Abstract: A movable paper guide structure of a label printer includes: a paper guide body installed in the label printer including a roller and a print head; a movable unit that is movably installed on the paper guide body close to one end of the print head, adapts to a displacement of the roller and the print head because of a changed contact position, and keeps approaching the print head during a print process of the label printer for neither gap between the tip of the movable unit and the print head nor other problems such as a label sticker on printing paper improperly peeled off, printing crooked and paper jam.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing and/or eliminating the printed layer-over-layer registration error.

Abstract: An ink roller cover device of a portable type label printing applicator so that the ink does not dry-up easily in stored or standby state by closed storage of the ink roller. An ink roller is stored in a cover including a fixed cover part which can cover and store a part of a roller body in a standby state of the ink roller and a complementary movable cover part which covers and stores the other parts of the roller body when the cover parts are closed in a standby state of the ink roller. The movable cover part is capable of exposing the roller body towards a printing device in an operating state of the ink roller. An operating lever moves the ink roller with the movable cover part away from the fixed cover part.

Abstract: A printing apparatus employs a rotatable cam having an enclosed cam slot for controlling the rocking motion of an inking roll without the need for a cam follower spring. The apparatus also includes an articulated printing member support assembly which executes a complex curvilinear movement under the control of a fixed cam slot without the use of linear bearings. Complementary cam profiles are used on both cam surfaces in order to maintain tangency between the inking roll and printing element during inking. A yieldable connecting link is used to prevent excessive printing pressures from being applied, and a movable filler plate closes off a slot in a front cover of the printing apparatus through which a portion of the movable printing member protrudes.

Abstract: The machine comprises a print-head (3) for printing characters on labels (11) which are borne by a strip (10) which passes over a print-platen (8). In order to prevent, in reliable, rapid and space-saving manner, a second printing as a result of a rebound of the head (3) on the platen (8), this machine comprises: a lever (35) having two arms forming a V (36, 37) of alternate angular movement synchronized with the movements of the head (3), with dihedral (40) of elasitc return, pivoted in the platen (8) and urged alternately in one direction and the other by a pusher (30) which is integral with the head (3) and by a retraction arm (43) which is integral with an inking device (25, 26, 27) for preventing the return of the head (3) as the result of a rebound, by engagement of an arm (36) in a detention notch (32-33) which is integral with the head (3).

Abstract: There is disclosed printing apparatus composed essentially of molded plastics material which has relatively few parts, is easy to manufacture and maintain, and is lightweight and portable. The apparatus is illustrated as being of the table top type which can print both standard type tags and labels, string tags and pin tickets. The apparatus has a print head operable in conjunction with an impression control device, a feed finger assembly with a registration adjustment, a simple drive arrangement operated by a cam with a single cam path, and a reel positionable at different attitudes, and the construction of the apparatus is readily adaptable to both manually operated and motorized versions.

Abstract: A hand labeling device for imprinting and dispensing self-adhesive labels comprises a housing (110) in which is disposed a printing mechanism (10) movable between a raised inoperative position and a lowered printing position. The printing mechanism comprises a plurality of axially adjacent setting wheels (16) with which type carriers (20) carrying printing types (22) are in a drive connection. A setting shaft (42) extending in the direction of the axis of the setting wheels (16) and connected to the printing mechanism (10) projects outwardly at a housing wall (110a); it is displaceable at a side face of the printing mechanism (10) between an inserted and an extended position and with the aid of said shaft the setting wheels (16) can be adjusted relatively to each other in such a manner that desired printing types (22) on the type carriers (20) move into a printing zone at the printing mechanism (10).

