The present invention relates to a hand-held labelling device for printing, detaching and dispensing individual adhesive labels mounted on a backing strip and for applying such labels to articles to be labelled, the label tape being guided from a reel of label tape via a counterplate to a deflecting edge and from the latter to transport means arranged in the area below the reel of label tape and comprising a transport wheel with backstop which positively engages the backing strip and which can be moved on step by step by means of an operating handle to transport the said strip, the deflecting edge being provided between the counterplate and the forward end opposite the operating handle and mounted together with the counterplate on a swing-out bottom mounted to pivot about a stationary pin provided in the rear bottom portion, the said device comprising further a pressure roller provided in front of the deflecting edge in the forward portion of the device opposite the said pin. In order to facilitate loading of the device with the label tape, the transport means is designed as one unit and likewise fastened to the swing-out bottom, and the space in the casing between the bottom and the reel of label tape defined by the width of the labels is kept free of components of any type.

The present invention relates to a hand-held labelling device for printing, 
detaching and dispensing individual adhesive labels mounted on a backing 
strip and for applying such labels to articles to be labelled, the label 
tape being guided from a reel of label tape via a counterplate to a 
deflecting edge and from the latter to transport means arranged in the 
area below the reel of label tape and comprising a transport wheel with 
backstop which positively engages the backing strip and which can be moved 
on step by step by means of an operating handle to transport the said 
strip, the deflecting edge being provided between the counterplate and the 
forward end opposite the operating handle and mounted together with the 
counterplate on a swing-out bottom mounted to pivot about a stationary pin 
provided in the rear bottom portion, the said device comprising further a 
pressure roller provided in front of the deflecting edge in the forward 
portion of the device opposite the said pin. 
There have been known hand-held labelling devices in the most different 
forms. They are used for price-marking of goods in the retail trade, in 
particular in supermarkets and self-service shops. Of the large number of 
designs known those which could prevail on the market all have the form of 
pincers with a rectangular casing--as viewed in side elevation--with the 
pressure roller provided at its forward end, one handle mounted rigidly to 
the opposite end of the casing and a second pivoted handle arranged near 
the said first rigid handle. Pivoting the operating handle against the 
action of a spring causes the printing unit to move towards the 
counterplate and to imprint a label resting thereon. The spring-actuated 
return movement of the operating handle causes the transport wheel of the 
transport means to move the backing strip on by one label pitch. At the 
same time, the printed label is detached from the backing strip at the 
deflection edge and then applied to and pressed upon the article to be 
labelled through the action and movement of the pressure roller. Labelling 
devices of this type have been known for instance from German Patent 
Specification No. 12 24 661 or German Disclosed Patent Application No. 19 
24 023 and German Disclosed Patent Application No. 15 11 892. All the 
known devices consist of a great number of individual components so that 
they can be produced only at relatively high cost. But their main 
disadvantage must be seen in the fact that the loading of a new label tape 
after the preceding one has been fully spent requires a certain manual 
skill. For, to this end the label reel must be inserted from the top and 
the end of the label tape must be guided downwardly through the device and 
out of the latter on its open underside (German Disclosed Patent 
Application No. 19 24 023) or on the underside which has been opened by 
swinging out the bottom (German Disclosed Patent Application No. 14 36 
047; German Disclosed Patent Application No. 15 11 892). Thereafter, the 
tape is guided around the deflecting edge and introduced into the 
transport means. In practice, it has been found that the persons handling 
such devices often find the loading difficult. 
There has also been known a device in which the label reel is loaded from 
below (AT Patent Specification No. 253 431). But this device does not 
employ separate labels, but rather a label tape which is subsequently cut 
into separate labels by means of a cutter arrangement. In this device, the 
cutting and the transport means are accommodated in the forward area and 
of a rather complex design comprising a plurality of levers. A similar 
device employing a label tape which is to be subsequently cut into 
separate labels (AT Patent Specification No. 245 497) has the transport 
means accommodated in the rear portion near the operating lever and 
designed as a stepping wheel about which the backing strip of the label 
tape is wound. The bottom of the device can be swung out for loading the 
label reel from below. But the label tape must be threaded through the 
space between a guide roller and a counterplate and during this process it 
comes to bear against a cutting device so that threading in of the tape is 
rather difficult inspite of the swing-out bottom. Apart from the difficult 
loading of the label tape and the great number of components required for 
the device it is a common disadvantage of both devices that they have a 
relatively great overall length because the label reel and the transport 
means are arranged one behind the other. But to use a relatively long 
device is more tiring for the user than to use a shorter device of the 
same weight, and this is why the devices mentioned at the outset have the 
transport means and the label reel generally arranged one above the other, 
although this arrangement requires threading-in of the label tape which 
makes the introduction of the tape more difficult. 
