US2582980A

US2582980A - Tape dispenser and applicator

Info

Publication number: US2582980A
Application number: US143526A
Authority: US
Inventors: George H Fritzinger
Original assignee: HAROLD G KENDALL
Current assignee: HAROLD G KENDALL
Priority date: 1950-02-10
Filing date: 1950-02-10
Publication date: 1952-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 1969-01-22

Description

1952 G. H. FRITZINGER 0 TAPE DISPENSER AND APPLICATOR Filed Feb. 10 1950 F l 4 v INVENTOR Patented Jan. 22, 1952 TAPE DISPENSER AND APPLICATOR George H. Fritzinger, West Orange, N. J assignor 01- one-half to Harold G. Kendall, Brooklyn,

Application February 10, 1950, Serial No. 143,526

Claims. 1

ceeding dispensing operation at the completion of each cutting operation. The dispenser-a1 plicator herein shown to illustrate the invention employs this principle and embodies features claimed in my Patent 2,511,857 issued June 20, 1950, and in my pending application Serial No. 40,548, filed July 24, 1948. In particular, the present invention relates to detailed improvements in the dispenser-applicators shown in my pending application last mentioned above.

It will be understood that these dispenser-applicators, while adapted especially for applying selected lengths of tape to objects,.are usable alternatively as devices for spotting short lengths of tape at selected points or as hand dispensers for drawing 01? selected lengths of tape to .be applied by hand.

The principle above stated is carried out in my application Serial No. 40,548 as'follows: A tape guide member is normally positioned sothat it holds a projecting length (hereinabove referred to as the starting length) of the tape at a dispensing position. When it is desired to sever a drawn-off length of the tape from the supply roll, the tape is held from ,backfeeding at the dispensing station and the guide member is retracted from the dispensing station in backfeeding relation to the tape; concurrently the supply roll is maintained at a fixed distance from the end of the guide member so that the length of the path of the tape between theroll and the dispensing station is increased to cause tape to distance from the roll, to present the starting length at the dispensing station for a succeeding dispensing operation.

Objects of this invention are to provide improvements in the embodiments shown in my I The guide member is then returned, while being maintained at its fixed,

pending application Serial No. 40,548 which enable the principle above stated to be carried out by an operating mechanism which is operable by a small actuating force and which is adapted neither to offset the gum of the tape nor to reduce its adhesiveness.

, Another object is to provide such improved operating mechanism which is adapted to enable the tape to be threaded easily into place after installation of a new roll.

Another object is to provide such operating mechanism which reduces the tension on the tape during cutting to give a cleaner and straighter cut.

.Another object is to provide improvements for guiding the starting length of the tape in an unobstructed path out of the machine after a cutting operation.

,A still further object is to provide improve ments in the operating mechanism to prevent the'starting length from being reapplied to an object just taped should the operator release the mechanism from a, cutting position before lifting the device fromv the object. v These and other objects and features of the invention will, be apparent from the following description and the appended claims. v

' In the description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a dispenser-applicator embodying the invention, and hereinafter referred to as a taping device, wherein the main portion of the side cover is broken away and the operating mechanism is shown in unoperated position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the mechanism in actuated position;

Figure 3 is a frontelevational view of this taping device; a

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Figure l; and

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Figure 1.

J The taping device shown in the accompanying figures comprises a housing made, for example, of. plastic and including a main section I0 and a side cover ll each of which has a contour as shown in Figure 1. The main section comprises a side wall I2 provided with a transverse wall I3 along its entire edge except at the lower forward part of the housing whereat the wall is omitted to provide an opening 14 through which thetape is dispensed. The side cover I! has a flange I5 inset from the edge thereof-which slidably engages'the rim of the wall [3, interiorly of the latter, to hold the cover detaohably to the main housing section. Extending across the side wall l2 and across the lower portion of the wall l3, at the rear of the opening I4, is a reenforcing rib I8. This rib has a slot I! in the end thereof, which is engaged by the flange l5 of the cover to interlock the lower portion of the wall I3 to the cover. when the cover mounted on the main housing section.

The forward end of the side wall i2 is apertured to receive a stud pin [8 secured thereto as.

by riveting. A pressure roller [5, which has a resilient peripheral layer as ofrubber, is journalled on this stud pin and. retained thereon by a collar IBa near the outer end portion Qff the pin. The side cover H is apertured at 20 to receive the end of this pin s9 that the cover will support the outer end of the pin when the pressure roller is pressed against an object. In order that the side cover may,-so support the stud pin wit out t f. i d seased rela iv sm e m h usin secti he cover has an anch r p n w s en a ho e 4. he. main hou section.