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler having a print head with electrically selectable printing elements for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels. The labeler has a housing with a handle and structure for mounting a roll of pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a carrier web. The labeler has a movable section which mounts a keyboard and a control circuit on a circuit board. The control circuit controls the printing elements. Labels are printed by the printing elements as the carrier web is advanced, and labels are delaminated at a delaminator and dispensed into label applying relation to an applicator. The print head is mounted on a support and is continuously spring-urged toward the platen. Movement of the print head toward the platen is limited to prevent damage. The support and the print head can be moved away from the platen from the outside of the labeler to facilitate threading of the web.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler having a print head with electrically selectable printing elements for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels. The labeler has a housing with a handle and structure for mounting a roll of pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a carrier web. The labeler has a movable section which mounts a keyboard and a control circuit on a circuit board. The control circuit controls the printing elements. Labels are printed by the printing elements as the carrier web is advanced, and labels are delaminated at a delaminator and dispensed into label applying relation to an applicator.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler having a print head with electrically selectable printing elements for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels. The labeler has a housing with a handle and structure for mounting a roll of pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a carrier web. The labeler has a movable section which mounts a keyboard and a control circuit on a circuit board. The control circuit controls the printing elements. Labels are printed by the printing elements as the carrier web is advanced, and labels are delaminated at a delaminator and dispensed into label applying relation to an applicator. The print head is mounted on a support and is continuously spring-urged toward the platen. Movement of the print head toward the platen is limited to prevent damage. The support and the print head can be moved away from the platen from the outside of the labeler to facilitate threading of the web.

Abstract: The machine, which is equipped with a print head (5) which is movable vertically between two walls (25, 26) of its housing, comprises a device intended to prevent said motion, when the character selection rod (20) of said print head is left in its extended position.The selection rod comprises an engagement element (23) for the engagement of a series of rotary elements (16, 17) which bear printing characters.The safety device comprises a retractable movable stop (28) firmly connected to the print head (5) and subjected to the pressure of a spring (35), and a fixed counter-abutment (29) rigidly connected to a wall (26) of the housing.At the end of the return stroke of the selection rod (20), the movable stop (28) is retracted by the push of said rod, whose engagement element (23) then develops a retaining force which is greater than the action of the spring (35).

Abstract: The machine comprises a print table (8) and a print head (3) which are intended for the printing of characters on labels (11) borne by a continuous strip (10).The print head (3) comprises a pusher (32), a lateral stop (29) and two detention notches (30, 31), and the print table (8) has a rotary cam (33) with return prism (34) and cocking spring (35), having three lifts (38).Upon the typing, one lift is turned by the pusher (32) and the following lift comes laterally against the stop (29). When the print head rebounds, this lift engages in a notch (30) and holds the print head spaced from the print table.This arrangement is provided to prevent a second printing of characters on the labels as a result of rebound. In a variant, the rotary cam is replaced by a reciprocating bolt.

Abstract: The machine intended for printing two lines of characters of different color (8, 9) on self-adhesive labels comprises two printheads mounted in a rocking housing (7).This housing comprises two holding elements (14, 16) engaged in two guide slots (17, 19), and a drive finger (15) engaged in a fork (18) of a drive lever (13) actuated by a trigger (3).The slots have shapes which are so adapted that upon the printing impact of the two lines of characters on a print platen (12) the rocking of the housing is transformed into a translation which is not affected by the play and movements of the drive lever and is oriented towards the print platen.Two inking rollers of different color (22, 23) are mounted in a common retractable support (24) by means of a mechanism (26, 29, 30) intended to assure the selective inking of the two lines of characters.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a printing device for use with a hand labeler, or the like. The printing device includes a platen and a printing head which carries a plurality of types on its printing surface, and which is moved into and out of contact with the platen thereby to print a label with a row of type characters. A type receiving plate is a part of the platen and it is made of an elastic material. The type receiving plate has dividing grooves which are parallel to one another and define type receiving lands. The type receiving lands are positioned to register with respective type characters when the printing head operates. The lands can be elastically deformed independently of one another. Thus, the type receiving lands can cooperate with the respective types to provide uniform printing pressure during the printing operation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler having a print head with electrically selectable printing elements for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels. The labeler has a housing with a handle and structure for mounting a roll of pressure sensitive labels releasably carried on a carrier web. The labeler has a movable section which mounts a keyboard and a control circuit on a circuit board. The control circuit controls the printing elements. Labels are printed by the printing elements as the carrier web is advanced, and labels are delaminated at a delaminator and dispensed into label applying relation to an applicator.

Abstract: A manually-operated labeler for dispensing labels from a carrier strip having labels stuck onto the carrier strip. The labeler has a casing in which there is a carrier strip feeding mechanism driven by an actuating mechanism for advancing the carrier strip and turning it back at a turnback part to separate a label from the carrier strip. A printing device is provided which moves toward the turnback part for printing a label which is passing thereover on the carrier strip.The handle extended from said case is opposed to a lever provided as a part of the actuating mechanism and a checking device is dividedly provided on the lever and the handle to generate a signal when the lever approaches the handle. The printing device performs a rocking motion with a guide. The ink supplying device opposing the printing device has an ink roller arranged on the cover of the case.

