US3733212A - Heat sealable label carrying an indelible ink - Google Patents

Abstract

THIS DISCLOSURE INCLUDES A METHOD AND COMBINATION OF APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF LINKED LABELS AND THE ATTACHMENT OF SUCH LABELS TO SELECTED GOODS AND AN INKED LABEL AS WELL AS AN INK COMPOSITION PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR THE PRINTING OF INKED LABELS. THE AFORESTATED LABEL, INK COMPOSITION, METHOD AND COMBINATION OF APPARATUS MAKING POSSIBLE THE EFFICIENT MANUFACTURE OF LABELS DIRECTLY AT THE POINT OF ATTACHMENT OF SUCH LABELS TO RESPECTIVE GOODS.

Description

May l5. 1973 E. A. MCCAFFERTY 3,733,212

HEAT SEALABLE LABEL CARRYING AN INDELIBLE INK 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 3, 1970 PRINT ING INK WOVEN FABRIC THERMOPLASTIC ADHESIVE FIG.2

INVENTOR EDWARD A. MccAFr-'ERTY CCAFFERTY May 15, 1973 E A M 3,733,212

HEAT SEALABLE LABEL GARMIN@ AN IMurfzLmLl-z INK 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR EDWARD A. MCCAFFERTY oo wm wm dmj w Pzmz zo` mnwwma Qz .Emi lo mmDm AIIIII WWMUMUMMQMZ. Zw: 5%? mi@ 12 moin. vv

dm?. 12D zo .imi zozm @m58 maw m2o zo wooo @z SQ: m38 It; SM2 Enma Mq 1s, 1913 E. A MCCAFFERTY 3,733,212

HEAT SEALABLE LABEL CARRYING AN INDELIBLE INK Filed Sept. 3, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR EDWARD A. MCCAFFERTY ATTORNEYS Mly l E A MCCAFFERTY HEAT SBALABLE LABEL CARRYING AN INDELIBLE INK Filed Sept. .'5, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR EDWARD A. Mc CAFFERTY ATTORNEYS May l5, 1973 E. A- MCCAFFERTY 3,733,212

HEAT SEALABLE LABEL CARRYING AN INDELIBLE INK Filed Sept. 3, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR EDWARD A. Mc CAFFERTY ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oce 3,733,2i2 Patented May 15, 1973 3,733,212 HEAT SEALABLE LABEL CARRYING AN INDELIBLE INK Edward A. McCaiferty, Cincinnati, Ohio, assigner to Natmar, llnc., Cincinnati, Ohio Filed Sept. 3, 1970, Ser. No. 69,420 Int. Cl. C0937 7/04l U.S. Cl. 117-14 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure includes a method and combination of apparatus for the manufacture of inked labels and the attachment of such labels to selected goods and an inked label as well as an ink composition particularly useful for the printing of inked labels. The aforestated label, ink composition, method and combination of apparatus making possible the eiiicient manufacture of labels directly at the point of attachment of such labels to respective goods.

BACKGROUND' OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates generally to the art of providing labels for use on garments, home goods or any articles which bear a label for such information as identification of the maker -of goods, specification of the goods, processing details relative to the goods or various other data typically contained on conventional labels. More particularly, this invention relates to a new and novel ink composition, label and the method and combination of apparatus for printing and attaching labels of the aforestated nature, said method and combination having particular significance in garment handling situations such as cleaning facilities.

Description of the prior art Heretofore, labels for use on articles of commerce such as garments, mattresses, linens, towels and a multitude of home furnishings and other goods have typically been aihxed to the goods by sewing type processes. lt was also customary to form the written indicia on such labels by threads appropriately positioned by various sewing processes. In instances where printed or inked labels have been utilized considerable difficulty has been experienced both in securing the label to the goods as well as in providing a suitable ink capable of forming a permanent and distinct printed indicia on the label in a rapid, eflicient and economical manner.

yIt is usual practice for manufacturers of goods, as well as for other parties such as cleaning establishments who attached printed labels to garments and like goods, to acquire labels either pre-sewn or pre-printed and maintain large stores of such preformed labels for ultimate attachment of the labels to the respective goods. Heretofore, there have not been adequate means for the user of the label to rapidly and eiliciently print and attach the labels to such goods in a single continuous operation at the label users own facility and as the goods are being manufactured or otherwise handled.

