US3580785A

US3580785A - Tape wrapping apparatus with traveling wheel gear

Info

Publication number: US3580785A
Application number: US756896A
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter Mihalkanin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-09-03
Filing date: 1968-09-03
Publication date: 1971-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-25

Abstract

A TAPING APPARATUS PARTICULARLY ADAPTED TO OPERATE AS A PORTABLE HAND UNIT FOR PERIPHERALLY WRAPPING A WORK PIECE WITH FLEXIBLE ADHESIVE TAPE. A SPLIT WHEEL GEAR IS ROTATABLE IN A UNIFORM ROTATIONAL DIRECTION BETWEEN ELONGATED RACK GEARS. THE WHEEL GEAR IS TRANSLATED IN A FIRST DIRECTION IN DRIVING ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE RACK WHILE THE OTHER RACK IS DISPLACED LONGITUDINALLY AND AWAY FROM THE FIRST RACK. THE WHEEL GEAR CONTINUES ITS UNIFORM ROTATION BY DISENGAGING FROM THE FIRST RACK AND ENGAGING THE OTHER RACK IN DRIVING RELATIONSHIP DURING TRANSLATION IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. DURING SUCH TRANSLATION IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, THE TAPE IS INITIALLY WRAPPED AROUND THE WORK PIECE, IS CUT, AND IS FINALLY WRAPPED AROUND THE WORK PIECE.

Description

y 5, 1971 P. MIHALKANIN 3,580,785

TAPE WRAPPING APPARATUS WITH TRAVELING WHEEL GEAR Filed Sept. 3, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Peter Mil'zalkaniru y 5 1971 P. MIHALKANIN 3,580,785

TAPE WRAPPING APPARATUS WITH TRAVELING WHEEL GEAR Filed Sept. 5, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet I l%\ \m\\ v In 91 9 48 a 62 we 22 74 36 8o 44 Inventor -Peter Mlhal'kanin. 3 PM KM a: qmk

25, 1971 F. MIHALKANIN 3,580,785

TAPE WRAPPING APPARATUS WITH TRAVELING WHEEL GEAR Filed Sept. 5, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor P ter Mihql kanin 3 Dmulk lumk (5M4 1120 r'negas United States Patent US. Cl. 156-468 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A taping apparatus particularly adapted to operate as a portable hand unit for peripherally wrapping a work piece with flexible adhesive tape. A split wheel gear is rotatable in a uniform rotational direction between elongated rack gears. The Wheel gear is translated in a first direction in driving engagement with one rack while the other rack is displaced longitudinally and away from the first rack. The wheel gear continues its uniform rotation by disengaging from the first rack and engaging the other rack in driving relationship during translation in the opposite direction. During such translation in both directions, the tape is initially wrapped around the work piece, is cut, and is finally wrapped around the work piece.

This invention relates to a taping apparatus, and particularly relates to an apparatus in which a work piece, such as a bundle of elongated members, is peripherally wrapped by manipulating the work piece in the apparatus.

Different apparatuses have been devised for peripherally wrapping work pieces with flexible adhesive tape. Such work pieces generally comprise a bundle of elongated strands or members which are to be bound together by the flexible tape. Common work pieces suitable for processing by such an apparatus are harnesses used in the electrical industry, particularly as disposed on harness boards. Other work pieces may be peripherally wrapped such as the ends of bags, cylindrical members or others. It is desirable to provide a taping apparatus which can quickly and efiiciently wrap such work pieces. It is further desirable to provide a taping apparatus which can operate as a bench unit or as a portable unit. It is also desirable to provide both portable and bench units which can be hand operated for such taping procedures. It will be appreciated that a relatively light weight and compact unit would be highly desirable, which is further rugged and of relatively simple construction.

It is accordingly one important object of the invention to provide a taping apparatus which can directly, quickly and simply wrap a work piece in an improved manner.

Another important object of the invention is a taping apparatus which is compact, portable and hand operated so that itmay be used in an improved manner to peripherally wrap work pieces.

It is still another important object of the invention to provide a taping apparatus which is relatively compact and which can be hand manipulated in conjunction with a work piece which is delivered by hand to the apparatus for quick and eflicient wrapping by simple insertion, movement of the work piece in the apparatus, and withdrawal of the work piece from the apparatus.

