U.S. patent number 3,657,051 [Application Number 04/828,226] was granted by the patent office on 1972-04-18 for transfer printing addressing maching.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Dymo Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to John P. McCarthy.
United States Patent |
3,657,051 |
McCarthy |
April 18, 1972 |
TRANSFER PRINTING ADDRESSING MACHING
Abstract
An addressing machine in which a list of addresses of fusible
material are transferred from the surface of an elongate relatively
transparent address tape to an elongate relatively opaque label
tape or directly to envelopes by the application of heat, leaving
behind sufficient material on the address tape to enable the
address tape itself to be divided into legible address labels. The
address tape and label tape or envelopes are advanced
intermittently to a printing station where they are juxtaposed
between a heated pad and a platen. The heated pad reciprocates to
apply heat to the juxtaposed portions of the tapes (or tape and
envelope). The machine is arranged for ready use as a tape-to-tape
address transfer machine or a tape-to-envelope address transfer
machine.
Inventors: |
McCarthy; John P. (Randolph,
MA) |
Assignee: |
Dymo Industries, Inc.
(Emeryville, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
25251211 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/828,226 |
Filed: |
May 27, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
156/384; 101/27;
101/114; 101/129; 156/277; 156/361; 101/47; 101/41; 101/118;
156/230 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41F
1/08 (20130101); B41F 16/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B41F
16/00 (20060101); B41F 1/08 (20060101); B41F
1/00 (20060101); B41m 005/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;156/384,385,386,387,361,277 ;101/41,32,27,228 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Borchelt; Benjamin A.
Assistant Examiner: Montone; G. E.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A machine for transferring a list of addresses, each of said
addresses being of fusible material placed upon a surface of an
increment of an elongate, relatively transparent heat transfer
address tape in mirror image, from the address tape to an elongate,
relatively opaque label tape, said machine comprising:
a frame;
a heat transfer printing station on the frame;
a platen located at the printing station;
heating means located at the printing station and normally spaced
from the platen;
means for holding the address tape;
means for holding a supply of label tape;
means for incrementally advancing the address tape along a path of
travel passing through the printing station between the heating
means and the platen and spaced from the platen to sequentially
juxtapose successive increments of the address tape with the
heating means and the platen;
means for incrementally advancing the label tape along a path of
travel passing through the printing station between the path of
travel of the address tape and the platen to juxtapose successive
increments of the label tape with the address-carrying surface of a
corresponding increment of the address tape at the printing
station;
means moveable to intermittently intercept and retract from the
paths of travel of the address tape and the label tape at the
printing station for alternately urging the heating means and the
platen together and apart and urging the juxtaposed increments of
the tapes into contact with one another between the heating means
and the platen to fuse at least a portion of the material of the
address on the surface of the juxtaposed increment of the address
tape and transfer at least a portion of the material of the address
to the juxtaposed increment of the label tape, said transferred
portion being sufficient to establish a visible address on said
increment of label tape; and
means for separating the address tape from the label tape
subsequent to the fusion of the portion of the material of the
address and while at least some of said material is still
sufficiently fused to facilitate such separation, said separating
means including
means synchronizing at least one of said tape advancing means with
the movement of the moveable means to advance the corresponding
tape as the moveable means retracts; and
means for tensioning at least that one corresponding tape at the
printing station simultaneous with retraction of the moveable means
to restore said one tape to its path of travel as the tape is
released from between the heating means and the platen.
2. The machine of claim 1 wherein:
the platen is affixed to the frame;
the path of travel of the address tape extends in a direction from
the address tape holding means, across the printing station and
thence to the address tape advancing means, said address tape
advancing means including an intermittent feed mechanism having
means for positively engaging and drawing the address tape across
the printing station;
the path of travel of the label tape extends from the label tape
supply, across the printing station in a direction generally
parallel to and spaced from the path of travel of the address tape,
and thence to the label tape advancing means, said label tape
advancing means including an intermittent feed mechanism having
means for positively engaging and drawing the label tape across the
printing station;
said intermittent feed mechanisms being interconnected for
concurrent operation and simultaneous advancement of the tapes;
and
said moveable means includes means mounting the heating means upon
the frame for reciprocating movement toward and away from the
platen, movement of the heating means toward the platen urging the
address tape out of its normal path of travel and into contact with
the label tape against the platen and movement of the heating means
away from the platen allowing return of the address tape to its
normal path of travel spaced from the label tape.
3. The machine of claim 2 wherein the synchronizing means
synchronizes both intermittent feed mechanisms with the moveable
means such that the tapes are advanced simultaneous with movement
of the heating means away from the platen, the tensioning means
includes means placing a frictional drag force upon the address
tape to tension the address tape as that tape is advanced such that
the address tape will follow the heating means as the heating means
is retracted until the address tape is restored to its normal path
of travel, and the separating means includes means for retarding
the label tape from movement out of its normal path of travel and
toward the path of travel of the address tape to assure that the
tapes are separated while at least some of said material is still
sufficiently fused to facilitate such separation.
