GB1597017A

GB1597017A - Apparatus for printing and dispensing labels

Info

Publication number: GB1597017A
Application number: GB2142978A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Norprint Ltd
Current assignee: Norprint Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-23
Filing date: 1978-05-23
Publication date: 1981-09-03
Also published as: JPS55500297A; DE2962785D1; EP0015985A1; CH644075A5; WO1979001108A1; EP0015985B1

Abstract

A label applicator for printing and applying the printed labels. The applicator includes a manually-actuated handle (16) pivoted to a frame of the machine serves to actuate a linkage (28) which in conjunction with a bell-crank lever moves a print head into engagement with a label on the platen. The linkage (28) and bell-crank levers (30) serve to produce a toggle action so that even with stamp-impression printing, the printing force applied is the same irrespective of the pressure applied to the movable handle. The applicator can be used wherever high quality printing on labels is required.

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR PRINTING AND DISPENSING LABELS (71) We, NORPRINT LIMITED, a British Company of Horncastle Road, Boston, Lin colnshire. 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 apparatus for printing and dispensing labels. Such labels may be of the kind coated with a pressuresensitive adhesive, but may also be coated with a heat-sensitive or other adhesive and in the limit may even be in the form of a ticket having no adhesive coating.

Such apparatus has already been proposed and brought into use and includes printing means which may operate on the stamp impression principle or may make use of rotary or pivotal print heads. The stamp impression print heads have the disadvantage that the ihtensity of the impression formed on the labels depends to some extent upon the force applied by the operator when actuating the apparatus unless the apparatus incorporates adequate mechanical safeguards. For this reason rotary print heads have been proposed but they tend to complexity of construction and the safeguards proposed or used for stamp impression print heads often require that a high actuating force should be applied by the operator as well as necessitating additional complexity.In the latter apparatus, despite the safeguards improper inking may result from fatigue in the operator who fails to apply sufficient pressure to the actuating member to ensure the desired intensity of the print impression.

According to the present invention there is provided hand-held apparatus for printing and dispensing labels comprising actuating means for initiating an operational cycle of the apparatus and print head means connected to the actuating means through lin kage me ^ F . the arrangement being such that the co-opelrtive relationship between the actuating means and the linkage means gives rise to a toggle action during the operational cycle thereby rendering the action of the print-head means to produce a print impression substantially independent of the force applied to the actuating means.

Apparatus embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus in a rest configuration; and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1 in an operative position.

Referring now to the drawings, the handheld apparatus comprises a body 10 arranged to carry a reel 12 of pressure-sensitive adhesive labels mounted on a backing strip and during use the web is indexed through the apparatus by a feed mechanism, not shown in detail. Such webs are well-known in the art. The body 10 includes a handle 14 rigid therewith which carries at the end remote from the reel 12 a trigger or other actuating member 16 pivoted at 18 to the handle and this trigger member 16 has an upwards extension 20 to which a return spring 22 is attached at point 24.

The trigger member 16 includes a surface which can be conveniently engaged by the fingers of one hand of an operator and includes a finger guard 26, a part of which in the position shown in Figure 1, is approximately aligned with the lower wall (as shown) of the body 10.

At the end remote from the projection 20, the trigger member 16 pivotally carries at pivots 27 two short links 28 (only one shown) which are also pivotally connected at 29 to a respective one of two bell-crank levers 30 which are pivotally connected at one end of one arm of each lever 32 to the body 10 and at the other end are spanned by a print-head 34 of generally conventional form in handheld labelling apparatus. The print-head 34 may be of the fixed type (as shown) or may be capable of swinging in order to effect the printing operation on a label about to be dispensed at a printing platen 36. The print head is mounted between the two levers 30.

