EP0039803B1 - Hand-held labeller - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hand-held labelling device for printing, detaching and dispensing individual adhesive labels mounted on a backing strip and for applying such labels to articles to be labelled, the label tape being guided from a reel of label tape via a counterplate to a deflecting edge and from the latter to transport means arranged in the area below the reel of label tape and comprising a transport wheel with backstop which positively engages the backing strip and which can be moved on step by step by means of an operating handle to transport the said strip, the deflecting edge being provided between the counterplate and the forward end opposite the operating handle and mounted together with the counterplate on a swing-out bottom mounted to pivot about a stationary pin provided in the rear bottom portion, the said device comprising further a pressure roller provided in front of the deflecting edge in the forward portion of the device opposite the said pin. In order to facilitate loading of the device with the label tape, the transport means is designed as one unit and likewise fastened to the swing-out bottom, and the space in the casing between the bottom and the reel of label tape defined by the width of the labels is kept free of components of any type.

Description

The invention relates to a hand-held labeling device with a housing in which a label tape is guided from a label supply roll in the housing to a deflection edge and from this to a deflection edge provided in the area below the label supply roll, which can be driven step by step by means of a manual control lever via a push pawl and positively conveys the transport wheel with backstop is, the deflecting edge facing the front end of the device facing away from the hand control lever and furthermore, as a common transport device, the transport wheel with backstop and the deflecting edge are attached to a device bottom which can be pivoted out of the housing about an axis fixed in the rear floor area.

Such a hand labeling device is known from US-A-4 188 255.

Hand labeling devices are known in a wide variety of designs. They are used in retail stores, especially in wholesale stores and self-service stores for price labeling. Of the many known designs, only pliers-like devices have prevailed, which have a housing which is rectangular in side view, which carries the pressure roller at its front, lower end and, on the opposite side thereof, a handle rigidly attached to the housing and a handle which is adjacent to the handle. pivotable hand control lever are attached. By swiveling in the hand control lever against spring force, the printing unit is moved against the counterpressure plate and prints a label lying on the counterpressure plate. When the hand-operated lever is pivoted back by spring force, the carrier tape of the transport device moves the carrier tape forward by a label division, the printed label on the deflecting edge detaching from the carrier tape, whereupon it is applied and rolled onto the object to be labeled by pressing and moving the pressure roller . Such labeling devices are known for example from DE-PS 12 24 661 or DE-OS 19 24 023 and DE-OS 15 11 892. All known devices consist of a large number of individual parts and are therefore relatively expensive to manufacture. Above all, however, it is disadvantageous that the insertion of a label tape requires a certain manual skill when the label tape previously used is used up. For this purpose, the label roll is inserted on the top and the label tape end is threaded down through the device. Through the open underside (DE-OS 19 24 023) or the underside opened after swiveling the bottom (DE-OS 14 36 047; DE-OS 15 11 892) the label tape end comes out and is then pulled around the deflection edge and into the Transport device introduced. In practice, it has been shown that people handling such devices often have difficulty inserting them.

A device is also known in which the label supply roll can be inserted into the device from below (AT-PS 253 431). However, this is not a device for processing individual labels, but rather a label tape from which individual labels are separated by means of a cutting device. The cutting and transport devices are located in the front area of the device and have a complicated structure with several levers. In a similar device for processing a label tape to be cut (AT-PS 245 497), the transport device is arranged in the rear area adjacent to the hand control lever and is designed as a step-by-step wheel on which the label carrier tape is wound. The bottom of the device can be opened to insert the label supply roll from below. However, the label tape must be threaded between a deflecting roller and a counter-pressure plate, where it abuts a cutting device, which makes it considerably more difficult to insert the tape into the tape run despite the hinged bottom. A disadvantage is, apart from the cumbersome insertion of the label tape and the large number of parts required for the construction of the device, that both devices build relatively long because the label supply winding and transport device are arranged one behind the other. A relatively long device, however, tires the user with the same weight more than a shorter device, which is why the devices mentioned above consistently show an arrangement of the transport device and label supply roll one above the other, although this makes it difficult to insert the label tape because of the need to thread it.

