Abstract:
An improved manually operated taping device provides for control of the leading end or a tape being applied, which may be obtained by a brake action of adhesive grip or both and may also include controlled tape cutting action and a safety cutting knife retaining mechanism.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to manual taping devices, more particular to an improved device that facilitates performance of the manual taping operation. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     There are many different hand operated tape applicators, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,582,979 issued Jan. 22, 1952 to Fritzinger; U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,053 issued Aug. 4, 1970 to Zbinden et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,275 issued May 28, 1974 to Weick et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,271 issued Dec. 9, 1980 to Urushizaki; U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,905 issued Mar. 3, 1981 to Regan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,966 issued Aug. 24, 1982 to Iiyoma et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,586 issued Aug. 9, 1988 to Wilkie; U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,377 issued Jun. 24, 1997 inventor Chung and U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,623 issued Oct. 5, 2005 to Cheng; U.S. Pat. No. 7,669,631 issued Mar. 2, 2010, inventor Bailey and Applicant&#39;s co-pending application Ser. No. 14/624,895 filed Feb. 18, 2015 by Lam (the same inventor as the instant application. 
     Essentially all such manual tapers when operated provide a relatively long free leading end portion that is to be applied to the next object to be taped. Normally these conventional hand operated tapers or so call tape dispensers require the operator to pull the free leading end portion with his fingers and then attach it onto the object to initiate the taping process. A cutting knife is also required since the tape is supplied as a continuous ribbon from a supply source that is normally a roll of such tape mounted on the applicator. The knife is usually positioned away from the tape path and the object to avoid accidental tape cut off or damaging the object during the taping process. In many cases a safety guard for the knife is provided to prevent operator injuries. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,377 which discloses a knife that retracts from its normal cutting position for safety purpose. U.S. Pat. No. 7,669,631 relates to limiting snap back of the free leading end of the tape. 
     In some manually activated tape dispensing devices the cutting operation is manually initiated by some form of triggering operation which presents the tape to the cutting blade to thereby sever the tape see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,762,586; 4,345,966; 4,253,905; and 3,813,275. 
     The patents to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,345,966 and 3,813,275 together with U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,238,271; 3,523,053; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,582,979 to Fritzinger provide some form of withdraw system to move the free end of the tape away from the point of application, in most cases by physically moving the tape roll etc. 
     These device disclosed in the referenced patents rely solely on manual dexterity of the operator to move the device in the taping operation and/or in many cases to trigger tape cut-off to complete the operation. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     It is the main an object of the present invention to provide an improved manually operated taping device that is easy and safe to use and maintains control of the leading end of the tape on the device. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a cutting knife safety feature that requires tape tension to release the cutting edge from a retracted position 
     It is further object of the present invention to provide a manually operated taping device that applies a releasable brake the tape during the cutting operation to better ensure a cleaner cut. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a manually operated taping device which includes guides to hold the tape in position relative to the tape applying wiper. 
     Broadly the present invention relates to a manual tape applicator comprising a main frame, at least one guide roll mounted on said main frame for rotation on a first axis to guide a tape having an adhesive side and a non-adhesive side from a supply of said tape toward a tape applicator wiper mounted on a wiper assembly that is pivotably mounted on said main frame on a second axis, movement about said second axis moving said applicator wiper between an extended inactive position to a retracted cutting position, means biasing said wiper assembly and thereby said applicator wiper to said extended inactive position, a cutter assembly pivotably mounted on said main frame on a third axis, a top wiper mounted on and extending from said cutter assembly and a cutter blade mounted on said cutter assembly, a latch cam element extending from said cutter assembly and a cooperating cam on said wiper assembly, said latch and cooperating cams interacting to prevent movement of said cutter assembly when said applicator wiper is in said extended inactive position and freeing said cutter assembly for pivotal movement on said third axis when said applicator wiper is moved at least partway between said extended and said retracted positions, said first and second and third axes being parallel. 
     Preferably said latch cam comprises a cam element connected to said cutter assembly by an arm and said cooperating cam comprises a slot with a notch formed in said wiper assembly in which said cam element is received. 
     Preferably said latch cam and said cooperating cam have adjacent edges positioned to interact and prevent movement of said applicator assembly toward said retracted position until released by movement of said top wiper disengages said edges. 
     Preferably said applicator wiper extends between a first end adjacent to said at least one guide roll and a free end, said at least one guide roll being a braking guide roll, said first end being on the side of said second axis adjacent to said breaking guide roll, said one end being spaced from said breaking guide roll when said applicator wiper is in said extended position and being pressed toward said breaking guide roll to clamp said tape between said breaking guide roll and said one end said when said applicator wiper is in said retracted position. 