Abstract: A label applicator for self-adhesive labels is disclosed.The applicator includes cam tracks which control the orientation of two pivotal print-heads during motion from a rest position to a printing position. The print-heads are mounted on levers pivoted in the casing so that motion of the print-heads takes place about two pivot centers. A rotary inking roller is positioned along the path of the operative facets of each print-head and inking takes place during movement of the corresponding print-head to ensure contact during one part of the cycle and avoids such contact during the return. The roller acts as a part of the cam track. The inking action is such that the roller is rotated by the operative facets. At the instant printing takes place, a part of the cam track serves to prevent later motion of those print facets.The invention can be applied to label applicators (or dispensers) wherever there is a need for high quality printing on labels.

Abstract: A composite label arranging device is disclosed wherein a composite label having a layer of label material superposed on a layer of backing material, with feed flaps formed in both layers, is engaged with feed pins of a feed roller, by which the feed flaps are forced upright. The feed roller intermittently rotates in synchronism with the operation of a hand lever for advancement of the label on a platen. A label arranging member is disposed in opposition to the platen so as to descend during the squeezing operation of the hand lever and press against and thereby flatten the upright flaps.

Abstract: A labeler for dispensing labels from a carrier strip having labels stuck onto the strip. The labeler has a case in which is a carrier strip feeding mechanism driven by an actuating mechanism for advancing the carrier strip so as to turn it around a turnback member for separating the label from the carrier strip. A printing apparatus is provided which moves toward the turnback member for printing a label which is passing thereover on the carrier strip. The printing apparatus is mounted on the operating part of the actuating mechanism so that it can rock in a direction transverse to its plane of movement so that it can adjust to the level of the turnback member. The labeler also has a guide member for guiding the carrier strip over a feed drum which can be pivoted out of the way to thread a carrier strip into the labeler. An ink applying device is provided having a resilient guide engaged with the ink applying roller so that it can be moved out of the way to remove the roller.

Abstract: A constant printing pressure mechanism for a label printing machine: in one embodiment, a pressure applying roller is attached to the free ends of the yokes or printing levers that support the printing head; a resilient pressure receiving member which is pivotally supported on the machine frame and is abutted by the pressure roller; when the hand lever is squeezed, the pressure roller is pressed to the pressure receiving member; when the force of the pressure roller both pivots the receiving member a permitted maximum distance and overcomes the compressive stress in the resilient pressure receiving member and deflects the member, then the printing stroke is effected; in another embodiment, the pressure applying roller is on the frame and the resilient pressure receiving means is on the hand lever; the pressure receiving means comprises: a supporting member attached to a hand lever; a pressure controlling member which is pivotally secured to the hand lever; a pressure receiving piece having a cam surface on th

Abstract: A hand operated label printing machine in which a series of labels are serially fed onto a printing platen in response to the squeezing of a hand lever so that they may be imprinted with selected indicia. The hand labeler is equipped with a constant pressure printing mechanism interposed between the hand lever and the frame of the hand labeler. That mechanism comprises a biased cam pivotally mounted to the hand lever and a roller on a biased support which support is pivotally mounted to the machine frame. The cam and roller are brought into abutment contact while the hand lever is being squeezed, and springs bias them into abutment and prevent their bypassage. The label printing force is the force that has to be applied for the cam to ride over the roller, which occurs when one of the springs resiliently deforms.

Abstract: A clog prevention device is disclosed for use with a label printing and applying machine. The clog prevention device includes a pair of juxtaposed label guide walls which extend longitudinally up from and at both sides of the printing platen. A label receiving recess is formed in the upper surface of the printing platen between the label guide walls and that recess has a larger width than that of the label strip so that at least both side edges of the label strip may be prevented from contacting the label guide walls of the platen, whereby adhesive at the edges of the label strip does not foul the platen. Label relief grooves are also formed along both sides of the label receiving recess for the same reasons. Openings extend through the platen at the edges of the recess in the upper surface of the platen so that label chips formed when the label strip is pierced or punched during label strip feeding can move away from the label strip.

