GB1573654A

GB1573654A - Feed device for labels in tape form particularly for price labelling machines

Info

Publication number: GB1573654A
Application number: GB1807277A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: PRIX ITALIA Srl
Current assignee: PRIX ITALIA Srl
Priority date: 1976-04-30
Filing date: 1977-04-29
Publication date: 1980-08-28
Also published as: IT1009853B; FR2349501A1; DE2646355A1

Description

(54) FEED DEVICE FOR LABELS IN TAPE FORM, PARTICULARLY FOR PRICE LABELLING MACHINES (71) We, PRIX ITALIA S.r.l., a limited liability Company, organised and existing under the laws of Italy, of Via Martiri della Liberta 257, Mestre (Province of Venezia), Italy, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a feed device for labels in tape form, particularly for use in price labelling machines.

At the present time machines for manually printing and distributing self-adhesive labels of small format to be fixed to goods to indicate their price and stock number, are widely used.

In these machines normally use is made of pre-cut labels supported on a tape of paper or a like flexible material.

The tape is fed by operating the internal mechanism by means of a pincer grip, and the internal mechanism is designed to produce a stepwise feed movement of constant pitch to ensure that the printing is always centred on the label.

This feed movement is obtained by using a tape of undulated shape with at least one undulation or a similar configuration in each label, this undulation or configuration matching with a drum driven by the pincer.

The drum is located inside the machine and is connected in such a manner that, should the feed become jammed, it is necessary to open and partly dismantle the machine, an operation normally not easy for an untrained person.

It should also be noted that, in addition to this lack of practicality in use, the drum must be shaped to exactly correspond to the contact shape on the support tape which must be of sufficient consistency to ensure that the tape moves without deformation, as this would lead to irregularities in the pitch or even jamming of the device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a feed device so improved as to result both in synchronisation of the feed of the labels and in the useability of tapes of any lateral configuration, and also in easier access for inspection and maintenance, even by an unskilled person.

A further object is to provide a device which is relatively simple and therefore of low cost.

According to the invention there is provided a feed device for labels in tape form for use in a labelling machine, the feed device having a feed drum means for engaging the drum with a label tape, drive means for rotating the drum, and means for pressing and guiding the tape on the drum, characterized in that the drum and the pressing and guide means are engageable by a removable base designed to be removably mounted in a casing of the labelling machine by rotating the base about an axis at one of its ends; said means for engaging the drum with said label tape comprises a plurality of pins projecting from the surface of the drum, and angularly spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the drum by a distance equal to the length of the labels; and the drive means for rotating the drum includes at least one step-by-step feed control.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a price labelling machine without its front casing to show the arrangement of the internal components and devices; Figure 2 is a perspective view of internal components of the machine of Figure 1; Figures 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views of the main elements of said feed device.

With reference to the above figures, a price labelling machine incorporating a feed device substantially comprises a pincer grip with a fixed arm 1 and a mobile arm 2, the fixed arm being rigid with a variously shaped casing 3 arranged to support all the internal operating members. In particular, the fixed arm 1 has a support 4 for a reel of label tape, not shown.

Said internal components may be assembled into a mobile unit 5 and in a removable base 6. The mobile unit 5 is rigid with the mobile arm 2, is operated by it, and substantially comprises a printing element 7 known per se and a step-by-step feed control 8 constituted by a ratchet and pawl feeding mechanism rotatable about a pin 9 rigid with the casing 3 and urged towards its rest position by a spring 10 acting between a first lug 11 in the fixed arm 1 and a second lug 12 in the mobile unit 5.

The removable base 6 is includes a support arm 13 which is pivoted to the casing 3 by means of a second pin 14 and secured to it by hooks 15 engaging a peg 16 controlled by a spring 17. The support arm 13 is in the form of a slide with two like lateral sections 18 connected to each other by partial bottom connections 19.

The lateral sections 18 comprise, at their end adjacent to the second pin 14, two projecting brackets 20 comprising a bore 21 arranged to locate a rotatable shaft 22. for a substantially cylindrical feed drum 23 arranged between two toothed wheels 24 rigid with and coaxial to it. The wheels 24 have teeth suitable for engaging with a pawl to form the ratchet and pawl feeding mechanism 8, as well as a ratchet and pawl checking mechanism 40 (Figure 4) which is pivoted to the removable base 6 and cooperates with the feeding mechanism 8. The ratchet and pawl checking mechanism 40 comprises a lever 41 having a tooth 42 arranged to engage the teeth of one of the ratchet wheels 24 and being pivoted, at its opposite end with respect to the tooth 42, to a pin 43 seated in the removable base 6.

