Abstract: A low pressure actuated labeling apparatus (10) for printing, cutting, and applying labels (L) to articles (A). A printing unit (12) prints information on a label, the label being drawn from a roll (13) of continuous label stock. A cutting unit (14) cuts a printed label from an end of the roll with the cut label being deposited on a tamper unit (16) which transports the label to a position (P2) adjacent the article and affixes the label to the article. Guides (26, 28) guide the label between the printing and cutting units. One of the guides (26) includes a plate (102) having spaced slots (106a-106c) in which are installed guides (108,110,112). The guides each include guide arms which are contacted by an adhesive side (Y) of the label. However, the guides are made of a material to which the label will not adhere, thus insuring continued movement of the label.

Abstract: A tape processing device has a feed device, a cutter assembly, and a coating device. The feed device feeds a tape having a layer of an adhesive. The cutter assembly has at least one cutting blade and cuts the tape. The coating device applies an adhesion-preventing liquid on the at least one cutting blade of the cutter assembly to thereby prevent any of the tape and the adhesive of the tape from adhering to the at least one cutting blade of the cutter assembly.

Abstract: A door is made from a rigid core plate, two side bars, two end bars, a pair of face panels, and a pair of cover sheets. The core plate and bars are cut to respective sizes, and then the bars are manually fitted around the core plate, are pressed against edges of the core plate to form a door core, and are secured together at corners of the core. This core is displaced on an upstream core conveyor to a core-holding station. One of the face panels is loaded manually onto a face-panel conveyor and fed thereby through a glue applicator to a face-panel holding station and one of the cover sheets is manually set in a cover-sheet holding station. The one cover sheet is picked up and laid in a stacking station, then the one face panel is picked up and set atop the one cover sheet, and then the core is picked up and set atop the face panel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a set in sheet form as well as to apparatus and a method for producing such a set, which consists of at least one information carrier in card form with carrier material lying in the same plane, wherein the information carrier and the carrier material are completely separated from one another by means of uninterrupted stamped cuts or the like and for the releasable connection of information carrier and carrier material at least one narrow adhesive strip is provided which is coated with a glue on one side, covers at least a part of the stamped cuts between adjacent rows of information carriers and/or between information carriers and carrier material and adheres the components of the set to one another. The width of the information carriers perpendicular to the course of the adhesive strip amounts to a multiple of the width of the adhesive strip.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heat-welding corners lengths of profiles together, for sealing gaskets, where the profiles include at least one extendible or compressible air chamber and are cut at their ends at an angle. The method includes positioning two profiles, with one of the cut ends of each profile opposite each other inside a suitable device including clamps which make the positioning possible, heating the positioned ends until the positioned ends reach a softened state, choking the profiles so as to completely occlude the air chambers along choking sections, closing the clamps in order to cause the profiles to come into mutual mating contact at the heated ends, injecting air into the air chambers by perforating the air chambers in a region between the choking sections and the heated ends so as to apply pressure to walls of the profiles in that region, pressing the walls against walls of the clamps to join the heated ends by heat-welding under pressure, and opening the occluded sections.

Abstract: A laminating method and a machine are provided for successively heating and compression-bonding a film-shaped organic die-bonding material on a leadframe with good productivity but without voids and further to avoid package cracking upon mounting a chip. A leadframe 7 is placed on a travelling table 8 and is heated there. A film-shaped organic die-bonding material 2 is punched out and the resulting film is tack-bonded to a die pad on the leadframe. The leadframe with the film tack-bonded thereon is then moved to a position b by the travelling table. After the film is pressed by a compression-bonding element at the position B, a chip is mounted on the film-shaped organic die-bonding material 2.

Abstract: A first adhesively coated tape material length is supplied to a first die associated with a cutting and application mechanism. A second length of adhesively coated tape material is also provided to a second die of the cutting and application mechanism. A plurality of LOC leadframes is supplied sequentially through the application structure to apply a first decal cut from the first tape material to a first die site at a first location and to apply a second decal cut from the second tape material to a second die site at a second location.

