AU469552B2 - Labeller - Google Patents

Description

32,107 The present invention relates to labelling

machines or labellers for the attachment of a label

onto an article.

According to the present invention there is

provided a labeller including a casing, a handgrip, a

tape support supporting a label-carrying tape, tape

feeding means having means for turning the tape through

a sufficiently small radius so as to detach a label

therefrom, the label, when detached, being positioned

in a window of the casing, pushing-out means including

a pushing-out member operable to push said label in the

window through the window onto an article to be labelled

by means of a pushing-out spring, a movable member

movable in a first direction to operate said tape feeding

means to position a label in the window and in a second

direction to strain said pushing-out spring, and release

means to release the strained spring to thereby cause

said pushing-out member to push the label through the

window.

In order that the invention may be more readily

understood and put into practical effect reference will

now be made to the accompanying drawings

2- 469.552

3 2,107 n7 wherein:-

Fig. I shows an elevation of a labeller.

according to one embodiment of the present

invention, partly in section.

Figs. 2a and 2b are plan views showing

operation of a ratchet wheel and an arm.

'Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of a printing

means and a pad roller showing their operations.

Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of the

present invention in an elevation similar to

Fig. I.

Fig. 5 is a partial plan view of a pushing- out member.

Fig. 6 is a modified embodiment of the

pushing-out member.

Fig. 7 is a partial plan view of an ink roller.

Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram of an electrical

driving means.

Fig. 9 shows a third embodiment of the

present invention in an elevation similar to

Fig. I.

An embodiment of the present invention will now

be described with reference to Fig. 1. Numeral 1

represents a hand grip which houses a motor; 2 an

operating lever pivotally mounted with a shaft 4 on

annular flange 3 at the upper end of the hand grip 1; end a compression spring provided between the lower of the operating lever 2 and the hand grip 1; 6 a 3- 469.552

32,107 1 connecting rod pivotally provided at one end to the

operating lever 2 with a shaft 7 and at other end to an

engaging link 8 with a shaft 9, the lower end of the

engaging iink' 8 being pivotally mounted on the annular

flange 3; 10 a ratchet wheel connected to a rotary shaft

of the motor, which transmits a rotational force of the

motor reduced or increased by gears. 11 and 12 denote

rotary plates positioned above and below the ratchet wheel

which rotary plates are connected to each other with

a connecting shaft 13 and a fixed shaft 14 as shown in

Fig. 2a andpivo.Gta y m6unted on a shaft rod 15 without

being connected to the rotary shaft of the motor. 16

denotes a pawl pivotally mounted by way of said fixed shaft

14 to the rotary plate 12 and having a projection 17 at its

end projecting outwardly from the outer peripheral edges

of the rotary plates 11 and 12 with its other end being

in engagement with the ratchet wheel 10 through an

engaging spring 18 fixed at the connecting shaft 13. 19

denotes an arm having an end rotatably mounted on one

surface of the rotary plate 11 through a shaft 20 and the

other end provided with a projection-engaging hole 21.

22 denotes a movable means for receiving a label carrying

.tape 23 to which self-adhesive labels are adhered. A

roller 25 rotatably mounted on casing 26 has projections

24 engageable with the tape 23. A roller rotation arm 27

which rotates the roller 25 only in one direction through

a ratchet mechanism is provided on a rotary shaft 29 of

the roller 25. This roller rotation arm 27 is pulled by

a tension spring 28 in the direction of rotation of the 4 469.552

32.107m

roller 25. An operating projection 30 at the upper end of the roller rotation arm 27 is inserted into said biassed projection engaging hole 21. A presser roller 31 towards and simultaneously rotatable with the roller 25 is 32 revolvably mounted on the casing 26. Printing means has an end fixed to the arm 19 and is integrally operable with the arm 19. As shown in Fig. 1, two letter belts 42

