US3453660A

US3453660A - Marker applier

Info

Publication number: US3453660A
Application number: US563738A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward C Gehweiler; Amerst J Daigle
Original assignee: Brady Corp
Current assignee: Brady Corp
Priority date: 1966-07-08
Filing date: 1966-07-08
Publication date: 1969-07-01
Anticipated expiration: 1986-07-01

Description

July 1, 1969 Filed July 8, 1966 E. c. GEHWEILER ET AL MARKER APPLIER Sheet I of 7 INVENTORS EDWARD c. GEHWEILER AMERST J. DAIGLE AT TORNEY E. c. GEHWEILER ET AL 3,453,660

MARKER APPLIER Filed July 8, 1966 Sheet 3 of '7 INVENTORS EDWARD C.GEHWEILER AMERST J. DAIGLE ATTOR E July 1, 1969 E. c. GEHWEILER ET 3,453,660

MARKER APFLIER Filed July 8, 1966 Sheet 4 of 7 ATTORNEY July 1, 1969 c, GEHWE|LER ET AL 3,453,660

MARKER APPLIER Sheet Filed July 8, 1966 IN VE NTOIRS EDWARD C. GEHWEILER AMERST J DAIGLE BY V? f flw AT TOR NEY MARKER APPLIER Sheet Filed July 8. 1966 INVENTORS EDWARD C. GEHWEILER AMERST J. DAIG LE ATTORNEY July I, 1969 E. c. GEHWEILER ET AL 3,453,660

MARKER APPLIER I 7 Filed July 8, 1966 Sheet 7 of 7 \NVENTOFXS EDWARD C. GEHWEILER AMERST J- DAIGLE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,453,660 MARKER APPLIER Edward C. Gehweiler, Milwaukee, Wis., and Amerst J. Daigle, Randolph, Mass, assignors to W. H. Brady C0.,

Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed July 8, 1966, Ser. No. 563,738

Int. Cl. B65c 9/18 US. Cl. 156-378 16 Claims The present invention relates to a machine for removing adhesive markers from a liner and applying said adhesive markers to a surface. More particularly the invention resides in a machine including the combination of a liner guide, an applicator roller, a stripping shoe and a measuring roller, such that said liner guide is reciprocated toward and away from said applicator roller at predetermined intervals responsive at least in part to the rotation of said measuring roller to press a marker liner into driving engagement with said applicator roller so that said liner is intermittently 'driven about a stripping edge of said stripping shoe to remove markers from said liner, which markers are pressed onto a surface in a desired position by said applicator roller.

The use of rows of die cut shapes of colorful vinyl plastic sheet material has been gaining favor over painted stripes in marking aisles and crosswalks in factories, warehouses, parking areas and streets. Such aisle markers are usually circular in shape and coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on one surface, and they are mounted by their adhesive on a release coated liner for packaging and handling before application to a surface. Prior to the present invention the individual aisle markers were manually removed from individual liner segments and placed one by one at premarked locations. That laborious and costly method of applying aisle markers presented a major obstacle to their use in spite of their other advantages.

The present invention provides a machine whereby the markers are mechanically. removed from a liner in the form of a continuous strip wound on a spool, commonly holding a thousand markers, and the markers are mechanically applied at desired intervals by simply moving the machine along the path on which a marked line is desired. The present invention presents the operator with the alternatives of either automatically applying the markers at uniform preset intervals or individually applying the markers at random intervals selected by the operator. In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the machine rides on an applicator roll in the back which presses the markers onto the surface, and on a measuring roller in the front, which drives a cam mechanism to dispense markers at spaced intervals by intermittently driving the liner on which the markers are mounted about a relatively sharp stripping edge immediately in front of the applicator roller. Hence, as the liner follows around the stripping edge, the leading edges of the markers will separate from the liner and be dispensed onto the surface just in front of the applicator roller.

The machine of the preferred embodiment has no drive motor, but is operated by pushing it over the surface to be marked. A line guide is provided whereby the machine may be guide to deposit markers in a row on a chalk line, or either side of such line, or parallel to, or on any other form of guide. Also, the machine of the preferred embodiment has a locator arrow whereby the operator can determine the precise location at which the first marker will be deposited, and the machine has automatic means for presetting the desired intervals between such markers.

The principal objects and advantages of the present maybe summarized as follows:

To provide means for mehcanically removing adhesives markers from a liner and applying them to a surface.

To provide means for automatically applying markers to a surface at preset uniform intervals.

To provide means for alternately automatically applying markers to a surface at preset intervals or applying markers to a surface at random selected intervals.

To provide mechanical means for laying a precisely located row of adhesive markers either with preset uniform intervals between said markers, or with random selected intervals between markers.

To provide low cost and efficient means for applying adhesive aisle or crosswalk markers.

In the following description of the preferred emb0diment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the disclosure, the mode of achieving the foregoing principal objects and advantages will appear along with other objects and advantages. This embodiment, which is the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out their invention, is described in suflicient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice this invention. However, it will be clear that structural changes may be made in the embodiment described and other embodiments may be used in practicing the present invention. Hence, the following detailed description is not to be considered definitive of the scope of the subject matter of this invention, which instead is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims to be found at the conclusion of this specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a marker applier according to the present invention with portions broken away to reveal interior structure,

FIG. 2 is a back elevation in section of the marker applier shown in FIG. 1 taken along: the line 2-2 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a top plan view partially in section of the marker applier shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the marker applier shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the marker applier shown in FIG. 1 from the opposite side with a cover plate (not shcwn) removed to reveal operating mechanism,

FIG. 6 is a partial side elevation of the marker applier as shown in FIG. 5 and taken along the line 66 in FIG. 2

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a portion of the marker applier shown in FIG. 5 taken along the line 77 in FIG. 2,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a dispenser chassis employed in the marker applied shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, and

FIG. 9 is a view in perspective of a segment of a liner with markers on it such as would be applied by the present invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, in FIG. 1 a marker applier embodying the present invention is shown standing on a surface 1 on which an aisle or crosswalk is to be delineated. The supporting framework for the marker applier is made up of a cast aluminum, vertical main chassis 2, a horizontal applicator roller housing 3, which is bolted to the main chassis 2 to project horizontally from its lower rear corner, and a measuring roller housing 4, which is likewise bolted to the main chassis 2 and projects laterally from the lower front corner of the main chassis 2. The applicator roller housing 3 and the measuring roller housing 4 are, like the main chassis 2, aluminum castings. The marker applier rides upon an applicator roller 5 at its back end and a measuring roller 6 at its front end. A spool 7, which has a roll of liner belt 8 wound on it, is mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis projecting from the upper rear corner of the main chassis 2 just above the applicator roller 5. The liner belt 8 has a release coating on at least one surface, to which circular vinyl markers 9 are adhered by a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 9a coating their undersurfaces, and the liner belt 8 is longitudinally slit or bisected to form two liner strips 8a and 8b of substantially equal width.

