U.S. patent number 3,892,618 [Application Number 05/372,265] was granted by the patent office on 1975-07-01 for taping machine.
Invention is credited to Martin Griebat.
United States Patent |
3,892,618 |
Griebat |
July 1, 1975 |
Taping machine
Abstract
A machine for applying a wide range of pressure sensitive
adhesive transfer tapes to virtually any surface of virtually any
size.
Inventors: |
Griebat; Martin (Harwood
Heights, IL) |
Family
ID: |
23467408 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/372,265 |
Filed: |
June 21, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
156/355; 156/353;
156/364; 156/545; 156/357; 156/522; 156/577 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B26D
5/26 (20130101); B31B 50/8129 (20170801); Y10T
156/1343 (20150115); Y10T 156/1795 (20150115); B31B
50/8126 (20170801); Y10T 156/1717 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B31B
1/90 (20060101); B31B 1/74 (20060101); B26D
5/20 (20060101); B26D 5/26 (20060101); B26D
005/26 (); B32B 031/04 (); B32B 031/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;156/230,350,352,353,355,357,360,363,364,489,490,505,506,522-527,530,545,574,576 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Cosby; Clifton B.
Assistant Examiner: Kittle; John E.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A machine for applying a predetermined length of transfer tape
to an object surface, said machine comprising:
conveying means for conveying said object to which tape is to be
applied to a surface;
synchronous sensing means for sensing the presence of said object
to which tape is to be applied;
a laminating head disposable adjacent said object;
a roller arm having said laminating head disposed at a first end
thereof including means for pivotally mounting the second end of
said roller arm;
a connecting link, said connecting link attached at a first end
thereof to said roller arm between said means for pivotably
mounting second end of said roller arm and said laminating
head;
a knife arm including a pivot shaft;
means for pivotably mounting said knife arm about said knife arm
pivot shaft;
means for connecting said second end of said connecting link to a
first end of said knife arm;
a knife blade projecting from the second end of said knife arm;
a tape guide chute mounted to the side of said roller arm for
receiving said transfer tape and guiding same between said
laminating head and said conveying means;
means for laminating said tape;
means, in cooperation with said synchronous sensing means, for
moving said knife arm away from the surface of said conveyor means
and for moving said knife arm towards the surface of said conveyor
means, whereby when said synchronous sensing means senses the
presence of an object to which tape is to be applied, said knife
blade is moved away from the surface of said conveyor means and
said knife arm pivots about said knife arm pivot shaft moving said
first end of said knife arm toward the surface of said conveyor
means, moving said connecting link toward the surface of said
conveyor means and said roller arm in the same direction therewith,
until said laminating head having an end of said roll of said
transfer tape thereunder contacts the surface of said object to
which transfer tape is to be applied moving on said conveyor means
to thereby apply said transfer tape.
2. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 further
including:
means for holding a spool of tape.
3. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
means for moving said knife arm comprises:
a solenoid;
a solenoid connecting rod;
a solenoid connecting block, said solenoid connecting block
connecting said solenoid with a first end of said solenoid
connecting rod and transmitting its force thereto;
said second end of said solenoid connecting rod connected to said
knife arm, including means responsive to actuation by said
synchronous sensing means for moving said knife arm.
4. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein:
said synchronous sensing means comprises a photo electric cell.
5. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
synchronous sensing means comprises a microswitch.
6. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
laminating head comprises a cylindrical roller.
7. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said
laminating means comprises a cylindrical roller mounted downstream
from said laminating head; and means for keeping said roller firmly
in contact with said object.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The mechanized application of adhesive material to surfaces has in
recent years had many applications in the advertising, printing and
packaging industries. The adhesive tape used may either be single
or double, i.e., may either have adhesive coating one side only or
coating both sides with a backing strip protecting the outer side
until the tape is utilized. The non-tacky outer surface of the
backing strip permits pre-sticking of the backed tape on the sheet
material on which the tape is used. The sheet material may then be
stacked for storage purposes. When the sheet material is ready to
be used, the backing material is removed therefrom, the sheet
material is positioned properly, and pressure is applied thereto.
Tape applying machines in accordance with the present invention may
be used to apply a wide range of pressure sensitive tapes in any
length in virtually any width to virtually any sized surface.
