US3155215A

US3155215A - Embossing tool with radial tape feed path

Info

Publication number: US3155215A
Application number: US255033A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ray S Avery
Original assignee: Avery Products Corp
Current assignee: Avery Products Corp
Priority date: 1963-01-30
Filing date: 1963-01-30
Publication date: 1964-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 1981-11-03

Description

R. s. AVERY 3,155,215

EMBOSSING TOOL WITH RADIAL TAPE FEED PATH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 3, 1964 Filed Jan. 30, 1963 a J 7/ F 16.4

G 5 INVENTOR RAY s. A ERY FIG.2

ATTORNEYS Nov. 3, 1964 R. s. AVERY 3,155,215

EMBOSSING TOOL. WITH RADIAL TAPE FEED PATH Filed Jan. 30, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RAY S AVERY aw ww J y m 9 W LU km mm m WV e as .mm H N L W my w AT TO RNE YS United States Patent 3 155,215 EMBGSSTNG TOGL Wt- TH RABEAL TAPE FEED FATE Ray S. Avery, Bradbury, Qaiii, assignor to Avery Eroducts Corporation, a corporation of Eahrornta Filed Jan. 3%, 1953, Ser. No. 255,033 8 (Ila-rims. (Cl. 197-6.?)

This invention relates to embossing tools of the same general type as disclosed in US. Patents 2,275,670; 2,415,526; and 3,606,451.

Tools of this general type are used to emboss on strip material symbols selected from a set which may include all alpha-numeric characters, as well as additional symbols. Like a typist, the user sequentially selects the desired symbols to compose one or more words or other information. The selection is accomplished by dialing or rotating a pair of die discs to position at an embossing station any one of a set of pairs of corresponding male and female embossing dies. The selected die pair is then actuated, as by squeeze handles, to emboss the chosen character on the strip material.

The strip may be automatically advance to position it for reception of a succeeding symbol. This may be accomplished by a suitable intermittent arrangement for advancing the strip or tape between embossing operations.

esirably, this advance occurs immediately following each embossing operation, as by release of the squeeze iandles which have been squeezed to perform the embossing,

An inconvenience of prior tools of the same general type has been the fact that the operator has no way of determining what particular symbol has been embossed until several subsequent embossing steps have been performed, unless special means are provided, as in US. Patent 3,006,451, to allow the operator to maintain registration while advancing and retracting the strip to view the most recently embossed character. The present invention makes it possible to provide for visibility of the most recently embossed character immediately following the embossing step without having to specially advance and retract the tape and without any need for special meals to maintain proper longitudinal register of the strip following such advancing and retracting.

A serious inconvenience of embossers of the prior art has been the handedness of these tools. Tools designed for right-handed persons cannot be conveniently used by left-handed persons and vice versa. A particular advan tage of the present invention is that handedness is minimized or altogether eliminated.

Another important feature of the present invention is the provision of a tool where forming operations other than embossing, such as strip cut-off or severing operations, may be called for by proper.dialing of the die discs, to be then performed at the embossing station. This station may therefore be more generally referred to as the forming station of the device.

The invention contemplates an arrangement in which the strip of material being embossed is guided along a path which at the embossing or forming station is at a remote angular distance from the tangential, so as to be closer to radial than to tangential. This is to be contrasted with other types of devices which involve a feed of the strip material between the two die discs in a direction that is substantially tangential, or at least is closer to tangential than to radial. In one ii iportant aspect, the present invention may involve a coincidence between the ta e feed path and the radial direction, and a direct feeding or" the strip material across the centers of the die discs and hen directly through the forming or em ossing station. By this means, handedness of the tool may be entirely eliminated. Although the center is open, registra- 3,l55,2l5 Patented Nov. 3., 1964 tion is positively maintained between the pair of die discs as more fully set forth below.

in the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View of a tool embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the device seen in FEGURE 1, but no tape is shown.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of the tool shown in FIGURE 1 but with a cut-oi? die pair positioned at the forming station rather than the symbol or character A, and with the tape omitted.