Finally, a hand-held labeling device is also known from US Pat. No. 4,188,255, already mentioned, in which a bottom part can be pivoted out of the hand-held labeling device, which carries the transport wheel, the counter-pressure plate and a pressure roller, among other things. The pivot axis of the pivotable bottom part is, however, arranged in the immediate vicinity of the axis of rotation of the transport wheel, so that the transport wheel practically remains in its position when pivoting out. Because of this fact and because of the large number of components arranged inside the device between the transport device and the label supply roll, it is also impossible with this known hand labeling device to insert the label supply roll loosely from below. Rather, this must be inserted into the top of the device and placed in a holder, and the free end of the label tape must be threaded through the device from above, past several components, with the bottom part unfolded, the bottom must then be folded back in and then released end hanging down of the label tape must be threaded back into the folded bottom part to the transport wheel.

Although it is known per se from US-A-3 817 177 to design a hand-held labeling device in such a way that the label supply roll is inserted into the device from below, this requires a special construction in the known device, in which one complete opening is required of the hand-held labeling device over the entire lower length is possible in that the lower bottom and the hand lever are formed in one piece and can be pivoted about an axis at the rear end of the hand-held labeling device and, on the other hand, the label supply roll cannot be inserted "loosely" from below into the device, but rather for this purpose rather, a special cassette for the supply roll is required, in which the supply roll is held on a mandrel. This known hand-held labeler thus had the disadvantage of requiring a mechanically unfavorable handle actuation due to the special base construction and, on the other hand, making the operation more expensive in that either disposable cassettes are used for the label supply roll or the operation is complicated by the fact that the supply roll first goes into the cassette and then the cassette had to be inserted into the handheld device.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device of the type mentioned at the outset which is particularly economical to produce because it consists of only a few individual parts and which enables simplified label insertion. In other words, the invention is intended to create a hand-held labeling device which is particularly simple both in terms of manufacture and in terms of use.

This object is achieved in that the pivot axis of the pawl is at least approximately aligned with the pivot axis of the bottom for the complete pivoting of the transport device out of the housing and that the area between the bottom and label supply roll in label width is free of internals, so that the label supply roll can be inserted loosely from below into the housing through the opening released by the pivoted-out transport device.

These measures surprisingly make it possible to design the device in such a way that the label supply roll can be inserted into the device after the base has been opened, although the label supply roll and transport device are arranged one above the other. Surprisingly, this results in the advantage that no threading of the label tape is required, because the tape end hanging out of the device is automatically brought into its path by the counterpressure plate attached to the pivotable base and the deflection edge when the base is pivoted in without the user having to do anything. It is sufficient to insert the end of the belt hanging out after the bottom has been closed into the transport device. The advantage here is that the device has a simplified structure and is also user-friendly in that, if any repairs to the transport device are required, this can be replaced as a complete unit with the floor without, as in the known devices, disassembling the entire device must become.

The transport device always has a backstop, which ensures that the belt position is maintained during the breaks. The backstop is usually a leaf spring or pawl attached to the housing of the device and falling into corresponding recesses or behind projections of the transport wheel. In preferred embodiments of the invention, however, the backstop is not attached to the housing, but part of the transport unit and can also be swung out with the floor. This has the advantage that any assembly or manufacturing inaccuracies cannot impair the function of the backstop, the function of which can also be checked even when the floor is swung out.

The housing of the known devices mainly consist of two plate-shaped elements, which are held parallel to one another by shafts, spacers and the like. The various individual parts such as counterpressure plate, transport device, pressure roller etc. are inserted between these plates and screwed or riveted to them . However, this increases the manufacturing outlay due to the considerable assembly times, as does the outlay for repairs and repairs. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the housing consists of a single part with a U-shaped cross section. This has become possible because, because the printing unit can be swung out with the floor, no essential elements have to be fastened inside the device. Only the shaft for the hand control lever, which is located on the edge of the housing, and the shaft for the pressure roller, which is also located on the edge of the housing, are attached to the housing. Shafts located on the edge of the housing can, however, be easily installed, since the housing can be expanded by slightly spreading them and the corresponding shafts can be used. The arrangement of the transport device as a unit on the swing-out floor thus enables further, unforeseeable advantageous configurations; in addition to the embodiment just explained, it also enables the housing to be closed at the top in the area of the label supply roll and the roll holder to be integral with the housing, namely the roll holder only consists of the already existing side walls of the housing and one top cover of the case. At the bottom is the label storage wrap-receiving space is completed by guide struts which extend over the transport wheel and are integral with the housing base.