are positioned to display printed letters in two lines, for with operating plates 33 being provided in two stages moving the letter belts. 34 denotes pad rollers and 35 a movable rod for supporting the pad rollers 34. 36 denotes a 35 and curved arm connected at one end to the fixing rod pivotally mounted on a fixed shaft 37 at its other end mounted on the casing 26 as shown in Fig. 3. The movable means arm 36 is located on the.under side of the printing 38. 32 and is biassed into the casing 26 by spring of the denotes a pilot roller outlet provided at one side lower casing 26. 41 denotes a pin projecting toward the along end of the printing means 32 which engages and slides the outer curved edge 39 of the movable arm 36 as the printing means 32 moves forwardly as described hereinafter. and 42 denotes letter belts provided in the printing means having letter bearing surfaces. 43 denotes a label

pushing-out or ejecting member for forcibly attaching label 44 on an article. 45 denotes a movable means displaced by the arm 19. The label pushing-out member 43

has at its end a push portion 46 made of a box-shaped thin rubber or soft foam resin body having a flexibility enough for pushing out labels 44 through a window 49 and 5 469.552

32,107 /7

for not easily breaking the article. 47 designates a

presser rod spaced from the label pushing-out member 43 and formed separately from the label pushing-out member 43. The presser rod 47 is slidably inserted into a slot rod 48 provided on a side of the casing 26. The presser the 47 is connected with a fixed projection 50 secured to spring casing 26 on one side of the window 49 by a tension rod 51. The label pushing-out member 43 and the presser 47 are connected by a return spring acting in opposition to, but weaker in tension than, the tension spring 51. upper 52 denotes a suspension means projecting toward the portion of the label pushing-out member 43 which is slidably engaged with a slot 53 provided at the upper part under of the casing 26 and has an engaging step 54 on the surface thereof. 55.designates an engaging latch arranged

to move the label pushing-out member 43 in the direction away from the window 49 when in engagement with the stepped portion 54. This engaging latch 55 is pivotally

mounted on the movable means 45, being biassed upwardly in the direction of the engaging step 54 by a pushing-up spring 56. 57 denotes a tapered projection secured to of the casing 26 rearwardly in the direction of advance

the engaging rod 55 which pushes the engaging rod engagement downwardly at a fixed position and releases the the tape with the engaging step.54. 58 denotes a roll of the 23 carrying the labels 44; 59'a fitting for supporting from the roll 58; 60 denotes means for detaching labels

tape by turning the tape back on itself through 1800 of a more through a small radius. The labels are formed 6- 469.552

32,107 /71 become rigid material than the tape and consequently 49 where detached at the radius to move into the window out by they are located prior to being ejected or pushed

the push portion'4 6 61 denotes a roller for leading the

tape 23 to the roller The embodiment described above is operated as

explained below. The hand grip I is grasped with the hand and

the motor is energised. The ratchet wheel 10 in connection The pawl with the rotary shaft of the motor is revolved. 10 by the whose other end is engaged with the ratchet 11 and spring 18 rotates together with the rotary plates

12. Then, the projection 17 at one end projecting from .12 the outer periphery of the rotary plates 11 and operating contacts and engages with the upper part of.the plates rod 2 close to the outer periphery of the rotary

11 and 12. The pawl 16 therefore is revolved pivotally of the about the fixed shaft 14 releasing the engagement pulling the other end with the ratchet wheel 10. Then by grip 1, the operating lever 2 in the direction of the hand to disengage operating lever 2 is pivoted about the shaft 4 the rotary its upper portion from the outer periphery of the projection plates 11 and 12, releasing the engagement of portion of the 17 at the end of the pawl 16 from the upper

operating rod By releasing this engagement, the pawl to engage 16 is pushed at the other end by the spring 18 the pawl 16 with the ratchet wheel 10. By engagement of with the with the ratchet wheel 10, the pawl 16 revolves by the rotary plates 11 and 12, as it is supported 7- 469.552