"In the forward upper portinn; of the wall l3 there is a rectangular opening z z for an outwardw tend e. Push. utt n. 3.; his. push button is mova e nwardl to actuate th o a i m an m to c t. the. ts? and. sv ovab wardly to present a starting length of tape. in a ispens pv inioa. a i i sn arh P b t s moun ed. t e, a 1: a. us h r 4 which is pivoted at its inner end to a stud 25 carried by a lever 28. This lever is pivoted at s u p r nd. 0. ashmilsier d. metal. bus i 21 c i b bo s. 8.01am? side. a l he p sh. when ts l s i s n h botto e 1 the opening 22. The lever 26 is urged clockwise, 9 he. Push .1 1 QQI IQQ Y lk t Quter pos i e. b me ns. of. te si n sp in 29 co n c e be we n an, can .0. Q the. ate a d a b s 31 on the side wall l2.

J iin al si he. cute ca t n o the. t is a cylindrical core 32 fpr carrying a supply roll 33 of pressure-sensitive tape shown by dash-dot 1 s w ha a. nerin e z l e 34 a its inner end to space the roll from the push bar 24. The core is retained on the. studby aspring p 35 w ch enga a rqq e he u tion of the stud.

In the forward portion of the housing there is a lever 31 which has a transverse arm 38 near the opening I4 on which there is mounted a blade 39. This lever is pivoted on a shouldered bush-. ing 40 carried on an integral boss 4!; of the side wall 12 at a position just below the push bar 24.

This lever has 'an. upright arm 42, positioned between the push bar 24'' and the wall 12, on the upper end of which there is a turned-over lug 43. This lug engages an aperture in the push bar to couple the lever to this bar. The spring 29 normally holds the blade 33 in a concealed 'position at the rear ofthe opening it (Figure 1) whereat the lever 3'I'abuts againstthe reenforcing rib l-B acting as a stop. As the push button is pressed inwardly, the blade is swung forwardly into a slot 45- between the pressure roller and adjacent wall l-3a of the housing. The wall l3a extends upwardly in an oblique direction to form a stationary guide for slidably contacting the non-adhesive side of the tape to direct it outwardly at a clearance distance from the pressure roller when the push button is released, as will appear.

Plvotally' connected to the. stud 2!; and

posed between the push bar 24 and the lever 26 is a feed and guide member 46. This guide member comprises a bar 41 extending forwardly and downwardly from the stud 25 to the opening l4. At its forward end the bar has a transverse lug 48 provided with a turned-up ear 49. The ear and bar are apertured on an axis at right angles to the bar, and journalled in these apertures are end trunnion'sv of a guide roller 5! that bridges nearly the full space between the side walls of the housing (Figure 4). In the bar lengthwise thereof there is a slot 52 which is engaged slidably by a stud- 53 mounted on the blade lever 31.. The slot is. curved on an arc throughout the greater portion ofits length so as to move the guide roller 5| substantially on a radius line of the pivot. a ds of. the blade lever, at a clearance distance from the guide wall 13a, as the push button is pressed inwardly. However, according to the invention, the end: portion of the slot, which is engaged by, the stud 53. while. the blade is entering the slot 45. to cut the tape, is curved upwardly so that the guide roller is retained at a substan tially fixed distance fromv the blade. durin the cutting operation. This reduces. the tension on the tape during the cutting operation and tends to give a cleaner and. straighter cut. By moving the guide roller on the radius line. of the pivot axis o the bladelever, the tape is held at right angles to. the, plane of the blade during. cutting, This reduces the adhesivecontact of the tape with the blade to a line and facilitates the cut-. ting action.

To conditionv the taping device for operation, a supply roll of tape is so mounted on the core 32 that the tape. from the outer end thereof is coiled clockwise about. the. roll on Viewing the roll from the open side of the housing. The free end of thetapeis, then drawn through the opens ing M by was. he Space between the guide roller 5] and the wall, l3a of, the housing, the ade hesive side of the tape facing away from the pressure roller andtowards. the guide roller in view of the positioning. Of the supply roll on, the corev as just described, To establish a proper starting. length L of tape ahead of the guide roller, the" outwardly-projecting tape isheld stationary with respectto the housing and the push button is pressed inwardly once, to cut the extending length from the supply roll, and is then released.

