US3208428A

US3208428A - Tape dispenser with quick-demountable self-adjusting cutter mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3208428A
Application number: US214678A
Authority: US
Inventors: Britton H Doyle
Original assignee: Nashua Corp
Current assignee: Nashua Corp
Priority date: 1962-08-03
Filing date: 1962-08-03
Publication date: 1965-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-28

Description

Sept. 28, 1965 B. H. DOYLE 3,208,428

TAPE DISPENSER WITH QUICK-DEMOUNTABLE SELF-ADJUSTING CUTTER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 28, 1965 B. H. DOYLE 3,208,423

TAPE DISPENSER WITH QUICK-DEMOUNTABLE SELF-ADJUSTING CUTTER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 by v Sept. 28, 1965 B. H. DOYLE 3,208,428

TAPE DISPENSER WITH QUICK-DEMOUNTABLE SELF-ADJUSTING CUTTER MECHANISM Filed Aug. 3, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 a A N INVENTOR.

Sept. 28, 1965 B. H. DOYLE 3,208,428

TAPE DISPENSER WITH QUICK-DEMOUNTABLE SELF-ADJUSTING CUTTER MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 3, 1962 Z2 Jew United States Patent 3,208,428 TAPE DISPENSER WITH QUICK-DEMOUNTABLE SELF-ADJUSTING CUTTER MECHANISM Britton H. Doyle, Nashua, N.H., assignor to Nashua Corporation, Nashua, N.H., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 214,678 11 Claims. (Cl. 118-41) This invention relates to the general class of machines and devices commonly known as strip servers or tape dispensers for delivering lengths of adhesively conditioned paper and other flexible tape and strip material asfor packaging, labeling and other purposes.

More particularly the invention aims to provide in machines of the class described new and improved constructions and cooperative arrangements for the operational elements at the forward or delivery portion of such machines, especially the mechanism and devices for guiding to delivery, adhesively conditioning and severing leading lengths of the tape fed from a supply. An accompanying object is that such devices with the main tape-engaging elements thereof be rendered easily and quickly demountable by mere manual withdrawal from operative installation on the machine frame, to facilitate cleaning, reconditioning, replacement or other attention in the field.

As one aspect the invention especially concerns in machines of the stated class the quick demountable and self-adjusting severing or cutter mechanism or device as a sub-assembly including normally fixed and coacting movable blades as elements thereof. The invention also concerns the tape delivery guiding and the adhesively conditioning devices or sub-assemblies, together with the improved combination and cooperative relation of such cutter mechanism therewith and in which larger combination the units thereof are mutually operatively installed and correlatively positioned in the tape dispensing machine yet with capacity for instant withdrawal of the adhesively conditioning and delivery guiding devices themselves as sub-assembly units with resultant unobstructed access for the hand of the operator or servicer directly to the cutter sub-assembly.

Such larger combinational assembly of this invention in tape dispensers will at times be referred to herein as the tape adhesively conditioning, delivery guiding and severing assembly. As stated, the invention herein disclosed comprises such assembly and also the sub-assemblies or devices thereof individually. Claims to such major assembly and to the cutter mechanism sub-assembly and elements thereof are contained in this application. Other aspects of the tape dispenser invention including the adhesively conditioning and delivery guiding mechanisms or sub-assemblies and elements thereof are being presented in my divisionally related application Serial No. 262,508, filed March 4, 1963.

While herein illustrated for present disclosure purposes as incorporated with a tape dispenser of the automatic type, such for example as that of the patent to Lakso No. 2,776,833 of January 8, 1957 and with which automatic type the improved severing mechanism and associated operating means of this invention particularly c0- operates, the invention in its broader aspects is useful in other types of tape dispensers including the semiautomatic and the manual devices of the general class mentioned.

In the drawings illustrating by way of example one embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the fore portion of a tape dispenser with the top cover in part broken away;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view looking at the right side of the machine with the cover plate of the side parts Patented Sept. 28, 1965 compartment exterior to the right side frame largely broken away;

FIG. 3 is a view mainly in longitudinal vertical section substantially central of the same forward portion of the machine as in FIGS. 1 and 2, thus being taken between the opposed side frames;

FIG. 3a is a view like FIG. 3 showing the forward portion thereof in front of the feeding rolls on a substantially enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a vertical transverse section as upon the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and looking toward the rear, i.e., toward the right in FIG. 3, and upon a larger scale; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of main elements of the cutter mechanism, showing them in the course of being removed or replaced, and with tape guiding and conditioning or moistening parts forward of the knives demounted for fully exposing the cutter station of the machine.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, the tape dispenser selected for the purposes of illustration comprises a frame or housing with laterally spaced parallel left and right side frames 1 and 2 connected by cross rods, two of which are seen at 3, 3 in FIGS. 2 and 3. At one side of the machine, herein at the right for the operator facing the machine, i.e., as looking at FIGS. 4 and 5 or looking from left to right at FIGS. 1 to 3 in the front to rear direction lengthwise of the machine, the right side frame 2 has an outwardly laterally projecting auxiliary mechanism compartment 2a with removable side cover plate 2b, the latter largely broken away on FIGS. 2 and 3. A rear-pivoted top cover 4, FIG. 1, normally resting along the top longitudinal edges of the housing side frames 1, 2 cover the main compartment or housing interior defined between said frames.

The tape T from a supply roll R, FIG. 3, in a supporting well 5 between rear portions of the side frames passes forwardly as over a guide roll 6 to a feed channel defined by and between lower and

upper guide plates

7 and 8 on the side frames. The lower guide plate 7 has side attaching flanges 7a and at the front end is held in opposed slotted lugs 9 on the side frames; see FIG. 5. The upper guide plate 8 is pivotally supported at the rear end by overturned hinge finger portions 8a loosely received on one of said cross rods 3. The forward portion of this upper guide plate rests by gravity on the lower plate 7, or on the tape when present between them, so that it has controlled capacity to yield vertically and also to limited extent horizontally for purposes of selfadjustment to different tapes and for floating in holddown manner on the tape. The feed channel provided by

said guide plates

7, 8 extends forwardly to the cut-off or severing station designated generally at S at which is located the cutter mechanism to be described.