4. The machine of claim 2 wherein said moveable means includes a
reciprocating member and said heating means includes a heated pad,
the machine including:
means for maintaining the heated pad at a constant elevated
temperature during operation of the machine; and
means for aligning and adjusting the position of the heated pad
relative to the platen in order to control the amount and
uniformity of heat and pressure applied to the tapes during said
transfer.
5. The machine of claim 2 wherein said moveable means includes a
reciprocating member and said heating means includes a heated pad
assembly including a heated pad, the machine including means for
adjusting the position of the heated pad relative to the
reciprocating member, and aligning the heated pad relative to the
platen, said adjusting and aligning means including:
a rod carried by the reciprocating member and selectively moveable
relative thereto in the direction of the reciprocating
movement;
a pin carried intermediate the ends thereof by the rod and having a
longitudinal axis extending transverse to the direction of the
reciprocating movement, said pin being received within the heated
pad assembly adjacent the ends of the pin;
a pair of blocks carried by the pin, one block located between the
rod and each end of the pin;
a pair of stops carried by the reciprocating member and aligned
with the blocks, the stops being mounted for selective placement
relative to the reciprocating member in the direction of
reciprocating movement such that movement of the rod will bring the
blocks against the stops and the placement of the stops will
determine the location of the heated pad on the reciprocating
member; and
means enabling selective pivotal movement of the heated pad about
the axis of the pin.
6. The machine of claim 5 wherein the pin is journalled in the
heated pad assembly to permit rocking movement of the heated pad
relative to the reciprocating member and said means enabling
selective pivotal movement includes means for affixing the heated
pad assembly in a selected pivoted position on the pin.
7. The machine of claim 2 wherein at least one of said tapes, after
leaving the intermittent feed mechanism provided for said one tape,
follows a path of travel which includes a loop into which said feed
mechanism advances the tape, said machine including:
a take-up reel along the path of travel of the tape beyond the
loop;
means for operating the take-up reel in response to the
accumulation of a prescribed length of tape within said loop to
draw tape from the loop;
means for detecting the withdrawal of the prescribed length of tape
from the loop and discontinuing operation of the take-up reel;
a vertical guide in the frame of the machine adjacent the loop;
and
a weight mounted for sliding movement in said guide and engaging
said loop to positively draw the tape from the feed mechanism into
the loop and to yield to the withdrawal of the tape from the loop
by the take-up reel.
8. A machine for transferring a list of addresses, each of said
addresses being of fusible material placed upon a surface of an
increment of an elongate, relatively transparent heat transfer
address tape in mirror image, from the address tape to envelopes to
be addressed, said machine comprising:
a frame;
a heat transfer printing station on the frame;
a platen located at the printing station;
heating means located at the printing station and normally spaced
from the platen;
means for holding the address tape;
means for incrementally advancing the address tape along a path of
travel passing through the printing station between the heating
means and the platen and spaced from the platen to sequentially
juxtapose successive increments of the address tape with the
heating means and the platen;
means for advancing envelopes in a direction along a path of travel
transverse to the direction of the path of travel of the address
tape and passing across the printing station between the path of
travel of the address tape and the platen;
stop means mounted for movement on said frame into and out of the
path of travel of the envelopes for halting an envelope in
juxtaposition with an increment of address tape at the printing
station;
means moveable to intermittently intercept and retract from the
paths of travel of the address tape and the envelopes at the
printing station for alternately urging the heating means and the
platen together and apart and urging the juxtaposed increment of
the tape and the envelope into contact with one another between the
heating means and the platen to fuse at least a portion of the
material of the address on the surface of the juxtaposed increment
of the address tape and transfer at least a portion of the material
of the address to the juxtaposed envelope, said transferred portion
being sufficient to establish a visible address on said
envelope;
means for separating the address tape from the envelope subsequent
to the fusion of the portion of the material of the address and
while at least some of said material is still sufficiently fused to
facilitate such separation, said separating means including
means synchronizing the address tape advancing means with the
movement of the moveable means to advance the address tape as the
moveable means retracts; and
means for tensioning the address tape at the printing station
simultaneous with retraction of the moveable means to restore the
address tape to its path of travel as the tape is released from
between the heating means and the platen; and
ejector means mounted for movement on said frame into and out of
the path of travel of the envelopes for engaging the envelope in
the printing station subsequent to said transfer and transporting
said envelope from the printing station.
9. The machine of claim 8 wherein:
the platen is affixed to the frame;
the path of travel of the address tape extends in a direction from
the address tape holding means, across the printing station and
thence to the address tape advancing means, said address tape
advancing means including an intermittent feed mechanism having
means for positively engaging and drawing the address tape across
the printing station; and
said moveable means includes means mounting the heating means upon
the frame for reciprocating movement toward and away from the
platen, movement of the heating means toward the platen urging the
address tape out of its normal path of travel and into contact with
the juxtaposed envelope against the platen and movement of the
heating means away from the platen allowing return of the address
tape to its normal path of travel spaced from the envelope.