Upon pressing the. push button inwardly, the supply roll is swung rearwardly and the guide. roller which contacts the adhesive side of the tape is retracted from the opening [4. while bein maintained at a fixed distance from the supply roll. The. length of the path of. the tape from the pressure roller to the. supply roll is therefore. increased. This causes the tape to be backfed withrespeetto the pressure roller, or if. the tape. is held from backfeeding as by its adherence to an object being taped; which is. the case in the nor:- mal operation of' the taping device, it causes the guide roller to be backfed along the tape and the. tape to bedrawn from the roll. In either case, starting length L of tape is left projecting ahead. of the guide roller after the tape is cut, and is fed out below the pressure roller as the push button released; (Figure 1), the tape being. carried by adhesive contact with the guide roller and being uided'by S iding contact of its non-adhesive sidewith the guide wall [3a. Inv order that the adhesive side of the end; of the tape may not contact the guide wall and cause the, tape to be buckled back on itself as the push button is released, the cad ga d ne the suiqa al n a e he lct is. r s at 5. accordin to the present $1 63? ti to arhe uide will from he nd o e tape.

To use the present device for taping purposes, the operator holds the housing hand with forefinger o i g th end, o he. pu h button. en tilts he de ce o rdly to brin t pressure ro ler aga nst the ob e t o b taped, thus adhesively engaging th starting length of the tape with the. object. Next, he moves e devise act ss h sele t While main:

taining the pressure; roller in engagement. therewith to draw tape from the supply roll and; to press it against the object. When the desired e g h a e a pli t n r t rsresses push button, while continuing; either to move; the device forwardly or h e hold n t. station ry. to cut the tape. The reason for not, permitting the device to be backfed' while the push button is being pressed is to preventthe tape, already ap plied from being pulled loose from the object and to hold the. tape taut to facilitate the. cutting action.

A number of advantages accrue by using the roller 5| at the end of the guide member 45. For instance, the roller permits, the gui e member to be backfed along the adhesive side of the, tape preliminary to a' cutting operation without ofi setting the gum or. in any way destroying its ad hesive qualities. Also, the roller-eases materially the force. required to actuate; the push button. In this respect, to reduce still further-the actuating force, the peripheral surface. of thaguide rollor is broken or recessed, as by knurling grooving or etching, rooving being shown by way of exam-. ple (Figure 4), to reduce its Contact areawith the tape to a value just amply sufficient to maintain adherence of the tape; to. the roller when the push button is released. A still further advantageof the guide roller is'that the free end portion of the tape will remain in adhesive contaotthe-rewith, during idle operation of the push button. Without the use of a hold-down springacting against the roller. The elimination of such hold-down spring makes it very easy to. thread the tape through the opening l5 when a new rollis installed.

Preferably, the initial positioning oi the guide roller isone wherein theroller will\ clear thetape as the tape is drawn fron thesupply roll against the pressure roller. However, in view of the breaking of the surface, of the guide, roller, as above described, the roller will not increase substantially the feed resistance; of, the tape should the roller bev in engagementwith the, tape during a dispensing operation.

In accordance with the present invention, the.

aperture 44 in the push bar is made oversize with respect to the, engaging lug. 4.3 of the blade lever so that the coupling between these two members will be of, a lost-motion type. The re sult of such coupling is, that upon release oi the push button from an actuated; position theguide roller is returned a short distance before-.thestart oi the return of the. blade 39., This causes the; blade to pick up the end of the starting; length of the tape, to deflect it rear-weirdly away from, the pressure roller, as the. starting length. is; fed out of the housing. one. advantageofythis action is: that the tape is prevented from engaging theslot 45, as well as from. adhesivelycontactingthe pressure roller, and being buckled. backon itself during the feed-out of thezstarting length. A furtheradvantageis that if; at the end ofa taping operation, the operator should release the: push button beiore; liiting; the, device; from the obieetf justtaped, the adhesive side of the tape is prevented;

from accidentally reengaging the object.

A In order to. assure positively a delayed return or the blade 39. just. described. afriction washer 5 55 (Figure 4;) is: interposed between the blade leveriii: and the side wall I 2.