Travel of the tape to and past such severing station S to delivery at the front of the machine, as at the left on FIG. 3, is accomplished by rotary feed means comprising a pair of opposed and herein bodily separable feed rolls or wheels 11, 12 at an intermediate location along the

feed channel plates

7, 8, the latter being apertured for feeding contact by said rolls 11, 12 with the opposite faces of the tape passing between them. One of the feed rolls, the lower roll 11 in the example, is suitably driven by power or otherwise, being herein rotatably mounted on a transverse shaft 13 journaled in the machine housing and extending into a gear box 14 on the left side frame 1, see FIG. 1, wherein gearing such as a worm wheel and worm pair 15, 15', shown dotted and partly schematically on FIG. 3, operatively connects said lower feed roll shaft 13 to the shaft 16 of a motor M, similarly for example as in said Patent 2,776,833.

The companion upper feed roll 12 is supported for bodily separating movement to and from feeding rela tion with the tape and lower roll 11. Accordingly, noting FIGS. 1 to 3, it is disposed on a short transverse shaft 17 having bearing support in a sleeve 18 at the fore end of one arm 19 of a two-arm lever 20 rockably mounted on the-mentioned cross rod 3 on which the rear end of the upper guide plate 8 is hung. The other arm 21 of said lever extends downwardly and has at the lower end a fork 22 straddling a longitudinally movable actuator or control rod 25 between collars thereon. Said actuator rod is moved in one direction, herein rearwardly, toward the right in FIG. 2, by electromagnetic means 26 under control of the operator. Such actuator movement rocks the roll-carrying lever 20 counterclockwise, thereby closing roll 12 to said tape-feeding relation and starting a dispensing cycle. On subsequent release of said electromagnetic means return of the rolls to normal inactive or non-feeding relation is effected by a coil spring 27 surrounding the actuator rod 25 and adapted to return the actuator rod 25 forwardly, to the left on FIG. 2, for rocking said upper roll carrier lever 20 reversely, clockwise on FIG. 2. This return action lifts the upper roll 12 and halts the tape feed, with the desired length thereof advanced forwardly past said severing station S.

In such feeding actions lengths of the tape T are advanced beyond said severing station S along a path defined by further tape guiding and adhesively conditioning means shown as of a moisture applying type for use with dry gummed tape, and comprising the sub-assemblies earlier mentioned.

In accordance with the invention such means which lie forwardly of the severing station S are constructed and arranged as sub-assemblies or units adapted to be quickly and easily removable by mere manual withdrawal, for inspection and attention thereto, and especially to give unobstructed access for the hand of the operator or servicer directly to the severing station S. Said subassemblies forwardly of the severing station S will first be described, to facilitate an understanding of the cooperative relation thereof with the quick-demountable severing means to be described later.

Such mechanism forwardly beyond the severing station S comprises two sub-assemblies each constructed and arranged to be manipulated as a unit for installing and demounting them, namely a moistener unit and a tape depressor unit. In mounting and use these units interact with each other and with the severing means with resultant moistening and guiding to delivery of adhesively conditioned severed tape lengths.

The moistener unit is designated generally at 30, FIGS. 1 to 3. It comprises a liquid reservoir or tank 31 of elongate generally rectangular shape. The tank 31 is removably disposed on the machine, being adapted to be slid lengthwise into the space between the lower front portions of the side frames 1, 2. The rear portion of the tank 31 is received, guided and supported on opposed slide ways 2x at the side frame inner faces. In installed position the tank 31 projects at the front of the machine where it is easily grasped for withdrawal and re-insertion. The tank front portion receives bottom support by the mentioned front bottom cross rod 3 which also serves as a locating stop for the tank in the longitudinal direction, in cooperation with depending ribs 32 at the tank bottom wall having laterally aligned notches 32a for receiving said cross rod 3. The under faces of said ribs 32 back of the locking notches 32a preferably have a cam-like forward and downward inclination to assist direct horizontal sliding insertion of the tank. At such time, camming engagement of said rib inclines with the cross rod 3 automatically lifts and guides the tank front end for downward seating of the notches 32a about the rod. The illustrated tank 31 has near the front end a laterally offset channel 31x communicating between the tank interior and an auxiliary trough 33 extending rearwardly outside the left side frame 1 and supporting a fountain-type inverted container 34 for a reserve supply of moistening liquid to maintain that in the tank at the appropriate level.

The moistener unit 30 further comprises a capillary type moistener below and projecting upwardly into the tape path for moistening engagement with the underface of the tape advanced across it. Such means as shown is of the inverted brush type, in this example comprising two

bristle brushes

35, 36 disposed in tandem, with their butts 35a, 36a downward in seats between locating spacers 37 integrally or otherwise provided in the tank. The projecting free end of the front brush 35 rests forwardly against the rear edge of the tank front top cover plate 38 that provides a delivery station at which the fed lengths of moistened and severed tape are presented to the hand of the operator.

The moistener unit or sub-assembly herein also includes tape guide means thereon forming the lower element of the tape-path-defining guide throat from the severing station S forwardly to the projecting moistening ends of the

brushes

35, 36. Noting particularly FIG. 3, said guide means on the moistener unit comprises an under-tape guide plate or underguide 39 extending transversely for the full width of and below the tape path. Longitudinally, in the installed operative position of the parts, said tank-carried underguide 39 extends from substantially the transverse vertical plane of the cutter station S and at a level below the front end of the mentioned rear lower guide 7 and of the fixed blade to be described, whence it inclines forwardly and upwardly to receive and direct the leading portion of the tape to and across the presented uper ends of the brush moistener.

To facilitate installation of the

brushes

35, 36 in the tank 31 and removal from it as for cleaning or other purposes said tank-carried underguide 39 for the tape is disposed on the tank with capacity for retraction thereon relative to the brushes, in the demounted status of the moistener unit 30 as a whole. In the example of the drawings said underguide 39 is slidably mounted on a rear top cover 40 of the tank and which cover it itself preferably removably set on the tank and secured as by screws. A downwardly offset horizontal rearward extension 39x of this underguide 39 rests fiatwise on said cover 40. One or more longitudinal guide slots 41 in the latter slidably receive corresponding guide pins 42 depending from said extension 39x and having heads or enlargements at the lower ends for retention of the underguide 39 on the cover 40. Below the letter a removable horizontal baffle 43 in the tank opposes escape of liquid at said guide slots 41.

The moistener unit 30 further includes means whereby in the act of installing the unit the described slidably retractable underguide 39 is automatically correctly located lengthwise the tape path and with respect to the

brush moistener

35, 36 and the severing station S. Accordingly in the example an upstanding part on the rear portion of said underguide 39, shown as a plurality of upturned stop lugs 44 on the rear extension 39x, is adapted to abut an operatively stationary part on the machine frame, herein the demountable lower blade of the severing means to be described, at points thereon below and operatively clear of the down-stroke of the associated movable blade 85.