Abstract: A labelling machine has a push button switch, actuation of which causes a label to be printed by a thermographic printing head with selected data which has been stored in a microprocessor by operation of a keyboard. The printed label is fed by an electrically powered drive mechanism controlled by the microprocessor to a dispensing position from which the label can be applied to an article and a further label is advanced from a supply to the printing head. The label supply is a continuous strip of separated labels with self-adhesive covered by a backing strip which is peeled away as the printed label reaches the dispensing position. Spaced optically or magnetically detectable markings on the label strip are detected in the machine to provide signals to the microprocessor for obtaining registration of each label with the printing head.

Abstract: A label positioning mechanism for use with a label printing machine: The label positioning mechanism includes a feed wheel which is rotatably mounted in the body of the printing machine and is formed on its circumference with a label strip advancing surface. A label positioning member is pivotally connected to the machine body such that it is rotatable toward and away from the label advancing surface of the feed wheel. Springs normally urge the label positioning member toward the feed wheel. There is an arm mechanism that has one end fixed to an operating shaft. The arm has another end that is pivotally connected to the label positioning member. The operating shaft is rotatably mounted in the machine body. The operating force of the operating shaft may be transmitted to the label positioning member when the operating shaft is actuated.

Abstract: In a hand-operated label printing machine, including a hand lever and a printing head attached to the hand lever; a printing pressure buffer mechanism or a constant pressure printing mechanism which comprises: in a first embodiment, a spring-actuated engaging member formed in the hand lever and a cooperating checking shoulder which is formed in the main body of the machine; an inclined groove leads to the shoulder; the shoulder is brought into disengageable engagement with the spring-actuated engaging member for moderating the printing pressure; and when the spring-actuated engaging member rides over the checking shoulder, the printing head is actuated; in a second embodiment, a pressure receiving engaging member is carried on the hand lever, through a lost motion connection; a pressure contact member and a guide member are both carried on the main body of the machine and are spaced apart; the pressure receiving engaging member is integrally provided with a pressure receiving piece having a cam surface at the

Abstract: A constant pressure printing mechanism for use with a hand labeler: a printing platen is mounted on the frame of the hand labeler for pivotal movement toward and away from a position awaiting a coming printing head; the platen is biased apart from the printing head; constant pressure means, responsive to the operation of the hand lever, turn the printing platen toward the printing head to the awaiting position; the constant pressure means includes overridable means carried by either of the hand lever or the printing platen and overriding means carried by the other; when the hand lever is squeezed, the overriding means engages the overridable means thus shifting the platen to its awaiting position and further pressure is applied until the overriding means rides over the overridable means simultaneously as the printing head abuts against the printing platen at the awaiting position; the printing pressure to be applied to the label on the printing platen can be preset at a constant level by the force which is re

Abstract: A contant pressure printing mechanism for use with a hand labeler which prints a label: an actuating lever, which is pivotally connected to the frame of the hand labeler, is divided into a hand lever and a printing lever, and both of these levers are also pivotally connected. A printing head is carried by the printing lever. The hand lever and the printing lever are biased to move together as a unit. The operating lever engages a snap mechanism which applies a preset resistance to rotation of the operating lever as the printing lever is turned toward the printing platen. In one embodiment, the snap mechanism includes a pressure roller and a snap bail. The pressure roller is rotatably mounted to either the hand lever or the frame of the hand labeler while the snap bail is mounted pivotally to the other. As the squeezing of the hand lever increases, the operating lever snaps past the snap mechanism and the snap movement urges the printing lever toward the platen.

Abstract: A constant printing pressure mechanism for a label printing machine: in one embodiment, a pressure applying roller is attached to the free ends of the yokes or printing levers that support the printing head; a resilient pressure receiving member which is pivotally supported on the machine frame and is abutted by the pressure roller; when the hand lever is squeezed, the pressure roller is pressed to the pressure receiving member; when the force of the pressure roller both pivots the receiving member a permitted maximum distance and overcomes the compressive stress in the resilient pressure receiving member and deflects the member, then the printing stroke is effected; in another embodiment, the pressure applying roller is on the frame and the resilient pressure receiving means is on the hand lever; the pressure receiving means comprises: a supporting member attached to a hand lever; a pressure controlling member which is pivotally secured to the hand lever; a pressure receiving piece having a cam surface on th

