller 72 and then passes over a transmission t~pe photo-electric detector S, a printing unit 73 and a ~ta~.ping unit 7~. .
The photoelectric detector ~ provides label strip feed control by detecting the perforations 6 of the label web 1 and then generatin~ a signal. The prin-ting unit 73 faces a platen 76. The uni-t 73 is equipped with a printin~
head 7~ o~ -the thermal printing type, for e~mple, which prints the labels 3 with data coming from a measuring device, keyboard, or the lilce (not shown). The stamping unit 7~
faces a stamping plate 77. The unit 74 is e~uipped with a stamp 79 which is driven by a solenoid M1 -to print the labels 3 with fixed data.
After it passes over -the stamping uni-t 74~ the lahel web 1 comes to a label peeling device 80 which is comprisecl o:E a peeling unit ~1, a feed unit 82 and an auxiliary peeling member 83 featuring the present invention, The peeling unit 81 uses the leading eclge of the stampin~ plate 77 so that the backing paper web 2 o-f the label web 1 .is de~lected, i.e. turned sharp].y down, at the peeling Ullit 81 -for causing the labels to be peeled fro~ the bac~ing paper 2.
- The feed unit 82 is equi.pped wi-th a drive roller 8~
and a follower roller 85, which together s~ueeze against and pull the backing paper 2, and wi-th ~ pulse motor P~,~ for driving the drive roller 8~ to rotate.. The dlive for the 1~;

feed unit 82 is controlled hy the feed signal, ~Ihich is prepared on tile basis oE a print completion signal, by the output signal oE the photoelectric detectvr S, and so on, thereby to feed the label web 1 as a whole by pulling~ its backing paper ~.
The auxiliary peeling ~ember 83 i5 Eixed to the printer body 70 in the vicinity o~ the peeling unit 81. The auxi~iary peeling member 82 is a plate, as shown in Fig. 10, -and is formed integrally on its upper side with a label abutment portion 83a comprising three teeth. The label -abutment portion 83a is positioned in the vicinity o~ that portion of the peeling unit ~1, at which the labels separate Erom the bacXing paper 2. A take up uni~ 2~ takes up the bacXing paper ~eb 2 fed -thereto.
The operation of this embodiment is now descrihed.
The label web 1 is fed frorn the supply unit 71 in a suitably intermittent manner by the feed unit 82. The print-ing unit 73 and the stamping unit 74 print the respective labels 3 during the intermittent feeding with the ~ariahle data and the fi~ed data, respectively, at predetermined positions thereoE~
The backing paper 2 being pulled by the ~eed unit 82 is turned at the peeling unit 81 so that the printed labels 3 are peeled one by one from their bac~ing paper 2, due to the rigidity of the labels. Ho~vever, some labels 3 fail to be peeled off by the turning o~ the bac~ing paper 2 and instead turn together with the backing paper 2. Each of the labels 3, including any which fails to be completely peeled off and is about -to be turned with its backing paper 2, has its leading end portion abutting against the label abutment portion g3a of the auxiliary peeling member 83 ~nd this assures that the label is p~eled from the hacXing paper 2. As noted in the above d~scription oE the Eirst embodiment, the backin~ paper web is indexed so that it halts its a~ ance .~L~3~ 3~