Abstract: A method of making a multi-row, multi-column laminated product including the steps of providing a printed rectangular paperboard sheet having a leading edge, two perpendicular side edges and a trailing edge parallel to the leading edge, feeding the leading edge of the sheet in a first direction and cutting out a narrow transverse segment in the middle of the sheet to produce a transverse gap, leaving connecting portions at each end of the transverse gap, the transverse gap being parallel to the leading edge, gripping the paperboard sheet and feeding its leading edge in the same first direction and continuously cutting the paperboard sheet into adjacent panels in a direction parallel to the side edges and perpendicular to the leading edge, thereby to remove strips of waste from between adjacent panels, and feeding the leading edge into a laminating roller nip with laminating sheets prior to cutting into the transverse gap and continuously gripping the sheet between its side edges at a distance from the laminat

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ink cartridge assembly including applying plastic foils to opposite surfaces of a sheet of foam while heating the foils to a temperature above the melting temperature of the foils using a heating press, stamping out a foam body from the sheet, and inserting the body into an ink cartridge housing. Alternatively, the surfaces are covered with a perforated or porous varnish coating or with composite foils of first and second layers having different melting temperatures where the layer with the lower melting temperature is disposed against the sheet of foam.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the manufacture of fiber reinforced structures wherein tooling and a delivery head are employed for the placement of discrete, elongated fiber elements in mutually superimposed relationship to define reinforcement or stiffening members on fiber elements for the interiors or exteriors of composite shells and the consolidation of the fibers to form the cured composite structure. A consolidation medium is provided for the positioning and control of the fiber elements on the hard tooling and during the curing of the fiber elements. Method and apparatus for the manufacture of fiber reinforced structures.

Abstract: Laminated siding pieces and a method of producing them. A laminated siding workpiece is provided including a substantially flat piece of display material having a first major surface that is laminated to a bevelled piece of support material. The substantially flat piece of display material is cut through to form a laminated siding piece having a flat piece of display material, possessing a freshly cut major surface, laminated to a bevelled piece of support material.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ribbon roll by joining a splice tape to a ribbon, is capable of accomplishing automatization to deal with splice tapes different in length and kind. This method comprises a ribbon supply process, an edit process for joining first and second splice tapes to the ribbon and a take-up process for rolling up the ribbon joined to the first and second splice tapes. In the edit process, the first and second splice tapes are joined by an adhesive tape sticking section and its feeding quantity is adjusted by an accumulator. On the other hand, the ribbon is drawn out by a given length from a supply unit and cut. A rotating bed 42 supporting the cut ribbon is rotated so that the end of the cut ribbon comes into an opposed relation to the end of the first or second splice tape. In this state, the ribbon and the splice tape are joined to each other.

Abstract: Color swatch charts are formed by feeding sheets eighteen inches or longer in length with this long dimension of the sheet disposed transversely to the sheet travel direction. Ribbons in a row of eighteen inches or longer are simultaneously severed with the first and last swatch in each row of identical size and with the swatches having four square corners to form a rectangular shape. This orientation of the long axis of the sheet reduces the number of stations and the length of travel of the sheets, thereby increasing production. The sheets are fed through an adhesive applying station where spots of adhesive are applied in rows to the sheet. The sheet travels through a series of swatch forming and applying stations. At each such station, a plurality of swatch ribbons are fed forwardly and severed to form the individual swatches in a row; and a row of swatches is then transferred to and adhered by the adhesive spots on the sheet.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing a card product including a sheet with at least one cut-out and a card which is disposed in the cut-out of the sheet, wherein the sheet and the card are held together by at least one adhesive strip which is coated on one side with contact adhesive.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assembling a clutch plate includes forming arcuate segments from a friction material sheet, applying the arcuate segments to the ring in a fixed location with a temporary adherent, preferably to define intermediate spaces between the arcuate segments, and bonding the arcuate segments to the annular ring surface to form an automatic transmission clutch plate. Preferably, a set of multiple arcuate segments with independent edge boundaries are applied in a single workstation, and one or more sets may be applied to each annular surface by appropriately indexing the ring with respect to the application equipment. Preferably, the arcuate segments are formed by stamping the segments from sheets, the cuttings arranged at closely spaced positions on the sheet to reduce friction material waste.