A rewind reel 10 for receiving spent liner belt 8 is likewise mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis, and is located above the measuring roller 6 in the upper front corner of the main chassis 2. The liner belt 8 is pulled from the spool 7 downwardly around a relatively sharp, bifurcated, split level stripping edge 11 of a stripping shoe 12. The stripping shoe 12 is located parallel and adjacent to the applicator roller 5 just above the surface 1 to which the markers 9 are to be applied so that the stripping edge 11 faces the applicator roller 5. The liner belt 8 passes upward in front of the stripping shoe 12 to be rewound on the rewind reel 10, after the vinyl markers 9 have been removed from it by the stripping shoe 12 and pressed to the surface 1 by the applicator roller 5.

The main chassis 2 has a carrying handle 13 formed at the top of its front end, so that the marker applier may be conveniently transported to its place of use. One prong 14 of a forked end 15 of an operator handle 16 is pivotally fastened to the applicator roller housing 3 and an- -other prong 18 of the forked end 15 of the operator handle 16 can be seen in FIG. 5 to be pivotally mounted to the opposite side of the main chassis 2. A stop 17 projects from the main chassis 2 to limit the forward pivot of the operator handle 16, which during operating of the marker applier is pivoted rearwardly from the vertical so that its end is at a convenient height for the operator and so that the machine may follow an irregular surface while the operator handle 16 remains at a constant height.

Referring now to FIG. 4, which is a bottom plan view of the marker applier shown in FIG. 1, it can be seen that the applicator roller 5 is a cylindrical roller mounted on an applicator roller axle 19, which has one end journaled in a bearing 20 on an inside lateral surface 21 of the applicator roller housing 3, and its other end journaled through a bearing 22 in the main chassis 2. The end of the applicator roller axle 19 that is mounted through the bearing 22 on the main chassis 2 projects beyond the opposite lateral surface of the main chassis 2 and has a sprocket wheel 23 fastened to it.

Still referring to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the measuring roller 6 is a broad tread wheel mounted on a measuring roller axle 24 which has one end journaled in a bearing 25 in a lateral wall 26 of the measuring roller housing 4. The other end of the measuring roller axle 24 is journaled through a bearing 27 in the main chassis 2 and projects beyond the opposite lateral surface of the main chassis 2 with a timing pinion 28 and a measuring sprocket wheel 29 mounted on it next to each other. Between the measuring roller 6 and the lateral wall 26 of the measuring roller housing 4, a drive gear 30 is mounted on the measuring roller axle 24, and a slidable sleeve 31 rides loosely on the measuring roller axle 24 between the drive gear 30 and the lateral wall 26 of the measuring roller housing 4. A sliding gear bearing 32 is supported by the slidable sleeve 31 parallel to and rearwardly of the measuring roller axle 24, and a stub shaft 33 mounting a sliding gear 34, which is an idler, is journaled in the sliding gear bearing 32 to engage the drive gear 30.

Parallel to and behind the measuring roller axle 24 is a cam shaft 35 which has one end journaled in a bearing 36 in the main chassis 2, and an opposite end journaled in a bearing 37 in the lateral wall 26 of the measuring roller housing 4. A sprag clutch 38 is mounted about the cam shaft 35, and the driven member 39 of the sprag clutch 38 is pinned to the cam shaft 35, whereas the driving member 40 of the sprag clutch 38 rotates freely about the cam shaft 35. Also, rotatably mounted about the cam shaft 35 is a nest of three spacing gears 41., 42 and 43, which are fas e ed to the dr ving member 40 of the spra g 4 clutch 38. A single lobe radial cam 44 is mounted on the cam shaft 35 adjacent to the main chassis 2, so that when the nest of

gears

41, 42 and 43 are driven forwardly, the cam shaft 35 with the cam 44 will be turned.

The drive gear 30 on the measuring roller axle 24 and the sliding gear 34 and the spacing gears 41, 42 and 43 all have the same pitch, but the spacing gears 41, 42 and 43 have differing diameters. Hence, the cam shaft 35 can be driven by the forward rotation of the measuring roller 6 through a transmission made up of the drive gear 30, the sliding gear 34 and the spacing gears 41, 42 and 43, at any one of three different speed ratios depending upon which of the spacing gears 41, 42 and 43 the sliding gear 34 engages. The sprag clutch 38 will not transmit rearward rotation of the measuring roller 6 or the transmission to the cam shaft 35.

The sliding gear 34 may be made to select and engage any one of the spacing gears 41, 42 and 43 by sliding and slightly rotating the slidable sleeve 31, which supports the sliding gear 34, about the measuring roller axle 24 on which it is mounted. Means for conveniently thus moving the slidable sleeve 31 are provided in the C-shaped shift lever 45 extending forwardly and upwardly through an opening in the measuring roller housing 4 to a shift handle 46 at its other end. The sliding gear 34 may be locked in engagement with each of the three spacing gears 41, 42 and 43 by means of a locking pin 47 that is slidably mounted axially through the shift handle 46 to fit in any of the three locking holes 48, 49 and 50 in the top of the measuring roller housing 4. The locking pin 47 has a knob 51 on its top end above the end of the shift handle 46. Hence, different speed ratios between the cam 44 and the measuring roller 6 can be efiectuated by retracting the locking knob 51 to pull the lower end of the locking pin 47 into the shift handle 46, moving the shift handle into alignment with the appropriate locking hole 48, 49 or 50, and depressing the locking knob 51 to force the locking pin 47 into the selected locking hole 48, 49 or 50.

What may be considered the central working structure of this embodiment is a cast aluminum dispenser chassis 52, which is L-shaped to project two

perpendicular extensions

53 and 54, and which is pivotally mounted on the main chassis 2 so that its main extension 53 is parallel with the lateral surface of the main chassis 2, and its lateral extension 54 projects horizontally away from the main chassis 2. The main extension 53 has a mounting bearing 55 formed in it, through which a stub shaft 56 projectiing from the main chassis 2 is journaled so that the dispenser chassis 52 can pivot about the stub shaft 56 in a plane parallel to the main chassis 2. The main extension of the dispenser chassis 52 also has upper and lower laterally projecting

ribs

57 and 58 tangent to the mounting bearing 55 and extending forwardly therefrom. A release spring arm 59 is a rearwardly projecting portion of the main extension 53 of the dispenser chassis 52, and a nip release spring 60 suspended downwardly from the end of the release spring arm 59 is hooked about a peg 61 projecting from the main chassis 2 so that it will be expanded when the dispenser chassis 52 pivots the release spring arm 59 upwardly.

The top of the lateral extension 54 of the dispenser chassis 52 is formed by a brake support arm 62, which terminates in a pivotal brake shoe mounting 63. Below I and parallel to the brake support arm 62 is a guide roller beam 64 with a downwardly projecting flange 65 on its outer end, and the brake support arm 62 and guide roller beam 64 are joined and mutually strengthened by an integral web 66. A guide roller 67 is mounted beneath the guide roller beam 64 about a through shaft 74 journalled in it, which shaft 74 has its ends mounted in the flange 65 and the main extension 53 of the dispenser chassis 52.