The applicator, as is conventional, includes a feed mechanism 39 (shown only in outline) which may be, for example, as illustrated and claimed in our co-pending application No. 1160/78 and this includes a take-up reel 38 for spent backing strip. The spent backing strip reel is mounted wholly within the body and below (as illustrated) the reel of fresh web 12. At the end of the body 10 remote from the handle an applicator roller 40 is provided and the operative facets of the print head 34 are arranged to contact during the operational cycle immediately before printing an inking roller 42 disposed immediately above the applicator roller 40.

In operation, the trigger member 16 is squeezed and the link 28 provides a toggle action so that at the over-centre position with the pivots 18, 27, 29 substantially aligned the bell-crank levers 30 swing and cause the print head 34 to move, contact the inking roller 42 and subsequently apply a print impression to a label on the platen 36 which also forms a guide for the label web both before and after a label has been dispensed from the backing. As will be apparent the amount of force applied to the label will be independent of the squeezing pressure applied to the trigger member 16 and by appropriate design of the bell crank lever 30 and of the link 28, the amount of pressure applied can be multiplied substantially beyond the pressure applied to the trigger member itself.This will avoid fatigue of the operator as well as ensuring that the print impression is maintained substantially constant irrespective of the pressure applied to the trigger member.

It will be understood that although the toggle action linkage is applied as hereinbefore described to apparatus operated by a squeeze action trigger, it is applicable to other apparatus such as disclosed in our copending application 1160/78 (NOR V).

Although the apparatus hereinbefore described is intended for manual operation it is also possible to operate the apparatus electrically. Clearly fatigue of the operator will be of less importance, but lower power consumption will be of advantage if the apparatus is battery-powered.

Although primarily intended for use with a web comprising a backing strip and pressure-sensitive adhesive coated labels, the apparatus could, with appropriate modification be used with heat-sensitive adhesive labels. The apparatus could also be used for a web of non-adhesive labels or tickets, and the term "label" as used herein is intended to cover tickets without any adhesive coating.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: r. Hand-held apparatus for printing and dispensing labels comprising actuating means for initiating an operational cycle of the apparatus and print-head means connected to the actuating means through linkage means, the arrangement being such that the co-operative relationship between the actuating means and the linkage means gives rise to a toggle action during the operational cycle thereby rendering the action of the print-head means to produce a print impression substantially independent of the force applied to the actuating means.

2. Hand-held apparatus for printing and dispensing labels, comprising pivotal actuating means for initiating an operational cycle of the apparatus, a linkage pivoted to the actuating means and a print-head mounted on the linkage, the actuating means and the linkage together providing for a toggle action during the operational cycle serving to multiply the force applied to the print head at the instant of printing and render the force applied to the print head substantially independent of the force applied to the actuating means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 comprising resilient means for returning movable parts of the apparatus to a rest position at the end of an operational cycle.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the apparatus is so constructed that the pivot points of the actuating means and the linkage lie substantially on a straight line at the instant of printing by the print-head on a label.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the linkage means comprises at least one link pivoted to the actuating means and at least one bell-crank level pivoted to the body of the apparatus, carrying the printhead and pivotally connected to the link, the pivot connection to the body being remote from the point at which the print head is mounted on the bell-crank lever.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an inking roller disposed in the path of the print-head or print-head means so that operative facets thereof are inked during the operational cycle.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the labels are mounted on a backing strip and a rewind spool is mounted within the body of the apparatus to take up spent backing strip of the label web.

8. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the resilient means is a spring connected between the actuating means and a part of the linkage or linkage means.

9. Hand-held apparatus for printing and dispensing labels from a web incorporating the labels and a backing strip, said apparatus comprising a body with a handle, a trigger member pivoted to the handle at a position remote from the remainder of the body, a print-head operable to print a label of the web about to be dispensed from the apparatus, a pair of bell-crank levers supporting the print-head at one end of one pair of arms of the levers and pivoted to the body at the

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

Claims

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

take-up reel 38 for spent backing strip. The spent backing strip reel is mounted wholly within the body and below (as illustrated) the reel of fresh web 12. At the end of the body 10 remote from the handle an applicator roller 40 is provided and the operative facets of the print head 34 are arranged to contact during the operational cycle immediately before printing an inking roller 42 disposed immediately above the applicator roller 40.