Wit}l the lea-ding end o:E the next label to be peeled ju~t starting to ri~e over the aluxiliary peelin~ merlber~ .
Although the auxiliary peeling member 83 is shown ' to be simply foxmed integrall.y with the l~bel abu~ment S portion 83a, the auxiliary peeling member 83 may be replaced wih the auxiliary peeling member 87 shown in Fig. 11 9 which includes rotatable beads 87b interposed between the adjacent teeth of the label ahutment porti.on 87a. These help t.he for~vard advance o- each label 3 which abuts the lalbel abut-ment portion 87a and has been peeled of~ the backing paper.
Al-thougll the auxiliary peeling member 83 is shown fixed to the printer body 70, it may alternative'ly be con-structed as sho-vn in ~ig. 1~. The auxiliary peéling merhber 88 has its lovter end hi.nged by a pivo-t pin 8g so -that the mernber S8 can swing between a pair of stoppers 90 and ~1, fixed to the body~ The mernbe-c 88 is stabilized in albutment against either o~ the stoppers 90 an~ 91. Durin~ lalbel peeling, -the auxiliary peeling member 83 is held in ahutmen-t a~a~inst the stopper 90. ~"label ahutrnent portion 88a at its top, leadin~ end is positioned at the side of the peeling unit 31~ ~uring loading o-E the label web 1~ on the other hand, the au~iliary peeling member 88 is brought into abut-ment against the stopper 91, which eases label web loading~
Figs. 13-19 show a four$h emhodiment o~ the present 2S inven-tion~ in which the label peeling device is also applied to a printer, such as the measuring printer. An auxiliary peelin~ member 93 ln the vicinity of the peelin~ unit 81 is movable. This embodiment is si~ilar to the foregoing third embodiment except tha-t, in the label peeling device 80,'the' '' auxiliary peeling member 83 is fixed on the printer hody 70, while the auxiliary peeling member 93 is mova~ble. The iden-.
tical parts are indicated by the same reference numerals as in the third embodiment and are not further explai.ned.
As shown in ~igs- 13 ancl 14, -the alllx:iliary peelin~
member 93 includes a horiæontal drive pla-te 93h, al vertical, ~3V~

for~ardly extendin~ bearing plake 93c and a vertical, trans-versely extendin~ actua-ting plate 93d. These are integrally formed sucb that they mutually intersect generally at xi~ht angles. The drive plate ~3b is connected to a solenoid ~l2 which is mounted on the printer body 70. The bearing plate 33c is hinged to the body 70 by a pivot pin 94~ The actu-ating plate 93d has an integral label abutment portion 93a with three teeth at its upper end~ A sprin~ 95 is sand~iched under compressîon between the solenoid M~ and the drive plate 1~ 93d ~or normally ur~ing the auxi~iary peelin~ member 93 countercloc~wise (as vie~ed in Fig7 13). When the solenoid M2 is ener~i~ed the auxi]iary peeling member 93 is rotated cloc~wise tas viewed in Fig. 13) and the label a~utment portion 93a is brou~ht to the vicinity of that portion o~
the peeling unit 81 where the bac~ing paper 2 and the label 3 separate. ~hen the solenoid ~2 is deenergized the auxil-iary peeling member 93 is turned countercloc~wise (in Fig~
13) by the biasing -Eorce of the spring 9S moving the abut-ment portion away ~rom the position at wllich the bac~ing paper 2 and the label 3 separate.
In order to explain the operatin~ timings oE the auxiliary peeling member 93 which are associate~ with the printing operation ænd the feeding operation the following description is directed to a circuit for clrivln~ and control ling the printer.
A printer controller PC which appears in ~ig. 1~ is used to control the p~inter as a ~Yhole in accordance with a pro~ram and it is equipped with a microprocessor or the li~e. This printer controller PC receives the output signal coming Erom the photoelectric detector S and recei~es the - printing data coming from the measuring de~ice ke~board, or the like (not shown).
A pulse motor driver P~ID an~ solenoid clrivers ND
and ~D2 drive the pulse motor P~1 and tile solenoids ~1 and i:l2 respectively on the basis O-.e the input signal coming 0~''3~