- In order to effect, a. clean, straight out; or the tape, particularly at cellophane tape.- during sea-- sonsv of the yearwhen it is, in a, dry and brittle; condition. the blade 39 may hev out; off along h dash-dot line, 58.. shown in. Figure 5v to. ive it a. pointed end. The edge or th blade; along the dash-dot; line, need. not. be; sharp. but. the remain:- ing: edge. should preferably have. a, sharpness. 3 1 c proximating that of a. razor: edge... With such a. blade the pointed end will contact; the tapemter mediate-its width and will first-nunctum the tape and then eff ct' uttina s multaneously'in the; op. posite. directions: running: from the puncture. point.

The opening 22 in the. housing is. made higher than the height of the push button so: that the button maybe rocked upwardly when in an ace tuated. position. This upward rockingis. for, the: purpose of engaging an upstanding catch 56; at; the rear end ofthebutton, with a rib. 51 on the housing to latch themeehanism in an actuated position. The advantage in so looking the: mechanism. is to retain the starting length of tape in a protected position within the: housing as; when the device is set. aside on is being carried in a pocket, handbag, or theilike.

The embodiment of my: invention herein particularly shown and described is intended to be illustrative and not limitative of myinvention since the same is subject to. changes and medi fications' without departure. from the scope of my" invention, which I endeavor toexpressaccording to the following claims.

I claim:

'1. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape: the combination of a support for a supply roll'of said tape, a movably-mounted guide roller engaging the adhesive side of the tape at a distance from the free endthereof for holding a project;- ing starting length of the tape at a dispensing station solely byadhesive contact, and-means effective upon-the tapebeing held stationaryat said station for backfeeding said; rolleragainstand along the adhesive sideof the tape; in a direction to increase the length ofthe' tapebetween said supply roll and saiddispensing station.

- 2. In a taping device including a support fora supply roll of pressure-sensitive tape and a pressure roller for pressing the tape progressively into contact with an object as the tape is drawn from said roll: the combinati'onof-a guide roller positioned adjacent to said; pressure roller andengaging the adhesive side of the tape at a dis-. tance from the free end thereof to hold a projecting starting length of" the tape solely by adhesive contact in a dispensing posi tion, means effective upon the tape being held stationary at said pressure roller for re- 5 tractingsaid guide roller from, the: pressure roller in backfeeding relation to they tape, and in a direction to increase the length of the tape be,- tween said pressure roller and said supply roll, means operable by said last-statedj means to cut 7 the tape at a place nearsaid pressure roller while said guide roller is in a retractediposition, anda stationary guide wall extending along the path ofsaid guide roller forslida-bly contacting the. non-adhesive side ofthe tape projecting ahead 75. of the guide'rolIen-to guide the projecting tape ausasso past said pressure roller as said guide roller is returned.

3. In a taping device including a support for a supply roll of pressure-sensitive tape and a pressure roller for pressing the tape progressively into contact with an object as the tape is drawn from said roll: the combination of a movable guide member contacting the tape at a distance from the free end thereof for holding a projecting starting length of the tape in a dispensing position at said pressure roller; actuatable means connected to said guide member for retracting the same from said pressure roller in a direction to increase the length of the path of the tape between said pressure roller and said supply roll whereby to cause tape to be drawn from said roll upon the tape being held stationary at said pressure roller as said actuatable means is actuated, means operable by said actuatable means to cut the tape at a distance ahead of the guide member while the guide member is in a retracted position, and a stationary guide wall extending along the path of said guide member for slidably contacting the non-adhesive side of the tape length projecting ahead of the guide member to guide said length past said pressure roller as the guide member is returned, the end portion of said guide wall nearest said pressure roller being recessed to clear it from the end of said projecting length during said return of the guide member.

4. In a taping device including a support for a supply roll of pressure-sensitive tape and a pressure roller for pressing the tape progressively into contact with an object as the tape is drawn from said roll: the combination of a guide means for holding a projecting starting length of the tape in a dispensing position at said pressure roller, actuatable means connected to said guide means and efiective upon the tape being held stationary at said pressure roller to backfeed the guide means along the tape and concurrently to draw tape from said roll, tape-severing means including a blade movable through the tape from the adhesive side thereof at a place adjacent to said pressure roller, means urging said actuatable means into an unactuated position, and a lost-motion coupling between said blade and said actuatable meansfor moving the blade into cutting position as said guide means is retracted and for returning said blade and guide means when said actuatable means is released, said lostmotion coupling being adapted to delay the start of the return of said blade to cause the blade to pick up momentarily the end of the tape and to deflect it away from said pressure roller as the guide means is returned.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 including a friction slip means associated with said blade to assure a delaying of said blade within the lost-motion of said coupling during the initial return of said guide means.

6. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape including a support for a supply roll of said tape: the combination of guide means engaging the tape at a distance from the free end thereof to hold a projecting starting length of the tape at a dispensing station; actuatable means mounted for movement through a predetermined range of travel; means operable by said actuatable means, substantially only as the actuatable means is moved through a first portion of said range while the tape is held stationary at said station, for backfeeding said guide means along the tape and for concurrently drawing tape from said roll; sav rams ias s. 9 m ansv c upm g. said blade to said actuatable means to cause the blade' to engage the tape as said actuatable means is moved through the remaining portion of said range.

7. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape including a support for a supply roll of said tape: the combination of guide means engaging the tape at a distance from the free end thereof to hold a projecting starting length of the tape at a dispensing station; actuatable means mounted for movement through a predetermined range; coupling means between said guide means and said actuatable means eiiective to cause said guide means to be retracted from said station as the actuatable means is moved through a first portion of said range and ineffective to cause any substantial retraction of said guide means as the actuatable means is moved through the remaining portion of said range; a blade movable into cutting position to cut the tape at said station; and means coupling said blade to said actuatable means to move said blade into said cutting position as said actuatable means is moved through said remaining portion of said range.

8. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape: the combination of a housing for a supply roll of said tape, said housing having an opening through which lengths of tape from said roll are dispensed; a pivotally-mounted support in said housing; a core rotatably mounted on said sup port for carrying a supply roll of said tape; a guide roller for adhesively contacting the tape drawn from said roll and holding a projecting length at said opening; a bar rotatably supporting said guide roller at its outer end and pivotally connected to said support at the axis of said core, said bar having a slot lengthwise thereof; severing means including a lever pivoted to said housing and a blade mounted on said lever; means for moving said support and for concurrently actuating said lever to cut the tape at said opening, said lever being controlled to cause the blade to engage the tape during the final portion of the actuating stroke of said moving means and means carried by said lever in slidable engagement with said slot for so guiding the outer end of said bar that said guide roller is moved substantially along a radius line of the pivot axis of said lever as said moving means is actuated through a first portion of its stroke, an end portion of said slot being at an angle to the remaining portion thereof to cause said guide roller to be moved transversely to said radius line as said moving means is actuated through the remaining portion of its stroke to bring said blade into engagement with the tape.

9. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape: the combination of a housing for a supply roll of said tape, said housing having an opening through which lengths of tape from said roll are dispensed; a pivotally-mounted support in said housing; a core rotatably mounted on said support for carrying a supply roll of said tape; a guide roller for adhesively contacting the tape drawn from said roll and holding a projecting length at said opening; a bar rotatably supporting said guide roller at its outer end and pivotally connected to said support at the axis of said core, said bar having a slot lengthwise thereof; severing means including a lever pivoted to said housing and a blade mounted on said lever; means for moving said support and for concurrently actuating said lever to cut the tape at said opening, Said lever being controlled to cause the blade to engage the tape during the final por-- tion of the actuating stroke of said moving means; and meanscarried by said lever in slidable engagement with said slot for so guiding the outer end of said bar that said guide roller is moved substantially along a radius line of the pivot axis of said lever as said moving means is actuated.

10. In a dispenser for pressure-sensitive tape: the combination of a support for a supply roll of said tape; a guide roller engaging the adhesive side of the tape at a distance from the free end thereof for holding a projecting length of the tape at a dispensing station solely by adhesive contact; means mounting said guide roller for backfeeding movement in a direction against the adhesive side of the tape between said dispensing station and said supply r011; actuatable means '1, 10 coupled to said guide roller for backfeeding the same and for concurrently increasing the length of the tape between said station and said supply roll; and tape severing means operable to sever the tape at said station while said guide roller is retracted from said station.

GEORGE H. FRITZINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,972,850 McCarthy Sept. 1. 1934 2,192,634 Blomquist Mar. 5, 1940 2,404,317 Salfisberg July 16, 1946