Description
The present invention relates generally to the addressing of
various items and pertains, more specifically, to a machine for
alternately making the label tape by transferring the list of
addresses from an address tape, or transferring the list from the
address tape directly to envelopes or like items to be
addressed.
In an application of William D. Boatman et al., Ser. No. 759,533,
filed Sept. 12, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,093 there is
described a machine for preparing a master address tape having
thereon a printed list of addresses selected from a larger group of
addresses, the printed addresses being of a material which can be
fused or melted by the application of heat for subsequent transfer
of each address from the master address tape to items to be mailed
or to address labels to be affixed to such items.
The high-speed addressing capabilities of the above machine has led
to the requirement for high speed machines and method which can
accomplish the subsequent transfer of addresses from the master
address tape prepared in the above machine to address labels or
directly to items to be mailed. It has been found that such
high-speed addressing can be accomplished effectively and reliably
by first transferring the addresses from the master address tape to
a label tape by intermittently advancing and juxtaposing increments
of the address tape with corresponding increments of the label tape
at a transfer printing station where a reciprocating heated pad can
be employed to apply heat and press the tapes together to transfer
sufficient fusible material from one tape to the other to establish
a visible address on the label tape. The label tape is then divided
into individual labels and applied to items to be addressed in a
now well-known manner.
Additionally, it has been found that, since, in the above process,
sufficient material is left behind on the address tape to retain a
list of legible addresses thereon, the address tape itself may
subsequently be divided into individual labels and applied to items
to be addressed.
It is also desireable to have the option of transferring the
addresses from the master address tape directly to envelopes and
like items.
It is therefore an important object of the invention to provide a
machine for transferring a list of addresses of fusible material
from an elongate address tape to an elongate label tape with speed
and accuracy and without destruction of the address tape.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which
accomplishes the transfer of addresses of fusible material from an
address tape either to an elongate label tape or to envelopes or
like individual items to be addressed and does so with a heated pad
which reciprocates toward and away from a platen to apply heat and
pressure to successive increments of the address tape juxtaposed
with corresponding portions of the label tape or envelopes or like
individual items.
Still another object of the invention is to provide for the ready
adjustment and alignment of the heated pad of the above machine
relative to the platen for precise control of the heat and pressure
applied during reciprocation of the heated pad.
The above objects, as well as further objects and advantages, are
attained by the invention which may be described briefly as a
machine for transferring a list of addresses, each of the addresses
being of fusible material placed upon a surface of an increment of
an elongate, relatively transparent heat transfer address tape in
mirror image, from the address tape to an elongate, relatively
opaque label tape, the machine comprising a frame, a heat transfer
printing station on the frame, a platen located at the printing
station, heating means located at the printing station and normally
spaced from the platen, means for holding the address tape, means
for holding a supply of label tape, means for incrementally
advancing the address tape along a path of travel passing through
the printing station between the heating means and the platen and
spaced from the platen to sequentially juxtapose successive
increments of the address tape with the heating means and the
platen, means for incrementally advancing the label tape along a
path of travel passing through the printing station between the
path of travel of the address tape and the platen to juxtapose
successive increments of the label tape with the address-carrying
surface of a corresponding increment of the address tape at the
printing station, and means moveable to intermittently intercept
and retract from the paths of travel of the address tape and the
label tape at the printing station for alternately urging the
heating means and the platen together and apart and urging the
juxtaposed increments of the tapes into contact with one another
between the heating means and the platen to fuse at least a portion
of the material of the address on the surface of the juxtaposed
increment of the address tape and transfer at least a portion of
the material of the address to the juxtaposed increment of the
label tape, the transferred portion being sufficient to establish a
visible address on the increment of label tape.
The machine includes means for separating the address tape from the
label tape subsequent to the fusion of the portion of the material
of the address and while at least some of the material is still
sufficiently fused to facilitate such separation. The separating
means includes means synchronizing at least one of the tape
advancing means with the movement of the moveable means to advance
the one corresponding tape as the moveable means retracts, and
means for tensioning at least that one corresponding tape at the
printing station simultaneous with retraction of the moveable means
to restore the one tape to its path of travel as the tape is
released from between the heating means and the platen.
The invention will be more clearly understood and still further
objects and advantages thereof will become apparent in the
following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention
illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with
the invention;
FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the machine;
FIG. 3 is a partially diagrammatic elevational view illustrating
the tape transport arrangement of the machine;
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the tapes passing through
the machine;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged, partially sectioned elevational view taken
along line 5--5 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5, but with component
parts in another operating position,
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG.
6;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the machine in an envelope
addressing configuration;
FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of envelope addressing at the
printing station of the machine;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the machine;
FIG. 11 is an elevational view of the portion illustrated in FIG.
10 as seen in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12--12 of FIG.
10;
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13--13 of FIG.
10; and
FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 12, but with certain components
in another operating position.
Referring now to the drawing, and especially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a
transfer printing addressing machine constructed in accordance with
the invention is designated generally at 10 and includes a central
console 12, a forward section 14 and a rearward section 16. The
machine 10 includes a frame 18, which in this instance is common to
the console 12 and sections 14 and 16. The console carries a
control panel 20 which includes the operating controls 22 for the
machine.