For preloading the checking mechanism 40, use is made of a cylindrical coil spring 44 acting between the removable base 6 and the lever 41. The feed drum 23 also has, at the middle of its lateral surface, an annular groove 25 and, a plurality of pointed projections or pins 26 designed to engage a label tape and angularly spaced from one another by a distance equal to the width of the label used. The drum 23 is partly surrounded at the top by removable pressing and guide means constituted by a flexible semicylindrical cowl 27 having two inner grooved seats 28 shaped so as to permit free rotation of the pins 26.

Removable connection means are provided, at one end of said elastic cowl 27.

which includes cylindrical stiffening elements 28a from which securing pins 29 project for location in two seats 30 provided in the support arm 13. A box member 31 comprising a vertical wall 32 with an upper projection 33, and two lateral walls 34 connected to the cowl 27, is formed on the outer side of the cowl in a position adjacent to the stiffening elements 28a.

The support arm 13 comprises a notched seat 35 arranged to locate a resilient locking blade 36 to hold in cooperation with the pins 29 in the seats 30, the cowl 27 in position. A toothed projectin 37 extends into the groove 25 at the top of the drum 23 to detach from the projections 26 a label tape 38, whose path is indicated by a dotted line in Figure 1, the tape 38 being expelled through a front slot 39.

From the above description, the operation of the feed device is easily understood.

After a head of label tape has been placed under the cowl, the pincer grip is operated to move the drum 23 stepwise.

The pins 26 on the drum engage respective perforations along a separation line between individual labels, thereby pulling the tape without losing synchronism, thereby obtaining perfect printing. This also occurs owing to the ratchet and pawl mechanism 40 which engages, during each step-by-step movement of the drum 23, with one of the ratchet wheels 24. Thus, as the ratchet and pawl feeding mechanism releases its pulling action, any backward movement of the drum is effectively prevented.

For maintenance purposes, the peg 16 may be removed from the hooks 15, the removable base 6 can then rotate about the pin 14 and emerges from the casing 3; finally the resilient blade 36 is simply released from the projection 33 to enable the cowl 27 to be taken away.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A feed device for labels in tape form for use in a labelling machine. the feed device having a feed drum, means for engaging the drum with a label tape, drive means for rotating the drum, and means for pressing and guiding the tape on the drum, characterized in that the drum and the pressing and guide means are engageable by a removable base designed to be removably mounted in a casing of the labelling machine by rotating the base about an axis at one of its ends; said means for engaging the drum with said label tape comprises a plurality of pins projecting from the surface of the drum, and angularly spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the drum by a distance equal to the length of the labels; and the drive means for rotating the drum includes at least one step-by-step feed control.

2. A feed device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said drum comprises, at the centre of its lateral cylindrical surface, a plurality