FIGURES 4, 5, 6, and 7 are fragmentary views taken respectively from the planes of lines 44, -5, 66, and 7-7 in FIGURE 3.

FlGURE 8 is a partly broken away median vertical sectional View of the tool shown in FIGURE 1, but for clarity the tape shown in FIGURE 1 is omitted from the leftward broken-away portion of the drawing. In the right hand portion of the drawing the tape is indicated.

FZGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the plane of line 99 in FTGURE 8, but with the tape illustrated in position in the guide track at the plane of the view.

Body Structure The device illustrated in the drawings is merely exemplary. It may include a hollow molded plastic body portion having a side wall 11 and a corresponding closure wall or side wall 12 (FIGURE 2). Hinge shafts l3 and id (FIGURE 8) are formed in the body portion 11 and extend to the side wall 12. Additional internal bridging members are formed between the side walls 11 and 12 including the bridging member 15 and the wall 16 so that when the two halves are fastened together by adhesive bonding or by suitable mechanical fasteners (not shown) a rigid hollow tool base is provided.

Hinged to the shaft 13 is a handle or lever member 29 which is shown in its lowermost position in FIGURE 8 and which is retained against further lowering by a lip 21 engaging a transverse flange extending from the side wall portion lllt.

Also hinged on the shaft 13 is an upper housing member 22. A lower housing member 23 is bolted to the upper housing member 22 (FIGURES 8 and 9) but is spaced below member 22 by means of bushing

members

24 and 25 and a spacer 26 (FIGURE 9). Extending partly along the tool and between the

bushings

24 and 25 is a tape guide track 27 The lower housing member 23 is riveted to the bridge 15 (FIGURE 8) and rests on the upper edges of the side walls 11 and 12. A transverse lip 28 (FIGURES l, 8) on the lower housing member 23 engages the underside of edges 29 (FIGURE 8) on the upper housing member 22.

A spring 31 extends between the rivet connection and the handle or lever 2%. A pawl-and-ratchet linkage carried on the lever 25 and between side walls 11 and 12 includes an intermittently advanced ratchet wheel keyed to a tape feed roller 32 (FTGURE 8). A small idler roller 33 is carried between the side flanges of an upper hinged cover plate 34 which is hinged to the shaft 14. As the cover plate 34 is closed, the roller 33 approaches tire roller 32. The hinged cover plate 34 is provided with lower projections 35' that extend between the walls 11 and 12 in the closed position of the cover plate 34 to be releasably engaged by a sliding latch 36. The latch as is biased to closed position by a spring 37 extending from a spring housing The latch as extends through slots 39 formed in the side walls ill and 12 and terminates in exterior tabs 41 which may be manipulated to release the latch.

The lower part of the lower body portion between the side walls 11 and 12 forms a chamber for receiving a roll of strip material to be embossed. The back of the strip material or tape may be provided with a suitable adhesive which is protected by a backing tape designed to be stripped from the labels formed by the tool prior to the application of the labels onto a mounting surface. It a protective backing tape is provided, the combined tape is preferably rolled in such a manner that the backing tape is radially inside the embossing tape. The tape is threaded into the device by being placed on the roll 32 and onto the track 27 while the cover plate 34 is open. Closing the cover plate grips the tape between the

intermittent drive rolls

32 and 33. The tape is also guided and held in position by a spring 43 carried on the cover plate 34. The threaded tape is intermittently advanced along the guide track 27 by squeezing and releasing the handle 20. It is to be noted that the tape remains stationary as the handle 26 is squeezed or rasied because the ratchet wheel is held against rotation by the illustrated holding pawl supported on the member is. The tape advances as the handle 249 is released.