For instance, in cleaning facilities, various types of textile identification labels have been employed and various processes have been used for the manufacture and attachment of such labels to garments.. The problem of labeling garments and other goods is particularly acute in such cleaning facilities which process thousands of uniforms from hospitals or uniform rental agencies. One of the more prevalent of these processes heretofore utilized multi-colored rolls of continuous tape as a starting material wit-h each of the rolls preprinted with the name of the owner of a particular garment. The color of the tape indicated the type of cleaning process which was to be applied to the garment. In addition, on each individual label, there was placed a series of letters or numbers in a predetermined combination which provided a code for the handling of the garment denoting such business related data as: the day of the week the garment is to be delivered, the account number, who in the garment owners establishment wears that particular uniform and matters of this nature. This latter step typically is accomplished at the cleaning facility by the use of a stamp printing device, having a keyboard for selection of the code of the nature of the Markmaster manufactured by Natmar, Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio.

The diiculty with this practice is that it required the cleanings facility to maintain tremendously large stores of tape as each of its customers would have its own pre-printed roll of tape and in addition, each customer would have a series of variously colored tapesdepending upon the particular types of cleaning processes to which the garments of that customer are subjected. The maintenance of such large stores not only requires storage space and outlay of capital but in addition, it has been found to be quite time consuming for the employees of such cleaning establishments who Wish to place a label in a garment or replace a label in an old garment to select the appropriate tape for the respective garment from the stores, remove the tape previously used in the Markmaster and thread the new tape.

Similar difficulties are experienced by manufacturers of goods who must maintain an inventory of preformed labels for each individual type of goods manufactuered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is comprises of a new and improved label and ink composition which can be utilized in a new and improved method and combination of apparatus for the printing of labels directly at the point of attachment of the labels to respective goods.

The method of manufacturing and attaching labels commences by providing a fibrous base material in the form of a single, continuous uni-colored tape, the tape having a thermoplastic adhesive layer on one side and defining an ink receiving surface on the opposite side thereof. This initial step is followed by the step of sequentially printing at spaced positions on the ink receiving surface of the base material an ink comprising a water dispersible dye capable of indelibly dyeing the libers of the base material when heated to an elevated temperature and.y a vehicle for said dye which is relatively nonevaporative at ambient temperatures but capable of being dissipated at said elevated temperature, this vehicle consisting of water and polyglycols. After printing, separate labels are formed by cutting the tape at points between the spaced printed positions. The labels formed in the aforestated manner are then placed on the respective articles with the thermoplastic adhesive layer in contacting relation thereto. Finally, the ink and the adhesive are heated to an elevated temperature to render the ink indelible and the labels are pressed against respective articles to adhere the labels thereto.

In addition, the invention includes a combination of apparatus for the manufacture of textile identification labels specifically for attachment to garments. This cornbination of apparatus includes means for supplying continuous tape to a rotary tape printer for printing sequentially at spaced positions on said tape. The printer includes a frame, a printing roll, 4means for rotatably mounting the printing roll on the frame, a back up roller and means for rotatably mounting said back up roller on said frame in cooperative relation to said printing roll. A printing dye is provided which has a type face defined thereon, said dye being releasably mounted on said printing roll such that when the tape is fed between the back up roller and the printing roll the type face prints an indicia in ink on the tape. The tape printer further includes an ink supply means which is selectively interchangeable with ease iu order to facilitate variance of the color of the ink supplied to the print roll. In addition, the combination of apparatus includes a means cooperatively associated with the rotary printer for receiving the tape and printing a code thereon at the same spaced positions as the initial printing by the rotary tape printer. Means are also provided for cutting the tape between the spaced printed positions to forni labels. Finally, means is provided for applying heat to the label and pressing the label against the article to which it is to be adhered for rendering the ink indelible and for adhering the label to the garment.

This invention also includes an ink for use in either rotary printing devices or stamp printing devices comprised of a water dispersible dye capable of indelibly dyeing fibrous material when heated to an elevated temperature. In addition, the ink includes a vehicle for the dye which is relatively `nonevaporative at ambient temperatures but is capable of being dissipated at the aforestated elevated temperature, said vehicle being comprised of polyglycols and water. The ink composition for use in rotary printing devices includes a vehicle which has a viscosity of about 500 to 800 centipoise at 25 C. The ink `composition for use in the stamp type printing devices includes a vehicle which has a viscosity of about 1800 to about 2200 centipoise at 25 C.