     Preferably said applicator wiper extends between a first end adjacent to said at least one guide roll and a free end, said first end being on the side of said second axis adjacent to said at least one guide roll and said free end on the opposite side of said second axis, a pair of opposed tabs mounted from said frame and positioned one adjacent to each side of said applicator wiper between said second axis and said free end, and each said tab overlapping an adjacent side edge of said tape, said tabs being positioned so that when said applicator wiper is in said extended position said tabs are pressed against said adhesive side of said tape and said tabs and said tape separate as said applicator wiper move toward said retracted position. 
     Preferably said applicator wiper is wider adjacent to said free end that adjacent to said first end to provide a narrow portion extending at least one half the length of said applicator wiper between said one and said free ends, said tabs being adjacent to said narrow portion of said applicator wiper, and each said tab overlaps with an adjacent side edge of said tape but does not overlap with said applicator wiper, said tabs being positioned so that when said applicator wiper is in said extended position said tabs are pressed against said adhesive side of said tape and said tabs and said tape separate as said applicator wiper move toward said retracted position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features, objects and advantages will be evident from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which; 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation of the present invention with parts omitted for clarity. 
         FIG. 1 a    is a view looking up form below the invention as shown in  FIG. 1  showing the positioning tabs to hold the tape adjacent to the applicator wiper. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial view similar to  FIG. 1  showing the applicator wiper in extended position and pressing the tape between the positioning tabs and applicator wiper to hold the tape in position adjacent to the applicator wiper and the cutoff assembly in latched position. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial view similar to  FIG. 2  but with the applicator wiper moved toward the retracted position and is in a position wherein the tape is no longer pressed against the tabs i.e. the tape is free to be pulled from the tape source and be applied and the cutoff assembly in unlatched position. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial view similar to  FIG. 2  but with the applicator wiper moved into retracted position and is in a position wherein the tape is clamped between the guide roll and the adjacent end of the applicator wiper to facilitate cutting and the cutoff assembly is in cutting position and the tape is free of the positioning tabs. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows the manual tape applicator  10  of the present invention that comprises a main frame  12  with a handle  14  projecting there from in a position to be grasped by an operator when using the device. A tape roll  16  which provides the supply of tape  18  to be applied by the applicator  10  is mounted on the frame  12  in the normal manner as indicated at  20 . The tape  18  has an adhesive or sticky side  22  and a non-adhesive side  24 . The tape  18  passes over the guide rolls  26  and  28  which define a portion of tape path  30  leading from the tape roll  16  to the applicator wiper  32 . As will be described below the guide roll  28  also functions as braking guide roll  28  and is mounted for rotation on an axel that defines first axis  34 . 
     Mounted on the main frame  12  for rotation on a second axel that defines a second axis  36  is a applicator assembly  38  composed of an applicator frame  40  to which the applicator wiper  32  is attached and that includes an arm  42  which is connect via a spring  44  to a pin  46  mounted on the frame  52  of the cutter assembly  50  as will be described below. The spring  44  biases the assembly  38  to rotate counter clockwise on the axis  36  in the illustration of  FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4  and move the applicator wiper  32  to its extended position as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Also mounted on the main frame  12  for rotation about a third axel that defines a third axis  48  is a cutter assembly  50  which is composed of a cutter frame  52  to which is mounted the cutter or cutter blade  54  and a top wiper  56 . A latch cam  58  is mounted on an arm  60  that extends from the frame  52 . The latch cam  58  engages with a cooperating cam  62  which is in the form of a shaped slot extending though the applicator frame  40 . The slot or cam  62  has a laterally extending notch  64  at the end of the slot or cam  62  adjacent to the second axel  36  into which the latch cam  58  is received when the applicator wiper  32  is in extended position as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In this position movement of the cutter assembly  50  is prohibited so that it is essentially held in position when the latch cam is in the notch  64 . The cam  62  provides a lower surface that cooperates with the adjacent edge  65  of the cam  58  to stop clockwise movement of the applicator assembly  38  as will be described below. 
     As above indicated the one end of spring  44  is connected to the pin  46 . The pin  46  is mounted to the cutoff frame  52  via an arm  66  that connects to the frame  52  slightly offset from the second axis  48  so the cutter assembly is urged to turn counterclockwise in the views shown for example in  FIGS. 1 and 2  which holds the cutoff assembly  50  against the stop  68  projecting from the main frame  12 . A second stop  70  that also projects from the main frame  12  limits movement of the cutoff assembly  50  in the clockwise direction as shown for example in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     It will be apparent from  FIGS. 1 and 2  that when the cutoff assembly is forced against the stop  68  by the spring  44  and the applicator assembly  38  i.e. the applicator wiper  32  is in extended position the latch cam  58  is received in the notch  64  of the cooperating cam  62  to prevent movement of the cutoff assembly  50 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 a    the applicator wiper  32  has a first end  74  adjacent to the braking guide roll and a free end  72  end adjacent to the cutoff assembly  50 . The wiper  32  is wider adjacent to its free end  72  than at its first end  74  to provide a narrow portion  76  that extends for a significant portion (preferably more than one half) the length of the wiper  32  from the first end  74  toward the free end  72 . The first end  74  is on the side of the axis  36  adjacent to the braking guide roll  28  and the free end  72  on the opposite side of the axis  36 . 