from the printer con-troller PC. On the other hand, a print-ing unit driver PD drives the printin~ uni,t 73 on the ~asi.s of the inl~ut signal coming from the,printer controller PC so ' that the printing unit 73 r,nay be driven to print the lahel~ -, 3 with the ~esired variable indicia. - ~ , Next, the opera-tion and timing of the aiIxiliary peeling member ~3, which is associated with the operations of the printing unit 73, the stamping unit 74 and the feed unit 82, ~ill be explained with,re~erence to Pi~. 16.
First, a print of first line L1 is impr.inted by the printing unit 73 after occ,urrence of the start signal. Upon completion of this first-line print L1, the pulse motor P~J
is driven to feed the label to ad~ance the first line P1 on the label ~veb l. Simultarleously with the start of the feed-.15 ing operation of the lahel web 1, the solenoid M2 is also . energized to rotate the auxiliary peeling member 93 cloc~-wise from its initial position indic~ted by dou~le-dotted lines in Fig. 13. The label abutment portion ~3a of the auxiliary peeling rnember 93 is thus brOUfTh t to a stop at' ~ that position slightly below the stra.ight extensio~3 of the label 3, as shown by solid lines in Fig. 13, where the bac~-ing paper 2 and the lahel 3 first leave each other~ As a . result, every lahel, including those which fail to be com-pletely peeled from -the bac~ing paper 2 and which -turn to-. , gether with the backing paper 2, has its leacling.end portion abut that label abutment portion 93a so that it is forcihly ~eeled off the bac~ing pa'per.
~`Ihen the first-line feed o:E the label web 1 is ..
. completed, a print of second line L2 is conducted by the ,: .
printing unit 73~ Then another feed P2 of the lahel web 1 is conductecl. After this feed has been co~pleted, the sole-noid M1 is energized for a predetermi.ned time period so that a stampi.ng operation SP i.s conducted by the stamping unit 74. During the time after completion of tile stamping opera-tion SP until the tilne when the sign~l comes frorn the photo-~o~
~o electric detector S, -khe final feed P3 o~ the label web 1 is conducted. Before the complet.ion of the -Einal ~eecl P3, the solenoid 112 is deen~rgized so that the auxiliary peelin~
member 93 is returned to its initial position by the action of the sprin~ 95. The timin~ at which the solenoid ll2 is . -deenergized can be easily set not only by -the monostable multivibrator ~although not shown), for e~ample, which is to be triggered at the energization tirne of the solenoid ~1~ or the start time of the inal -eed P3, but also hy another method. This co)npletes the printin~ and.peeling o the first label 3.
The auxiliary peeling member 93 is shown connected directly to the solenoid ~12. ~s shown in Fi~ 17, ho~ever, an auxiliary peeling member 96 having a label ahutment por- .
1ion 96a may be connected to a solenoid ~3 indirectly through an l.-shaped lever 97, ~hich engages with a cam groove ~b formed in that auxiliary peeling member 96 Al-ternati~ely, as shown in Fig. 18, an auxiliary peeling member 9~ having a label abutment portion 98a may be connected ko a rotary solenoid ~1~ indirectly through a rotary cam which in turn enga~es that allxiliary peeling mernber 9~.
As alternatively sho~n in Fig. 19, an au~iliary peeling member 100 ~ay be formed generally into the ~hape oi a let-ter "C" and ~ay be so pulled up by the action of a sole-2~ noid l~5 that its label.abutment portion lOOa may be moved from below to above the straight extension of the label 3 imm~diately after the s-tart of -the -eeding operation of the label ~eb 1~ ~Yith this construction, a lahel, which might otherwise fail to be completely peeled from the bacliing paper 2, is lited by the label abutment portion lOOa so - :
that it can assuredly be peeled from its bacliing paper.
Figs. 20-2~ show tl~e i~th embodimellt o-f the present invention applied to.a hand l~beler- ~lemen-ts in this e;nbo~i-Ment havinO reerence numera].s 1-29 correspon~ to those elements in Fig. 2 ancl are not reexplai.ned.