Thus as the moistener unit 30 as a whole is inserted into the machine engagement of said stop lugs 44 with said operatively stationary blade 80 limits rearward movement of the underguide 39 and in the calculated somewhat further inward movement of the tank 31 said underguide is shifted forwardly relative to the tank. This action in effect is to thrust said underguide 39 into contact with the projecting upper end of the rear brush 36, compacting the herein tandem brushes 35, 36 between said underguide 39 and the rear edge of the tank front cover 38, giving them appropriate forward and upward inclination substantially as illustrated, and correctly presenting them for eflicient moisture application to the gummed underface of the tape advanced across them.

The forward edge of said tape underguide 39 as shown has a downturned and rearwardly inclined transverse lip 45 for the above coaction with the brush moistener. The relative dimensioning of said underguide 39 in the direction of the tape path and as to the distance between the operatively installed brush element and the underguide rear limit stop, herein the lower blade 80 as mentioned, is determined as appropriate for the described automatic positioning of the parts in operative relation by mere insertion of the moistening sub-assembly or unit. The same act of inserting said unit also locks in place said herein demountable but operatively stationary lower blade 80. It is to be noted that with the moistener unit 30 installed the upfacing tape guiding surface of said tank-carried underguide 39 thereof extends uninterruptedly from a point at the severing station S closely adjacent to the transverse vertical plane of tape severance, and forwardly to the moistening element, for unobstructed passage of the tape to and across the latter.

Further tape-engaging means included in the major assemblage of adhesively conditioning, delivery guiding and severing elements for tape dispensers, as referred to in the specification preamble, overlies the described underguide 39 and

brush moistener element

35, 36, in the space thereabove between the machine side frames 1, 2. Such further means has top guiding, depressing and holding functions for the tape as it is moistened and delivered. Said means constitutes a structural and functional part of the adhesively conditioning and delivery guiding mechanism of the machine, includes novel provisions for pressure regulation for the tape at the moistener and is novelly constructed and arranged for operative mounting in and demounting from the machine. This means or device, designated generally by the numeral 50, is at times herein referred to as the tape depressor and top guide subassembly or unit. It is so correlated with the described moistener unit 30 that these two

units

30 and 50 are withdrawably demountable, either of them selectively while leaving the other in place, or both of them together or in either order individually. On demounting both

units

30 and 50 direct unobstructed horizontal access is thereby had to the demountable blade elements of the cutter mechanism or sub-assembly as herein particularly concerned both sub-combinationally and in the stated larger combination of adhesively conditioning, delivery guiding and severing means in a tape dispensing machine.

As seen in longitudinal central section in FIG. 3, noting also FIGS. 1 and 2, the top guide and depressor unit 50 has an operatively stationary holder and locating member 51 spanning the tape path and including a flat plate 52 overlying and vertically spaced from the described tank-carried underguide 39 and forming with the latter a guide throat for the tape between the severing station S and the brush moistener element. The rear transverse edge portion of said throat plate 52 is upturned as at 53 for guided admission of the tape as it comes from the

rear guide throat

7, 8 behind the severing station S and feeds forwardly through the latter. Vertical spacers on the underguide 39 and laterally outside the tape path, as at 39s, are adapted to engage the underface of said throat plate 52 and appropriately elevate it relative to the underguide 39 to assure clear passage for the tape through the brush-approaching front guide throat 39, 52.

Said throat plate 52 of the stationary holder part 51 has at each side of the tape path and adjacent the respective machine side frames 1, 2 an upright longitudinal flange 54 FIGS. 1 to 3. These laterally spaced parallel flanges 54 have portions projecting forwardly beyond the front tranverse edge of the throat plate 52, for pivotally mounting the depressor or floating platen carrier 60 to be referred to. At the rear ends said flanges 54 are formed with rearwardly open notches 55 which in the installed position of the depressor unit 50 as a whole slidably and pivotally engage with positioner studs 56 at the inner faces of the respective adjacent side frames 1, 2. The latter also present opposed generally horizontal guide ways or ribs 57, preferably with a slight rearward and downward inclination, for directing the entire tape depressor unit 50 into operative position under sliding insertion at the front of the machine and then assisting to support it in such position.

Said stationary holder 51 of the depressor unit 50 also is provided with means for looking it, and consequently the entire guide and depressor unit 50 against-unintentional forward displacement, said means being automatically interlocked with a fixed portion of the machine frame in the procedure of slidably inserting said unit 50. For this purpose the mentioned pair of flanges 54 have at said forwardly projecting portion thereof depending stops 58 adapted to seat behind fixed shoulders 59 at the front of the machine side frames 1, 2 respectively, which shoulders 59 are best seen in FIG. 5. Said stops have at the backs thereof cam surfaces 58x appropriately upwardly and rearwardly inclined substantially as shown for automatic camming engagement with the top faces of said fixed shoulders 59 on the machine frame thereby to cause the front portion of the holder 51 to ride up over and then drop behind said fixed shoulders 59, under rearward thrusting insertion of the depressor unit 50 as a Whole, thereby automatically locking it in place. At the same time the engagement of said rear notches 55 of the flanges 54 with the studs 56 on the frames serves to limit rearward inserting movement of the depressor unit 50 and also to permit said camming engagement and ride up over by the holder 51 under vertical rocking movement about said studs as pivots.

The described holder 51 of the sub-assembly unit 50 has mounted on it for rocking about a transverse horizontal pivot axis the platen carrier 60 earlier mentioned. This latter in turn supports the platen or depressor proper 70 for pivotal and controlled floating movement relative to it and in vertical opposition to the

brushes

35, 36 and to the tape passing forwardly over them. Said carrier 60 and plate 70 are novelly constructed and arranged for effecting selectively adjustable down pressure on the tape for eflicient moistening of the gummed under face thereof in accordance with the particular nature of the tape as to flexibility, weight, width or other physical characteristics causing the tape to require greater or less degree of down pressure on it during its moisture receiving delivery over said moistener brushes.

Said platen carrier 60 is of a yoke-like U-form as viewed in plan, FIG. 1, including a rear cross-piece 61 and forwardly extending

longitudinal ide legs

62, 62. Said carrier 60 is dimensioned laterally :of the machine for reception between the side flanges 54 of the holder 51 with the legs 62 adjacently paralleling them respectively. It is mounted to be able to tilt rockably in a vertical plane paralleling the tape path. The transverse horizontal axis of such tilting is provided by a supporting pivot pin 63 having the ends seated in transversely aligned bearing aperture-s in midlength portions of said legs 62.