32,107 ni plate 12 and turns connecting shaft 13 to the rotary this position, the through approximately 1800. In with the 16 contacts and engages projection 17 of the pawl the by the .connecting rod 6 with engaging link 8 connected from integrally and is released operating lever 2 and moved the wheel 10 similarly as in engagement with the ratchet lever 2 as case of engagement with the operating operation of the rotary previously described.and stops.the rotation of the rotary plates plates 11 and 12. By this arm 19 revolvably secured at 11 and 12 through 1800, the rotary plate 11 moves to one end by the shaft 20 on the 1, 2a and 2b, the movement the left as viewed in Figures projection 30 which is of the arm 19 pushes the operating the other end of the arm 19 inserted into the hole 21 at arm 27 against the return and it pivots the roller rotation 28. The roller 25 in relation force of the tension spring so as to rotate only in one to the arm 27 is constructed mechanism, so that it does direction through the ratchet By this revolution of the not revolve freely by itself. to the printing means 32 coupled rotary plates 11, 12, the During movement arm 19 moves in the forward direction. pin 41 projecting at the of this printing means 32, the 32 engages the outer edge lower end of.the printing means along the edge 39 39 of.the movable: arm 36 and, slides shaft 37 to the position thus pivoting the arm 36 about this movement, the shown in outline in Figure 3. By the rod 35 having the movable arm 36 which is fixed with on the shaft 37 to pad rollers.34 at one end can pivot on the letter surface 42 of apply ink by pad rollers 34 8- A 9.552

321 07 ni the printing means 32. By appropriate dimensioning of the

length of the movable arm 36 and the radius of curvature

of the edge 39, the application of ink on the letter

surface 42 may be made during the movement of the printing

means 32 in the direction towards the label 44. The pad

roller 34 which has accomplished inking on the letter

surface 42 is released from the pressure of the projection

41 since it then engages the side of the printing means 32

so that it is pushed out of the casing 26 through-the

outlet 40 of the pad roller by the print means 32. Thus,

the roller 34 is out of the way of the printing surfaces

which can then contact the label to print information

thereon. Simultaneously with the printing on the label 44

by the printing means 32, the engaging latch 55 which is

pivotally mounted at the upper part of the printing means

32 engages with the step 54. Then, the operating lever 2 is released so that

the operating lever. 2 returns, by return force of the

spring 5, to the initial position and moves close to the

outer periphery of the rotary plates 11 and 12. The

engaging link.8 is pushed by the connecting rod 6,

detached from the outer periphery of the rotary plates 11

and 12, and releases the engagement with the projection at

the end of the pawl 16, thus engaging with the ratchet

wheel 10, so that the rotary plates 11 and 12 further

revolve through approximately 180° and return to their

initial position. By the rotation of these rotary plates

11 and 12, the arm 19 also returns to the condition

before operation. By return of the arm 19, the roller 9 469.552

32.107 i rotation arm 27 returns to the initial position by the return force of the tension spring 28. The roller the rotation arm 27 is so constructed that it can revolve roller 25 only in one direction by a ratchet mechanism. At the time of this return movement, the roller 25 is label rotated to pull out the tape 23 to thereby push the 44 printed by the printing means 32 toward and into the window 49. At the same time, the printing means 32 secured to an end to .the arm 19 returns to the condition the before operation together with the arm 19. Following arm return movement of the printing means 32, the movable of 36 presses the letter surface 42 again by return force the spring 38, applying ink, and returns to the condition With before operation together with the pad roller 34. the return of the printing means 32, the label pushing-out by the member 43 in engagement with the latch 55 is pulled latch 55 pushing the presser rod 47 and moves rearwardly spring against the return force of the push member tension contacts 51. The latch 55, at an appropriate position, whereby the tapered projections 57 and is pushed downwards, 43 is the engagement with the label pushing-out member the released. Upon the release of the engagement from through latch 55, the label pushing-out member 43 is urged, by the push rod 47, to the left as viewed in Figure 1 out of the spring 51. The push portion 46 is then pushed label window 49 carrying the label 44 with it so that the adheres to the article. The second embodiment will be explained with reference to Figs. 4 to 8. 10 4 69,552

%32,107ni

In the labeller shown, the main body of the

casing 26a is provided with an opening or window 49a which

holds the labels detached from a tape, a supporting portion

la and a support means 59a holding the tape with labels.