Machine 10 is constructed to perform either one of two functions.
The first such function is to transfer a list of addresses from an
address tape to a label tape, and will be described in connection
with FIGS. 3 through 7. The second function is to transfer the list
of addresses from the address tape to envelopes or like items to be
addressed, and will be described in connection with FIGS. 8 through
14.
Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4, as well as to FIGS. 1 and 2, an
elongate address tape 30, which has been prepared as set forth in
an application of William D. Boatman et al., Ser. No. 759,533,
filed Sept. 12, 1968, carries a series of addresses 32 upon a
surface 34 thereof (see FIG. 4), the addresses being of a material
that will fuse or melt upon application of heat. EAch address
appears in mirror image upon an increment 36 of address tape 30,
the length of which increment is defined by the distance between
adjacent apertures 38 in the address tape. Address tape 30, though
translucent, is sufficiently transparent to enable the addresses 32
to be viewed through the tape in proper orientation.
Address tape 30 is held in machine 10 in the form of a coil 40 on
supply reel 42 which is mounted for free rotation upon a spindle 44
affixed to the frame 18 in section 14. As best seen in FIG. 3,
address tape 30 follows a path of travel which leads the tape over
a feed roll 46 which is mounted on a shaft 47 for continuous
rotation by a motor 48 housed within the section 14. Such
continuous rotation of the feed roll 46 normally has no effect on
the tape since there is ordinarily no positive engagement between
the tape and the feed roll.
When it is necessary to advance tape from the coil 40, a pinch roll
50, which is carried by an arm 52 for pivotal movement toward and
away from engagement with the surface of the feed roll 46, is
pivoted in the direction indicated in FIG. 3 to urge the tape 30
against the surface of the feed roll 46 which will then advance
tape from the coil 40 into a loop 54 between the feed roll 46 and a
guide pin 55 and contained within a tunnel-like housing 56 on the
section 14. Arm 52 is actuated by means of a solenoid 57 housed
within section 14 which rocks a crank arm 58 connected to arm 52.
When the loop 54 reaches a prescribed length, the tape 30 will
intercept a beam of light passing between a lamp 60 and a photocell
62, and, since the tape 30 is not completely transparent, the light
beam will be interrupted. The solenoid 57 is electrically connected
with the photocell 62 such that upon the detection of a sufficient
length of tape 30 in loop 54, the pinch roll 50 will be pivoted
away from the surface of the feed roll 46 to discontinue the
advancement of tape into the loop.
As tape is drawn from loop 54 over the guide pin 55, the loop will
shorten until depletion of the loop will bring the tape to the
position indicated at 64 to permit a beam of light from a lamp 66
to strike a photocell 68 which is electrically connected with
solenoid 57 to cause the pinch roll 50 to once again be pivoted
into engagement with the feed roll 46 which will then replenish the
loop 54.
Tape 30 is drawn from loop 54 by an intermittent feed mechanism 70
which includes a feed drum 72 having radially projecting pins 74
for engaging the apertures 38 of tape 30 to positively advance the
tape in accurately measured increments. Feed drum 72 is rotated
intermittently by means of a Geneva drive mechanism 76 through
drive belts 78 and 80 which cooperate to drive a shaft 82 upon
which the feed drum 72 is affixed. The Geneva drive mechanism 76
is, in turn, driven by a drive chain 83 which itself is driven by
the main drive train of the machine 10 which includes the main
motor 84, a reduction gear 86, a clutch 88, and a drive chain 90.
In this manner the address tape is made to follow a path of travel
which passes through a heat transfer printing station 100 located
on the frame of the console 12. Since the feed drum 72 draws the
address tape from a free loop 54, resistance to accurate
advancement of the tape is minimized, the tape is handled gently to
preclude tearing of the tape, and each increment 36 of the address
tape 30 is accurately registered at the printing station.
Upon leaving the feed drum 72, the tape 30 is led to a take-up loop
102, which lies between guide pins 104 and 106, the tape being
urged into the loop 102 by virtue of a weight 108 which engages the
bottom of the loop to draw the tape downwardly into the loop. The
weight 108 is guided for vertical movement by engagement with a
vertical guide in the form of a vertical slot 110 in a tunnel-like
housing 112 carried by the frame 18 of the rearward section 16.
The tape 30 passes from loop 102 to a take-up reel 114 which is
mounted on the frame 18 for rotation with a drive shaft 116. A
continuously operating motor 118 drives a belt 120 which is
selectively engaged with the drive shaft 116 by the operation of a
clutch 122.
When the loop 102 reaches a predetermined maximum length, the tape
30 will intercept and interrupt a light beam between a lamp 124 and
a corresponding photocell 125, and, in response to such
interruption, the clutch 122 will be actuated to engage the drive
belt 120 with the drive shaft 116 to wind the tape 30 into a coil
126 upon the take-up reel 114. Upon depletion of the loop 102, the
tape will reach the position indicated at 127, thereby permitting a
light beam from a lamp 128 to strike a photocell 129 and, in
response thereto, the clutch 122 will disengage and rotation of the
take-up reel 114 will cease.
