Patent ID: 6105497
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: B65C

Abstract:
A hand-held labeling apparatus, comprising:a housing;a support for a roll of labels releasably secured to a backing strip and mounted to the housing so as to allow the roll to unwind along a path;a printing mechanism along the path for printing a label with selected indicia as it passes, the printing mechanism including a frame having structure for interchangeably supporting a band-type printing mechanism having multiple movable bands carrying printing indicia and a slug-type printing mechanism including a detachable replaceable slug plate carrying printing indicia;a label dispensing mechanism along the path for dispensing printed labels;a label advancing mechanism mounted to the housing and engagable with the backing strip for moving the labels along the path from the roll to the printing mechanism and then to the dispensing mechanism;a manually operated actuating mechanism interconnecting the label printing mechanism and label advancing mechanism for moving labels along the path a predetermined distance, printing a label and dispensing a label each time the mechanism is actuated; anda front cover plate pivotally mounted to the housing and manually movable from a closed position in which it covers the printing mechanism during operation and an open position in which it allows access to the printing mechanism for changing the slug plate in said slug-type printing mechanism.