' ~9~)~9~

The labeler body 11 is equipped with a bottom cover 135 which is comprised o-E two side cdKes 135a and 13~h and a connecting plate 135c connectin~ those two sicle edges 135a and 135b. The bottom cover 135 is hinged in an openable manner to the t~vo side plates lla and llb of the ~ody 11.
The peeling unit 130 is cquipped with upper regu-lating members 131, which are respectively ~rmed integrally with the si~e plates lla and llb of the body 11, and a lower xe~ulatin~ mernner 132 which is integral with the connecting pl~-te 135c of the bottom cover 135. There are juxtaposed at smal~ gap spacing -from each other the upper regulating mem-bers 131 and t~le lower re~ulating member 132, between whicn the bac~in~ paper 2 of the label web 1 is turned.back so that the lahels 3 are peeled one by one from the bac~ing . paper 2 dlle to their o~n ri~idity.
. ~he au~iliary peeling mer.1ber is now described.
Between the two side edges 13~a and 135b of the ~ottom cover 13~, thre is fixedly supported a pin 136 which is positioned in the vicinity of the peeling unit 130. On that pin 136 is wound an aforementioned rotary member 133 which is made of a -coiled element, like a sprin~, of a ~iameter approximatin~
that of the pin 136. The rotary member 13~ coiled element is posit.ioned in the vicinity of the position at which the bac~ing ~aper 2 and the labels 3 separate, and the rotary ~5 member is free to rotate in the advancing direction of the labels 3 with respec-t to the pirl 136. The rotary member 133 is prefexably coated with a silicone resin, or the like, so as to prevent the labels 3 froln stic~ing to it.
Upper and lower guide members 137 ~nd 138 guide the. -per~orations 6 of the label web 1 as a whole and the perfora_t:ions 6 of only the backincr paper 2 in their respective en~a~ements ~ith the ~eed pins 2Gca of the feed drum 26. The platen 13~ receives the printin~ pressure of the printin~
head 16. An æpplyin~ roller l~O is rotatab].y sl~ppoxted on the ~ivot pin 13~ fo.r applyinc~ the label 3, which is fed o~t .. ..

~19V~9~
2~, of a label aperture 135d ~ormed in the bottorn cover 3~, to a commodity, or the like.
The operation of this e~bodiment is now exp~ained.
Those features described in connection YJith the first ernbodi-S ment are not repeated, The label web l is fed by the feed unit 24. Onlythe bac~in~r paper web 2 is tur necl rearwardly at the peellng unit 130. The printed label 3 is peeled froM the bac~ing . paper 2 and is temporarily held Oll the rotary member 133 -un.til it is applied to the commodity, or the like, by the applying roller 140~
However, all ~f the labels 3 may not he peeled from the bac~ing paper 2 ~hen the backing paper 2 is turned at the peeling unit 130. The auxiliary peeling. member of-the 1~ present embodiment comprises the rotary member ~33 located in the ~i.cinity of the position where -the bacXin~ paper 2 and the labels 3 separate. As a result, a~y label 3 9 which does not itself comple-tely peel from the backing paper 2 and beOins to turn together with the bacl;ing paper, instead ~ abuts the rotary member 33 and rides oYer the top of it to advance while al.so causing tlle rotary member 133 to rotate until,the label is peeled of:E. Since the label 3 advances in contact with the rotary member 133, tha-t mémber 33 is rotated in the advancin~ direction of -the label. This re-2~ duces the contacting resistance of the label 3 to the rotarymember so th~t the label 3 can be more smoothly peeled.
In this emb~diment, the peeling unit 130 is comprised of the upper regulatinu mem~ers 131 and the lower regulating -member 132. -This construction can be simplified, for example, so that the leading edge of the platen 138 defines the pee~-ing unit around which the backing paper 2 rnay be turne~. In this constructlon, feeding of the labels 3 can be e~ected if the feed dru~ 26 merely pulls -the bac~ing paper 2 after it has turnecl rear~ardly.

S3(;)~

The rotary member 133 is sho~ln mounted on the bottom cover 135 so that the la~el weh 1 can he inserted by. opening the bottom cover 133 to bring the rotary melnber 133 a~qay . from the passage of the label web 1. In the alternative if the body 11 has its ~ront or side portion opene~ and closed.
during`the insertion o~ the label ~veb 1 the rotary member 133 can be attached to that portion to be opened and closed.
In yet another alternative i-E the insertion o~ the l~bel r~eb 1 is -~acilitated by another means the rotary member 33 can . 10 . be ~ixed ~o a portion o:F the body 11, which can be neither opened nor closed.
~loreover the rotary member 133 comprises a coiled element rotatably wound on the pin 3~. This may be so m~di-fied as sho-JJn in any o~ Figs. 23 to 2~. In Fig. 23 the rotary rnember 141 is cornprised o~ a number of beads rJhich are juxtaposed and ro-tatably carried on a pin 1~2 which is fixedly supported hetween the t~Yo side edges 135a and 13~b of the bottom cover 135. The outer circumferences of the beads are sharpened to reduce their contact areas with the labels 3. In Fig. 2~ the rotciry melnber 143 is a roller whlch is integral with journàls 144 that are rotatably SUp-.
ported between the side edges 135a and 135b o~ -the bottom cover 135~ In Fig. 25 the rotary member 145 is a roller ~hich is integral with journals 1~ that are rotatably sup-poxted similar to the modificàtion of Fig. 2~ This roller has a plurality of annular ridges 145a formed on its outer circllm-~erence so as to reduce its contact area with the labels 3. The rotary member 147 shown in Fig. 26 is a rol- -ler which is integral with the journals 1~8. The roller has a number of teeth 1~7a formed on its outer circum~eren~e for the snme purpose as in Fi~. 25.
Next the sixth ernbodime~lt o:E the present invention will be descri~ed w.ith re~erence to Fi~s- 27~29; This embodi-mellt corres~onds to the third embodiment of Fi~s~ 9-12 in ~l].l respects except for the lahel peelin~ device. The same.