Thus, it will be seen that both the feed of tape 30 from the supply
reel 42 and the collection of tape 30 upon the take-up reel 114 are
accomplished independent of the incremental advancement of the tape
30 through the printing station and the accuracy of the incremental
advancement is not disturbed by the supply and take-up functions of
the machine 10. Additionally, the tape is handled gently and forces
tending to tear the tape or enlarge the apertures 38 therein are
minimized.
When the addresses 32 appearing on the address tape 30 are to be
transferred onto an elongate, relatively opaque label tape 130 at
the printing station 100, as seen diagrammatically in FIG. 4, the
label tape 130 is passed below the address tape 30 and each address
32 is transferred as a corresponding address 132 to the upper
surface 134 of an increment 136 of the label tape, the length of
which increment is defined by the distance between adjacent
apertures 138 in the label tape. Since the addresses appear on
address tape 30 in mirror image, they will be in proper orientation
when transferred to the label tape 130.
Label tape 130 is held in machine 10 in the form of a coil 140 on
supply reel 142 which is mounted for free rotation upon a spindle
144 affixed to the frame 18 in section 14. As best seen in FIG. 3
label tape 130 follows a path of travel which leads the tape over a
feed roll 146 which is mounted on a shaft 147 for continuous
rotation by the motor 48 housed within the section 14. Such
continuous rotation of the feed roll 146 normally has no effect on
the tape since there is ordinarily no positive engagement between
the tape and the feed roll.
When it is necessary to advance tape from the coil 140, a pinch
roll 150, which is carried by an arm 152 for pivotal movement
toward and away from engagement with the surface of the feed roll
146, is pivoted in the direction indicated in FIG. 3 to urge the
tape 130 against the surface of the feed roll 146 which will then
advance tape from the coil 140 into a loop 154 between the feed
roll 146 and a guide pin 155 and contained within a tunnel-like
housing 156 on the section 14. Arm 152 is actuated by means of a
solenoid 157 also housed within section 14 which rocks a crank arm
158 connected to arm 152. When the loop 154 reaches a prescribed
length, the tape 130 will intercept a beam of light passing between
a lamp 160 and a photocell 162, and, since the tape 130 is not
completely transparent, the light beam will be interrupted. The
solenoid 157 is electrically connected with the photocell 162 such
that upon the detection of a sufficient length of tape 130 in loop
154, the pinch roll 150 will be pivoted away from the surface of
the feed roll 146 to discontinue the advancement of tape into the
loop.
As tape is drawn from loop 154 over the guide pin 155, the loop
will shorten until depletion of the loop will bring the tape to the
position indicated at 164 to permit a beam of light from a lamp 166
to strike a photocell 168 which is electrically connected with
solenoid 157 to cause the pinch roll 150 to once again be pivoted
into engagement with the feed roll 146 which will then replenish
the loop 154.
Tape 130 is drawn from loop 154 by an intermittent feed mechanism
170 which includes a feed drum 172 having radially projecting pins
174 for engaging the apertures 138 of tape 130 to positively
advance the tape in accurately measured increments. Feed drum 172
is rotated intermittently by means of the Geneva drive mechanism 76
through drive belt 78 which drives shaft 182 upon which the feed
drum 172 is affixed. In this manner the label tape is made to
follow a path of travel which also passes through the heat transfer
printing station 100 located on the frame of the console 12. Since
the feed drum 172 draws the label tape from a free loop 154,
resistance to accurate advancement of the tape is minimized, the
tape is handled gently to preclude tearing of the tape, and each
increment 136 of the label tape 130 is accurately registered at the
printing station.
Upon leaving the feed drum 172, the tape 130 is led to a take-up
loop 202, which lies between guide pins 204 and 206, the tape being
urged into the loop 202 by virtue of a weight 208 which engages the
bottom of the loop to draw the tape downwardly into the loop. The
weight 208 is guided for vertical movement by engagement with a
vertical guide in the form of a vertical slot 210 in a tunnel-like
housing 212 carried by the frame 18 of the rearward section 16.
The tape 130 passes from loop 202 to a take-up reel 214 which is
mounted on the frame 18 for rotation with a drive shaft 216. The
continuously operating motor 118 also drives a belt 220 which is
selectively engaged with the drive shaft 216 by the operation of a
clutch 222.
When the loop 202 reaches a predetermined maximum length, the tape
130 will intercept and interrupt a light beam between a lamp 224
and a corresponding photocell 225, and, in response to such
interruption, the clutch 222 will be actuated to engage the drive
belt 220 with the drive shaft 216 to wind the tape 130 into a coil
226 upon the take-up reel 214. Upon depletion of the loop 202, the
tape will reach the position indicated at 227, thereby permitting a
light beam from a lamp 228 to strike a photocell 229 and, in
response thereto, the clutch 222 will disengage and rotation of the
take-up reel 214 will cease.