Although the transport unit can be swung out together with the floor, a simply constructed and reliably acting drive transmission from the hand control lever to the transport wheel can be realized. For this purpose, according to an embodiment of the invention, a pawl is provided which is articulated on the hand control lever and which rests on the transport wheel under spring preload. The side view of the pawl is preferably approximately U-shaped, the articulation axis being in the yoke area and one leg supported on the transport wheel and the other leg supported on the floor. Furthermore, the pawl is made of plastic and the other leg is guided on the floor so that the pawl is relaxed in the rest position of the device. This ensures that despite the manufacture of the plastic pawl its suspension properties do not deteriorate over time because it is only used for a short time, namely during the working stroke. Finally, in the rest position, the articulation axis of the pawl is at least approximately in alignment with the pivot axis of the floor. This has the advantage that, despite the drive connection of the transport device, the floor can be swung out completely and unhindered via the pawl with the manual control lever.

The floor is preferably not a continuous plate which completely closes the underside of the device, but is open at the bottom in the region of the transport device and essentially comprises two plates parallel to the housing side walls and enclosing the transport device between them. These plates carry the shaft of the transport wheel and a recess is machined into at least one of these plates and a resilient tab is formed in the recess, which serves as a backstop. The resilient tab engages in a corresponding toothing provided on the end face of the transport wheel.

In order to improve the above-described introduction of the tape hanging out of the device when pivoting the floor and to ensure the desired tape course, a guide plate is provided according to a preferred embodiment of the invention and is inclined at approximately an angle of 120 ° to the counter-pressure plate on the floor near the the end of the counter pressure plate facing away from the deflecting edge. This guide plate ensures that the belt runs along a deflection bar which is arranged in the housing in the vicinity of the guide plate.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom, plates, counter pressure plate, deflection edge, guide plate and backstop are made in one piece from plastic. The one-piece production simplifies assembly and maintenance of the device; the production from plastic lowers the production costs.

The pivoted, closed rest position of the floor can be fixed in different ways. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, for this purpose in the vicinity of the upper end of the guide plate holding hooks are formed on the bottom which, when the device is closed, engage a cross bolt which is displaceably mounted in the device housing and which is located directly in front of and parallel to the guide plate when the device is closed. The locking of the base can be released by moving this cross bolt, which protrudes outward beyond the device housing and is provided with a handle knob at its outer ends.

Some of the known devices have a tape brake which, at least when the device is at rest, clamps the label tape between the label supply roll and the deflection edge. In the simplest case, it is a leaf spring that lies against the surface of the label supply roll (AT-PS 245 497). However, this has the disadvantage that the power requirement for using the device is increased, which is why band brakes are preferred whose braking effect is released when the device is actuated. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the brake is therefore formed by an angle lever, which is pivotally mounted in the housing, one arm of which rests in the rest position ah of an extension of the manual operating lever carrying the printing unit, and its other arm is pressed against the guide plate. This creates an automatically releasing brake because when the device is actuated, the extension of the hand control lever moves away from the first arm of the angle lever and as a result its other arm no longer presses the band against the guide plate and clamps it.

However, this embodiment of the band brake can advantageously also be used for a further function, as is the case with a preferred embodiment of the invention; in this embodiment, a curve which is approximately concentric with the axis of the hand control lever is formed on the other arm of the angle lever and a crosspiece is formed on the extension of the hand control lever, the distance from the axis of the hand control lever being slightly greater than the radius of the curve; furthermore, the curve has a depression in the area in which the crossbar is in the rest position of the hand control lever. Curve and crossbar therefore cause that only in the rest position of the hand control lever, when the crossbar is opposite the recess, the cross bolt is movable, which is mounted in elongated holes in the housing side walls, which are located in the region of the lower end of the other arm of the angle lever. If, on the other hand, the hand control lever is actuated, the crossbar is opposite the curve, as a result of which the angle lever cannot be pivoted beyond the position in which the braking effect is occurring is canceled. It is thereby achieved that when the hand control lever is actuated, the cross bolt is locked and, as a result, the locking with the hook formed on the base is not released and the base cannot be pivoted out.

Further details and refinements of the present invention result from the following description of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing in conjunction with the claims.