Now, it is the object of the present invention to provide a device of the 
type mentioned before which while rendering loading of the label simpler 
can be produced at low cost because it consists only of a small number of 
components. In other words, the invention is to provide a hand-held 
labelling device which is particularly simple as regards both its 
production and its use. 
This problem is solved in a hand-held labelling device of the type 
mentioned before in that the transport means is designed as one unit and 
likewise fastened to the swing-out bottom, and the space in the casing 
between the bottom and the reel of label tape defined by the width of the 
labels is kept free of components of any type. 
This design gives the surprising effect that after swinging out the bottom 
the reel of label tape can be loaded into the device although the reel of 
label tape and the transport means are arranged one above the other. 
Another surprising advantage of this design is to be seen in the fact that 
the label tape need not be threaded in because the end of the tape hanging 
out of the device is automatically, and without any effort on the user's 
part, brought into its correct position by the counterplate provided on 
the swing-out bottom and the deflecting edge. It suffices to introduce the 
free end of the tape into the transport means after the bottom has been 
closed. Still another advantage must be seen in this connection in the 
simplified design of the device which makes it particularly easy to 
service in that in the case of possible repairs to the transport means, 
the latter may be exchanged together with the bottom as one complete unit 
without the need to dismantle the whole device, a need which cannot be 
avoided in the case of the conventional devices. 
The transport means always include a backstop which keeps the tape in the 
correct position between the feed steps. Usually, the backstop consists of 
a leaf spring or pawl mounted on the casing of the device and engaging 
corresponding recesses or projections of the transport wheel. In preferred 
embodiments of the invention, however, the backstop is not mounted on the 
casing, but part of the transport unit and swings out together with the 
bottom. This offers the advantage that possible assembly or production 
inaccuracies do not impair the function of the backstop. Besides, the 
function of the backstop can be checked also with the bottom swung out. 
In the known devices, the casings mostly consist of two plate-shaped 
elements kept in spaced parallel relationship by means of shafts, spacer 
pins, and the like, the different components such as counterplate, 
transport means, pressure roller, etc. being arranged between these plates 
and screwed or riveted thereto. However, the considerable assembly times 
needed in this case increase not only the cost of production, but also the 
cost of repair and maintenance work. In a preferred embodiment of the 
invention, in contrast, the casing consists of one single part of U-shaped 
cross-section. This design has become possible due to the fact that no 
essential elements have to be mounted within the device considering that 
the printing unit swings out together with the bottom. The only elements 
mounted at the casing are the pivot axis for the operating handle which is 
located near the outer edge of the casing, and the shaft of the pressure 
roller which is likewise located close to the outer edge of the casing. 
However, shafts mounted close to the outer edge of the casing can be 
easily mounted because it suffices in this case to spread the housing 
slightly to slip the corresponding shafts into place. It results, that the 
arrangement of the transport means as one unit on the swing-out bottom 
permits still further surprising advantageous improvements. Apart from the 
arrangement described before, it makes it possible for example to give the 
top of the casing in the area of the reel of label tape a closed shape and 
to form the reel holder as an integral part of the casing. For, the reel 
holder consists in this case only of the--anyway existing--sidewalls of 
the casing and a top cover of the casing. The bottom of the space 
accommodating the reel of label tape is defined by guide bars extending 
above the transport wheel and formed as integral parts of the bottom part 
of the housing. 
Although the transport means swings out together with the bottom, the 
driving action can be simply and reliably transmitted from the operating 
handle to the transport wheel. To this end, one embodiment of the 
invention is provided with a driving pawl which is pivoted on the 
operating handle and urged by the action of a spring against the transport 
wheel. Preferably, the driving pawl when viewed from the side has 
substantially the shape of a U with the pivot axis located in the area of 
the crossbar, one leg bearing against the transport wheel and the other 
leg bearing against the bottom. Further, the driving pawl is made from a 
plastic material, and the said other leg is supported by the bottom in a 
manner such that the driving pawl is relaxed when the device is in its 
rest position. Thus, although consisting of a plastic material the driving 
pawl will not deteriorate in the course of time as regards its resilient 
properties because its action is limited to very short periods of time, 
namely the duration of the working stroke. Finally, the pivot axis of the 
driving pawl is at least approximately aligned with the pivot axis of the 
bottom when the device is in its rest position. This offers the advantage 
that inspite of the driving connection of the transport means and the 
operating handle through the driving pawl, the bottom can be swung out 
fully and without any obstruction. 
