US2346142A - Automatic pressure-sensitive adhesive tape dispenser - Google Patents

Description

April 11, 1944. ANDERSON Y I 2,346,142

, AUTOMATIC PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSER Fiid-Dec. 4, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 11, 1944. A. ANDERSON AUTOMATIC PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSER I Fi ed Dec 4, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 11, 1944. A. A. ANDERSON 2,346,142

AUTOMATIC PRESSURE-SERSITIVE ADHESIVE TAPE DIPENSER Filed Dec. 4, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet s April 11, 1944. A.-A.\ANDER$ON "2,346,142,

AUTOMATIC PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE TAFE DISPENSER Fi'led Dec; 4. 1942 4 sheets-sheet 4 fizvenior Patente tl'Apr. 11, 1944 AUTOMATIC PREsstmE-sENsrnvE annnsrvn TAPE DISPENSER Arthur Anderson,

County, Mimi.

Rose Township, Ramseyassignor to Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn a corporation of Delaware Application December 4, 1942, Serial No. 467,891

' 8 Claims.

This invention relates to pressure-sensitive adhesive tape dispensers, particularly to those which apply as well as dispense tape, such tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating which is normally tacky without the necessity of being activated by solvents or heat, such as the tape sold under the trade-mark Scotch.

It provides a novel species of dispenser and applier of the class broadly described and claimed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 400,143, filed June 27, 1941'. The latter provides, inter alia, means for severing and thrusting out lengths of tape, and means for applying said lengths to objects.

The present invention has among its objectives the following:

To provide a device which will dispense and apply a piece of tape to the top, bottom and the intermediate side or end or edge surface of objects,-such as cards, folders, booklets, and the like, which it is desired to seal and/or label around the edge (see Figures and 11).

To provide a simple device for rapidly sealing and/or labeling objects with accurately measured lengths of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape direct from commercial supply rolls thereof, whose actior; is entirely automatic once the objects are fed toi Briefly the invention provides means for withdrawing tape from a supply roll, cutting it into accurately measured pieces of predetermined length, thrust out a piece and releasably holding it at a dispensing station in a position to be contacted on its adhesive side by a side surface of the object being taped, and sealing means for pressing the piece into adhesive engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of the object.

The device may to apply tape to relatively thin objects such as cards or to relatively thicker objects such as boxes, bags, packages, cartons or the like.

Such machines may be power driven and equipped with control means whereby they operate intermittently in dispensing cycles" to position one piece at a time adjacent the applying means in step by step fashion,the control means be designed and/or adjusted actuated by movement of the object to which tape is being applied. The tape may be applied to an object by propelling the object into contact with the thrust-out piece of tape and into contact with the pressing or sealing means. Such propulsion of the object may be by manual movement thereof (as illustrated in the said application S. N. 400,143) or by a power driven propelling means (as illustrated herein).

including a tripping or starting means adapted to 7 start the mechanism again for the next cycle whenwthe preceding pieceis removed from the dispensing station. Such tripping or starting means may be actuated by the removal of the severed piece of tape from the dispensing station as described and claimed in my copending appli cation Ser. No. 428,200, filed January 26, 1942; or, as in the machine illustrated herein, it may be The machine that is described and illustrated in the following description and drawings as illustrative of my invention is a portable electrically driven tape dispenser and card sealer whose action is entirely automatic once the cards are fed to it, particularly suited for use in ofiices, stores, mailing departments', circulariz'ing bureaus, etc.,

for labeling and/or sealing the edges of cards,

folders, circulars, envelopes, booklets and other relatively thin objects. 1

In the accompanying drawings and description the end of the machine at which the operator stands when facing the machine to operate it is called the front end, and the terms right" and left are from the point of view of such operator.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the left and top of the machine.

Figure 2 is a left side elevation with the side wall of the casing broken away and with the applying mechanism above the casing shown in section, the section being taken vertically through the longitudinal center of said mechanism.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a cutting and gripping unit shaft taken through theunit along the line 3-3 in Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows. V

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the same shaft taken at a point to show the cam in left side elevation, along the line 4-4 in Figure '5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4a is a sectional view of a cam and part of the wheel taken along the axes of the shaft and the brake pin, as shown by the line to in Figure 4.

Figure 5 is a plan view with the applying mechanism and top of the casing broken away.

