Abstract: In a component feeding apparatus, forwarding pitches of the storage tape are reduced without using an alternative forwarding gear corresponding to the reduced pitches. The component feeding apparatus feeds chip components by intermittently forwarding the storage tape having the chip components by predetermined pitches. Thy apparatus has a sprocket for intermittently forwarding the storage tape, a forwarding gear supported by the same axis as that of the sprocket and rotating together with the sprocket, a forwarding lever turnably supported, and first and second forwarding pawls both attached to the forwarding lever. Every time the forwarding lever turns in a predetermined direction, the first forwarding pawl and the second forwarding pawl engage with the forwarding gear alternately to rotate the forwarding gear by half a tooth pitch.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding an electric-component tape which includes a carrier tape having feed holes in its lengthwise direction and which holds electric components at a predetermined pitch in the lengthwise direction, the apparatus including a drive device, two pivotable members which are reciprocatively pivotable about a common axis line, a motion converting device which converts the motion of the drive device into the respective reciprocative pivotal motions of the two pivotable members, such that when one of the two pivotable members is pivoted in one of opposite directions about the common axis line, the other pivotable member is pivoted in the other direction and, vice versa, a feed member having projections projecting outward from its circulateable circumferential surface to engage the feed holes of the carrier tape, and two one-way transmitting devices one of which transmits the pivotal motion of the one pivotable member in the one direction, to the feed member, but does not transmit the pivotal motion

Abstract: A tape feeder 200 includes a sprocket 201 having a plurality of teeth 202 for engaging holes of a tape. A pawl 205 engages selected teeth of sprocket 201. A first lever 203 is coupled to pawl 205 and a second lever 204 is coupled to first lever 203 and a source 208 of a driving force. First lever 203 and second lever 204 operate by a toggle action to selectively engage pawl 205 with ones of teeth 202 and thereby index sprocket 201.

Abstract: A ratchet device is disclosed which includes a body, a ratchet wheel rotatably supported by the body, a feed pawl having an engaging portion engageable with teeth of the ratchet wheel, a support member for holding the feed pawl, a member for biasing the feed pawl toward the wheel teeth, and a drive device for moving reciprocating the support member between two positions to place the feed pawl alternately in its fully advanced and retracted positions, so as to rotate the ratchet wheel a predetermined angle in one direction. The ratchet device further includes a stopper member for contact with the feed pawl when the pawl is placed in the fully retracted position, to thereby prevent the engaging portion of the pawl from disengaging from the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

Abstract: An apparatus for preventing tape from being rolled on a capstan or pinch roller including a pinch roller having a ratchet wheel rotated integrally with the pinch roller, a tape contacting plate having a pawl capable of engaging the ratchet wheel, and a resilient plate for providing a biasing force in response to tape tension is provided. The pinch roller is usable to rotate when the tape becomes lose and is able to rotate when the tape becomes taut.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler having a housing with a handle, a thermal print head for printing on labels of a composite label web, a platen roll cooperable with the print head, a delaminator for delaminating printed labels, an applicator for applying printed labels, and a brake for arresting the platen roll to prevent loss of print registration during application of a label. The operative components of the labeler are readily accessible for servicing, and yet the labeler is simple in construction. The labeler has an improved print head mounting structure for facilitating precise alignment and pressure contact between the print head and the platen roll.

Abstract: A tag attacher for inserting tag fasteners into articles such as clothing or the like has a very simplified fastener advancing and positioning mechanism consisting entirely of a gear, a stopper adapted to permit unidirectional gear rotation and a one-piece gear advancer. The gear advancer which is operably connected to a main actuating lever of the tag attacher is V-shaped and includes a pin at the base of the V for making a hinged connection to the main lever, a pawl extending from the pin to the gear and a resilient arm which biases the pawl against the gear. The main lever also operates a sliding lever supporting a driving rod adapted for back and forth reciprocating movement. The driving rod pushes a lateral bar of the tag fasteners through a needle of the tag attacher into the article to be tagged.

Abstract: A bale tagging apparatus for a hay baler for automatically inserting an identification tag into a hay bale at a specified location includes a support member for attachment to a baler housing adjacent a bale chamber and including an elongated reciprocably mounted plunger and an associated intermittently connected cutter for selectively intermittently cutting a tag from a supply roll and forcing the tag through an opening in the wall of the baler housing into position within the bale chamber.

Abstract: An intermittent paper feed mechanism comprises a driving wheel rotationally driven in an intermittent manner, a driven wheel disposed opposite to and rotated by the driving wheel, a stopper means for restricting the angle of rotation of the driving wheel and a coiled return spring for biasing the driving wheel in a direction opposite to its rotational driven direction. The driving and driven wheels, the stopper means and the return spring are coaxially mounted on a common shaft. The device of the invention enables a paper on which characters are printed by a printing head to be advanced at a high accuracy in an intermittent manner without using a stepping pulse motor.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing and applying pressure-sensitive labels carried on a release liner of supporting material where the label stock advancement mechanism is a feed wheel which advances the release liner. A brake prevents movement of the label stock during application of a label. A ratchet and pawl arrangement incrementally advances the feed wheel each time a hand lever is returned to its rest position. At the same time, a second ratchet and pawl arrangement is effective to remove the brake during the incremental label stock advancement. The feed and brake release ratchets are preferably integrally connected to opposite sides of the feed wheel. Mechanisms are also provided for ensuring removal of the brake prior to incremental label stock advancement and for manually latching the brake in its released position during loading of label stock in the apparatus.