Thus, it will be seen that both the feed of tape 130 from the
supply reel 142 and the collection of tape 130 upon the take-up
reel 214 are accomplished independent of the incremental
advancement of the tape 130 through the printing station and the
accuracy of the incremental advancement is not disturbed by the
supply and take-up functions of the machine 10. Additionally, the
tape is handled gently and forces tending to tear the tape or
enlarge the apertures 138 therein are minimized.
The transfer of addresses from the address tape 30 to the label
tape 130 is accomplished at the heat transfer printing station 100.
A platen 250 is affixed to the frame 18 at the printing station
below the paths of travel of the two tapes 30 and 130. Located
above the platen 250 and above the paths of travel of the tapes 30
and 130 is a heating means 252 shown in the form of a heated pad
assembly including a heated pad 254 (see FIGS. 5 through 7) which
is kept at a constant elevated temperature by an electrical heater
element 256 which is controlled by a thermostat 258.
The heated pad assembly, including the heated pad 254, is carried
at one end of a bracket 260 which is pivotally mounted on frame 18
by a pin 262. At the other end of the bracket 260 is a follower 264
which is resiliently biased against a cam 266 by means of helical
springs 268 (only one of which is shown). The cam 266 is affixed to
a cam shaft 270 for rotation therewith such that upon rotation of
cam shaft 270, the bracket 260 will reciprocate to bring the heated
pad 254 of the heated pad assembly toward and away from the platen
250. As best seen in FIG. 2, cam shaft 270 is rotated by the drive
chain 90 of the main drive system. Since the cam shaft 270 and the
Geneva drive mechanism 76 of the intermittent feed mechanisms for
the tapes are directly coupled through drive chain 83, the
reciprocation of the bracket 260 occurs in fixed timed relationship
with the advancement of the tapes 30 and 130, the relationship
being such that during the dwell of the Geneva drive mechanism,
when the tapes are stationary, the heated pad is brought down to
apply heat to the tapes and press the tapes together against the
platen, as seen in FIG. 5.
Ordinarily, the address tape 30, which is the uppermost of the two
tapes, is made to travel a path which is spaced well above the
platen 250 by virtue of upper guide chutes 272 and 274 placed ahead
of the printing station 100 and beyond the printing station,
respectively. The label tape 130, which is the lowermost of the two
tapes, enters a lower guide chute 276 and travels along a path
which follows the table portion 278 of the console 12.
When the bracket 260 is reciprocated to move the heated pad 254
downwardly, the heated pad will intercept the path of travel of the
tapes and will deflect the upper tape 30 downwardly out of its path
of travel and into contact with the lower tape 130 against the
platen 250.
As explained above, the characters of the address carried by the
lower surface 34 of the address tape 30 are formed of a material
which will fuse, or melt, upon the application of heat. Thus, the
heat and pressure applied by the heated pad will cause the
characters of the address 32, which is located between the heated
pad and the platen to fuse and be transferred to a corresponding
juxtaposed increment of the blank label tape 130.
As the heated pad 254 is subsequently moved upwardly, it is
essential that the address tape 30 return to its original path of
travel spaced from the label tape 130, as seen in FIG. 6, while the
material of the characters of the address 32 is still fused or
molten. Should the material solidify while the tapes are together,
the material would tend to adhere the tapes together with
concomitant deleterious effects on the quality of the address
transferred to the label tape. Such a condition could even result
in localized tearing of one or the other of the tapes.
Sine the tapes are made of paper, they are not very resilient, and
the downward deflection of the upper address tape 30 is
accomplished at the expense of drawing a small amount of tape 30
from the supply loop 54. In order to return the upper tape 30 to
its normal path of travel, the rotation of feed drum 72 is timed to
coincide with the raising of the heated pad 254 so that the slack
introduced into the tape 30 during downward movement of the heated
pad is taken up during subsequent upward movement of the heated pad
and the tape 30 follows the heated pad upwardly and is lifted from
contact with the lower tape 130 while the material of the
transferred address is still molten enough to preclude adhesion of
the tapes.
In order to assure that the tape 30 does indeed follow the upward
movement of the heated pad, means are provided for tensioning the
segment of tape 30 in the vicinity of the printing station 100 so
that the tape 30 remains taut and lifts away from tape 130. Thus, a
foot 280 depends from a collar 282 pivoted upon a rod 284 carried
by the frame 18 and is urged against the tape 30 by a weight 286
affixed to a cantilever 288 projecting from the collar 282. The
force of the foot 280 against the tape 30 establishes a frictional
drag force which tends to tension the tape 30 as the feed drum 72
rotates to take up the slack in the tape. The weight 286 may be
moved along the cantilever 288 in order to selectively vary the
magnitude of the frictional drag force.
The lower tape 130 is fairly well confined to its path of travel by
passing under guide chutes 272 and 274. In addition, the lower tape
130 must pass under transverse guides 290 and 292 which, in
addition to their primary function which will be explained below,
serve to confine the lower tape to its lower path of travel.