\ Figure 6 is a front'view with theifront wall of the casing broken away.

Figure 7 is a right side elevation of the switch mechanism.

Figures 8 and 9 are wiring diagrams.

Figures 10 and 11 are perspective views of a card and a. box, respectively, showing the manner in which tape is applied by devices embodying this invention.

Within the casing and toward the rear of the machine, asupply roll R of tape T is mounted V of cutting edges :12 and means adjacent the wheel is an anvil member each one of four edges pins 20a each piece of tape outwardly from Forwardly of the supply drum is the wheel 2,846,142 on a drum |6 which is journaled on an unthreadedi ply roll R to the wheel 20 which withdraws the tape from the roll by tape-gripping means positioned thereon adapted to contact a portion of the tape, there being also means on the wheel and means adjacent thereto adapted to form two coacting severing means positioned so that the tape is pressed therebetween as the wheel rotates, thereby severing the tape with the severed piece still held by the gripping means. In the present embodiment the severing means on the wheel is in the form the coacting severing in the form of a cylinder 2|.

The wheel "is fixed On a journaled in the frame ular thereto and parallel with the base l9 and with the axis'of the supply drum It.

A plurality of shafts 23' (there are six in the present embodiment, spaced 60 apart) are journaled in the wheels peripheral portion parallel with the wheel's axis. To each shaft is fixed a unit 24 which carries a severing means and a gripping means, each unit holding a blade 25 having a cutting edge a: and a tape-gripping surface a (Figure 3) and each unit being shaped to form a second tape-gripping surface b inline with a. The grippers a and .b releasably hold the shaft 22 which is tape by adhesive contact. The blades 25 are re- 26 so that the blades may movably held by screws be re-positioned from time to time to permit of a blade to serve in turn as the cutting edge at. The units 24 are roughly quadrant shaped in cross section.

It preferably perpendic-' To the right end of each unit shaft 23 isiixed An arc shaped slot cam receives one of six stopping and braking of which is slidably held in a bore in the wheel and extends outwardly from the right face of the wheel into the slot of the adjacent cam so asto unit shaft can turn in either direction on its own axis. A compression spring 20b in each bore presses the pin 20a toward the right against the cam so that the pin serves as a brake to prevent accidental turning of the shaft 23 except when forcedto-tui'n in the intended manner by cam pins P and P" hereafter described. I

The cam pins P' and-P". are fixed to the frame l8 adjacent thevwheel. P is positioned so that as the wheel turns, P strikes a cam 230 on one of the cam's two straight SIGCStO turn theshaft 23 until unit 24 is in dispe 8 pOsitionggP" subsequently strikes the cam on the cants other straight side so as to turn the'unit back to normal cutting position after the piece of tape has been removed from the gripping surfacesa and b. By dispensing position ismeant the position occupied by a unit when it is turned so as to serveas a projecting means, holding a severed the wheel (like the unit which holds the piece T-| in Figure 2). By "cutting position is meant the position occupied by a unit when its edge a: is positioned to coact with the roller 2| to sever the tape (like all the units in Figure I a quadrant shaped cam 23a (Figures 4 and 4a).

23b in the left face of each 2 except the unit holding cards, boxes, etc.,

limit the distance which the wheel 20 permits pieces of tape is held in dispensing position extending adjacent the rear of the wheel, to act as an idler roller over which to lead the tape from the sup- 20, and also to press the tape more firmly into' adhesive engagement with the gripping surfaces at and b on the units 2|. The cutting roller 2| which coacts with the severing edges won the wheel 20 to sever the tape, is journaled on a shaft 30 which is held in threaded engagement with the angle arm 3| at such an angle that the cuting edges 1: contact the roller point-by point along their length as the wheel 20 turns them successively past it. The arm 3| is pivotally mounted at its elbow on a horizontal shaft 32 which is fixed in the frame. The rear end' of the arm is slidably pierced by a vertical adjusting bolt 33 which is held rigidly in a bracket l8b. Lock nuts 34 on the shaft limit the downward movement of the arm 3|, preferably to a point whichwill position the cutting roller 2| at the most rearward point to which it comes during a cutting operation. The arm is normally held down against the lock nuts by a spring means 35 (shown as a rubber cushion) that is sufliciently yieldable to permit the roller 2| to beforced forwardly by the pressure of an edge a: during a severing operation to the most forward positionwhic the roller is required to occupy during such operation.