An elongated, channel-shaped brake shoe 70 is pivotally mounted at its center about the brake shoe mounting 63 by means of a pivot pin 69, which extends vertically through both sides of the channel-shaped brake shoe 70 and the brake shoe mounting 63 between them. Thus, the braking surface of the brake shoe 70, Which is the bottom of the channel, faces rearwardly and is mounted for limited pivotal adjustment in the horizontal plane of the brake support arm 62. Opposite and parallel to the braking surface of the brake shoe 70, a rotatable, cylindrical, brake drum 68 is mounted between the main chassis 2 and the lateral wall 21 of the applicator roller housing 3. The shaft (not shown), about which the brake drum 68 is rotatably mounted, has eccentric ends locked in position and anchored in the main chassis 2 and the lateral Wall 21 of the applicator roller housing 3. Hence, by turning the shaft (not shown) about its eccentric ends (not shown) the rotatable brake drum 68 is adjustable toward or away from the face of the brake shoe 70. By employing a rotatable brake drum 68, the surfaces of the markers 9 are protected against mars and scratches when they pass over the surface of the drum 68.

Also mounted on the dispenser chassis 52 is the stripping shoe 12, which is made up of a thin steel plate, the upper end of which is bolted to the front side of the guide roller beam 64. From the front of the guide roller beam 64, the stripping shoe 12 projects downwardly and bends rearwardly beneath the guide roller 67. The rearwardly projecting end of the stripping shoe 12 is split in half, and the outside half is bent upwardly to form an upper stripping blade 71, while the half closest to the main chassis 2 extends approximately horizontally rearward to serve as a lower stripping blade 72. A vertical delaminating blade 73 projects downwardly from the end of the edge of the lower stripping blade 72 adjacent to the upper stripping blade 71 so that its rearward facing vertical edge is continuous with the rearward facing horizontal edge of the lower stripping blade 72. When the liner belt 8 passes around the stripping shoe 12, the inside liner strip 8a passes around the lower stripping blade 72 and the outer liner strip 8b passes around the upper stripping blade 71, and the delaminating finger 73 projects through the slit that bisects the liner belt 8. This bifurcated, slit-level stripping shoe 12 not only assures complete delamination of the marker 9 from the liner belt 8, but it also minimizes the possibility of the delaminating blade 73 snagging and tearing the liner belt 8, as it would tend to do if the

blades

71 and 72 were on the same level and the liner belt 8 were not perfectly centered. Even when the liner belt 8 is perfectly centered, if the

blades

71 and 72 are on the same level, the liner strips 8a and 817 will rub against the sides of the delaminating blade 73, with the resulting likelihood that a snag may develop.

Finally, the guide roller shaft 74 projects laterally from the lower front corner of the main extension 53 through an arcuate slot 75 in the main chassis 2. For these purposes, of course, instead of the guide roller shaft 74 a separate peg mounted in the main extension 53, or a projection integral with the main extension 53 of the main chassis 2 could also be used. As the guide roller shaft 74 is moved through the arcuate slot 75, the dispenser chassis 52 is pivoted about the stub shaft 56 and the guide roller 67 is moved toward or away from the applicator roller 5'. Hence, the end of the guide roller shaft 74, or a suitable substitute, serves as a crank pin, which is engaged and impelled to pivot the dispenser chassis 52.

A follower arm 76 is pivotally mounted at one end about the guide roller shaft 74, and it has a follower roller 77 on its opposite end adjacent to the cam 44. The follower arm 76 is a longitudinally compressible assembly made up of two telescoping members that are spring biased apart by a compression spring inside the follower arm. Hence, when the lobe of the cam 44 strikes roller 77, it drives the roller 77, follower arm 76 and guide roller shaft 74 rearwardly, pivoting the dispenser chassis 52 so that the guide roller 67 approaches the applicator roller 5 and the brake shoe 70 retracts from the brake drum 68. Since the follower arm 76 is longitudinally compressible, it is slightly compressed when it holds the guide roller 67 against the applicator roller 5, thus providing a constant, uniform pressure on the liner belt 8. A bias spring 163 suspended from the upper rib 57 of the main extension 53 of the dispenser chassis 52 is connected to the follower arm 76 to hold the follower roller 77 in position to be engaged by the cam 44. However, if the follower arm 76 is pivoted downwardly about the crank pin 74, which in this embodiment is an extension of the guide roller shaft 74, the bias spring 163 is extended and the follower roller 77 may be swung out of the path of the cam 44. Then the nip release spring will hold the dispenser chassis 52 in a position where the guide roller 67 is remote from the applicator roller 5 and the brake shoe 70 engages or is slightly spaced from the brake drum 68.

Turning now to the mounting for the spool 7, a spindle 78 is non-rotatably anchored to the main chassis 2 so as to project laterally therefrom and provide an axis of rotation and support for the spool 7. A pulley 79 is rotatably mounted about the spindle 78 adjacent to the main chassis 2, and a stepped arbor 80, having three separate diameters to accommodate different size spools 7, is fastened to the pulley 79 and rotatably mounted about'the spindle 78. A peg 81 projects from the radial surface of the arbor to fit through a corresponding hole on the spool 7, to insure that the spool 7 will rotate with the arbor 80 and the pulley 79. The other end of the spindle 78 fits loosely through a central hole in a core 82 of the spool 7, and the spool 7 is held onto the arbor 88 by a slidable collar 83 which fits loosely around the arbor 80 and contains a spring ball detent to locate in one of three grooves 84 in the spindle 78, depending on the size of the spool 7. A retarding brake spring 85, with one end anchored to a peg projecting from the top of the main chassis 2 just behind the rewind reel 10, extends part way around the pulley 79 and downward to Where its other end is hooked to a free end of a pivotally mounted adjusting arm 86. The adjusting arm 86 is shown in its up position, but if a larger braking force is desired, as when the spool 7 is full, the adjusting arm 86 may be pivoted forwardly around its pivotal mounting until it strikes a stop 87 projecting from the main chassis 2. In the position shown, the brake spring provides comparatively light braking force as would be desired when the spool 7 is only partially full. When the pulley 79 is rotated, the retarding brake spring 85 bearing against the pulley 79 provides friction drag and by this friction drag is itself distended, so that when the driving force on the pulley 79 ceases, the retarding brake spring 85 will contract to its normal condition slightly rotating the pulley 79 back to take up additional rotation of the pulley 79 resulting from inertia.

The rewind reel 10 is made up of two

rewind hubs

88 and 89 rotatably mounted on a rewind. shaft 90, which has one end journaled through an antifriction bearing 91 mounted in a tubular bearing housing 92, which projects from the main chassis 2. The end of the rewind shaft projecting through the main chassis 2 is keyed to the driven half of a sprag clutch 93, and a rewind sprocket 94 is rotatably mounted about the end of the rewind shaft 90 and fastened to the drive member of the sprag clutch 93. A ratchet wheel 95 is pinned to the rewind shaft 90 adjacent to the anti-friction bearing 91 in a tubular bearing housing 92. A pawl 96, having one end pivotally mounted to the tubular bearing housing 92, is spring biased into engagement with the ratchet wheel 95.