Abstract: A paper feeder device for miniaturized printers, comprising a paper feed roller, first and second ratchet wheels fixedly mounted on a drive shaft of the paper feed roller and having the respective teeth inclined in the opposite directions, a first lever for driving the first ratchet wheel to rotate the paper feed roller at a predetermined amount, and a second lever which is controlled by the first lever and which has an engagement pawl capable of being inserted into a recess between two adjacent teeth of the second ratchet wheel.

Abstract: A composite tape made of highly different components is laminated in a process that maintains registry between the components. Strips of metal and insulating material are aligned in registry and first tack bonded at intervals. Then the strips are area bonded to create the composite.

Abstract: A device for gripping and guiding a bar of material into the nip of the rolls of a rolling mill. At least two opposed guide rollers are moveably mounted on an appropriate support, such as a gripping arm of a manipulator head for a rolling mill. The guide rollers are moveable towards one another into a gripping position for gripping the edges of a bar of material being introduced into the rolling mill nip. The guide rollers are moveable away from one another and out of engagement with the bar of material. A bar is readily gripped by the opposed rollers and is quite free to be advanced into the roller nip since the guide rollers are free to rotate. One or more rollers may include a ratchet to prevent rotation in the opposite direction such that any tendency of a bar of material to be thrown back out of the roll nip will be resisted.

Abstract: A label strip feed mechanism for a portable labeling machine: a rotatable feed wheel having label strip feed projections on its outer periphery; one longitudinal end of the feed wheel is a toothed ratchet wheel; the other end of the feed wheel has a sleeve defining a recess, and inner retaining recesses inside the sleeve; a pawl member is rotatable coaxially with the feed wheel and is removably engageable with the ratchet wheel; a non-return member is stationary relative to the labeling machine and is removably engageable with the inner retaining recesses of the sleeve to prevent reverse rotation of the feed wheel; a manually actuated lever rotates the pawl to intermittently rotate the feed wheel.

Abstract: Pre-twisted multiple wires having N twisted sections per full-twist pitch, where N is a predetermined constant integer, are juxtaposed to a roller which carries plural conformal seat means in a circumferential manner. The arcuate spacing between adjacent seat means is correlated with 1/Nth of the full-twist pitch of the particular twisted wires. Associated with the roller is ratchet means which allows the roller to be indexable in increments correlated with a full-twist pitch of the particular multiple twisted wires. As a result, the twisted wires are fed out in full-twist linear increments and, hence, with the same orientation of the wires for each incrementing step. Moreover, by judiciously seating one of the N possible adjacent twist sections of the twisted wires with respect to the seat means, the twisted wires can be fed out selectively with N possible orientations.

Abstract: A mechanism for advancing paper from a supply in incremental steps. The paper is initially fed into a loading slot formed by a paper guide and a rotating roller. The roller advances the paper through a paper stripper to a printing station.The rotation of the roller is accomplished by a ratchet mechanism which is activated by a double acting driver which in turn is driven by a solenoid assembly. The ratchet mechanism and driver also activate a retracting pressure bar which insures intimate contact between the paper and the printing station. The pressure bar pulls a paper stripper which positively strips the paper from the print station in preparation for paper advancement.

Abstract: A tape feeding apparatus for perforators or reader of punched tape in which a circular cam continuously rotates in a slot machined in a first lever. A second lever, selectively activated by an electromagnet, enables the first lever to be operated by the cam for jogging a saw tooth wheel integral with a sprocket pulley, feeding the paper.

Abstract: A pilgrim step indexing mechanism provided with oppositely facing toothed ratchet wheels of the same pitch is associated with a single indexing pawl and an associated detent spring which not only detentably holds the ratchet wheels but also biases the indexing pawl to engage the ratchet wheels. The indexing pawl has two teeth one of which engages one of the ratchet wheels during a reverse stroke of the pawl to reverse feed both ratchets one increment and during a forward stroke of the pawl to advance both ratchets two increments. The ratchet wheels may be connected with a platen of a printer whereby a line of printwork, after printing, will be positioned two line spaces above the printing line for easy viewing.

Abstract: An air-powered, self-feeding screw driving tool and screw-containing pods capable of being assembled into a continuous belt of screw-containing rods for use with the tool. The belt of screw-containing pods are coiled within a canister for selective feeding therefrom by an air-powered pawl operated star wheel. The pods are sequentially positioned forward of the bit of a carriage mounted air-powered screwdriver which is selectively operated in coordinated relationship with the orientation of the screw-containing pods by a common air source utilizing a single trigger control.Each of the screw-containing pods has means therein to retain a screw and to guide the screw as it is being driven into the workpiece.

Abstract: There are disclosed various embodiments of a composite web of pressure sensitive labels, method and apparatus for making such embodiments of the composite web, and method and apparatus by which a composite web of labels is advanced and by which labels are successively printed and applied to merchandise.