A tape feed drum opening-closing member 60a having a tape

feed drum 25a and a contact member 62 of a window 49a are

provided to pivot about pin 63. The hand grip la has a

main switch Is and it houses a motor. The window 49a has

the contact member 62 attached at one end to the feed drum

opening-closing member 60a, and at the other end engages

with the contact switch 2s in the casing 26a so as to close

the switch by contact of the contact member 62 with the

article to which the label is to be secured. The pushing-

out member has a resilient portion 46a and a support

portion 43a at the forward end thereof. The portion 46a

is located opposite the window 49a. The support portion

43a is movably supported by being guided along the slot

48a with a spring 51a and a return spring 64 provided in

the casing 26a, as shown in Fig. 5. The pushing-out

member has a stepped portion 54a movable towards the

label-attaching position against the force of the spring

51a by movable pawl 55a and has a guide 65 a pawl disengaging piece 57a in a position allowing it to release

the pawl 55a from the stepped portion 54a. The support

portion 43a is guided by slot 65a of the guide 65, as

shown in Fig. 6. The printing member 32a is attached to a movable

member 45a to change the printing surface in various ways.

The ink roller 34a is supported by arm 36a as shown in -11 469.552

S32,107 7n by spring 38a to Fig. 7, said arm 36a being supported to pivot pivot around to the casing 26a and being adapted printing for applying ink on the printing surface of the 45a. The member 32a by a roller 41a of the movable member but it is roller body 34a can provide three-colour printing of colours. capable of being applied for a desired number 21a on an arm The movable member 45a is supported by pin pin 20a. It makes 19a attached to a cam plate 11a through the cam a reciprocal movement with each revolution of with a feed plate 11a. The movable member 45a is provided 25a. The pawl 27a to thereby drive the tape feed drum electromagnetic electrical driving means may be of a direct Fig. 8, comprise reciprocating type, which may as shown in switch a main switch Is, a contact switch 2s, a driving plate 11a, a relay 3s closing by engagement with the cam and contacts switch Rs, a relay having a relay coil Rc

Ra and Rb, a motor M, a drive circuit having an 11a driven electromagnetic clutch C, and a cam plate

through a speed reducing mechanism from electromagnetic relay coil clutch C. The contact Rb is opened when the

Rc is actuated in the normally-closed circuit. is Operation of the electric driving mechanism

described below. Main switch la is closed and motor M is placed against the energised and the contact piece 62 is Contact articleto which the label is to be attached. clutch C is switch 2s then is closed. Electromagnetic Thereby, actuated through a circuit having a contact Rb. the cam plate, the cam plate 11a is rotated. By rotation 12 4695 2

3 2.107nI the driving switch 3s is closed and the relay switch Rs

is closed. Then the relay coil Re is actuated and contact

Rb is opened. The electromagnetic clutch C only is applied

a current passing across the driving switch 3s. By the cam

plate 11a, the driving switch 3s is opened. The

electromagnetic clutch stops with one rotation of the cam

plate 1la. If the window 62 is moved from the article,

the contact switch 2s is opened. Thus, current to the

relay coil Re is cut off. Thereafter, all the components

return to their initial positions. Operation of the labeller is described

below. To load the labeller, the tape, with the labels

removed from a length of its forward end and carried by

the support 59a, is inserted between the tape guide 66.