Preferably, the bottom does not take the form of a continuous plate closing 
the full underside of the device. Rather, it is provided with an opening 
in the area of the transport means and comprises essentially two parallel 
plates arranged in parallel to the sidewalls of the casing and including 
between them the transport means. These plates carry the shaft of the 
transport wheel, and at least one of these plates has a recess formed 
therein with a resilient tongue formed as an integral part thereof and 
serving as a backstop. The resilient tongue coacts with a corresponding 
toothing provided on the face of the transport wheel. 
In order to improve the above-mentioned introduction of the free end of the 
tape when the bottom is pivoted into position and to make sure that the 
tape takes the desired path, a preferred embodiment of the invention is 
equipped with a guide plate arranged at the bottom at an angle of 
approximately 120.degree. relative to the counterplate, near the end of 
the counterplate opposite the deflecting edge. This guide plate causes the 
tape to move along a guide flange fixed in the casing in the neighbourhood 
of the guide plate. 
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom, the plates, the 
counterplate, the deflecting edge, the guide plate and the backstop are 
formed in one piece from a plastic material. The design as one piece 
simplifies both the assembly and maintenance of the device, the production 
from a plastic material reduces the cost of production. 
The closed rest position of the bottom can be secured in different manners. 
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, retention hooks are provided 
for this purpose at the bottom near the upper end of the guide plate. In 
the closed condition of the device, these retention hooks engage a 
crossbolt which is slidably guided in the casing and which in the closed 
condition of the device occupies a position directly in front of and 
parallel to the guide plate. This crossbolt which extends outwardly beyond 
the casing of the device and which has its outer ends equipped with one 
knob each can be displaced to unlock the bottom. 
Some of the known devices are equipped with a tape brake for clamping at 
least in the rest position of the device the label tape between the reel 
of label tape and the deflecting edge. In the simplest of all cases, this 
brake consists of a leaf spring acting against the surface of the reel of 
label tape (AT Patent Specification No. 245 497). However, it is a 
disadvantage of this arrangement that it increases the force required for 
operating the device, and therefore preference is given to tape brakes 
which are inoperative as long as the device is being operated. 
Accordingly, one preferred embodiment of the invention has the brake 
formed by a toggle lever which is pivoted in the housing and which in the 
rest position has its one arm bearing against the extension of the 
operating handle carrying the printing unit, and its other arm pressed 
against the guide plate. In this manner, a self-releasing brake has been 
provided because during operation of the device the extension of the 
operating handle moves away from the first arm of the toggle lever so that 
as a result thereof its other arm does no longer press the tape against 
the guide plate, i.e. clamp it in position. 
However, this embodiment of the tape brake may be used with advantage also 
for another function, as has been done in one preferred embodiment of the 
invention. In this latter embodiment, a cam is formed on the other arm of 
the toggle lever in substantially concentrical relation to the axis of the 
operating handle, and a crossbar is integrally formed on the extension of 
the operating handle at a distance from the axis of the operating handle 
which is slightly larger than the radius of the said cam. Further, the cam 
is provided with a recessed portion in the area where the crossbar comes 
to lie in the rest position of the operating handle. This arrangement of 
the cam and the crossbar ensures that the crossbolt which is seated in 
oblong holes provided in the sidewalls of the casing in the area of the 
lower end of the arm of the toggle lever, can be moved only in the rest 
position of the operating handle when the crossbar occupies the position 
opposite the recess. However, when the operating handle is actuated the 
crossbar occupies the position opposite the cam so that the toggle lever 
cannot be pivoted beyond the position in which the braking action is just 
released. This ensures that the crossbolt is locked when the operating 
handle is operated so that the hook formed on the bottom cannot be 
disengaged and the bottom cannot swing out.

The devices shown in the drawing consist substantially of four partly 
integrally formed elements, namely a casing 1 formed in one piece, an 
operating handle 2 likewise formed in one piece, a bottom 3 pivoted on the 
casing 1 with transport means 4 mounted thereon, and a printing unit 6 
fitted upon an extension 5 of the operating handle 2 with inking means 7 
pivotally mounted at the casing. 