Said pivot pin 63 in turn is bodily mounted on and by the side flanges 54 of holder 51 as by headed screw studs 64 inserted through transversely aligned holes in the respective flanges and tapped into the adjacent ends of said pivot pin 63. Down tilting of the fore end of this carrier 60, in the absence of the brush moistener unit below it, is limited by a stop pin 65 at the inner face of one of the holder flanges 54 and projecting into an ar cuate slot 66 in said flange and described about the axis of the pivot pin 63 as a center. The carrier tilting movement in the opposite direction, clockwise viewing FIGS. 2 and 3, elevating the fore end of the carrier 60, is limited by downward contact of the lower edge of the carrier rear cross-piece 61 onto the top face of the throat plate 52 of the operatively stationary holder 51.

On the tiltable carrier 60 at a level above the axis of tilt defined by the pivot pin 63 and it supporting end studs 64 is a pressure regulating weight 67 spanning between the

carrier legs

62, 62. It is slidably adjustably mounted on said legs for shifting toward and from the front ends thereof, as by longitudinal slots let into the respective lateral ends of said weight 67 and slidably receiving therein the inner margins of shelf-like tracks 68 formed in lateral opposition along the upper portions of said carrier legs 62. Said tracks 68 each have a series of laterally opposite pairs of weight locating notches 6 8a along the inner edges. The weight 67 is releasably held selectively at any of the notch pairs as by outwardly urged spring detents or latches 69, 69, FIG. 1, such as U-shaped spring-metal members held with the upright limbs compressed toward each other in vertical recesses at the weight lateral ends and constructed and arranged so that the outer spring limbs of said detents 69 will snap into any selected pair of the notches 68a when brought opposite them under manual regulative shifting of the weight 67 on the tracks 68. Said outer limbs of the detents 69 are laterally spaced within easy grasping range between the thumb and finger of the machine operators hand and have the upwardly projecting top ends rounded over or otherwise formed as at 69x, FIGS. 2 and 3 for comfortable engagement in said manner for yieldably moving them toward each other to release the detents for said regulatory shifting of the weight 67.

As also disclosed in the mentioned related application more particularly concerned with the described moistener and tape delivery and depressor mechanism hereof for use generally in tape dispensers, the pressure regulatory weight 67 has an extensive range of adjustment. The rearmost notch pair 68a determines a rear position in which it overbalances the carrier 60 and compels lifting of the front part thereof so that the platen 70 thereon, to be further described, is entirely relieved of down pressure other than that of its own gravitational weight, leaving it to float freely on the tape at the

brushes

35, 36. The other pairs of notches 68a are so located on the carrier leg tracks 68 and relative to the carrier pivot axis 63 that forward adjustment of the weight 67 to any of said notch pairs, as determined by automatic engagement of the detents at a selected notch pair, in effect oppositely overbalances the carrier 60, by concentration of the load forwardly of said pivot axis 63. The appropriate degree of depressive loading for the particular tape being dispensed is selectible by disposing the Weight 67 more forwardly for increased loading, and reversely toward the rear of the machine for lesser down pressure on the tape,

the down force being proportionate to the variable leverarm distance to which the center of mass of the effective weight is adjusted relative to the pivotal support axis 63, as between a maximum loading corresponding to the foremost weight 67 position to a zero or negative loading at the rearmost position, at which latter the mass center is shifted to be behind the transverse line of the pivot axis 63, with the platen-carrying front part of the carrier 60 accordingly elevated, fully freeing the platen 70 for independently floating thereof on the tape. The weight 67 desirably is stopped against unintended escape from its supporting tracks -or ways 68, herein at the rear end thereof, by the carrier rear cross-piece 61 and at the front ends of the tracks by stop nubs 68s thereon for said purpose.

Said platen 70 as herein illustrated comprises a flat bottom piece 71 with smooth downface for contacting and depressingly guiding the tape passing below it with the brush-facing gummed faced of the tape in appropriate moisture-receiving relation to the vertically opposite updirected ends of the moistener brushes 35, 36 as determined by the described selective platen-pressure adjustment. Said platen bottom piece 71 is of a dimension longitudinally of the machine to extend from the front edge of the described operatively stationary throat plate 52 of the holder part 51 of this guide-depressor unit 50 and well forward into vertical opposition to said moistener means 35, 36. For operatively retaining the platen while lending the described floating capacity thereto the bottom piece 71 has an integral hanger portion herein provided by a forwardly overturned extension 72 of the rear margin of the bottom piece 71, giving the platen 70 as a whole a flattened hollow tubular form in cross-section, said extension including a vertical rear wall, a top Wall spaced above and generally paralleling the bottom piece 71, and a retaining front wall downturned toward said bottom piece, the latter together with said walls of the extension 72 defining an operatively enclosed space as indicated at 73 extending across the tape path and having said flattened tubular cross-sectional form with the major cross-sectional dimension disposed in the direction of the tape path. The dimensioning of said platen-retaining space is made sufficient to receive the mentioned pivot pin 63 of the carrier with considerable vertical as well as horizontal clearance, and similarly to receive a second retainer means spaced in front of said relatively fixed pivot pin 63 but mounted on the tiltable carrier 60, said means shown as a bar 74 spanning between the legs 62 of said carrier and removably held thereon as by screws extending inwardly through and tapped into the respective ends of said legs. Said front platen-retainer means 74 is of lesser cross-sectional dimension at least vertically than the pivot pin 63, or the retainer space 73 is vertially enlarged, or both, to accord vertical pivotal capacity to the platen 70 relative to the operatively fixed pivot pin 63 as an axis. Additionally the location and longitudinal spacing between said pivot pin 63 and said front retainer bar 74, also the major cross-sectional dimension of the retainer space 73 in the direction paralleling the tape path, are so calculated as to afford self-adjusting bodily freedom for the platen forwardly and rearwardly in said direction.

Thus the platen 70 has vertical pivotal capacity, for higher or lower positioning of its front portion for selfadjustment to the brush moistener means 35, 36, together with the bodily free-floating capacity for the like purpose, subject also to the selectively controllable down-pressure adjustment as described. It is further notable that the tape-guiding under face of the platen bottom piece 71, which is of full tape-path width for any width of tape up to the maximum for the given machine, also has substantial extent lengthwise the tape path, giving the platen 70 amply extensive operative area for pressure-regulated depressing contact with the tape and in vertical opposition to a correspondingly large area of the brush moistener means, all in the presence of the substantially universal bodily adjustive capacity of the structural example as illustrated and described herein.