The tape is then passed through the roller 67 and turned on back on itself through 1800 at the window 49a to wind first the drum 25a under pressure from roller 31a until the

label on the tape is adjacent the window 49a. The labeller

is then ready for use. Main switch Is is put on for

energising the motor M only. The contact piece 62 is

pressed against the article so that the cam plate 11a is

rotated. The arm 19a imparts a forward movement to the

movable member following the movement of the cam plate

11a so that the printing member 32a makes a printing

operation. During this movement, the roller body 34a on :attached to the arm 36a moves away while applying ink

the printing surface of the printing member 32a by

engagement of the roller 41a with the arm 36a as shown 13 469.552

32,107 n: in Fig. 7. The pawl 55a of the attaching member engages 43a. The feed with the stepped portion 54a of the support position where it can pawl 27a thus moves forward to a By further rotation engage the next notch on the ratchet. 45a withdraws. of the cam plate 11a, the movable member and revolves The feed pawl 27a engages with the ratchet to the tape. The the tape feed drum 25a imparting a feed initial position by roller body 34a starts to return to the roller 41a. The contact of the arm 36a with the movable the pushing-out attaching member moving pawl 55a withdraws portion of a member rearwardly. It strikes at an inclined downwards so as to pawl disengaging piece 57a to be moved member. be released from engagement of the pushing-out by the force of This pushing out member is urged outwardly apply to the spring 51a through the window 49a to thereby to the window 49a. the article a label which has been fed the spring 64. The The pushing-out member is returned by cam plate 11a stops at the.initial position. the In the third embodiment a main body of a window casing 26b comprises a contact member 49b with tape, a holder lb which supports labels detached from a the label, wherein and a support 59b to hold a tape bearing may be provided with a feed drum opening-closing member 60b member 49b can be a tape feed drum 25b and the contact the opening 68. The pivoted about pin 63b to engage with 70 for an operating casing is provided with a return spring provided at one end of lever 69. The contact member 49b, is positioned the feed drum opening-closing member 60b, through which the labels opposite to the opening or window 14- 469.552

32,107 n. are pressed to be attached to the article. The pushing-out member has a resilient portion 46b and a support portion

43b at the forward end thereof with the support portion 43b

opposite to the opening, the support portion 43b being

movably carried and guided along a slot by the force of

spring 51b and a return spring (not shown) which are fixed

at .attachment guide 65b. The pushing out member has a stepped portion 54b movable to a position at which it is.

engageable against the force of the spring 51b, with a

pawl 55b for'moving the pushing-out member, a pawl

disengaging member being provided on the guide 65b to

release the pawl 55b from the stepped portion 54b. The support portion 43b is guided by a guide 71 of the

attachment guide 65b. The printing member 532b is attached through holes 72 and 73 of the casing with screws 74,

to the movable body 45b. The information on the printing surface is variable by rotation of a knob 76. An ink roller 34b is carried by an arm 36b, which is urged by a

spring to pivot in the casing 26b. The arm 36b is adapted to be pivoted, to apply ink by means of the roller 34b, to

the printing surface of the printing member 32b, by a

movable roller 41b of the printing member 32b. The movable member 45b is connected through a pin 77 with the lever 69.

By pivotal movement of the lever 69, the movable member

can perform a linear reciprocal movement by means of

the slot 78 on the casing. The movable member 45b is provided with a feed pawl 27b, and a ratchet wheel which

engages with the pawl 27b drives the tape feed drum

for feeding the tape. The tape feeding is carried out by

.469.552

32,107 ni a roller 31bmade of rubber or like material supported on the casing and rotatable in'engagement with the tape feed drum 25b. To avoid displacement of the tape relative to the roller, the tape is engaged with an engaging member such as a needle 24b. The label is detached from the tape when the tape is reversed back on itself at an edge of the opening or window, the label being supported on opposed window side edges of the window so as to be located on the prior to ejection. Operation of this embodiment of the labeller is described below. To load the labeller, a tape with labels carried by the support 59b is first stripped of labels from the forward end thereof. The forward end of the tape is guided through a tape guide 66b, passed through a guide edge roller 67b and bent back on itself through 1800 at an of the opening facing the contact member 49b and thereafter wound on the drum 25b under pressure of the tape presser. roller 31b. The tape presser drum 25b can be moved outwardly from the casing to enable a used tape to be removed'by releasing the engagement of the end of the The drum opening-closing member 60b from the opening 68. the contact member 49b is placed at a desired position on article to which a label is to be secured. The lever 69

is operated manually to provide a movement to the movable meniber 45b to thereby effect the printing by means of the label printing member 32b. During this movement, the

roller body 34b attached to the arm 36b moves away while applying ink on the printing surface of the printing 16 I 469.552

32,107 n7 member 32b by engagement of the roller 41b with the arm 36b.