Die Discs Mounted respectively on the bushings 2d and 25 and held apart by the spacing members 2% are upper and lower die

discs

51 and 52. The die discs 51 and '2 are in apposition and are rotatably tied together by a spur gear 53, which en ages the

gear teeth

54 and 55 formed respectively at the peripheries of the die discs St and The spur gear 53 is rotatably carried between the upper and lower housing members 22 and 235. The upper and lower die discs carry a set of pairs of corresponding forming dies including both embossing dies and cut-oil dies. The female member of each pair of embossing dies is carried on the upper embossing disc 51. The lower member of each pair of dies, embossing or cut-off, is carried on the lower die disc 52 and is separated from its neighbors by slots 56, to thereby separate the lower die disc into a plurality of radially extending fingers 57 (FIGURE 8). It should be evident that the dies carried by each disc face along the direction of the axis of the disc rather than facing along the directions of radii extending from the central axis of the disc. A detent 58 carried by the upper housing member 22 engages positioning detent grooves 59 (FIGURE 1) formed in the upper die disc, each pair of embossing dies and cut-off dies having an associated diametrically opposed groove 59. Mounting screws er for an upper cut-oil die are circumferentially positioned so that they do not directly interfere with the grooves 59. The radially extending fingers :57 are resilient and are adapted to be selectively engaged by a spring-loaded die actuator plunger 63 which is biased downwardly but which is -forced upwardly upon depression of the handle it? by a carnming lug Cut-O]? Dies More than one type of cut-o5 die may be provided if desired, although in the illustrated device only a single pair of cut-oil dies is shown. Provision of a plurality of dies may be desirable for the purpose of forming different types of label ends. For example, it may be sometimes desirable to form pointed ends on the labels and an appropriately shaped pair of cut-oil dies could be provided in addition to the illustrated pair.

The illustrated pair of dies includes an upper die memer 7?. and a lower die member 72. The upper die member includes a pair of arcuate cutters 74. The radially outermost one of these cuts against the ribs 75 formed on the radially outermost part of the lower die member 72. The protectively backed strip material tends to be completely severed by the radially outer cutter 74 where the ribs '75 register with it, and tends to be severed only through the facing tape and not through the protective a backing tape at points where the ribs 75 do not register with the radially outer cutter 74.

The outer cutter 74- presses against the flat depressed face located radially inwardly of the ribs '75. The protectively backed strip material tends to be severed only through the facing tape and not through the protec tive backing tape by this cutting action.

The result is to cut an end starting tab as illustrated in FIGURE 1. The facing tape has a leading edge formed at 77 (FIGURE 1). The trailing edge of the preceding label is formed in register With what is to become the edge '78 shown in FIGURE 1. The protective backing tape is partially perforated at what is to become the edge 78, but remtins attached until it is manually separated at the perforations. At this time, the edge 78 is formed. The portion of the backing tape between the edges 77 and "l -E comprises astarting tab '79 for the subsequent label to be embossed and cut oil. The upper cutting die is re placeable by loosening the screws 61. The lower cutting die is replaceable by lifting the radially extending cutting die arm out of the dovetail connection 81 (FIGURE 4) in which it is mounted on the body or" the lower die member :52 and in which it is retained by the central spacer member 25 (FIGURE 9).

Operation The viewing window 83 indicates the selected pair of dies, whether embossing dies or cut-ofii dies. If embossing dies are selected, the selected character is embossed as the handle 26 is fully depressed. As the handle is released, the tape is advanced so that the character which has just been embossed appears immediately beyond the edge of the embossing dies. Thus in FIGURE 1, the character A appears as the handle 2% is released following an embossing operation.

If cut-oil dies are selected, the tape is severed as the handle 2% is fully depressed. In order to provide spacing between words and between the ends of each label and the words or messages embossed on it, the handle 20 may be depressed only suiliciently for the pawl 30 to snap over one tooth of the ratchet wheel. The proportioning of the parts is such that this occurs prior to the time that the actuator plunger 63 causes the embossing die pair or cut-off die pair positioned at the forming station to emboss or cut-oil the strip material. Accordingly, if the user releases the handle immediately upon hearing the click, the tape advances without an embossing or cut-oil operation. The user may conveniently rapidly depress and click the handle in this manner to advance the tape. To perform an embossing or cut-oil operation, depending upon the particularly selected die pair, the user depresses the handle Ztl until he hears the click and continues to depress it to actuate the selected die pair.

It should be evident that the device may be operated with equal convenience by left-handed and right-handed persons.