Another important object is a portable hand taper which wraps a work piece, such as a bundle of elongated members, by engaging a portion of tape from a supply source, and moving the work piece in a split wheel gear which alternately engages a pair of rack gears.

Still another object of the invention is a method for wrapping elongated work pieces in an improved manner by translating the work piece with a split wheel gear between spaced rack gears which are alternatively moved in and out of driving engagement with said split wheel gear to maintain the transit of said split wheel gear in a uniform rotational direction.

Objects such as the foregoing are attained, together with still other objects which will occur to practitioners from time to time, by considering the following disclosure, including drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand operated taping apparatus embodying the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, but on a slightly enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, mostly in section, of the apparatus of FIG. 1, but on a slightly enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a plan view along section line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4A is a view along section line 4A-4A of FIG. 4, but on a slightly enlarged scale;

FIG. 5A is a highly diagrammatic view, with parts removed showing a driving engagement in one direction of the split wheel gear with one rack;

FIG. 5B is a highly diagrammatic view, with portions removed, showing another driving engagement of the split wheel gear with the other rack; and

FIGS. 6-13 are highly diagrammatic representations illustrating various steps in wrapping a workpiece according to the invention.

The use of the same numerals in the various views will indicate a reference to the same structures or parts, as the case may be.

Referring to FIG. 1, the illustrated hand taping apparatus is shown as having a housing 10 with an elongated, slotted entry 12, and with a gear carrier shown generally at 14 disposed in the slot 12. A workpiece, shown as an electrical harness 15, is disposed in the workpiece receiving member. A source of flexible adhesive tape 16 is rotatably mounted on a bracket 18. The bracket 18 is journalled to a pivot 20, and is spring loaded so reel 16 is urged in a direction toward from the workpiece entry end. A finger depressing plate 22 permits the bracket to be rotated 'backwardly from the workpiece entry end to prestrip a leading portion 24 of the flexible adhesive tape. As a result, dereeling force is substantially reduced or eliminated during the wrapping operation. The leading portion passes under a ratchet roller 26 and over another roller 28. A locking pawl 26a is urged upwardly or clockwise against ratchet 26, and such pawl is moved downwardly when the leading portion of the tape is advanced to permit clockwise rotation of the ratchet and free advance of the tape. When the leading portion of the tape is moved backwardly, pawl 26a will be moved upwardly and stopped by the edge 26b of housing top 36. The pawl will then lock or jam ratchet 26 to thereby prevent backward movement of the leading portion of the tape.

The leading portion of the tape spans the opening 32 of a split wheel gear shown generally as 34. The gear is disposed in the housing 10 which is shown as formed by a pair of channels, each of which includes a top wall 36 and a bottom wall 38. Each of the channels has a side wall such as 40 and 42. Each channel also has a forward laterally bent finger such as 39 and 43, which fingers define a space therebetween through which the leading end of the tape is fed to assume the illustrated position. A tapered body member 44 is secured to the housing, and such member has a threaded bore 46 which is adapted to receive a threaded stud (not shown) of a detachable handle 47.

The front of the housing has an extending member 48 to which is mounted a crosspiece or tie 48a. The free end of the tape is shown positioned on such a cross tie to provide a receiving area for the workpiece.

Screws

48c and 48d secure the crosspiece 48a to the upturned forward ends of side walls and 42 of the housing 10.

The slotted wheel gear is shown as having a pair of C shaped split rings or curvilinear members and 52. The outer peripheries of the members are geared as at 50a and 52a, and such gearing terminates to provide

nonmeshing contact surfaces

53 and 53a at opposite ends of each of the split rings. An arcuate plate 54 is frictionally secured in

grooves

55 and 55a in

split rings

50 and 52. The arcuate plate has a slotted cutting edge 56 at the top when the wheel gear is in the starting position of FIG. 3. Cutting edge 56 is flanked by spaced arms or cutting ramps 56a and 56b. A deflectable member 58 is secured to plate 54 near cutting edge 56 by means such as a rivet 58a, and such member 58 depends into opening 32 of the split wheel gear. This deflectable member operates as a burnisher against the tape which is to be wrapped around the workpiece introduced into the openmg.