The inside rewind hub 89 is mounted on an antifriction bearing 97 which is slip-fitted about the rewind shaft 90, and it has an annular friction surface, such as cork, cemented to its radial centrally facing surface. Similarly, the outside hub 88 is mounted on an anti-friction bearing 99, which is also slip-fitted on the rewind shaft 90, and the centrally facing radial surface of the outside hub 88 also has a friction disk cemented on it. Between the friction disks 98 and 100 on the centrally facing radial surfaces of the

rewind hubs

88 and 89, a steel drive disk 101 is pinned to the rewind shaft 90. A coil compression spring 102 is Slipped over the rewind shaft 90 and held tightly compressed by a thumb nut 103 threaded on the end of the rewind shaft 90 to hold the friction disks 98 and 100 in sliding frictional engagement with the drive disk 101. Hence the rewind reel 10 is made up of a pair of

rewind hubs

88 and 89 which are independently driven by the rewind shaft 90 through a slip coupling so as to maintain a uniform tension across the individual liner strips 8a and 8b of the liner belt 8.

The distance traveled by the outside liner strip 81) from the spool 7 to the rewind reel 10 is somewhat shorter than that traveled by the inside liner strip 8a due to the different levels of the stripping

blades

71 and 72. Also, the liner strips 8a and 8b may, from time to time, be subjected to different stresses. Since it is necessary to the precise application of the markers 9 that the liner 8 be perfectly aligned, and since the alignment of the liner 8 quires constant tension, the construction of the rewind reel 10 is provided so that the liner strips 8a and 8b can be wound individually and at the same rate. Also, a separator blade 135 is mounted on the end arm 105 extending from the main chassis 2 to project forwardly between the liner strips 8a and 8b between the stripping shoe 12 and the rewind reel 10 to maintain proper spacing between and alignment of the liner strips 8a and 812 On the other side of the main chassis 2 from the rewind reel 10, the applicator sprocket wheel 23 and the measuring sprocket wheel 29 and the rewind sprocket wheel 94 are connected to be driven in common by a timing chain 104. A nylon, adjustable takeup block 162 is eccentrically mounted on the main chassis 2 to serve as a guide for the timing chain 104 and to take up any excessive slack that might develop in the chain 104. Thus, a positive control over the relative rates of rotation of the applicator roller 5, the measuring roller 6 and the rewind reel 10 is maintained. Inasmuch as it is essential to the optimum alignment of the liner belt 8 and application of the markers 9 that the liner belt 8 be taut at all times, the ratios of the three

sprocket wheels

23, 29 and 94 are such that the surface speed of the rewind reel 10 when rotating freely is greater than the identical speeds of the applicator roller 5 and measuring roller 6. The pawl 96 engages the ratchet wheels 95 to permit the rewind reel to rotate in a forward direction, but, in the event that the marker applier is pulled backward the pawl 96 prevents reverse rotation of the rewind shaft 90 and hence of the rewind reel 10, so that slack is never permitted to develop in the liner belt 8.

The structure described thus far provides automatic application of markers to the surface 1 at any one of three selected intervals. FIGS; 5, 6 and 7, primarily, reveal the mechanism whereby markers 9 may be dispensed at random intervals selected by the operator. FIG. 5 shows a manual dispensing lever 106 hinge mounted to a bracket 107 that is fastened to the operator handle 16. A cable 108 is connected to the manual dispensing lever 106, so that when the operator squeezes the dispensing lever 106, the cable 108 will be pulled upward along the operator handle 16. The cable 108 extends from the manual dispensing lever 106 down the handle 16 along one prong 18 of the forked end of the handle 16 and through a bracket 109, which is screw mounted to the main chassis 2. The bottom end of the cable 108 is fastened through a connecting pin 110, which joins the bottom corners of two plates 111 and 1112 making up the frame of an automatic release assembly 113. The automatic release assembly 113 is pivotally mounted about a horizontal pivot pin 114 projecting from the vertical main chassis 2. Pulling downward against the cable 108 on the pivotal release assembly 113 is an assembly return spring 115 which is connected between another connecting pin 116 between the plates 11! and 112 at the lower end of the automatic release assembly 113 and a peg projecting from the main chassis 2 beneath and in front of the automatic release assembly 113.

In FIG. 6 taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 2, the inside of the automatic release assembly 113 behind the outside plate 111 is revealed showing its working mechanism. Extending through the top of the automatic release assembly 113 between the plates 111 and 112 is a slidably and pivotally mounted trigger 117, the front end of which is notched to receive a latching pin 118, which also serves to connect the two plates 111 and 112. On the upper edge of the trigger 117 at its back end an eye 119 is formed to receive one end of a cocking spring 120, which extends upwardly and forwardly to the point where its other end is anchored to a connecting pin 121 holding the plates 111 and 112 of the automatic release assembly 113 in proper spaced relationship. The motion of the trigger 117 is guided and defined by a rod 122 which is mounted through the trigger 117 near its center so that the ends of the rod 122 will project through and ride in guide slots 123 formed in the plates 111 and 112.

Beneath the trigger 117 in the automatic release assembly 113 is a timing lever 124, which is pivotally mounted about the pivot pin 114 that also supports the automotic release assembly 113. A timing segment 125 is rotatably mounted on the upper front corner of the timing lever 124, and a segment return spring 126 has one end anchored on the timing lever 124 and its other end fastened to the back edge of the timing segment 125 to urge the timing segment 125 toward its normal position shown in the drawing. An eye 127 is formed in the lower rear corner of the timing segment 125 to receive one end of a meshing spring 128, the other end of which is anchored about a connecting pin 129 which also serves to hold the plates 111 and 112 in proper space relationship.

A forked link 130 passes around either side of the back end of the trigger 117 between the plates 111 and 112 of the automatic release assembly 113, and its ends are bored to receive the ends of the guide rod 122 for the trigger 117 extending through them. The opposite end of the forked trigger link 130 is connected by a trigger spring 131 to an eye 132 on the upper end of the guide control lever 133 which is rotatably mounted about a pin 134 projecting from the lateral surface of the main chassis 2 so that it will pivot about a horizontal axis. The lower end of the guide control lever 133 is located adjacent to and just in front of the guide roller shaft '74, which projects from the dispenser chassis 52 through the arcuate slot in the main chassis 2.

Hence, if the top of the automatic release assembly 113 is pivoted forwardly, the trigger 117, through the trigger link 1311 and spring 131 will pull the top end of the guide control lever 133 forward as that the bottom of the guide control lever 133 will drive the guide roller shaft 74 crank pin backward. When the automatic release assembly 113 is thus pivoted, the timing segment is forced into engagement with the timing pinion 28 on the measuring roller axle 24. (If the segment 125 cannot immediately engage the teeth of the pinion 28, the meshing spring 128 can expand to permit the segment 125 to ride on top of the teeth of the pinion 28 until the gear teeth are properly aligned with one another, when the meshing spring 128 will urge the pinion 28 and segment 125 into meshing engagement.) As the measuring roller axle 24 rotates, the timining pinion 28 drives the segment 125 upwardly until it engages the under edge of the trigger 117 to force the trigger 117 up over the latching pin 118. When the trigger 117 is thus unlatched, the triggering spring 131 and nip release spring 60 may contract pulling the trigger 117 backward restoring the guide control lever 133 to its normal position. The mechanism will remain in that condition until the operator releases the dispensing lever 106 to permit automatic release assembly 113 to return to its normal position under the impetus of the assembly return spring 115. When the automatic release assembly 113 returns to its normal position, the trigger will be cocked once again by contraction of the expanded cocking spring 120 and it will be relatched on the latching pin 118.