In the operation of the tape feeding, guiding and moisture-applying form of adhesively conditioning means as exemplified in the drawings and described to this point, plus the operation of the severing means remaining now to be described in structural and functional detail it will be understood that the tape T from the supply roll R is advanced by the rotary feed means 11, 12 through the severing station S and by the medium of the delivery-guiding and depressor unit 50 and its operatively associated moistener unit 30 is directed forwardly across the moistener means 35, 36 and through the delivery station at the delivery table provided by the described tank front cover plate 38. There the trailing end of the fed and sevcred length of adhesively conditioned tape is temporary held between the brushes and the depressor-guide unit 50 including the platen 70, ready to be picked up for applicational use by the operator.

Turning now to the severing station S and the important feature of blade demountability for the cutter mechanism thereat under the invention, it is apparent from the foregoing that fully unobstructed manual access to said station is immediately afforded by simple forward withdrawal of said sub-assemblies or

units

30 and 50, each as 9 a self-contained individual unit; also that either

unit

30 or 50 may be likewise withdrawn independently when so desired for any reason, such as quick inspection.

Noting especially FIGS. 4 and 5, at said station S the severing or cutting mechanism comprises an operatively stationary one-piece knife or blade 80, a cooperating one-piece movable knife or blade 85, herein of a guillotine form, novelly associated suspension means for the latter, together with operating connections for the movable blade 85. In this novelly constructed and arranged mechanism features of major importance include the easy and quick manual demountability for each of said

blades

80 and 85, each as a one-piece element, the mutual operative positioning and guidance of the blades, with the operatively stationary blade 80 held in place by the companion movable blade 85, and the improved self-aligning coaction of the blade pair as afforded by the novel suspension means for said movable blade 85, while nevertheless possessing said capacity for quick demounting manually and without necessary resort to use of a tool.

Such operatively stationary blade 80 consists of a metal strip or bar of L-shape in cross-section, FIGS. 3 and 5 and of an extent transversely of the machine and of the tape path to span between the side frames 1, 2. As installed one leg 81 of the L, shown somewhat longer than the other, is horizontally disposed with the free margin directed rearwardly, said leg 81 serving as the support base for this one-piece blade 80 as a whole. The other leg 82 is upwardly directed, stands forwardly of the supporting leg 81 and has the top face ground to present along the front margin a sharp cutting edge 83 for lineal shearing coaction with the movable blade 85. Both

blades

80 and 85 are desirably of knife-quality steel adapted to have at least the shearing edge portions tempered and ground to provide clean-cutting and endurant shearing action upon the tape. The front face of the cutter leg 82 of this stationary blade 80 as shown has a rearward and downward slant so as to leave said sharp edge 83 at the top front corner of the leg free and clear for good shearing contact with the vertically travelled movable blade 85. Said cutting edge 83 desirably and as indicated at 83a, FIG. 5, has a slight forward bow in the horizontal plane for increasing shearing pressure of the two

blades

83, 85 against each other along the transverse medial region as the movable blade 85 descends in performing a tape shearing operation.

The described operatively stationary blade 80 is demountably positioned on the machine frame by means of mutually aligned horizontal slot-form track-like seats 84, FIG. 5, at the inner faces of the side frames 1, 2 and adapted for slidably receiving the blade support leg 81. Said slot seats, open laterally inwardly and at the front ends are formed in bosses or lugs on the respective side frames and which as shown may be the same earlier-mentioned lugs 9 which at an adjacently higher level mount the front end portion of the lower guide plate 7 of the tape feed channel that conducts the tape to the cutter blades at the severing station S. From the fore going description in connection with the views, particularly FIG. 5, it is evident that installation and demounting of this operatively stationary blade 80 is had by simple sliding insertion of the support leg 81 rearwardly and horizontally into the positioning seats 84 therefor, the moistener and the and the

depressor units

30 and 50 being first removed by forward sliding withdrawal as assumed in said FIG. 5. This blade 80 is properly located, lengthwise the machine, by abutment of the substantially vertical rear face of the cutter leg 82 against the front ends of said seat-presenting lugs 9 acting as rear stops. When so installed said blade 80 is securely retained by the movable blade 85 itself, in mutually self-aligning relation, as further evident from the following description and corresponding illustration in the drawings.

The cutter mechanism, in the entire sub-assembly thereof and in addition to the individually demountable 10 blades 80, themselves, includes a carrier yoke for the movable blade 85. The description first of such blade carrier 95 will facilitate an understanding of the mounting and operation of said movable blade of the demountable pair.

Said carrier yoke 95 comprises a generally rectangular body or carrier bar 96 above and extending transversely of the tape path and medially aligned with the longitudinal central zone thereof. It is mounted for up and down blade-actuating movement about a fixed horizontal pivot axis transverse of the machine. Said yoke bar 96 accordingly has rear-projecting

parallel side arms

97, 98 with hearing apertures at the rear ends for pivotal sup ported connection with laterally opposed inwardly projecting bosses 99, 100 on the respective side frames 1, 2 and having bearing pins 101, 102 received in said arm apertures. One carrier arm, herein arm 98 at the right of the machine, has an integral lateral extension shown as of U-form in transverse vertical section and of which the laterally outer portion is formed as a lever arm 103. The latter extends forwardly and has a lateral stud 104 at the fore end which in turn is pivotally received in a connector sleeve 105 projecting laterally inward, through an opening 106 therefor in the side frame 2, from the upper end of a generally vertical connector link 107 in the earlier mentioned mechanism compartment 2a. For sound deadening and durability said link 107 may be molded of nylon or other plastic material. The lower end thereof is directly pivotally connected as at 108, FIG. 2, to the front arm of a two-arm bell-crank 28, also in said compartment 2a where it is rockably journaled as at 28a on the side frame 2. The other or rear arm of said bell-crank 28 is forked at the projecting end to straddle the fore end of the previously identified actuator rod 25, in generally similar manner as in said Patent 2,776,833 and in an improvent Patent 2,810,437 having the same assignee. Thus the movable blade 85 now to be described is operatively coordinated with the earlier described feedroll opening and closing means through the same actuator rod 25 therefor; rearward movement of said actuator rod 25 for closing the feed rolls 11, 12 to start a tape delivery also insures that the movable blade 85 is above and clear of the tape path; and conversely the return forward movement of said actuator rod 25 halts the tape advance, by separation of the feed rolls, preparatory to cutting descent of the movable blade 85 onto the tape at the severing station S.