The machinery heretofore used to apply pressure sensitive tape has
often been prohibitively expensive, frequently so expensive that
individual printing companies often were forced to subcontract the
work to be done. This caused an increase in the shipping costs, as
well as considerable time delays. Thus, a need has long existed in
the art for a tape applying machine which is both inexpensive to
purchase and to use.
One attempt to solve this particular problem is disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 3,181,988 to Engert. In Engert, tape is applied to sheet
material by the utilization of a rather complicated, and costly,
mechanical device. The machine disclosed in Engert has a number of
disadvantages. The Engert machine has many moving parts which
entail both large production costs and large servicing costs. The
entire Engert machine is connected to the power source, which
drives a common drive shaft on which all the other mechanical
operations of the machine depend. The high cost of production of
such a machine necessitated by the largely mechanical nature of its
operation has made it prohibitively expensive for many small
printers to purchase. Its largely mechanical operation has
occasioned frequent breakdowns and repairs. The fact that a common
drive shaft was used, on which all of the somewhat complex
mechanical operations were dependent, made it necessary to purchase
not only the tape applying part of the machine, but the powering
apparatus therefor as well.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Use of the present invention serves to minimize the problems
associated with the prior art. No common drive shaft is used with
the present invention, the power for the taping operation being
supplied by the sheet feeding means, which is separate and apart
from the tape applying machine. The user, therefore, need not pay
for unnecessary mechanical operations. Tape applying machines in
accordance with the present invention, thus, are much cheaper to
produce. The fact that no complex mechanical operations need be
performed by the component parts of the present invention permits
it to be produced at a lower cost. Furthermore, its operation is
smooth and automatic. An associated advantage is the fact that,
since no common drive shaft is used for laminating, units in
accordance with the present invention may be simply placed on and
used in conjunction with a conveyor for the materials to which
adhesive is to be applied.
An even greater advantage over the prior art is the fact that the
laminating roller itself raises and lowers during the applying
operation. Therefore, very thick objects may be passed through the
tape applying machine for application, whereas with the Engert
machine only relatively thin sheets of material could be laminated.
Since the laminating roller of the present invention is not driven
by a common drive shaft, but moves up and down during the
laminating operation, objects of considerable thickness may have
tape applied to them.
A further disadvantage associated with Engert made less troublesome
by use of the present invention is the fact that, while in Engert a
positive pulling force exerted by the applying head was used to
pull the tape off the roll, machines in accordance with the present
invention merely pivot the tape downward. Any positive pulling
function is accomplished by the paper being transported forward
under the laminating roller and pulling the tape along with it. The
tape applying head itself, however, does not positively pull the
tape off its spool. This fact permits the use of a tape applying
head which need not be painstakingly manufactured, nor need it be
of a complicated or expensive design to make it possible for the
tape applying head to achieve a gripping function in order to pull
the tape off its spool.
Other features and advantages are inherent in the present invention
as disclosed and claimed, or will become apparent to those skilled
in the art from the following detailed description in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a table and control panel for use
with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 of a
preferred embodiment of a machine in accordance with the present
invention showing pressure sensitive transfer tape being applied to
a sheet-like surface;
FIG. 3 is an end view of a machine in accordance with the present
invention, showing the tape support system, the solenoid, and the
spring actuated secondary laminating roller;
FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of a machine
in accordance with the present invention showing the reciprocating
pivoting action of the tape applying and severing mechanism;
and
FIG. 5 is a side elevation of an alternative embodiment of the
present invention showing an alternative reciprocating action of
the tape applying and severing mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, which is perspective view of a tape applying
machine mounted on a control panel table, indicated generally at
15, a spool of tape 55 rests and is supported by rollers inside
cover plate 65. Solenoid 26 is mounted within cover plate 65 and
protrudes therefrom. Cover plate 65 is supported by crossbar 67
mounted above control panel table 15. Sheet 10 enters the tape
applying machine in the direction indicated by arrow B. If two
strips of tape are to be applied to sheet 10, then two tape
applying units are utilized, as shown in FIG. 1. Control box 17 is
also mounted on control panel table 15.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, a sheet 10 to be laminated enters the
tape applicator, shown generally at 12, and moves from the right to
the left on conveyor 13, as shown by arrow A. Conveyor 13 is
actuated and powered by a conveyor band 14 driven by two conveyor
power rollers 16, 16'. It should be emphasized, however, that the
conveyor is driven and powered completely separately from the tape
applying machine, and although used in conjunction with the tape
applying machine is not, per se, a part of it.