• Fig. 1 einen Längsschnitt durch das Gerät entlang der Innenseite der dem Betrachter zugewandten Seitenwand mit in Ruheposition befindlichen Einzelteilen,
• Fig. 2 die Anordnung gemäß Fig. 1 mit in Arbeitsstellung befindlicher Position der Einzelteile,
• Fig. 3 einen Schnitt entlang der Linie 111-111 der Fig. 1,
• Fig. 4 eine perspektivische Ansicht des ausschwenkbaren Bodens einschließlich der Transporteinheit, und
• Fig. 5 eine perspektivische Ansicht der Anordnung nach Fig. 4 mit abgebrochen dargestellter vorderer Tragplatte.

In a simplified and schematic representation, they show:

• 1 shows a longitudinal section through the device along the inside of the side wall facing the viewer with individual parts in the rest position,
• 2 shows the arrangement according to FIG. 1 with the individual parts in the working position, FIG.
• 3 shows a section along the line 111-111 of FIG. 1,
• Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the swing-out bottom including the transport unit, and
• Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the arrangement of FIG. 4 with the front support plate shown broken off.

The device shown in the drawing consists essentially of four partly one-piece elements, namely a one-piece housing 1, a likewise one-piece hand control lever 2, a bottom 3 rotatably mounted on the housing 1 with a transport device 4 attached to it, and a plugged onto an extension 5 of the hand control lever 2 Printing unit 6 with inking device 7 pivotally attached to the housing.

The housing is preferably injection-molded in one piece from plastic and comprises two plates which can be seen in the outline from FIGS. 1 and 2 and are parallel to the plane of the drawing and which are connected to one another by the transverse walls 8 shown in broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 2. The transverse walls 8 in the area of a handle 9 which is rigidly formed on the housing 1 and a chamber 10 for a label supply roll 11 together with the side plates result in a U-shaped cross section of the housing. In the front area, side plates 12 of the housing 1 are connected to one another without transverse walls, but rather by a web 13 with a rectangular cross section and a wall section 13 'in the upper area and a shaft 14 in the lower area. The web 13 serves as a receptacle for the inking device 7, which is detachably attached to bearing journals 15, which are provided on a holding clip 16 ', which in turn is attached to the web 13 and locked. A inking roller holder 16 of the inking device pivots around the bearing pin 15 and carries at its free end a inking roller 17 which bears against types 18 of the printing unit 6. This concern is achieved by a leg spring which is wound around the bearing pin 15 and one leg of which rests on the ink roller holder 16 and the other leg of which rests on the holding clip 16 '. The holding clip 16 'and the ink roller holder 16 with the inking roller 17 can be attached and removed as a unit (inking device 7) to the crossbar 13. A pressure roller 58 can be rotated about the shaft 14, under which a label 59 to be dispensed, printed and largely released from the carrier tape is provided in a known manner.

The hand control lever 2 is pivotable about an axis 19 provided in the vicinity of the root of the handle 9. On the hand control lever 2, a projection 20 is formed in the vicinity of the axis 19, in which a return spring 21 is hooked, which is designed as a coil tension spring and on the other hand is hooked in at the end of the rigid handle 9. The two extensions 5 extend as flat plates immediately adjacent to the side plates 12 within the housing up to the printing unit 6, which is pinned to them. In the rear floor area at the lower end of the handle part of the hand control lever 2 a cross-sectionally U-shaped pawl 22 is pivotally mounted about an axis 23. The pawl 22 is designed as a U-spring and made of plastic. Its upper leg 24 is rigid and is provided at the end with a fork which bears against an axially projecting pin 25 of a transport wheel 26 which is rotatable about an axis 27. The other, lower leg 28 of the pawl 22 is guided by means of a cross pin 29 in an elongated hole 30 of the bottom 3. It goes without saying that the pawl 22 is optionally provided on one, but preferably on both sides of the transport wheel 26, the two pawls being connected to one another in the latter case by a crosspiece 31 in the region of the cross pin 29. The axis 23 is formed by a bolt which protrudes outwards from the grip part of the hand control lever 2 and engages in a bore 32 in the pawl 22.

