Abstract: There is disclosed an ink roller and method of making same. The ink roller includes a tube having a plurality of holes. A porous ink-receptive sleeve is received about the tube. The end portions of the tube are coupled to bearing rolls and the bearing rolls are closed off to provide space for holding ink. At least one bearing roll is a separate part and is sealed to the tube and closures are sealed to both bearing rolls. Means are provided to keep the separate bearing roll from becoming uncoupled from the tube. The holes converge outwardly toward the surface of the roll to conduct ink to the sleeve. Also disclosed is method of making the roll.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus for printing on labels releasably adhered to a web of supporting material, the apparatus having a print head and a platen with an impression control mechanism for the print head, a traveling inker with an easily replaceable inking member, a mechanism for adjusting the registration of a label with respect to the print head, and a return spring subassembly or module which is easy to handle and assemble into operative relation with the remainder of the apparatus. Also disclosed is method of and apparatus for applying labels to tags using the hand-held label printing and applying apparatus. Also disclosed is an improved masking member which masks off a label and prevents smearing of ink printed on the label.

Abstract: There is disclosed a print head for printing two lines of data. Relatively thin spacers separate adjacent drive wheels and adjacent portions of the printing bands. A relatively thick spacer is disposed adjacent sets of printing bands of at least one line so that the printing bands print two spaced-apart fields of data.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a selective printing apparatus adapted to be used in a hand held labeler. The apparatus includes selectively settable printing members driven by wheels coupled by gearing with read wheels for indicating the selected data to be printed. The read and print wheels are driven by a manually movable, shiftable and rotatable selector shaft. The print wheels are detented and the selector shaft is detented within holes in the print wheels. An indicator slidably mounted by a stationary frame is coupled to the selector shaft through a lost-motion connection to enable the print head to move between printing and non-printing positions.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a selective printing apparatus adapted to be used in a hand held labeler. The apparatus includes selectively settable printing members driven by wheels coupled by gearing with read wheels for indicating the selected data to be printed. The read and print wheels are driven by a manually movable, shiftable and rotatable selector shaft. The print wheels are detented and the selector shaft is detented within holes in the print wheels. An indicator slidably mounted by a stationary frame is coupled to the selector shaft through a lost-motion connection to enable the print head to move between printing and non-printing positions.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a selective printing apparatus adapted to be used in a hand held labeler. The apparatus includes selectively settable printing members driven by wheels coupled by gearing with read wheels for indicating the selected data to be printed. The read and print wheels are driven by a manually movable, shiftable and rotatable selector shaft. The print wheels are detented and the selector shaft is detented within holes in the print wheels. An indicator slidably mounted by a stationary frame is coupled to the selector shaft through a lost-motion connection to enable the print head to move between printing and non-printing positions.