Abstract: A constant pressure printing mechanism for use in a portable label printing machine, or the like: a pressing member is attached to a hand operated driving lever which carries the printing head and which is pivotally attached to the machine frame; a separate rocking lever is pivotally attached to the machine frame; a pressure receiving member attached to the rocking lever is in position to be engaged by the pressure member as the driving lever pivots; continued pivoting of the driving lever causes subsequent separation of the pressure receiving and pressure members, thereby again freeing the rocking member from being pivoted; a platen pivotally secured to the machine frame is normally biased away from the printing head; an elastic buffer member is stretched between the rocking lever and the platen for pivoting the platen toward the printing head when the rocking member is pivoted by the pressure member; with the provision of the constant pressure printing mechanism of the invention, the intensity and the conta

Abstract: A constant pressure printing mechanism for use with a hand labeler: an actuating lever, pivotally connected to the frame of the hand labeler, is divided into a hand lever and a printing lever, which are pivotally connected to each other; a printing head is carried by the printing lever; a shock-absorbing tensioned spring is interposed between the hand lever and the printing lever to bias them to rotate toward each other and to rotate the printing head toward the platen; a retaining lever, pivotally attached on the hand lever, is engageable with the printing platen upon descent of the printing lever; before such engagement, the retaining lever retains the hand lever on the printing lever to move together; when the printing head moves to the platen, the retaining lever is raised away from the printing lever by its engagement with the printing platen; this enables the hand lever to further pivot slightly against the biasing force of the tension spring, even when the printing head abuts against the platen, so tha

Abstract: A constant pressure printing mechanism for use in a label printing machine: the platen is pivotally secured to the machine body; the pivotally supported, hand operated printing levers include a projection, which engages a pivotally supported platen lifting member, and the lifting member is pivoted by the projection to turn the platen toward the printing head, whereby the printing head and the platen are moved near to each other to perform the printing of labels.

Abstract: A constant pressure printing mechanism for a portable label printing machine, or the like, comprising a driving member which is disposed on either the movable hand lever or the stationary hand grip of the label printing machine and a pressure receiving member which is disposed on the other of the hand lever or the hand grip. The invention uses stored energy derived from a manual squeezing operation to produce the printing stroke, independently of the intensity and duration of a manual squeeze. In one form, the driving member comprises a movable roller, a guiding means to allow the movable roller to move therethrough and an elastic means which always urges the movable roller in one direction and the pressure receiving member comprises a contact surface and an arcuate surface to be brought into contact with the above movable member when the hand lever is squeezed.

Abstract: A printing pressure damping mechanism for a hand labeler: A printing platen is pivotally mounted on the frame of the hand labeler. The platen has a printing portion at one side of its center of pivotal motion. A hand lever pivotally connected to the frame of the labeler carries a printing head, which is turned toward the printing platen when the hand lever is squeezed against the biasing force of a return spring. Shock-absorbing means, comprising a leaf spring on the hand lever and an elastic abutment member on the other side of the printing platen from the printing portion engage to turn the printing portion of the printing platen toward the printing head. The hand lever is further squeezed and moves to overcome the biasing force of the leaf spring when the printing head abuts against the printing portion of the platen. The squeezing force, which might otherwise be applied as a printing force to the printing platen through the hand lever, is damped to a preset level.

Abstract: A portable label printing and applying machine: a platen to support the label to be printed is attached to the machine frame; a printing head is placed above the platen; a spring pushes the printing head down toward the platen with a constant pressure and for a constant time period, regardless of the strength and the duration of the squeezing of the operating hand lever of the machine; the printing head is restrained from descending until the spring has been adequately charged by squeezing of the hand lever, and then the printing head is released to descend. The printing head is separated from the platen immediately after its descent to and contact against the platen. In addition, there is a second spring acting on the printing head in opposition to the first mentioned spring to raise the printing head off the platen. In one embodiment, the first spring is apart from the printing head but acts on it.