The floor 3 together with the transport device 4 can be pivoted about a housing-fixed axis 33, which is approximately aligned with the axis 23 in the rest position of the hand control lever 2 shown in FIG. 1. The axis 33 is designed as an outwardly projecting pin, as shown in FIG. 4, which engages in a corresponding bore in the side plate of the housing 1. The bottom shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 consists of two longitudinal plates 34, the spacing of which is dimensioned such that they can be pivoted into the housing 1. The two longitudinal plates 34 are connected to one another by a counterpressure plate 35 which is located in the end region facing away from the axis 33 and has a deflection edge 36 for the label strip at its front end. At a distance from the rear end of the counterpressure plate 35 facing away from the deflection edge 36, a guide plate 37 is provided to connect the two longitudinal plates 34 to one another. An upwardly projecting part of the longitudinal plates 34 forms support plates 38 which support the axle 27 for the transport wheel 26. In

at least one of the two support plates 38 has a recess 39 into which a tab 40 formed on the recess edge projects, which serves as a resilient backstop, since its free end resiliently engages in a toothing 41 which is provided on the end face of the transport wheel 26. The transport wheel 26 has, in a known manner, radially protruding pins 42 on its circumference, which engage in recesses in the carrier tape and take it positively.

A deflection roller 43 is also provided between the guide plate 37 and the transport wheel 26 and curved guide struts 44 which extend at a distance from the lateral surface of the transport wheel 26 are also arranged parallel to one another in this region.

Finally, retaining hooks 45 are integrally formed on the longitudinal plates 34, which overlap a transverse bolt 46 when the base 3 is pivoted into the housing 1. The cross bolt 46 is guided and held in an elongated hole running parallel to the floor in the side plates 12 of the housing 1.

Around an axis 47 provided in the central, upper region of the housing 1, a brake designed as an angle lever 48 is mounted, one arm 49 of which rests on the top of the extensions 5 in the rest position of the hand control lever 2. The other arm 50 of the angle lever 48 extends down to the cross bolt 46, for which a recess is made in the arm 50. The return spring 21 presses the extensions 5 against one of the arms 49 (on both side walls of the housing) and thereby presses the end of the arm 50 against the guide plate 37.

On the other side facing away from the guide plate 37, a curve 51 is formed on the arm 50 which is concentric with the axis 19 and ends at a distance from the axis 47. A crosspiece 52 connects the two extensions 5 of the hand control lever 2 to one another, its distance from the axis 19 being slightly greater than the distance from the surface of the curve 51 to the axis 19. If the hand control lever is pivoted out of its rest position shown in FIG. 1, then the crossbar 52 passes over the curve 51 and prevents the arm 50 from being pivoted further than until the curve 51 abuts the crossbar 52. As a result, the cross bolt 46 cannot be moved so far in its elongated hole that the retaining hooks 45 are released from it.

To start up the device, when the hand control lever 2 is at rest, the cross bolt 46 is displaced in its elongated hole until the holding hooks 45 are no longer engaged and the base 3 is then pivoted out about the axis 33. Subsequently, a label supply roll 11 is inserted into the chamber 10 from below, the carrier tape 53 covered with labels 59 protruding outwards at one end. If the bottom 3 is now pivoted inward, the guide plate 37 and the counterpressure plate 35 press the band against a deflection web 54 which is fixed in the housing 1 and which is provided to connect the two side plates 12 of the housing 1 to one another directly below the elongated hole carrying the cross bolt 46. The end of the carrier tape 53 then projects outwards under the pressure roller 58. It is detected and inserted into the transport device 4 between the deflection roller 43 and the transport wheel 26. When the hand control lever is subsequently actuated and the transport wheel is thereby advanced, the carrier belt runs in automatically, supported by the guidance effected by the guide struts 44. The carrier tape runs outwards between the two pawls 22, the detachment from the transport wheel being ensured by a web 55 which is triangular in cross section. The web 45 is attached with its ends to the support plates 38.

To issue a label, the device is gripped on the handle 9 and the hand control lever 2 is pivoted in. Characterized the previously existing braking is canceled by pressing the arm 50 against the guide plate 37 and the printing unit 6, which previously swivels the inking device 7 outwards, is pressed with the inked types 18 against the label lying on the counter-pressure plate 35 and printed on it . At the same time, the pawl 22 was withdrawn, jumping over the next pin 25. If the hand control lever 2 is now released, it is brought back by the previously tensioned return spring 21 and the pawl 22 is moved forward because of the pin 25, the transport wheel 26 is moved one step further. As a result, the carrier tape 53 is pulled further and a corresponding section is withdrawn from the label supply roll 11, a label 59 simultaneously detaching from the carrier tape on the deflecting edge and being provided under the pressure roller 58. By pressing the pressure roller 58 against an object to be labeled and by pulling the device away, the label 59 is completely removed and rolled onto the object.

