ADHESIVE TAPE PRODUCING/DISPENSING APPARATUS

Abstract: An adhesive tape producing/dispensing apparatus has an adhesive bath (12), a pair of rollers (22, 23) rotatably mounted above the bath (12), a support (21) for a roll of tape (20) arranged so that tape (19) from the roll (20) passes between the pair of rollers (22, 23), a drive motor (28) and a slipping clutch (7). The clutch (7) imparts a driving torque to one of the pair of rollers (23), the driving torque being insufficient to rotate the roller (23) when tape (19) from the roll (20) extends therebetween but assists rotation of the rollers (22, 23) to feed tape (19) therebetween when tension is applied to the tape (19) downstream of the pair of rollers (22, 23). Adhesive (14) is conveyed from the bath (12) to the tape (19) by a partially submerged roller (24) engaged with one of the pair of rollers (22, 23).

Description: , ADH_ES_I_V_E_TAP_E_—P—RO ^ D—UC—ING—/—D-—I—S—PEN^S—IN —G—AP—PA—RA—T—US This invention relates to improvements in adhesive tape apparatus and relates particularly to improved apparatus for the manufacturing and/or dispensing of adhesive tape. Adhesive tape used for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes is generally pre-manufactured and supplied in rolls to the customers who extract the necessary tape from the rolls either manually, by a tape dispenser or automatically in a machine such as, for example, a carton closing machine. Pre-manufactured rolls of adhesive tape are relatively expensive, particularly when the tape is manufactured for special applications which require a special backing material. Further, special coatings or inter-layers may be required to prevent the tape layers in a roll adhering to each other. Dispensing apparatus for dispensing adhesive tape from pre-manufactured rolls generally utilizes means for • supporting the roll of tape and fixed or movable cutting means to cut the tape extracted from the roll at the desired location. In a number of situations, however, extracting the tape from the roll is relatively difficult. It has previously been proposed to produce adhesive tape from a roll of backing material and suitable adhesive at the location of its use, thus avoiding the difficulties associated with pre-manufactured adhesive tape. However, other difficulties are associated with such tape production such as the problem of drawing the backing material through an adhesive coating arrangement at an even speed and applying the correct amount of adhesive. BACKGROUND ART Australian Patent No. 103,480 discloses a gumming machine for applying a coating of gum or other liquid material to a paper backing utilizing a roller or cylinder rotatably mounted in a casing containing the liquid to be applied to the backing, the cylinder being circumferentially grooved so that paper passing over the cylinder picks up liquid from the un-grooved circumference of the cylinder leaving a strip of backing not wetted by the liquid. A finger O Pl engaged in the groove causes the backing paper to leave the cylinder surface. A guide roller guides the paper backing into contact with the cylinder and the cylinder and guide roller are rotated by hand. This early arrangement requires two hands to operate the apparatus, one to rotate the cylinder and the other to grip the wetted paper backing. The machine is, therefore, inconvenient to use. Australian Patent No. 240,597 discloses a machine for applying a coating surface to a backing such as paper, the machine having an applicator: roller which is rotated in a direction and speed to cause that surface of the roller adjacent the surface of the paper to move at a greater linear speed than the paper which is moved at a regulated speed by feed rollers. The increased speed of the application roller, which rotates in the liquid to be applied to the backing, causes a liquid wedge to build up between the roller and the backing. Such a machine, however, does not enable an adhesive tape to be produced on demand, the machine relying on continuous operation to build up and maintain the liquid wedge. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which may be used to either dispense adhesive tape which is formed during the dispensing thereof or produce rolls of adhesive tape for later use. It is also an object of the invention to provide tape producing apparatus which, when used to dispense adhesive tape, is substantially self-feeding. ' it is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus which is relatively simple in construction but which is economical to use by obviating the need for relatively expensive pre-manufactured adhesive tape rolls. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an adhesive tape producing/dispensing apparatus comprising means to support a roll of tape material, a pair of rollers between which tape from said- roll passes, an adhesive bath, means to convey adhesive from said bath to at least one surface of said tape material, and means responsive to tension applied to said tape to drive at least one of said rollers. In a preferred form of the apparatus, one of said pair of drive rollers is either in contact with the bath of adhesive or is in contact with other roller means or adhesive distribution means whereby adhesive is carried to said one of said pair of drive rollers for application to one side of the tape material. With this arrangement, the roll of tape material consists of a roll of paper or synthetic plastic tape material to which the adhesive is applied during operation of the apparatus. In another form of the invention, the apparatus may be used to produce a roll of adhesive tape by feeding the tape material from said pair of drive rollers to a take-up reel. One of said drive rollers is either in contact with the bath of liquid adhesive or is in contact with other roller means engaged in said bath whereby adhesive is transferred from the bath to one side of said tape material. • In the most preferred form of the invention, at least one of the pair of drive rollers is driven when tension is applied to said tape passing between the drive rollers. Preferably, an adjustable slip drive connects an electric motor to the driven roller. The slip drive, which may comprise an adjustable clutch, is normally adjusted so that the motor torque transferred to the roller is just insuffi¬ cient to cause the roller to rotate and draw tape from the roll of tape material. When a very small tension is applied to the tape passing from the drive rollers, that tension is sufficient to cause the driven roller to rotate thereby drawing tape material from the roll. As soon as the tension applied to the tape is released, the driven roller is no longer supplied with sufficient torque to draw tape from the roll and therefore ceases rotation. In order that the invention will be more readily understood, two embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an adhesive tape producing/dispensing apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the invention, Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of the invention, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of one form of clutch used in the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings. Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention set up for production of an adhesive tape for immediate use. The apparatus comprises a container 12 for an adhesive material 14 which is maintained at a predetermined temperature by an electrical heating element 16 connected to an electrical supply via the cord 17 and plug 18. The adhesive compound 14 is preferably one which has a relatively low viscosity at temperatures above ambient but which, when applied to a tape backing material, forms a pressure sensitive adhesive thereon at ambient temperatures. The heating element 16, therefore, maintains the adhesive at a.temperature above ambient at which the adhesive is able to be transferred from the adhesive bath to the tape backing material. A roll 20 of tape material 19 is mounted on a support bracket 21 on the side of the container 12. A pair of rollers 22 and 23 are mounted for rotation within the container 12, the surfaces of the rollers normally being in contact with each other. The rollers may be formed of metal, synthetic plastic material, rubber or the like and the mounting for the rollers may be arranged to ensure a pre¬ determined pressure of contact exists between the rollers. A third roller 24 is also located within the container 12 with at least part of the surface thereof in contact with the adhesive 14. The third roller thereby picks up adhesive from the adhesive bath and transfers this adhesive to the surface of the roller 23 from where it is transferred to the undersurface of tape material 19 passing between the rollers 22 and 23. A scraper blade 8 mounted on an adjustable support 9 is positioned adjacent the surface of the roller 24 to scrape excess adhesive from the roller 24 thus controlling the amount of adhesive to be applied to the tape 19. A guide roller 26, preferably coated with Teflon, or similar material, maintains the desired path of the tape material 19 from the roll of material 20 through the rollers 22 and 23. The tape material 19 then passes over a cutting blade 27 positioned on one side of the container 12. An electric drive motor 28 is mounted on one side of the container and is drivingly connected " to the roller 23 by means of a suitable drive belt 29. Interposed in the drive train between the motor 28 and the roller 23 is a slipping clutch arrangement 7 which acts to transmit a predetermined torque from the drive motor 28 to the roller 23. The slipping clutch 7, one form of which is shown in Figure 3, is adjusted so that the torque transmitted to the roller 23 is just insufficient to cause that roller to rotate and feed tape material 19. However, when tension is applied to the free end of the tape material 19, that tension adds sufficient additional torque that the drive motor 28 and clutch then assists in moving the tape material 19 from the roll 20 through the rollers 22 and 23. With this arrangement, a user is simply required to grasp and tension the tape material 19 on the downstream side of the rollers 22 and 23 whereupon the tape material 19 will be fed from the roll 20 through the rollers 22 and 23 and be coated with adhesive material 14 conveyed from the adhesive bath by the rollers 24 and 23. When the desired amount of tape has been extracted, the tape is contacted with the cutting ' blade 27 to remove the desired length of adhesive tape. The slipping clutch 7 may be located either on the roller 23, as illustrated, or on the end of the drive motor 28. If desired, both rollers 22 and 23 can be driven rollers or, alternatively, the roller 22 may be the driven roller, the other rollers being driven therefrom by surface contact. Referring to the embodiment of Figure 2, the arrange¬ ment shown is similar to that of Figure 1 except that, instead of producing an adhesive tape for immediate use, the apparatus of Figure 2 is set up to produce a roll of adhesive tape for subsequent use. For this purpose, a take-up reel 31 is mounted on one side of the container 12 the take-up reel being driven by the electric drive motor 28 via a drive belt 32. The roll 20 of tape backing material 19 is mounted on the opposite side of the container 12 and tape 19 passes from the roll 20 beneath a pair of rollers 33 and 34 to the take- up reel 31. Adhesive material 14 is picked up from the adhesive bath by the roller 24 which is driven by surface-to-surface contact with the driven roller " 36. Adhesive on the roller 24 is passed to the surface of the driven roller 36 from where it is transferred to the lower surface of the tape material 19- A scraper blade 8 on support 9 is located adjacent the roller 24 to control the amount of adhesive transferred to the tape 19. In this embodiment, the electric heating element 16 is located beneath the bath of adhesive 14 in the container 12. The drive belt 32 driving the take-up reel 31 drives through a slipping clutch 7 which is adjusted to provide a predetermined tension.to the tape material 19. As the amount of tape material 19 builds up on the take-up reel 31, the speed of rotation of that reel will slow relative to the speed of rotation of the driven roller 36. The two upper rollers 33 and 34, or one of them, may be in pressure contact with the driven roller 36 or, alternatively, may be mounted as idler rollers to guide the movement of the tape material 19 over the surface of the driven roller 36. A second clutch 7 transmits driving torque from the motor 28 to the driven roller 36 