To disengage the cam mechanism described above, a selector pedal 136 is mounted adjacent the main chassis 2 in its lower, rear corner. The lower end of the selector pedal 136 is fastened about one end of a pedal shaft 137 which is journaled through the main chassis 2, and a pedal lever 138 is mounted on the other end of the pedal shaft. The pedeal lever 138 bears against the back surface of a spur 139 projecting upwardly from the end of the follower arm 76, which is mounted about the guide roller shaft 74. Hence, when the selector pedal 136 is depressed, the pedal lever 138 forces the top end of the spur 139 downward, pivoting the follower arm 76 against the bias spring 163 about the guide roller shaft 74 so as to place the follower roller 77 out of reach of the cam 44.

A triangular-shaped metal housing (not shown) is provided to be bolted onto the lateral surface of the main chassis 2 about the timing chain 104 and enclosing the

sprocket wheels

23, 29 and 94, and the automatic release assembly 113 and the other structure described and generally mounted in that area. Since that housing is a conventional metal or plastic casting stamped or sheet metal member performing the usual protective functions for such mechanisms, it is not deemed necessary to show it here.

A line sight 140 has one end adjustably mounted on the center of the top of the measuring roller housing 4. An arm 141 on the line sight 140 projects horizontally out from its adjustable mounting on the top of the measuring roller housing 4, and it has ,a sight member 142 fastened to it by a wing nut 143 at its top and projecting downward from its outer end with a flexible spring follower 144 at its bottom end. If the arm 141 is set to project straight in front of the marker applier, then the markers 9, when they are dispensed from the marker applier, will be centered on the path of the spring follower 144. By adjusting the arm 141 to slant to the right or left of the center of the marker applier, the markers 9 will be centered to the right or left of the path of the spring follower 144 by the same distance, and the arm 141 may also be projected out to either side to follow a wall or a line of cabinets so that the markers 9 can be deposited in a line at a present distance from the wall or cabinets.

A marker locator 145 is retractably mounted to project laterally from the outside surface of the measuring roller housing '4 to indicate where the center of the first marker 9 applied will be. The marker locator 145 consists of a flexible rubber arrow 146 which has one end pivotally mounted to a horizontal wing 147 of a locator bracket 148 which has an L-shaped cross section. A vertical wing 149 of the locator bracket 148 is fastened to the inside surface of the lateral wall 26 of the measuring roller housing 4 adjacent its bottom edge by means of a bolt 150', which passes through a slot 151 in' the vertical wing 149 of the locator bracket 148 and is turned into a threaded hole in the wall 26 of the measuring roller housing 4. Three

locking notches

152, 153 and 154 are formed at the top edge of the vertical wing 149 of the locator bracket 148 to receive a locking pin 155 projecting from the lateral wall 26 of the measuring roller housing 4 and a desired locking notch is held in engagement with the locking pin 155 by means of a holding spring 156, one end of which is connected to the vertical wing 149 of the locator bracket 148 and the other end of which is anchored to the measuring roller housing 4 to urge the cator bracket 148 upward against the bolt 150. Rivets 157 and 158 at either end of the horizontal wing 147 of locator bracket 148 hold a strip of metal to the bottom of the horizontal wing 147 and a base end of the arrow 146 is pivotally mounted to the back rivet 158 between the metal strip 159 and the horizontal wing 147 of the locator bracket 148, so that it can be rotated in and out and held securely in position.

Just above the marker locator 145 :is a locator knob 160, which is fastened to the end of the cam shaft 35 projecting through the lateral wall 26 of the measuring roller housing 4. When the locator knob 160 is turned to a predetermined position, the cam 44 will be positioned adjacent to the follower roller 77 so any further rotation of the cam 44 will cause it to drive the follower roller 77 rearward to initiate the dispensing; of a marker 9. Hence, by setting the locator knob 160 in the predetermined position, the exact location of the next marker 9 applied can be predicted by the arrow 146.

In the operation of the above described apparatus, one advantage of the mode of its construction lies in the fact that all of the apparatus for supporting the liner belt 8 is cantilevered from the side of the main chassis 2. As a result, it is not necessary to thread the liner belt 8 into the machine, but instead it can be slid into place with ease. The embodiment described contemplates three different sizes of liners 8 and markers 9, and accordingly three different sizes of spools 7. The invention, of course, is not so limited, but may accommodate any number. When the operator selects the size of spool 7 desired, he simply slides it on the spindle 78 and due to the corresponding configuration of the core 82 of the spool 7, the spool 7 will seat on the proper portion of a stepped arbor so that the liner 8 will be perfectly centered on the apparatus. Then the operator slides the collar 83 over the spindle 78 and snaps it into position over the corresponding spring ball detent 84 to hold the spool 7 in proper position on the spindle 78.

The liner 8 will usually have about eighteen inches of leader which bears no markers 9, and which is used to start the liner 8 through the machine. The operator unwinds the leader and slides it between the brake drum 68 and the brake shoe 70, between the guide roller 67 and the applicator roller 5, around the stripping shoe 12 and then back up past the separating blade to the rewind reel 10. Each of the liner strips 8a and 8b is then fastened to the

appropriate hub

89 and 88 of the rewind reel 10 with masking tape or any other suitable fastening means. After the slack in the liner 8 is taken up around the rewind reel and enough of the leader is wound on the rewind reel 10 so that the first marker 9 is just above the nip between the guide roller 67 and the applicator roller 5, the marker applier is ready for operation.

To set up the machine for automatic operation, the operator selects one of three alternative spacings to appear between the markers 9 as applied by adjusting the shift handle 46 and locking it in the appropriate locking hole 48, 49 or 50 by means of the shift locking pin 47. Although the embodiment shown contemplates three alternate spacings for automatic operation by virtue of the use of three spacing gears 41, 42 or 43 in the transmission, the invention, of course, is not so limited. The intervals between the markers 9, when applied to the surface 1, is determined by the rotational speed ratio between the measuring roller 6 and the cam shaft 35 which is determined by the

spacing gear

41, 42 or 43 engaging the sliding gear 34 when the shift handle 46 is locked in the desired position. With this accomplished, the marker 10- cator may be set by pivoting it about the bolt and sliding it until the locking pin seats in the locking

notch

152, 153 or 154 corresponding to the

spacing gear

41, 42 or 43 selected. Then the arrow 146 may be pivoted to project laterally from the side of the measuring roller housing 4, and the locator knob mounted on the end of the cam shaft 35 is then turned until the cam 44 is adjacent to the cam follower roller 77. Then, when the first label 9 is dispensed by the machine, it will then be applied at the location pointed to by the arrow 146. Finally, the line sight 140 is adjusted so that the spring follower 144 on the sight 1 42 is on the chalk line or other guide to be followed and the marker applier is positioned relative to that guide or chalk line so that a marker 9 will be centered upon the guide or spaced on either side of the guide as is desired.