In addition this invention includes a label comprised of a base material of a blend of natural and synthetic fibers, the material defining an ink receiving surface thereon with a thermoplastic adhesive layer on the side of said base material opposite said ink receiving surface. In addition, the label contains a layer of ink in the form of a written indicia on the ink receiving surface of the base material. This ink is comprised of a water dispersed dye capable of indelibly dyeing said synthetic fibers when heated to an elevated temperature and a vehicle for said dye, the vehicle used for this dye is relativeiy nonevaporative at ambient temperatures but capable of being dissipated at the aforestated elevated temperature. The viscosity of the ink contained on the label varies dependent upon whether the ink is used in a rotary or a stamp type printing device.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a new and improved process for the manufacture of labels and the attachment of same to an article of commerce in a manner more efficient and economical than that heretofore known to solve the aforedescribed problems in the art.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a process wherein manufacturers of goods, cleaning facilities or others can themselves produce variously colored labels containing printing such as the aforedescribed labels used by cleaning facilities which include color coded property identification marks, the process permitting the production of such labels at or near their point of attachment to the goods in respect to both time and location.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a process wherein a single uni-colored base material in the form 0f a tape is all that is required to be maintained as stock by manufacturing, cleaning facilities or others while providing for color printing such as color coding of the nature which designates the cleaning processes to be employed on a garment in a cleaning facility.

Another principal object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ink composition to solve the aforedescribed problems in the art and permit the printing of labels in selected colors at their point of attachment to respective goods in an efficient and economical manner.

It is also an object of this invention to provide the aforedescribed ink composition to produce a label having indelible printing thereon in a clear and distinct image while providing an ink with long shelf life and one capable 4 of being easily and rapidly cleaned from the printing equipment so that color changes may be effected with a mini- .murn of inconvenience.

It is further an object of this invention to provide an ink which can be rendered indelible with the application of heat for only a very short period of time, even fractions of a second.

A principal object of this invention is also to provide a new and improved combination of apparatus wherein a label user such as a cleaning facility may economically and efficiently manufacture textile identification labels with a property identification mark color coded to indicate the appropriate cleaning process for a garment or the like as well as letter and number coding to indicate other details of garment handling and attach such labels to a garment in a single operation with all of the printing and attaching apparatus located at the cleaning facility thereby permitting the cleaning facility to utilize a single unicolored fibrous tape and color code its own labels thus materially reducing the stock required to be maintained on hand and the time necessary for the `manufacture and attachment of such labels.

It is also a principal object of this invention to provide a new and improved label capable of being printed directly at the point of attachment to respective goods in an etlicient and economical manner to thereby solve the aforedescribed problems in the art.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration examples of certain ernbodiments of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination of apparatus comprising this invention.

vFIG. 2 is a sectional view through a printed portion of the tape from which the labels of this invention are cut.

FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating the various steps of the process comprising this invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the tape showing both property identification marks and coded garment handling marks with transverse broken lines indicating the point at which the tape is severed to form the individual labels. the labels therefor being defined as those portions between the broken lines.

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view illustrating the rotary tape printing device in cooperative relation with the selected code printing means.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the rotary printer shown in FIG. 5 with the cover of the printer shown in open position in solid lines and a closed position in broken lines with a portion of the cover broken away.

FIG. 7 is a plan view taken on lines 7--7 of FIG. 6 with the cover shown in broken lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a combination of apparatus broadly designated by the reference numeral 1 is illustrated as one embodiment of this invention and includes a tape supply means illustrated as reel assembly 2, a rotary tape printer 4, a selectively variable code printer 6 and a temperature and pressure application device 8. Both the illustrated code printer 6 and the heat and pressure application device 8 were heretofore commercially available. The code printer device 6 is known as the Markmaster- The heat and pressure device 8 is known as the Resistag Both the Markmaster and the Resistag are manufactured by Natmar, Inc., 4026 Cherry St., Cincinnati, Ohio.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the rotary tape printer 4 is comprised of a printing roll 10, a back up roller 12 and an ink roller 14. Each of the printing roll 10, back up roller 12 and ink roller 14 is mounted for rotation on shafts 16, 1S and 20 respectively. The individual shafts 16, 18 and 20 are carried by a frame member 22. While shaft 18 of the back up roller 12 is tixedly mounted on the frame 22, the shafts 16 and 20 of the printing roll 10 and ink roller 14 respectively are mounted to movable levers 24 and 26 respectively. In this manner, the printing roll 10 may be separated from the back up roller 12 to change the printing die or thread the tape. Similarly, the ing roller 14 may be separated from the printing roll 10 to allow a change of both the die and the ink roller. The lever 24 is pivotally mounted to the frame 22 by a pin or stud 28. The lever 26 is pivotally mounted to an intermediate ysection of the lever 24 by means of a pin or stud 30. Thus, lever 26 moves With lever 24 when the latter is actuated.

The lever 26 has mounted thereto a spring 32 as illustrated in FIG. for biasing the ink roll 14 against a printing die 34 carried by the printing roll 10 and shown in FIG. 5. Typically, the ink roll 14 is comprised of a sponge like material and should be just slightly compressed against the printing die 34. The printing die 34 illustrated herein is comprised of a band of rubber releasably mounted about the periphery of the printing roll being retained in position about said roll by the resiliency of the rubber. t

As it is important that the ink roll 14 is only slightly compressed against the printing die 34 an adjustable stop assembly 35 is provided comprised of an adjusting screw 37, lock nut 39 and mounting flange 41. The adjusting screw 37 is threadingly engaged with said ange 41 and extends therethrough to an end portion 43 which is in abutting engagement with the lever 24, said lever 24 acting as a stop member. Adjustment of Vscrew 37 will vary the spacing between rolls 10 and 14 and thereby the degree of compression of the ink roll 14 against the die 34.

The ink -roller 14 is comprised of an interchangeable cartridge 36 which is secured on the mounting shaft 20 by means of a conventional locking device 38 having a locking arm `40 movable between a position perpendicular to the axis of shaft and a position parallel therewith to respectively provide for the locking and removal of the ink cartridge 36. A release spring or lever 42 is provided and pivotally mounted to the frame 22 by pin 28 for the purpose of urging ink cartridge 36 from its mounted position on shaft 2t), eliminating the necessity of handling the ink cartridge 36. The ink cartridge 36, illustrated herein, is comprised of a sponge like material which is charged with or holds a large supply of ink. The cartridges are simply `stored at the location Iof the printer and because of the nature of the ink described herein can remtain charged with ink for long periods of use or non-use.

A print roll spring bracket 45 is fixedly mounted to the frame 22 by bolts 47. A spring pin 49 is slideably received through an aperture in bracket 45 and has a terminal end portion 51 thereof at a right angle to said pin 49 and engaged in an aperture in lever 24. A pressure spring 53 is mounted on pin 49 and bears against the bracket 45 and on adjustment nut 55 which is threadingly engaged to a threaded portion of pin 49. The action of the spring, as illustrated in FIG, 6, causes the lever 24 to be rotated in a clockwise manner to bring the die 34 into printing engagement rwith the tape 60 received about roller 12. Stop screw 57 is threadingly engaged and received through a threaded bore in lever 24 so that the end of screw 57 engaged bracket 45 as a stop member such that the printing die 34 is slightly compressed against tape 60.` A lock nut 59 is provided on screw 57 in a conventional manner. g

A pair Iof detent levers '44 and 46 are provided for the purpose of separating respectively the printing roll 10 from the back up roller 12 and the ink roller 14 from the printing roll 10. The detent lever 44 is swingably mounted about shaft 18 and contains a camming surface 48 designed to be engageable with the lever 24 of the printing roll 10 such that when the detent lever 44 is swung into engagement with lever 24 the cam surface 48 strikes the lever and moves the lever outwardly to separate the printing roll 10 from the back up roller 12. Similarly, the detent lever 46 contains a cam surface 50 which like cam surface 48 of detent lever 44 engages the lever 26 which is to be separated, in this instance ink roller 14.

The variable code printer 6 illustrated herein is the Markmaster manufactured by Natmar, Inc., 4026 Cherry St., Cincinnati, Ohio. The code printer 6 includes a tape receiving and registering assembly 61 through which the tape from the rotary printer 4 is pulled for printing of a code at sequential positions thereon. The Markmaster includes a keyboard 63 for manual selection of the code and a platen comprised of a series 0f rings 65 having type characters about the periphery of each 0f said rings 65. The rings 65 are rotated by respective keys 69, on the keyboard 63 in a conventional manner to place the appropriate type characters in printing position. An inking means 67 is provided to ink the positioned characters just before the platen is actuated to move to strike the tape and print the selected and positioned type characters thereon.

The Resistag manufactured by Natmar, Inc., 4026 Cherry St., Cincinnati, Ohio employed for illustration of the heat and pressure device 8 includes a manually actuated spring loaded platen 71 with automatically controlled temperature and pressure means and a time release device for removing the platen 71 from the label in a preselected period of time.

The means for supplying a continuous tape is illustrated herein as reel assembly 2 which as illustrated in FIG. 5 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 50 which is in turn fixedly mounted to the pedestal 52. A spring tension device 54 is provided on the shaft 50 having a spring 56 and an adjustable collar 58 to provide a small amount of drag on the tape 60. As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 the tape is fed over a tension bar 62 and around a guide bar 64 through adjustable guide collars 66 and 68. The tape then passes around the back up roller 12 Where it engages the printing die 34.

The tape is manually pulled through the printing device 4 in the illustrated embodiment although powered tape movement means could easily be employed. The frictional engagement of the tape 60 and the back up roller 12 causes the back up roller to rotate as the tape 60 is pulled through the rotary printer 4. Mating gears are provided on the printing roll 10 and the back up roller 12 to effect a rotation of the printing roll 14 when the tape 60 moves through the printer 4. The gears are designated by the reference numerals 61 and 63. The ink roller 14 rotates with the printing roll 10 due to the frictional engagement between the two rollers.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4 the tape 60 is comprised of a base material 72 illustrated as a woven fabric having a thermoplastic adhesive layer 70 on one side thereof and an ink layer 76 on the opposite side. The thermoplastic adhesive layer 70 may be comprised of various compositions however in the preferred embodiment the thermoplastic adhesive is a polyvinyl chloride acetate applied as a plastisol. The woven fabric may also be comprised of various types of brous materials. Preferably, however, a blend of natural and synthetic fibers is employed in order to insure a clear, distinct printed image as well as a secure bond of the label to the article. Specifically it has been found that tapes composed of polyester fiber and 35% cotto-n fiber provide the best results. The Woven fabric or base material 72 defines an ink receiving surface 74 on which an ink layer 76 is printed by the rotary printer 4 and the stamp type printer 6.

Referring to FIG. 4, the type of tape which would for instance be employed in such garment handling operations as occur in cleaning facilities is illustrated. On the left hand side of FIG. 4, the tape is illustrated before printing. The central portion of the illustrated tape depicts a property identification mark 78 which is printed by the rotary printer 4. This property identification mark 78 is printed in selected colors, the color of the mark 78 being related to the type of cleaning process to be employed on the garment to which the label is to be ultimately attached. The right hand portion of the tape depicts the tape after printing by the stamp type printer 6 which prints a selected code S in a position relative to each property identification mark 78. The code 80 is comprised of both letters and numbers and serves to designate such items as the delivery route to which the garment is to be directed, which is indicated by numeral 12, the day of the week for delivery, which is indicated by the letter F, the account number, which is indicated by the code 57D, and the person within the customers establishment who wears a particular garment, which is indicated by the number 381. Coding of this type has been found to greatly facilitate cleaning operations particularly in relation to uniforms which are used in hospitals, restaurants and the like.

After the property identification mark 78 and the garment handling code 80 have been placed at spaced positions on the ink receiving surface 74 of the base material 72, the tape 60 is cut between the spaced printed positions as indicated by the lines 82 in FIG. 4. The cutting of the continuous tape 60 thereby forms individual separate labels 84 which in the instance of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 would be then adhered at an appropriate location in a particular garment.

Referring to FIG. 3, the steps of the process for forming labels particularly a garment handling label is illustrated. In Step l, designated by reference numeral 90, a fibrous base material in the form of a single continuous uni-colored tape is provided such as tape 60 having a thermoplastic adhesive layer on one side thereof such as layer 70 and defining on the opposite side thereof an ink receiving surface 74. The fibrous base material can be provided in various manners, either by some type of automatic feeding system or by a manual pull through arrangement as is illustrated in FIG. l.

Step 2 of the process is generally illustrated at 92 and 94 in FIG. 3, which shows sequential printing at spaced positions on the ink receiving surface 74 of the base material 72 in an ink which will be described hereinafter. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, at 92, the color coded property identification mark is repetitively printed at sequential positions on the tape followed by the printing of a garment handling code 80 as shown at position 94.

It is advantageous to mark a number of garments from a particular customer at one time such that the printing dye 34 for that particular customer can be placed on the printing roll and a plurality of labels printed. All of that customers garments which are to undergo a particular cleaning process have labels prepared having a property identification mark 78 of a coded color, the color being related to the type of cleaning process required. The labels are then prepared for another set of that customers garments which may be subjected to a different type of cleaning process by removing the ink cartridge 36 employed for the first group of labels and replacing it with a second ink cartridge 36 of a different color so that additional labels of differently colored property identification marks 78 can be printed. By using a color to designate the cleaning process rather than a numerical code, the problem of segregation of the garments upon receipt at the cleaning facilities is greatly facilitated. Further, the possibility of error in subjecting a garment to the wrong cleaning process is reduced as the color is more easily discernible to the person doing the segregating than a set of numbers.

The tape is then cut to provide individual labels as is indicated at 96 in FIG. 3. As previously discussed, the tape 60 is cut along broken lines 82 to define the individual labels 84. The cutting operation may be accomplished by numerous conventional cutting means either manual or automatic and including scissors.

As indicated in position 98 in FIG. 3, the labels 84 are placed on the respective articles with the thermoplastic adhesive layer in contacting relation thereto. As shown at 100, heat and pressure is applied to the label for the purpose of heating the ink and adhesive to a sufficiently elevated temperature to render the ink indelible and simultaneously adhere the label to the article. The heat and pressure application means is illustrated in FIG. l as the Natmar Resistag but other and different types of heating and pressure application means may be employed.

The ink layer 76 illustrated in FIG. 2 is comprised of a water dispersible dye capable of indelibly dyeing the fibers of the base material 72 when heated to an elevated temperature and a vehicle for said dye which is relatively nonevaporative at ambient temperatures but capable of being dissipated at said elevated temperature. The vehicle for the water dispersible dye is comprised of water and polyglycols, the polyglycols having a sufficiently high molecular weight that they remain relatively nonevaporative at ambient temperatures.

The desired viscosity of the vehicle for the water dispersible dye varies dependent upon the type of printing device which is to be employed for applying the ink to the fibrous base material 72. Where a rotary type printer such as printer 4 is utilized, the vehicle should have a viscosity of about 500 to about 800 centipoise at 25 C.; the preferred viscosity being about 600 centipoise at 25 C. Where however a stamp type printer such as code printer 6 is utilized, the vehicle for said dye should have a viscosity of in the range of about 1800 to about 2200 centipoise at 25 C.; the preferred viscosity being about 2000 centipoise at 25 C. Viscosities in the above ranges have provided the most distinct printed images While at the same time being capable of application by the respective types of printing devices. In the rotary printing printer device of the nature of that indicated by reference numeral 4 which is particularly advantageous for use in garment handling facilities, the removable cartridge 36 is a sponge like material; thus, the ink must be sufficiently thin to be capable of being placed within the sponge material but by the same token sufficiently thick that the ink can be uniformly transferred from the sponge material to the dye and ultimately to the tape 60 without causing a blurred image.

The vehicle for use in rotary type printers is comprised of the following constituents in the following parts by weight: propylene glycol about 13 to about 16 parts, methoxy polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 500-600) about 67 to about 44 parts and polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight in excess of 18,000) about 10 to about 30 parts. The above constituents being proportionally adjusted to total parts, the quantity of methoxy polyethylene glycol increasing proportionally as the quantity of propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol decreases proportionally. Water is added to the above 90 parts of the vehicle in an amount of approximately l0 parts by weight of water and another 10 parts by weight of a dye system either dye or a combination of dye and urea is added. Preferably 6 parts dye are provided with 4 parts of urea. The above methoxy polyethylene glycol preferably has a molecular weight of approximately 550.

The preferred ink for use in rotary type printers is about 25 parts of polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 20,000) about 50 parts of methoxy polyethylene glycol, about 15 parts propylene glycol, about 10 parts water, about 6 parts dispersed dye and about 4 parts urea.

The vehicle for use in stamp type printers is comprised of the following constituents in the following parts by weight: methoxy polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 500-600) about 10 to about 30 parts and polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight in excess of 9 18,000) about 70 parts. The dye system is initially dispersed in the methoxy polyethylene glycol and then the dispersed dye system and the methoxy polyethylene glycol are mixed with the polyethylene glycol.

The preferred ink for use in stamp type printers is about 70 parts of polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 20,000) about 20 parts of propylene glycol, about 10 parts water, about 6 parts dispersed dye and about 4 parts urea.

Any water dispersible dye capab-le of indelibly dyeing at least certain of the fibers of the base material when heated to an elevated temperature may be used. Specific examples are Dispersed Red 65, Dispersed Blue 59, Dispersed Yellow 69, Dispersed Orange 44, Vat Green 1 and Vat Violet 17.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to this specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A label comprising:

(a) a base material comprised of polyester fibers or a blend of polyester and cotton fibers, said fibers defining an ink receiving surface;

(b) a thermoplastic adhesive layer on the surface of said base material opposite said ink receiving surface; and

(c) a layer of ink in the form of a written indicia on the ink receiving surface of said base material, said ink being comprised of water dispersed dye capable of indelibly dyeing said polyester fibers when heated to an elevated temperature and a vehicle for said dye, said dye being selected from the group consisting of vat and dispersed dyes, said vehicle being comprised of the following constituents in the following parts by weight: propylene glycol of about 13 to about 16 parts; methoxy polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 500-600) of about 67 to about 44 parts; and polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight in excess of 18,000) of about 10 to about 30 parts; said constituents being adjusted to 90 parts, the quantity of methoxy polyethylene glycol decreasing proportionately as the quantities of propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol increase proportionately.

2. A label as defined in claim 1 wherein said base material consists essentially of polyester fibers.

3. A label as defined in claim 1 wherein said base material consists essentially of a blend of polyester and cotton fibers.

4. A label comprising:

(a) a base material comprised of polyester fibers or a blend of cotton and polyester fibers said fibers defining an ink receiving surface;

(b) a thermoplastic adhesive layer on the surface of said base material opposite said ink receiving surface; and

(c) a layer of ink in the form of a written indicia on the ink receiving surface of said base material, said ink being comprised of a water dispersed dye capable of indelibly dyeing said polyester fibers when heated to an elevated temperature and a vehicle for said dye,

said vehicle being comprised of the following constituents in the following parts by weight: propylene glycol of about 13 to about 16 parts; methoxy polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight 500-600) of about 67 to about 44 parts; and polyethylene glycol (average molecular weight in excess of 18,000) of about 10 to about 30 parts; said constituents being adjusted to parts, the quantity of methoxy polyethylene glycol decreasing proportionately as the quantities of propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol increase proportionately.

5. A label as recited in claim 4 wherein said base material consists essentially of polyester fibers.

6. A label as defined in claim 4 wherein said base material consists essentially of a blend of cotton and polyester fibers.

7. A label comprising:

(a) a base material comprised of polyester fibers or a blend of cotton and polyester fibers said fibers defining an ink receiving surface;

(b) a thermoplastic adhesive layer on the surface of said base material opposite said ink receiving surface; and

(c) layer of ink in the form of a written indicia on the ink receiving surface of said base material, said ink being comprised of a water dispersed dye capable of indelibly dyeing said polyester fibers when heated to an elevated temperature and a vehicle for said dye, said vehicle being comprised of the following constituents in the following parts by Weight: about 15 parts of propylene glycol; about 50 parts of methoxy polyethylene glycol (approximate molecular weight of 550); about 25 parts of polyethylene glycol (approximate molecular weight of 20,000); about 10l parts of water; about 6 parts of water dispersible dye; and about 4 parts of urea.

8. A label as defined in claim 7 wherein said base material consists essentially of polyester fibers.

9. A label as defined in claim 7 wherein said base material consists essentially of a blend of polyester and cotton fibers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,607,711 8/1952 Hendricks 117-68.5 2,751,276 6/1956 Eaton 117-76 A 3,595,739 7/1971 Meyer 117-14 2,818,169 12/1957 Bergstedt 117-68.5 3,272,585 9/1966 Rafferty 106-22 3,468,679 9/ 1969 Furlotti 106--22 2,086,745 7/ 1937 Sell 106-21 3,519,443 7/ 1970 yKaplan et al. 106-23 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,054,746 1/ 1967 `Great Britain 8--93 1,071,074 6/ 1967 Great Britain 8-93 GEORGE F. LESMES, Primary Examiner R. J. ROCHE, Assistant Examiner

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