Abstract: A thermally conductive film that includes a film of polymeric matrix material having a thickness t defined between a top surface and a bottom surface. A plurality of fibers, having a greater thermal conductivity than the polymeric matrix material, is disposed in the film and extends between the top surface and the bottom surface. Each of the fibers are oriented in the film to form a fiber-to-film surface angle .theta. relative to the top and bottom surfaces that is greater than about 45.degree. but is less than arctan t/d, where t is the thickness of the film and d is the diameter of the fibers in the direction of the angle .theta.. A shear/extruder apparatus is used to form the thermally conductive film from a sheet of composite prepreg material. An upper die block and a lower die block separated by a predetermined distance form an extrusion slot therebetween.

Abstract: An unseasoned veneer bonding method and an apparatus therefor capable of bonding unseasoned veneers to each other without being affected by the moisture content of the unseasoned veneers and with ease. The unseasoned veneer bonding method comprising the steps of: machining an end portion of at least one unseasoned veneer of unseasoned veneers with prescribed thickness to be bonded to form a portion thinner than the prescribed thickness; overlapping the thinner portion of the one unseasoned and an end portion of the other unseasoned veneer to each other through thermosetting bonding agent; and press-contacting a heating body to at least the thinner portion.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for making a multi-layer shingle by cutting an anterior layer of shingle material to have a headlap area and a tab area, and with a plurality of tabs being present in the tab area, separated by slotted openings. The tab area of the anterior shingle layer has a predetermined design that has a repeatability in the longitudinal direction, or from one edge of a shingle to another in the right-to-left direction, which repeatability is a function of the length of the shingle between said left and right edges, as well as being a function of the number of tabs in the anterior shingle layer, with the repeatability being smaller or greater than the length of the shingle in the longitudinal direction. Thereby, the apparatus produces an ornamental appearance that has a random, natural-looking effect when the shingles are laid up on a roof.

Abstract: A system for applying linerless labels to mailing items includes a label feeder for feeding a continuous length web of linerless label material from a supply roll through a loop path to a label applying station juxtaposed to the path traversed by mailing items conveyed on edge in sequential fashion by a belt conveyor. The label material passes through a web guide and advance assembly to a cutter station operative to sever the label material transversely and create labels of desired height. A paddle member is operative to engage and hold each successive label as it is being severed from the label material web generally simultaneously to adhere the adhesive side of the label against a mailing items passing through the label applying station. The various operating functions of the linerless label applying system may be coordinated by conventional control logic.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically making a laminated electrical or electronic device has a series of processing stations including an inspection station for inspecting the quality of printing at a series of indexed segments on a ceramic coated, continuous tape, a stack and tack station at which sequential segments of the tape are cut and stacked on top of each other to form a stack having a selected number of layers, a lamination station in which the stacked layers are laminated together, and a cutting station at which the stack is cut into a plurality of individual chips, a tape feed mechanism for indexing the tape segments sequentially through the inspection station and stack and tack station, and a drive mechanism for moving a stack from the stack and tack station through the lamination station and cutting station.

Abstract: A method and machine for producing a ring of abrasive sheet elements from which to form a rotary brush, and whereby the abrasive sheet elements are formed into an orderly row of abrasive elements of a length substantially equal to the mean circumference of the ring, and are connected to one another by feeding towards the row a flexible connecting element, and by connecting the flexible connecting element integrally to each of the sheet elements prior to curving the row to form the ring.

Abstract: The machine of the present invention is used to produce articles of apparel having an openable front or rear panel. It includes feeder mechanisms to supply two half width webs and webs for reinforced edges through cutter mechanisms where webs cut into segments for the desired garment are overlapped to provide a central opening. Segments are transferred to a carrier drum having folding devices which are operative while the drum rotates. A full width web with a pattern of adhesive pre-applied to selected margins is overlaid on top. The underlying segments have extension flaps along selected margins which are folded around and over the edges of the top panel segment and bondably seamed to it by means on, or co-acting with, the carrier drum. Seams can be made along transverse, longitudinal, or skewed lines by different folding device arrangements.