This application is a copending application with respect to my application Serial No. 230,972, filed October 16, 1962, now abanoned in favor of the present application.

The invention is not restricted to the slavish imitation of each and every one of the details and features described above which have been set forth merely by way of example with the intent of most fully setting forth the teaching of the invention. Obviously devices may be provided which change, eliminate or add certain features of orientation or configuration, or which make other structural modifications, all Without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a manual tool for embossing a continuous strip of material, two apposed die discs with an axially facing circular array of die elements rotatively tied together for selection of any one of a set of pairs of corresponding dies carried on the discs and for positioning the selected pair of dies on opposite sides of the strip of material at a strip forming station, means for positively maintaining registration between pairs of corresponding dies on the die discs, actuator means for actuating the pair of dies which are positioned at the strip forming station, means for guiding the strip of material along a path the direction of which at said forming station is angularly remote from the tangential direction so as to be closer to radial than to tangential, said set of pairs of corresponding dies including pairs of embossing dies and at least one pair of cut-off dies whereby actuation of said actuator means causes an embossing or cut-off operation depending upon the rotative position of the die discs, said pairs of embossing dies and said pair of cut-off dies all being at the same radial distance from the centers of the die discs whereby if desired said strip may be cut-off immediately adjacent the embossments formed therein without backing up said strip material.

2. In a manual tool for emubossing a continuous strip of material, two apposed die discs rotatively tied together for selection of any one of a set of pairs of corresponding dies carried on the discs and for positioning the selected pair of dies on opposite sides of the strip of material at a strip forming station, means for positively maintaining registration between pairs of corresponding dies on the die discs, actuator means for actuating the pair of dies which are positioned at the strip forming station, means for guiding the strip of material along the direction of the length of the tool and across the centers of the die discs and hence through the forming station whereby the strip moves directly radially outwardly of the die discs as it leaves the forming station along the direction of the length of the tool.

3. In a manual tool for embossing a continuous strip of material, two apposed die discs rotatively tied together for selection of any one of a set of pairs of corresponding dies carried on the discs and for positioning the selected pair of dies on opposite sides of the strip of material at a strip forming station, a geared connection between said die discs for positively maintaining registration between the pairs of corresponding dies of the die discs while leaving open the space between the centers of the die discs, means for guiding the strip of material along the direction of the length of the tool and across the centers of the die discs through said open space and thence through the forming station and radially away from the die discs.

4. An embossing tool for embossing a continuous strip of material, said tool having a body along which a strip is longitudinally forwardly fed, complementary die discs on said body, the strip being guided for feeding between said die discs, a strip feed roller disposed rearwardly of said die discs, means for intermittently rotating said feed roller to advance said strip between said die discs, a hollow body compartment located rearwardly of said feed roller, a cover pivotally associated with said body and covering said hollow body compartment when in closed position, a second roller mounted on said cover and adapted to engage against said first-mentioned roller when the cover is closed and to open away from said first-mentioned roller when said cover is opened to respectively hold and release the strip from feeding engagement by said rollers when said cover is opened and thereby allow easy retraction of excess tape pulled or fed out of the tool.

5. In a manual tool for embossing a continuous strip of material, body structure defining a clear path for the strip, two apposed rotatable die discs with axially facing die elements thereon rotatively tied together for selection of any one of a set of pairs of corresponding dies carried on the discs and for positioning the selected pair of dies on opposite sides of the strip of material at a strip forming station, means for guiding said strip of material for outfeeding from said forming station in a radial outfeed direction such that the edges of the outfeeding strip are parallel to and on opposite sides of an imaginary plane containing the axes of the die discs, intermittent drive means for advancing said strip of material, and actuator means for actuating the pair of dies which are positioned at the strip forming station.