The wheel gear drivingly engages in alternate sequence elongated upper and

lower rack gears

60 and 62. Each rack gear is shown as having raised and spaced rows of gears 60a, 60b in

rack gear

60, and 62a and 62b in rack gear 62. A floor portion joins the raised rows of gears, such as 64 of

rack gear

60, and 66 of rack gear 62. It will be seen that the gear rows will mesh with the curvilinear geared members. Top rack gear 60 has an extension plate 70 secured to its floor by rivets 72, 72a, and bottom rack gear 62 has an extension plate 74 secured to its floor by rivets 76 and 76a. Both extension plates have free ends which can move through openings 78 and 80 in mounting brackets 81 and 82, both of which may be secured to opposite side walls of the housing. The extension plates are urged towards the mounting brackets 81 and 82 by

springs

84 and 86. The urging of such springs, in effect, urges the rack gears 60 and 62 towards each other. Mounting bracket 82 has a cutting blade secured thereto by means such as

rivets

92 and 92a. The cutting blade extends to the floor portion 68 of lower rack gear and has a beveled and raised cutting edge 96. Such edge cooperates with cutting edge 56 of the rotatable cutting plate 54 to cut the tape by shearing action when the wheel gear moves to the fixed or stationary blade 90.

The split wheel gear is rotatably mounted in gear carrier 14 which includes two parts forming back walls 99 and 99a, and

lateral walls

102 and 104, each of which has an

open slot

102a and 104a which correspond generally with the open slot 32 in the split wheel gear. The two parts are secured by a screw 106 which may be countersunk at both ends as shown. The gear 34 and gear carrier 14 provide coacting bearing surfaces by overlapping parts. The gear has an outer inset curvilinear bearing surface or shoulder 103 anl 103a in each curvilinear member. The gear carrier has an inner extending 'body with matching curvilinear bearing surface and 105a in each lateral wall of the carrier.

The lateral walls slide in tracks formed by the upper and lower edges of elongated slots 12 in the side walls of the housing. The housing slots extend a distance suflicient to permit the split wheel gear to be translated along the gear rows of the racks to substantially turn the slotted gear wheel about 180.

An elongated rod 108 is shown secured to block 100 by threaded stud 109 threadably engaging threaded bore 110. A spring 112 is mounted on the rod, the forward final turn 112a abutting against block 100 and the opposite final turn 112b abutting against collar 114 mounted in supporting Wall 116 which is secured to tapered body member 44. The collar 114 has an aperture slightly enlarged relative to rod 108 so that said rod can freely pass therethrough into passageway 118. The spring 112 4 will urge the guide member 14 back to its initial starting position as shown in FIG. 3.

The rack gears are urged towards each other by

springs

84 and 86, and they are displaceable longitudinally and separably when the split wheel gear is translated between them. The separable displacement of the rack gears is limited by cam means which include a pair of cam slots 119 and 120 in side wall 40, and

slots

121 and 122 in side wall 42. The cam slots are disposed upwardly towards the front of the housing, and backwardly towards the back of the housing. A lateral pin 124 is secured to upper rack gear 60 and extends through the upper cam slots. Another lateral pin 126 is secured to lower rack 62 and extends through the lower cam slots.

A bifuracted deflector 130 is shown pivotally mounted on a shaft 132 which extends to the opposite side walls of the housing. The deflectable burnisher is urged towards its original position, as shown in FIG. 3, by a spring 134 fixed at one end to one of the bifurcated members and at the other end to a bore in end portion 136 of the forward upwardly angled member 48. When the burnisher is rotated or deflected toward the slotted opening of the gear, the spring urges the burnisher back to its original position by acting as a tension spring. When the housing burnisher is deflected or rotated away from the slotted opening, it is urged back to its original position by the spring acting as a compression spring.