Abstract: The machine of the present invention fabricates briefs having an openable front panel from two continuous half width webs. The first and second web paths are transversely spaced. It includes feeding and folding devices to add a V-folded reinforcing strip along the edge of one web. Feeder and tensioning devices are included for elastomeric strands that shirr the briefs and to add a re-closable tape across the front panel opening. One of the webs is printed with adhesive at spaced intervals to bond portions of the two overlapped webs in central areas of overlap that become the rear panel after the web is cut into segments and transversely folded. The machine attaches components of the brief and cuts leg apertures and side flaps on each web while the advancing overlapped webs are continuous.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enveloping a series of absorbent cores with a fluid-permeable layer includes a first web supplying mechanism for providing a first layer of fluid-permeable material, and a depositing mechanism for positioning a series of absorbent cores on the first layer. Each of the absorbent cores defines a periphery thereof and includes superabsorbent material therein. A second web supplying means provides a second layer of fluid-permeable material to sandwich the absorbent cores between the first and second layers. A sealing mechanism secures the first layer to the second layer along an attachment region thereof which is located adjacent to at least a pair of side edge regions of the absorbent cores. The attachment region is constructed to substantially prevent movement of superabsorbent material from the absorbent cores through the attachment region.

Abstract: The bonding apparatus includes a belt for feeding a label continuum (10) in which labels have been continuously formed. The label continuum fed by the belt is cut to a predetermined length to obtain a label strip by a cutter. A pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed on a rear surface of the label strip. The label strip obtained by the cutting operation of the cutter is fed by a belt having a label-contact surface not easily bonded to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The label strip is fed to a bonding position with the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer thereof lightly bonded to the label-contact surface of the belt. The label strip fed by the belt is pressed against an object by a bonding roller serving and bonded thereto.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for continuously applying cut masking tapes MT on an elongated metal strip J in a longitudinal direction thereof, comprising means 20 for guiding said metal strip J to a given position in a width direction thereof at a first step; means 10 for continuously cutting an original masking tape MT into a given number of tapes having predetermined widths with reference to said guided given position and for supplying them at a second step; means 60 for continuously pressure adhering said cut masking tapes MT on said elongated metal strip J at a third step and means 50 for continuously separating and removing unnecessary part of said applied masking tapes MT at a fourth step.

Abstract: An automated film slide orienting and mounting system includes at least one detector for detecting the orientation of film, a knife assembly for successively cutting the film to generate film segments, a rotatable table for orienting the film segments into a proper orientation, a set of driver assemblies for progressively moving each film segment for insertion into a slide mount, and a magnetic writing device for writing the orientation of the film segment magnetically onto the slide mount in a region of magnetic material disposed upon each slide mount.

Abstract: A low pressure actuated labeling apparatus (10) for printing, cutting, and applying labels (L) to articles (A) such as envelopes, packages and parcels. A printing unit (12) prints predetermined information on a label, the label being on a roll (13) of continuous label stock. A cutting unit (14) cuts the label from an end of the roll of stock after the label is printed. The cut label is deposited on a tamper unit (16) which transports the label from a first position (P1) adjacent the cutting unit to a second position (P2) adjacent the article and affixes the label to the article. The tamper unit includes an air supply system (50) for supplying high volume, low pressure air. The system applies a vacuum to the tamper unit during transport of the label by the tamper unit and a forced air pressure on the tamper unit at the second position for moving the tamper unit to apply the label to the article. The air supply means includes a valve means (54) and a blower means (52).