Now all the operator need do is push the marker applier along the surface 1 on which the markers 9 are to be applied, and the machine will do the rest. As the marker applier moves over the surface, the measuring roller 6 rotates and drives the cam shaft 35 through the spacing transmission. When the cam 44 strikes the cam follower roller 77, it moves the follower arm 76 in a rearward direction. Since the other end of the follower arm 76 is mounted above the guide roller shaft 74 projecting from the dispenser chassis 52, the rearward movement of the follower arm 76 pivots the dispenser chassis 52 so that the guide roller 67 is moved rearward to grasp the liner belt 8 between it and the applicator roller so that the rotating applicator roller 5 will draw the liner belt 8 downward. Simultaneously, the pivoting of the dispenser chassis 52 moves the brake shoe 70 away from the brake drum 68, releasing the liner belt 8 for movement. Since the liner belt 8 is wound on the spool 7 so that the markers 9 are on the inside, the markers 9 are now presented facing the applicator roller 5, and as the applicator roller 5 draws the belt 8 downward it engages the surface of the marker 9. As the belt 8 with marker 9 moves downward, the belt 8 follows around a split level stripping edge 11, with one liner strip 812 passing around the upper blade 71 as the other liner strip 8a passes about the lower stripping blade 72. Thus, the liner strip 8b is pulled away from the marker 9, and as the marker 9 tries to follow the liner strip 8a, it engages the delaminating blade 73, when the liner 8a passes around the lower stripping blade 72. Thus the marker 9 is removed from the liner strip 8, and its edge is dispensed onto the surface 1. The applicator roller 5, passing over the marker 9, presses it onto the surface 1 and simultaneously draws it away from the liner belt 8. Before the marker 9 is entirely separated from the liner belt 8, the cam 44 is rotated beyond the cam follower 77 so that it no longer holds the dispenser chassis 52 in the pivoted position, and the nip release spring 60 urges the dispenser chassis 52 to pivot so that the guide roller 67 will release the liner belt 8 from the applicator roller 5 and the brake shoe 70 will move rearward and grip the liner belt 8 against the brake drum 68. However, so long as a portion of the marker 9 remains on the liner belt 8, the portion of the marker 9 that is adhered to the surface 1 beneath the applicator roller 5 pulls the liner 8 and the stripping shoe 12, about which the liner 8 passes, rearwardly, preventing the release spring 60 from pivoting the dispenser chassis 52 all the way back to the braking position. The travel of the machine relative to the portion of the marker 9 adhered to the surface 1 pulls the remaining portion of the marker 9 from the liner belt 8 and pulls the liner belt 8 downward until the marker 9 is completely removed from the belt 8 and dispensed from the machine. Once the marker 9 is completely released from the liner belt 8, the dispenser chassis 52 is no longer restrained, and it rotates about a stub shaft 56 so that the liner belt 8 is immediately clamped between the brake shoes 70 and the brake drum 68 preventing movement of the liner belt 8.

Although the liner belt 8 is stopped at the brake shoe 70, the inertia of the rotation of the spool 7 will tend to cause the spool 7 to continue rotating a short distance against the retarding brake spring 85. This would introduce slack into the liner belt 8 which would upset the operation of the machine were it not for the effect of the retarding brake spring 85, which has been extended by the rotation of the pulley 79 while the liner belt 8 has been drawn from the spool 7. When there is no longer any stress on the liner belt 8, the retarding brake spring 85 is free to compress back to its normal shape and in so doing it rotates the pulley 79 and the spool 7 in a rearward direction, picking up the slack which had been iii introduced into the liner belt 8 by the inertia of the movement of the spool 7. Although the continued rotation of an applicator roller 5 and the measuring roller 6 during the interval between dispensing of markers will continue to drive a timing chain 104 and thus the rewind sprocket 94, the rewind reel 10 is permitted to stop rotating as son as the liner belt 8 is taut as a result of the slippage in the frictional drive between the friction disks 98 and 100 and the drive disk 101. Thus the liner belt 8 will remain stationary and taut until the measuring roller 6 has rotated far enough to guide the cam 44 back into contact with the follower roller 77, when a described operation is repeated.

In short, by simply pushing the marker applier of the present invention along a predetermined path, the markers 9 may be automatically dispensed and applied to the surface 1 at any predetermined interval and in perfect alignment. At the end of any line of markers 9, the operator can easily pick up the marker applier of the present embodiment by its carrying handle 13 to transport it to another desired location, or he may depress the pedal 136 and push the machine without dispensing labels. When the spool 7 is full, the leverage and inertia of the spool 7 is great so that a heavier braking force is desired and this is achieved by rotating the adjusting link 86 into its lower position. As the spool 7 begins to empty, the leverage of the liner belt 8 is reduced with the reduction in the radius of the supply on the spool 7 and the inertia of the spool 7 is accordingly reduced by the lighter supply and reduced leverage, so that less braking is required, and the adjusting link 86 may be rotated about its pivotal attachment on the main chassis 2 to the upper position as shown in FIG. 1. When the supply on the spool 7 has been exhausted, the spool 7 is easily removed by sliding the collar 83 off the spindle 78 and pulling the spool 7 after it, and the spent liner 8a' and 8b may be removed from the rewind reel 10.

If it is preferred to dispense and apply the markers 9 at random intervals instead of at the automatic uniform intervals as described above, the operator depresses the selector pedal 136 which rotates the pedal shaft 137 with the pedal lever 138 on its inside end. The pedal lever 138 strikes the upstanding spur 139 on the back of the follower arm 76 rotating the follower roller 77 downward against the bias spring 163 and out of the path of the cam 44. Hence, the rotation of the measuring roller 6 is no longer able to initiate the dispensing or applying of markers 9. Having thus disconnected the automatic mech anism, the operator may now cause a marker 9 to be dispensed whenever desired by squeezing the dispensing lever 106 on the top of the handle 16.

The squeezing of the dispenser lever 106 draws a cable 108 up pivoting the automatic release asesmbly 113 about its supporting pin 114. The pivoting of the automatic release assembly 113 draws a top 132 of the guide control lever 133 forward through the linkage made up of the trigger 117, the forked trigger link and the trigger spring 131. When the top 132 of the control lever 133 is pulled forwardly, the bottom of the control lever 133 moves rearwardly and drives the guide roller shaft 74 rearwardly through the slot 75 pivoting the dispenser chassis 52 so that the brake shoe 70 releases the liner belt 8 and the guide roller 67 grips the liner belt 8 against the applicator roller 5. Thus the liner belt 8 will be driven downwardly and a marker 9 will be dispensed as described above. However, without some mechanism for automatically releasing the dispenser chassis 52, the markers 9 would either be applied continuously at the same narrow intervals as separate them on the liner belt 8, or the operator would have to develop sufficient skill in timing to know precisely when to release the manual dispensing lever 106.