Abstract: There is disclosed a print head including a one-piece support block or mounting block having a support member and a concave surface for rotatably mounting a series of drive wheels, the drive wheels being coupled to a series of printing bands which are trained about the respective wheels and the support. The support includes four abutment shoulders and each printing band is provided with a series of lugs on its underside having end faces cooperable with the abutment shoulders when the printing band is in a selected position to print a desired character.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus for printing on labels releasably adhered to a web of supporting material, the apparatus having a print head and a platen with an impression control mechanism for the print head, a traveling inker with an easily replaceable inking member, a mechanism for adjusting the registration of a label with respect to the print head, and a return spring subassembly or module which is easy to handle and assemble into operative relation with the remainder of the apparatus.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of making a print head assembly and a print head assembly. The print head assembly is comprised of one or more subassemblies. Each subassembly is made up of relatively few parts including a mounting block having a concave mounting surface, a series of drive wheels supported at their outer peripheries on the mounting surface, and a series of printing bands with which the drive wheels are engaged. The subassemblies can be readily assembled on a fixture. Thereafter, each subassembly is oriented relative to side plates to make a print head assembly.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus having an impression control mechanism. The apparatus includes a pair of relatively movable slides. A first slide is driven in response to movement of a manually operable actuator and a second slide which carries the print head is slidably mounted on the first slide. During the initial actuation of the actuator, the first and second slides move as a unit until the second slide is stopped by a shoulder of a latch. Continued movement of the actuator and travel of the first slide causes energy to be stored in a spring arrangement. Upon further movement of the actuator and continued travel of the first slide the latch is tripped and the spring arrangement drives the second slide and causes the print head to be driven into a straight line into printing cooperation with the platen. There is also enclosed an arrangement by which the print head can be releasably connected to the second slide. The apparatus also includes an improved spring assembly.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held label printing and applying apparatus having an impression control mechanism. The apparatus includes a pair of relatively movable slides. A first slide is driven in response to movement of a manually operable actuator and a second slide which carries the print head is slidably mounted on the first slide. During the initial actuation of the actuator, the first and second slides move as a unit until the second slide is stopped by a shoulder of a latch. Continued movement of the actuator and travel of the first slide causes energy to be stored in a spring arrangement. Upon further movement of the actuator and continued travel of the first slide the latch is tripped and the spring arrangement drives the second slide and causes the print head to be driven into a straight line into printing cooperation with the platen. There is also enclosed an arrangement by which the print head can be releasably connected to the second slide. The apparatus also includes an improved spring assembly.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a selective printing apparatus adapted to be used in a hand held labeler. The apparatus includes selectively settable printing members driven by wheels coupled by gearing with read wheels for indicating the selected data to be printed. The read and print wheels are driven by a manually movable, shiftable and rotatable selector shaft. The print wheels are detented and the selector shaft is detented within holes in the print wheels. An indicator slidably mounted by a stationary frame is coupled to the selector shaft through a lost-motion connection to enable the print head to move between printing and non-printing positions.

Abstract: There is disclosed label printing and applying apparatus by which labels are successively printed and applied to merchandise. The apparatus feeds pressure sensitive labels mounted on a web of supporting material to a printing zone and to a delaminating zone. An applicator disposed downstream of the delaminating zone is used to apply the labels to merchandise.

Abstract: There is disclosed label printing and applying apparatus by which labels are successively printed and applied to merchandise. The apparatus feeds pressure sensitive labels mounted on a web of supporting material to a printing zone and to a delaminating zone. An applicator disposed downstream of the delaminating zone is used to apply the labels to merchandise.

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 label printing and applying apparatus by which labels are successively printed and applied to merchandise. The apparatus feeds pressure sensitive labels mounted on a web of supporting material to a printing zone and to a delaminating zone. An applicator disposed downstream of the delaminating zone is used to apply the labels to merchandise.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink roller adapted to be used in a printing apparatus. The ink roller includes a hub having a roll-mounting section, a flange section, a first stub shaft adjacent the first flange section and a second stub shaft disposed opposite the first stub shaft and joined to the roll-mounting section. A second flange section telescopically receives and is axially aligned with the roll-mounting section. The second flange section is joined to the hub preferably by ultrasonic welding. There is also disclosed method of making the ink roller.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hand-held labeler or apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels. The apparatus has 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. There is also disclosed an arrangement by which the print head can be tripped or fires after the actuator is moved through a predetermined distance. The apparatus has gears which are coupled through a lost-motion connection.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hand-held labeler or apparatus for printing and applying pressure sensitive labels. The apparatus has 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. There is also disclosed an arrangement by which the print head can be tripped or fires after the actuator is moved through a predetermined distance. The apparatus has gears which are coupled through a lost-motion connection.

Abstract: There is disclosed label printing and applying apparatus by which labels are successively printed and applied to merchandise. The apparatus feeds pressure sensitive labels mounted on a web of supporting material to a printing zone and to a delaminating zone. An applicator disposed downstream of the delaminating zone is used to apply the labels to merchandise.