     A pair of opposed tabs  78  and  80  extend in from the periphery or side edges  82  and  84  of the tape  18  to overlap with their adjacent side edge  82  and  84  in the area where the side edges  82  and  84  are not supported by the applicator wiper  32  i.e. the tabs  78  and  80  are located on opposite sides of the narrow portion  76  and in the illustrated version do not extend across the tape to overlap with the narrow portion  76 . 
     The tab  80  is fixed directly to the main frame  12  however the tab  78  opposite the tab  80  is connected to and projects from a plate or panel  86  that is mounted on the free ends (ends remote from the main frame  12 ) of the axels  36  and  48 . Both the tabs  78  and  80  have their trailing edges (in the direction of tape movement)  79  and  81  respectively sloped in the direction of movement so that the free ends  83  and  85  are adjacent to the e a downstream end of the tabs. This shape facilitates threading a tape so that edges  82  may be position as shown i.e. between the tabs  78  and  80  and the applicator assembly  38  with the adhesive side  22  of the tape  18  facing the tabs  78  and  80 . 
     As above described the tape  18  is drawn from the roll  16  passes around roll  26  and over roll  28  and onto applicator wiper  32  which is used to apply the tape  18  to a box or the like  90  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). 
     When not in use or at the start of the taping operation the various part of the device  10  are in the positions shown in  FIG. 2  i.e. the applicator wiper  32  is in extended position, the latch cam  58  is received in the notch  64  in the cam  62  to prevent movement of the cutoff assembly  50  from the stop  68  against which it is position and biased there against by the spring  44 . In this position the tabs  78  and  80  (only  80  shown) contact the adhesive side  24  of the tape  18  to hold the tape  18  in position. 
     At the beginning of the taping operation the application assembly  38  and the applicator wiper  32  are displaced from the extended position and move to the positions illustrated in  FIG. 3  in which the device  10  will normally remain as the tape is being applied. In this position the latch cam  58  has been moved out of the notch  64  thereby freeing the cutoff assembly  50  to move, but it is held against the stop  68  by the spring  44  and engagement of the edge  65  of the cam  58  with the lower edge  63  of the cam  62  i.e. the adjacent edges  63  and  65  engage preventing further movement of applicator assembly  38 . Also the tape  18  (which tends to move with the applicator wiper  32 ) is separated from the tabs  78  and  80  to free the tape  18  and permit it to be freely dispensed during application to the box or the like  90 . 
     When the box or the like  90  has been taped the operation is completed by severing the tape  18  as shown in  FIG. 4 . This is accomplished by pressing the top wiper  56  generally against the adjacent corner  92  of the box or the like  90  which moves the top wiper  56  and thereby the cutoff assembly  50  against the stop  70  and the cutter  54  into cutting position. The movement of the top wiper  56  causes the lower edge  65  of latch cam  58  to slide away from engagement with lower edge  63  of the cam  62  her which frees the applicator assembly  38  for further movement in the clockwise direction. At the same time the tension in tape  18  generated by movement of the device  10  forces the applicator assembly  38  to rotate clockwise and thereby move the applicator wiper  32  to retracted position with the free end  72  of the wiper  32  moved to a position immediately adjacent to the cutter  54  to minimize the distance between the cutter  54  and the free end  72  which facilitates the cutting of the tape  18  and wherein the end  74  of the applicator wiper  32  adjacent to the roll  28  moved to press the tape against the roll  28  to in effect prevent further movement of the tape  18 . (i.e. the end  74  is on the side of the axel or axis  36  adjacent to the braking guide roll  28  so clockwise movement of the assembly  38  forces the end  74  against the tape to clam same between the end  74  and roll  28 ). 
     Having described the invention, modifications will be evident to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims, for example the wiper  32  may be replaced by a roller mounted on the applicator assembly where the free end of the applicator  38  is positioned in the illustrated embodiments and used to apply the tape  18 . Obviously if this is done and a brake is to be provided an element similar to the end  74  must be provided to cooperate with the roll  28  in the same way the end  74  cooperates to provide the brake.