To avoid either of those alternatives, the present invention includes a mechanism Which automatically releases the dispenser chassis 52 after one marker 9 has been dispensed, even though the operator does not releases the manual dispensing lever 106. When the operator squeezes the manual dispensing lever 106 pivoting the automatic release assembly 113 as described, the timing segment 125 in the automatic release assembly 113 engages the timing pinion 28 mounted on the axle 24 of the measuring roller 6. Hence, as the measuring roller 6 rotates, it drives the timing segment 125 upward, so that the timing segment 125 pushes the trigger 117 upward to unlatch it. When the trigger 117 is unlatched, it may be pulled backward by the combined action of the trigger spring 131 and the action of the nip release spring 60 pivoting the dispenser chassis 52 and guide roller shaft 74 forwardly against the lower end of the release guide control lever 133. This movement of the dispenser chassis 52 releases the liner belt 8 between the guide roller 67 and the applicator roller 5 and clamps theliner belt between the brake shoe 70 and the brake drum 68, stopping the liner belt 8 as described previously.

Before the operator desires to dispense another marker 9, he must release the manual dispensing lever 106 so that the automatic release assembly 113 can be pivoted back to its normal position as shown in the drawing by the assembly return spring 115. When the automatic release assembly 113 is in that normal position, the trigger spring 131 is not extended and a guide control lever 133 no longer pulls against the trigger 117, so that the cooking spring 120 can pull the trigger 117 forwardly to its latched position on the latching pin 118. Then the mechanism is ready to dispense another marker 9 whenever the operator squeezes the manual dispensing lever 106, when the described operating sequence is repeated. To return to automatic operation, it is only necessary that the selector pedal 136 be restored to its raised position, permitting the bias spring 163 to lift the follower roller 77 back into the path of the cam 44.

Thus, the present invention provides a reliable, simple to operate, eificient and versatile machine for applying adhesive markers. Manifestly, enumerable modifications may be made in the embodiment described without departing from the essence of the invention. Some modifications have been mentioned, but no attempt is made here to exhaust the possibilities. The preferred embdi-.

ment shown here is peculiarly adapted to the needs of the market as they appear today, accordingly the mechanism is kept as simple as possible consistent therewith. Hence, there is room for the addition of other features not deemed necessary at this time, including the addition of a power drive and the usual drive connection associated therewith.

Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the embodiment shown and described here but rather as set forth in the claims that follow.

We claim:

1. An adhesive marker applier comprising the combination of a main chassis;

a spool mounted on said chassis to normally rotate about a horizontal axis, and having a slit liner wound upon it and removably supporting a plurality of adhesive markers on a surface of said slit liner, said liner being made up of at least two separate strips;

a stripping shoe mounted below said spool about which said liner passes from said spool and at which said markers are removed from said liner;

an applicator roller mounted on said chassis below said spool and behind said stripping shoe to normally rotate about a horizontal axis and to bear against a surface upon which said markers are to be applied to press said adhesive markers on said surface;

a measuring roller mounted on said chassis horizontally spaced from said applicator roller to normally rotate about a horizontal axis in contact with said surface upon which said markers are to be applied;

14 a liner guide adapted intermittent reciprocating movement toward and away from said applicator roller responsive in at least part of its movement to rotation of said measuring roller and mounted to force said slit liner and markers into driving engagement with said applicator roller;

and a liner rewind reel rotatably mounted on said chassis to receive and rewind said slit liner after said adhesive markers have been removed from said liner and connected to be driven through a nonpositive coupling to maintain a desired tension in said liner.

2. An adhesive marker applier according to claim 1 wherein said slit liner is a belt of liner material centrally slit lengthwise into two strips and having a release coating on at least one surface;

said markers are colored pieces of plastic sheet material having a surface coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive and being sequentially mounted by said adhesive on said release coated surface of both of said strips of said slit liner;

and said stripping shoe has a bifurcated and split level stripping edge and a dela minating blade projecting from the center of said stripping edge toward said surface upon which said markers are to be applied.

3. An adhesive marker applier according to claim 1 wherein said main chassis is normally vertical metal casting having a spindle cantilevered from one vertical surface toward its upper rear corner about which said spool is rotatably mounted, and having a supporting bearing cantilevered from said surface toward its upper front corner to support said rewind reel.

4. An adhesive marker applier according to claim 3 wherein a dispenser chassis is pivotally mounted on said main chassis for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis adjacent to said main chassis;

a brake shoe projects laterally from an upper front portion of said dispenser chassis substantially parallel to said applicator roller to reciprocate approximately backward and forward as said dispenser chassis pivots;

said liner guide is a guide roller rotatably mounted on said dispenser chassis to project laterally therefrom parallel to said applicator roller and to be reciprocated as said dispenser chassis pivots;

said stripping shoe is mounted below .and parallel with said guide roller;

and a cylindrical brake drum is mounted to project laterally from said main chassis parallel with and facing said brake shoe so that said slit liner with markers may pass between said brake shoe and brake drum to be alternately grasped and released between said brake shoe and drum as said dispenser chassis pivots.

5. An adhesive label applier according to claim 3 wherein said applicator roller is a cylindrical. roller mounted on an applicator roller axle, and one end of said applicator roller axle is journaled through said main chassis;

said measuring roller is mounted on a measuring roller axle, and one end of said measuring roller axle is 65 journaled through said main chassis;

and said rewind reel is driven by a rewind reel shaft mounted through the center of said rewind reel and has one end journaled through said main chassis.

6. An adhesive marker applier according to claim 5 wherein an applicator roller housing is mounted on said main chassis to project laterally from said surface of said chassis over said applicator roller and to rotatably support another end of said applicator roller axle;

and a measuring roller housing is mounted on said main 15 chassis to project laterally from said surface over said measuring roller and to rotatably support another end of said measuring roller axle.

7. An adhesive marker applies according to claim wherein said applicator roller axle and said measuring roller axle and said rewind reel drive shaft are positively connected to rotate at speeds of constant proportion to one another.

8. An adhesive marker applier according to claim 4 wherein a cam is rotatably supported by said main chassis about a normally horizontal axis and it is positively connected to be driven by said measuring roller;

a cam follower is supported by said main chassis to engage said cam to be displaced by rotation of said cam;

and said dispenser chassis is operatively connected to said cam follower to be pivoted by displacement of said cam follower and is spring biased against pivoting by displacement of said cam follower.

9. An adhesive marker applier according to claim 8 wherein said cam is mounted on a cam shaft journaled in said main chassis parallel to and spaced from said measuring roller;

said measuring roller is mounted on a measuring roller axle journaled in said main chassis;

a drive gear is mounted on said measuring roller axle to rotate therewith;

a plurality of spacing gears of identical pitch but different diameters are mounted on said cam shaft; and a sliding gear simultaneously engaging said drive gear and any selected one of said spacing gears is mounted on the end of a stub shaft journaled in a bearing and said bearing is supported on a sleeve slidably and rotatably fitted about said measuring roller axle.