The alternate engagement of split wheel gear with the rack gears can be noted by referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B. A force is directed against the work piece positioned in the split wheel gear 34 in the direction of insertion, or towards the back of the taping apparatus. In this starting position, pin 124 secured to upper rack gear 60 is positioned towards the bottom of cam slot 121. The split wheel gear 34 drivingly engages the upper gear rack 60 during translation from the front to the back of the taping apparatus. During such driving engagement with upper rack 60, pin 124 remains positioned towards the bottom of slot 121, while pin 126 moves within slot 122 as the lower gear 62 is displaced and the free end of extension plate 74 moves through mounting bracket 81 towards the back of the taping apparatus. At the end of the stroke when changing direction of movement towards the front of the apparatus, the slotted wheel gear is drivingly disengaged from the upper rack gear 60, and moved into driving engagement with the lower rack gear. The spring 112 on rod 108 then biases the split wheel gear in an opposite direction. When lower rack gear 62 moves into driving engagement with the split wheel gear, pin 126 moves towards the top of the cam slot 122 where it remains positioned during such driving engagement. As said split wheel gear is being translated in a return direction, pin 124 moves within slot 121 to reflect displacement of upper gear 60 as extension plate 70 moves through mounting bracket 82 towards the front of the taping apparatus.

Additional details of the operational cycle will now be described with further reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B, in turn, although it will facilitate understanding by occasional reference to FIG. 6 in the immediately following description. When the split wheel gear 34 commences rotational translation towards the back of the apparatus, gearing 52a drivingly meshes with top rack 60 and pin 124 is fixed towards the bottom of cam slot 121 during such driving engagement so that rack displacement does not occur. Nonmeshing contact surface 53 will abut and slightly displace lower rack 62 down and towards the back until the split ring clears the lower rack, whereupon spring 86 urges rack 62 back towards rack 60. Pin 126 in lower slot 122 will move partly towards the bottom of the slot and then return to the top of the slot during the foregoing movements.

The split wheel gear does not drivingly engage the lower rack 62 during driving engagement with the upper rack 60. The split wheel gear rotates counterclockwise in driving engagement with upper rack 60, as shown by the arrows. The non-meshing contact surface 53a at the top of the split ring will abut and displace lower gear rack 62 down and towards the back while the split wheel gear is completing its driving engagement with upper rack 60. Following such driving engagement, the longitudinal axis of the gear opening is rotated about 180, and the pin 126 will move further towards the bottom of slot 122. Contact surface 53a will clear the back end of lower rack 62 until gearing 52a is in position to mesh with the teeth of the lower gear.

Spring 86 will then move lower rack gear 62 into meshing engagement with gearing 52a so that split wheel gear will be in driving engagement with lower rack gear 62 during travel in the return direction. Pin 126 will be fixed towards the top of slot 122 during such return driving engagement so that bottom rack displacement does not occur. The upper rack gear '62 will be slightly displaced, but will return ltO its original position under urging of spring 84 when non-meshing surface 53 contacts and then clears the upper rack 60. The pin 124 will move partly towards the top of slot 121 at such time. Upper rack gear will again be displaced upwardly and longitudinally towards the front of the apparatus as non-meshing contact surface 53a abuts upper rack gear 60. At such time pin 124 will move further towards the top of slot 120. Once contact surface 53a clears the forward end of the upper rack gear, spring 84 will urge such upper rack into meshing engagement with gearing 52a and the split wheel gear will have completed its uniformly rotational cycle.

The steps by which a work piece may be peripherally wrapped may now be shown by the views of FIGS. 6-13. A work piece is brought into contact with the leading portion 24 of the flexible pressure sensitive adhesive tape. The bifurcated burnisher 131 is rotated towards the slotted opening of the split wheel gear to v initially burnish the leading portion 24 of the tape around the bundle 15. The split wheel gear deflector 58 also participates in burnishing the tape against the bundle 15. As force is directed against the work piece to move the split wheel in driving engagement with upper rack 60, the bundle is moved out of contact with the bifurcated deflector 131 which is then urged to its original position. The tape remains connected to its supply as the split wheel gear is translated into the slot opening and turned around to another position. As shown in FIG. 9, cutting edges of the stationary blade 90 and of the blade 54 in the split wheel gear are in shearing relationship when the radial axis of the wheel gear is moved about 135 from is original starting position, that is, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the upper and lower 0 rack gears.