Abstract: The machine of the present invention manufactures low-cost garments out of two plys of web material, preferably nonwoven material. It includes a pair of feeder mechanisms to supply two separate sheets of the web material through cutter mechanisms where the webs are cut into shapes suitable for the desired garment. The shapes of one sheet are larger than the shapes of the other sheet. The sheet with the larger shape is placed on a carrier, and the sheet with the smaller shape is placed thereupon. As the combined sheets are moved by the carrier, a plurality of folding mechanisms turns the edges of the larger sheet around the edges of the smaller sheet to create a seam which is subsequently secured, as by adhesives or sewing. The carrier may be either a rotating cylinder or it may move longitudinally. The seams may be created along machine direction lines, cross machine direction lines, or along lines at acute angles to either the direction of movement or perpendicular thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a corrugated substrate comprises a first assembly for advancing liner sheets including a corrugated medium and facing sheets and a second assembly for advancing fluting sheets. Each fluting sheet has bend surfaces along its top and bottom sides. An applicator applies adhesive along at least one of the top and bottom sides of the fluting sheets. The first assembly and second assembly advance the liner sheets and fluting sheets into contact with one another along the side of the fluting sheet having the adhesive. The fluting sheets are secured to the liner sheets to form a layered article having an upper and lower surface. A means for correlating operates the first assembly, second assembly, and applicator so that in each cycle of operation the layered article adheres to at least an additional layered article in succession.

Abstract: A pocket coil spring structure assembling apparatus for producing a pocket coil spring structure which includes a feeder mechanism to supply a group of pocket coil springs to a positioning transfer conveyor mechanism; a cutting mechanism between the feeding mechanism and the positioning transfer conveyor mechanism to cut the group of pocket coil springs to a predetermined length; a press holding mechanism to hold and lift the cut group of pocket coils springs on the positioning transfer conveyor mechanism by pressing the centers of opposite ends of each pocket coil springs; a pressing holding mechanism carrier mechanism to move the press holding mechanism in forward, backward, leftward, and rightward directions; a spray mechanism with a spray nozzle to apply adhesive to the cut group of pocket coil springs; a nozzle carrier to move the spray nozzle; and a controller mechanism for controlling each of the mechanisms.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for laminating a sheet of printed matter to a plastics sheet by removing a small portion of an adhesive protecting cover sheet from the plastics sheet, adhering a portion of the sheet of printed matter to the exposed plastics sheets, removing the remainder of the cover sheet from the plastic sheet, and then adhering the plastics sheet and the printed matter sheet together using apparatus comprising two rollers and a guard for separating the sheets prior to combining the sheets between the rollers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing sheets, includes placing a sheet on a carrier to form a sheet/carrier structure, sizing the sheet/carrier structure, stacking the sheet/carrier structure in a stacking apparatus having a second sheet stacked in advance therein, so that the sheet contacts the second sheet, aligning the sheets with pins, tacking the sheet to the second sheet and removing the carrier.

Abstract: An apparatus for the processing and segmenting of a cover-forming laminate web or sheeting structure which is adapted to interconnect a plurality of containers, such as the base members of blister packages each of which is designed to contain a hydrophilic contact lens in a sterile aqueous solution. More specifically disclosed is an apparatus for the imprinting, perforating, slitting and cutting the laminated web structure such that the severed laminate segments constitute printed covering label for an array of such containers, and whereby the laminated web or sheeting segment may be severed along weakening or perforation lines so as to provide a separable packaging arrangement for individual of the containers which are subsequently adhered thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying dispensing parts to a support web has a transfer device running synchronously with the web for applying the dispensing parts, a positioning device for the correct position separation and transfer of the dispensing parts to the transfer device and a feed device for supplying a dispensing web to the positioning device. The three devices are independently controllable with respect to their working speeds, so that by speed superimposing any random number of dispensing parts of random size and in random positions can be transferred to the support web.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for cyclically accelerating the leading end of a slower moving first material web to match the faster speed of a continuous second material web. The apparatus is comprised of a set of upstream metering rolls which feed the first material web at a constant slow speed, a set of downstream applicator rolls having a constant and relatively faster rotational velocity, and an acceleration mechanism which variably and alternately reverses and allows forward movement of a leading end segment of the first material web while allowing for the constant rotational velocities of the upstream and downstream rolls. The first material web is wrapped partially around the set of upstream rolls and the leading end segment thereof is wrapped partially around one of the downstream rolls. The acceleration mechanism is juxtapositioned between the upstream rolls and the downstream rolls in the feed path of the first material web.