via the drive belt 29 in the same manner as in the previous embodiment. Thus, while tension is applied to the tape 19 by rotation of the take-up reel 31, the drive roller 36 will feed tape 19 from the roll 20 and apply adhesive material 14 to the under surface thereof which contacts the drive roller 36. Referring to Figure 3, the slipping clutch illustrated O PI comprises a shaft 41 on which is mounted a drive pulley 42 for rotation of the shaft 41. The shaft 41 may be the shaft _ of the driven rollers 23 or 36 or the shaft of take-up reel 31, mounted for rotation in bearings- 40 which support the shaft for rotation. The drive pulley 42 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 41 and has on one end face thereof an integral driving plate 45 adapted to engage with an annular disk 44 of suitable clutch material such as leather, synthetic plastic or other material fixed to a driving disk 43 keyed to the shaft to rotate therewith. A spring47, washer 48, cam 43 and wing nut 49 are located on the shaft to provide an axial force against the drive pulley 42 and integral plate 45 to urge that plate into contact with the clutch disk 44. The drive pulley 42 is rotated by the drive belt 29 or 32. The cam 43 comprises a sleeve 51 adapted to rotate with the shaft 41 and carrying a cam lever 52 pivoted on the pin 53. The position of the sleeve 51 is adjusted by the wing nut 49 so as to vary the tension in the spring 47. The cam lever 52 can be moved from the operative position as shown in Figure 3 to an inoperative position whereby the washer 48 abutting the spring 47 moves to the right as viewed in Figure 3 to release tension on the spring 47. In operation, when the clutch is mounted on the shaft of the roller 23 or 36, the wing nut is adjusted so that the spring tension urges the driving plate 45 into light contact with the clutch disk 44 when the cam lever 52 is in the operative position. The contact pressure is adjusted so that the driving force between the driving plate 45 and clutch disk 44 is just insufficient to drive the shaft 41. As tape material 19 is drawn over the roller 23 or 36, the clutch acts to assist the feeding of the tape material 19. When the clutch is mounted on the shaft of the take- up reel 31, the spring tension is adjusted to cause the clutch to drive the reel 31, the clutch being able to slip when the reel speed tends to be greater than feeding speed. It will be appreciated that other forms of slipping drives may be provided for the rollers and/or take-up reels *£ΪRE O PI of the apparatus of this invention. In an alternative arrangement (not illustrated) , the drive motor may be directly coupled to the appropriate driven roller and/or take-up reel and suitable electrical control means provided to vary the output torque of the drive motor to the predetermined torque required for performance of the invention. The various rollers in contact with the adhesive material may be heated in known fashion, i.e. electrically heated, to maintain the adhesive in a fluid or non-tacky state and to prevent the adhesive setting on the rollers during periods of non-use of the apparatus. The tape material 19 may comprise any suitable material such as paper, synthetic plastic material or the like to which adhesive can be applied either as a pressure sensitive adhesive or as a thermosetting adhesive. In the production of rolls of adhesive tape, the backing tape 19 may comprise a silicon-treated paper which prevents the tape adhering to itself and permits relatively easy withdrawal of the tape from a roll thereof.

Claims: Claims 1. An adhesive tape producing/dispensing apparatus comprising means to support a roll of tape material., a pair of rollers between which tape from said roll passes, an adhesive bath, means to convey adhesive from said bath to at least one surface of said tape material, characterised in that at least one of said rollers has operatively associated there¬ with drive means responsive to tension applied to said tape to drive said at least one of said rollers. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said drive means includes electric motor means drivingly connected to said at least one roller, said motor means producing a torque on the at least one roller which is in¬ sufficient to cause the roller to drive when tape from the supported roll passing between the rollers is untensioned on the downstream side of the rollers. 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 character¬ ised in that said drive means includes a slipping clutch. 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that tension is applied to said tape by a take-up reel on which said tape is wound, said take-up reel being driven by second drive means. 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that the or said slipping clutch is mounted on a shaft of said at least one roller and includes a driven disk rotatable with the roller, clutch disk material on the driven disk, and a driving plate rotatably mounted on the shaft and spring biased into engagement with the clutch disk material, the driving plate having a pulley integral therewith which is rotated by a drive belt. 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 characterised in that said spring biasing is effected by a compression spring co¬ axial with the shaft, an abutment for the spring and means to adjust the position of the abutment relative to the shaft to adjust the spring biasing pressure. 7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said adhesive bath is electrically heated. 8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding clai s wherein said means to convey adhesive from said bath to at least one surface of said tape material comprises a transfer roller partially submerged in adhesive in the bath, the transfer roller being in surface-to-surface engagement with at least one of the pair of rollers and being driven thereby. 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said second drive means includes a second slipping clutch. 10. An adhesive tape producing/dispensing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: BROOKS RONALD HARRY, BROOKS, RONALD, HARRY
Applicants: BROOKS ELECT SEAMING SYST PTY, BROOKS ELECTROFOIL SEAMING SYSTEMS PTY. LTD.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B05C1
IPC codes: B05C1