It is important that the pressure between the heated pad 254 and
the platen 250 be maintained at an optimum level and substantially
uniform over the entire area over which heat and pressure is
applied to the juxtaposed increments of the tapes 30 and 130. In
addition, the spacing between the heated pad and the platen should
be maintained at an optimum value. Thus, the heated pad assembly is
mounted upon the bracket 260 for selective adjustment of the heated
pad 254 upwardly or downwardly with respect thereto by means best
illustrated in FIG. 7. In the heated pad assembly the pad 254 is
affixed to a channel member 296 by means of screws 295. A layer 294
of heat insulating material is placed between the heated pad 254
and the channel member 296. The bracket 260 carries a box-like
cross member 298 having a top 300 and depending sides 302. A rod
304 passes through the top 300 of the cross member 298 and is
threaded at 306 to receive a nut 308. By turning the nut 308, the
rod 304 can be selectively moved upwardly or downwardly with
respect to the cross member 298.
A pin 310 passes through the rod and extends transversely through
enlarged apertures 312 in the sides 302 to be journalled in the
channel member 296 at each end of the pin 310. A pair of set screws
313 fix the channel member 296 in place on the pin 310. Thus, the
channel member 296 and the heated pad 254 are suspended from the
cross member 298 by the rod 304 and pin 310 and may be moved
upwardly or downwardly by turning nut 308. A pair of blocks 314 are
carried by the pin 310, one at each side of the rod, and a
corresponding pair of stops 316, shown in the form of set screws,
are carried by the cross member and may be selectively moved
upwardly or downwardly to fix the position at which the blocks 314
will rest as the rod 304 is drawn upwardly. Careful adjustment of
the position of the stops 316 will fix the side-to-side alignment
as well as the vertical location of the heated pad relative to the
bracket and the platen. Additionally, in all positions of vertical
adjustment, the set screws 313 may be loosened so that the heated
pad may be pivoted about the longitudinal axis of the pin 310 to
rock the heated pad forward or back with respect to the cross
member 298. Thus, the heated pad can be made precisely parallel to
the platen at any vertical position, the proper side-to-side
alignment being available through independent adjustment of the two
stops 316 and the proper front-to-back alignment being available
through pivotal movement of the heated pad about pin 310. The
heated pad 254 is preferably constructed of aluminum and the
lowermost surface thereof is advantageously coated with a
fluoroplastic, such as Teflon. The platen is advantageously
fabricated of a heat-resistant rubber, such as a silicone rubber,
in order to absorb and distribute the pressure exerted by the
pad.
Not all of the material of each address 32 on the address tape 30
need be transferred to the label tape 130 in order to establish a
legible address 132 on the label tape. It has been found that the
transfer of a sufficient amount of material from an address 32 to
establish an adequate address 132 will leave behind enough material
to maintain a legible address 32 on the address tape 30. Thus, when
the tapes 30 and 130 are collected upon their respective take-up
reels 114 and 214, each tape 30 and 130 has a list of addresses
thereon. Hence, both tapes may be severed to divide the tapes into
individual labels corresponding to the increments upon which the
addresses appear.
The label tapes 130, having a relatively opaque, light background
with dark characters, produces labels which may be affixed to items
of any color.
The address tape 30, having a relatively transparent background
with dark characters, produces labels which are advantageously
affixed only to items providing a light background. These labels
are affixed to such items with the address-carrying surface 34
placed against the surface of the item so that the address thereon
is viewed through the label and appears on proper orientation.
Thus, two items may be addressed to each addressee of a selected
number of addressees with only one selection operation to make the
address tape 30 and only one transfer operation to make the label
tape.
When the addresses 32 appearing on the address tape 30 are to be
transferred directly onto a series of envelopes or like items to be
addressed, the machine 10 is not provided with a supply of label
tape, but instead, an envelope feed mechanism 320 is placed into
position in front of the console 12, as seen in FIG. 8 (and in
phantom in FIG. 1) so as to feed envelopes sequentially into
transverse guides 290 and 292 to be carried along a path of travel
extending in a direction transverse to the direction of the path of
travel of the address tape 30. The envelope feed mechanism may be
chosen from several suitable feed mechanisms currently available,
but must be of a type which can be synchronized with the operation
of the intermittent tape feed means and the reciprocation of the
bracket 260 carrying the heated pad 254.
As best seen in FIGS. 1, 5, 6, 8 and 9, the transverse guides 290
and 292 will lead each envelope 330 along a path of travel passing
below the address tape 30 at the printing station 100. The guides
290 and 292 are mounted for selective adjustment along the table
portion 278 of the console 12 to accommodate envelopes of different
sizes, each guide having a clamp 332 cooperatively engaged within a
slot 333 in the table portion 278 and selectively releasable to
slide a guide with its corresponding clamp along the table portion
until the proper spacing is obtained between the guides.
The envelope feed mechanism 320 provides each advanced envelope 330
with sufficient momentum to bring the envelope into the printing
station 100 where the envelope is halted by stop means shown in the
form of stop fingers 334, at least one of which stop fingers is
placed in the path of the oncoming envelope.