At the under face of the yoke bar 96, at a location central of the tape path in the direction transversely thereof, there is aflixed a pivot ball 110 upon which the movable blade 85 is adapted to pivot in a self-aligning manner. Said pivot ball 110 may be a metal ball-bearing of adequate size, such as in. diameter for the knives for machine-dispensed gummed tapes up to 5 in. widths or more, being preferably a ground steel ball of substantially diamond hardness. This pivot ball 110 is so secured on said yoke bar 96 that a major portion of it is pendent below the yoke, where it is available for spherical bearing engagement with said movable blade 85. As illustrated the yoke bar has at said central location a partispherical down-opening ball seat 111 in which a top section of the ball 110 is fitted and anchored as by copper brazing or the like as indicated at 112, FIGS. 3 and 5. Said ball furnishes the central and herein universal-bearing point of three support points as between the yoke 95 and the movable blade 85. The other two points are equally spaced laterally at each side of the pivot ball 110, being herein defined, as regards the yoke 95, by downwardly rounded tabs 113, 114 struck down from and so as to project downwardly below the yoke bar 96 for supportive contact by vertically aligning parts on the movable blade 85 now to be described.

Said movable blade 85 of the quick-demountable cutter or knife assembly at the severing station S, noting particularly FIGS. 4 and 5 along with the others, consists of a one-piece individually manipulable element. It is integrally fashioned from a metal blank, herein of a knifequality steel as earlier referred to for the stationary blade 80 and susceptible of hardening and tempering and of grinding for shear-cutting edge formation. It comprises a main body plate or blade proper 86 of a width, crosswise of the machine and of the tape path, correlated to that of the stationary blade 80 and adequate to span tapes of the maximum width intended for the given machine and also to include at the respective transverse ends of said blade proper 86 depending

fingers

87, 87 which guide against the horizontally opposite lateral end portions of the relatively stationary blade 80 by reason of the rearwardly-acting spring tension component to be referred to further. At the same time said fingers and adjacent areas of this movable blade body 86 act to hold the individually demountable stationary blade 80 installed in the operative position by standing in front of it.

The shear-cutting edge 88 of this one-piece movable blade or knife 85 extends between said guide fingers 87. While of general horizontal extent said edge 88 or symmetrical portions of it is sufliciently inclined relative to the stationary knife edge 83, as for example at an angle of 6, for progressive shearing action on the tape as contrasted with all-at-once full-width chopping contact and the tearing tendency thereof. In the illustrated example said movable knife edge 88 is of shallow inverted V-form, symmetrically disposed relative to the longitudinal center line of the tape path, for progressive shear-cutting inwardly from the tape edges to completion at the region of said center line, with automatic accommodation of the progressive shearing to tapes of less than maximum tapepath width the delivery position of which may vary somewhat laterally of the path.

Along the horizontal upper margin of the movable blade body 86 it is formed with a rear offset 89 shown as a horizontal flange of equal lateral extent to each side of the blade vertical center line. At the outer lateral ends the flange is upturned to provide

upright hanger arms

90, 90, themselves somewhat inclined rearwardly and terminating, at a level substantially above the offset flange 89, in rearward projecting

hooks

90a, 90a presenting down-opening rounded seating recesses for easy hooking engagement over the single trapeze-like hook-fitting hanger bar 93.

The latter is comprised in a knife-retainer spring-set which further includes tensioning springs shown as coil springs 94, 94 having the lower ends engaged with the respective end portions of said bar 93. The upper ends of said springs are anchored at laterally aligned fixed points on the machine, above the tape path. These suspension points are located above and to the rear of the transverse vertical plane of operation of the movable blade 85, herein so as to be intersected by lines projected upwardly in substantial prolongation of the rearwardly inclined and rearwardly offset

hook arms

90, 90 respectively, so that in addition to the major vertically acting force components of the springs, in effect parallel with the general plane of the knife action and which serve to suspend the movable blade 85 and retain it in operatively positioned contact with the yoke 95, said blade is also subjected to a substantial rearward spring force component. This latter component constantly applies an effort of rotation to the blade 85 about the ball pivot 110 on said yoke and as enabled by the ball seat and

bearer members

91, 92, 92a to be described. Hence said rearward spring component maintains an eflicient shear-cutting pressure or bias between the coacting cutting edges of stationary and the movable blades or

knives

80, 85. It also acts to hold the stationary knife 85 demountably in its described installed position in the machine.

Said spring anchor points are herein provided by

hanger studs

121, 122 projecting in from the respective side frames 1, 2. For removability of this spring suspension set 93-94 the springs are themselves detachably hung. As shown they have for said purpose looped upper ends adapted to, be passed over the button-like free inner ends of said fixed

hanger studs

121, 122 and to become retentively seated in annular grooves therein.

By means of said spring-suspension set 93-94 and the fixed anchorage therefor as described and illustrated, the one-piece movable blade element or knife 85 as a unitary whole is operatively held in contact with the blade-carrier yoke 95, so that said knife moves with the yoke to descend upon and sever the tape, and thereafter to be returned upwardly to clear the tape path for the next tape dispensing cycle. Such operative contact of this movable knife 85 with the carrier yoke 95 is of the three-point and universally centrally pivotal character as previously indicated in the description of said yoke. Complementally to the latter the movable knife 85 is provided, herein at the level of the rearward offset flange 89 thereof, with horizontal forward projections including a laterally central cupped seat-forming member 91 for the pivot ball 110 of the yoke 95 and at each side of said ball seat 91 a horizontal bearer member shown as tabs 92, 92a spaced and arranged for substantially point bearing contact of the upper faces thereof with the tabs 113, 114 respectively. Said ball seat 91 and the bearers 92, 92a conveniently are provided from the initial integral one-piece blank as by die-stamping or otherwise striking therefrom and bending to the substantially horizontal operative position for contactively underlying the yoke tabs 113, 114 respectively.