Abstract: In an automatic heat-fusible tape pieces attaching apparatus, a plurality of tape cassettes, each including a reel support part rotatably supporting a tape reel and a tape guide part defining a tape guide path extending from the reel support part in a direction of drawing a thermoplactic tape, the tape guide part having pressure rollers sectioning a part of the tape guide path, and a window through which part of the pressure rollers is exposed to the outside from the tape guide part, are detachably supported at predetermined distances on a tape cassette support base situated alongside of a traveling path of the strip and movable along the traveling path for positioning. The support base is moved to position and hold a desired cassette in an extension line of the attaching portion, and the tape is cut off as the tape piece is left on the attaching portion, whereupon the tape is attached to the front surface of the strip by a thermoplastic tape piece fusing means.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming honeycomb structure from a plurality of substrate layers. The layers are bonded together by spaced, parallel, solid node strips of thermoplastic material pressed and heated above the softening temperature to bond to the substrate surfaces and form a block. Several alternative apparatuses are disclosed.

Abstract: A laminated object manufacturing (LOM) system for forming a plurality of laminations into a stack to create a three-dimensional object. The system includes an X-Y plotter device positioned above a work table, the work table being vertically movable. The X-Y plotter device includes a forming tool for forming a layer from a sheet of material positioned on the work table. The layers are bonded to each other with heat sensitive adhesives provided on one side thereof. A bonding tool or fuser is mounted to translate across the work table and apply a lamination force and heat to each of the layers. The X-Y plotter device and bonding tool are mounted to translate along rails mounted on a common reference frame. The reference frame includes two rigid beams positioned on a base frame. A sensor is provided between the bonding tool and the reference frame to sense the force applied by the bonding tool to the laminations and adjust the height of the work table in response thereto.

Abstract: In an apparatus for forming pipe insulation discrete panels of generally rigid planar board insulation are fed through a sizing apparatus to control thickness, then fed into a vertically oriented conveyor where adjacent ends of the panels are adhered to one another to form a continuum of panels passing through the conveyor. A horizontally moving severing station cuts the panels into transverse trapezoidal segments, such that each succeeding segment is reversed relative to the adjacent segments with the severing plane being common. A tipping mechanism tips the segments according to their orientation such that all of the segments are received on a horizontal conveyor in the same orientation. An accumulator conveyor abuts the base of each segment against each adjacent segment such that a solid surface is formed for the application a backing to integrate the trapezoidal segments. Alternatively, the panels are sized and end glued on a horizontal conveyor prior to forming a series of trapezoidal segments.

Abstract: A linerless label product, method of making, apparatus and method for dispensing the product wherein a convolutely wound web roll has one face coated with pressure sensitive adhesive while the other face is coated with a release material, the adhesive is interrupted in longitudinally spaced areas to provide transversely extending bands free of pressure sensitive adhesive with the web areas between bands being labels embodying alpha shapes, numeric shapes, graphics, thermally activated material and/or self-contained material; the preparation method including providing signal-stimulating means for each band and the apparatus and method of dispensing employs sensing of the signal-stimulating means to transversely sever the web in the bands.

Abstract: A device for controlling the production quality of a press, which manufactures package blanks from a sheet of material by transferring the sheet of materials, such as paperboard or corrugated board, chronologically through an infeed station, a die-cutting station, a waste-stripping station and a delivery station, has an arrangement for controlling the printing and blanking quality which includes a camera scanning the color register marks and a register mark for the positioning of the blanking of the sheet. The camera is located at the outlet of the die-cutting station so that it can scan the marks applied on the lower side of the sheet. The device includes a marking device, which is driven by the arrangement for controlling the printing and blanking quality, to mark a defective sheet and is positioned in the delivery station of the press.

Abstract: The invention comprises an apparatus for cutting cardboard boxes into panels of uniform widths and removing irregularities from the panels, for sorting the panels and for assembling several series of panels end to end and assembling the series of panels face to face to make a multiple thickness corrugated web. The apparatus can ensure that seams between panels in one layer are laterally displaced from seams in adjacent layers and can provide for wrapping paper or cardboard around the corrugated web.