Abstract: A label arranging device for use in a label printing machine: a layered label strip having spaced feed perforations is moved forward by engagement of the perforations with feed pins formed on a feed wheel; the label strip is imprinted on a platen by the type faces of a printing head; the label arranging device includes an arranging member having an arranging surface on its bottom; the feed lips that were formed at the feed perforations by the feed pins are depressed and flattened by the arranging surface of the arranging member.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for printing, keeping in readiness and applying labels of a label strip, having a transport device for the stepwise advancement of the label strip, and associated therewith an inking device, a hand lever held in a braced position by a return spring and having a printer handle, which is pivotally supported and co-operates with the hand lever and with which the printer, the inking device and the transport device are coupled and which has an abutment face which is maintained contiguous to an abutment of the hand lever and the printer lever. The pivot axis of the printer lever is arranged between the pivot axis and the abutment of the hand lever in the vicinity of the pivot axis of the hand lever.

Abstract: A constant printing pressure mechanism for a portable label printing and applying machine; the machine has a printing head which is interlocked with a hand lever and it has a platen that carries a label strip disposed opposite to the printing head, the constant pressure mechanism comprises: a constant pressure means to turn the platen up against the type faces of the printing head with a constant pressure in synchronism with the downward movement of the printing head, and a means to release the platen slightly from the printing head immediately after the printing operation.

Abstract: A label strip inserting device for use in a label printing machine; the inserting device comprises: a platen pivotally secured to the machine frame, a label guide member pivotally secured to the frame, an operating member interlocked with the platen and the guide member; rotation of the operating member moves the platen and guide member between widely spaced inoperative positions enabling insertion of a label strip and closely spaced operative positions; the operating member has a guide surface that is rotated to define part of the label strip pathway when the guide member is in its inoperative position; label guide pieces on the machine frame positioned near a label holder on the frame; the guide member aligns with the guide pieces to define an insertion pathway when the guide member is in the inoperative position.

Abstract: A hand-held label printing and applying gun for large, legible special-purpose labels. The gun has a printing head in which a printing mat is removably held in place by a magnet so as to facilitate quick change of printing mats.

Abstract: A constant pressure mechanism for the printing operation of a label printing machine; the machine has a hand lever, a printing lever, a printing head attached to the printing lever, a constant pressure spring secured between the hand lever and the printing lever and a platen to carry a label strip; when the hand lever is squeezed, the printing lever is turned by the force of the constant pressure spring to strike the printing head against the label strip on the platen, and immediately after the printing operation, the printing head is slightly released from the platen by means of releasing members.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler and a method of labeling. The labeler includes a print head and a cooperable platen, a label delaminator, an applicator, and a feed wheel. The print head is urged into printing cooperation with the platen by a spring arrangement. A drive mechanism operated by an actuator holds the print head out of contact with the platen until printing is to occur and thereafter the feed wheel is driven to advance a label carrying web. The drive mechanism includes a lost-motion connection by which the print head can be quickly released to cause the print head to snap into printing cooperation with the platen.

Abstract: Disclosed are three embodiments of a hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels. All the embodiments are disclosed as having a housing, a rigid, metal, frame plate mounted by the housing, a platen and a cooperating print head, a delaminator for delaminating printed labels from the web of supporting material on which the labels are carried, an applicator for applying the printed labels, a feed wheel having teeth for engaging and advancing the web, a manually operable actuator drivingly connected to the feed wheel and the print head, a brake, and an ink roll for inking the print head. The apparatus also includes a feed wheel assembly having a feed wheel driven by a pawl and ratchet mechanism. The pawl and ratchet mechanism is adjustably connected to the feed wheel and a rolling contact type one-way clutch prevents loss of tension in the web between the brake and the feed wheel.

Abstract: A dichromic ink supply mechanism for use in a hand operated labeler which prints labels dichromically: the ink supply mechanism comprises holding means pivotally attached to a manual actuating lever, two inking rollers respectively impregnated with inks of different colors and both being rotatably and removably carried on the holding means, and guide passages in the frame of the labeler for guiding reciprocating motion of the holding means and the rollers.

Abstract: An improved marking gun for printing and applying adhesive price labels and the like, carried by a tape backing, the gun being of the type having a printing head connected to an operating trigger for imprinting the labels and wherein the improvements include a drive drum having radially projecting teeth for engagement with perforations in the label backing tape together with a pressure roller geared to rotate with the drive drum and exert a sufficient pressure on the backing tape to hold it against the drive wheel such that when the drive drum and pressure roller are initially rotated by the action of squeezing the marking gun trigger, the pulling force thereby exerted on the backing tape is less than the frictional force exerted by the printer which must necessarily be overcome to pull the backing tape and the labels through the printer.

