Abstract: The present invention relates to a laminating and adhesive transfer apparatus for use with a pair of removable feed rolls. The removable feed rolls carrying a supply of stock material to be unwound. The apparatus comprises a frame constructed and arranged to removably mount the feed rolls. A pair of nip rollers are rotatably mounted to the frame. The nip rollers define a nip area therebetween with a feed side and a discharge side. An actuating mechanism is constructed and arranged to affect nip roller rotation. The frame is constructed and arranged such that, when the feed rolls are removably mounted thereto, a master can be inserted between the feed rolls, the stock materials can then be unwound from each of feed rolls so as to be disposed on opposing sides of the master, and the master and the stock materials can thereafter be fed together into the feed side of the nip rollers.

Abstract: A linerless label system which utilizes a substrate provided in roll form and which is printed on one side with an image overcoated with an adhesive. The opposite surface of the substrate has release characteristics. The web is fed across the surface of an anvil plate. A die engages the anvil plate, cuts the label from the web which label is then transferred to the surface of an item to be labeled, such as a plastic container. Intermittently, a wiper blade sweeps across the surface of the die to prevent the labels from sticking to the die edge. Preferably, the wiper blade carries a lubricant such as a silicon-based grease.

Abstract: A thermal printing device and tape supply cartridge therefor which includes a printing mechanism having a print head incorporated within the machine and a separate printing platen embodied within the cartridge. An alignment mechanism is also provided for insuring printing alignment between the cartridge embodied platen and the print head. The cartridge also includes a mechanism for laminating a film of protective material over the printed tape and a fully incorporated, manually operated tape cut-off mechanism.

Abstract: A unitary tape-ribbon cartridge having an improved ribbon rewind feature for use in a lettering system. The cartridge includes both a tape supply and a ribbon supply provided from tape and ribbon supply housing portions, a guide member for guiding the ribbon toward a lettering station and reversing its direction of movement from a supply path to a rewind path into a ribbon rewind housing portion which is laterally spaced from, but generally parallel to, the tape and ribbon supply housing portions. The ribbon rewind mechanism includes a ribbon rewind spool having a rewind portion and peripheral gear teeth for rotating the same.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a printing or cutting force to an elongated strip of tape comprising a base, a printing station, a pair of side walls extending upwardly from the base and each including a tape receiving opening, a printing or cutting member and a force exerting element. The force exerting element includes a curved force exerting surface with the axis of its center of curvature being parallel to the path of travel of tape through the apparatus and a structure for supporting and guiding the force exerting element in movement between a first and second position.

Abstract: An improved printing apparatus and tape-ribbon cartridge for use in a dry lettering printing process. The printing apparatus includes a printing station, a mechanism for generating a printing force at the printing station, a rotatable font element having a plurality of raised characters on its underside, an improved mechanism, in cooperation with the printing cartridge, for advancing the tape and ribbon into printing alignment with the printing station and means for aligning the printing font. The printing cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a supply of tape and ribbon within the cartridge and a reciprocally movable shuttle assembly for advancing the tape and ribbon toward the printing station. The cartridge also includes a mechanism for rewinding used ribbon onto a rewind spool within the cartridge.

Abstract: A printing apparatus of the type having a printing station, a printing force exerting and resisting means, an image carrier and a font element with a raised character and a tape-ribbon cartridge therefor. The improvement of the present invention relates to an improved device for exerting a printing force and an improved tape-ribbon cartridge for supplying tape and ribbon to the printing station and for guiding and supporting the font element into printing alignment.

Abstract: A printing cartridge for supplying tape and ribbon in a printing apparatus in which the tape and ribbon is advanced by reciprocal movement of the cartridge carrier toward and away from the printing station. The printing cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a spool of image carrying tape and a spool of printing ribbon, both rotatably supported within the housing, a guide means for guiding the tape and ribbon from the cartridge toward the printing station and a means for creating a braking action with respect to the tape and the ribbon for resisting free movement thereof from said tape cartridge.

Abstract: A mechanism for moving a tape through a printing apparatus in which said mechanism includes a back-space shuttle mounted to a frame for reciprocal movement and an advancing shuttle mounted to the back-space shuttle for reciprocal movement. Movement of the advancing shuttle in its operative direction by an advancing actuation arm of the printing apparatus causes the tape to be gripped by the advancing shuttle and advanced. The tape slips through the back-space shuttle during movement of the advancing shuttle in its operative direction. Movement of the back-space shuttle in its operative direction by a back space actuation slide of the printing apparatus causes the tape to be gripped by the back-space shuttle and back-spaced. The tape slips through the advancing shuttle during movement of the back-space shuttle in its operative direction.

Abstract: A multi-purpose laminating and adhesive transfer apparatus having a frame supporting rotatably engaging nip rollers. A replaceable cartridge is insertable into the frame and has upper and lower feed rolls which may be a laminate, film or paper, or an adhesively coated film or a film having an affinity for adhesive. The upper and lower feed rolls containing the webs of laminating or adhesive transfer material have tensioning caps which can be adjusted to provide the proper tensioning to prevent the rollers from overrunning as they rotate. Tensioning caps and the cartridges are pre-set and provided to the user. A cutter blade is positioned at the discharge side of the nip rollers and may be actuated to sever the master at any desired location. The apparatus may be operated to apply lamination to either top or bottom surfaces of a substrate or an adhesive to the top or bottom surface of the substrate or to both surfaces.