In FIG. 10, the split wheel gear has reached the end of its translation in the first direction towards the back of the taping apparatus. The driving action has terminated at this point. The radial axis of the split wheel gear has now been moved about 180 from its original starting position. The lower rack gear 62 is now moved into engagement with the split wheel gear which is now urged in a return direction towards its starting position. During such return translation, the radial axis of the slot will again be turned about 180. As the split wheel gear is translated in the opposite direction, the cut portion 24 of the tape is wound around the bundle to eliminate any flagging. The peripherally wrapped bundle of articles is indicated in FIG. 11 following translation of the split wheel gear back to its original position. It will be seen in FIG. 11 that a succeeding leading portion 24a from the supply of tape spans the opening of the split wheel gear, ready for a successive wrapping operation. Such new leading portion 24a is moved out of the way as the Wrapped work piece is withdrawn from the slot. The bifurcated member 131 now rotates away from the split wheel gear to allow the work piece to be withdrawn. FIG. 13 shows the split wheel gear in its starting position and both rack gears urged towards each other to engage the split wheel gear.

It should be recognized that the racks can be moved, rather than the wheel, to provide the driving engagement with the wheel gear while the work piece is held therein. The split wheel gear is positively directed between the racks so that the wheel gear is at desired rotational positions during the operation of the wrapping and cutting cycle. For example, the opening of the split wheel gear will be in a work piece receiving or discharge position at the forward end of the apparatus, and the split wheel gear will be in shearing position towards the end of the split wheel transit in a first direction. If the cycle is interrupted before completion, the split wheel gear is again positively directed to proper rotational posi tion by urging the wheel gear to the end of its travel in the first direction so that driving engagement with the other rack gear is effected prior to return travel in the direction opposite to the first direction.

The invention may now be practiced in the various ways which will occur to practitioners, and such practice will comprise a part of the present invention so long as it comes within the terms of the appended claims as given further meaning by the language of the preceding specification.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for peripherally taping a work piece, including a pair of spaced elongated racks, means to bias said racks towards each other, said racks being further displaceable from each other, an open wheel gear for receiving the work piece together with a length of wrapping tape, said wheel gear being rotationally translatable along a path defined by said racks in a first direction during driving engagement with one of said racks, and in an opposite direction during driving engagement with the other of said racks so that uniform rotation of the Wheel gear occurs during travel along said path .in both directions,

means to fix each rack against displacement during said driving engagement with the wheel gear, and

said biasing means moving one of said racks into engagement for rotational translation in an opposite direction after said wheel gear completes rotational translation in said first direction.

2. A taping apparatus as in claim 1 which includes a supply of flexible and adhesive tape with a leading end for spanning the opening of the wheel gear so that said work piece can move said leading end into the opening to start the taping action,

said wheel gear further including a movable cutting edge mounted on said wheel gear, and further including a fixed cutting edge associated with an elongated rack so that said leading end of the tape is sheared between said cutting edges following rotational translation of said wheel gear.

3. A taping apparatus as in claim 1 which further includes means urging said wheel gear in a direction opposite to said first direction to thereby return the wheel gear to its starting position.

4. A taping apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said movable cutting edge is mounted towards the opening of the wheel gear and said fixed cutting edge is mounted on an elongated rack, at least one of said cutting edges being tapered to facilitate the shearing action, and further including,

means urging said wheel gear in a direction opposite to said first direction to thereby return the wheel gear to its starting position,

a housing for said racks, wheel gear, biasing means and urging means, and

a reel of flexible, adhesive tape rotatably mounted on said housing, a leading end of said tape being posi- 7 tionable across the wheel gear opening to enter said insertion of the work piece into said opening.

5. A manually operated, portable taping apparatus for peripherally taping a work piece, including a pair of elongated gear racks displaceable from each other,

an open wheel gear for receiving the work piece, said wheel gear being rotationallytranslatable along a path defined by said racks in a uniform rotational direction,

means biasing said racks towards each other as the Wheel gear rotationally translates therebetween so that said wheel gear alternately engages and disengages the respective racks in driving engagement during translation in opposite directions,

a fixed cutting blade associated with one rack, which one rack is drivingly disengaged during rotational translation of said split wheel in a first direction, and

said split wheel gear including a cutting blade disposed adjacent to its opening so that the leading end of the tape is sheared between said cutting edges after said split wheel gear substantially completes its translation in said first direction.

6. A taping apparatus as in claim which further includes,

a supply of flexible, adhesive tape associated with said apparatus, a leading end of said tape being positionable across the opening of the split wheel gear to intercept insertion of a work piece into the opening,

a housing, said racks, split gear and biasing means being disposed within the housing, and said supply of tape being mounted on said housing,

an elongated open slot in said housing extending for a distance sutficient to allow said work piece and split wheel gear to be translated in said first direction of travel for a length sufficient to turn about 180 to shear a wrapping length of tape for said work piece, and

said elongated racks having free floating extensions mounted in housing brackets, said racks being longitudinally displaceable along said housing brackets.