In operation, the trigger member 16 is squeezed and the link 28 provides a toggle action so that at the over-centre position with the pivots 18, 27, 29 substantially aligned the bell-crank levers 30 swing and cause the print head 34 to move, contact the inking roller 42 and subsequently apply a print impression to a label on the platen 36 which also forms a guide for the label web both before and after a label has been dispensed from the backing. As will be apparent the amount of force applied to the label will be independent of the squeezing pressure applied to the trigger member 16 and by appropriate design of the bell crank lever 30 and of the link 28, the amount of pressure applied can be multiplied substantially beyond the pressure applied to the trigger member itself.This will avoid fatigue of the operator as well as ensuring that the print impression is maintained substantially constant irrespective of the pressure applied to the trigger member.

It will be understood that although the toggle action linkage is applied as hereinbefore described to apparatus operated by a squeeze action trigger, it is applicable to other apparatus such as disclosed in our copending application 1160/78 (NOR V).

Although the apparatus hereinbefore described is intended for manual operation it is also possible to operate the apparatus electrically. Clearly fatigue of the operator will be of less importance, but lower power consumption will be of advantage if the apparatus is battery-powered.

Although primarily intended for use with a web comprising a backing strip and pressure-sensitive adhesive coated labels, the apparatus could, with appropriate modification be used with heat-sensitive adhesive labels. The apparatus could also be used for a web of non-adhesive labels or tickets, and the term "label" as used herein is intended to cover tickets without any adhesive coating.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: r. Hand-held apparatus for printing and dispensing labels comprising actuating means for initiating an operational cycle of the apparatus and print-head means connected to the actuating means through linkage means, the arrangement being such that the co-operative relationship between the actuating means and the linkage means gives rise to a toggle action during the operational cycle thereby rendering the action of the print-head means to produce a print impression substantially independent of the force applied to the actuating means.
2. Hand-held apparatus for printing and dispensing labels, comprising pivotal actuating means for initiating an operational cycle of the apparatus, a linkage pivoted to the actuating means and a print-head mounted on the linkage, the actuating means and the linkage together providing for a toggle action during the operational cycle serving to multiply the force applied to the print head at the instant of printing and render the force applied to the print head substantially independent of the force applied to the actuating means.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 comprising resilient means for returning movable parts of the apparatus to a rest position at the end of an operational cycle.
4. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the apparatus is so constructed that the pivot points of the actuating means and the linkage lie substantially on a straight line at the instant of printing by the print-head on a label.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the linkage means comprises at least one link pivoted to the actuating means and at least one bell-crank level pivoted to the body of the apparatus, carrying the printhead and pivotally connected to the link, the pivot connection to the body being remote from the point at which the print head is mounted on the bell-crank lever.
6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an inking roller disposed in the path of the print-head or print-head means so that operative facets thereof are inked during the operational cycle.
7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the labels are mounted on a backing strip and a rewind spool is mounted within the body of the apparatus to take up spent backing strip of the label web.
8. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the resilient means is a spring connected between the actuating means and a part of the linkage or linkage means.
9. Hand-held apparatus for printing and dispensing labels from a web incorporating the labels and a backing strip, said apparatus comprising a body with a handle, a trigger member pivoted to the handle at a position remote from the remainder of the body, a print-head operable to print a label of the web about to be dispensed from the apparatus, a pair of bell-crank levers supporting the print-head at one end of one pair of arms of the levers and pivoted to the body at the

free ends of the other pair of arms of the levers, a pair of links pivotally connecting the trigger member to the pair of levers at the junction of the arms of the levers and a return spring connected to the levers at the pivot axis with the links and to a projection of the trigger member, the relationships of the trigger member and the links being such that a toggle action takes place whereby at the instant of printing a force multiplication ensures a good print impression irrespective of the actuating force applied to the trigger member.
10. Apparatus for printing and dispensing labels substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.