10. An adhesive marker applier according to claim 1 wherein said liner rewind reel is comprised of a rotatably mounted drive shaft connected to be driven through a oneway drive and having a coupling disk mounted on said drive shaft to rotate with said drive shaft, a pair of cylindrical hubs rotatably mounted on said drive shaft with one of said hubs on each side of said coupling disk and each of said hubs having a friction surface in spring biased engagement with said disk so that when said drive shaft rotates said hubs may be independently driven to maintain a uniform desired tension in each strip of said liner.

11. An adhesive marker applier as set forth in claim 1 wherein said liner guide is spring biased away from said applicator roller and normally operatively connected through a cam mechanism driven by said measuring roller for periodic movement toward said applicator roller;

means for manually interrupting operation of said cam mechanism;

and a manual liner guide control randomly actuatable to move said liner guide toward said applicator roller independently of rotation of said measuring roller.

12. An adhesive marker applier as set forth in claim 11 wherein said cam mechanism includes a cam driven by said measuring roller, and a cam follower slidably pivotally mounted on said main chassis and spring biased to normally engage said cam, said cam follower being operatively connected to move said liner guide;

and said means for manually interrupting operation of said cam mechanism is a foot pedal pivotally mounted on said main chassis to shift said cam follower beyond engageable distance from said cam when said foot pedal is actuated.

16 13. An adhesive marker applicator as set forth in claim 12 wherein said manual liner guide control comprises an automatic release assembly pivotally mounted to said main chassis, means for manually pivoting said automatic liner guide release assembly, and a guide lever pivotally mounted on said main chassis with one end adapted to act upon said liner guide in its other end resiliently connected to said automatic liner guide release assembly so that said liner guide lever will move said liner guide toward said applicator roller when said automatic liner guide release assembly is manually pivoted.

14. An adhesive marker applicator as set forth in claim 13 wherein a spur gear is mounted to be driven by said measuring roller;

and said automatic release assembly is pivotally mounted on said main chassis and comprises a trigger slidably and pivotally mounted in said automatic release assembly with one end resiliently connected to said other end of said liner guide lever and spring biased so that its other end is normally releasably latched in cocked position on said assembly chassis, and a timing segment with a spring return mounted for limited rotation in said assembly chassis to engage said spur gear when said automatic liner guide release is manually pivoted and to be rotated by said spur gear into engagement with said trigger to unlatch said trigger to thereby release said liner guide lever.

15. An adhesive marker applier comprised of the combination of a normally vertical main chassis;

an applicator roller housing mounted to project laterally from one vertical surface of a lower rear corner of said main chassis;

a measuring roller housing mounted to project laterally from said one surface of a lower front corner of said main chassis;

an operator handle by which an operator can guide the travel of said marker applier, said handle having a forked lower end, one side of said forked lower end being pivotally fastened to said applicator roller housing and another side of said forked lower end being pivotally fastened to another vertical surface of said main chassis opposite one vetrical surface of said main chassis;

an applicator roller horizontally rotatably mounted in said applicator roller housing;

measuring roller horizontally rotatably mounted in said measuring roller housing;

means for rotatably mounting a spool of markers on a continuous liner on said one side of said main chassis above said applicator roller;

a rewind reel rotatably mounted on said one side of said main chassis above said measuring roller to receive and rewind said liner after said liner has been pulled from said spool and said markers have been removed therefrom;

said applicator roller and said measuring roller being connected to rotate together and to drive said rewind reel through a non-positive drive means;

a stripping shoe having a stripping edge facing said applicator roller about which said liner may be threaded for removal of said markers;

a liner guide mounted parallel to said applicator roller for reciprocating movement toward and away from said applicator roller and adapted to receive said liner and marker between it and said applicator roller;

and a cam means whereby said liner guide is reciprocated at desired intervals to alternately force said liner into driving engagement with said applicator roller and release said liner, said cam means including a cam driven by said measuring roller and a 17 18 cam follower riding on said cam to be displaced by References Cited said cam and operatively connected to said liner UNITED STATES PATENTS guide to reciprocate said liner guide. d t th 1 1,936,357 11/1933 Geczy 156378 lg gg heswe marker pp as S6 f m c m 2,569,140 9/1951 Avery 156 536 said marker applier is supported by and travels upon 5 2765205 10/1956 Capella et 156-584 said measuring roller and said applicator roller; and motive force for driving said marker applier is DOUGLAS D RUMMOND Prlmary Examiner provided by said operator pushing on said operator US Cl XR handle. 10 156-536, 584

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,453,660 July 1, 1969 Edward C. Gehweiler et al It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1 line 63 "guide" should read guided line 71 after "present" insert invention Column 2 line 1 "mehcanically" should read mechanically line 1, "adhesives should read adhesive line 51 "applied" should read applier Column 8 line 53 "as" should read so line 65 "timining" should read timing Column 9 line 11 "pedeal" should read pedal line 46 "present" should read preset Column 12 line 7 "son" should read soon line 53 "asesmbly" should read assembly line 65 "downwardly" should read downward Column 13 line 2 "leases" should read lease Column 15 line 4 "applies" should read applier Column 16 line 8 "in" should read and line 50 before "measuring" insert a Signed and sealed this 24th day of March 1970 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR. Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. AN ADHESIVE MARKER APPLIER COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A MAIN CHASSIS; A SPOOL MOUNTED ON SAID CHASSIS TO NORMALLY ROTATE ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, AND HAVING A SLIT LINER WOUND UPON IT AND REMOVABLY SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF ADHESIVE MARKERS ON A SURFACE OF SAID SLIT LINER, SAID LINER BEING MADE UP OF AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE STRIPS; A STRIPPING SHOE MOUNTED BELOW SAID SPOOL ABOUT WHICH SAID LINER PASSES FROM SAID SPOOL AND AT WHICH SAID MARKERS ARE REMOVED FROM SAID LINER; AN APPLICATOR ROLLER MOUNTED ON SAID CHASSIS BELOW SAID SPOOL AND BEHIND SAID STRIPPING SHOE TO NORMALLY ROTATE ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS AND TO BEAR AGAINST A SURFACE UPON WHICH SAID MARKERS ARE TO BE APPLIED TO PRESS SAID ADHESIVE MARKERS ON SAID SURFACE; A MEASURING ROLLER MOUNTED ON SAID CHASSIS HORIZONTALLY SPACED FROM SAID APPLICATOR ROLLER TO NORMALLY ROTATE ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS IN CONTACT WITH SAID SURFACE UPON WHICH SAID MARKERS ARE TO BE APPLIED; A LINER GUIDE ADAPTED INTERMITTENT RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY SAID APPLICATOR ROLLERR RESPONSIVE IN AT LEAST PART OF ITS MOVEMENT TO ROTATION OF SAID MEASURING ROLLER AND MOUNTED TO FORCE SAID SLIT LINER AND MARKERS INTO DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID APPLICATOR ROLLER; AND A LINER REWIND REEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CHASSIS TO RECEIVE AND REWIND SAID SLIT LINER AFTER SAID ADHESIVE MARKERS HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM SAID LINER AND CONNECTED TO BE DRIVEN THROUGH A NONPOSITIVE COUPLING TO MAINTAIN A DESIRED TENSION IN SAID LINER.