7. A taping apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said means to limit the displacement of the racks from each other include,

cam means associated with said housing and with said racks which urges a rack to be displaced longitudinally and away from the other rack as the split wheel gear is translated therealong.

8. A taping apparatus as in claim 7 which further includes,

a gear carrier between said elongated racks, said split Wheel gear being within said gear carrier, and

said urging means disposed between said gear carrier and the housing so the gear carrier may be returned to its initial position between said racks, following rotational translation in said first direction along the path of travel.

9. A taping apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said apparatus is a portable manual unit including a handle mounted to the housing at an end opposite the end where the split wheel gear is initially positioned between the elongated racks, and

said supply of flexible adhesive tape present as a reel rotatably mounted to the top of the housing, whereby a leading end from said reel is directed to the opening of said split wheel.

10. A taping apparatus as in claim 9 in which the cam means associated with each of the racks in the housing include a slot in the wall of the housing disposed upwardly towards the front of the housing and downwardly toward the back of the housing, and a cooperating pin secured to the elongated rack to engage the slot and to ride said slot from its high surface to its low surface, during which transit, one elongated rack is displaced separably and longitudinally from the other rack.

11. A taping apparatus as in claim 10 in which each elongated rack has spaced rows of gear teeth and the split wheel gear has spaced split ring members, the outer periphery of each ring having a row of teeth adapted to mesh with the aligned rows of teeth in the spaced racks, and

an intermediate arcuate plate secured to the spaced split rings, one end of said plate providing a cutting edge adjacent to the ends of said spaced split rings.

12. A taping apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said handle is detachable and means are provided in the end of the housing to receive auxiliary parts in mounting engagement.

13. A taping apparatus as in claim 11 which further includes a gear carrier positioned between the racks intermediate the spaced rows of teeth,

lateral walls on opposite sides of said gear carrier,

coacting bearing surfaces between said lateral walls and said split gear, and

said gear carrier being translatable in the elongated housing slot between said racks to guide the rotational translation of the split wheel gear from its initial position to its final position in the opposite direction.

14. A taping apparatus as in claim 13 wherein the means to urge the split wheel gear to its initial position includes an elongated member secured to said gear carrier and a coil spring mounted about said elongated member, one final turn of said coil spring abutting said gear carrier and the opposite final turn of said coil spring abutting a housing part, and

a passageway within the housing to accommodate said elongated member when the split wheel gear and gear carrier are translated in a first direction.

15. A taping apparatus as in claim 14 which further includes a bifurcated housing burnisher pivotally mounted adjacent to the opening of the split wheel gear, said bifurcated burnisher biased to resume its original position following rotatable deflection towards and away from the opening, and

a yieldable deflector member mounted to the wheel gear and depending into said opening to intercept the work piece to facilitate the wrapping.

16. A method for peripherally wrapping a work piece by alternately rotating a wheel gear with an opening between elongated and substantially parallel gear racks, including the steps of positioning the wheel gear so the opening is disposed in a work piece receiving position,

placing a leading portion of a wrapping length of tape between said work piece and said wheel gear opening,

inserting the work piece and leading tape portion into the opening of the wheel gear,

initiating relative driving relationship between said wheel gear and one rack to rotate the wheel in a selected rotational direction and to execute a first movement of the wheel gear between the ends of the elongated racks,

initiating relative driving engagement of the other rack with said wheel gear following said first executed movement to rotate the wheel gear in the same rotational direction and to execute a second movement of the wheel gear between the ends of the racks in a direction opposite to said first executed movement, and

continuing said second executed movement until said wheel gear assumes a work piece discharge position where said wheel gear is in position to discharge 9 10 the work piece having the wrapping length of tape 3,414,451 12/1968 Sejda 156-468 therearound, and to receive a succeeding work piece 3,418,358 12/ 1968 Sejda 156-468 for wrapping.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner References 5 J. J. DEVITT, Assistant Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,262,246 7/1966 Olsen et a1 53198 3,321,352 5/1967 Sejda 156468 156-475; 53198