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. with a fixed arm 1 and a mobile arm 2, the fixed arm being rigid with a variously shaped casing 3 arranged to support all the internal operating members. In particular, the fixed arm 1 has a support 4 for a reel of label tape, not shown. Said internal components may be assembled into a mobile unit 5 and in a removable base 6. The mobile unit 5 is rigid with the mobile arm 2, is operated by it, and substantially comprises a printing element 7 known per se and a step-by-step feed control 8 constituted by a ratchet and pawl feeding mechanism rotatable about a pin 9 rigid with the casing 3 and urged towards its rest position by a spring 10 acting between a first lug 11 in the fixed arm 1 and a second lug 12 in the mobile unit 5. The removable base 6 is includes a support arm 13 which is pivoted to the casing 3 by means of a second pin 14 and secured to it by hooks 15 engaging a peg 16 controlled by a spring 17. The support arm 13 is in the form of a slide with two like lateral sections 18 connected to each other by partial bottom connections 19. The lateral sections 18 comprise, at their end adjacent to the second pin 14, two projecting brackets 20 comprising a bore 21 arranged to locate a rotatable shaft 22. for a substantially cylindrical feed drum 23 arranged between two toothed wheels 24 rigid with and coaxial to it. The wheels 24 have teeth suitable for engaging with a pawl to form the ratchet and pawl feeding mechanism 8, as well as a ratchet and pawl checking mechanism 40 (Figure 4) which is pivoted to the removable base 6 and cooperates with the feeding mechanism 8. The ratchet and pawl checking mechanism 40 comprises a lever 41 having a tooth 42 arranged to engage the teeth of one of the ratchet wheels 24 and being pivoted, at its opposite end with respect to the tooth 42, to a pin 43 seated in the removable base 6. For preloading the checking mechanism 40, use is made of a cylindrical coil spring 44 acting between the removable base 6 and the lever 41. The feed drum 23 also has, at the middle of its lateral surface, an annular groove 25 and, a plurality of pointed projections or pins 26 designed to engage a label tape and angularly spaced from one another by a distance equal to the width of the label used. The drum 23 is partly surrounded at the top by removable pressing and guide means constituted by a flexible semicylindrical cowl 27 having two inner grooved seats 28 shaped so as to permit free rotation of the pins 26. Removable connection means are provided, at one end of said elastic cowl 27. which includes cylindrical stiffening elements 28a from which securing pins 29 project for location in two seats 30 provided in the support arm 13. A box member 31 comprising a vertical wall 32 with an upper projection 33, and two lateral walls 34 connected to the cowl 27, is formed on the outer side of the cowl in a position adjacent to the stiffening elements 28a. The support arm 13 comprises a notched seat 35 arranged to locate a resilient locking blade 36 to hold in cooperation with the pins 29 in the seats 30, the cowl 27 in position. A toothed projectin 37 extends into the groove 25 at the top of the drum 23 to detach from the projections 26 a label tape 38, whose path is indicated by a dotted line in Figure 1, the tape 38 being expelled through a front slot 39. From the above description, the operation of the feed device is easily understood. After a head of label tape has been placed under the cowl, the pincer grip is operated to move the drum 23 stepwise. The pins 26 on the drum engage respective perforations along a separation line between individual labels, thereby pulling the tape without losing synchronism, thereby obtaining perfect printing. This also occurs owing to the ratchet and pawl mechanism 40 which engages, during each step-by-step movement of the drum 23, with one of the ratchet wheels 24. Thus, as the ratchet and pawl feeding mechanism releases its pulling action, any backward movement of the drum is effectively prevented. For maintenance purposes, the peg 16 may be removed from the hooks 15, the removable base 6 can then rotate about the pin 14 and emerges from the casing 3; finally the resilient blade 36 is simply released from the projection 33 to enable the cowl 27 to be taken away. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A feed device for labels in tape form for use in a labelling machine. the feed device having a feed drum, means for engaging the drum with a label tape, drive means for rotating the drum, and means for pressing and guiding the tape on the drum, characterized in that the drum and the pressing and guide means are engageable by a removable base designed to be removably mounted in a casing of the labelling machine by rotating the base about an axis at one of its ends; said means for engaging the drum with said label tape comprises a plurality of pins projecting from the surface of the drum, and angularly spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the drum by a distance equal to the length of the labels; and the drive means for rotating the drum includes at least one step-by-step feed control.

of pointed pins for engaging the tape between one label and another.

3. A feed device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said pointed pins are arranged along the edges of an annular groove formed at the centre of said drum, the annular groove being engageable by a fixed tooth projecting from said base, to detach the label tape from the drum.

4. A feed device as claimed in any claim 1 to 3 wherein said feed drum comprises two end ratchet wheels arranged to engage with the or each step-by-step feed control.

5. A feed device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said feed control comprises a first step-by-step feed drive including a ratchet and pawl feeding mechanism adapted to control the rotation of the drum, and a second step-by-step feed drive which includes a ratchet and pawl checking mechanism pivotally mounted on the base and acting on one of said ratchet wheels in the same direction as that of said ratchet and pawl feeding mechanism.

6. A feed device as claimed in any claim 1 to 5, wherein said pressing and guide means comprises a semi-cylindrical flexible cowl arranged to partly surround the drum and press said tape against the drum, the cowl having two internal grooved seats arranged to enable the drum to rotate without interference with the pointed pins, means being provided for removably connecting said drum to said removable base.

7. A feed device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said removable connection means substantially comprises two pins laterally projecting from one end of the cowl, two seats in the support base arranged to locate the pins. and a box member formed on the cowl and having an upper vertical surface acting as a thrust shoulder for a resilient remoyable locking blade.

8. A feed device for labels in tape form for use in a labelling machine substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.