The wheel 20 is driven by worm gear reduction motor M (supported on bracket l8c) through 9. Geneva movement 38 which transmits the rotation of the motors driving shaft 39 intertowards the tape appliers. An auxiliary feeding shelf with its 'top surface 400 flush with the surface 40 may be attached to the front of the machine for convenient stacking or beveling of the that are to be fed to the machine. Lateral guides g on the surfaces Ill and the help direct the objects as they pass through.

The top surface of the table is preferably slightlyabove the highest point reached by a unit .24 when the latter is in dispensing position. An aperture 400. (Figure l) in the table above the of the machine to project upwardly therethrough, as hereinafter described.

To the rear of the dispensing station (which is the station or locus where a severed piece of tape upwardly through thaperture in the table in position to contact the object being taped, .like the piece T-'-| in Flgufre a). an idler roller 42 is journaled on a fixed 'orizontal shaft. It may be of any suitable ma erial, preferably a resilient material such as rubber. 0 e of its functions is to bend or to direct the r portion of a piece of tape upwardly tow as the b0 surface of an object being taped when the advancing object pushes the tape against ityand since it may also serve as a sealing means to press the tape upwardly against the under side of the object, the top surface'of roller 42 is preferably approximately flush with the top surface of the table.

A pressing roller 21, rotatably mounted on a Above the table a fixed horizontal cross rod 5| is held by two side bars 5|a which are fixed to either side or the casing by bolts ilb. The rod and certain parts press the point- I driven Geneva wheel supports an arm 52, which is preferably resilient and which extends downwardly to hold rotatably an idler roller 53 above the lower idler roller 42, sufficiently above the top of table to permit objects being sealed to pass under it. It may be of any suitable material, preferably a resilientmaterial such as rubber. One of its functions is to bend or to direct the upper portion of a piece of tape downwardly towards the top surface of an object being taped when the advancing object pushes the tape against the roller; and since it may also serve as a sealing means to press the tap downwardly against the top side of the object, the lower surface of roller 53 is.

preferably approximately flush with or slightly lower than the top ,of objects being taped (l. e.,

objects to which tape is being applied). The distancebetween the upper and lower rollers 53 and 42, respectively, is determined by the height of the objects.

To the rear of the lower idler roller 42 is a switch trip 44a extending upwardly through the aperture'40a above the table top so as to be engaged by the advancing object sufiiciently to actuate a switch mechanism hereafter described. The trip is fixed to a horizontal trip shaft 44 journaled in frame I8 and extending therethrough. The trip is held in a normal open switch position by the upward pull of the spring 45 on the spring arm 44b which is fixed to the trip shaft The distance which the arm 44b may be moved upwardly by the spring is limited by suitable stops (not shown) which extend outwardly toward each other from the arm 44b and the frame l8, respectively, so as to engage each other when the arm has reached the desired open switch position. On the right side of the frame a switch arm 0 is fixed to the trip shaft 44 in a position to be normally clear of the on point 46a of a reset micro switch 46 and to dewhen the switch trip 44a, is engaged by the object being sealed.

By a reset switch is meant one having two pins, one of which is pressed to make a circuit and the other to break it, such that when the on pin is pressed, the switch remains closed until the off pin is pressed, whereupon the switch opens and the on pin is raised to initial open position.

With the power the switch- 46 completes the circuit (Figure 8) and it remains so until broken by pressure against the offf. pin 46b by the leaf spring switch arm 41 which is mounted so as to be pressed by switch cam 48 or 48'. It is well known that after a stops the driver idles or rotates alone for a distance before engaging the line switch S closed, closing' driven wheel again. The cams. 48 and 48' are adjustably mounted on themotors driving shaft 39 at a point to shut the power off so that the motor coasts .to a stop during the idling period of the Geneva driver wheel which is fixed on the shaft 39 in the Geneva movement 38. The wheel '20, to whose shaft 22 'is fixed the driven Geneva wheel, is thus brought to a stop precisely at the end of each dispensing cycle (i. e., after a length of tape has been withdrawn, severed and thrust out in dispensing position) and it .remains stopped until the switchtrip 44a is again moved to close the switch 46 to initiate the next dispensing cycle.