As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 10 through 12, the stop fingers 334 are
carried upon arms 336 which are each carried by a block 338 affixed
to the lowermost end of a vertical rod 339 slideably received
within a bracket 340 mounted on frame 18, each vertical rod 339
being resiliently biased upwardly by a helical spring 342
compressed between the lower portion 344 of the bracket and a
collar 346 fixed to the rod 339.
The stop fingers 334 are held down against the table portion 278 by
a pin 348 anchored at its ends in blocks 338 and carried by a slide
350 received within corresponding slots 352, one slot 352 being in
one end of each of a pair of like arms 354. The arms 354 are
pivotally mounted upon the frame 18 above the table 278 at pivot
356 and carry between them a cam follower 358 which is resiliently
biased against a cam 360 by the upward force of helical springs
342.
Cam 360 is mounted for rotation with a cam shaft 362 which is
rotated in timed relationship with the reciprocation of the bracket
260 by a drive belt 364 (see FIG. 2) which is driven by a drive
chain 366 through a right angle drive 368. Since drive chain 366 is
driven by rotation of cam shaft 270, synchronism is maintained
between the rotation of cam 360, the reciprocation of bracket 260
and the operation of the tape feed drum 72.
The position of the stop fingers 334 on their respective arms 336
is selectively adjustable along the arms 336 by virtue of the stop
fingers being selectively slideable within slots 370 in the arms
336 to adjust for various sized envelopes.
Transfer of an address from an increment of tape 30 to an envelope
330 held stationary at the printing station 100 by the stop fingers
334 is accomplished by reciprocation of the bracket 260 to bring
the heated pad 254 down against the tape 30 to press the tape
against the envelope and heat the material of the address, all as
described above in connection with the transfer of an address to an
increment of a label tape.
Upon completion of the address transfer operation, the heated pad
254 and the tape 30 are lifted from the envelope 330. The cam 360
will then have been rotated to a position where the arms 354 may
pivot upwardly to raise the stop fingers 334 out of the path of
travel of the envelope.
At the same time, an ejector means is brought into engagement with
the envelope to drive the envelope from the printing station 100.
As best seen in FIGS. 10, 11 and 13, the ejector means includes a
pair of drive wheels 380 mounted upon a drive shaft 381 which
continuously rotates below the table 278, the drive wheels
projecting through the table to engage an envelope 330 when the
envelope is in the printing station 100. These drive wheels 380 are
ineffective to move the envelope while the envelope is held
stationary by the stop fingers 334; however, when the cam shaft 362
rotates to raise the stop fingers 334, a further cam 382, which is
also mounted for rotation with cam shaft 362 will permit a cam
follower 384 to move to the left, as viewed in FIG. 13, under the
force of a helical spring 386 which will draw a crank arm 388 to
the left and rock a shaft 390, to which the crank arm 388 is
affixed, in a counterclockwise direction. Such movement of shaft
390 will lower a pair of carrier arms 392 which are affixed to the
shaft 390 to bring an idler wheel 394 toward each drive wheel 380
and force the envelope into driven engagement with the drive wheels
380, whereupon the addressed envelope 330 is ejected from the
printing station and passes from the console 12 onto a conveyor 396
(see FIGS. 1 and 8) placed behind the console.
When the machine 10 is being operated to transfer addresses from an
address tape 30 to a label tape 130, as aforesaid, it is
unnecessary and undesireable to have the reciprocating components
of the envelope stop means and the envelope ejector means in
operation. Thus, machine 10 is provided with means for selectively
precluding movement of the stop fingers 334 and related
reciprocating components and for selectively precluding movement of
the idler wheels 394 and related reciprocating components.
Turning to FIGS. 10, 12 and 14, a thumb screw 400 is seen mounted
on an angle bracket 402 immediately above the pivoted arms 354. In
FIG. 12, the thumb screw 400 is raised high enough above the arms
354 to permit pivotal movement of the arms in response to rotation
of the cam 360. However, in FIG. 14, the thumb screw 400 has been
moved downwardly to engage and hold the arms 354 in a downward
position where cam follower 358 cannot be acted upon by the cam 360
and reciprocation of the arms 354 and stop fingers 334 is
precluded.
Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 13, a slide block 410 is mounted for
selective sliding movement within a slot 412 in a bar 414. By
selectively sliding the block 410 to the right, as viewed in FIG.
13 the block 410 will retain the crank arm 388 far enough to the
right to preclude engagement of the cam follower 384 with the cam
382 and thereby preclude reciprocation of carrier arms 392 and
idler wheels 394.
Thus, machine 10 is easily used to perform either of the two
functions set forth above; that is, addresses may be transferred
from the address tape 30 to a label tape 130 in a tape-to-tape
transfer operation or, alternately, addresses may be transferred
from the address tape 30 to envelopes 330 in a tape-to- envelope
operation.
It is to be understood that the above detailed description of an
embodiment of the invention is provided by way of example only.
Various details of design and construction may be modified without
departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *