US2116477A - Price tag - Google Patents

Description

May 3,193 HN 2,116,477

- PRICE TAG Original Filed Oct. 20, 1934 M ATTORNEYS Patented May 3, 1938 UNITED STATES 2,116,477 PATENT OFF-ICE PRICE TAG Frederick Kohnle, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to 1111c Monarch Marking System Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 20, 1934, Serial No. 749,208

. Renewed November 9, 1937 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvementsin price tags and to a method or manner of applying them The purpose of thepresent invention is to be able to use a different form of tag, i. e. a tag folded over the margin of the merchandise, and to insert the pin by driving it straight through .(or perpendicularly through) and only once through, the top and bottom sections of the tag while folded over the margin of the merchandise, instead of inserting the pin twice through the. tag and merchandise in a direction substantially parallel with the tag.

In other words, it is distinctive of the present invention that I drive the pin at a right angle to the merchandise and tag sections instead of in the conventional pin-like fashion disclosedin my former patent.

It is also the purpose of the present invention to be able to accomplish the useful result shown in my former patent of concealing the sharp pin point, by insertion into or through the under-section of the tag.

The present tag when affixed, differs materially in appearance as W611 as in structure, manner of applying and commercial usage, from the several forms disclosed in my said former patent.

The distinguishing characteristics of the present tag inherent both in the novel structure and method herein disclosed, consists in employing a tag with two sections which fold over top and bottom portions of a margin of the merchandise; the pin passes through these tag sections and the merchandise only once, and perpendicularly; the shank portion of the pin (i. e. substantially full length of the pin) projected beyond the bottom section of the tag is bent at a sharp angle to that portion of the pin just adjacent the head, i. e. that minute portion of the pin which transfixes the two tag sections and the merchandise, the substantial length of the shank of the pin being bent into approximately the plane of the undersection of the tag, and, the very point, of the pin is positioned in guarded or sub-surface relation to this bottom section of the tag.

It will be readily apparent from this description that in the present invention, unlike that dis- One form of the so-called pinclosed in my said former patent, the top surface only of the head of the pin is exposed on the face or reading surface of the tag, and no shank portion of the pin is exposed except on the undersurface of the bottom section of the tag. This has a two-fold advantage, namely, as only the head appears on the face of the tag this provides the maximum space for printing price or other commercial data on the face of the tag, and, second, only a minute fraction of the shank portion of thepin adjacent the head contacts the merchandise, thus very materially reducing the danger of injuring the merchandise. The sharp pin point is effectually guarded in or by this lower section of the tag. l

I have found that this new idea is thoroughly practical, capable of machine actuated pinning and guarding steps, and that the commercial world has urgent need of the fold-over type of tag, provided the pin pointcan be effectually guarded. The tag is securely affixed to the merchandise in a manner to protect the hands and the thread or fibers of fragile fabrics. It is neat in appearance, and is easily removed by merely tearing the tag. Neither the tag northe merchandise are bowed or buckled in the pinning steps, and the shank of the pin is completely disassociated from the fabric and from the face or reading section of the tag, inasmuch as it is held solely in and by the bottom section. Therefore,

the merchandise is not only thoroughly protected from injury but a smooth fiat tag is provided with only a minute portionof the length of the shank of the pin employed for tag securance.

Preferably, though not necessarily, to facilitate pin point penetration into the body of the underside of the tag for guarding, this under section of the tag is formed with an aperture or slit or slot to provide an opening disposed in the path of pin.

point movement.

Various other features and advantages of the invention are more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the tag, showing the upper or face leaf thereof, clasped about a margin of merchandise.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-4, Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, disclosing the underside of the tag.

Figure 4 is a plan View similar to Figure 3, ill us-- trating a modification of the tag. i

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, in which the point end of the pin submerged below the tag is not bent to an angle as illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a plan view similar to Figures 3 and C.

5, showing a modified form of slitting.

The tag, as shown in the drawing, is preferably of a fold-over type andmay be manufactured or supplied in continuous strip or gang tag lengths, the strip provided at definite spacing apart with notches or slots in alignment longitudinally of the strip disposed at any convenient location with respect to the longitudinal edges thereof, or may be cut into one of the edges as topartially separate the tags and to cooperate with feeding devices of a machine for marking and applying. In this connection, the tag strip may conform to a tag strip as illustrated and described in Letters Patent issued to me December 5, 1922, No. 1,438,044.

Referring to the drawing, the tag constitutes a pair of leaves or sections I, 2, joined to fold into parallelism for clasping over or about a margin or edge of merchandise 3, the fold binding the edge of the merchandise and the leaves dis-.

posed at relatively opposite sides of the merchandise. One of the leaves, as leaf I, may be designated as an outer or upper leaf providing a face side upon which the price-marking data is printed, and the second, as leaf 22, designated as an under or lower leaf, engages over the underside of the merchandise.

In my preferred structure, the underleaf 2 has a slit 4 as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5, or a slot 5 as shown in Figure 4, cut therethrough preferably between'or terminating at its opposite ends in apertures-6, 6. The slit or slot may be variously located and .directioned. In Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, theslit is disposed centrally in a longi tudinal direction of the tag, while in Figure 6 it is irregular in form and at an angle to the edges of the tag. The slit is slightly spaced from a selected location from which the pin emerges from the tag in passing through tag leaves and merchandise, and preferably toward the forward free ends of the leaves so that a portion thereof when the protruding end is. clinched, slightly overlies the tag as at 1 before entering into and through the slit.

In clinching the pin, the tag portions along the slit are separated, offsetting the adjoining edges to allow the pin to be easily pushed through the slit to bring the point end beneath the tag or between plies thereof if the tag is of double-ply construction and thus engages through the'terminal aperture of the slit providing a socket for the pin and a clearance which will allow the tag portions to spring back into a plane as soon as theseparating pressure is released. In submerging the forwardpoint end of the pin, it can be bent slightly at an angle, as shown in Figure 4, preventing it from ever being shifted into registry with the slot or slit and thereby obviating any possibility. of becoming accidentally dislodged. I

Providing apertures for the terminal of the slit or slot facilitates in separating or spreading apart the portions of the tag thereadjoining for convenience in pin entry, reduces liability in tearing the tag in separating for pin entry and accommodates for a more free self-closing after the pin is socketed through the aperture nearmostto the point of its emergence through the tag.

The structure of the tag and the method of pinning lend themselves admirably for machine service. The tag is very securely fastened, with the point of the pin thoroughly protected, making it impossible for it to prick the hands or for it to become engaged with adjacent articles. For removing, the tag is torn apart in a manner to release the pin which then can be easily pulled out, and as there is no occasion to burr the point in applying, it can be'withdrawn without catching or injuring the weave of the fabric.

As only the head of the pin is exposed from the face side of the tag, a greater space is available for marking for a given size of tag than under the prevailing methods of pinning. It provides for the employment of a comparatively small length and gauge of pin which can be easily. clinched. The plane of the face portion of the tag is not disturbed in applying and therefore will lie snugly against the merchandise, and by being bound along its outer or upper edge due to the fold and pinned centrally at an opposite edge it cannot flap as in the case where the tag is fastened only at or along one edge, or through the central portion.

So far I have described the preferred structure of the tag, but it will be apparent from the structure and the objects to be accomplished, that the method of manipulating the pin in relation to the'fold-over tag and merchandise is of outstanding practical import. My method, therefore, comprises a series of steps related to one another to the end of performing the two-fold result of securance and pin point protection.

First, the two-section tag is folded over a margin of the merchandise and while so held as a through or pricked into or against this under- A section, so that, finally only the top surface of the pin is exposed upon the face of the tag; only a minute portion of the shank near the head transfixes the unit, the shank and point of the pin being disassociated from the merchandise and the upper or face section of the tag, the point of the pin being non-exposed in relation to the top and bottom surfaces of the tag.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a piece of merchandise, a price tag constituting a strip of material folded over a margin of the piece of merchandise thereby providing a pair of flaps, and a single shank pin. pointed and headed respectively at its opposite ends, passing through the flaps and merchandise and emerging from one side thereof, the emerging portion of the pin bent to extend parallel to the plane of a flap and toward the folded end of the tag, and traversing through an aperture as a terminal of a slit cut through one of the flaps to extend the pin therebeneath for sheathing the point, the slit permitting the pin to be passed therethrough and self-closing to prevent dislodgment of the sheathed pointed end of the pin.

2. In combination with a piece of merchandise, a price tag constituting a strip of material folded over a margin of the piece of merchandise thereby providing a pair of flaps, and a single shank pin, pointed and headed respectively at its opposite ends, passing through the fiaps and merchandise and emerging from one side thereof, the emerging portion ofthe pin bent to extend parallel to the plane of a flap and toward the folded end of the tag, and traversing through a slit cut through one of the flaps to extend the pin therebeneath for sheathing the point, and bent to an angle to prevent dislo-dgement through said slit.

FREDERICK KOHNLE.

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