reference numera'ls are used ~or the identical élement~ in Figs. 27-29 an~ Fig5. 9-1~ and only t~le di~e~ent p~elin~, device is described.
The label peelin~ device 1~0 is cornprised G~ ~
p'eeling unit B1, a feed unit 82 and an auxiliary peeling member 1~3 featuring the present invention.
The ~eeling unit 81 uses the leading e(~ge o~ the stampin~ plate 77, and the backing paper 2 o~ the label web 1 turns at the peelng unit 81 so that the labels 3 are peeled from that backing paper 2. The feed unit 82 has been descri~ed-aboYe~
The rotary rnernber lG3, shown in Figs. ~g and 2g~
comprises a coiled element, which is wound on the horizontal web sect,ion o~ a generally C-shaped pin 167 an~ the web' section of the pin is supporte~ by its legs. The pin is made s~.~in~able in the feed direction of the labels 3, as shown below. The side legs o~ the pin lG7 are embedded in the upper side o~ a swingable plate 1~9~ which is hinged to ' the printer body 70 hy means of pivot pins 168, The rotary plate 1~9 has a notch l~9a formed in its lower center por- ~
tion in which a spring anchoring member t7~ is fixed. -A
s~ring 171 is held under tension between that spring anchor-ing member 170 and a sprin~ anchorillg member 172 -~ixed on the ~ody 70. As a result, the pla-te 1~9 is allowed to s~ving in over-center ~ashion between a pair o~ stoppers 173 and 174, which are fixed on the body 70, and *he plate is sta-bilized when it is biased to abut against ei-ther o~ the stoppers 73 and 74 by the force of the spring 71. The ro-tary member 1~3 approaches that position o~ -the peeling unit , ' ~1, where the backing paper 2 and the labels 3 s~arate, when the rotary plate 1~9 abuts the stopper 173. The rotary rne~ber is spaced ~ar apart ~rorn the peelin~ llnit 81 when the rotary plate 1~ abuts the stopper 174.
Next, the operation of this embodirne~i is descrihed.
~5 ~ince this operates siMilarlY to tne third embodiment> the fi~
~5 description ~vill be pxi.rnarily directed to the auxili.ary peeling member.
When the label web .t is to be initially loaded this is facilitated by rnoving the swingable plate 169 into abutment against the stopper 174 A~ter the loading, the .-rotary memher 163 is brought close to the label separation position, by moving the rot~ry plate.169 to abut the stopper 1?3. In this state, the previously described label printing, feeding and peeling operations are started.
The backing paper 2 being pulled by the feed unit 82 is turned at the peeling unit 81 so that the lahels 3 thus printed are peeled one by one from the bac~ing paper 2. How-ever, some labels 3 fail to be peeled of~ and turn together with the backing paper 2~ Every label 3 has its leading end portion abutting against the rot~ry member lG3 ancl the lahel ad~ances over the rotary member while rotating the TneTn'~er 163 until the lahel is peeled o-ff without fail~ Since the rotary rneml?er 163 rotates in the advanci.ng direction of the label 3 the contacting resistance of the la~el 3 to the 20 . rvtary member 63 is remar~ably reduced so that the label can be more smoothly peeled.
This embodiment has been described wherein the rotary member lG3 compr;ses the coiled element rotatably wound on the pin 1~7 embedded in the rotary plate ~9. The rotury mernber 163 may be alternat.ively formed into the beads 141 or the roller 143, 145 or 147 of the embodimetlts shown in Figs. 23-26, wh:ich rollers may be mollnted on the plate - - ' .
~loreover, the pin 167 -~or rota-tably supporting the rotary member 163 mi.gh~t not be embedded in a swingai~le plate 69 but instead may be fi.xed directly on the body 70 so long as the membe~r 163 is c].ose to the position at which the bac'-ing paper 2 and the labels 3 separate.
Although tlle -~ore~oin~D eTnbodiments are all equipped with printing meatls, this is not indispensahle for the pre-3~J~