As sheet 10 enters the present invention, it is seized by an entry
roller 18 which holds the sheet down and helps to move it smoothly
forward.
Entry roller 18 is held firmly in contact with sheet 10 by means of
spring tension provided by an entry roller spring 20 and its
supporting spring block mechanism 22. When the leading edge 11 of
sheet 10 passes a synchronous sensing means 24, located between
conveyor power rollers 16, 16', the solenoid 26 is actuated
upwardly to bring the laminating head 28 in contact with the
surface of sheet 10 and at the same time to move knife blade 30
reciprocally upwardly away from the surface of the conveyor. When
the trailing edge 11a of sheet 10 passes synchronous sensing means
24, solenoids 26 is actuated in the opposite direction. Synchronous
sensing means 24 may be a photoelectric cell, a microswitch or
other suitable time delay device.
Laminating head 28 is attached by means of laminating head shaft 35
to the terminal portion of roller arm 32, the other end 34 of which
pivots about roller arm pivot shaft 36. Between laminating head
shaft 35 and roller arm pivot shaft 36 a connecting link 38 is
attached to roller arm 32 by means of connecting link shaft 40. To
the opposite end of connecting link 38 a knife arm 42 is attached
by means of connecting shaft 44, the opposite end of knife arm 42
having knife blade 30 projecting downwardly therefrom. A connecting
rod 46 is attached to the lower edge of knife arm 42 by means of
knife arm shaft 48. Between knife arm shaft 48 and connecting link
shaft 44 is knife arm pivot shaft 50, about which knife arm 42
pivots.
Connecting rod 46 is attached on its upward end to solenoid
mounting block 51, which is actuated by double action spring return
solenoid 26, by solenoid connecting shaft 52. Thus, when sheet 10
passes sensing device 24, solenoid 26 is actuated upwardly thereby
moving connecting rod 46 in an upward direction. This upward motion
of connecting rod 46 pivots knife arm 42 about knife arm pivot
shaft 50 pulling knife blade 30 also in an upward direction away
from the surface of conveyor 13. As the knife end 43 of knife arm
42 swings upwardly, its other end 41 pivots reciprocally
downwardly, pushing connecting link 38 downwardly as well. When
connecting link 38 is pushed downwardly, roller arm 32, which
pivots about roller arm pivot shaft 36 of necessity is pushed
downwardly until laminating head 28 is in contact with the surface
of sheet 10. This is the point at which tape 54 is applied to the
surface of sheet 10.
The tape 54, which is threaded through the tape guide chute 56
disposed on the under side of roller arm 32, is threaded over
friction reducing roller 58 which serves to prevent tape 54 from
hanging down and fouling the mechanism. Tape spool 55 rests on
several tape spool support rollers 60, which are suspended above
the other moving parts of the present invention and turn as tape is
dispensed from spool 55. When double action solenoid 26 actuates
upwardly, thereby bringing laminating head 28 into tape applying
position as is shown in FIG. 2, tension is applied to lower
solenoid return spring 62 which serves the function of returning
solenoid 26 to its original position. After a leading edge 11 of
tape 54 has been applied to sheet 10 by laminating head 28, sheet
10 continues along conveyor 13 and passes under tape guide bar 64
which holds tape 54 in contact with the surface of sheet 10. Sheet
10 and the laminated tape 54 applied thereto then pass along
conveyor 13 between laminating roller 66 and conveyor power roller
16', thus firmly laminating the pressure sensitive tape to the
surface of the sheet. Laminating roller 66 is held firmly in
contact with the surface of sheet 10 by means of springs 68, 68' on
either side and their associated spring block mechanism 69.