The casing is preferably die cast in one piece from a plastic material and 
comprises two plates which extend in parallel to the plane of the drawing 
and which are interconnected by crosswalls 8 shown in dashed lines in 
FIGS. 1 and 2. The outlines of the two parallel plates can likewise be 
seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The crosswalls 8 in the area of a handle 9 rigidly 
formed on the housing 1 and a chamber 10 serving to accommodate the reel 
of label tape 11 define together with the lateral plates a casing of 
U-shaped cross-section. In the forward portion, the side plates 12 of the 
casing 1 are not connected by crosswalls, but rather by a crossbar 13 of 
rectangular cross-section and a wall portion 13' in the upper area, and a 
shaft 14 in the lower area. The crossbar 13 serves to receive the inking 
means 7 which is detachably fitted on journal pins 15 provided on a 
retaining clip 16' which in turn is mounted and fixed in position on the 
crossbar 13. The pin 15 serves as journal for a holder 16 for an inking 
roller of the inking device. The free end of the said holder 16 carries an 
inking roller 17 which is urged into contact with the printing types 58 of 
the printing unit 6 by means of a leg spring which is wound about the 
journal pins 15 and which has its one leg bearing against the holder 16 
and its other leg bearing against the holding clip 16'. The holding clip 
16' and the holder 16 with the inking roller 17 can be mounted on and 
removed from the crossbar 13 as one unit (inking means 7). The shaft 14 
carries a rotating pressure roller 18. A printed label 59 which is largely 
detached from the carrier strip is placed in the known manner between the 
said pressure roller ready for being dispensed. 
The operating handle 2 is mounted to pivot about an axis 19 disposed near 
the root of the handle 9. A projection 20 is integrally formed on the 
operating handle 2 near the axis 19. This projection 20 is engaged by a 
return spring 21 which takes the form of a spiral tension spring and which 
has its other end connected to the end of the rigid handle 9. The two 
extensions 5 extend in the form of flat plates directly adjacent to the 
side plates 12 within the casing right to the printing unit 6 which is 
fitted thereon. In the rear area of the bottom, a driving pawl 22 of 
U-shaped cross-section is mounted to pivot about an axis 23 arranged at 
the lower end of the handle portion of the operating handle 2. The driving 
pawl 22 is designed as a U-shaped spring and made from a plastic material. 
The end of its upper rigid leg 24 has the configuration of a fork which 
coacts with an axially projecting pin 25 of a transport wheel 26 which can 
rotate about an axis 27. The other, lower leg 28 of the driving pawl 22 is 
guided in an oblong hole 30 in the bottom 3 by means of a pin 29. It goes 
without saying that the driving pawl 22 can be provided at desire on one, 
but preferably on both sides of the transport wheel 26. In the latter 
case, the two driving pawls are interconnected in the area of the pin 29 
by a crossbar 31. The axis 23 is formed by a pin projecting outwardly from 
the handle portion of the operating handle 2 and engaging a bore 32 in the 
driving pawl 22. 
The bottom 3 and the transport means 4 can be jointly pivoted about an axis 
33 which is fixed to the casing and which in the rest position of the 
operating handle 2 shown in FIG. 1 is substantially aligned with the axis 
23. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the axis 33 takes the form of an outwardly 
projecting pin engaging a corresponding bore in the side plate of the 
casing 1. The bottom shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 consists of two longitudinal 
plates 34 spaced at a distance which allows them to be pivoted into the 
casing 1. The two longitudinal plates 34 are interconnected by a 
counterplate 35 disposed in the end portion facing away from the axis 33 
and provided on its forward end with a deflecting edge 36 for the label 
tape. A guide plate 37 connecting the two longitudinal plates 34 is 
arranged at a certain distance from the rear end of the counterplate 35 
opposite the deflecting edge 36. An upwardly projecting portion of the 
longitudinal plates 34 forms the carrying plates 38 carrying the axis 27 
for the transport wheel 26. At least one of the two carrying plates 38 is 
provided with an opening 39 with a tongue 40 projecting from the edge of 
the said opening. This tongue 40 serves as a resilient backstop, its free 
end being in resilient engagement with a toothing 41 provided on the face 
of the transport wheel 26. The transport wheel 26 is conventionally 
equipped with pins 42 projecting radially from its periphery. These pins 
coact with recesses in the backing strip to positively entrain the latter. 