The illustrated machine as thus far described, provides a device that will automatically withdraw, sever, and apply gle lengths of at. to the top, bottom and intertional engagement elongated slots mediate side surface or edge be propelled by hand across the rollers 42 and 53. Features are hereafter described which provide propelling the objects and ejecting them.

Below the fixed rod 5| is a movable horizontal frame which comprises a fixed rod 56, a power shaft 51 and a fixed rod held between two longitudinally extending end journaled'in the bars; rods 56 and 58 are fixed therein. The frame thus formed is pivotalBr held at 60 by four side bars 6| (two on either side of the machine) which, in at their lower ends at62 to the sides of the casing, so that the'frame may be raised and lowered in respect tothe table top 40 without changing its angular relation thereto. It is raised and lowered by a nut or thumb turn 63 on a threaded stud 64 which slidably pierces the fixed rod SI and which is removably fixed (by threaded engagement) to a collar 56. A spring 66 around the stud 64 impelsthe frame downwardly.

Twin idler pulleys 56a joumaled on rod 56 and twin power pulleys 51a fixed on power shaft 51 support two endless propelling belts 61 which propel objects rearwardly along the top 40 by fricof the lower flights of the belts with the tops of the objects'which are thereby slid across the smooth surface of the table. There may bemore than two propelling belts, if the width or frictional resistance of the objects makes a greater propelling force desirable. It is sometimes advantageous to provide relatively narrow 40b (Figure 6) immediately below the belts 61, especially when the objects being sealed are cards or other relatively thin objects. These permit lowering the belts until their bottom surfaces are approximately flush with the top surface of the table 40, thereby increasing the friction between the belts and, a card with a minimum of frictional increase between the card and the table.

A motor M fixed to the inside of the casing with its driving pulley 68iprojecting outwardly therefrom, rotates the power shaft 51 clockwise (Figure 1) by means of the belt 69 and the pulley 51b which is fixed to the shaft. Power is supplied to the motorM through switch S. A large roller 10 may be fixed on the shaft 51 between the pulleys 51a to assist in propelling the objects and/or in pressingtape downwardly against the top of the objects.

An upper guide member II' is fastened to the collar 65 and extends therefrom rearwardly to a point beyond where theobject contacts the tape. At its rear end its central portion is preferably cut away forming a rectangular aperture Ha (Figure 1) -to permit the severed pieces of tape to clear it as they are moved up into dispensing position by the wheel 20 from below. The objects pass between the guide H and the table top 40 when being propelled through the machine towards the severed piece of tape Tl.

To the. rear of rolle'r'42 is shown a second idler of objects that may roller 43. Thismay be raised slightly above the friction between the mov- I A roll R of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape T is mounted on the drum IS in a position so that bars 59. Shaft 51 is 65 that is fixed to the rod,

the table 40 between power driving means for so turn. are pivotally held when the tape is led from the supply roll R to the wheel 20, the adhesive side faces up. The axlebolt I! on which the drum IQ: is journaled, is moved to the right or left (in relation to the machine) by turning the bolt-head Ila until the roll R is aligned directly behind the units 24 on the wheel 20.

The tape is led from the roll R over the pressing roller 21 and trained around the wheel 20 in adhesive contact with the gripping surfaces. a and b. In practice, training the tape around the wheel is best done by hand as far as the unit which is adjacent the cuttin roller 2| and then by the power mechanism for the rest of the way, that is, until the first severed length oftape T,--l is held out by a'unit 24 at the dispensing station (Figure 2). Such movement or training of the tape by the power mechanism (whose operation is hereinafter described) is secured by turning on the switch S and then depressing the switch trip 440. by hand repeatedly until the wheel 20 has turned through thedesired distance.

The movable frame which carries the propelling belts Bl above the machine, is moved up or down by turning the thumb-tum 63 until the card, box or other object being sealed will pass between the lower flight of the belts and the table surface 40 with a frictional engagement between the .belts and the object sufficient to propel the object in the direction of movement of the belts. Switch S is then turned on whereupon motor M continuously rotates the propelling belts in the direction of the rr w in Figure 2.

The card, box or other object to which tape is to be applied around an edge thereof in the manner shown inIigures l and 11, is placed on the shelf surface 40's arid moved manually in the direction of the arrow (Figures 1 and 2) until it is nipped between the belts and the surface 40,

whereupon the belts propel it towards the rear of themachine through the channel formed by the guide member ll above and the surface '40 below. When its leading s'de or edge strikes the adhesive side of the upwardly held piece of tape T-|, the tape adheres to the object so as to be removed from the gripping surfaces 1: and b which are on the unit24. This operation is facilitated, especially inthe case of extremely flexible objects such as thin cards and paper which bears close against the top of the card and extends rearwardly on either side of the piece of tape T-l, thereby holding firm that portion of the card adjacent its edge at the point where that edge is to strike the tape, at the moment that such striking occurs.

The object thence proceeds onward with the vertically extending length of tape adhering to the object's leading edge or side', the upperv and lower ends of the tape projecting above and below the top and bottom, respectively, of the object. Upon reaching the rollers 53 and 42, the upper and lower free ends of the tape are directed thereby tow ards the object's top and bottom, respectively. The rolls 53 and 42 may bear closely enough so that one or both serve also as sealing means to press the tape against thetop and/or bottom of the object; or the guide roller 43 may seal; or the roller ID that is between the pulleys 51a may seal. The sealing means for pressing the tape against the object need not necessarily be in the form of rollers. Bending and sealing the ends of the tape against the top and bottom surfaces of the object serves also to effect adequate folders, by the guide ll.

sealing or adherence of the tape to edge, side or end thereof as well.

The object then strikes the upwardly extending switch trip 44a and passes over it thereby depressing it suillciently to close the switch 46 by forcing the switch arm 44c againstthe on" point 44a.- After the object passes beyond the switch trip Me the spring 45, acting on the arm 44b, returns the trip 44a and the switch arm 440 to their normal positions.

The said pressing of the switch 46 starts the motor M whose driving shaft 39, acting through the Geneva movement against the roller, whereby the it also passes over 38, rotates the wheel 20 on the shaft 22 precisely 60. The switch cam 48 (or 39 is set so that it presses the switcharm 41 against the off point 46!; of the switch 44 thereby shutting off the power from the motor M at such a time (usually at or about the end of the 60 of turn of the wheel 20) that the motor will coast to a stop within the idling period of the driver Geneva wheel before the said driver again engages the driven Geneva wheel for the next 60 of turn.

The tape, as previously explained,is trained around the wheel 20 in contact with the tapegripping surfaces a and b on the units 24, and the severing edges 1: which are also on the units. As the wheel turns counterclockwise (Figure 2) it withdraws the tape from the roll R, and the edges :0 successively press against the coacting severing element or roller 2!, each edge contacting the roller point by point along the edges length until the entire length of the cutting edge has been pressed tape that lies between the edge and the roller is severed. Upon rotation of the wheel 20 through the dispensing cycle (60 of turn) the unit that is shown in Figure 2 as carrying the severed piece of tape T--2, is turned on its shaft 23 by reason of its cam 23a striking the pin P in dispensing position with the piece T--2 held outwardly and upwardly away from the wheel, like the piece T--l; and during the same cycle the unit that is now shown in dispensing position holding the piece T-l, is turnedback down to cutting position by reason of its cam striking the pin P", the object that is being taped having removed the piece T-l at the beginning of the cycle as described above.

Thus it is seen that, without touching the tape or any part of the machine, an operator may apply a single length of a succession of objects simply by feeding the objects to the propelling belts 61. If desired, the motor M, the belts B1 and connecting parts may be dispensed with and the objects propelled between the rollers 42 and 53 by hand. Tape may be applied about the edge, top and bottom of relatively thin objects such as cards; if the card be double like a postal with return postal attached, the tape may seal the card by holding its two free edges together like the piece "in Figure 10. Tape may be applied about the edge, top and bottom of relatively thick objects such as boxes, like the piece 16 in Figure 11.

The word card" is used herein asa generic term to designate any relatively thin object which may berun through the machine to have a length of tape adhered about its edge. Similarly the word box denotes relatively thick objects. The word tape" is used generically to the leadin on point 460. of the 48') fixed on shaft so that when the I wheel stops at the end of the cycle the unit is tape about the edges of portion to width.

7 leasably holding it refer to sheets that are relatively long in pro- Dispensing units embodying the principles of this invention may be built into other machines such as printing presses, packaging machines, addressing machines, etc.

It will be apparent that very accurate measurement of lengths of tape can be secured. This is that is printed to form a series of labels, stickers, trade-mark emblems, etc.

It will also be apparent that the severing means here employed provides a smooth straight cut and the smoothness of the severing members prevents their becoming clogged with adhesive.

' I claim: j

1. A device for dispensing pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and applying it about the edge of an object' comprising means for withdrawing tape from a supply roll, means for cutting it into accurately measured pieces of predetermined length, means for thrusting out a piece and rebyadhesive contact therewith at a dispensing station in a position to be contacted on its adhesiv side by a side surface of the objectbeing taped, and sealing means for pressing the piece into adhesive engagement with the top and bottom'surfaces of the object. 2. A device for dispensing pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and of an object comprising means for withdrawing tape from a supply roll, means for cutting .it

- into accurately measured pieces of predetermined thrusting out a piece and relength, means for leasably holding it by adhesive contact therewith at a dispensing station-in a position to be contacted'on its adhesive side by .a side surface of the object with free ends of tape projecting above and below sealing means positioned to press the ends of the tape against the top and bottom when the object is propelled adjacent thereto, a support for guiding the object, and power driving means and of especial advantage when dispensing tape applying it about the edge.

' tape arefedfor application flush with the top surface of objectsare passed and through which pieces of to the objects, an table,.a lower sealthrough the aper is approximately the table, means for projecting successive pieces of .tape through the aperture in front of the rollers with the nonadhesive back toward the rollers, the projecting means releasably holding the lower portion only of a piece of'tape by adhesive contact therewith below the table top with a free portion projecting upwardly through the aperture above the table top so that when an object is moved across the table and over the aperture the upper free portion will adhere to the side surface of the object and be removed from the projecting means with the upper and lower ends tape projecting above and below the top and bottom, respectively, of the object in such alignment that the ends are pressed against the top and bottom by the upper and lower rollers as the upper sealing roller above the ing roller extending upwardly ture so that its top surface object is propelled betweenthem, and means for I automatically advancing a succeeding piece of tape into'dispensing position following each taping operation.

6. The device of claim 5 with power driving means for propelling the objects through the machine so that a succession of objects will be taped and ejected from the machine automatically upon being fed to the propelling means.

'7. An automatic card sealer comprising means for withdrawing pressure-sensitive adhesive tape the top and bottom respectively,

associated control means adapted to automatically advance the next piece of tape to dispensing position after the preceding piece, has been applied.

3. The device of claim 2 with power driving means for propelling the object through the machine so that a succession of objects will be taped and ejected from the machine automatically upon being fed to the propelling means.

4. The device of claim 2 with power driving means for propelling chine comprising a plurality of driven belts positioned to propel, the object by contact therewith along the guiding support into contact with the piece of tape at the dispensing station and thence past the sealing means and the control means whereby a succession of objects willbe taped and ejected from the machine automatically upon being fed to the propelling means.

5. In a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape dispenser and applier adapted to tape objects about an edge by application of apiece of tape to the top, bottom and intermediate side surface, a table for guiding objects the machine having an aperture over which the the object through the ma-' when propelled through 'releasably holding pieces from a supply roll, means for cutting it into accurately measured pieces of predetermined length, means for successively thrusting out and of the tape by adhesive dispensing station in a successive piece may be contact therewith at a position such that each contacted on'its adhesive of a'card with free portion of tape projecting above and below the card, sealing means positioned to press the ends of the tape against thev top and bottom of the card when the card is propelled adjacent thereto, guiding the card having an aperture over which the card is passed and through which the piece of tape extends when held at the dispensing station, and power driving means and associated .control means adapted to automatically advance the next piece of tape to dispensing position after the preceding piece has been applied.

8. The device of claim '7 with power driving means for propelling the-card through the-machine comprising a plurality of driven belts positioned to propel the along the supporting card by contact therewith surface into contact with the piece of tape at the dispensing station and thence past the sealing means and the control means. and an upper guide member above the supporting surface forming a'passage for the card therebetween and extending on either side of the piece of tape whereby a succession of cards will be sealed and ejected from the machine automatically upon being fed to the propelling means.

'Aa'rnua A. mason.

of the piece of side by the leading edge a supporting surface for Y at the dispensing station,

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