Solenoid 26 is mounted to cover plate 65 of the machine by means of
solenoid mounting block 27. Cover plate 65 is mounted to crossbar
67, as shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 3, which shows an end view of a tape applying
machine, cover plate 65 is supported by crossbar 67. Mounted within
cover plate 65 are tape spool support rollers 60 mounted on tape
spool support roller shafts 59. Resting on tape spool support
roller 60 is tape spool 55. Spool guides 53, 53' keep spool 55 and
tape 54 in proper position while being dispensed. Solenoid 26 is
mounted on solenoid mounting block 27. Beneath solenoid 26 is
laminating roller 66 urged into intimate contact with conveyor 13
by coil springs 68, 68' and their supporting coil spring block
mechanism 69.
Referring now to FIG. 4, which shows the details of the
reciprocating tape applying and cutting mechanism, knife blade 30
is shown in solid lines cutting tape 54 with laminating head 28 in
retracted position. The phantom lines show the respective positions
of knife blade 30 and laminating head 28 in the tape applying
positions. Thus, objects of considerable thickness may have
pressure sensitive tape applied to their surfaces merely by
increasing the distance between entry roller 18 and laminating
roller 66, and the surface of conveyor 13. This may be done quite
easily since both the machine and conveyor system are independently
powered and operated. It is also apparent that neither laminating
head 28 nor tape guide chute 56 exerts any pinching force on tape
54, the pulling of the tape being done by conveyor 13 as sheet 10
and laminating tape 54 pass between laminating roller 66 and
conveyor power roller 16'.
Referring now to FIG. 5, which shows an alternative embodiment of
the present invention, the leading edge of the tape is placed
directly into nip 70 of the laminating roller 72 by tape guide
chute 74. This is done when a double action air cylinder 76
actuates into a retracted position. It is contemplated that other
types of fluidic cylinders or solenoids may be used as well. The
phantom lines in FIG. 5 show the machine in tape cutting position
with piston 77 of cylinder 76 in extended position. After the
leading edge of tape 78 has been placed directly into nip 70 of
laminating roller 72 by tape guide chute 74, sheet 80 and tape 78
move between laminating roller 72 and conveyor power roller 81',
squeezing tape 78 into intimate contact with the surface of sheet
80. When the surface of sheet 80 has passed synchronous sensing
means 24a, cylinder 76 actuates moving piston 77 from retracted
position to extended position. Knife arm 82, connected at end 84 to
supporting arm 86 by supporting arm shaft 87, then is caused to
pivot about pivot shaft 88 downwardly. Once the sheet has passed
between entry roller 71 and conveyor power roller 81 after having
passed synchronous sensing means 24a, the cylinder retracts by air
and knife arm return spring 94 returns air cylinder piston 77 to
its retracted position. When this occurs, knife arm 82 is pivoted
about pivot shaft 88 pulling knife blade 90 upwardly away from the
surface of sheet 80. The retraction of piston 77, in addition to
causing the pivoting of knife arm 82 about pivot shaft 88, also
pulls support bar 92 downwardly until tape guide chute 74 has
placed the leading edge of the tape into nip 70 of laminating
roller 72. Support bar 92 pivots about support bar pivot shaft 98.
Support bar return spring 100 exerts a downward force on the end of
support bar 92 to move in an upwardly direction. This motion
removes tape guide chute 74 from nip 70 of laminating roller 72 and
aids cylinder 76 in attaining the extended position of piston 77.
Cover plate 102 is supported by transverse mounting bar 96.
Roller bracket 73 presses entry roller 71 and laminating roller 72
firmly into contact with sheet 78 by means of yoke 79 actuated by
coil spring 83. When an object having substantial thickness passes
through nip 70 of entry roller 71 and conveyor 75, yoke 79 which is
attached to roller bracket 73 by shaft 91 pivots about yoke pivot
shaft 85 flexing coil spring 83. When the thick object has passed
through the tape applying machine, coil spring 83 contracts and
yoke 79 pivots about pivot shaft 85 to exert a downward force on
roller bracket 73 and thereby to place entry roller 71 and
laminating roller 72 firmly in contact with the conveyor. When this
has occurred, the back edge of the sheet laminated passes
synchronous sensing means 24a, cylinder 76 is actuated into
extended position, and knife blade 90 severs tape 78.
The moving parts of a taping machine in accordance with the present
invention are made of metal, although high density polyethylene may
be used for parts not involving much wear.
The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of
understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be
understood therefrom as modifications will be obvious to those
skilled in the art.
* * * * *