The pushing-out member 46b is in a position as shown in

Fig. 9. The movable pawl 55b of the pushing-out member

for the movable member 45b engages with the stepped portion

54b of the support portion 43b through the bias of the

spring. -When the lever 69 is returned back by the return

spring 70, the movable member 45b also moves backwards. The feed pawl 27b engages with the ratchet wheel, revolves the tape feed drum 25b and provides the feed to the tape, so'that the Toller body 54b returns to the initial position through contact with the arm 36b and movable roller 77. The movement of the drum 256 draws the tape through the labeller causing a label to be positioned in the window. The movable pawl 55b of the attaching member withdraws the. pushing-out member until the attaching member is disengaged by the pawl releasing member provided on the guide The pushing-out member 46b, through the force of the spring 51b applies the label, which has been fed to the opening, to the article. The pushing-out member 46b is then moved back by the return spring (not shown) and stops at the initial position as described in the previous embodiment. The printing member 32b attached to the movable body 45b and the ink roller may be removed from the labeller by removing the screws 74, 75, if pre-printed labels are to be attached on the article. Although the invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, these may be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims. 17 4-69.552

Claims (4)

32,107 71 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:-

1. A labeller including a casing, a handgrip, a tape support

supporting a label-carrying tape, tape feeding means having

means for turning the tape through a sufficiently small radius

so as tohetach a label therefrom, the label, when detached, bein

positioned in a window of the casing, pushing-out means includin

pushing-out member operable to push said label in the window

through the window, onto an article to be labelled,

by means of a pushing-out spring, a movable member movable

in a first direction to operte said tape feeding means

to position a label in the window and in a second direction

to strain said pushing-out spring, and release means to release the strained spring to thereby cause said pushing- out member to push the label through the window.

2. A labeller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the

movable member is provided with a latch member engageable,

at the end of said movement of the movable member in the

first direction, with the pushing-out means to entrain

the pushing-out means for movement with the movable

member in said second direction to strain the pushing-out

spring, a release member on said casing being provided to release said latch member to thereby release the strained spring.

3. A labeller as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein

said pushing-out means is provided witha return spring

to bias the pushing-out member into the casing.

469.552

32,107 n/

4. A labeller as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3,

wherein said movable member is connected to a manually

operable lever spaced from the hand grip.

A labeller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said

handgrip is provided with means for electrically driving

the movable member.

6. A labeller as claimed in claim 5 wherein said window

is provided with a contact member operable, when the contact

member is place on an article to be labelled,

to &ose a circuit driving the movable member by

electrical means.

7. A label producing machine substantially as

described herein with reference to and as illustated in

Figs. 1 3 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A label producing machine substantially as

described herein wtih reference to and as illustrated

in Figs. 4 8 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A label producing machine substantially as

described heerein with reference to and as illustrated

in Fig. 9 of the accompanying drawings.

DATED THIS 23rd day of OCTOBER, 1975.

CEIKO CEIKI CO.LTD. By their Patent Attorneys. T.G. AHEARN CO.

19 469.552

32,107m

FIG. I

4 r.9. 552.

32107 m

FIG. 2a

F IG. 2b

F IG.-

4 69-552

32,10 7 nil

F IG. 4

tL4

0

K 31 59a~-

4 69.5 52

32,107 ni

LOO

too

vC L>nt LL

4 69.5 52

.32,10 7,fn,

F IG. 9

24b-