It is apparent from the foregoing that by reason of the complementary contactive bearing provisions as between the movable blade 85 and its carrier yoke 95, including the universal pivotal bearing afforded by the pivot ball 110 having a lower section thereof received in the spherically cupped ball seat 91 on said blade, also the mutually abuttive separably inter-bearing tab pairs 92, 113 and 92a, 114 on the blade and yoke, that said movable blade 85 is accorded the capacity for self-aligning correlation with the stationary blade and in a manner wherein said movable blade is in effect resiliently floated in its operation, with resultant optimum shearing relation between the blades and highly eflicient clean cutting action upon the tape. The downstroke of the movable blade desirably is positively limited for action protective purposes as for example herein by abutment of the fore arm of the bellcrank knife-actuating lever against the vertical connector link 107, the nylon or other plastic material whereof affords a relatively quiet buffering action.

It is further evident that said operational advantages of the cutter blades or

knives

80, 85 are attended, largely due to the disclosed one-piece construction, by the additional important advantage of quick manual installation and demounting. The simple slidable insertion of the stationary blade 80 has earlier been noted. Installation of the movable blade 85 is readily accomplished by one hand of the operator in a manner as indicated in FIG. 5. As there seen, in the disengaged position, the spring-suspension bar 93, left hanging on the coil springs 94, 94 removably retained on the

anchor studs

121, 122, is adjacently above the blade carrier yoke 95. Thus when the one-piece movable blade 85 is held by means of the available forwardly projected ball-seat 91, as by the operator placing his forefinger beneath it, said yoke 95 is within easy grasping distance for the operators thumb, as indicated on FIG. 5. Thereupon the resiliently supported bar 93 itself may simply be lowered into blade-retaining position beneath the hooks a, 90a of the

blade hanger arms

90, 90 in a single down movement of the operators thumb.

From the preceding description taken in connection with the illustrative example of the drawings it will be understood that the invention affords what is herein termed pick-out demountability for the tape-engaging parts includes those at the delivering station at the front of the machine and back to the feed rolls; also that said 13 parts are grouped, constructed and arranged in subassembly units which are novelly correlated not only with respect to the improved functions of each in the tape dispensing cycles but also with respect to the aspect of such pick-out demountability and whereby the moistener unit 30, the delivery guiding and tape depressor unit 50 and herein especially the dual

blade assembly unit

80, 85 may be installed and demounted with minimum loss of machine operating time.

Thus under the invention the tape dispensing machine is adapted for said pick-out demountability for each of said correlated units or sub-assemblies, in natural order of sequence starting from the front of the machine, with emphasis in this application upon said blade assembly unit whereby herein for the first time so far as I am aware such pick-out demountability by a simple manualprocedure has been made available, enabling an inexperienced or unskilled operator to accomplish the same. The substantial practical advantage resulting from such simplified removability for the knives as well as for the other structurally and functionally correlated subassemblies as herein disclosed will readily be appreciated, as for the purposes of cleaning or other attention. Yet at the same time the invention and especially the operatively floating self-alignment aspect of the individually one-piece blade or knife elements of the cutter subassembly result in an improved optimum shearing relation between them as largely due to the ball-joint and other features of the suspension means connecting the movable knife and its carrier yoke. Here again it is noted in accordance with the invention, the tape-engaging parts forwardly beyond the cutter assembly at the severing station, including the moistener unit and the delivery guide and depressor unit are themselves demountable as sub-assembly units, by slight manual uplift at the front of each followed by direct forward pickout withdrawal, so that the main central space between the side frame front portions is left clear and unobstructed for direct manual access to the severing station and the disclosed novel cutter mechanism thereat,

It will be understood that throughout the description directional terms such as vertical, horizontal and others are employed for purposes of descriptive identification rather than limitation to a particular or absolute positioning of the parts concerned.

The present invention is not limited to the particular embodiment as herein illustrated and described, the scope thereof being pointed out in the appended claims:

I claim:

1. A machine for dispensing adhesively conditionable tape roll from a roll supply, comprising in combination longitudinal side frames along and between which the tape is to be advanced for adhesively conditioned delivery at the machine front, rotary feed means for the tape, and a plurality of tape-engaging sub-assembly units forwardly of said feed means and past which the tape is successively advanced by said means, said units includ ing a manually pick-out demountable cutter blade unit comprising an operatively stationary blade and a coactive movable blade floatingly supported in mutually selfaligning relation to said stationary blade, and said units further including an adhesively conditioning unit and a tape delivery guide and depressor unit individually demountable and operatively correlated and positioned on the machine for instant pick-out removal thereof to afford unobstructed manual access to the cutter blade unit for like demounting thereof.

2. In a tape dispensing machine having an elongate supporting frame and having tape engageable rolls to feed adhesively conditionable tape in a path longitudinalof the frame from a roll supply to a severing station and thence through delivery guiding and adhesively conditioning means all on the machine frame, a toollessly demountable knife assembly at the severing station, said assembly comprising an operatively stationary one-piece horizontal blade transverse of the tape path and a co-.

acting one-piece movable blade, the machine frame having slideways in which said stationary blade is bodily slidably removably received, and said frame further having a blade-actuating carrier vertically movably mounted thereon, said movable blade being resiliently suspended and maintained operatively subject to said carrier and in self-aligning shearing relation to the stationary blade, spring means on the machine frame for so suspending and maintaining the movable blade, and the latter having manually freeable engagement with the spring means whereby said movable blade is also toollessly bodily demountable from the machine.

3. In a tape dispensing machine according to claim 2, the combination wherein the adhesively conditioning means is adapted to apply moisture to dry gummed tape and includes a liquid supplying tank having an inverted brush moistener extending therefrom for moistening passage of the tape forwardly across it, the machine frame having longitudinal ways for sliding insertion, operative support and withdrawal of the tank, the latter carrying on the upper rear portion an up-facing plate for underlying and supportively guiding the tape from the severing blades to said brush moistener element, the tank and said plate having interengaging means mounting the plate for longitudinal sliding movement on the tank between a forward moistener-engaging operative position and a rearward moistener-freeing positioning available on withdrawal of the tank so as to clear the plate from the moistener for bodily removal thereof, and said tankcarried plate having a stop member thereon which in the inserting of the tank into the machine has abuttive engagement with a stationary part of the machine at the severing station in the event the plate is less forward on the tank than in its said forward moistener-engaging operative position and whereby full advance of the plate to said operative position and operative location and holding of the brush moistener relative to the tank and the tape path are automatically elfected.