Claims (13)

1. Hand labelling device having a housing (1), and in which a label strip (53) is guided from a label supply roller (11) in the housing (1) to a direction reversing edge (36) and thence to a transport wheel (26) having a non-return lock (40) and intended positively to convey the carrier strip, the transport wheel (26) being provided in the region below the label supply roller (11) and adapted to be driven stepwise by a hand operating lever (2) and via a ratchet (22), the direction reversing edge (36) being directed towards the front end of the device which is remote from the hand operating lever (2), the transport wheel (26) with non-return lock (40) and the direction reversing edge (36) being jointly provided as a common transport device (4) on the bottom (3) of the machine, and the said bottom (3) being adapted to be pivoted out of the housing (1) about an axis (33) integral with the machine and disposed in the rear part of the bottom, caracterised in that for complete pivoting of the transport device (4) out of the housing (1), the articulating axis (23) of the ratchet (22), while the device is in the inoperative position, is at least substantially aligned with the pivoting axis (33) of the bottom (3) and in that inside the housing (1) the zone between bottom (3) and label supply roller (11) is free from incorporated device over a width of the labels, so that the label supply (11) can be loosely fitted into the housing (1) from below through the aperture which is exposed by the outwardly pivoted transport device (4).

2. Hand labelling machine according to Claim 1, characterised in that the bottom (3) together with the transport wheel (26) is exchangeably mounted on the housing (1).

3. Hand labelling machine according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the ratchet (22) bears under initial spring tension on the transport wheel (26).

4. Hand labelling machine according to Claim 3, characterised in that in its side elevation, the ratchet (22) is of approximately U-shape, the articulating axis (23) being disposed at the bottom end of a handle part of the hand operating lever (2), one arm (24) of the ratchet (22) being braced on the transport wheel (26) while the other arm (28) is braced on the bottom (3). -

5. Hand labelling machine according to Claim 4, characterised in that the ratchet (22) consists of synthetic plastics material while the other arm (28) is of resilient construction and is so guided on the bottom (3) that it is relieved when the machine is in its inoperative position.

6. Hand labelling machine according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the transport device (4) has two plates (38) supporting a shaft (27) of the transport wheel (26), the plates forming an upper portion of longitudinal plates (34), into which a cut-out (39) is machined and in that a resilient lug (40) is formed in the cut-out to serve as a non-return lock.

7. Hand labelling machine according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the housing (1) consists of a synthetic plastics part which is of U-shaped cross-section.

8. Hand labelling machine according to claim 7, characterised in that the housing (1) is constructed to be closed at the top in the region of the label supply roller (11), a label supply container (10) being integral with the housing (1).

9. Hand labelling machine according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that a guide plate (37) is provided and is inclined at an angle of 120° in relation to the mating plate (35) and is disposed on the bottom (3) in the vicinity of that end of the mating plate (35) which is remote from the direction reversing edge (36).

10. Hand labelling machine according to one of Claims 6 or 9, characterised in that the bottom (3), logitudinal plates (34), supporting plates (38), mating plate (35), direction reversing edge (36), guide plate (37) and non-return lock (40) of the transport device (4) are manufactured in one piece from synthetic plastics material.

11. Hand labeiling machine according to Claim 9 or 10, characterised in that in the vicinity of the upper end of the guide plate (37), retaining hooks (45) are moulded onto the bottom (3) and, when the machine is closed, they engage a transverse pin (46) mounted for displacement in the machine housing (1) and which, when the machine is closed, extend directly in front of and parallel with the guide plate (37) from side plate (12) to side plate (12) of the housing (1).

12. Hand labelling machine according to one of Claims 9 to 11, with a band brake which, when the machine is in the inoperative position, securely clamps the label strip (53) between the label supply roller (11) and the direction reversing edge (36), characterised in that the brake is formed by an angle lever (48) which is pivotally mounted in the housing (1), one arm (49), when in the inoperative position, being pressed on an extension (5) of the hand operating lever (2) which supports the pressure mechanism (2), while the other arm (50) is pressed against the guide plate (37).

13. Hand labelling machine according to Claim 12, characterised in that moulded on the other arm (50) of the angle lever (48) is a curve (51) substantially concentric with the axis (19) of the hand operating lever (2) while there is on the extension (5) of the hand operating lever (2) a transverse web (52), the distance from the axis (19) of which is slightly greater than the radius of the curve (51), and in that the curve (51) has a depression in the zone in which the transverse web (52) is disposed when the hand operating lever (2) is in its inoperative position.

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