sent inventlon. ~oreover, although the feed units ~or Ieed- -in~ the label tYeb are ~eMpli~ied either by the feed drum havinK ~eecl pins or by paired rollers, it is possible to adopt a cons-truction in which the label web is fed hy s~ch -~eed pawls which are reciprocally movable in the horiæontal direction, or another ~eed construction.
As has been described in connection ~lith the ~ore-going embodiments, the label peeling device according to khe present invention includes the auxiliary peeling member which ~ is arran~ed in the vicinity of the peelin~ unit and which includes a label abutrnellt portion so positioned, shaped and sized that a lahel, which might otherwise ~ail to be peeled merely by the reverse turn o~ the backin~ paper, is brought into abutmen-t against the label abutment portion o~ the ~uxiliary peeling mernber until the l~bel rides over the auxiliary member and is peeled from the backing paper. In one preferred form, the auxiliary peeling member comprises a rotary member, which is rotatahle in the advancin~ direction of the labels.
Although t~le present invention has been described in connection with a plurality o~ pre-~erred embodiments thereo:e, many variations and modi~ications ~vill no~J beco~e apparent to th~se skilled in the art. It is pre~erred, there~ore, that the present invention be limited not by the 2~ speci~ic disclosure herein, but only by the ~ppended claims.

Claims (18)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A label issuing machine, comprising:
a machine body; a supply unit attached to the body for supplying a label web, wherein the label web comprises a plurality of labels adhered in series to a web of backing paper;
a label peeling device for peeling each label, in turn, from the web of backing paper; the label peeling device comprising:
a peeling unit past which the label web is advanced, and the peeling unit including means for deflecting the backing paper web sufficiently sharply and in a direction that labels will normally separate from the backing paper web as the backing paper web advances past the deflecting means;
a feed unit for feeding the label web from the supply unit, for advancing the label web past the deflect-ing means, and for advancing the backing paper web beyond the deflecting means;
an auxiliary peeling member in the vicinity of the deflecting means, and including a label abutment portion positioned, shaped and sized such that a label, which might otherwise fail to separate from the backing paper web at the deflecting means, instead abuts the abutment portion; the abutment portion being shaped for causing the label to ride over the abutment portion for separating the label from the backing paper web; the abutment portion being freely rota-table upon engagement thereof by a label, and being rotata-ble for rotating in the advancing direction of the label and the backing paper web, whereby the abutment portion will not resist the advance of a label thereover, for assisting sepa-ration of the label from the backing paper web.

2. The label issuing machine of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary peeling member comprises a pin supported to the body of the machine and extending across the body along the deflecting means; the abutment portion comprising a freely rotatable rotary member carried on and rotatable about the pin for rotating as and after the rotary member is abutted by a label. `

3. The label issuing machine of claim 2, wherein the rotary member comprises a coiled element.

4. The label issuing machine of claim 3, wherein the pin is generally C-shaped, including a web of the C-shape and two legs of the C-shape, the legs of the C-shape are supported to the body, while the web of the C-shape extends across the body; the rotary member being carried on the web of the C-shaped pin.

5. The label issuing machine of claim 2, wherein the rotary member comprises a plurality of beads rotatably carried on the pin.