Between the guide plate 37 and the transport wheel 26, there is provided 
another guide roller 43. Further there are provided in this area guide 
bars 44 extending in parallel relative to each other and at a certain 
distance to the generated surface of the transport wheel 26. 
Finally, the longitudinal plates 34 are equipped with integrally formed 
retention hooks 45 which engage a crossbolt 46 when the bottom 3 is 
pivoted into the casing 1. The crossbolt 46 is guided and held in an 
oblong hole extending in parallel to the bottom in the side plates 12 of 
the casing 1. 
A brake taking the form of a toggle lever 48 is seated on an axis 47 in the 
middle of the upper portion of the casing 1. In the rest position of the 
operating handle 2, the one arm 49 of the said toggle lever bears against 
the upper face of the extensions 5, while the other arm 50 extends 
downwardly right to the crossbolt 46 for which a recess is formed in the 
arm 50. The return spring 21 urges each of the extensions 5 against one of 
the arms 49 (on the two sidewalls of the casing) and, thus, the end of the 
arm 50 against the guide plate 37. 
A cam 51 ending at a certain distance from the axis 47 is formed in 
concentrical relation to the axis 19 on the other side of the arm 50 
facing away from the guide plate 37. A crossbar 52 connects the two 
extensions 5 of the operating handle 2, the distance between the said 
crossbar and the axis 19 being slightly greater than the distance between 
the surface of the cam 51 and the axis 19. Now, when the operating handle 
is moved out of its rest position as shown in FIG. 1, the crossbar 52 is 
moved into a position opposite the cam 51 in which the swinging motion of 
the arm 50 is limited by the contact between the cam 51 and the crossbar 
52. So, the crossbolt 46 also cannot be displaced in its oblong hole far 
enough to permit the retention hooks 45 to be released. 
To put the device into operation, one displaces the crossbolt 46 in its 
oblong hole, with the operating handle 2 in the rest position, until the 
retention hooks 45 are no longer engaged. Then one swings the bottom 
portion 3 about the axis 33 into the open position and positions a reel of 
label tape 11 in the chamber 10 introducing it from below with the end of 
the backing strip 53 carrying the labels 59 projecting outwardly. Now, 
when the bottom 3 is moved into position, the guide plate 37 and the 
counterplate 35 press the tape against a deflecting web 54 fixed in the 
casing 1 to connect the two side plates 12 of the casing 1 immediately 
beneath the oblong hole carrying the crossbolt 46. Now, the end of the 
backing strip 53 projects outwardly from below the pressure roller 18. One 
grips this outwardly projecting end and introduces it into the transport 
means 4 between the guide roller 43 and the transport wheel 26. When the 
operating handle and, thus, the transport wheel is thereafter operated the 
backing strip is automatically fed along its correct path, supported by 
the guide bars 44. The backing strip works its way out of the casing 
through the space between the two driving pawls 22, a bar 55 of triangular 
cross-section serving to detach the strip from the transport wheel. The 
ends of the bar 45 are fastened to the carrying plates 38. 
For dispensing a label, one holds the device by the handle 9 and moves the 
operating handle 2 inwardly. As a result thereof, the previously existing 
braking effect caused by the pressure exerted by the arm 50 upon the guide 
plate 37 is released and the printing unit 6, after having first moved the 
inking device 7 outwardly is pressed with its inked types 58 upon the 
label positioned on the counterplate 35 to imprint the label. 
Simultaneously therewith, the driving pawl 22 has been retracted giving 
way to the next pin 25. Now, when the operating handle 2 is released, it 
is returned to its rest position by the action of the previously tensioned 
return spring 21. As a result thereof, the driving pawl 22 is moved 
forward and acts upon the pin 25 to feed the transport wheel 26 on by one 
further step. This advances the backing strip 53 and draws a corresponding 
length of tape off the reel 11. Simultaneously therewith, a label 59 is 
detached from the backing strip at the deflecting edge and positioned 
below the pressure roller 18. By pressing the pressure roller 18 against 
an article to be labelled and withdrawing the device thereafter the label 
59 is fully detached from the strip and rolled upon the article. 
It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the embodiment 
described by way of example but that variations can be applied without 
deviating from the scope of the invention. In particular, the individual 
features of the invention may be employed either individually or in any 
desired combination.