6. In a manual tool for embossing a continuous strip of material, body structure defining a clear path for the strip, two apposed rotatable die discs with axially facing die elements thereon rotatively tied together for selection of any one of a set of pairs of corresponding dies carried on the discs and for positioning the selected pair of dies on opposite sides of the strip of material at a strip forming station, means for guiding said strip of material for outfeeding from said forming station in a radial outfeed direction such that the edges of the outfeeding strip are parallel to and on opposite sides of an imaginary plane containing the axes of the die discs, intermittent drive means for advancing said strip of material, actuator means for actuating the pair of dies which are positioned at the strip forming station, said actuator means including means for actuating the intermittent drive means between embossing operations to advance said strip a sufficient distance radially outwardly of said forming station so that the just-formed portion of said strip becomes visible beyond the periphery of said die discs.

7. In a manual tool for embossing a continuous strip of material, two apposed die discs with an axially facing circular array of die elements rotatively tied together for selection of any one of a set of pairs of corresponding dies carried on the discs and for positioning the selected pair of dies on opposite sides of the strip of material at a strip forming station, means for positively maintaining registration between pairs of corresponding dies on the die discs, actuator means for actuating the pair of dies which are positioned at the strip forming station, means for guiding the strip of material along a path the direction of which at said forming station is angularly remote from the tangential direction so as to be closer to radial than to tangential, said sets of pairs of corresponding dies including pairs of embossing dies and at least one pair of cut-oil dies whereby actuation of said actuator means causes an embossing or cut-olf operation depending upon the rotative position of the die discs, said pairs of embossing dies and said pair of cut-off dies all being at the same radial distance from the centers of the die discs whereby if desired said strip may be cut-oft" immediately adjacent the embossments formed therein without backing up said strip material, said guide means comprising means for guiding said strip of material for outfeeding from said forming station in a radial outfeed direction such that the edges of the outfeeding strip are parallel to an imaginary plane containing the axes of the die discs.

8. In a manual tool for embossing a continuous strip of material, two apposed die discs rotatively tied together for selection of any one of a set of pairs of corresponding dies carried on the discs and for positioning the selected pair of dies on opposite sides of the strip of material at References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 687,168 Roovers Nov. 19, 1901 775,354 Roovers Nov. 22, 1904 1,360,115 Pannier et a1 May 24, 1932 2,079,236 Zipf May 4, 1937 1,424 Rexford et al Nov. 12, 1940 ,201 Rowan Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 155 215 November 3- 1964 Ray S. Avery It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 25 after intermittent" insert feed column 4, line I4 for "-remtins" read remains line l"? for "astarting" read a starting line 33 for "dies" read discs same column 4 line 59 for ."abanoned" read abandoned column 5 line 19 for "emubbssing" read embossing column 6, line 39, for "sets" read set Signed and sealed this 6th day of April 1965 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents

Claims

6. IN A MANUAL TOOL FOR EMBOSSING A CONTINUOUS STRIP OF MATERIAL, BODY STRUCTURE DEFINING A CLEAR PATH FOR THE STRIP, TWO APPOSED ROTATABLE DIE DISCS WITH AXIALLY FACING DIE ELEMENTS THEREON ROTATIVELY TIED TOGETHER FOR SELECTION OF ANY ONE OF A SET OF PAIRS OF CORRESPONDING DIES CARRIED ON THE DISCS AND FOR POSITIONING THE SELECTED PAIR OF DIES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE STRIP OF MATERIAL AT A STRIP FORMING STATION, MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID STIP OF MATERIAL FOR OUTFEEDING FROM SAID FORMING STATION IN A RADIAL OUTFEED DIRECTION SUCH THAT THE EDGES OF THE OUTFEEDING STRIP ARE PARALLEL TO AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF AN IMAGINARY PLANE CONTAINING THE AXES OF THE DIE DISCS, INTERMITTENT DRIVE MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAID STRIP OF MATERIAL, ACTUATOR MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE PAIR OF DIES WHICH ARE POSITIONED AT THE STRIP FORMING STATION, SAID ACTUATOR MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE INTERMITTENT DRIVE MEANS BETWEEN EMBOSSING OPERATIONS TO ADVANCE SAID STRIP A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID FORMING STATION SO THAT THE JUST-FORMED PORTION OF SAID STRIP BECOMES VISIBLE BEYOND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID DIE DISCS.