6. The label issuing machine of claim 1, wherein the abutment portion comprises a roller supported to and extending across the body of the machine, the roller being a freely rotatable rotary member for rotating as and after the roller is abutted by a label.

7. The label issuing machine of claim 6, wherein the roller is shaped so as to have a circumference of re-duced width, as measured along the length of the deflecting means, for reducing the contact area of the abutment portion with a label riding thereover.

8. The label issuing machine of claim 7, wherein the roller outer circumference comprises a plurality of circumferential ridges spaced apart along the roller.

9. The label issuing machine of claim 7, wherein the roller outer circumference comprises a plurality of teeth arrayed over and spaced apart over the surface of the roller.

10. The label issuing machine of claim 1, wherein the abutment portion is shaped so as to have a circumference of reduced width, as measured along the length of the deflecting means, for reducing the contact area of the abutment portion with a label riding thereover.

11. The label issuing machine of claim 1, wherein the labels are spaced along the backing paper web such that each label has a leading edge that is spaced equally from the leading edge of the next label; the feed unit including means for advancing the label web in an intermittent manner, wherein the advance of the label web is halted periodically;
the feed unit being operable for halting the label web when the label web is in a position such that the leading edge of the next label to be peeled from the backing paper web over-lies the abutment portion.

12. In combination, the label issuing machine of claim 11 and a label web, the label web comprising a plural-ity of labels adhered in series to a web of backing paper, wherein the labels are spaced along the backing paper web such that each label has a leading edge spaced equally from the leading edge of the next label;
the feed unit having indexing means for engaging and indexing the label web in a controlled manner, and the label web including cooperating indexing means for cooper-ating with the feed unit indexing means for controlling the advancing of the label web; the respective indexing means being placed so that when the feed unit halts the label web, the label web is in a position such that the leading edge of the next label to be peeled from the backing paper web over-lies the abutment portion.

13. The label issuing machine of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary peeling member further comprises means for supporting the abutment portion for movement selectively away from the vicinity of the deflecting means and back into the vicinity of the deflecting means.

14. The label issuing machine of claim 1, wherein the peeling unit includes upper and lower members mounted to the body of the machine; the upper and lower members being juxta-posed to each other to define between them a passage for the label web, wherein the label web advances forward under the upper member, the backing paper web is deflected rearwardly and that web advances rearwardly over the lower member dur-ing the advancing of the label web.

. 15. The label issuing machine of claim 1, wherein the machine body supports a platen thereon for being engaged by printing means and for supporting thereon a label to be imprinted and the machine further comprises printing means for being moved toward engagement with the platen for imprint-ing a label supported on the platen; and the peeling unit comprising the platen having a leading edge about which the label web is deflected for separating labels from the backing paper web.

16. The label issuing machine of claim 1, further comprising temporary holding means disposed in front of the peeling unit for temporarily holding thereon a label which has been peeled off the backing paper web.

17. A label issuing machine, comprising:
a machine body; a supply unit attached to the body for supplying a label web, wherein the label web comprises a plurality of labels adhered in series to a web of backing paper;
a label peeling device for peeling each label, in turn, from the web of backing paper; the label peeling device comprising:
a peeling unit past which the label web is advanced, and the peeling unit including deflecting means for deflect-ing the backing paper web sufficiently sharply and in a direction that labels will normally separate from the back-ing paper web as the backing paper web advances past the deflecting means;
a feed unit for feeding the label web from the supply unit, for advancing the label web past the deflect-ing means, and for advancing the backing paper web beyond the deflecting means;
an auxiliary peeling member in the vicinity of the deflecting means for peeling labels from the backing paper web; the peeling member being reciprocated from a position along the backing paper web which is spaced beyond and away from the deflecting means along the part of the backing paper web after the labels have been peeled and being re-ciprocable toward the deflecting means and over the surface of the backing paper web from which the labels are being peeled, the peeling element being movable for engaging the leading end of any label which has remained adhered to the backing paper web past the deflecting means and for peeling that leading end and the label from the web of backing paper.

18. The label issuing machine of claim 17, wherein the peeling element is connected for being driven toward the deflecting means by the feed unit, such that the peeling element is driven toward the deflecting means as the label web is being advanced.