4. In a tape dispensing machine, as in claim 3 the construction wherein the stationary part at the severing station abuttively engageable by the tank-carried plate is the stationary blade of the knife assembly and which blade is thereby operatively held against forward dislodgment. V

5. A tape dispensing machine as in claim 3, and in combination therewith a tape delivery guiding and depressor assembly unit comprising an operatively stationary holder member receivable on the machine frame in a location above the tape path and being of an operative length to extend from the severing station forwardly over the brush moistener, tape depressing platen means at the fore portion of said holder member and at the rear portion of said member a down-facing tape guide plate adapted to provide with the up-facing guide plate on the moistener tank a feed throat for the tape, said two guide plates having interengaging vertical spacer means thereon for maintaining tape passage clearance between them, supporting guide ways on the machine for demountably receiving said tape guiding and depressor assembly unit, and interengageable stop formations on said holder member thereof and on the machine frame for operatively positioning said assembly unit with said guide plate thereof in vertically aligned throat-forming relation to the tank-carried guide plate as cooperatively positioned by said stop member of the latter.

6. A machine for dispensing lengths of adhesively moistened gummed tape from a roll supply, comprising in combination longitudinal side frames along and between which the tape is to be advanced for adhesively moistened delivery at the machine front, rotary feed means for so advancing the tape, said side frames presenting forwardly of the feed means a severing station as defined by a stationary blade and a shearingly cooperative movable blade, the frames having laterally opposed seats for slidably receiving and demountably holding saidstationary blade, an actuating carrier yoke for said movable blade pivotally mounted on and between the frames, said movable blade consisting of a one-piece element including a cutting edge presenting body adapted to span the tape path, depending lateral fingers for vertically guiding against the stationary blade and upstanding rearwardly offset hook-carrying hanger arms, separable ball-pivot bearing means at vertically opposed transversely central portions of said movable blade body and said actuating yoke, and spring retainer means anchored on the machine frames above and rearwardly of the movable blade and engaged with the hooks of said hanger arms under tension so as to releasably retain the said movable blade and yoke in blade-operative relation with capacity for said movable blade to pivot in self-aligning manner while also subject to a rearward acting force component of said spring retainer means biasing it toward the stationary blade for efficient shear-cutting action.

7. A tape dispensing machine according to claim 6 wherein said movable blade and the actuating yoke therefor are provided with vertically opposed separable mutually abuttive pivotally and slidably contacting bearer members disposed laterally to each side of said ball-pivot bearing means in the direction crosswise of the machine.

8. A tape-severing knife assembly for tape dispensers of the class described, comprising a blade pair including an operatively stationary blade and a movable blade, each a single one-piece metal element, the stationary blade being of L-shape in cross-section including a horizontal leg for mounting the blade on such machine and a vertical leg presenting a cutting edge along the horizontal top margin thereof, and the movable blade having a vertically operatively positionable blade body with a lower generally horizontal shear-cutting edge to span the tape path of such machine and to coact with the stationary blade in a progressive cutting action transversely of such path, said movable blade having depending lateral fingers for vertically guiding against the stationary blade, and further having upstanding rearwardly offset hanger arms formed with hooks at the upper ends for releasable engagement with spring suspension means for maintaining said movable blade operatively subject to a blade actuator of such tape dispenser.

9. A tape-severing knife assembly as in claim 8 wherein the body of said movable blade is formed at a transversely medial upper portion with a forward projection shaped and arranged to constitute one universally pivotal bearing element of a ball-and-cup pivotal bearing pair, said movable blade therebyadapted at said body portion for connection with a blade actuator provided with a bearing pair element complementary to said one element.

10. A tape-severing knife assembly as in claim 9 wherein the movable blade has on the upper portion of said body thereof, at points equally spaced toward each transverse end thereof from said medial ball-pivotal element a tab-like forward projection adapted for abuttive pivotal and sliding supportive contact with a blade actuator having vertically opposite parts under resilient suspensive correlation of the movable blade thereto.

11. For a tape dispenser of the class described, a movable shearing blade for severing the tape having a vertically operatively positionable blade body with a lower generally horizontal shear-cutting edge to span the tape path of such machine and to coact with a stationary blade in a progressive cutting action transversely of such path, said movable blade having depending lateral fingers for vertically guiding against a stationary part of the machine, and further having upstanding rearwardly offset hanger arms formed with hooks at the upper ends for releasable engagement with spring suspension means for maintaining said movable blade operatively subject to a blade actuator of such tape dispenser, the body of said movable blade being formed at a transversely medial 'upper portion with a forward projection shaped and arranged to constitute one universally pivotal bearing element of a ball-and-cup pivotal bearing pair for connection with a blade actuator provided with a bearing pair element complementary to said one element, and the movable blade having on the upper portion of said body, at points equally spaced toward each transverse end thereof from said medial ball-pivotal element a tab-like forward projection for abuttive pivotal and sliding supportive contact with a blade actuator having vertically opposite parts under resilient suspensive correlation of the movable blade thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED'STATES PATENTS 10/33 Arnold et al.

4/51 Krueger 118-253

Claims

1. A MACHINE FOR DISPENSING ADHESIVELY CONDITIONABLE TAPE ROLL FROM A ROLL SUPPLY, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION LONGITUDINAL SIDE FRAMES ALONG AND BETWEEN WHICH THE TAPE IS TO BE ADVANCED FOR ADHESIVELY CONDITIONED DELIVERY AT THE MACHINE FRONT, ROTARY FEED MEANS FOR THE TAPE, AND A PLURALITY OF TAPE-ENGAGING SUB-ASSEMBLY UNITS FORWARDLY OF SAID FEED MEANS AND PAST WHICH THE TAPE IS SUCCESSIVELY ADVANCED BY SAID MEANS, SAID UNITS INCLUDING A MANUALLY PICK-OUT DEMOUNTABLE CUTTER BLADE UNIT COMPRISING AN OPERATIVELY STATIONARY BLADE AND A COACTIVE MOVABLE BLADE FLOATINGLY SUPPORTED IN MUTUALLY SELFALIGNING RELATION TO SAID STATIONARY BLADE, AND SAID UNITS FURTHER INCLUDING AN ADHESIVELY CONDITIONING UNIT AND A TAPE DELIVERY GUIDE AND DEPRESSOR UNIT INDIVIDUALLY DEMOUNTABLE AND OPERATIVELY CORRELATED AND POSITIONED ON THE MACHINE FOR INSTANT PICK-OUT REMOVAL THEREOF TO AFFORD UNOBSTRUCTED MANUAL RECESS TO THE CUTTER BLADE UNIT FOR LIKE DEMOUNTING THEREOF.