Abstract: Disclosed are three embodiments of a hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels. All the embodiments are disclosed as having a housing, a rigid, metal, frame plate mounted by the housing, a platen and a cooperating print head, a delaminator for delaminating printed labels from the web of supporting material on which the labels are carried, an applicator for applying the printed labels, a feed wheel having teeth for engaging and advancing the web, a manually operable actuator drivingly connected to the feed wheel and the print head, a brake, and an ink roll for inking the print head. The apparatus also includes a feed wheel assembly having a feed wheel driven by a pawl and ratchet mechanism. The pawl and ratchet mechanism is adjustably connected to the feed wheel and a rolling contact type one-way clutch prevents loss of tension in the web between the brake and the feed wheel.

Abstract: There is disclosed printing apparatus having a pivotally mounted print head which cooperates with a platen, a cam shaft to which a cam is secured for actuating the print head and to which another cam is secured for driving an operating lever. The cam means is part of a lost-motion connection which couples the slide to the inker. As the operating lever is cammed in one direction to move the feed finger forward, the inker is moved into and out of inking cooperation with the print head assembly. Both an ink cartridge and an ink pad assembly are mounted on yieldable supports to promote uniform pressure contact and hence uniform inking. The print head is provided with toothed drive wheels and one or more intervening blank elements or spacers each having tooth surfaces defining a gap or space which enables an indexing gear to be shifted smoothly relative to the toothed drive wheels.

Abstract: A feed mechanism for feeding an elongated strip of labels in a portable labeling machine. The label feed mechanism intermittently advances the label strip with an indexed movement in response to the manual gripping and releasing of a grip lever which acts through an actuating member that is pivotally connected to the grip lever. The label feed mechanism includes a rotatable feed wheel, and it includes a drive member which is connected to the actuating member at a position far from the pivot of the actuating member. The drive member may be a combination of a ratchet lever on the actuating member and a ratchet wheel connected to the feed wheel or it may be a combination of a rack on the actuating member and a pinion on the feed wheel. Between the ratchet wheel or the pinion and the feed wheel is a gear assembly that amplifies motion of the ratchet wheel or pinion. Thus, the manual actions of the grip lever are amplified in the motion of the feed wheel to ensure an elongated advancing motion of the label strip.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printing, feeding and severing method and apparatus for carrying out the method. The apparatus includes a print head assembly and a platen assembly movable relatively toward and away from each other into and out of printing cooperation, mechanism for inking the print head assembly, mechanism for feeding a web of record members to between the print head assembly and the platen assembly, the web being in roll form and there being means to assist the gradual unwinding of the roll with gradual paying out of web material from the roll to the feeding mechanism, an idler contacting the web and disposed at a slight angle to the direction of feed of the web to cause the web to follow a feed edge, record severing means disposed downstream of the print head assembly and the platen assembly, and a modular support assembly of a print head of the print head assembly.

Abstract: A combined printer and cutter for simultaneously cutting and printing on a record media such as a paper tape for a customer receipt, including a stationary knife blade and a rotary knife blade which, upon rotation, severs the tape therebetween. Rocker arms are provided for rotating the rotary knife through its cutting operation and to drive the print head from a position against an ink source to a position against the record media simultaneously performing the cutting operation so as to print a trademark or other indicia on the record media concurrently therewith. The stationary knife is itself the printing platen and the rocker arms are mounted on the rotary knife so that all forces involved in oscillating the rotary knife and rotating the print head are taken by this relatively large shaft.

Abstract: Disclosed are three embodiments of a hand-held apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels. All the embodiments are disclosed as having a housing, a rigid, metal, frame plate mounted by the housing, a platen and a cooperating print head, a delaminator for delaminating printed labels from the web of supporting material on which the labels are carried, an applicator for applying the printed labels, a feed wheel having teeth for engaging and advancing the web, a manually operable actuator drivingly connected to the feed wheel and the print head, a brake, and an ink roll for inking the print head. The apparatus also includes a feed wheel assembly having a feed wheel driven by a pawl and ratchet mechanism. The pawl and ratchet mechanism is adjustably connected to the feed wheel and a rolling contact type one-way clutch prevents loss of tension in the web between the brake and the feed wheel.