Abstract: A machine for cutting and moistening plastic tubes, and presenting: a reel about which the tube is wound; a feed device for feeding the tube in a given direction; a cutting device for cutting the tube to define a portion; and a dispensing device for dispensing adhesive on to an end of the portion. The machine also presents a gripping device for gripping the portion during cutting, and for conveying the portion to the dispensing device; and a detecting device which, following dispensing of the adhesive, detects the presence of the operator's hand gripping the portion, and de-activates the gripping device to release the portion into the operator's hand.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polarization plate to a surface of a liquid crystal cell in a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal panel, where a rotary table is disposed with loading domains for the liquid crystal cell, with each domain sequentially moving to carry-in, cleaning, gluing and carry-out stations.The cleaning mechanism serves to cause an elastic plate to be pushed to the surface of the liquid crystal cell, thereby removing foreign objects.The gluing mechanism serves to cut the polarization plate on the carrier tape to a predetermined length, to thereby allow the same to be a polarization plate chip, which is in turn absorbed and supported by the glue head. The polarization chip is now torn apart from the carrier tape to thereby be glued to the surface of the liquid crystal cell.By this, process of picking up the polariation plate can be shortened and the position of the polarization plate can be determined in a state of the polarization plate being absorbed and supported by the glue head.

Abstract: A strip of resilient material is clamped uniformly across the width of the material at a first position by vertically spaced clamps which are separated to stretch a section of the material beyond the elastic limit. The stretched section of material is released and transported on a horizontal conveyor to a second position where the stretched section is cut by a cutter providing edges of reduced thickness which are suitable for overlapping other stretched edges of reduced thickness for splicing.

Abstract: A system for the automated production of an identification card includes a two-part security media and apparatus for printing, laminating and die-cutting the security media to form discrete identification cards. The two-part security media includes a continuous web of an opaque backing film, and a continuous web of a clear cover film which acts as a receptor for receiving a thermally printed digital card image. A first thermal web printer is operative for printing a reversed digital card image onto an inner surface of the cover film adjacent a terminal end thereof. A second thermal web printer prints a second image onto the back of the backing film at a terminal end thereof. The printed ends of the backing and cover films are advanced to a cutting station wherein they are aligned in overlying relation and severed from their webs.

Abstract: An index tray is pivoted in a housing, the tray having a recess for receiving a sticky coated disc and resiliently urged out of the housing for receiving the disc. An alignment detent device holds the tray in a retracted position in the housing cavity with the disc aligned at a predetermined location. A sheet of paper with pictorial or graphical indicia thereon is inserted into the cavity above the tray and disc. A transparent cylindrical press knob permits visual alignment of the indicia to the disc. Blades attached to the knob lower edge penetrate the sheet when the knob is depressed. A clamp coupled to the knob clamps the sheet to the tray in response to depressing the knob. After the knob is depressed, it is permitted to rotate in one direction only by a ratchet device to sever the sheet into a mating disc shape for attachment to the sticky surface of the disc on the tray. After the sheet is cut, the knob is lifted automatically and the tray, when released, springs open.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for fusing tabs of a hook or loop fastener material to opposing ends of an elongated band of cooperating hook or loop fastener material. The tabs are fed from two sources of a first material on opposing sides of a bonding station. The band is formed from a supply of a second material which is first fed to a transfer device having first and second grippers. The grippers transfer the band of material to the bonding station in a direction transverse to the transfer of the tabs to the bonding station, and the ends of the band are placed in overlapping relationship with the tabs. Subsequently, a pair of ultrasonic welding horns are moved into contact with the overlapping material to fuse the band of material to the tabs. The apparatus operates under the control of a programmable controller and the length of the band may be varied by altering a length of the second material fed between the grippers of the transfer mechanism.

Abstract: Label applying apparatus (e.g. a stamper) includes a system for advancing articles (18B) with labels applied to them to a stabilising region (32) following a signal to interrupt operation of the apparatus. This, together with means for inhibiting further feed of labels to the adhesive applicator (16), prevents unnecessary waste of labels and/or articles. The apparatus includes a pinch roller (42) carried by a knife drum (12) arranged to sever successive leading ends of a web (2) of label material to form individual labels, the roller cooperating with a suction drum (14) to ensure reliable separation and transfer of successive labels.